David and Bersheba;
To a Pleasant New Tune.
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WHen David in Jerusalem
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as royal King did rule and reign,
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Behold what happened unto him,
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that afterwards procur'd his pain:
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On the top of all his Princely Pallace,
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a gallant prospect there had he,
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From whence he might when't pleas'd his Grace,
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many a gallant Garden see.
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It chanced so upon a day,
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the King went forth to take the ayr,
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All in a pleasant month of May,
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whereas he spy'd a Lady fair,
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Her beauty was most excellent,
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and brighter then the morning Sun,
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By which the King incontinent,
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was to her favour quickly won;
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She stood within a pleasant Bower,
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all naked for to wash her there,
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Her body like a Lilly flower,
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was covered with her Golden hair:
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The King was wounded with her Love,
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and what she was he did require,
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He could not his affections move,
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he had in her such great desire,
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She is Uriahs wife quoth they,
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a Captain of your princely train,
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That in your wars is now away,
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and she doth all alone remain.
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Then said the King bring her to me,
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for with her love my heart is slain,
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The Princess of beauty sure is she,
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for whom I do great grief sustain.
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The servants they do soon prepare,
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to do the Message of the King,
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And Bersheba the Lady fair,
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unto the Court did quickly bring.
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The King rejoyced at her sight,
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and won her love and laid her by,
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All they in sport had spent that night,
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and that the Sun was risen high:
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The King his leave most kindly took,
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till that three months were gon and past,
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And then again he did return,
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with wondrous speed and hast,
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And then in Bersheba so fair,
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she found her former health exil'd,
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By certain tokens that she saw,
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the King had gotten her with Child:
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Then to the King she made her moan,
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and told him how the case did stand,
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The King sent for her husband home,
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to cloak the matter out of hand.
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When from the Camp Uriah came,
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the King receiv'd him courteously,
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Demanding how all things did frame,
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concerning of the Enemy:
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Uriah shew'd his Highness all
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the accidents of warlike strife,
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Then said the King this night you shall,
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keep company with your own wife.
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The ark of God Uriah said,
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with Judah's Hoast, and Israel
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Keep in the field and not a man,
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within the house where they do dwell;
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Then should I take my ease, (quoth he)
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in bed of Down with my fair wife,
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O King, he said that may not be,
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so long as I enjoy my life:
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Then did the King a Letter frame,
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to Joab General of the Host,
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And by Uriah sent the same,
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but certainly his life it cost.
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The Second Part, to the same Tune.
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ANd when the King for certain knew,
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Uriah thus had murdered been,
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Fair Bersheba to the Court he drew,
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and made of her his Royal Queen.
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Then God that saw this wicked deed,
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was angry at King Davids sin,
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The Prophet Nathan then with speed,
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came thus complaining unto him.
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O David ponder what I say,
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a great abuse I shall you tell,
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For thou that rul'st in equity,
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should see the people ruled well,
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Two men within the City dwell,
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the one is Rich the other poor,
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The Rich in Cattel doth excell,
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the other nothing hath in store,
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Saving one little silly Sheep,
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which young he did with money buy,
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With his own bread he did it feed,
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amongst his Children tenderly:
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The Rich Man had a stranger came
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unto his house that lov'd him dear,
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The Poor mans Sheep therefore he took
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and thereof made his friend good chear,
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Because that he his own would save,
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he us'd the man most cruelly,
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Then by the Lord the King did swear,
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the rich man for that fault should dye.
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Thou art the man the Prophet said,
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the Princely Crown God gave to thee,
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The Lords wife thou thy own hast made,
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and many more of fair beauty.
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Why hast thou so defil'd thy life,
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and slain Uriah with the Sword,
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And taken home his wedded wife,
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regarding not Gods holy word,
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Therefore behold thus saith the Lord,
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great wars upon thy house shall be,
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Because thou hast my Laws abhor'd,
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much ill be sure i'le cast on thee.
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I'le take thy wives before thy face,
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and give them to their neighbours use,
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And thou thereby shalt reap disgrace,
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for man shall laugh at thy abuse;
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Then David cryed out piteously,
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sore have I sinned against the Lord,
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In mercy therefore look on me,
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let not my prayers be abhor'd:
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But as the Prophet told to him,
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so did it after chance indeed,
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For God did greatly plague his sin,
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as in the Bible you may read;
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The scourge of sin thus you may see,
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for Murder and Adultery,
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And grant that we may warned be,
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such crying sins to shun and flye:
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