The Story of David and Berseba. To a pleasant new tune.  

 

When David in jerusalem,  
as royal King did rule & reign,  
Behold what happened unto him,  
that afterward procured his pain.   

On the top of 〈◊〉 his Princely 〈◊〉.  
 
 
  

 
 
 
  

Her beauty was 〈◊〉 excellent  
and brighter than the morning Sun,  
By which the King incontinent,  
was to her favour quickly won.   

She stood within a pleasant Bower,  
all naked for to wash her there,  
Her body like a Lily Flower,  
was covered with her golden hair.   

The King was wounded with her love,  
and what she was he did inquire,  
He could not his affection move,  
he had to her such great desire.   

She is 〈◊〉 Wife, quoth they,  
a Captain of your Princely Train,  
That in your Wars is now away,  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth all alone remain.   

Then said the King, Bring her to me,  
for with her love my heart is slain:  
The Prince of beauty sure is she,  
for whom I do great grief sustain.   

The Servants they did soon prepare,  
to do the message of the King,  
And Berseba the Lady fair,  
unto the Court did quickly bring.   

The King rejoiced at her sight,  
and won her love, and lay her by,  
Till they in sport had spent the night,  
and that the Sun was risen high.   

The King his leave most kindly taken  
of the fair Lady at the last:  
And homeward then she cast her look,  
till that three months were gone & passed.   

And then in Berseba so fair,  
she found her former health exiled,  
By certain tokens that she saw,  
the King had gotten her with child.   

Then to the King she made her moan,  
and told him how the case did stand:  
The King sent for her Husband home,  
to cloak the matter out of hand.   

When from the Camp Vriah came,  
the King received him courteously,  
Demanding how all things did frame  
concerning of the Enemy.   

Vriah showed his Highness all  
the accident of warlike strife.  
Then said the King, this night you shall  
keep company with your own wife.   

The Ark of God (Vriah said)  
with Iudah's Host, and Israel,  
Keep in the Field, and not a man  
within the house where they do dwell.   

Then should I take my ease, quoth he,  
in beds of Down with my fair wife?  
O King, he said, that must not be,  
so long as I enjoy my life.   

Then did the King a Letter frame,  
to joab General of the Host,  
And by Vriah sent the same,  
but certainly his life it cost.    

The second part, To the same tune.  
 

ANd when the King for certain knew  
Vriah thus had murdered been,  
Fair Berseba to Court he drew,  
and made of her his royal Queen.   

Then God that saw his wicked deed,  
was angry at King David's sin:  
The Prophet Nathan then with speed,  
came thus complaining unto him.   

O David, ponder what I say,  
a great abuse I shall thee tell:  
For thou that rul'st in equity,  
shouldst see the people ruled well.   

Two men within the City dwell,  
the one is rich, the other poor:  
The rich in Cattell doth excel,  
the other nothing hath in store,   

Saving one silly little Sheep,  
which young he did with money buy:  
With his own bread he did it feed,  
amongst his Children tenderly.   

The rich man had a stranger came  
unto his house that loved him dear,  
The poor man's Sheep therefore he took,  
and thereof made his friend good cheer.   

Because that he his own would save,  
he used the man thus cruelly:  
Then by the Lord the King did swear,  
the rich man for that fault should die.   

Thou art the man, the Prophet said,  
thy Princely Crown God gave to thee:  
Thy Lords wives thou thine own haste made,  
and many more of fair beauty.   

Why hast thou so defiled thy life,  
and slain Vriah with the sword,  
And taken home his wedded Wife,  
regarding not Gods holy Word?   

Therefore behold, thus saith the Lord,  
great wars upon thy house shall be,  
Because thou hast my Laws abhorred,  
much ill be sure J'll raise on thee.   

I'll take thy wives before thy face,  
and give them to thy neighbour's use:  
And thou thereby shalt have disgrace,  
for men shall laugh at thine abuse.   

Then David cried out piteously,  
sore have I sinned against the Lord,  
Have mercy God therefore on me,  
let not my prayers be abhorred.   

But as the Prophet told to him,  
so did it after chance indeed.  
For God did greatly plague his sin,  
as in the Bible you may read.   

The scourge of sin thus you may see,  
for murder and adultery.  
Lord grant that we may warned be,  
such crying sins to shun and 〈◊〉.    
FINIS.   

Printed at London for I. Wright, dwelling in Gilt-spurre street, near Newgate.