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"All nations' wrath into one tempest joins, "Through which proud Nahash like fierce lightning

❝ shines ;

"Tygris and Nile to his assistance send,

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"And waters to swoln Jaboc's torrent lend; "Seir, Edom, Soba, Amalek, add their force ; "Up with them march the three Arabias' horse; "And, 'mongst all these, none more their hope or

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"Than those few troops your warlike land supply'd. "Around weak Jabesh this vast host does lie, 440 "Disdains a dry and bloodless victory.

"The hopeless town for slavery does intreat; "But barbarous Nahash thinks that grace too

"great ;

"He (his first tribute) their right eyes, demands, "And with their faces' shame disarms their hands. "If unreliev'd seven days by Israel's aid, "This bargain for o'er-rated life is made.

"Ah, mighty God! let thine own Israel be

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"Quite blind itself, ere this reproach it see!

"By' his wanton people the new king forsook, 450 "To homely, rural cares himself betook ; "In private plenty liv'd, without the state, "Lustre, and noise, due to a publick fate. "Whilst he his slaves and cattle follows home, "Lo! the sad messengers, from Jabesh come, 455 "Implore his help, and weep, as if they meant "That way at least proud Nahash to prevent. "Mov'd with a kingly wrath, his strict command "He issues forth t' assemble all the land;

"He threatens high, and disobedient they,
"Wak'd by such princely terrors, learnt ť obey.
"A mighty host is rais'd; th' important cause

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86 Age from their rest, youth from their pleasure, "draws;

"Arm'd as unfurnish'd haste could them provide; "But conduct, courage, anger, that supply'd. 465 "All night they march, and are at th' early dawn "On Jabesh' heath in three fair bodies drawn: "Saul did himself the first and strongest band, "His son the next, Abner the third, command."But pardon, Sir, if, naming Saul's great son, 470 "I stop with him awhile ere I go on.

"This is that Jonathan, the joy and grace, "The beautifull'st and best, of human race; "That Jonathan, in whom does mix'd remain "All that kind mothers' wishes can contain! 475 "His courage such as it no stop can know, "And victory gains by' astonishing the foe;

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"With lightning's force his enemies it confounds, "And melts their hearts ere it the bosom wounds; "Yet he the conquer'd with such sweetness gains, "As captive lovers find in beauty's chains: "In war, the adverse troops he does assail "Like an impetuous storm of wind and hail; "In peace, like gentlest dew that does assuage "The burning months, and temper Syrius' rage; 485 "Kind as the sun's blest influence; and, where'er "He comes, plenty and joy attend him there: "To help seems all his power; his wealth, to give; "To do much good, his sole prerogative:

"And yet this general bounty of his mind,

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"That with wide arms embraces all mankind, "Such artful prudence does to each divide; "With different measures all are satisfy'd; "Just as wise God his plenteous manna dealt; "Some gather'd more, but want by none was felt. "To all relations their just rights he pays, 496 "And worth's reward above its claim does raise : "The tenderest husband, master, father, son, "And all those parts by' his friendship far outdone; "His love to friends no bound or rule does know, "What he to Heaven, all that to him they owe. 501 "Keen as his sword, and pointed, is his wit; "His judgment, like best armour, strong and fit; "And such an eloquence to both these does join, "As makes in both beauty and use combine; 505 "Through which a noble tincture does appear "By learning and choice books imprinted there: "As well he knows all times and persons gone, "As he himself to th' future shall be known: "But his chief study is God's sacred law, "And all his life does comments on it draw ;"As never more by Heaven to man was given, "So never more was paid by man to Heaven."And all these virtues were to ripeness grown, "Ere yet his flower of youth was fully blown; 515 "All autumn's store did his rich spring adorn; "Like trees in paradise, he with fruit was born. "Such is his soul; and if, as some men tell, [dwell, 66 Souls form and build those mansions were they

510

520

"Whoe'er but sees his body must confess, "The architect, no doubt, could be no less. "From Saul his growth and manly strength he took, "Chastis'd by bright Ahinoam's gentler look ; "Not bright Ahinoam, beauty's loudest name "(Till she t' her children lost with joy her fame), "Had sweeter strokes, colours more fresh and fair "More darting eyes, or lovelier auburn hair. "Forgive me, that I thus your patience wrong, "And on this boundless subject stay so long, "Where too much haste ever to end 't would be, 530 "Did not his acts speak what's untold by me. "Though, from the time his hands a sword could "wield,

"He ne'er miss'd fame and danger in the field, "Yet this was the first day that call'd him forth, "Since Saul's bright crown gave lustre to his worth; "'T was the last morning whose uncheerful rise 536 "Sad Jabesh was to view with both their eyes. "Secure proud Nahash slept as in his court, "And dreamt, vain man! of that day's barbarous

66 sport,

"Till noise and dreadful tumults him awoke; 540 "Till into 'his camp our violent army. broke. "The careless guards with small resistance kill'd, "Slaughter the camp, and wild confusion, fill'd; "Nahash his fatal duty does perform,

"And marches boldly up t' outface the storm; 545 "Fierce Jonathan he meets, as he pursues

"Th' Arabian horse, and a hot fight renews;

"'T was here your troops behav'd themselves so well, "Till Uz and Jathan, their stout colonels, fell. "'T was here our victory stopp'd, and gave us cause "Much to suspect th' intention of her pause; 551 "But, when our thundering Prince Nahash espy'd "(Who, with a courage equal to his pride,

"Broke through our troops, and tow'rds him boldly "press'd),

"A generous joy leap'd in his youthful breast: 555 "As when a wrathful dragon's dismal light "Strikes suddenly some warlike eagle's sight, "The mighty foe pleases his fearless eyes,

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"He claps his joyful wings, and at him flies. [flung; "With vain though violent force their darts they "In Ammon's plated belt Jonathan's hung, "And stopp'd there; Ammon did his helmet hit, “And, gliding off, bore the proud crest from it;

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Straight with their swords to the fierce shock they

" came,

"Their swords, their armour, and their eyes, shot

“flame;

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"Blows strong as thunder, thick as rain, they dealt, "Which more than they th' engag'd spectators felt; "In Ammon force, in Jonathan address

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"(Though both were great in both to an excess) "To the well-judging eye did most appear; "Honour and anger in both equal were.

"Two wounds our Prince receiv'd, and Ammon

"three;

"Which he, enrag'd to feel, and 'sham'd to see,

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