¶ The true reporte of the forme and shape of a monstrous childe, borne at Muche Horkesleye, a village three myles from Colchester, in the Countye of Essex, the .xxi. daye of Apryll in this yeare. 1562.

O, prayse ye God and blesse his name
His mightye hande hath wrought the same.
[figure]
THis monstrous world that monsters bredes as rife
As men tofore it bred by natiue kinde
By birthes that shewe corrupted natures strife
Declares what sinnes beset the secrete minde.
I meane not this as though deformed shape
Were alwayes linkd with fraughted minde with vice
But that in nature god such draughtes doth shape
Resemblyng sinnes that so bin had in price,
So grossest faultes brast out in bodyes forme
And monster caused of want or to much store
Of matter, shewes the sea of sinne: whose storme
Oreflowes and whelmes vertues barren shore.
Faultye alike in ebbe and eke in flowd,
Like distaunt both from meane, both like extremnes.
Yet greatst excesse the want of meane doth shrowde
And want of meane excesse from vertues meanes.
So contraryest extreames consent in sinne
Which to be wray to blindest eyes by syght
Beholde a calfe hath clapt about his chinne
His chauderne reft whence nature placed it right.
And [...]u [...]d driues doutfull seers to proue by speache
Them selues not calues, and makes the fashion stale.
In him behold by excesse from meane our breache
And midds excesse yet want of natures shape.
To shewe our misse beholde a guiltlesse babe
Reft of his limmes (for such is vertues want)
Him selfe and parentes both infamous made
With sinful byrth: and yet a worldlyng scant.
Feares midwyfes route: be wrayeng his parentes fault
In want of honestye and excesse of sinne.
Made lawfull by all lawes of man, yet halt
Of limmes by God, scapd not the shamefull marke
Of bastard sonne in bastard shape descryed.
Better farre better vngyuen were his lyfe
Than geuen so. For nature iust enuyed
Her gyft to hym: and cropd wyth mayming knyfe
His limmes, to wreake her spyte on parentes sinne▪
Which, if she spare vnwares so many scapes
As wycked world to breede wil neuer sinne
Theyr liues declare theyr maims saued frō their shapes
Scorchd in theyr mindes (o cruel priuye mayme
That festreth styll, o vnrecured sore)
Where thothers quiting wyth theyr bodyes shame
Theyr parentes guilt, oft linger not theyr lyues
In lothed shapes but naked flye to skyes.
As this may do whose forme tofore thine eyes
Through want thou seest, a monstrous vglye shape
Whom frendly world to sinne doth terme a scape.

¶ Imprinted at London in Fletestrete nere to S. Dunstons church by Thomas Marshe.

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