DAVID
AND BETHSABE |
|
By
George Peele |
|
Performed
c. 1596 |
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First
Published 1599 |
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The love of King David
and Fair Bethsabe. |
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With the Tragedie of
Absalon. |
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As it hath ben diuers
times plaied on the stage. |
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Written - by George
Peele. |
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LONDON, |
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Printed by Adam Islip. |
|
1599 |
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DRAMATIS PERSONAE: |
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David and his Family: |
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David, King of Israel and Judah. |
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Cusay, a lord, and follower of David. |
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Amnon, son of David by Ahinoam |
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Jethray, Servant to Amnon. |
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Chileab, son of David by Abigail. |
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Absalon, son of David by Maacah. |
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Thamar, daughter of David by Maacah. |
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Adonia, son of David by Haggith. |
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Salomon, son of David by Bethsabe. |
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Joab, captain of the host to David, and nephew of |
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David and son of his sister Zeruia. |
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Abisai, nephew of David and son of his sister Zeruia. |
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Amasa, nephew of David and son of his sister
Abigail; |
|
also captain of
the host to Absalon. |
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Jonadab, nephew of David and son of his brother |
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Shimeah; also
friend to Amnon. |
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Other Characters: |
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Urias, a warrior in David's army. |
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Bethsabe, wife of Uriah. |
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Maid to Bethsabe. |
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Nathan, a prophet. |
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Sadoc, high-priest. |
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Ahimaas, his son. |
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Abiathar, a priest. |
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Jonathan, his son. |
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Achitophel, chief counsellor to Absalon. |
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Ithay, a Captain from Gath. |
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Semei. |
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Hanon, King of Ammon. |
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Machaas, King of Gath. |
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Woman of Thecoa. |
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Messenger, Soldiers,
Shepherds, and Attendants. |
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Concubines to David. |
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Chorus. |
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PROLOGUS. |
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1 |
Of Israel's sweetest
singer now I sing, |
2 |
His holy style and
happy victories; |
Whose Muse was dipt in
that inspiring dew |
|
4 |
Arch-angels stillèd
from the breath of Jove, |
Decking her temples
with the glorious flowers |
|
6 |
Heavens rained on tops
of Sion and Mount Sinai. |
Upon the bosom of his ivory
lute |
|
8 |
The cherubins and
angels laid their breasts; |
And, when his
consecrated fingers strook |
|
10 |
The golden wires of
his ravishing harp, |
He gave alarum to the
host of Heaven, |
|
12 |
That, winged with
lightning, brake the clouds, and cast |
Their crystal armour
at his conquering feet. |
|
14 |
Of this sweet poet,
Jove's musiciän, |
And of his beauteous
son, I prease to sing. |
|
16 |
Then help, divine
Adonai, to conduct |
Upon the wings of my
well-tempered verse |
|
18 |
The hearers' minds
above the towers of Heaven, |
And guide them so in
this thrice-haughty flight, |
|
20 |
Their mounting
feathers scorch not with the fire |
That none can temper
but thy holy hand: |
|
22 |
To thee for succour
flies my feeble Muse, |
And at thy feet her
iron pen doth use. |
|
24 |
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The Prologue-speaker, before going out, draws a |
|
26 |
curtain and discovers Bethsabe, with her Maid, |
bathing over a spring: |
|
28 |
she sings, and David sits above viewing her. |
SCENE I. |
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The Royal Palace,
Jerusalem. |
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David sitting on the Palace roof, |
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watching Bethsabe below bathing over a spring. |
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THE SONG. |
|
1 |
Hot sun, cool fire,
tempered with sweet air, |
2 |
Black shade, fair
nurse, shadow my white hair: |
Shine, sun; burn,
fire; breathe, air, and ease me; |
|
4 |
Black shade, fair
nurse; shroud me, and please me: |
Shadow, my sweet
nurse, keep me from burning, |
|
6 |
Make not my glad cause
cause of mourning. |
Let not my beauty's
fire |
|
8 |
Inflame unstaid
desire, |
Nor pierce any bright
eye |
|
10 |
That wandereth
lightly. |
12 |
Beth. Come, gentle Zephyr, tricked with those perfumes |
That erst in Eden
sweetened Adam's love, |
|
14 |
And stroke my bosom
with thy silken fan: |
This shade, sun-proof,
is yet no proof for thee; |
|
16 |
Thy body, smoother
than this waveless spring, |
And purer than the
substance of the same, |
|
18 |
Can creep through that
his lances cannot pierce: |
Thou, and thy sister,
soft and sacred Air, |
|
20 |
Goddess of life, and
governess of health, |
Keep every fountain
fresh and arbour sweet; |
|
22 |
No brazen gate her
passage can repulse, |
Nor bushly thicket bar
thy subtle breath: |
|
24 |
Then deck thee with
thy loose delightsome robes, |
And on thy wings bring
delicate perfumes, |
|
26 |
To play the wantons
with us through the leaves. |
28 |
David. What tunes, what words, what looks, what wonders pierce |
My soul, incensèd with
a sudden fire? |
|
30 |
What tree, what shade,
what spring, what paradise, |
Enjoys the beauty of
so fair a dame? |
|
32 |
Fair Eva, placed in
perfect happiness, |
Lending her
praise-notes to the liberal heavens, |
|
34 |
Strook with the
accents of arch-angels' tunes, |
Wrought not more
pleasure to her husband's thoughts |
|
36 |
Than this fair woman's
words and notes to mine. |
May that sweet plain
that bears her pleasant weight |
|
38 |
Be still enamelled
with discoloured flowers; |
That precious fount
bear sand of purest gold; |
|
40 |
And, for the pebble,
let the silver streams |
That pierce earth's
bowels to maintain the source, |
|
42 |
Play upon rubies,
sapphires, chrysolites; |
The brims let be
embraced with golden curls |
|
44 |
Of moss that sleeps
with sound the waters make |
For joy to feed the
fount with their recourse; |
|
46 |
Let all the grass that
beautifies her bower |
Bear manna every morn
instead of dew, |
|
48 |
Or let the dew be
sweeter far than that |
That hangs, like
chains of pearl, on Hermon hill, |
|
50 |
Or balm which trickled
from old Aaron's beard. − |
Cusay, come up, and
serve thy lord the king. |
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52 |
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Enter Cusay above. |
|
54 |
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Cusay. What service doth my lord the king command? |
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56 |
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David. See, Cusay, see the flower of Israel, |
|
58 |
The fairest daughter
that obeys the king |
In all the land the
Lord subdued to me; |
|
60 |
Fairer than Isaac's
lover at the well, |
Brighter than
inside-bark of new-hewn cedar, |
|
62 |
Sweeter than flames of
fine-perfumèd myrrh, |
And comelier than the
silver clouds that dance |
|
64 |
On Zephyr's wings
before the King of Heaven. |
66 |
Cusay. Is it not Bethsabe the Hethite's wife, |
Urias now at Rabbah
siege with Joab? |
|
68 |
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David. Go know, and bring her quickly to the king; |
|
70 |
Tell her, her graces
hath found grace with him. |
72 |
Cusay. I will, my lord. |
74 |
[Exit.] |
76 |
David. Bright Bethsabe shall wash, in David's bower, |
In water mixed with
purest almond-flower, |
|
78 |
And bathe her beauty
in the milk of kids: |
Bright Bethsabe gives
earth to my desires; |
|
80 |
Verdure to earth; and
to that verdure flowers; |
To flowers sweet
odours; and to odours wings |
|
82 |
That carry pleasures
to the hearts of kings. |
84 |
Enter Cusay, below, to Bethsabe, |
she starting as something affright. |
|
86 |
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Cusay. Fair Bethsabe, the King of Israel |
|
88 |
From forth his
princely tower hath seen thee bathe; |
And thy sweet graces
have found grace with him: |
|
90 |
Come, then, and kneel
unto him where he stands; |
The king is gracious,
and hath liberal hands. |
|
92 |
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Beth. Ah, what is Bethsabe to please the king? |
|
94 |
Or what is David, that
he should desire, |
For fickle beauty's
sake, his servant's wife? |
|
96 |
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Cusay. David, thou know'st, fair dame, is wise and just, |
|
98 |
Elected to the heart
of Israel's God; |
Then do not thou
expostulate with him |
|
100 |
For any action that
contents his soul. |
102 |
Beth. My lord the king, elect to God's own heart, |
Should not his
gracious jealousy incense |
|
104 |
Whose thoughts are
chaste: I hate incontinence. |
106 |
Cusay. Woman, thou wrong'st the king, and doubt'st his honour, |
Whose truth maintains
the crown of Israel, |
|
108 |
Making him stay that
bade me bring thee straight. |
110 |
Beth. The king's poor handmaid will obey my lord. |
112 |
Cusay. Then come, and do thy duty to his grace; |
And do what seemeth
favour in his sight. |
|
114 |
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[Exit, below, with Bethsabe.] |
|
116 |
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David. Now comes my lover tripping like the roe, |
|
118 |
And brings my longings
tangled in her hair. |
To joy her love I'll build a kingly bower, |
|
120 |
Seated in hearing of a
hundred streams, |
That, for their homage
to her sovereign joys, |
|
122 |
Shall, as the serpents
fold into their nests |
In oblique turnings,
wind the[ir] nimble waves |
|
124 |
About the circles of
her curious walks; |
And with their murmur
summon easeful sleep |
|
126 |
To lay his golden
sceptre on her brows. − |
Open the doors, and
entertain my love; |
|
128 |
Open, I say, and, as
you open, sing, |
Welcome, fair
Bethsabe, King David's darling. |
|
130 |
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Enter, above, Cusay, with Bethsabe. |
|
132 |
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Welcome, fair
Bethsabe, King David's darling. |
|
134 |
Thy bones' fair
covering, erst discovered fair, |
And all mine eyes with
all thy beauties pierced: |
|
136 |
As Heaven's bright eye
burns most when most he climbs |
The crookèd zodiac
with his fiery sphere, |
|
138 |
And shineth furthest
from this earthly globe; |
So, since thy beauty
scorched my conquered soul, |
|
140 |
I called thee nearer
for my nearer cure. |
142 |
Beth. Too near, my lord, was your unarmèd heart |
When furthest off my
hapless beauty pierced; |
|
144 |
And would this dreary
day had turned to night, |
Or that some pitchy
cloud had cloaked the sun, |
|
146 |
Before their lights
had caused my lord to see |
His name disparaged
and my chastity! |
|
148 |
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David. My love, if want of love have left thy soul |
|
150 |
A sharper sense of
honour than thy king, |
(For love leads
princes sometimes from their seats,) |
|
152 |
As erst my heart was
hurt, displeasing thee, |
So come and taste thy ease with easing me. |
|
154 |
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Beth. One medicine cannot heal our different harms; |
|
156 |
But rather make both
rankle at the bone: |
Then let the king be
cunning in his cure, |
|
158 |
Lest flattering both,
both perish in his hand. |
160 |
David. Leave it to me, my dearest Bethsabe, |
Whose skill is
cónversant in deeper cures. − |
|
162 |
And, Cusay, haste thou
to my servant Joab, |
Commanding him to send
Urias home |
|
164 |
With all the speed can
possibly be used. |
166 |
Cusay. Cusay will fly about the king's desire. |
168 |
[Exeunt.] |
SCENE II. |
|
Before the Walls of
the City of Rabbah, |
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Enter Joab, Abisai, Urias, and others, |
|
1 |
Joab. Courage, ye mighty men of Israel, |
2 |
And charge your fatal
instruments of war |
Upon the bosoms of
proud Ammon's son[s], |
|
4 |
That have disguised
your king's ambassadors, |
Cut half their beards
and half their garments off, |
|
6 |
In spite of Israel and
his daughters' sons! |
Ye fight the holy
battles of Jehovah, |
|
8 |
King David's God, and
ours, and Jacob's God, |
That guides your
weapons to their conquering strokes, |
|
10 |
Orders your footsteps,
and directs your thoughts |
To stratagems that
harbour victory: |
|
12 |
He casts his sacred
eyesight from on high, |
And sees your foes run
seeking for their deaths, |
|
14 |
Laughing their labours
and their hopes to scorn; |
While 'twixt your
bodies and their blunted swords |
|
16 |
He puts on armour of
his honour's proof, |
And makes their
weapons wound the senseless winds. |
|
18 |
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Abis. Before this city Rabbah we will lie, |
|
20 |
And shoot forth shafts
as thick and dangerous |
As was the hail that
Moses mixed with fire, |
|
22 |
And threw with fury
round about the fields, |
Devouring Pharaoh's
friends and Egypt's fruits. |
|
24 |
|
Urias. First, mighty captains, Joab and Abisai, |
|
26 |
Let us assault, and
scale this kingly tower, |
Where all their
conduits and their fountains are; |
|
28 |
Then we may easily
take the city too. |
30 |
Joab. Well hath Urias counselled our attempts; |
And as he spake us, so
assault the tower: |
|
32 |
Let Hanon now, the
king of Ammon's son[s], |
Repulse our conquering
passage if he dare. |
|
34 |
|
Enter Hanon, Machaas, and others, upon the walls. |
|
36 |
|
Hanon. What would the shepherd's-dogs of Israel |
|
38 |
Snatch from the mighty
issue of King Ammon, |
The valiant Ammonites
and haughty Syrians? |
|
40 |
'Tis not your late
successive victories |
Can make us yield, or
quail our courages; |
|
42 |
But if ye dare assay
to scale this tower, |
Our angry swords shall
smite ye to the ground, |
|
44 |
And venge our losses
on your hateful lives. |
46 |
Joab. Hanon, thy father Nahas gave relief |
To holy David in his
hapless exile, |
|
48 |
Livèd his fixèd date,
and died in peace: |
But thou, instead of
reaping his reward, |
|
50 |
Hast trod it under
foot, and scorned our king; |
Therefore thy days shall end with violence, |
|
52 |
And to our swords thy
vital blood shall cleave. |
54 |
Mach. Hence, thou that bear'st poor Israel's shepherd's-hook, |
The proud lieutenant
of that base-born king, |
|
56 |
And keep within the
compass of his fold; |
For, if ye seek to
feed on Ammon's fruits, |
|
58 |
And stray into the
Syrians' fruitful meads, |
The mastives of our
land shall worry ye, |
|
60 |
And pull the weesels
from your greedy throats. |
62 |
Abis. Who can endure these pagans' blasphemies? |
64 |
Urias. My soul repines at this disparagement. |
66 |
Joab. Assault, ye valiant men of David's host, |
And beat these railing
dastards from their doors. |
|
68 |
|
[Assault, and they win the tower; |
|
70 |
and then Joab speaks above.] |
72 |
Thus have we won the tower, which we will keep, |
Maugre the sons of
Ammon and of Syria. |
|
74 |
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Enter Cusay below. |
|
76 |
|
Cusay. Where is Lord Joab, leader of the host? |
|
78 |
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Joab. Here is Lord Joab, leader of the host. |
|
80 |
Cusay, come up, for we
have won the hold. |
82 |
Cusay. In happy hour, then, is Cusay come. |
84 |
Cusay goes up. |
86 |
Joab. What news, then, brings Lord Cusay from the king? |
88 |
Cusay. His majesty commands thee out of hand |
To send him home Urias
from the wars, |
|
90 |
For matter of some
service he should do. |
92 |
Urias. 'Tis for no choler hath surprised the king, |
I hope, Lord Cusay,
'gainst his servant's truth? |
|
94 |
|
Cusay. No; rather to prefer Urias' truth. |
|
96 |
|
Joab. Here, take him with thee, then, and go in peace; |
|
98 |
And tell my lord the
king that I have fought |
Against the city
Rabbah with success, |
|
100 |
And scalèd where the
royal palace is, |
The conduit-heads and
all their sweetest springs: |
|
102 |
Then let him come in
person to these walls, |
With all the soldiers
he can bring besides, |
|
104 |
And take the city as
his own exploit, |
Lest I surprise it,
and the people give |
|
106 |
The glory of the
conquest to my name. |
108 |
Cusay. We will, Lord Joab; and great Israel's God |
Bless in thy hands the
battles of our king! |
|
110 |
|
Joab. Farewell, Urias; haste away the king. |
|
112 |
|
Urias. As sure as Joab breathes a victor here, |
|
114 |
Urias will haste him
and his own return. |
116 |
[Exeunt Cusay and Urias.] |
118 |
Abis. Let us descend, and ope the palace' gate, |
Taking our soldiers in
to keep the hold. |
|
120 |
|
Joab. Let us, Abisai: − and, ye sons of Judah, |
|
122 |
Be valiant, and
maintain your victory. |
124 |
[Exeunt.] |
SCENE III. |
|
The House of Amnon in
Jerusalem, |
|
Enter Amnon, Jonadab, Jethray, and Amnon's Page. |
|
1 |
Jonad. What means my lord, the king's belovèd son,
|
2 |
That wears upon his
right triumphant arm |
The power of Israel
for a royal favour, |
|
4 |
That holds upon the
tables of his hands |
Banquets of honour and
all thought's content, |
|
6 |
To suffer pale and
grisly abstinence |
To sit and feed upon
his fainting cheeks, |
|
8 |
And suck away the
blood that cheers his looks? |
10 |
Amnon. Ah, Jonadab, it is my sister's looks, |
On whose sweet beauty
I bestow my blood, |
|
12 |
That makes me look so
amorously lean; |
Her beauty having
seized upon my heart, |
|
14 |
So merely consecrate
to her content, |
Sets now such guard
about his vital blood, |
|
16 |
And views the passage
with such piercing eyes, |
That none can scape to
cheer my pining cheeks, |
|
18 |
But all is thought too
little for her love. |
20 |
Jonad. Then from her heart thy looks shall be relieved, |
And thou shalt joy her
as thy soul desires. |
|
22 |
|
Amnon. How
can it be, my sweet friend Jonadab, |
|
24 |
Since Thamar is a
virgin and my sister? |
26 |
Jonad. Thus it shall be: lie down upon thy bed, |
Feigning thee
fever-sick and ill-at-ease; |
|
28 |
And when the king
shall come to visit thee, |
Desire thy sister
Thamar may be sent |
|
30 |
To dress some dainties
for thy malady: |
Then when thou hast
her solely with thyself, |
|
32 |
Enforce some favour to
thy manly love. |
See where she comes:
entreat her in with thee. |
|
34 |
|
Enter Thamar.
|
|
36 |
|
Tham. What aileth Amnon, with such sickly looks |
|
38 |
To daunt the favour of
his lovely face? |
40 |
Amnon. Sweet Thamar, sick, and wish some wholesome cates |
Dressed with the
cunning of thy dainty hands. |
|
42 |
|
Tham. That hath the king commanded at my hands; |
|
44 |
Then come and rest
thee, while I make thee ready |
Some dainties easeful
to thy crazèd soul. |
|
46 |
|
Amnon. I go, sweet sister, easèd with thy sight. |
|
48 |
|
[Exeunt Thamar, Amnon, Jethray, and Page.] |
|
50 |
|
Jonad. Why should a prince, whose power may command,
|
|
52 |
Obey the rebel
passions of his love, |
When they contend but
'gainst his consciënce, |
|
54 |
And may be governed or
suppressed by will? − |
Now, Amnon, loose
those loving knots of blood, |
|
56 |
That sucked the
courage from thy kingly heart, |
And give it passage to
thy withered cheeks. |
|
58 |
Now, Thamar, ripened
are the holy fruits |
That grew on plants of
thy virginity; |
|
60 |
And rotten is thy name
in Israel: |
Poor Thamar, little
did thy lovely hands |
|
62 |
Foretell an action of
such violence |
As to contend with
Amnon's lusty arms |
|
64 |
Sinewed with vigour of
his kindless love: |
Fair Thamar, now
dishonour hunts thy foot, |
|
66 |
And follows thee
through every covert shade, |
Discovering thy shame
and nakedness, |
|
68 |
Even from the valleys
of Jehosaphat |
Up to the lofty mounts
of Lebanon; |
|
70 |
Where cedars, stirred
with anger of the winds, |
Sounding in storms the
tale of thy disgrace, |
|
72 |
Tremble with fury, and
with murmur shake |
Earth with their feet
and with their heads the heavens, |
|
74 |
Beating the clouds
into their swiftest rack, |
To bear this wonder
round about the world. |
|
76 |
|
[Exit.] |
|
SCENE IV. |
|
Outside the Door to
Amnon's House. |
|
Re-enter Amnon thrusting out Thamar, and Jethray. |
|
1 |
Amnon. Hence from my bed, whose sight offends my soul |
2 |
As doth the parbreak
of disgorgèd bears! |
4 |
Tham. Unkind, unprincely, and unmanly Amnon, |
To force, and then
refuse thy sister's love, |
|
6 |
Adding unto the fright
of thy offence |
The baneful torment of
my published shame! |
|
8 |
O, do not this
dishonour to thy love, |
Nor clog thy soul with
such increasing sin! |
|
10 |
This second evil far
exceeds the first. |
12 |
Amnon. Jethray, come thrust this woman from my sight, |
And bolt the door upon
her if she strive. |
|
14 |
|
[Exit.] |
|
16 |
|
Jeth. Go, madam, go; away, you must begone; |
|
18 |
My lord hath done with
you: I pray, depart. |
20 |
[Shuts her out. − Exit.] |
22 |
Tham. Whither, alas, ah, whither shall I fly, |
With folded arms and
all-amazèd soul? |
|
24 |
Cast as was Eva from
that glorious soil, |
(Where all delights
sat bating, winged with thoughts, |
|
26 |
Ready to nestle in her
naked breasts,) |
To bare and barren
vales with floods made waste, |
|
28 |
To desert woods, and
hills with lightening scorched, |
With death, with
shame, with hell, with horror sit; |
|
30 |
There will I wander
from my father's face; |
There Absalon, my
brother Absalon, |
|
32 |
Sweet Absalon shall
hear his sister mourn; |
There will I lure with
my windy sighs |
|
34 |
Night-ravens and owls
to rend my bloody side, |
Which with a rusty
weapon I will wound, |
|
36 |
And make them passage
to my panting heart. |
Why talk'st thou,
wretch, and leav'st the deed undone? |
|
38 |
Rend hair and
garments, as thy heart is rent |
With inward fury of a
thousand griefs, |
|
40 |
And scatter them by
these unhallowed doors, |
To figure Amnon's
resting cruëlty, |
|
42 |
And tragic spoil of
Thamar's chastity. |
44 |
Enter Absalon. |
46 |
Abs. What causeth Thamar to exclaim so much? |
48 |
Tham. The cause that Thamar shameth to disclose. |
50 |
Abs. Say; I thy brother will revenge that cause. |
52 |
Tham. Amnon, our father's son, hath forcèd me, |
And thrusts me from
him as the scorn of Israel. |
|
54 |
|
Abs. Hath Amnon forcèd thee? by David's hand, |
|
56 |
And by the covenant
God hath made with him, |
Amnon shall bear his
violence to hell; |
|
58 |
Traitor to Heaven,
traitor to David's throne, |
Traitor to Absalon and
Israel! |
|
60 |
This fact hath Jacob's
ruler seen from Heaven, |
And through a cloud of
smoke and tower of fire, |
|
62 |
As he rides vaunting
him upon the greens, |
Shall tear his
chariot-wheels with violent winds, |
|
64 |
And throw his body in
the bloody sea; |
At him the thunder
shall discharge his bolt; |
|
66 |
And his fair spouse,
with bright and fiery wings, |
Sit ever burning on
his hateful bones: |
|
68 |
Myself, as swift as
thunder or his spouse, |
Will hunt occasion
with a secret hate, |
|
70 |
To work false Amnon an
ungracious end. − |
Go in, my sister; rest
thee in my house; |
|
72 |
And God in time shall
take this shame from thee. |
74 |
Tham. Nor God nor time will do that good for me. |
76 |
[Exit.] |
SCENE V. |
|
Jerusalem. |
|
Enter David with his train. |
|
1 |
David. My Absalon, what mak'st thou here alone, |
2 |
And bears such
discontentment in thy brows? |
4 |
Abs. Great cause hath Absalon to be displeased, |
And in his heart to
shroud the wounds of wrath. |
|
6 |
|
David. 'Gainst whom should Absalon be thus displeased? |
|
8 |
|
Abs. 'Gainst wicked Amnon, thy ungracious son, |
|
10 |
My brother and fair
Thamar's by the king, |
My step-brother by
mother and by kind: |
|
12 |
He hath dishonoured
David's holiness, |
And fixed a blot of
lightness on his throne, |
|
14 |
Forcing my sister
Thamar when he feigned |
A sickness, sprung
from root of heinous lust. |
|
16 |
|
David. Hath Amnon brought this evil on my house, |
|
18 |
And suffered sin to
smite his father's bones? |
Smite, David, deadlier
than the voice of Heaven, |
|
20 |
And let hate's fire be
kindled in thy heart: |
Frame in the arches of
thy angry brows, |
|
22 |
Making thy forehead,
like a comet, shine, |
To force false Amnon
tremble at thy looks. |
|
24 |
Sin, with his
sevenfold crown and purple robe, |
Begins his triumphs in
my guilty throne; |
|
26 |
There sits he watching
with his hundred eyes |
Our idle minutes and
our wanton thoughts; |
|
28 |
And with his baits,
made of our frail desires, |
Gives us the hook that
hales our souls to hell: |
|
30 |
But with the spirit of
my kingdom's God |
I'll thrust the
flattering tyran from his throne, |
|
32 |
And scourge his
bondslaves from my hallowed court |
With rods of iron and
thorns of sharpened steel. |
|
34 |
Then, Absalon, revenge
not thou this sin; |
Leave it to me, and I
will chasten him. |
|
36 |
|
Abs. I am content: then grant, my lord the king, |
|
38 |
Himself with all his
other lords would come |
Up to my sheep-feast
on the plain of Hazor. |
|
40 |
|
David. Nay, my fair son, myself with all my lords |
|
42 |
Will bring thee too
much charge; yet some shall go. |
44 |
Abs. But let my lord the king himself take pains; |
The time of year is
pleasant for your grace, |
|
46 |
And gladsome summer in
her shady robes, |
Crownèd with roses and
with planted flowers, |
|
48 |
With all her nymphs,
shall entertain my lord, |
That, from the thicket
of my verdant groves, |
|
50 |
Will sprinkle
honey-dews about his breast, |
And cast sweet balm
upon his kingly head: |
|
52 |
Then grant thy
servant's boon, and go, my lord. |
54 |
David. Let it content my sweet son Absalon, |
That I may stay, and
take my other lords. |
|
56 |
|
Abs. But shall thy best-belovèd Amnon go? |
|
58 |
|
David. What needeth it, that Amnon go with thee? |
|
60 |
|
Abs. Yet do thy son and servant so much grace. |
|
62 |
|
David. Amnon shall go, and all my other lords, |
|
64 |
Because I will give
grace to Absalon. |
66 |
Enter Cusay and Urias, with others. |
68 |
Cusay. Pleaseth my lord the king, his servant Joab |
Hath sent Urias from
the Syrian wars. |
|
70 |
|
David. Welcome, Urias, from the Syrian wars, |
|
72 |
Welcome to David as
his dearest lord. |
74 |
Urias. Thanks be to Israel's God and David's grace, |
Urias finds such
greeting with the king. |
|
76 |
|
David. No other greeting shall Urias find |
|
78 |
As long as David sways
th' elected seat |
And consecrated throne
of Israel. |
|
80 |
Tell me, Urias, of my
servant Joab; |
Fights he with truth
the battles of our God, |
|
82 |
And for the honour of
the Lord's anointed? |
84 |
Urias. Thy servant Joab fights the chosen wars |
With truth, with
honour, and with high success, |
|
86 |
And, 'gainst the
wicked king of Ammon's sons, |
Hath, by the finger of
our sovereign's God, |
|
88 |
Besieged the city
Rabbah, and achieved |
The court of waters,
where the conduits run, |
|
90 |
And all the Ammonites'
delightsome springs: |
Therefore he wisheth David's mightiness |
|
92 |
Should number out the
host of Israel, |
And come in person to
the city Rabbah, |
|
94 |
That so her conquest
may be made the king's, |
And Joab fight as his
inferior. |
|
96 |
|
David. This hath not God and Joab's prowess done |
|
98 |
Without Urias'
valours, I am sure, |
Who, since his true
conversion from a Hethite |
|
100 |
To an adopted son of
Israel, |
Hath fought like one
whose arms were lift by Heaven, |
|
102 |
And whose bright sword
was edged with Israel's wrath. |
Go, therefore, home,
Urias, take thy rest; |
|
104 |
Visit thy wife and
household with the joys |
A victor and a
favourite of the king's |
|
106 |
Should exercise with
honour after arms. |
108 |
Urias. Thy servant's bones are yet not half so crazed, |
Nor constitute on such
a sickly mould, |
|
110 |
That for so little
service he should faint, |
And seek, as cowards,
refuge of his home: |
|
112 |
Nor are his thoughts
so sensually stirred, |
To stay the arms with
which the Lord would smite |
|
114 |
And fill their circle
with his conquered foes, |
For wanton bosom of a
flattering wife. |
|
116 |
|
David. Urias hath a beauteous sober wife, |
|
118 |
Yet young, and framed
of tempting flesh and blood; |
Then, when the king
hath summoned thee from arms, |
|
120 |
If thou unkindly
shouldst refrain her bed, |
Sin might be laid upon
Urias' soul, |
|
122 |
If Bethsabe by frailty
hurt her fame: |
Then go, Urias, solace
in her love; |
|
124 |
Whom God hath knit to
thee, tremble to loose. |
126 |
Urias. The king is much too tender of my ease: |
The ark and Israel and
Judah dwell |
|
128 |
In palaces and rich
pavilions; |
But Joab and his
brother in the fields, |
|
130 |
Suffering the wrath of
winter and the sun: |
And shall Urias (of
more shame than they) |
|
132 |
Banquet, and loiter in
the work of Heaven? |
As sure as thy soul
doth live, my lord, |
|
134 |
Mine ears shall never
lean to such delight, |
When holy labour calls
me forth to fight. |
|
136 |
|
David. Then be it with Urias' manly heart |
|
138 |
As best his fame may
shine in Israel. |
140 |
Urias. Thus shall Urias' heart be best content, |
Till thou dismiss me
back to Joab's bands: |
|
142 |
This ground before the
king my master's doors |
Shall be my couch, and
this unwearied arm |
|
144 |
The proper pillow of a
soldier's head; |
146 |
[Lies down.] |
148 |
For never will I lodge
within my house, |
Till Joab triumph in
my secret vows. |
|
150 |
|
David. Then fetch some flagons of our purest wine, |
|
152 |
That we may welcome
home our hardy friend |
With full carouses to
his fortunes past |
|
154 |
And to the honours of
his future arms; |
Then will I send him
back to Rabbah siege, |
|
156 |
And follow with the
strength of Israel. |
158 |
Enter one with flagons of wine. |
160 |
Arise, Urias; come and
pledge the king. |
162 |
Urias. If David think me worthy such a grace, |
I will be bold and
pledge my lord the king. |
|
164 |
|
[Rises.] |
|
166 |
|
David. Absalon and Cusay both shall drink |
|
168 |
To good Urias and his
happiness. |
170 |
Abs. We will, my lord, to please Urias' soul. |
172 |
David. I will begin, Urias, to thyself, |
And all the treasure
of the Ammonites, |
|
174 |
Which here I promise
to impart to thee, |
And bind that promise
with a full carouse. |
|
176 |
|
[Drinks.] |
|
178 |
|
Urias. What seemeth pleasant in my sovereign's eyes, |
|
180 |
That shall Urias do
till he be dead. |
182 |
David. Fill him the cup. − |
184 |
[Urias drinks.] |
186 |
Follow, ye lords that love |
Your sovereign's
health, and do as he hath done. |
|
188 |
|
Abs. Ill may he thrive, or live in Israel, |
|
190 |
That loves not David,
or denies his charge. − |
Urias, here is to
Abisai's health, |
|
192 |
Lord Joab's brother
and thy loving friend. |
194 |
[Drinks.] |
196 |
Urias. I pledge Lord Absalon and Abisai's health. |
198 |
[Drinks.] |
200 |
Cusay. Here
now, Urias, to the health of Joab, |
And to the pleasant
journey we shall have |
|
202 |
When we return to
mighty Rabbah siege. |
204 |
|
206 |
Urias. Cusay, I pledge thee all with all my heart. − |
Give me some drink, ye
servants of the king; |
|
208 |
Give me my drink. |
210 |
[Drinks.] |
212 |
David. Well done, my good Urias! drink thy fill, |
That in thy fulness
David may rejoice. |
|
214 |
|
Urias. I will, my lord. |
|
216 |
|
Abs. Now, Lord Urias, one carouse to me. |
|
218 |
|
Urias. No, sir, I’ll drink to the king; |
|
220 |
Your father is a
better man than you. |
222 |
David. Do so, Urias; I will pledge thee straight. |
224 |
Urias. I will indeed, my lord and sovereign; |
I[’ll] once in my days
be so bold. |
|
226 |
|
David. Fill him his glass. |
|
228 |
|
Urias. Fill me my glass. |
|
230 |
|
He gives him the glass. |
|
232 |
|
David. Quickly, I say. |
|
234 |
|
Urias. Quickly, I say. − Here, my lord, by your favour |
|
236 |
now I drink to you. |
238 |
[Drinks.] |
240 |
David. I pledge thee, good Urias, presently. |
242 |
[Drinks.] |
244 |
Abs. Here, then, Urias, once again for me, |
And to the health of
David's children. |
|
246 |
|
[Drinks.] |
|
248 |
|
Urias. David's children! |
|
250 |
|
Abs. Ay, David's children: wilt thou pledge me, man? |
|
252 |
|
Urias. Pledge me, man! |
|
254 |
|
Abs. Pledge me, I say, or else thou lov'st us not. |
|
256 |
|
Urias. What, do you talk? do you talk? I'll no more; I'll lie down
here. |
|
258 |
|
David. Rather, Urias, go thou home and sleep. |
|
260 |
|
Urias. O, ho, sir! would you make me break my sentence? |
|
262 |
|
[Lies down.] |
|
264 |
|
Home, sir! no, indeed,
sir: I’ll sleep upon mine |
|
266 |
arm, like a soldier;
sleep like a man as long as I live in |
Israel. |
|
268 |
|
David. [Aside]
|
|
270 |
If naught will serve
to save his wife's renown, |
I'll send him with a
letter unto Joab |
|
272 |
To put him in the
forefront of the wars, |
That so my purposes
may take effect. − |
|
274 |
Help him in, sirs. |
276 |
[Exeunt David and Absalon.] |
278 |
Cusay. Come, rise, Urias; get thee in and sleep. |
280 |
Urias. I will not go home, sir; that's flat. |
282 |
Cusay. Then come and rest thee upon David's bed. |
284 |
Urias. On, afore, my lords, on, afore. |
[Exeunt.] |
|
CHORUS I. |
|
Enter Chorus.
|
|
1 |
Chor. O
proud revolt of a presumptuous man, |
2 |
Laying his bridle in
the neck of sin, |
Ready to bear him past
his grave to hell! |
|
4 |
Like as the fatal
raven, that in his voice |
Carries the dreadful
summons of our deaths, |
|
6 |
Flies by the fair
Arabian spiceries, |
Her pleasant gardens
and delightsome parks, |
|
8 |
Seeming to curse them
with his hoarse exclaims, |
And yet doth stoop
with hungry violence |
|
10 |
Upon a piece of
hateful carrion; |
So wretched man,
displeased with those delights |
|
12 |
Would yield a
quickening savour to his soul, |
Pursues with eager and
unstanchèd thirst |
|
14 |
The greedy longings of
his loathsome flesh. |
If holy David so shook
hands with sin, |
|
16 |
What shall our baser
spirits glory in? |
This kingly giving
lust her rein |
|
18 |
Pursues the sequel
with a greater ill. |
Urias in the forefront
of the wars |
|
20 |
Is murthered by the
hateful heathens' sword, |
And David joys his too
dear Bethsabe. |
|
22 |
Suppose this past, and
that the child is born, |
Whose death the
prophet solemnly doth mourn. |
|
24 |
|
[Exit.] |
|
SCENE VI. |
|
The Royal Palace at
Jerusalem. |
|
Enter Bethsabe with her Handmaid. |
|
1 |
Beth. Mourn, Bethsabe, bewail thy foolishness, |
2 |
Thy sin, thy shame,
the sorrow of thy soul: |
Sin, shame, and sorrow
swarm about thy soul; |
|
4 |
And, in the gates and
entrance of my heart, |
Sadness, with wreathèd
arms, hangs her complaint. |
|
6 |
No comfort from the
ten-stringed instrument, |
The twinkling cymbal,
or the ivory lute; |
|
8 |
Nor doth the sound of
David's kingly harp |
Make glad the broken
heart of Bethsabe: |
|
10 |
Jerusalem is filled
with thy complaint, |
And in the streets of
Sion sits thy grief. |
|
12 |
The babe is sick, sick
to the death, I fear, |
The fruit that sprung
from thee to David's house; |
|
14 |
Nor may the pot of
honey and of oil |
Glad David or his
handmaid's countenance. |
|
16 |
Urias − wo is me
to think hereon! |
For who is it among
the sons of men |
|
18 |
That saith not to my
soul, "The king hath sinned; |
David hath done amiss,
and Bethsabe |
|
20 |
Laid snares of death
unto Urias' life"? |
My sweet Urias, fall’n
into the pit |
|
22 |
Art thou, and gone
even to the gates of hell |
For Bethsabe, that
wouldst not shroud her shame. |
|
24 |
O, what is it to serve
the lust of kings! |
How lion-like th[e]y
rage when we resist! |
|
26 |
But, Bethsabe, in
humbleness attend |
The grace that God
will to his handmaid send. |
|
28 |
|
[Exeunt.] |
|
SCENE VII. |
|
The Palace. |
|
Enter David in his gown, walking sadly; |
|
Servants attending. |
|
1 |
David. [Aside] |
2 |
The babe is sick, and
sad is David's heart, |
To see the guiltless
bear the guilty's pain. |
|
4 |
David, hang up thy
harp; hang down thy head; |
And dash thy ivory
lute against the stones. |
|
6 |
The dew, that on the
hill of Hermon falls, |
Rains not on Sion's
tops and lofty towers; |
|
8 |
The plains of Gath and
Askaron rejoice, |
And David's thoughts
are spent in pensiveness: |
|
10 |
The babe is sick,
sweet babe, that Bethsabe |
With woman's pain
brought forth to Israel. |
|
12 |
|
Enter Nathan.
|
|
14 |
|
But what saith Nathan
to his lord the king? |
|
16 |
|
Nath. Thus Nathan saith unto his lord the king: |
|
18 |
There were two men
both dwellers in one town; |
The one was mighty,
and exceeding rich |
|
20 |
In oxen, sheep, and
cattle of the field; |
The other poor, having
nor ox, nor calf, |
|
22 |
Nor other cattle, save
one little lamb |
Which he had bought
and nourished by the hand; |
|
24 |
And it grew up, and
fed with him and his, |
And eat and drank as
he and his were wont, |
|
26 |
And in his bosom
slept, and was to live |
As was his daughter or
his dearest child. |
|
28 |
There came a stranger
to this wealthy man; |
And he refused and
spared to take his own, |
|
30 |
Or of his store to
dress or make him meat, |
But took the poor
man's sheep, partly, poor man's store, |
|
32 |
And dressed it for
this stranger in his house. |
What, tell me, shall
be done to him for this? |
|
34 |
|
David. Now, as the Lord doth live, this wicked man |
|
36 |
Is judged and shall
become the child of death; |
Fourfold to the poor
man shall he restore, |
|
38 |
That without mercy
took his lamb away. |
40 |
Nath. Thou art the man; and thou hast judged thyself. |
David, thus saith the
Lord thy God by me: |
|
42 |
"I thee anointed
king in Israel, |
And saved thee from
the tyranny of Saul; |
|
44 |
Thy master's house I
gave thee to possess; |
His wives into thy
bosom did I give, |
|
46 |
And Judah and
Jerusalem withal; |
And might, thou
know'st, if this had been too small, |
|
48 |
Have given thee more: |
Wherefore, then, hast
thou gone so far astray, |
|
50 |
And hast done evil,
and sinned in my sight? |
Urias thou hast killèd
with the sword; |
|
52 |
Yea, with the sword of
the uncircumcised |
Thou hast him slain:
wherefore, from this day forth, |
|
54 |
The sword shall never
go from thee and thine; |
For thou hast ta'en
this Hethite's wife to thee: |
|
56 |
Wherefore, behold, I
will," saith Jacob's God, |
"In thine own
house stir evil up to thee; |
|
58 |
Yea, I before thy face
will take thy wives, |
And give them to thy
neighbour to possess: |
|
60 |
This shall be done to
David in the day, |
That Israel openly may
see thy shame." |
|
62 |
|
David. Nathan, I have against the Lord, I have |
|
64 |
Sinnèd; O, sinnèd
grievously! and, lo, |
From Heaven's throne
doth David throw himself, |
|
66 |
And groan and grovel
to the gates of hell! |
68 |
[Falls down.] |
70 |
Nath. [Raising him] |
David, stand up: thus saith the Lord by me: |
|
72 |
David the king shall
live, for He hath seen |
The true repentant
sorrow of thy heart; |
|
74 |
But, for thou hast in
this misdeed of thine |
Stirred up the enemies
of Israel |
|
76 |
To triumph, and
blaspheme the God of Hosts, |
And say, he set a
wicked man to reign |
|
78 |
Over his lovèd people
and his tribes, − |
The child shall surely
die, that erst was born, |
|
80 |
His mother's sin, his
kingly father's scorn. |
82 |
[Exit.] |
84 |
David. How just is Jacob's God in all his works! |
But must it die that
David loveth so? |
|
86 |
O, that the Mighty One
of Israel |
Nill change his doom,
and says the babe must die! |
|
88 |
Mourn, Israel, and
weep in Sion-gates; |
Wither, ye cedar-trees
of Lebanon; |
|
90 |
Ye sprouting almonds,
with your flowering tops, |
Droop, drown, and
drench in Hebron's fearful streams: |
|
92 |
The babe must die that
was to David born, |
His mother's sin, his
kingly father's scorn. |
|
94 |
|
[Sits sadly.] |
|
96 |
|
Enter Cusay. |
|
98 |
|
1st Serv. What
tidings bringeth Cusay to the king? |
|
100 |
|
Cusay. To thee, the servant of King David's court, |
|
102 |
This bringeth Cusay,
as the prophet spake; |
The Lord hath surely
stricken to the death |
|
104 |
The child new-born by
that Urias' wife, |
That by the sons of
Ammon erst was slain. |
|
106 |
|
1st Serv. Cusay,
be still; the king is vexèd sore: |
|
108 |
How shall he speed
that brings this tidings first, |
When, while the child
was yet alive, we spake, |
|
110 |
And David's heart
would not be comforted? |
112 |
David. Yea, David's heart will not be comforted! |