It seems John was in the tent, but hearing them call, he steps out, and taking the gun upon his shoulder, talked to them as if he had been the sentinel placed there upon the guard by some officer that was his superior. [Footnote in the original.]

Constable.  We furnish you I What mean you by that?

John.  Why, you would not have us starve, would you?  If you stop us here, you must keep us.

Constable.  You will be ill kept at our maintenance.

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

Constable.  Why, you will not pretend to quarter upon us by force, will you?

John.  We have offered 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 shall be obliged to go back for want of provisions, you are mistaken.

Constable.  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.*

Constable.  What is it you demand of us?

John.  At first we desired nothing of you but leave to go through the town; we should have offered 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 plague in London, which devours thousands every week.  We wonder how you could be so unmerciful!

Constable.  Self-preservation obliges us.

John.  What!  To shut up your compassion in a case of such distress as this?

Constable.  Well, if you will pass over the fields on your left hand, and behind that part of the town, I will endeavour to have gates opened for you.

John.  Our horsemen ** cannot pass with our baggage that way; it does not lead into the road that we want to go, and why should you force us out of the road?  Besides, you have kept us here all day without any provisions but such as we brought with us.  I think you ought to send us some provisions for our relief.

     * This frighted the constable and the people that were with
     him, that they immediately changed their note.

     ** They had but one horse among them.
     [Footnotes in the original.]

Constable.  If you will go another way we will send you some provisions.

John.  That is the way to have all the towns in the county stop up the ways against us.

Constable.  If they all furnish you with food, what will you be the worse?  I see you have tents; you want no lodging.

John.  Well, what quantity of provisions will you send us?

Constable.  How many are you?

John.  Nay, we do not ask enough for all our company; we are in three companies.  If you will send us bread for twenty men and about six or seven women for three days, and show us the way over the field you speak of, we desire not to put your people into any fear for us; we will go out of our way to oblige you, though we are as free from infection as you are.*