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THE HISTORY OF David's Troubles: OR, HUMAN FRAILTY DELINEATED.
A SACRED POEM.
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THE HISTORY OF David's Troubles: OR, HUMAN FRAILTY DELINEATED.
A SACRED POEM.
HONOUR and Shame from no Condition riſe;
Act well your Part, there all the Honour lies.
Fortune in Men has ſome ſmall Diff'rence made,
One flaunts in Rags, one flutters in Brocade.
The Cobler apron'd, and the Parſon gown'd,
The Friar hooded, and the Monarch crown'd.
"What differ more (you cry) than Crown and Cowl?"
I'll tell you, Friend: A Wiſe Man and a Fool.
You'll find, if once the Monarch acts the Monk,
Or, Cobler-like, the Parſon will be drunk,
Worth makes the Man, and want of it the Fellow;
The reſt is all but Leather or Prunella.
POPE's Fourth Epiſtle. — Delirant Reges, plectuntur Achivi. Hor.
OXFORD; Printed by LEONARD LICHFIELD, near East-Gate, for SACKVILLE PARKER, oppoſite Queen's-College, 1741.
(Price One Shilling.)
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Imprimatur
T. LEIGH, Vice-Can. OXON.
Mart. 11. 1740.ERRATA.
- PAGE 1. for Pleaſure how great, read, How fleeting's Joy.
- Page 8. for loſt a Scepter, read, gain'd a Scepter.
THE HISTORY OF David's Troubles: A POEM.
[5]I SING the Cauſes of a Troubled Reign,
Pleaſure how great, how permanent is Pain;
Reaſon unthron'd, rebellious Paſſion's Sway,
The fatal Produce of a Luſtful Day:
The ANOINTED HEAD how vicious Joys expoſe,
A Soul in Anguiſh, and a King in Woes.
LIGHT Spots on Ermin are conſpicuous ſhewn,
And doubly glare the Follies of a Throne.
How then Thy Crimes, O DAVID! ſhall we ſcan?
Thou greateſt Monarch! Thou moſt God-like Man!
[6]Or how the Frailty of our Frame confeſs,
When GOD's diſtinguiſh'd Fav'rites thus tranſgreſs?
THE Sun adown the Steep of Heav'n had roll'd,
And fring'd the purple Clouds with Skirts of Gold,
When ſhunning Grandeur, and the Noiſe of State,
On the High Turrets of the Royal Seat,
DAVID the Sweets of deep Rebellion ſought,
Indulging all the Luxury of Thought.
ON Sion's Mount the Cedar-Fabrick ſtood,
The ruin'd Honours of the Tyrian Wood.
Hence ſtretch'd his Eye around his large Domain,
And much he joy'd him in his ample Reign;
Pleas'd cou'd the Preſent with the Paſt compare,
The Regal Glories with the Rural Care:
The Rural Care fair Bethlem's Hill renew'd,
Which gently riſing in the South he view'd.
Life's Steps from that diſtinguiſh'd Day could trace,
When, tho' the youngeſt of the Sons of Jeſſe,
He firſt was deſtin'd by the Sacred Oil
To ſplendid Cares, and Eminence of Toil.
HOW did He once the Bear and Lion ſlay,
While yet a Swain, to ſave the fleecy Prey!
At Elah how a Beardleſs Stripling dare
The grim gigantick Terror of the War!
[7]Harſh whiz'd the Sling, and with a thund'ring Sound
He fell enormous o'er a Length of Ground.
AND now reſolv'd He, as new Scenes he choſe,
How ſtill new Labours, and new Dangers roſe.
To Envy doom'd a Sacrifice to fall,
How twice he 'ſcap'd the vengeful Hand of Saul;
And how he foil'd the proud Goliah's Arms,
To merit Merab's falſely promis'd Charms.
HE next the Wonders of his Sword admir'd,
When gayly bold, by Michal's Beauty fir'd,
Two Hundred Foreskins of the Foe he paid;
A double Dow'ry for the Royal Maid!
The Royal Maid the daring Youth approv'd,
Met her new Lord, and unreſerv'd She lov'd.
NOR yet was the relentleſs Father won
By the True Subject, or the Duteous Son.
The thirſted Blood ſtill ſought he to attain
By Fraud, by Force; but Fraud and Force were vain.
The faithful Michal bad her Spouſe depart,
Mourn'd him as Sick with all the Woman's Art,
But thro' a Window ſecretly convey'd,
To ſeek at Ramah Holy Samuel's Aid.—
THENCE fled He, the Devoted Life to ſave,
Now to Adullam, now Engeddi's Cave,
[8]To Paran's Deſart, or the Ziphites Wood:
To Woods, to Caves, to Deſarts, SAUL purſu'd.
TRUSTING a Foe before a Father's Wrath,
He ſought Protection in the Land of Gath.
Thro' Nob He thither paſt, a fatal Gueſt,
GOLIAH'S Sword and hallow'd Bread the Prieſt
Bounteous ſupply'd; but for the well-meant Aid
The Lives of fourſcore Prieſts to Saul were paid.
AT Gath Kind AKISH gave him Zicklag's Town,
And well the Hero merited the Boon,
Till SAUL at Gilboa fell, and by his Side
The Prince, the other Half of DAVID, dy'd.
Much He the Father mourn'd, but more the Son,
He loſt a Scepter, but the Friend was gone,
AND now what Wars he wag'd, what Labours bore,
E'er Iſrael's Crown at Eaſe the Monarch wore,
Employ'd his Thoughts; while Iſhboſheth in vain
Labour'd a Lineal Title to maintain.
Murder'd he fell, who ill aſpir'd to rule,
A Traitor's Victim, and a Party's Tool!
The hated Crime the Murd'rers Lives atone,
And David mounts the unconteſted Throne.
AMAZING Toils! but now the Toils were o'er,
And baniſh'd Sorrow ſhou'd return no more.
[9]United Iſrael glory'd in his Reign,
And Heav'n his Throne had promis'd to ſuſtain;
Had deſtin'd to a long Succeſſive Race,
Diſtinguiſh'd Glory, and peculiar Grace.
SION he ſees, by his Victorious Hand,
The Seat of Worſhip, and of Empire ſtand.
The Philistines and Amleck dread his Sword,
And vanquiſh'd EDOM owns him as her Lord.
MOAB'S proud Sons a forc'd Submiſſion bring,
And SYRIA mourns in Blood the Raſhneſs of her King.
Before his Arms the Strength of Ammon falls,
And haughty Hanan trembles in his Walls,
Repents the Inſult that his Pride return'd,
The Friend provok'd, and proffer'd Kindneſs ſcorn'd.
FEAR'D by his Foes, by his Allies careſs'd,
Lov'd by his GOD, and by his People bleſs'd;
Remain'd there ought to fear? Or had there been
A Happier Prince among the Sons of Men?
UNHAPPILY ſecure! Untimely vain!
Sincerer Ills, and heavier Griefs remain.
That Hour, that Eaſe Thou boaſts, ſhall hurt Thee more
Than all the Injuries in Fortune's Pow'r.
A Frontier Town which crowded Forces ſhield,
Dares thus the gleamy Squadrons of the Field;
[10]Secure in Arms on the High Walls they ſhine,
While the Foes labour in the ſecret Mine,
Till paſs'd the gloomy Vaults they riſe to Air,
Horribly dreadful in the proudeſt Square.
NE'ER felt his Soul the ſad Effects of Sin,
For all was pure, and all was calm within.
Tumultuous Paſſion, Luſt, Deceit, Deſpair,
And black Remorſe had never harbour'd there.
Nought fear'd He from Himſelf, nor underſtood
David was yet by David unſubdu'd.
Now was the Hour ill-fated he muſt know
That vicious Pleaſures terminate in Woe.
URIAH's Garden near the Palace laid,
Where twining Trees a private Arbor made:
Yet from aloft the piercing Eye might trace
With Eaſe the Secrets of the dark Receſs.
Hither a Rivulet was taught to glide,
Whoſe conſtant Store a Marble Bath ſupply'd:
And here to bathe, about the Setting-Sun,
The Lovely Bathſheba retir'd alone.
Unconſcious of a Witneſs She diſplay'd
Luxuriant Beauty in the fraudful Shade,
Survey'd each Charm that cou'd Uriah move,
And wander'd o'er the Myſtery of Love.
Her comely Limbs the curling Stream embrac'd,
And flow'd, but Limpid flow'd, around her Waſte.
[11]To the King's View her Snowy Charms were bare,
He ſaw Her naked, and he own'd her Fair.
Fair!— She was wond'rous Fair!—
A Lot too great for any Subject's Bliſs!
Oh, She was HEAV'N,— and oh, that She were His!
NOW through his Soul an Earneſt Wiſh there fled
Of furtive Joys, and an Adult'rous Bed;
The Hands-breadth Cloud from whence the blackning Storm
Aroſe to wreck his Peace, and all his Joys deform.
NOR Reſt, nor Eaſe, th' intruding Thought affords,
Till He reveals the Secret to his LORDS.
The Lords officious, with a Courtly Care,
Diſcharge the Meſſage, and addreſs the Fair.
In moving Terms the King's Deſires convey'd,
With too much Eaſe were thoſe Deſires obey'd.
Soft Love invites, and proud Ambition warms,
Weak Woman yields, and meets the Monarch's Arms.
WHILE Theſe in Love the flying Hours employ,
Revel ſecure, and give a Looſe to Joy:
Laugh at the Ign'rance of the injur'd Spouſe,
The violated Bed, and cancell'd Vows,
At Rabbah's Siege Uriah ſought Applauſe,
Laviſhly valiant in his Country's Cauſe;
Till the ſad Wanton's News the King alarms,
That She was pregnant by the Royal Arms.
[12]Now muſt He be to the falſe Bed beguil'd,
Th' imagin'd Father of the ſpurious Child.
For this diſpatch'd a feign'd Expreſs to bring
He leaves the Camp, attends the Luſtful King.
Who wanted not (Credulity to force)
Artful Reception, and prepar'd Diſcourſe.
Enquir'd the Monarch, with deſign'd Addreſs,
The Gen'rals Welfare, and the War's Succeſs.
Curious He ſeem'd each Circumſtance to know,
The Site, the Strength, the Number of the Foe.
Receiv'd the Anſwers with majeſtick Pride,
Forc'd a Kind Look, and with a Smile reply'd.
WELL haſt Thou ſatisfy'd our Royal Care,
Sure of our Favour to Thy Houſe repair.
Indulge the Pleaſures of the Court awhile,
A ſhort Delay ſhall give Thee back to Toil.
Let the rough Labours of the Warrior ceaſe,
And taſte till then ſoft Love, and joyous Eaſe.
THESE I adjourn to Peace, the CHIEF reply'd,
Ill ſuit ſuch Pleaſures with a Martial Mind.
The Feaſt luxurious, and the flowing Bowl,
Unſtring the Sinews, and debaſe the Soul.
SAY, ſhall Thy Soldier the fond Wife poſſeſs,
And melt inglorious in the ſoft Careſs?
Or preſs the downy Bed in Silk inclos'd,
While JUDAH ſees Her Ark in Tents expos'd?
[13]And ſheath'd in Arms the Youths of Iſrael dare
The gen'rous Hardſhips of the toilſome War?
May HEAV'N ſo bleſs Thee as I diſapprove
This dull Inaction, and unmanly Love!
TO Him the King— Enough is giv'n to Fame,
At leaſt a Night Domeſtick Sweets may claim.
Till Morrow's Dawn Thy purpos'd Haſt delay,
And take Thy Journey with returning Day.
HE ſaid,— reſolv'd the Mirthful Feaſt to prove,
If ought might fire Him to the Joys of Love.
At his own Table caus'd the CHIEF to dine,
And the rich Goblet flow'd with gen'rous Wine.
In vain the Feaſt was ſerv'd, the Goblet flow'd,
And all his Arts the wily King beſtow'd.
Stretch'd on the lonely Couch the Night he ſped,
Nor ſought the Pleaſures of the Nuptial Bed,
He ſlept;— but Sleep the Royal Eye-lids fled.
Uriah's Death the treach'rous King deſign'd,
And the black Thought deep labour'd in his Mind.
He roſe, the raſh Reſolve to JOAB wrote,
Beneath whoſe Care His Hosts at Rabbah fought,
To place Him where the ſureſt Danger lay,
In the ſharp Conflict of the Doubtful Day.
Strict He enjoin'd, till by the Foes beſet,
Then to retire, and leave Him to his Fate.
[14]The Royal Signet clos'd the dire Command,
And ſafe conſign'd it to Uriah's Hand.
All heedleſs of the Murd'rous Charge he held,
Early the Hero haſted to the Field.
Took his laſt Orders with a joyous Mind,
And ruſh'd impatient to the Poſt aſſign'd.
He charg'd impetuous, till he ſaw, too late,
The Foes ſurrounding, and the Friends retreat.
Yet dear reſolv'd th' abandon'd Life to ſell,
Greatly he fought, as Loyally he fell;
And bleſs'd, with the expiring Gaſp of Life,
Th' ungrateful Sovereign, and the faithleſs Wife.
THE Monarch heard the News with Artful Care,
He blam'd the Sword unknowing how to ſpare,
And undiſcerning Chance of waſteful War.
But now avow'd his Flame (the Husband dead)
And took the Widow to the Royal Bed.
A Son She bore, and for a tranſient Time,
Inly he joy'd at the ſucceſsful Crime.
ABSURD Mankind! when in the Ways of Ill,
We for our Reaſon ſubſtitute our Will,
Fondly ſecure, and indolently gay,
In the ſmooth Calm of flatt'ring Vice we play,
Till o'er our Heads the Thunder burſting loud
Echoes tremendous, and proclaims the GOD.
[15]
THUS David found his Sanguine Hopes recede,
And all the gaudy Dream of Pleaſure fled;
When NATHAN came, a venerable Sage,
In the grave Majeſty of Hoary Age.
Awful his Geſture, and his Words ſincere,
Nor knew He ought to flatter, or to fear.
He bore his GOD'S Commiſſion in his Look,
Hail'd the vain King,— and thus the Prophet ſpoke.
PLAINTIVE I come of Arbitrary Ill,
The ſad Encroachment of the Lawleſs Will.
May Iſrael's King attend what I relate,
And ſay, what Vengeance meets a Crime ſo great?
WITHIN Thy Realm a Man there dwelt of late,
Bleſs'd with the Plenty of a vaſt Eſtate.
So large his Herds, that the increaſing Breed
Black'ned the Vales, and low'd in ev'ry Mead;
And Flocks ſo num'rous were around him ſpread,
That ſcarce He knew the Hills on which they fed.
In the near Cottage liv'd a Lab'ring Hind,
Of ſcanty Fortune, but an Eaſy Mind.
Nor Sorrow He, nor Envy knew, tho' poor:
A Lamb was all his Joy, and all his Store.
This Darling Partner of his Board and Bed,
With Care he nurs'd, with fond Indulgence fed.
Bred with his Children, as a Child it far'd,
Lov'd with a Parent's tendereſt Regard.
[16]Mean while it chanc'd that to the Neighbouring Dome,
An unexpected Viſitant was come:
The Lordly Maſter, for his Friend's Repaſt,
Nor from the Flock, nor Herd, ſelects the Feaſt.
His own he ſpar'd: the Little Fav'rite Ewe,
The Boſom-Comfort of the Lab'rer ſlew,
Feaſting remorſeleſs on a Neighbour's Woe.
SCARCE to the finiſh'd Tale the King ſuppreſs'd
The riſing Fury of the Royal Breaſt;
Incontinent He gave th' incens'd Reply:—
As the LORD lives the Man ſhall ſurely die!
The four-fold Value of the Lamb return'd,
For Force injurious, and for Pity ſcorn'd.
THE Seer, ſtern Anger frowning on his Brow,
Reply'd;— The Man, whom Thou condemn'ſt, art THOU.
Ev'n David thus hath ſinn'd:— and now prepare,
The Sentence of an Angry GOD to hear.
BY me He cites Thy Folly, and Thy Pride,
His Goodneſs ſlighted, and his Pow'r defy'd.
Ev'n Thee, O King! who durſt that Pow'r diſdain,
Rais'd by my Favour from an abject Swain.
I gave Thee Grace, I gave Thee Strength in War,
And made Thy Safety my peculiar Care.
Laviſhly bountiful I gave Thee All,
The Wealth, the Wives, the Diadem of SAUL.
[17]Peace thro' Thy Land, and ſmiling Plenty flow'd;
Foes ſpake Thee Great, while Subjects ſpoke Thee Good.
Theſe Bleſſings, why cou'd Judah's King deſtroy,
For the ſhort Tranſports of a guilty Joy?
Bethink, O King! for what haſt Thou reſign'd,
Thy Peace, thy ſweet Serenity of Mind;
And Raptures which the Virtuous Soul beſtow'd,
Conſcious of Worth, and converſant with GOD?
For the wild Cravings of the vicious Will,
And falſe Appearance of a ſpecious Ill,
Purſu'd with Labour, purchas'd with Deceit,
Enjoy'd with Shame, and finiſh'd with Regret.
Nor end the Evils of the Crime therein,
Luſt's but the Threſhold to the Gates of Sin.
This well Thou know'ſt; for Thou haſt found it led
To the Invaſion of the Nuptial Bed,
The baſe Deception of the fraudful Word,
And the Friend murder'd by the Hoſtile Sword.
For This, th' inſatiate Sword with Endleſs Rage
Shall haunt Thine Houſe, and perſecute Thine Age.
For This, Thy Wives eſtrang'd from David's Arms,
Shall to Thy Neighbour's Bed transfer their Charms;
Nor furtive ſhall, like Thine, their Joys be hid,
The Noon-tide SUN ſhall view the flagrant Deed.
ISRAEL th' Juſtice of her GOD ſhall know,
Who makes th' offending Crime th' Offender's Woe.
[18]
WHAT wild Amazement ſeiz'd the Monarch's Breaſt,
When Vice appear'd in all her Shame confeſs'd,
When now no more the gloſſy Varniſh ſhone;
The wretched Mariner conceives alone
Who far has ſail'd, and at his wiſh'd Return
Has, thro' the Errors of a misty Morn,
With eager Joy imagin'd Land purſu'd:
But when the Splendor of the Sun renew'd,
Has madly mourn'd the dear Deluſion loſt,
And the Ship bulging on the Rocky Coaſt.
HE wept his Folly, and his Crime he own'd.
Thy Death remitted, and Thy Crime aton'd,
Thy GOD declares, the Prophet ſaid; the LORD
Slow to avenge, as righteous to reward.
Yet ſince by This Thou didſt his Name expoſe
To the rude Licence of opprobrious Foes;
Since Pleas for Vice the Libertine may bring,
From this Exceſs of Judah's Fav'rite King;
Die ſhall the Child of the Adult'rous Womb,
Fix'd is his Fate, and unrevers'd the Doom.
THUS ſpake the Seer; nor farther wou'd diſcloſe
The deſtin'd Series of the Monarch's Woes.
Tho' his Prophetick Soul in Time's dark Law
The Scene of Future Miſeries foreſaw.
The Royal Offspring what black Crimes ſhou'd ſtain,
A Sister raviſh'd, and a Brother ſlain.
[19]Raſh Amnon's Death by Abſolom decreed,
For beauteous Tamar's violated Bed,
And DAVID grieving at the impious Deed.
How He the Slain and Fugitive ſhou'd mourn,
Until the faithleſs Abſolom return:
Return! accurs'd Ingratitude to ſhow,
And plunge him farther in the Depth of Woe:
How forc'd o'er Jordan's Stream the Sire ſhou'd ſhun
The impious Arms of the Rebellious Son;
Yet in the Anguiſh of a Father ſad,
With Aſhes ſprinkled, and with Sackcloth clad,
Shou'd grieve the Conqueſt that his Death muſt coſt,
And all the Rebel in the Son be loſt.
FARTHER, He ſaw him deſtin'd to ſuſtain
A deeper Anguiſh, and a keener Pain;
When ſummon'd by the unrelenting Seer
To the ſad Choice of Famine, Plague, or War.
How each dire Shaft from the Almighty's Bow
Shou'd pierce his Soul with the ſevereſt Woe,
While gaſping he ſurveys, on ev'ry Side,
The guiltleſs Thouſands for the Monarch's Pride.
OPPREST with Grief, He ſaw, his Hoary Age
By Adonijah's Plot, and factious Rage.
And ev'n in Death tranſmitted with his Crown
Invidious Vengeance on his Fav'rite Son.
[20]
THESE He foreſaw, yet wiſely theſe ſuppreſs'd
Safe in the cloſe Receſſes of his Breaſt.
For HEAV'N in Pity to our State conceals
From Human View the Courſe of Future Ills.
Reluctant elſe wou'd wretched Man eſſay
The Toilſome Journey of the Thorny Way.
Inly the Fortunes of the King he mourn'd,
Reſtrain'd the riſing Grief, and Home return'd.
While David in th' expiring Child beheld
The ſad Prediction of the Seer fulfill'd.
Apart in Bitterneſs of Soul He ſate,
And his Repentance, as his Crime, was great.
Let us, by his EXAMPLE warn'd, beware
Of tempting Vice, and ſhun the fatal Snare.
Or, by the Frailty of our Paſſions led,
Atone with Sorrow for the loath'd Miſdeed.
On each Offence a ſad Remembrance caſt,
And mend the FUTURE, as we mourn the PAST.
FINIS.
- Citation Suggestion for this Object
- TextGrid Repository (2020). TEI. 3511 The history of David s troubles or human frailty delineated A sacred poem. University of Oxford Text Archive. . https://hdl.handle.net/21.T11991/0000-001A-61C9-4