BYGONE SUSSEX - online book

Essays, Sketches and Illustrations of bygone Sussex

	S TRANGE births, and monsters of various kinds were favourite topics with the ballad writers of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Sometimes, it may be feared, they trusted to magination for their facts, but in the following case the good faith of the rhymer is vindicated by an entry in Machyn's " Diary," who testifies that the child was brought to court, 4th of June, 1562. The picture of the child is 6 5/8 inches in height. The ballad formed part of the possessions of George Daniel, and is here reprinted from "A Collection of seventy nine Black Letter Ballads of Broadsides," edited and published by Mr. Joseph Lilly. A discription of a monstrous Chylde, borne at Chychester in Sussex, the xxiiii day of May. This being the very length, and bygnes of the same. MCCCCCLXII. When God for synne to plage hath ment, Although he longe defarde, He tokens truly strange hath sent To make hys foes afearde ;