that Nabals wife Abigael by name With wisdome and discretion had well appeasd the same In whom he blessed God that day that her to him had sent To kepe him from his owne reuenge from the thing he ment Which woman was of such a grace and of so pure a life That Dauid after Nabals death did take her to his wife And tooke an other of the stocke of Israel also For Saul vpon one Psaltiel his Michol did vestow When Dauid had bene after this among the Ziphits spid They went to Saul and made report where he and his were hid And thervpon he tooke to him thrée thousand of his men And went vnto the wildernes to séeke for Dauid then And pitched vp his tents vpon the hill of Achila Which lieth ouer Iesimon hard by the common way Then Dauid sent about his spies to know the certayntie If that the king were come or no with such a companie The thing now being vnto him affirmed to be true He made him selfe a priuy spye and went the hoast to viewe Beholding well his Lord and king and Abner how they lay With all the people round about so gat him soone away And asked both Abimelech and eke Abisai Who would into the hoast of Saul go with him priuily Abisai offred him selfe and preased forth in sight So went they forth as secretly as they could go by night Into the hoast when they had put them selues in hazarde déepe Behold the king with all the rest lay hard and fast asléepe Then sayd to him Abisai God hath deliuerd now Thine enemie into thy hands in forme as thou séest how Giue leaue therefore that I may giue but one stroke with my speare And he shall neuer after this put thée in any feare No God forbid sayd Dauid then for who can more or lesse Lay hand vpon the Lords anoynt and be therein giltlesse As truely as the Lord doth liue the Lord shall doo his will In battell or by other meanes before I doo him kill The Lord me kéepe both now and ay my hand I neuer moue Against the Lords annoynted king whom I am bound to loue Then Dauid fayre and softly went till he came vnto Saul And tooke his speare and water cruse and went away withall No man then saw ne marked it ne tooke thereof no kéepe For God had cast vpon them all a dead and heauy sléepe Then Dauid gat him to an hill where he aloude did call Unto the people in the hoast and Abner most of all O Abner Abner hearst thou not howe I do call to thée Whos 's that quod he that so doth cry vnto the king and me O Abner art not thou a man most chiefe in gouerning Why hast thou then no better kept this night thy lorde king For one there was that entred in this night thy lorde to slay Whose enterprise by weapon strong thou didst not séeke to stay In this ye haue offended all and worthy are to dye In that ye haue not kept your Lorde with more securitie Beholde sée your masters speare which at his head did stande And eke the cruse of water both they are now in my hande My son quod Saul is this thy voyce that cōmeth to mine eare It is thy seruauntes voyce said he that liueth in great feare Why doth my lorde thus persecute his seruaunt so at large In whom there can no fault be found him iustly for to charge If that the Lorde hath stirred thée to worke me all this smart Then let him smell a sacrifice out of a patient hart But if from wicked men do come the cause of this discorde Then they and their deuises be accurst before the Lorde For they haue wronged me and séeke to dispossesse in fine Of that which in my Lorde my God is due to me and mine Séeke not therfore to suck my blood thou séekest but a flye As he that séekes the séely birde to murder cruelly Then Saul confessed his offence and wrong that he had done Desiring Dauid to returne and called him his sonne And said he would him hurt no more nor vse extremities Because his life that night had bene so pretious in his eyes And that with griefe he felt remorse of folly did him touch And played the foole and in his wayes had erred very much But Dauid knowing Saul to haue his promise broke before Would not returne his sugred words to credite any more But bad the king behold his speare which he helde vp full trim And wild him send and it should be deliuered vnto him The Lord my God reward ech man and eury man preserue As his vpright and honest déedes and fayth shall best deserue For though the Lord deliuered thée into my hands this day Yet on the Lords annoynted king my hand I would not lay As I haue alwayes pitied thée and neuer bene thy foe Euen so the Lord be mercifull to me in all my woe Then he departing to him selfe complayned inwardly And said no doubt the day will come that he will murther me And I no better way can finde this mischiefe to withstande Then flye vnto the Philistines for succour in their lande So he from Ziph to Geth that time his iourney did addresse To make his suite to Achis king for helpe in this distresse Where Dauid with his company and his two comely wiues Did place thē selues minded there to passe spend their liues But yet misliking to remayne in Geth that Citie great Some countrey place for to possesse he did the king intreate At whose request he gaue to him the towne of Zikleg then Whereto he went and dwelled there both he and all his men Which towne had euermore the name and counted to perteine Unto the kings that wonted were in Iuda for to reigne He and his men had there remaynd not fully halfe a yere When he played rex and ouerranne the countrey eury where The Gersurites Amalekites the Gersites did he driue Out of the lande and slue the rest not leauing one aliue And kept them so they could not passe to Geth no maner way To tell the king how that he did them vse from day to day And often béeing lade with spoyles to Geth he would thē bring And make presentmēt of the same in presence of the king Who musing much frō whence such store of spoyles prayes he brought Would aske what country he had roud for the same had sought Among the Iewes and such quod he as Southwardly are set I haue bestowd my selfe the spoyles and booties for to get Thus making Achiz to beléeue he hated Israel Became his man and was retaynd with him for aye to dwell It so befell the Philistines to battell did addresse Them selues against the Israelites and sought them to oppresse Then Achis vnto Dauid sayd thou shalt go forth with me Unto the battell thou and all the men that are with thée If thou sayd he vnto the king be pleased I shall go
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
counsell in this thing Ye might haue made vs priuie of restoring home the king Thus they debated to and fro this quarrell of some grudge But Iuda did preuayle therein as eury man might iudge But now a man of Belial one Seba cald by name Had got to him all Israel and gan it to proclaime How they no part in Dauid had the sonne of Isai Nor yet inheritaunce in him and spake it scornefully So when as Seba blew his trumpe ech man gat to his tent All ready for to follow him which way so ere he went. But Iuda stucke to Dauid fast and not a man did mis From Iordan to Ierusalem were full and wholly his Now while this geare a working was with them of Israel King Dauid in his house at home not finding all things well Among his women Concubines who had offence commit With Absalon while he was out gan now to punish it Yet not with death as was the law but shut them all vp fast In prison close allowing foode so long as life did last Then hearing of these mutinies and stirres in eury place Sent out all Iuda to prepare and that in thrée dayes space And gaue that charge to Amasa but when he brake his day He grew in feare of some mishap and thus began to say Now Seba in this faction shall hurt and harme vs more Then did my deare sonne Absalon in his attempts before Take thou therfore Abisai of Ioabs men a band And presse on Seba least he get some succour out of hand And Ioab tooke with him also his men the Corethites With many from Ierusalem beside the Philethites And as he marched on his way this Seba for to get Euen at the stone of Gibeon with Abasa he met Who brotherly saluted him as nothing were amisse And made as though he would him take about the necke to kisse But sodenly he smote him in the bely with his knife That all his bowels gushed out so ended he his life Then Ioab and Abisai who were together met To follow Seba at the backe away apace they get And came to Abel where he was got in with all his route Which Citie Ioab with his hoast besieged round about And thrusting at a certayne place to ouerthrow the wall A prudent woman came and gan aloude to crye and call Unto the people praying them they would it not deferre Their Capteine Ioab so desire to come and speake with her Who béeing come she him beheld and askt him if t were he I am quod he good wife the same say what thou wilt to me Then heare thine hādmaide what she saith He said I heare thée wel And wil giue good attētiue eare to that that thou shalt tel It was the vse of olde quod she and Marshall law I know Before a peace be offered no towne to ouerthrow The Citie here that I am in which called is Abel Hath alwayes kept fidelitie with kings of Israel And yet thou goest about with power a Citie to subuert Who as a faythfull mother peace doth nourish in her heart O Ioab this thy tyrannie with right doth not accorde So to destroy the heritage perteining to the Lorde God shield quod he I should attempt this Cities ouerthrow It neuer came into my thought that crueltie to show But this it is there is a man one of mount Ephraim One Seba who remaynes with you our quarrell is to him Who doth rebell agaynst my lord king Dauid forceably Deliuer him and we will then depart hence quietly Then let my lorde but stay a while and I will forthwithall Prouide quod she ye shall receyue his head cast ore the wall Then she with wisdome of her words among them in the towne Did cause his head be smitten off and hurld to Ioab downe A trompet then he made to blow and from the Citie went With all the hoast he brought with him ech mā home to his tēt And Ioab to Ierusalem returned to the king And told him of his good successe and eury other thing Now after these seditions the king new order takes Among his chiefest officers and first of all he makes Ioab the sonne of Zaruia chiefe capteine of the hoast Among the men of Israel to leade in eury coast Banaia a warlike man and one of perfect skill The Corethites and Phelethites to guyde it was his will. The tribute which he had among the nations won with fame He did commit to Aduram to gather vp the same Now Iosaphat Recorder was to note vp eury thing And Seua Scribe to write all that perteined to the king But Sadoch and Abiathar were priestes of high degrée And Ira was chiefe counsellor and great in dignitie Now after this an hunger great the people fell among Which dured in king Dauids time the space of thrée yeres long The king enquired what the cause of this great plague should be The Lord made answere t was for Saul and his great crueltie Which he had shewd the Gibeonites with whō duke Iosua made A couenaunt both of peace and life and bound them to a trade Which trade they did obserue yet he sought their ouerthrow Both Iuda and the Israelites he sought to pleasure so None of the séede of Israel were now the Gibeonites But were a certayne remnant left of all the Amorites Of whom then Dauid did demaund what he for them should do Or what attonement shall I make that ye will grée vnto We will quod they no siluer haue nor gold of thée at all Nor any man to dye for vs but of the house of Saul Looke what ye will quod Dauid then haue me for you to do Disclose your minde and you shall haue me ready therevnto We do request that of the line and kinred of king Saul In Gibeah before the Lord seuen may be hangd for all The king had great compassion on Ionathas and his And would not for his oth of olde his sonne should do amis And was excéeding glad because they did no mo request That he might saue Miphiboseth from hanging with the rest Frō Rizpa her two sonnes he tooke which she did beare to Saul Miphiboseth and Armoni these two and they were all From Merob other fiue he tooke which she by Adriel Had in her life and after were by Michol brought vp well Thus plaged were the sonnes of Saul euen for their fathers sin Who did destroy the Gibeonites and had delite therein But Rizpa that was wife to Saul made spéede without delay To pitche her tent vpon the hill to kéepe the beates away And would not suffer beast nor foule to touch her sonnes at all Frō haruest time till God did make his rayne frō heauē to fall The king when he did vnderstand her motherly intent Their bodies to remoue away he caused one be sent The bones of Saul and Ionathas he likewise brought away From Iabes who did stealingly from Bethlem them conuay Where they had by the Philistines
great in store And them to Dauid and his séede hast giuen for euermore When Dauid had now ended this his Psalme of thāks praise He speaketh certaine sentences for to conclude and sayes King Dauid which is cald the sonne of Isai hath sayde And the annoynted man of God whose kingdome sure is layde The holy spirite of the Lord my speach he doth it guyde For to my tong his sacred worde is fast and surely tyde The Lord my God of Israel hath this by promise made That in his feare and loue I shall the iust men guyde and ayde As morning light when sunne is vp voyde of clowde rayne So shall my house in shining bright clearnesse still remayne For by his euerlasting bonde it shall so stande alway That it may grow but not as grasse that hath his quick decay But wicked and vngodly men shall be like thornes that pricke Pluckt vp and not be suffered within the ground to sticke But yet the man that toucheth them he must be in that case Desenced well that he may take and burne them in their place It came now into Dauids minde his people for to somme To sée what number in his lande would rise thereof and come Commaunding Ioab for to go throughout all Israel And take a view of all his men that vnder him did dwell The Lord thy God increase quod he thy people in thy lande But what doth moue my lord the king to take this thing in hand The king would not be turned from his purposed intent And therefore for to view his men his lords abrode he sent And passing ouer Iordan brooke vnto the vale of Gad They went and summed eury man from thence to Gilead From thence to Iaan and so foorth to Sidon and to Tyre The Heuites and the Cananites their numbers to enquire And so from thence to Iuda lande which in the south is plaste And therein made to Beerseba their progresse at the laste Now when they had bene thus abrode nine monthes twenty daies Thē home vnto Ierusalē they turne againe their waies Where Ioab vnto Dauid gaue the summe of Israel Which were eight hundred thousand men as he did count tel All fighting men besides all those which Iuda well could yéeld Which were fiue hundred thousand men all able for the field When this was done within his heart the king conceiued then A great misliking of his déede for numbring of his men Wherfore with heauy hart and voyce vnto the Lorde he cryes That he would pardon this offence committed in his eyes That night the Lord commaunded Gad the Prophet for to go And breake with Dauid for his fault and tell him so and so And whē thou hast in eury point these plagues before him laide Then will him for to make his choyse as I to thée haue saide When Gad was come vnto the king the Lords will is quod he That of such plages I shall recite thou make thy choyse of thrée Wilt thou haue hunger seuen yeres space to ouerpresse thy lād Or els thrée monthes to féele the smart of wars mighty hand Or with the plague of pestilence be visited thrée dayes Choose which thou wilt I wil make report of that thou sayes Hard is the choyce O Lord quod he yet Lord let be thy will That I may fall into thine hands to saue or els to kill Then did the Lord for thrée dayes space a pestilence prouide Wherin of Dauids whole account a seuenty thousande dyed But when vpon Ierusalem the Angell now began To smite and to destroy the same the Lord repented than Of all the former faults commit and bad him hold his hand For he would haue compasson and pitie on the land Then Dauid with a sory heart laments that grieuous case And to the Lord with teares he cals for mercy and for grace The people sinned not O Lord to haue this plague of thine These shéepe alas what haue they done the sinne O Lord is mine Let not the harmles innocent be plagued now therfore But me and all my fathers house destroy for euermore The Prophet Gad to Dauid came him willing in this case To go and reare an Altar vp in Ornans threshing place And when that Ornan saw the king and all his men so nye He met him and with reuerence fell downe vpon his knée And said to him why doth my lord come vnto me this houre In sooth quod he it is to buy of thée thy threshing floore To make an Altar to the Lorde and pray to him for peace That this great plague of pestilence may from the people cease My lord quod he take what thou wilt and do as séemeth good Take Oxen Charrets with them the instrumentes for wood I fréely giue them to my lord and do beséeche thy God That he accept thée in his sight and do withdraw his rod. Not so quod he I will it shall be truely solde and bought I will not offer to the Lord the thing which cost me nought So Dauid bought the threshing floore and Oxe for sacrifice And gaue to Ornan for the same as they agréed of price Then offring vp peaceofferings vpon that Altar now The plague did cease and God the same did very well allow Now Dauid béeing old weake with yeres troubles past Could not in bed get any heate with clothes vpon him cast His seruauntes then did counsel him some yong tender thing Whose liuely blood with pleasant heat might cherish vp the king Should lye by him vpon his brest not meaning any harme But rayse a vitall heate in him and make his body warme And so they made a carefull search throughout all Israel And found at length one Abisag in Sunam that did dwell Who béeing brought vnto the king her seruice did imploy To call agayne that liuely heate which yeres and age destroy And now began Adonia for to aspire on hye As had his brother Absalon before vsurpingly And gan all things for his estate both horse and men to séeke His father did not séeme at all with any thing mislike The Capteine Ioab tooke his parte and eke Abiathar As chiefe of counsell eury way his matters to preferre But faithfull Sadoch that good priest would neuer take his part Nor Nathan nor Banaia would that way bend their hart At Rogel was his sacrifice and all prouision had And there vnto his brothers all and Iuda to he bad But Nathan nor Banaia nor other mightie men Nor yet his brother Salomon he called with him then And herevpon to Bethsabe the Prophet Nathan goes And what he sées and what he heares to her he playnly showes Hast thou not heard what wicked séede Adonia hath sowen And yet vnto our lord the king his purpose is vnknowen But if you loue your owne estate or Salomon your sonne Then marke what counsell I will giue and sée that it be done Go get thée forth vnto the
king and thus vnto him say My lord O king didst thou not make an oth to me for aye That Salomon my sonne should sit vpon thy kingly seate And now thy sonne Adonia thereof doth him defeate And while thou talkest with the king about thy sonne alone I will come after and confirme thy sayings eury one So Bethsabe to Dauid went into his chamber bolde Where Abisag was ministring because the king was olde She bowing downe with reuerence and great humilitie He then demaunded what the cause of her repayre should be My lord quod she thou didst loÌ„g since vnto thine haÌ„dmaid sweare That Salomon should after thée as king the scepter beare And now beholde Adonia he is proclaymed king And thou my lord vnto this houre not priuy to the thing His Oxen are all offred vp his shéepe and cattell fat And hath both Ioab and his priest Abiathar thereat And all thy sonnes be there with him saue Salomon alone With many other mightie men that vnto him are gone And now my lorde the eyes of all the people Israel WhoÌ„ thou wilt haue succéede do looke that thou thy self should tel For els when that my lord doth rest both Salomon and I We shall trausgressours counted be as worthy so to dye And while she thus stoode with the king debating to and fro The Prophet Nathan commeth in his pleasure for to know And when he had with reuerence obeisance duely made He told his tale and with the king gan wisely to perswade My lord O king hast thou commaunde or so ordeined it That after thée Adonia vpon thy seate shall sit For he hath made his kingly feast and thereto hath he bid Thy sonnes Capteins of the hoast which thing to thée is hid Abiathar with many mo in bankets cheerefully God saue our king Adonia God saue our king they cry But me and Sadoch that good priest nor Salomon thy sonne Nor yet Banaia they cald to this they haue begonne Is this the kings good pleasure now and made to me so dim That of my lord I may not know who shall reigne after him Then Dauid called Bethsabe and thus vnto her sware As God doth liue who hath me rid from trouble and from care Assure thy selfe that Salomon thy sonne shall after me Sit on the seate of Israel and thereof king shall be The Quéene then yéelding harty thanks bowing him before To God she prayde that he might reigne and liue for euermore The king did call Banaia and Sadoch to him than And Nathan to and then his minde to breake he thus began Go forth and take with you my men and set vp Salomon Upon the mule whereon I rid and leade him to Gihon And there let Sadoch him annoint with truÌ„pets blowing braue And then with trumpets do you cry king Salomon God saue Then come you all and follow him and set him on my throne For I haue sworne and do appoynt he shall be king alone Amen then said Banaia the liuing Lorde permit That on thy seate a happy king he many dayes may sit And as the Lord hath bene with thée so let him giue his streÌ„gth Unto the seate of Salomon and stretch it more in length So they departed from the king and set vp Salomon vpon the Mule as they were bid and brought him to Gihon Where Sadoch then anoynted him and vp the trumpets blow God saue our lord king Salomon the peoples voyce doth go And comming after him with pipes they ioyfully do sing Whose sound of voyce instrumeÌ„ts made all the earth to ring The voyce was such that it did come to Adonias place And made his gests to turne chaunge the colour in their face But Ioab gan to stirre said what meanes this passing noyse Of trumpet blowing in the towne and sound of men boyes He had no sooner spoke the word but in came Ionathan Who in the presence of them all to tell him newes began Our lord and king assuredly vpon some weightie thing Hath caused Salomon his sonne to be proclaymed king They haue him brought on Dauids Mule to Gihon regally Where Sadoch hath annoynted him our king and lord to be Wher at the people shoute for ioy that he shall ore them reigne Which is the noyse sounde ye heare of him and all his trayne And furthermore the people hath giuen thanks to Dauid great And pray to God the sonne may passe the father in his seate The king likewise hath praysed God whose mercy brought to pas That in his seate before he dyed his sonne inuested was Then all the gestes Adonia had feasted that same day Were sore afrayde and made great haste to rise and get away And he him selfe as one that feard the sight of Salomon Did flée and catch the Aulters hornes to saue him selfe thereon Then one comes vnto Salomon and humbly doth begin To tell the daunger and the feare Adonia is in Add makes request that he would sweare promise by his word That he would not his seruaunt put that day vnto the sword If that he may quod Salomon to me be faythfull founde No haire that is vpon his head shall fall vnto the grounde But if I finde vntruth in him or wickednes espye He may make his account thereof that he shall surely dye So béeing brought to Salomon he did him selfe submit And home was sent vnto his house there quietly to sit Now came the time that Dauid should passe froÌ„ this world away Wherfore he called Salomon and thus gan to him say My time drawes on for me to dye and passe an other way Shew thou thy selfe a man therfore and on the Lord thée stay Kéepe thou his watch with careful eye walke in al his waies That thou in all thy good attempts mayst prosper all thy daies So shall the Lord make good his worde promise firmely laide Unto his seruaunt long ago when thus to me he saide If that thy children take good héede and guyde their steps aright And walke before me in the truth with all their heart might Then shalt thou neuer want a man to sit vpon thy throne To rule and gouerne Israel when thou art dead and gone And furthermore thou knowest right well how Ioab serued me And with a couple how he dealt farre better men then he How Amasa and Abner to he falsly did betray And shed their blood most cruelly and cast them both away Deale thou therfore with Ioab as thy wisdome shall increase And let not his hore head be brought downe to the graue in peace But let the sonnes of Berzella be at thy table fed For they came to me when away from Absalon I fled Thou hast with thée one Semei a man of Bahurim Who curst me all the way I went vnto Mahanaim But yet at my returne he came and brought me home agayne Wheras I made an othe to him that he should not be slayne Yet shalt thou not him giltlesse count but by thy wisdome good Sée that his hore head downe be brought vnto the graue with blood Thus now wheÌ„ Dauid in his reigne had runne out al his race His soule departed vnto God and left his sonne in place FINIS Cap. 17. Isai sent Dauid to releue his brethreÌ„ but God sent him for the deliuerance of Israel Cap. 18. The vnmoueable loue of Ionathas and Dauid Cap. 19. The firste profe of Ionathas fidelitie to Dauid The faithfâ—nnesse of Michol to her husband Dauid â—he secondeâ—â—ofe of Ioâ—â—thas ' fideâ—â—tie Cap. 21. Now Dauid feigned him selfe to be madde The Priests of Nob are slayne Cap. 23. Dauid saued the towne of Keilah The thirde profe of Ionathas fidelitie Cap. 24. The great gentlenes of Dauid compelled Saul his enemy to yéelde Cap. 25. Of the churlish parte of Nabal Cap. 26. Of Dauids faythfulnes to Saul Cap. 28. Cap. 29. 2. Regum Cap. 1. Here Saul is slayne Cap. 2. Cap. 3. Cap. 4. Here Isboseth is slaine trayterously Cap. 5. Dauid is annoynted king Cap. 6. Michol despiseth Dauid for dauncing before the Arke Cap. 7. Dauids prayer Cap. 8. The victorie that God gaue to Dauid ouer the Philistines and other straunge nations Cap. 9. The restoring of Miphiboseth the sonne of Ionathas Micah was Miphiboseths sonne Cap. 10. Cap. 11. Dauid committeth adultery and homicide Cap. 12. Dauid is reproued for his adultery and homicide A rare example in a Capteine The ingratitude of the Ammonites punished Cap. 13. Ammon rauisheth his sister Thamar Ionadab was the sonne of Simeah Dauids brother Ammon is slayne Thalmai was the king of Gesur father to Maacha Absolons mother Cap. 14. Cap. 15. Absalon aspireth to the kingdome Dauid flieth froÌ„ his sonne Absalon The fidelitie of Ithai the sonne of Achis king of Geth as some do write Sadoch foloweth after Dauid with the Arke is sent backe agayne Chusai commeth to Dauid who sendeth him to Absalon Cap. 16. Ziba coÌ„meth to Dauid to deceiue Miphiboseth his master Semei curseth Dauid Achitophels counsell agaynst Dauid Chusai ouerthroweth the counsell of Achitophel Ahimaas Ionathan are hid in a well Cap. 18. Achitophel hangeth him selfe Dauid mouâ—â—neth for his sonne Absalon Cap. 19. The wilines of Semei Miphiboseth meeteth the king in Ierusalem Berselai méeteth king Dauid A strife betwéene the men of Israel and the men of Iuda for king Dauid Cap. 20. Seba maketh an insurrectioÌ„ against Dauid Dauid shutteth vp his Concubines Ioab slue Amasa some think he did it for that Amasa tooke parte with Absalon and that Dauid had made him captein generall in his stead Cap. 21. The dearth that fell in Dauids time Cap. 22. Dauid for his victories prayseth God. Cap. 23. Here Dauid numbreth his people Dauid is plagued for numbring his people 3. Regum Cap. 1. Adonia aspireth to the kingdome Salomon is proclaymed king Cap. 2.
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
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
vp of thine owne stock and race Such as shall take by violence thy wiues before thy face And giue them to thine enemie who shall in thy despight Misuse them to thine vtter shame yea openly in sight Thou diddest thy sinne most secretly to hide the same from me But I will do this openly that all the world shall sée Here Dauid with repentant hart his wickednes confest And prayed God to send him grace to rectifie the rest Then Nathan béeing at his hande said to him by and by The Lord hath put away thy sinne be sure thou shalt not dye Yet since by thée and thy default thy God sustayneth shame The child that now is borne to thée shall dye beare the blame And Nathan so departing home the child did sicken sore Whose paine and griefe in eury place increased more and more Then Dauid fasting for the child besought the Lord with teares To giue it health and life withall to runne his race of yeares Great mourning made he for the childe none could him intreate To rise from ground but there he lay absteining frō his meate The seuenth day came then the child did end his fatal thread But none durst signifie so much or tell that he was dead For al the while he was aliue he would not heare them speake And now to tel him of his death would cause his hart to breake But Dauid through the whispering he saw among his men Perceiued well the child was dead and asked of them then If that the child did liue or no who told him how it was How God had wrought his will in him frō life to death to pas Then from the earth he lift him vp and washed all away Annoynting him and putting on apparell fresh and gay And gat him first vnto the house of God to giue him prayse And béeing turned home to eate his seruauntes to him sayes We maruell why thou didst lamēt thy child while it was here And now that he is gone from hence to be of so good chere So long quod he as it had life I did both fast and wéepe For this I thought that God alwaies doth mercy with him kéepe And who could tell if that he would his mercy to him show And saue the child from cruell death if that his will were so But now he is departed hence it booteth not to fast Nor yet to wéepe for nothing here on earth is made to last I can not bring his life agayne but rather I shall go To him then he shall come to me no doubt the truth is so Then Dauid knowing Bethsabe to be in heauynesse Went in to her and sought the meanes her sorowes to redresse Who at her time brought forth a sonne one Salomon to name Whom God appoynted to him selfe his temple for to frame While Ioab Rabba to besiege with all his army lay He sent to Dauid messengers thus willing them to say How he had take the chiefest place of all the Citie strong Where that the pallace of the king and Condites lye along Wherfore he willed Dauid now to come and giue the fall That he might haue the prayse him selfe and Ioab none at all Then Dauid with an armie went to Ioab his true man And ioyning both the hoastes in one the Citie so he wanne When he had now the Citie got and eke the king in holde He tooke the Crowne of from his head a talent weight of golde And therwith crounde him selfe as king to thē whō he did foyle As for the riches of the lande his souldiours had the spoyle And calling to his mind the shame which to his mē they wrought By all the meanes he could deuise a iust rewarde he sought And plaged them with sundry deathes for to increase their wo With sword with saw with fire with rope many tormentes mo Now Dauid as a conquerer returned with his pray Unto Ierusalem the place where most he made his stay Now after this the Lord began to stirre his sonnes to strife And him to plague for his offence commit with Vries wife For Ammon with his sister fayre whom Thamar they did call Did fall so farre in loue that he was very sicke withall And could no maner way deuise his purpose to obtaine For that within her fathers house she alwayes did remayne Then Ionadab a friend of his and one of subtill witte Came vnto him and counsell gaue for such a purpose fit How commeth this to passe quod he that thou art wasted so With inward pensiuenes of minde and will not let me know Then Ammon said O Ionadab I am in loue so sore With Thamar as no earthly man can be with woman more Why then quod he do fayne you sicke and kepe your chāber to And when the king your father comes to sée you how you do Then aske him leaue that Thamar may on you attendāce giue And dresse good meates to nourish you if he will haue you liue This counsell his good friend did giue and he did like the same And so he lay and kept his bed vntill his father came Whom he in humble wise besought his sister might take payne To dresse him some good prety meates to get his health agayne The king did graunt and did commaunde the maiden so to do And bad her dresse such holesome meates as he had phansy to So Thamar came vnto his house and tooke a litle paste Wherwith she made him deinty meate that had a pleasant tast And came brought the same to him where he was laide alone For he of purpose order tooke that eury man was gone Then Ammon said come lye with me good sister I thée pray No man is here that can vs sée thou shalt not say me nay O good my brother force me not that were too foule a fact And neuer yet in Israel was heard of such an act This would be such a blot as I should neuer purge the same And thou likewise a great reproch shuldst purchase to thy name Yet rather speake vnto the king we may in wedlocke dwell And liue according to the law and then it will be well But Ammon stroue and would not cease vntill that he had got His filthy pleasure satisfied would she or would she not And after this vngodly fact all fansy gan abate His loue was not before so much but more was now his hate For when he had defiled her he made no longer stay But in a fume and chasing heate he had her packe away This spitefull vsage of thy part is very much quod she And is as ill as was thy force and worse if worse may be He gaue no eare vnto her talke but like a Bedlem brayne He turnes her out lockes the doore least she returne agayne And so poore soule away she goes as one without reliefe With ashes cast vpon her head and crying out for griefe Then said her brother Absalon hath Ammon bene with thée Well
grieue thée not but tary here and bide at home with me Now when as Dauid vnderstoode of Ammons wicked part Which he with Thamar did commit it grieud him to the heart And Absalon bare it in minde although he nothing sayde But thought to haue a iust reuenge when al the wind was layde Now after two yeres runne and past it chaunced Absalon To sheare his shéepe and did inuite his brothers eury one The king with smiling countenaunce he did inuite also That with his sonnes for company might please him for to go Not so my sonne quod he agayne thine offer is too large All may not go least that we should put thée to too much charge Yet Absalon requested sore and lay vpon him still But he would not and yet he gaue him thanks for his good wil. Then Absalon pretending loue to Ammon did intreate That he might go for company more then for any meate So many néedes not said the king thou shalt be but opprest Yet since thou wilt our pleasure is that he go with the rest Now Absalon had giuen a charge vnto his wayting men When Ammons heart was most in mirth to fal vpon him then And so they slue him at the borde the rest were all agast Who rose and gat them to their mules and fled away in haste Then tidings came vnto the king how Absalon had slayne All Dauids sonnes which he aliue should neuer sée agayne Wherat the king his garments tore and to the ground he fell His men amazd and what to do not one of them could tell Then Ionadab sayd to the king let not my lord suppose That they haue slaynè the yong men all the rumor falsly goes But Ammon this my lorde is true thine eldest sonne is dead For that in heart of Absalon was long determined Because his sister he misusde and did such shamefull wrong And therfore thought to haue reuenge though he deferd it long Therfore my lorde I thinke may well assure him selfe of this He shall his sonnes all safe receiue and none but Ammon mis. It was not long as Ionadab had sayd but they came thither And told the newes and did lament the king and they together But Absalon was fled and sought assurance to procure And thrée whole yeres with Thalmai king remained safe sure The heart of Dauid somewhat lay to Absalon his sonne Which Ioab saw and did inuent a way to haue him wonne Which was a certaine witty wench well spoken in her speach Should mourningly come to the king and humbly him beseach To graunt a pardon to her sonne which had his brother kild As they by great misfortune were a fighting in the field In fine the king smelt well inough her talke and her intent And asked her if Ioabs head did not thereto consent She said t was true yet quit her selfe so well before her lorde That by her meanes fayre Absalon was home agayne restord Who falling downe before the king he openly him kist In token that all former things were quite and cleane remist But Absalon soone after this ambitiously began For to prepare him selfe a king with Charrets horse and man Alluring eury where abrode the people as he met With fawning spech so that they gan on him their harts to set When he the hearts of Israel from Dauid had withdrew To him he goes and frames a tale and not a worde was true The summe was this Such time as he in Gesur did remayne He made a vow if euer that he should come home agayne He would serue God accordingly his sute therfore is now He might to Hebron go with leaue and satisfie his vow The king was very well content So he did then depart And wrought such treason as was hid within his hollow hart And being there foreslows no time but sends throughout the land To all the Tribes of Israel by writing of his hande That whē they hard the trūpet blow thē ech mā should accord That Absalon of Hebron soyle should be the king and lord Yet many of a simple heart with Absalon went out Not knowing of his treason wrought nor what he went about But through the feare and counsell of Achitophel thereto They were perswaded for to ioyne and do as others do For he was very popular and bore a mighty sway And by his meanes to Absalon great strength grew eury day Then Dauid being certified how that all Israel Did ioyne them selues with Absalon and eke Achitophel Did will his men for to prepare them selues vnto the flight For other meanes he knew of none for to escape his might Make hast quod he least that they come vpon vs vnawares And smite the Citie with the sword to bring it full of cares They said to him what ere thou shalt thy seruants poynt vnto With all our harts and minds we are most ready prest to do Then went he forth with all his folks saue that he let remayne Ten Concubines to kéepe the house while that he came agayne So going from Ierusalem vnto a certayne place One Ithai with all his men did folow him apace And when the king saw Ithai he said vnto him thus O Ithai my faithfull friend why commest thou with vs Returne vnto Ierusalem and with the king abide For thou art but a straunger here do for thy selfe prouide Thou camst but yesterday my friend should I disquiet thée I am not sure nor know what ill or good may hap to mée Therfore returne both thou and al thy souldiours and be gone The mercy and the truth of God be with you eury one As truely as the Lord doth liue quod Ithai agayne I will not hence nor yet dpart but with my lorde remayne For in what place the king shal be to venture life or death There will thy seruaunt eke appeare so long as he hath breath Come on said Dauid let vs go we will not here abide So went he foorth with Ithai and all his men beside The countrey wept all as they went the people mourned sore To sée the king so passe in feare the brooke of Cedron ore Then Sadoch with the Leuites came out of Ierusalem Unto king Dauid where he was brought the Arke with them Who would it not as then receiue but bad that Sadoch should Go set it in his place agayne let him do what he could For if the Lord do fauour me hée le bring me home agayne And set mine eyes vpon the Arke and Tabernacle playne But if the Lord do playnly say I haue to thée no lust Then let him worke on me his will for he I know is iust In secret sort then Dauid said to Sadoch whom he knew To be a very secret priest and faythfull wise and true Returne thou and Abiathar you and your sonnes also And in the Citie there remayne till we do further know And I will tary in the fields within the wildernes Untill I reape some friendly fruite of
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
THE HOLIE Historie of King Dauid wherein is chieflye learned these godly and wholsome lessons that is to haue sure patience in persecution due obedience to our Prince without rebellion and also the true and most faithfull dealings of friendes Drawne into English Méetre for the youth to râ—â—de by Iohn Marbeck AT LONDON Priâ—â—â—d by Henrie Middleton for Iohn Harison ANNO. 1579. TO THE RIGHT WORshipfull and his singuler good Maistresse ELIZABETH BARRET wife to Master EDVVARD BARRET Esquire I. Marbeck wisheth long life and continuall health to the pleasure of God. TO RENDER YOV THE CAVSE or rather the causes Righte Worshipfull Maistresse that first moued me to take in hande the trauell of this diuine Historie of the holy Prophet king Dauid This in my iudgement were not so necessarie as it might proue tedious vnto you and therefore I omit it sauing that thus much I affirme that aswell in the writing as in the deliuering of it to the presse I not meanely regarded that suche histories as Gods spirite hath left and commended vnto vs in the sacred Scriptures might be aduaunced before and infinitely farre aboue those vayne vnstable and most vnfruitfull deuises whatsoeuer so I terme them as they are to be compared with the histories of Gods holy Scriptures whatsoeuer I saye proceeding from the penne of man albeit neuer so throughly dipped in the deapth and soundest parte of that that mans reason might reach vnto But muche more I intended to the vttermost of mine habilitie to impayre hereby the credite aswell of all leude lying legends of vnsound Saintes consecrated and canonized in the high Court of Rome the soueraigne seate of that purple Whore whom the Lorde with the breath of his mouth shall shortly destroy to the great glory of the Lambe as also of all filthy fonde and vnsauery songs bookes and fancies farre vnfit and ill beseeming the eies of baptized Christians And the better to bring this to passe I haue not only endeuoured my selfe to be playne and familiar in all things but also for the more delectation to the Reader haue continued the historie whole and entier of it selfe without entermingling any matter or discourse that might seeme to digresse from the order of the Story And now hauing in this sort finished the same and not finding in my selfe habilitie sufficient whereby to expresse the thankfulnes and entier affection of my heart which I would should be manifested vnto you to whom as to the right worshipfull gentleman your husbande the Lord hath graunted great measure of zeale to his trueth and loue to his poore Saincts what other shift shoulde I make beeing now as my yeeres and infirmities tell me trudging to the end of my race but to vse this as a pledge of these the premises which the Lord Iesus alone must make absolute at his comming This litle booke therefore in this onely consideration and respect I humbly dedicate and exhibite vnto you beseching you right worshipfull Gentlewoman that in receyuing it at my hands you will looke into that that my heart hath herein behighted namely that it be taken as a poore supply of the thing which I owe but for want of habilitie can not otherwise render I leaue to be tedious vnto you beseeching that Lorde that hath a continuall eye to his Churche to preserue you and your right worshipful husband long time as bright burning lamps to the comfort of the same and in the end of your earthly pilgrimage to clothe you as he hath already chosen and called you to waite vpon the Lambe and with him to liue and reigne eternally Amen I. Regum xvi Chapter WHen as the Lorde out of his sight had Saul the king reiect Unto the Prophet Samuel his worde he did direct On this wise saying vnto him How long wilt thou lament For him that I haue cast away and of his reigne repent Fill now thy horne with oyle and â—ome for I haue great delite To send thée forth to Isai that auncient Bethlemite Because I haue prouided me a king among his séede To rule and gouerne Israel make hast and go with spéede O Lord quod he how shall I go for I do greatly feare That Saul shall take away my life when he therof doth heare The Lord made answere thus sayd with thée an Heyfer take And say thy onely comming is an offring there to make Giue warning vnto Isai call him vnto the same And whom thou shalt to me annoynt him will I to thee name So then the Prophet tooke his way came to Bethlem towne The Elders feared much to sée his sodayne comming downe Demaunding if he came in peace or what was his intent An offring héere to make quod he the Lorde me hither sent Do therfore sanctifie your selues and come with one accord That we together may go forth and offer to the Lord. He sanctifide both Isai and eke his sonnes also Exhorting them as he was did with all the rest to go Now as the people stood before the Prophet Samuel He cast his eye on Eliab whose stature did excell Wherefore he gan within him selfe to thinke and thus to say The Lords annoynted certenly is present here this day Then spake the Lord let not thy minde nor eye be so abusde With fauour nor with comelynes for I haue him refusde God doth not sée as mortall man nor looke on outward showes But doth behold the heart within vertue where she growes Eliab in his fathers sight when he repulse had take Abinadab was brought to proue if he should be forsake But wheÌ„ the Prophet had him séene he made this answer plaine How that the Lorde had neither cald nor chosen him to raigne Then Samma was set foorth in place to waite the prophets will And as his brethren sped before his lucke was euen as ill Thus Isai seuen of his sonnes he brought foorth one by one Wherof the Prophet gaue to witte the Lorde had chosen none Hast thou no mo quod Samuel of sonnes then héere be tolde I haue quod he a litle one remayning with my folde Let him be fet now out of hande send of thy seruaunts some For we will stay and not sit downe till he be hither come Then was he fet out of the field and from the shepefold brought Unto the Prophet Samuel as God the thing had wrought This yong mans fauour did excell in whom such beautie was That with a speciall comely grace all other he did passe Now sayd the Lord to Samuel arise do him annoynt For this is he whom I do choose and vnto thée appoynt The Prophet tooke his horne of oyle and with aduisement good He shed it out on Dauids head before them as they stood And so foorthwith returned home to Rama where he lay And Dauid to his folde agayne made spe spéede and went away From that day foorth the spirit of god from Saul to Dauid went And vnto Saul a cruell sprite in stead thereof was sent Which
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
Samuel To whom he had declared all the case as it befell From Rama then to Naioth with Samuel he went Remayning there although that Saul his messengers had sent For they with other Prophets mo gan now to prophecie So that they had no mind to séeke for Dauid earnestlie But when as Saul himselfe was come to Naioth where he was He then for feare departed thence and fled to Ionathas Complayning thus O Ionathas what cause giue I of strife That still thy father and my lord so séeketh for my life Now God forbid quod Ionathas he deale so cruelly Expell all feare pull vp thine heart trust me thou shalt not dye For well I know my father will no one thing take in hand But or he doth attempt the same I shall it vnderstand And will he now hide this from me he is not so vnkinde To worke thy death so secretly and show me not his minde Oh Ionathas thy father knowes and playnly this doth sée What faithfull loue and tender heart thou bearest vnto me Therfore perhaps he will it hide as though it were not so To stay thy heart from pensiuenes and filling it with wo But truly as the Lord doth liue and thou dost liue with breath One step there is and scarcely that betwéene me and my death What wilt thou haue me do quod he declare to me thy minde For both in wealth and bitter wo thou shalt me faithfull finde Behold quod he to morow next the king doth hold the feast Where I should sit at boord with him my roome to fill at least But let me go into the fields and kéepe me out of sight Till all the feast be done and past the third day towards night If Saul thy father speake of me demaunding to and fro Say then I craued leaue of thée to Bethleem to go Where once a yere a solemne feast is holden there within For all the stocke and progenie of me and all my kinne If he be pleased there withall thy seruant shall haue peace But if he do intend me hurt his malice will not cease Then shall thy mercy do me good and with thy bond accord Which to thy seruant thou didst make promise in the Lord For if in me there can be found offence in all the land Then let me neuer farther go but kill me with thy hand God thée defend quod Ionathas for if I did it know That any harme were toward thee of truth I would it show Then Dauid sayd how shal I learne what Saul doth say to thée Or who shall tell me if my lorde do answere cruelly Come let vs go into the field and so they tooke their way Where Ionathas brast out in words and gan to Dauid sâ—â—â— O Lord the God of Israel when I haue gropen out My fathers minde or that all these thrée dayes be gone about If all things touching thée be well word shal be brought to thée And if I kéepe not touch therin the Lord then punish mée And also if my father Saul do séeke thy blood to shed I will my selfe be thy defence till thou away be fled And so the Lord kéepe and defend thée where so ere thou goes And be with thée as he hath bene with Saul agaynst his foes Now this request of thée I craue which grauÌ„t thou wilt I trust That I may liue my dayes in peace to make thy couenant iust And when I haue ronne out my course theÌ„ for my sake to mine Thou wilt not cut thy mercy off when that the sword is thine No not euen when the Lord aboue thy foes hath all confounde And left thée not an enemie aliue vpon the ground So Ionathas renued his bond and to the Lord he spoke That Dauids foes might it reuenge if that the same were broke And further sware to kepe the bond that was betwene theÌ„ sowne For Dauids body life and soule he loued as his owne Then Ionathas to Dauid sayd to morow doth begin The feast whereas the king will spye thy place no man therin Therfore go hide thée out of sight till thrée dayes passe no more Make haste get thée to that place where thou was put before Euen when the matter was in hand and there remayne and ly By Ezel stone which doth direct the way for passers by And I will come shoote thrée shafts and they shall light beside As though my marke were therabout where thou thy selfe dost hide Then will I say vnto my boy go hence tary not Séeke out with spéede gather vp the shafts that I haue shot And if I call and say to him they be on this side thée Then all is well be not afrayde to shew thy selfe to me But if I say they are beyonde why standest thou so still The Lord hath sent thée then away and saued thée from ill As touching this and all that we haue spoken of before Betwéene vs two the Lord shall be a witnesse euermore So Dauid hid him selfe abrode when Saul the feast began Where all the lords saue he alone were placed eury man. 〈◊〉 Saul did note full wel and marke yet nothing did he say But thought some one or other let did kéepe him then away But on the next day when he saw his place was voyde agayne Of Ionathas he did demaund the cause of his refrayne Where is the sonne of Isai What is the cause I say He doth absent him from the feast both now and yesterday Then Ionathas made his excuse and sayd that he was gone To Bethleem towne askt him leaue for that it stoode him on For all his kinred there did méete an offering to present Unto the Lord and therfore had his brother for him sent This is the cause that doth him let to come and kéepe his place Among the péeres that present be at table with your grace Then Saul fell out with Ionathas at boord before them all The sonne of his rebellious wife he did him name and call I know that thou and Dauid both are ioyned in one frame Which will be thy confusion and eke thy mothers shame For be thou sure so long as he doth liue vpon the earth The kingdome thou shalt not possesse whilst thou hast any breath Wherfore go séeke and fet him out where euer he be now By force or any other meane for sure his death I vow What hath he done quod Ionathas with eyther hand or breath Agaynst your royall Maiestie that you haue sworne his death That said he shooke his speare at him with discontented brayne Which was a signe to Ionathas that Dauid should be slayne Whose hart did bléede his friends estate and danger to coÌ„ceiue No meate could downe and therupon he rose tooke his leaue So on the morow which was now his iust appoynted day He made his walke into the field and place where Dauid lay And while he tried his shafts to shoot he bad his page make hast and runne marke
call vnto the Lord and thus he him besought O Lord the God of Israel thy seruant heares report That Saul with might and power intends to Keilah to resort The same for my sake to destroy good Lord I aske of thée Will they that dwell in Keilah to Saul deliuer me Will he come downe as it is sayd good Lord thy seruaunt tell He will quod he come downe and bring the hoast of Israel But will the men of Keilah deceiue both me and all Yea sayd the Lord they will of truth betray thée vnto Saul Then Dauid out of Keilah departed by and by And sought abrode to finde a place where he might safely ly At last within the wilds of Ziph he got a place and lay Where Saul for him did hunt about but yet he mist his pray As Dauid lay with fearefull heart within the wildernes Came Ionathas to comfort him in his great heauynes Feare not quod he in any thing nor trouble not thy minde My fathers hande assure thy selfe thy presence shall not finde Thou shalt be king of Israel and I next after thée The which my father knoweth well and oft hath tolde it me And so the band was once agayne renued on their partes Then ech of other tooke his leaue with heauy carefull hearts Now while that Dauid lay in Ziph the Ziphits tolde to Saul How that both he eke his men lay in the thicket all Graund mercies said the king my friends but this you must me graūt If all be true he lacks no shifts and therfore marke his haunt And search me out his lurking dens the wildernes about And him with well appoynted men I minde to ferrit out But Dauid béeing ware of this preuented all his foes And so vnto the wildernes of Maon forth he goes Where he had not bene very long or that he heard it sayde How Saul was comming after him or whom he was afrayde And gat him vp vnto the rocke to kéepe him out of sight The king pursuing him at hand with his great power might So much that they were almost met and of ech others seéene But that it so fell out by chaunce a mount was them betwéene Which Saul had almost compassed with armed men about That neither he nor yet his men could any way get out Thus taking thought how to escape his cruell enemie The Lord prepared present helpe in his extremitie Word came the king should home returne with al the spéede he could The Philistines were in his realme and made what spoyle they would Then Saul left of to persecute Dauid gat him thence To wildernes of Engadi a place of sure defence When Saul was come from folowing the Philistines agayne And was informed credibly where Dauid did remayne He tooke thrée thousand chosen men and went to Engadi To séeke out Dauid and his men which lay in rocke on hye But by the way it fortuned the king to steppe aside Into a caue to ease him selfe which was both large and wide Where in the inward parts therof lay Dauid and his bande Behold sayd they thine enemie is now within thy hande According as the Lord did say and promise long ago That he would giue him vnto thée thy will with him to do Then Dauid rose with stealing steps and got behinde the king And from his garment cut a lap and did none other thing This béeing done forthwith he felt a pricke of conscience As though agaynst his lord and king he had made some offence The Lorde quod he vnto his men defend me from this thing And graunt that I lay not my hande on Gods annoynted king As truely as the Lord doth liue till God his time hath sent I will not lay my hand on him nor yet thereto consent So stopped he away his men from doing hurt to Saul And would not suffer ought of them vpon the king to fall When Saul was gone out of the caue then Dauid did not slack But went and cryed after him whereat the king lookt back To whom with all obedience as subiects ought to do He stouped downe vnto the ground and spake him thus vnto My lord and king what credite hath the words of them that say How Dauid goeth about thy hurt in all that ere he may Behold this day thine eyes haue séene how that the Lord thée gaue Into my hands if that I would when thou wast in the caue Some bad me kill thée out of hande but yet I did refrayne And would not lay my hands on him who in the Lord did reigne Behold and sée within my hand a piece of thy coate lap I might as well haue killed thée when this to thée did hap Therfore thou mayst consider well no wickednes in me And that I neuer in my life committed fault to thée And yet thou huntest after me away my soule to take The Lord be iudge betwene vs both my venger him I make But God forbid agaynst my lord that I should once but thinke In subiects hearts such wickednes ought neuer for to sinke Then after whom art thou come out to hunt so cruelly A dogge that hath no life in him or eke a séely flye The Lord which is a righteous God be iudge plead my cause And kéepe me from all violence that I offende no lawes What voice quod Saul is this that so is come vnto mine eares I st thine my sonne and therwithall he poured forth his teares Thy goodnes farre surpasseth mine thou hast done good for ill And thou hast put my lot aside whom thou mights easily kill For who is he that of his foe that vauntage hath to slay And yet will suffer him vntoucht in peace to go his way Wherfore the Lord reward it thée and make thée recompence For that thou suffredst none at all to do me violence I know full well and do confesse the kingdome of this lande Shall after my decease be thine and come into thy hande And that I may make sure account of thy good will to mée Sweare that my name that my séede shall not be hurt by thée Then Dauid made a bond with him to kéepe it constantly And so departed to an holde from Saul his enemie And after that he went vnto the forrest of Pharan Where Nabal his abiding had a riche and welthy man Who had a thousand gotes by tale eke thrée thousande shéepe Which were defended all by him and those that did them kéepe For all the while those shepheards lay by Dauid thereabout They mist no goods nor had no harme by Dauid nor his route Wherfore he béeing in distresse and want of things to eate Did send to Nabal shearing shéepe for vittels to intreate Who then refused churlishly to helpe him at his néede And moued Dauids patience agaynst him to procéede Intending to destroy his house his cattell shéepe and all And for to leaue not one aliue to pisse agaynst the wall Had it not béene
your two faythfulnes Then Sadoch and Abiathar as Dauid willed them Returned with the Arke of God vnto Ierusalem Then Dauid full of griefe and care as one that was distrest Upon the mount of Oliuet went wéeping with the rest With bared head and féete vnshod and teares that trickled so That they bedewed all the place as they went to and fro As they and he did thus lament a messenger doth come With heauy chere heauy newes wherof this was the somme Achitophel had ioynde him selfe with Absalon as than And of his counsell and deuise was now his chiefest man. O Lord quod he let be thy will in this my great distresse That all this traytor shall deuise may turne to foolishnesse And béeing now ascended vp vnto the mount on hye He worshipped the Lord his God in fayth vnfaynedly There came to him immediatly but as a man forlorne With clots of earth vpon his head and garments all to torne One Chusai a faithfull friend and with well meaning hart Made offer in this time of néede his seruice to impart If thou quod Dauid shouldst remayne and tary here with me It would be but a charge to both as I do playnly sée But if thou wilt returne and go to Absalon the king And make as though thou didst me not regard in any thing But say thou wilt him only serue as thou his father did And that thy faythfull heart to him at no time shall be hid Thy wisedome and thy secretnesse may stand me in good stéede And be a meane their practises may not at all procéede But Sadoch and Abiathar thou shalt before thée finde To whō as to my faithful friends thou maist disclose thy mind And whatsoeuer thou shalt heare determined in hande That I with all conuenient spéede may thereof vnderstande For both their sonnes Ahimaas and Ionathan no doubt Giue their attendance for to come if any thing fall out So Chusai departed there as Dauid had him sent The wickednes of Absalon and treason to preuent When Dauid was a litle past the highest of the hill The false and flattering Ziba came with heart all bent to ill Against his Lord Miphiboseth with presents that he brought His master to defeate of all was his intent and thought Now as the king beheld him well and stoode himselfe to ease I pray thée Ziba then quod he what meanest thou with these I haue quod Ziba asses brought thy men thereon to ride With bread and meate for such as are with thée to eate beside And where as many of thy folke be fayntie as I think To quench their thirst I haue here brought good wine for thē to drink Then Dauid minding Ionathas and pleasures to him done Did aske of Ziba sodenly where was his masters sonne Then Ziba falsly gan accuse his master to the king How in Ierusalem he lay in hope of some good thing This day the house of Israel I heard him say quod he The kingdome of my father shall restore agayne to me Then Dauid blinded with the gifts that Ziba to him gaue Bad take to him his masters lande for he the same should haue Whose swift hasty iudgement might haue better bene deferd Then so to credite Zibaes words the other yet vnherd But Ziba now had that he sought and fell vpon his knées With geuing thanks that he had found such fauour in his eyes Now when the king was past the hill to go to Bahurim A kinsman of king Sauls came foorth and all to cursed him Whose name was called Semei a spitefull rayling man Whose hands tong ran all at large and out of order than Not only rayling to his face with bitter crooked talke But also hurling stones at him as he and his did walke And said Come forth thou bloodshedder thou man of Belial The Lord hath brought on thée the blood of all the house of Saul Whose kingdome thou vsurpest yet but long thou shalt not reigne For God hath gin it Absalon to whom it doth perteine And so thou like a murtherer art into mischiefe brought Because that thou hast heretofore the blood of many sought Abisai so moued was with this his rayling tong That he could not withholde him selfe but to the king he flong And asked leaue that he might go that varlets tong to tame So foule a mouthed Curre to barke to suffer was a shame But Dauid full of patience in no wise would permit That any should gaynsay his talke or that he should be smit And said that railing tong of his the Lord him selfe had sent And therfore no man ought repine or he be discontent And sée you not how Absalon my sonne is set on strife And séeketh meanes to take away my kingdome and my life If that my sonne dare this to doo what maruell is to sée The sonne of Iemini to curse and rayle so sore on me Therfore I pray you suffer him to rayle and curse his fill For so the Lord hath bidden him to execute his will. It may be that the Lord will looke on mine affliction And do me good for this his curse and malediction So Dauid going with his men forth still vpon his way The spitefull tong of Semei would neuer stint nor stay But cursed him and tooke vp stones and durt and earth to fling And voyde of order feare and wit he hurles them at the king So Dauid béeing with his men all weary thought it best Within the towne of Bahurim to stay and take his rest And in meane while came Absalon vnto Ierusalem With all his route Achitophel for his part ayding them Then Chusai the Harachite to Absalon doth go And pressing neare vnto his seate he gan salute him so God saue the king God saue the king And i st quod he euen so Is this the kindnes that thou wilt vnto king Dauid show Why dost thou now forsake him thus come cleaue to me Why dost thou not stick to thy friend that stāds in néede of thée Not so quod he for whom the Lord and all the people chuse I will obey and serue with heart and neuer him refuse To whom if not to thée his sonne should I my duety vowe On thée my seruice to bestow I minde God willing nowe Then Absalon to counsell went and first he sayd vnto Achitophel declare thy minde what we were best to do Go take quod he the Concubines that Dauid left behinde And kéepe them to thy proper vse and vse them to thy minde Then will thy father thée abhorre and those be firme to thée Which take thy part when they perceyue you two do disagrée This counsell pleased Absalon and he perfourmd the same And vsed them in open sight vnto king Dauids shame And well it was allowed off of all men more and lesse Because they saw it commonly to haue so good successe Graunt me then said Achitophel twelue thousād mē of might And I will after Dauid go and fall on
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