"Yet forty Days, and _London_ shall be destroyed! I will overturn,
overturn, overturn it! Oh! Woe, Woe, Woe!"
I sprang out of Bed, fell over my Shoes, got up again, and ran to the
Window. There was Nothing to be seen but long, black Shadows in the
Streets. The Moon was behind the House. After looking forthe awhile,
with Teeth chattering, I was about to drop the Curtain, when, afar off,
whether in or over some distant Quarter of the Town, I heard the same
Voice, clearlie enow to recognise the Rhythm, though not the Words. I
crept to Bed, chilled and awe-stricken; yet, after cowering awhile, and
saying our Prayers, we both fell asleep.
The first Sounde this Morning was of Weeping and Wayling. Mother had
beene scared by the Night-warning, and wearied Father to have us alle
into the Countrie. He thought the Danger not yet imminent, the Expense
considerable, and the Outcry that of some crazy Fanatick; ne'erthelesse,
consented to employ _Ellwood_ to look us out some country Lodgings;
having noe Mind to live upon my Uncle at _Ipswich_.
_Mary_, strange to say, had heard noe Noise; nor had the Maids; but
Servants always sleep heavily.
Some of the Pig having beene sett aside for my Uncle, and Mother fancying
it for her Breakfast, was much putt out, on going into the Larder, to
find it gone. _Betty_, of course, sayd it was the Cat. Mother made
Answer, she never knew a Cat partiall to cold Pig; and the Door having
been latched, was suspicious of a Puss in Boots.
_Betty_ cries--"Plague take the Cat!"
Mother rejoyns--"If the Plague does take him, I shall certainly have him
hanged."
"Then we shall be overrun with Rats," says _Betty_.
"I shall buy Ratsbane for them," says Mother; and soe into the Parlour,
where Father, having hearde the whole Dialogue, had been greatlie amused.
At Twilight, she went to look at the Pantry Fastenings herselfe, but,
suddenlie hearing a dolorous Voyce either within or immediately without,
cry, "Oh! Woe, Woe!" she naturallie drew back. However, being a Woman
of much Spiritt, she instantlie recovered herselfe, and went forward; but
no one was in the Pantry. The Occurrence, therefore, made the more
Impression; and she came up somewhat scared, and asked if we had heard it.
"My Dear," says Father, "you awoke me in the midst of a very interesting
Colloquy between _Sir Thomas More_ and _Erasmus_. However, I think a Dog
barked, or rather howled, just now. Are you sure the words were not
'Bow, wow, wow?'"
Another Night-larum; but onlie from Father, who wanted me to write for
him,--a Task he has much intromitted of late. Mother was hugelie annoyed
at it, and sayd,--"My Dear, I am persuaded that if you would not persist
in going to Bed soe earlie, you woulde not awake at these untimelie
Hours."
"That is very well for you to say," returned he, "who can sew and spin
the whole Evening through; but I, whose long entire Day is Night, grow
soe tired of it by nine o'clock, that I am fit for Nothing but Bed."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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