Selected quad for the lemma: water_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A05284
|
Strange newes of a prodigious monster borne in the towneship of Allington in the parish of Standish in the Countie of Lancaster, the 17. day of Aprill last, 1613. Testified by the reuerend diuine Mr. W. Leigh, Bachelor of Diuinitie, and preacher of Gods word at Standish aforesaid.
|
|
1613
(1613)
|
STC 15428; ESTC S107360
|
5,408
|
16
|
extrauagant yet not impertinent to our present discourse where I am to deliuer as strange a producement of a prodigious birth as was euer knowne in this part of the world and this happened but of late at a Towne called Adlington in the Parish of Standish neere Wigon in the County of Lancaster where there was a childe borne of a strange and wonderfull shape with foure legges foure Armes two bellyes proportionably ioyned to one back one head two faces like double faced Ianus the one before the other behinde foure eyes and two noses It behoues vs to looke about when such examples beyond the order of Nature are brought forth to put vs in minde of our iniquities especially the sinnes of Adultery and fornication which are euer iustly punished by the righteous lawe and iustice of God euen vpon the Childrens children vnto the third and fourth generation of them that hate him who also shewes mercy vnto thousands in them that loue him and keepe his commandements which is well proued in the grace and blessing that Almighty God secretly infundeth in right generation the contrary whereof is knowne in the curse that he denounceth against Bastardy which the Prophet vtters in these wordes Spuria vitulamina non agent radices altas Bastard slippes shall neuer take deepe roote which was showne in the example of this Monster the father and mother whereof were both branded shee with the marke of Basterdy and from her Parents crimes in Adultery indured this punishment he of very lewde carriage and conditions neither was this monster borne in the night time but towards the day when the morning Sunne beganne to glad the earth with his brightnesse to this end that the blacke mantle of the night should not couer this childe of darkenesse but that the day might plainely discouer to all eyes this wonderfull example of his Iustice. Certaine Gentlemen and many of the common people that were then at Cockepit when the newes came of this prodigious birth left their sports and went to behold it with wonder and amazement Many people came flocking from all places thereunto adioyning who beheld it with astonishment The most impious of all could not but confesse that it was a notable example of Gods fearefull wrath which God for his mercy sake turne from vs. This happened a little before Easter Terme last vpon relation of some of the Inhabitants there Master William Leigh Bachelour of Diuinity a very worthy and Reuerend gentleman Preacher of the Parish of Standish aforesaid being also an eye witnesse of the same Thus haue you a true relation of this prodigious birth testified by the generall report besides the particular mentions of that Countrey The consideration whereof I leaue to the godly disposed whether as a punishment of sinnes and offences past or as a true foresignification of some notable euent to follow in succeeding times or both Onely thus much when Nature is thus violated through the Corruption there commonly fall out many strange and vnheard of actions either for the time present or to come such as hath amazed the world to looke vpon as in that memorable and euer to be adored Passion of our Sauiour where after his bloody sufferings in his body and the heauy expiration of his Soule the vaile of the Temple rent in sunder from the top to the bottome the Sunne without any natural cause lost his light and there was a sodayne darkenesse ouer all the Land the graues opened and rendered forth their dead who appeared in the holy City vnto many In the same day and yeare the Panthaeon in Rome which was the Temple of the Romane Gods sodaynely fell and one cryed out in a Propheticall manner that either the frame of the world was at that time to be broken or the God of Nature suffered violence Let vs once more cast backe our eyes vpon the wounders of this mishapen monster the cause of this Treatise the report whereof not giuing full satisfaction to some people that were incredulous of it vnles they might be made also eye witnesses of such an vnheard of accident the graue was opened againe wherein it had been buryed and the body layde to the view of a great number of beholders which were at the least fiue hundreth that not onely beare a bare report but can also giue true Testimony of this occurrent to their much wonder and admiration Yet these monstrous and prodigious birthes aswell of other Countreyes as our owne are not greatâ—y to be maruelled at if we look but only into the causes of them which for the most part are our sinnes and carelesse negligences And they are not slightly to be accounted off because they seldome fall out alone without some other strange euent but are ominous foregoers of some worse euils to follow The Circle of misery which hath for many years been drawne about vs is large the lynes of it are not yet closed the perfect content thereof cannot be fulâ—y knowne till it please that hand that first moulded the globe of the world and which setteth downe in numbers and proportion the state of kingdomes to throw away the rod that it hath so long held ouer vs to correct nay rather to draw blood of vs. Yet all these worke not in vs the effects of our amendment but that we still wallow in the myre of our wonted wickednesse The foure Elements of Earth Water Ayre and Fyre haue seuerally commenced their warres against vs Ayre hath breathed forth pestiferous fumes to choake vs shee hath burst open the Cloudes of Infection and hath powred sicknesse vpon our heads Water like Aegyptian Grashoppers hath often couered our Cornefields and eaten vp the fruites of the Earth whilst the Earth by that misery hath closed vp her wombe nothing being promised by her that hath alwayes beene so plentifull to her Children but barrennesse Fire hath also had his seuerall dayes of triumph to increase in vs our sorrowes and to shew vnto vs Gods wrath and displeasure against vs for our iniquities So that all that is aboue vs and all that is vnder our feete haue conspired to worke our ouerthrow or to cause our amendment Those Creatures which in the first and great Parliament of our Creation were appointed to be our Comforters haue beene many times sent forth and armed with Celestiall weapons to be our destroyers Besides these inflictions which Tyme occasioning mens sorrowes and great losses hath brought forth there haue beene also many misfortunes in the prodigious portraytures of the like misshapen Creatures which who can behold without trembling or if hee behold not shed teares in abundance to thinke vpon Gods heauy indignation against vs The causes of his iust quarrell with vs are writ vpon euery mans forehead the defiance is in our lips the maintenance of it in our hearts the end of it vnlesse we suddenly repent and amend wil bee dangerous wounds in our soules There is yet a meanes to be made for reconciliation the first borne of the great King of heauen and earth goes betweene his father and vs as mediator to worke our peace and attonement It may easily be brought to passe and take effect if we would but vtterly shake of a bad and base company of vgly and detestable sinnes that hang vpon euery one of vs If we doe not let vs bee well assured that these fatherly menaces will bee turned into causes of greater mournings and these friendly chastisments and beatings will be changed into blowes not to be indured to the taking away of our liues for euer The Earth that hath yet but begunne to shrinke vp her nerues and to hide a handfull of her blessings will open her veynes to swallow vp the memory of them The water that hath gone about but to drowne a few will be instrument of generall shipwrackes The Ayre will in surphureous flakes drop downe all on fire and that Fyre bring the world to a consumption not to be restored Yea and these Monstrous birthes which as yet the Earth containes in hir wombe shall at length be deliuered by her and produced as witnesses against vs of our hardnesse of heart and obduracy and of our carelesse negligence and slacknesse of amendment The Nature therefore of the disease being knowne and the Phisicall remedy heard be Councelled take what is ministred so long as you finde it wholesome and grow strong both to your body and your soules comfort FINIS IN Hassia Germaniae haud ignobili ac Euangelica doctrina potissimuÌ„ nobilitata prouincia Vui tzenhausiae tertio post festum trium ReguÌ„ die infans masculus biceps collo duplici duobus capitibus ac corpore optime cuÌ„ reliquis membris compacto natus est