, any more than you can of being dangerous to us as to
the infection.'

'Why, look you,' says John, 'as to being chargeable to you, we hope
we shall not. If you will relieve us with provisions for our present
necessity, we will be very thankful; as we all lived without charity
when we were at home, so we will oblige ourselves fully to repay you, if
God pleases to bring us back to our own families and houses in safety,
and to restore health to the people of London.

'As to our dying here: we assure you, if any of us die, we that survive
will bury them, and put you to no expense, except it should be that we
should all die; and then, indeed, the last man not being able to bury
himself, would put you to that single expense which I am persuaded',
says John, 'he would leave enough behind him to pay you for the expense
of.

'On the other hand,' says John, 'if you shut up all bowels of
compassion, and not relieve us at all, we shall not extort anything by
violence or steal from any one; but when what little we have is spent,
if we perish for want, God's will be done.'

John wrought so upon the townsmen, by talking thus rationally and
smoothly to them, that they went away; and though they did not give any
consent to their staying there, yet they did not molest them; and
the poor people continued there three or four days longer without any
disturbance. In this time they had got some remote acquaintance with a
victualling-house at the outskirts of the town, to whom they called at
a distance to bring some little things that they wanted, and which they
caused to be set down at a distance, and always paid for very honestly.

During this time the younger people of the town came frequently pretty
near them, and would stand and look at them, and sometimes talk with
them at some space between; and particularly it was observed that the
first Sabbath-day the poor people kept retired, worshipped God together,
and were heard to sing psalms.

These things, and a quiet, inoffensive behaviour, began to get them the
good opinion of the country, and people began to pity them and speak
very well of them; the consequence of which was, that upon the occasion
of a very wet, rainy night, a certain gentleman who lived in the
neighbourhood sent them a little cart with twelve trusses or bundles of
straw, as well for them to lodge upon as to cover and thatch their huts
and to keep them dry. The minister of a parish not far off, not knowing
of the o