King David and Bath-sheba.
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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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Which afterwards did cause him pain.
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Upon the top of his palace,
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A gallant prospect there had he,
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It highly might have pleas'd his grace,
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Such rural prospects for to see.
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It came to pass one evening tide,
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King David on the roof did go,
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A comely woman there he spy'd,
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Washing herself, we find 'twas so.
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Her beauty was most excellent,
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He thought her brighter than the sun,
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He being so 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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And naked, for to wash her there,
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Her body as the lilly flower,
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For to behold was very fair.
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The king was smitten for her love,
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And what she were he did require,
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He could not his affections move,
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For her he had such great desire.
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She is Uriah's wife said they,
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A captain of your princely train,
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He in the wars is now away,
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And she doth now alone remain.
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The[n] said the king, bring her to me,
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For with love of her my heart is slain,
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Princess of beauty sure is she,
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For whom I do much grief sustain.
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His servants they did soon prepare,
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To do the message of the king,
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And Bathsheba, that lady fair,
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Unto the court did quickly bring.
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The king rejoiced her to see,
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He took her and did lie with her,
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And soon conceived then did she,
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For by the king with child she were.
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Unto the king she made her moan,
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And told him how the case did stand,
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David sent for her husband home,
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To cloak the matter now in hand.
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When from the camp Uriah came,
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David 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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Said David then 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 host and Israel,
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Encamped are in open field,
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Not one within the house does dwell,
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Should I then take my ease, said he,
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On 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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A letter then the king did frame,
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To Joab, general of his host,
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And by Uriah sent the same,
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But certainly his life it lost.
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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 Bathsheba to court he drew,
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And made of her his royal queen.
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But God who saw this wicked deed,
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Was angry at king David's sin,
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Nathan the prophet 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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And 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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One of them rich, the other poor,
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In cattle one doth much excel,
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Nothing the other 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 man's sheep he then did claim,
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Of it he made his friend good cheer.
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Because that he his own would save,
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He us'd the man's, --- what cruelty!
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David then by the Lord did swear,
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For this fault the rich man should die.
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Thou art the man the prophet said,
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A princely crown the Lord gave thee,
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Uriah's wife thou'st made thy own,
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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 God's holy word!
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Behold, therefore, 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 besure I'll bring on thee.
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I'll take thy wives before thy face,
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And give them to thy 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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David then cried out piteously,
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I sure have sinned against the Lord,
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In mercy therefore look on me,
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Nor let my prayers now be abhor'd.
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But as the prophet told to him,
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So did it come to him indeed,
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For God did plague him for his sin,
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As in the bible you may read.
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The scourge of sin we may see here,
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For murder and adultery!---
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May we obey the Lord with fear,
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And from such sins always to flee.
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