sword was edgd with Israels wrath Goe therefore home Vrias take thy rest Visit thy wife and houshold with the ioies A victor and a fauorite of the Kings Should exercise with honor after armes Vrias Thy seruants bones are yet not halfe so crasde Nor constitute on such a sickly mould That for so little seruice he should faine And seeke as cowards refuge of his home Not are his thoughts so sensually stird To stay the armes with which the lord would smite And fill their circle with his conquered foes For wanton bosome of a flattering wife Da. Vrias hath a beauteous sober wife Yet yong and framd of tempting flesh and bloud Then when the King hath summond thee from armes If thou vnkindly shouldst refraine her bed Sinne might be laid vpon Vrias soule If Bethsabe by frailtie hurt her fame Then goe Vrias folliee in her loue Whom God hath knit to thee tremble to lose Vrias The King is much too tender of my ease The arke and Israel and Iuda dwell In pallaces and rich pauillions But Ioab and his brother in the fields Suffering the wrath of Winter and the Sun And shall Vrias of more shame then they Banquet and loiter in the worke of heauen As sure as thy soule doth liue my lord Mine eares shall neuer leane to such delight When holy labour cals me forth to fight Dauid Then be it with Vrias manly heart As best his fame may shine in Israel Vrias Thus shall Vrias heart be best content Till thou dismisse me backe to Ioabs hands This ground before the king my masters dores He lies downe Shall be my couch and this vnwearied arme The proper pillow of a souldiours head For neuer will I lodge within my house Till Ioab triumph in my secret vowes Dauid Then fetch some flagons of our purest Wine That we may welcome home our hardie friend With full carouses to his fortunes past And to the honours of his future armes Then will I send him backe to Rabath siege And follow with the strength of Israel Enter one with the flagons of Wine Arise Vrias come and pledge the King He riseth Vrias If Dauid thinke me worthy such a grace I will be bold and pledge my lord the king Dau. Absolon and Cusay both shall drinke To good Vrias and his happinesse Abs. We will my lord to please Vrias soule Dau. I will begin Vrias to thy selfe And all the treasure of the Ammonites Which here I promise to impart to thee And bind that promise with a full carous Vrias What seemeth pleasant in my souereines eyes That shall Vrias doe till he be dead Dau. Fill him the cup follow ye lords that loue Your souereines health and doe as he hath done Abs. Ill may he thriue or liue in Israel That loues not Dauid or denies his charge Vrias Here is to Abisais health lord Ioabs brother thy louing friend Vrias I pledge lord Absolon and Abisais health He drinkes Cus. Here now Vrias to the health of Ioab And to the pleasant iourny we shall haue When we returne to mightie Rabath siege Vrias Cusay I pledge thee all with all my heart Giue me some drinke ye seruants of the king Giue me my drinke He drinkes Da. Well done my good Vrias drinke thy fill That in thy fulnesse Dauid may reioice Vrias I will my lord Abs. Now lord Vrias one carouse to me Vrias No sir I le drinke to the King Your father is a better man then you Dau. Doe so Vrias I will pledge thee straight Vrias I will indeed my lord and souereine I once in my daies be so bold Dauid Fill him his glasse Vrias Fill me my glasse He giues him the glasse Dau. Quickly I say Vrias Quickly I say Vrias Here my lord by your fauour now I drinke to you Dau. I pledge thee good Vrias presently He drinkes Abs. Here then Vrias once againe for me And to the health of Dauids children Vrias Dauids children Abs. I Dauids children wilt thou pledge me man Vrias Pledge me man Abs. Pledge me I say or else thou louest vs not Vrias What doe you talke doe you talke I le no more I le lie downe here Dauid Rather Vrias goe thou home and sleepe Vrias O ho sir would you make me break my sentence He lies downe Home sir no indeed sir I le sleepe vpon mine arme Like a souldiour sleepe like a man as long as I liue in Israel Dauid If nought will serue to saue his wiues renowne I le send him with a letter vnto Ioab To put him in the forefront of the wars That so my purposes may take effect Helpe him in sirs Exit Dauid and Absolon Cusay Come rise Vrias get thee in and sleepe Vrias I will not goe home sir that 's flat Cusay Then come and rest thee vpon Dauids bed Vrias On afore my lords on afore Exeunt Chorus O prowd reuolt of a presumptious man Laying his bridle in the necke of sin Ready to beare him past his graue to hell Like as the fatall Rauen that in his voice Carries the dreadfull summons of our deaths Flies by the faire Arabian spiceries Her pleasant gardens and delightsome parkes Seeming to curse them with his hoarse exclaimes And yet doth stoope with hungrie violence Vpon a peece of hatefull carrion So wretched man displeasd with those delights Would yeeld a quickning sauor to his Soule Pursues with eagre and vnstanched thirst The greedie longings of his lothsome flesh If holy Dauid so shoke hands with sinne What shall our baser spirits glorie in This kingly giuing lust her raigne Pursues the sequell with a greater ill Vrias in the forefront of the wars Is murthered by the hateful Heathens sword And Dauid ioies his too deere Bethsabe Suppose this past and that the child is borne Whose death the Prophet solemnly doth mourne Enter Bethsabe with her handmaid Beth. Mourne Bethsabe bewaile thy foolishnesse Thy sinne thy shame the sorrow of thy soule Sinne shame and sorrow swarme about thy soule And in the gates and entrance of my heart Sadnesse with wreathed armes hangs her complaint No comfort from the ten string'd instrument The twinckling Cymball or the Yuorie Lute Nor doth the sound of Dauids kingly Harpe Make glad the broken heart of Bethsabe Ierusalem is fild with thy complaint And in the streets of Syon fits thy greefe The babe in sicke sicke to the death I feare The fruit that sprung from thee to Dauids house Nor may the pot of Honny and of Oyle Glad Dauid or his handmaids countenance Vrias woe is me to thinke hereon For who is it among the sonnes of men That sayth not to my soule the King hath sind Dauid hath done amisse and Bethsabe Laid snares of death vnto Vrias life My sweet Vrias falne into the pit Art thou and gone euen to the gates of hell For Bethsabe that wouldst not shrowd her shame O what is it to serue the lust of Kings How Lyonlike thy rage when we resist But Bethsabe in humblenesse
of ruth Ioab Rebell to nature hate to heauen and earth Shall I giue helpe to him that thirsts the soule Of his deere father and my soueraigne lord Now see the Lord hath tangled in a tree The health and glorie of thy stubborne heart And made thy pride curbd with a sencelesse plant Now Absalon how doth the Lord regard The beautie wherevpon thy hope was built And which thou thoughtst his grace did glorie in Findst thou not now with feare of instant death That God affects not any painted shape Or goodly personage when the vertuous soule Is stuft with naught but pride and stubbornnesse But preach I to thee while I should reuenge Thy cursed sinne that staineth Israel And makes her fields blush with her childrens bloud Take that as part of thy deserued plague Which worthily no torment can inflict Abs. O Ioab Ioab cruell ruthlesse Ioab Herewith thou woundst thy Kingly soueraignes heart Whose heauenly temper hates his childrens bloud And will be sicke I know for Absalon O my deere father that thy melting eyes Might pierce this thicket to behold thy sonne Thy deerest sonne gor'de with a mortall dart Yet Ioab pittie me pittie my father Ioab Pittie his soules distresse that mournes my life And will be dead I know to heare my death Ioab If he were so remorsefull of thy state Why sent he me against thee with the sword All Ioab meanes to pleasure thee withall Is to dispatch thee quickly of thy paine Hold Absalon Ioabs pittie is in this In this prowd Absalon is Ioabs loue He goes out Abs. Such loue such pittie Israels God send thee And for his loue to Dauid pittie me Ah my deere father see thy bowels bleed See death assault thy deerest Absalon See pittie pardon pray for Absalon Enter fiue or sixe souldiers See where the rebell in his glorie hangs Where is the vertue of thy beautie Absalon Will any of vs here now feare thy lookes Or be in loue with that thy golden haire Wherein was wrapt rebellion gainst thy sire And cords prepar'd to stop thy fathers breath Our captaine Ioab hath begun to vs And here 's an end to thee and all thy sinnes Come let vs take the beauteous rebell downe And in some ditch amids this darkesome wood Burie his bulke beneath a heape of stones Whose stonie heart did hunt his fathers death Enter in triumph with drum and ensigne Ioab Abyshai and souldiers to Absalon Ioab Well done tall souldiers take the Traitor downe And in this myerie ditch interre his bones Couering his hatefull breast with heapes of stones This shadie thicket of darke Ephrami Shall euer lower on his cursed graue Night Rauens and Owles shall ring his fatall knell And sit exclaiming on his damned soule There shall they heape their preyes of Carrion Till all his graue be clad with stinking bones That it may loth the sence of euery man So shall his end breed horror to his name And to his traitrous fact eternall shame Exit 5. Chorus Oh dreadfull president of his iust doome Whose holy heart is neuer toucht with ruth Of fickle beautie or of glorious shapes But with the vertue of an vpright soule Humble and zealous in his inward thoughts Though in his person loathsome and deform'd Now since this storie lends vs other store To make a third discourse of Dauids life Adding thereto his most renowmed death And all their deaths that at his death he iudgd Here end we this and what here wants to please We will supplie with treble willingnesse Absalon with three or foure of his seruants or gentlemen Abs. What boots it Absalon vnhappie Absalon Sighing I say what boots it Absalon To haue disclos'd a farre more worthy wombe Trumpets sound enter Ioab Ahimaas Cusay Amasa with all the rest Ioab Souldiers of Israel and ye sonnes of Iuda That haue contended in these irkesome broiles And ript old Israels bowels with your swords The godlesse generall of your stubborne armes Is brought by Israels helper to the graue A graue of shame and skorne of all the Tribes Now then to saue your honours from the dust And keepe your blouds in temper by your bones Let Ioabs ensigne shroud your manly heads Direct your eies your weapons and your hearts To guard the life of Dauid from his foes Error hath maskt your much too forward minds And you haue sind against the chosen state Against his life for whom your liues are blest And followed an vsurper to the field In whose iust death your deaths are threatened But Ioab pitties your disordered soules And therefore offers pardon peace and loue To all that will be friendly reconcil'de To Israels weale to Dauid and to heauen Amasa thou art leader of the host That vnder Absalon haue raisde their armes Then be a captaine wise and polliticke Carefull and louing for thy souldiers liues And lead them to this honourable league Amasa I will at least I le doe my best And for the gracious offer thou hast made I giue thee thankes as much as for my head Then you deceiu'd poore soules of Israel Since now ye see the errors you incurd With thankes and due submission be appeasde And as ye see your captaines president Here cast me then our swords at Ioabs feet Submitting with all zeale and residence Our goods and bodies to his gracious hands All stand vp Ioab Stand vp and take ye all your swords againe Dauid and Ioab shall be blest herein Iona. Now let me goe enforme my lord the King How God hath freed him from his enemies Ioab Another time Ahimaas not now But Cusay goe thy selfe and tell the King The happie message of our good successe Cus. I will my lord and thanke thee for thy grace Exit Cusay Iona. What if thy seruant should goe to my lord Ioab What newes hast thou to bring since he is gone Iona. Yet doe Ahimaas so much content That he may run about so sweet a charge Exit Ioab Run if thou wilt and peace be with thy steps Now follow that you may salute the King With humble hearts and reconciled soules Ama. We follow Ioab to our gracious King And him our swords shall honour to our deaths Exeunt Dauid Bethsabe Salomon Nathan Adonia Chileab with their traine Beth. What meanes my lord the lampe of Israel From whose bright eyes all eyes receiue their light To dim the glory of his sweet aspects And paint his countenance with his hearts distresse Why should his thoughts retaine a sad conceit When euery pleasure kneeles before his throne And sues for sweet acceptance with his grace Take but your Lute and make the mountaines dance Retriue the sunnes sphere and restraine the clouds Giue eares to trees make sauage Lyons tame Impose still silence to the loudest winds And fill the fairest day with foulest stormes Then why should passions of much meaner power Beare head against the heart of Israel Da. Faire Bethsabe thou mightst increase the strength Of these thy arguments drawne from my skill By vrging
and tast thy ease with easing me Beth. One medicine cannot heale our different harmes But rather make both ranckle at the bone Then let the King be cunning in his cure Least flattering both both perish in his hand Dauid Leaue it to me my deerest Bethsabe Whose skill is conuersant in deeper cures And Cusay hast thou to my seruant Ioab Commanding him to send Vrias home With all the speed can possibly be vsed Cusay Cusay will flie about the Kings desire Exeunt Ioab Abisay Vrias and others with drum and ensigne Ioab Courage ye mightie men of Israel And charge your fatall instruments of war Vpon the bosomes of prowd Ammons sonnes That haue disguisd your Kings Embassadors Cut halfe their beards and halfe their garments off In spight of Israel and his daughters sonnes Ye fight the holy battels of Iehoua King Dauids God and ours and Iacobs God That guides your weapons to their conquering strokes Orders your footsteps and directs your thoughts To stratagems that harbor victorie He casts his sacred eiesight from on high And sees your foes run seeking for their deaths Laughing their labours and their hopes to scorne While twixt your bodies and their blunted swords He puts on armor of his honors proofe And makes their weapons wound the sencelesse winds Abis. Before this citie Rabath we will lie And shoot forth shafts as thicke and dangerous As was the haile that Moises mixt with fire And threw with furie round about the fields Deuouring Pharoes friends and Egypts fruits Vrias First mighty captaines Ioab and Abisay Let vs assault and scale this kingly Tower Where all their conduits and their fountaines are Then we may easily take the citie too Ioab Well hath Vrias counseld our attempts And as he spake vs so assault the Tower Let Hanon now the king of Ammons sonne Repulse our conquering passage if he dare Hanon with King Machaas and others vpon the wals Hanon What would the shepheards dogs of Israel Snatch from the mighty issue of King Ammon The valiant Amonnes and haughty Syrians T is not your late successiue victories Can make vs yeeld or quaile our courages But if ye dare assay to scale this Tower Our angrie swords shall smite ye to the ground And venge our losses on your hatefull liues Ioab Hanon thy father Nahas gaue releefe To holy Dauid in his haplesse exile Liued his fixed date and died in peace But thou in steed of reaping his reward Hast trod it vnderfoot and scornd our King Therefore thy daies shall end with violence And to our swords thy vitall bloud shall cleaue Mach. Hence thou that bearst poor Israels shepherds hook The prowd lieutenant of that base borne King And kep within the compasse of his fold For if ye seeke to feed on Ammons fruits And stray into the Syrians fruitfull Medes The mastiues of our land shall werry ye And pull the weesels from your greedy throtes Abis. Who can indure these Pagans blasphemies Vrias My soule repines at this disparagement Ioab Assault ye valiant men of Dauids host And beat these railing dastards from their dores Assault and they win the Tower and Ioab speakes aboue Thus haue we won the Tower which we will keepe Maugre the sonnes of Ammon and of Syria Enter Cusay beneath Cus. Where is lord Ioab leader of the host Ioab Here is lord Ioab leader of the host Cusay come vp for we haue won the hold He comes Cusay In happie hower then is Cusay come Ioab What news then brings lord Cusay from the king Cusay His maiestie commands thee out of hand To send him home Vrias from the wars For matter of some seruice he should doe Vrias T is for no choler hath surpris'd the King I hope lord Cusay gainst his seruants truth Cusay No rather to prefer Vrias truth Ioab Here take him with thee then and goe in peace And tell my lord the King that I haue fought Against the citie Rabath with successe And skaled where the royall pallace is The conduit heads and all their sweetest springs Then let him come in person to these wals With all the souldiers he can bring besides And take the city as his owne exploit Least I surprise it and the people giue The glory of the conquest to my name Cus. We will Lord Ioab and great Israels God Blesse in thy hands the battels of our King Ioab Farewell Vrias hast away the King Vrias As sure as Ioab breaths a victor here Vrias will hast him and his owne returne Exeunt Abisa. Let vs descend and ope the pallace gate Taking our souldiors in to keepe the hold Ioab Let vs Abisay and ye sonnes of Iuda Be valiant and mainteine your victory Exeunt Ammon Ionadab Iethray and Ammons page Ionad. What meanes my lord the Kings beloued son That weares vpon his right triumphant arme The power of Israel for a royall fauor That holds vpon the Tables of his hands Banquets of honor and all thoughts content To suffer pale and grisely abstinence To sit and feed vpon his fainting cheekes And sucke away the bloud that cheeres his lookes Ammo. Ah Ionadab it is my sisters lookes On whose sweet beutie I bestow my bloud That makes me looke so amorously leane Her beautie hauing seasd vpon my heart So merrily consecrate to her content Sets now such guard about his vitall bloud And viewes the passage with such piercing eyes That none can scape to cheare my pining cheekes But all is thought too little for her loue Iona. Then from her heart thy lookes shall be releeued And thou shalt ioy her as thy soule desires Ammon How can it be my sweet friend Ionadab Since Thamar is a virgine and my sister Iona. Thus it shall be lie downe vpon thy bed Faining thee feuer sicke and ill at ease And when the king shall come to visit thee Desire thy sister Thamar may be sent To dresse some deinties for thy maladie Then when thou hast her solely with thy selfe Enforce some fauour to thy manly loue See where she comes intreat her in with thee Enter Thamar Thamar What aileth Ammon with such sickly lookes To daunt the fauour of his louely face Am. Sweet Thamar sick wish some wholesome cates Drest with the cunning of thy daintie hands Tham. That hath the King commanded at my hands Then come and rest thee while I make thee readie Some dainties easefull to thy crased soule Am. I goe sweet sister eased with thy sight Exeunt Restet Ionadab Ion. Why should a Prince whose power may command Obey the rebell passions of his loue When they contend but gainst his conscience And may be gouernd or supprest by will Now Ammon lose those louing knots of bloud That sokte the courage from thy kingly heart And giue it passage to thy withered cheekes Now Thamar ripened are the holy fruits That grew on plants of thy virginitie And rotten is thy name in Israel Poore Thamar little did thy louely hands Foretell an action of such violence As to contend
in life and death Da. Then gentle Ithay be thou still with vs A ioy to Dauid and a grace to Israel Goe Sadoc now and beare the arke of God Into the great Ierusalem againe If I find fauour in his gratious eyes Then will he lay his hand vpon my heart Yet once againe before I visit death Giuing it strength and vertue to mine eies To tast the comforts and behold the forme Of his faire arke and holy tabernacle But if he say my wonted loue is worne And I haue no delight in Dauid now Here lie I armed with an humble heart T' imbrace the paines that anger shall impose And kisse the sword my lord shall kill me with Then Sadoc take Ahimaas thy sonne With Ionathan sonne to Abiathar And in these fields will I repose my selfe Till they returne from you some certaine newes Sadoc Thy seruants will with ioy obey the King And hope to cheere his heart with happy newes Exit Sadoc Ahimaas and Ionathan Ith. Now that it be no greefe vnto the King Let me for good enforme his maiestie That with vnkind and gracelesse Absalon Achitophel your auncient counsellor Directs the state of this rebellion Dauid Then doth it aime with danger at my crowne O thou that holdst his raging bloudy bound Within the circle of the siluer moone That girds earths center with his watrie scarfe Limit the counsell of Achitophel No bounds extending to my soules distresse But turne his wisdome into foolishnesse Enter Cusay with his coat turnd and head couered Cusay Happinesse and honour to my lord the King Dauid What happinesse or honor may betide His state that toiles in my extremities Cus. O let my gracious soueraine cease these greefes Vnlesse he wish his seruaut Cusayes death Whose life depends vpon my lords releefe Then let my presence with my sighs persume The pleasant closet of my soueraignes soule Da. No Cusay no thy presence vnto me Will be a burthen since I tender thee And cannot breake thy sighs for Dauids sake But if thou turne to faire Ierusalem And say to Absalon as thou hast been A trusty friend vnto his fathers seat So thou wilt be to him and call him King Achitophels counsell may be brought to naught Then hauing Sadoc and Abiathar All three may learne the secrets of my sonne Sending the message by Ahimaas And friendly Ionathan who both are there Then rise referring the successe to heauen Da. Cusay I rise though with vnweldie bones I carrie armes against my Absalon Exeunt Absalon Amasa Achitophel with the concubines of Dauid and others in great state Absalon crowned Abs. Now you that were my fathers concubines Liquor to his inchast and lustfull fire Haue seene his honour shaken in his house Which I possesse in sight of all the world I bring ye forth for soiles to my renowne And to eclipse the glorie of your King Whose life is with his honour fast inclosd Within the entrailes of a Ieatie cloud Whose dissolution shall powre downe in showers The substance of his life and swelling pride Then shall the stars light earth with rich aspects And heauen shall burne in loue with Absalon Whose beautie will suffice to chast all mists And cloth the suns spheare with a triple fire Sooner then his cleare eyes should suffer staine Or be offended with a lowring day Concub. Thy fathers honour gracelesse Absalon And ours thus beaten with thy violent armes Will crie for vengeance to the host of heauen Whose power is euer armed against the prowd And will dart plagues at thy aspiring head For doing this disgrace to Dauids throne 2. To Dauids throne to Dauids holy throne Whose scepter angels guard with swords of fire And sit as Eagles on his conquering fist Ready to prey vpon his enemies Then thinke not thou the captaine of his foes Wert thou much swifter then Azahell was That could out-pace the nimble footed Roe To scape the furie of their thumping beakes Or dreadfull scope of their commanding wings Achip. Let not my lord the King of Israel Be angrie with a sillie womans threats But with the pleasure he hath erst enioied Turne them into their cabinets againe Till Dauids conquest be their ouerthrow Abs. Into your bowers ye daughters of Disdaine Gotten by furie of vnbridled lust And wash your couches with your mourning teares For greefe that Dauids kingdome is decaied 1. No Absalon his kingdome is enchaind Fast to the finger of great Iacobs God Which will not lose it for a rebels loue Exeunt Amasa If I might giue aduise vnto the King These concubines should buy their taunts with bloud Abs. Amasa no but let thy martiall sword Empty the paines of Dauids armed men And let these foolish women scape our hands To recompence the shame they haue sustaind First Absolon was by the Trumpets sound Proclaimd through Hebron King of Israel And now is set in faire Ierusalem With complete state and glorie of a crowne Fiftie faire footmen by my chariot run And to the aire whose rupture rings my fame Where ere I ride they offer reuerence Why should not Absolon that in his face Carries the finall purpose of his God That is to worke him grace in Israel Endeuour to atchieue with all his strength The state that most may satisfie his ioy Keeping his statutes and his couenants pure His thunder is intangled in my haire And with my beautie is his lightning quencht I am the man he made to glorie in When by the errors of my fathers sinne He lost the path that led into the land Wherewith our chosen ancestors were blest Enter Cusay Cus. Long may the beautious King of Israel liue To whom the people doe by thousands swarme Abs. What meaneth Cusay so to greet his foe In this the loue thou shewdst to Dauids soule To whose assistance thou hast vowed thy life Why leauest thou him in this extremitie Cus. Because the Lord and Israel chuseth thee And as before I serud thy fathers turne With counsell acceptable in his sight So likewise will I now obey his sonne Abs. Then welcome Cusay to king Absalon And now my lords and louing counsellors I thinke it time to exercise our armes Against forsaken Dauid and his host Giue counsell first my good Achitophel What times and orders we may best obserue For prosperous manage of these high exploits Achi. Let me chuse out twelue thousand valiant men And while the night hides with her sable mists The close endeuors cunning souldiers vse I will assault thy discontented fire And while with weakenesse of their wearie armes Surchargd with toile to shun thy suddaine power The people flie in huge disordred troupes To saue their liues and leaue the King alone Then will I smite him with his latest wound And bring the people to thy feet in peace Abs. Well hath Achitophel giuen his aduise Yet let vs heare what Cusay counsels vs Whose great experience is well worth the eare Cus. Though wise Achitophel be much more meet To purchase hearing with my
lord the King For all his former counsels then my selfe Yet not offending Absolon or him This time it is not good nor worth pursute For well thou knowest thy fathers men are strong Chafing as shee beares robbed of their whelpes Besides the King himselfe a valiant man Traind vp in feats and stratagems of warre And will not for preuention of the worst Lodge with the common souldiers in the field But now I know his wonted policies Haue taught him lurke within some secret caue Guarded with all his stoutest souldiers Which if the forefront of his battell faint Will yet giue out that Absalon doth flie And so thy souldiers be discouraged Dauid himselfe withall whose angry heart Is as a Lyons letted of his walke Will fight himselfe and all his men to one Before a few shall vanquish him by feare My counsell therefore is with Trumpets sound To gather men from Dan to Bersabe That they may march in number like sea sands That nestle close in anothers necke So shall we come vpon him in our strength Like to the dew that fals in showers from heauen And leaue him not a man to march withall Besides if any citie succour him The numbers of our men shall fetch vs ropes And we will pull it downe the riuers streame That not a stone be left to keepe vs out Abs. What saies my lord to Cusaies counsell now Ama. I fancie Cusaies counsell better farre Then that is giuen vs from Achitophel And so I thinke doth euery souldier here All Cusaies counsell is better then Achitophels Abs. Then march we after Cusaies counsell all Sound trumpets through the bounds of Israel And muster all the men will serue the King That Absalon may glut his longing soule With sole fruition of his fathers crowne Exeunt Ach. Ill shall they fare that follow thy attempts That skornes the counsell of Achitophel Restat Cusay Cusay Thus hath the power of Iacobs iealous God Fulfild his seruant Dauids drifts by me And brought Achitophels aduise to scorne Enter Sadoc Abiathar Ahimaas and Ionathan Sadoc God saue lord Cusay and direct his zeale To purchase Dauids conquest gainst his sonne Abia. What secrets hast thou gleande from Absalon Cusay These sacred priests that beare the arke of God Achitophel aduisd him in the night To let him chuse twelue thousand fighting men And he would come on Dauid at vnwares While he was wearie with his violent toile But I aduisd to get a greater host And gather men from Dan to Bersabe To come vpon him strongly in the fields Then send Ahimaas and Ionathan To signifie these secrets to the King And will him not to stay this night abroad But get him ouer Iordane presently Least he and all his people kisse the sword Sadoc Then goe Ahimaas and Ionathan And straight conuey this message to the King Ahim. Father we will if Absalons cheefe spies Preuent not this deuise and stay vs here Exeunt Semei solus Semei The man of Israel that hath rul'd as King Or rather as the Tyrant of the land Bolstering his hatefull head vpon the throne That God vnworthily hath blest him with Shall now I hope lay it as low as hell And be depos'd from his detested chaire O that my bosome could by nature beare A sea of poyson to be powr'de vpon His cursed head that sacred baulme hath grac'd And consecrated King of Israel Or would my breath were made the smoke of hell Infected with the sighs of damned soules Or with the reeking of that serpents gorge That feeds on adders toads and venomous roots That as I opened my reuenging lips To curse the sheepeheard for his Tyrannie My words might cast rancke poyson to his pores And make his swolne and ranckling sinewes cracke Like to the combat blowes that breake the clouds When Ioues stout champions fight with fire See where he commeth that my soule abhors I haue prepard my pocket full of stones To cast at him mingled with earth and dust Which bursting with disdaine I greet him with Dauid Ioab Abyshai Ithay with others Semei Come forth thou murtherer and wicked man The Lord hath brought vpon thy cursed head The guiltlesse bloud of Saule and all his sonnes Whose royall throne thy basenesse hath vsurpt And to reuenge it deepely on thy soule The Lord hath giuen the kingdome to thy sonne And he shall wreake the traitrous wrongs of Saule Euen as thy sinne hath still importund heauen So shall thy murthers and adulterie Be punisht in the sight of Israel As thou deserust with bloud with death and hell Hence murtherer hence he threw at him Abis. Why doth his dead dog curse my lord the King Let me alone to take away his head Da. Why medleth thus the son of Zeruia To interrupt the action of our God Semei vseth me with this reproch Because the Lord hath sent him to reproue The sinnes of Dauid printed in his browes With bloud that blusheth for his conscience guilt Who dares then aske him why he curseth me Semei If then thy conscience tell thee thou hast sind And that thy life is odious to the world Command thy followers to shun thy face And by thy selfe here make away thy soule That I may stand and glorie in thy shame Da. I am not desperate Semei like thy selfe But trust vnto the couenant of my God Founded on mercie with repentance built And finisht with the glorie of my soule Semei A murtherer and hope for mercie in thy end Hate and destruction sit vpon thy browes To watch the issue of thy damned ghost Which with thy latest gaspe thei le take and teare Hurling in euery paine of hell a peece Hence murtherer thou shame to Israel Foule letcher drunkard plague to heauen and earth He throwes at him Ioab What is it pietie in Dauids thoughts So to abhorre from lawes of pollicie In this extremitie of his distresse To giue his subiects cause of carelesnesse Send hence the dog with sorrow to his graue Dauid Why should the sons of Zeruia seeke to checke His spirit which the Lord hath thus inspir'd Behold my sonne which issued from my flesh With equall furie seekes to take my life How much more then the sonne of Iemini Cheefely since he doth nought but Gods command It may be he will looke on me this day With gracious eyes and for his cursing blesse The heart of Dauid in his bitternesse Semei What doest thou fret my soule with sufferance O that the soules of Isboseth and Abner Which thou sentst swimming to their graues in bloud With wounds fresh bleeding gasping for reuenge Were here to execute my burning hate But I will hunt thy font with curses still Hence Monster Murtherer Mirror of Contempt He throwes dust againe Enter Ahimanas and Ionathan Ahim. Long life to Dauid to his enemies death Da. Welcome Ahimaas and Ionathan What newes sends Cusay to thy lord the King Ahim. Cusay would wish my lord the King To passe the riuer Iordane presently Least he and all his people perish
here For wise Achitophel hath counseld Absalon To take aduantage of your wearie armes And come this night vpon you in the fields But yet the Lord hath made his counsell skorne And Cusaies pollicie with praise preferd Which was to number euery Israelite And so assault you in their pride of strength Ionat. Abiathar besides intreats the King To send his men of warre against his sonne And hazard not his person in the field Dauid Thankes to Abiathar and to you both And to my Cusay whom the Lord requite But tenne times treble thankes to his soft hand Whose pleasant touch hath made my heart to dance And play him praises in my zealous breast That turnd the counsell of Achitophel After the praiers of his seruants lips Now will we passe the riuer all this night And in the morning sound the voice of warre The voice of bloudie and vnkindly warre Ioab Then tell vs how thou wilt deuide thy men And who shall haue the speciall charge herein Dau. Ioab thy selfe shall for thy charge conduct The first third part of all my valiant men The second shall Abisaies valour lead The third faire Ithay which I most should grace For comfort he hath done to Dauids woes And I my selfe will follow in the midst Ith. That let not Dauid for though we should flie Tenne thousand of vs were not halfe so much Esteemd with Dauids enemies as himselfe Thy people louing thee denie thee this Da. What seemes them best then that will Dauid doe But now my lords and captaines heare his voice That neuer yet pierst pittious heauen in vaine Then let it not slip lightly through your eares For my sake spare the young man Absalon Ioab thy selfe didst once vse friendly words To reconcile my heart incenst to him If then thy loue be to thy kinsman sound And thou wilt proue a perfit Israelite Friend him with deeds and touch no haire of him Not that fair haire with which the wanton winds Delight to play and loues to make in curle Wherein the Nightingales would build their nests And make sweet bowers in euery golden tresse To sing their louer euery night asleepe O spoile not Ioab Ioues faire ornaments Which he hath sent to solace Dauids soule The best ye see my lords are swift to sinne To sinne our feet are washt with milke of Roes And dried againe with coales of lightening O Lord thou seest the prowdest sinnes poore slaue And with his bridle pulst him to the graue For my sake then spare louely Absalon Ith. Wee will my lord for thy sake fauour him Exeunt Achitophel solus with a halter Achi. Now hath Achitophel orderd his house And taken leaue of euery pleasure there Hereon depends Achitophels delights And in this circle must his life be closde The wise Achitophel whose counsell prou'd Euer as sound for fortunate successe As if men askt the Oracle of God Is now vsde like the foole of Israel Then set thy angrie soule vpon her wings And let her flie into the shade of death And for my death let heauen for euer weepe Making huge flouds vpon the land I leaue To rauish them and all their fairest fruits Let all the sighs I breath'd for this disgrace Hang on my hedges like eternall mists As mourning garments for their maisters death Ope earth and take thy miserable sonne Into the bowels of thy cursed wombe Once in a surfet thou diddest spue him forth Now for fell hunger sucke him in againe And be his bodie poyson to thy vaines And now thou hellish instrument of heauen Once execute th' arrest of Ioues iust doome And stop his breast that curseth Israel Exit Absalon Amasa with all his traine Abs. Now for the crowne and throne of Israel To be confirmd with vertue of my sword And writ with Dauids bloud vpon the blade Now Ioue let forth the golden firmament And looke on him with all thy fierie eyes Which thou hast made to giue their glories light To shew thou louest the vertue of thy hand Let fall a wreath of starres vpon my head Whose influence may gouerne Israel With state exceeding all her other Kings Fight lords and captaines that your soueraignes face May shine in honour brighter then the sunne And with the vertue of my beautious raies Make this faire land as fruitfull as the fields That with sweet milke and hony ouerflow'd God in the whiffing of a pleasant wind Shall march vpon the tops of Mulberie trees To coole all breasts that burne with any greefes As whylome he was good to Moyses men By day the Lord shall sit within a cloud To guide your footsteps to the fields of ioy And in the night a piller bright as fire Shall goe before you like a second sunne Wherein the essence of his godhead is That day and night you may be brought to peace And neuer swarue from that delightsome path That leads your soules to perfect happinesse This shall he doe for ioy when I am King Then fight braue captaines that these ioies may flie Into your bosomes with sweet victorie Exeunt The battell and Absalon hangs by the haire What angrie angel sitting in these shades Hath laid his cruell hands vpon my haire And holds my body thus twixt heauen and earth Hath Absalon no souldier neere his hand That may vntwine me this vnpleasant curle Or wound this tree that rauisheth his lord O God behold the glorie of thy hand And choisest fruit of Natures workemanship Hang like a rotten branch vpon this tree Fit for the axe and ready for the fire Since thou withholdst all ordinarie helpe To lose my bodie from this bond of death O let my beautie fill these sencelesse places With sence and power to lose me from this plague And worke some wonder to preuent his death Whose life thou madst a speciall miracle Ioab with another souldier Sould. My lord I saw the young prince Absalon Hang by the haire vpon a shadie oke And could by no meanes get himselfe vnlosde Ioab Why slewst thou not the wicked Absalon That rebell to his father and to heauen That so I might haue giuen thee for thy paines Tenne siluer sickles and a golden wast Sould. Not for a thousand sickles would I slay The sonne of Dauid whom his father chargd Nor thou Abisay nor the sonne of Gath Should touch with stroke of deadly violence The charge was giuen in hearing of vs all And had I done it then I know thy selfe Before thou wouldst abide the Kings rebuke Wouldst haue accus'd me as a man of death Ioab I must not now stand trifling here with thee Abs. Helpe Ioab helpe O helpe thy Absalon Let not thy angrie thoughts be laid in bloud In bloud of him that sometimes nourisht thee And softned thy sweet heart with friendly loue O giue me once againe my fathers sight My deerest father and my princely soueraigne That shedding teares of bloud before his face The ground may witnesse and the heauens record My last submission sound and full