To this kind _Absolom_ but little spoke; Onely return'd a Nod, and gracious Look. For though recorded Fame with pride has told, Of his great Actings, Wonders manifold; And his great Thinkings most Diviners guess; Yet his great Speakings no Records express.
All things thus safe; and now for one last blow, To give his Foes a total Overthrow; A Blow not in Hells Legends match'd before, The remov'd Plot's laid at the Enemies door. The old Plot forg'd against the Saints of _Baal_, Cheat, Perjury, and Subornation all, Whilst with a more damn'd Treason of their own, Like working Moles they're digging round the Throne; _Baal_, _Baal_, the cry, and _Absolom_ the Name, But _Davids_ glory, Life and Crown the Aim. Nay, if but a Petition peep abroad, Though for the Glory both of Church and God, And to preserve even their yet unborn Heirs; There's Blood and Treason in their very Prayers. This unexampled Impudence upheld; The Governments best Friends, the Crowns best Sheild, The Great and Brave with equal Treason brands. Faith, Honour, and Allegiance strongest Bands All broken like the Cords of _Sampson_ fall, Whilst th'universal Leprosie taints all. These poysonous shafts with greater spleen they draw, Than the Outragious Wife of _Potypha_. So the chast _Joseph_ unseduc'd to her Adult'ries, was pronounc'd a Ravisher.
This hellish Ethnick Plot the Court alarms; The Traytors seventy thousand strong in Arms, Near _Endor_ Town lay ready at a Call, And garrison'd in Airy Castles all. These Warriours on a sort of Coursers rid, Ne'r log'd in Stables, or by Man bestrid. What though the steele with which the Rebels fought, No Forge e're felt, or Anvile ever wrought? Yet this Magnetick Plot, for black Designs, Can raise cold Iron from the very Mines. To this were twenty Under-plots, contriv'd By Malice, and by Ignorance believ'd, Till Shamms met Shamms, and Plots with Plots so crost, That the True Plot amongst the False was lost.
Of all the much-wrong'd Worthies of the Land Whom this Contagious Infamy profan'd, In the first Rank the youthful _Ithream_ stood, His Princely Veins fill'd with great _Davids_ Blood. With so much Manly Beauty in his Face, Scarce his High Birth could lend a Nobler Grace. And for a Mind fit for this shrine of Gold Heaven cast his Soul in the same Beauteous Mould; With all the sweets of Prideless Greatness blest, As Affable as _Abrahams_ Angel-Guest. But when in Wars his glittering Steel he drew, No Chief more Bold with fiercer Lightning flew: Witness his tryal of an Arm Divine, Passing the Ordeal of a _Burning Mine_: Such forward Courage did his Bosome fill, Starting from nothing, but from doing ill. Still with such Heat in Honours Race he run, } Such Wonders by his early Valour done, } Enough to charm a second _Joshua's_ Sun. } But he has Foes; his fatal Enemies } To a strange Monster his Fair Truth disguise; } And shew the Gorgon even to Royal Eyes. } To their false perspectives his Fate he owes, The spots i'th' Glass, not in the Star it shows. Yet when by the Imperial Sentence doom'd, The Royal Hand the Princely Youth unplum'd, He his hard Fate without a Murmur took, And stood with that Calm, Duteous, Humble look. Of all his shining Honours unarray'd, Like _Isaac's_ Head on _Abrahams_ Altar lay'd. Yes, _Absolom_, thou hast him in the Toyl, Rifled, and lost; now Triumph in the Spoyl. His Zeal too high for _Israels_ Temples soar'd, His God-like Youth by prostrate Hearts ador'd, Till thy Revenge from Spight and Fear began, And too near Heaven took Care to make him Man. Though _Israels_ King, God, Laws, share all his Soul, Adorn'd with all that Heroes can enrol, Yet Vow'd Successions cruel Sacrifice, Great _Judah_'s Son like _Jeptha_'s Daughter dies. Yes, like a Monument of Wrath he stands; Such Ruine _Absolons_ Revenge demands; His Curiosity his Doom assign'd: For 'twas a Crime of as destructive Kind, To pry how _Babylons_ Burning Zeal aspires, As to look back on Sodoms blazing Fires. But spoyl'd, and rob'd, his drossier Glories gone, His Virtue and his Truth are still his own. No rifling Hands can that bright Treasure take, Nor all his Foes that Royal Charter shake.