Anti-Achitophel (1682) Part 9

What mayn't these cunning men hope to atchieve, When by their Arts few men their Plot believe?

When b'horrid ways, not known to _Jews_ before, Their Plot's transform'd, and laid now at our door?

But fear not, Sir, we have a sure Defence, The Peoples Love, G.o.d, Law, and Innocence.

Keep fast your Vertue, and you shall be blest, And let alone to G.o.d and Time the rest.

The n.o.ble Youth, with Vertues Robes arrai'd, Consider'd well what the wise _Hushai_ said.

Desire of Power, though of Celestial Birth, Below, is ever intermixt with Earth: And all who do to hight of Place aspire, Have earthly Smoak mixt with their mounting Fire.

Praise may debauch, and strong Ambition blind, Where heav'nly Vertue does not guard the Mind.

But _Azaria_ so well understood, He left the Evil, and embrac'd the Good: Tho in his breast aspiring thoughts he found, Yet Loyalty still kept them within bound.

And tho he might have Empire in his Eye, When to it by his bloud allay'd so nigh, Yet in his Soul such Virtue did remain, He by Rebellion would not Empire gain.

Through every Vein his Loyal Bloud did run, Yet Royal too, as _Amazia_'s Son.

About his n.o.ble Heart he felt it spring; Which let him know his Father was a King.

If that to _Azaria_ were a Blot, His Father made it when he him begot: But Heav'n such Virtue moulded with his Soul, That his aspiring l.u.s.t it did controul.

Thus to wise _Hushai_ he repli'd: I finde Your Counsel is agreeing with my Minde.

And tho my Foes me an ill man do make, My Loyalty I never will forsake: Yet, prudent _Hushai_, do not Nature blame, } If I cannot, unmov'd, appear so tame } As not to shew Resentment at my Shame. } Oh, would to Heav'n I ne'er had been begot!

Or never had been born a Royal Blot!

My Father's Bloud runs thorow every Vein; } He form'd those Spirits which desire to reign, } Mount t'wards a Throne, and sordid Earth disdain. } In Glory, Fame, Crowns, Empire, they delight, And to all these they would a.s.sert my Right.

And my great Thoughts do whisper there is none Can be more neer a Father, than his Son.

This prompts me to oppose _Eliakim_, And never yield my Father's Crown to him.

But then one groveling thought strait pulls me down, And throws me at a distance from The Crown.

Oh, would to G.o.d------And here he stopt and sigh'd, Whilst _Hushai_ thus to the griev'd Prince repli'd.

Indeed, great Prince, it seemeth wondrous strange To all the World, to see your Father's change; To find the happy Love he us'd to show'r, Like fruitful Rain, on you, to fall no more: To see a Son, the Father's dear Delight, His pleasing Joy, now banish'd from his sight.

Nature must in the Father deeply groan, When from his Heart is rent so dear a Son.

Nor can I think, tho he from you should part, A Brother e'er can lie so near his Heart.

To work this Change, your Foes much Art do use, } Their venom'd Tongues your Fathers Ears abuse, } And you of an aspiring mind accuse. } Justice in _Amazia_ bears such sway, That even Nature must to it give way; H'ad rather Nature force, and part with you, Than seem to rob another of his due.

He holds it just, and as a thing divine, To keep unbroken still the Royal Line.

Such an Example we can hardly find, A King to's Brother so exceeding kind; When by it he doth such great hazard run, Losing at once his People and his Son.

Grieve not, great Prince, at your unhappy Fate; } Let not your Birth your Vertue to abate; } It was not you that could your self create. } I should great folly shew, should I repine At what I could not help, and was no fault of mine.

Tho by your Mothers side your Birth was mean, And tho your Mother no declared Queen, If Heaven and your Father please, you may By lawful Right, _Judea_'s Scepter sway, After that he is number'd with the Dead, And his great Soul to _Abraham_'s Bosom fled.

Possession of a Crown clears every Stain; No blot of Birth to you can then remain.

What Pow'r on Earth, by Right, dares question you?

Or what your Father and _Sanhedrim_ do?

Nor is your Birth to Heaven any let; G.o.d _Jepthtah_ once did o're _Judea_ set.

He was a Conquerour of a mighty Name, And's Mother no ways did eclipse his Fame, Nor bar'd him from the t.i.tle of a King, Nor those who after from his Loins did spring.

Nature may yet make your great Father kind; And who can tell but he may change his mind, When your Succession shall be understood To be the Peoples Choice, and for the Nations Good?

But let us leave what is to come, to Fate; Yours Father's pleasure and G.o.d's will await.

Long may it be ere the King's life doth end; On it our Peace and Happiness depend.

Like Wheat full ripe, with many years bow'd down, Let him leave this for an immortal Crown.

And who can tell Heav'n's will? it may be too, _Eliakim_ may die before the King or you.

Think of no t.i.tles while your Father lives; Take not what an unjust Occasion gives.

For to take Arms you can have no pretence, Tho it should be e'en in your own defence.

It better were without the Crown to die, Than quit your Vertue and blest Loyaltie.

You with the numerous Peoples Love are blest, Not of the Vulgars onely, but the Best.

I would not have you their kind Love repel, Nor give encouragement for to rebel: For their Affection which they wildly shew, Is rendred, by your Foes, a Crime in you.

Here you your Course must even steer and strait, } That you may not your Father's fears create; } Keep the _Jews_ Love, and not increase his Hate. } Leave for a while the Citie and the Court, Go and divert your self with Country-sport; Perhaps your Foes may then abate their spight, And you may be forgot, when out of sight.

By your Retirement, you will let them see You'd take away all cause of Jealousie.

That you, like _Absalom_, will never prove, To court the head-strong Peoples factious Love.

Nor will I ever prove _Achitophel_, To give you wicked Counsel to rebel.

Continue still your Loyalty, be just; And for the Crown, G.o.d and your Vertue trust.

Endeavour not to take what may be giv'n; Deserve it first, and then receive't from Heav'n.

He said, And this Advice above the rest, Suited with _Azaria_'s Vertue best.

He was not stain'd with Cruelty or Pride; A thousand Graces he possest beside.

To Vertue he was naturally inclin'd, And Goodness clothed his heroick Mind.

His Kingly Vertues made him fit to reign, Yet scorn'd by evil Arts the Crown to gain.

And tho he Empire to desire did seem, His Loyalty was still more dear to him: Therefore he did not court the Peoples Love, Nor us'd their Pow'r his Rival to remove.

From's Father he fought not their Hearts to steal, Nor head a Faction mov'd by blinding Zeal; But like a vertuous and a pious Son, Sought all occasions of Offence to shun.

In private like a common man sat down, His Peace his Rule, his Loyalty his Crown.

Thus humble, vertuous, loyal, void of Pride, Most of the _Jews_ he gained to his side.

Not factious Sects, the Rabble, or the rude Erring, unthinking, vulgar Mult.i.tude: But the chief Tribes and Princes of the Land, Who durst for _Moses_'s ancient Statutes stand.

The pious, just, religious, and the good, Men of great Riches, and of greater Bloud, Did, as one man, themselves together joyn To stop the _Baalites_, and h.e.l.l's curst design.

Not wicked, or seduc'd by impious Arts, But Loyal all, and Patriots in their Hearts.

For they beheld the _Baalites_ foul intent, Religion to o'rethrow and Government.

These at the Monarch's Power did not grutch, Since bound by Laws, he could not have too much.

What Laws prescribe, they thought he well might have, How could he else his Realm in danger save?

But _Baal_'s or _Egypt_'s Yoke they would refuse, Not fitting for the Necks of free-born _Jews_.

They all resolve the King not to oppose, Yet to defend the Nation from its Foes.

And were it not for those great Worthy men, The _Jews_ distress'd and wretched soon had been.

Among the Rout perhaps there some might blend, Whose int'rest made them Publick Good pretend; Weary of Peace, new Troubles would create, And for their private Gain, embroyl the State.

And some perhaps there were, who thought a King To be of Charge, and but an useless thing.

Some idle Fops, who publickly debate To shew their Parts, the deep Intrigues of State; These and some others, for a Commonwealth, Among the Herd, unseen, might hide by stealth: But it would strange to common Justice seem, For some few bad, the sound Flock to condemn.

Like Goats among the Sheep, well known these bleat, And are like Darnel 'mong the purest Wheat.

These not as Friends, but Enemies to the Throne, Good Patriots and good Subjects did disown.

And _Azaria_, tho they us'd his name, Disdain'd their Friendship with a loyal shame.

But he beheld appearing on his side, Princes, whose Faith and Loyalty were try'd; Such as no base or sordid ends could move, Who did his Father and their Country love.

In the first rank of these did _Nashon_ stand, None n.o.bler or more loyal in the Land.

Under the King he once did _Edom_ sway, And taught that Land the _Jews_ good Laws t'obey.

True to his Word, and of unspotted Fame; Great both in Parts, in Vertue, and in Name.

His Faith ne'r touch'd, his Loyalty well known, A Friend both to his Country and the Throne.

Base ends his great and n.o.ble Soul did scorn, Of loyal, high, and n.o.ble Parents born.

His Father with renown and great Applause, For _Joash_ di'd, and suffer'd for his Cause.

Of great _Aminadab_ who would not sing, Whose glory shin'd next to the martyr'd King?

From him his Son true Loyalty understood, Imprest on's Soul, seal'd with his Father's Bloud.

The grave, religious, wife, rich _Helon_ too, } Much honoured by every zealous _Jew_, } Appear'd a Patriot, to his Country true. } In the _Jews_ Laws, and strict Religion bred, And _Baal_'s curst Rites did much abhor and dread.

His Son _Eliab_, in the _Sanhedrim_, With courage had oppos'd _Eliakim_: A man whose many Vertues, and his Parts, Had won upon the sober Peoples Hearts.

From every Faction, and from Envy free; } Lov'd well the King, but hated Flatterie; } Kept _Moses_'s Laws, yet was no _Pharisee_. } He went not to their _Synagogues_ to pray, But to the Holy Temple every day.

With piercing Judgment saw the Lands Disease, And labour'd onely for the Kingdoms Peace: Loyal and honest was esteem'd by all, Excepting those who strove to set up _Baal_.

For an ill Action he ne'r stood reprov'd; But's King, his Country, and Religion lov'd.

No Taint ere fell upon _Eliab_'s name, Nor h.e.l.l it self found cause to spot his Fame.

_Pagiel_ with honour loaded, and with years, Among this Loyal Princely Train appears.

None _Pagiel_ tax'd, for no one ever knew That he to _Amazia_ was untrue.

A Fame unspotted he might truly boast; Yet he had Foes, and his gain'd Favours lost.

_Zuar_, a sober and a vertuous Prince, Who never gave least cause of an offence.

_Elishama_, at once both sage and young, } From n.o.ble and from loyal Fathers sprung, } Shone bright among this sober Princely throng. } _Enan_, a Prince of very worthie Fame; Great in deserved t.i.tle, Bloud, and Name.

_Elizur_ too, who number'd with the best In Vertue, scorn'd to lag behind the rest.

_Abidon_ and _Gamaliel_ had some sway; Both loyal, and both zealous in their way.

And now once more I will invoke my Muse, To sing brave _Ashur_'s praise who can refuse?

Sprung from an ancient and a n.o.ble Race, With Courage stampt upon his manly face; Young, active, loyal; had through Dangers run, And with his Sword abroad had Honours won: Well-spoken, bold, free, generous, and kind, And of a n.o.ble and discerning mind.