A Name to 〈…〉 For close 〈…〉 Sagacious 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 Restless unfixt in Principle and Place In Pow'r unpleas'd impatient of Disgrace A fiery Soul which working out its way Fretted the Pigâ—y-Body to decay And o'r inform'd the Tenement of Clay A daring Pilot in extremity Pleas'd with the Danger when the Waves went high He sought the Storms but for a Calm unâ—it Would Steer to nigh the Sands to boast his Wit Great Wits are sure to Madness neer ally'd And thin Partitions do their Bounds divide Else why should he with Wealth and Honour blest Refuse his Age the needful hours of rest Punish a Body which he coud not please Bankrupt of Life yet Prodigal of ease And all to leave what with his Toyl he won To that unfeather'd two legg'd thing a Son Got while his Soul did hudled Notions try And born a shapeless Lump like Anarchy In friendship false implacable in hate Resolv'd to ruine or to Rule the State To compass this the Triple Bond he broke The Pillars of the publick Safety shook And fitted Israel for a Foreign Yoke Then seiz'd with Fear yet still affecting Fame Usurp'd a Patriot's All-atoning Name So easy still it proves in factious times With publick Zeal to cancel private crimes How safe is Treason and how sacred ill Where none can sin against the peoples will Where Crowds can wink and no oâ—â—ence be known Since in anothers guilt they find their own Yet Fame deserv'd no Enemy can grudge The Statesman we abhor but praise the Judge In Israels Courts ne'r sat an Abbethdin With more discerning eyes or hands more clean Unbrib'd unsought the Wretched to redress Swiâ—t of Dispatch and easie of Access Oh had he been content to serve the Crown With vertues only proper to the Gown Or had the rankness of the Soyl been freed From Cockle that opprest the Noble seed David for him his tuneful Harp had strung And Heav'n had wanted one Immortal song But wild Ambition loves to slide not stand And Fortunes Ice prefers to Vertues Land Achitophel grown weary to possess A lawful Fame and lazy Happiness Disdain'd the Golden Fruit to gather free And lent the Croud his Arm to shake the Tree Now manifest of Crimes contriv'd long since He stood at bold Defiance with his Prince Held up the Buckler of the peoples Cause Agâ—inst the Crown and sculk'd behind the Laws The wish'd occasion of the Plot he takes Some circumstances finds but more he makes By buzzing Emissaries fills the ears Of listning Crowds with jealousies and fears Of Arbitrary Counsels brought to light And proves the King himself a Iebusite Weak Arguments which yet he knew full well Were strong with People easie to Rebel For govern'd by the Moon the giddy Iews Tread the same track when she the Prime renews And once in twenty years their Scribes Record By natural Instinct they change their Lord. Achitophel still wants a Chief and none Was found so fit as Warlike Absalon Not that he wish'd his Greatness to create For Polâ—titians neither love nor hate But for he knew his Title not allow'd Would keep him still depending on the Crowd That Kingly power thus ebbing out might be Drawn to the dregs of a Democracy Him he attempts with studied Arts to please And sheds his Venome in such words as these Auspicious Prince at whose Nativity Some Royal Planet rul'd the Southern Sky Thy longing Countreys Darling and Desire Their clowdy Pillar and their â—uardian Fire Their second Moses whose extended Wand Divides the Seas and shews the promis'd Land Whose dawning Day in every distant age Has exercis'd the Sacred Prophets rage The peoples Pray'r the glad Diviners Theam The young mens Vision and the old mens Dream Thee Saviour Thee the Nations Vows confess And never satisfi'd with seeing bless Swift unbespoken Pomps thy steps proclaim And stammering Babes are taught to lisp thy Name How long wilt thou the general Joy detain Starve and defraud the people of thy Reign Content ingloriously to pass thy days Like one of Vertues Fools that feeds on praise Till thy fresh Glories which now shine so bright Grow stale and tarnish with our daily sight Believe me Royal Youth thy Fruit must be Or gather'd ripe or rot upon the Tree Heaven has to all allotted soon or late Some lucky Revolution of their Fate Whose motions if we watch and guide with skill For humane good depends on humane Will Our Fortune rolls as from a smoth descent And from the first Impression takes the bent But if unseiz'd she glides away like wind And leaves repenting Folly far behind Now now she meets you with a glorious prize And spreads her Locks before her as she flies Had thus old David from whose Loins you spring Not dar'd when Fortune call'd him to be King At Gath an Exile he might still remain And Heavens Anointing Oil had been in vain Let his successful Youth your hopes engage But shun th' example of Declining Age Behold him setting in his Western Skies The Shadows lengthning as the Vapours rise He is not now as when on Jordan's sand The joyful People throng'd to see him Land Cov'ring the Beach and â—lackning all the Strand But like the Prince of Angels from his height Comes tumbling downward with diminish'd light Betray'd by one poor Plot to publick Scorn Our only blessing since his curst Return Those heaps of people which one Sheaf did bind Blown off and scatter'd by a puss of wind What strength can he to your designs oppose Naked of Friends and round beset with Foes If Pharaoh's doubtful Succour he should use A Foreign Aid woud more incense the Iews Proud Egypt woud dissembled Friendship bring Foment the War but not support the King Nor woud the Royal Party e'r â—nite With Pharoah's Arms t' assist the Iebusite Or if they shoud their Interest soon would break And with such â—dious Aid make David weak All sorts of men by my successful Arts Aâ—â—orring Kings estrange their alter'd Hearts 〈…〉 And 't is the general Cry 〈◊〉 Common-wealth and Liberty 〈…〉 Champion of the publick Good Aâ—d to their Arms a Chief of Royal Blood 〈…〉 hope and what applause 〈…〉 gain by such a cause Not 〈…〉 alone that gaudy Flow'r 〈…〉 but solid Pow'r 〈…〉 limited command 〈…〉 Love of all your native Land 〈…〉 Tit'e long and dark Drawn 〈◊〉 the mouldy Rolls of Noah's Ark. What câ—nnâ—t â—raise effect in mighty Minds 〈…〉 â—ooths and when Ambition blinds 〈◊〉 of Pow'r on earth a vitious weed 〈…〉 from High is of Caelestial seed 〈…〉 And when men aspire 〈…〉 too much of Heavenly Fire 〈…〉 too covetous of Fame 〈…〉 of Angels Metal in his frame 〈◊〉 was led from Vertues ways Made drâ—nk with Honour and debauch'd with praise Half loath and half consenting to the ill For Loyal Bâ—ood within him strugled still He thus reply'd And what pretence have I To take up Arms for publick liberty My Father Governs with unquestion'd right The Faiths Defender and mankinds
delight Good gracious just observant of the Laws And Heav'n by wonder has espous'd his cause Whom has he wrong'd in all his Peaceful Reign Who sues for Justice to his Throne in vain What millions has he pardon'd of his Foes Whom just revenge did to his wrath expose Mild easy humble studious of our good Enclin'd to mercy and averse from blood If mildness ill with stubborn Israel suit His crime is God's beloved Attribute What could he gain his peopâ—e to betray Or change his right for arbitrary sway Let haughty Pharaoh curse with such a Reign His fruitful Nile and yoke a servile Train If David's Rule Ierusalem displease The Dog-star heats their brains to this disease Why then shoud I encoâ—raging the bad Turn Rebel and run popularly mad Were he a Tyrant who by lawless Might Opprest the Jews and rais'd the Iebusite Well might I mourn but Natures hely bands Woud curb my spirits and restrain my hand The people might assert their liberty But what was â—ight in them were crime in me His â—avour 〈◊〉 me nothing to require Prevents my wishes and out-runs desire What 〈…〉 I expect while David lives All but 〈…〉 Diadem he gives And that But there he paus'd then sighing said Is 〈…〉 for a worthier Head For when my Father from his toyls shall rest And 〈…〉 the number of the blest 〈…〉 shall the Throne ascend Of 〈…〉 Line where that shall end His Brother though opprest with vulgar spight Yet dauntless and secure of native right Of every Royal Vertue stands possest Still Dear to all the Bravest and the Best His Courage Foes his Friends his Truth Proclaim His Loyalty the King the World his Fame His mercy ev'n th'offending Crowd will find For sure he comes of a forgiving kind Why should I then repine at Heavens decree Which gives me no pretence to Royalty Yet oh that Fate propitiously enclin'd Had rais'd my Birth or had debas'd my mind To my large Soul not all her treasure lent And then betray'd it to a mean Descent I find I find my mounting spirits bold And David's part disdains my Mothers mold Why am I scanted by a niggard Birth My Soul disclaims the kindred of her Earth And made for Empire whispers me within Desire of Greatness is a Godlike sin Him staggering so when Hells dire Agent found While fainting Vertue scarce maintain'd her ground He pours fresh Forces in and thus replies Th' Eternal God supreamly good and wise Imparts not these prodigious Gifts in vain What wonders are reserv'd to bless your Reign Against your will your Arguments have shown Such Vertue 's only giv'n to guide a Throne Not that your Father's mildness I contemn But manly force becomes the Diadem 'T is true he grants the people all they crave And more perhaps than Subjects ought to have For lavish grants suppose a Monarch tame And more his Goodness than his Wit proclaim Bâ—t when should people strive their Bonds to break 〈◊〉 not when Kings are negligent or weak 〈◊〉 him give on till he can give no more The thriâ—ty Sanhedrin shall keep him poor And every 〈◊〉 which he can receive Shall cost a â—imb of his Prerogative To ply him with new Plots shall be my care Or plunge him deep in some expensive war Which when his Treasure can no more supply He must with the remains of Kingship buy His faithful Friends our jealousies and fears Call Iebusites and Pharaoh's Pentioners Whom when our fury from his aid has torn He shall be naked left to publick scorn The next Successor whom I fear and hate My arts have made obnoxious to the State Turn'd all his Vertues to his overthrow And gain'd our Elders to pronounce a foe His Right for sums of necessary Gold Shall first be pawn'd and afterwards be sold Till time shall ever-wanting David draw To pass your doubtful Title into Law If not the people have a Right supreme To make their Kings for Kings are made for them All Empire is no more than Pow'r in trust Which when resum'd can be no longer just Succession for the general good design'd In its own wrong a Nation cannot bind If altering that the people can relieve Better one suffer than a Nation grieve The Iews well knew their pow'r e'r Saul they chose God was their King and God they durst depose Urge now your Piety your Filial Name A Father's right and fear of future Fame The publick good that universal call To which ev'n Heaven submitted answers all Nor let his Love enchant your generous mind T is Natures trick to propagate her kind Our fond Begetters who would never die Love but themselves in their posteritie Or let his kindness by th' effects be tri'd Or let him lay his vain pretence aside God said he lov'd your Father coud he bring A better proof than to Anoint him King It surely shew'd he lov'd the Shepherd well Who gave so fair a Flock as Israel Woud David have you thought his Darling Son What means he then to Alienate the Crown The name of Godly he may blush to bear 'T is after God's own heart to cheat his Heir He to his Brother gives Supreme Command To you a Legacy of Barren Land Perhaps th' old Harp on which he thrums his Layes Or some dull Hebrew Ballad in your praise Then the next Heir a Prince severe and wise Already looks on you with jealous eyes Sees through the thin disguises of your arts And marks your progress in the peoples hearts Though now his mighty Soul its grief contains He meditates revenge who least complains And like a Lion slumb'ring in the way Or sleep-dissembling while he waits his prey His fearless Foes within his distance draws Constrains his roaring and contracts his paws Till at the last his time for fury found He shoots with sudden vengeance from the ground The prostrate Vulgar passes o'r and spares But with a Lordly rage his Hunters tears Your case no tame expedients will afford Resolve on death or conquest by the Sword Which for no less a Stake than Life you draw And Self-defence is Natures eldest Law Leave the warm people no considering time For then Rebellion may be thought a crime Prevail your self of what occasion gives But try your Title while your Father lives And that your Arms may have a fair pretence Proclaim you take them in the King's defence Whose sacred Life each minute woud expose To Plots from seeming friends and secret foes And who can sound the depth of David's Soul Perhaps his fear his kindness may controul He fears his Brother though he loves his Son For plighted Vows too late to be undone If so by force he wishes to be gain'd Like womens leachery to seem constrain'd Doubt not but when he most affects the Frown Commit a pleasing Rape upon the Crown Secure his Person to secure your Cause They who possess the Prince possess the Laws He said and this Advice above the rest With Absalom's mild nature suited best Unblam'd
is to touch our Ark. To change Foundations cast the Frame anew Is work for Rebels who base Ends pursue At once Divine and Humane Laws controul And mend the parts by ruine of the whole The Tamp'ring World is subject to this Curse To Physick their Disease into a worse Now what relief can Righteous David bring How Fatal 't is to be too good a King Friends he has few so high the Madness grows Who dare be such must be the peoples Foes Yet some there were ev'n in the worst of days Some let me name and Naming is to praise In this short File Barzillai first appears Barzillai crown'd with Honour and with Years Long since the rising Rebells he withstood In Regions waste beyond the Iordans Flood Unfortunately Brave to buoy the Sate But sinking underneath his Master's Fate In exile with his Godlike Prince he mourn'd For him he Suffer'd and with him Return'd The Court he practis'd not the Courtier 's art Large was his Weaâ—th but larger was his Heart Which well the Noblest Objects knew to choose The Fighting Warriour and Recording Muse. His bed cou'd once a Fruitfull Issue boast Now more than half a Father's Name is lost His eldest hope with every Grace adorn'd By me so Heav'n will have it always mourn'd And always honour'd snatch'd in manhoods primâ— B' unequal fates and providences crime Yet not before the Goal of Honour won All parts fulfilâ—'d of Subject and of Son Swift was the Race but short the time to run Oh narrow circle but of Pow'r divine Scanted in space but perfect in thy Line By Sea by Land thy matchless worth was known Arms thy delight and War was all thy own Thy force infus'd the fainting Tyrians prop'd And haughty Pharaoh found his Fortune stop'd Oh ancient Honour oh unconquer'd hand Whom foes unpunish'd never coud withstand But Israel was unworthy of thy Name Short is the date of all immoderate fame It looks as Heav'n our ruine had design'd And durst not trust thy fortune and thy mind Now free from earth thy disencumbred Soul Mounts up and leaves behind the Clouds and starry Pole From thence thy kindred legions may'st thou bring To aid the guardian Angel of thy King Here stop my Muse here cease thy painful slight No pinions can pursue immortal height Tell good Barzillai thou canst sing no more And tell thy soul she should have â—â—ed before Or fled she with his life and left this Verse To hang on her departed Parton's Herse Now take thy steepy flight from Heav'n and see If thou canst find on earth another He Another He would be too hard to find See then whom thou canst see not far behind Zadock the Priest whom shunning pow'r and place His lowly mind advanc'd to David's Grace With him the Sagan of Ierusalem Of hospitable soul and noble stem Him of the western dome whose weighty sense Flows in fit words and heavenly Eloquence The Prophets sons by such example led To Learning and to Loyalty were bred For Colleges on bounteous Kings depend And never Rebel was to Arts a friend To these succeed the Pillars of the Laws Who best coud plead and best can judge a Cause Next them a train of Loyal Peers ascend Sharp judging Adriel the Muses friend Himself a Muse In Sanhedrins debate True to his Prince but not a Slave of State Whom David's love with Honours did adorn That from his disobedient Son were torn Iotham of piercing wit and pregnant thought Indu'd by Nature and by Learning taught To move Assemblies who but only try'd The worse a-while then chose the better side Nor chose alone but turn'd the balance too So much the weight of one brave man can do Hushai the friend of David in distress In publick storms of manly stedfastness By foreign Treaties he inform'd his Youth And join'd experience to his native truth His frugal care supp'y'd the wanting Throne Frugal for that but bounteous of his own 'T is easy conduct when Exchequers flow But hard the task to manage well the low For Soverereign Power is too deprest or high When Kings are forc'd to sell or Crowds to buy Indulge one labour more my weary Muse For Amiel who can Amiel's praise refuse Of ancient Race by Birth but Nobler yet In his own worth and without Title great The Sanhedrin-long time as Chief he rul'd Their Reason guided and their Passion cool'd So dextrous was he in the Crown 's defence So form'd to speak a Loyal Nations sense That as their Band was Israel's Tribes in small So fit was he to represent them all Now rasher Charioteers the Seat ascend Whose loose Carriers his steady Skill commend They like th' unequal Ruler of the day Misguide the seasons and mistake the way While he withdrawn at their mad labour smiles And safe enjoys the Sabbath of his toyls These were the chief a small but faithful Band Of Worthies in the Breach who dar'd to stand And tempt th' united Fury of the Land With grief they view'd such powerful Engines bent To batter down the lawful Government A numerous Faction with pretended frights In Sanhedrins to plume the Regal Rights The true Successor from the Court remov'd The Plot by hireling Witnesses improv'd These Ills they saw and as their Duty bound They shew'd the King the danger of the Wound That no concessions from the Throne woud please But Lenitives fomented the Disease That Absalom ambitious of the Crown Was made the Lure to draw the People down That false Achitophel's pernitious Hate Had turn'd the Plot to ruine Church and State The Council violent the Rabble worse That Shimei taught Ierusalem to curse With all these loads of injuries opprest And long revolving in his careful Brest Th' event of things at last his patience tir'd Thus from his Royal Throne by Heav'n inspir'd The God-like David spoke with awful fear His Train their Maker in their Master hear Thus long have I by native mercy sway'd My wrongs dissembl'd my revenge delay'd So willing to forgive th' Offending Age So much the Father did the King asswage But now fo far my Clemency they slight Th' offenders question my forgiving right That one was made for many they contend But 't is to Rule for that 's a Monarch's end They call my tenderness of Blood my fear Though manly tempers can the longest bear Yet since they will divert my Native course 'T is time to shew I am not good by force Those heap'd Affronts that hauty subjects bring Are burthens for a Camel not a King Kings are the publick Pillars of the State Born to sustain and prop the Nations weight If my Young Samson will pretend a Call To shake the Column let him share the Fall But oh that yet he woud repent and live How easie 't is for Parents to forgive With how few Tears a Pardon might be woâ— From Nature pleading for a Darling Son Poor pitied Youth by my Paternal care Rais'd up to all the height his frame coud bear Had God ordain'd his fate for Empire born He woud have giv'n his Soul another turn Gull'd with a Patriot's name whose modern sense Is one that woud by Law Supplant his Prince The Peoples Brave the Politicians Tool Never was Patriot yet but was a Fool. Whence comes it that Religion and the Laws Should more be Absalom's than David's Cause His old Instructer e're he lost his place Was never thought indu'd with so much Grace Good Heav'ns how Faction can a Patriot paint My Rebel ever proves my peoples Saint Would They impose an Heir upon the Throne Let Sanhedrims be taught to give their own A King 's at least a part of Government And mine as requisite as their Consent Without my leave a future King to choose Infers a Right the present to Depose True they Petition me t' approve their Choise But Esau's hand suit ill with Iacob's voice My pious Subjects for my safety pray Which to secure they take my Pow'r away From Plots and Treasons Heaven preserve my years But save me most from my Petitioners Unsatiate as the barren Womb or â—râ—ve God cannot grant so much as they can Crave What then is left but with a jealous Eye To guard the small remains of Royalty The Law shall still direct my peacefull Sway And the same Law teach Rebels to obey Votes shall no more establish'd Pow'r controul Such Votes as make a part exceed the whole No groundless Clamours shall my Friends remove Nor Crowds have power to punish e're they prove For Gods and Godlike Kings their Care express Still to defend their servants in distress Oh that my Power to saving were confin'd Why am I forc'd like Heav'n against my mind To make Examples of another kind Must I at length the Sword of Justice draw Oh curst Effects of necessary Law How ill my Fear they by my Mercy scan Beware the Fury of a patient Man Law they require let Law then shew her face They coud not be content to look on Grace Her hinder parts but with a during Eye To tempt the terror of her Front and dye By their own Arts 't is righteously decreed Those dire Artificers of Death shall bleed Against themselves their Witnesses will swear Till Viper-like their Mother Plot they tear And suck for Nutriment that bloody gore Which was their Principle of Life before Their Belial with their Belzebub will fight Thus on my Foes my Foes shall do me right Nor doubt th' event for factious crowds engage In their first Onset all their Brutal Rage Then let 'em take an unresisted course Retire and Traverse and delude their force But when they stand all breathless urge the fight And rise upon 'em with redoubled might For lawful Pow'r is still Superiour found When long driven back at length it stands the ground He sâ—â—d Th' Almighty nodding gave consent And Pâ—als of Thunder shook the Fâ—rmament Henceforth a Serâ—es of new time began The mâ—ghty Years in long Procession ran Once more the Gâ—dliâ— David was Restor'd And 〈…〉 knew thâ—ir Lawfull Lord. FINIS