A Godly Ballad of the Just Man Job.
Wherein his great patience he doth declare,
His plagues and his miseries, and yet did not despair.
The Tune is, The Merchant.
WAlking all alone,
No not long agone,
I heard one wail and weep;
alas he said,
I am laid
In sorrow strong and deep,
To hear him cry,
I did reply,
and privily abode,
there did I find,
in secret mind.
the just and patient Job.
His woful pain
Did me constrain,
by force to wail and moan,
God did him prove,
how he did love,
the living Lord alone.
In heaviness,
He did express,
these words with bitter tears,
alas poor man,
wretched I am,
in care my self out-wares.
This mortal life,
Is but a strife,
a battel great and strong,
my years also,
to wast and go,
and not continue long.
The day wherein,
I did begin
to move and stir my breath,
would God I had,
an exchange made,
and turned unto death.
So should not I
In misery,
be wrapped as I am,
the time and day,
well curse I may,
when to this world I came.
For my faults past,
I am out-cast,
and of all men abhor'd,
O that I might,
once stand in sight,
to reason with the Lord.
I should then know,
Why he doth show
this extream cruelty,
upon his flesh,
which is but grass,
and born is for to dye.
From top to toe,
I feel with woe,
that sorrow is my meat,
put to exile,
with Botch and Boyl,
and dung-hill is my seat.
My Kinsfolk talk
And by me walk,
wondring at my fall,
they count my state,
unfortunate,
and so forsake me all.
My children five,
Which were alive,
they all be quite destroy'd,
the Plague fell
on my Cattel,
with all that I enjoy'd.
Should I for them
My God Blaspheme,
and his good gifts despise,
that will I not,
but take my lot,
giving his name the praise.
They were not mine,
But for a time,
I know well it is so,
God gave them me,
why should not he,
again take them me fro.
Thus having said,
Full still I staid,
his end for to behold,
I there did see,
his felicity,
increasing manifold.
I know well then,
How patient men,
should not suffer in vain,
but shall be sure,
to have pleasure,
rewarded for their pain.
FINIS.
Printed for F. Coles, T. Vere, I. Wright, J. Clarke, W. Thackeray, and T. Passenger.