DAVIDE IS.

BOOK I.

THE ARGUMENT.

The Proposition-The Invocation-The entrance into the history from a new agreement betwixt Saul and David—A description of hell-The Devil's speech—Envy's reply to him—Her appearing to Saul in the shape of Benjamin-Her speech, and Saul's to himself after she was vanished-A description of heavenGod's speech: he sends an Angel to David: the Angel's message to him-David sent for, to play before Saul—A Digression concerning musick-David's psalm-Saul attempts to kill him-His escape to his own house, from whence being pursued by the king's guard, by the artifice of his wife Michal he escapes and flies to Naioth, the Prophets' college at Ramah-Saul's speech, and rage at his escape-A long digression describing the Prophets' college, and their manner of life there, and the ordinary subjects of their Poetry.-Saul's guards pursue David thither, and prophesy-Saul among the prophets-He is compared to Balaam, whose song concludes the book.

I SING the man who Judah's sceptre bore
In that right-hand which held the crook before;
Who from best poet, best of kings did grow;
The two chief gifts Heaven could on man bestow.
Much danger first, much toil did he sustain,
Whilst Saul and Hell cross'd his strong fate in vain.
Nor did his crown less painful work afford,
Less exercise his patience, or his sword;

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So long her conqueror, Fortune's spite pursued;
Till with unwearied virtue he subdued

All home-bred malice, and all foreign boasts;
Their strength was Armies, his the Lord of Hosts.

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Thou, who didst David's royal stem adorn,
And gav'st him birth from whom thyself wast born;
Who didst in triumph at Death's court appear,
And slew'st him with thy nails, thy cross, and spear,
Whilst Hell's black tyrant trembled to behold
The glorious light he forfeited of old;

Who, heaven's glad burthen now, and justest pride,
Sitt'st high enthron'd next thy great Father's side 20
(Where hallow'd flames help to adorn that head
Which once the blushing thorns environed,
Till crimson drops of precious blood hung down
Like rubies to enrich thine humble crown),
Ev'n thou my breast with such blest rage inspire, 25
As mov'd the tuneful strings of David's lyre;
Guide my bold steps with thine own travelling
flame,

In these untrodden paths to sacred fame!

Lo, with pure hands thy heavenly fire to take,
My well-chang'd Muse I a chaste Vestal make! 30
From Earth's vain joys, and Love's soft witchcraft,
free,

I consecrate my Magdalene to thee!

Lo, this great work, a temple to thy praise,

On polish'd pillars of strong verse I raise!

A temple, where if thou vouchsafe to dwell,
It Solomon's and Herod's shall excel.

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Too long the Muses' land hath heathen been; Their gods too long were Devils, and virtues Sin; But thou, Eternal Word! hast call'd forth me, Th' apostle to convert that world to thee; T'unbind the charms that in slight fables lie, And teach, that Truth is truest poesy.

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The malice now of jealous Saul grew less, O'ercome by constant virtue and success; He grew at last more weary to command New dangers, than young David to withstand Or conquer them; he fear'd his mastering fate, And envy'd him a king's unpowerful hate. Well did he know how palms by' oppression speed, Victorious, and the victor's sacred meed! The burthen lifts them higher. Well did he know How a tame stream does wild and dangerous grow By unjust force; he now with wanton play Kisses the smiling banks, and glides away; But, his known channel stopp'd, begins to roar, 55 And swell with rage, and buffet the dull shore; His mutinous waters hurry to the war,

And troops of waves come rolling from afar :

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Then scorns he such weak stops to his free source, And overruns the neighbouring fields with violent

course.

This knew the tyrant, and this useful thought His wounded mind to health and temper brought. He old kind vows to David did renew,

Swore constancy, and meant his oath for true.

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A general joy at this glad news appear'd,

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For David all men lov'd, and Saul they fear'd.
Angels and men did peace and David love,
But Hell did neither him nor that approve;
From man's agreement fierce alarms they take,
And quiet here, does there new business make.
Beneath the silent chambers of the earth,
Where the sun's fruitful beams give metals birth-
Where he the growth of fatal gold does see,
Gold, which above more influence has than he ;—
Beneath the dens where unfletcht tempests lie, 75
And infant winds their tender voices try;
Beneath the mighty ocean's wealthy caves;
Beneath th' eternal fountain of all waves,
Where their vast court the mother-waters keep,
And, undisturb'd by moons, in silence sleep;
There is a place, deep, wondrous deep, below,
Which genuine Night and Horror does o'erflow;
No bound controls th' unwearied space, but hell,
Endless as those dire pains that in it dwell.
Here no dear glimpse of the sun's lovely face
Strikes through the solid darkness of the place;
No dawning morn does her kind reds display;
One slight weak beam would here be thought the day:
No gentle stars with their fair gems of light
Offend the tyrannous and unquestion'd night.
Here Lucifer, the mighty captive, reigns;
Proud 'midst his woes, and tyrant in his chains;
Once general of a gilded host of sprites,
Like Hesper, leading forth the spangled nights;

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But down like lightning, which him struck, he came;
And roar'd at his first plunge into the flame:
Myriads of spirits fell wounded round him there;
With dropping lights thick shone the singed air;
Since when, the dismal solace of their woe
Has only been weak mankind to undo;
Themselves at first against themselves they' excite,
(Their dearest conquest and most proud delight)
And, if those mines of secret treason fail,

With open force man's virtue they assail;
Unable to corrupt, seek to destroy,

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And, where their poisons miss, the sword employ.
Thus sought the tyrant-fiend young David's fall,
And 'gainst him arm'd the powerful rage of Saul :
He saw the beauties of his shape and face,
His female sweetness, and his manly grace:
He saw the nobler wonders of his mind,
Great gifts! which for great works he knew design'd:
He saw (t' ashame the strength of man and hell)
How by 's young hands their Gathite champion fell:
He saw the reverend prophet boldly shed
The royal drops round his enlarged head;
And well he knew what legacy did place

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The sacred sceptre in blest Judah's race,
From which th' eternal Shilo was to spring;
A knowledge which new hells to hell did bring! 120
And, though no less he knew himself too weak
The smallest link of strong-wrought Fate to break,
Yet would he rage and struggle with the chain;
Lov'd to rebel, though sure that 't was in vain.