A pleasant new Ballad of Tobias: wherein is shewed the wonderfull things
which chanced to him in his youth; and how he wedded a young Damsell that had had
seven husbands and never enjoyed their company: who were
all slaine by a wicked spirit.
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IN Ninivie old Toby dwelt,
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an aged man and blind was he,
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And much affliction he had felt,
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which brought him unto poverty.
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He had by Anna his true wife,
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one onely sonne and eke no more,
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Which was the comfort of his life,
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and he by him did set great store.
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He brought him up most vertuously,
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in true obedience and awe,
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And every day he did apply,
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to feare the Lord and keepe his Law.
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Upon a time it came to passe,
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he calld to him his sonne with speed,
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And thus to him his words did frame,
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my sonne, quoth he, thou knost my need.
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Thou must unto Gabael goe,
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at Raguels in Media land,
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For I did lend him long agoe,
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ten talents on his only band.
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My father deare Tobias said,
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at your command straight will I goe,
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How shall I get the money paid,
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seeing the man I did never know?
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Take here the writing then, quoth he,
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which is sufficient being seene,
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And get a guide to goe with thee,
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sith thou that way hast never beene.
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A Guid Tobias sonne had got,
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an Angell in the shape of man,
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Which thing he did not know God wot,
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the Lord did so appoint it thun.
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Tobias with his blessed guide,
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went on his journey then with speed:
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Untill they came to Tigris side,
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at that faire flood they did abide.
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Tobias would wash him there,
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by reason of the Summers heat,
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A mighty fish put him in feare,
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which leapt out of the waters great.
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Cut up the fish, the Angell said,
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but keep the Liver, Heart, and Gall,
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To doe the same be not afraid,
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great cures there shall be done withall.
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When this was done, away they went,
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and comming neere their journeys end,
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Weell lodge to night the Angell said,
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with Raguel thy fathers friend.
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He hath a daughter faire of face,
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and also of a vertuous life,
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And when we come into that place,
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Ile speake that she may be thy wife.
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Why Azarias, then quoth he,
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so Toby did the Angell call,
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I wis she is no mate for me,
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swift death doth to her Lovers fall.
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Seven men have to her married been.
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which in her love did take delight,
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When her bed-chamber they have seen,
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they have not livd out halfe the night.
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A wicked spirit loves her so,
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he will not suffer any man,
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With her into the bed to goe,
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but works his death do what he can.
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The Angell said, good courage take,
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for so it shall not be with thee,
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For such perfumes I will thee make,
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the wicked spirit away shall flee.
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To Raguels house away they came,
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where Sara met them faire and bright,
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And after salutations done,
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she brought him to her Parents sight.
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The second part, to the same tune.
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Great cheere they made & downe they sat,
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and all for young Tobias sake;
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And after long and pleasant chat,
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betwixt these two a match they made.
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By Moses Law they married were,
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the Brides chamber prepard likewise:
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When young Tobias came in there,
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the teares fell downe from Saras eyes.
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A pan of coales he brought with him,
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the fishes heart and liver there
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Within that fire did he cast in,
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which cast a savour every where.
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And by that sweet and precious smell,
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the wicked spirit was displact,
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Within that roome he could not dwell,
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where out away he went in hast.
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In bed they laid the beauteous Bride,
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the chamber doore they shut therefore,
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Young Toby lay downe by her side,
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whom he did thinke to see no more.
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And therefore Raguel in the night
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for him before had made a grave;
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And to his wife he wept, and said,
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there is no meanes his life to save.
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One of the maidens send, quoth he,
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to see how all the matter stands:
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If it be so that dead he be,
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he shall be buried by my hands.
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The maiden joyfull newes did bring,
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Tobias is alive, quoth she,
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When Raguel heard of this thing,
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he did rejoyce exceedingly.
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For joy he made a solemne feast,
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the Bridall foureteene dayes he kept,
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Thereto came many a friendly guest:
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in sorrow now no more they slept.
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Then Azarias went straight way,
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and to the feast Gabael brought,
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Rejoycing at this marriage day,
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did pay the mony which he ought.
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But yet old Toby and his wife
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did all the time in sorrow dwell,
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They thought their sonne had lost his life,
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and nothing could their griefe expell.
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His aged mother every day
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did watch along the high way side,
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And for his welfare oft did pray,
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no meat nor drinke she could abide.
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But when the wedding ended was,
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young Toby with his lovely Bride,
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To Ninivy did homeward passe,
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with goods and cattell on each side.
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But Toby and the Angell bright,
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before his Wife made haste to go,
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For to prepare all things aright
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his lovely Bride to welcome tho.
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His mother watching in the way,
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full soone espyd her tender sonne,
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Rejoycing at the happy day,
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she told her husband he was come.
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Whereat old Toby stumbled out,
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for he was blind, and could not see:
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Young Toby with the fishes Gall
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rubd both his eyes immediatly.
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Whereat the whitenesse of his eyes
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incontinent did fall out quite:
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So that before he did arise,
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he had againe his perfect sight.
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Great joy was then on every side,
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young Toby told his father all:
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Who went to meet his lovely Bride,
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with joy and mirth that was not small
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