A most godly and comfortable Ballad of the glorious Resurrection of our Lord jesus Christ, how he triumphed over death, hell, and sin, whereby we are certainly persuaded of our rising again from the dead.  
To the tune of Rogero.  
 depiction of the risen Christ  


WHat faithless froward sinful man,  
so fare from grace is fled,  
That doth not in his heart believe  
the rising from the dead:  
Or why do wicked mortal men,  
their lives on earth so frame:  
That being dead they do suppose,  
they shall not rise again?   

For why, if that the dead indeed,  
which now consuming lies,  
Shall not by God be raised again,  
then Christ did never rise:  
And if so be our Saviour sweet,  
did not arise from death:  
Our preaching is of no effect,  
and vain is hope on earth.   

If Christ risen not again, I say,  
then are we yet in sin:  
And they that fall asleep in him,  
no part of joy shall win:  
Of all the creatures living then,  
which God on earth did frame,  
Most wretched are the state of men,  
which spend their time in vain.   

But Christ is risen up from death,  
as it was right and meet:  
And thereby trod down death and Hell,  
and sin under his feet:  
And that the same to simple men,  
the plainer might appear:  
The glorious rising of the Lord,  
his Word declareth heré.   

When he within the Grave was laid,  
the jews did watchmen set,  
Lest by his friends his corpse from thence  
should secretly be fet:  
A mighty stone likewise they did  
on his Sepulchre role,  
And all for fear his body should  
away from thence be stole.   

And in the dead time of the night,  
a mighty earthquake came,  
The which did shake both Sea and Land,  
and all within the same.  
And then the Angel of the Lord.  
came down from Heaven so high,  
And rolled away the mighty stone,  
which on the grave did lie.    

The second part,  
To the same tune.  

HIs face did shine like flaming fire,  
his  were white as snow,  
Which put the watchmen in great fear,  
who ran away for woe:  
And told unto the high Priest plain,  
what I do now rehearse:  
Who hired them for money strait,  
that they should hold their peace.   

And say, quoth they, his servants came,  
which he sometimes did keep:  
And secretly stole him away,  
while we were sound asleep.  
And if that Herod hear thereof,  
we will persuade him so:  
That you shall have no hurt at all,  
wherever you do go.   

But faithful Mary Magdalen,  
and james his Mother too,  
Had brought great store of ointment sweet,  
as jews were wont to do:  
Who risen up early in the morn,  
before that it was day:  
The body of the Lord to anoint,  
in grave whereas he lay.   

And when unto the grave they ran,  
they were in wondrous fear:  
They saw a young man in the same,  
but Christ they saw not there:  
Then said the Angel unto them,  
why are you so afraid?  
The Lord whom you do seek, I know,  
is risen up, he said.   

Then went the Women both away,  
who told these tidings than:  
To john and Peter, who in haste,  
to the Sepulchre ran,  
Who found if as the Women said,  
and then away did go:  
But Mary stayed weeping still,  
whose tears declared her woe.   

Who looking down into the grave,  
two Angels there did see,  
Quoth they, why weeps this woman so:  
even for my Lord, quoth she.  
And turning then herself aside,  
as she stood weeping so,  
The Lord was standing at her back,  
but him she did not know.   

Why doth this woman weep, he said,  
whom seeks she in this place?  
She thought he had a gardener been,  
and thus she shows her case:  
If thou hast born him hence, she said,  
then tell me where he is,  
And for to fetch him back again,  
be sure I will not miss.   

What, Mary, than our Saviour said,  
dost thou lament for me?  
O Master, livest thou again?  
my soul doth joy in thee:  
O Mary, touch me not, he said,  
ere I have been above:  
Even with my God, the only God,  
and Father whom we love.   

And oftentimes did Christ appear,  
to his disciples all:  
But Thomas would not yet believe,  
his faith it was so small:  
Except that he might thrust his hand  
into the wound so wide,  
And put his finger where the Spear  
did pierce his tender side.   

Then Christ which knew all secret thoughts,  
to them again came he;  
Who said to Thomas here I am,  
as plainly thou mayst see.  
See here the hands which nails did pierce,  
and feel thou here my side:  
And be not faithless, O thou man,  
for whom these pains I bide.   

Thus sundry times Christ showed himself,  
when he did rise again:  
And then ascended he to Heaven,  
in glory for to reign:  
Where he prepares a place for those,  
whom he shall raise likewise,  
To live with him in heavenly bliss,  
above the lofty skies.    
FINIS.   

London, Printed for Francis Coules dwelling at the lower end of the Old Bayley.