of the Plague in 166$, &c. 3 B U T as foon as it was rumoured a- mongfi: the common People, who are always enough aftonifhed at any Thing new, that the Plague was in the City^ it is impoilible to relate what Accounts were fpread of its Fatality, and well were it, had not the Prefages been fo ominous ; every one predicted its future Devaluations; and terrified each other with Re- membrances of a former Peftilence •, for it was a received Notion amongfr. the common People, that the Plague vifited England once in Twenty Years ; as if after a certain Interval, by fome inevitable Ne- ceffity, it muft. return again. But although this Conceit, how well foever juftify'd by pari: Experiences, did not fo much obtain with Perfons of more Judgment^ yet this may be affirmed, that it greatly contri- buted, amongft the Populace, both to pro- pagate arid inflame the Contagion, by the ftrong ImprefJions it made upon their Minds. AND thefe frightful Apprehenfions were not a little increafed by the Predictions of Aftrologers, from the Conjunct-ions of Stars, and the Appearances of Comets 5 B 2 9U
