ſo many Wizards and cunning People propagating them, that I have often wonder'd there was any, (Women eſpecially,) left behind.
In the firſt Place, a blazing Star or Comet appear'd for ſeveral Months before the Plague, as there did the Year after another, a little before the Fire; the old Women, and the Phlegmatic Hypocondriac Part of the other Sex, who I could almoſt call old Women too, remark'd (eſpecially afterward tho' not, till both thoſe Judgments were over,) that thoſe two Comets paſs'd directly over the City, and that ſo very near the Houſes, that it was plain, they imported ſomething peculiar to the City alone; that the Comet before the Peſtilence, was of a faint, dull, languid Colour, and its Motion very heavy, ſolemn and ſlow: But that the Comet before the Fire, was bright and ſparkling, or as others ſaid, flaming, and its Motion ſwift and furious; and that accordingly, One foretold a heavy Judgment, ſlow but ſevere, terrible and frightful, as was the Plague; But the other foretold a Stroak, ſudden, ſwift, and fiery as the Conflagration; nay, ſo particular ſome People were, that as they look'd upon that Comet preceding the Fire, they fancied that they not only ſaw it paſs ſwiftly and fiercely, and cou'd perceive the Motion with their Eye, but even they heard it; that it made a ruſhing mighty Noiſe, fierce and terrible, tho' at a diſtance, and but juſt perceivable.
I ſaw both theſe Stars; and I muſt confeſs, had ſo much of the common Notion of ſuch Things in my Head, that I was apt to look upon them, as the Forerunners and Warnings of Gods Judgments; and eſpecially when after the Plague had followed the firſt, I yet ſaw another of the like kind; I could not but ſay, God had not yet ſufficiently ſcourg'd the city.
