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<ETS>
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<DATE>2008-12-05</DATE>
<RESPSTMT>
<NAME>Mona Logarbo</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
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<ITEM>Proofed and reviewed as part of batch B080929.pdcc.</ITEM>
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<EEBO>
<IDG S="marc" R="UM" ID="B04717">
<STC T="W">p2535a</STC>
<BIBNO T="oclc">47012573</BIBNO>
<VID>174540</VID>
</IDG>
<TEXT LANG="eng">
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="ballad">
<PB REF="1" MS="y"><!-- PDF PAGE 40 -->
<HEAD>A Plea&s;ant Ballad of <HI>Tobias,</HI> wherein is &s;hewed what wonderful things chanced to him in his Youth, and how he wedded a young Dam&s;el that had had &s;everal Husbands, but never enjoyed their Company, be|ing all &s;lain by an evil Spirit.</HEAD>
<OPENER>To <HI>a plea&s;ant New tune.</HI></OPENER>
<P><FIGURE>
</FIGURE></P>
<P><FIGURE>
</FIGURE></P>
<L>IN <HI>Ninivie</HI> old <HI>Toby</HI> dwelt,</L>
<L>an aged man, and blind was he,</L>
<L>And much affliction he had felt,</L>
<L>which brought him unto mi&s;ery:</L>
<L>He had by <HI>Anna,</HI> his true wife,</L>
<L>one only Son, and eke no more,</L>
<L>Which was the comfort of his life,</L>
<L>and he by him did &s;et great &s;tore.</L>
<L>He brought him up &s;o vertuou&s;ly</L>
<L>in true obedience, and in awe,</L>
<L>And every day he did apply,</L>
<L>to fear the Lord and keep his law:</L>
<L>Upon a time it came to pa&s;s,</L>
<L>he call'd his Son to him with &s;peed,</L>
<L>And thus to him the&s;e words did frame:</L>
<L><HI>My Son</HI> (qd. he) <HI>thou know'&s;t my need,</HI></L>
<L><HI>Thou mu&s;t unto</HI> Gabael <HI>go,</HI></L>
<L><HI>to</HI> Roguels <HI>hou&s;e in</HI> Media <HI>Land:</HI></L>
<L><HI>For I did lend him long ago</HI></L>
<L><HI>ten Talents on his only band.</HI></L>
<L>My Father (<HI>dear</HI> Tobias <HI>&s;aid</HI>)</L>
<L>at your command &s;trait will I go,</L>
<L>How &s;hall I get the money paid?</L>
<L>&s;eeing the man I ne'er did know.</L>
<L><HI>Take then the writings here with thee,</HI></L>
<L><HI>which is &s;ufficient to be &s;een;</HI></L>
<L><HI>And get a guide to go with then;</HI></L>
<L><HI>&s;ince thou the way ha&s;t never been.</HI></L>
<L>A Guide <HI>Tobias</HI> &s;oon had got,</L>
<L>An <HI>Angel</HI> in the &s;hape of man,</L>
<L>Which thing he did not know God wot,</L>
<L>the Lord had &s;o appointed then.</L>
<L><HI>Tobias</HI> with his ble&s;&s;ed Guide,</L>
<L>went on his journey thus with &s;peed,</L>
<L>Until they came to <HI>Tigris</HI> &s;ide,</L>
<L>at the fair Flood they did abide:</L>
<L><HI>Tobias</HI> he did go wa&s;h him there,</L>
<L>by rea&s;on of the Summers heat,</L>
<L>A mighty Fi&s;h put him to fear,</L>
<L>which leapt out of the waters deep.</L>
<L><HI>Cut up the fi&s;h,</HI> the Angel &s;aid,</L>
<L><HI>and keep the liver, heart, and gall,</HI></L>
<L><HI>to do the &s;ame be not afraid,</HI></L>
<L><HI>great cures there &s;hall be done withal,</HI></L>
<L>When this was done away thry went,</L>
<L>and coming near their journeys end,</L>
<L>We'll lodge to night, the Angel &s;aid,</L>
<L>with <HI>Raguel</HI> thy Father's friend,</L>
<L>He hath a Daughter fair of face,</L>
<L>and al&s;o of a vertuous life,</L>
<L>And when we come unto that place,</L>
<L>I'll &s;peak that &s;he may he thy wife:</L>
<L><HI>Why</HI> Azarius (then quoth he,</L>
<L>for &s;o they did the angel call)</L>
<L><HI>I wis &s;he is no wife for me,</HI></L>
<L><HI>&s;wift death doth all her Lovers fall.</HI></L>
<L><HI>Seven Men to her have marry'd been,</HI></L>
<L><HI>which in her love did take delight:</HI></L>
<L><HI>When her bed-chamber they had &s;een,</HI></L>
<L><HI>they had not lived half the night.</HI></L>
<L><HI>A wicked Spirit loves her &s;o,</HI></L>
<L><HI>he will not &s;uffer any man</HI></L>
<L><HI>With her into the bed to go,</HI></L>
<L><HI>but works his death do what they can.</HI></L>
<L>The Angel &s;aid, Good Courage take,</L>
<L>for &s;o it &s;hall not he with thee,</L>
<L>For &s;uch perfumes I will thee make,</L>
<L>the wicked Spirit away &s;hall flee.</L>
<L>To <HI>Raguels</HI> home away they run,</L>
<L>where <HI>Sarah</HI> met them fair and bright,</L>
<L>And after Salutations done,</L>
<L>&s;he brought them to her Fathers &s;ight.</L>
<P><FIGURE>
</FIGURE></P>
<L>GReat cheer there was, &amp; down they &s;at</L>
<L>and all for young <HI>Tobias</HI> &s;ake,</L>
<L>And after long and plea&s;ant chat,</L>
<L>between them two a match they make,</L>
<L>By <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> law they married were,</L>
<L>the brides bed chamber prepared like wi&s;e,</L>
<L>When young <HI>Tobias</HI> came in there,</L>
<L>the tears fell down from <HI>Sarahs</HI> eyes.</L>
<L>A Pan of Coals he brought with him,</L>
<L>the Fi&s;hes heart and liver there;</L>
<L>Within the fire he did ca&s;t in,</L>
<L>which ca&s;t a &s;avour every where:</L>
<L>And by that &s;weet and plea&s;ant &s;mell</L>
<L>the wicked Spirit was di&s;plac'd,</L>
<L>Within that room he could not dwell,</L>
<L>but out he went in ha&s;te.</L>
<L>In bed they laid the beauteous Bride,</L>
<L>the Chamber-door was &s;hut therefore;</L>
<L>Young <HI>Toby</HI> lying by her &s;ide,</L>
<L>whom he did think to &s;ee no more,</L>
<L>And therefore Raguel in the night</L>
<L>for him before had made a Grave:</L>
<L>And to his wife he went and &s;aid,</L>
<L>there is no means his life to &s;ave.</L>
<L>One of the Maidens &s;end, quoth he,</L>
<L>to &s;ee how all the matters &s;tands,</L>
<L>And if &s;o be that dead he be</L>
<L>he &s;hall be buried by my hands.</L>
<L>This Maiden joyful news did bring,</L>
<L><HI>Tobias</HI> is alive (quoth &s;he)</L>
<L>When <HI>Raguel</HI> heard of this thing,</L>
<L>he did rejoyce exceedingly.</L>
<L>For joy he made a &s;olemn fea&s;t,</L>
<L>the bridal fourteen days they kept,</L>
<L>There came many a friendly Gue&s;t,</L>
<L>in &s;orrow now no more they &s;lept.</L>
<L><HI>Azarius</HI> went &s;traight way,</L>
<L>unto the fea&s;t <HI>Gabael</HI> brought;</L>
<L>Rejoycing at his marriage day,</L>
<L>and paid the money that he ought.</L>
<L>But yet old <HI>Toby</HI> and his wife,</L>
<L>did all this while in &s;orrow dwell,</L>
<L>They thought their Son had lo&s;t his life,</L>
<L>and nothing could their grief expell,</L>
<L>His aged mother every day</L>
<L>did watch the High-way &s;ide,</L>
<L>And for his welfare oft did pray.</L>
<L>no meat nor drink &s;he could abide.</L>
<L>But when the wedding ended was,</L>
<L>young <HI>Toby</HI> with his lovely bride,</L>
<L>To <HI>Ninivie</HI> dide homewards pa&s;s,</L>
<L>with Goods and Chattels on each &s;ide,</L>
<L>But <HI>Toby</HI> and his angel bright</L>
<L>before his wife made ha&s;te to go:</L>
<L>For to prepare all things aright,</L>
<L>his lovely bride to welcome ho.</L>
<L>His mother watching in the way,</L>
<L>full &s;oon e&s;pied her tender Son:</L>
<L>Rejoycing at that happy day,</L>
<L>&s;he told her Husband he was come:</L>
<L>Whereat old <HI>Toby</HI> tumbled out,</L>
<L>for he was blind and could not &s;ee,</L>
<L>Young <HI>Toby</HI> with the Fi&s;hes Gall,</L>
<L>rub'd both his eyes immediatly.</L>
<L>Whereat the whitene&s;s of his eyes</L>
<L>incontinent did fall out quite:</L>
<L>So that before he did ari&s;e,</L>
<L>he had again his perfect &s;ight:</L>
<L>Great joy there was and down they &s;at,</L>
<L>young <HI>Toby</HI> told his Father all:</L>
<L>Who went to meet his lovely bride,</L>
<L>with joy and mirth that was not &s;mall.</L>
</DIV1>
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<BACK>
<DIV1 TYPE="colophon">
<P>Printed by and for <HI>A. M. and &s;old by the <HI>Book&s;ellers</HI> of</HI> London.</P>
</DIV1>
</BACK>
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