Humour, Wit, & Satire of the Seventeenth Century — John Shaqi
Humour, Wit, & Satire of the Seventeenth Century
General
Humour, Wit, & Satire of the Seventeenth Century
English literature -- Early modern, 1500-1700; English wit and humor; Great Britain -- Civilization -- 17th century -- Literary collections
"If the joy of the parents was great in the hope of a Childe, how much
greater may wee conjecture their sorrowes were, to be the parents of
such a monster: but considering with themselves what Heavens would
have, they had not power to hinder, and studying (as farre as in them
lay) to conceale their shame, they so farre mediated with the Midwife
and the other women that were present at the delivery, that they
should keepe it as close and secret as it was possible to doe: and
they called the name of it _Tannikin_, which is as much in English as
_Anne_ or _Hannah_. . . . . . . . . . . .
"This prodigious birth though it was knowne to some few, yet it was
not made popular & spoken of by all, which the Father and Mother for
their owne reputations and credits were very carefull to maintaine; so
that it was never seene by any (being an infant bare-fac'd) but vail'd
and covered, and so brought up in a private Chamber, both fed and
taught by the Parents onely; and her deformity scarce knowne to any of
the Servants: and as the daughter grew in stature, so the Father
also increased with wealth, so that he was accounted to be one of the
richest men in all that Country. . . . . . . . .
"It is credibly reported, that this Burgess wife having conceived, an
old woman suspected for a Witch came to begge of her an Almes, but she
being at that (time) busied about some necessary affaires gave her
a short and neglectfull answer; at which she went away muttering to
herselfe the Divell's _Pater noster_, and was heard to say; _As the
Mother is Hoggish, so Swinish shall be the Child shee goeth withall_:
which is a great probability that the infants deformity came by the
malitious Spells and divelish murmurations of this wicked woman;
who, after, for the like, or worse practises both upon men women
and children whom she had bewitched unto death, being brought within
compasse of the Law; and after to suffer at the stake; amongst many
other things confessed as much as I have before related; yet either
out of her perverse obstinacy would not, or else (the Devill
forsaking her in extreamity, as he doth all his other servants) in her
deficiency of power, could not uncharme her: yet by this means that
which was before kept so private, was now publickly discovered to
the World; insomuch that much confluence of people came to see the
progedy, which wearied the Father, and cast a blush upon the cheekes
of the good woman the mother: some desirous to heare her speake, whose
language was onely the Dutch Hoggish Houghs, and the Piggs French
Owee, Owee, for other words she was not able to utter; which bred
in some, pitty, in others laughter, according to their severall
dispositions.
"Others were importunate to see her feede, then milke and the like
was brought unto her in a Silver Trough; to which she stooped and eate
just as a Swine doth in his swilling Tub; which the more mirth it bred
in the Spectators, increased in the Parents the more Melancholy."
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