"To free the groaning nation, and to give "Peace first, and then the rules in peace to live. "But they whose stamp of power did chiefly lie "In characters too fine for most men's eye, "Graces and gifts divine ;-not painted bright 70 "With state to awe dull minds, and force t' af"fright ; "Were ill obey'd whilst living, and at death "Their rules and pattern vanish'd with their breath. "The hungry rich all near them did devour; "Their judge was Appetite, and their law was "Power. 75 "Not Want itself could luxury restrain ; "For what that emptied, Rapine fill'd again. "Robbery the field, Oppression sack'd the town; "What the Sword's reaping spar'd, was glean'd by "th' Gown. "At courts, and seats of justice, to complain, "Was to be robb'd more vexingly again. 80 "Nor was their Lust less active or less bold, "Amidst this rougher search of blood and gold; "Weak beauties they corrupt, and force the strong; "The pride of old men that, and this of young. 85 "You've heard perhaps, Sir, of lewd Gibeah's "shame, "Which Hebrew tongues still tremble when they "name: "Alarmed all by one fair stranger's eyes, 90 "All their wild lusts they force her to sustain, "Till by shame, sorrow, weariness, and pain, "She midst their loath'd and cruel kindness dies; "Of monstrous lust the innocent sacrifice. "This did, 't is true, a civil war create 95 "(The frequent curse of our loose-govern'd state); "All Gibeah's and all Jabesh' blood it cost; "Near a whole tribe, and future kings, we lost. "Firm in this general earthquake of the land, 100 "How could Religion, its main pillar, stand? "Proud and fond man his Father's worship hates, "Himself, God's creature, his own god creates ! "Hence in each household several deities grew, "And when no old one pleas'd, they fram'd a new: "The only land which serv'd but One before, 106 "Did th' only then all nations' gods adore. "They serv'd their gods at first, and soon their kings "(Their choice of that this latter slavery brings); "Till special men, arm'd with God's warrant, broke "By justest force th' unjustly-forced yoke; "All matchless persons, and thrice worthy they "Of power more great, or lands more apt t' obey. "At last the priesthood join'd, in Ithamar's son, "More weight and lustre to the sceptre won; 115 "But, whilst mild Eli and good Samuel were "Busied with age, and th' altar's sacred care, "To their wild sons they their high charge commit, "Who' expose to scorn and hate both them and it. "Eli's curs'd house th' exemplar vengeance bears "Of all their blood, and all sad Israel's tears; 121 111 "His sons abroad, himself at home lies slain; "Israel's captiv'd, God's ark and law are ta’en. "Thus twice are nations by ill princes vex'd, "They suffer By them first, and For them next. 125 "Samuel succeeds;-since Moses, none before "So much of God in his bright bosom bore. "In vain our arms Philistian tyrants seiz'd; "Heaven's magazines he open'd when he pleas'd: "He rains and wind for auxiliaries brought; "He muster'd flames and thunders when he fought. "Thus thirty years with strong and steady hand "He held th' unshaken balance of the land; "At last his sons th' indulgent father chose 130 "To share that state which they were born to lose`: "Their hateful acts that change's birth did haste, "Which had long grown i' th' womb of ages past. "To this (for still were some great periods set, "There's a strong knot of several causes met) "The threats concurr'd of a rough neighbouring "war; 140 "A mighty storm long gathering from afar; "For Ammon, heighten'd with mix'd nations' aid, "Like torrents swoln with rain, prepar'd the land "t' invade. "Samuel was old, and, by his sons' ill choice, Turn'd dotard in th' unskilful vulgar's voice; 145 "His sons so scorn'd and hated, that the land " Nor hop'd, nor wish'd, a victory from their hand. "These were the just and faultless causes why "The general voice did for a Monarch cry; But God ill grains did in this incense smell; 150 Wrapp'd in fair leaves he saw the canker dwell: "A mutinous itch of change; a dull despair "Of helps divine, oft prov'd; a faithless care "Of common means; the pride of heart and scorn "Of th' humble yoke under low Judges borne. 155 "They saw the state and glittering pomp which bless'd "In vulgar sense the sceptres of the East; "They saw not power's true source, and scorn'd "t' obey "Persons that look'd no dreadfuller than they; 66 They miss'd courts, guards, a gay and numerous "train 160 "Our Judges, like their laws, were rude and plain:"On an old bench of wood, her seat of state "Beneath the well-known palm, wise Deborah sate; "Her maids with comely diligence round her spun, "And she too, when the pleadings there were done: "With the same goad Shamgar his oxen drives "Which took, the sun before, six hundred lives "From his sham'd foes: he midst his work dealt "laws; 170 "And oft was his plough stopp'd to hear a cause: "Nor did great Gideon his old flail disdain, "After won fields, sack'd towns, and princes slain; "His sceptre that, and Ophra's threshing-floor "The seat and emblem of his justice bore. "What should I Jair, the happiest father, name? >> "Or mournful Jephtha, known no less to fame 175 "For the most wretched? Both at once did keep "The mighty flocks of Israel and their sheep. "Oft from the field in haste they summon'd were "Some weighty foreign embassy to hear; "They call'd their slaves, their sons, and friends, " around, "Who all at several cares were scatter'd found; 180 They wash'd their feet, their only gown put on, "And this chief work of ceremony was done. "These reasons, and all else that could be said, "In a ripe hour by factious eloquence spread 185 Through all the tribes, make all desire a king; "And to their Judge selected deputies bring "This harsh demand; which Nacol for the rest "(A bold and artful mouth) thus with much grace "express'd : 195 "We're come, most sacred Judge, to pay th'arrears "Of much-ow'd thanks, for the bright thirty years "Of your just reign; and at your feet to lay "All that our grateful hearts can weakly pay "In unproportion'd words; for you alone "The not unfit reward, who seek for none. "But, when our forepast ills we call to mind, "And sadly think how little 's left behind "Of your important life, whose sudden date "Would disinherit th' unprovided state; "When we consider how unjust 't is, you, "Who ne'er of power more than the burthen knew, "At once the weight of that and age should have "Your stooping days press'd doubly towards the ❝ grave); "When we behold by Ammon's youthful rage, 200 "Proud in th' advantage of your peaceful age, 205 |