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Memoirs of

were ſo Enthuſiaſtically bold, as to run about the Streets, with their Oral Predictions, pretending they were ſent to preach to the City; and One in particular, who, like Jonah to Nenevah, cry'd in the Streets, yet forty Days, and LONDON ſhall be deſtroy'd, I will not be poſitive, whether he ſaid yet forty Days, or yet a few Days. Another run about Naked, except a pair of Drawers about his Waſte, crying Day and Night; like a Man that Joſephus mentions, who cry'd, woe to Jeruſalem! a little before the Deſtruction of that City: So this poor naked Creature cry'd, O! the Great, and the Dreadful God! and ſaid no more, but repeated thoſe Words continually, with a Voice and Countenance full of horror, a ſwift Pace, and no Body cou'd ever find him to ſtop, or reſt, or take any Suſtenance, at leaſt, that ever I cou'd hear of. I met this poor Creature ſeveral Times in the Streets, and would have ſpoke to him, but he would not enter into Speech with me, or any one elſe; but held on his diſmal Cries continually.

Theſe Things terrified the People to the laſt Degree; and eſpecially when two or three Times, as I have mentioned already, they found one or two in the Bills, dead of the Plague at St. Giles.

Next to theſe publick Things, were the Dreams of old Women: Or, I ſhould ſay, the Interpretation of old Women upon other Peoples Dreams; and theſe put abundance of People even out of their Wits: Some heard Voices warning them to be gone, for that there would be ſuch a Plague in London, ſo that the Living would not be able to bury the Dead: Others ſaw Apparitions in the Air; and I muſt be allow'd to ſay of both, I hope with out breach of Charity, that they heard Voices that never ſpake, and ſaw Sights that never appear'd; but the Imagination of the Peoplewas