Davideis :: :: University of Virginia Library

When thus the king had David's death design'd,
The faithful chief, whose uncorrupted mind,
Was never tainted with disloyal stain,
Return'd from battle to the court again,

And, as a proof of victory, did bring
Of-spoils, a chosen present to the king.

How easily is innocence betray'd,
When under shews of kindness snares are laid!
No apprehension had the guiltless youth
Of danger, arm'd with probity and truth,
He such an inoffensive mind did bear,
As kept him free from all suspicious fear;
With confidence unto the king he goes,
(For confidence from innocency flows)
And doth in order unto him relate,
The battle and his army's present state.

The crafty king too, at the first congress,
No token of displeasure did express,
But under outside kindness, inward hate
Concealing, did a fitter season wait
To execute his purpose, that the blow
Might be secure, which should his anger show.

Nor did he long for an occasion wait,
But in a while, as in his house he sate,
The evil spirit from the Lord (for God
Makes use of evil spirits as a rod)
Upon him came, his jav'lin in his hand,
And David playing on his harp did stand
Before him, with refreshing tunes t'allay
His grief, and th'evil spirit drive away.

So kind an office, sure one might have thought,
Upon the worst of natures would have wrought,

And hindred even the most savage mind,
From perpetrating what he had design'd;
But Saul, now hard'ned to a brutish rage,
Beyond the force of harmony t'assuage,
Thinking he now had sure advantage got,
To strike the stroke when David ey'd him not,
His jav'lin at him with such fury cast,
That had it hit, that hour had been his last;
But who the kingdom unto David gave,
Did David now from threaten'd danger save.

The russ'ling of Saul's garment, when on high
He rais'd his arm to let the jav'lin fly,
Made David look, and nimbly slip aside,
While the sharp-pointed shaft did by him glide,
Which, whirling by, with such a force did fall,
That fast it stuck upon the adverse wall.

'Twas time for David warning now to take,
And for his safety due provision make;
His person now he could no longer trust,
With one that neither grateful was nor just;
One whom no services could render kind,
Nor the most solemn promises could bind;
One who to gratify his groundless hate,
Stuck not his sacred oath to violate;
With such an one it was not safe to stay,
While therefore safe he was, he went away,
The treach'rous court he speedily forsook,
And to his private house himself betook,
His faithful wife acquainting with the case,
Her father's falsehood, and his own disgrace.

Mean-while the wrathful king, whose hot desire,
Of David's death, had set him all on fire,
Vex'd that his russ'ling robe that warning gave
To David, from the stroke himself to save,
And fearing lest, if now he got away,
He might the wrong revenge another day;
All in a rage, he certain of his guard,
Whose surly looks bespake their natures hard,
Unto him call'd, and charg'd them to rapair,
Forthwith to David's house and slay him there.

With downcast looks the troubled guards receive,
The unexpected charge, the court they leave,
And lest they should for backwardness be check'd,
To David's house their heavy steps direct;
There make a stand, and set a private watch,
That David stepping out they might dispatch.

But loyal Michal, whose mistrustful eye,
Had all the ways survey'd, did them descry,
And told her husband, if he should remain
In's house till morning, he would then be slain,
Then through a lattice did direct his eye,
To th'place where the insidious guards did lie.

The sight of these, and sense for what they came,
Did his advent'rous courage so inflame,
That had not Michal weeping on him hung,
He boldly had himself among them flung
With sword in hand; but Michal's moving tears,
Wrought him to listen to her pressing fears.

Together thereupon they counsel take,
What means are best his safe escape to make;
Love shews the way; fair Michal doth propose,
And David won by her, doth therewith close.

When darkness had the place of light possess'd,
And drowsy sleep had mortals laid to rest;
When through the sable clouds no star appear'd,
No warlike sound, no busy noise was heard,
Then Michal, who had all things ready got,
Needful to carry on the harmless plot,
Having her dearest David oft embrac'd,
While he encircled with his arms her waist
Did through a window gently let him down,
And softly said, live David for the Crown;
May God thee keep, and bring thee safe again
Unto thy Michal; he reply'd, Amen.
Then with a sigh she did the window close,
Her sigh he eccho'd, and away he goes.