1. Zacharias being an aged man,
Well stricken on in years,
The Angel Gabriel to him came,
And unto him appears,
And told him what the Lord had said:
In those his latter days
His barren wife should bear a son,
Which should his glory raise.
[Chorus].
Nowel, Nowel, Nowel, Nowel,
Nowel, Nowel, Nowel,
We may rejoice to hear the voice
Of the Angel Gabriel.
2. What sign, said he, wilt thou shew me,
That I should have a son?
The Angel said, till he be born,
Thou shalt be stricken dumb.
And presently his speech was gone,
A word he could not say;
Because of his great unbelief,
The same was taken away. [Chorus].
3. But when his wife was big with child,
Her cousin Mary came,
To visit her in friendly sort,
When she did hear the same:
And when she came before her sight,
Bearing our Heavenly King,
The tender Infant in her womb,
For very joy did spring. [Chorus].
4. But when the time of birth was come,
She was deliver'd then,
And, as the Angel did command,
His name was called John;
He did baptise both old and young,
That did before him stand;
And still he cried, Repent, Repent,
God's judgments are at hand. [Chorus].
5. His cloathing was of camels' hair;
Wild honey was his meat;
His dwelling was in wilderness,
As Scripture doth repeat;
Till that in prison at the last
He ended his mortal life,
Because he did reprove the King,
That took his brother's wife. [Chorus].