Page:A Journal of the Plague Year (1722).djvu/166

 John. No, no: I ſuppoſe you ſee we are able to ſend you going, and ail the People of your Pariſh, and come thro’ your Town, when we will; but ſince you have ſtopt us here, we are content; you ſee, we have encamp’d here, and here we will live: we hope you will furniſh us with Victuals. Conſt: We furniſh you! What mean you by that?

John. Why you would not have us Starve, would you? If you ſtop us here, you muſt keep us. Conſt. You will be ill kept at our Maintenance.

John. If you ſtint us, we ſhall make ourſelves the better Allowance.

Conſt. Why you will not pretend to quarter upon us by Force, will you? John. We have offer’d no Violence to you yet, why do you ſeem to oblige us to it? I am an old Soldier, and cannot ſtarve, and if you think that we all be obliged to go back for want of Proviſions, you are miſtaken. Conſt. Since you threaten us, we ſhall take Care to be ſtrong enough for you: I have Orders to raiſe the County upon you.

John. It is you that threaten, not we: And ſince you are for Miſchief, you cannot blame us, if we do not give you time for it; we ſhall begin our March in a few Minutes. Conſt. What is it you demand of us?

John. At firſt we deſir’d nothing of you, but Leave to go thro’ the Town; we ſhould have offer’d no Injury to any of you, neither would you have had any Injury or Loſs by us. We are not Thieves, but poor People in diſtreſs, and flying from the dreadful