Th' one long'd to laugh, when spying them halfe blinde,

His mate to kill, as more to ruth inclin❜d.

"No doubt we might (if willing) where we went,
Have soon kill'd some, and hardly kept hands pure,
But would not so your enterprise prevent,
By making them suspect who lay secure ;
Our thoughts for private praise were not so bent,
A publike danger fondly to procure;" (true)
Then (brought from thence to prove their speeches
A belmet one, a sword the other shew.

Thus what they learn'd, each circumstance declar'd,
In every breast a thirst of battell bred,
With Abner and his sonne, Saul equall shar'd,
The glistring squadrons which no danger dread,
Of which both resolute, and well prepar'd,
Each one a hundred and ten thousand led:
The chiefes then met, who straight to fight did crave,
Saul needlesse spurres thus to franke courage gave.

"Whilst all events (as doubtfull) ballanc'd be,
The souldiers'mindes their earnest emperour cheares;
But what I should give you, ye give to me,
Whose resolution at an height appeares ;
A courage, yea, a confidence I see,
Through lookes which lightning every count'nance
cleares:

So that I should (if bent to move you more)
Cast water in the sea, sand on the shore.

"And O! what wonder though ye all be bold,
Your ancestors' victorious steps to trace,
Which oft triumph'd ore mighty states of old,
Whilst God the glory, they did purchase peace?
Heaven's register, by sacred pennes enrold
Their worth eternall, which each age must grace:
Who high exploits securely might effect,
When God himselfe as captaine did direct.

"With God at peace, what can appall that band, Whom so to help (when need requires such ayd) Seas part, rocks rend, food rains, walls fall, flouds stand,

One may chase thousands, thousands quake dismay'd, [mand, Whose hearts when God, men may the rest comAs bound, delivered, yet by none betray'd: The wonder-worker's power more plaine to make, Whilst one moe captives kept, then ten could take?

"A prey made sure ye onely go to seise,
(As spyes report) which may even dead be thought,
Since spoyl❜d by pleasure, buried in their ease,
To grace our labours not come here, but brought;
This hoast of ours the Lord of hoasts doth please,
Whose help, I doubt not, but ye all have sought :
Loe, Samuel here, and Saul; let this content,
A prophet, and a prince, by God both sent,

"But though not difficult this conquest seemes,
Great is the glory which doth it attend;
From bragg'd disgrace our brethren it redeemes,
Which (if not worse) would toward us extend,
And then by it the world that state esteemes,
Which oft ye urg'd, and have procur'd in th' end:
For, as this first, with fame now credit gaines,
Your course disprov'd, or still approv'd, remaines.

"Nor speake I this, as who of ought do doubt,
Since rather reines then spurres your courage needs,
Be providently brave, not rash, though stout,
Let your commander's words direct your deeds,
And thinke ye see me still to marke about,
Whose gallant carriage greatest glory breeds:
No valour thus in vaine shall be set forth,
One shall both witnesse and reward your worth.
"But why do I our victory delay,
And force your fury idlie thus to burne?
Go, go, wound, kill, take, spoyle, and leade away,
That straight in triumph we may all returne;
I see in flouds of bloud dead bodies stray,

I heare you shout for joy, for griefe them mourne:
And whil'st scorn'd ransomes have your hands not
All sacrifice at last, as first ye pray'd."

[stai'd,

Then godly Samuel fortifi'd them more,
By sprituall pow'r, then all their weapons else,
He pray'd with faith, and did with zeale adore,
Which, more then offrings, wrath for sinne expels,
Then, all religious rites perform'd before,
Which might draw help from Heaven, stay harm
from Hen's,

He by his blessing more confirm'd their mindes,
Then all could do, though joyn'd from Thule to Indes.

This mighty army did it selfe divide,
And by three wayes all forward went one way,
The dust, which in a cloud them seem'd to hide,
Even it, by covering, did them first betray;
When carelesse Ammon numbrous Israel spy'd,
Though dull amazement mindes a space did stay,
All with confusion sundry things advis'd, [pris'd."
"Rise, runne, haste, arme, ranke, march, we are sur-

Three armies view'd, each from a severall part,
Come not, and Iabesh as they did expect,
Who promis'd had (to sooth them so with art)
That they that day would further hopes neglect,
And this with terrour toss'd the strongest heart;
None knew what way their forces to direct;
The world conjur'd, seem'd all against them arm'd,
Whil'st glistring squadrons from each corner swarm'd.

Yet with great haste, what might be, was perform'd,
And nothing requisite was left undone;
The first confusion bravely was reform'd,
And the tumultuous bands all setled soone;
Then haughty Nahas, who extreamely storm'd,
Though griefe, and rage, his accents did mistoone;
He, to his troups, ere enemies could them reach,
With desp'rate courage did roare forth this speech.

"Hath dastard labesh thus with us disguis'd?
Or must their shame be witness'd by those bands?
Then, let us prove (though by our foes despis'd)
As seas in power, since they, in number, sands,
So shall they finde (though thinking us surpris'd)
That they in ours, we fall not in their hands:
They now to fight are all together brought,
Whom else when sever'd, we with toyle had sought,

"We must be great, or not be, in short space,
For, though so sought, no safety flight attends,
But what base breast can such vile thoughts imbrace?
Shame, even then death, a step more low descends;'
Losse now not onely threatens us'd disgrace,
But what to labesh ye, to you portends:

This boast as earst not now for glory strives, But (man's last hope) we fight to save our lives.

"It seemes, that Fortune, curious of our fame,
For some great end hath brought us to those straits,
Where we, when victors, all the praise may claime,
And leave (if dead) the burden on the Fates;
The greatest deeds adorning any name,
Were done by men, whea in most desp'rat states:
High resolution desp'rat valour brings,
Who hope for nothing, may contemne all things.

"My bands, and not my tongue, must make you stout, [leave; Which bloudy paths, where you may tread, shall If mix'd with theirs, what though our bloud gush out? Strive to revenge our death, not life to save, And let our falls presse downe their bands about, Which by our ruine, ruine may receive; So may they rue our losse, as too deare bought: Who live,still something, but the dead waile nought."

The trumpets' sound drown'd the last words in th'

But when they once did swords in bloud imbrue,
The en'mies challeng'd, changing blows or breath,
All irritated then, more earnest grew,
The publike wrong enlarg'd by private wrath;
Who felt their wounds, and did, who gave them view,
They no revenge allow'd, till seal'd by death;
All (save their foes, no object else in sight,
Nor Heaven, nor Earth)seem'd in the ayre to fight.
Weake words in vaine would pow'rfull deeds forth
The trumpets' sounds my daring lines abate; [set:
All there concurr'd what generous thoughts could
whet,

Bright glory angling hearts with honour's baite;
Franke courage then with desp'rate furie met,
Pride with contempt, and with old wrongs new hate:
Then, Fame was spy'd attending with a pen,
To register the acts of worthie men.

Brave Ionathan, proud Ammon to abate,
When his fierce squadron was imbark'd in bloud,
A godly anger, and a holy hate,
(No ill effects come from a cause so good)
Of many lives did cleare the doubtfull date,
Which flow'd in th' ayre amidst a crimson flood:
And what his looks, or words, did most perswade,
His hands in action demonstration made.

Shafts severall roomes (by conquest) now did gaine,
Which were of late all in one lodging pent,
For quivers, quivering bodies, them containe;
The bow as barren then, the off-spring spent,
Whilst breaking strings(as sighing)seem'd to plaine,
And burst at last, in vaine loath to be bent,
Or as an abject tree to be throwne downe,
Which interest had in Ionathan's renowne.

Though arrows first, made, by commission, warre, And what hands bragg'd, seem'd through the ayre to breathe,

Straight forward courage scorn'd to fight afarre,
By blows, at hazard, trafficking with death;
He with a tree more strong did squadrons marre;
The speare, a gyant, darts were dwarffs of wrath;
It, even when crush'd, a number did confound;
To venge the whole, each splinter gave a wound.

That which true worth most honour hath to use,
When this great Hebrew's hand to tosse began,
Which onely cuts, where other weapons bruise,
Of armes the glory, ornament of man;
A storme of stroaks in foes did feare infuse,
Which there wrought wonders, fame forever wanne:
His face seem'd clad with flames, th' eyes lightned so,
Starres to his owne, and comets to his foe.

Couragious Abner courted glorie's love,
No rash director, but to action swift,
That even his place pale envy did approve,
As his desert, and not his soveraigne's gift;
It seem'd a thousand hands his sword did move,
His minde so high a generous rage did lift:
At heart, or eye, which should the first arrive,
The lightning glance and thundring blow did strive.

Like Autumn's spoyls a publicke prey which fall,
When low stretch'd out lay Ammon's loftie brood,
It did their king amaze, but not appall,
Though in their wounds acknowledging his blood,
Yet he (whose strength was lessened in them all)
A while relenting (as distracted) stood:

By blowes redoubled charging every way,
Whilst he but wish'd who did him kill, to kill,
Bloud leaving him, his danger did betray,
Which rage in vaine, would have dissembled still,
And th' other storm'd so long with one to stay,
Who might elsewhere fields with dead bodies fill;
Just indignation all his strength did bend,
The heart conjuring hands to make an end.
The Hebrew us'd at once both strength and art;
Th' one hand did ward, a blow the other gave,
Which hit his head (the marke of many a dart)
Whose batt'red temples fearefull sense did leave;
The treacherous helmet tooke the strongest part,
And bruis'd those braines which it was set to save;
Yet dying striking, last he th' earth did wound,
Whose fall (as some great oakes) made it rebound.

His eyes againe began to gather light,
And Ionathan (when victor) to relent,
But straight just hate presented, as in sight,
His barbarous actions, and abhorr'd intent;
How (vainely vaunting of a victor's right)
That all his thoughts to cruelty were bent:
Whose raging minde, on captives strangely strict,
Then bondage, spoyle, or death would more inflict.

"Thou tyrant, thou," said he, "who didst devise,
Else farre from fame, for ill to be renown'd,
Those halfe-blinde Hebrews whom thou did'st despise,
They vengeance urge, they, they, give thee this

wound;"

With that, by his right eye (who striv'd to rise)
The flaming sword amidst his braynes he drown'd:
Whose guilty ghost, where shadowes never end,
With indignation, grudging did descend.

As if Hell's furies had thy sprite inspir'd,
Loe, what have all thy cruelties acquir'd,
Prodigious creature, monster inhumane,
Which thus with interest time returnes againe,
But Hell, when hence, and here, whence now retir'd,
That thy remembrance odious may remaine :
Yet with this comfort thou abandon'st breath,
The hand of Ionathan adorn'd thy death.

As some fierce lyon, raging through the fields,
(Which of beasts kill'd contemnes the tasted bloud)
Doth hunt another, when another yeelds,
Yet, wanton, riots, as for sport not food;
So lacob's gallant (breaching many shields)
Bent for more prey, with him no longer stood,
And till their chiefe his followers follow'd too,
Nought did seeme done, whil'st ought remain'd to do.

All Israel's squadrons, circling Ammon in,
Straight at his center threatning were to meet,
Which poynt (the last man kill'd) all march'd to
winne,

Where halfe dead bodies made a breathing street,
All striv'd to end, as lately to begin,
Whilst dust did dry what bloud and sweat made weet;
Mars courting courage, first shin'd bright about,
But then with horrour turn'd his inside out.

Saul as ov'r bodies then did raigne in hearts,
O how farre chang'd from what he first had been!
And by plaine valour, scorning usuall arts,
The emulous Abner eminent was seene;
These three, at first which charg'd from divers parts,
Seem'd foes oppos'd, their foes, as chanc'd, between:

Whom (from encountring, that them nought might | They but beat downe, to make a patent way. [stay)

When hopes on doubts no longer did depend,
Whilst Israel's colours victory did beare,
Some seem'd to grieve that warre so soone would end,
And striv'd in time what trophees they might reare;
Whilst flattring Glory, lofty thoughts to bend,
In gorgeous robes did whisper in each eare,
"What brave man now my beauties will embrace,
To breed (Fame's minions) an immortall race?"

When through the camp their soveraign's death was known,

A sad confusion seaz'd on Ammon's brood,
Then lords of none, no, no, nor yet their owne,
As strangers stray'd, they all distracted stood,
And ere by foes, ev'n by themselves ore-thrown,
An ycie coldnesse did congeale their bloud:
"None fully vanquish'd are till first they yeeld,
And, till first left, doe never lose the field."

Hopes (though once high) then faln down in their
No way was left for a secure retreat; [feet,
To flye was shamefull, yet to live was sweet,
And they themselves more lov'd, then foes did hate;
Them death(still sterne) where ever turn'd, did meet:
Each sword's bright glance, seem'd summons from
their fate :

O how base feare doth make some sprights to faile, Heart faint, hands weake, eyes dimme, the face grows pale.

Of broken bands the trouble was extreme,
Who felt ils worst, and yet imagin'd more:
Spoile, danger, bondage, feare, reproach, and shame,
Did still encroach beside, behinde, before;
And yet their hearts (if hearts they had) did dreame,
Those in one masse, and all confusion's store:
They, wishing death, although they fear'd to dye,
First from themselves, then from all else did flye.

The slaughter then all measure did surpasse;
Whilst victors rag'd, bloud from each hand did raine;
The liquid rubies dropping downe the grasse,
With scarlet streames the fatall fields did staine;
Till they, with dust congeal'd (a horrid masse)
(By bodies stop'd) a marrish did remaine,
Through which who waded, wounded did appeare,
And loath'd that bloud which once was held so
deare.

They who when strong, their neighbours did deride,
And (then of ruine, dreaming nothing lesse)
Would warre with God, and in the height of pride
His chosen people labour to oppresse;
They now all kill'd, else scattered on each side,
Felt what they threatned, bondage and distresse:
"Thus oft they fall, who others doe pursue,
Men drinke the dregs of all the ills they brew."

No, no, their breasts such fancies fond not bred,
As if themselves had their delivery wrought;
By piety not by ambition led,

Farre from vaine praise, they Israel's safety sought,
Charg'd by God's hand, they knew that Ammon fled,
And from his favour derogating nought,
Where tumid Gentiles would have bragg'd abroad,
Their glory was to glorifie their God.

Sweet freedome's treasure did enrich their eyes;
Whilst joyfull Iabesh opened up her ports,
Men, women, children, people of all sorts,
With voyces as distracted pierc'd the skyes;
O how each one of them the rest exhorts,
To sound his praise who pitted had their cryes!
And (as wrong founded) any joy was griefe,
Save for God's glory, more then their reliefe.

Wives forth with haste did to their husbands rinne,
Who told to them (describing dangers past)
"Hence Saule first charg'd, there Abner entred in,
Here we about them did a compasse cast;
There Ionathan with Nahas did beginne,
And kill'd him here, where, loe, he lyes at last:"
But forward kindenesse this discourse doth stay,
Th' one's lips must point that which another's say.
Troups call'd alow'd (mov'd by this battell much)
"Where are they now who ask'd if Saul should
raigne?

Let swords (yet smoking) purge the land of such,
Who from base envy bursted out disdaine;"
Yet them milde Saul would suffer none to touch,
But said, no cloud so cleare a day should staine:
And since the Lord all Israel had releev'd,
None should be kill'd for him, no, nor yet griev❜d.
Ere flames, yet hot, extinguish'd were againe,
The Lord's great prophet will'd them all to go
To Gilgall straight, there to confirme his raigne,
In that new state grown fearfull to each foe;
Where sacred offrings liberally were slaine,
The late delivery to acknowledge so: (minds,
As bloud from beasts, praise flow'd from gratefull
Each one himselfe for further service binds.

By sacrifice the kingdome's right renu'd,
This speech to Israel, matchlesse Samuel made,
"Loe, granted is all that for which you su'd, [leade:
There stands the king, who should your squadrons
My sonnes are here, time hath my strength subdu'd;
Age crown'd with white triumphs upon my head;
Eyes dimme, legges weake, (infirmities growne rife)
Death hath beseig'd the lodging of my life.

Though all my dayes in charge, I challenge you,
Let each man speake (as he hath reason) free,
Before the lord, and his anointed now;
No crimes conceale, I come accus'd to be, [bow?
What bragge, or bribe, hath made my judgment
Whose oxe, or asse, hath taken beene by me?
Whome have I harm'd, or wrong'd, in goods or fame?
I stand to satisfie who ever claime."

The people straight (applauding) did reply, [best;"
"With heart, and hands still pure, thou didst the
For witnesses, then, both, who loud did cry,
With his lievtenant, did great God attest:
O happy judge, who well did live and dye,
Still prais'd on th'Earth! in Heaven with glory rest;
At that great day, whom all with Christ shall see,
To judge those judges who not follow'd thee.