A Proper New balad of the Bryber Gehesie.
Taken out of the fourth booke of Kinges the .v. Chapter.
To the tune of Kynge Salomon.
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WAs not the Bryber Gehezie
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Rewarded justly of the Lord,
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Which for example verelie,
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The holie Scripture doth recorde
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If this be true, as true it was,
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Of his rewarde:
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Why should not christan men alas,
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Than have regarde.
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When that the Prophet Elizae
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Had clensed from the Leprosie,
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Naaman of Assiria,
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Thorow the workes of God on hye:
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Then Naaman wolde him constraine
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To take rewarde:
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But Elizae from that refrainde,
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And had regarde.
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But Gehezie of falsehed minde,
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When Naaman did passe awaie,
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Did hie him faste that was behinde,
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And unto Naaman did saie:
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Beholde my master hath me sente
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For a rewarde,
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To Prophetes children he is bente
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To have regarde.
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With right good will said Naaman,
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Him to rewarde, and did proceede,
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And Gehezie convaide it then
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So previlie in verie deede,
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Forgetting that the Prophete tho,
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Of his rewarde
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Could by the sprite of God it knowe,
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And have regarde,
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Alas how was thou Gehezie,
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Ravished in worldy gaine?
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How was thou brought to mizerie,
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Of God appointed for thy paine;
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And all thy ofspringe after thee,
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For thy rewarde,
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The Lorde that hateth Briberie,
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Hath his regarde.
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Then Gehezie deceitfulie
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Tofore the Prophet tooke his waie,
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Who said to hime, o Gehezie,
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Went not my harte with thee I saie,
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When Naaman from Charret came,
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Thee to rewarde:
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And thou hast falselie hid the same,
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without regarde.
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(Gehezie) is it now a time
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Thy bribes (he said) for to receave?
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Beholde for this thy wicked crime
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That leproseie to thee shall cleave,
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The which was upon Naaman,
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For thy rewarde,
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And to thy seede thee after than,
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To have regarde.
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Incontinent then Gehezie
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Departed from his presence so,
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As the Texte doth verefie,
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A Leper white as is the snowe,
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Example to such bribers all,
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To have regarde,
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With Gehezie at lengthe they shall
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Have their rewarde,
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If they doe not their faultes confesse
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Detestinge of their Bryberie,
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Else God will spie ther wickednesse
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Though they it cloke with Gehezie:
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And can them paie accordinglie,
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The like rewarde,
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As he hath done to Jehezie,
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O have regarde.
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The Lord he is that same God still
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That he was than undoubtedlie,
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Such Gehezies he punish will,
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That Bribes receive so wickedlie,
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Though they so previlie do hide
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their false rewarde.
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Yet of the Lorde it will bespide,
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Who hath regarde.
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O Lorde us guide in all our waies
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That we may leade our lives aright
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to deale with trueth at all assaies,
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Give unto us thy holie sprite:
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And that our Queene & her Councell
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Maie have regarde,
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In this Lande Bribers to expell
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that take rewarde.
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