The true discripcion of a Childe with Ruffes borne
in the parish of Micheham in the Countie of Surrey in the yeere of our Lord. M.D.LXvi.
The for part and the back part
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THis present yeere of our Lord. M.D.Lxvi the .vii. day of June one Helene Jermin the wife of John
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Jermin Husbandman Dwelling in the parishe of Micheham was delivered of a Woman Childe
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named Christian beeing after this maner & fourme following. That is to say, the Face comly & of a cheerful
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countenaunce. The Armes and hands, Leggs and Feet of right shape, and the Body with all other members
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therunto apperteining, wel proporcioned in due fourme & order, saving that it is as it were wunderfully clothed
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with suche a Flesshy skin as the like at no time hath ben seene. For it hath the said flesshy skin behinde like unto a
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Neckerchef growing from the reines of the Back up unto the neck as it were with many Ruffes set one after another
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and beeing as it were something gathered, every Ruf about an inche brode having here growing on the edges of the
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same, & so with Ruffes comming over the Shoulders and covering some part of the Armes proceding up unto the nape of the
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neck behinde and almoste round about the neck, like as many womens Gownes be, not cloce togither before: but that
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the throte beeing (with a faire white skin) bare betweene bothe the sides of the ruffes, the said ruffes about the neck
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beeing double and as it were thick gathered, muche like unto the Ruffes that many do use to weare about their necks.
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This Childe beforsaid (the day of the date underwritten) was to be seene in Glene Alley in Suthwark beeing
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alive and x weeks olde and iiii. dayes not unlikly to live long.
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An Admonition unto the Reader,
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THis picture prest in paper white?
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our natures dooth declare:
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Whose fourme so straunge by na-tures spite
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may lerne us to beware.
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By natures spite, what doo I saye?
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dooth nature rule the roste?
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Nay god it is say wel I may:
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by whom nature is tost.
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The face ful faire, the members all,
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in order stand and place:
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But yet too muche: by natures thrall,
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dooth woork a great disgrace.
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This ruffeling world in ruffes al rolde,
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dooth God detest and hate:
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As we may lerne the tale wel tolde,
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of Children borne of late.
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What meanes this childe by natures woork:
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thus Ruffed for to be?
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But by these Ruffes our natures spurk,
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we might beholde and see.
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Her squares our squaring dooth set out,
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this here our heres dooth checke:
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This monstrouse monster out of dout,
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agreeth in eche respect.
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Our filthy lives in Piggs are shewd,
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our Pride this Childe dooth bere:
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Our raggs and Ruffes that are so lewd,
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beholde her fleshe and here.
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Our Beasts and Cattel plagued are,
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all monstrouse in their shape:
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And eke this Childe dooth wel declare,
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the pride we use of late.
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Our curled here her here dooth preche?
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our ruffes and gises gaie:
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Our straunge attire wherto we reche,
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our flesshe that plese we may.
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The poet telleth how Daphenes was,
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transformd into a tree:
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And Io to a Cow did passe,
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a straunge thing for to see.
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But poets tales may passe and go,
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as trifels and untrueth:
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When ruffes of fleshe as I doo trowe,
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shall move us unto ruthe.
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Deformed are the things we were,
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deformed is our hart:
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The Lord is wroth with all this geere,
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repent for fere of smarte.
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Pray we the Lord our harts to turn,
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whilest we have time and space:
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Lest that our soules in hel doo burn,
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for voiding of his grace.
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And that O England whose womankinde,
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in ruffes doo walke to oft:
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Parswade them stil to bere in minde,
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this Childe with ruffes so soft.
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In fourme as they in nature so,
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a maid she is indeed:
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God graunt us grace however we go,
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for to repent with speed.
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