Selected quad for the lemma: power_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A36581
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Absalom and Achitophel a poem.; Absalom and Achitophel
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Dryden, John, 1631-1700.
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1681
(1681)
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Wing D2214; ESTC R1552
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18,435
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34
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delight Good gracious just observant of the Laws And Heav'n by wonder has espous'd his cause Whom has he wrong'd in all his Peaceful Reign Who sues for Justice to his Throne in vain What millions has he pardon'd of his Foes Whom just revenge did to his wrath expose Mild easy humble studious of our good Enclin'd to mercy and averse from blood If mildness ill with stubborn Israel suit His crime is God's beloved Attribute What could he gain his peopâ—e to betray Or change his right for arbitrary sway Let haughty Pharaoh curse with such a Reign His fruitful Nile and yoke a servile Train If David's Rule Ierusalem displease The Dog-star heats their brains to this disease Why then shoud I encoâ—raging the bad Turn Rebel and run popularly mad Were he a Tyrant who by lawless Might Opprest the Jews and rais'd the Iebusite Well might I mourn but Natures hely bands Woud curb my spirits and restrain my hand The people might assert their liberty But what was â—ight in them were crime in me His â—avour 〈◊〉 me nothing to require Prevents my wishes and out-runs desire What 〈…〉 I expect while David lives All but 〈…〉 Diadem he gives And that But there he paus'd then sighing said Is 〈…〉 for a worthier Head For when my Father from his toyls shall rest And 〈…〉 the number of the blest 〈…〉 shall the Throne ascend Of 〈…〉 Line where that shall end His Brother though opprest with vulgar spight Yet dauntless and secure of native right Of every Royal Vertue stands possest Still Dear to all the Bravest and the Best His Courage Foes his Friends his Truth Proclaim His Loyalty the King the World his Fame His mercy ev'n th'offending Crowd will find For sure he comes of a forgiving kind Why should I then repine at Heavens decree Which gives me no pretence to Royalty Yet oh that Fate propitiously enclin'd Had rais'd my Birth or had debas'd my mind To my large Soul not all her treasure lent And then betray'd it to a mean Descent I find I find my mounting spirits bold And David's part disdains my Mothers mold Why am I scanted by a niggard Birth My Soul disclaims the kindred of her Earth And made for Empire whispers me within Desire of Greatness is a Godlike sin Him staggering so when Hells dire Agent found While fainting Vertue scarce maintain'd her ground He pours fresh Forces in and thus replies Th' Eternal God supreamly good and wise Imparts not these prodigious Gifts in vain What wonders are reserv'd to bless your Reign Against your will your Arguments have shown Such Vertue 's only giv'n to guide a Throne Not that your Father's mildness I contemn But manly force becomes the Diadem 'T is true he grants the people all they crave And more perhaps than Subjects ought to have For lavish grants suppose a Monarch tame And more his Goodness than his Wit proclaim Bâ—t when should people strive their Bonds to break 〈◊〉 not when Kings are negligent or weak 〈◊〉 him give on till he can give no more The thriâ—ty Sanhedrin shall keep him poor And every 〈◊〉 which he can receive Shall cost a â—imb of his Prerogative To ply him with new Plots shall be my care Or plunge him deep in some expensive war Which when his Treasure can no more supply He must with the remains of Kingship buy His faithful Friends our jealousies and fears Call Iebusites and Pharaoh's Pentioners Whom when our fury from his aid has torn He shall be naked left to publick scorn The next Successor whom I fear and hate My arts have made obnoxious to the State Turn'd all his Vertues to his overthrow And gain'd our Elders to pronounce a foe His Right for sums of necessary Gold Shall first be pawn'd and afterwards be sold Till time shall ever-wanting David draw To pass your doubtful Title into Law If not the people have a Right supreme To make their Kings for Kings are made for them All Empire is no more than Pow'r in trust Which when resum'd can be no longer just Succession for the general good design'd In its own wrong a Nation cannot bind If altering that the people can relieve Better one suffer than a Nation grieve The Iews well knew their pow'r e'r Saul they chose God was their King and God they durst depose Urge now your Piety your Filial Name A Father's right and fear of future Fame The publick good that universal call To which ev'n Heaven submitted answers all Nor let his Love enchant your generous mind T is Natures trick to propagate her kind Our fond Begetters who would never die Love but themselves in their posteritie Or let his kindness by th' effects be tri'd Or let him lay his vain pretence aside God said he lov'd your Father coud he bring A better proof than to Anoint him King It surely shew'd he lov'd the Shepherd well Who gave so fair a Flock as Israel Woud David have you thought his Darling Son What means he then to Alienate the Crown The name of Godly he may blush to bear 'T is after God's own heart to cheat his Heir He to his Brother gives Supreme Command To you a Legacy of Barren Land Perhaps th' old Harp on which he thrums his Layes Or some dull Hebrew Ballad in your praise Then the next Heir a Prince severe and wise Already looks on you with jealous eyes Sees through the thin disguises of your arts And marks your progress in the peoples hearts Though now his mighty Soul its grief contains He meditates revenge who least complains And like a Lion slumb'ring in the way Or sleep-dissembling while he waits his prey His fearless Foes within his distance draws Constrains his roaring and contracts his paws Till at the last his time for fury found He shoots with sudden vengeance from the ground The prostrate Vulgar passes o'r and spares But with a Lordly rage his Hunters tears Your case no tame expedients will afford Resolve on death or conquest by the Sword Which for no less a Stake than Life you draw And Self-defence is Natures eldest Law Leave the warm people no considering time For then Rebellion may be thought a crime Prevail your self of what occasion gives But try your Title while your Father lives And that your Arms may have a fair pretence Proclaim you take them in the King's defence Whose sacred Life each minute woud expose To Plots from seeming friends and secret foes And who can sound the depth of David's Soul Perhaps his fear his kindness may controul He fears his Brother though he loves his Son For plighted Vows too late to be undone If so by force he wishes to be gain'd Like womens leachery to seem constrain'd Doubt not but when he most affects the Frown Commit a pleasing Rape upon the Crown Secure his Person to secure your Cause They who possess the Prince possess the Laws He said and this Advice above the rest With Absalom's mild nature suited best Unblam'd