Was acting then, till, faint and out of breath, "He grew half-dead with toil of giving death. "What could his crime in this condition be, "Excus'd by ignorance and neceffity? 1075 "Yet the remorseless king--who did disdain "That man should hear him fwear or threat in vain, "Though 'gainst himself; or fate a way should fee By which attack'd and conquer'd he might be ; "Who thought compaffion female weakness here, "And equity injuftice, would appear "In his own caufe; who falfely fear'd, befide, 1085 1095 "Would like a gangrene o'er all Ifrael ftray;"Prepar'd this god-like facrifice to kill, "And his rash vow more rafhly to fulfil. "What tongue can th' horror and amazement tell "Which on all Ifrael that fad moment fell! "Tamer had been their grief, fewer their tears, "Had the Philiftian fate that day been theirs. "Not Saul's proud heart could mafter his fwoln eye; "The Prince alone stood mild and patient by ; "So bright his fufferings, fo triumphant, fhow'd, "Lefs to the best than worst of fates he ow'd. "A victory now he o'er himself might boast; "He conquer'd now, that conqueror of an hoft. "It charm'd through tears the fad fpectator's fight, "Did reverence, love, and gratitude, excite, "And pious rage; with which infpir'd, they now "Oppofe to Saul's a better public vow. "They "They all confent all Ifrael ought to be "Accurs'd and kill'd themselves, rather than he. 1005 "Thus with kind force they the glad king withstood, "And fav'd their wondrous faviour's facred blood!" Thus David spoke; and much did yet remain Behind, th' attentive prince to entertain; Edom and Zoba's war-for what befel 1110 In that of Moab, was known there too well: 1115 END OF THE DAVIDE IS.. A DISCOURSE, BY WAY OF VISION, CONCERNING THE GOVERNMENT OF OLIVER CROMWELL. IT T was the funeral day of the late man who made himself to be called protector. And though I bore' but little affection, either to the memory of him, or to the trouble and fully of all public pageantry, yet I was forced by the importunity of my company to go along with them, and be a fpectator of that folemnity, the expectation of which had been fo great, that it was faid to have brought fome very curious perfons (and no doubt fingular virtuofos) as far as from the Mount in Cornwall, and from the Orcades. I found there had / been much more coft beftowed than either the dead man, or indeed death itself, could deferve. There was a mighty train of black afliftants, among which, too, divers princes in the perfons of their ambaffadors (be ing infinitely afflicted for the lofs of their brother) were pleased to attend; the hearfe was magnificent, the idol crowned, and (not to mention all other cere monies which are practifed at royal interments, and... therefore by no means could be omitted here) the waft multitude of fpectators made up, as it ufes to do, no fmall part of the fpectacle itfelf. But yet, I know not how, the whole was fo managed, that, methought, it fomewhat reprefented the life of him for, whom it VOL. II. 'P was was made; much noife, much tumult, much expence, much magnificente, much vain-glory; briefly, a great show, and yet, after all this, but an ill fight. At laft (for it seemed long to me, and like his short reign too, very tedious) the whole scene paffed by; and I retired back to my chamber, weary, and I think more melancholy than any of the mourners; where I began to reflect on the whole life of this prodigious man: and fometimes I was filled with horror and deteftation of his actions, and fometimes I inclined a little to res verence and admiration of his courage, conduct, and fuccefs; till, by thefe different motions and agitations of mind, rocked as it were asleep, I fell at last into this vifion; or if you please to call it but a dream, I fhall not take it ill, because the father of poets tells us, even dreams, too, are from God. But fure it was no dream; for I was suddenly tranfported afar off (whether in the body, or out of the body, like St. Paul, I know not) and found myself on the top of that famous hill in the island Mona, which has the profpect of three great, and not-long-fince most happy, kingdoms. As foon as ever I looked on them, the" not-long-fince" ftruck upon my memory, and called forth the fad representation of all the fins, and all the miferies, that had overwhelmed them these twenty years. And I wept bitterly for two or three hours; and, when my prefent ftock of moisture was all wafted, I fell a fighing for an hour more; and, as foon as I recovered from my paffion the use of speech and reafon, I broke forth, as I remember (looking upon Eng land) into this complaint: Ah, happy ifle, how art thou chang'd and curs'd Since I was born, and knew thee first! When peace, which had forfook the world around (Frighted with noife, and the thrill trumpet's found) Thee for a private place of reft, And a fecure retirement, chofe Wherein to build her halcyon neft; When all the riches of the globe befide A conftant tribute paid to thee; When all the liquid world was one extended Thames When plenty in each village did appear, And bounty was its steward there; When gold walk'd free about in open view, Had face and fubftance with her voice, Like Echo (once a Nymph) turn'd only into noife When men to men, respect and friendship bore, When upon earth no kingdom could have shown |