The true description of two monstruous children, lawfully begotten between George Steuens and Margery his wife, and borne in the parish of Swanburne in Buckyngham shire, the four of April. Anno Domini. 1566. the two children having both their bellies fast joined together, and embracing one an other with their arms: which children were both a live by the space of half an hour, and were baptised, and named the one john, and the other joan.  
 depiction of conjoined twins  

I Read how afrique land was fraught  
for their most filthy life,  
With monstrous shapes, confuzedly  
that therein were full rife.   

¶ But England now pursues their vile  
and detestable path,  
Embracing eke all mischiefs great  
that moves God's mighty wrath.   

¶ As these unnatural shapes & forms,  
thus brought forth in our days:  
Are tokens true and manifest,  
how God by divers ways:   

Doth stir us to amendment of  
our vile and cankered life:  
Which to to much abused is,  
in man, in child, and wife.   

¶ We wallow so in filthy sin,  
and nought at all regard:  
Nor will not fear the threats of God  
till we for just reward:   

Be overwhelmed with mischiefs great,  
which ready bent for us  
Full long a go decreed were,  
as Scriptures doth discus.   

¶ Both tender babes & eke brute beasts,  
in shape disfourmed be:  
Full many ways he plagues the earth,  
(as daily we may see)   

¶ Thus mighty jove, to pierce our hearts  
these tokens strange doth send,  
To call us from our filthy life  
our wicked ways t'amend.   

And thus by these two children here,  
forewarns both man and wife:  
How both estates ought to bewail,  
their vile and wretched life.   

¶ For sure we all may be aghast,  
to see these shapes unkind:  
And trembling fear may pierce our hearts  
our God to have in mind.   

¶ For if we printed in our breast,  
these signs and tokens strange:  
Would make us from our sins to shriek  
our lives a new to change.   

¶ But some proud boasting Pharisie,  
the parents will detect:  
And judge with heaps of ugly vice  
their lives to be infect.   

¶ No no, but lessons for us all,  
which daily do offend:  
Yea more perhaps, then hath the friends,  
whom God this birth did lend.   

¶ For if you will with single eye,  
note well and view the text:  
And mark our saviours answer eke,  
that thereto is annexed:   

Where his disciples asked him,  
to know therein his mind:  
If greater were the parents sins,  
or his that was borne blind.   

¶ To whom Christ answered in a brief,  
that neither he, nor they:  
Deserved had that crooked fate,  
although they sin each day.   

But to the end God's glory great,  
and miracles divine:  
Might on the earth apparent be,  
his works for to define.   

¶ Such like examples moved me,  
in these forgetful days:  
To rue our state that us a 'mong,  
vice bears such swings and sways.   

¶ Wherein the goodness great of God  
we way and set so light:  
By such examples calling us,  
from sin both day and night.   

Where we do run at random wide,  
ourselves flattering still:  
And blazing others faults and crimes,  
yet we ourselves most ill.   

¶ But if we do consider right,  
and in even balance way:  
The ruin great of hearty love,  
among us at this day:   

And well behyld with inward eyes,  
th'embracing of these Twins:  
That God by them upbraids us for  
our false discembling sins.   

We would with Niniveh repent  
our former passed years,  
Bewailing eke our secret sins  
in sack cloth and in tears.   

¶ Therefore in time amend your state,  
and call to God for grace:  
Bewail your former life and sins,  
while you have time and space.   
¶ FINIS. ꝙ  
john Mellys Nor.   

¶ Imprinted at London by Alexander Lacie, for William jews: dwelling in Cow lane above Holborn conduit, over against the sign of the Plough.