A True Relation Of the Birth of a MONSTER Born at EXETER, having two perfect Heads; one Head standing right as it should, the other being in the right shoulder just as you see the Figure here Printed, a Draught of it being sent up in a Letter from a Person of repute and Integrity, who lived not far from the place where it was Born, and was both an eye and an ear witness to the Truth of what he writ: It was Born the 5th. of this Instant October, 1682. And lived not long, but was buried and taken up again the 10th. Instant, and many hundreds now resort to see it.
THAT Nature is Subject to frequent miscarriages is a thing not to be questioned. They that converse with History shall find Stories a now to confirm the truth of several strange and Monstrous. Productions, which make Men gaze and admire, but for which no certain reason can be given; neither are those persons [Page 2] who have thought it worth their while to record such things, Men of little Fame, but Authors of the most solid Judgment and acutest Learning, among those that have put pen to paper.
True it is, that in regard Women, whose hap it is to be the first Discoverers, are generally the first Reporters; and such sort of Relations as these, are look't upon as the stories of Women given to divulge their own misapprehensions and affrightments; or else the fictions of Malitious Gossips to disgrace their Neighbours. But no such Falsities as these are here obtruded upon the World, either for amusement or for gain. However it is in some sort necessary to satisfie the World in Stories of this Nature, which Fame will oftentimes advance and multiply, as well to publick as to private prejudice. For the superstitious are apt to believe all Additions of report, and to apply their Imaginations to publick concernment, whereas in truth the Monstrosity it self may have been occasioned by the-irregular fan [...]ies of Conceiving and Breeding Women. It has been a great happiness to this Nation, that accidents of this Nature rarely fall out among us. But if Heaven at any time permit them, perhaps to punish the Pride and vanity incident to the Female Sex, and by the misfortunes of one to admonish Multitudes, it is better to be warned by Truth, then multiplyed falshood. For it is not to be questioned but this Story has got into the World; and such is the Nature of report, that when she has got a Relation by the end, away she flies with it, and at every Stage she gathers new recruits, till she has swell'd a Mole-hill to a Mountain.
Having therefore a True Relation sent me from the place it self, and by an eye witness of the thing it self, I though it but reasonable to publish the Truth it self to prevent fallacious mistakes and abuses of the world. And as for the descants that others shall make of it, I leave it to themselves. Tho I am apt to believe that the best use which any persons can make of this Relation, is to admire the secret Judgments of God, and to thank him that they themselves were not the dreadful Examples of his Indignation.
I have put down the Letter just as it came to me from a person of Repute and Integrity, and who as I said before, was an Eye witness of the thing. And the Reader may well judge by the Stile, that it is no Elaborate Fiction or any thing of fram'd or meditated invention. I shall say no more but give you the Letter it self; leaving the more curious to be more amply convinc'd by confirmations easie to be obtained from a place so frequently Corresponded withal as Exeter.
THis with my Love, Yours I have received, and in requital I have here inclosed sent you, altho but a rude Draught, yet, its a perfect Resemblance of a Monster, born but a few Doors from us; Its a Child with two Heads, with Eyes, Nose, Ears, Mouth and Tongue to each Head proper; it hath but two Arms and Hands, and two Legs and Feet, all in good and comely shapes: The People which were with the Woman at her Delivery, say, that they were two as handsome Faces as ever they saw: You may aver the truth of this, for I my self have been an Eye Witness and Ear Witness to what I have written: The Child was born the Fifth of this Month, it was living when born, but soon expir'd, only giving one Sigh at its Departure, which I heard the Mid-wife say. They in a short time buried it, and it lay under Ground until the Tenth Instant, when it was taken up again; and its now exposed to veiw, and there is dayly resorting Hundreds of People to see it, which proves very advantageous to the Parents of the Child. An ingenuous Hand may easily draw a true Representation of this Monster, taking from this rude and bad Draught, the Places of the Heads and Faces, which is exact.
With this Letter was also sent inclosed the Draught of the Monster, as it is here printed; to satisfie not only the Ear but the Eye of the Reader, generally as inquisitive after the Description, as the Ear is after the Relation of a Novelty.