And last, to take from Jebusites all odds,
Their altars pillag'd, stole their very gods.
Oft would he cry, when treasure he surpris'd,
'Tis Baalish gold in David's coin disguis'd;
Which to his house with richer reliques came,
Where lumber idols only fed the flame:
For our wise rabble ne'er took pains t' inquire
What 'twas he burnt, so 't made a rousing fire.
With which our elder was enrich'd no more
Than false Gehazi with the Syrian's store;
So poor, that when our chusing-tribes were met,
E'en for his stinking votes he ran in debt;
For meat, the wicked, and, as authors think,
The saints he chous'd for his electing drink;
Thus ev'ry shift and subtle method past,
And all to be no Zaken at the last.
Now, rais'd on Tyre's sad ruins, Pharaoh's pride
Soar'd high, his legions threat'ning far and wide;
As when a batt'ring storm engender'd high,
By winds upheld, hangs hov'ring in the sky,
Is gaz'd upon by ev'ry trembling swain,
This for his vineyard fears, and that his grain;
For blooming plants, and flow'rs new-opening, these
For lambs yean'd lately, and far-lab'ring bees:
To guard his stock each to the gods does call,
Uncertain where the fire-charg'd clouds will fall:
E'en so the doubtful nations watch his arms,
With terror each expecting his alarms.
Where, Judah. where was now thy Lion's roar?
Thou only couldst the captive lands restore;
But thou, with inbred broils and faction prest,
From Egypt need'st a guardian with the rest.
Thy prince from sanhedrims no trust allow'd,
Too much the representers of the crowd,
Who for their own defence give no supply,
But what the Crown's prerogatives must buy:
As if their monarch's rights to violate
More needful were than to preserve the state!
From present dangers they divert their care,
And all their fears are of the royal heir;
Whom now the reigning malice of his foes
Unjudg'd would sentence, and e'er crown'd depose :
Religion the pretence, but their decree
To bar his reign, whate'er his faith shall be !
By sanhedrims and clam'rous crowds thus prest,
What passions rent the righteous David's breast?
Who knows not how t' oppose or to comply,
Unjust to grant, and dang’rous to deny!
How near in this dark juncture Isr'el's fate,
Whose peace one sole expedient could create.
Which yet the extremest virtue did require,
E'en of that prince whose downfal they conspire!
His absence David does with tears advise
T' appease their rage: undaunted he complies.
Thus he who, prodigal of blood and ease,
A royal life expos'd to winds and seas,
At once contending with the waves and fire,
And heading dangers in the wars of Tyre,
Inglorious now forsakes his nativ sand,
And, like an exile, quits the promis'd land!
Our monarch scarce from pressing tears refrains,
And powerfully his royal state maintains,
Who now embracing on th' extremest shore,
Almost revokes what he injoin'd before;
Concludes at last more trust to be allow'd,
To storms and seas than to the raging crowd!
Forbear, rash Muse; the parting scene to draw,
With silence charm'd as deep as theirs that saw!
Not only our attending nobles weep,
But hardy sailors swell with tears the deep,
The tide restrain'd her course, and more amaz'd,
The Twin-stars on the brothers gaz'd:
While this sole fear-----
Does trouble to our suff'ring hero bring,
Lest next the pop'lar rage oppress the King!
Thus parting, each for th' other's danger griev'd,
The shore the king, and seas the prince receiv'd.
Go, injur❜d Hero, while propitious gales,
Soft as thy consort's breath, inspire thy sails;
Well may she trust her beauties on a flood,
Where thy triumphant fleets so oft have rode!
Safe on thy breast reclin'd, her rest be deep,
Rock'd like a Nereid by the waves asleep:
Whilst happiest dreams her fancy entertain,
And to Elysian fields convert the main !
Go, injur'd Hero, while the shores of Tyre
At thy approach so silent shall admire,
Who on thy thunder still their thoughts employ,
And greet thy landing with a trembling joy.
On heroes thus the prophet's fate is thrown,
Admir'd by every nation but their own:
Yet while our factious Jews his worth deny,
Their akeing conscience gives their tongue the lie.
E'en in the worst of men the noblest parts
Confess him, and he triumphs in their hearts,
Whom to his king the best respects commend
Of subject, soldier, kinsman, prince, and friend;
All sacred names of most divine esteem,
And to perfection all sustain'd by him,
Wise, just, and constant; courtly without art, 640
Swift to discern, and to reward desert;
No hour of his in fruitless ease destroy'd,
But on the noblest subjects still employ'd;
Whose steady soul ne'er learnt to separate
Between his monarch's int'rest and the state,
But heaps those blessings on the royal head,
Which he well knows must be on subjects shed.
On what pretence could then the vulgar rage
Against his worth and native rights engage?
Religious fears their arguments are made,
Religious fears his sacred rights invade!
Of future superstition they complain,
And Jebusitic worship in his reign;
With such alarms his foes the crowd deceive,
With dangers fright, which not themselves believe.
Since nothing can our sacred rights remove,
Whate'er the faith of the successor prove,
Our Jews their ark shall undisturb'd retain,
At least while their religion is their gain,
Who know by old experience Baal's commands
Not only claim'd their conscience but their lands; They grudge God's tythes, how, therefore, shall they An idol full possession of the field?
Grant such a prince enthron'd, we must confess
The people's suff'rings than that monarch's less,
Who must to hard condition still be bound,
And for his quiet with the crowd compound;
Or should his thoughts to tyranny incline,
Where are the means to compass the design?
Our crown's revenues are too short a store,
And jealous sanhedrims would give no more.
As vain our fears of Egypt's potent aid;
Not so has Pharaoh learnt ambition's trade,
Nor ever with such measures can comply
As shock the common rules of policy;
None dread him the growth of Is'rel's king,
And he alone sufficient aids can bring:
Who knows that prince to Egypt can give law,
That on our stubborn tribes his yoke could draw,
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