A Pleasant BALLAD of TOBIAS:
Wherein is shewed what wonderful Things chanced to him in his Youth; and
how he wedded a young Damosel that had had Seven Husbands, but never enjoyed
their Company, being all Slain by an Evil Spirit. To a pleasant new Tune.
Licens'd and Enter'd according to Order.
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IN Nineve 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 misery:
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He had by Anna his true Wife,
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one only 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 so vertuosly,
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in true obedience and in awe,
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And every day he did apply,
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to fear the Lord and keep his Law:
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Upon a time it came to pass,
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he call'd his Son to him with speed,
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And thus to him these words did frame,
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My Son, quoth he, thou know'st my need,
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Thou must unto Gabael go,
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to Raguels house in Media-land;
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For I did lend him long ago,
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ten talents on his only band.
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My Father dear, Tobias said,
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at your command strait will I go;
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How shall I get the mony paid,
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seeing the Man I ne'r did know?
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Take then the writings here with thee,
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which is sufficient to be seen;
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And get a Guide to go with thee,
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since thou the way hast never been.
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A Guide Tobias soon had got,
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an Angel in the shape of Man,
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Which thing he did not know, God wot,
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the Lord had so appointed then.
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Tobias with his blessed Guide,
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went on his journy thus with speed,
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Until they came to Tigris-side,
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at the fair flood they did abide:
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Tobias would go wash him there,
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by reason of the Summer's heat,
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A mighty Fish put him in fear,
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which leapt out of the waters deep.
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Cut up the Fish, the Angel said,
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and keep the liver, heart, and gall,
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To do the same be not afraid,
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great cures there shall be done withal.
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When this was done, away they went,
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and comming near their jaurny's end,
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We'll lodge tonight, the Angel said,
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with Raguel thy Father's Friend:
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He hath a Daughter fair of face,
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and also of a vertuous life;
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And when we come unto that place,
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I'll speak that she may be thy Wife.
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Why Azarius then (quoth he)
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for so they did the Angel call,
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Iwis she is no Wife for me,
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swift Death doth all her Lovers fall.
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Seven Men to her have married been,
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which in her love did take delight;
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When her bed-chamber they had seen,
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they had not lived half 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 go,
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but works his death do what they can.
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The Angel 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 home away they run,
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where Sarah met them, fair and bright,
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And after salutations done,
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she brought them to her Father's sight.
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Great cheer there was, and down they sat,
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and all for young Tobiass sake;
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And after long and pleasant chat,
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betwixt them two a match they make;
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By Moses Law they married were,
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the Bride's bed-chamber prepar'd likewise;
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When young Tobias came in there,
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the tears fell down from Sarahs eyes.
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A pan of coles he brought with him,
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the Fish's heart and liver there;
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Within the fire he did cast in,
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which cast a savour every-where:
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And by that sweet and pleasant smell,
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the wicked Spirit was displac'd:
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Within that room he could not dwell,
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and therefore out he went in haste.
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In bed they laid the beautious Bride,
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the chamber-door was shut therefore;
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Young Toby lying by her side,
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whom he did think 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 means his life to save.
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One of the Maidens send (quoth he)
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to see how all the matters stands,
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And if so be that dead he be,
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he shall be buried by my hands.
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This Maiden joyful news 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 solemn feast,
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the bridal fourteen days they kept,
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There came many a friendly Guest;
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in sorrow now no more they slept.
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Azarius went straightway,
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unto the feast Gabael brought;
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Rejoycing at his marriage-day,
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and paid the mony that he ought.
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But yet old Toby and his Wife,
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did all this while in sorrow dwell,
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They thought their Son had lost his life,
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and nothing could their grief expel;
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His aged Mother every day,
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did watch the high-way-side;
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And for his welfare oft did pray,
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no meat nor drink 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 Nineve did homewards pass,
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with Goods and Chattels on each side;
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But Toby and his Angel 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 ho.
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His Mother watching in the way,
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full soon espyed her tender Son;
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Rejoycing at that happy day,
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she told her Husband he was come:
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Whereat old Toby tumbled out,
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for he was blind and could not see;
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Young Toby with the Fish's gall,
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rub'd both his eyes immediately.
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Whereat the whiteness 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 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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