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Robbery the field, Oppression sack'd the town; What the sword's reaping spar'd, was glean'd by th' gown.

At courts and seats of justice to complain,
Was to be robb'd more vexingly again.
Nor was their lust less active or less bold,
Amidst this rougher search of blood and gold;
Weak beauties they corrupt, and force the
strong;

The pride of old men that, and this of young. You 'ave heard perhaps, sir, of lew'd Gibeah's shame,

Which Hebrew tongues still tremble when they Alarmed all by one fair stranger's eyes, [name: As to a sudden war, the town does rise, Shaking and pale, half-dead ere they begin The strange and wanton tragedy of their sin : All their wild lusts they force her to sustain, Till by shame, sorrow, weariness, and pain, She mids't their loath'd and cruel kindness dies; Of monstrous Lust the innocent sacrifice. This did, 'tis true, a civil war create (The frequent curse of our loose govern'd state); All Gibeah's, and all Jabesh' blood it cost; Near a whole tribe, and future kings, we lost. Firm in this general earthquake of the land, How could religion, its main pillar, stand? Proud and fond man his Father's worship hates, Himself, God's creature, his own god creates ! Hence in each household several deities grew, And when no old one pleas'd they fram'd a new: The only land which serv'd but one before, Did th' only then all nations' gods adore. They serv'd their gods at first, and soon their kings,

(Their choice of that this latter slavery brings) Till special men, arm'd with God's warrant,

broke

By justest force th' unjustly-forced yoke;
All matchless persons, and thrice worthy they
Of power more great, or lands more apt t' obey.
At last the priesthood join'd, in Ithamar's son,
More weight and lustre to the sceptre won;
But, whilst mild Eli and good Samuel were
Busied with age, and th' altar's sacred care,
To their wild sons they their high charge commit,
Who expose to scorn and hate both them and
it.

Fli's curs'd house th' exemplar vengeance bears
Of all their blood, and all sad Israel's tears;
His sons abroad, himself at home, lies slain;
Israel's captiv'd, God's ark and law are ta'en.
Thus twice are nations by ill princes vex'd,
They suffer by them first, and for them next,
Samuel succeeds ;-since Moses, none before
So much of God in his bright bosom bore.
Invain our arms Philistian tyrants seiz'd;
Heaven's magazines he open'd when he pleas'd:
He rains and winds for auxiliaries brought;
Hemuster'd flames and thunders when he fought.
Thus thirty years with strong and steady hand
He held th' unshaken balance of the land;
At last his sons th' indulgent father chose
To share that state which they were born to
lose:

Their hateful acts that change's birth did haste,
Which had long growth i' th' womb of ages past.
To this (for still were some great periods set,
There's a strong knot of several causes met)

The threats concurr'd of a rough neighbouring

war;

A mighty storm long gathering from afar;
For Ammon, heighten'd with mix'd nations' aid,
Like torrents swoln with rain, prepar'd the land
t' invade.

Samuel was old, and, by his sons' ill choice,
Turn'd dotard in th' unskilful vulgar's voice;
His sons so scorn'd and hated, that the land
Nor hop'd, nor wish'd, a victory from their hand.
These were the just and faultless causes why
The general voice did for a monarch cry;
But God ill grains did in this incense smell;
Wrapp'd in fair leaves he saw the canker dwell:
A mutinous itch of change; a dull despair
Of helps divine, oft prov'd; a faithless care
Of common means; the pride of heart and scorn
Of th' humble yoke under low judges borne.
They saw the state and glittering pomp which
In vulgar sense the sceptres of the East; [blest
They saw not power's true source, and scorn'd to
obey

Persons that look'd no dreadfuller than they ; They miss'd courts, guards, a gay and numerous train

Our judges, like their laws, were rude andplain:On an old bench of wood, her seat of state Beneath the well-known palm, wise Deborah sate; Her maids with comely diligence round her

spun,

And she too, when the pleadings there were done:
With the same goad Shamgar his oxen drives
Which took, the sun before, six hundred lives
From his shain'd foes: he midst his work dealt
laws;

And oft was his plough stopp'd to hear a cause:
Nor did great Gideon his old flail disdain,
After won fields, sack'd towns, and princes slain
His sceptre that, and Ophra's threshing-floor
The seat and emblem of his justice bore.
What should I Jair, the happiest father, name?
Or mournful Jephtha, known no less to Fame
For the most wretched? Both at once did keep
The mighty flocks of Israel and their sheep.
Oft from the field in haste they summon'd were
Some weighty foreign embassy to hear;
They call'd their slaves, their sons, and friends,
around,

Who all at several cares were scatter'd found ;
They wash'd their feet, their only gown put on,
And this chief work of ceremony was done.
These reasons, and all else that could be said,
In a ripe hour by factious Eloquence spread
Through all the tribes, make all desire a king;
And to their judge selected deputies bring
This harsh demand; which Nacl for the rest
(A bold and artful mouth) thus with much grace.
express'd :-

'We're come, most sacred Judge! to pay the

arrears

Of much-ow'd thanks, for the bright thirty years
Of your just reign; and at your feet to lay
All that our grateful hearts can weakly pay
In unproportion'd words; for you alonc
The not unfit reward, who seek for none.
But, when our forepast ills we call to mind,
And sadly think how little 's left behind
Of your important life, whose sudden date
Would disinherit th' unprovided state;

When we consider how unjust 'tis, you,
Who ne'er of power more than the burthen knew,
At once the weight of that and age should have,
(Your stooping days press'd doubly towards the
grave);

When we behold by Ammon's youthful rage,
Proud in th' advantage of your peaceful age,
And all th' united East, our fall conspir'd;
And that your sons, whom chiefly we desir'd
As stamps of you, in your lov'd room to place,
By unlike acts that noble stamp deface;
Midst these new fears and ills we're forc'd to fly
Ta new, and yet unpractis'd, remedy:
A new one, but long promis'd, and foretold
By Moses, and to Abraham shown of old;
A prophecy long forming in the womb
Of teeming tears, and now to ripeness come,
This remedy's a king; for this we all
With an inspir'd and zealous union call:
And, in one sound when all men's voices join,
The music's tun'd, no doubt, by hand divine:
'Tis God alone speaks a whole nation's voice;
That is his public language; but the choice
Of what peculiar head that crown must bear,
From you,
who his peculiar organ are,
We expect to hear: the people shall to you
Their king, the king his crown and people, owe.
To your great name what lustre will it bring
T have been our judge, and to have made our
king!'

"He bow'd,and ended here; and Samuel straight,
Pausing awhile at this great question's weight,
With a grave sigh, and with a thoughtful eye,
That more of care than passion did descry.
Calmly replies- You 're sure the first,' said he,
"Of freeborn men that begg'd for slavery,
I fear, my friends, with heavenly manna fed,
(Our old forefathers' crime) we lust for bread.
Long since by GoД from bondage drawn, I fear,
We build anew th' Egypt an brick-kiln here.
Cheat not yourselves with words; for, though a
king

Be the mild name, a tyrant is the thing.
Let his power loose, and you shall quickly see
How mild a thing unbounded man will be.
He'll lead you forth your hearts' cheap blood to
spill,

Where'er his guideless passion leads his will:
Ambition, lust, or spleen, his wars will raise;
Your lives' best price his thirst of wealth or praise:
Your ablest sons for his proud guards he 'Il take,
And by such hands your yoke more grievous
make:

Your daughters and dear wives he 'll force away;
His luxury some, and some his lust, t' obey,
His idle friends your hungry toils shall eat,
Drink your rich wines, mix'd with your blood
and sweat,

Then you'll all sigh, but sighs will treasons be;
And not your griefs themselves, or looks, be free:
Robb'd ev'n of hopes, when you these ills sus-
tain,

Your watery eyes you 'll then turn back in vain
On your old judges, and perhaps on me,
Nay, ev'n my sons, howe'er they unhappy be
In your displeasure now; not that I'd clear
Their guilt, or mine own innocence endear :
Witness th' unutterable Name, there 's nought
Of private ends into this question brought.

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But why this yoke on your own necks to draw?
Why man your God, and passion made your law?" '
Methinks" (thus Moab interrupts him here)
"The good old seer 'gainst kings was too severe.
'Tis jest to tell a people that they're free:
Who, or how many, shall their masters be
Is the sole doubt; laws guide, but cannot reign;
And, though they bind not kings, yet they re-
strain."

I dare affirm (so much I trust their love)
That no one Moabite would his speech approve.
But, pray go on."-" "Tis true, sir," he replies,
"Yet men whom age and action render wise
So much great changes fear, that they believe
All evils will, which may, from them arrive.
On men resolv'd these threats were spent in vain;
All that his power or eloquence could obtain
Was, to inquire God's will ere they proceed
T'a work that would so much his blessing need.
A solemn day for this great work is set,
And at th' anointed tent all Israel met
Expect th' event; below, fair bullocks fry
In hallow'd flames; above, there mount on high
The precious clouds of incense; and, at last,
The sprinkling, prayers, and all due honours,
past,

Lo! we the sacred bells o' th' sudden hear,
And in mild pomp grave Samuel does appear.
His ephod, mitre, well-cut diadem, on;
Th' oraculous stones on his rich breast-plate
shone.

Tow'rds the blue curtains of God's holiest place
(The temple's bright third Heaven) he turned his
face;

Thrice bow'd he, thrice the solemn music play'd,
And at third rest thus the great prophet pray'd:-

'Almighty God, to whom all men that bel Owe all they have, yet none so much as we; Who, though thou fill'st the spacious world alone, Thy too-small court, hast made this place thy throne;

With humble knees, and humbler hearts, lo! here,
Blest Abraham's seed implores thy gracious ear;
Hear them, great God! and thy just will inspire;
From thee, their long-known King, they a king
desire.

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In glad effects God's presence thus appear'd, And thus in wondrous sounds his voice was heard:

"This stubborn land sins still, nor is it thee, but

us

(Who 'ave been so long their king) they seek to cast off thus; [strove Five hundred rolling years hath this stiff nation T exhaust the boundless stores of our unfathom'd love.

Be't so then; yet once more are we resolv'd to try Toutweary them through all their sins' variety: Assemble, ten days hence, the numerous people here,

To draw the royal lot which our hid mark shall bear.

Brought simply with him to that man to give,
From whom high Heaven's chief gifts he must
receive:
[things
Strange play of Fate! when mightiest human
Hang on such small, imperceptible strings!
'Twas Samuel's birth-day; a glad annual feast
All Rama kept; Samuel his wondering guest.
With such respect leads to it, and does grace
With the choice meats o' th' feast, and highest
place;

Which done, him forth alone the prophet brings,
And feasts his ravish'd ears with nobler things:
He tells the mighty fate to him assign'd,
And with great rules fill'd his capacious mind;
Then takes the sacred vial, and does shed
A crown of mystic drops around his head;

Dismiss them now in peace ; but their next crime Drops of that royal moisture which does know

shall bring

Ruin without redress on them, and on their king.' “Th' Almighty spoke; th' astonish'd people part

With various stamps impress'd on every heart: Some their demand repented, others prais'd; Some had no thoughts at all, but star'd and gaz'd. "There dwelt a man,nam'd Cis,in Gibeah town, For wisdom much, and much for courage, known; More for his son; his mighty son was Saul, Whom nature, ere the lots, t' a throne did call. He was much prince, and when, or wheresoe'er, His birth had been, then had he reign'd, and there.

Such beauty, as great strength thinks no disgrace,

Smil'd in the manly features of his face;
His large, black eyes, fill'd with a spriteful light,
Shot forth such lively and illustrious night,
As the Sun-beams, on jet reflecting, show;
His hair, as black, in long curl'd waves did flow;
His tall straight body amidst thousands stood,
Like some fair pine o'erlooking all th' ignobler
wood.

Of all our rural sports he was the pride;
So swift, so strong, so dextrous, none beside.
Rest was his toil, labours his lust and game;
No natural wants could his fierce diligence tame,
Not thirst nor hunger; he would journeys go
Through raging heats, and take repose in snow.
His soul was ne'er unbent from weighty care;
But active as some mind that turns a sphere.
His way once chose, he forward thrust outright,
Nor step'd aside for dangers or delight.
Yet was he wise all dangers to foresee;
But born t' affright, and not to fear was he.
His wit was strong, not fine; and on his tongue
An artless grace, above all eloquence, hung.
These virtues too the rich unusual dress
Of modesty adorn'd, and humbleness;
Like a rich varnish o'er fair pictures laid,
More fresh and lasting they the colours made.
Till power and violent fortune, which did find
No stop or bound, o'erwhelm'd no less his mind,
Did, deluge-like, the natural forms deface,
And brought forth unknown monsters in their
place.

Forbid it, God! my master's spots should be,
Were they not seen by all, disclos'd by me!
But such he was; and now to Ramah went
(So God dispos'd) with a strange, low intent.
Great God! he went lost asses to inquire,
And a small present, his small question's hire,

No mixture, and disdains the place below.
Soon comes the kingly day, and with it brings
A new account of time upon his wings.
The people met, the rites and prayers all past,
Behold! the heaven-instructed lot is cast;
'Tis taught by Heaven its way, and cannot miss;
Forth Benjamin, forth leaps the house of Cis:
As glimmering stars, just at th' approach of day
Cashier'd by troops, at last drop all away;
By such degrees all men's bright hopes are gone,
And, like the Sun, Saul's lot shines all alone.
Ev'n here perhaps the people's shout was heard,
The loud long shout, when God's fair choice ap-
pear'd:

Above the whole vast throng he appeared so tall,
As if by Nature made for th' head of all;
So full of grace and state, that one might know
'Twas some wise eye the blind lot guided so :
But blind unguided lots have more of choice
And constancy than the slight vulgar's voice.
Ere yet the crown of sacred oil is dry,
Whilst echoes yet preserve the joyful cry,
Some grow enrag'd their own vain hopes to miss,
Some envy Saul, some scorn the house of Cis:
Some their first mutinous wish, a king !' re-

pent,

As if, since that, quite spoil'd by God's consent:
Few to this prince their first just duties pay :
All leave the old, but few the new obey.
Thus changes man, but God is constant still
To those eternal grounds that mov'd his will;
And, though he yielded first to them, 'tis fit
That stubborn men at last to him submit.

As midst the main a low small island lies,
Assaulted round with stormy seas and skies,
Whilst the poor heartless natives, every hour,
Darkness and noise seem ready to devour ;
Such Israel's state appear'd, whilst o'er the west
Philistian clouds hung threatening, and from th'
east

All nations' wrath into one tempest joins, Through which proud Nahash like fierce lightning shines;

Tygris and Nile to his assistance send,
And waters to swoln Jaboc's torrent lend;
Seir, Edom, Soba, Amalek, add their force;
Up with them march the three Arabias' horse;
And, 'mongst all these, none more their hope or
pride,

Than those few troops your warlike land sup

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The hopeless town for slavery does entreat;
But barbarous Nahash thinks that grace too great;
He (his first tribute) their right eyes demands,
And with their faces' shame disarms their hands.
If unreliev'd seven days by Israel's aid,
This bargain for o'er-rated life is made.
Ah, mighty God! let thine own Israel be
Quite blind itself, ere this reproach it see!
"By his wanton people the new king forsook,
To homely, rural cares himself betook;
In private plenty liv'd, without the state,
Lustre, and noise, due to a public fate.
Whilst he his slaves and cattle follows home,
Lo! the sad messengers, from Jabesh come,
Implore his help, and weep, as if they meant
That way at least proud Nahash to prevent.
Mov'd with a kingly wrath, his strict command
He issues forth t' assemble all the land;
He threatens high, and disobedient they,
Wak'd by such princely terrours, learnt t' obey.
A mighty host is rais'd; th' important cause
Age from their rest, youth from their pleasure,
draws;

Arm'd as unfurnish'd haste could them provide;
But conduct, courage, auger, that supply'd.
All night they march, and are at th' early dawn
On Jabesh' heath in three fair bodies drawn:
Saul did himself the first and strongest band,
His son the next, Abner the third, command.-
But pardon, sir, if, naming Saul's great son,
I stop with him awhile ere I go on.-

"This is that Jonathan, the joy and grace,
The beautifull'st and best, of human race;
That Jonathan, in whom does mix'd remain
All that kind mothers' wishes can contain !
His courage such as it no stop can know,
And victory gains by astonishing the foe;
With lightning's force his enemies it confounds,
And melts their hearts ere it the bosom wounds;
Yet he the conquer'd with such sweetness gains,
As captive lovers find in beauty's chains:
In war, the adverse troops he does assail
Like an impetuous storm of wind and hail;
In peace, like gentlest dew that does assuage
The burning months, and temper Syrius' rage;
Kind as the Sun's blest influence; and, where'er
He comes, plenty and joy attend him there:
To help seems all his power; his wealth, to give;
To do much good, his sole prerogative:
And yet this general bounty of his mind,
That with wide arms embraces all mankind,
Such artful prudence does to each divide,
With different measures all are satisfy'd;
Just as wise God his plenteous manna dealt;
Some gather'd more, but want by none was felt.
To all relations their just rights he pays,
And worth's reward above its claim does raise;
The tenderest husband, master, father, son,
And all those parts by his friendship far outdone;
His love to friends no bound or rule does know,
What he to Heaven, all that to him they owe.
Keen as his sword, and pointed, is his wit;
His judgment, like best armour, strong and fit;
And such an eloquence to both these does join,
As makes in both beauty and use combine;
Through which a noble tincture does appear,
By learning and choice books imprinted there:
As wel he knows all times and persons gone,
As he himself to th' future shall be known :

But his chief study is God's sacred law,
And all his life does comments on it draw ;~
As never more by Heaven to man was given,
So never more was paid by man to Heaven.-
And all these virtues were to ripeness grown,
Ere yet his flower or youth was fully blown;
All autumn's store did his rich spring adorn;
Like trees in Paradise, he with fruit was born.
Such is his soul; and if, as some men tell,
Souls form and build those mansions where they
dwell,

Whoe'er but sees his body must confess,
The architect, no doubt, could be no less.
From Saul his growth and manly strength hetook,
Chastis'd by bright Ahinoam's gentler look;
Not bright Ahinoam, Beauty's loudest name,
| (Till she t' her children lost with joy her fame)
Had sweeter strokes, colours more fresh and fair,
More darting eyes, or lovelier auburn hair.
Forgive me, that I thus your patience wrong,
And on this boundless subject stay so long,
Where too much haste ever to end 'twould be,
Did not his acts speak what's untold by me.
Though, from the time his hands a sword could

wield,

He ne'er miss'd fame and danger in the field,
Yet this was the first day that call'd him forth,
Since Saul's bright crown gave lustre to his worth;
'Twas the last morning whose uncheerful rise
Sad Jabesh was to view with both their eyes.
Secure proud Nahash slept, as in his court,
And dreamt, vain man! of that day's barbarous
Till noise and dreadful tumults him awoke;[sport,
Till into his camp our violent army broke.
The careless guards with small resistance kill'd,
Slaughter the camp, and wild confusion, fill'd ;
Nahash his fatal duty does perform,
And marches boldly up t' outface the storm;
Fierce Jonathan he meets, as he pursues
Th' Arabian horse, and a hot fight renews:
'Twas here your troops behav'd themselves so
well,

Till Uz and Jathan, their stout colonels, fell.
'Twas here our victory stopp'd, and gave us cause
Much to suspect th' intention of her pause;
But, when our thundering prince Nahash espy'd,
(Who, with a courage equal to his pride,
Broke through our troops, and tow'rds him boldly
press'd)

A generous joy leap'd in his youthful breast:
As when a wrathful dragon's dismal light
Strikes suddenly some warlike eagle's sight,
The mighty foe pleases his fearless eyes,
He claps his joyful wings, and at him flies.
With vain though violent force their darts they
In Ammon's plated belt Jonathan's hung, [Gung:
And stopp'd there; Ammon did his helmet hit,
And, gliding off, bore the proud crest from it;
Straight with their swords to the fierce shock they

came,

Their swords, their armour, and their eyes, shot flame;

Blows strong as thunder, thick as rain, they dealt,

Which more than they th' engag'd spectators felt;
In Ammon force, in Jonathan address
(Though both were great in both to an excess)
To the well-judging eye did most appear
Honour and anger in both equal were.

Two wounds our prince receiv'd andAmmon three,
Which he, enrag'd to feel, and sham'd to see,
Did his whole strength into one blow collect;
And as a spaniel, when we our aim direct
To shoot some bird, impatiently stands by
Shaking his tail, ready with joy to fly,
Just as it drops, upon the wounded prey :
So waited Death itself to bear away
The threaten'd life; did glad and greedy stand
At sight of mighty Ammon's lifted hand.
Our watchful prince by bending sav'd the wound:
But Death in other coin his reckoning found;
For whilst th' immoderate stroke's miscarrying
force

Had almost borne the striker from his horse,
A nimble thrust his active enemy made; [blade,
'Twixt his right ribs deep pierc'd the furious
And opened wide those secret vessels, where
Life's light goes out, when first they let in air.
He falls! his armour clanks against the ground,
From his faint tongue imperfect curses sound.
His amaz'd troops straight cast their arms away;
Scarce fled his soul from thence more swift than
they.

As when two kings of neighbour hives, (whom rage
And thirst of empire in fierce wars engage,
Whilst each lays claim to th' garden as his own,
And seeks t'usurp the bordering flowers alone)
Their well armed troops drawn boldly forth to
fight,

In th' air's wide plain dispute their doubtful
If by sad chance of battle either king [right;
Fall wounded down, strook with some fatal sting,
His army's hopes and courage with him die;
They sheathe up their faint swords, and routed
fly.

On th' other sides at once, with like success,
Into the camp great Saul and Abner press;
From Jonathan's part a wild mix'd noise they hear,
And, whatsoe'er it mean, long to be there;
At the same instant from glad Jabesh' town
The hasty troops march loud and cheerful down;
Some few at first with vain resistance fall,
The rest is slaughter and vast conquest all.
The fate by which our host thus far had gone,
Our host with noble heat drove farther on;
Victorious arms through Animon's land it bore;
Ruin behind, and Terrour march'd before: [sight,
Where'er from Rabba's towers they cast their
Smoke clouds the day, and flames make clear the
night.

This bright success did Saul's first action bring;
The oil, the lot, and crown, less crown'd him
The happy, all men judge for empire fit, [king:
And none withstands where Fortune does submit.
Those who before did God's fair choice withstand,
Th' excessive vulgar now to death demand;
But wiser Saul repeal'd their hasty doom;
Conquest abroad, with mercy crown'd at home;
Nor stain'd with civil slaughter that day's pride,
Which foreign blood in nobler purple dy'd.
Again the crown th' assembled people give,
With greater joy than Saul could it receive;
Again th' old judge resigns his sacred place
(God glorify'd with wonders his disgrace);
With decent pride, such as did well befit
The name he kept, and that which he did quit :
The long past row of happy years he show'd
Which to his heavenly government they ow'd;

| How the torn state his just and prudent reign Restor❜d to order, plenty, power, again; In war what conquering miracles he wrought ;God, then their King, was General when they fought; [he,

Whom they depos'd with him-' And that,' said 'You may see God concern'd in t' more than me, Behold how storms his angry presence shroud! Hark how his wrath in thunder threats aloud!' "Twas now the ripen'd summer's highest rage; Which no faint cloud durst meditate to assuage; Th' Earth hot with thirst, and hot with lust for rain,

Gap'd and breath'd feeble vapours up in vain,
Which straight were scatter'd or devour'd by th'
Sun;

When, lo! here scarce the active speech was done,
A violent wind rose from his secret cave,
And troops of frighted clouds before it drave:
Whilst with rude haste the confus'd tempest
crouds,

Swift, dreadful flames shot through th' encoun-
tring clouds,
[broke,
From whose torn womb th' imprison'd thunder
And in dire sounds the prophet's sense it spoke;
Such an impetuous shower it downwards sent,
As if the waters 'bove the firmament
Were all let loose; horrour and fearful noise
Fill'd the black scene; till the great prophet's
voice,

away.

Swift as the wings of Morn, reduc'd the day;
Wind, thunder, rain, and clouds, fled all at once
[moves,
'Fear not,' said he ; God his fierce wrath re-
And, though this state my service disapproves,
My prayers shall serve it constantly. No more,
I hope a pardon for past sins t' implore;
But just rewards from gracious Heaven to bring
On the good deeds of you, and of our king.
Behold him there! and as you see, rejoice
In the kind care of God's impartial choice.
Behold his beauty, courage, strength, and wit!
The honour Heaven has cloathed him with, sits
And comely on him ; since you needs must be [fit
Rul'd by a king, you're happy that 'tis he.
Obey him gladly; and let him to know
You were not made for him, but he for you,
And both for God;

Whose gentlest yoke if once you cast away,
In vain shall he command, and you obey;
To foreign tyrants both shall slaves become,
Instead of king and subjects here at home.'

"The crown thus several ways confirm❜d to Saul, One way was wanting yet to crown them all; And that was force, which only can maintain The power that Fortune gives, or Worth does gain. Three thousand guards of big bold men he took ; Tall, terrible, and guards ev'n with their look : His sacred person two, and throne, defend; The third, on matchless Jonathan attend; O'er whose full thoughts honour, and youthful heat,

Sate brooding, to hatch actions good and great.
On Geba first, where a Philistian band
Lies, and around torments the fetter'd land.
He falls, and slaughters all; his noble rage
Mix'd with design his nation to engage
In that just war, which from them long in vain,
Honour and Freedom's voice had strove t' obtain.

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