"And, should my father at thy ruin aim,

“'T would wound as much his safety as his fame: 155 "Think them not coming, then, to slay thee here, "But doubt mishaps as little as you fear; "For, by thy loving God, whoe'er design "Against thy life must strike at it through mine. "But I my royal father must acquit 160 "From such base guilt, or the low thought of it. "Think on his softness when from death he freed "The faithless king of Amalek's curs'd seed; "Can he to' a friend, to' a son, so bloody grow, "He who ev'n sinn'd but now to spare a foe? 165 "Admit he could; but with what strength or art "Could he so long close and seal up his heart? "Such counsels jealous of themselves become, "And dare not fix without consent of some : "Few men so boldly ill, great sins to do, "Till licens'd and approv'd by others too. "No more (believe 't) could he hide this from me, "Than I, had he discover'd it, from thee."

170

175

Here they embraces join, and almost tears; Till gentle David thus new prov'd his fears: "The praise you pleas'd (great Prince!) on me to "spend

"Was all out-spoken when you styl'd me Friend; "That name alone does dangerous glories bring, "And gives excuse to th' envy of a king.

"What did his spear, force, and dark plots, impart, "But some eternal rancour in his heart?

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"Still does he glance the fortune of that day "When drown'd in his own blood Goliah lay, "And cover'd half the plain; still hears the sound "How that vast monster fell, and struck the ground: "The dance, and 'David his ten thousands slew,' "Still wound his sickly soul, and still are new. "Great acts, t' ambitious princes, treasons grow, "So much they hate that safety which they owe. "Tyrants dread all whom they raise high in place, "From the Good, danger; from the Bad, disgrace: "They doubt the lords, mistrust the people's hate, "Till blood become a principle of state :

"Secur❜d nor by their guards, nor by their right, "But still they fear ev'n more than they affright. "Pardon me, Sir! your father's rough and stern; "His will too strong to bend, too proud to learn: "Remember, Sir! the honey's deadly sting; "Think on that savage justice of the king; "When the same day that saw you do before 200 Things above man, should see you man no more. "'Tis true th' accursed Agag mov'd his ruth, "He pitied his tall limbs and comely youth: "Had seen, alas! the proof of Heaven's fierce hate, "And fear'd no mischief from his powerless fate: "Remember how th' old Seer came raging down, "And taught him boldly to suspect his crown; "Since then, his pride quakes at th' Almighty's rod, "Nor dares he love the man belov'd by God. "Hence his deep rage and trembling envy springs "(Nothing so wild as jealousy of kings!)

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"Whom should he counsel ask, with whom advise,
"Who Reason and God's counsel does despise ?
"Whose headstrong will no law or conscience daunt,
"Dares he not sin, do' you think, without your grant?
"Yes, if the truth of our fix'd love he knew,
"He would not doubt, believe 't, to kill ev'n you."
The Prince is mov'd, and straight prepares to find
The deep resolves of his griev'd father's mind :
The danger now appears, Love can soon show 't, 220
And force his stubborn piety to know 't.
They' agree that David should conceal'd abide,
Till his great friend had the Court's temper try'd;
Till he had Saul's most secret purpose found,
And search'd the depth and rancour of his wound.
'T was the year's seventh-born moon, the solemn
feast

That with most noise its sacred mirth express'd.
From opening morn till night shuts in the day,
On trumpets and shrill horns the Levites play.
Whether by this in mystick type we see

The New-year's-day of great eternity,

226

230

When the chang'd moon shall no more changes make, And scatter'd deaths by trumpets' sound awake; Or that the Law be kept in memory still,

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Given with like noise on Sinai's shining hill;
Or that (as some men teach) it did arise
From faithful Abram's righteous sacrifice,
Who, whilst the Ram on Isaac's fire did fry,
His horn with joyful tunes stood sounding by.
Obscure the cause; but God his will declar'd, 240
And all nice knowledge then with ease is spar'd.

At the third hour Saul to the hallow'd tent,
'Midst a large train of priests and courtiers, went ;
The sacred herd march'd proud and softly by;
Too fat and gay to think their deaths so nigh. 245
Hard fate of beasts, more innocent than we!
Prey to our luxury, and our piety!

250

Whose guiltless blood, on boards and altars spilt,
Serves both to make, and expiate too, our guilt!
Three bullocks of free neck, two gilded rams,
Two well-wash'd goats, and fourteen spotless lambs,
With the three vital fruits, wine, oil, and bread,
(Small fees to Heaven of all by which we're fed !)
Are offer'd up; the hallow'd flames arise,
And faithful prayers mount with them to the skies.
From hence the king to th' outmost court is brought,
Where heavenly things an inspir'd prophet taught;
And from the sacred tent to' his palace-gates,
With glad kind shouts th' assembly on him waits;
The cheerful horns before him loudly play, 260
And fresh-strew'd flow'rs paint his triumphant way.
Thus in slow state to th' palace-hall they go,
Rich drest for solemn luxury and show:
Ten pieces of bright tap'stry hung the room,
The noblest work e'er stretch'd on Syrian loom, 265
For wealthy Adriel in proud Sidon wrought,
And given to Saul when Saul's best gift he sought,
The bright-ey'd Merab; for that mindful day
No ornament so proper seem'd as they.

There all old Abram's story you might see; 270

And still some angel bore him company.

His painful, but well-guided, travels show
The fate of all his sons, the Church below.

Here beauteous Sarah to great Pharaoh came,
He blush'd with sudden passion, she with shame; 275
Troubled she seem'd, and labouring in the strife
"Twixt her own honour and her husband's life.
Here on a conquering host, that careless lay,
Drown'd in the joys of their new-gotten prey,
The Patriarch falls; well-mingled might you see 280
The confus'd marks of death and luxury.
In the next piece, blest Salem's mystick king
Does sacred presents to the victor bring;

Like him whose type he bears, his rights receives;
Strictly requires his due, yet freely gives;

Ev'n in his port, his habit, and his face,

285

The mild and great, the priest and prince, had place.
Here all their starry host the heavens display;
And lo! an heavenly youth, more fair than they,
Leads Abram forth; points upwards: "Such," said

he,

290

"So bright and numberless, thy seed shall be."
Here he with God a new alliance makes,
And in his flesh the marks of homage takes :
And here he three mysterious persons feasts,
Well paid with joyful tidings by his guests:
Here for the wicked town he prays,
and near
Scarce did the wicked town through flames appear;
And all his fate, and all his deeds, were wrought,
Since he from Ur to Ephron's cave was brought.

295