Most certaine report of a monster borne at Oteringham in Holdernesse, the 9. of Aprill last past. 1595.
Also of a most strange and huge fish, which was driuen on the sand at Outhorn in Holdernesse in February not passing two months before this monster was brought into the world, and within 4 miles distance.
Both to be auerred by the credible testimonie of diuers gentlemen of worship, and others, now being within this Citie.
Printed by P.S. and are to be sold by T. Millington.
¶ A letter sent from Rosse by a Gentleman of worship to his frend at Oteringham to be certified of the truth of the shape of the Childe borne there.
vnderstanding that there is a monstrus child Borne in your parishe of Oteringham to the great admiration of the people that haue seen it, being a thing as I take it sent of God to forewarne vs of our wickednes. And hearing diuers reportes thereof, I desire you to do me that fauour as to send me in writing the true forme of the monster, the day of the birth thereof, and the names of the parents. I make bould with you, but if it like you to doe mee this fauour, you shall command mee any thing that lieth in my power to performe.
Thus commending my selfe vnt [...] [...]ou, I commit you to God:
To my very good frend M.S. at Rosse
hauing receaued your letter, I thought it no lesse then my duety too performe and graūt your reasonable request wherefore it may please you to vnderstand that the ninthe of April last past this admired Monster was brought into the world, to the great amasement of all those that beheld it, but to obserue decorum it is requisit before I speake or write thereof, that I should shewe some circumstances whiche went before the birthe thereof thereby to make the matter more plaine vnto you and your frendes.
There is in our parish of Oteringham a mā of honest & good disposition named Iohn Rawling, who hath to wife one Elizabeth Rawling, A woman of honest life and conuersation, who being conceaued with childe accomplished her daies with much griefe: At length the time of her trauell being come, she was the seuenth of Aprill last, safly deliuered of a iolly [Page]woman child, of right shape and comely proportion, which child is now aliue, wherat the parents and neyghbors reioyced, thinking al thinges had ben well and their busines ended but so it fell not out. For you shall vnderstand that after the former perill was past, newe panges began to arise vpon the sorrowful woman in such sort that it caused a lamentation among all the wiues. Thus with painfull throwes she endured two daies more, and at the last was released of her painfull burden, the ninth day of the same moneth she brought forth this monsterous child, a terror to all the behoulders. The head wherof was like a Conny: The handes was like a mole: The bodie, legges, & feete like a woman, hauing also the preueties like a woman, it had no heare on the head or other partes, and the skinne was very blacke and feareful to the eyes of the beholders, as M. Latham M. Browne our minister with diuers others which haue seene the same can certifie you.
Many times hath the Lord shewed vs his wonders, and maruelous workes, to be a fore warning of the punishments whiche he hath prepared for sin: What a number of straunge tokens, monsterus birthes, blazing starres, earthquakes, dreadful signes in the ayer, and fearefull stormes and tempests to moue vs to repentance and amendment of our wicked [Page]liues hath he shewen in our land, and yet few or none regardes it. Let no man thinke that such things do come by chance or fortune, but that they are appointed to be messengers of ensuing plagues which are like to fall vpon vs, except with repenting harts we turne vn to our Godand forsake our wicked waies.
Here followeth the description of a monstrous fishe which was driuen on the shore at Outhorn in Holdernes the 12. of February 1595. Not passing 2. monethes before this monster was brought into the world.
SUch is the mercifullnesse of our God that he wil neuer punish any people or nation without warning first sent vnto them. And therefore, the Prophetes in old time cried vnto the people before any destruction fell vpon them. Many other meanes hath the Lord wrought to forewarne the children of men of ensuing euilles. Before the destruction of Ierusalem a Comet like a sworde hounge ouerthe cittie the space of our whole yeare.
In the night time a light was seene in the temple the space of halfe an hower.
Also a cowe being carried into the temple for sacrifice, calued a Lambe in sight of al the people.
A great and mightie gate of brasse, which twentie men could scantly shut opned it selfe alone.
[Page] An army of soldiers was seene in the cloudes. And a voice was harde in the Temple that said, Let vs go hence. Thus was [...] warned, that by repentance it might escape the intended destruction.
The Lord be mercifull to this our Countrey of England, vnto whom our most louing God hathe giuen many warninges, yea as many as euer Ierusalem had, and yet we continue in our former sinnes.
The Ayer hath beene corrupted because of sin, the Skie hath shotte foorth fiery thunderboltes and l [...]ings because of sin, straung commes hath [...]eatned destruction for our sinne, the earth hath quaked because of the wrath of God for sinne, and mountaines haue remoued out of their places to giue vs▪ warning to remoue from our sinne.
The Lord hath sent vs straunge and monsterous birthes, because of our monsterous sinne. The ennemie hath threatned warre against vs, the plague of pestilence hath afflicted and consumed vs, dearth and famine hath assailed vs, and all to driue vs from our sins: yet who hath regarded Gods threates, or beene amended by his punishmentes.
One token more the Lord hath yet sent vs frō out the raging sea, to preach repentance vnto vs: seeing that neither by the heauens [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page]nor earth, wee will take admonition, let vs therefore consider it with heedfulnes & turne to the[?] Lord with spedines.
At Outthorne in Holdernesse the 12. of Februarie last past, by the meanes of wind and weather a wonderfull huge fish was driuen on the sandes, of such hugenesse as hath not been seene, being a fish of an vnknowne name. This fish was in length 19. yeardes and three quarters, and in thicknesse at the middle 10. yeardes good measure. His taile in bredthe from the one web vnto the other was 16 foot: his head was in fashion like a great woolsacke: hauing very little eyes in respect of his great head: his neather Iawe being little did fall as it seemed in a trough much short of the ende of his vpper Iawe, and very little in respecte of the vpper, & yet of such bignes that the very bone of the lower Iawe, was 36. inches about, and the least tooth he had was 10. inches long and 6. about.
The people of the countrey came in great aboundance to behold this straunge fish, marueling thereat, not knowing what to saye or iudge therof, but onely resolueth them selues that it was sent of God to some great purpose.
Thus within foure miles space hapened these two straunge thinges, within two monethes [Page]the one of the other. The Lord grau [...] [...] we may take warning thereby, to turne [...] to our God that he may turne his greeuou [...] [...] plagues from vs, which our wickednes hath [...] iustly procured.
This Fish was measured by M. Richardson. deane of Holdernesse in the p [...]ence of
- M. Houlden parson of Rosse.
- M. H. parson of Patrington.
- M. Ashton Parson of Tunston.
- M. Fraunces Leedes Gentleman.