The two inseparable brothers.
OR
A true and strange description of a Gentleman (an Italian
by birth) about seventeene yeeres of age, who hath an imperfect (yet living)
Brother, growing out of his side, having a head, two armes, and one leg, all per-
fectly to be seen. They were both baptized together; the imperfect is called
John Baptist, and the other Lazarus. Admire the Creator in his Creatures.
To the tune of The wandring Jewes Chronicle.
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TO England lately newes is come,
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Which many parts of Christendome
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have by experience found
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To be the strangest and most rare,
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That fame did to the world declare,
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since man first walkt oth ground.
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I many Prodigies have seene,
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Creatures that have preposterous beene,
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to nature in their birth,
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But such a thing as this my theame,
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Makes all the rest seeme but a dreame,
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the like was nere on earth.
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A Gentleman well qualifide,
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[Do]th beare his brother at his side,
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[insepa]rably knit,
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[As in this figur]e you may see,
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[And both togethe]r living be,
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[the world admires] at it.
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[In Italy this youth was borne,
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Whom nature freely did adorne
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with shape and pulchritude,
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Like other men in each respect
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And not with common intellect
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hes inwardly indued.]
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This yong-man doth compleatly walke,
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He can both read, write, sing, or talke,
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without paine or detraction,
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And when he speakes the other head,
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Doth move the lips both Ruby red,
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not speaking but in action.
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This head and face is rightly framd,
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With every part that can be namd,
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eares, eyes, lips, nose, and chin,
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His upperlip hath some beard ont,
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Which he who beares him yet doth want,
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this may much wonder win.
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One armes about his brother cast,
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That doth embrace his body fast,
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the other hangeth by,
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These armes have hands with fingers all,
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Yet as a childs they are but small,
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pinch any part heel cry.
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Onely one legge with foot and toes
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Is to be seene, and some suppose,
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the other is containd
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[Wi]thin his brothers body, yet
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[Custom] hath usd him so to it,
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[He scarcely doth feel] paind.
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The second part, To the same tune.
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YEt nothing doth the lesser eate,
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Hes onely nourishd with the meate
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wherewith the other feeds,
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By which it seemes though outward parts
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They have for two, yet not two hearts,
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this admiration breeds.
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For sicknesse and infirmities,
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I meane Quotidian maladies,
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which man by nature hath,
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Sometimes ones sicke, the other wel
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This is a story strange to tell,
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but he himselfe thus saith.
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Th imperfect once the small poxe had,
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Which made the perfect brother sad,
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but he had never any,
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And if you nip it by the arme,
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Or doe it any little harme,
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(this hath beene tride by many,)
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It like an infant (with voyce weake)
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Will cry out though it cannot speake,
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as sensible of paine,
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Which yet the other feeleth not,
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But if the one be cold or hot,
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thats common to both twaine.
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Some seaventeene yeares of age they be,
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A perfect proper youth is he
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to which the lesse doth cleave,
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They were baptized being young,
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Few then did think theyd live so long,
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as few would now beleeve.
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But that to ratifie this truth,
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Now in the Strand this wondrous youth
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is present to be seene,
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And he with his strange burden, hath
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Bin shewne (with marvaile) as he saith
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to our good King and Queene.
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John Baptist is th imperfect namd,
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Who through the christian world is famd,
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his Brother which him beares
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Was called Lazarus at the Font,
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And if we well consider ont
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a mystery int appeares.
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From Italy their native place,
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They have some certaine late yeares space,
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gone one still with another,
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Indeed they cannot otherwise doe,
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He that sees one must needs see two,
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the brother beares the brother.
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Through Germany, through Spain & France,
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(Devoyd of danger or mischance)
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and other Christian Lands
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They travelld have, nay rather one
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For both, so many miles hath gone,
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to shew th work of Gods hands.
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And now in England they have beene
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About a moneth although unseene,
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till now obtaining leave,
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In seeing this or such strange things,
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Let us admire the King of Kings,
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and of his power conceave.
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That just opinion which is due,
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To him who is all good all true,
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whose works we cant find out,
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Let admiration then suffice,
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Sith theres no man that is so wise,
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but ofs owne wit may doubt.
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And so doe I.
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