Signs and wonders from Heaven. With a true Relation of a Monster borne in Ratcliff highway, at the sign of the three Arrows, Mistress Bullock the Midwife delivering her thereof. Also showing how a Cat kitned a Monster in Lombard street in London. Likewise a new discovery of Witches in Stepney Parish. And how 20. Witches more were executed in Suffolk this last assize. Also how the devil came to Soffam to a farmer's house in the habit of a Gentlewoman on horseback. With divers other strange remarkable passages.  
Printed at London by I. H.   

Signs and wonders from heaven. WITH A true Relation of a strange Monster born in Ratcliff highway: Also a Cat kitning a monster in Lombard street, &c.  
IT is a known thing to all Christian people which are capable of understanding how that the sins of the world have in a high degree offended the world's Maker, and provoked the Lord to anger, yet hath the devil so blinded the eyes, and hardened the hearts of many men and women, that they cannot or will not see nor take notice of their own iniquities, but rather seem to excuse themselves of those errors which they every day run into. One will say, What though the Lord hath laid his punishing hand upon the kingdom, is it my fault? I am no swearer, nor drunkard, no covetous person, no profaner of the Lord's Sabbath: and yet peradventure he that thus justifies himself is guilty of all these, and more than are here named.  
Another will be apt to say thus: If it be sin that hath brought the sword, or the plague, or any other judgement upon us, 'tis not for any sins of mine, 'tis long of such a Lord, or long of such a Magistrate that the Lord hath punished the Land.  
Others have said, 'tis long of the King that the whole Nation is so grievously troubled, for, say they, if the King had slaid with his Parliament, we had been all at peace and quiet. And thus do many people fl●tter themselves, and lay the blame on others. But of this I am certainly persuaded that it is ●ot only for one man's sins, but it is for every one's sins that the Lord hath caused the sword to be drawn amongst us.  
Furthermore I observe that the Lord had decreed a separation between the King and his Parliament before the wars began in England for the fins of the whole nation. That the Lord is angry with us every one; for our sins do appear in this: do we not see that the bloody wars doth more and more increase in our three Kingdoms▪ whereby every man's heart e'en trimbles to think what shall become of them.  
Do we not know that the plague of Pestilence doth daily annoy our Cities, towns, and Countries: and what great numbers have died in Bristol, Abington, and many places more.  
Do we not hear continual claymour ring in our ears? how that famine will follow after the sword, except the Lord will in mercy stay the rage of our enemies: It is said, that Pestilence, the Sword and Famine, are the searchers, wherewith the Lord draws blood of sinners: is there then any particular man or woman amongst us all, but either at one time or other hath felt the smart of one, if not all of those forenamed scourges▪ no, no, there is none alive but hath smarted in one degree or other; even from the King to the beggar, Ergo, we are all sinners: to make it further appear▪ that the Lord is angry with us for our sins. Have there not been strange Comets seen in the air, prodigies, fights on the seas, marvellous tempests and storms on the land: all these are eminent tokens of God's anger to Sinners yet that's one all: Have not nature altered her course so much, that women framed of pure flesh and blood, bringeth forth ugly and deformed Monsters; and contrariwise Beasts bring forth human shapes contrary to their kind.  
Have not the Lord suffered the devil to ramble about like a roaring lion seeing to devour us: have not a crew of wicked Witches, together with the devil's assistance done many mischiefs, in Norfolk▪ Suffolk, Essex, and other parts of our kingdom, whereof some were executed at Chensford in Essex last to the number of fourteen, and many more imprisoned to this day, and by the voice of people there are some in Stepney Parish now in question about witchcraft, being persons of eminence▪ their names must as yet be concealed, but time will bring truth to light: one thing more of the Witches which have not been yet printed, was thus: on wednesday last, July, 30. being fastday at a town called Soffam in Norfolk, at the House of Peter-Smith, about 4, a clock in the afternoon came a woman seeming to be some great gentle woman or Lady on horseback who knocking at the door desired to come in, there being in the house nobody▪ but one servant Maid, who told her, that he● Master and Dam with the rest of the household were at the Church, and that she durst let in nobody, till such time the Sermon was done, whereat the Gentlewoman commanded her to fetch her some of the best Beer in the House: the Maid replied, that there was but one sort of Beer in the House, and that she would not meddle with till her Master came from Church, the Gentlewoman bade her to give her some of the Bacon, that was boiling in the pot, whereat the Maid began to tremble, and withal marvelled much how she should come to know what meat was in the pot, and therewithal lift up her hands crying, The Lord deliver me from all witches: said the Gentlewoman, see thou look well to thy Beer, & thy swine's flesh presently seem●d to mount her Horse over the top of the barn and so vanished: When the man and his servants were come from the Church, they found the Maid trembling and quaking in a mighty sweat, being not able to speak to them for the space of two hours, but having recovered her strength & speech, she told them how the Gentlewoman had talked with her▪ & what answer she made, & of her sudden departure, and of her going into the cellar for Beer the Casks were broken, and all the beer about the room: Then the Maid remembered, how that the woman bade her have a care of her Beer, and swine's flesh went straightway into the Barten, where she found three of her Masters fat Hogs, crying, and laying out their tongues, and so they died.  
July 30. Soffam, a known witch in Suffolk, not above 2, miles from Clare, met with a woman great with child coming from the bakehouse with a Cake under her arm, said the witch, Give me thy Cake: the woman broke it in the middle, and offered her one part, which the witch refused, and said, As she had broken the Cake, so should the child be broken in her body. And immediately the woman went home, and was delivered of two lumps of flesh.  
It is likewise certified by many of good quality and worth that at the last assizes in Norfolk there were 40 witches arraigned for their lives, and 20. executed: and that they have done very much harm in that country, and have prophesied of the downfall of the King and his Army, and that Prince Robert shall be no longer shot-free: with many strange and unheard of things that shall come to pass.  
These and many more such like evils have of late been done in the country, as is affirmed by good sufficient Authors, as shall be related hereafter. And now will I return and tell you of some strange news nearer home.  
July 28. at a place called Ratcliff highway near unto London, at the sign of the three Arrows, dwelled a woman named Mistress Hart, who lived and was well beloved of her neighbours, she was religiously given, honest in behaviour, courteous in her speech, and well qualified in her actions: This woman being with child, would oftentimes say that she was mightily troubled with what she bore in her womb, as well she might be: for on the 28. day of July last, about 6. of the clock in the morning she fell strongly in labour, and therewithal sent for the Midwife, whose name is Mistress Bullock, and other of her neighbours to come to her labour, who through God's assistance brought her to a safe delivery. The Infant being brought into the world, the Midwife and the rest of the women having taken a view of it, perceived it to be the strangest misshapen Monster that ever they looked on, or heard tell of. It was both he and she, borne without a nose, without hands and feet or legs, one ear, and that grew in the neck, and where the legs and arms should have been, there grew pieces of flesh, and no bones nor joints. This deformed Monster was borne alive, but it lived not long: the woman is yet living.  
Thus doth the Lord daily send wonders into the world, thereby to put us in mind of our sins, and move us to repentance.  
One strange Relation more I have to mention, and so conclude: and that is this:  
In Lombardstreet in London in a goldsmith's house, a Cat brought forth a monstrous Kitnen, which was partly shapen like a human creature, and the other part Monster like. The manner of the form was thus: It had eight feet upon one body, and two tails, his paws were like a child's hands, and never a head, but one great eye placed in the body where the head should be.  
Thus have I related unto you such news which is known to be as true as strange: God in his mercy give us all a sight of our sins, and grant us grace to acknowledge them, and amend our lives.  
FINIS.