IF God had from the beginning of the world made all creatures beautifull, and in their perfect shape, his glory had not bin so great: but as white sets off blacke, so these contra­ry colours in the creation of man, some­times fayre, sometimes deformed, expresse the skill, power, and omnipotency of the great Master, in whose hand it lyes to make a Begger, or a King, a beautifull body, or a monstrous, and to fashion thee or me as vgly, as that wretched shape (whatsoeuer it be) at which with wonder and loathing thou so often castest an eye, haply of scorne.

Neither are prodigious Birthes (for that is the wombe, which now is in labour) simple or meere mistakings in God as if like a bungler in some common trade, he were not his Crafts-master: no, hee receiueth no lesse honour from the shape of a Monster, than from the rarest piece of beautie, that euer was out of earth; no, we are all but one piece of clay, and as the Potter pleases, so are the vessels made, some to base vses, and others to noble: neither is the vessell to re­pine and aske the workman: Why didst thou make me to no better purpose?

Monstrous births are Moales in nature, they are Wens sticking on her cheeke to disgrace her: they are to man and woman mockeries of their pride: for why should either of them with Diues boast of their purple and rich cloathing, when an arme from heauen can strike them, in a moment, in­to the leprosie of Lazarus? That face and forehead which [Page] thou paintest for allurement, and so adorn'st it with iewels, to shew the glory of thy riches, is moulded out of the same flesh and bloud, of which a begger is framed, and which gi­ueth fashion to a stigmatick, and mishapen creature.

To checke therfore our vicious condition, who are proud of that which must rot, and consume with wormes bred out of our owne corruption: and to punish the sinnes of some particular parents, God from time to time striketh the womb of the mother, and doubleth his curse, not onely in making her to bring forth with paine and dolour, but to bee deliuered with fearefull and horrid shapes, to astonish the beholders, and affright the sinfull breeders.

What man (vnlesse the hammers of hell continually beat vpon his heart to harden it) being a father to a son or daugh­ter so blasted in the natiuity, but would at sight of such a hor­ror fall downe and die with sorrow: or curse himselfe that e­uer his sinnes were so blacke and monstrous, as to moue the Almighty in his wrath to make his body, to be the begetter of an vgly Monster? Say such a childe should liue to call him father, how vnpleasing were the sound? The very name of, This is my sonne, should presently strike him cold to the heart, with, This is my shame; or rather, This is my sinne: For be assured, that albeit women with childe, may by blowes, or o­ther misfortunes miscarry in their deliuery, and bring In­fants into the world maymed in limbes, or deformed in coun­tenance, and this cannot chuse but be an vnspeakable griefe to the afflicted father and mother; yet when Gods owne fin­gers shall crush the loynes in the wombe, and set his markes of fearefull diuine vengeance, on the brest of an vnborne Babe, to turne it into a Monster, it is without all question, a reuenge and punishment for some extraordinary sinnes in the Parents. God neuer giues a sound paiment but it is for a sure fault: when an Infant is borne dumbe, deafe, or in a limbe mishapen, he doth but shake the Rodde; but when the birth is prodigious and beyond Nature, the stripes are deep, for then he is angred indeede, and at euery such blowe hee drawes bloud. Former ages hereof haue had plentifull de­monstrations: [Page] and these latter dayes of ours are too preg­nant in the like examples.

But omitting either of these, I beséech you (Christian Readers) to cast your astonished eyes vpon this late-begot­ten Obiect of horror and misery, lately sent into the World, in Kent, in a place not far from Feuersham. For at a Farme called Perre, standing a quarter of a mile from the Towne before named, a poore wayfaring woman beeing great with Child, but not neere her time, seeing the night approaching, stept into an old Barne, there to take vp her lodging. Where it pleased God (for the punishment of hers and her husbands sinnes) before her expected hower, to strike her with paynes, so that there shee fell in labour: And after many terrible throwes of terror and agonies, more then women commonly suffer in such extremities, shée was after many tortures, and torments of Soule and body, deliuered of two Children: Twinnes they were, not of gladnes, but of shame and sor­row; not of Motherly embracements, but of affrights and wonder. A brother and sister they were, and yet I know not whether I may so tearme them: but if I could giue these names vnto them, yet neuer were Brother and Sister so vn­like to one another, or to those that did beget them. For the one was a woman perfectly framed in all her limbes, sauing that the body was pyned away, and by that meanes, meagre and leane. But the second infortunate burden that came a­long with her, was neither a Brother nor a Sister, but Both; for it was an Hermaphrodite, it was neither man nor woman, but such as you might call both man and woman: yet inclining rather to the forme of woman than man, han­somely composed from the Nauill downewards, but a Mon­ster vpwards, and below the knees: for one leg was greater than the other; and either foote had no more then fowre toes. Head it had none, nor necke, but in the brest stucke out a bunched peece of deformed flesh, which like a flap, beeing to bee lifted vp, it carried vnder-neath, the fashion of a mouth with a tongue, and choppes, yet were they neither. Aboue this deformed mouth, grew forth a tuft of hayre, the bredth [Page] of a teston, and more, and a full inch in bredth: out of the right side, came a thing like an arme, altogether formlesse and with­out bones, or the true shape of a hand, hauing two fingers onely, towards either side one. It had no pappes, but prints and markes like them in their places. The length of this disproportioned creature was 13 inches, and in compasse 15 inches and a halfe. This was more fat and fleshly than the former.

The Father of these infortunate payre of Twinnes, na­med himselfe Henrie Haydnot: the Mothers name was Mar­th [...]t, And being examined of their dwelling, they reported it had beene in Chelmesford in Essex. These prodigious Births were sent into the world on the 25. of Iuly now last (being Saint Iames his day) and were buried at Preston a Towne neere Feuersham: to behold whom, so long as their bodies rested aboue earth, thousands of people came from all places, the misery of the sad mother, béeing relieued by much money, which out of Christian compassion, many bestowed vpon her. GOD graunt that these and such like other fearefull demonstrations of Gods anger for our sinnes, may call vs home to his fold, from whence worse than monsters and wild beasts we wander, to the euerlasting slaughter of our Soules; from which the Lord of heauen deliuer vs. Amen.

SYthence that GOD speaketh vnto vs by all his workes, our duety is, not to passe ouer lightly that which he causeth vs to heare: but rather to consi­der it so well and attentiuely, that the whole be refer­red to that end, vnto the which it appertaineth. He hath spoken vnto vs long time sithence, by his holy word, published and preached in these latter dayes so faithful­ly, that wée may say, that those which haue liued before vs, doe followe vs in this, very farre off. But alas! the more he speaketh, the lesse we heare, and the hearts which ought to relent, doe ware the more hard; yea in steade of yeelding willingly vnto his obedience, there is such a rebellion in the most part of men, that a great number of them make themselues vtterly vnapt to learne.

Neuerthelesse, for all this hee ceaseth not to set be­fore vs, that which is to the furtherance of our salua­tion, aswell by his promises (whose effects are felt and perceiued in the harts of those, which loue him and feare him) as by his threatnings, by the which his will is, to [Page] terrifie the hypocrites contemners of his Maiestie, the more to increase their condemnation. Indeede, if being admonished, threatned and corrected, they shall perseuer in their wickednesse, without doubt. God will continue his iustice, and display his true and seuere iudgement in this world, to the continuance of it euerlastingly in the world to come. It is most certaine, that on what side so­euer a man turneth himselfe, he may perceiue the signes of the wrath of God, ingraued in al his creatures, whose age and wearinesse in the seruice of men, in their corrup­tion, requireth nothing more then to be deliuered from the oppression which they feele, through the wickednesse of such as abuse them, in dishonouring God, and follow­ing their wicked will.

The heauens are witnesse, the ayre, the water, and the earth cryeth nothing else. The plagues and in­fectiue diseases, which haue almost vnpeopled the whole world, beare witnesse hereof. The forren and ciuill warres which haue destroyed, and doe yet destroy the earth, doe declare it. The dearthes and famines which haue brought, and do bring to ruine many realms, doe shew the like. Neuerthelesse they laugh, and mocke, no lesse then in the dayes of Noe, whereas they should ra­ther prepare the Arke to saue themselues, when as the floud of the lake and eternall iudgement shall light vpon all creatures: for it seemeth to be euen already at hand. This Arke is vnfained repentance, which hauing the true feare of God for the foundation, causeth men to be grieued and sorrowfull for their wickednesse past, with carefull and most earnest studie of well doing, for the time to come. To this repentance God doth call vs, by sundry and diuers wayes, especially by the signes afore­tolde by our Sauiour Iesus Christ, in the 24. Chap. of Saint Mathew, which signes in these later dayes, hee dayly setteth before vs as fore-runners of his glorious comming.

Now our meaning is not, to speake of things hap­pened far hence, or long sithence, neither of impressions or sights seene in the ayre within these few Moneths, such as are burning flames, the Sun doubled, yea tri­pled, or yet of thundring or lightning in the middest of winter: but onely of the Earth-quake happened the first of March, 1615. according to the ancient Almanack in the countreys of Lyonois, Masconois, Daulphin, Sa­uoy, Piedmont, Valles, Swysse, and Burgonny. Nor yet to discourse of the causes and effects thereof, as the naturall Philosophers, according to their profession, are wont to doe: but to warne euery one, that séeing the earth shaketh, we may take occasion euery one of vs ge­nerally, and particularly, to be affraide and quake in our hearts, considering the multitude of sinnes, which ouerwhelme vs in this cursed time and extreme olde age of the world: And also that it is not here beneath that we must looke for our assurance, séeing that there is nothing firme or stable but aboue in heauen. For as Histories witnesse vnto vs, there haue seldome beene such signes, but that there haue followed shortly after most great and cruell calamities, common and generall to all estates. And not to speake of thinges befalne elsewhere, wee will briefely touch such things as are chansed in these quarters neere to the lake Lemanus, leauing vnto others, to doe the like of that which happe­ned to euery one in his Countrey.

The 1. of March 1615. halfe an houre before 12. of the day, the skie being most cleare and faire, the Sunne shining, all sodainely came the Earthquake, which lasted not aboue 10. or 11. minutes by the clocke, for that one time. It was especially perceiued by the clic­keting of the windowes, and cracking of the houses, shaking of trees, and stone walles, with a great noyse and hollow sound in the ayre.

In many places there fell downe chimnies, the [Page] walles rased and riuen, as amongst the rest at a towne called Bonne in Fussigny, at Thonon, Euyan, S. Mau­ris in Chablage, Laufanne, Morges, and many other places.

At Geneua fell downe thrée or foure chimnies, and a stone wall of an olde building, without any other ex­traordinary thing chauncing: such is the singular proui­dence of God. Although one hath most falsely publi­shed (at which hee may tremble and blush for shame, to haue lyed so manifestly in feigning) which hee hath written of the blacknesse of the Lake, which he sayth to haue beene the Satturday before: Item, of the walles and houses du bour de four, and of the continuance of the Earthquake for the space of two houres long, which was often renewed with whirle-windes. But to re­turne to our matter, not farre from thence there haue beene other accidents, no lesse lamentable then memo­rable.

For vpon Munday being the second of March, the sayd Earth-quake renewing his force in the places of the higher side of the Lake, and beeing redoubled the Tuesday following, bath at morning and at night, with winde and snowe, chanced that which followeth, in a place subiect to the Souereignity of Berne, distant from the said side of the Lake two houres iourney, from a Towne called Aille, about foure gunne shottes: and this happened the Wednesday following, being the fourth of March, betwixt nine and tenne of the clocke in the morning. A great quantitie of earth rowling (e­uen as it were a huge streame of raging water, falling from the toppe of a most high Rocke) from the tops of the Mountaines, glaunced a farre off, and as some say about one league, the which was not so much by the naturall motion, (which is from a high place vnto a lowe) as being driuen by windes and exhalations ming­led amongst it.

This earth was so driuen, that in one instant it co­uered the places neere the valley, vpon the which it fell, and in carrying before it all the earth that it mette, the same was cleane taken away, the which was more easi­ly brought to passe, by reason that it was moued by the Earthquakes & stirring winds, aswell as the first earth which driued it: so that it chaunced in this, as commonly we see vpon the lake or tempestuous Sea, whereas one waue is violently driuen by an other. The discent & val­ley did not onely adioyne themselues vnto it, but that which is most strange, the little hilles vpon low places, and the valleyes were shaked likewise. Heere is fur­thermore to be noted, that the place wher this remouing was, is right against a Cliffe caused by many hilles and hye places, that are commonly whereas the rockes of the hilles meete and touch together. Ouer against, in the yssue of this Clyffe, was the higher side of Corbery, a little village or hamlet, containing about 8. houses, 25. barnes, & 3. water-milles. The earth fell from a­boue vpon the said village so violently, that in a mo­ment all was couered, one house excepted, whereas a thing most worthy to bee marked, chanced. The ma­ster of the said house, being astonied and amazed, through the exceeding great noyse, which he heard, said to his wife, he did verily beleeue the end of the world to bee come, and that it was necessary to pray to GOD to haue mercy on them. Whereupon without delay knee­ling downe in their house, they perceiued such fruit and profit of their prayers, that the earth which rowled as is aforesayd, passed ouer their house in a manner as a huge waue, without any harme to the house, or any within it, sauing that, the Master hauing his hat pear­ced, was hurt in the head. As concerning the other houses and barnes, they were all throwne downe, and almost couered with earth. There chances also in the sayd place, another thing not to bee omitted, that is to [Page] say, a child of a quarters age was found safe and aliue in the cradle (as he is yet, thanks be to GOD) hauing his mother found dead by him. The manner of it was this, the mother vpon the noise of the house falling, see­king to saue her Child, clasped the cradle in her armes, wherewith all the house fell, and she most pittifully bru­sed, was found dead, the Child being aliue and safe, as is aforesayd. The like befell to a maid child of a yeere old, which was found whole and aliue among the ruines of a house. As touching the water-milles, they were all broken, and in one of them happened another strange thing: for being very low situated, the axeltree with the whéele, were found whole together in the top of a hill, which was higher then the sayd Mill 500. paces or steppes. The number of men which perished in this Village 29. of Barnes 25. water-milles 2. of yeere­ly reuenues or Farmes within the towne, called in la­tine, Praedia Vrbana 7. of Vines 23. acres: of tunnes of Wine 82. of Neate, Bullocks and Calues 81. of hor­ses, mares and colts 16. of shéepe 73.

The lower the earth discended, the more this mis­happe increased: for falling vpon the next village, called Iuorn, which was lower, and at the foote of the hill, whereupon the sayd Corbery stood, there perished of men 93. or a 100. persons, (some affirme more) of houses 62. barnes 101. fulling milles 3. of Vines 39. Acres: of Tuns of Wine 236. of Neate 166. of calues 112. Horses and Mares 43. Shéepe 108. also great a­bundance of Corne, all kind of fodder for Cattell, with great quantity of houshold stuffe: to bee briefe, this Village was well furnished with all kind of things, and was esteemed one of the best in all these quarters.

The situation of it was vpon a discent not stéepe, but slope and stretched out from the East to the West. The ground was so fertill, that they receiued euery yéere 3. crops, as Wheat, Millet, & Turnops. Furthermore, a­mongst [Page] them were neither poore, nor begger, but eue­ry one euen to the very least, liued on their goods and labour, beeing a people very thriuing and painefull, voyd of all euill practices, as vsurie, contentions and suites, as all their neighbours doe witnesse of them.

It is said also, that the aforesaid falling of the earth, was so sudden, that no pellet out of any gunne could be more swift, then all this said remouing was past. O­ther report, that a farre off they beheld about 20. per­sons, the most being women, and children, which com­ming downe a hill to saue themselues, were ouertaken, and ouerwhelmed with the sayd falling of the earth.

The most that perished were women and Children, by reason that most of the men were at labour in the fields. In this great affliction, GOD hath vsed such mercy, that of euery houshold, some were saued, either men or Children. Moreouer, besides the most fearefull and terrible confusion, which the falling of the earth caused, beeing mingled with great stones that mounted in the ayre, there was seene infinite sparkles of fire, with a great and darke cloud, from the which did procéede a most strong smell of Brimstone.

At the length the earth staied it selfe, ioyning toge­ther 2. houses, which are at this present time standing whole, laden on one side with earth, to the halfe height of the walles, without any other hurt: besides these, there remaineth yet 7. or 8. houses, with as many barnes and other countrey houses.

The length of this discent is from the toppe of the mountaine, vnto the 2. sayd houses. The bredth is of 12. Arpantes, the depth is in some places lesse then in some other: towards the side it is about two mens depth. It is a marueilous thing, that in all this discent so extended, whereas the houses were, it is so plaine, that it seemeth as a portion of earth beene newly tilled and harrowed, without any appearance of the ruine of [Page] the sayd houses, no more then if there neuer had beene any: and that which is more, few or no stones are to be seene. From the place where the remouing tooke his beginning, vnto the 2. houses, where it rested, it is all as but one ruine, where there is but one house to bée séene.

In Aille the middle roofe tiles of the Church fell downe, without that any other moued. Not farre from this place fell a rocke downe from a hill, the which was stayed in a cliffe of the said hill, without any hurt. Ma­ny chimneis fell downe, many wals were riuen, by rea­son of the reiteration of the earthquake, vpon sundry daies. Hard by a place called Morteru, the Lake hath excéeded his ordinary bredth twenty paces, hauing ca­ried away a portion of a Vine-yard, the which they say was swallowed vp by opening of the earth.

Some say, that at a Towne called Ville Neufue and in other places, adioyning vnto the same, the Earth-quake was so violent, that whole tunnes of wine were raised vpon their end. At Veuey many chimneis were cast downe, many houses loosened, and amongst the vines de l'Auau, certaine walles were ouerthrowne. The Magistrates of Bearne, in whose soueraignty these sayd things happened, haue appointed men, or officers to looke and prouide for those men, that yet liuing haue lost their friends and substance.

Now let euery man iudge of these things, as the feare of God shall direct him. It is well knowne what the Philosophers doe affirme to bee the causes of such Earth-quakes; but if one doe weigh the diuersity of their opinions, it will bée found that we must séeke hy­er for the causes hereof, then in the starres, fire, waters, vapours, exhalations and windes included in the bow­els of the earth, to the which they cleaue full fast: And that wée may come vnto the cause touched by the Pro­phet, In the 114. Psalme, where hée sayth: Before [Page] the face of the Almighty the earth leaped, as the scarred Rammes in the fieldes, and the hilles like trembling Lambes.

Furthermore, to iudge of those whom God hath so visited, wée must remember, that it doth onely apper­taine vnto God, to whom the iudgement must bée left, without concluding, that those of Iuorne were greater sinners then we, according to that which our Sauiour Iesus Christ teacheth vs, in the thirtéenth Chapter of Saint Luke, speaking of the Galileans, whose bloud Pilate had mingled with the sacrifices, and of those vp­on whom. the Tower of Sylo fell: but wee must per­swade our selues that except we do repent, we shal like­wise perish. God is not vniust, but contrariwise his workes are as a bottomlesse pit, vnsearchable to men, into the which wée ought neuer to enter, but to stay our selues in worshipping with reuerence his incompre­hensible wisedome. Surely, if we doe not condemne all those, which were drowned by the waters of the floud; neither all those which were destroyed by the fire falling vpon Sodome, and other places adioyning vnto it (for there were many children innocent in the transgressi­on of the aged): farre lesse ought wée to haue an euill suspition of those, which were not so giuen to sinne as other men.

Laodicea, Colossi, and Hieropolis were ouerwhel­med by an Earth-quake. In Asia first fourtéene Cities, and sithence twelue. In Thracia 11. and in Affrica one hundred haue béene destroyed by Earthquakes hereto­fore. Nicodemia, Antiochia, Alexandria, Constantino­ple, and other places infinite haue béene hazarded by Earthquakes. And who shal say, that so many condem­ned places as were then in the world, should rather haue escaped; then the places aforenamed? Certainly, if God should haue respect vnto the sinnes of men, one vil­lage should not haue felt his wrathfull hand: but all the [Page] world, especially the great Cities, whereas the great and wicked sinners bee, and the most fearefull sinnes committed. But it pleased God, to beate the Dogge be­fore the Lyon, to punish the least sinners before the grea­test, to cut downe the naturall Olyue, before the wilde, and the greene wood before the seare.

Let vs then wonder at the great patience of God, that beareth so much with this world, and let vs so ac­count of his iustice, that it be hereafter to haue recourse to his mercie, the which I pray him, that he will vouchsafe to shewe vs, through Iesus Christ, his onely Sonne, our Lord and Mediatour.