Oft would he cry, when treasure he surpris'd,
'Tis Baalish gold in David's coin disguis'd.
Which to his house with richer relics came,
While lumber idols only fed the flame :
For our wise rabble ne'er took pains to inquire,
What 'twas he burnt, so 't made a rousing fire.
With which our elder was enrich'd no more
Than false Gehazi with the Syrian's store;
So poor, that when our choosing-tribes were met,
E'en for his stinking votes he ran in debt;
For meat the wicked, and as authors think,
The saints he chous'd for his electing drink;
Thus every shift and subtle method past,
And all to be no Zaken at the last.
Now, rais'd on Tyre's sad ruins, Pharaoh's pride Soar'd high, his legions threat'ning far and wide; As when a battering storm engender'd high,
V. 555. all to be no Zaken at the last] At the choosing a new parliament in the beginning of the year 1679, Sir William had, to no purpose, endeavoured to get himself chosen into the house; and the publicans, who trusted him at this time in such entertainments as he ordered, found it difficult to get their money from him. D.
V. 556. Now, rais'd on Tyre's sad ruins, Pharaoh's pride
The success of Lewis the XVIth's arms, particularly in Holland, rendered him formidable all over Europe; while England, who has it so much in her power to command respect, was scarcely regarded. Weakened by domestic disputes, her king always wanting money, and opposed and kept bare by her parliament, her mediation was of no consequence, and she had little or no influence abroad. D.
By winds upheld, hangs hovering in the sky,
Is gaz'd upon by every trembling swain,
This for his vineyard fears, and that his grain;
For blooming plants, and flowers new opening, these
For lambs yean'd lately, and far-lab'ring bees:
To guard his stock each to the gods does call,
Uncertain where the fire-charg'd clouds will fall:
E'en so the doubtful nations watch his arms,
With terror each expecting his alarms.
Where, Judah, where was now thy lion's roar?
Thou only couldst the captive lands restore;
But thou, with inbred broils and faction press'd,
From Egypt need'st a guardian with the rest.
Thy prince from Sanhedrims no trust allow'd,
Too much the representers of the crowd,
Who for their own defence give no supply,
But what the crown's prerogatives must buy: 575
As if their monarch's rights to violate
More needful were, than to preserve the state!
From present dangers they divert their care,
And all their fears are of the royal heir;
Whom now the reigning malice of his foes
Unjudg'd would sentence, and ere crown'd depose.
Religion the pretence, but their decree
To bar his reign, whate'er his faith shall be!
By Sanhedrims and clam'rous crowds thus press'd,
What passions rent the righteous David's breast?
Who knows not how to oppose or to comply,
Unjust to grant, and dangerous to deny !
How near in this dark juncture Israel's fate,
Whose peace one sole expedient could create,
Which yet the extremest virtue did require,
E'en of that prince whose downfall they conspire!
His absence David does with tears advise
To appease their rage. Undaunted he complies.
Thus he, who, prodigal of blood and ease,
A royal life expos'd to winds and seas,
At once contending with the waves and fire,
And heading danger in the wars of Tyre,
Inglorious now forsakes his native sand,
And like an exile quits the promis'd land!
Our monarch scarce from pressing tears refrains,
And painfully his royal state maintains,
Who now embracing on the extremest shore
Almost revokes what he enjoin'd before:
Concludes at last more trust to be allow'd
To storms and seas than to the raging crowd! 605
Forbear, rash muse, the parting scene to draw,
With silence charm'd as deep as theirs that saw!
Not only our attending nobles weep,
But hardy sailors swell with tears the deep!
The tide restrain'd her course, and, more amaz'd,
The twin-stars on the royal brothers gaz'd:
While this sole fear
Does trouble to our suffering hero bring,
Lest next the popular rage oppress the king!
V. 592. His absence David does with tears advise] This alludes to the Duke of York's quitting the court, and retiring to Brussels, and afterwards to Scotland. D.
Thus parting, each for the other's danger griev'd,
The shore the king, and seas the prince receiv'd.
Go, injur'd hero, while propitious gales,
Soft as thy consort's breath, inspire thy sails;
Well may she trust her beauties on a flood,
Where thy triumphant fleets so oft have rode! 620
Safe on thy breast reclin'd, her rest be deep,
Rock'd like a Nereid by the waves asleep;
While happiest dreams her fancy entertain,
And to Elysian fields convert the main!
Go, injur'd hero, while the shores of Tyre
At thy approach so silent shall admire,
Who on thy thunder still their thoughts employ,
And greet thy landing with a trembling joy.
On heroes thus the prophet's fate was thrown, Admir'd by every nation but their own; Yet while our factious Jews his worth deny, Their aching conscience gives their tongue the lie. E'en in the worst of men the noblest parts Confess him, and he triumphs in their hearts, Whom to his king the best respects commend 635 Of subject, soldier, kinsman, prince, and friend; All sacred names of most divine esteem, And to perfection all sustain'd by him, Wise, just, and constant, courtly without art, Swift to discern and to reward desert; No hour of his in fruitless ease destroy'd, But on the noblest subjects still employ'd; Whose steady soul ne'er learnt to separate Between his monarch's interest and the state,
But heaps those blessings on the royal head, 645 Which he well knows must be on subjects shed.
On what pretence could then the vulgar rage Against his worth and native rights engage? Religious fears their argument are made, Religious fears his sacred rights invade! Of future superstition they complain, And Jebusitic worship in his reign : With such alarms his foes the crowd deceive, With dangers fright which not themselves believe. Since nothing can our sacred rites remove, Whate'er the faith of the successor prove: Our Jews their ark shall undisturb'd retain, At least while their religion is their gain, Who know by old experience Baal's commands Not only claim'd their conscience, but their lands; They grudge God's tythes, how therefore shall they yield
An idol full possession of the field?
Grant such a prince enthron'd, we must confess
The people's sufferings than that monarch's less,
Who must to hard conditions still be bound,
And for his quiet with the crowd compound;
Or should his thoughts to tyranny incline,
Where are the means to compass the design?
Our crown's revenues are too short a store,
And jealous Sanhedrims would give no more. 670
As vain our fears of Egypt's potent aid.
Not so has Pharaoh learnt ambition's trade,
Nor ever with such measures can comply,
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