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[The Courte of Vertu

contaynynge many holy songes, Sonettes, psalmes and ballettes] [by John Hall]

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The description & declaration of a monstrous chyld,
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


126

The description & declaration of a monstrous chyld,

borne in the towne of Maydston in the Countie of Kent, in the yeare of oure Saluation .1561. the .xxix. daye of September, beynge Sayncte Mychaell the Archangels day, betwene two & thre of the clock in the mornyng,

Sith monsters as some lerned men declare,
Doo demonstrate, to vs oure monstrous lyfe,
Repentantly let vs our hartes prepare,
Synne to aduoyde, wherin our fete be ryfe:
For why we walke deuoyde of loue in stryfe,
And for the most part councell men doo scorne,
Which mōstrous ways cause monsters to be borne
Behold those eyes which monstrously strout out
Which typeth foorth our boldnes to doo yll,
And where it hath no forhead without doubt,
The lacke of shame ryght playnly shew it wyll:
Suche shameles grace we se frequented styll,
Whyles we stoutly our naughty ways defend,
And seme gods word to mocke and reprehend.
It hath no necke, whych may also expresse,
That lacke of loue doth reigne in euery wyght.
No paps nor teats whiche signifieth no lesse.
But that we doo regard no truth nor ryght:
To nouryshe vertue few haue nowe delyght,
But pryde, and foolyshe fonde and vayn attyre.
Of women chiefely nowe is the desyre,

[126]

Such ruffes, such rolles, such folysh tricks beside,
More heathenlyke then any Turke doth vse:
In wycked waies thus boldly do we glyde,
And holsom counsell most folke do refuse,
Thus monstrously we walke in great abuse,
As God by tokens dothe to vs declare,
That paynfull plagues he doth for vs prepare.
A hole it hath depe in the head behynd,
Couered ouer with a fleshy flappe,
Thus were these partes contrary vnto kynde:
Which may declare and signify perhap,
With feigned maners how we do vs wrap,
Apperyng outwarde honest fayre and gay,
Corrupted inward with most wycked way.
The buttockes also ioyned are in one,
Without a twyst the same for to deuyde,
Yet some there were that looked it vpon,
That toke great payne the matter for to hyde,
Ascribyng it to chaunce that myght betyde
Unto the woman, whyle she therwith went,
As hurt or bruse, so vayn heads dyd inuent.
But who that wyll discretely the same vewe,
Shal fynd that God therin hath wrought his will
And their surmyse to be false and vntrue,
With lies that would our eares and wyt so fyll,
That we shoulde not repent vs of the yll,
That caused God therby vs to amend,
Thys token great before our eyes to sende.
Presumpteous boldnes in vnshamfast wayes,
Is termed courage or audasitie.

127

But shame to sinne is counted now a dayes
Great folyshnes, and doltysh dastardy.
So ryfe so rype is nowe iniquitie,
That fearful signes must faine be vs to teache,
That no man els can doe although he preache.
Let vs therfore haue sufficient regarde
To these great workes of God shewed to vs:
Least death and hell doe shortly vs rewarde,
For these our sinnes that we committed thus,
Let learned wits now more at large discusse,
By these great mōstrous tokens what is ment
But in the meane space let vs all repent.