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.

Thomas. We were both distracted we did not go away at first; then we
might have travelled anywhere. There's no stirring now; we shall
be starved if we pretend to go out of town. They won't let us have
victuals, no, not for our money, nor let us come into the towns, much
less into their houses.

John. And that which is almost as bad, I have