THis wonderfull manifestation of Gods anger, against wicked and prophane peo­ple; we shall lay open thus.

1. In declaring where it was done.

2. Upon whom.

3. What is supposed might be the cause.

4. What proofs there are to make it appear to be a truth.

In the first, we have discovered the County, Parish, and the House.

In the second; the woman her parentage, her husband, and religion.

In the third, her course of life, and her speeches.

[Page 4] In the fourth, that it is confirmed, both by relation and testimo­nials under their own hands, who were eye witnesses.

First, the Dukedome of Lancashire is the County where this Monster was brought forth; the County it self lyes North, borde­ring upon the West of York-shire, and Derby-shire, and by the Irish Sea. The people that live there, are a mixt Number; some precious godly people; but for the most part very bad: No parts in England hath had so many Witches, none fuller of Papists, and they were the chiefe Instruments in seeking to have that wicked Book of Allowance for Sports on the Lords Day to be published, and it was set forth by their procurements, and the godly people amongst them have suffered very much under their reproaches and wicked malice.

This Monster was born in the Town and Parish of Kirkeham in that County, which is in Amoundernesse Hundred, between Pre­ston and little Morton, within three miles of Clifton, on the West side of Lancashire, within some three miles of one point of the Sea, and some six or seven miles of the main; a Parish which God hath blessed with good Ministers, and some godly people (though but few) in it; who by the malice of wicked and prophane Wretches, have been much abused heretofore.

This Gentlewoman (for so she is both by Birth and Mariage) was delivered of this Monster at her Husbands house in Kirkeham Parish aforesaid, and about a mile from Kirkeham Town, where the Midwife being sent for came to her, and delivered her in that house, the Child (or rather Monster) was born, but dead, and there it was shewed, and from thence caryed into the Church-yard a day or two after, and there buried: after which, some (in Gentle­mens habit) were seen to go in; supposed to be Popish Priests and Fryars: and thus you have the place where this Monster was brought forth.

Secondly, for the woman that bore it, she is a good hansome, proportionable, comely Gentlewoman, young, and of a good com­plexion, of a merry disposition, and an healthfull Nature, well perso­ned, had her conditions been suitable.

For her Parents they were of a very bitter disposition against godly people; Papists they were both, and divertive against honest [Page 5] protestants, For her mother she would usually call honest men Roundheads and Puritans, and Hereticks, many gentlemen did much use her house, which were suspected to be popish priests her husband (which was this womans father) was called Mr. Browne, who lived in the parish of Kirkham also: And amongst other reproaches and scornes which her mother cast upon religious people she took her Cat; and said that it must be made a Round­head like Burton, Prinne, and Bastwicke, and causing the eares to be cut off; called her cat Prynnn (instead of Pusse) both then and after she hath often said, that she hoped to see the Church flou­rish againe (meaning the Popish Church) and all Roundheads subdued; and she hath done much for the releife of poore Papists in those parts.

The young woman, viz: Mistris Brownes daughter, who bore this monster, was married by one Master Haughton a papist also; for none else were admitted to come suiters to her, This Master Haugh [...]on then lived at Grimshall in the same Countie, but after they were married dwelt sometimes in a village neere Kerk­ham in the same parish where her mother lived, Mr. Haughton is a gentlema [...] descended of an ancient family, wel known in those parts and not altogether of such a bitter spirit as those he matched with, he hath been a gentleman wel bred, only in a popish way educated.

The woman he married was a notorious papist, and would ma­ny times hold a notable discourse with her neighbours about her religion, she was not onely borne of popish parents, but bred, and brought up with them, and educated in the popish Religion ha­ving many popish pictures, and Crucifixes, and other popish trum­pery wherein she much delighted; and i [...] she were at any time re­proved for the superstitious fooleries she so affected, she would speak much in defence thereof, and was alwayes very obstinate, and would expresse much invection against those godly protestants and others that reproved her.

3 Now for the course of life which the woman lived, who bare this monster, it hath been much spent in popish devotion; and some [...]imes in company with her neighbours the gentlewomen and Fa [...]ers wives that lived about her, she was one v [...]ry zea­lous amongst papists, and fri [...]ndly amongst neighbours, onely when her Religion was touched, she expressed much passion.

[Page 6] She hath been often heard to curse against Mr. Prinn, Mr. Bur­ton, and Doctor Bastwick, and the Roundheads. Also to revile the Parliament, and say that shee thought that the King and the Bishops were the righter part of us; she hath been heard to wish, that she and hers might never live to be Round­heads, nor Separatists, and that she hath praid to God, that she might never live to see any of hers such; and that the Puritans and Independents deserve all to be hanged: and many such like ex­pressions would often fall from her.

Amongst the rest, one speech of hers was most notorious, and hath rested in the memory of some Gentlewomen, and others that heard her when she spake it; that being in company with her, they fell to discourse of the present miseries of the Kingdome, by these warres; and some spoke against the Cavaliers, and the Pa­pists in the Kings Army; Whereupon this Mrs. Haugton said lit­tle lesse against the Roundheads and Independents, and she said the King was in the right against them; she was replyed to, that those called Roundheads were honest men, and in the rght way of walk­ing, and living like the people of Ged, and sutable to the profession of Christians: And withall wishing, if it pleased God, that she had her eyes opened, and was such a Roundhead. No saith she, I had rather have no head, nor life: I nor any of mine, I hope will ever be such. Answer was made her, that her children if she had any, might (if God so please) have their eyes opened; and see that good which she is ignorant of. Mrs. Haughton made answer again in these words: I pray God, that rather than I shall be a Roundhead, or bear a Roundhead, I may bring forth a Childe without a head. This was a fearfull saying, and taken notice of by divers of her neighbours that heard her speak it. And this many who know it, do apprehend, might be a great meanes to provoke God to shew such a testimony of his displeasure against her, by causing her to bring forth this Monster, whose Picture is in the Title-page of this Book.

4. Now for testimony of the truth of this, we shall give it you in Order thus:

Her Neighbours who heard her speak the aforesaid words, have been with Mr. Fleetwood the Minister of the Parish of Kirkham, [Page 7] where she was brought to bed of this Monster, and where it was buried also, and it was told to some of the Committee of the Coun­ty what had happened and that she had spoke those words. And after that she was with childe, and delivered of the Monster, one Widdow Gattaker the Midwife, formerly wife to Mr. Gattaker, sometimes Vicat of the said Parish; she being a godly woman, could not be eased in her minde, untill she had discharged her con­science in making it known to Mr. Fleetwood the Minister afore­said; That she had brought the said Mrs. Haughton to bed of a Monster, which had no head; declaring her opinion, that she veri­ly believed that it was the hand of God upon her, for those impre­cations she wished upon her self, as is before exprest: The Mini­ster he spoke of it to others, and so did the Midwife also, which made it to be spread up and down the Country, so that it came to the eares of some of the Committee; And for the further satisfa­ction of the truth thereof, Collonel More an honest godly Gentleman, a Member of the House of Commons, and one of the Committee being there, it was desired he should send a Letter to Mr. Fleetwood the Minister of the Parish, to know the certainty of it, whether it was truth or not; which Letter was writ, and by him sent accordingly. And Mr. Fleetwood receiving the said Let­ter, sent for the Midwife about it, and she still confirmed what she said before, yet for better satisfaction, Mr. Fleetwood caused the grave to be opened, and the childe to be taken up, and laid to view, and found there a body without an head, as the Midwife had said; onely the childe had a face upon the breast of it, as you may see in the portraicture.

The Certificate was shewed before divers of the Committee, and by Collonel More a Member of the House of Commons, brought up to London, and shewed to divers of the House; who have commanded it to be printed, that so all the Kingdome might see the hand of God herein; to the comfort of his people, and the terrour of the wicked that deride and scorn them.

AS we must tell no lye, so we should not conceal any truth; espe­cially when it tends to Gods glory: There was a great Papist and of great Parentage, within the Parish of Kirkham, and his wives mother being of the same Religion, did usually scoffe and mocke the Roundheads, and in derision of Mr. Prinne, and others, cut off th [...] the Cats eares, and called it by his name. But behold an example of the justice and equity of God in his judgements: As Adonibezeck was repaid in his own kinde: Haman hanged upon the same Gallowes he had prepared for Mordecai, and Pharaoh and all his Hoste drow­ned in the Sea into which he had thought to have driven the Israelites, And likewise one of the Popish Prelates, who said he would not dine before Ridley and Latimore were burnt, was burned in his own ent­trails. So (much what) alike, it fell out with this mans wise, a Po­pish creature, who being great with childe, when the time of her deli­very came, she brought forth a Monstrous childe without an head▪ ugly and deformed, the portraicture whereof (as near as we could de­lineate) is here described, and my self,