%ISOlat1; %ISOlat2; %ISOnum; %ISOpub; ]> The true description of two monsterous children, / laufully begotten betwene George Steuens and Margerie his wyfe, and borne in the parish of Swan= / burne in Buckyngham shyre, the. iiij. of Aprill. Anno Domini. 1566. the two children hauing both their belies fast ioyned toge= / ther, and imbracyng one an other with their armes: which children wer both alyue by the space of half an hower, and / wer baptized, and named the one John, and the other Joan. University of California - Santa Barbara The Early Modern Center English Broadside Ballad Archive (EBBA) Director Patricia Fumerton Associate Director Carl G Stahmer ?-? Early Modern Center, University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 06/15/2021 37065

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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

S107046 I Read how Affrique land was fraught / for their most filthy life, Information in this section of the Source Description refers to the original ballad manuscript. 1: 33 The true description of two monsterous children, / laufully begotten betwene George Steuens and Margerie his wyfe, and borne in the parish of Swan= / burne in Buckyngham shyre, the. iiij. of Aprill. Anno Domini. 1566. the two children hauing both their belies fast ioyned toge= / ther, and imbracyng one an other with their armes: which children wer both alyue by the space of half an hower, and / wer baptized, and named the one John, and the other Joan. The true description of two monstrous children, lawfully begotten between George Stevens and Margery his wife, and born in the parish of Swanburn in Buckinghamshire, the iiii of April. Anno Domini. 1566. the two children having both their bellies fast joined together, and embracing one another with their arms: which children were both alive by the space of half an hour, and were baptized, and named the one John, and the other Joan. Printer Alexander Lacy ?-? William Lewes

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 Early Modern Center Ballad Project Keyword Taxonomy advice affliction / health alcohol Americas animals / nature Bible / biblical figures buildings / architecture catastrophe children class clothing / appearance country / nation crime death economics / commerce entertainments family Featured folklore gender holidays / seasons infidelity labor / craft law London love maritime marriage military / war monstrosity mythology / Classical news nobility / court politics / government procreation punishment race / ethnicity religious concepts religious figures religious groups royalty rural life servitude sex / sexuality supernatural / magic travel trickery / deceit urban life vice violence virtue vulgar humor youth / age Library of Congress Subject Heading Taxonomy 6/15/2021 Santa Barbara, California, United States of America Ballads, English 17th century Broadsides, England 17th century 6/15/2021 2:39:24 PM XBallad Fong, Joann Created XML Version of Ballad 6/15/2021 2:39:24 PM Transcription Supervisor McCants, Kristen Transcription of ballad manuscript 6/15/2021 2:39:24 PM Double-Key Comparison and Merging Stark, Nicole Transcription of ballad manuscript 6/15/2021 2:39:24 PM Transcriptionist Two McCants, Kristen Transcription of ballad manuscript 6/15/2021 2:39:24 PM Transcriptionist One Raychawdhuri, Anita Transcription of ballad manuscript 4/1/2019 Bibliographer Kristen McCants Initial Ballad Catalogue Record Created
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I Read how Affrique land was fraught for their most filthy life, With monstrous shapes, confuzedly that therin wer full rife. But England now pursues their vyle and detestable path, Embracyng eke all mischeefs great that moves Gods mightie wrath. As these unnaturall shapes & formes, thus brought forth in our dayes: Are tokens true and manifest, how God by dyvers wayes: Doth styrre us to amendment of our vyle and cankred lyfe: Which to to much abused is, in man, in chylde, and wyfe. We wallow so in filthie sin, and naught at all regarde: Nor wyll not feare the threats of God tyll we for just rewarde: Be overwhelmd with mischeefs great, which ready bent for us Full long ago decreed wer, as Scriptures doth discus. Both tender babes & eke brute beastes, in shape disfourmed bee: Full manie wayes he plagues the earth, (as dayly we may see) Thus mightie Jove, to pearce our harts these tokens straunge doth send, To call us from our filthie lyfe our wicked wayes t'amend.
And thus by these two children here, forewarnes both man and wyfe: How both estates ought to bewayle, their vile and wretched lyfe. For sure we all may be agast, to see these shapes unkynd: And tremblyng feare may pearce our harts our God to have in mynd. For yf we printed in our brest, these signes and tokens straunge: Wold make us from our sinnes to shrike our lives anew to chaunge. But some proude boastyng Pharisie, the parents wyll detect: And judge with heapes of uglie vice their lives to be infect. No no, but lessons for us all, which dayly doe offend: Yea more perhaps, then hath the freends, whom God this birth did lend. For yf you wyll with single eye, note well and view the text: And marke our Saviours aunswer eke, that thereto is annext: Where his disciples asked him, to know therein his mynd: Yf greatter wer the parents sinnes, or his that was borne blynd. To whom Christ aunswered in a breef, that neither hee, nor they: Deserved had that crooked fate, although they sin each day.
But to the end Gods glorie great, and miracles divine: Might on the earth apparaunt be, his workes for to define. Such lyke examples moved me, in these forgetfull dayes: To rue our state that us among, vice beares such swings and swayes. Wherein the goodnesse great of God we way and set so light: By such examples callyng us, from sin both day and night. Where we doe runne at randon wyde, ourselves flatteryng styll: And blazyng others faults and crimes, yet we ourselves most yll. But if we doe consider right, and in even balaunce way: The ruine great of hartie love, among us at this day: And well behyld with inward eyes, th'embracyng of these Twinnes: That God by them upbraides us for our false discemblyng sinnes. We would with Ninivie repent our former passed yeares, Bewaylyng eke our secret sinnes in sackecloth and in teares. Therfore in time amend your state, and call to God for grace: Bewayle your former lyfe and sinnes, while you have time and space.
FINIS. quod. John Mellys Nor. Imprinted at London by Alexander Lacy, for William Lewes: dwellyng in Cow lane above Holborne cundit, over against the signe of the Plough.