A DECLARATION, Of a strange and wonderful MONSTER: Born in KIRKHAM Parish in LANCASHIRE (the child of Mrs. Haughton, a Popish Gentlewoman) the face of it upon the breast, and without a head (after the mother had wished rather to bear a child without a head then a Round head) and had cursed the PARLIAMENT.  
Attested by Mr. FLEETWOOD, Minister of the same Parish, under his own hand; and Mrs. Gattaker the midwife, and divers other eye-witnesses: Whose testimony was brought up by a Member of the House of Commons.  
Appointed to be printed according to Order: And desired to be published in all the Counties, Cities, towns, and Parishes in England: Being the same Copies that were presented to the Parliament.   

A DECLARATION OF A Strange and wonderful MONSTER: born in Kirkham Parish, in Lancashire.  
THis wonderful manifestation of God's anger, against wicked and profane people; we shall lay open thus.  
1. In declaring where it was done.  
2. Upon whom.  
3. What is supposed might be the cause.  
4. What proofs there are to make it appear to be a truth.  
In the first, we have discovered the County, Parish, and the House.  
In the second; the woman her parentage, her husband, and religion.  
In the third, her course of life, and her speeches.  
In the fourth, that it is confirmed, both by relation and testimonials under their own hands, who were eye witnesses.  
First, the dukedom of Lancashire is the County where this Monster was brought forth; the County itself lies North, bordering upon the West of Yorkshire, and Derbyshire, and by the Irish Sea. The people that live there, are a mixed Number; some precious godly people; but for the most part very bad: No parts in England hath had so many Witches, none fuller of Papists, and they were the chief Instruments in seeking to have that wicked Book of Allowance for Sports on the Lord's Day to be published, and it was set forth by their procurements, and the godly people amongst them have suffered very much under their reproaches and wicked malice.  
This Monster was born in the Town and Parish of Kirkeham in that County, which is in Amoundernesse Hundred, between Preston and little Morton, within three miles of Clifton, on the West side of Lancashire, within some three miles of one point of the Sea, and some six or seven miles of the main; a Parish which God hath blessed with good Ministers, and some godly people (though but few) in it; who by the malice of wicked and profane Wretches, have been much abused heretofore.  
This Gentlewoman (for so she is both by Birth and marriage) was delivered of this Monster at her husband's house in Kirkeham Parish aforesaid, and about a mile from Kirkeham Town, where the Midwife being sent for came to her, and delivered her in that house, the Child (or rather Monster) was born, but dead, and there it was showed, and from thence carried into the churchyard a day or two after, and there buried: after which, some (in gentlemen's habit) were seen to go in; supposed to be Popish Priests and friars: and thus you have the place where this Monster was brought forth.  
Secondly, for the woman that bore it, she is a good handsome, proportionable, comely Gentlewoman, young, and of a good complexion, of a merry disposition, and an healthful Nature, well personed, had her conditions been suitable.  
For her Parents they were of a very bitter disposition against godly people; Papists they were both, and divertive against honest protestants, For her mother she would usually call honest men Roundheads and Puritans, and heretics, many gentlemen did much use her house, which were suspected to be popish priests her husband (which was this woman's father) was called Mr. Browne, who lived in the parish of Kirkham also: And amongst other reproaches and scorns which her mother cast upon religious people she took her Cat; and said that it must be made a Round-head like Burton, Prinne, and Bastwick, and causing the ears to be cut off; called her cat Prynnn (instead of puss) both then and after she hath often said, that she hoped to see the Church flourish again (meaning the Popish Church) and all Roundheads subdued; and she hath done much for the relief of poor Papists in those parts.  
The young woman, viz: Mistress Browne's daughter, who bore this monster, was married by one Master Haughton a papist also; for none else were admitted to come suitors to her, This Master Haugh●on then lived at Grimshall in the same county, but after they were married dwelled sometimes in a village near Kerkham in the same parish where her mother lived, Mr. Haughton is a gentlema● descended of an ancient family, well known in those parts and not altogether of such a bitter spirit as those he matched with, he hath been a gentleman well bred, only in a popish way educated.  
The woman he married was a notorious papist, and would many times hold a notable discourse with her neighbours about her religion, she was not only borne of popish parents, but bred, and brought up with them, and educated in the popish Religion having many popish pictures, and Crucifixes, and other popish trumpery wherein she much delighted; and i● she were at any time reproved for the superstitious fooleries she so affected, she would speak much in defence thereof, and was always very obstinate, and would express much invection against those godly protestants and others that reproved her.  
3 Now for the course of life which the woman lived, who bare this monster, it hath been much spent in popish devotion; and some●imes in company with her neighbours the gentlewomen and fathers wives that lived about her, she was one v●ry zealous amongst papists, and fri●ndly amongst neighbours, only when her Religion was touched, she expressed much passion.  
She hath been often heard to curse against Mr. Prinn, Mr. Burton, and Doctor Bastwick, and the Roundheads. Also to revile the Parliament, and say that she thought that the King and the Bishops were the righter part of us; she hath been heard to wish, that she and hers might never live to be roundheads, nor Separatists, and that she hath prayed to God, that she might never live to see any of hers such; and that the Puritans and Independents deserve all to be hanged: and many such like expressions would often fall from her.  
Amongst the rest, one speech of hers was most notorious, and hath rested in the memory of some Gentlewomen, and others that heard her when she spoke it; that being in company with her, they fell to discourse of the present miseries of the kingdom, by these wars; and some spoke against the Cavaliers, and the Papists in the King's Army; Whereupon this Mrs. Haugton said little less against the Roundheads and Independents, and she said the King was in the right against them; she was replied to, that those called Roundheads were honest men, and in the rght way of walking, and living like the people of Ged, and suitable to the profession of Christians: And withal wishing, if it pleased God, that she had her eyes opened, and was such a Roundhead. No saith she, I had rather have no head, nor life: I nor any of mine, I hope will ever be such. Answer was made her, that her children if she had any, might (if God so please) have their eyes opened; and see that good which she is ignorant of. Mrs. Haughton made answer again in these words: I pray God, that rather than I shall be a Roundhead, or bear a Roundhead, I may bring forth a child without a head. This was a fearful saying, and taken notice of by divers of her neighbours that heard her speak it. And this many who know it, do apprehend, might be a great means to provoke God to show such a testimony of his displeasure against her, by causing her to bring forth this Monster, whose Picture is in the Title-page of this Book.  
4. Now for testimony of the truth of this, we shall give it you in Order thus:  
Her Neighbours who heard her speak the aforesaid words, have been with Mr. Fleetwood the Minister of the Parish of Kirkham, where she was brought to bed of this Monster, and where it was buried also, and it was told to some of the Committee of the County what had happened and that she had spoke those words. And after that she was with child, and delivered of the Monster, one widow Gattaker the Midwife, formerly wife to Mr. Gattaker, sometimes Vicat of the said Parish; she being a godly woman, could not be eased in her mind, until she had discharged her conscience in making it known to Mr. Fleetwood the Minister aforesaid; That she had brought the said Mrs. Haughton to bed of a Monster, which had no head; declaring her opinion, that she verily believed that it was the hand of God upon her, for those imprecations she wished upon herself, as is before expressed: The Minister he spoke of it to others, and so did the Midwife also, which made it to be spread up and down the Country, so that it came to the ears of some of the Committee; And for the further satisfaction of the truth thereof, colonel More an honest godly Gentleman, a Member of the House of Commons, and one of the Committee being there, it was desired he should send a Letter to Mr. Fleetwood the Minister of the Parish, to know the certainty of it, whether it was truth or not; which Letter was writ, and by him sent accordingly. And Mr. Fleetwood receiving the said Letter, sent for the Midwife about it, and she still confirmed what she said before, yet for better satisfaction, Mr. Fleetwood caused the grave to be opened, and the child to be taken up, and laid to view, and found there a body without an head, as the Midwife had said; only the child had a face upon the breast of it, as you may see in the portraiture.  
The Certificate was showed before divers of the Committee, and by colonel More a Member of the House of Commons, brought up to London, and showed to divers of the House; who have commanded it to be printed, that so all the kingdom might see the hand of God herein; to the comfort of his people, and the terror of the wicked that deride and scorn them.   

A copy of a Certificate under the hand of Mr. Edward Fleetwood Minister of Kirkham Parish in Lancashire, concerning the Monster brought forth by Mrs. Haughton a Papist, living in that Parish.  
AS we must tell no lie, so we should not conceal any truth; especially when it tends to God's glory: There was a great Papist and of great Parentage, within the Parish of Kirkham, and his wife's mother being of the same Religion, did usually scoff and mock the Roundheads, and in derision of Mr. Prinne, and others, cut off the the cat's ears, and called it by his name. But behold an example of the justice and equity of God in his judgements: As Adonibezeck was repaid in his own kind: Haman hanged upon the same gallows he had prepared for Mordecai, and Pharaoh and all his host drowned in the Sea into which he had thought to have driven the Israelites, And likewise one of the Popish Prelates, who said he would not dine before Ridley and Latimore were burnt, was burned in his own enttrails. So (much what) alike, it fell out with this man's wise, a Popish creature, who being great with child, when the time of her delivery came, she brought forth a Monstrous child without an head▪ ugly and deformed, the portraiture whereof (as near as we could delineate) is here described, and myself,  
EDWARD FLEETWOOD, Pastor▪ With the Midwife, and others who saw the child taken out of its grave; Witnesses hereof.  
FINIS.