lord the King For all his former counsels then my selfe Yet not offending Absolon or him This time it is not good nor worth pursute For well thou knowest thy fathers men are strong Chafing as shee beares robbed of their whelpes Besides the King himselfe a valiant man Traind vp in feats and stratagems of warre And will not for preuention of the worst Lodge with the common souldiers in the field But now I know his wonted policies Haue taught him lurke within some secret caue Guarded with all his stoutest souldiers Which if the forefront of his battell faint Will yet giue out that Absalon doth flie And so thy souldiers be discouraged Dauid himselfe withall whose angry heart Is as a Lyons letted of his walke Will fight himselfe and all his men to one Before a few shall vanquish him by feare My counsell therefore is with Trumpets sound To gather men from Dan to Bersabe That they may march in number like sea sands That nestle close in anothers necke So shall we come vpon him in our strength Like to the dew that fals in showers from heauen And leaue him not a man to march withall Besides if any citie succour him The numbers of our men shall fetch vs ropes And we will pull it downe the riuers streame That not a stone be left to keepe vs out Abs. What saies my lord to Cusaies counsell now Ama. I fancie Cusaies counsell better farre Then that is giuen vs from Achitophel And so I thinke doth euery souldier here All Cusaies counsell is better then Achitophels Abs. Then march we after Cusaies counsell all Sound trumpets through the bounds of Israel And muster all the men will serue the King That Absalon may glut his longing soule With sole fruition of his fathers crowne Exeunt Ach. Ill shall they fare that follow thy attempts That skornes the counsell of Achitophel Restat Cusay Cusay Thus hath the power of Iacobs iealous God Fulfild his seruant Dauids drifts by me And brought Achitophels aduise to scorne Enter Sadoc Abiathar Ahimaas and Ionathan Sadoc God saue lord Cusay and direct his zeale To purchase Dauids conquest gainst his sonne Abia. What secrets hast thou gleande from Absalon Cusay These sacred priests that beare the arke of God Achitophel aduisd him in the night To let him chuse twelue thousand fighting men And he would come on Dauid at vnwares While he was wearie with his violent toile But I aduisd to get a greater host And gather men from Dan to Bersabe To come vpon him strongly in the fields Then send Ahimaas and Ionathan To signifie these secrets to the King And will him not to stay this night abroad But get him ouer Iordane presently Least he and all his people kisse the sword Sadoc Then goe Ahimaas and Ionathan And straight conuey this message to the King Ahim. Father we will if Absalons cheefe spies Preuent not this deuise and stay vs here Exeunt Semei solus Semei The man of Israel that hath rul'd as King Or rather as the Tyrant of the land Bolstering his hatefull head vpon the throne That God vnworthily hath blest him with Shall now I hope lay it as low as hell And be depos'd from his detested chaire O that my bosome could by nature beare A sea of poyson to be powr'de vpon His cursed head that sacred baulme hath grac'd And consecrated King of Israel Or would my breath were made the smoke of hell Infected with the sighs of damned soules Or with the reeking of that serpents gorge That feeds on adders toads and venomous roots That as I opened my reuenging lips To curse the sheepeheard for his Tyrannie My words might cast rancke poyson to his pores And make his swolne and ranckling sinewes cracke Like to the combat blowes that breake the clouds When Ioues stout champions fight with fire See where he commeth that my soule abhors I haue prepard my pocket full of stones To cast at him mingled with earth and dust Which bursting with disdaine I greet him with Dauid Ioab Abyshai Ithay with others Semei Come forth thou murtherer and wicked man The Lord hath brought vpon thy cursed head The guiltlesse bloud of Saule and all his sonnes Whose royall throne thy basenesse hath vsurpt And to reuenge it deepely on thy soule The Lord hath giuen the kingdome to thy sonne And he shall wreake the traitrous wrongs of Saule Euen as thy sinne hath still importund heauen So shall thy murthers and adulterie Be punisht in the sight of Israel As thou deserust with bloud with death and hell Hence murtherer hence he threw at him Abis. Why doth his dead dog curse my lord the King Let me alone to take away his head Da. Why medleth thus the son of Zeruia To interrupt the action of our God Semei vseth me with this reproch Because the Lord hath sent him to reproue The sinnes of Dauid printed in his browes With bloud that blusheth for his conscience guilt Who dares then aske him why he curseth me Semei If then thy conscience tell thee thou hast sind And that thy life is odious to the world Command thy followers to shun thy face And by thy selfe here make away thy soule That I may stand and glorie in thy shame Da. I am not desperate Semei like thy selfe But trust vnto the couenant of my God Founded on mercie with repentance built And finisht with the glorie of my soule Semei A murtherer and hope for mercie in thy end Hate and destruction sit vpon thy browes To watch the issue of thy damned ghost Which with thy latest gaspe thei le take and teare Hurling in euery paine of hell a peece Hence murtherer thou shame to Israel Foule letcher drunkard plague to heauen and earth He throwes at him Ioab What is it pietie in Dauids thoughts So to abhorre from lawes of pollicie In this extremitie of his distresse To giue his subiects cause of carelesnesse Send hence the dog with sorrow to his graue Dauid Why should the sons of Zeruia seeke to checke His spirit which the Lord hath thus inspir'd Behold my sonne which issued from my flesh With equall furie seekes to take my life How much more then the sonne of Iemini Cheefely since he doth nought but Gods command It may be he will looke on me this day With gracious eyes and for his cursing blesse The heart of Dauid in his bitternesse Semei What doest thou fret my soule with sufferance O that the soules of Isboseth and Abner Which thou sentst swimming to their graues in bloud With wounds fresh bleeding gasping for reuenge Were here to execute my burning hate But I will hunt thy font with curses still Hence Monster Murtherer Mirror of Contempt He throwes dust againe Enter Ahimanas and Ionathan Ahim. Long life to Dauid to his enemies death Da. Welcome Ahimaas and Ionathan What newes sends Cusay to thy lord the King Ahim. Cusay would wish my lord the King To passe the riuer Iordane presently Least he and all his people perish
thy sweet sight to my conceits Whose vertue euer serud for sacred baulme To cheere my pinings past all earthly ioies But Bethsabe the daughter of the highest Whose beautie builds the towers of Israel Shee that in chaines of pearle and vnicorne Leads at her traine the ancient golden world The world that Adam held in Paradise Whose breath refineth all infectious aires And makes the meddowes smile at her repaire Shee Shee my dearest Bethsabe Faire peace the goddesse of our graces here Is fled the streets of faire Ierusalem The fields of Israel and the heart of Dauid Leading my comforts in her golden chaines Linckt to the life and soule of Absalon Beth. Then is the pleasure of my soueraignes heart So wrapt within the bosome of that sonne That Salomon whom Israels God affects And gaue the name vnto him for his loue Should be no salue to comfort Dauids soule Dau. Salomon my loue is Dauids lord Or God hath nam'd him lord of Israel In him for that and since he is thy sonne Must Dauid needs be pleased at the heart And he shall surely sit vpon my throne But Absalon the beautie of my bones Faite Absalon the counterfeit of loue Sweet Absalon the image of content Must claime a portion in his fathers care And be in life and death King Dauids sonne Nat. Yet as my lord hath said let Salomon raigne Whom God in naming hath annointed King Now is he apt to learne th' eternall lawes Whose knowledge being rooted in his youth Will beautifie his age with glorious fruits While Absalon incenst with gracelesse pride Vsurpes and staines the kingdome with his sinne Let Salomon be made thy staffe of age Faire Israels rest and honour of thy race Da. Tell me my Salomon wilt thou imbrace Thy fathers precepts graued in thy heart And satisfie my zeale to thy renowne With practise of such sacred principles As shall concerne the state of Israel Sal. My royall father if the heauenly zeale Which for my welfare seeds vpon your soule Were not sustaind with vertue of mine owne If the sweet accents of your cheerefull voice Should not each hower beat vpon mine eares As sweetly as the breath of heauen to him That gaspeth scorched with the Summers sunne I should be guiltie of vnpardoned sinne Fearing the plague of heauen and shame of earth But since I vow my selfe to learne the skill And holy secrets of his mightie hand Whose cunning tunes the musicke of my soule It would content me father first to learne How th' eternall fram'd the firmament Which bodies lead their influence by fire And which are fild with hoarie Winters yse What signe is raignie and what starre is faire Why by the rules of true proportion The yeare is still diuided into months The months to daies the daies to certaine howers What fruitfull race shall fill the future world Or for what time shall this round building stand What Magistrates what Kings shall keepe in awe Mens minds with bridles of th' eternall law Da. Wade not too farre my boy in waues too deepe The feeble eyes of our aspiring thoughts Behold things present and record things past But things to come exceed our humane reach And are not painted yet in angels eyes For those submit thy sence and say Thou power That now art framing of the future world Knowest all to come not by the course of heauen By fraile coniectures of inferiour signes By monstrous flouds by flights and flockes of birds By bowels of a sacrificed beast Or by the figures of some hidden art But by a true and naturall presage Laying the ground and perfect architect Of all our actions now before thine eyes From Adam to the end of Adams seed O heauen protect my weakenesse with thy strength So looke on me that I may view thy face And see these secrets written in thy browes O sun come dart thy raies vpon my moone That now mine eyes eclipsed to the earth May brightly be refin'd and shine to heauen Transforme me from this flesh that I may liue Before my death regenerate with thee O thou great God rauish my earthly sprite That for the time a more then humane skill May feed the Organons of all my sence That when I thinke thy thoughts may be my guide And when I speake I may be made by choice The perfect eccho of thy heauenly voice Thus say my sonne and thou shalt learne them all Salo. A secret fury rauisheth my soule Lifting my mind aboue her humane bounds And as the Eagle roused from her stand With violent hunger cowring in the aire Seaseth her feathered prey and thinkes to feed But seeing then a cloud beneath her feet Lets fall the foule and is emboldened With eies intentiue to bedare the sun And stieth close vnto his stately sphere So Salomon mounted on the burning wings Of zeale deuine lets fall his mortall food And cheeres his sences with celestiall aire Treads in the golden starrie Labyrinth And holds his eyes fixt on Iehouaes browes Good father teach me further what to doe Nath. See Dauid how his haughtie spirit mounts Euen now of heigth to wield a diademe Then make him promise that he may succeed And rest old Israels bones from broiles of warre Dauid Nathan thou Prophet sprung from Iesses root I promise thee and louely Bethsabe My Salomon shall gouerne after me Beth. He that hath toucht thee with this righteous thought Preserue the harbour of thy thoughts in peace Enter Mess. Mess. My lord thy seruants of thy watch haue seene One running hitherward from forth the warres Dauid If hee bee come alone he bringeth newes Mess. Another hath thy seruant seene my lord Whose running much resembles Sadocs sonne Da. He is a good man and good tidings brings Enter Ahimaas Ahim. Peace and content be with my lord the King Whom Israels God hath blest with victory Da. Tell me Ahimaas liues my Absalon Ahim. I saw a troupe of souldiours gathered But know not what the tumult might import Dau. Stand by vntill some other may informe The heart of Dauid with a happie truth Enter Cusay Cusay Happinesse and honour liue with Dauids soule Whom God hath blest with conquest of his foes Dauid But Cusay liues the yong man Absalon Cus. The stubborne enemies to Dauids peace And all that cast their darts against his crowne Fare euer like the young man Absalon For as he rid the woods of Ephraim Which fought for thee as much as all thy men His haire was tangled in a shadie oake And hanging there by Ioab and his men Sustaind the stroke of well deserued death Dauid Hath Absalon sustaind the stroke of death Die Dauid for the death of Absalon And make these cursed newes the bloudy darts That through his bowels rip thy wretched breast Hence Dauid walke the solitarie woods And in some Caedars shade the thunder slew And fire from heauen hath made his branches blacke Sit mourning the decease of Absalon Against the body of that blasted plant In thousand
faire young men whose haires shine in mine eve Like golden wyers of Dauids yuorie Lute Abs. Ammon where be thy shearers and thy men That we may powre in plenty of thy vines And eat thy goats milke and reioice with thee Am. Here commeth Ammons shearers and his men Absolon sit and reioice with me Here enter a company of sheepeheards and daunce and sing Am. Drinke Absolon in praise of Israel Welcome to Ammons fields from Dauids court Abs. Die with thy draught perish and die accurst Dishonour to the honour of vs all Die for the villany to Thamar done Vnworthy thou to be Kings Dauids sonne Exit Absa Ionad. O what hath Absolon for Thamar done Murthred his brother great king Dauids sonne Adon. Run Ionadab away and make it knowne What cruelty this Absolon hath showne Ammon thy brother Adonia shall Bury thy body among the dead mens bones And we will make complaint to Israel Of Ammons death and pride of Absolon Exeunt omnes Enter Dauid with Ioab Abyssus Cusay with drum and ensigne against Rabba This is the towne of the vncircumcised The citie of the kingdome this is it Rabba where wicked Hannon sitteth king Dispoile this King this Hannon of his crowne Vnpeople Rabba and the streets thereof For in their bloud and slaughter of the slaine Lyeth the honor of King Dauids line Ioab Abyshai and the rest of you Fight ye this day for great Ierusalem Ioab And see where Hannon showes him on the wals Why then do we forbeare to giue assault That Israel may as it is promised Subdue the daughters of the Gentils Tribes All this must be performd by Dauids hand Da. Harke to me Hannon and remember well As sure as he doth liue that kept my host What time our young men by the poole of Gibeon Went forth against the strength of Isboseth And twelue to twelue did with their weapons play So sure art thou and thy men of war To feele the sword of Israel this day Because thou hast defied Iacobs God And suffered Rabba with the Philistine To raile vpon the tribe of Beniamin Hannon Harke man as sure as Saul thy maister fell And gord his sides vpon the mountaine tops And Ionathan Abinadab and Melchisua Watred the dales and deepes of Askaron With bloudy streames that from Gilboa ran In channels through the wildernesse of Ziph What time the sword of the vncirumcised Was drunken with the bloud of Israel So sure shall Dauid perish with his men Vnder the wals of Rabba Hannons towne Ioab Hannon the God of Israel hath said Dauid the King shall weare that crowne of thine That weighs a Talent of the finest gold And triumph in the spoile of Hannons towne When Israel shall hale thy people hence And turne them to the tile-kill man and child And put them vnder harrowes made of yron And hew their bones with axes and their lims With yron swords deuide and teare in twaine Hannon this shall be done to thee and thine Because thou hast defied Israel To armes to armes that Rabba feele reuenge And Hannons towne become king Dauids spoile Alarum excursions assault Exeunt omnes Then the trumpets and Dauid with Hannons crowne Dau. Now clattering armes and wrathfull storms of war Haue thundred ouer Rabbaes raced towers The wreakefull ire of great Iehouaes arme That for his people made the gates to rend And clothed the Cherubins in fierie coats To fight against the wicked Hannons towne Pay thankes ye men of Iuda to the King The God of Syon and Ierusalem That hath exhalted Israel to this And crowned Dauid with this diademe Ioab Beauteous and bright is he among the Tribes As when the sunne attird in glist'ring robe Comes dauncing from his orientall gate And bridegroom-like hurles through the gloomy aire His radiant beames such doth King Dauid shew Crownd with the honour of his enemies towne Shining in riches like the firmament The starrie vault that ouerhangs the earth So looketh Dauid King of Israel Abyshai Ioab why doth not Dauid mount his throne Whom heauen hath beautified with Hannons crowne Sound Trumpets Shalmes and Instruments of praise To Iacobs God for Dauids victory Enter Ionadab Ionadab Why doth the King of Israel reioice Why sitteth Dauid crownd with Rabbaes rule Behold there hath great heauinesse befalne In Ammons fields by Absolons misdeed And Ammons shearers and their feast of mirth Absalon hath ouerturned with his sword Nor liueth any of King Dauids sonnes To bring this bitter tidings to the King Dauid Ay me how soone are Dauids triumphs dasht How suddenly declineth Dauids pride As doth the daylight settle in the west So dim is Dauids glory and his gite Die Dauid for to thee is left no seed That may reuiue thy name in Israel Iona. In Israel is left of Dauids seed Enter Adonia with other sonnes Comfort your lord you seruants of the King Behold thy sonnes returne in mourning weeds And only Ammon Absalon hath slaine Da. Welcome my sonnes deerer to me you are Then is this golden crowne or Hannons spoile O tell me then tell me my sonnes I say How commeth it to passe that Absolon Hath slaine his brother Ammon with the sword Ado. Thy sonnes O King went vp to Ammons fields To feast with him and eat his bread and oyle And Absalon vpon his mule doth come And to his men he sayth When Ammons heart Is merry and secure then strike him dead Because he forced Thamar shamefully And hated her and threw her forth his dores And this did he and they with him conspire And kill thy sonne in wreake of Thamars wrong Dauid How long shall Iuda and Ierusalem Complaine and water Syon with their teares How long shall Israel lament in vaine And not a man among the mighty ones Will heare the sorrowes of King Dauids heart Ammon thy life was pleasing to thy Lord As to mine eares the Musike of my Lute Or songs that Dauid tuneth to his Harpe And Absalon hath tane from me away The gladnesse of my sad distressed soule Exeunt omnes Manet Dauid Enter widdow of Thecoa Widdow God saue King Dauid King of Israel And blesse the gates of Syon for his sake Dau. Woman why mournest thou rise from the earth Tell me what sorrow hath befalne thy soule Widdow Thy seruants soule O King is troubled sore And greenous is the anguish of her heart And from Thecoa doth thy handmaid come Dauid Tell me and say thou woman of Thecoa What aileth thee or what is come to passe Widdow Thy seruant is a widdow in Thecoa Two sonnes thy handmaid had and they my lord Fought in the field where no man went betwixt And so the one did smite and slay the other And loe behold the kindred doth arise And crie on him that smote his brother That he therefore may be the child of death For we will follow and destroy the heire So will they quench that sparkle that is left And leaue nor name nor issue on the earth To me or to thy handmaids
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