%ISOlat1; %ISOlat2; %ISOnum; %ISOpub; ]> The Wonder of this present Age ./ OR, An Account of a / MONSTER / Born in the Liberty of Westminster, on the 16th. of this Instant September, 1687. / Having two Heads, four Arms and Hands; as likewise four Leggs and Feet, yet but one / Body from the lower parts to the Breast, they seem to Embrace one another, and lye face / to face, as if they would Salute, to the Wonder and Admiration of all Spectators. University of California - Santa Barbara The Early Modern Center Director Patricia Fumerton 1671-1702 Early Modern Center, University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 08/22/2008 21946

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Patricia Fumerton Early Modern Center - English Department University of California Santa Barbara, CA 93105 United States of America EMail: pfumer@english.ucsb.edu

4.285 R187737 1 Young Mans Legacy Fortune My Foe Young Man's Legacy COme listen now both Young and Old, / to this strange Wonder of the Land, date from title. Pepys 4.285 Rollins (1) III: 287-290; Wing W3358B. Pepys Library The Pepys ballads : facsimile volume Editor W.G. Day D.S. Brewer Cambridge [England] 1987 Information in this section of the Source Description refers to the original ballad manuscript. 4: 285 The Wonder of this present Age ./ OR, An Account of a / MONSTER / Born in the Liberty of Westminster, on the 16th. of this Instant September, 1687. / Having two Heads, four Arms and Hands; as likewise four Leggs and Feet, yet but one / Body from the lower parts to the Breast, they seem to Embrace one another, and lye face / to face, as if they would Salute, to the Wonder and Admiration of all Spectators. The Wonder of this present Age. OR, An Account of a MONSTER Born in the Liberty of Westminster, on the 16th. of this Instant September, 1687. Having two Heads, four Arms and Hands; as likewise four Leggs and Feet, yet but one Body from the lower parts to the Breast, they seem to Embrace one another, and lye face to face, as if they would Salute, to the Wonder and Admiration of all Spectators. The Wonder of This Instant Age. Or, an Account of a Monster Born in the Liberty of Westminster, on the Sixteenth of this Present September, 1687. Having Two Hands, Four Arms and Hands; as Likewise Four Legs and Feet, yet but One Body From the Lower Parts to the Breast, They Seem to Embrace One Another, and Lie Face to Face, as if They Would Salute, to the Wonder and Admiration of All Spectators. 1/2 sheet oblong folio, ?205 x 315 torn left edge, creased surface, Ms. verso shows through horizontal rule 1671-1702 Printed for I. Deacon, at the Angel in Gilt- / Spur=Street, without Newgate. J. Deacon Spufford and BBTI

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 Taxonomy used by Pepys to Organize Ballads in Albums A Small Promiscuous Supplement Devotion & Morality Drinking & Good Fellowship History - True & Fabulous Humour, Frollicks &c Love Pleasant Love Pleasant and Unfortunate Love Unfortunate Marriage Sea State & Times Tragedy Various Subjects Early Modern Center Ballad Project Keyword Taxonomy advice affliction/health alcohol animals/nature appearance Bible/biblical figures buildings/architecture catastrophe children class clothing/fashion country/nation crime death economics/trade entertainment family/procreation folklore gender historical figures & events holidays/seasons infidelity law London love maritime marriage military/war monstrosity mythology/Classical world news nobility/court politics/government punishment religious concepts religious figures religious types & sects royalty rural life servitude sex/sexuality supernatural/magic The New World travel trickery/deceit urban life vice violence virtue vulgarities/crass humor Library of Congress Subject Heading Taxonomy 8/22/2008 Santa Barbara, California, United States of America Various Subjects children death monstrosity 08/22/08 Checker Rachel Mann Metadata updated, xml created Unknown Checker Rachel Mann Ballad Checked 02/03/07 Transcriber Talya Meyers Original transcription 9/1/2004 Bibliographer Maggie Sloan Bibliographic SQL Database Record Created
<seg n="1" rend="left">The Wonder of this present Age.</seg> <seg n="2" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">OR, An Account of a </hi></seg> <seg n="3" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">MONSTER</hi></seg> <seg n="4" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">Born in the <hi rend="bold">Liberty</hi> of <hi rend="bold">Westminster,</hi> on the 16<hi rend="bold">th</hi>. of this Instant <hi rend="bold">September,</hi> 1687.</hi></seg> <seg n="5" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">Having two Heads, four Arms and Hands; as likewise four Leggs and Feet, yet but one</hi></seg> <seg n="6" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">Body from the lower parts to the Breast, they seem to Embrace one another, and lye face</hi></seg> <seg n="7" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">to face, as if they would Salute, to the Wonder and Admiration of all Spectators.</hi></seg> <lb/> <seg n="8" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">Tune of</hi> Young Mans Legacy. <hi rend="italic">This may be Printed,</hi> R.P.</seg>
COme listen now both Young and Old, to this strange Wonder of the Land, And when the Truth I do unfold, you will in admiration stand. September on the sixteenth day, it being Friday in the Morn, Near to St. Gileses I hear say, there was indeed a Monster Born. I saw it, so did many more, who did unto that place arrive, The like was ne'r beheld before, sure by the oldest Man alive. To tell the shape I now do mean, according to my chiefest Skill;
God grant the like may ne'r be seen, if it be his most gracious will. I speak no more then what I know, as here I solemnly protest, Two Infants did together grow, from the lower parts up to the breast. As if one Body and no more, four leggs and feet there was likewise Two pair of Hips, now this therefore, did the Spectators much surprize.
Two Male-Children they were indeed. as by their parts it did appear: Nay farther now I must proceed, to tell this mighty Wonder here. Then from their breasts as many knows two little pritty Babes they were, Their very Heads as black as slows, with locks of soft and downy Hair. Some Women that the sight beheld, when they these babes approached nigh They were alas, with sorrow fill'd, to so how these sweet Lambs did lye. For they both lay with Face to Face, which would the Hearts of mothers move, And with their Arms they did embrace, as if in most intire Love, Their little arms as white as snow, their pretiy Fingers long and small; Not one in twenty that doth goe to see them, but some Tears do fall. Heads, Arms, and Leggs, nothing amiss, in perfect shape as if for two, But yet the greatest wonder's this, to see how they together grew.
They were Dead-Born, therefore we know, tis fit we should due praises give To God, who did his kindness show, in not ordaining them to live. For the poor Parents, we may guess, it would have been a grief to see Them live and languish in Distress, with such a strange Deformity. Through London now this true Report, much admiration does afford, So that great numbers do resort, to see the wonders of the Lord. Let us from Sin our Lives reclaim, that we Gods Anger may escape, How ought we to adore his Name, that granted us our Humane shape. Now to the Lord, O let us pray, with Hearts of true sincerity, That never tender Mother may behold the like deformity.
Printed for J. Deacon, at the Angel in Gilt- Spur-Street, without Newgate.