Godly new ballad, entitled, A dozen of Points.  

A Dozen of Points you here may read,  
Whereon each Christian soul may feed.   
 

THe gift is small, a Dozen of Points,  
wherewith i'd wish you knit your joints  
●éep well the same, and credit me,  
●hy life most pure and just shall be.  
●he first Points this, I wish you keep,  
●s that at night before you sleep,  
●ée still you ask God forgiveness,  
Of all your sins and wickedness.  
The second Point is this, I say,  
Then thou dost see the cheerful day,  
●rise and praise the God of might,  
That hath defended thee all night.  
The third is this that thou shouldst require:  
●nd on thy bended knees desire,  
●he God of Heaven to be thy stay,  
For to preserve thee night and day.  
The fourth doth bid thee to beware,  
●nd to avo●● the subtle snare,  
For Satan with his crafty power,  
Doth seek men's souls for to devour.  
The fifth good counsel doth thee give,  
And warn thee well whilst thou doth live,  
To keep thy conscience clear and pure,  
Then God will bless thee to be sure.  
The sixth of these my Points, do will,  
That thou devise no subtle skill,  
Whereby to work thy Neighbour's woe,  
Take heed, I say, and do not so▪  
The seventh saith, defraud no man,  
But deal as justly as you can,  
The widow and the fatherless defend,  
So God will bless thee to the end.  
The eight doth bid thee more or less,  
Still to beware of drunkenness.  
For drunkenness is abhorred of God,  
On whom he lays his heavy Rod.  
The ninth saith, Fornication fly,  
Those wicked Harlots will makè thee die,  
Thy body they'll consume, I say,  
And bring thy soul unto decay.  
The tenth doth say do not forswear.  
False witness against no man bear:  
Let no affection sway thy mind,  
The eye of justice so to blind.  
The eleventh enjoins thee not to desire  
Thy Neighbour's goods for to require;  
But the ten Commandments observe,  
So shalt thou stand and never swerve.  
The twelfth saith serve the God of might,  
And truly serve him day and night,  
Obey the King as 'tis thy part,  
And to thy Country bear a faithful heart.  
See these my Points thou dost possess,  
Even when thou thyself doth rest:  
Keep well each one in his degree;  
And knit them fast, and credit me.    

The Angel Gabriel, his Salutation to the blessed Virgin Mary.  
Tune is, the blazing torch.  
 

WHen righteous Joseph wedded was,  
to Israel's Hebrew Maid,  
A glorious Angel came from heaven,  
who to the Virgin said,  
Hall blessed Mary full of Grace,  
the Lord remains in thee,  
Thou shalt conceive and bear a Son,  
thy Saviour to be.  
That's wondrous strange, quoth Mary then,  
I should conceive and breed,  
Being never touched by Mortal man▪  
but pure in thought and deed:  
Fear not (quoth Gabriel) by and by,  
it is no work of man,  
But only God ordained at first,  
before the world began.  
Which heavenly message she believes,  
and did to Jury go,  
Three months with her friends to stay,  
God's blessed will to show,  
And then returned to Joseph back,  
her Husband meek and mild,  
Who thought it strange his wife should be,  
untouched, thus grown with child.  
Wherhfore, thought he, to shun the same  
he thought her to forsake,  
But that God's Angel in his sleep,  
God's mind did undertake.  
Fear not just Joseph this thy wife,  
is still a spotless maid,  
And no consent to sin, quoth he,  
against her can be laid.  
For she is a pure maid and wife,  
the mother of Gods own Heir,  
The Babe of heaven, and blessed Lamb,  
of Israel's flock so fair:  
To save lost sheep to Satan sold,  
whom Adam lost by fraud,  
When first in Eden's Paradise,  
the Lord had him bestowed.  
Thus Mary with her husband kind  
together did remain,  
Until the time of Jesus birth,  
as Scripture doth make plai●  
Thus mother, wife, and virgin 〈…〉  
our Saviour sweet conceiv●● 〈…〉  
All three in one, to bring us 〈…〉  
of which we were bereaved 〈…〉  
Sing praises then both old an● 〈…〉  
to him which wrought such ● 〈…〉  
That thus without the help o● 〈…〉  
sent us the King of Kings 〈…〉  
Which is of such a blessed p 〈…〉  
that with his word can qu〈…〉  
The world, the flesh, and by 〈…〉  
could conquer Death and 〈…〉    

Printed for F. Coles, T. Vere, I. Wright, and I. Cla 〈…〉