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
|
THis present yeere of our Lord. M.D.Lxvi the .vii. day of June one Helene Jermin the wife of John
|
Jermin Husbandman Dwelling in the parishe of Micheham was delivered of a Woman Child[e]
|
named Christian beeing after this maner & fourme following. That is to say, the Face comly & of a cheerfu[l]
|
countenaunce. The Armes and hands, Leggs and Feet of right shape, and the Body with all other member[s]
|
therunto apperteining, wel proporcioned in due fourme & order, saving that it is as it were wunderfully clothed
|
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
|
Neckerchef growing from the reines of the Back up unto the neck as it were with many Ruffes set one after anothe[r]
|
and beeing as it were somthing gathered, every Ruf about an inche brode having here growing on the edges of th[e]
|
same, & so with Ruffes comming over the Shoulders and covering some part of the Armes proceding up unto the nape of th[e]
|
neck behinde and almoste round about the neck, like as many womens Gownes be, not cloce togither before: but tha[t]
|
the throte beeing (with a faire white skin) bare betweene bothe the sides of the ruffes, the said ruffes about the nec[k]
|
beeing double and as it were thick gathered, muche like unto the Ruffes that many do use to weare about their necks[.]
|
This Childe beforsaid (the day of the date underwritten) was to be seene in Glene Alley in Suthwark beein[g]
|
alive and x weeks olde and iiii. dayes not unlikly to live long.
|
An Admonition unto the Reader,
|
THis picture prest in paper white?
|
our natures dooth declare:
|
Whose fourme so straunge by na-tures spite
|
may lerne us to beware.
|
By natures spite, what doo I saye?
|
dooth nature rule the roste?
|
Nay god it is say wel I may:
|
by whom nature is tost.
|
The face ful faire, the members all,
|
in order stand and place:
|
But yet too muche: by natures thrall,
|
dooth woork a great disgrace.
|
This ruffeling world in ruffes al rolde,
|
dooth God detest and hate:
|
As we may lerne the tale wel tolde,
|
of Children borne of late.
|
What meanes this childe by natures woork:
|
thus Ruffed for to be?
|
But by these Ruffes our natures spurk,
|
we might beholde and see.
|
Her squares our squaring dooth set out,
|
this here our heres dooth checke:
|
This monstrouse monster out of dout,
|
agreeth in eche respect.
|
Our filthy lives in Piggs are shewd,
|
our Pride this Childe dooth bere:
|
Our raggs and Ruffes that are so lewd,
|
beholde her fleshe and here.
|
Our Beasts and Cattel plagued are,
|
all monstrouse in their shape:
|
And eke this Childe dooth wel declare,
|
the pride we use of late.
|
Our curled here her here dooth preche?
|
our ruffes and gises gaie:
|
Our straunge attire wherto we reche,
|
our flesshe that plese we may.
|
The poet telleth how Daphenes was,
|
transformd into a tree:
|
And Io to a Cow did passe,
|
a straunge thing for to see.
|
But poets tales may passe and go,
|
as trifels and untrueth:
|
When ruffes of flesshe as I doo trowe,
|
shall move us unto ruthe.
|
Deformed are the things we were,
|
deformed is our hart:
|
The Lord is wroth with all this geere,
|
repent for fere of smarte.
|
Pray we the Lord our harts to turn,
|
whilest we have time and space:
|
Lest that our soules in hel doo burn,
|
for voiding of his grace.
|
And that O England whose womankinde,
|
in ruffes doo walke to oft:
|
Parswade them stil to bere in minde,
|
this Childe with ruffes so soft.
|
In fourme as they in nature so,
|
a maid she is indeed:
|
God graunt us grace however we go,
|
for to repent with speed.
|
|
|
|
|
|