had, they brought all into one publick Stock, and thus they began their Journey. It ſeems that in the Morning when they ſet out, the Wind blew as the Saylor ſaid by his Pocket Compaſs, at N. W. by W. So they directed, or rather reſolv’d to direct their Courſe N. W.
But then a Difficulty came in their Way, that as they ſet out from the hither end of Wapping near the Hermitage, and that the Plague was now very Violent, eſpecially on the North ſide of the City, as in Shoreditch and Cripplegate Pariſh, they did not think it ſafe for them to go near thoſe Parts; ſo they went away Eaſt through Radcliff High-way, as far as Radcliff-Croſs, and leaving Stepney Church ſtill on their Left-hand, being afraid to come up from Radcliff-Croſs to Mile-end, becauſe they muſt come juſt by the Church-yard, and becauſe the Wind that ſeemed to blow more from the Weſt, blow’d directly from the ſide of the City where the Plague was hotteſt. So I ſay, leaving Stepney, they fetched a long Compaſs, and going to Poplar and Bromley, came into the great Road juſt at Bow.
Here the Watch plac’d upon Bow Bridge would have queſtion’d them; but they croſſing the Road into a narrow Way that turns out at the hither End of the Town of Bow to Old-Ford, avoided any Enquiry there, and travelled to Old-Ford. The Conſtables every where were upon their Guard, not ſo much it ſeems to ſtop People paſſing by, as to ſtop them from taking up their Abode in their Towns, and withal becauſe of a Report that was newly rais’d at that time, and that indeed was not very improbable, viz. That the poor People in London being diſtreſs’d and ſtarv’d for want of Work, and by that means for want of Bread, were up in Arms, and had raiſed a Tumult, and that they would come out to all the Towns round to plunder for Bread. This, I ſay, was only a Rumour, and it was very well it
