Absalom and Achitophel

(Continued)

He said, And this Advice above the rest,

With Absalom's Mild nature suited best;

Unblam'd of Life (Ambition set aside,)

Not stain'd with Cruelty, nor puft with Pride;

How happy had he been, if Destiny

Had higher plac'd his Birth, or not so high!

His Kingly vertues might have claim'd a Throne,

And blest all other Countries but his own:

But charming Greatness, since so few refuse;

'Tis Juster to Lament him, than Accuse.

Strong were his hopes a Rival to remove,

With blandishment to gain the publick Love;

To Head the Faction while their Zeal was hot,

And Popularly prosecute the Plot.

To farther this Achithphel Unites

The Malecontents of all the Israelites;

Whose differing Parties he could wisely Joyn,

For several Ends, to serve the same Design.

The Best, and of the Princes some were such,

Who thought the power of Monarchy too much:

Mistaken Men, and Patriots in their Hearts;

Not Wicked, but Seduc'd by Impious Arts.

By these the Springs of Property were bent,

And wound so high, they Crack'd the Government.

The next for Interest sought t'embroil the State,

TO sell their Duty at a dearer rate;

And make their Jewish Markets of the Throne,

Pretending puclick Good, to serve their own.

Others thought Kings an useless heavy Load,

Who Cost too much, and did too little Good.

These were for laying Honest David by,

On Principles of pure good Husbandry.

With them Joyn'd all th' Haranguers of the Throng,

That thought to get Preferment by the Tongue.

Who follows next, a double Danger bring,

Not only hating David, but the King,

The Solymæan Rout; well Verst of old,

In Godly Faction, and in Treason bold;

Cowring and Quaking at a Conqueror's Sword,

But Lofty to a Lawfull Prince Restor'd;

Saw with Disdain an Ethnick Plot begun,

And Scorn'd by Jebusites to be Out-done.

Hot Levites Headed these; who pul'd before

From the Ark, which in the Judges days they bore,

Resum'd their Cant, and with a Zealous Cry,

Pursu'd their old belov'd Theocracy.

Where Sanhedrin and Priest inslav'd the Nation,

And justifi'd their Spoils by Inspiration;

For who so fit for Reign as Aarons's race,

If once Dominion they could found in Grace?

These led the Pack; tho not of surest scent,

Yet deepest mouth'd against the Government.

A numerous Host of dreaming Saints succeed;

Of the true old Enthusiastick breed;

'Gainst Form and Order they their Power employ;

Nothing to Build and all things to Destroy.

But far more numerous was the herd of such,

Who think too little, and who talk too much.

These, out of meer instinct, they knew not why,

Ador'd their fathers God, and Property:

And, by the same blind benefit of Fate,

The Devil and the Jebusite did hate:

Born to be sav'd, even in their own despight;

Because they could not help believing right.

Such were the tools; but a whole Hydra more

Remains, of sprouting heads too long, to score.

Some of their Chiefs were Princes of the Land;

In the first Rank of these did Zimri stand:

A man so various, that he seem'd to be

Not one, but all Mankinds Epitome.

Stiff in Opinions, always in the wrong;

Was every thing by starts, and nothing long:

But in the course of one revolving Moon,

Was Chymist, Fidler, States-Man, and Buffoon:

Then all for Women, Painting, Rhiming, Drinking;

Besides ten thousand freaks that dy'd in thinking.

Blest Madman, who could every hour employ,

With something New to wish, or to enjoy!

Rayling and praising were his usual Theams;

And both (to shew his Judgment) in Exreams:

So over Violent, or over Civil,

That every man, with him, was God or Devil.

In squandring Wealth was his peculiar Art:

Nothing went unrewarded, but Desert.

Begger'd by Fools, whom still he found too late:

He had his Jest, and they had his Estate.

He laught himself from Court, then sought Releif

By forming Parties, but coud ne're be Chief.

For, spight of him, the weight of Business fell

On Absalom and Achitophel:

Thus, wicked but in will, of means bereft,

He left not Faction, but of that was left.

Titles and Names 'twere tedious to Reherse

Of Lords, below the Dignity of Verse.

Wits warriors Common-wealthsmen, were the best:

Kind Husbands and meer Nobles all the rest.

And, therefore in the name of Dulness, be

The well hung Balaam and cold Caleb free.

And canting Nadab let Oblivion damn,

Who made new porridge for the Paschal Lamb.

Let Friendships holy band some Names assure:

Some their own Worth, and some let Scorn secure.

Nor shall the Rascall Rabble here have Place,

Whom Kings no Titles gave, and God no Grace:

Not Bull-fac'd Jonas, who could Statues draw

To mean Rebellion, and make Treason Law.

But he, thos bad, is follow'd by a worse,

The wretch, who Heavens Annointed dar'd to Curse.

Shimei, whose Youth did early Promise bring

Of Zeal to God, and Hatred to his King;

Did wisely from Expensive Sins refrain,

And never broke the Sabbath, but for Gain:

Nor ever was he known an Oath to vent,

Or Curse unless against the Government.

Thus, heaping Wealth, by the most ready way

Among the Jews, which was to Cheat and Pray;

The City, to reward his pious Hate

Against his Master, chose him Magistrate;

His Hand a Vare of Justice did uphold;

His Neck was loaded with Chain of Gold.

During his Office, Treason was no Crime.

The Sons of Belial had a glorious Time:

For Shimei, though not prodigal of pelf,

Yet lov'd his wicked Neighbour as himself:

When two or three were gathere'd to declaim

Against the Monarch of Jerusalem,

Shimei was always in the midst of them.

And, if they Curst the King when he was by,

Would rather Curse, than break good Company.

If any durst his Factious Friends accuse,

He pact a Jury of dissenting Jews:

WHose fellow-feeling, in the godly Cause,

Would free the suffring Saint from Humane Laws.

For Laws are only made to Punish those,

Who serve the King, and to protect his Foes.

If any leisure time he had from Power,

(Because 'tis Sin to misimploy an hour;)

His business was, by Writing, to Persuade,

That Kings were Useless, and a Clog to Trade:

And, that his noble Stile he might refine,

No Rechabite more shund the fumes of Wine.

Chaste were his Cellars, and his Shrieval Board

The Grossness of a City Feast abhor'd:

His Cooks, with long disuse, their Trade forgot;

Cool was his Kitchen, tho his Brains were hot.

Such frugal Vertue Malice may accuse,

But sure 'twas necessary to the Jews;

For towns once burnt, such Magistrates require

As dare not tempt Gods Providence by fire.

With Spiritual food he fed his Servants well,

But free from flesh, that made the Jews Rebel:

And Mose's Laws he held in more account,

For forty days of Fasting in the Mount.

To speak the rest, who better are forgot,

Would tyre a well-breath'd Witness of the Plot:

Yet, Corah, thou shalt from Oblivion pass;

Erect thy self thou Monumental Brass:

High as the Serpent of thy mettall made,

While Nations stand secure beneath thy shade.

What tho his Birth were base, yet Comets rise

From Earthy Vapours ere they shine in Skies.

Prodigious Actions may as well be done

By Weavers issue, as by Princes Son.

This Arch-Attestor for the Publick Good,

By that one Deed Enobles all his Bloud.

Who ever ask'd the Witnesses high race,

Whose Oath with Martyrdom did Stephen grace?

Ours was a Levite, and as times went then,

His Tribe were Godalmighty's Gentlemen.

Sunk were his Eyes, his Voyce was harsh and loud,

Sure signs he neither Cholerick was, nor Proud:

His long Chin prov'd his Wit, his Saintlike Grace

A Church Vermilion, and a Moses's face;

His Memory, miraculously great,

Could Plots, exceeding mans belief, repeat;

Which, therefore cannot be accounted Lies,

For human Wit could never such devise.

Some future Truths are mingled in his Book;

But, where the witness faild, the Prophet Spoke:

Some things like Visionary flights appear;

The Spirit caught him, up, the Lord knows where:

And gave him his Rabinical degree

Unknown to Foreign University.

His Judgment yet his Memory did excel;

Which piec'd his wonderous Evidence so well:

And suited to the temper of the times;

Then groaning under Jebusitick Crimes.

Let Israels foes suspect his heav'nly call,

And rashly judge his Writ Apocryphal;

Our Laws for such affronts have forfeits made:

He takes his life, who takes away his trade.

Were I my self in witness Corahs place,

The wretch who did me such a dire disgrace,

Should whet my memory, though once forgot,

To make him an Appendix of my Plot.

His Zeal to heav'n, made him his Prince despise,

And load his person with indignities:

But Zeal peculiar priviledge affords;

Indulging latitude to deeds and words.

And Corah might for Agag's murther call,

In terms as course as Samuel used to Saul.

What others in his Evidence did Joyn,

(The best that could be had for love or coyn,)

In Corah's own predicament will fall:

For witness is a Common Name to all.

Surrounded thus with Friends of every sort,

Deluded Absalom, forsakes the Court:

Impatient of high hopes, urg'd with renown,

And Fir'd with near possession of a Crown,

Th' admiring Croud are dazled with surprize,

And on his goodly person feed their eyes:

His joy conceal'd, he sets himself to show;

On each side bowing popularly low:

His looks, his gestures, and his words he frames,

And with familiar ease repeats their Names.

Thus, form'd by Nature, furnish'd out with Arts,

He glides unfelt into their secret hearts:

Then with a kind compassionating look,

And sighs, bespeaking pity ere he spoak:

Few words he said; but easy those and fit:

More slow than Hybla drops, and far more sweet.

I mourn, my Countrymen, your lost Estate;

Tho far unable to prevent your fate:

Behold a Banisht man, for your dear cause

Expos'd a prey to Arbitrary laws!

Yet oh! that I alone cou'd be undone,

Cut off from Empire, and no more a Son!

Now all your liberties a spoil are made:

Ægypt and Tyrus intercept your trade,

And Jebusites your Sacred Rites invade.

My Father, whom with reverence yet I name,

Charm'd into Ease, is careless of his Fame:

And, brib'd with petty summs of Forreign Gold,

Is grown in Bathsheba's Embraces old.

Exalts his Enemies, his Friends destroys:

And all his pow'r against himself employs.

He gives, and let him give my right away:

But why should he his own, and yours betray?

He only, he can make the Nation bleed,

And he alone from my revenge is freed.

Take then my tears (with that he wip'd his Eyes)

'Tis all the Aid my present power supplies:

No Court Informer can these Arms accuse,

These Arms may Sons against their Fathers use,

And, tis my wish, the next Successors Reign

May make no other Israelite complain.

Youth, Beauty, Graceful Action, seldom fail:

But Common Interest always will prevail:

And pity never Ceases to be shown

To him, who makes the peoples wrongs his own.

The Croud, (that still believes their Kings oppress)

With lifted hands their young Messiah bless:

Who now begins his Progress to ordain;

With Chariots, Horsmen, and a numerous train:

From East to West his Glories he displaies:

And, like the Sun, the promis'd land survays.

Fame runs before him, as the morning Star;

And shouts of Joy salute him from afar:

Each house receives him as a Guardian God;

And Consecrates the Place of his aboad:

But hospitable treats did most commend

Wise Issachar, his wealthy western friend.

This moving Court, that caught the peoples Eyes,

And seem'd but Pomp, did other ends disguise:

Achitophel had form'd it, with intent

To sound the depths, and fathom where it went:

The Peoples hearts, distinguish Friends from Foes;

And try their strength, before they came to blows:

Yet all was colour'd with a smooth pretence

Of specious love, and duty to their Prince.

Religion, and Redress of Grievances,

Two names, that always cheat and always please,

Are often urg'd; and good King David's life

Indanger'd by a Brother and a Wife.

Thus, in a Pageant Show, a Plot is made;

And Peace it self is War in Masquerade.

Oh foolish Israel! never warn'd by ill,

Still the same baite, and circumvented still!

Did ever men forsake their present ease,

In midst of health Imagine a desease;

Take pains Contingent mischiefs to foresee,

Make Heirs for Monarks, and for God decree?

What shall we think! can People give away

Both for themselves and Sons, their Native sway?

Then they are left Defensless, to the Sword

Of each unbounded Arbitrary Lord:

And Laws are vain, by which we Rights enjoy,

If Kings unquestiond can those laws destroy.

Yet, if the Crowd be Judge of fit and Just,

And Kings are onely Officers in trust,

Then this resuming Cov'nant was declar'd

When Kings were made, or is for ever bard:

If those who give the Scepter, could not tye

By their own deed their own Posterity,

How then coud Adam bind his future Race?

How coud his forfeit on mankind take place?

Or how coud heavnly Justice damn us all,

Who nere consented to our Fathers fall?

Then Kings are slaves to those whom they Command,

And Tenants to their Peoples pleasure stand.

Add, that the Pow'r for Property allowd,

Is mischeivously seated in the Crowd:

For who can be secure of private Right,

If Sovereign sway may be dissolv'd by might?

Nor is the Peoples Judgment always true:

The most may err as grosly as the few.

And faultless Kings run down, by Common Cry,

For Vice, Oppression, and Tyranny.

What Standard is there in a fickle rout,

Which, flowing to the mark, runs faster out?

Nor only Crowds, but Sanherins may be

Infected with the publick Lunacy:

And Share the madness of Rebellious times,

To Murther Monarchs for Imagin'd crimes.

If they may Give and Take when e'r they please,

Not Kings alone, (the Godheads Images,)

But Government it self at length must fall

To Natures state; where all have Right to all.

Yet, grant our Lords the People Kings can make,

What Prudent men a setled Throne would shake?

For whatsoe'r their Sufferings were before,

That Change they Covet makes them suffer more.

All other Errors but disturb a State,

But Innovation is the Blow of Fate.

If ancient Fabricks nod, and threat to fall,

To Patch the Flows, and Buttress up the Wall,

Thus far 'tis Duty; but here fix the Mark:

For all beyond it is to touch our Ark.

To change Foundations, cast the Frame anew,

Is work for Rebels who base Ends pursue:

At once Divine and Humane Laws controul;

And mend the Parts by ruine of the Whole.

The Tampering World is subject to this Curse,

To Physick their Disease into a worse.

Now what Relief can Righteous David bring?

How Fatall 'tis to be too good a King!

Friends he has few, so high the Madness grows;

Who dare be such, must be the Peoples Foes:

Yet some there were, ev'n in the worst of days;

Some let me name, and Naming is to praise.

In this short File Barzillai first appears;

Barzillai crown'd with Honour and with Years:

Long since, the rising Rebells he withstood

In Regions Waste, beyond the Jordans Flood:

Unfortunately Brave to buoy the State;

But sinking underneath his Masters Fate:

In Exile with his Godlike Prince he Mourn'd;

For him he Suffer'd, and with him Return'd.

The Court he practis'd, not the Courtier's art:

Large was his Wealth, but larger was his Heart:

Which, well the Noblest Objects know to choose,

The Fighting Warriour, and Recording Muse.

His Bed coud once a Fruitfull Issue boast:

Now more than half a Father's Name is lost.

His Eldest Hope, with every Grace adorn'd,

By me (so Heav'n will have it) always Mourn'd,

And always honour'd, snatcht in Manhoods prime

By unequal Fates, and Providences crime:

Yet not before the Goal of Honour won,

All parts fulfill'd of Subject and of Son;

Swift was the Race, but short the Time to run.

Oh Narrow Circle, but of Pow'r Divine,

Scanted in Space, but perfect in thy Line!

By Sea, by Land, thy Matchless Worth was known;

Arms thy Delight, and War was all thy Own:

Thy force, Infus'd, the fainting Tyrians prop'd:

And Haughty Pharoah found his Fortune stop'd.

Oh Ancient Honour, Oh Unconquer'd Hand,

Whom Foes unpunish'd never coud withstand!

But Israel was unworthy of thy Name:

Short is the date of all Immoderate Fame.

It looks as Heaven our Ruine had design'd,

And durst not trust thy Fortune and thy Mind.

Now, free from Earth, thy disencumbred Soul

Mounts up, and leaves behind the Clouds and Starry Pole:

From thence thy kindred legions mayst thou bring

To aid the guardian Angel of thy King.

Here stop my Muse, here cease thy painfull flight;

No Pinions can pursue Immortal height:

Tell good Barzillai thou canst sing no more,

And tell thy Soul she should have fled before;

Or fled she with his life, and left this Verse

To hang on her departed Patron's Herse?

Now take thy steepy flight from heaven, and see

If thou canst find on earth another He,

Another he would be too hard to find,

See then whom thou canst see not far behind.

Zadock the Priest, whom, shunning Power and Place,

His lowly mind advanc'd to David's Grace:

With him the Sagan of Jerusalem,

Of hospitable Soul and noble Stem;

Him of the Western dome, whose weighty sense

Flows in fit words and heavenly eloquence.

The Prophets Sons by such example led,

To learning and to Loyalty were bred:

For Colleges on bounteous Kings depend,

And never Rebell was to Arts a friend.

To these succeed the Pillars of the Laws,

Who best cou'd plead and best can judge a Cause.

Next them a train of Loyal Peers ascend:

Sharp judging Adriel the Muses friend,

Himself a Muse--In Sanhedrins debate

True to his Prince; but not a Slave of State.

Whom David's love with Honours did adorn,

That from his disobedient Son were torn.

Jotham of piercing wit and pregnant thought,

Indew'd by nature, and by learning taught

To move Assemblies , who but onely try'd

The worse awhile, then chose the better side;

Nor chose alone, but turn'd the balance too;

So much the weight of one brave man can doe.

Hushai the friend of David in distress,

In publick storms of manly stedfastness;

By foreign treaties he inform'd his Youth;

And join'd experience to his native truth.

His frugal care supply'd the wanting Throne,

Frugal for that, but bounteous of his own:

'Tis easy conduct when Exchequers flow,

But hard the task to manage well the low:

For Soveraign power is too deprest or high,

When Kings are forc'd to sell, or Crowds to buy.

Indulge one labour more my weary Muse,

For Amiel, who can Amiel's praise refuse?

Of ancient race by birth, but nobler yet

In his own worth, and without Title great:

The Sanhedrin long time as chief he rul'd,

Their Reason guided and their Passion coold;

So dexterous was he in the Crown's defence,

So form'd to speak a Loyal Nations Sense,

That as their band was Israel's Tribes in small,

So fit was he to represent them all.

Now rasher Charioteers the Seat ascend,

Whose loose Carriers his steady Skill commennd:

They like th' unequal Ruler of the Day,

Misguide the Seasons and mistake the Way;

While he withdrawn at their mad Labour smiles,

And safe enjoys the Sabbath of his Toyls.

These were the chief, a small but faithful Band

Of Worthies, in the Breach who dar'd to stand,

And tempt th' united Fury of the Land.

With grief they view'd such powerful Engines bent,

To batter down the lawful Government.

A numerous Faction with pretended frights,

In Sanhedrins to plume the Regal Rights.

The true Successour from the Court remov'd:

The Plot, by hireling Witnesses improv'd.

These Ills they saw, and as their Duty bound,

They shew'd the King the danger of the Wound:

That no Concessions from the Throne woud please,

But Lenitives fomented the Disease:

That Absalom, ambitious of the Crown,

Was made the Lure to draw the People down:

That false Achitophel's pernitious Hate,

Had turn'd the Plot to Ruine Church and State:

The Councill violent, the Rabble worse

That Shimei taught Jerusalem to Curse.

With all these loads of Injuries opprest,

And long revolving, in his carefull Breast,

Th' event of things, at last his patience tir'd,

Thus from his Royal Throne by Heav'n inspir'd,

The God-like David spoke: with awfull fear

His Train their Maker in their Master hear.

Thus long have I, by native mercy sway'd,

My wrongs dissembl'd, my revenge delay'd:

So willing to forgive th' Offending Age,

So much the Father did the King asswage.

But now so far my Clemency they slight,

Th' Offenders question my Forgiving Right.

That one was made for many, they contend;

But 'tis to Rule, for that's a Monarch's End.

They call my tenderness of Blood, my Fear:

Though Manly tempers can the longest bear.

Yet, since they will divert my Native course,

'Tis time to shew I am not Good by Force.

Those heap'd Affronts that haughty Subjects bring,

Are burthens for a Camel, not a King:

Kings are the publick Pillars of the State,

Born to sustain and prop the Nations weight:

If my Young Samson will pretend a Call

To shake the Column, let him share the Fall:

But oh that yet he woud repent and live!

How easie 'tis for Parents to forgive!

With how few Tears a Pardon might be won

From Nature, pleading for a Darling Son!

Poor pitied Youth, by my Paternal care,

Rais'd up to all the Height his Frame coud bear:

Had God ordain'd his fate for Empire born,

He woud have given his Soul another turn:

Gull'd with a Patriots name, whose Modern sense

Is one that woud by Law supplant his Prince:

The Peoples Brave, the Politicians Tool;

Never was Patriot yet, but was a Fool.

Whence comes it that Religion and the Laws

Should more be Absalom's than David's Cause?

His old Instructor, e're he lost his Place,

Was never thought indu'd with so much Grace.

Good Heav'ns, how Faction can a Patriot Paint!

My Rebel ever proves my Peoples Saint:

Would They impose an Heir upon the Throne?

Let Sanhedrins be taught to give their Own.

A King's at least a part of Government,

And mine as requisite as their Consent:

Without my Leave a future King to choose,

Infers a Right the Present to Depose:

True, they Petition me t'approve their Choise,

But Esau's Hands suite ill with Jacob's Voice.

My Pious Subjects for my Safety pray,

Which to Secure they take my Power away.

From Plots and Treasons Heaven preserve my years,

But Save me most from my Petitioners.

Unsatiate as the barren Womb or Grave;

God cannot Grant so much as they can Crave.

What then is left but with a Jealous Eye

To guard the Small remains of Royalty?

The Law shall still direct my peacefull Sway,

And the same Law teach Rebels to Obey:

Votes shall no more Establish'd Pow'r controul,

Such Votes as make a Part exceed the Whole;

No groundlesss Clamours shall my Friends remove,

Nor Crowds have power to Punish e're they Prove:

For Gods, and Godlike Kings their Care express,

Still to Defend their Servants in distress.

Oh that my Power to Saving were confin'd:

Why am I forc'd, like Heaven, against my mind,

To make Examples of another Kind?

Must I at length the Sword of Justice draw?

Oh curst Effects of necessary Law!

How ill my Fear they by my Mercy scan,

Beware the Fury of a Patient Man.

Law they require, let Law then shew her Face;

They coud not be content to look on Grace,

Her hinder parts, but with a daring Eye

To tempt the terror of her Front, and Dye.

To their own arts 'tis Righteously decreed

Those dire Artificers of Death shall bleed.

Against themselves their Witnesses will Swear,

Till Viper-like their Mother Plot they tear:

And suck for Nutriment that bloody gore

Which was their Principle of Life before.

Their Belial with their Belzebub will fight;

Thus on my Foes, my Foes shall do me Right:

Nor doubt th' event; for Factious crowds engage

In their first Onset, all their Brutal Rage;

Then, let 'em take an unresisted Course,

Retire and Traverse, and Delude their Force:

But when they stand all Breathless, urge the fight,

And rise upon 'em with redoubled might:

For Lawfull Pow'r is still Superiour found,

When long driven back, at length it stands the ground.

He said. Th' Almighty, nodding, gave Consent;

And Peals of Thunder shook the Firmament.

Henceforth a Series of new time began,

The mighty Years in long Procession ran:

Once more the God-like David was Restor'd,

And willing Nations knew their Lawfull Lord.

John Dryden