liking to their will For what is so enforced on us then We fall into dislike of growing men And being free and at full liberty More pleasing wayes unto our natures try Acquaint their growing minds with pleasing Stories Of vertues sweet rewards and highest glories But never vices in their presence name Without eternall infamy and blame Nor let them know how commonly they reigne Lest they to them a liking entertaine This will their minds to vertue elevate And make them vices loath detest and hate And if you finde their Natures do intend To any errours them to th' adverse bend As oft we bow young twigs clean opposite Of purpose onely for to set them right When you have sweetend thus their inclination Nothing improves it more than emulation Be it at Schoole or play they exercise Allure them with the glory of the prize Best minds have all this inbred quality To set their chief delight on victory Thus Prophets should good rules and precepts give By which they after do intend to live For so did Nathan with his blessed charge Who now conceiving he was set at large Removed from his awfull parents eye And freely left to his owne liberty Begins like Colt to run his full careare But Nathan him restraines with modest feare Yet not abridging him those sweet delights To which his tender pupillage invites He by the gentlest meanes him first inclin'd To sports that better Body might and mind And told and taught him all brave martiall Story To fill his limbs with strength and heart with glory An errour 't is in those that youth up train Them from sweet lively pleasures to restrain Licentious loosenesse is a foule extreme Between these two doth lye the golden mean They that our best and noblest horses breed Do let them run at liberty and feed Till they unto their height of strength be grown Then gently tam'd for services and shown Who to their Books too hardly youths constraine The heat draw from their stomack to the brain Them making heavie lumpish dull and slow And dry that moysture up should make them grow As Colts which at the first be over-toil'd Turn jades and are in every journey foil'd As fruit ripe in the morning rots ere noon Such is the fate of all that ripe too soon But such is not the fate of Solomon Though all his equalls are by him out-gone In learning riding any recreation He all transcends beyond all emulation These soon are past and now he sets his mind The highest wisdome only out to find Which Nathan finding shewes his utmost Art To season with Gods holy feare his heart The holiest heavenly precepts to instill Both to his understanding and his will Wherein this child not only doth outgo His equals but ev'n his great Master too So do we often see great God imparts To his Vice-gerents large and ample hearts By which they may more able be to lead And guide the people in their Makers stead You great ones that do subtilely project By meanes unjust and cruell to effect The things you aime at and oft-times in blood Of friends and allyes make your actions good That make no conscience by dissimulations To ruine Cities Families and Nations Though oft you passe unseen by mortall eyes He sits in heav'n that all your works descryes Conducing all your projects to those ends His goodnesse not your malice here intends Yea those pure spirits which are waiting still On earth his heav'nly pleasure to fulfill See all your windings and with grief behold Proud mortalls here so desperately bold Upon these fraile and brittle habitations To perpetrate so foule abhominations In sight of God of Angels and the Devill Who takes delight to see them work all evill Oh doe but make a true just estimation Of them that use such close dissimulation Survey their lives and you shall plainly see The best men have been open faire and free Deep Politicks faire vertues formes commend As most conducing to their aimes and end But hold the practice is an hinderance To all that great affayers would advance They Grace and Holinesse it self would seem Not to be so in deed but in esteem By false pretence of Goodnesse to do evill A Principle for Lucifer the Devill THE THIRD BOOKE Bathsheba bathing OH what a happy thing 't is to be bred Of godly Parents and well tutored Especially for Kings whose education Brings happinesse or ruine to a Nation Yea Subjects children bred too tenderly Infect a City Town or Family With lewd examples quickly followed By Prâ—cepts wee are dragg'd by Patterâ—s led Now David by too good experience Had prov'd what mischief comes by indulgence In breeding children Amnon grown so bold He might not by his Father be control'd For foulest incest Maachas Absolon Hath kill'd the Prince his brother and is gone Faire Thamar now remains more desolate By Amnons murther than his rape or hate Revenge that 's private lawlesse shedding bloud Without the Magistrate doth no man good The Murtherer in exile must remain Till Ioab comes to bring him home againe Who taking for 's Companion Abishai Lo thus begins discoursing on the way Many that are indeed or would seem wise And by the past of things to come surmise Do hold that in all bodies politick Diseases are as men are well or sick That rising Kingdomes periods have which past They like our bodies here decline and waste Till their last ruine and as bodies states Beginnings risings fallings have and dutes And sure 't is no hard matter to observe How states are healthfull thrive decline and sterve But he 's the Statist profitably wise That knows their sicknesses and remedies Be their disease in body feet or head By Prudence they may be recovered But he indeed is Master of his Art That keeps th' infection from the head and heart The King and Army for by these lo all Monarchs and Kingdomes flourish rise and fall And sure we seldome see a remedy Of such infection but Phlebotomy Nought more saith Abishai foments the rude Seditions of the giddy multitude Than those our wandring Levites discontent At Churches or the Kingdomes government Their reason why they are so disaffected Is that they think their gifts too much neglected That they are not assum'd yet able are The weight of government alone to beare And therefore new Church Orders will devise To make the people all the old despise And thus would bring into the peoples hate All ancient governours of Church and State Lo this disease now good experience finds Like plague of Leprosie infects the minds Of people and instilling close dislike Of Governours at Church and State does strike These seeme at first low on the ground to creep But soon they into Counsell Chambers peep Where though they dare not reach up at the Crown They all that are above them would pull down And if our Rulers negligence give way Whereby they may but seem to beare the sway They such strange Church-disorders will
like the tide And ever fall unto the stronger side Like drunken men they to and fro do reel And change as oft as Fortune turns her wheel I therefore do advise whilst thou dost stand In Grace with all the people of the Land For who is he that if thou dost but say Come to mine aid but will thy word obey Thou muster all the people in the Land From Dan even to Bersheba like the sand And that thou forth in person go to fight Thus will we come against him with such might And multitudes wee 'l set upon him all Thick as the dew upon the grasse doth fall And if he get within a walled Town We will with ropes pull all the City down Not â—uffering a stone upon a stone Of all his men we will not leave him one By these devices Hushai did refell The dangerous counsell of Achiâ—ophel Which though for best the Elders do approve Yet Hushai's more the King and people move Oh sure saith David God would thâ—s confound By weake the Counsels politicke profound He will me re-establish in my Throne And overthrow the plots of Absolon Lo Hushai shew'd himself a faithfull friend And brought to passe the thing we did intend But how did you these counsels understand Hushai saith Ionathan them out of hand Unto the Priests our fathers close convai'd Who gave us notice of them by a Maid I and Ahimaaz lay in a Well Neere to the City called En-Rogell To which a Maid as if she went for water Comes and enformeth us of all the matter Into the City durst we not adventure For no man might come out that in did enter Yet could we not this thing so closely hide But we were by a young-man both descri'd Who telling it to Absolon the King He servants sent us back again to bring But as we had before at En-Rogell So at Bahurim lay we in a Well Upon whose mouth a good old woman spred Ground Corn that so we might be covered And when the servants of King Absalom Inquir'd of her what was of us become Like that good Rahab which did hide the spies To save us she excuses did devise When therefore they had search'd and nothing found They back return'd we came out safe and sound And hasted hither thee this newes to bring That thou mightst know the danger of the King For who doth know but wise Achitophel May win thy son and men of Israel To take his counsell and thee follow fast Before that thou hadst over Iordan past Whilst Ionathan yet speakes one comes to tell Another project of Achitophel Who seeing Hushai's counsell highly priz'd And that his own though better was despis'd Rides hom on 's sadled Asse and in despight The King such Oracles profound should slight His house and family first ordered His dayes ev'n with a halter finished And was interred in his fathers grave Such end saith David wicked Traytors have Their worldly wisdom is to folly brought And with their breath their thoughts all com to nought This man that able was to rule a State His furious passions cannot moderate And he that for the publike was so wise Now like a wicked fool turns mad and dyes Thus whilst he strives for wisdomes highest roome He falls into extreamest follies doome This is the life of all and this their end That here on worldly wisdome do depend Wisdome and folly ay their life attend And them accompany even in their end They Cities can in peace and wealth maintain But let ther hearts be irreligious vain Their worldly states they like Achitophel Can order but their soules let hang in hell Vain wisdome that doth so our thoughts molest Abroad not caring what is in our brest Fond fool in order thus his house to set And both his soul and body to forget But Hushai's counsell now is followed And all the men of Israel mustered By Absolon in number like Sea-sands The foulest Treasons want no helping hands For as at first a little ball of snow By turning oft doth great and greater grow Till it unto so huge a heap doth rise There many dayes it after melting lies Ev'n so this Traitor who at first began With those two hundred men who with him ran To Hebrons sacrifice in time is grown To mighty heaps and multitudes unknown Who over Iordan now do passe with him Ev'n as the King comes to Mehanaim And now lo both these mighty armies lye In Gileads Plaines resolv'd the day to try Where Amasa by Absolon is made The Captain of the host in Ioabs stead But he that was expel'd from house and home By his own people and son Absolon Now findes abroad all duty and respect God never his doth finally neglect For as Gods Angels at Mehanaim met Good Iacob with his enemies beset Esau before his face Laban behind And ministred sweet comforts to his mind So there an host of men come to the King And earthen vessels Beds and Basins bring Beanes Barly Lentiles Flowre parcht Corn Wheat Cheese Hony Butter Sheep and Beeves to eat The son of that discourteous Ammonite That Davids Legates did so foule despight And Machir of Lodebar who was all Till lately to advance the house of Saul For there was lame Mephibosheth maintain'd Who sole of Ionathan alive remain'd With old Barzillai that rich Gileadite Where Ishbosheth so long maintain'd his right Did all these things abundantly supply To Princely David and his company For they were weary in the wildernesse Faint hungry thirsty and in great distresse Oh who doth know the happinesse of Rest And Peace but they whom civill warres infest Where beating of the Drums and Trumpets sounds Are like the dreadfull callings of the hounds When in the morning they the fearefull heare In open field do summon to appeare Who thinks each bush she sees stands to belay her And every one she meets comes to betray her Most direfull are th' effects of civill warres Where son of his own loynes no father spares Brother embrewes his hands in bloud of Brother And dearest friends do butcher one another One by an Engine bullets casts and stones Wherewith he breaks his wives and childrens bones Whilst they cast stones down from the City wall Which on their husbands head or parents fall Here servants for the duty which they owe Their masters pay them with a mortall blow And they are paid for wages from their master With broken pates which never need a plaster Here Kings whom duty bindeth to defend Their subjects seek their ruine and their end And subjects count it honour law and right Against their Soveraigns dreaded face to fight All is with horrible confusion fill'd Farmes uninhabited their Lands untill'd Their Kine whose Milk doth yeeld abundant food Suckle the hungry Souldiers with their bloud And Shepheards that the plaines all over stock Are glad to save their lives and lose their flock All Lawes are silent Armes do all in all And strongest put the weakest to the wall
must him raise Then Talmai rose and looking round about Perceiv'd that all his servants were gone out For well-bred Courtiers thought it no fit thing Uncall'd to heare the secrets of a King But soon as they their Master walking heare All in his presence readily appeare Where he commands them all they do their best To entertain his sonne so goes to rest THE SECOND BOOKE Ioab projecting OLd Israel did never so lament For Iosephs colour'd coat all bloody rent As David for his murdred first born Son And absence of his loved Absolon As when great Ioab trecherosly had slain Brave Abner by a false and subtil train So to revenge the blood of Asahel The King and all the Lords of Israel With garments torn and ashes on their head Lament and mourne for Abner lying dead So lowd did David weep that all might heare And followed unto the Grave the Beer So now the King and all his servants mourn For Amnons losse who never will return Yea Passions Davids reason so confound He all the day lyes sorrowing on the ground And though the Elders of his house and Peeres Perswade him to represse his grief and tears By all their prayers they cannot him intreat To rise up or refresh himself with meat Till Bathsheba out-leading Solomon Upon her hand bespeakes him thus alone Let thy great wisdome Gracious Soveraign Lord Descend to heare thy handmaid in a word Nor think O King as his Stepmother I Too lightly think of thy calamity Be sure I could a full proportion hold With thee in sorrow if that mourning could Thy first-borne Sonne to thee bring back again But ah alas such teares are spent in vain We may to him he cannot to us come Remember when thy first-born of my wombe Was with the sicknesse struck whereof it dyed How you besought the Lord and to him cryed If for our sin he would be reconcil'd And by thee be intreated for the child Thou all the night on earth laist without meat Nor could the Elders of thy house intreat Thee to sit up but when thou heardst 't was gone Thou didst arise and wash thy selfe and soon As thou with thine Gods house hadst visited Didst cheerfully refresh thy self with bread This was our patern then let it be now The same to thee thou mourned hast enough Then cease more to bewaile thy first-born Son And cheer thy self with little Solomon To whom yet in my womb God gave a name To shew that he should be a man of fame Then said the King My dearest Queen the light Sent from my God to guide me in the right Which seeing I allow yet go astray So Passion doth my Reason oversway Yet with good reason I may this lament Not as a losse but as a punishment Of Rape and Incest suffer'd in my Land For God is just and hath no partiall hand Affections divert Administration Of Iustice which is free from acceptation Of persons and doth at the head begin Greatnesse is no protection for sin To Amnon now as he deserv'd is done To save one I have lost another Son God us both justly to his Barre doth bring Him for the rape me for not punishing Not as if I the Murtherer excus'd Whose malice as an instrument God us'd Us unto judgement for our sinnes to call For God is just and we offenders all The Sunnes pure beames draw up from filthy soile The lees yet doth it self no whit defile So of our sinnes pure God oft makes good use Yet 's without sinne as we without excuse Oh God how wondrous are thy works throughout The world thy judgements all past finding out Shame unto us all praise to God is due For he is righteous and his judgements true Thus lauds he God whilst little Solomon Who newly able was to run alone And like a Pye or Parrat 'gan to chatter All sounds he heard though nothing to the matter More chear'd the King with pratling non-sense Then all his Courtiers studied eloquence And as young Davids Harp oft dispossest Saul of his evill spirit and him refresht So did this Parrats pretty melody Dispell the clouds of his melancholy And passions of grief to joy convert Nought more than children chear an old mans heart Oh blessed Child saith David in thy face I see a modell of all heavenly grace Thou shalt in wisdome wealth and power increase And be a King of happinesse and peace A Type of that great Prince of peace and rest In whom all Nations of the world are blest The God that alwayes dwelt with us in Tents Since Sinai thundred his Commandements Will be content t' abide within the frame Thou shalt erect to praise his holy Name Type of the Heav'n of Heav'ns which we live under The Nations glory and the earths great wonder To thee shall all the Nations Presents bring As to the highest and the wisest King As stones shall Silver in thy streets remaine And Cedars as wilde Fig-trees on the Plaine All Kings to heare and see thee shall desire But they that neerest come shall most admire To heare thy heav'nly Wisdome plaine expound The hardest Questions that they can propound Oh happy couldst thou keep upright thy heart But ah strange women do the best pervert â—o thus is Davids sad melancholy â—urn'd like Sauls hatred into prophesie â—s torrent swift which long his course hath held â—n sudden by immoderate showers fill'd â—reaks down the Banke and beares the ground away And finding new his former course doth stay But all these goodly hopes of Solomon Could not divert his love from Absolon Wherefore since Amnon could no more return He now takes comfort and begins to burn With such affection to Absolon That even to fetch him home he could have gone Which Ioab by some signes discovering A woman wise from Tekoa did bring In mourning-clothes with ashes on her head As if she had long mourned for the dead Who being well instructed in her part By Ioab thus begins to shew her Art She meeting David at set time and place Low to the ground falls down upon her face And cryes out help O King thy servant save Ah woman said the King what wouldst thou have I am saith she a woman widowed And live alone thy hand-maids husband's dead Who leaving me two sonnes whilst in the field Each strove with other both too stout to yeeld And there not being any nigh to part He that struck first was stricken to the heart So now he only doth to me remain Who in his fury hath his brother slain Happy yet were thy servant if I might Enjoy this onely Son my soules delight But all the kindred of my family In just revenge for brothers blood do cry Give us the heire to slay So they my light In Israel would ah me extinguish quite Not suffering this one man on earth alive Thine hand-maids husbands name here to revive The King by nature most affectionate With her in sorrow doth participate And saith go home good woman be
content Concerning thee I le give commandement But she repli'd againe my Lord and King The guilt of this iniquitie God bring Upon my Fathers family and me Thou and thy Throne of justice shall be free Good woman feare thou nothing said the King The man that speaks against thee hither bring And I will give him an expresse command Against thee never more to lift his hand Oh King saith she remember God thy Lord Nor suffer more the sharp revenging sword To forrage as it formerly hath done Lest as my first it slay my second son Now as the Lord doth live by whom we all Doe live from 's head this day no haire shall fall Yet said the woman I thine hand-maid pray Let me speake one word more the King said say Then said the woman Oh why should the King On us Gods chosen people evill bring For by the words the King hath uttered Thou plainly hast to us discovered That thou indeed art faulty oh my King That home thy banished thou dost not bring â—y Liege and Lord consider this thing well What danger 't is for Davids heire to dwell â—ut of the Kingdome and live banished â—ea with an Heathen King his life to lead â—or as pure water spilt upon the ground 〈◊〉 soon dryed up and can no more be found â—or is the scent and purity retain'd â—ut whilst in some pure glasse it is contain'd â—o people perish all without a head Or like so many Sheep are scattered But God who till this time hath him preserv'd Unto this people hath for good reserv'd And mov'd their hearts to wish at home againe Thy sonne that yet doth banished remaine And now I to the King these things have said Because I of the people was afraid Thus thought I let me speake unto my Lord 〈◊〉 may be he will heare his hand-maids word And be as gentle unto Absolon â—s to thine hand-maid and mine onely Sonne Whom thou hast saved from revenging hand That me and him would pluck out of the Land I thought if to preserve a family Thou wouldst not let the sword my sonne destroy Thou mightst do much more for the Kingdomes peace And for Religions wealth and strength's increase For as an Angel God hath given thee skill To heare and judge aright of good and ill And therefore since the Act of this my Son Is one with thine God make thy judgement one The King repli'd good woman I desire Hide not from me the thing which I require Tell Is not Ioabs band with thee in this Ah good my Lord the King said she it is I will not leave the truth on either hand For thou O King wilt soon it understand Thy servant Ioab to my mouth convei'd Even all the words which I thine hand-maid said That by their circumstance my Soveraigne might Without affection see and judge aright And not the peoples and our wishes crosse For Absolons offence or Amnons losse Therefore oh King as now thou hast been wise For to discover all we could devise And as Gods Angel here dost all things know So by that wisdome all things wisely do Thus ends the woman when to Ioab so The King begins as thou wilt all must go This thou projected hast it shall be done Go haste and fetch the young-man Absolon Then Ioab falling down upon his face Gave humble thanks for this so high a grace Oh King saith he what grace hast thou exprest In yeelding to thy servants bold request And now thought Ioab with this simulation To make at once an utter supplantation Of Bathshebes projecting for her Son By bringing back from Geshur Absolon Such is mans nature ay with envious eye To view our equals rais'd to dignity And would more willingly though with more danger Than to their own be subject to a stranger But Bathshebe perceiving his designe As prudently did worke her counter mine And to the Prophet straight her self applyes They best direct that first with God advise And thus begins Good Prophet seest thou not How cruell Ioab cunningly doth plot To bring in grace again proud Absolon And ruine utterly my Solomon What then shall all those prophesies betide Which have by thee of him been propheside If Ioabs craft against us may prevail Ah help Gods promises do never fail Madame saith Nathan they shall ay endure And like the Mountaines stable stand and sure The Goat shall easelier dive into the deep And Dolphin up to top of Mountains creep Than earthly powers Gods promises with-stand What 's arme of flesh against his mighty hand Mens subtill windings close dissimulations Are even as vain as their imaginations Turn'd by his power and wisdome to those ends And purposes his goodnesse here intends God works not here by likely meanes as man What he is pleas'd to will he alwayes can By causes he sometimes oft times without Against all causes brings he things about All things are wrought according to his will They happy who it cheerfully fulfill And voluntary Agents do their best Upon his goodnesse faithfully to rest Experience forbids us to distrust Th' Almighty as unable or unjust All Sauls projectings David to keep down Were but as steps to raise him to the Crown The more deliverances the more his praise No keeping down whom God intends to raise Good Nathan saith the Queen no eloquence Instructs us like our owne experience I now delight not to recount my story Mine be the shame I give to God the glory From bed of sinne which did me wel-nigh smother He rais'd me up to be the happie mother Of such a child whose wise and potent hand Should sway the Scepter of this holy Land And be to all succeeding generations Our glory and the astonishment of Nations Lo Nathan I have bred him in my wombe And suckel'd at my brests till hee 's become Of Learning capable Now I him bring To thee to be instructed like a King Madame saith Nathan 't is the best of Arts To give right rules to children for their parts For as of other things so of man-kind In youth the time is to instruct the mind What liquor they be season'd with they hold To middle age yea even when they are old Then as the yeelding tender twigs in field Contented are to husbands hand to yeeld And as it gently them directs do grow Up towards Heaven or to the ground below So Tutors may their minds depresse or raise To base desires or thoughts deserving praise Sweet Manna only did with morning last Soon as the Sun grew hot the time was past This is the time true vertues seeds to sow That they with them in strength may thrive and grow And not discern grown up to middle stature â—f they be thus by precept or by nature First be they taught their Parents to revere Distemper lying and deceit to feare To have Gods dreadfull Name in reverence For hope of good and feare of punishments On them yet this inforce not but instill It gently with good
teach Where now dumb Priests have all that never preach Your great ones now do only stand for show And them that beare the burthens keep full low Thus peoples itching eares the Rebell feasts By rayling on their Governors and Priests A trite and common way to palliate Rebellion to traduce the present State That makes the people 'gainst their Rulers rise The rude and ignorant against the wise This makes the commons side against the Peeres The worst of ills the utmost of our feares But now the more t' encourage you to fight We war against the broken Ammonite Whom late you did with Sawes and Harrows teare And now aids David not for love but feare Barzillai that rich ancient Gileadite Who comes with wealth not power to the â—ight And Machir of Manasses who do bring Great store of wealth and victualls to the King Will adde but little honour to the day But they will wondrously increase the prey For since the Tribes on Iordans other side Stand for our right and these from us divide Well may we all their goods and Cattels take And preys of all their Towns and Cities make This oily speech of his did frame the heart Of most of all his Souldiers to his part â—ut most those that by warres hop'd for increase And more than death did feare a needy peace But th' Armies now on both sides draw so neere They each to other terrible appeare Neere to Mehanaim there is a Wood Ignobled for much losse of Hebrewes blood Where when as Ammon war proclaimed had Against th' Inhabitants of Gilead And nothing his ambition would suffice But all the Land that over Iordan lyes Lo valiant Ieptha commeth to their aid And all their foes in open field dismaid Which Ephraim bold taking in foule despight That Ieptha without them should go to fight Him challeng'd openly upon the plain Where all are put to flight that were not slain And taking Iordans passages beneath Slew all that could not utter Shiboleth In this Wood Ioab rather chose to train And ranke his men than on the open plain For seeing's foes did two to one abound He took th' advantage of a narrow ground But Absolon most eager of the fight Presuming on his number force and might Calls out My friends brave courage on our side The Cowards in the Woods themselves do hide Should they our numbers see in open field Their courages and hearts would fail and yield You fight not now with men but chase the Hind Which we in bushes woods and thickets find This said the Trumpets sound they give the sign The Armies meet and both in battail joyn The Rebels Host o're all the plain are spread The Kings was close compact well ordered Both meet so close they leave no little space Mens bodies against bodies fill the place Swords against swords a Speare against a Speare Some kill and some are kill'd no sparing there In such close ranks there is no choise at all They victors are that stand they dye that fall The ecchoing woods rebound with shouts and cryes Of wounded men and shriekes of such as dyes Yet clashing of mens Armes yeeld such a sound That it doth all the other noise confound No man his help lends to his neerest friend To save his life or haste his wished end In heat of Battails ay the gentlest brest Is as remorslesse as the cruellest But now the Kings two wings give back to train Their foes in compasse of the Battail main And other close ambushments in the Wood By Ioab laid to make his party good Where stakes pits thickets trees wild beasts conspire To pay rebellious Traytors duest hire Lo here a company unwares do fall Into some cover'd pit are drowned all Here one doth seek the enemies sword to shun And to the pawes of cruell Beasts doth run Here one puts on his â—ourser fresh and free And his own brains knocks out against a Tree One seeking to avoid the cruell push Of sharper Pike is hanged in a bush All had ill footing but who ere did fall Was certain to be trodden down of all Here is a quagmire where some sticking fast Their fellowes following tread them in for hast One leanes against a Tree to take his breath And lo a Serpent stinâ—s him to the death Here is a Ditch in which so many fall It now is fill'd the rest passe over all Thus by the Wood more perish than the Sword Such help the Heavens to Traytors ay afford But whilst before his Host the Rebells fall The King falls to his Armes spirituall For like to Children then we come to God When we lye underneath our Masters Rod. Oh God judge thou my cause saith he do right Against my foes with whom I now do fight I never them offended to this houre And yet they all my soul seek to devoure Shall they escape thus with their wickednesse Nay thou O Lord shalt bring them to distresse But now I pray 'gainst him whom most I love Oh therefore had I wings ev'n like a Dove Then would I flye away and be at rest Untill these stormy winds and tempests ceast When lo the watch-man lifting up his eyes One running to the City-ward espies Which he as suddenly tells to the King Oh sure saith David he doth tidings bring Ah saith the watchman I a second see Come running but know not who it should be But lo the first oh King doth seem to run Like to Ahimaaz old Zadocks son Ah! saiâ—h the King he ay good newes doth bring Who lo then comes and saith All 's well O King God blessed be who now hath set thee free And giv'n unto thy hands thine enemy But oh saith David is the young-man well My Lord saith he Ioab and Israel Prevailed in the field against â—hy son Before I came away the field was won But when he me and Cushai to thee sent I tumults saw but knew not what they meant Then turn aside saith David stand by here Till Cushai with his tidings doth appeare Then Cushai comes and tidings cryes O King God on thy foes doth all their mischief bring He hath aveng'd thee on thine enemies And all that up against my Lord do rise But ah saith David how is 't with my son So be 't saith Cushai unto every one That up against my Lord the King doth rise As Absolon be all thine enemies When as the Rebels first before us fled And Ioab and thy servants followed The young-man post upon a Mule did ride Under an Oake whose armes dispreaded wide When lo his haire which he weares somewhat long Was so intangled in the boughs among The Mule not staying but still putting forth There left him hanging 'twixt the heaven and earth Which when a Souldier saw he Ioab told Who thus repli'd couldst thou him there behold And yet forbeare to smite him to the ground For which thou shouldst no small reward have found Ah saith the man though thou to me shouldst give A thousand
and Silver Vessels to the King Which all together with a mighty masse Of Gold and Silver Vessells and of brasse The spoiles of all these Nations related Are to our Temples structure dedicated And as he did abroad a victor raign At home he right and judgement did maintain Israel was never better kept in order Seraiah Scribe and Iosaphat Recorder The Kings own sons your chiefest Rulers are The chiefest Priests I and Abiathar God and the King unto this place did chuse us Which of you for wrong dealing can accuse us But seeing you are not of Iudah all But some of Benjamin and house of Saul Which Tribes are so neer neighbors and allide We hardly one from th' other can divide Give me but leave to render an account How he in benefits doth you surmount When Saul and 's sons on Gilboas Mount were slain How did he for their deaths lament and plain Especially for Ionathan his brother Was ever any friend more kind to other How were the men of Iabesh honoured Who Saul and his sons bones had buried Did ever any of Sauls kindred dye By David for revenge or jealousie How did he Abners losse lament and plain The Traytors that slew Ishbosheth were slain And lame Mephibosheth who here now stands Hath he not given thee all thy Fathers Lands Wert thou not like a Prince serv'd with his meat Drank of his cup and at his Table eate Though Ziba did thee trecherously disgrace The King will sure restore thee to thy place Could ever any Prince do more to win His Subjects hearts yet should I now begin His merits all not mention'd to recite I could not reckon up them all by night But these are all but favours temporall Ah! what are his sweet Hymnes spirituall Whose every letter tittle point and line Have each their sense sweet mysticall divine Ev'n as our souls desire like to the past Of heavenly Manna to the spirituall tast By which the soulâ—s with â—at and marrow fed As bodies were by Manna cherished They over all your Tents like Quailes dispread That weakest stomacks might be comforted But ah no tongue but his can rightly sing The heavenly praises of this holy King Shew me his like in all Antiquity For valour wisdome justice piety Yet won by shews and grosse dissembling You for a Traytor have dismiss'd this King What Nation is so barbarous and rude But will condemne such base ingratitude If in these errours you shall still remain And do not haste to bring him back again Thus doth this grave high Priest to them divine Like winged heavenly holy Seraphine And bows the hearts this elocution can Of all the men of Iudah as one man When suddenly arose a murmuring And all cry out aloud the King the King All inly mov'd each looks upon his brother And ready are to follow one another When one breakes forth and him they follow all And leave good Zadock preaching to the wall So have I seen a goodly heard of Steeres Deep stung in Autumns heat by flyes and breers With tailes erect all follow after one None knowing whither nor for what they run Scarse from Mahanaim passed was the King When Legates this Ambassage to him bring The men of Iudah comming are amain Their King home to his house to bring again Lo they are all say they upon the way And therefore he makes haste that very day To Gilgall where they all in order stood All prest to ford him over Iordans flood Shimei that curst the King going out mourning A thousand helps now brings to his returning And Ziba servant of Sauls family With twenty servants him accompany All these with readinesse attend the King And all things needfull to his passage bring When Shimei thus let not my Lord begin Now to impute or call to mind the sin I did commit against my Lord the King When thou wentst forth I now abhorre the thing Thy servant doth acknowledge his offence And to redeem his former insolence Doth hither first of Iosephs house descend Thee homeward to thy City to attend Faine Abishâ—i would have his neck disjoynted Because that he had cursed Gods annoynted But David much offended doth reply Shall any man this day in Israel dye This day I Israels King am made again And therefore sweare no Shimei shall be slain And now Mephibosheth the King doth meet That never cut his beard nor washt his feet Nor chang'd his rayment from the day the King Went out till they him home in peace did bring To whom the King Mephibosheth ah why Iâ— exile had I not thy company Who thus replyes Ziba oh King deceav'd Thy servant and me of mine Asse bereav'd For soon as he did understand that I Resolved was thee to accompany And therefore him commanded to provide Mine Asse in readinesse whereon to ride He led the Beast away that should me beare And me accus'd of treason in thine eare But thou my Lord well knowst thy servant's lame And never merited so foule a blame Lo as Gods Angell thou art just and wise Do therefore what good seemeth in thine eyes For I and all my Fathers family Were but as dead when thy benignity Thy servant did at thine own Table place I ask no more but still to see thy face No more saith David I all understand With Ziba as before divide the land Let him his sons and servants till the ground The profits to Mephibosheth redound Let him saith he both land take and increase Now I do see my Lord return'd in peace Barzillai had the King accompani'd From Rogelim to Iordans other side And sent the Kiâ—g provision every day Whilst with his Host he at Mahanaim lay For he was wondrous rich and very old But comely and most gracious to behold Faine would the King this good old man have led To his own house and at his Table fed But he replyes Alas how long have I My Lord to live let me go home and dye Thy servant now full foure score years hath past And in his meat and drink discernes no taste I cannot heare the voyce of 〈…〉 Why should I be a burthen to th◠〈…〉 Now thou art over Iordan God 〈◊〉 guard Why shouldst thou me requite with such reward Let me return to mine own quiet bed And in my parents grave be buried My son thy servant Chimham he shall go With thee to whom even what thou pleaseâ— do Well said the King I do accept thy son What thou desirest for him shall be done And for thy self what ever thou require I shall be glad to answer thy desire Thus did the King with many thanks dismisse The good old man and parted with a kisse Barzillai home returns to take his ease The King comes to Hierusalem in peace FINIS Imprimatur THO. WEEKES R. P. Lond. Cap. domest Errata FOl. 3. l. 9. read Jesraelite fol. 18. l. 5. b. read l. 12. b. read mad fol. 52. l. 10. b. read fair 〈◊〉