Nor liveth any of king David's sons To bring this bitter tidings to the king. DAV. Aye me, how soon are David's triumphs dash'd, How suddenly declineth David's pride! JONAD. In Israel is left of David's seed. Enter ADONIA, with other sons. Comfort your lord, you servants of the king.- DAV. Welcome, my sons; dearer to me you are How cometh it to pass, that Absalon Hath slain his brother Ammon with the sword? AD. Thy sons, O king, went up to Ammon's fields, And to his men he saith, when Ammon's heart gite] Signifies a gown: but in the present passage, as well as in the following line of our author's Tale of Troy, it seems to mean brightness; Done is thy pride, dim is thy glorious gite." And hated her, and threw her forth his doors: DAV. How long shall Judah and Jerusalem Exeunt. Manet David. Enter WIDOW of Thecoa. WID. God save king David, king of Israel, And bless the gates of Sion for his sake! DAV. Woman, why mournest thou? rise from the earth; Tell me what sorrow hath befallen thy soul. WID. Thy servant's soul, O king, is troubled sore, And grievous is the anguish of her heart; And from Thecoa doth thy handmaid come. DAV. Tell me, and say, thou woman of Thecoa, What aileth thee, or what is come to pass. WID. Thy servant is a widow in Thecoa; Two sons thy handmaid had, and they, my lord, Fought in the field, where no man went betwixt, And so the one did smite, and slay the other. And lo, behold, the kindred doth arise, Dav. Woman, return; go home unto thy house: I will take order that thy son be safe. If any man say otherwise than well, Bring him to me, and I shall chastise him : But wherefore then hast thou determined So hard a part against the righteous tribes, DAV. Thou woman of Thecoa, answer me, Tell me, is not his finger in this fact? WID. It is, my lord; his hand is in this work : Assure thee, Joab, captain of thy host, Hath put these words into thy handmaid's mouth ; To understand the meaning of my heart: DAV. Say, Joab, didst thou send this woman in To put this parable for Absalon? JOAB. Joab, my lord, did bid this woman speak, And she hath said; and thou hast understood. DAV. I have, and am content to do the thing; Go, fetch my son, that he may live with me. [Joab kneels. JOAB. Now God be blessed for king David's life ; Thy servant Joab hath found grace with thee, In that thou sparest Absalon thy child: A beautiful and fair young man is he, In all his body is no blemish seen; His hair is like the wire of David's harp, That twines about his bright and ivory neck : In Israel is not such a goodly man; And here I bring him to entreat for grace. Enter ABSALON, with JOAB. DAV. Hast thou slain in the fields of Hazor- ABS. Father, I have offended Israel, I have offended David and his house; Dav. Depart with me, you men of Israel, [Exeunt. Manet Abs. ABS. David is gone, and Absalon remains, [Exit. Enter DAVID, ITHAY, SADOC, AHIMAAS, JONATHAN, with others, DAVID barefoot, with some loose covering over his head, and all mourning. Dav. Proud lust, the bloodliest traitor to our souls, Whose greedy throat, nor earth, air, sea, or heaven, Can glut or satisfy with any store, |