March the 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th, a Comet ſhined all Nights. This Year the hot burning and Fever, and other Diſeaſes which began laſt Year, conſumed much People in all Parts of England, chiefly grave Men. ---- This Year, ſays Bartholine, being very inconſtant, Rain, Heat, and ſoutherly Wind, the Air not yet purified after the late great Plague there, and fatal to many Childbed Women, an epidemic, confluent, malignant Pox, raged among all Ages, (and at the ſame Time a malignant ſpotted Fever) moſtly fatal the firſt or fourth Day ; the Symptoms, Vomiting, Loathing, Palpication of the Heart, Fainting, Delirium, Difficulty of Breathing, Cough, bloody Urine, Dyſentery, involuntary profuſe Tears, ſo as the cryſtaline Humour of the Eye was often loſt. Face and Body were firſt red, then quickly deformed with many Puſtules. The Pox appeared the fourth Day. On taking a Cordial, mild Diaphoretic, &c. the Fever and other Symptoms abated, except the Sick catched Cold, had a Looſeneſs, or were ſuffocated. The Diſeaſe prevailed as much in Harveſt as in Summer only it was milder. Tho. Bartholin. --- 1557, This Year and laſt was a great Scarcity of Corn from the paſt great Rains. It was a very unſeaſonable Year in England, all the Corn was choaked and blaſted, the Harveſt exceſſive wet and rainy ; before Harveſt this Year, Wheat was ſold at 4 Marks per Quarter, Malt at 44s. per Quarter, Peaſe at 46s. 8d. After Harveſt Wheat was ſold at 5s. per Quarter in London, 4s. in the Country. Malt at 6s. 8d. and in the Country at 4s. 8d. Rye at 3s. 4d. per Quarter in London, and in ſome Places at 4d. per Buſhel. Clark’s Ex. --- Quartan Agues ſtill reigned fatally. In ſome more remote Countries, July, Auguſt, and September, were exceſſive hot and dry. In the End of September, came a very ſtrong cold North Wind ; preſently after were many Catarrhs, quickly followed by a moſt ſevere Cough, Pain of the Side, Difficulty of Breathing, and a Fever. The Pain was neither violent nor pricking, but mild. The 3d Day they expectorated freely. The 6th, 7th, or at the fartheſt the 8th Day ; all who had that Pain of the Side died ; but ſuch as were blooded the 1ſt or 2d Day, recovered on the 4th or 5th ; but bleeding on the laſt two Days, did no Service. Slippery, thickening, Linctuſes, were found of moſt Service. Broths, or Spoon-meats, or moiſt Foods were good. --- But where the Seaſon continued ſtill rainy, the Caſe was very different ; for at Mantua Carpentaria, three Miles from Madrid, the Epidemic began in Auguſt, and bleeding or purging was ſo dangerous, that in the ſmall Town 2000 were let Blood of, and all died. There it began with a Roughneſs of the Jaws, and ſmall Cough, then a ſtrong Fever, with a Pain of the Head, Back, and Legs ; ſome felt as tho’ they were corded over the Breaſt, and had a Weight at the Stomach ; all which continued to the 3d Day at fartheſt ; then the Fever went off with a Sweat, or bleeding at the Noſe. In ſome few it turned to a Pleuriſy, or fatal Peripneumony. --- At Alcmaria, this Year in October, raged ſuch an Epidemic, as ſeized whole Families at once. In that ſmall Place died in three Weeks 200 Perſons of this mortal Peripneumony. It attacked like a Catarrh, with a very ſlow and malignant Fever, bringing as it were a ſudden Suffocation along with it ; then ſeized the Breaſt with ſo great a Difficulty of Breathing, that the Sick ſeemed dying. Preſently it laid hold of the Precordia and Stomach, and with a violent Cough, which either cauſed Abortion, or killed gravid Women. Some, but very few, had continual Fevers along with it ; many had double Tertians ; other ſimple ſlight Intermittents. All were worſe by Night than by Day ; ſuch as recovered were long valetudinary, had a weak Stomach, and hypped. This Diſeaſe ſeized moſt Counties very ſuddenly when it entered, catching thouſands the ſame Moment. Thick ill ſmelling Fogs preceded it ſome Days. In ſome Places few recovered who had it accompanied with a violent Fever. Semitertians were next dangerous. If Intermittents accompanied the Pain of the Throat (which was neither a Quinzy, nor ſcarce a ſlight Inflammation, but only from a meer Defluxion, of which the Sick ſeemed choaked) they were better off, even without bleeding. But if the Fever ſupervened, and was not well managed, it was often fatal. Gentle bleeding the firſt Day was uſeful. For the Throat Gargles of Plantin, Scabious, and red Roſe Wafers, Quinces, Mulberries, and ſealed Earth, were uſed. For the Cough and Hoarſeneſs, pectoral and oyly Mixtures. Scarification with Cupping, ſucceeded better than bleeding. The Year 1555 had been moſt exceſſively rainy, and 1556, as great a Drought --- After a great Scarcity of Corn, not from Famine, but the rich Cornmongers had bought and hoarded it up, till it was ſpoiled, which forced the Poor to eat Oxes and Swines Dung, &c. A ſudden and terrible Plague broke out between Delph and the Hague, in a ſmall Village, and ſpread over the whole Country in June, before the riſing of the Dog-Star. In Children it was attended with Spots. This Plague was preſaged by Stars, and Fire falling to the Ground on the Streets of Delph. Children in their Play digged Graves, and carried dead Coffins on their Shoulders ; ſung funeral Hymns like their Prieſts, and pretended to bury living Children their Playfellows. So great was this Mortality, that the Poor fought for Coffins for their dead Relations. Abortions, and Death of Childbed Women were common. This Plague continued till May 1558, and killed 5000 of the Poor of Delph only. Dodoneus. Schinckius. Foreſtus. Platerus. Stow. &c. --- A Dearth afflicted England ; Wheat ſold at 55s. per Qnarter ; but a good and plentiful Crop this Harveſt brought it to 4s. or 5s. ---- September the 7th, ſeven a Clock at Night, in a black rainy Cloud in the Weſt was ſeen a Rainbow, the Moon in the Eaſt, ſhining bright, and at full the Day before. In September exceſſive Rains, and a great Death, chiefly of Prieſts. Baker’s Chron.--- At Numigen, in July, raged an Epidemic, which ſpared none, and ſo cruel that it carried off many the 4th, 7th or 14th Day. It ſeized with a Fever, Roughneſs, or burning Inflammation of the Throat, and the Fever continual. The Sick were afflicted with a grievous Pain of the Head, taring Cough, and conſtant ſevere Pain of the Loins, that they couldd not walk ; and ſo large a Diſcharge by the Noſe, as would ſcarce ſuffer them to breath. Such as eſcaped by Bleeding, Pectorals, and a ſtinking Sweat ſupervening, had their entire Strength in all Parts continue. But ſuch as ſunk under the Fever, and want of Eating, becoming weak, all died. Wherefore the Cure turned on the Uſe of ſpeedy Univerſals, recalling the Appetite, keeping the Veſſels of the Throat open. Lenitives only were uſed, ſtrong Purges being fatal. --- In Harveſt a peſtilential Fever raged in France, and carried off many. Dyſenteries, with a ſlight Fever prevailed at the ſame Time ; but by the early Uſe of Rhubarb, all had their Gripes appeaſed, and recovered. Rever. Holer. &c. This Year there was a great Flood in the ſouth of Languedoc, with ſo dreadful a Tempeſt, that People imagined it was the laſt Day. Vignier. The rapid Deſcent of the Waters about Niſmes, removed divers Heaps and Mountains of Ground, and rent and tore up many other Places ; by which was diſcovered much Gold and Silver Coins, Plate, and other valuable Veſſels, ſuppoſed to be hid in the Gothiſh Invaſion.