EBBA 32405
Huntington Library - Britwell
Ballad XSLT Template
The discription of a rare or rather most monstrous fishe taken on the East cost of
Holland the .xvii. of November, Anno 1566.
The workes of God how great and straunge they be
A picture plaine behold heare may you see.
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HEare thou hast (gentle frend) the picture shape and fashion of a fishe straunge and marvailous taken (as
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is saide) in Holland, having on his finnes hard skales in forme much like the beggers dishes, which in
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that Contrie they were wont to weare in skoffe & derision, his eies like an owle & mouthed as a Popin
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gaye his taile reede and fower cornered like to a priestes Cap, which fishe hath bene seene and vewed of most
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Nobles and Peares of Flaunders, who hath plucked of his skales lyke to disshes and kepes them for a shew
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and for the more credit hereof, ye shal understand that the .vii. of December the said fishe was brought to the
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Citie of Antwarpt where it was openly shewed and sene as well of Englishe men as other straungers, what
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this monster with other uncouth sights sene of late do Prognosticate and signifye unto us, that I leave to
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thy conjecture (loving Reader) beseching God the Lord and governour of all creatures not to deale with us
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according to our desertes but for Christ his sonnes sake to power his mercye upon us and graunt us Grace
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to amende and to doe those thinges whiche are pleasaunt and acceptable in his sight thorowe Jesus Christe
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our Lord. Amen.
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AS thou this formed fishe doest see
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I Chaunged from his state
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So many men in eche degree.
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From kynd degenerate,
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To monsters men are turned now,
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Disguised in their raye.
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For in theyr fonde inventions new
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They kepe no meane ne staye,
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Their maners mad and monsterous,
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what shoulde I now discry?
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Or yet their cates delitious,
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why shoulde I them espye?
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If one that lived in thys land,
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A fortye yeares before:
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Could be released from the band,
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To be as he was yore.
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would he not wonder wonderously,
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when he our monsters spied,
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In so small tyme so folyshly
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From auntiant custume flyed?
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These monsters therfore God doth sende,
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To put us all in minde.
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Such shaples shapes for to amend,
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whych now are out of kynd,
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Or els the God of kind and shape
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wyll shaples us detest,
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And with his plage will punishe us.
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But more to speake I rest.
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Imprinted at London in Pawles Churchyarde by Thomas Purfoote at the signe of the Lucrece.
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