An excellent Ballad Intituled,
The Constancy of Susanna.
To an excellent new tune.
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THere dwelt a man in Babylon,
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of reputation great by fame:
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He tooke to wife a faire woman,
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Susanna she was calld by name,
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A woman faire and vertuous,
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Lady, Lady,
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Why should wee not of her learne thus
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to live godly?
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Vertuously her life she led,
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she feared God, she stood in awe,
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As in the storie we have read,
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was well brought up in Moses Law.
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Her parents they were godly folke,
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Lady, Lady,
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Why should we not then sing and talke
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of this Lady.
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That yeare two Judges there was made
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which were the Elders of Babylon,
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To Joachims house was all their trade,
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who was Susannaes husband then,
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Joachim was a great rich man,
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Lady, Lady,
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These Elders oft to his house came
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for this Lady.
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Joachim had an Orchard by,
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fast joyning to his house or place,
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Whereas Susanna commonly
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her selfe did daily there solace,
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And that these Elders soone espyd,
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Lady, Lady,
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And privily themselves did hide
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for that Lady.
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Her chaste and constant life was tride,
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by these two Elders of Babylon,
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A time convenient they espide,
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to have this Lady all alone,
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In his Orchard it came to passe,
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Lady, Lady.
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Where she alone her selfe did wash
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her faire body.
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These Elders came to her anon,
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& thus they said, faire dame God speed,
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Thy doors are fast, thy Maids are gone,
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consent to us, and doe this deed:
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For we are men of no mistrust,
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Lady, Lady,
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And yet to thee we have a lust,
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O faire Lady.
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If that to us thou dost say nay,
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a testimoniall we will bring,
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Wee will say that we with thee lay,
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how canst thou then avoid the thing?
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Therefore consent and to us turne,
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Lady, Lady,
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For we to thee in lust doe burne,
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O faire Lady.
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Then did she sigh, and said alas,
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now woe is me on every side,
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Was ever wretch in such a case?
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shall I consent and doe this deed?
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Whether I doe or doe it not,
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Lady, Lady,
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It is my death right well I wot,
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O true Lady.
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Better it were for me to fall
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into your hands this day guiltlesse,
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Then that I should consent at all,
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to this your shamefull wickednesse,
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And even with that (whereas she stood)
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Lady, Lady,
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Unto the Lord she cryed aloud
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pitifully.
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These Elders both likewise againe,
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against Susanna aloud they cryd,
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Their filthy lust could not obtaine,
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their wickednesse, they sought to hide
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Unto her friends they then her brought
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Lady, Lady,
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And with all speed the life they sought
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of that Lady.
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The second part. To the same tune.
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ON the morrow she was brought forth
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before the people there to stand,
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That they might heare & know the truth
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how these two Elders Susanna found,
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The Elders swore and thus did say,
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Lady, Lady,
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How that they saw a young man lay
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with that Lady.
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Judgement there was, for no offence,
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Susanna causelesse then must dye,
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These Elders bore such evidence,
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against her they did verifie,
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Who were believd then indeed,
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Lady, Lady,
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Against Susanna to proceed,
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that she should dye.
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Susannaes friends that stood her by,
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they did lament, and were full woe,
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When as they saw no remedy,
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but that to death she then must goe,
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Lady, Lady,
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In God was all her hope and trust,
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to him did cry.
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The Lord her voice heard and beheld,
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the Daughters cry of Israel,
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His spirit he raised in a child,
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whose name was calld young Daniel,
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Who cryed aloud whereas he stood,
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Lady, Lady,
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I am cleare of the guiltlesse blood
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of this Lady.
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Are you such fooles quoth Daniel then?
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in judgement you have not done well,
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Nor yet the right way have you gone,
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to judge a daughter of Israel,
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By this witnesse of false disdaine,
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Lady, Lady,
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Wherefore to judgement turne againe
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for that Lady.
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And when to judgement they were set,
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he called for those wicked men:
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And soone he did them separate,
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butting the one from the other, then,
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He asked the first where he did see
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that faire Lady,
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He said under a Mulberry tree,
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who lyed falsely.
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Thou lyest said Daniel, on thy head,
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thy sentence is before the Lord,
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He bad that forth he might be led,
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and bring the other that bore record,
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To see how they two did agree
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for this Lady,
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He said under a Pomgrannat tree,
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who lyed falsely.
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Said Daniel as he did before,
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behold the messenger of the Lord
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Stands waiting for you at the doore,
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even to cut thee with a sword.
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And even with that the multitude;
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aloud did cry,
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Give thankes to God, so to conclude
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for this Lady.
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They dealt like with these wicked men
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according as the Scripture saith,
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They did as with their neighbour then,
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by Moses law were put to death,
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The innocent preserved was,
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Lady, Lady,
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As God by Daniel brought to passe,
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for this Lady.
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FINIS.
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