by John Dryden
In God ’tis Glory: And when Men Aspire,
’Tis but a Spark too much of Heavenly Fire.
Th’ Ambitious Youth, too Covetous of Fame,
Too full of Angels Metal in his Frame, 310
Unwarily was led from Vertues ways,
Made Drunk with Honour, and debauch’d with Praise.
Half loath and half consenting to the Ill,
(For Loyal Blood within him strugled still,)
He thus repli’d — And what Pretence have I 315
To take up Arms for Publick Liberty?
My Father Governs with unquestion’d Right;
The Faiths Defender and Mankinds Delight,
Good, Gracious, Just, observant of the Laws;
And Heav’n by Wonders has espous’d his Cause. 320
Whom has he Wrong’d in all his Peaceful Reign?
Who sues for Justice to his Throne in Vain?
What Millions has he pardoned of his Foes
Whom Just Revenge did to his Wrath expose?
Mild, Easie, Humble, Studious of our Good, 325
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 People to Betray
Or change his Right, for Arbitrary Sway? 330
Let Haughty Pharaoh Curse with such a Reign
His Fruitful Nile, and Yoak a Servile Train.
If David’s Rule Jerusalem Displease,
The Dog-star heats their Brains to this Disease.
Why then should I, Encouraging the Bad, 335
Turn Rebel and run Popularly Mad?
Were he a Tyrant who, by Lawless Might,
Opprest the Jews and rais’d the Jebusite,
Well might I Mourn; but Nature’s holy Bands
Would Curb my Spirits, and Restrain my Hands; 340
The People might assert their Liberty;
But what was Right in them, were Crime in me.
His Favour leaves me nothing to require;
Prevents my Wishes and out-runs Desire
What more can I expect while David lives? 345
All but his Kingly Diadem he gives:
And that: But there he paus’d; then Sighing, said,
Is Justly destin’d for a Worthier head.
For when my Father from his Toyls shall Rest
And late Augment the Number of the Blest: 350
His Lawful Issue shall the Throne ascend,
Or the Collat’ral 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; 355
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 Croud will find,
For sure he comes of a Forgiving Kind. 360
Why should I then Repine at Heavens Decree
Which gives me no Pretence to Royalty?
Yet oh that Fate, Propitiously Inclin’d,
Had rais’d my Birth, or had debas’d my Mind;
To my large Soul, not all her Treasure lent, 365
And then betrai’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: 370
And, made for Empire, Whispers me within;
Desire of Greatness is a God-like 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: 375
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. 380
Not that your Father’s Mildness I contemn,
But manly Force becomes the Diadem.
’Tis true he grants the People all they crave;
And more perhaps than Subjects ought to have:
For Lavish Grants suppose a Monarch tame 385
And more his Goodness than his Wit proclaim.
But when should People strive their Bonds to break,
If not when Kings are Negligent or Weak?
Let him give on till he can give no more,
The thrifty Sanhedrin shall keep him poor: 390
And every Sheckle which he can receive
Shall cost a Limb 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, 395
He must, with the Remains of Kingship, buy.
His faithful Friends our Jealousies and Fears
Call Jebusites; and Pharaoh’s Pensioners,
Whom, when our Fury from his Aid has torn,
He shall be naked left to publick Scorn. 400
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, 405
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. 410
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, 415
Better one suffer, than a Nation grieve.
The Jews well know 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; 420
The Publick Good, that Universal Call,
To which even Heav’n submitted, answers all.
Nor let his Love enchant your generous Mind;
’Tis Natures trick to propagate her Kind.
Our fond Begetters, who would never die, 425
Love but themselves in their Posterity.
Or let his Kindness by th’ Effects be tried
Or let him lay his vain Pretence aside.
God said he loved your Father; coud he bring
A better Proof than to anoint him King? 430
It surely shew’d, He lov’d the Shepherd well
Who gave so fair a Flock as Israel.
Would David have you thought his Darling Son?
What means he then, to Alienate the Crown?
The name of Godly he may blush to bear: 435
’Tis after Gods own heart to Cheat his Heir.
He to his Brother gives Supreme Command;
To you a Legacie of Barren Land:
Perhaps th’ old Harp on which he thrums his Lays:
Or some dull Hebrew Ballad in your Praise. 440
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; 445
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: 450
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; 455
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. 460
Prevail your self of what Occasion gives,
But trie 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, 465
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. 470
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; 475
They who possess the Prince, possess the Laws.
He said, And this Advice above the rest
With Absalom’s Mild Nature suited best;
Unblamed of Life (Ambition set aside,)
Not stain’d with Cruelty, nor puft with pride. 480
How happy had he been, if Destiny
Had higher placed 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; 485
’Tis Juster to Lament him, than Accuse.
Strong were his hopes a Rival to remove,
With Blandishments to gain the publick Love,
To Head the Faction while their Zeal was hot,
And Popularly Prosecute the Plot. 490
To farther this, Achitophel Unites
The Malecontents of all the Israelites:
Whose differing Parties he could wisely Join
For several Ends, to serve the same Design.
The Best, and of the Princes some were such, 495
Who thought the pow’r 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. 500
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 Publick Good, to serve their own.
Others thought Kings an useless heavy Load, 505
Who Cost too much, and did too little Good.
These were for laying Honest David by
On Principles of pure good Husbandry.
With them join’d all th’ Haranguers of the Throng
That thought to get Preferment by the Tongue. 510
Who follow next, a double danger bring,
Not onely hating David, but the King;
The Solymæan Rout; well Vers’d of old
In Godly Faction, and in Treason bold;
Cowring and Quaking at a Conqu’ror’s Sword, 515
But Lofty to a Lawful Prince Restored;
Saw with Disdain an Ethnick Plot begun
And Scorned by Jebusites to be Out-done.
Hot Levites Headed these; who pul’d before
From th’ Ark, which in the Judges days they bore, 520
Resum’d their Cant, and with a Zealous Crie
Pursu’d their old belov’d Theocracie.
Where Sanhedrin and Priest enslav’d the Nation
And justifi’d their Spoils by Inspiration:
For who so fit for Reign as Aaron’s Race, 525
If once Dominion they could found in Grace?
These led the Pack; though not of surest scent,
Yet deepest mouth’d against the Government.
A numerous Host of dreaming Saints succeed;
Of the true old Enthusiastick Breed: 530
‘Gainst Form and Order they their Pow’r imploy.
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, 535
Adored 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. 540
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 545
Not one, but all Mankind’s 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; 550
Then all for Women, Painting, Rhiming, Drinking,
Besides ten thousand Freaks that died in thinking.
Blest Madman, who coud every hour employ,
With something New to wish, or to enjoy!
Railing and praising were his usual Theams; 555
And both (to shew his Judgment) in Extreams:
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. 560
Begger’d by fools, whom still he found too late:
He had his Jest, and they had his Estate.
He laugh’d himself from Court; then sought Relief
By forming Parties, but could ne’r be Chief:
For, spight of him, the weight of Business fell 565
On Absalom and wise 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. 570
Wits, Warriors, Commonwealths-men 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, 575
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 Rascal Rabble here have Place,
Whom Kings no Titles gave, and God no Grace: 580
Not Bull-fac’d Jonas, who coud Statutes draw
To mean Rebellion, and make Treason Law.
But he, though bad, is follow’d by a worse,
The Wretch, who Heav’ns Anointed dar’d to Curse.
Shimei, whose Youth did early Promise bring 585
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. 590
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; 595
His Neck was loaded with a 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: 600
When two or three were gather’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,
Woud rather Curse, than break good Company. 605
If any durst his Factious Friends accuse,
He pact a jury of dissenting Jews:
Whose fellow-feeling, in the godly Cause
Would free the suff’ring Saint from Humane Laws.
For Laws are onely made to Punish those 610
Who serve the King, and to protect his Foes.
If any leisure time he had from Pow’r,
(Because ’tis Sin to misimploy an hour;)
His bus’ness was by Writing to persuade
That kings were Useless, and a Clog to Trade: 615
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; 620
Cool was his Kitchin, though 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. 625
With Spiritual Food he fed his Servants well,
But free from Flesh that made the Jews rebel:
And Moses’s Laws he held in more account,
For forty days of Fasting in the Mount.
To speak the rest, who better are forgot, 630
Would tire 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 Metal made,
While Nations stand secure beneath thy shade. 635
What though his Birth were base, yet Comets rise
From Earthy Vapours, e’r they shine in Skies.
Prodigious Actions may as well be done
By Weaver’s issue as by Prince’s son.
This Arch-Attestor for the Publick Good 640
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,
