A pleasant new Ballad of Tobias: wherin is shewed the wonderfull things which chanced to him in his youth; and how he wedded a young Damsell that had had seven husbands and never enjoyed their company: who were all slaine by a wicked spirit.
IN Ninivie old Toby dwelt,
an aged man and blind was he,
And much affliction he had felt,
which brought him unto poverty.
He had by Anna his true wife,
one onely sonne and eke no more,
Which was the comfort of his life,
and he by him did set great store.
He brought him up most vertuously,
in true obedience and awe,
And every day he did apply,
to feare the Lord and kéepe his Law.
Upon a time it came to passe,
he call'd to him his sonne with spéed,
And thus to him his words did frame,
my sonne, quoth he thou knost my nééd.
Thou must unto Gabael goe,
at Raguels in Media land,
For I did lend him long agoe,
ten talents on his only band.
My father deare Tobias said,
at your command straight will I goe,
How shall I get the money paid,
séeing the man I did never know?
Take here the writing then, quoth he,
which is sufficient being séene,
And get a guide to goe with thée.
sith thou that way hast never béene.
A Guid Tobias sonne had got,
an Angell in the shape of man,
Which thing he did not know God wot,
the Lord did so appoint it than.
Tobias with his blessed guide,
went on his iourney then with spéed:
Untill they came to Tigris side,
at that faire flood they did abide.
Tobias would wash him there,
by reason of the Summers heat,
A mighty fish put him in feare,
which leapt out of the waters great.
Cut up the fish, the Angell said,
but kéep the Liver, Heart, and Gall,
To doe the same be not afraid,
great cures there shall be done withall.
When this was done, away they went,
and comming néere their iourneys end,
Wée'll lodge to night the Angell said,
with Raguel thy fathers friend.
He hath a daughter faire of face,
and also of a vertuous life,
And when we come into that place,
Ile speake that the may be thy wife.
Why Azarias, then quoth he,
so Toby did the Angell call,
I wis the is no mate for me,
swift death doth to her Lovers fall.
Seven men have to her married béen.
which in her love did take delight.
When her bed chamber they have séen.
they have not liv'd out halfe the night.
A wicked spirit loves her so.
he will not suffer any man,
With her into the bed to goe,
but works his: death do what he can.
The Angell said, good courage take,
for so it shall not be with thée,
For such perfumes I will thee make,
the wicked spirit away shall flée.
To Raguels house away they came▪
where Sara met them faire and bright,
And after salutations done,
she brought him to her Parents sight.
The second part,
to the same tune.
GReat chéere they made & downe they sat,
and all for young Tobias sake;
And after long and pleasant chat,
betwixt these two a match they made.
By Moses Law they married were,
the Brides chamber prepar'd likewise:
When young Tobias came in there,
the teares fell downe from Sara's eyes.
A pan of coales he brought with him,
the fishes heart and liver there
Within that fire did he cast in,
which cast a savour every where.
And by that swéet and precious smell,
the wicked spirit was displac't,
Within that roome he could not dwell,
where out away he went in hast.
In bed they laid the beauteous Bride,
the chamber doore they shut therefore,
young Toby lay downe by her side▪
whom he did thinke to sée no more.
And therefore Raguel in the night
for him before had made a grave;
And to his wife he wept, and said,
there is no meanes his life to save.
One of the maidens send, quoth he,
to sée how all the matter stands▪
If it be so that dead he be,
he shall be buried by my hands.
The maiden ioyfull newes did bring,
Tobias is a live, quoth she,
When Raguel heard of this thing,
he did reioyce excéedingly.
For ioy he [...] a solemne feast,
the Bridell [...] [...]ye [...] he kept,
Thereto c [...] a friendly guest:
in sorrow now no more they slept.
Then Azarias went straight way,
and to the feast Gabael brought,
Reioycing at this marriage day,
did pay the mony which he ought.
But yet old Toby and his wife
did all the time in sorrow dwell,
They thought their sonne had lost his life,
and nothing could their griefe expell▪
His aged mother every day
did watch along the high way side,
And for his welfare oft did pray,
no meat nor drinke she could abide.
But when the wedding ended was,
young Toby with his lovely Bride,
To Ninivy did home ward passe,
with goods and cattell on each side.
But Toby and the Angell bright,
before his Wife made haste to go,
For to prepare all things aright
his lovely Bride to welcome tho.
His mother watching in the way,
full soone espy'd her tender sonne,
Reioycing at the happy day,
she told her husband he was come.
Whereat old Toby stumbled out,
for he was blind, and could not sée:
Young Toby with the fishes Gall
rub'd both his eyes immediatly.
Whereat the whitenesse of his eyes
incontinent did fall out quite:
So that before he did arise▪
he had againe his perfect sight.
Great ioy was then on every side,
young Toby told his father all:
Who went to méet his lovely Bride,
with ioy and mirth that was not small▪
Finis.
Printed at London for F. Coules dwelling in the Old-Baily.