The Ballad of constant Susanna.
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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 we 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 story 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 & talke,
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of this Lady.
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That yeere two Judges there was made,
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which were the Elders of Babylon,
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To Joachims house was al their trade
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who was Susannas 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 had spide,
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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 this 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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and thus they said, Faire dame, God speed
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Thy dores are fast, thy maids are gon,
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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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We will say that one with thee lay,
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how canst thou then avoid this thing
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Therefore consent to us and 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 do 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 (wheras she stood)
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Lady, Lady,
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Unto the Lord she cryed aloud,
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pittifully.
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These Elders both likewise againe,
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against Susanna aloud they cryde,
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Their filthy lust could not obtaine,
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their wickednes 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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On the morrow she was brought forth
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before the people there to stand,
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That they might hear & know the truth
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how these two Elders Susanna found
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These 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 then causelesse must die:
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These Elders bore such evidence,
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against her they did verifie,
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Who were beleeved then indeed,
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Lady, Lady,
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Against Susanna to proceed,
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that she should die.
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Susannas 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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Susanna then both true and just,
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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 voyce 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 cal[]d 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 judgment you have not done wel,
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Nor yet the right way you have 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 judgment 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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putting the one from the other then,
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He asked the one 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 falsly.
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Thou lyest said Danie[l], 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 Pomegranate tree,
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Who lyed falsly.
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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 wayting for you at the doore,
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even for 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 thanks 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 dealt as with their neighbor 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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