that when any of them fled for Fear before they were touch’d, they ſhould be deny’d the Liberty of lying ſo much as in the open Fields.'
The Epping Men told them again, That they, indeed, ſaid they were ſound and free from the Infection, but that they had no aſſurance of it; and that it was reported, that there had been a great Rabble of People at Walthamſtow, who made ſuch Pretences of being ſound, as they did, but that they threaten’d to plunder the Town, and force their Way whether the Pariſh Officers would or no; That they were near 200 of them, and had Arms and Tents like Low-Country Soldiers, that they extorted Proviſions from the Town by threatning them with living upon them at free Quarter, ſhewing their Arms, and talking in the Language of Soldiers; and that ſeveral of them being gone away towards Rumford and Brent-Wood, the Country had been infected by them, and the Plague ſpread into both thoſe large Towns, ſo that the People durſt not go to Market there as uſual; that it was very likely they were ſome of that Party, and if ſo, they deſerv’d to be ſent to the County Jail, and be ſecur’d till they had made Satisfaction for the Damage they had done, and for the Terror and Fright they had put the Country into.
John anſwered, That what other People had done was nothing to them; that he aſſured them they were all of one Company, that they had never been more in Number than they ſaw them at that time; (which by the way was very true) that they came out in two ſeperate Companies, but joyn’d by the Way, their Caſes being the ſame; that they were ready to give what Account of themſelves any Body cou’d deſire of them, and to give in their Names and Places of Abode, that ſo they might be call’d to an Account for any Diſorder that they might be guilty of; that the Townſmen
