Edmund Wild, Esq. hath had more Deodands from his manor of Totham in Essex, than from all his estate besides: two mischiefs happened in one ground there. Disinheriting the eldest son is forbid in the holy scripture, and estates disinherited are observed to be unfortunate; of which one might make a large catalogue. See Dr. Saunderson's Sermon, where he discourses of this subject. **Periodical Small-Poxes. The small-pox is usually in all great towns:* but it is observed at Taunton in Somersetshire, and at Sherborne in Dorsetshire, that at one of them at every seventh year, and at the other at every ninth year comes a small-pox, which the physicians cannot master, e. g. * This account, I had from Mr. Thomas Ax. Small-pox in Sherborne ** during the year 1626. And during the year 1634. >From Michaelmas 1642, to Mich. 1643. >From Michaelmas 1649, to Mich. 1650. >From Michaelmas 1657, to Midi. 1658. In the year 1667, from Jan. to Sept. 1667. Mr. Ax promised me to enquire the years it happened there after 1670, and 1680; but death prevented him. ** Extracted out of the register-book. Small-pox in Taunton all the year 1658.* Likewise in the year 1670. Again in the year 1677. Again very mortal in the year 1684. * Out of the register-book. Mr. Ax also promised me to enquire at Taunton the years it happened there after 1660. It were to be wished that more such observations were made in other great towns. Platerus makes the like observations in the second book of his Practice, p. 323. He practised at Basil, fifty six years, and did observe, that every tenth year they died of the plague there. See Captain J. Graunt's observations on the bills of mortality at London, (indeed written by Sir William Petty, which in a late transaction he confessed) for the periodical plagues at London, which (as I remember) are every twenty-fifth year. OSTENTA; OR, PORTENTS. "HOW it comes to pass, I know not;* but by ancient and modern example it is evident, that no great accident befalls a city or province, but it is presaged by divination, or prodigy, or astrology, or some way or other. I shall here set down a few instances." * Discourses of Nicholas Machiavel, book 1. Chap 56. A Rainbow appeared about the sun before the battle of Pharsalia. See. Appian, and Mr. T. May's 5th book of his Continuation of Lucan. " Ex Chronico Saxonico, p. 112, Anno 1104, fuit primus Pentecostes dies Nonis Junii, & die Martis sequnte, conjuncti sunt quatuor Circuli circa Solem, aibi coloris, & quisque sub alio collocatus, quasi picti essent. Omnes qui videbant obstupuerunt, propterea quod nunquam ante tales meminerant. Post haec facta est Pax inter Comitem, Robertum de Normannia, & Robertum de Boeloesme i, e."