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_ ACT V. OF PIUS KING DAVID
Pater Cœlestis.
For all the favour I have shewed Israel,
Delivering it from Pharaoh's tyranny,
And giving the land, fluentem lac et mel,[617]
Yet will it not leave its old idolatry,
Nor know me for God. I abhor its misery.
Vexed it I have with battles and decays,
Still must I plague it, I see no other ways.
David.
Remember yet, Lord, thy worthy servant Moses,
Walking in thy sight, without rebuke of thee.
Both Aaron, Jethro, Eleazar, and Phinees,[618]
Evermore feared to offend thy majesty,
Much thou acceptedst thy servant Josue.[619]
Caleb and Othniel sought thee with all their heart,
Aioth and Sangar for thy folk did their part.
Gideon and Tholus thy enemies put to smart,
Jair and Jephtha gave praises to thy name.
These, to leave idols, thy people did court.
Samson the strongest, for his part did the same.
Samuel and Nathan thy messages did proclaim.
What though fierce Pharaoh wrought mischief in thy sight,
He was a pagan, lay not that in our light.
I know the Benjamites abused the ways of right,
So did Eli's sons, and the sons of Samuel.
Saul in his office was slothful day and night,
Wicked was Shimei, so was Ahitophel.
Measure not by them the faults of Israel,
Whom thou hast loved of long time so entirely,
But of thy great grace remit its wicked folly.
Pater Cœlestis.
I cannot abide the vice of idolatry,
Though I should suffer all other villany.
When Joshua was dead, that sort from me did fall
To the worshipping of Ashteroth and Baal,
Full unclean idols, and monsters bestial.
David.
For it they have had thy righteous punishment,
And forasmuch as they did wickedly consent
To the Philistines and Canaanites ungodly
Idolaters, taking to them in matrimony,
Thou threwest them under the King of Mesopotamy,
After thou subduedst them for their idolatry.
Eighteen years to Eglon, the King of Moabites,
And twenty years to Jabin, the King of Canaanites,
Oppressed they were seven years by the Midianites,
And eighteen years vexed by the cruel Ammonites.
In three great battles, of three score thousand and five,
Of this thy people, not one was left alive.
Have mercy now, Lord, and call them to repentance.
Pater Cœlestis.
So long as they sin, so long shall they have grievance.
David my servant, something must I say to thee,
For that thou lately hast wrought such vanity.
David.
Spare not, blessed Lord, but say thy pleasure to me.
Pater Cœlestis.
Of late days thou hast misused Bathsheba,
The wife of Uriah, and slain him in the field.
David.
Mercy, Lord, mercy; for doubtless I am defiled.
Pater Cœlestis.
I constitute thee a king over Israel,
And thee preserved from Saul, who was thine enemy.
Yea, in my favour, so much thou didst excel,
That of thine enemies I gave thee victory.
Philistines and Syrians to thee came tributary.
Why hast thou then wrought such folly in my sight.
Despising my word, against all godly right?
David.
I have sinned, Lord, I beseech thee, pardon me,
Pater Cœlestis.
Thou shalt not die, David, for this iniquity,
For thy repentance; but thy son by Bathsheba
Shall die, forasmuch as my name is blasphemed
Among my enemies, and thou the worse esteemed.
From thy house for this the sword shall not depart.
David.
I am sorry, Lord, from the bottom of my heart.
Pater Cœlestis.
To further anger thou dost me yet compel.
David.
For what matter, Lord? I beseech thy goodness tell.
Pater Cœlestis.
Why didst thou number the children of Israel?
Supposest in thy mind therein thou hast done well?
David.
I cannot say nay, but I have done indiscreetly
To forget thy grace for a human policy.
Pater Cœlestis.
Thou shalt of these three choose which plague thou wilt have,
For that sinful act, that I thy soul may save.
A scarceness seven years, or else three months' exile,
If not, for three days a pestilence most vile,
For one thou must have, there is no remedy.
David.
Lord, at thy pleasure, for thou art full of mercy.
Pater Cœlestis.
Of a pestilence then, three score thousand and ten,
In three days shall die of thy most puissant men.
David.
O Lord, it is I who have offended thy grace,
Spare them and not me, for I have done the trespace.[620]
Pater Cœlestis.
Though thy sins be great, thine inward heart's contribution
Doth move my stomach in wonderful condition.
I find thee a man according to my heart;
Wherefore this promise I make thee, ere I depart.
A fruit there shall come forth issuing from thy body,
Whom I will advance upon thy seat for ever.
His throne shall become a seat of heavenly glory
His worthy sceptre from right will not dissever,
His happy kingdom, of faith shall perish never.
Of heaven and of earth he was author principal,
And will continue, though they do perish all.
This sign shalt thou have for a token special,
That thou mayst believe my words unfeignedly,
Where thou hast minded, for my memorial,
To build a temple, thou shalt not finish it truly;
But Solomon thy son shall do that action worthy,
In token that Christ must finish everything
That I have begun, to my praise everlasting.
David.
Immortal glory to thee, most heavenly King,
For that thou hast given continual victory
To me thy servant, ever since my annointing,
And also before, by many conquests worthy.
A bear and lion I slew through thy strength only.
I slew Goliath, who was six cubits long.
Against thine enemies thou madest me ever strong.
My fleshly frailness made me do deadly wrong,
And clean to forget thy laws of righteousness.
And though thou visitedst my sinfulness among,
With pestilent plagues, and other unquietness;
Yet never tookst thou from me thy plenteousness
Of thy godly spir't, which thou in me didst plant.
I having remorse, thy grace could never want.
For in conclusion, thy everlasting covenant
Thou gavest unto me for all my wicked sin;
And hast promised here by protestation constant,
That one of my seed shall such high fortune win,
As never did man since this world did begin.
By his power he shall put Satan from his hold,
In rejoice whereof to sing will I be bold.
[Then he begins in a musical voice an antiphon, "O Adonai,"
which the chorus (as before) follows with instruments.]
O Lord God Adonai, and guide of the faithful house of
Israel, who sometime appearedst in the flaming bush
to Moses, and to him didst give a law on Mount Sinai,
come now to redeem us in the strength of thy right hand.
FOOTNOTES:
[617] flowing milk and honey.
[618] Phineas.
[619] Joshua.
[620] trespass. _
Read next: Act 6. Of The Prophet Esaias
Read previous: Act 4. Moses Sanctus
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