DAVID in his gown, walking sadly: DAV. The babe is sick, and sad is David's heart, To see the guiltless bear the guilty's pain. David, hang up thy harp; hang down thy head; NA. Thus Nathan saith unto his lord the king: There were two men both dwellers in one town, The one was mighty, and exceeding rich In oxen, sheep, and cattle of the field; Which he had bought and nourish'd by the hand; Or of his store to dress or make him meat, But took the poor man's sheep, partly, poor man's store, . And dress'd it for this stranger in his house. DAV. Now as the Lord doth live this wicked man Is judg'd and shall become the child of death; Fourfold to the poor man shall he restore, That without mercy took his lamb away. NA. Thou art the man; and thou hast judg'd thyself. David, thus saith the Lord thy God by me; I thee anointed king in Israel, And sav'd thee from the tyranny of Saul; Thy master's house I gave thee to possess ; And Judah and Jerusalem withal; And might, thou know'st if this had been too small, Have given thee more: Wherefore then hast thou gone so far astray, And hast done evil, and sinned in my sight? Yea, with the sword of the uncircumcis'd Thou hast him slain: wherefore, from this day forth, This shall be done to David in the day, That Israel openly may see thy shame. DAV. Nathan, I have against the Lord, I have Sinned: O, sinned grievously! and, lo, From heaven's throne doth David throw himself, [He falls down. NA. David, stand up; thus saith the Lord by me, To triumph, and blaspheme the God of Hosts, The child shall surely die, that erst was born, [Exit Nathan. DAV. How just is Jacob's God in all his works! But must it die, that David loveth so? O, that the mighty one of Israel, Nill * change his doom, and says the babe must die! Mourn, Israel, and weep in Sion gates; Wither, ye cedar trees of Lebanon ; Ye sprouting almonds with your flowering tops, Droop, drown, and drench in Hebron's fearful streams: The babe must die that was to David born, His mother's sin, his kingly father's scorn. [David sits sadly. nill] see note, p. 6, vol. i. Enter CUSAY to DAVID and his train. SERVUS. What tidings bringeth Cusay to the king? Cu. To thee, the servant of king David's court, This bringeth Cusay, as the prophet spake : The Lord hath surely striken to the death The child new born by that Urias' wife, That by the sons of Ammon erst was slain. SER. Cusay, be still; the king is vexed sore: How shall he speed that brings this tidings first, When, while the child was yet alive, we spake, And David's heart would not be comforted? DAV. Yea, David's heart will not be comforted? What murmur ye, the servants of the king? What tidings telleth Cusay to the king? Say, Cusay, lives the child, or is he dead? Cu. The child is dead, that of Urias' wife David begat. DAV. Urias' wife, say'st thou ? The child is dead, then ceaseth David's shame: Water to wash, and oil to clear my looks; Bring down your shalms, your cymbals, and your pipes; Let David's harp and lute, his hand and voice, And sing his praise, that shendeth David's fame, * Shendeth] “In the following passage,” says Nares in his VOL. II. Ꭰ And sent his shame into the streets of Gath. [They bring in water, wine, and oil, music and Fair Bethsabe, sit thou, and sigh no more; They use all solemnities together and sing, &c. DAV. Now arms, and warlike engines for assault, Prepare at once, ye men of Israel, Ye men of Judah and Jerusalem, Nor David's glory shine in Sion's streets; [Exeunt omnes. Glossary, “it [shend] seems to mean to protect, which must be considered as an error, being contrary to all analogy: This I must succour, this I must defend, : Brown, Brit. Past. part ii. p. 144.” But in our text shendeth certainly appears to mean protecteth. |