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
too When they much pleased and triumphing saw The King his Royal Favour to withdraw Which like a Spring on him before did flow And from him all on others to bestow Defenceless left naked almost forlorn Subject to every trifling Rimers scorn And beyond Iordan by their malice drove No Succour left him but the Peoples Love For he was still their Darling and Delight Because they saw he was no Baalite Their Hopes now almost at their height did seem To place their Crown upon Eliakim The Iews Gods People and peculiar care For their true Worship still most zealous were That Jewel seem'd most precious in their eyes And it above all Human things they prize No Torments could make them their Faith deny They willingly for their Religion die Their Liberties were also dear to them Sprung from a free and not a slavish Stem Th' Egyptian Bondage for their Souls unfit They never in Iudaea would permit Their own known Laws they willingly obey Hate Tyranny and Arbitrary Sway. Nor did they many Privileges want Kept from the time they first the Land did plant For which to death they lawfully would strive If injur'd by their Kings Prerogative For some of them have try'd to break the Bound And did like Ethnick Kings their People's Freedom wound So Rehoboam caus'd them to rebell And lost at once ten Tribes of Israel No people were more ready to obey Their Kings who rul'd them by a gentle Sway Who never sought their Consciences to curb Their Freedom or Religion to disturb To such they always open-hearted were For them they neither Coin nor Blood would spare Such Kings might their Prerogatives improve And rule the Iews ev'n as they pleas'd with Love But stiff indeed they were and moody grew When Tyrants did with cruel Stripes pursue Them sore oppress'd and sometimes murmur'd too Kings they had try'd of ev'ry sort and size Best govern'd by the Warlike and the wise Tho' Kings they lov'd and for them Reverence had They never would adore them as a God God's Worship and their Laws they did prefer They knew them men might by bad Councils Err. Tho' Loyal yet oppress'd they did not fear To make their heavy Grievances appear This was indeed the Humor of the Iew The People by Complaints their Griefs would shew And never would in truth contented seem Untill redress'd by their wise Sanhedrim Thus now the Iews tho' free from ill Design In their Religious Cause together joyn They cast their Eyes on Amazia's Son Who without Arts the People's Love had won Full of tormenting Jealousies and Fears Eliakim a dangerous man appears The sober part of the whole Sanhedrim Desire to keep Iudea's Crown from him For they foresaw if he should wear the Crown Baal's Worship he 'd set up and God's cast down That all the Nations must be Slaves to Baal Suffer in Flames fly or 'fore Idolls fall Great were their Fears but yet they did abhor The very thoughts of a dishonest War For they had seen the Kingdom 's many Scarrs Th'unseemly marks of former Civil Wars They Amazia lov'd and wish'd him well Resolve to suffer rather than rebell Yet openly declare free from all stain How much they hate a Baalite should reign And for this cause and for this cause alone Eliakim they 'd put by from the Throne Eliakim at Court had many Friends By whom in secret he could work his ends So that no Accusation could remove Him deeply rooted in his Brother's love But since the Iews to him shew'd open hate Lest that his Presence should embroil the State And that the Iews might have no cause to sin He 's sent to rule the Tribe of Benjamin Thus two great Factions in Iudaea rose So hotly each the other did oppose 'T was fear'd they 'd fall at last from words to blows Each side most zealous for the King appears Each full of Jealousies and disturbing Fears Each pleads for Amazia and the Laws God and Religion both do make their cause Both Loyalty profess both opposite Both would persuade that each was in the right Though both contrary shew as Day and Night Sweet Azaria with these Troubles mov'd On that side hated and by this belov'd Fearing th'inveterate malice of his Foes Which he sought to avoid not to oppose And lest they should their sought occasion find To tax him of an ill ambitious Mind By seeing all the Iews to him so kind Lest he should grow i' th' Kings Opinion worse He seeks for counsel how to steer his course That he might to the Court give no offence But live wrapt in his own fair innocence The wise and thoughtful Hushai he doth find And thus to him he breaks his troubled mind Great Counsellour and Favourite of Heaven To whom the blessing of True Wisdom's given Which by no Mortal can possessed be Whose Thoughts are not inform'd by Loyalty I know Reproaches upon you are thrown But judge your Innocency by my own I am accused Sir as well as you And the same Foe doth both our Lives pursue He fears your Wisdom may his hinderance prove And me because I have the Peoples love His Creatures therefore throw on you and me The scandal of a curs'd Conspiracy Against our King and Father to rebell Me Absalom and you Achitophel They name bad Counsellour and worser Son Who Traitors durst into Rebellion run My Father governs with so equal sway That all both love him and his Laws obey He seems Heav'ns care who set him in the Throne Preserved by his wonderous power alone Oh may on him no blemish fall or stain But all live happy in his peaceful Reign May he be happy still as he is good Like God in Mercy not inclin'd to Blood This is the Prayer that I daily make For Piety shall never me forsake Tho I his Royal Favour ne'er partake And tho my Foes have with their subtil art Banish'd me from my Royal Fathers heart Which is the source of all my grief and wo My just Obedience I will ne'er forgo Nor has Disgrace nor my hot Passions wrought Within my Breast one bad disloyal Thought I ne'er believ'd my Father would betray His People or sought Arbitrary Sway Or though his People did his wrath provoke He meant to curb them with an Iron Yoke Yet do I think nay more than think the cause But here his Passion made some little pause Till sighing at the last he thus went on Why my Great Father does disown his Son They say I am but of a spurious Brood My Mother being of Ignoble Blood For Iocoliah was but mean by Birth Though with the King she mix'd her baser Earth I was begotten in my Fathers Flight E'er to the Crown he had obtain'd his Right And since I from his Favour did decline He has declar'd her but his Concubine This has the hopes rais'd of Eliakim And Amazia's Crown 's design'd for him My hopes are lost and I do think it fit I should to God Right and the
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