[A] New Ballad of Tobias: Wherein is shewed the wonderfull things which
[?]d 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.
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[I]N Ninive old Toby dwelt,
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an aged man and blind was he,
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[An]d much affliction he had felt,
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[w]hich brought him unto poverty.
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[H]e had by Anna his true wife,
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one onely son 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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[A]nd every day he did apply,
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[t]o feare the Lord and keep his Law.
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[Up]on a time it came to passe,
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[h]e call'd to him his son with speed,
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[And] thus to him his words did frame
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[My] son, quoth he, thou knowst my need?
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[Thou] must unto Gabael goe,
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[to] Raguels house in Media Land,
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[For I d]id lend him long agoe,
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[ten Ta]lents on his onely 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 mony paid
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[seeing th]e man I did nere know?
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[Take the]e the writings 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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[since tho]u that way hast never beene.
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[A Guide To]bias son had got,
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[An Angell] in the shape of man,
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[Which t]h[i]ng he did not know, God wot.
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[the] Lord did so appoint it than.
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[Tob]ias with his blessed guide,
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[we]nt on his journey then with speed,
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[Until] they came to Tygris side
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[?]at fair floud they did abide.
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Tobias would goe wash him there,
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by reason of the Summers heat,
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A mighty fish put him feare,
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which lept 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 affraid,
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great cures there shall be don withall.
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When this was don, away they went,
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and comming neere their journeies end,
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Weel lodge tonight 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 Tobie did the Angell call;
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I wis she is no wife for me,
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swift death doth to her Lovers fall.
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Seven men have to her married beene,
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which in her love did take delight,
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When her bed-chamber they have seene,
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they have not liv[']d 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 doe 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 went
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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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GReat cheer they made, & downe they sat
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and all for yong Tobias sake,
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And after long and pleasant chat,
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betwixt these two a match they make.
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By Moses law they married were,
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the Brides bedchamber prepar'd likewise,
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When young Tobias came in there,
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the teares fell downe from Sara's 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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Which in that fire he did cast in,
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which cast a savour everywhere.
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And by that sweet and precious smell,
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the wicked spirit was displac'd,
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Within that roome he could not dwell,
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whereout away he went in hast.
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In bed they lay'd 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 then 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 fourteene dayes he kep[t,]
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Thereto came many a friendly gues[t,]
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in sorrow now no more they sle[pt.]
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Then Azarias went straightway,
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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 money 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 son 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 meate 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 Ninive 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 goe,
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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 espide her tender son,
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Rejoycing at the happy day,
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she tould her husband he was come.
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Whereat old Toby stumbled out
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for he was blind and could no[t see,]
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Young Toby with the fish[es Gall,]
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rubb'd both his eyes [immediatly.]
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Whereat the whit[eness of his eyes]
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incontinent [did fall out quite:]
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So that befo[re he did arise,]
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he h[ad again his perfect sight:
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Great joy there was and down they sat,
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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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