Page:A Journal of the Plague Year (1722).djvu/170

 Aſſiſtants, cut down and fix’d in the Ground in a Circle; binding all the ſmall Ends together at the Top, and thickning the ſides with Boughs of Trees and Buſhes, ſo that they were compleatly cloſe and warm. They had beſides this, a little Tent where the Women lay by themſelves, and a Hutt to put the Horſe in.

It happened that the next day, or next but one was Market-day at Epping; when Capt John, and one of the other Men, went to Market, and bought ſome Proviſions, that is to ſay Bread, and ſome Mutton and Beef; and two of the Women went ſeparately, as if they had not belong’d to the reſt, and bought more. John took the Horſe to bring it Home, and the Sack (which the Carpenter carry’d his Tools in) to put it in: The Carpenter went to Work and made them Benches and Stools to ſit on, ſuch as the Wood he cou’d get wou’d afford, and a kind of a Table to dine on.

They were taken no Notice of for two or three Days, but after that, abundance of People ran out of the Town to look at them, and all the Country was alarmed about them. The People at firſt ſeem’d afraid to come near them, and on the other Hand they deſir’d the People to keep off, for there was a Rumour that the Plague was at Waltham, and that it had been in Epping two or three Days. So John called out to them not to come to them, For, ſays he, we are all whole and ſound People here, and we would not have you bring the Plague among us, nor pretend we brought it among you. After this the Pariſh Officers came up to them: and parly’d with them at a Diſtance, and deſir’d to know who they were, and by what Authority they pretended to fix their Stand at that Place? John anſwered very frankly, they were poor diſtreſſed People from London, who foreſeeing the Miſery they ſhould be reduc’d to, if the Plague ſpread into the