Page:A Journal of the Plague Year (1722).djvu/149

 lame Sailor, but now a Sail-Maker; the Third a Joiner. Says John the Biſcuit Baker, one Day to Thomas his Brother, the Sail-maker, Brother Tom, ''what will become of us? The Plague grows hot in the City, and encreaſes this way: What shall we do?''

Truly, ſays Thomas, I am at a great Loſs what to do, for I find, if it comes down into Wapping, I ſhall be turn'd out of my Lodging: And thus they began to talk of it beforehand. John, Turn’d out of your Lodging, Tom! if you are, I don't know who will take you in; for People are ſo afraid of one another now, there's no getting a Lodging any where.

Tho. ''Why? The People where I lodge are good civil People, and have Kindneſs enough for me too; but they ſay I go abroad every Day to my Work, and it will be dangerous; and they talk of locking themſelves up, and letting no Body come near them.'' John, Why, they are in the right to be ſure, if they reſolve to venture ſtaying in Town. Tho. Nay, I might e’en reſolve to ſtay within Doors too, for, except a Suit of Sails that my Maſter has in Hand, and which I am juſt a finiſhing, I am like to get no more Work a great while; there’s no Trade ſtirs now; Workmen and Servants are turned off every where, ſo that I might be glad to be lock’d up too: But I do not ſee they will be willing to conſent to that, any more than to the other.

John, ''Why, what will you do then Brother? and what ſhall I do? for I am almoſt as bad as you; the People where I lodge are all gone into the Country but a Maid, and for us to go next Week, and to ſhut the Houſe quite up, ſo that I ſhall be turn’d a drift to the wide World before you, and I am reſolved to go away too, if I knew but where to go.'' Tho. We were both diſtracted we did not go away at firſt, then we might ha’ travelled any where; there's no ſtirring now; we ſhall be ſtarv'd if we pretend to go out of Town; they won't let us have Vituals, no, not for our Money, nor let us come into the Towns, much leſs into their Houſes.