power and ayde Gan to declare what he of late had done by him and sayde Thy seruant kept his fathers shéepe that they should not astray Among the which a Lion came to féede vpon his pray I ranne caught him by the beard shooke him by the iawes So that I rid him of his life for all his ramping pawes A Beare likewise with gréedy paunch came to deuour his pray Whom I by strength did onely kill before I went away And as thy seruant now hath done to these two beasts in déede I doubt not but this Philistine shall haue no better spéede I mind God willing to remoue the infamy and shame And to reuenge this wicked talke agaynst Gods holy name And as the Lord defended me from Lion and from Beare So from this bosting Philistine he will I do not feare The king well pleased with his talke gaue leaue bad him go Beséeching God to be his guyde and shield him from his fo And gaue a charge to put vpon the armour of the king His sword his head peece and his shield and euery other thing Then Dauid did assay himselfe how well that he could do For he had neuer proued them ne wonted him thereto Wherfore he turned to Saul and sayd I can not go with these So out of all he stripped him to haue his armes at ease With staffe in hand he gat him forth vnto a litle brooke Out of the which fiue pibble stones into his bagge he tooke And so from thence he made his way apace vnto the man No other weapon but a sting he had to fight with than The Philistine then drue him neare to view him that was sent A page before him bare his shield as he to Dauid went. Now when he saw so yong a man so nakedly arayed Disdaynefully on him he cast his eye and to him sayd Am I a dogge that with a staffe thou commest me to beate So cursing him by all his goddes he gan to fume and freate Come on my childe quod he I will dispatch thée in this houre And giue thy flesh vnto the beasts and birds for to deuoure Then Dauid not afrayd of him nor any thing he saw Did vse suche talke as he might sée he wayed him not a straw Thou cōmest to me with speare shield wherin is all thy trust But in the name of God I come to thée in quarrell iust The Lord whose name with wicked mouth thou hast blasphemed so This day will vse me as a meane to be thine ouerthrow And minds your very carkasses to scatter so on ground That to the foules rauening beasts a pray you may be found That al the world both farre and neare may know it very wel How that there is a mighty Lord and God in Israel And eke the whole assembly here shall perfect notice haue That neither sword nor speare it is wherwith the lord doth saue For sure the battell is the Lords that ruleth in all lands He will this day confound you all and put you in our hands With that he stepped forth and came with weapon in his fist The other gan to buckle him his malice to resist A stone he had already set and folded in his sling Which at his head he hurled out as hard as he could fling Which through the Lord light full vpon the forepart of his head And sanke so déepe into his brayne that downe he fell as dead Then Dauid ran the groueling corps there lying to bestride And from the body with his sword his head he did deuide A sight no doubt that pleased much the Israelites that day But so dismayed the Philistines that they did runne away Then all the hoast of Israel they shouted at that sight Pursuing them with bloudy swords slue them in the flight And chasing them to Ekron gates they gaue them such a foyle That they returned ioyfully and brought away the spoyle Now whē as Dauid had in God this mighty cōquest wrought He was by Abner vnto Saul before his presence brought And standing with the bloudy head of Goly in his hande The king gan say whose sonne art thou giue me to vnderstād My soueraigne lord I am quod he the yongest sonne of all Of Isai the Bethleemite most faythfull vnto Saul This sayd the soule of Ionathas to Dauid did apply And firmly sought to knit with his by secret sympathy Whom tenderly he did so loue with inward fancy then That greater loue could not be wisht amōg the sonnes of men The king also for this his act did cause him to remayne And in no wise would suffer him to make returne agayne With Dauid and with Ionathas a faythfull bond was made That ech of them while life did last should be ech others ayde At which time Ionathas did giue vnto his friend so deare Both cote and cloke his bow his sword girdle he did weare Now Dauid so behaued him that all men gaue him prayse So faythfull and so circumspect he was in all his wayes The king so well estemd of him that he put him in trust To rule and guyde his men of warre and leade them as he lust His name was praysed eury where his honour to enhaunce The women also set him forth with timbrell in their daunce As they the king met at returne from slaughter of his foes They sung this song of victorie in méeter as it goes King Saul to his great laude and prayse his thousande men hath slaine But Dauid hath ten thousand times so many kild againe With this the king was very wroth and eke displeased sore That vnto him they gaue so much and to the king no more For they quod he haue set him vp ten times aboue my one And what can he haue more except the kingdome all alone From that time forth he cast an eye on Dauid somwhat straūge Rewarding all that he had done with hatred for exchaunge It so befell the morow next the king to be torment With that ill sprite which oftentimes the Lord had to him sent Then Dauid as his custome was to be before his grace Stood playing on his pleasant harpe to ease him in that case The king beheld him earnestly and to him selfe did say I mind this iauelin here of mine shall rid him cleane away So in his rage and madding moode at Dauid forthwithall He hurld the Iauelin in his hand to nayle him to the wall But Dauid to auoyde the stroke as one that was full wise Conueyed him selfe and did escape his daunger once or twise The king no doubt was much afraide to sée his purpose fayle And Dauid such defence to haue that nothing could preuayle Wherfore he sought all meanes he could his honour to abase Withdrew his charge and him remoud into a meaner place This notwithstanding prudently he walkt in all his wayes As one that had the Lord with him for to prolong his dayes The king perceiuing how that he in fauour dayly grew
on vpon his other gere So all the house of Israel brought forth the Arke with shoute And trompet blowing as they went the noyse rang all about But when as Michol Dauids wife saw him so daunce spring She grew in great disdayne therat and did mislike the thing Yet notwithstanding when the Arke was setled in his place He made his offrings to the Lord of mercy peace and grace Which béeing done and finished the people he did blesse And to them all of banquet meate dealt something more or lesse Then he dismissing all the folke assembled in that place Returned home vnto his house to blesse it in like case Wher Michol méeting him could not forbeare but thus did say Good God how glorious was the king of Israel this day Which séemed in thy maidens eyes vncouered like a sot Wherby of them and other mo great hatred thou hast got It was before the Lord quod he that I did daunce and sing Who ouerthrew thy father Saul and chose me to be king And made me ruler ouer all the people Israel Reiecting Saul and all his house as thou thy selfe canst tell And yet if my humilitie be grieuous in thy sight I will be méeke in mine owne eyes before the Lord of might And of the mayden seruauntes here which thou hast spoken of I shall be had in honour great when they at thée shall skoffe When God had setled Dauids raigne and him his had blest And with all Princes rounde about had giuen him peace rest Gods glory to aduaunce he sought and bended all his heart And to the Prophet Nathan then his minde he did impart Behold quod he how that my house is buylt with Cedre trées And yet the Arke hath nothing els but curteins as thou sées The Prophet sayd do what thou hast determined to do For God which hath respect to thée will set his hande thereto Thus Nathan spake before he knew what Gods good pleasure was And did receiue a coūtermaund before the night did passe That wild him go vnto the king and do him vnderstand That Salomon should buyld Gods house he not ta kt in hand When Dauid béeing certified what God him selfe did say He sat him downe before the Arke and thus began to pray O Lord my God what great account of me and mine hast thou That to such Royall dignitie hast me exalted now And yet O Lord I know thou art of such a power and might That greater things to bring to passe is nothing in thy sight Thou spakest of thy seruaunts house a great long while ago Which vnto men doth not perteine but vnto thée I know To kéepe thy word promise sure and make it to be knowne Not for thy seruaunt Dauids sake O Lord but for thine owne Thou art O Lord the onely God that euermore hast bene None comparable to thy selfe was euer heard or séene And what one people in the earth or nation who can tell Is better and beloued more of thée then Israel Thou wentest and redéemedst them out of captiuitie That they might magnisie thy name and make it great to bée With mightie signes tokens out of Egypt thou hast brought Thy people from the nations and from their Gods of nought Thou hast elect and chosen them to be thy people ay Aud art become their onely God to serue thée and obay And now O Lord the word thou hast of me thy seruant spoke And of his house make thou it good let not the same be broke So shall thy name be magnified and eury man shall say The Lord of hoastes he is the God of Israel for ay For thou Lord God of Israel hast thus reueald to me And said I will now buyld thy house and make it sure to be And therfore hath thy seruaunt found now in his heart to pray this simple prayer vnto thée to be my helpe alway Let all thy words therefore be true that thou thy seruaunt told And kéepe thy promise vnto him which thou hast made of old And let it please thée for to blesse thy seruants house with grace That it for euer may abide and stande before thy face For thou my God hast spoken it let it be done therfore That thou thy seruaunt Dauids house do blesse for euermore Now after this the Philistines he vanquished by strength And thereby rid all Israel from bondage at the length He smote also the Moabites and meate them with a line And cast them flat vpon the ground and made the rest incline And being thus subdued to him to him they tribute payed In token that they were his men his Maiestie to ayde He fought with Hadarezers hoast and made a number fall As well of horsemen as on foote beside his Charrets all The Syrians which ayded him and came his parte to take Of two and twenty thousande men a slaughter did he make Thus Dauid by the might of God did conquer all the lande So mercifull was God to him in all he tooke in hande Now after these great victories the king of Hamath sent His sonne to Dauid with great gifts therwith him to present For that he had Hadarezer his enemie subdued Who oftentimes with him and his had open warre renued As for the spoyles that he did get of siluer golde or brasse He gaue it to the house of God what euer thing it was Thus Dauid hauing got a name through honor he had wonne Sat in his seate and iudged right to eury mothers sonne And calling now to memory the bond that he did make With Ionathas the sonne of Saul thus openly he spake Doth any yet remayne quod he of all the house of Saul That I for Ionathas his sake may him to honour call One Ziba then his seruaunt old was brought vnto the king That he by talke might sée what he could say to eury thing Of whom the king demaunded then if Ziba were his name Yea sir quod he thy seruant is the selfe and very same Is there quod he yet any left of Saul his line or blood To whom I may shew mercy too or do him any good Yea Ionathas quod he hath yet a sonne aliue I know But he is lame vpon his féete so that he can not go And where is he quod Dauid then hide not if thou canst tell He is quod he in Machirs house the sonne of Amiel Now then whē that Miphiboseth was brought to Dauids sight He fell to ground and so did make such reuerence as he might Then Dauid said Miphiboseth be not afrayde of me For I will for thy fathers sake be mercifull to thée Thou shalt enioy thy fathers lands that did to Saul perteine And at my boord thy foode to eate I will thée enterteine Miphiboseth fell downe and said what is thy seruaunt Lorde That thou wilt looke on such a dogge and set him at thy borde Then Dauid said to Ziba thus the lands and rents of Saul Unto thy
masters sonne I giue both vineyard fieldes and all Therfore thou the men with thée do husband wel the ground That foode for Micahs maintenance with plentie may be found For now thy lord Miphiboseth shall eate his bread with me As though he were one of my sonnes and be no charge to thée Now after this it so befell king Ammon for to dye A friend of Dauids in distresse that shewd him curtesye Wherfore he thought it reason good to recompence his sonne In this respect for that he had his raigne but new begonne And therevpon an Embassy to this yong king he sent To comfort him in heauynes and for no worse intent His Lords and his Nobilitie suspected Dauids men And therfore came vnto the king and said vnto him then What dost thou thinke that Dauid doth intend to thée none ill Or to thy father that he doth this honour of good will His meaning is thy land strength to search with priuy spies And thervpon with might and maine thy kingdome to surprise The king gaue credite to their talke and thought it verely And therevpon deuised how to worke them villany And so for spite and open shame to Dauid and his land The one halfe of their beards he shaues lets the other stand And did their garments all to cut accordingly with tooles Hard to the buttocks of the men and sent them home like fooles When Dauid heard this misdemeane he willed some to go And méete his mē who were ashamd that any should thē know So they abode at Iericho vntill their beards were growen And then returning home agayne it was no farther knowen This spite could Dauid not digest for ought that they could doo But sought reuenge by open warre and did performe it too The next yere Zibba to besiege he sent his souldiours prest But he within Ierusalem abode and tooke his rest It chaunced so that on a time with some delightfull sightes He walkt vpon his house aboue to recreate his sprites Where he a passing goodly wight espied from aboue As she was bathing of her selfe with whom he fell in loue And thervpon he sent his man and bad him word to bring What was her name whose wife she was eury other thing Word was returnde t was Bethsabe and one Vrias wife Who in the warfares of his grace was ventring of his life He sent for her and when she came his heart was so inflamd With her to ioyne in filthynes he nothing was ashamd And she returning to her house by Dauid thus defilde Did send him word of certentie howe that she was with childe Then Dauid to auoyde the crime which he apparant saw Deuised meanes her to defende from rigour of the law To Ioab straight he did dispatche a post and bad him tell That he should send Vrias home to make the matter well And when Vrias came before the presence of the king And had discoursed of the warres and eury other thing The king did will him to go home and with his wife to rest To washe his féete and recreate him selfe as he thought best Vrias tooke his leaue and home as Dauid thought he went Who for his seruice in the warres a recompence him sent But yet in déede Vrias did not moue one foote away But for that night before his gates vpon the grounde did stay Which thing when Dauid knew he askt what was the cause why He went not home vnto the house with his wife did ly And rest him there a while with her and eke his friends among Untill he had refresht him selfe vpon his iourney long Vrias said our soueraigne Lord the Arke of Israel The tribes of Iuda they also in tentes and boothes do dwell My Capteine Ioab with his men in open fieldes they lye Abiding hard aduentures there in wether wet and drye And shall I now go to my house there for to eate and drinke And haue the pleasure of my wife I did it neuer thinke I make an oth euen by thy life and by thy soule O king So long the Arke doth lye abrode I will not do this thing Then Dauid wild he should remayne and tary one day mo And on the morow should haue leaue for to depart and go That night he made Vrias dronke him to prouoke thereby To haue a minde vnto his wife and with her for to ly But as before so now agayne vpon the grounde he lay And would not go vnto his house what euer he did say Upon the morow Dauid wrote to Ioab his intent Which lettor sealed surely vp he by Vrias sent The summe wherof was onely this he should Vrias trayne Unto some péece of seruice there where that he might be slayne Which thing of Ioab béeing done and Dauid thereof tolde He thought him selfe now safe inough that he might be bolde Then sent he for the woman home and she became his wife But God was very sore displeasd with this his sinfull life Now Dauid béeing wrapt in sinne the Lord his Prophet sent Who did propose this parable to make him to repent Two men quod he vpon a time within one towne did dwell The one but poore the other God had blessed very well The rich man had excéeding store of cattell oxe and shéepe The poore man had in all the world but one poore lamb to kéepe Which he had fostred brought vp with him from day to day Till it grew vp and with his babes gan pleasantly to play It eate and dranke with him at home and in his bosome slept And as a daughter deare to him he causde it to be kept Unto the rich mans house there came a straunger as a gest Of all his shéepe he would not let so much as one be drest But tooke the poore mans lambe away who had no mo but one And so prepard it for his gest and let his owne alone The king was moued with this talke and grew in choler than And thought no payne or punishment to much for suche a man. And made an oth that vnreuengd that man should neuer go But should fourefold repay to him whom he had wronged so Thou art said he the very man euen thou thy selfe art he The Lord therfore hath bid me come and say thus much to thée He made thée king of Israel and of his people all And did also deliuer thée out of the hand of Saul And gaue to thée thy masters house and eke his wiues also And gaue thée Iuda Israel and might haue giuen thée mo Why hast thou thē so soone forgot the Lord his power might And fearing not what great offence thou dost before his sight Thou hast Vrias murdered and spoild him of his wife And thinkest now by marying her to cloke thy sinnefull life From thée therfore from thy house the sword shall not depart And thou shalt sée féele those plagues rue thē with thy hart And furthermore he will stirre
our defence withstoode our mortall foes And for our better quietnes hath giuen them ouerthrowes And that he is our lawfull king whom we did once annoynt Whom Absalon of life and realme did séeke to disappoynt Since Absalon is dead therfore why take we not the payne To wayte vpon our Lord king and bring him home agayne The people reconciled thus the king to Sadoch sent And to Abiathar the priest declaring his intent Which was to go and séeke with those of Iuda to perswade Who ioynd themselues with Absalon in his attempts he made And say to them why haste ye not king Dauid to restore As do the men of Israel who ready are therefore Ye are by nature kinne to vs our brothers as ye know Why do ye linger last of all your loyaltie to show And thus much say to Amasa of all that may be found He is the nearest kinne I haue that liueth on the ground And that I sweare by God aboue I minde he shall succéede And be my Capteine generall to rule in Ioabs stéede This talke of theirs did so perswade with Iuda that they went And graunted him their present ayde that with one consent And thervpon they sent him word to let him vnderstand That he and his might safely now returne into that land So Dauid going with his trayne euen toward Iordane shore All Iuda met him by the way for to conduct him ore And Semei who had the king reuiled to his face Came now with Iuda for to séeke his mercy and his grace Who comming out of Bahurim with Iuda for to go A thousand of the Beniamites he brought with him also And Ziba of the house of Saul with all his sonnes fiftéene And twentie seruauntes in a rowe was there among thē séene Who gat them ore the water brooke of Iordane to abide The spéedy passage of the king to méete him on that side The king now béeing passed ore but euen a litle while There came before him Semei him selfe to reconcile And falling flat vnto the ground in mild and humble plight Besought him pardon for his faultes and his great ouersight Impute not now the wickednesse that then thy seruaunt did And lay it not vnto my charge but let it all be hid I did misuse full wickedly my lord king Dauid when He from Ierusalem went out and fled with all his men I do it know and now confesse that I haue done amisse Beséeching thée my lord and king to pardon me for this And now behold I am the first of Iosephs house this day That am come down to méete my lord bring him on his way Abisai with grudging heart offended at his worde Said to the king shall not this dogge now dye vpon the sword That matter doth not apperteine to you quod Dauid than I say this day in Israel there shall not dye a man. For I am king I know it well therfore to Semei He spake gaue him gentle words and said he should not dye So forth he went vntill he came Ierusalem vnto Where that Miphiboseth him met as well as he could go Who neither trimmed vp his beard nor yet did wash his féete vntill the king in quiet peace returning he did méete Then Dauid said as soone as that he cast on him his eye Miphiboseth how chaunced it thou wentst not out with me O my most deare and soueraigne lord my seruaunt was vniust For falsly he deceyued me that put in him my trust I wild him to prepare mine Asse and all things for the same To ride vpon with thée my lord thy seruaunt béeing lame But with his subteltie he hath thy seruaunt sore abusde And vnto thée my lord and king vniustly me accusde My lord thou as an Angell art that can iudge all things right And therfore do as thou shalt thinke most méetest in thy sight For where as all my fathers house was worthy for to dye For that with thée and thine king Saul did deale so cruelly Yet was thy mercy vnto me thy seruaunt then so great That at thy table with thy sonnes thou settest me to eate But séeing mine inheritaunce by thée is giuen away What right haue I to come before the king or more to say Thou néede no more to speake quod he we will that this ye do That thou and Ziba shall deuide the land betwéene you two Since that my lord quod he agayne is now returnd in peace Let Ziba take all to him selfe and make his best increase From Roglim comes Berzelai to méete the king also In well appoynted wise to wayte and with his grace to go Who for the space the king did lye within Mahanaim Did friendly of his store conuay all néedefull things to him For God had blest him very well with riches and with wealth And he wisht Dauid great increase of honour and of health The king requested that he would go with him if he might And he would by all meanes he could his curtesie requite I haue not long to liue quod he and néedfull t is that I Should not so much for honour séeke as learne how well to dy For I am stept so farre in yéeres that I haue no good skill To iudge or yet discerne betwéene the good and that is ill My stomacke is so weake it can away with litle meate Thy seruaunt hath no tast at all of that which he doth eate In musike I haue no delite nor yet in skilfull man Why should I to your maiestie be such a burthen then Thy seruaunt will a litle bring the king forth on his way And will beséech my lord that then returne agayne I may Unto the lande where I was borne and there to lay my bones Euen with my parents in the graue among the grauell stones But if it please my lord the king Chimham my sonne shal be Thy seruaunt vnto whom thou mayst do what it pleaseth thée Then said the king and for thy sake I will him so rewarde That thou shalt well perceiue I do thy kindnes much regarde So all the people passed foorth the king with all his trayne Berzelai then tooke his leaue and turned backe agayne When Iuda and halfe Israel were passed Iordans bankes And had the king to Gilgal brought as men most worthy thanks Then came the rest of Israel to Dauid and gan say Why hath all Iuda stole thée now so secretly away And brought the king with al his house past Iordan riuer thus And made not priuie therevnto so much as one of vs Then Iuda hearing Israel this great complaynt to make Did shape an answere out of hand to them and thus they spake The king is neare of kin to vs we haue him therfore brought Of loue and not for great reward or honour that we sought They said againe our part in him is ten times more thē yours And being ten to one we say the greatest part is ours Ye did not well for to despise our
vexed him full often times and did him so molest That for the time of all his wittes he was quite dispossest Which gréeued sore his men to sée wherefore they gan to say Behold how this most wicked wight doth hauÌ„t thée day by day Let there be sought a cunning man of good and perfect skill On harpe or other instrument some comfort bring it will. Prouide me then of such a one go search both â—arre and nere Where that the best is to be had and bring him to me here Then one did say that Isai had a sonne that did excell In musike and vpon the harpe he played passing well A strong and valiaunt man of warre well made of bone lim Excéeding wise in his affayres and hath the Lorde with him Then sent the king and made request that Isai would him send His yongest sonne that on his shéepe and shepefold did attend Who at the kings commaundement prepared therewithall A simple present with his sonne and sent him vnto Saul So Dauid serued now the king and in the Court remaynd Where he was well accept of Saul and gently entertaynd His harnesse bearer he became The king sent once agayne To Isai that Dauid should with him a while remayne Then Dauid great atendance gaue vpon his master Saul To be at hande if that the sprite should chaunce on him to fall As now and then it came to passe then Dauid gan to play Upon his harpe so pleasauntly that soone it went away Now after this the Philistines came with a mightie hoast To warre agaynst the Israelites pitcht in Dammims coast Then Saul the king of Israel them to resist he goes And camped in the vale of Oke in sight of all his foes The Philistines stoodâ— on an hill the Israelites were séene To stand vpon an other hill a valley them betweene And while the hoast stoode at a stay a Philistine came downe Into the bottome of the vale a strong and mighty clowne His name it hight Goly of Gath so bigge and huge a man As was in length from top to toe six cubites and a span An helmet on his head he had of hard and massy brasse A coate of male vpon his backe of passing weight it was A shield bootes of brasse likewise which he was woÌ„t to weare And scarsly could a weauers beame well couÌ„terpeise his speare Now hauing one to beare his shield and waite vpon the same Agaynst the hoast of Israel with voyce he gan proclame Why come ye out in battayle ray behold I am but one Send out a man that dare assay to fight with me alone If he do beate me in this place then we will all be yours If I preuayle with force and might then you shall all be ours This day the hoast of Israel I do it all defye Send out a man that we may fight and here the matter trye When Saul and all the Israelites had heard and séene his spite They were with feare astonished and out of courage quite Here now to Dauid Isais sonne our talke returnd shal bée An Euphratite of Bethleem a man of good degrée This Isai had vnto his sonnes in number eight in all And he himselfe well stept in yeres now in the dayes of Saul With whom thrée of his eldest sonnes into the warres did go Both Samma and Abinadab and Eliab also But Dauid went not out with Saul for he was gone before To féede his fathers shéepe agayne and came to Saul no more His father nowe an aged man and of the warres afrayd Bethought him of his sonnes with Saul and thus to Dauid said Come forth my sonne I le send thée now into the hoast of Saul To sée thy brethren how they fare and what thing iâ— befall Go carie them this parched corne these ten loaues of bread For in their hunger it perhaps may stand them in some stead And to their capteine vnder whom their lotte is for to serue Present these chéeses in my name that he may them deserue If néede haue forsoe thy brethren so that â—â—ey haue gages layde Redéeme their pledge and sée that all their creditors be payde Then Dauid early gat him vp committing all his shéepe Unto an other skilfull man to tende them and to kéepe So going forth he came vnto the hoast that lay about Where as he heard the noyse of warre people make a shout For both the hoasts were in aray and stood in others sight Ech one with weapon in his hand as ready for to fight TheÌ„ leauing al his gere with one that mo things had in charge He ran and found his brethren out saluting them at large And as he stood in talk comes forth great Goly with his vauÌ„ts Prouoking still the Israelites with spitefull bitter tauntes Whose vgly shape and mighty corps did so the people fray That they durst not abide his looke but ranne from him away Ech one to other saying thus saw you this fiend of hell His comming vp is to revile the hoast of Israel Who so can him depriue of life and master in the field To him the king his daughter deare great rewards wil yéeld And furthermore he will also his fathers house to bée In all the land of Israel from tax and payments frée Now Dauid hearing all the brags the Philistine had made His heart was moued so within that he brast out and sayde What shal be done vnto the man what honour to his name That beateth yonder Philistine to saue the land from shame For what is this vncircumcisd what power is in his rod That he should thus reuile the hoast of the true liuing God The people sayd to him agayne as they had sayd before That so it should be done to him with prayse for euermore Which thing his brother Eliab tooke in such spite and hate That he offended with his talke began him all to rate What hast thou here to do quod he go home tend thy shéepe Which thou hast left in wildernes without a guyde to kéepe I know the malice of thy heart which so in thée hath wrought That it pride hath brought thée down to sée the battel fought Then Dauid saide what haue I done there is some cause certaine And so departing farther of he spake the same againe To whom the people as before assured him of all But some that noted well his words rehearsed them to Saul Who caused him for to be fet that he might sée the man And being brought immediatly to speake he thus began Let not the king dismayed be let no mans heart him fayle For yonder bragging Philistine I shall God will assayle Thou art not able quod the king to cope with him in hand So farre aboue thy power he is thou mayst him not withstand Thou art but yet a boy in age and he a man of might Brought vp traded from his youth in warre warlike fight Then Dauid to encourage Saul in Gods great
Was still afrayd that daunger might thereby to him ensue For Israel and Iuda both to Dauid cleaued sore And eke their loue to him ech day increased more and more Then Saul attempted Dauid thus I will on thée bestow My daughter Merob whom thou hast deserued well I know Which thing he spake of no good will as he did then pretend But ment thereby the Philistines might bring him to his end When Dauid had considered the offer Saul had made Then he agayne with reuerence to him most humbly sayde O what am I what is my life my stocke or my degregrée That I so vile and base a wight thy sonne in law should bée But how so ere the matter went when Dauid should enioye His wife of Saul he had conceyud in mind an other toye And minded to defeate him cleane whom he entised so Entending his forenamed childe on Adriel to bestow Then was it vnto Saul declard what fauour Michol had To Dauid as it did appeare whereof the king was glad She shal be his and by her meanes he shal be caught in snare And fall into the Heathens hands before he be aware Pretending then as he would séeme his very friend to be My yongest daughter thou shalt haue be my sonne quod he And turning him vnto his men in secret to them sayde Perswade him if ye can to cast his fancy on the mayde And say to him behold the king doth greatly fauour thée In thee it lyes refuse it not his sonne in law to bée Also his seruants loue thée well they wish thée for to stay Thy selfe vpon the kings request and to his will obay The seruants went all these things they put in Dauids head Whose answer shewd he would not be by their persuasiōs led Doth it saide he séeme vnto you so small and light a thing For me to be the sonne in law to such a mighty king I am a man both poore and base of reputation small And haue no dowry for to giue her to enrich withall The men returned back agayne and made a true report Of all the answer Dauid gaue to them and in what sort Go yet quod he and tell him thus the king doth nothing craue But of one hundred Philistines their foreskins for to haue That throgh his corage to his name immortall praise may rise And I vpon my deadly foes may be reuengd likewise Now Sauls intent was only this to bring him into thrall And daunger of the Philistines to loose both life and all The messengers to Dauid went and told him how it stood What dowry he must séeke to giue to match in Royall blood Now hauing good occasion giuen with Philistines to mell To be the sonne in law to Saul it pleased Dauid well Not many dayes were past when he his promise had fulfild And slayne two hundred Philistines as he thereto was wild Whose skins were brought giuen to Saul by Dauid his men So that of right he might not hold his daughter from him then Wherfore the king did Michol giue to Dauid as his wife Who loued him full tenderly euen as she loued her life Now hauing both the Lord with him Michols heart in holde It made the king the more afrayd of him an hundred folde So déepe a roote had malice caught within his heart and eye That vnto Dauid he became a deadly enemie But Dauid so behaued him with wisedome as it séemd That none among the men of Saul aboue him was estéemd Wherfore now Sauls hipocrisie which he so long had hid Brast out in open crueltie and caused him to bid Both Ionathas and eke his men that Dauid they should kill Who were full sory in their hearts and loth to do him ill When Ionathas perceyued well his father sought to wreake His malice on the innocent with Dauid he did breake And said my father meanes deceite and séekes thine ouerthrow Lake héede therfore it stāds thée on thy wisdome now to show Go hide thée in some secret place and kéepe thée out of sight Untill the morow day put forth the comfort of his light And I will stand my father by in field where that thou art And do the best I can with him to féele and grope his heart And as I find him bent to theée to kill or eke to saue Doubt not but I wil find the meanes that thou shalt knowledge haue As Ionathas was in the field and by his father stood And hauing talke of Dauid there he spake of him much good Let not the king sayd Ionathas agaynst thy seruaunt sin For he hath not offended thée without nor yet within Did he not kill the Philistine with daunger of his life And brought therwith to Israel great peace in place of strife Thou saw it well and did reioyce now therfore take a pause And do not hurt the innocent nor kill without a cause Then Saul gaue eare to Ionathas God wot full faynedly Although he swore vnto the Lord that Dauid should not dye Yet Ionathas vpon his othe did Dauid to him call Declaring how the matter stood and brought him vnto Saul With whom he was and serued him as he had in times past But enuy bare such rule in him that long it did not last For now the warres began a fresh and Dauid by Gods might Slew many of the Philistines and put the rest to flight The king enuying this good lucke which God had Dauid sent Was through the wicked sprit possest againe to mischiefe bent For as he sate his full intent was Dauid to haue slayne At whō he threw with mighty force his Iauelin but in vayne For Dauid shund the deadly stroke and durst not bide in sight But gat him home vnto him wife who saued him that night For Saul had sent his men of armes to garde his house about With charge to sée him there dispatcht before that he came out Then Michol like a faythfull wife gaue counsell very good And bad him saue himself that night for sure they sought his blood No other shift she had to make their purpose to preuent But at a window let him downe and so away he went. Who béeing gone she tooke and layd an image in his bed A pillow stuft with Gotish héere she put vnder his hed Declaring to the messengers that came their lorde to please How that in bed her husband lay not very well at ease Of this they made certificate to Saul to know his will Who bad them bring him bed and all that so he might him kill But when the men were entred in and stoode by his bedstocke They foūd not Dauid whō they sought but in his place a block Then Saul of Michol made demaund wherefore she had done so Deluding him and all his men to let his enemie go Alas quod she I could not choose I so enforced was He threatned me with present death vnlesse I let him passe Thus Dauid being fled away was gone to
two wiues the one a Iezralite The other Nabals wife that was the welthy Carmalite He tooke the men also with him that of his troubles felt Who with their housholds al within the towne of Hebron dwelt Then came the men of Iuda forth to him with one accorde And did annoynt him for to be their king and soueraigne lorde And told him of the faithfulnes of Iabes done of late In burying Saul as did become a prince of high estate Then Dauid sent Ambassadours the Iabites to commende For their great loue and kindnes shewd to Saul at his last ende The Lord quod he do blesse you all with mercy for your fact And I will do the like to you for this your godly act Therfore now let your hands be strong turne your hearts to me For Saul is dead Iuda hath me chose their king to be So Iuda onely claue to him the rest of Israel To Isboseth the sonne of Saul they stacke to him aswell Now Dauid Ioab did appoynt his generall to bée And Isboseth did Abner choose his men to ouersée The wars betwéene these houses two increased more more But Dauid had the stronger hande the other weakned sore For Abner went from Isboseth vpon displeasure take And with king Dauid secretly a faythfull bande did make And Michol he brought home agayne the kings beloued wife Whom Psaltiel did neuer touche by way of spotted life But or he could the rest all bring about effectually He was by Ioab murdered and that most Iudasly Which sore agréeued Dauids heart as one that giltles was Of Ioabs shamefull wicked act which he had brought to passe Wherfore to Ioab then he wisht that for his small regard Both blood and plagues on him his might fal for his rewarde And that he should go with the rest bring the coarse to graue In sackcloth in mourning wede he straite cōmandemēt gaue Him selfe all full of heauynes with sad and heauy chéere Came after Abner as he went euen next vnto the béere And as they layd him in the graue according in Hebron The king and people all they wept to sée the earth put on But Dauid mourned most of all since treason did him kill And knowing that by natures course he might haue liued still Now when the people came to feast as they were wont to do At burials the king to eate they could not bring vnto By that they knew that Abners death the king had neuer ment But Ioabs grudge did worke it out without the kings consent It so befell that Baana and Rechab sought the way How they their lord king Isboseth might craftely betray The meane was this they faynd thē selues gret marchants for to bée Came to the pallace of the king his corne grayne to sée Where they by chaunce found him a sléepe slue him as he lay Upon his bed brought from thence his head with them away To Hebron where king Dauid was and sayd beholde and sée Here is the head of Isboseth thy mortall enemie For through the might that god hath giuen in working of this déede Thou art auenged both of Saul also of his séede Then Dauid sayd vnto the men that brought to him the head As truely as the Lorde doth liue ye are as good as dead As you do now so one did once Sauls death to me report And made account such newes as those should please me in like sort And looked for some great reward for the good newes he brought But al the matter went awry agaynst his meane and thought For he was slayne and put to death for his most wicked prank And so he lost both life and all his labour and his thanke So shall the wickednes of you which haue the righteous slayne Upon his bed be recompencd with blood for blood agayne Then hauing féete and hands cut off for eury man to sée Were hanged ouer Hebrons poole as other felons be As for the head of Isboseth the kings good pleasure wilde It should in Hebron be entombd with Abner that was kilde Then came the Tribes of Israel to Dauid flockingly As to their king and soueraigne lord with him to liue and dye So béeing now the lorde and king of all the Israelites He gat him to Ierusalem and to the Iebusites Who bragging much vpon their hold of Sion where they dwelt By force of armes he wanne the same as many of them felt The Philistines now hearing tell of Dauids power and might Came to the vale of Raphaim agaynst him for to fight Who then demaunded of the Lorde to know his will therein And whether that the Philistins or he should honour win Go vp sayd God and linger not while they be in thy lande For I assuredly will giue them all into thy hande So Dauid went him forth and came to Baal Perazim Where that he smote the Philistines as God had said to him Then gan he say O Lorde my God thou hast mine enemies all Deuided them as waters do deuide them when they fall The Philistines for hast do leaue their Idols all behinde And Dauid and his men do burne as many as they finde Yet once agayne the Philistines came forth to fight with him And brought their armie whole into the vale of Raphaim Now compasse thē behinde said God watch thē well when They come against the Mulbery trées the onset giue you then So Dauid then obeying God a conquest did obteine From Geba vnto Gazer towne the Philistines were slayne Soone after this the king prepard to fet the Arke of God With thirty thousand chosen men of Israel and od And so out of Ierusalem he went his men with him To set and bring away the Arke from Kiriath Iarim And that he set with carefull héede vpon a Charret new And from Abinadab his house he decently it drew Two of his sonnes draue forth the same Vza and Ahio The one before thother behinde the Chariot did go The king and all the Israelites made melody and played Triumphantly before the Lorde as they the Arke conuayed But when the king did sée the hande of God on Vza light And strike him dead because he toucht the Arke that wēt not right He was aferd and durst not séeme to driue it as before But left it Edom for to kéepe till he had learned more Where it remaynd about thrée months wherby both him his The Lord of hoasts with great increase abundantly did blis Then was it tolde to Dauid how the Lord had Edom blest And all his house since that the Arke of God had bene his gest Then Dauid went and brought the Arke of God frō him away With all the triumph and the ioy that could be had that day For as the Leuites bare the Arke and had sixe paces gone An Oxe and eke a fatted beast was offred vp alone And Dauid daunst before the Arke as it was driuen there And had a linnen Ephod