Historical fiction; London (England) -- History -- 17th century -- Fiction; Plague -- Fiction
They resolved to load themselves with as little baggage as possible,
because they resolved at first to travel on foot, and to go a great way,
that they might, if possible, be effectually safe. And a great many
consultations they had with themselves before they could agree about
what way they should travel; which they were so far from adjusting,
that, even to the morning they set out, they were not resolved on it.
At last the seaman put in a hint that determined it. "First," says he,
"the weather is very hot; and therefore I am for traveling north, that
we may not have the sun upon our faces, and beating upon our breasts,
which will heat and suffocate us; and I have been told," says he, "that
it is not good to overheat our blood at a time when, for aught we know,
the infection may be in the very air. In the next place," says he, "I am
for going the way that may be contrary to the wind as it may blow when
we set out, that we may not have the wind blow the air of the city on
our backs as we go." These two cautions were approved of, if it could be
brought so to hit that the wind might not be in the south when they set
out to go north.
John the baker, who had been a soldier, then put in his opinion.
"First," says he, "we none of us expect to get any lodging on the road,
and it will be a little too hard to lie just in the open air. Though it
may be warm weather, yet it may be wet and damp, and we have a double
reason to take care of our healths at such a time as this; and
therefore," says he, "you, brother Tom, that are a sailmaker, might
easily make us a little tent; and I will undertake to set it up every
night and take it down, and a fig for all the inns in England. If we
have a good tent over our heads, we shall do well enough."
The joiner opposed this, and told them, let them leave that to him: he
would undertake to build them a house every night with his hatchet and
mallet, though he had no other tools, which should be fully to their
satisfaction, and as good as a tent.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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