were bound t' obey This does not in the Peope place a Right To dissolve Soveraign sway by force or might To Kings by long succession there is giv'n A native Right unto the Throne by Heav'n Who may not be run down by common Cry For Vice Oppression and for Tyranny But if that Kings the tyes of Laws do break The People without fault have leave to speak To shew their Grievances and seek redress By lawful means when Kings and Lords oppress Tho they can't give and take when e'r they please And Kings allow'd to be God's Images The Govenment you Tyranny must call Where Subjects have no Right Kings have all But if reciprocal a Right there be Derived down unto Posteritie That side 's in fault who th' other doth invade By which soe'r at first the breach is made For Innovation is a dangerous thing Whether it comes from People or from King To change Foundations which long Ages stood Which have prov'd firm unshaken sound and good To pull all down and cast the Frame anew Is work for Rebels and for Tyrants too Now what relief could Amazia bring Fatal indeed to be too good a King Friends he had many but them did not know Or else made to believe they were not so For all that did ill Ministers oppose Were represented to him as his Foes Yet there were many thousands in those days Who Amazia did with love and praise Who for him daily pray'd and wish'd his good And for him would have spent both Coin and Bloud Yet these tho the more numerous and the best Were call'd but murmuring Traytors by the rest By such who strain'd till they had crackt the string Of Government lov'd Pow'r and not the King These daily hightned Amazia's fears And thus they whisper'd in his Royal Ears Sir it is time you now take up the Sword And let your Subjects know you are their Lord. Goodness by Rebels won't be understood And you are much too merciful and good The Iews a moody murmuring stubborn Race Grow worse by Favours and rebel with Grace Pamper'd they are grown rich and fat with ease Whom no good Monarch long could ever please Freedom and Liberty pretend to want That 's still the cry when they 're on Mischief bent Freedom is their Disease and had they less They would not be so ready to transgress Give them but Liberty let them alone They shall not only you but God dethrone Remember Sir how your good Father fell It was his goodness made them first rebel And now the very self-same tract they tread To reach your Crown and then take off your head A senseless Plot they stumbl'd on or made To make you of th' old Canaanites afraid Still when they mean the Nation to enthral With heavie Clamour they cry out on Baal But these hot Zealots who Baal's Idols curse Bow to their own more ugly far and worse Baal would but rob some Jewels from your Crown But these would Monarchy it self pull down Both Church and State they 'l not reform by Halves Pull down the Temple and set up their Calves You and your Priests they would turn out to Graze Nor would they let you smell a Sacrifice Those pious Offerings which Priests lasie made To Rebels should instead of God be paid How to the Prey these factious Iews do run From you by art they have debauch'd your Son That little subtle Instrument of Hell Worse than to David was Achitophel The young Man tutors sends him through the Land That he the Peoples Minds may understand That he with winning Charms might court the Iew And draw your fickle Subjects Hearts from you Alas already they of you Complain And are grown sick of your too peaceful Reign Their Lusts grown high they are debauch'd with Grace And like unfrozen Snakes sly in your Face These Men who now pretend to give you Law Stood of the Tyrant Zabed's power in awe He made them crouch who scorn'd a Prince's sway And forc'd them like dull slaves his power obey Of Israel and of Iudah's Tribe you spring A Lion is the Ensign of a King Rouse up your self in mildness sleep no more And make them tremble at your Princely Roar Appear like Iove with Thunder in your hand And let the Slaves your Power understand Strike but the sinning Princes down to Hell The rest will worship you and ne'er rebel Thus these rash Men with their bad Counsels strove To turn to hate good Amazia's Love A Prince to Mercy naturally inclin'd Not apt to fear nor of a jealous Mind Thought no man e'er against his Life design'd But these with art did dangers represent And Plots they fram'd the People never meant Each Mole hill they a Mountain did create And sought to fright him with his Fathers Fate Hushai at last was to a Prison sent As a false Traitor to the Government Loud Murmurs then possest the troubled Iews Who were surprised at the Fatal News His Wisdom they believ'd their chief Support Against the evil Instrmuents at Court Nor by his Actions did they ever find He bore a Trait'rous or a factious Mind And now they thought themselves expos'd to all The Arts and Plots of the hid Friends to Baal Troubled and discontented at the last Their Eyes upon the Noble Prince they cast Who fearing lest their discontent and rage Should them to some rebellious Crime engage Both for his Fathers and his Countries sake The murmuring People sought more calm to make With a sweet Air and with a graceful look He did command their silence e'er he spoke Then thus he said and though his words were few They fell like Manna or the Hony Dew My Country-men Let not your discontent Draw you to actions you will soon repent What e'er your Fears and Jealousies may be Let them not break the bonds of Loyalty I dare and you may too my Father trust For he 's so merciful so good so just That he of no mans Life will make a Prey Or take it in an Arbitrary way To Heav'n and to the King submit your Cause Who never will infringe your ancient Laws But if he should an evil Action do To run to Arms t' is no pretence for you The King is Judge of what is just and fit And if he judge amiss you must submit Tho griev'd you must your constant Duty pay And your Redress seek in a lawful way Hushai tho he of Treason be accus'd Such loyal precepts in my Soul infus'd That I the hazard of my Life will run Rather than prove my self a Rebel Son Our Foes have sought t' infect my Father's Mind To think you to Rebellion are inclin'd To stir you to Rebellion is their aim And they are mad to see you justly tame Upon your Heads they fain would lay their sin 'T is War they seek but would have you begin Pretence they want who for the King do seem To bring in and set up Eliakim I am afraid the Baalites cursed Plot By many
AZARIA AND HUSHAI A POEM Quod cuique visum est sentiant The Second Edition Revised and Amended LONDON Printed for Charles Lee AN. DOM. 1682. TO THE READER I Shall not go about either to excuse or justifie the Publishing of this Poem for that would be much more an harder Task than the Writing of it But however I shall say in the words of the Author of the incomparable Absalom and Achitophel That I am sure the Design is honest If Wit and Fool be the Consequence of Whig and Tory no doubt but Knave and Ass may be Epithets plentifully bestowed upon me by the one party whilst the other may grant me more favourable ones than perhaps I do deserve But as very few are Iudges of Wit so I think much fewer of honesty since Interest and Faction on either side prejudices and blinds the Iudgment and the violence of Passion makes neither discernible in an Adversary i I know not whether my Poem has a Genius to force â—ts way against prejudice Opinion sways much in the World and he that has once gained it writes securely I speak not this any ways to lessen the merits of an Author whose Wit has deservedly gained the Bays but in this I have the advantage since as I desire not Glory or vain applause I can securely wrap my self in my own Cloud and remain unknown whilest he is exposed through his great Lustre I shall never envy what I desire not nor am I altogether so doting as to believe the Issues of my own Brain to exceed all others and to be so very fond of them as most Authors especially Poets are as to think them without fault or be so blinded as not to see their blemishes and that they are excelled by others yet since Poems are like Children it may be allowed me to be naturally inclined to have some good Opinion of my own and not to believe this Poem altogether despicable or ridiculous The Ancients say that every thing hath two handles I have laid bold of that opposite to the Author of Absalom As to Truth who has the better hold let the World judge and it is no new thing for the same Persons to be ill or well represented by several parties I hope then I may be excused as well as another since I have told my Dreams with the same Liberty for the fancies of Poets are no more than waking Dreams and never imposed as dogmatical precepts which are more agreeable to truth or falshood or according to the Poets Language which proceed from the Horny or Ivory Port will be sentenced according to the Humour and Interest of several Parties who in spite of our Teeth will be our judges Where I have been satyrical 't is without Malice or Revenge and though I brag not of my Talent therein I could have said much worse of some Enemies to our Jewish Heroe He that will lash others ought not to be angry if the like be returned to himself Lex talionis is a general and natural Law I call not this an Answer to Absalom I have nothing to do with him he was a Rebel to his Father my Azaria a good Son influenced by a worthy and Loyal Counsellor and Achitophel and Hushai were men of contrary Opinions and different Principles And if Poets as it is often brought for their excuse when they vary from known History ought to represent Persons as they ought to be I have not transcurred the Precepts of Poetry and Absalom is not so good a Poem because his Character is not so agreeable to the virtue of an Heroe as this of Azaria is But certainly when Poetry and Truth are joâ—ned together and that the Persons are truly what they are represented and liv'd their Character the glory is double both to the Heroe and the Poet And I could wish that the same Hand that drew the Rebellious Son with so much Iâ—genuity and Skill would out do mine in shewing the virtues of an obedient Son and loyal Counsellor since he may have as much Truth for a Foundation to build upon the Artful Structure of the Heroes Glory with his own Fame and Immortality AZARIA AND HUSHAI A POEM IN Impious times when Priest-craft was at height And all the Deadly Sins esteemed light When that Religion onely was a Stale And some bow'd down to God and some to Baal When Perjury was scarce esteem'd a Sin And Vice like flowing Tides came rowling in When Luxury Debauch and Concubine The sad effects of Women and of Wine Rag'd in Iudaea and Ierusalem And Amazia of great Davids Stem God-like and great in peace did rule that Land And all the Iews stoop'd to his just Command Long now in Sion had he Peace enjoy'd After that civil Broils the Land destroy'd Plenty and Peace attended on his Reign And Solomons Golden days return'd again When the old Canaanites who there did lurk Began to find both God and King new work For Amazia though he God did love Had not cast out Baal's Priests and cut down every Grove Too oft Religion's made pretence for Sin About it in all Ages Strife has been But Interest which at bottom doth remain Which still converts all Godliness to Gain What e'er pretence is made is the true cause That moves the Priest and like the Loadstone draws The Canaanites of old that Land possess'd And long therein Idolatry profess'd Till Sins of Priests and of the common Rout Caus'd God and his good Kings to cast them out Their Idols were pull'd down their Groves destroy'd Strict Laws against them and their Worship made The Heathen Priests were banish'd from the Land Of Baal no Temple suffer'd was to stand And all succeeding Kings made it their care They should no more rear up their Altars there If some mild Kings did wink at their abode They to the Iews still prov'd a pricking Goad Growing more bold they Penal Laws defied And like tormenting Thorns stuck in their side The busie Priests had lost their gainful Trade Revenge and Malice do their hearts invade And since by force they can't themselves restore Nor gain the sway they in Iudaea bore With Hell they joyn their secret Plots to bring Destruction to Iudaea and its King The Chemarims the learnedst Priests of all The numerous Swarms which did belong to Baal Bred up in subtil Arts to Iews well known And fear'd for bloudy Morals of their own Who in the cause of Baal no one would spare But for his sake on all Mankind make war Counting it lawful sacred Kings to smite Who favour'd not their God or was no Baalite These were the Idol's known and great Support Who in disguise creep into every Court Where they soon Faction raise and by their Arts Insinuate into the Princes Hearts Wriggle themselves into Intrigues of State Sweet Peace destroy and Bloudy War create Unwearied still they deep designs pursue What can't a Chemarim and Belzebub do For cunning Plot Trepan for Oaths and Sham The Devil must
their dying breath Denying all their Treason at their death This made Impression on some easie Minds Whom or good Nature or false Pity blinds Mov'd their Compassion and stirr'd up their Grief And of their dying Oaths caus'd a Belief The did effect what the curs'd Traytors sought The Plots Belief into Discredit brought Of it at first some Doubts they onely rais'd And with their Impudence the World amaz'd Though Azgads Murder did the Iews convince Who was a man most Loyal to his Prince And by the bloudy Chemarims did fall Because he seiz'd the Trayt'rous Priests of Baal Though Gedaliah's Letters made all plain Who was their Scribe and of a ready Brain A Levite's Son but turn'd a Baalite Who for the Kings own Brother then did write And Correspondence kept i' th' Egyptian Court To whom the Traytors for Advice resort Who like a zealous Traytorous Baalite died And at the Fatal Tree the Plot denied Though Amazia did at first believe And to the Hellish Plot did credit give Though the great Council of the Sanhedrim Among the Iews always of great esteem Declar'd to all the world this Plot to be An Hellish and a curs'd Conspiracy To kill the King Religion to o'erthrow And cause the Iews their righteous Laws forgo To make the People to dumb Idols fall And in the place of God to set up Baal Though all the People saw it and believ'd Though Courts of Justice hard to be deceiv'd Had added to the rest their Evidence Yet with a strange unheard of Impudence The Baalites all so stoutly had deny'd Their Hellish Plot with Vows and Oaths beside And with such diligence themselves apply'd They at the last their sought for point had got And artfully in doubt had brought their Plot A thousand cunning Shams and Tricks they us'd Whereby the simple Vulgar were abus'd And some o' th' Edomitish Evidence Who Mammon worship'd were bought off with Pence Libni for whom before their Harps they strung Who was the Subject of each Hebrews Song Was vilified by every Rascals Tongue In secret and inglorious did remain And the Plot thought the Projects of his Brain The Baalites thus encourag'd by success Increase their hopes and their black Projects bless Like the bold Titans Plot on Plot they lay And Heav'n it self with impious Arms essay A new Invention wrought in Hell below The Iews and their Religion to o'erthrow They bring to light with this their hopes they raise And for dire Plots think they deserve the Bays This Engine stronger than th' old Roman Ram For Battery by a new name call'd Sham With well learn'd and succesful arts they use To overthrow the Synagogues of the Iews Their Worship and Religion to confound And lay their glorious Temple on the ground With this new Engine they a breach had made By which they hop'd the Loyal Iews t' invade With Troops of Treasons and Rebellious Plots Led on by Villains Perjur'd Rogues and Scots And with such Arms in Hell's black Workhouse form'd The peaceful Iews they violently storm'd Who 'gainst the Baalites Plots had no defence But God their Laws and their own Innocence Among the Princes of the Iewish â—â—â—ce For Wisdom Hushai had the Chiefest Place Prudent in Speech and in his Actions close Admir'd by all and feared by his Foes Well skill'd and knowing in the Iewish Laws Able to plead and to defend a Cause Of piercing Judgment and of pregnant Wit Did once Chief Judge of all Iudea sit Was then esteem'd the Honor of the Gown And with his Vertues sought to serve the Crown Till Foes procur'd him Amazia's Frown Then he descended from the hight of Place Without a Blemish and without Disgrace Yet inly griev'd for he could well divine The Issue of the Baalites curs'd Design To see Religion and God's Righteous Cause The Ancient Government the Nation 's Laws Unpropping and all ready strait to fall And the whole Race of Iews made Slaves to Baal With Zeal inspired boldly up he ' rose To wrestle with the King 's and Nation 's Foes And tho' he was with Wealth and Honor blest He scorn'd to give his Age its needful Rest He learn'd that man was not born for himself To get great Titles Names or sordid Pelf To wear a lazy Life himself to please With Idleness and with luxurious Ease When he beheld his Country in distress And none the Danger able to redress He did resolve tho' not affecting Fame Or to obtain a Patriot's Glorious Name His Rest his Life his Fortune to expose Rather than see his Countrey 's dangerous Foes Run on uncheck'd till they had brought the Land To their and to a Baalite King's Command He could not therefore so himself forget To see the Barques of Government o'erset But with his Skill he help'd the Boat to trim And boldly did oppose Eliakim Eliakim was Brother to the King From the same Loins and Royal Seed did spring Of courage bold and of a daring mind To whom the King even to excess was kind And though he had a Son for him the Crown design'd Sweet Azaria like the beauteous Morn Whence all Sweets flow did once that Court adorn A budding Rose whose beauty 's newly blown Or like a Cedar on Mount Lebanon He in his Fathers grace and favour grew And towards him the Peoples eyes he drew He was by most belov'd admir'd by all For 's Zeal to God and 's Hatred unto Baal But ah this mov'd the cursed Baalites hate Disturb'd his peace and troubles did create What can't Design and Hellish Malice do With Lies they close this noble Prince pursue They think his Father too indulgent grown Whose Love had many Blessings on him thrown But what exceeded all the rest beside He chose the sweet Ierusha for his Bride A blessing he esteemed far above The Crown and all things but his Fathers Love For that he still above his Life did prize Dear as his Fame and dearer than his Eyes Below his Feet for that he all things trod Adoring nothing more except his God Young as he was he had acquired Fame His Breast infired with a Warlike Flame In Forein Wars his courage he had shown Had Laurels won and brought home fair Renown Happy most happy till with wonderous art His Foes had wrought him from his Fathers heart And so much power on Amazia won He by degrees grew jealous of his Son And who for this can Amazia blame If that the King the Father overcame For Crowns by Kings esteemed are more near Than Children or than Sons belov'd more dear His Foes Baals Friends had laid their artful Snares Heighten'd his Fathers Jealousies and Fears And made each innocent Action of the Prince To give his jealous Father an offence If with wise Hushai they the Prince did see They call'd their meeting a Conspiracy And cry that he was going to rebell Him Absalom they name Hushai Achitophel With slander thus the Prince they did pursue Aiming at 's Life and the wise Hushai's
praised was by Shimei's Muse The Iews of many Crimes did him accuse Harim a man like a bow'd Ninepence bent Had tried all the ways of Government VVas once a Rebel and Knew how to cant Then turn'd a very Devil of a Saint Peevish morose and some say prov'd a fool VVhen o're the Edomites he Went to rule VVhen to his bent the King he could not bring He fairly then went over to the King Old Amalack a man of cunning head Once in the cursed School of Rebels bred From thence his Maximes and his Knowledg Drew Of old known Arts hovv to enslave the Iew. For pardon'd Treason thus sought to atone Had wrong'd the Father would misguide the Son Once in Religion a strict Pharisee To Baal's then turn'd or else of none was he He long before seem'd to approve their Rites Marrying his Issue to the Baalites A constant hunter after sordid Pelf Was never just to any but himself A very Proteus in all shapes had been And constant only and grovvn old in sin To speak the best of Amalek we can A cunning Devil in the shap of Man Muppim a man of an huge working Pate Not how to heal but to embroil the State Knew how to take the wrong and leave the right Was once himself a Rebel Benjamite To that stiff Tribe he did a while give Law And with his iron Yokes kept them in aw The Tyrant Zabed less did them provoke And laid upon their necks a gentler Yoke Amongst that tribe he left an hated Name And to Ierusalem from thence he came Where he tyrannick Arts sought to intrude To learn which Amazia was too good And better the Iews temper understood Refus'd the Serpent did with Woman joyn And Counsel's gave th' Egyptian Concubine Adam first Monarch fell between these two What can't the Serpent and a Woman do These with some more of the like size and sort In Sion made up Amazia's Court Whilst his best friends became these Rulers scorn Saw how they drove and did in silence mourn Sion did then no Sacrifice afford Gibbar had taught the frugal king to board Void were its Cellors Kitchins never hot And all the Feasts of Solomon forgot Others there were whose Names I shan't repeat Eliakim had friends both small and great And many who then for his Favour strove With their hot heads like furious Iehu drove Some Wits some Witless Warriors Rich and Poor Some who rich Clothes and empty Titles wore Some who knew how to rail some to accuse And some who haunted Taverns and the Stews Some roaring Bullies who ran th'row the Town Crying God damn'um they 'd support the Crown Whose wicked Oaths and whose blasphemous Rant Had quite put down the holy Zealot's Cant. Some were for War and some for Mischief bent And some who could for gain new Plots invent Some Priests and Levites too among the rest Such as knew how to blow the Trumpet best Who with loud noise and cackling cri'd like Geese For Rites for Temple and for dearer Fleece 'Twixt God and Baal these Priests divided were Which did prevail these greatly did not care But headlong drove without or wit or fear The Pharasees they curse as Sons of Cham And all dissenting Iews to Hell they damn Shimei the Poet Laureate of that Age The falling Glory of the Iewish Stage Who scourg'd the Priest and ridicul'd the Plot Like common men must not be quite forgot Sweet was the Muse that did his wit inspire Had he not let his hackney Muse to hire But variously his knowing Muse could sing Could Doeg praise and could blaspheme the King The bad make good good bad and bad make worse Bless in Heroicks and in Satyrs curse Shimei to Zabed's praise could tune his Muse And Princely Azaria could abuse Zimri we know he had no cause to praise Because he dub'd him with the name of Bays Revenge on him did better Venome shed Beeause he tore the Lawrel from his head Because he durst with his proud Wit engage And brought his Follies on the publick Stage Tell me Apollo for I can't divine Why Wives he curs'd and prais'd the Concubine Unless it were that he had led his life With a teeming Matron ere she was a Wife Or that it best with his dear Muse did sute Who was for hire a very Prostitute The rising Sun this Poets God did seem Which made him tune 's old Harp to praise Eliakim Bibbai whose name won't in Oblivion rot For his great pains to hide the Baalites Plot Must be remembred here A Scribe was he Who daily damn'd in Prose the Pharisee With the Sectarian Iews he kept great stir Did almost all but his dear self abhor What his Religion was no one could tell And it was thought he knew himself not well Yet Conscience did pretend and did abuse Under the notion of Sectarian Iews All that he thought or all that did but seem Foes to Baal's Rites Eliakim and him He was a man of pernicious Wit For railing biting and for mischief fit He never slept yet ever in a Dream Religion Law and State was all his Theam On these he wrote in Earnest and in Ieast Till he grew mad and turn'd into a Beast Zattue his Zanie was Buffoon and Fool Who turn'd Religion into Ridicule Jeer'd at the Plot did Sanhedrims abuse Mock'd Magistrates damn'd all Sects of the Iews Of little Manners and of lesser Brains Yet to embroil the State took wondrous pains In jeasting still his little Talent lay At Hushai scoft in 's witless grinning way These with the rest of every size and sort Strove to be thought Friends to the King and Court With lies and railing would the Crown support Then in a Pageant shew a Plot was made And Law it self made War in Masquerade But fools they were not warn'd by former ill By their own selves were circumvented still They thought by Bloud to give the Kingdome ease Physick'd the Iews when they had no Disease Contingent mischiefs these did not foresee Against their Conscience fought and God's Decree What shall we think when such pretending good Would build the Nations Peace on Innocent Blood These would expose the People to the Sword Of each unbounded Arbitrary Lord. But their good Laws by which they Right enjoy The King nor could nor evey would destroy And tho he Judge be of what 's sit and just He own'd from Heaven and from Man a Trust. Tho Laws to Kingly Power be a Band They are not Slaves to those whom they command The Power that God at first to Adam gave Was different far from what all Kings now have He had no Law but Will but all Kings now Are Bound by Laws as all Examples show By Laws Kings first were made and with intent Men to defend by Heav'n's and Man's consent God to the Crown the Regal Power did bring And by Consent at first Men chose their King If Kings usurp'd a Power by force did sway The People by no Law