Enter ABSALON, with two or three. ABS. Set up your mules, and give them well to eat, And let us meet our brothers at the feast; Dishonour of the house of Israel, His sister's slander, and his mother's shame. Enter AMMON, with ADONIA and JONADAB, to AM. Our shearers are not far from hence, I wot; And Ammon to you all his brethren Giveth such welcome as our fathers erst But, specially, lord Absalon, to thee, Sit down and dine with me, king David's son, ABS. Ammon, where be thy shearers, and thy men, That we may pour in plenty of thy wines,* men; Absalon, sit and rejoice with me. [Here enter a company of shepherds, and dance and sing. Aм. Drink, Absalon, in praise of Israel; Welcome to Ammon's fields from David's court. ABS. Die with thy draught; perish, and die accurs'd; Dishonour to the honour of us all; Die for the villainy to Thamar done, Unworthy thou to be king David's son. [Exit Abs. JONAD. O, what hath Absalon for Thamar done, Murder'd his brother, great king David's son ! AD. Run, Jonadab, away, and make it known, What cruelty this Absalon hath shown. Ammon, thy brother Adonia shall Bury thy body among the dead men's bones; Of Ammon's death, and pride of Absalon. [Exeunt omnes. Enter DAVID with JOAB, ABISAI, CUSAY, with drum and ensign against RABBAH. DAV. This is the town of the uncircumcis'd, The city of the kingdom, this is it, Rabbah, where wicked Hanon sitteth king: * wines] Old copy “rines." Despoil this king, this Hanon of his crown; Joab, Abisai, and the rest of you, Fight ye this day for great Jerusalem. JOAB. And see, where Hanon shows him on the walls; Why then do we forbear to give assault, Subdue the daughters of the Gentiles' tribes; DAV. Hark to me, Hanon, and remember well : As sure as he doth live that kept my host, What time our young men by the pool of Gibeon, And twelve to twelve did with their weapons play, Ha. Hark, man: as sure as Saul thy master fell, So sure shall David perish with his men, JOAB. Hanon, the God of Israel hath said, To arms, to arms, that Rabbah feel revenge, [Alarum, excursions, assault, exeunt omnes. Then the trumpets, and DAVID with HANON'S crown. DAV. Now clattering arms, and wrathful storms of war, Have thunder'd over Rabbah's razed towers; The wreakful ire of great Jehovah's arm, That hath exalted Israel to this, And crowned David with this diadem. JOAB. Beauteous and bright is he among the tribes; As when the sun attir'd in glistering robe,* And bridegroom-like hurls through the gloomy air The starry vault that overhangs the earth : ABIS. Joab, why doth not David mount his throne Whom heaven hath beautified with Hanon's crown? Sound trumpets, shalms, and instruments of praise To Jacob's God for David's victory. Enter JONADAB. JONAD. Why doth the king of Israel rejoice? * As when the sun, &c.] Hawkins, who (Preface to the Origin of the Eng. Drama, vol. i. p. 11.) justly praises this simile, had forgotten the following lines of Spenser : "At last, the golden orientall gate Of greatest heaven gan to open fayre ; And Phoebus, fresh as brydegrome to his mate, |