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EBBA 36670

British Library - Thomason Tracts Ballads
Ballad XSLT Template
The true Portraiture of a prodigious Monster, taken in the Mountains of Zardana;
The following Description whereof was sent to Madrid, Octob. 20. 1654. and from thence to Don
Olonzo de Cardines, Ambassador for the King of Spain, now resident at London. Its stature was like
that of a strong well set man, with 7 heads, the chief of them looking forward, with one eye in its
front; the other heads have each two eyes in their natural scituation, the ears of an Ass; with its princi-
pal head it eates, drinks, and cryes with an extraordinary and terrible voyce; the other heads are al-
so moved to and fro: It hath seven Arms and Hands of a Man, very strong in each of them: From
the middle downward it is like a Satyr, with Goats feet, and cloven; it hath no distinction of Sex.
To the Tune of, Summer time.

BEhold the Wonders of the Lord
In this same Creature pictur'd here,
Whose uncouth shape is full enough
To terrifie your hearts with fear.

The Picture which you here do see
Is of a Monster fierce and strange,
The which was taken in high Spain
As he about the Woods did range.

And after brought unto Madrid,
As a Present for to shew the King:
But when he did behold the same,
He counted it a miraculous thing.

Seven Heads in all this Monster hath,
And Nature did them so contrive,
That every head hath mouth and eyes,
And it's remaining still alive.

One head is bigger then any o'th rest,
Whose mouth for wideness doth exceed;
And that one head doth serve for all
The Monsters body for to feed.

So with one mouth six heads are fed,
And all the Carkas in like sort;
The like was never known nor seen,
As they that saw him doth report.

His eyes do goggle to and fro,
Like to great saucers as 'tis said;
And when he glows on any Folkes,
It makes their very hearts afraid.

His grinning teeth both sharp and long,
Like to a Mastiffs teeth appears;
And on his seven deformed heads
Grows fourteen long disguised ears.

The Second Part, To the same Tune.

SEven armes and hands he also hath,
With fingers well proportion'd all,
And on his Legs doth upright go,
Like to a man both strait and tall.

His Body from the Arm-pits down
Unto the knees over-grown with hair,
Is like unto a Satyre wilde.
Or else some ugly savage Bear.

The skin of him is Pistol proof,
As is for certain verify'd
A sword can do his flesh no harm,
Hair grows so thick on every side.

His feet indeed are cloven feet,
Just in the manner of a Goat;
But of a mighty length and breadth,
Of which the people takes much note.

His voyce is extraordinary,
And terrible for men to hear;
For when it cryes it makes a noyse,
As if his throat would rend and tear.

But here the strangest wonder comes,
He never was known to speak at all;
But once before the King of Spain,
When he was present in the Hall.

Then in the Spanish Tongue he spake,
Quoth he, look to thy self O King,
Thy Superstition at the last
Hot vengeance on thy head will bring.

As Germany hath been destroy'd,
By Famine, Fire, and the Sword;
So will it be with thee O King,
Except the mercies of the Lord.

Do thee reclaim from what thou art,
From Pride and foul Idolatry;
Those Nations that are now thy friends,
Shal then become thy Enemy.

Thy Mines of Silver and of Gold,
Shal quite be taken from thee away;

The English souldiers brave and bold
Shal afterwards the same injoy.

All Christian Princes are in Arms,
Against each others for to fight:
The bad against the good doth strive,
To overcome them with their might.

But now the Power of Rome must do[?]
The Triple Crown goes to decay;
Whereto the King made no Reply,
But shook his head and went away.

Which being done, the Monster ceast
His word, and never spake no more:
Nor was it known by any one,
That ever he spake word before.

But in Madrid the Monster still
For certain doth remain alive,
And multitude of people comes,
Onely to see him they do strive.

Wherefore the King of Spain hath sent,
As by the subject may appear,
This News to his Ambassador,
Which now in London liveth here.

But to conclude, let none suppose,
Nor think this News to be a Lye;
For there are many English-men
That saw him, and will justifie

The same for truth which here is pen'd,
Being Eye-witness to this thing;
And was in presence when the Monster
Made his speech unto the King.

Another Monster fierce and stout
Since this appeared, hath been seen,
Like a red Dragon range about
The mighty Hils and Dales of Spain.

From whence these Monsters first did come
There is no man alive doth know:
But sure the Lord above doth some
Strange things to us by them foreshew.

THe News of this Satyrical Monster being noysed abroad throughout all Spain, France, and Italy,
made a desperate fear, and general distemper, amongst all the Popish Prelats, Cardinals, Jesuites,
Monks and Fryers; yea, the very Pope himself trembled to hear this strange Report. There is a Prophe-
sie in the 13. of the Revelation, of a great Red-Dragon, and a Beast with seven heads that should arise
out of the Sea, that should continue 42 moneths, which was to come to pass before the great and terrible
day of Judgment; which by the appearing of these strange Monsters is neer at hand now.


LONDON: Printed for John Andrews, at the White Lyon in the Old-Bayly. 1655.

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