is evidently traceable to Miss Tannakin Skinker, who was born in 1618;
but it is astonishing how widely spread is the belief in "Pig faced
Ladies." No doubt but there has been some foundation in fact for it,
for I am credibly informed that not long since,[F. 31] a child, whose
face bore a singular likeness to a pig, was born in the City of London
Lying-in Hospital in the City Road--and not only survived its birth,
but is in all probability still living. In 1815 a pig-faced lady,
elegantly dressed, used to drive about London in her carriage; but
whether people were being hoaxed by one wearing a mask is not known.
George Morland painted a portrait of the "Wonderful Miss Atkinson Born
in Ireland, has £20,000 fortune and is fed out of a Silver Trough,"
and Fairburn published an engraving of her. Miss Steevens, who founded
Steeven's Hospital at Dublin, is also credited with being pig-faced;
whilst pig-faced ladies used commonly to be shown at fairs. But these
were fictitious, as a quarrel in a caravan at Plymouth, some years
since, brought to light, when it was shown that her ladyship was a
bear whose face and neck had been carefully shaved, whilst its
head was adorned with a wig with ringlets and a cap with artificial
flowers. The bear was securely fastened in a chair, and draped to
imitate a fashionably-dressed lady.
It is, however, with the contemporary monstrosity that we have chiefly
to deal, and a very rare tract in the Bodleian Library[F. 32] gives
"A certaine Relation of the Hog faced Gentlewoman called Mistris
_Tannakin Skinker_, who was borne at _Wirkham_ a Neuter Towne betweene
the Emperour and the Hollander, scituate on the river Rhyne. Who was
bewitched in her mothers wombe in the yeare 1618, and hath lived ever
since unknowne in this kind to any, but her Parents and a few other
neighbours. And can never recover her true shape tell she be married
&c. _Also relating the cause, as it is since conceived, how her mother
came so bewitched._ _London._ Printed by _J. O._ and are to be sold
by _F. Grove_,[F. 33] at his shop on _Snow-hil_ neare _St Sepulchers
Church_." 1640.
This veracious history gives an account of various remarkable births.
"But I come now to humane Births, beginning with those forraigne, and
ending with the domesticke; about the beginning of the Marsick Warre,
one _Alcippe_, a woman of especiall note, at the time of her childing,
was delivered of an Elephant; and another (whose name is not left unto
us) of a Serpent. In _Thessaly_, one was brought to bed of an infant
which had the shape of an Hypocentaure, and expired the same day that
it received breath," etc.
After thus paving the way for his own particular marvel, the writer
goes on: "I fall now immediatly upon the party before propounded. In
a place in _Holland_ called _Wirkham_, being a neuter Towne; as lying
between _Holland_ and those parts belonging to the Empire, on the
River _Rhine_, lived one _Ioachim Skinker_, whose wife's name was
_Parnel_, a man of good revenue, but of a great estate in money and
cattle; these two having very loving lived together without any issue
to succeed them in their goods and inheritance: it being no small
griefe unto them, that either strangers, or some of their owne
ungrateful kindred should after death enjoy those meanes, for which
they had so laboriously travail'd: When they were in their greatest
despaire, it hapned thus, she found herselfe conceived with childe,
which was a greater joy and comfort to her and her husband: But
whether they were unthankful for such an unexpected blessing, or
what other thing was the cause, I am not able to determine; but it
so hapned, that in the yeere 1618, she was safely delivered of a
Daughter, all the limbes and lineaments of her body well featured and
proportioned, only her face, which is the ornament and beauty of all
the rest, had the Nose of a Hog, or Swine: which was not only a stain
and blemish, but a deformed uglinesse, making all the rest lothsome,
contemptible and odious to all that lookt upon her in her infancie.
"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."
From this part the tract gets more and more romantic. An astrologer
was consulted, and he advised her being married, when her cure _might_
be effected. So the parents gave out that she would have a dowry of
£40,000 paid down on her marriage. Then follows a list of her suitors,
and after an episode which has nothing to do with the matter in hand,
the tract winds up: "I should have spoken something of her residing
in or about _London_, as of her being in _Black Friers_, or _Covent
Garden_, but I can say little: onely abundance of people doe resort to
each place to enquire the truth: some have protested they have seene
her, by the helpe of their acquaintance and give this reason why she
will not as yet be Constantly in one place, because the multitude is
so great that doe resort thither that they dare not be knowne of her
abiding, lest by denying the sight of her, they that own the house
should have it pulled down about their eares. Her portion is very
large, it being 40,000 pounds; she likewise goeth very gallant in
aparrell, and very courteous in her kind to all. And whoever shall in
Pamphlet, or Ballad, write or sing otherwise than is discoursed of in
this small Tract, they erre from truth: for what is here discovered,
is according to the best and most approved Intelligence."
[Footnote 31: Some time between 25th June and 29th September
1881.]
[Footnote 32: A wonderful lithographic facsimile by Francis
Compton Price, Esq., is in the British Museum, 12205. h.,
catalogued under the heading _Skinker_.]
[Footnote 33: Francis Grove published between 1620 and 1655.]