The true description of two monsterous children,
laufully begotten betwene George Stevens and Margerie his wyfe, and borne in the parish of Swan-
burne in Buckynghamshyre, the .iiii. of Aprill. Anno Domini. 1566. the two children having both their belies fast joyned toge-
ther, and imbracyng one another with their armes: which children wer both alyve by the space of half an hower, and
wer baptized, and named the one John, and the other Joan.
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I Read how Affrique land was fraught
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for their most filthy life,
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With monstrous shapes, confuzedly
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that therin wer full rife.
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But England now pursues their vyle
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and detestable path,
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Embracyng eke all mischeefs great
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that moves Gods mightie wrath.
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As these unnaturall shapes & formes,
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thus brought forth in our dayes:
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Are tokens true and manifest,
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how God by dyvers wayes:
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Doth styrre us to amendment of
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our vyle and cankred lyfe:
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Which to to much abused is,
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in man, in chylde, and wyfe.
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We wallow so in filthie sin,
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and naught at all regarde:
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Nor wyll not feare the threats of God
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tyll we for just rewarde:
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Be overwhelmd with mischeefs great,
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which ready bent for us
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Full long ago decreed wer,
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as Scriptures doth discus.
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Both tender babes & eke brute beastes,
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in shape disfourmed bee:
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Full manie wayes he plagues the earth,
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(as dayly we may see)
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Thus mightie Jove, to pearce our harts
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these tokens straunge doth send,
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To call us from our filthie lyfe
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our wicked wayes t'amend.
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And thus by these two children here,
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forewarnes both man and wyfe:
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How both estates ought to bewayle,
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their vile and wretched lyfe.
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For sure we all may be agast,
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to see these shapes unkynd:
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And tremblyng feare may pearce our harts
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our God to have in mynd.
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For yf we printed in our brest,
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these signes and tokens straunge:
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Wold make us from our sinnes to shrike
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our lives anew to chaunge.
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But some proude boastyng Pharisie,
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the parents wyll detect:
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And judge with heapes of uglie vice
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their lives to be infect.
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No no, but lessons for us all,
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which dayly doe offend:
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Yea more perhaps, then hath the freends,
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whom God this birth did lend.
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For yf you wyll with single eye,
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note well and view the text:
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And marke our Saviours aunswer eke,
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that thereto is annext:
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Where his disciples asked him,
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to know therein his mynd:
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Yf greatter wer the parents sinnes,
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or his that was borne blynd.
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To whom Christ aunswered in a breef,
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that neither hee, nor they:
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Deserved had that crooked fate,
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although they sin each day.
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But to the end Gods glorie great,
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and miracles divine:
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Might on the earth apparaunt be,
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his workes for to define.
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Such lyke examples moved me,
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in these forgetfull dayes:
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To rue our state that us among,
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vice beares such swings and swayes.
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Wherein the goodnesse great of God
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we way and set so light:
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By such examples callyng us,
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from sin both day and night.
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Where we doe runne at randon wyde,
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ourselves flatteryng styll:
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And blazyng others faults and crimes,
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yet we ourselves most yll.
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But if we doe consider right,
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and in even balaunce way:
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The ruine great of hartie love,
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among us at this day:
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And well behyld with inward eyes,
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th'embracyng of these Twinnes:
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That God by them upbraides us for
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our false discemblyng sinnes.
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We would with Ninivie repent
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our former passed yeares,
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Bewaylyng eke our secret sinnes
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in sackecloth and in teares.
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Therfore in time amend your state,
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and call to God for grace:
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Bewayle your former lyfe and sinnes,
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while you have time and space.
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