A pleasant new Ballad of Tobias, wherein is shewed the wonderful things that chanced unto him in his youth, and how he wedded a yong Damsel that had had seven husbands, and, never enjoyed their company, who were all slain by a wicked Spirit.
To a new tune
IN Ninivy old Toby dwelt,
an Aged man and blind was he,
And much afflictions he had felt,
which brougth him unto poverty:
He had by Anna his true Wife,
one onely Son and eke no more,
Which was the comfo [...]t of his life,
[...]nd he by him did set great store.
[...] [...]ought him up most vertuously,
[...] [...]rue obedience and in aw,
[...] [...]very day he did apply
[...] fear the Lord and kéep his Law.
Upon a time it came to passe,
he call'd his Son to him with spéed.
And thus to him these words did frame,
my son quoth he thou knowst my néed
Thou must unto Gabael go,
to Raguels house in Media Land,
For I did lend him long agoe,
ten Talents on his onely Band.
My father dear Tobias said,
at your command streight will I go.
How shall I get the mony paid,
séeing the man I nere did know.
Take here the Writings then quoth he,
which is sufficie [...]t being séen,
And get a guide to go with thée,
since thou the way hast never béen.
A guide Tobias soon 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 journy then with spéed,
Untill they came to Tygris side,
At the fair flood they did abide:
Tobias would go with him [...]er [...]
by reason of the Summers heat,
A mighty fish put him in fear,
which leapt out of the waters great,
Cut up the fish the Angell said,
and kéep the Liver heart and gall,
To do the same be not afraid,
great cures there shall be done withall:
When this was done away they went,
and coming néer their journy's end,
Wée'l lodge to night the Angel said,
with Raguel thy fathers friend.
He hath a Daughter fair of face,
and also of a vertuous life,
And when we come unto that place,
Ile speak that she may be thy wife,
Why Azarius then quoth he,
for so they did the Angel call,
I wis she is no Wife for me,
swift death doth all her Lovers fall.
Seven men to her have married béen,
which in her love did take delight:
When her bed chamber they had séen,
they have not lived half the night,
A Wicked Spirit loves her so,
he will not suffer any man,
With her into the bed to go,
but works his death do what he can!
The Angel said good courage take,
for so it shall not be with thée,
For such perfumes I will thée make,
the Wicked Spirit away shall flée,
To Raguels home away they run,
where Sara met them fair and bright,
And after Salutations done
she brought them to her parents sight.
GReat chéer they made & down they sate)
& al for yong Tobias sake
And after long and pleasant chat,
betwixt these two a match they make.
By Moses Law they married were,
the bride bed chamber prepar'd likewise
When young Tobias came in there.
the tears fell down from Sara's eyes.
A pan of coles he brought with him,
the fishes heart and liver there,
Within the fire he did cast in,
which cast a savor every where,
And by that swéet and pretious smell,
the Wicked Spirit was displac't,
Within that room he could not dwell,
Where out away he went in hast,
In bed they laid this beautions bride,
the chamber door they shut therefore,
Young Toby lay down by her side,
whom he did think 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 means his life to save,
One of the Maidens send quoth be.
to sée how all the matter stands
And if it be so that dead he be,
he shall be buried by my hands.
This maiden joyfull news did bring,
Tobias is alive quoth she.
When Raguel heard then of this thing,
he did rejoyce excéedingly,
For joy he made a solemn feast
the bridal fourtéen dayes he kept,
There to came many a friendly guest,
in sorrow now no more they slept.
Azarias went streightway,
unto the feast Gabriel brought,
Rejoycing at his marriage day,
did pay the mony that he ought,
But yet old Toby and his Wife
did all the time in so [...]ow dwell,
They thought their Son had lost his life,
and nothing could their grief expell.
His Aged mother every day.
did watch the high-Way side,
And for his Welfare oft did pray,
no meat nor drink she could abide,
But when the Wedding ended was,
young Toby with his lovely Bride.
To Ninivie did homewards passe.
with goods and Cattel on each side,
But Toby and the Angell bright
before his Wife made hast to go,
For to prepare all things arright,
his lovely bride to welcome ho,
His mother watching in the Way,
full soon espy'd her tender son,
Rejoycing at that 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 immediately.
Whereat the Whitenesse of his eye,
incontinent did fall out quite,
So that before he did arise,
he had again his perfect sight.
Great joy there was on every side,
young Toby told his father all,
Who went to méet his lovely bride,
With joy and mirth that was not small
Printed for F. Coles J. Wright T. Vere, W. Gilbertson.