masters sonne I giue both vineyard fieldes and all Therfore thou the men with thée do husband wel the ground That foode for Micahs maintenance with plentie may be found For now thy lord Miphiboseth shall eate his bread with me As though he were one of my sonnes and be no charge to thée Now after this it so befell king Ammon for to dye A friend of Dauids in distresse that shewd him curtesye Wherfore he thought it reason good to recompence his sonne In this respect for that he had his raigne but new begonne And therevpon an Embassy to this yong king he sent To comfort him in heauynes and for no worse intent His Lords and his Nobilitie suspected Dauids men And therfore came vnto the king and said vnto him then What dost thou thinke that Dauid doth intend to thée none ill Or to thy father that he doth this honour of good will His meaning is thy land strength to search with priuy spies And thervpon with might and maine thy kingdome to surprise The king gaue credite to their talke and thought it verely And therevpon deuised how to worke them villany And so for spite and open shame to Dauid and his land The one halfe of their beards he shaues lets the other stand And did their garments all to cut accordingly with tooles Hard to the buttocks of the men and sent them home like fooles When Dauid heard this misdemeane he willed some to go And méete his mē who were ashamd that any should thē know So they abode at Iericho vntill their beards were growen And then returning home agayne it was no farther knowen This spite could Dauid not digest for ought that they could doo But sought reuenge by open warre and did performe it too The next yere Zibba to besiege he sent his souldiours prest But he within Ierusalem abode and tooke his rest It chaunced so that on a time with some delightfull sightes He walkt vpon his house aboue to recreate his sprites Where he a passing goodly wight espied from aboue As she was bathing of her selfe with whom he fell in loue And thervpon he sent his man and bad him word to bring What was her name whose wife she was eury other thing Word was returnde t was Bethsabe and one Vrias wife Who in the warfares of his grace was ventring of his life He sent for her and when she came his heart was so inflamd With her to ioyne in filthynes he nothing was ashamd And she returning to her house by Dauid thus defilde Did send him word of certentie howe that she was with childe Then Dauid to auoyde the crime which he apparant saw Deuised meanes her to defende from rigour of the law To Ioab straight he did dispatche a post and bad him tell That he should send Vrias home to make the matter well And when Vrias came before the presence of the king And had discoursed of the warres and eury other thing The king did will him to go home and with his wife to rest To washe his féete and recreate him selfe as he thought best Vrias tooke his leaue and home as Dauid thought he went Who for his seruice in the warres a recompence him sent But yet in déede Vrias did not moue one foote away But for that night before his gates vpon the grounde did stay Which thing when Dauid knew he askt what was the cause why He went not home vnto the house with his wife did ly And rest him there a while with her and eke his friends among Untill he had refresht him selfe vpon his iourney long Vrias said our soueraigne Lord the Arke of Israel The tribes of Iuda they also in tentes and boothes do dwell My Capteine Ioab with his men in open fieldes they lye Abiding hard aduentures there in wether wet and drye And shall I now go to my house there for to eate and drinke And haue the pleasure of my wife I did it neuer thinke I make an oth euen by thy life and by thy soule O king So long the Arke doth lye abrode I will not do this thing Then Dauid wild he should remayne and tary one day mo And on the morow should haue leaue for to depart and go That night he made Vrias dronke him to prouoke thereby To haue a minde vnto his wife and with her for to ly But as before so now agayne vpon the grounde he lay And would not go vnto his house what euer he did say Upon the morow Dauid wrote to Ioab his intent Which lettor sealed surely vp he by Vrias sent The summe wherof was onely this he should Vrias trayne Unto some péece of seruice there where that he might be slayne Which thing of Ioab béeing done and Dauid thereof tolde He thought him selfe now safe inough that he might be bolde Then sent he for the woman home and she became his wife But God was very sore displeasd with this his sinfull life Now Dauid béeing wrapt in sinne the Lord his Prophet sent Who did propose this parable to make him to repent Two men quod he vpon a time within one towne did dwell The one but poore the other God had blessed very well The rich man had excéeding store of cattell oxe and shéepe The poore man had in all the world but one poore lamb to kéepe Which he had fostred brought vp with him from day to day Till it grew vp and with his babes gan pleasantly to play It eate and dranke with him at home and in his bosome slept And as a daughter deare to him he causde it to be kept Unto the rich mans house there came a straunger as a gest Of all his shéepe he would not let so much as one be drest But tooke the poore mans lambe away who had no mo but one And so prepard it for his gest and let his owne alone The king was moued with this talke and grew in choler than And thought no payne or punishment to much for suche a man. And made an oth that vnreuengd that man should neuer go But should fourefold repay to him whom he had wronged so Thou art said he the very man euen thou thy selfe art he The Lord therfore hath bid me come and say thus much to thée He made thée king of Israel and of his people all And did also deliuer thée out of the hand of Saul And gaue to thée thy masters house and eke his wiues also And gaue thée Iuda Israel and might haue giuen thée mo Why hast thou thē so soone forgot the Lord his power might And fearing not what great offence thou dost before his sight Thou hast Vrias murdered and spoild him of his wife And thinkest now by marying her to cloke thy sinnefull life From thée therfore from thy house the sword shall not depart And thou shalt sée féele those plagues rue thē with thy hart And furthermore he will stirre
two wiues the one a Iezralite The other Nabals wife that was the welthy Carmalite He tooke the men also with him that of his troubles felt Who with their housholds al within the towne of Hebron dwelt Then came the men of Iuda forth to him with one accorde And did annoynt him for to be their king and soueraigne lorde And told him of the faithfulnes of Iabes done of late In burying Saul as did become a prince of high estate Then Dauid sent Ambassadours the Iabites to commende For their great loue and kindnes shewd to Saul at his last ende The Lord quod he do blesse you all with mercy for your fact And I will do the like to you for this your godly act Therfore now let your hands be strong turne your hearts to me For Saul is dead Iuda hath me chose their king to be So Iuda onely claue to him the rest of Israel To Isboseth the sonne of Saul they stacke to him aswell Now Dauid Ioab did appoynt his generall to bée And Isboseth did Abner choose his men to ouersée The wars betwéene these houses two increased more more But Dauid had the stronger hande the other weakned sore For Abner went from Isboseth vpon displeasure take And with king Dauid secretly a faythfull bande did make And Michol he brought home agayne the kings beloued wife Whom Psaltiel did neuer touche by way of spotted life But or he could the rest all bring about effectually He was by Ioab murdered and that most Iudasly Which sore agréeued Dauids heart as one that giltles was Of Ioabs shamefull wicked act which he had brought to passe Wherfore to Ioab then he wisht that for his small regard Both blood and plagues on him his might fal for his rewarde And that he should go with the rest bring the coarse to graue In sackcloth in mourning wede he straite cōmandemēt gaue Him selfe all full of heauynes with sad and heauy chéere Came after Abner as he went euen next vnto the béere And as they layd him in the graue according in Hebron The king and people all they wept to sée the earth put on But Dauid mourned most of all since treason did him kill And knowing that by natures course he might haue liued still Now when the people came to feast as they were wont to do At burials the king to eate they could not bring vnto By that they knew that Abners death the king had neuer ment But Ioabs grudge did worke it out without the kings consent It so befell that Baana and Rechab sought the way How they their lord king Isboseth might craftely betray The meane was this they faynd thē selues gret marchants for to bée Came to the pallace of the king his corne grayne to sée Where they by chaunce found him a sléepe slue him as he lay Upon his bed brought from thence his head with them away To Hebron where king Dauid was and sayd beholde and sée Here is the head of Isboseth thy mortall enemie For through the might that god hath giuen in working of this déede Thou art auenged both of Saul also of his séede Then Dauid sayd vnto the men that brought to him the head As truely as the Lorde doth liue ye are as good as dead As you do now so one did once Sauls death to me report And made account such newes as those should please me in like sort And looked for some great reward for the good newes he brought But al the matter went awry agaynst his meane and thought For he was slayne and put to death for his most wicked prank And so he lost both life and all his labour and his thanke So shall the wickednes of you which haue the righteous slayne Upon his bed be recompencd with blood for blood agayne Then hauing féete and hands cut off for eury man to sée Were hanged ouer Hebrons poole as other felons be As for the head of Isboseth the kings good pleasure wilde It should in Hebron be entombd with Abner that was kilde Then came the Tribes of Israel to Dauid flockingly As to their king and soueraigne lord with him to liue and dye So béeing now the lorde and king of all the Israelites He gat him to Ierusalem and to the Iebusites Who bragging much vpon their hold of Sion where they dwelt By force of armes he wanne the same as many of them felt The Philistines now hearing tell of Dauids power and might Came to the vale of Raphaim agaynst him for to fight Who then demaunded of the Lorde to know his will therein And whether that the Philistins or he should honour win Go vp sayd God and linger not while they be in thy lande For I assuredly will giue them all into thy hande So Dauid went him forth and came to Baal Perazim Where that he smote the Philistines as God had said to him Then gan he say O Lorde my God thou hast mine enemies all Deuided them as waters do deuide them when they fall The Philistines for hast do leaue their Idols all behinde And Dauid and his men do burne as many as they finde Yet once agayne the Philistines came forth to fight with him And brought their armie whole into the vale of Raphaim Now compasse thē behinde said God watch thē well when They come against the Mulbery trées the onset giue you then So Dauid then obeying God a conquest did obteine From Geba vnto Gazer towne the Philistines were slayne Soone after this the king prepard to fet the Arke of God With thirty thousand chosen men of Israel and od And so out of Ierusalem he went his men with him To set and bring away the Arke from Kiriath Iarim And that he set with carefull héede vpon a Charret new And from Abinadab his house he decently it drew Two of his sonnes draue forth the same Vza and Ahio The one before thother behinde the Chariot did go The king and all the Israelites made melody and played Triumphantly before the Lorde as they the Arke conuayed But when the king did sée the hande of God on Vza light And strike him dead because he toucht the Arke that wēt not right He was aferd and durst not séeme to driue it as before But left it Edom for to kéepe till he had learned more Where it remaynd about thrée months wherby both him his The Lord of hoasts with great increase abundantly did blis Then was it tolde to Dauid how the Lord had Edom blest And all his house since that the Arke of God had bene his gest Then Dauid went and brought the Arke of God frō him away With all the triumph and the ioy that could be had that day For as the Leuites bare the Arke and had sixe paces gone An Oxe and eke a fatted beast was offred vp alone And Dauid daunst before the Arke as it was driuen there And had a linnen Ephod
grieue thée not but tary here and bide at home with me Now when as Dauid vnderstoode of Ammons wicked part Which he with Thamar did commit it grieud him to the heart And Absalon bare it in minde although he nothing sayde But thought to haue a iust reuenge when al the wind was layde Now after two yeres runne and past it chaunced Absalon To sheare his shéepe and did inuite his brothers eury one The king with smiling countenaunce he did inuite also That with his sonnes for company might please him for to go Not so my sonne quod he agayne thine offer is too large All may not go least that we should put thée to too much charge Yet Absalon requested sore and lay vpon him still But he would not and yet he gaue him thanks for his good wil. Then Absalon pretending loue to Ammon did intreate That he might go for company more then for any meate So many néedes not said the king thou shalt be but opprest Yet since thou wilt our pleasure is that he go with the rest Now Absalon had giuen a charge vnto his wayting men When Ammons heart was most in mirth to fal vpon him then And so they slue him at the borde the rest were all agast Who rose and gat them to their mules and fled away in haste Then tidings came vnto the king how Absalon had slayne All Dauids sonnes which he aliue should neuer sée agayne Wherat the king his garments tore and to the ground he fell His men amazd and what to do not one of them could tell Then Ionadab sayd to the king let not my lord suppose That they haue slaynè the yong men all the rumor falsly goes But Ammon this my lorde is true thine eldest sonne is dead For that in heart of Absalon was long determined Because his sister he misusde and did such shamefull wrong And therfore thought to haue reuenge though he deferd it long Therfore my lorde I thinke may well assure him selfe of this He shall his sonnes all safe receiue and none but Ammon mis. It was not long as Ionadab had sayd but they came thither And told the newes and did lament the king and they together But Absalon was fled and sought assurance to procure And thrée whole yeres with Thalmai king remained safe sure The heart of Dauid somewhat lay to Absalon his sonne Which Ioab saw and did inuent a way to haue him wonne Which was a certaine witty wench well spoken in her speach Should mourningly come to the king and humbly him beseach To graunt a pardon to her sonne which had his brother kild As they by great misfortune were a fighting in the field In fine the king smelt well inough her talke and her intent And asked her if Ioabs head did not thereto consent She said t was true yet quit her selfe so well before her lorde That by her meanes fayre Absalon was home agayne restord Who falling downe before the king he openly him kist In token that all former things were quite and cleane remist But Absalon soone after this ambitiously began For to prepare him selfe a king with Charrets horse and man Alluring eury where abrode the people as he met With fawning spech so that they gan on him their harts to set When he the hearts of Israel from Dauid had withdrew To him he goes and frames a tale and not a worde was true The summe was this Such time as he in Gesur did remayne He made a vow if euer that he should come home agayne He would serue God accordingly his sute therfore is now He might to Hebron go with leaue and satisfie his vow The king was very well content So he did then depart And wrought such treason as was hid within his hollow hart And being there foreslows no time but sends throughout the land To all the Tribes of Israel by writing of his hande That whē they hard the trūpet blow thē ech mā should accord That Absalon of Hebron soyle should be the king and lord Yet many of a simple heart with Absalon went out Not knowing of his treason wrought nor what he went about But through the feare and counsell of Achitophel thereto They were perswaded for to ioyne and do as others do For he was very popular and bore a mighty sway And by his meanes to Absalon great strength grew eury day Then Dauid being certified how that all Israel Did ioyne them selues with Absalon and eke Achitophel Did will his men for to prepare them selues vnto the flight For other meanes he knew of none for to escape his might Make hast quod he least that they come vpon vs vnawares And smite the Citie with the sword to bring it full of cares They said to him what ere thou shalt thy seruants poynt vnto With all our harts and minds we are most ready prest to do Then went he forth with all his folks saue that he let remayne Ten Concubines to kéepe the house while that he came agayne So going from Ierusalem vnto a certayne place One Ithai with all his men did folow him apace And when the king saw Ithai he said vnto him thus O Ithai my faithfull friend why commest thou with vs Returne vnto Ierusalem and with the king abide For thou art but a straunger here do for thy selfe prouide Thou camst but yesterday my friend should I disquiet thée I am not sure nor know what ill or good may hap to mée Therfore returne both thou and al thy souldiours and be gone The mercy and the truth of God be with you eury one As truely as the Lord doth liue quod Ithai agayne I will not hence nor yet dpart but with my lorde remayne For in what place the king shal be to venture life or death There will thy seruaunt eke appeare so long as he hath breath Come on said Dauid let vs go we will not here abide So went he foorth with Ithai and all his men beside The countrey wept all as they went the people mourned sore To sée the king so passe in feare the brooke of Cedron ore Then Sadoch with the Leuites came out of Ierusalem Unto king Dauid where he was brought the Arke with them Who would it not as then receiue but bad that Sadoch should Go set it in his place agayne let him do what he could For if the Lord do fauour me hée le bring me home agayne And set mine eyes vpon the Arke and Tabernacle playne But if the Lord do playnly say I haue to thée no lust Then let him worke on me his will for he I know is iust In secret sort then Dauid said to Sadoch whom he knew To be a very secret priest and faythfull wise and true Returne thou and Abiathar you and your sonnes also And in the Citie there remayne till we do further know And I will tary in the fields within the wildernes Untill I reape some friendly fruite of
fight within the wood of Ephraim Where Dauids hoast a slaughter made of twenty thousand meÌ„ That tooke the part of Absalon agaynst his father then And by the wood and such mishaps as in the wood did light As many did miscary as did perish in the fight And Absalon when that he could not make his party good With Dauids men was put to shifts and fled into the wood Where he was hanged by the heare vpon an Oken bow His horse was gone and to vnloose him selfe he knew not how A man of Dauids riding by and chauncing him to sée Tolde Ioab how that Absalon was hanging on a trée And why quod Ioab didst not thou dispatche him at a blow Ten sicles should be thy reward if thou hadst done but so I do quod he much more the kings commaundement regarde Then all the sicles which thou wouldst giue me for my reward For if to me were giuen so much as any house could fill Yet would I not stretch out my hand king Dauids sonne to kill For I did heare vnto his men when he did say thus much Beware ye hurt not Absalon nor yet the yong man tutch â—nd if I had I know full well it would haue cost my life Yea thou thy self wouldst first of al haue slayne me with thy knife Then Ioab saide I may not here with thée thus trifling stande â—nd so he gat him forth apace with thrée dartes in his hande â—nd thrust them into Absalon as he came vnderneath â—nd other ten did lay him on as long as he did breath Then Ioab blew his trompet vp the people for to spare â—nd pitied them for that he saw how they seduced were The bloody corps of Absalon they threw into a pit â—nd layde thereon an heape of stones to be a marke for it To Ioab came Ahimaaz he knowing of this thing â—et me quod he I pray thée go with newes vnto the king Thou art no man quod he agayne this tidings now to beare Thou shalt therby displeasure get as I do greatly feare But Ioab said to Chusai go thou and tell the king Of this conflict and make report of this and eury thing He thanked him with reuerence and as a ioyfull man Departed thence with his dispatche and vnto Dauid ran Ahimaaz to Ioab said I pray thée hartely That I may at this time also runne after Chusai And why quod Ioab wilt thou run it is not worth thy payne For neither thanks nor yet reward thou shalt receiue agayne Well what so ere befall quod he yet let me go I pray If thou quod he wilt néedes be gone I will not say thée nay Ahimaaz a nearer way had found and ranne so fast That he gat ground of Chusai although he came out last Now as the king sate in the gate euen of Mahanaim With other mo such as he had appoynted there with him The watchman watching ore the gate at last he spied one Where he came forth apace apace and running al alone With that the watchman cryed downe and tolde it to the king Who said it was some person sent him tidings for to bring The watchman sawe one other come and thereof gaue a signe Who said it is some messenger with newes of me and mine The watch againe said to his grace me thinke the formost man Doth séeme to me as though it were Ahimaaz that ran The king which had experience of his fidelitie Gan say he is a godly man and wisheth good to me Then came Ahimaaz and said to thée O king be peace That many dayes and yeres thy life in honour may increase And falling downe vnto the earth he saith the God of might Be blessed now and euermore which puts thy foes to flight And shuts them vp into thy hande as birds within a net That now I trust my lord the king securitie shall get But is the yong man Absalon quod he all safe and well Ahimaaz said somewhat then but would not playnly tell When Ioab bad thy seruaunts come both Chusai and me I can no more but thus much say a tumult did I sée Well quod the king then stand aside turning him he stayde And therevpon came Chusai and thus to him he sayde Good newes my lord good newes I bring the rebels of thy land Which rose agaynst my lord the king are fallen into thy hand But is the yong man Absalon quod he all safe and sounde Both he and his confederates lye dead vpon the grounde Then was the king so much agréeud that vp on foote he stept Into his chamber where alone for Absalon he wept And béeing but vpon the steppes his teares for griefe burst out O Absalon my sonne my sonne resounding round about Would God quod he with sobbing voyce for thée I might haue dyed O Absalon my sonne my sonne still blubbering he cryed Then was it vnto Ioab tolde how Dauid much bewaylde The death of Absalon his sonne which nothing him auaylde Whereby the day of victorie when they intended most To haue reioyced did become a mourning to the hoast The people went and stole away as men in daungers déepe Do flye in battell and bethinke where they may safely créepe The king by this time hid his face and cryed out amayne As one that would giue vp the goast because his sonne was slaine Then Ioab standing in some feare his men would all away He boldly prest vnto the king and thus to him did say Thou shamest all thy men of warre and makest them to muse Whose faythfull harts for thy defence no daungers did refuse Thou liuest thy sons do liue we do liue thy men Thy daughters wiues concubines what meanes this mourning theÌ„ It séemeth that thou louest them who sought thine ouerthrow And wayest not thy friends a whit that stucke vnto thée so For this thy mourning doth declare that thou regardest not Thy princes neither yet the men that honour haue thée got If Absalon had scaped death I do perceiue and sée And we thy men our liues had lost that had well pleased thée Up get thée forth abrode in sight and do thy seruaunts cheare With gentle and with louing words or else by God I sweare Thou wilt not haue a man this night for they will thée forsake And be agaynst thée eury where with all that they can make Which will be worse then all the harmes that yet vpon thée fel Euen from thy youth or since thou wast first king of Israel Then Dauid gat him downe to shew him selfe among his men And they that stept before aside came flocking to him then For all the Tribes of Israel among them did contende Who first should bring king Dauid home vnto his iorneys end Then such as by the crafty meanes of Absalons aspire Seduced were by simplenesse and knew not his desire Gan thus to reason with them selues full well we vnderstand That Dauid hath preserued vs our wiues our goods and land And that he hath in
our defence withstoode our mortall foes And for our better quietnes hath giuen them ouerthrowes And that he is our lawfull king whom we did once annoynt Whom Absalon of life and realme did séeke to disappoynt Since Absalon is dead therfore why take we not the payne To wayte vpon our Lord king and bring him home agayne The people reconciled thus the king to Sadoch sent And to Abiathar the priest declaring his intent Which was to go and séeke with those of Iuda to perswade Who ioynd themselues with Absalon in his attempts he made And say to them why haste ye not king Dauid to restore As do the men of Israel who ready are therefore Ye are by nature kinne to vs our brothers as ye know Why do ye linger last of all your loyaltie to show And thus much say to Amasa of all that may be found He is the nearest kinne I haue that liueth on the ground And that I sweare by God aboue I minde he shall succéede And be my Capteine generall to rule in Ioabs stéede This talke of theirs did so perswade with Iuda that they went And graunted him their present ayde that with one consent And thervpon they sent him word to let him vnderstand That he and his might safely now returne into that land So Dauid going with his trayne euen toward Iordane shore All Iuda met him by the way for to conduct him ore And Semei who had the king reuiled to his face Came now with Iuda for to séeke his mercy and his grace Who comming out of Bahurim with Iuda for to go A thousand of the Beniamites he brought with him also And Ziba of the house of Saul with all his sonnes fiftéene And twentie seruauntes in a rowe was there among thē séene Who gat them ore the water brooke of Iordane to abide The spéedy passage of the king to méete him on that side The king now béeing passed ore but euen a litle while There came before him Semei him selfe to reconcile And falling flat vnto the ground in mild and humble plight Besought him pardon for his faultes and his great ouersight Impute not now the wickednesse that then thy seruaunt did And lay it not vnto my charge but let it all be hid I did misuse full wickedly my lord king Dauid when He from Ierusalem went out and fled with all his men I do it know and now confesse that I haue done amisse Beséeching thée my lord and king to pardon me for this And now behold I am the first of Iosephs house this day That am come down to méete my lord bring him on his way Abisai with grudging heart offended at his worde Said to the king shall not this dogge now dye vpon the sword That matter doth not apperteine to you quod Dauid than I say this day in Israel there shall not dye a man. For I am king I know it well therfore to Semei He spake gaue him gentle words and said he should not dye So forth he went vntill he came Ierusalem vnto Where that Miphiboseth him met as well as he could go Who neither trimmed vp his beard nor yet did wash his féete vntill the king in quiet peace returning he did méete Then Dauid said as soone as that he cast on him his eye Miphiboseth how chaunced it thou wentst not out with me O my most deare and soueraigne lord my seruaunt was vniust For falsly he deceyued me that put in him my trust I wild him to prepare mine Asse and all things for the same To ride vpon with thée my lord thy seruaunt béeing lame But with his subteltie he hath thy seruaunt sore abusde And vnto thée my lord and king vniustly me accusde My lord thou as an Angell art that can iudge all things right And therfore do as thou shalt thinke most méetest in thy sight For where as all my fathers house was worthy for to dye For that with thée and thine king Saul did deale so cruelly Yet was thy mercy vnto me thy seruaunt then so great That at thy table with thy sonnes thou settest me to eate But séeing mine inheritaunce by thée is giuen away What right haue I to come before the king or more to say Thou néede no more to speake quod he we will that this ye do That thou and Ziba shall deuide the land betwéene you two Since that my lord quod he agayne is now returnd in peace Let Ziba take all to him selfe and make his best increase From Roglim comes Berzelai to méete the king also In well appoynted wise to wayte and with his grace to go Who for the space the king did lye within Mahanaim Did friendly of his store conuay all néedefull things to him For God had blest him very well with riches and with wealth And he wisht Dauid great increase of honour and of health The king requested that he would go with him if he might And he would by all meanes he could his curtesie requite I haue not long to liue quod he and néedfull t is that I Should not so much for honour séeke as learne how well to dy For I am stept so farre in yéeres that I haue no good skill To iudge or yet discerne betwéene the good and that is ill My stomacke is so weake it can away with litle meate Thy seruaunt hath no tast at all of that which he doth eate In musike I haue no delite nor yet in skilfull man Why should I to your maiestie be such a burthen then Thy seruaunt will a litle bring the king forth on his way And will beséech my lord that then returne agayne I may Unto the lande where I was borne and there to lay my bones Euen with my parents in the graue among the grauell stones But if it please my lord the king Chimham my sonne shal be Thy seruaunt vnto whom thou mayst do what it pleaseth thée Then said the king and for thy sake I will him so rewarde That thou shalt well perceiue I do thy kindnes much regarde So all the people passed foorth the king with all his trayne Berzelai then tooke his leaue and turned backe agayne When Iuda and halfe Israel were passed Iordans bankes And had the king to Gilgal brought as men most worthy thanks Then came the rest of Israel to Dauid and gan say Why hath all Iuda stole thée now so secretly away And brought the king with al his house past Iordan riuer thus And made not priuie therevnto so much as one of vs Then Iuda hearing Israel this great complaynt to make Did shape an answere out of hand to them and thus they spake The king is neare of kin to vs we haue him therfore brought Of loue and not for great reward or honour that we sought They said againe our part in him is ten times more thē yours And being ten to one we say the greatest part is ours Ye did not well for to despise our
bene hanged vp on hye That day that Saul did loath his life and willing was to dye And so the seuen that hanged were and eke the bones of Saul With those of Ionathas his sonne he did conuay them all Into the lande of Beniamin and put them in a pit Where Cis the father of king Saul lay buried in it When this was done as Dauid did commaund giue a charge The Lord withdrew the plague of derth plenty sent at large Now after this God gaue to him alway the vpper hande Of all his foes the Philistines which warred in his lande He bet them downe in battels foure slue the Giantes stoute Which to his prayse and honour great was noysed all about Then Dauid for the victories which in his latter dayes God gaue to him he thus began to giue him laude and prayse O Lord thou art my rocke and fort that doest me well defende My onely safe deliuerer from those that ill pretende God is my strength in him I will put all my hope and trust For I do finde him vnto me both mercifull and iust He is my shield the horne of health my tower that is so strong My refuge and my sauiour from taking any wrong I will on him call day and night who worthy is of prayse Not doubting then but that I shall preserued be alwayes The pangs of death gat me about and griped me full sore The flowing floods of wicked men did fray me more and more The sorrowes of the hell or graue me compassed about The snares were set to trappe me in that I should not get out Then in my trouble did I call vnto the Lord on hye Who from out of his holy place gaue eare vnto my cry God béeing wroth he made the earth to tremble and to quake And all the bottome of the mount to totter and to shake A smoke out of his nosethrils came whē he to wrath was bent Consuming fyre with kindled coles out of his mouth he sent He bowed heauen as he came down mine enemies to confound The misty cloudes beneath his féete made darknes on the groūd He rode vpon the Cherub and the Cherubin also And on the wings of all the winds his flight was to and fro He framed darknes as a tent him round about to be With waters gathered into clouds that no man might him sée But when he list his presence shew and to appeare in sight Then with the haile flashing fire the clouds he maketh bright God with his sundry thunder claps and fyrie dartes sent out With soden lightnings maketh them to feare him all about O Lord the sea vncouered was whose surges rise and fall At thy rebuke and at a blast thy foes were drowned all The Lord hath frō the heauen aboue his help to me sent downe And drawen me out of waters great which came on me to drowne He by his might deliuerd me frō all my foes ech one When I was weake and not of power to cope with thē alone They went about me to preuent in my most heauinesse But yet the Lord so wrought therin they could me not oppresse He brought me foorth in open place to haue my scope at will And of his fauour and his loue preserued me from ill And as I was a giltlesse man and voyde of all offence So to the cleannesse of my hands I gaue no recompence For that I kept the wayes of God and walked in the same Nor did not speake agaynst my Lord nor yet his holy name But had an eye vnto his lawes to kéepe them in my hart His statutes did I not cast off nor from them once depart An vpright life the eyes of God delighteth much in it From wickednes I did refrayne and would it not commit Therfore the Lord requited all my doings done aright According to my righteousnes appearing in his sight The Lord with him that godly is will godly be also And with the man that is vpright vprightly will he go With those that are elect and pure he will with them so be And with the froward he will deale with them as frowardly The méeke and simple man of heart thou wilt not sée confound As for the proude and lofty man thou pullest to the ground Thou art O Lord my light guyde to walke in all thy wayes Thou wilt my darknes make to shine as clere as the noone daies For by thy helpe an hoast of men I shall them make to fall And through my God shall batter downe the hard stony wall The wayes of God are vncorrupt his worde must triall haue and to the stedfast faythfull man he is a shield to saue For who is God except the Lord which made both heauē earth There is none other God but he that giveth life and breath He is the God that girdeth me with strength to go to warre And maketh playne the way and path that I may sée a farre My féete he maketh like the hindes in swiftnes for to go And setteth me vpon my place as pleaseth him also My hands he teacheth for to fight mine armes he makth strong To draw and breake a bow of stéele in compasse short or long By thy good sure protection and by thy sauing health And by thine ayde and mightie strength I do increase in wealth Thou hast enlarged all my steps in stretching them awide And eke my treadings made so playne my foote it can not slide My foes I fiercely did pursue and turned not agayne Untill I had put all to flight and many of them slayne I bet and wounded so my foes that in no maner wise Once vnder foote they could agayne be able to arise Thou didst me girde about with strength in battell for to fight And hast dispersed all my foes abrode out of my sight The neckes of mine ilwillers Lord thou didst bow downe and bend That I on them might worke my will and pleasure in the end They looked round about for helpe but no man did appeare To God they cried in their distresse yet would he not thē heare I bet them still as small as dust that winde doth blow away And trode on them as men do treade vpon the myre and clay O Lord thou hast deliuerd me from all seditious bandes And made me to be gouernour and head of diuers landes A people straunge and eke vnknowen will humbly me obay Where as mine owne will ouerthwart and stubbornly say nay Now blessed be the liuing God and praysed be his name The God of my saluation that worthy is of fame It is the Lord that gaue me power reuenged for to be And brought the people all into subiection vnder me He saued me from all my foes and set me vp aloft Aboue the wicked cruell men that rose agaynst me oft I will therfore prayse thée O Lord among the Gentiles all And sing vnto thy holy name and thereon dayly call Thou hast for thine anoynted king such mercies
great in store And them to Dauid and his séede hast giuen for euermore When Dauid had now ended this his Psalme of thāks praise He speaketh certaine sentences for to conclude and sayes King Dauid which is cald the sonne of Isai hath sayde And the annoynted man of God whose kingdome sure is layde The holy spirite of the Lord my speach he doth it guyde For to my tong his sacred worde is fast and surely tyde The Lord my God of Israel hath this by promise made That in his feare and loue I shall the iust men guyde and ayde As morning light when sunne is vp voyde of clowde rayne So shall my house in shining bright clearnesse still remayne For by his euerlasting bonde it shall so stande alway That it may grow but not as grasse that hath his quick decay But wicked and vngodly men shall be like thornes that pricke Pluckt vp and not be suffered within the ground to sticke But yet the man that toucheth them he must be in that case Desenced well that he may take and burne them in their place It came now into Dauids minde his people for to somme To sée what number in his lande would rise thereof and come Commaunding Ioab for to go throughout all Israel And take a view of all his men that vnder him did dwell The Lord thy God increase quod he thy people in thy lande But what doth moue my lord the king to take this thing in hand The king would not be turned from his purposed intent And therefore for to view his men his lords abrode he sent And passing ouer Iordan brooke vnto the vale of Gad They went and summed eury man from thence to Gilead From thence to Iaan and so foorth to Sidon and to Tyre The Heuites and the Cananites their numbers to enquire And so from thence to Iuda lande which in the south is plaste And therein made to Beerseba their progresse at the laste Now when they had bene thus abrode nine monthes twenty daies Thē home vnto Ierusalē they turne againe their waies Where Ioab vnto Dauid gaue the summe of Israel Which were eight hundred thousand men as he did count tel All fighting men besides all those which Iuda well could yéeld Which were fiue hundred thousand men all able for the field When this was done within his heart the king conceiued then A great misliking of his déede for numbring of his men Wherfore with heauy hart and voyce vnto the Lorde he cryes That he would pardon this offence committed in his eyes That night the Lord commaunded Gad the Prophet for to go And breake with Dauid for his fault and tell him so and so And whē thou hast in eury point these plagues before him laide Then will him for to make his choyse as I to thée haue saide When Gad was come vnto the king the Lords will is quod he That of such plages I shall recite thou make thy choyse of thrée Wilt thou haue hunger seuen yeres space to ouerpresse thy lād Or els thrée monthes to féele the smart of wars mighty hand Or with the plague of pestilence be visited thrée dayes Choose which thou wilt I wil make report of that thou sayes Hard is the choyce O Lord quod he yet Lord let be thy will That I may fall into thine hands to saue or els to kill Then did the Lord for thrée dayes space a pestilence prouide Wherin of Dauids whole account a seuenty thousande dyed But when vpon Ierusalem the Angell now began To smite and to destroy the same the Lord repented than Of all the former faults commit and bad him hold his hand For he would haue compasson and pitie on the land Then Dauid with a sory heart laments that grieuous case And to the Lord with teares he cals for mercy and for grace The people sinned not O Lord to haue this plague of thine These shéepe alas what haue they done the sinne O Lord is mine Let not the harmles innocent be plagued now therfore But me and all my fathers house destroy for euermore The Prophet Gad to Dauid came him willing in this case To go and reare an Altar vp in Ornans threshing place And when that Ornan saw the king and all his men so nye He met him and with reuerence fell downe vpon his knée And said to him why doth my lord come vnto me this houre In sooth quod he it is to buy of thée thy threshing floore To make an Altar to the Lorde and pray to him for peace That this great plague of pestilence may from the people cease My lord quod he take what thou wilt and do as séemeth good Take Oxen Charrets with them the instrumentes for wood I fréely giue them to my lord and do beséeche thy God That he accept thée in his sight and do withdraw his rod. Not so quod he I will it shall be truely solde and bought I will not offer to the Lord the thing which cost me nought So Dauid bought the threshing floore and Oxe for sacrifice And gaue to Ornan for the same as they agréed of price Then offring vp peaceofferings vpon that Altar now The plague did cease and God the same did very well allow Now Dauid béeing old weake with yeres troubles past Could not in bed get any heate with clothes vpon him cast His seruauntes then did counsel him some yong tender thing Whose liuely blood with pleasant heat might cherish vp the king Should lye by him vpon his brest not meaning any harme But rayse a vitall heate in him and make his body warme And so they made a carefull search throughout all Israel And found at length one Abisag in Sunam that did dwell Who béeing brought vnto the king her seruice did imploy To call agayne that liuely heate which yeres and age destroy And now began Adonia for to aspire on hye As had his brother Absalon before vsurpingly And gan all things for his estate both horse and men to séeke His father did not séeme at all with any thing mislike The Capteine Ioab tooke his parte and eke Abiathar As chiefe of counsell eury way his matters to preferre But faithfull Sadoch that good priest would neuer take his part Nor Nathan nor Banaia would that way bend their hart At Rogel was his sacrifice and all prouision had And there vnto his brothers all and Iuda to he bad But Nathan nor Banaia nor other mightie men Nor yet his brother Salomon he called with him then And herevpon to Bethsabe the Prophet Nathan goes And what he sées and what he heares to her he playnly showes Hast thou not heard what wicked séede Adonia hath sowen And yet vnto our lord the king his purpose is vnknowen But if you loue your owne estate or Salomon your sonne Then marke what counsell I will giue and sée that it be done Go get thée forth vnto the
vexed him full often times and did him so molest That for the time of all his wittes he was quite dispossest Which gréeued sore his men to sée wherefore they gan to say Behold how this most wicked wight doth hauÌ„t thée day by day Let there be sought a cunning man of good and perfect skill On harpe or other instrument some comfort bring it will. Prouide me then of such a one go search both â—arre and nere Where that the best is to be had and bring him to me here Then one did say that Isai had a sonne that did excell In musike and vpon the harpe he played passing well A strong and valiaunt man of warre well made of bone lim Excéeding wise in his affayres and hath the Lorde with him Then sent the king and made request that Isai would him send His yongest sonne that on his shéepe and shepefold did attend Who at the kings commaundement prepared therewithall A simple present with his sonne and sent him vnto Saul So Dauid serued now the king and in the Court remaynd Where he was well accept of Saul and gently entertaynd His harnesse bearer he became The king sent once agayne To Isai that Dauid should with him a while remayne Then Dauid great atendance gaue vpon his master Saul To be at hande if that the sprite should chaunce on him to fall As now and then it came to passe then Dauid gan to play Upon his harpe so pleasauntly that soone it went away Now after this the Philistines came with a mightie hoast To warre agaynst the Israelites pitcht in Dammims coast Then Saul the king of Israel them to resist he goes And camped in the vale of Oke in sight of all his foes The Philistines stoodâ— on an hill the Israelites were séene To stand vpon an other hill a valley them betweene And while the hoast stoode at a stay a Philistine came downe Into the bottome of the vale a strong and mighty clowne His name it hight Goly of Gath so bigge and huge a man As was in length from top to toe six cubites and a span An helmet on his head he had of hard and massy brasse A coate of male vpon his backe of passing weight it was A shield bootes of brasse likewise which he was woÌ„t to weare And scarsly could a weauers beame well couÌ„terpeise his speare Now hauing one to beare his shield and waite vpon the same Agaynst the hoast of Israel with voyce he gan proclame Why come ye out in battayle ray behold I am but one Send out a man that dare assay to fight with me alone If he do beate me in this place then we will all be yours If I preuayle with force and might then you shall all be ours This day the hoast of Israel I do it all defye Send out a man that we may fight and here the matter trye When Saul and all the Israelites had heard and séene his spite They were with feare astonished and out of courage quite Here now to Dauid Isais sonne our talke returnd shal bée An Euphratite of Bethleem a man of good degrée This Isai had vnto his sonnes in number eight in all And he himselfe well stept in yeres now in the dayes of Saul With whom thrée of his eldest sonnes into the warres did go Both Samma and Abinadab and Eliab also But Dauid went not out with Saul for he was gone before To féede his fathers shéepe agayne and came to Saul no more His father nowe an aged man and of the warres afrayd Bethought him of his sonnes with Saul and thus to Dauid said Come forth my sonne I le send thée now into the hoast of Saul To sée thy brethren how they fare and what thing iâ— befall Go carie them this parched corne these ten loaues of bread For in their hunger it perhaps may stand them in some stead And to their capteine vnder whom their lotte is for to serue Present these chéeses in my name that he may them deserue If néede haue forsoe thy brethren so that â—â—ey haue gages layde Redéeme their pledge and sée that all their creditors be payde Then Dauid early gat him vp committing all his shéepe Unto an other skilfull man to tende them and to kéepe So going forth he came vnto the hoast that lay about Where as he heard the noyse of warre people make a shout For both the hoasts were in aray and stood in others sight Ech one with weapon in his hand as ready for to fight TheÌ„ leauing al his gere with one that mo things had in charge He ran and found his brethren out saluting them at large And as he stood in talk comes forth great Goly with his vauÌ„ts Prouoking still the Israelites with spitefull bitter tauntes Whose vgly shape and mighty corps did so the people fray That they durst not abide his looke but ranne from him away Ech one to other saying thus saw you this fiend of hell His comming vp is to revile the hoast of Israel Who so can him depriue of life and master in the field To him the king his daughter deare great rewards wil yéeld And furthermore he will also his fathers house to bée In all the land of Israel from tax and payments frée Now Dauid hearing all the brags the Philistine had made His heart was moued so within that he brast out and sayde What shal be done vnto the man what honour to his name That beateth yonder Philistine to saue the land from shame For what is this vncircumcisd what power is in his rod That he should thus reuile the hoast of the true liuing God The people sayd to him agayne as they had sayd before That so it should be done to him with prayse for euermore Which thing his brother Eliab tooke in such spite and hate That he offended with his talke began him all to rate What hast thou here to do quod he go home tend thy shéepe Which thou hast left in wildernes without a guyde to kéepe I know the malice of thy heart which so in thée hath wrought That it pride hath brought thée down to sée the battel fought Then Dauid saide what haue I done there is some cause certaine And so departing farther of he spake the same againe To whom the people as before assured him of all But some that noted well his words rehearsed them to Saul Who caused him for to be fet that he might sée the man And being brought immediatly to speake he thus began Let not the king dismayed be let no mans heart him fayle For yonder bragging Philistine I shall God will assayle Thou art not able quod the king to cope with him in hand So farre aboue thy power he is thou mayst him not withstand Thou art but yet a boy in age and he a man of might Brought vp traded from his youth in warre warlike fight Then Dauid to encourage Saul in Gods great
them where they light gather theÌ„ as fast The boy made hast and Ionathas shot out a shaft or two Beyond the place were Dauid lay as he did thinke to do And when the boy was at the marke where Ionathas had shot He called vnto him and sayd with heauy heart God wot Are not the shafts beyond thée now make hast stand not still The boy with spede them brought to him according to his will. Then with his bow and furniture away the boy was sent Not knowing ought of that was done or what his master meÌ„t The boy no sooner home returnd with his artillery But Dauid came and to the ground fell thrise vpon his knée With wéeping eyes ech other kist their harts did melt bléede They wept so long together both that Dauid did excéede Then Ionathas to Dauid said depart and go in peace And let the bond betwene vs two stand fast and neuer cease So Dauid to Abimelech Nobs priest his iorney tooke Whose soden sight appald him much so that for feare he shooke And for to know the cause therof demaunded by and by What is the matter thou art come and hast so few with thée The king quod he hath secret things committed to my charge That none may know wherfore I haue left all my meÌ„ at large If thou hast any bread or meate or ought vnder thy hande I pray thée giue it vnto me for here I may not stande Then he for lacke of common bread did with himselfe deuise To giue him of the holy loaues his hunger to suffise Well yet sayd Dauid one thing more I shall of thée require My harnesse haue I left behinde my weapons be not here If thou haue any better store I pray thée lend me one The king did send me in such hast that I prouided none Here is quod he great Golies sword shewd him where it lay If that may haply serue your turne then spare it not I pray 〈…〉 etter sure quod he then that and therefore made no stay But tooke it vp and to the king of Geth he went his way Whose court did know him by and by and therefore gaue it out That this was Dauid who was king of Iuda round about Whose prayse the women did set forth aboue all other men Ascribing vnto Saul but one and vnto Dauid ten Which saying Dauid noted well and put them in his brest But yet as one that stoode in feare least he should be opprest Wherfore his speach he counterfeit played such madding fits That all that saw him did beléeue that he had lost his wits From mouth to beard with lothsome sight his filthy spettle ran And scrauld about from dore to dore much like a Bedlem man. Then Achis sayd vnto his men ye sée it is of troth This man to be beside him selfe and wots not what he doth Wherfore theÌ„ haue ye brought him me as though great nede I had Of frantike felowes in my sight so foolish so mad Away with him and get him hence and trouble me no more My pleasure is such frantike men come not within my dore When Dauid had escapde the king by this deuised guyle Within Odollams hollow caues he did him selfe a while Who was no sooner there and knowen but thither did resort His brethren with his fathers house him onely to support And those that were intangled then with det or els with law And such as were disquieted all such to him did draw And those that so had flockt to him foure hundred were in all And he as capteyne ruled them they ready at his call And from that place with all his men he gat him to Mizpa A place among the Moabites where he with fauour lay And made request vnto the king his good will to obteine That vnder his protection his parents might remayne A while with him for their solace till he did sée and know What God would do for him and his in theyr distresse and wo. The king was well content and glad that Dauid was so bold And kept them all the while he lay within the fence and hold Where he was warned of the Lorde euen by the Prophet Gad That into Iuda he should go with all the men he had TheÌ„ marching forth came to the wood of Hareth where he â—â—eâ—d At whose approching Saul began as one somewhat dismaid Some meanes to séeke as he might best his state honour saue And leaning to his speare forthwith began such talke to haue O heare ye sonnes of Iemini what haue ye take in hande Thinke you the sonne of Isai will giue you house and lande Will he in office you promote great Capteins for to be That ye haue thus with him conspirde none doth tell it me And where as Ionathas my sonne with him hath made a bonde Yet none of you will mourne with me nor let me vnderstonde Then Doeg start him vp and sayd Abimelech the priest Had holpen Dauid in his néede agaynst the king most hiest Wherfore the king put him to death with all the priests ech one Saue only that Abiathar to Dauid fled alone Declaring how that wicked Saul his fathers blood had shed For that he had sustayned him and in his hunger fed I thought no lesse quod Dauid then but such a thing would fall That Doeg would in time accuse thy father vnto Saul I am the cause of all this death and great destruction Thy fathers house by me are brought to their confusion Abide by me and feare thée not where euer that I go For he that séeketh for my life shall séeke for thine also It so befell the Philistines their force and might had bent Agaynst the towne of Keilah whose vtter spoyle they ment Which thing when Dauid knew he sought the Lords good wil to know Who wild him with good corage fight giue the ouerthrow Then sayd his men be we not all afrayde in Iuda héere How much the more shall we to sée the Philistines appéere He asked then the Lord agayne who did him vnderstand He should go downe for he would giue them all into his hand So Dauid with his crue of men made hast vnto the towne And fought agaynst the Philistines till he had bet them downe And spoyled them of all their goods and eury thing they had And saued the inhabitants and made the people glad Of this the king was certified and farther to him tolde How Dauid with his bond of men tooke Keilah for his holde Whereat the king did much reioyce and made his reckning so That God had now deliuerd vp to him his mortall fo For that he was within a towne that was of such a strength To hold him fast so that he might dispatch him at the length And so prepared him an hoast of warlike men and stoute To take his way to Keilah the towne to siege about Now Dauid béeing ware of all the mischiefe Saul had wrought Began to
Then shalt thou sée and well perceyue what I thy man can do But when the lords of Philistines the Hebrewes saw a far Which came behind with Achis men demaunded what they war T is Dauid said the king that serud king Saul in Iewish ground Who I haue long retaynd with me and very faithfull found The lords gan frowne much mislike saide he should not go least he in fight would giue the slip and be their mortall fo For why he could deuise no way in all the world so good Sauls loue to win as to embrue his weapon in their blood Is not this he whose fame they sang in daunces heretofore Ascribing somewhat vnto Saul but vnto him much more Then Achis called Dauid forth and sayd to him his minde As truely as the Lord doth liue I found thée euer kinde So honestly thou hast thy selfe behaued aye with mée That from the first day hitherto I can not burden thée But so it is those lords of mine such fauour do not beare As I would wish they did to thée but somewhat stande in feare Wherfore our pleasure is thou shalt returne with all thy men And take thine ease till we appoynt thy seruice where when What haue I done quod he agayne what matter canst thou bring That I may not to battell go to ayde my lord king Of truth sayd he I haue thée tried to be a man vpright And as an Angell of the Lord I take thée in my sight Yet since my Nobles towards thée do beare a burning harte A greater mischiefe to preuent we will that thou depart Then Dauid and his men with spéede vnto his home returnd And found what hauock there was made al their citie burnd The Amalekites had rushed in of malice and of spite And all the people in the towne by force had taken quite When Dauid saw their cruell spoyles and fury to be such Their wiues and children led away it gréeud him very much And being then it doubtfull plight what he might best deuise For that the people ready were agaynst him for to rise And séeke to stone him vnto death vnto the Lorde he drue To know if that his pleasure was he should those men pursue Yea sayd the Lord pursue them all and make no longer stay Make spéede thou shalt them ouertake and get agayne the pray So in pursuing after them he chaunced for to finde A certayne sicke Aegyptian left in the field behinde Who béeing well examined did vtter all he knew And told him when and where he might Thamalekites pursue And brought him iust vnto the place where they were laid along Disperst abrode and making there with dauncing with song Then Dauid did bestirre himselfe and ere the morning light He slew them all saue that a few escaped in the flight And did recouer all his goods his people eurychone His men their wiues and children al so that there lacked none Beside the spoyles that they had got by this their bloody fall Whereby and that abundantly they were enriched all Thus then returnd he gaue rewards and sent about his giftes To all his friends that him reléeud when he was put to shiftes This victorie vpon his foes when Dauid had obtaynd To Zikleg he him selfe retirde and there two dayes remaynd Behold to him the third day came one from the hoast of Saul With mourning wéede and at his foote before him then did fall The king forthwith askt what he was bad his message tell I am quod he escaped from the hoast of Israel What newes quod he are stirring there how do matters go Both Saul sayd he and Ionathas are slayne with many mo How art thou sure that Saul quod he and Ionathas are slayne Uouchsafe sayd he O king to heare I will make it playne As I by chaunce vnto the mount of Gilbo tooke my way With mazed minde I found king Saul vpon his speare to stay Then he demaunding who I was and I confessing playne Besought me to dispatch his life and rid him out of payne And thervpon I slew him straight and toke away with me His crowne his bracelet on his arme which I haue brought to thée Then Dauid rent tore his clothes both he all his men For sorow that the Israelites had such misfortune then He did abstayne from meate that day mourned for king Saul And Ionathas that now had lost their liues their men and all Then Dauid did cōmaund the man that had these tidings brought To tell what countrey man he was and to dissemble nought I am my soueraigne Lord quod he as one to Israel sworne And yet of truth an Amalekite in countrey bred and borne How is it then quod he agayne thou wast not sore afrayde To kill the Lords annoynted king as thou thy selfe hast sayde Then Dauid gaue his men a charge to rid him out of breath For that this haynous fact of his deserueth iustly death For he had with his mouth confest that he the king had slayne Wherfore of right blood asked blood to be reuengd agayne This done the kings surpassing griefe did not at all relent But did for Saul and Ionathas thus bitterly lament O noble king of Israel thus murthred on the mount Thy mighty capteins ouerthrowē of whō thou madest accoūt Let neither Gath nor Askalon be tolde this heauy chaunce Lest that the daughters of the heathē triumph with song daunce On you ye mountaynes Gilboa your lord and king is slayne Upon your fields be no increase for lacke of dew and rayne The shields of all the mighty men are cast downe for a spoyle The shield of Saul as though he had not ben annoint with oyle The bow of Ionathas my frieud it neuer turned backe Nor yet the sword of Saul my lord of pray did neuer lacke How louely were they in their liues how pleasant to behold And in their deathes they neuer were deuided nor vnfold More swifter then the Eagles foule to flye vpon their pray And stronger then the Lions were to beare the spoyle away Ye daughters now of Israel bewayle your Lord king Saul Who clothed you with scarlet robes with purple with paul His power his might his strength his life all is gone you sée O Ionathas my dearest friend my hart doth bléede for thée Thy friendly loue and fayth to me so wonderfull it was That all the loue that women haue it did surmount and passe O Lord how are the mightie men orethrowen in Israel Their warly weapons all destroyde that pitie is to tell When Dauid had lament the death of Saul and Ionathas He went and asked of the Lord his pleasure what it was Demaunding whether that he should to any Citie go Or place that were within the lande of Iuda yea or no. The Lord said vnto him go vp And whither Lord quod he To Hebron sayd the Lord agayne this answere take of me Then Dauid went with his
on vpon his other gere So all the house of Israel brought forth the Arke with shoute And trompet blowing as they went the noyse rang all about But when as Michol Dauids wife saw him so daunce spring She grew in great disdayne therat and did mislike the thing Yet notwithstanding when the Arke was setled in his place He made his offrings to the Lord of mercy peace and grace Which béeing done and finished the people he did blesse And to them all of banquet meate dealt something more or lesse Then he dismissing all the folke assembled in that place Returned home vnto his house to blesse it in like case Wher Michol méeting him could not forbeare but thus did say Good God how glorious was the king of Israel this day Which séemed in thy maidens eyes vncouered like a sot Wherby of them and other mo great hatred thou hast got It was before the Lord quod he that I did daunce and sing Who ouerthrew thy father Saul and chose me to be king And made me ruler ouer all the people Israel Reiecting Saul and all his house as thou thy selfe canst tell And yet if my humilitie be grieuous in thy sight I will be méeke in mine owne eyes before the Lord of might And of the mayden seruauntes here which thou hast spoken of I shall be had in honour great when they at thée shall skoffe When God had setled Dauids raigne and him his had blest And with all Princes rounde about had giuen him peace rest Gods glory to aduaunce he sought and bended all his heart And to the Prophet Nathan then his minde he did impart Behold quod he how that my house is buylt with Cedre trées And yet the Arke hath nothing els but curteins as thou sées The Prophet sayd do what thou hast determined to do For God which hath respect to thée will set his hande thereto Thus Nathan spake before he knew what Gods good pleasure was And did receiue a coūtermaund before the night did passe That wild him go vnto the king and do him vnderstand That Salomon should buyld Gods house he not ta kt in hand When Dauid béeing certified what God him selfe did say He sat him downe before the Arke and thus began to pray O Lord my God what great account of me and mine hast thou That to such Royall dignitie hast me exalted now And yet O Lord I know thou art of such a power and might That greater things to bring to passe is nothing in thy sight Thou spakest of thy seruaunts house a great long while ago Which vnto men doth not perteine but vnto thée I know To kéepe thy word promise sure and make it to be knowne Not for thy seruaunt Dauids sake O Lord but for thine owne Thou art O Lord the onely God that euermore hast bene None comparable to thy selfe was euer heard or séene And what one people in the earth or nation who can tell Is better and beloued more of thée then Israel Thou wentest and redéemedst them out of captiuitie That they might magnisie thy name and make it great to bée With mightie signes tokens out of Egypt thou hast brought Thy people from the nations and from their Gods of nought Thou hast elect and chosen them to be thy people ay Aud art become their onely God to serue thée and obay And now O Lord the word thou hast of me thy seruant spoke And of his house make thou it good let not the same be broke So shall thy name be magnified and eury man shall say The Lord of hoastes he is the God of Israel for ay For thou Lord God of Israel hast thus reueald to me And said I will now buyld thy house and make it sure to be And therfore hath thy seruaunt found now in his heart to pray this simple prayer vnto thée to be my helpe alway Let all thy words therefore be true that thou thy seruaunt told And kéepe thy promise vnto him which thou hast made of old And let it please thée for to blesse thy seruants house with grace That it for euer may abide and stande before thy face For thou my God hast spoken it let it be done therfore That thou thy seruaunt Dauids house do blesse for euermore Now after this the Philistines he vanquished by strength And thereby rid all Israel from bondage at the length He smote also the Moabites and meate them with a line And cast them flat vpon the ground and made the rest incline And being thus subdued to him to him they tribute payed In token that they were his men his Maiestie to ayde He fought with Hadarezers hoast and made a number fall As well of horsemen as on foote beside his Charrets all The Syrians which ayded him and came his parte to take Of two and twenty thousande men a slaughter did he make Thus Dauid by the might of God did conquer all the lande So mercifull was God to him in all he tooke in hande Now after these great victories the king of Hamath sent His sonne to Dauid with great gifts therwith him to present For that he had Hadarezer his enemie subdued Who oftentimes with him and his had open warre renued As for the spoyles that he did get of siluer golde or brasse He gaue it to the house of God what euer thing it was Thus Dauid hauing got a name through honor he had wonne Sat in his seate and iudged right to eury mothers sonne And calling now to memory the bond that he did make With Ionathas the sonne of Saul thus openly he spake Doth any yet remayne quod he of all the house of Saul That I for Ionathas his sake may him to honour call One Ziba then his seruaunt old was brought vnto the king That he by talke might sée what he could say to eury thing Of whom the king demaunded then if Ziba were his name Yea sir quod he thy seruant is the selfe and very same Is there quod he yet any left of Saul his line or blood To whom I may shew mercy too or do him any good Yea Ionathas quod he hath yet a sonne aliue I know But he is lame vpon his féete so that he can not go And where is he quod Dauid then hide not if thou canst tell He is quod he in Machirs house the sonne of Amiel Now then whē that Miphiboseth was brought to Dauids sight He fell to ground and so did make such reuerence as he might Then Dauid said Miphiboseth be not afrayde of me For I will for thy fathers sake be mercifull to thée Thou shalt enioy thy fathers lands that did to Saul perteine And at my boord thy foode to eate I will thée enterteine Miphiboseth fell downe and said what is thy seruaunt Lorde That thou wilt looke on such a dogge and set him at thy borde Then Dauid said to Ziba thus the lands and rents of Saul Unto thy