But he, though bad, is follow'd by a worse,
The Wretch, who Heav'ns Anointed dar'd to curfe:
Shimei, whofe Youth did early Promife bring
Of Zeal to God, and Hatred to his King;
Did wifely from Expenfive Sins refrain,
And never broke the Sabbath, but for Gain:
Nor ever was he known an Oath to vent,
Or Curfe, unless against the Government.
Thus, heaping Wealth, by the most ready way
Among the Jews, which was to Cheat and Pray;
The City, to reward his pious Hate
Against his Mafter, chose him Magiftrate:
His Hand a Vare of Juftice did uphold;
His Neck was loaded with a Chain of Gold.
During his Office, Treafon was no Crime,
The Sons of Belial had a Glorious Time:
For Shimei, though not prodigal of Pelf,
Yet lov'd his wicked Neighbour as himself.
When two or three were gather'd to Declaim
Against the Monarch of Jerufalem,
Shimei was always in the midst of them.
And, if they Curft the King when he was by,
Would rather Curfe, than break good Company.
If any durft his Factious Friends accufe,
He pact a Jury of diffenting Jews :
Whose fellow-feeling in the godly Cause,
Wou'd free the fuff'ring Saint from Humane Laws.
For Laws are only made to punish thofe
Who ferve the King, and to protect his Foes.
If any leifure time he had from Pow'r,
(Because 'tis Sin to mif-employ an hour:)
His Bus'nefs was, by Writing to perfuade,
That Kings were Ufelefs, and a Clog to Trade:
And, that his noble Style he might refine,
No Rechabite more fhun'd the fumes of Wine.
Chaste were his Cellars ; and his Shrieval Board
The Groffness of a City Feaft abhorr❜d :
His Cooks, with long difufe, their Trade forgot;
Cool was his Kitchen, though his Brains were hot.
Such frugal Virtue Malice may accuse;
But fure 'twas neceffary to the Jews:
For Towns once burnt, fuch Magiftrates require
As dare not tempt God's Providence by Fire.
With Spiritual Food he fed his Servants well,
But free from Flesh, that made the Jews rebel:
And Mofes's Laws he held in more account,
For forty days of fafting in the Mount.
To speak the reft, who better are forgot,
Would tire a well breath'd Witness of the Plot:
Yet, Corah, thou shalt from Oblivion pass;
Erect thy felf thou Monumental Brass:
High as the Serpent of thy Metal made,
While Nations stand secure beneath thy shade.
What though his birth were base, yet Comets rife
From Earthly Vapours e'er they shine in Skies.
Prodigious Actions may as well be done
By Weaver's Iffue, as by Prince's Son.
This Arch-Atteftor for the Publick Good,
By that one deed Ennobles all his Blood.
Who ever ask'd the Witnesses high Race,
Whose Oath with Martyrdom did Stephen grace?
Ours was a Levite, and as times went then,
His Tribe were God Almighty's Gentlemen.
Sunk were his Eyes, his Voice was harsh and loud,
Şure figns he neither Cholerick was, nor Proud :
His long Chin prov'd his Wit; his Saint-like Grace
A Church Vermillion, and a Mofes' Face.
His Memory miraculously great,
Cou'd Plots, exceeding Man's belief, repeat;
Which therefore cannot be accounted Lies,
For human Wit cou'd never fuch devife.
Some future Truths are mingled in his Book;
But where the Witness fail'd, the Prophet spoke:
Some things like Visionary flights appear;
The spirit caught him up the Lord knows where:
And gave him his Rabinical Degree,
Unknown to Foreign University.
His Judgment yet his Mem'ry did excel;
Which piec'd his wondrous Evidence so well:
And fuited to the temper of the Times,
Then groaning under Jebufitick Crimes.
Let Ifrael's Foes fufpect his Heav'nly call,
And rafhly judge his Writ Apocryphal :
Our Laws for fuch affronts have Forfeits made:
He takes his Life, who takes away his Trade.
Were I my felf in Witness Corah's place,
The Wretch who did me fuch a dire disgrace,
Shou'd whet my memory, though once forgot,
To make him an Appendix of my Plot.
His Zeal to Heav'n, made him his Prince despise,
And load his Person with indignities:
But Zeal peculiar privilege affords,
Indulging latitude to Deeds and Words.
And Corah might for Agag's Murther ca
In terms as coarfe as Samuel us'd to Sau
What others in his Evidence did join,
(The best that cou'd be had for love or coin,)
In Corah's own predicament will fall:
For Witness is a Common Name to all.
Surrounded thus with Friends of every fort,
Deluded Abfalom forfakes the Court:
Impatient of high hopes, urg'd with Renown,
And Fir'd with near Poffeffion of a Crown;
Th' admiring Croud are dazled with surprize,
And on his Goodly Perfon feed their Eyes:
His joy conceal'd, he fets himself to show;
On each side bowing popularly low:
His looks, his geftures, and his words he frames,
And with familiar ease repeats their Names.
Thus form'd by Nature, furnisht out with Arts,
He glides unfelt into their fecret hearts.
Then, with a kind compaffionating look,
And fighs, befpeaking pity e'er he spoke,
Few words he faid; but eafie thofe and fit,
More flow than Hybla-drops, and far more sweet.
Imourn, my Country-men, your loft Eftate; Though far unable to prevent your Fate: Behold a banifht Man, for your dear Cause, Expos'd a Prey to Arbitrary Laws!
Yet oh! that I alone cou'd be undone,
Cut off from Empire, and no more a Son!
Now all your Liberties a Spoil are made;
Ægypt and Tyrus intercept your Trade,
And Jebusites your Sacred Rites invade,
My Father, whom with Reverence yet I name,
Charm'd into ease, is careless of his Fame;
And brib'd with petty fums of Foreign Gold,
Is grown in Bathsheba's Embraces old:
Exalts his Enemies, his Friends deftroys:
And all his pow'r against himself employs.
He gives, and let him give my Right away:
But why should he his own, and yours betray?
He only, he can make the Nation bleed,
And he alone from my revenge is freed.
Take then my Tears (with that he wip'd his Eyes)
'Tis all the Aid my prefent pow'r fupplies:
No Court-Informer can thefe Arms accufe;
These Arms may Sons against their Fathers ufe;
And 'tis my wish the next Succeffor's Reign
May make no other Ifraelite complain.
Youth, Beauty, Graceful A&tion feldom fail:
But Common Intereft always will prevail :
And pity never ceases to be shown,
To him, who makes the People's wrongs his own.
The Croud, (that still believe their Kings oppress,)
With lifted hands their young Meffiah blefs:
Who now begins his progrefs to ordain
With Chariots, Horfemen, and a numerous Train:
From Eaft to Weft his Glories he displays:
And, like the Sun, the Promis'd Land furveys,
Fame runs before him, as the Morning-Star;
And fhouts of Joy falute him from afar.
Each houfe receives him as a Guardian God;
And confecrates the Place of his abode:
But hofpitable Treats did moft commend
Wife fachar, his wealthy Western Friend.
This moving Court, that caught the People's Eyes,
And feem'd but Pomp, did other Ends disguise:
Achitophel had form'd it, with intent
To found the depths, and fathom, where it went,
The People's hearts; diftinguish Friends from Foes ;
And try their ftrength before they came to Blows.
Yet all was colour'd with a smooth pretence
Offpecious Love, and Duty to their Prince.
Religion, and Redrefs of Grievances,
Two names, that always cheat, and always please,
Are often urg'd; and good King David's life
Endanger'd by a Brother and a Wife.
Thus in a Pageant Shew, a Plot is made;
And peace it felf is War in Masquerade.
Oh foolish Ifrael! never warn'd by ill!
Still the fame bait, and circumvented ftill!
Did ever men forfake their prefent ease,
In midst of Health Imagine a Disease ;
Take pains Contingent mischiefs to foresee,
Make heirs for Monarchs, and for God decree?
What fhall we think! Can People give away,
Both for themselves and Sons, their native Sway?
Then they are left defenceless to the Sword
Of each unbounded arbitrary Lord:
And Laws are vain, by which we Right enjoy,
If Kings unqueftion'd can thofe Laws deftroy.
Yet if the Croud be Judge of fit and just,
And Kings are only Officers in Truft,
Then this refuming Cov'nant was declar'd
When Kings were made, or is for ever bar'd :
If those who gave the Scepter cou'd not tie
By their own deed their own Pofterity,
How then cou'd Adam bind his future Race?
How cou'd his forfeit on Mankind take place?
Or how cou'd Heav'nly Juftice damn us all,
Who ne'er confented to our Father's Fall?
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