[...] [...]ew Ballad of Tobias: Wherein is shewed the wonderfull things which [...] to him in his youth; and how he wedded a yong Damsell that had had seven Husbands, and never enjoyed their company: Who were all slaine by a wicked Spirit.
[...]N
Ninive old
Toby dwelt,
an aged bran and blind was he,
[...]o much affliction he had felt,
[...]hich brought him unto poverty.
[...] had by
Anna his true wife,
[...]onely son and eke no more,
[...]hich was the comfort of his life,
[...]nd he by him did set great store.
[...] brought him up most vertuously,
[...] true obedience and awe,
[...]nd every day he did apply,
[...] feare the Lord and keep his Law.
[...]n a time it come to passe,
[...]e call'd him his son wih spéed,
thus to him his words did frame
[...]n quoth he, thou knowst my need
[...] must unto
Gabael goe,
[...]
[...]aguels house in
Media Land,
[...]
[...]id lend him long agoe,
[...]ents on his onely band.
[...] deare,
Tobias said,
[...]
[...]ommand straight will I goe,
[...] I get the mony paid
[...]e man I did nere know:
[...]e the writings then quoth he,
[...] is sufficient being séene,
[...] a guide to goe with thee,
[...] that way hast never brene.
[...]
[...]ias son had got,
[...] in the shape of man,
[...] he did not know, God wot,
[...]d did so appoint it than.
[...]as with his blessed guide,
[...]nt on his iourney then with speed,
[...] they came to
Tygris side
[...]
[...]at faire floud they did abide,
Tobias would goe wash him there,
by reason of the Summers heat,
A mighty fish put him feare,
which lept out of the waters great,
Cut up the fish, the Angell said,
but keep the Liver, Heart, and Gall,
To doe the same be not affraid,
great cures there shall be don withall.
When this was don, away they went,
and comming neere their iourneies end:
Wéel 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 she may be thy wife.
Why
Azarias then, quoth he
so
Tobie did the Angell call;
I wis she is no wife for me,
swift death doth to her Lovers fall.
Seven men have to her married béene,
which in her love did take delight,
When her bed-chamber they have séene,
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 doe what he can.
The Angell said good courage take,
for so it shall not be with thee
For such perfumes I will thee make,
the wicked Spirit away shall flee.
To
Raguels house away they went
where
Sara met them faire and bright,
And after salutations done,
she brought him to her Parents sight.
GReat chéer they made, & downe they sat
and all for young
Tobias sake,
And after long and pleasant chat,
belwixt these two a match they make.
By
Moses law they married were,
the Brides bed 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,
VVhich in that fire he did cast in,
which cast a sabour every where.
And by that swéet and precious smell,
the wicked spirit ws displac'd,
Within that roome he could not dwell,
whereout away he went in hast.
In bed they lay'd 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 sa
[...]d,
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 alive quoth she,
When
Raguel then heard of this thing,
he did reioyce exceedingly.
For ioy he made a solemne feast,
the Bridall fourteene dayes he kep
[...]
Thereto came many a friendly gue
[...]
in sorrow now no more they sle
[...]
Then
Azaris went straight way,
and to the feast
Gabael brought,
Reioycing at this marriage day,
did pay the money which he ought,
But yet old
Toby and his wife,
did all the time in sorrow dwell,
They thought their son had lost his life,
and nothing could their griefe expell.
His aged mother every day,
did watch long the high-way side.
And for his welfare oft did pray,
no meate nor drink she could abide.
But when the wedding ended was,
young
Toby with his lovely Bride,
To
Ninive did homeward passe,
with goods and cattell on each side.
But
Toby and the Angell bright,
before his wife made haste to goe,
For to prepare all things aright,
his lovely Bride to welcome tho.
His mother watching in the way,
full soone espide her tender son,
Reioycing at the happy day,
she tould her husband he was come.
Whereat old
Toby stumbled out
for he was blind and could
[...]
Young
Toby with the fish
[...]
[...]
rubb'd both his eyes
[...]
Whereat the whit
[...]
[...]
incontinent
[...]
So that befo
[...]
[...]
[...]
[...]
[...]
[...]
[...]
[...]
London Printed by F. [...]