"He walks, and cafts a deadly grin about. "David, with cheerful anger in his eyes, "Advances boldly on, and thus replies: "Thou com'ft, vain man! all arm'd into the field, "And trufteft thofe war toys, thy fword and "fhield: 569

Thy pride's my fpear, thy blafphemies my fword;

My fhield, thy Maker, fool! the mighty Lord "Of thee and battles; who hath fent forth me "Unarm'd thus, not to fight, but conquer, thee. "In vain fhall Dagon, thy falfe hope, withstand; "In vain thy other god, thine own right hand: Thy fall to man fhall Heaven's strong justice "fhew; 575 "Wretch! 'tis the only good which thou canst do. "He faid; our hoft stood dully filent by; "And durit not truft their ears against the eye; "As much their champion's threats to him they "fear'd,

"Now through the camp founds nought but Da

"vid's name,

605

"All joys, of feveral ftamp and colours, came "From feveral paflions: fome his valour praife, "Some his free fpeech, fome the fair popular rays "Of youth, and beauty, and his modeft guife; "Gifts that mov'd all, but charm'd the female cyes. 610

"Some wonder, fome they thought 'twould be fo, "fwear;

"And fome faw angels flying through the air: "The bafeft fpirits caft back a crooked glance "On this great act, and fain would give 't to "Chance.

"Women our hoft with fongs and dances meet, "With much joy Saul, David with more, they "greet.

616

"Hence the king's politic rage and envy flows, "Which first he hides, and fecks his life t' expofe "To generous dangers, that his hate might "clear,

"And Fate or Chance the blame, nay David, 620

"bear.

Down, down he falls, and bites in vain the ground;

66

"Blood, brain, and foul, crond mingled through "the wound!

590

631

"Which men to fpeak, and angels joy to hear. "No angel e'er bore to his brother Mind "A kindness more exalted and refin'd, "Than his to David; which look'd nobly down, "And fcorn'd the falfe alarums of a crown. "At Dammin field he flood, and from his place Leap'd forth, the wondrous conqueror to em"brace;

636

"On him his mantle, girdle, fword, and bow, "On him his heart and foul, he did bettow; "Not all that Saul could threaten or perfuade, "In this clofe knot the fmallest loofenefs made. 640 "Oft his wife care did the king's rage fufpend; "His own life's danger fhelter'd oft his friend; "Which he expos'd a facrifice to fall "By th' undifcerning rage of furious Saul. "Nor was young David's active virtue grown "Strong and triumphant in one fex alone; 646 "Imperious Beauty too it, durft invade,

"And deeper prints in the foft breast it made: "For there, t' Efteem and Friendship's graver

"For thoufand rameless things difclos'd her heart. "On th' other fide, David with filent pain "Did in respectful bounds his fires contain : "His humble fear t' offend, and trembling awe, Impos'd on him a no-lefs rigorous law 776 *Than modefty on her; and, though he ftrove "To make her fee 't, he durft not tell his love. "To tell it first, the timorous youth made choice Of mufic's bolder and more active voice; 780 "And thus, beneath her window, did he touch "His faithful lyre; the words and numbers such “As did well worth my memory appear, "And may perhaps deferve your princely ear:

"The fenfelefs rules which firft falfe honour "taught,

"And into laws thet yrant custom brought- 820 "Which women's pride and folly did invent, "Their lovers and themselves too to torment"Made her next day a grave displeasure fain, "And all her words, and all her looks, con"ftrain 824

"Before the trembling youth; who, when he faw "His vital light her wonted beams withdraw, "He curs'd his voice, his fingers, and his lyre, "He curs'd his too-bold tongue, and bold defire; "In vain he curs'd the laft, for that ftill grew; "From all things food its strong complexion drew: "His joy and hope their cheerful motions ceas'd, "His life decay'd, but still his love encreas'd; "Whilst she, whose heart approv'd not her dis"dain,

"Saw and endur'd his pains with greater pain. "But Jonathan to whom both hearts were known, "With a concernment equal to their own 836 (Joyful that Heaven with his fworn love com

ply'd

"To draw that knot more faft which he had

ty'd)

"With well-tim'd zeal, and with an artful care, "Reftor'd, and better'd foon, the nice affair. 840 "With cafe a brother's lawful power o'ercame "The formal decencies of virgin-fhame. "She first with all her heart forgave the past, "Heard David tell his flames, and told her own 66 at laft.

"Lo here the happy point of profperous love! 845 "Which ev'n enjoyment feldom can improve. "Themfelves agreed, which fcarce could fail " alone;

"All Ifrael's wifh concurrent with their own; "A brother's powerful aid firm to the fide; "By folemn vow the king and father ty'd: 850 "All jealous fears, all nice difguises, past, "All that in lefs-ripe love offends the taste; "In either's breast their fouls both meet and wed, "Their heart the nuptial-temple and the bed. "And, though the groffer cates were yet not "dreft, 855 By which their bodies must supply this feaft, "Bold hopes prevent flow pleasure's lingering "birth,

"As faints, affur'd of heaven, enjoy 't on earth. "All this the king obferv'd; and well he faw "What fcandal, and what danger, it might draw "T' oppofe this juft and popular match; but 861

"meant

"T' out-malice all refufals by confent. "He meant the poisonous grant fhould mortal

"prove;

"He meant t' enfnare his virtue by his love: "And thus he to him fpoke, with more of art 865 "And fraud, than well became the kingly part:

"Your valour, David, and high worth, faid he, "To praife is all man's duty, mine to fee "Rewarded; and we fhall t' our utmost powers "Do with like care that part, as you did yours. "Forbid it, God! we like thofe kings fhould prove, "Who fear the virtues which they're bound to love. R

900

"Fitting her birth and fortune: and, fince fo "Custom ordains, we mean t' exact it too. "The jointure we exact is, that shall be "No lefs advantage to thy fame than fhe. "Go where Philiftian troops infeft the land, "Renew the terrors of thy conquering hand; "When thine own hand, which needs must con"queror prove,

"In this joint caufe of honour and of love, 905 "An hundred of the faithlefs foe fhall day, "And for a dower their hundred forefkins pay, "Be Michal thy reward: did we not know

Thy mighty fate, and worth that makes it fo, "We should not cheaply that dear blood expofe, "Which we to mingle with our own had chofe : "But thou'rt fecure; and, fince this match of "thine

"We to the public benefit defign, "A public good fhali its beginning grace, "And give triumphant omens of thy race. "Thus spoke the king: the happy youth bow'd "low:

915

lay

"In this laft ftage, like fcandals, in his way

"On a large gentle hill crown'd with tall "Near where the regai Gabaah proudly fto "A tent was pitch'd, of green wrought da "made,

"And feem'd but the fresh foreft's natural "Various and vaft within, on pillars borne "Of Shittim-wood, that ufefully adorn. "Hither to grace the nuptial-feaft, does Saul "Of the twelve tribes th' elders and capt call:

"And all around the idle, bufy crowd "With fhouts and bleflings tell their joy ak "Lo! the prefs breaks, and from their f

"homes

"All in that new-blown age which does inf "Warmth in themfelves, in their beholders "But all this, and all elfe the fun did e'er, 9 "Or fancy fee, in her lefs-bounded sphere, "The bride herfelf out-fhone; and one would

They made but the faint dawn to her full d "Behind a numerous train of ladies went, "Who on their drefs much fruitlefs care had fe "Vain gems, and unregarded coft, they bore, "For all men's eyes were ty'd to thofe "hefon, "The bridegroom's flourishing troop fill'd ne "the place,

"With thirty comely youths of nobleft race, "That march'd before; and Heaven around "head

"The graceful beams of joy and beauty fpres

r the glad ftar, which men and angels iove,
rince of the glorious hoft that shines above
No light of heaven fo cheerful or fo gay)
Lifts up his facred lamp, and opens day. 985
The king himself, at the tent's crowned gate,
In all his robes of ceremony' and state,
Sate to receive the train; on either hand
Did the high-prieft and the great prophet stand:
Adriel behind, Jonathan, Abner, Jeffe, 990
And all the chiefs in their due order prefs.
Firth Saul declar'd his choice, and the just cause,
Avow'd by a general murmur of applaufe;
Then fign'd her dower; and in few words he
"pray'd,

And bleit, and gave the joyful, trembling maid
T' her lover's hands; who, with a cheerful
"look
996
And humble gefture, the vast prefent took.
The nuptial-hymn ftrait founds, and musics
play

ICCO

And feafts and balls fhorten the thoughtless day
To all but to the wedded; till at last
The long-wifh'd night did her kind shadow

"caft;

At last th' ineftimable hour was come
To lead his conquering prey in triumph home.
T'a palace near, dreft for the nuptial-bed,
(Part of her dower) he his fair princefs led; 1005
Saul, the high-prieft, and Samuel, here they
"leave,

Who, as they part, their weighty bleffings give.
Her vail is now put on; and at the gate
The thirty youths and thirty virgins wait
With golden lamps, bright as the flames they

"bore,

ΠΟΙΟ

To light the nuptial-pomp, and march before;
The reft bring home in ftate the happy pair,
To that laft fcene of blifs, and leave them there
Ali thofe free joys infatiably to prove,
With which rich Beauty feafts the glutton

"Love.

1015 "But fcarce, alas! the firft feven days were

"past, In which the public nuptial triumphs last, When Saul this new alliance did repent Such fubtle cares his jealous thoughts torment !) He envy'd the good work himfelf had done; 1020 Fear'd David lefs, his fervant than his fon. No longer his wild wrath could he command; He fecks to ftain his own imperial hand In his fon's blood; and, that twice cheated

" too,

With troops and armies does one life purfuc. Said I but one! his thirsty rage extends 1026 To th' lives of all his kindred and his friends; Ev'n Jonathan had dy'd for being fo, Had not just God put-by th' unnatural blow. "You fee, Sir, the true caufe which brings us "here: 1030

No fullen difcontent, or groundless fear; No guilty act or end calls us from home; Only to breathe in peace awhile we come; Ready to ferve, and in mean space to pray For you who us receive, and him who drives 66 away." 1035

THE

FOURTH BOOK

OF

THE DAVIDEIS.

THE ARGUMENT.

Moab carries his guests to bunt at Nebo; in the way falls into difcourfe with David, and defires to know of him the reefons of the change of government in Ifrael; bow Saul came to the crown, and the flory of him and Jonathan. David's fpeech, containing the fate of the commonwealth under the Judges; the motives for avhich the people defired a king; their Deputies' Specih to Samuel upon that fubject, and his reply. The offembling of the people at the tabernacle, to enquire God's pleafare. God's Speech. The character of Saul; bis anointing by Samuel, and election by lot; the defection of bis people. The war of Nabab king of Ammor against Jabef Gilead; Saul and Jonathan's relieving of the town. Jonathan's character; bis fingle fight with Nabafe, abom le flays, and defeats bis army. The confirmation of Saul's kingdom at Gilgal, and the manner of Samuel's quitting his office of Judge. The war with the Philifines at Macmas: their firength, and the weakness of Saul's forces; his exercising of the priefly function, and the judgment denounced by Samuel against him. Jonathan's difcourfe with his Efquire their falling alone upon the enemy's out-, guards at Senes, and after upon the whole army; the rwonderful defeat of it. Saul's rofe vow, by which Jonathan is to be put to death, but is faved by the people.

THOUGH flate and kind difcourfe thus robb'd the night

Of half her natural and more just delight,
Moab (whom temperance did fill vigorous keep,
And regal cares had us'd to moderate fleep)
Up with the fun arofe; and, having thrice 5
With lifted hands bow'd towards his fhining rife,
And thrice tow'rds Phegor, his Baal's holicft hill
(With good and pious prayers, directed ill)
Call'd to the chace his friends, who for him
ftay'd;

15

The glad dogs bark'd, the cheerful horfes neigh'd.
Moab his chariot mounts, drawn by four feeds, II
The best and nobleft that fresh Zerith breeds,
All white as fnow, and fpriteful as the light,
With fearlet trapt, and foaming gold they bite.
He into it young David with him took,
Did with refpect and wonder on him look
Since last night's ftory, and with greedier ear
The man, of whom fo much he heard, did hear.
The well-born youth of all his flourishing court.
March gay behind, and joyful, to the sport; 20
Some arm'd with bows, fome with firaight jave-

lins, ride:

Rich fwords and gilded quivers grace their fide, 'Midft the fair troop David's tall brethren rode, And Joab, comely as a fancied god;