Beneath her Feet the captive Game I lay.
The mingl'd Chorus fings DIANA'S Fame:
Clarions and Horns in louder Peals proclaim
Her Mystic Praise: the vocal Triumphs bound
Against the Hills: the Hills reflect the Sound.
If tir'd this Evening with the hunted Woods,
To the large Fish-pools, or the glaffy Floods
Her Mind To-morrow points; a thousand Hands
To-night employ'd, obey the King's Commands.
Upon the wat'ry Beach an artful Pile
Of Planks is join'd, and forms a moving Ifle.
A golden Chariot in the Midft is fet;
And filver Cygnets feem to feel it's Weight.
ABRA, bright Queen, afcends her gaudy Throne,
In femblance of the GRACIAN VENUS known:
TRITONS and Sea-green NAIADS round her move;
And fing in moving Strains the Force of Love:
Whilft as th' approaching Pageant does appear;
And echoing Crouds fpeak mighty VENUS near;
I, her Adorer, too devoutly ftand
Faft on the utmost Margin of the Land,
With Arms and Hopes extended, to receive
The fancy'd Goddess rifing from the Wave.
O Ratio subjecta jacens! ô fæve Cupido! Quò tamen ulterius mea fe Dementia ferret? Satne erit, ut Nympham fumma ad faftigia ducam Intra ædes claufas vel amica filentia Villæ : Aut ficti ut vultus mutataque nomina magno Dedecori obducant blandam caliginis umbram? Quin omni potiùs Solymæ fpectante coronâ Prodeat in lucem jactata infamia Regis: Solennis dapibus Menfis datur; hofpitioque Collectam gentem communiter excipit Abra. Utque dies omnis pleno celebretur honore, Huc varios mittunt fætus Sylvæque Lacufque, Huc Arabum & Deferta Ægypti; huc fertur Edule Quodcunque eft: vix ipfe fugit convivia Phænix. Commiftis citharifque Viri cantuque Puellæ Dulce fonant Abræ decus & mea gaudia: servi Quinetiam Vates præconia fordida fingunt, Et celebrant noftros numeris mendacibus ignes. Mox quoque Nupta dapes me deducente relinquens, Quam vulgi ex oculis prudens retineret Amator, Se jactat fpectatam omni notamque popello Participem Solii pariter Cordifque magiftram.
O fubject Reason! O imperious Love!
Whither yet further would My Folly rove?
Is it enough, that ABRA should be great
In the wall'd Palace, or the Rural Seat?
That masking Habits, and a borrow'd Name
Contrive to hide my Plenitude of Shame?
No, no: JERUSALEM combin'd must see
My open Fault, and Regal Infamy.
Solemn a Month is deftin'd for the Feaft:
ABRA invites: the Nation is the Gueft.
To have the Honor of each Day sustain'd,
The Woods are travers'd; and the Lakes are drain'd:
ARABIA'S Wilds, and ÆGYPT's are explor'd:
The Edible Creation decks the Board:
Hardly the Phenix 'scapes
The Men their Lyres, the Maids their Voices raise,
To fing my Happinefs, and ABRA's Praife.
And flavish Bards our mutual Loves rehearse
In lying Strains, and ignominious Verse:
While from the Banquet leading forth the Bride, Whom prudent Love from publick Eyes should hide; I show Her to the World, confefs'd and known Queen of my Heart, and Part'ner of my Throne.
Huc coeunt variâ Judææ ex parte frequentes,
Agmen Adulantum, quos Abra adduxit: honorum
Hi mercaturas agitant; hi munera donant,
Multa nec immodicis par eft provincia votis.
Scilicet his primùm monftrantibus Abra nocendi
Edidicit varias artes; orare, filere,
Atque leves fummis adjungere rebus amores:
Imperiumque fuum certis firmare peritè
Legibus, & dulci exitio mea fallere Corda.
Hinc etiam acceptum, miferum mihi tradidit Illa
Confilium, Regum effe animis obducere vela:
Et mala fucato celantes pectora vultu
Affiduos agitare dolos; dumque Hoftibus almi
Obfequio arrident blando, contemnere Amicos.
Mox Ego præfidia imperii certiffima fperno
BARZILLÆ magni fobolem, atrocifque BENAIÆ
Progeniem egregiam; quorum fubiere Parentes
Davideas curas, juveni fua gaudia Regi
Teftantes, Sceptro cum jam donatus ad Hebrum
Fulgeret, Virtute illorum & Vulnere clarus.
Ocyus (ah triste aufpicium!) cumulantur honore,
Quos mihi reddiderat dementia noftra timendos,
Mordacis Shimeique genus, Coræque propago;
Qui turpes facilem experti funt DAVIDA, quanquam
Calcâffent leges, Regique indigna tuliffent.
And now her Friends and Flatt'rers fill the Court:
From DAN, and from BEERSHEBA They refort:
They barter Places, and difpofe of Grants,
Whole Provinces unequal to their Wants.
They teach Her to recede, or to debate;
With Toys of Love to mix Affairs of State;
By practis'd Rules her Empire to secure;
And in my Pleasure make my Ruin fure.
They gave, and She transferr'd the curs'd Advice,
That Monarchs should their inward Soul disguise,
Diffemble and command, be false and wife;
By ignominious Arts for fervile Ends
Should compliment their Foes, and fhun their Friends.
And now I leave the true and juft Supports
Of Legal Princes, and of honeft Courts,
BARZILLAI's, and the fierce BENAIAH's Heirs;
Whose Sires, Great Part'ners in my Father's Cares,
Saluted their young King at HEBRON crown'd,
Great by their Toil, and glorious by their Wound.
And now, unhappy Counsel, I prefer
Those whom my Follies only made me fear,
Old CORAH's Brood, and taunting SHIMEI's Race;
Mifcreants who ow'd their Lives to DAVID's Grace;
Tho' they had spurn'd his Rule, and curs'd Him to his
Face.
|