A Most strange, and true discourse, of the wonderful judgement of God. OF A MONSTROUS, DEFORmed Infant, begotten by incestuous copulation, between the brother's son and the sister's daughter, being both unmarried persons. Which child was borne at Colwall, in the County and Diocese of Hereford, upon the sixth day of january last, being the feast of the Epiphany, commonly called Twelfth day. ●599. A notable and most terrible example against Incest, and Whoredom. ¶ Imprinted at LONDON, for Richard jones. 〈…〉 TO THE GODLY REAder, I.R. wisheth health & holiness. GOod Reader, when this matter was brought unto me, to consider of, that it might be drawn into form for the Printers press, I was partly unwilling to meddle with it: for as much as I know, that the sins of Incest, Onanisme, Whoredom, Adultery & Fornication, with other Sodomitical sins of uncleanness & pollutions, do so outrageously reign, and are in these days so much used in many places, with overmuch boldness and presumption, for lack of sharp & due punishment for the same: and that such heinous and great crimes & abuses had need to be thoroughly handled, & spoken of, by some most worthy man, of far greater gifts and learning, than myself am; the better to pierce the obdurate & stony hearts of great numbers, that are therewith grievously infected; and to dissuade others from falling thereinto. Yet being willing to do my country good, and to make some use of my poor talon in this behalf, & being importuned by often entreaties of some my friends, unto whom I could not well deny any reasonable request, who assured me that the report thereof was delivered them in writing, by a gentleman of good credit & worship, in the county of Hereford, & near to the place where this happened: I thought it my part, for the benefit of others, to do what I might herein; &, as I trust, for the good of many, & hurt of none, as briefly & conveniently as mought be, to contain it in so small a treatise, as this is. Wherefore (good Reader) accept thereof, as of a simple admonition: that this noble Realm, wherein we live, may not be so polluted and defiled, as it is: but that more prayer, fasting, and restraint of fleshly lusts and desires, with more diligent reading and hearing of the scriptures, may be used: whereby those heinous sins, may the better be bridled and avoided in every one of us. And especially, that the same break not out, into so great outrage, as it doth, and hath done of late years: whereby god is so highly dishonoured, that by the gross iniquity of the people, he is provoked to send such monsters, for part of punishment upon us, into the world, that may make us ashamed of ourselves, and the readier to hate & detest sin, and by all due means, to seek severe punishment for the same (without partiality) on such people, as therein from time to time shall offend. For which purpose, all magistrates, who have authority to punish the same, aught to be careful, that too many offences of that kind be not redeemed by commutations: lest it come to pass that there should be much more money paid to buy out sin, than persons punished for sin: whereby it might be doubted, whither we may say, as master Latymer said once in a sermon, that sin is good merchandise, in many Courts & Consistories. Which, if it should be so, the Lord in his good time redress it, in them that use it. For by this means, as god is dishonoured, so, the Queen's majesty and her government, the preachers of the Gospel and their teaching, are slandered and evil spoken of, by Papists, Brownists, and others, both abroad and at home. Who, not rightly considering that the multitude of the people breedeth sin, and that towards the latter days, iniquity shall increase, do slanderously speak of us, contrary to the truth. Now, here followeth a description of all things, whereby thou mayst be fully satisfied, how, when, and where, this strange thing was done: with every other circumstance thereto belonging. Lastly, here is an earnest admonition to withdraw people from the sins of Whoredom & uncleanness: such as I hope shall do much good, & prevail with some, amongst many, that live wickedly in these days. Such as it is, I do now at this time convey into thy hands, committing thee, & all that look for salvation in Christ jesus, to the blessed tuition of the most mighty: who saith, Be ye holy, for I am holy. From my house, this 30. of April. 1600. The Lords unworthy servant, and thine, I. R. A TRUE DESCRIPTION of a strange monster, borne at Colwall, in the County of Hereford. * ⁎ * IT pleaseth God (who is wonderful in all his works) to work wonders, when men live so wonderfully evil, as they do in this age and time. And although God doth not in such severity destroy his peóple, now in the time of mercy and grace, as he did under the law, and before (as Gen. 7. and the 19 Exod. 16. the 17. and 32. Numb. 11. and the 16. 1. Cor. 10. etc.) yet is he no less angry with sin, nor no less powerful to punish sin, then in times past he hath been: as it appeareth by the sundry judgements that he sends, to show the same among men: as, plague, pestilence, war, famine, scarcity, dearth, new sicknesses and diseases, Comets, blazing stars, flashing lights, shooting and streamings in the air, monsters of man and beast etc. Whereof, this that we are now to describe, is not the least whereat men may greatly be astonished, and afraid to sin; if they had any fear of God in them. For it is so strange a thing, as that neither man's arie can set out, nor yet the tongue, or pen of man tell of, as it ought to be showed and set out. But as near as we can (that have the handling of it) you shall hear and see what it was. The matter itself. THere was a young maiden, a yeoman's daughter of Hereford shire (whose names for some causes we conceal) who had convenient offers of marriages, fit for her estate: and within these two years last passed, among all the rest, one young man loved her most entirely: who, though he were none of the bravest nor iolliest, yet a man of competent wealth, and of good name and fame in the place where he dwelled. This young man and maiden, in time, loved one another so well (& their friends of either side, as it should seem so liked thereof) that they were contracted together, & openly asked three times in the Church (or the banes of matrimony between them published in the congregation) according to the law, in that case provided: and all the people of those parts thought for truth, that a full match in marriage, should shortly after have been solemnized between them. But Satan, Note ye young maidens. the enemy of all goodness, by his instigations and instruments, wrought so in the mind of the maiden; that shortly after this, she fell to mislike with the man, to shun his honest company, and in the end wholly to break off from this match: whereof, any maid endued with modesty, would have been greatly ashamed, and unwilling unto: especially when there was no just cause given her on the man's part; as right well it was proved there was not. But such is the lightness and inconstancy of a great number of this sex, that true meaning men can not tell where to find them. They are many times in extremes: for, either they will not at all be ruled by their parents and friends, in marriage: but meet by stealth, & run away in a night, with him, whom so unadvisedly they love: or else, when with their parents and friends consent, they have assured themselves, and entangled the minds of young men; yet upon some sinister cause they will flit and fall off again; yea, and sometimes get a great belly by some such, match, and so break off, with all the shame that may be. In this point, I confess, many young men (through the heat and strength of lust and concupiscence) have most shamefully abused, both widows and maidens, Note y●… young ●… too too many. But the punishment of God doth ever follow such, and at one time or other so overtake them, as that they shall be driven to confess that there is a just God in heaven, which punisheth that which men do neglect to punish in earth. But to return to this monstrous matter, we have in hand: when this slippery Eel had made a shift to wind away from this man, in this last year 1599 she dwelling as a servant, in the house of one of her Uncles by the Mother's side (at a place called Mathenne in Worcester shire) this her Uncle had three sons at man's estate, which were cousin germans to this maid. Now in tract of time it fell out so, that one of these young men, her cousins, and she fell a lusting; for, good love I cannot well call it; partly because he was her so near kinsman: and partly for that she had promised herself before, to another man: and especially because their lust was so hot, that soon after the same began to be kindled, it was so set on fire, and the devil had so blinded the eyes of these two, that they lay together, & she was gotten with child by him: and God in just judgement (to show his displeasure against mockery with his holy institution of marriage, and his hatred of the sins of whoredom, adultery, fornication, incest, and all other uncleanness) made this proud, this scornful & unconstant wench, the mother of a monster, and not of an orderly birth. For when the time of her deliverance was come, and that she had gone out her full 9 months (as all women do, that bring not forth untimely births) she was delivered of a child, such as it was; and that in a house of her said Uncles, at Colwall aforenamed, the 6. day of januarie last passed, in Anno, 1599 And now for the further certifying of thee christian reader, of the misshapened form of this monstrous birth, and many particularities in sundry several limbs, members, and parts of the body of it, with other strange circumstances appertaining thereunto, read this matter following: which thou shalt find truly set down word for word, as the same was seen and taken in writing; at the appointment of a Gentleman of good crevit and worship, in the presence of divers honest and credible persons, both men and women. There was a young woman, a yeoman's daughter, who was offered honest preferment in marriage, about two years past, with a young man of competent wealth and good credit: with whom she proceeded so far that the banes of holy matrimony were three several days, orderly according to the Ecclesiastical laws, proclaimed between them. And then she being possessed with some sinister conceit, broke off with him, without any just occasion given on his part. Afterward, this last year, she dwelling as a maid-servant in house with an uncle of hers, viz. her mother's brother, at Mathenne, in the County & Diocese of Worcester: who then also having in his house three Sons of man's estate, she was begotten with child by one of them: and it is credibly reported, that two of them lived incontinently with her, being her cozen germans. And the competent time of her childbirth approaching, upon the said sixth day of januarie, 1599 she was delivered of child, in a house of her said uncles in Colwall, in the said County and Diocese of Hereford, about the sun setting of the same day: which child was thus disfigured. 1 The head of it was longer than the heads of other children ordinarily are, having neither hair on the head, nor on the kickshaws. 2 Both the eyes were standing far out of the head, being unequal the one to the other: the right eye very small, like a black sloe, sticked half out, in the flat face (having neither eyelid nor eyepit) as it were a bullet slicking in a plain wall. But the left eye was very big & eminent, or sticking out as the other; yet having eye-lidds, which were distracted and drawn far asunder, the upper eyelid upwards, and the lower eyelid downwards, the insides appearing outward. 3 The nose was depressed flat to the face, without any nostrils at all; having at the lower end thereof, around button of fleshy substance about the bigness of a nut: on either side whereof, somewhat higher than the nose, the upper lip was slit or hare-shorne: from which two slitts, throughout the palate or roof of the mouth, there passed 2. hollow trenches, each one almost two fingers deep, even to the gullet or entrance of the throat: which seemed to be the passage of the nostrils: and throughout the lower part of the mouth, on either side of the tongue, was a like deep trench. 4 The mouth was much smaller, then ordinarily other children's mouths are, therein appearing no gums nor jawbones at all, nor any lips could be discerned. 5 The face much wrinkled and riveled, more than any other children's faces use to be, and very grim to behold. 6 The hands had no thumbs at all, nor any outward partition of fingers; yet it had fingers co●ered all over with one only skin, as with a mitten: the fingers had joints as it did appear, by that it often clitched them together. 7 The finger of the left hand only (which in latin is called digitus annularis, and in english the ring finger) had a nail, and that finger towards the end was separated from the others. 8 There appeared in this child no evident sign of the sex, either of man or woman, having the perfect members of neither: but urine issued out at a small hole in the proper place: of notes for difference, resembling some token more proper to male, then female. 9 The knees stood up close to the belly, and the legs were fixed to the buttocks, the calf of the left leg growing to the buttock, and thigh unto the small of the leg: but the right leg, quite down to the heel, within two fingers breadth. 10 The right foot, almost from the midst thereof, bowed or turned towards the left; and with a string of flesh was fast joined to the same, at the ends of the great toes: which toes withal the rest of the toes were covered over with one entire skin, as the fingers were. 11 The body, for length and bigness, exceeded the ordinary stature of other children. When this woman was first delivered of this monstrous burden, the Midwives (being three in number then present) thinking it had no life, laid it by on a few Bends: where it lay without any covering, half an hour; and than it cried, and not before. And they hearing it cry, took it up and put clothes about it, using it as a child ought to be used: &, thinking that it would not live to be brought to the Church to be baptised, they sent for the Minister and Pastor of Colwall (within whose charge it was borne) to christian it: who being a zealous man, and a learned Preacher, repaired thither with all speed: and finding by his own inspection, and due examination of the persons present at the birth of the said child, that it was thus strangely form and figured, and being accompanied with competent witnesses, he baptised the said child; naming it, What god will. And after it was baptised, it lived two days and two nights, and more; and the third day it departed this life. And during the time it lived, it received sustenance, and had evacuation of natural superfluities, both by urine, & siege: but in all that time it was not perceived to sleep: and in truth it could not be discerned to close the eyes, because it had no eyelids to cover them. Thus have you heard the wonderful deformities of this monster, described unto you in all parts, and according to the very truth, as it was. It resteth now, that we make use of it, and hear what is said in the last part of this book: which containeth in it a christian discourse against all uncleanness, and all unclean persons that will not be reform; with an exhortation to all others that yet are not so defiled in part or in the whole, and to those that have looked that way, and are desirous to repent and amend. Beloved there be 7. things, which (as it seemeth to me) are the causes of all these evils in man or woman. 1 Our Ignorance, that we do not consider the end of our creation: which is to glorify God, by living in obedience to his laws and commandments: Thou shalt not not lust. Thou shalt not commit adultery. etc. 2 We forget the end of our calling to the Gospel, and profession of jesus Christ: which is, to live in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life. 3 Thirdly, we look not into the fruits and effects that are required of us in Baptism: which are, that we should die to sin, and live to righteousness: and wherein we do willingly bind ourselves to Christ, to be his faithful soldiers and servants, to fight against sin, the world, the flesh and the devil, under his colours: which is the Cross and afflictions, which he and we that are his, must suffer of wicked worldlings in this world. 4 If while we are young, our parents do not bring us up, and keep us hard at our book (if we be of meet degree) nor at our daily labour and business, if we be of mean estate: but do suffer the one sort, to have too much pampering, ease, and delicacy: the other, too much Idleness, play, and liberty also. * Note And sathan will work upon us, if we have but any one of these: for true it is, that where God giveth not the gifts of continency, or preventeth by his grace, every young man after sixteen or seaventeen years old, and every maiden of fourteen or fifteen (say what they will to the contrary) hath motion to lust and fleshy delights: and the devil, if it be possible, will blow with the bellows of concupiscence in us, till the heat of nature hath set both body and soul on fire. I will not meddle with natural Philosophy in this point, nor show you by Aristotle's rule, how you should know this to be true; because they that will give glory unto God, and confess the truth, do know and find this true in themselves, that I say: unless, as is afore showed, God by his preventing grace, or with his blessed gift of continency do go before them. 5 A fift reason of all this outrage in the flesh, is this: that whereas by original sin we are subject to lust, and to all other actual sins (here taking lust for the sins of uncleanness, and not for all gross sins in general, as the word will afford) I say whereas by original guiltynes, we are subject to all sin whatsoever: so are we naturally enclived and desirous of the means that may further the sin that we are most inclined unto: as close companying together, dalliance, sight, touching, talking lewdly of the actions of generation, writing of letters, making and reading of lewd and wanton books, ballads of love and pamphlets that tend that way, day & night thoughts; and some things, that for modesty sake, I neither can or will name: all which, like swine, a number use, without all remorse of conscience and the fear of God. 6 A sixth reason of this outrage is, that we be not thoroughly made acquainted with God's book, and therein exercised day and night (that is to say, morning and evening at the least) that so we might see what God forbids, what he commands touching chastity, purity of body & mind, what punishments have come on men and women, for these sins, and in what account God hath them that live pure, & clean: of which stories, Gen. 19 and 38. judges 20.2. Sam. 11. Rom. 1.1. Cor. 6. Gal. 5. Ephe. 5. reve. 20. & 21. are wonderful to consider. 7 Our neglect of wise & grave histories in this point, & of reading what monstrous births God hath sent unto many both in this Realm, & in other places: which might make us to tremble and quake, when we shall but read and hear of them. M. Stubbs, in his book entitled The Anatomy of Abuses, doth notably handle this point: so doth M. Hergeste, in his book entitled The right rule of Christian Chastity, M. Batmans' book, and the Theatre of God's judgement etc. The which books, I wish with all my heart, were daily heard, & read of our amorous younkers, & lewd housewives of the world, of Courtiers, Citizens, & Country people, with all other good like authors. Besides, we should use all the good means, that might more fully make us to suppress lust & sinful pleasure: as to be in good places, godly company, the Church also, to hear divine service and sermons etc. We do not give ourselves to good exercises, that might make us forget all such matters: as Activity, Study, reading of the holy and sacred scriptures, Fasting, Prayer, Modesty in apparel, Looks, Gesture, and Countenance etc. But to the contrary, a number haunt whorehouses, Theatres, and Playhouses etc. And a number (I am ashamed to utter it) are ever talking of lewd houses, and such filthy places; which through their naughty practices they have found out and do know: so that, as it should seem, the Stues' bank was never so common, as many Allies, Gardens, & such out-places be. Nay, you shall hear one young Gallant say to another; come, and I will bring thee, where thou shalt have a wench of this and that price, etc. Read I pray you Thomas Nashes book, entitled; The tears of Christ over jerusalem: which book, if you have any grace in you, will make you to shed tears for your sins: I think it is the only best book that ever he made. An invective conclusion. O Monstrous life of men & women, what will fear you, what will amend you? what may make you, if it be but, to ent●● into some good consideration with yourselves, of your estate before God & man (for this sin) both in this life, & the life to come? I would to God, I knew what would do you good, and prevail with you: you should not then be long without it. For alas, I am right forrie and full of woe in my heart, when I think with myself how many thousands are lost from Christ, and cast to the devil for these and such like sins: as also how many are beggared and undone thereby in this life▪ yea, brought into loathsome diseases and griefs, discredit of parents, kindred, and themselves for ever, by this sin: Insomuch that the Chronicles and Histories of times are afterwards their perpetual registers of infamy, shame and discredit. Wherefore, to quench thy fierce and furious heat of hot and corrupt nature, let them set before them the heat & scorching of the ever burning fire of hell; & try but with one foot or finger in our ordinary fire, how they can endure the unquenchable fire of hell. Then let them but come, and behold one of these wanton dames, when she is laid and lieth rotting of the French disease (or Pox as ye term it) when one piece is ready to fall from another, and her guts ready to fall out of her belly: when, at the best, she is slabbering of herself with her diet drinks, her Spanish paints, her hot house baths etc. or if that be too too loathsome, yet let them come to them when they are but sickly, and do look as yellow as Rites legs, when the small pox is on them, or when they lie groaning & crying out of inward aches and pains. And let wicked women of all sorts in this profession, do the like to their gallants and brave lads, that have spent themselves, and all that ever they had on them: & these will at the least somewhat abate the lusts and desires of the flesh: if not kill it altogether in them. And let them add hereunto, for brevity sake, but that one little book entitled, A Christian Resolution: for, that perhaps (if Gods grace be granted them) will draw them home to a better life. Thus briefly I have showed my poor opinion, what may be a remedy in part, for this sin in a great number, that the devil may not prevail with so many as he doth in all places: in so much, it is counted no sin, or but a small sin, soon wiped away. Nay, would to god the some were not grown to such a height of sin every way, as that having no other way to shift it off, would feign bear men in hand, that there is no God: such is the sinful wickedness of this age and time: God, for his mercy's sake, give us all grace to amend. But my masters, you of the Machevillian and Atheist profession, be you well assured, that if you will not believe there is a God, that doth hate sin and reward virtue, you shall one day find that, and feel that there is a devil to plague you & torment you for 〈◊〉: therefore look to it in time, & spend not your golden times away in such sin & dotage as you do. Thus hoping that a word is enough to the wise, I end. And, though perhaps this pamphlet may want wise handling, coming under my hand; I would willingly have showed at large, what are the particular sins of uncleanness, how they are defined, and the proofs of scripture of it: But by reason of some especial business that to me appertaineth in my place, and for some other respects, I am forced here to conclude; wishing, that one or two of these books (as they are) might be given into the hands of the wicked Father and Mother of this monster; to terrify them withal, till they do truly repent: and then I wish unto them all the mercies of god and his Church, with other Christians, according to Saint Paul's rule, 2. Cor. 7. Otherwise, let those, & all other like persons, fear the sayings of these few places, 1. Cor. 6.9. Revela. 21.6.7. The Lord jesus stir up all that be in authority and all other good Christians, to pray, to punish, and seek a redress of this and all other gross sin; that for our iniquities we be not overthrown in these aged days of our most gracious Sovereign Lady, Queen Elizabeth: and that the enemies of the Gospel, nor the great enemy of all mankind prevail not against us, or our children after us, as we have deserved. Amen.