A Proper New balad of the Bryber Geheste. Taken out of the fourth booke of Kinges the .v. Chapter.
To the tune of Kynge Salomon.
WAs not the Bryber Gehezie
Rewarded iustly of the Lord,
Which for example verelie,
The holie Scripture doth recorde
If this be true, as true it was,
Of his rewarde:
Why should not christan men alas,
Than haue regarde.
¶When that the Prophet Elizae
Had clensed from the Leprosie,
Naaman of Assiria,
Thorow the workes of God on hye:
Then Naaman wolde him constrame
To take rewarde:
But Elizae from that refrainde,
And had regarde.
¶But Gehezie of falsehed minde,
When Naaman did passe awaie.
Did hie him faste that was behinde,
And vnto Naaman did saie:
Beholde my master hath me sente
For a rewarde,
To Prophetes children he is bente
To haue regarde.
¶With right good will said Naaman,
Him to rewarde, and did proceede,
And Gehezie conuaide it then
So preuilie in verie deede,
For getting that the Prophete tho,
Of his, rewarde
Could by the sprite of God it knowe,
And haue regarde,
¶Alas how was thou Gehezie,
Rauished in worldy gaint?
How was thou brought to mizerie,
Of God appointed for thy paine,
And all thy of springe after thee,
For thy rewarde,
The Lorde that hateth Briberie,
Hath his regarde.
¶Then Gehezie deceitfulie
To fore the Prophet tooke his waie,
Who said to hime, o Gehezie,
Went not my harte with thee I saie,
When Naaman from Charret came,
Thee to rewarde:
And thou hast falselie hid the same,
without regarde.
¶(Gehezie) is it now a time
Thy bribes (he said) for to receaue?
Beholde for this thy wicked crime
That leproseie to thee shall cleaue,
The which was vpon Naaman,
For thy rewarde,
And to thy seede thee after than,
To haue regarde.
Incontinent then Gehezie
Departed from his presence so,
As the Texte doth verefie,
A Leper white as is the snowe,
Example to such bribers all,
To haue regarde,
With Geheziè at lengthe they shall
Haue their rewarde,
¶If they doe not their faultes confesse
Detestinge of their Bryberie,
Else God will spie ther wickednesse
Though they it cloke with Genezie:
And can them paie accordinglie,
The like rewarde,
As he hath done to Iehezie,
O haue regarde.
¶The Lord he is that same God still
That he was than vndoubtedlie,
Such Gehezies he punish will,
That Bribes receiue so wickedlie,
Though they so preuilie do hide
their false rewarde.
Yet of the Lorde it will be spide,
Who hath regarde.
¶O Lorde vs guide in all our waies
That we may leade our liues a right
to deale with trueth at all assaies,
Giue vnto vs thy holie sprite:
And that our Queene & her Councell
Maie haue regarde,
In this Lande Bribers to expell
that take rewarde.
¶Finis.
ꝙ. George Mell.
Imprinted at London in Fletestreate beneath the Conduit, at the signe of S. Iohn Evangelist, by Thomas Colwell.