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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 .iiii. 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 a lyue by the space of half an hower, and wer baptized, and named the one Iohn, and the other Ioan.
[illustration] depiction of conjoined twins
I Read how affrique land was fraught
for their most filthy life,
With mōstrous shapes, confuzedly
that therin wer full rife.
¶But England now pursues their vyle
and detestable path,
Embracyng eke all mischéefs great
that moues Gods mightie wrath.
¶As these vnnaturall shapes & formes,
thus brought forth in our dayes:
Are tokens true and manifest,
how God by dyuers wayes:
Doth styrre vs 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 iust rewarde:
Be ouerwhelmd with mischéefs great,
which ready bent for vs
Full long a go decreed wer,
as Scriptures doth discus.
¶Both tender babes & eke brute beastes,
in shape disfourmed bée:
Full manie wayes he plagues the earth,
(as dayly we may sée)
¶Thus mightie Ioue, to pearce our harts
these tokens straunge doth send,
To call vs 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 sée these shapes vnkynd:
And trēblyng feare may pearce our harts
our God to haue in mynd.
¶For yf we printed in our brest,
these signes and tokens straunge:
Wold make vs from our sinnes to shrike
our liues a new to chaunge.
¶But some proude boastyng Pharisie,
the parents wyll detect:
And iudge with heapes of vglie vice
their liues to be infect.
¶No no, but lessons for vs all,
which dayly doe offend:
Yea more perhaps, then hath the fréends,
whom God this birth did lend.
¶For yf you wyll with single eye,
note well and view the text:
And marke our Sauiours 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 bréef,
that neither hée, nor they:
Deserued had that crooked fate,
although they sin each day.
But to the end Gods glorie great,
and miracles diuine:
Might on the earth apparaunt be,
his workes for to define.
¶Such lyke examples moued me,
in these forgetfull dayes:
To rue our state that vs a mong,
vice beares such swings and swayes.
¶Wherein the goodnesse great of God
we way and set so light:
By such examples callyng vs,
from sin both day and night.
Where we doe runne at randon wyde,
our selues flatteryng styll:
And blazyng others faults and crimes,
yet we our selues most yll.
¶But if we doe consider right,
and in euen balaunce way:
The ruine great of hartie loue,
among vs at this day:
And well behyld with inward eyes,
th'embracyng of these Twinnes:
That God by them vpbraides vs for
our false discemblyng sinnes.
We would with Niniuie repent
our former passed yeares,
Bewaylyng eke our secret sinnes
in sacke cloth and in teares.
¶Therfore in time amend your state,
and call to God for grace:
Bewayle your former lyfe and sinnes,
while you haue time and space.
¶FINIS. {quod}
Iohn Mellys Nor.