Godly new ballad, intituled, A dozen of Poynts.
A Dozen of Poynts you here may read,
VVhereon each Christian soul may feed.
THe gift is small, a Douzen of Points,
wherewith i'd wish you knit your joynts
[...]éep well the same, and credit me,
[...]hy life most pure and just shall be.
[...]he first Point's this, I wish you keep,
[...]s that at night before you sleep,
[...]ée still you ask God forgiveness,
Of all your sins and wickedness.
The second Point is this, I say,
Then thou dost see the chearful day,
[...]rise and praise the God of might,
That hath defended thee all night.
The third is this that thou shouldst require:
[...]nd on thy bended knees desire,
[...]he God of Heaven to be thy stay,
For to preserve thee night and day.
The fourth doth bid thee to beware,
[...]nd to avo [...] the subtile snare,
For Satan with his crafty power,
Doth seek mens souls for to devour.
The fift good counsel doth thee give,
And warn thee well whilst thou doth live,
To keep thy conscience clear and pure,
Then God will bless thee to be sure.
The sixth of these my Points, do will,
That thou devise no subtile skill,
Whereby to work thy Neighbours wo,
Take heed, I say, and do not so▪
The seventh saith, defraud no man,
But deal as justly as you can,
The widdow and the fatherless defend,
So God will bless thee to the end.
The eight doth bid thee more or less,
Still to beware of drunkenness.
For drunkenness is abhor'd of God,
On whom he lays his heavy Rod.
The ninth saith, Fornication flye,
Those wicked Harlots will makè thee dye,
Thy body they'l consume, I say,
And bring thy soul unto decay.
The tenth doth say do not forswear.
False witness against no man bear:
Let no affection sway thy mind,
The eye of justice so to blind.
The eleventh enjoyns thee not to desire
Thy Neighbours goods for to require;
But the ten Commandements observe,
So shalt thou stand and never swerve.
The twelfth saith serve the God of might,
And truely serve him day and night,
Obey the King as 'tis thy part,
And to thy Country bear a faithful heart.
See these my Points thou dost possess,
Even when thou thy self doth rest:
Keep well each one in his degree;
And knit them fast, and credit me.
The Angel Gabriel, his Salutation to the blessed Virgin Mary.
Tune is, the blazing torch.
WHen righteous Joseph weded was,
to Israels Hebrew Maid,
A glorious Angel came from heaven,
who to the Uirgin said,
Hall blessed Mary full of Grace,
the Lord remains in thee,
Thou shalt conceive and bear a Son,
thy Saviour to be.
That's wondrous strange, quoth Mary then,
I should conceive and breed,
Being never toucht by Mortal man▪
but pure in thought and deed:
Fear not (quoth Gabriel) by and by,
it is no work of man,
But only God ordain [...]d at first,
before the world began.
Which heavenly message she believes,
and did to Jury go,
Three months with her friends to stay,
Gods blessed will to show,
And then return'd to Joseph back,
her Husband meek and mild,
Who thought it strange his wife should be,
untouch'd, thus grown with child.
VVherefore, thought he, to shun the same
he thought her to forsake,
But that Gods Angel in his sleep,
Gods mind did undertake.
Fear not just Joseph this thy wife,
is still a spotless maid,
And no consent to sin, quoth he,
against her can be laid.
For she is a pure maid and wife,
the mother of Gods own Heir,
The Babe of heaven, and blessed Lamb,
of Israels flock so fair:
To save lost sheep to Satan sold,
whom Adam lost by fraud,
When first in Edens Paradice,
the Lord had him bestow'd.
Thus Mary with her husband kind
together did remain,
Until the time of Jesus birth,
as Scripture doth make plai [...]
Thus mother, wife, and virgin [...]
our Saviour sweet conceiv [...] [...]
All three in one, to bring us [...]
of which we were bereav' [...] [...]
Sing praises then both old an [...] [...]
to him which wrought such [...] [...]
That thus without the help o [...] [...]
sent us the King of Kings [...]
Which is of such a blessed p [...]
that with his word can qu [...]
The world, the flesh, and by [...]
could conquer Death and [...]
Printed for F. Coles, T. Vere, I. Wright, and I. Cla [...]