Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n
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A36581
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Absalom and Achitophel a poem.; Absalom and Achitophel
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Dryden, John, 1631-1700.
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1681
(1681)
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Wing D2214; ESTC R1552
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18,435
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34
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the World would be but wants the art To whom ev'n the Phanaticks Altars raise Bow in their own despight and grin your praise As if a Milton from the dead arose Fil'd off his rust and the right party chose Nor Sir be shock'd at what the gloomy say Turn not your feet too inward nor too splay 'T is gracious all and great push on your Theme Lean your griev'd head on David's Diadem David that Rebel Israel's envy mov'd David by God and all good men belov'd The Beauties of your Absalom excel But more the Charms of Charming Annabel Of Annabel than May's first morn more bright Chearful as Summers Noon and chast as Winters Night Of Annabel the Muses dearest Theme Of Annabel the Angel of my dream Thus let a broken Eloquence attend And to your Master-piece these shadows send ABSALOM and ACHITOPHEL A POEM IN pious times e'r Priest-Craft did begin Before Poligamy was made a sin When Man on many multipli'd his kind E'r one to one was cursedly confin'd When Nature prompted no law deni'd Promiscuous Use of Concubine and Bride Then Israel's Monarch after Heavens own heart His vigorous warmth did variously impart To Wives and Slaves And wide as his Command Scatter'd his Maker's Image through the Land Michal of Royal blood the Crown did wear A Soil ungrateful to the Tiller's care Not so the rest for several Mothers bore To Godlike David several Sons before But since like slaves his bed they did ascend No True Succession could their seed attend Of all this Numerous Progeny was none So beautiful so brave as Absolon Whether inspir'd by some diviner Lust His Father got him with a greater Gust Or that his Conscious destiny made way By manly beauty to Imperial sway Early in Foreign fields he won Renown With Kings and States alli'd to Israels Crown In Peace the thoughts of War he coud remove And seem'd as he were only born for love What e'r he did was done with so much ease In him alone 't was Natural to please His motions all accompani'd with grace And Paradise was open'd in his face With secret Joy indulgent David view'd His Youthful Image in his Son renew'd To all his wishes Nothing he deny'd 〈…〉 What faults he had for who from faults is free His Father coud not or he woud not see Some warm excesses which the Law forbore Were constru'd Youth that purg'd by boyling o'r And Amnon's Murther by a specious Name Was call'd a Just Revenge for injur'd Fame Thus Prais'd and Lov'd the Noble Youth remain'd While David undistutb'd in Sion raign'd But Life can never be sincerely blest Heav'n punishes the bad and proves the best The Iews a Headstrong Moody Murm'ring race As ever tri'd th' extent and stretch of grace God's pamper'd people whom debauch'd with ease No King could govern nor no God could please Gods they tri'd of every shape and size That God-smiths could produce or Priests devise These Adam-wits too fortunately free Began to dream they wanted libertie And when no rule no president was found Of men by Laws less circumscrib'd and bound They led their wild desires to woods and Caves And thought that all but Savages were Slaves They who when Saul was dead without a blow Made foolish Isbosheth the Crown forgo Who banisht David did from Hebron bring And with a General Shout Proclaim'd him King Those very Iews who at their very best Their Humour more than Loyalty exprest Now wondred why so long they had obey'd An Idol-Monarch which their hands had made Thought they might ruine him they could create Or melt him to that Golden Calf a State But these were random bolts No form'd Design Nor Intrest made the Factious Croud to joyn The sober part of Israel free from stain Well knew the value of a peaceful reign And looking backward with a wise afright Saw Seames of wounds dishonest to the sight In contemplation of whose ugly Scars They Curst the memory of Civil Wars The moderate sort of men thus qualifi'd Inclin'd the Ballance to the better side And David's mildness manag'd it so well The Bad found no occasion to rebel But when to Sin our byast Nature leans The careful Devil is still at hand with means And providently pimps for ill desires The good Old Cause reviv'd a Plot requires Plots true or false are necessary things To raise up Common-wealths and ruine Kings Th' Inhabitants of old Ierusalem Were Iebusites the Town so call'd from them And their 's the Native Right But when the chosen people grew more strong The rightful Cause at length became the wrong And every loss the men of Iebus bore They still were thought God's enemies the more Thus worn and weaken'd well or ill content Submit they must to David's Government Impoverish'd and depriv'd of all Command Their Taxes doubled as they lost their Land And what was harder yet to flesh and blood Their Gods disgrac'd and burnt like common wood This set the Heathen Priesthood in a flame For Priests of all Religions are the same Of whatsoe'r descent their Godhead be Stock Stone or other homely Pedigree In his defence his Servants are as bold As if he had been born of beaten Gold The Iewish Rabbins thô their enemies In this conclude them honest men and wise For 't was their duty all the Learned think T' espouse his Cause by whom they eat and drink From hence began that Plot the Nation 's curse Bad in it self but represented worse Rais'd in extremes and in extremes decry'd With Oaths affirm'd with dying Vows deny'd Not weigh'd or winnow'd by the multitude But swallow'd in the mass unchew'd and crude Some Truth there was but dash'd and brew'd with Lies To 〈…〉 Foolâ— and puzzle all the Wise 〈…〉 did equal folly call 〈…〉 or believing all 〈…〉 Rites the â—ebusites imbrac'd 〈…〉 were recommeâ—ded by their tast 〈…〉 musâ— needs be good 〈…〉 once for Worship and for Food 〈…〉 could not introduce these Gods 〈…〉 in former days was odds So 〈◊〉 was us'd the Sacriâ—icers trade Fools are more hard to conquer than perswade Their busie 〈◊〉 mingled â—ith the Iews And 〈◊〉 for Convertâ— even the Court and Stews Which Hebrew Priests the more unkindly took Because the Fleece accompanies the Flock Some thought they God 's Anoint'd meant to slay By Guns invented since full many a day Our Author swears it not bâ—t who can know How â—ar the Devil and Iebusites may go This Plot which fail'd â—or want of common sense Had yet a deep and dangâ—roâ—s consequence For as when raging Fevers boyl the blood The standing Lake soon floats into a flood And ev'ry hostile humour which before Slept quiet in its Channâ—â—s 〈◊〉 o'r So several Factions 〈…〉 Ferment Work up to 〈…〉 Some â—y their â—â—iends 〈…〉 thought wise Oâ—pos'd the Pow'r to 〈…〉 not rise Some had in Courts 〈…〉 from thence Like Fiends were 〈…〉 Some by their 〈…〉 â—rown â—rom pardon'd 〈…〉 Throne Were rais'd in 〈…〉 Strong Bands if 〈…〉 tye Of these the 〈…〉
of Life Ambition set aside Not stain'd with cruelty nor puft with pride How happy had he been if destiny Had higher plac'd his Birth or not so high His Kingly Vertues might have claim'd a Throne And blest all other Countreys but his own But charming Greatness since so few refuse 'T is juster to lament him than accuse Strong were his hopes a Rival to remove With blandishments to gain the publick love To head the Faction while their Zeal was hot And popularly prosecute the Plot. To farther this Achitophel unites The malecontents of all the Israelites Whose differing Parties he coud wisely joyn For several ends to serve the same design The best and of the Princes some were such Who thought the pow'r of Monarchy too much Mistaken men and Patriots in their hearts Not wicked but seduc'd by impious arts By these the springs of Property were bent And would so high they crack'd the Government The next for Interest sought t' embroil the State To sell their duty at a dearer rate And make their Iewish Markets of the Throne Pretending publick good to serve their own Others thought Kings an useless heavy load Who cost too much and did too little good These were for laying honest David by On Principles of pure good Husbandry With them joyn'd all th' Haranguers of the throng That thought to get Preferment by the â—oâ—gue Who follow next a double danger brâ—ng Not only hating â—avid but thâ— King The Solymaean Rout well vers'd of old In godly Faction and in Treason bold Cowring and quaking at a Conqu'ror's sword But losty to a Lawful Prince restor'd Saw with disdain an Ethnick Plot begun And scorn'd by Iebusites to be out-done Hot Levites headed these who pul'd before From th' Ark which in the Judges days they bore Resum'd their Cant and with a zealous cry Pursu'd their old belov'd Theocracy Where Sanhedrin and Priest inslav'd the Nation And justifi'd their spoils by inspiration For who so fit for Reign as Aaron's Race If once Dominion they could found in Grace These led the Pack the not of surest scent Yet deepest mouth'd against the Government A numerous Host of dreaming Saints succeed Of the true old Enthusiastick breed 'Gainst form and order they their Pow'r employ Nothing to build and all things to destroy But far more numerous was the herd of such Who think too little and who talk too much These out of meer instinct they knew not why Ador'd their Father's God and Property And by the same blind benefit of Fate The Devil and the Jebusite did hate Born to be sav'd ev'n in their own despight Because they could not help believing right Such were the tools but a whole Hydra more Remains of sprouting heads too long to score Some of their Chiefs were Princes of the Land In the first rank of these did Zimri stand A man so various that he seem'd to be Not one but all mankind's epitome Stiff in opinions always in the wrong Was every thing by starts and nothing long But in the course of one revolving Moon Was Chymist Fidler States-man and Bussoon Then all for Women Painting Rhiming Drinking Besides ten thousand freaks that di'd in thinking Blest Madman who coud every hour employ With something new to wish or to enjoy Railing and praising were his usual theams And both to shew his judgment in extreams So over-violent or over-civil That every man with him was God or Devil In squandring wealth was his peculiar art Nothing went unrewarded but desert Begger'd by fools whom still he found too late He had his Jest and they had his Estate He laugh'd himself from Court then sought relief By â—â—rming parties but could ne'r be Chief Foâ— spight of him the weight of business fell On Absalom and wise Achitophel Thus wicked but in will of means bereft He left not Faction but of that was left Titles and Names 't were tedious to reherse Of Lords below the dignity of Verse Wits Warriors Common-wealthsmen were the best Kind Husbands and meer Nobles all the rest And therefore in the name of dulness be The well hung Balaam and cold Caleb free And canting Nadab let oblivion damn Who made new Porridge for the Paschal Lamâ— Let friendships holy band some names assure Some their own worth and some let scorn secure Nor shall the Rascal Rabble here have place Whom Kings no Titles gave and God no Grace Not Bulâ—-fac'd Ionas who coâ—d Statâ—tes draw To mean Rebellion and make Treason Law But he though bad is follow'd by a worse The wretch who Heav'ns Anointed dar'd to câ—rse Shimei whose youth did early promise bring Of zeal to God and hatred to his King Did wisely from expensive sins reâ—rain And never broke the Sabbath but for gain Nor ever was he known an Oath to vent Or curse unless against the Government Thus heaping wealth by the most ready way Among the Jews which was to cheat and pray The City to reward his pious Hate Against his Master chose him Magistrat His hand a Vare of Justice did uphold His Neck was loaded with a Chain of Gold During his Office Treason was no Crime The Sons of Belial had a glorious Time For Shimei though not prodigal of pelf Yet lov'd his wicked Neighbour as himself When to or three were gather'd to declaim Against the Monarch of Ierusalem Shimei was always in the midst of them And if they Curst the King when he was by Woud rather Curse than break good Company If any durst his Factious Friends accuse He pact a Jury of dissenting Iews Whose fellow-feeling in the godly Cause Woud free the suffring Saint from humane Laws For Laws are only made to punish those Who serve the King and to protect his Foes If any leisure time he had from Pow'r Because 't is Sin to misimploy an hour His bâ—siness was by writing to Persuade That Kings were Useless and a Clog to Trade And that his noble Stile he might refine No Rechabite more shund the fumes of Wine Chast were his Cellars and his Shrieval Board The Grossness of a City Feast abhor'd His Cooks with long disuse their Trade â—orgot Cool was his Kitchen tho his Brains were hot Such â—rugall Vertue Malice may accuse But sure 't was necessary to the Iews For Towns one burâ—t sâ—ch Magistrates require As dare not tempt Gods Providence by fire With spiritual food he fed his servants well But free from flesh that made the Jews Rebel And Moses's Laws he held in more account For forty days of Fâ—sting in the Mount To speak the rest who better are forgot Would tyre a well breath'd Witness of the Plot Yet Corah thou shalt from oblivion pass Erect thy self thou Monumental Brass High as the Serpent of thy metal made While Nations stand secure beneath thy shade What tho his Birth were base yet Comets rise From earthy vapours ere they shine in Skies Prodigious Actions may as well be done By Weaver's Issue as by Prince's Son This Arch-Attestor for