It is incredible, if their account is to be depended upon, what a prodigious number of those creatures were destroyed.  I think they talked of forty thousand dogs, and five times as many cats; few houses being without a cat, some having several, sometimes five or six in a house.  All possible endeavours were used also to destroy the mice and rats, especially the latter, by laying ratsbane and other poisons for them, and a prodigious multitude of them were also destroyed.

I often reflected upon the unprovided condition that the whole body of the people were in at the first coming of this calamity upon them, and how it was for want of timely entering into measures and managements, as well public as private, that all the confusions that followed were brought upon us, and that such a prodigious number of people sank in that disaster, which, if proper steps had been taken, might, Providence concurring, have been avoided, and which, if posterity think fit, they may take a caution and warning from.  But I shall come to this part again.

I come back to my three men.  Their story has a moral in every part of it, and their whole conduct, and that of some whom they joined with, is a pattern for all poor men to follow, or women either, if ever such a time comes again; and if there was no other end in recording it, I think this a very just one, whether my account be exactly according to fact or no.

Two of them are said to be brothers, the one an old soldier, but now a biscuit-maker; the other a lame sailor, but now a sailmaker; the third a joiner.  Says John the biscuit-maker one day to Thomas his brother, the sailmaker, ’Brother Tom, what will become of us?  The plague grows hot in the city, and increases 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 turned out of my lodging.’  And thus they began to talk of it beforehand.

John.  Turned out of your lodging, Tom I 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 anywhere.

Thomas.  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 nobody come near them.

John.  Why, they are in the right, to be sure, if they resolve to venture staying in town.

Thomas.  Nay, I might even resolve to stay within doors too, for, except a suit of sails that my master has in hand, and which I am just finishing, I am like to get no more work a great while.  There’s no trade stirs now.  Workmen and servants are turned off everywhere, so that I might be glad to be locked 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 she is to go next week, and to shut the house quite up, so that I shall be turned adrift to the wide world before you, and I am resolved to go away too, if I knew but where to go.