judah Betrayed: OR, The Egyptian Plot turned on the ISRAELITES. A POEM.  
— Probus quis  
Nobis cum Vivit?—  Hor. sat. lib. 1. sat. 3. 
London, Printed for J. Witty. 1682.   

JUDAH betrayed, OR, The EGYPTIAN Plot turned on the ISRAELITES, &c.  

JUdah long time from toilsome War did cease,  
Her civil Broils were turned into Peace;  
Plots are no more; Rebellion disappears  
Above the space of twenty rolling years;  
All people joining in their Kings Defence,  
Do with one voice Salute their glorious Prince,  
No heaped up Piles of Discord flamme and burn,  
Now Saul is doomed to his eternal Urn;  
Cities with Flames do not Salute the sky,  
Nor Judahs Towns beneath their ruins lye?  
Immortal Concord rules the happy day,  
No Cloudy jars obscure its peaceful Ray;  
Sluggish we grow, when Benefits are given,  
And Thankless stand until we anger Heaven,  
Never before could Christian Altars boast  
Of such rich Incense with so little cost;  
Never before bright Truth so firm did stand,  
And Piety abound in Judahs Land;  
pampered with Blessings and with Mercy full  
We soon grow Impudent, debauched and dull;  
Now Heaven does rage, and Earth must feel its Ire,  
Shook by its Bolts, scorched by its forked Fire;  
Our Trophies Fade and leave us in Distress,  
Our Tempe's turned into a Wilderness;  
Egyptians Plot against the Church and State,  
Israel must fall by their relentless hate,  
David must die, and all our Rights must down,  
While Fate can scarce support the falling Crown:  
The Wretched Subjects in their blood must roll,  
And lay the Body down to save the Soul;  
All our true Heroes from the Court must fly,  
And strangled Amnon must a Martyr Die;  
While they their Factious dark designs promote,  
Who e're looks on shall have his Eyes put out;  
And every Noble Patriot to ensnare  
They'l dive to Hell and seek Inventions there  
While Baal does thus his miscreant Plotters cheer.  
Corrupt the Nobles, and enslave the Throne,  
Poison itis wearrer and the day's our own;  
Steal every heart with promises of Bliss  
And show an easy Path to paradise,  
With tempting Gold dazzle their gazing Eyes,  
And so transform to friends your enemies,  
Your Imps disguised into their Streets convey,  
And then to fire their well built roofs betray;  
Let Temples fall, while doleful passing Bells  
In Tumbling Towers ring their own farewells,  
Then raise your Scaffolds where their Altars stood,  
Then quench their ruins in a pool of blood:  
Snatch tender Children from their Mothers Arms,  
Without regarding all their Infant Charms,  
Rob 'em of Life, which Nature newly gave  
And then in baleful Ashes make their Grave;  
Never regard the Wretched Virgins cry,  
Let helpless Youths by fatal Poniards die;  
Down with their Churches & set up your Shrines,  
Whilst on their Altars your new Idol Shines;  
Be quick in Murder, in Relenting slow,  
Baal will pard'ning all your hast outgo;  
For such black deeds he'l open Heaven set,  
And give a paradise like Mahomet,  
Shall these designs go on by Treachery?  
No, Heaven itself will the Avenger be;  
See their Plot blasted in its teeming Bud,  
See their Intrigues by Judah understood,  
'Tis Heaven, yes Heaven, has this great wonder done▪  
See how the Plotters for a Pardon run:  
Some crave of Sanhedrins their Care and Aid,  
But others cry, we are not yet betrayed;  
Now the bold Priests retire unto their Cells,  
And there consult their wondrous Oracles;  
What overcome? across Fate! it cannot be,  
Rome is Infallible in her decree;  
'Tis but a trick of Fate, then let's grow bold,  
And only slip to take the faster hold;  
Tis but the fixing the unshaken doom  
' Of braver Acts and braver times to come,  
Well, says the Priest, with little care and Pain,  
We will once more retrieve the Game again:  
We'l say 'gainst David, Judah does Rebel  
And Mutiny is raised in Israel,  
We'l say they Plot against their Lawful King  
So drive good Favourites from Davids Wing  
Tear from his Bosom his Beloved Son,  
Heavens dearest Darling, Godlike Absalon;  
Take but this prise, and what can't Fortune do?  
Say, Votaries, is David King or no?  
'Tis true he sits upon a crazy Throne,  
Crazy, because 'tis hardly half his own,  
Baal says 'tis his, by an unchanged Decree  
He must the Universal Monarch be,  
If Plots and Stratagems will pull it down,  
Already I behold the tottering Crown,  
The Warlike Absalon we've banished far,  
That Glorious Champion in great Davids War,  
Whose ponderous sword such mighty feats has done,  
None in the Fight so stout as Davids Son,  
Yes, Votaries, the Priests of Apis say  
This Heroe's now dismissed from all his Sway  
Oh pleasing Fate! and oh thrice welcome day!  
David and 's People now at variance be,  
And both must fall by the same Destiny,  
Though Baal Plots on, and all his friends employs  
'Tis Israel that Israel destroys;  
All his Intrigues are quiter and clean forgot,  
So in a shame we lose the real Plot,  
Now Davids Heart is from his Subjects ta'en  
In vain are crys, Petitions all are vain,  
While the young Brats about the Throne do sport,  
The Charming Delilah commands the Court,  
addresses, not to David now are brought,  
And all the Learned Counsel comes to nought,  
Are Israelites so mad, so voided of sense  
To stab themselves and to undo their Prince?  
Will reason ' ere Posterities persuade  
That we ourselves, our King, our God betrayed?  
Yes, yes, if Oaths of perjured Rascals may  
Take off all such as Apis disobey.  
Look to the shore, the Geshure Creatures Land,  
And in whole Shoals infest fair Judahs Strand,  
Prodigious Creatures of a monstrous Birth,  
With Souls as ugly as their Native Earth,  
A tract of Land, which to that People fell  
Peculiar Gift of Charitable Hell,  
Of Souls a Purgatory, ten times worse  
Then all, that can be crammed into a Curse:  
A Land, that's Satans Soil, whence do arise  
His Children, liars, and their Off-spring, lies.  
See, how they come with Stubborn look & frown,  
Big with Untruths, and ready to lye down;  
Empires to spoil and Cities to o'return,  
What flames a liars Rage can cause to burn?  
A dunghill slaves undaunted Perjury  
Usurpeth Power to make a Noble die;  
These are the Tools by which the States-men sway  
But who're the greatest Rogues themselves or they?  
Heither they do invite 'em to resort,  
And give 'em Pensions to observe the Court?  
So ruined Kings from palaces do fall,  
Struck by those Creatures, that they made so Tall.   

First( bashful Muse) Achitophel bring forth,  
Heavens, could I paint him to his greatest worth!  
Paint him with Pencils dipped in reeking Gore,  
In sable field, black as the Stygian shore  
Holding the Train of the Egyptian Whore.  
Paint him in's closet wracking of his Brain,  
About some Princes fall, and others Reign.  
Grown mad by Envy and blown up with Hate,  
He cannot stand but on a falling State.  
He says he's Loyal, and does strut among  
The gazing troops of the admiring Throng,  
Though all men count Egyptian Loyalty  
As false as Church Infallibility;  
He loves not David cause he's Lawful King,  
But for the grateful refuge of his wing;  
Grant him but this, his Loyaltie's all one,  
Should Satan once usurp and mount a Throne;  
Sure soon may he from Loyalty be driven,  
That always was a Rebel against Heaven;  
What airy Titles then do Monarchs bear,  
doomed to be great and to Eternal Care?  
Like our good David blessed with Nobler Souls  
Then Warlike Heroes Register Enrouls,  
Magnificently build a Royal Throne,  
Yet plagued with Favourites, that pull it down;  
From grovelling Fate raise abject Slaves on high,  
Who once grown great, can't thrive, but Kings must die;  
Drawn by Ambition on Prides Pinions rise  
Spurning the earth do tilt unto the Skies,  
Disowning even that hand that made them great,  
Do make it the sad Object of their Hate;  
Achitophel is fixed on Fortune strong,  
And only grieves that David lives too long;  
He envies even his good by Destinies,  
And blames the course of the propitious Skies;  
Curse on that Planet, whose benign Ray  
Gilds the bright Pavement of the Milky-way,  
And is so good, so Influential  
To the great Master of the Milky Hall!  
Curse on all Fates! nay cursed be all the things  
That do continue Life to gasping Kings!  
Thus does he curse and thus does Fortune blame,  
'Cause David Lives and spoils Egyptian Game;  
Knowing the Absence of his gracious Sight  
Would turn our Goshen to Egyptian night:  
Then, then might Baal for the Succession try,  
And Crown an Heir without a Reason why;  
And then Achitophel to keep his famed,  
In Boundless Power should be still the same.  
Yet he tells David he may Live at ease;  
Courtiers must always soothe and strive to please:  
And though he does for Politician sit,  
Nature nere destyn'd him to be a Wit,  
And that he should have sense, how cam't to pass!  
Never was Biggot yet but was an Ass.  
Sprung like some Mushroom up, a rampant Knave  
May to the uulgar seem August and Brave,  
But all the men of sense will praise as soon  
The base pedantic Fop, or Court-Buffoon.   

Next Shimei introduce into the Hall;  
Would I could roar as loud as he can bawl:  
Stretching his Chaps and Brandishing his Paw,  
Paint him the gaping musty MOUTH of Law;  
See how he lifts his head and looks about,  
And rallys the poor Solymean Rout!  
Unto Jerusalem gate he bends his way,  
Prompted by hope of a Victorious day;  
blessed with the Influence of some court-like Star,  
His Message thus does to the Citts declare:  
Reverend and grave! from Hall to Hall I 'm sent,  
With a Commission boundless in Extent;  
First with an easy Gentleness I move,  
Kind as my chastest Widows Maiden Love;  
If you your Rights and Charters will lay down,  
And yield the privileges of your Town,  
Your Ancient customs to our furer Trust,  
Courtiers and Lawyers still you know are just.  
We'l stand by all your Fortunes and your Lives,  
And keep our usual Kindness to your Wives;  
Into your Streets the famished Guards shan't come  
Nor spawn their Issue in your Infants room;  
Then here he stops.— But if you awkard be  
And still presume to keep your Liberty,  
Know that the Angry Planets soon will frown,  
And with dire Visitations spoil your Town;  
Know that the Ancient Rolls of Adams Laws  
Give us our Rights, and weaken all your Cause:  
o'er these Records like women will we prate,  
That splutter Oyster-Law at Billings-gate.  
All will not do; The Jebusites will have  
Their Titles free from that Addition, Slave;  
David 'tis true can be prescribed by none,  
Such is the Power of a Lawful Throne;  
But yet the peoples Right and Name of King,  
Did at the first from the same Fountain spring;  
And proof from Kings Successions is as good  
As all the musty Rolls before the Flood.   

For depth in politics and Statesmans Brain  
Draw Hushai next, attended by a Train  
Of peevish Votaries, Heart-sick with pride,  
Too numerous for an Apostate Guide;  
The odious name of Patriot he does own  
And Prophecies the downfall of a Throne,  
Forms in his Aged fancy robbed of Health  
The strange ideas of a Commonwealth,  
Then gains the Proselyte dissenting Jews,  
And Arguments from Liberty does use:  
So Treason veiled for Liberty may go,  
And Traytors heads like royalists may show.  
All Judahs people had united been,  
Had not he interposed and stepped between:  
David in's Subjects love had held his Reign  
Had not he cut the fastening bond in twain,  
And Fatal discord sown in Sanhedrin,  
The much lamented hasty Judahs Sin.  
When either faction does produce their right  
To Succession, they tacitly do slight  
The present King, and silent reasons bring  
That he is not, or should not be a King;  
We need not care, for Heaven nere will own  
Egyptian Heir on Israelitish Throne,  
Or will it e're auspiciously defend  
Hushai, that only strives for 's private end.  
He wheadles Absalon with hopes of King,  
And glistering toys of Crownes does before him fling:  
Thus does he soothe to overthrow a Crown,  
And Absalons the Tool to beat it down;  
And easy Absalon, by Gentleness drawn,  
( Though he has courage paralleled by none)  
The loss of Crownes to come he now does dread,  
Can Heaven place 'em on a Nobler Head?  
So great a Soul as his 'twill never own  
Should rule on any thing beneath a Throne,  
Or ere see Judah plagued or robbed of Health,  
By that unbounded thing a Commonwealth.   

Here could I sing the Glorious Heroes praise,  
And to their famed Immortal Trophies raise,  
On Fames chief Pinnacle engrave their name,  
But while the Worthy lives, does live his famed:  
Whose Swords, & Lives, & Fortunes are by doom  
Destyn'd to perish in whatere shall come  
On Glorious David; or with terror seize  
Hells sooty bands, Egyptian Enemies;  
Here Absalons Warlike Feats would I rehearse,  
could his wide Glories be confined to verse,  
Who ere paints him and paints his Glories all  
Comes not in sight of the Original:  
What Brave with greater prowess did appear,  
When Honour called him unto David's War?  
With Angels brow and Heavenly hand did wield  
His Dauntless Sword, and triumphed in the field;  
When Towns demolished are to ruins thrown,  
His valour is engraved on every ston:  
crowned with success, when he did home return  
Think how the flaming piles with Joy did burn,  
Think how the Multitude to see him land  
Did with thronged droves ' orespread Judean strand,  
Then scaped from Sword, & Fire, & hostile harms,  
Like his fair Mother, flys to Davids arms;  
But now behold him out of Favour thrown,  
While David scarce Vouchsafes his Son to own;  
Hear the abusive Rabble speak aloud,  
Yes hear, him all reproached by the Crowd,  
abused by Egypts Slaves both far and near,  
That Moors would dread, and dusky Indians fear;  
His gentle Soul can hold and nothing say,  
Can bear the name of Rebel, yet obey;  
Till Heaven with indulgent brow shall smile  
And stop the overflows of Egypts Nile.   

But are we ruined? Is the day of doom  
For Glorious Israel already come?  
What, is the Ark to Egypts borders past,  
And all our Temples ruinated and waste?  
Shall way to Churches ever be untrod?  
Shall Baal perk up, and yet Commence a God?  
No, no; though flames may purge the sluggish oar,  
The Gold refined Shines brighter then before;  
Think how the former Israelites have been  
Sadly oppressed by an Egyptian Queen;  
Think on our Ancestors deplored case,  
When the destroying Angel here did pass,  
Mounted on Cherub's winged with fury road  
To slay the Victims of an angry God;  
Think how their Priests did to the flames retire,  
And breath their Souls out in Egyptian fire,  
Whose Nobler Souls in midst of Flames could sing  
And Martyrs mount unto Jerusalems King,  
What though to peace through War you thrust your Soul,  
And tread the Ordeal of Persecution coal;  
Who'ere on Lifes vast Sea does ply his Oar,  
Must look for Tempests'ere he comes on shore;  
Then never, never of your Fate take care,  
But build your Hopes where all your Powers are:  
Let loose your towering Eagles to the sky,  
And e're the Conquest sound a Victory,  
Though feeble Hell & Rome with Rage contend,  
Auspicious Heaven still remains your friend.   
FINIS.