attend The grace that God will to his handmaid send Exit Beth. Dauid in his gowne walking sadly To him Nathan The babe is sicke and sad is Dauids heart To see the guiltlesse beare the guilties paine Dauid hang vp thy Harpe hang downe thy head And dash thy yuorie Lute against the stones The dew that on the hill of Hermon fals Raines not on Syons tops and loftie towers And Dauids thoughts are spent in pensiuenesse The plaines of Gath and Askaron reioice The babe is sicke sweet babe that Bethsabe With womans paine brought forth to Israel Enter Nathan But what saith Nathan to his lord the king Nathan to Dauid Nathan Thus Nathan saith vnto his Lord the King There were two men both dwellers in one towne The one was mighty and exceeding rich In Oxen sheepe and cattell of the field The other poore hauing nor Oxe nor Calfe Nor other cattell saue one little Lambe Which he had bought and nourisht by the hand And it grew vp and fed with him and his And eat and dranke as he and his were wont And in his bosome slept and was to liue As was his daughter or his deerest child There came a stranger to this wealthy man And he refus'd and spar'd to take his owne Or of his store to dresse or make him meat But tooke the poore mans sheepe partly poore mans store And drest it for this strangar in his house What tell me shall be done to him for this Dau. Now as the lord doth liue this wicked man Is iudgd and shall become the child of death Foure fold to the poore man shall he restore That without mercy tooke his lambe away Nath. Thou art the man and thou hast iudgd thy selfe Dauid thus sayth the Lord thy God by me I thee annointed King in Israel And sau'd thee from the tyranny of Saul Thy maisters house I gaue thee to possesse His Wiues into thy bosome did I giue And Iuda aud Ierusalem withall And might thou knowest if this had ben too small Haue giuen thee more Wherefore then hast thou gone so far astray And hast done euill and sinned in my sight Vrias thou hast killed with the sword Yea with the sword of the vncircumcised Thou hast him slaine wherefore from this day forth The sword shall neuer goe from thee and thine For thou hast tane this Hethites wife to thee Wherefore behold I wil saith Iacobs God In thine owne house stir euill vp to thee Yea I before thy face will take thy Wiues And giue them to thy neighbour to possesse This shall be done to Dauid in the day That Israel openly may see thy shame Dauid Nathan I haue against the Lord I haue Sinned O sinned greeuously and loe From heauens throne doth Dauid throw himselfe And grone and grouell to the gates of hell He fals downe Nath. Dauid stand vp Thus saith the Lord by me Dauid the King shall liue for he hath seene The true repentant sorrow of thy heart But for thou hast in this misdeed of thine Stird vp the enemies of Israel To triumph and blaspheme the God of hosts And say He set a wicked man to reigne Ouer his loued people and his Tribes The child shall surely die that erst was borne His mothers sin his kingly fathers scorne Exit Nathan Da. How iust is Iacobs God in all his workes But must it die that Dauid loueth so O that the mighty one of Israel Nill change his dome and sayes the babe must die Mourne Israel and weepe in Syon gates Wither ye Caedar trees of Libanon Ye sprouting Almons with your flowring tops Droope drowne and drench in Hebrons fearefull streames The babe must die that was to Dauid borne His mothers sin his kingly fathers scorne Dauid sits sadly Enter Cusay to Dauid and his traine Seruus What tidings bringeth Cusay to the King Cusay To thee the seruant of King Dauids court This bringeth Cusay as the Prophet spake The Lord hath surely striken to the death The child new borne by that Vrias wife That by the sonnes of Ammon erst was slaine Seruus Cusay be still the King is vexed sore How shal he speed that brings this tidings first When while the child was yet aliue we spake And Dauids heart would not be comforted Da. Yea Dauids heart will not be comforted What murmure ye the seruants of the King What tidings telleth Cusay to the King Say Cusay liues the child or is he dead Cusay The child is dead that of Vrias wife Dauid begat Da. Vrias wife saiest thou The child is dead then ceaseth Dauids shame Fetch me to eat and giue me Wine to drinke Water to wash and Oyle to cleere my lookes Bring downe your Shalmes your Cymbals and your Pipes Let Dauids Harpe and Lute his hand and voice Giue laud to him that loueth Israel And sing his praise that shendeth Dauids fame That put away his sinne from out his sight And sent his shame into the streets of Gath Bring ye to me the mother of the babe That I may wipe the teares from off her face And giue her comfort with this hand of mine And decke faire Bethsabe with ornaments That she may beare to me another sonne That may be loued of the Lord of hosts For where he is of force must Dauid goe But neuer may he come where Dauid is They bring in water wine and oyle Musike and a banquet Faire Bethsabe sit thou and sigh no more And sing and play you seruants of the King Now sleepeth Dauids sorrow with the dead And Bethsabe liueth to Israel They vse all solemnities together and sing c. Dauid Now armes and warlike engins for assault Prepare at once ye men of Israel Ye men of Iuda and Ierusalem That Rabba may be taken by the King Least it be called after Ioabs name Nor Dauids glory shine in Syon streets To Rabba marcheth Dauid with his men To chastise Ammon and the wicked ones Exeunt omnes Enter Absolon with two or three Abs. Set vp your mules and giue them well to ear And let vs meet our brothers at the feast Accursed is the maister of this feast Dishonour of the house of Israel His sisters slander and his mothers shame Shame be his share that could such ill contriue To rauish Thamar and without a pause To driue her shamefully from out his house But may his wickednesse find iust reward Therefore doth Absolon conspire with you That Ammon die what time he sits to eat For in the holy Temple haue I sworne Wreake of his villany in Thamars rape And here he comes bespeake him gently all Whose death is deepely graued in my heart Enter Ammon with Adonia and Ionadab to Absolon and his companie Am. Our shearers are not far from hence I wot And Ammon to you all his brethren Giueth such welcome as our fathers erst Were wont in Iuda and Ierusalem But specially Lord Absolon to thee The honour of thy house and progenie Sit downe and dine with me King Dauids sonne Thou
sword was edgd with Israels wrath Goe therefore home Vrias take thy rest Visit thy wife and houshold with the ioies A victor and a fauorite of the Kings Should exercise with honor after armes Vrias Thy seruants bones are yet not halfe so crasde Nor constitute on such a sickly mould That for so little seruice he should faine And seeke as cowards refuge of his home Not are his thoughts so sensually stird To stay the armes with which the lord would smite And fill their circle with his conquered foes For wanton bosome of a flattering wife Da. Vrias hath a beauteous sober wife Yet yong and framd of tempting flesh and bloud Then when the King hath summond thee from armes If thou vnkindly shouldst refraine her bed Sinne might be laid vpon Vrias soule If Bethsabe by frailtie hurt her fame Then goe Vrias folliee in her loue Whom God hath knit to thee tremble to lose Vrias The King is much too tender of my ease The arke and Israel and Iuda dwell In pallaces and rich pauillions But Ioab and his brother in the fields Suffering the wrath of Winter and the Sun And shall Vrias of more shame then they Banquet and loiter in the worke of heauen As sure as thy soule doth liue my lord Mine eares shall neuer leane to such delight When holy labour cals me forth to fight Dauid Then be it with Vrias manly heart As best his fame may shine in Israel Vrias Thus shall Vrias heart be best content Till thou dismisse me backe to Ioabs hands This ground before the king my masters dores He lies downe Shall be my couch and this vnwearied arme The proper pillow of a souldiours head For neuer will I lodge within my house Till Ioab triumph in my secret vowes Dauid Then fetch some flagons of our purest Wine That we may welcome home our hardie friend With full carouses to his fortunes past And to the honours of his future armes Then will I send him backe to Rabath siege And follow with the strength of Israel Enter one with the flagons of Wine Arise Vrias come and pledge the King He riseth Vrias If Dauid thinke me worthy such a grace I will be bold and pledge my lord the king Dau. Absolon and Cusay both shall drinke To good Vrias and his happinesse Abs. We will my lord to please Vrias soule Dau. I will begin Vrias to thy selfe And all the treasure of the Ammonites Which here I promise to impart to thee And bind that promise with a full carous Vrias What seemeth pleasant in my souereines eyes That shall Vrias doe till he be dead Dau. Fill him the cup follow ye lords that loue Your souereines health and doe as he hath done Abs. Ill may he thriue or liue in Israel That loues not Dauid or denies his charge Vrias Here is to Abisais health lord Ioabs brother thy louing friend Vrias I pledge lord Absolon and Abisais health He drinkes Cus. Here now Vrias to the health of Ioab And to the pleasant iourny we shall haue When we returne to mightie Rabath siege Vrias Cusay I pledge thee all with all my heart Giue me some drinke ye seruants of the king Giue me my drinke He drinkes Da. Well done my good Vrias drinke thy fill That in thy fulnesse Dauid may reioice Vrias I will my lord Abs. Now lord Vrias one carouse to me Vrias No sir I le drinke to the King Your father is a better man then you Dau. Doe so Vrias I will pledge thee straight Vrias I will indeed my lord and souereine I once in my daies be so bold Dauid Fill him his glasse Vrias Fill me my glasse He giues him the glasse Dau. Quickly I say Vrias Quickly I say Vrias Here my lord by your fauour now I drinke to you Dau. I pledge thee good Vrias presently He drinkes Abs. Here then Vrias once againe for me And to the health of Dauids children Vrias Dauids children Abs. I Dauids children wilt thou pledge me man Vrias Pledge me man Abs. Pledge me I say or else thou louest vs not Vrias What doe you talke doe you talke I le no more I le lie downe here Dauid Rather Vrias goe thou home and sleepe Vrias O ho sir would you make me break my sentence He lies downe Home sir no indeed sir I le sleepe vpon mine arme Like a souldiour sleepe like a man as long as I liue in Israel Dauid If nought will serue to saue his wiues renowne I le send him with a letter vnto Ioab To put him in the forefront of the wars That so my purposes may take effect Helpe him in sirs Exit Dauid and Absolon Cusay Come rise Vrias get thee in and sleepe Vrias I will not goe home sir that 's flat Cusay Then come and rest thee vpon Dauids bed Vrias On afore my lords on afore Exeunt Chorus O prowd reuolt of a presumptious man Laying his bridle in the necke of sin Ready to beare him past his graue to hell Like as the fatall Rauen that in his voice Carries the dreadfull summons of our deaths Flies by the faire Arabian spiceries Her pleasant gardens and delightsome parkes Seeming to curse them with his hoarse exclaimes And yet doth stoope with hungrie violence Vpon a peece of hatefull carrion So wretched man displeasd with those delights Would yeeld a quickning sauor to his Soule Pursues with eagre and vnstanched thirst The greedie longings of his lothsome flesh If holy Dauid so shoke hands with sinne What shall our baser spirits glorie in This kingly giuing lust her raigne Pursues the sequell with a greater ill Vrias in the forefront of the wars Is murthered by the hateful Heathens sword And Dauid ioies his too deere Bethsabe Suppose this past and that the child is borne Whose death the Prophet solemnly doth mourne Enter Bethsabe with her handmaid Beth. Mourne Bethsabe bewaile thy foolishnesse Thy sinne thy shame the sorrow of thy soule Sinne shame and sorrow swarme about thy soule And in the gates and entrance of my heart Sadnesse with wreathed armes hangs her complaint No comfort from the ten string'd instrument The twinckling Cymball or the Yuorie Lute Nor doth the sound of Dauids kingly Harpe Make glad the broken heart of Bethsabe Ierusalem is fild with thy complaint And in the streets of Syon fits thy greefe The babe in sicke sicke to the death I feare The fruit that sprung from thee to Dauids house Nor may the pot of Honny and of Oyle Glad Dauid or his handmaids countenance Vrias woe is me to thinke hereon For who is it among the sonnes of men That sayth not to my soule the King hath sind Dauid hath done amisse and Bethsabe Laid snares of death vnto Vrias life My sweet Vrias falne into the pit Art thou and gone euen to the gates of hell For Bethsabe that wouldst not shrowd her shame O what is it to serue the lust of Kings How Lyonlike thy rage when we resist But Bethsabe in humblenesse
in life and death Da. Then gentle Ithay be thou still with vs A ioy to Dauid and a grace to Israel Goe Sadoc now and beare the arke of God Into the great Ierusalem againe If I find fauour in his gratious eyes Then will he lay his hand vpon my heart Yet once againe before I visit death Giuing it strength and vertue to mine eies To tast the comforts and behold the forme Of his faire arke and holy tabernacle But if he say my wonted loue is worne And I haue no delight in Dauid now Here lie I armed with an humble heart T' imbrace the paines that anger shall impose And kisse the sword my lord shall kill me with Then Sadoc take Ahimaas thy sonne With Ionathan sonne to Abiathar And in these fields will I repose my selfe Till they returne from you some certaine newes Sadoc Thy seruants will with ioy obey the King And hope to cheere his heart with happy newes Exit Sadoc Ahimaas and Ionathan Ith. Now that it be no greefe vnto the King Let me for good enforme his maiestie That with vnkind and gracelesse Absalon Achitophel your auncient counsellor Directs the state of this rebellion Dauid Then doth it aime with danger at my crowne O thou that holdst his raging bloudy bound Within the circle of the siluer moone That girds earths center with his watrie scarfe Limit the counsell of Achitophel No bounds extending to my soules distresse But turne his wisdome into foolishnesse Enter Cusay with his coat turnd and head couered Cusay Happinesse and honour to my lord the King Dauid What happinesse or honor may betide His state that toiles in my extremities Cus. O let my gracious soueraine cease these greefes Vnlesse he wish his seruaut Cusayes death Whose life depends vpon my lords releefe Then let my presence with my sighs persume The pleasant closet of my soueraignes soule Da. No Cusay no thy presence vnto me Will be a burthen since I tender thee And cannot breake thy sighs for Dauids sake But if thou turne to faire Ierusalem And say to Absalon as thou hast been A trusty friend vnto his fathers seat So thou wilt be to him and call him King Achitophels counsell may be brought to naught Then hauing Sadoc and Abiathar All three may learne the secrets of my sonne Sending the message by Ahimaas And friendly Ionathan who both are there Then rise referring the successe to heauen Da. Cusay I rise though with vnweldie bones I carrie armes against my Absalon Exeunt Absalon Amasa Achitophel with the concubines of Dauid and others in great state Absalon crowned Abs. Now you that were my fathers concubines Liquor to his inchast and lustfull fire Haue seene his honour shaken in his house Which I possesse in sight of all the world I bring ye forth for soiles to my renowne And to eclipse the glorie of your King Whose life is with his honour fast inclosd Within the entrailes of a Ieatie cloud Whose dissolution shall powre downe in showers The substance of his life and swelling pride Then shall the stars light earth with rich aspects And heauen shall burne in loue with Absalon Whose beautie will suffice to chast all mists And cloth the suns spheare with a triple fire Sooner then his cleare eyes should suffer staine Or be offended with a lowring day Concub. Thy fathers honour gracelesse Absalon And ours thus beaten with thy violent armes Will crie for vengeance to the host of heauen Whose power is euer armed against the prowd And will dart plagues at thy aspiring head For doing this disgrace to Dauids throne 2. To Dauids throne to Dauids holy throne Whose scepter angels guard with swords of fire And sit as Eagles on his conquering fist Ready to prey vpon his enemies Then thinke not thou the captaine of his foes Wert thou much swifter then Azahell was That could out-pace the nimble footed Roe To scape the furie of their thumping beakes Or dreadfull scope of their commanding wings Achip. Let not my lord the King of Israel Be angrie with a sillie womans threats But with the pleasure he hath erst enioied Turne them into their cabinets againe Till Dauids conquest be their ouerthrow Abs. Into your bowers ye daughters of Disdaine Gotten by furie of vnbridled lust And wash your couches with your mourning teares For greefe that Dauids kingdome is decaied 1. No Absalon his kingdome is enchaind Fast to the finger of great Iacobs God Which will not lose it for a rebels loue Exeunt Amasa If I might giue aduise vnto the King These concubines should buy their taunts with bloud Abs. Amasa no but let thy martiall sword Empty the paines of Dauids armed men And let these foolish women scape our hands To recompence the shame they haue sustaind First Absolon was by the Trumpets sound Proclaimd through Hebron King of Israel And now is set in faire Ierusalem With complete state and glorie of a crowne Fiftie faire footmen by my chariot run And to the aire whose rupture rings my fame Where ere I ride they offer reuerence Why should not Absolon that in his face Carries the finall purpose of his God That is to worke him grace in Israel Endeuour to atchieue with all his strength The state that most may satisfie his ioy Keeping his statutes and his couenants pure His thunder is intangled in my haire And with my beautie is his lightning quencht I am the man he made to glorie in When by the errors of my fathers sinne He lost the path that led into the land Wherewith our chosen ancestors were blest Enter Cusay Cus. Long may the beautious King of Israel liue To whom the people doe by thousands swarme Abs. What meaneth Cusay so to greet his foe In this the loue thou shewdst to Dauids soule To whose assistance thou hast vowed thy life Why leauest thou him in this extremitie Cus. Because the Lord and Israel chuseth thee And as before I serud thy fathers turne With counsell acceptable in his sight So likewise will I now obey his sonne Abs. Then welcome Cusay to king Absalon And now my lords and louing counsellors I thinke it time to exercise our armes Against forsaken Dauid and his host Giue counsell first my good Achitophel What times and orders we may best obserue For prosperous manage of these high exploits Achi. Let me chuse out twelue thousand valiant men And while the night hides with her sable mists The close endeuors cunning souldiers vse I will assault thy discontented fire And while with weakenesse of their wearie armes Surchargd with toile to shun thy suddaine power The people flie in huge disordred troupes To saue their liues and leaue the King alone Then will I smite him with his latest wound And bring the people to thy feet in peace Abs. Well hath Achitophel giuen his aduise Yet let vs heare what Cusay counsels vs Whose great experience is well worth the eare Cus. Though wise Achitophel be much more meet To purchase hearing with my
of ruth Ioab Rebell to nature hate to heauen and earth Shall I giue helpe to him that thirsts the soule Of his deere father and my soueraigne lord Now see the Lord hath tangled in a tree The health and glorie of thy stubborne heart And made thy pride curbd with a sencelesse plant Now Absalon how doth the Lord regard The beautie wherevpon thy hope was built And which thou thoughtst his grace did glorie in Findst thou not now with feare of instant death That God affects not any painted shape Or goodly personage when the vertuous soule Is stuft with naught but pride and stubbornnesse But preach I to thee while I should reuenge Thy cursed sinne that staineth Israel And makes her fields blush with her childrens bloud Take that as part of thy deserued plague Which worthily no torment can inflict Abs. O Ioab Ioab cruell ruthlesse Ioab Herewith thou woundst thy Kingly soueraignes heart Whose heauenly temper hates his childrens bloud And will be sicke I know for Absalon O my deere father that thy melting eyes Might pierce this thicket to behold thy sonne Thy deerest sonne gor'de with a mortall dart Yet Ioab pittie me pittie my father Ioab Pittie his soules distresse that mournes my life And will be dead I know to heare my death Ioab If he were so remorsefull of thy state Why sent he me against thee with the sword All Ioab meanes to pleasure thee withall Is to dispatch thee quickly of thy paine Hold Absalon Ioabs pittie is in this In this prowd Absalon is Ioabs loue He goes out Abs. Such loue such pittie Israels God send thee And for his loue to Dauid pittie me Ah my deere father see thy bowels bleed See death assault thy deerest Absalon See pittie pardon pray for Absalon Enter fiue or sixe souldiers See where the rebell in his glorie hangs Where is the vertue of thy beautie Absalon Will any of vs here now feare thy lookes Or be in loue with that thy golden haire Wherein was wrapt rebellion gainst thy sire And cords prepar'd to stop thy fathers breath Our captaine Ioab hath begun to vs And here 's an end to thee and all thy sinnes Come let vs take the beauteous rebell downe And in some ditch amids this darkesome wood Burie his bulke beneath a heape of stones Whose stonie heart did hunt his fathers death Enter in triumph with drum and ensigne Ioab Abyshai and souldiers to Absalon Ioab Well done tall souldiers take the Traitor downe And in this myerie ditch interre his bones Couering his hatefull breast with heapes of stones This shadie thicket of darke Ephrami Shall euer lower on his cursed graue Night Rauens and Owles shall ring his fatall knell And sit exclaiming on his damned soule There shall they heape their preyes of Carrion Till all his graue be clad with stinking bones That it may loth the sence of euery man So shall his end breed horror to his name And to his traitrous fact eternall shame Exit 5. Chorus Oh dreadfull president of his iust doome Whose holy heart is neuer toucht with ruth Of fickle beautie or of glorious shapes But with the vertue of an vpright soule Humble and zealous in his inward thoughts Though in his person loathsome and deform'd Now since this storie lends vs other store To make a third discourse of Dauids life Adding thereto his most renowmed death And all their deaths that at his death he iudgd Here end we this and what here wants to please We will supplie with treble willingnesse Absalon with three or foure of his seruants or gentlemen Abs. What boots it Absalon vnhappie Absalon Sighing I say what boots it Absalon To haue disclos'd a farre more worthy wombe Trumpets sound enter Ioab Ahimaas Cusay Amasa with all the rest Ioab Souldiers of Israel and ye sonnes of Iuda That haue contended in these irkesome broiles And ript old Israels bowels with your swords The godlesse generall of your stubborne armes Is brought by Israels helper to the graue A graue of shame and skorne of all the Tribes Now then to saue your honours from the dust And keepe your blouds in temper by your bones Let Ioabs ensigne shroud your manly heads Direct your eies your weapons and your hearts To guard the life of Dauid from his foes Error hath maskt your much too forward minds And you haue sind against the chosen state Against his life for whom your liues are blest And followed an vsurper to the field In whose iust death your deaths are threatened But Ioab pitties your disordered soules And therefore offers pardon peace and loue To all that will be friendly reconcil'de To Israels weale to Dauid and to heauen Amasa thou art leader of the host That vnder Absalon haue raisde their armes Then be a captaine wise and polliticke Carefull and louing for thy souldiers liues And lead them to this honourable league Amasa I will at least I le doe my best And for the gracious offer thou hast made I giue thee thankes as much as for my head Then you deceiu'd poore soules of Israel Since now ye see the errors you incurd With thankes and due submission be appeasde And as ye see your captaines president Here cast me then our swords at Ioabs feet Submitting with all zeale and residence Our goods and bodies to his gracious hands All stand vp Ioab Stand vp and take ye all your swords againe Dauid and Ioab shall be blest herein Iona. Now let me goe enforme my lord the King How God hath freed him from his enemies Ioab Another time Ahimaas not now But Cusay goe thy selfe and tell the King The happie message of our good successe Cus. I will my lord and thanke thee for thy grace Exit Cusay Iona. What if thy seruant should goe to my lord Ioab What newes hast thou to bring since he is gone Iona. Yet doe Ahimaas so much content That he may run about so sweet a charge Exit Ioab Run if thou wilt and peace be with thy steps Now follow that you may salute the King With humble hearts and reconciled soules Ama. We follow Ioab to our gracious King And him our swords shall honour to our deaths Exeunt Dauid Bethsabe Salomon Nathan Adonia Chileab with their traine Beth. What meanes my lord the lampe of Israel From whose bright eyes all eyes receiue their light To dim the glory of his sweet aspects And paint his countenance with his hearts distresse Why should his thoughts retaine a sad conceit When euery pleasure kneeles before his throne And sues for sweet acceptance with his grace Take but your Lute and make the mountaines dance Retriue the sunnes sphere and restraine the clouds Giue eares to trees make sauage Lyons tame Impose still silence to the loudest winds And fill the fairest day with foulest stormes Then why should passions of much meaner power Beare head against the heart of Israel Da. Faire Bethsabe thou mightst increase the strength Of these thy arguments drawne from my skill By vrging