GOd , in his great loue to mankind , hath euer shewed vs his suffering mercy , before his sudden Iudgements , and with a fathers loue to his offending children , tels vs of our faults , before he chastize vs . Many wayes hath God ( of late ) both here at home , as well as in forrayne countryes , forewarned vs to repent , before his Iudgement lighten vpon vs , yet we still preseuer in our vicious kind of liuing , neglecting his mercy , when wee know his Iudgement is irreuocable . So repugnant is frayle nature against Diuine reason , that our soules lye wallowing ( like Swyne ) in all foulnesse of life and sensuall Concupiscence .

O England , looke vpon thy selfe , before thou search into forrayne wonders , and thou shalt find , the Highest is offended with thee : for these tokens of his wrath , to forewarne thee , hast thou felt ; mortality through pestilence : he hath ( for the seuen deadly sinnes ) giuen thee almost seuen yeeres punishment : strange Inundations of waters , like a second Deluge , haue rayned vpon the fruitfull earth : fyre from heauen hath made Churches and steeples , Gods Beacons , to bid vs arme our selues with repentance , against the generall enemy to the world , the Deuill : frosts haue hardned the heart of our mother earth , and haue made her so vnnaturall , that she hath almost starued her children , sending out of her barren wombe no fruite , but leane-visaged dearth , to deuoure those that she should feede ; and nowe doth this monster-feede vpon vs , and yet wee repent not .

And nowe looke further into the world , and you shall see through the eies of your vnderstanding , such apparant tokens of Gods wrath , able to fright vgly sinne , from the hearts of welshaped creation , and make men by Contrition as pure , as before they were polluted with their fleshly Concupiscence .

IN the City of Namen , in the Lowe Countries , there dwelt a poore labouring man , hauing to his wife a woman of a good birth , and reputed alwayes vertuous in her liuing . This poore woman had a sister excéeding rich , one as fully vicious , as she was vertuous , more proud , then she could be humble . So blind is Fortune in her gifts , that merit doth not guide her , but Chaunce .

The poore mans wife being great with child , and feeling the pangs of Childbirth , in all haste sent her husband to her rich sister , to lend her ayde in that extremity , thinking that womanly Charity ( if they had not bene sisters ) would haue made her come and visited her in that time of neede and danger .

The poore man béeing come to his wines sisters house , and speaking with her , told her the cause of his comming . But she replyed , and sayd , How darest thou ( base begger ) to come to procure me to visit so poore a whore , whose blood and knowledge I disclayme , as being not my fathers right begotten daughter , but a bastard ? I haue friendes comming to my house , to make marry with me , and I shall leaue them , and goe helpe to bring more beggers into the world .

The poore man replyed , O sister , do not so much wrong your poore sister , as to terme her a bastard , being your mothers daughter .

With that , this inraged shée-deuill strooke the poore man with a staffe , that the blood ranne about his eares , and commaunded her seruants to kicke him out of doores , saying . It was a fit reward for a begger , that will call a Gentlewoman sister .

Home goes this poore man , with a sorrowfull heart , calling to Almighty God for vengeance on this Monster of her sexe , that pittilesse woman : And comming to his wife , told her of the vnkindnesse of her sister . The poore affrighted woman , through griefe and rage , fell presently in labour , and was deliuered of thrée Monsters , striking a terrour to those women imployed in that businesse .

Th●se ill-proportioned children , were a sonne and two daughters ; and the first that sawe this world , was a daughter , that had such dressings , and attyre on the head , by nature of flesh , as women haue made by art of Bonelaces , and such like , with a fleshy Uardingale about the middle of it , as if Nature , hauing forsaken her old fashions , had now deuised new .

This child , ( or rather Monster ) cryed with a shrill voyce , and spake , saying , O thou Creator , that gauest me this forme & life , let me not liue here in this world of Pride , of Lust , of Murther , and all wickednesse : returne me suddenly to what I was ; for here ( I know ) is nothing but calamity . And as it spake these words , it straightwayes dyed .

The second was a sonne , with a strange mis-shapen head , hauing vpon the backe of his right hand , the fashion of a deaths head : And this child sayd , that Dearth and Plague should couer the whole World , and that they were sent to giue notice of it to all men . And so speach and life left him together .

The third was a daughter , hauing about the necke , a Ruffe laced , and Cuffes about the wrests , like the Ruffe , all of flesh , so artificiall in nature , as if Nature in her first work had intreated Arte to help her : And this child sayd , that God would punish the world suddenly , for our manifold transgressions ; and sayd moreouer , that they thrée were sent to forewarne vs of the Lords comming ; and then straight dyed

The mother of these Monsters , through griefe and terror , yelded vp the ghost , and left a poore disconsolate husband behind her , to fill the mouth of rumor , with these strange vnheard of wonders .

But now to shew the Iustice of God , with his mercyes .

That proud , rich , vnnaturall sister of this vnfortunate mother , at the same instant time that this poore woman was deliuered , had her house , amidst all her mirth , fired with lightening : and shée flying out of it , to saue her life , the willing earth gaped wyde , and swallowed her quick , holding it more fit for her to be in the earth , then on the earth , being so vnnaturall against nature : And her wealth and all her substance was quite consumed with that quenchlesse fire , till Gods Iudgement was executed , and then it ceast of it selfe , doing no farther damage .

The fame of these wonders hauing possest the City , and the trueth of them apparantly knowne , stirred vp good motions in the hearts of the Inhabitants , to Fasting , to Prayer , to Almes-déeds , and such like workes of grace and pardon .

The Gouernours of the City caused it to be printed , as well to giue the country round about knowledge of it , as to continue the remembrance of it there , that they might still preseuer in the good course they begun .

Thus haue I set downe briefly these wonders in nature , in the City of Namen in Flanders , which happned the 16 of December last . 1609.

Faithfully translated , according to the Dutch Copy , printed in the same City .