From thy house for this the sword shall not depart.

_David._ I am sorry, Lord, from the bottom of my heart.

_Pater Clestis._ To further anger thou dost me yet compel.

_David._ For what matter, Lord? I beseech thy goodness tell.

_Pater Clestis._ Why didst thou number the children of Israel?

Supposest in thy mind therein thou hast done well?

_David._ I cannot say nay, but I have done indiscreetly To forget thy grace for a human policy.

_Pater Clestis._ Thou shalt of these three choose which plague thou wilt have, For that sinful act, that I thy soul may save.

A scarceness seven years, or else three months' exile, If not, for three days a pestilence most vile, For one thou must have, there is no remedy.

_David._ Lord, at thy pleasure, for thou art full of mercy.

_Pater Clestis._ Of a pestilence then, three score thousand and ten, In three days shall die of thy most puissant men.

_David._ O Lord, it is I who have offended thy grace, Spare them and not me, for I have done the tres.p.a.ce.[620]

_Pater Clestis._ Though thy sins be great, thine inward heart's contribution Doth move my stomach in wonderful condition.

I find thee a man according to my heart; Wherefore this promise I make thee, ere I depart.

A fruit there shall come forth issuing from thy body, Whom I will advance upon thy seat for ever.

His throne shall become a seat of heavenly glory His worthy sceptre from right will not dissever, His happy kingdom, of faith shall perish never.

Of heaven and of earth he was author princ.i.p.al, And will continue, though they do perish all.

This sign shalt thou have for a token special, That thou mayst believe my words unfeignedly, Where thou hast minded, for my memorial, To build a temple, thou shalt not finish it truly; But Solomon thy son shall do that action worthy, In token that Christ must finish everything That I have begun, to my praise everlasting.

_David._ Immortal glory to thee, most heavenly King, For that thou hast given continual victory To me thy servant, ever since my annointing, And also before, by many conquests worthy.

A bear and lion I slew through thy strength only.

I slew Goliath, who was six cubits long.

Against thine enemies thou madest me ever strong.

My fleshly frailness made me do deadly wrong, And clean to forget thy laws of righteousness.

And though thou visitedst my sinfulness among, With pestilent plagues, and other unquietness; Yet never tookst thou from me thy plenteousness Of thy G.o.dly spir't, which thou in me didst plant.

I having remorse, thy grace could never want.

For in conclusion, thy everlasting covenant Thou gavest unto me for all my wicked sin; And hast promised here by protestation constant, That one of my seed shall such high fortune win, As never did man since this world did begin.

By his power he shall put Satan from his hold, In rejoice whereof to sing will I be bold.

[_Then he begins in a musical voice an antiphon, "O Adonai," which the chorus (as before) follows with instruments._

O Lord G.o.d Adonai, and guide of the faithful house of Israel, who sometime appearedst in the flaming bush to Moses, and to him didst give a law on Mount Sinai, come now to redeem us in the strength of thy right hand.

ACT VI

OF THE PROPHET ESAIAS

_Pater Clestis._ I brought up children from their first infancy, Who now despise all my G.o.dly instructions.

An ox knoweth its lord, an a.s.s its master's duty, But Israel will not know me, nor my conditions.

Oh, froward people, given all to superst.i.tions, Unnatural children, expert in blasphemies, Provoke me into hate, by their idolatries.

Take heed to my words, ye tyrants of Sodoma, In vain ye offer your sacrifice to me.

Discontent I am with you beasts of Gomorrah And have no pleasure when I your offerings see.

I abhor your fasts and your solemnity, For your traditions my ways ye set apart, Your works are in vain, I hate them from the heart.

_Esaias._ Thy city, sweet Lord, is now become unfaithful, And her conditions are turned upside down.

Her life is unchaste, her acts be very hurtful, Her murder and theft have darkened her renown.

Covetous rewards do so their conscience drown, That the fatherless they will not help to right, The poor widow's cause comes not before their sight.

Thy peaceable paths seek they neither day nor night; But walk wicked ways after their fantasy.

Convert their hearts, Lord, and give them thy true light, That they may perceive their customable folly: Leave them not helpless in so deep misery, But call them from it of thy most special grace, By thy true prophets, to their souls' health and solace.

_Pater Clestis._ First they had fathers, then had they patriarchs, Then dukes, then judges for their guides and monarchs: Now have they stout kings, yet are they wicked still, And will in no wise my pleasant laws fulfil.

Always they apply to idols' worshipping, From the vile beggar to the annointed king.

_Esaias._ For that cause thou hast in two divided them, In Samaria the one, the other in Jerusalem.

The king of Judah in Jerusalem did dwell, And in Samaria the king of Israel.

Ten of the twelve tribes became Samaritans, And the other two were Hierosolymitans.[621]

In both these countries, according to their doings, Thou permittedst them to have most cruel kings.

The first of Judah was wicked king Roboam, Of Israel the first was that cruel Jeroboam; Abiah then followed, and in the other Nadab, Then Ba.s.sa, then Helah, then Zambri, Jehoram and Ahab.

Then Ochesius, then Athaliah, then Joas;[622]

On the other part was Jonathan and Achaz.

To rehea.r.s.e all them that have done wretchedly In the sight of thee, it were long verily.

_Pater Clestis._ For the wicked sin of filthy idolatry, Which the ten tribes did in the land of Samarie, In s.p.a.ce of one day fifty thousand men I slew, Three of their cities also I overthrew, And left the people in such captivity, That in all the world they knew not whither to flee.

The other two tribes, when they from me went back To idolatry, I left in the hand of Shishak, The king of Egypt, who took away their treasure, Conveyed their cattle, and slew them without measure.

In time of Ahaz, a hundred thousand and twenty Were slain at one time for their idolatry.

Two hundred thousand from thence were captive led, Their goods dispersed, and they with penury fed.

Seldom they fail it, but either the Egyptians Have them in bondage, or else the a.s.syrians.

_Esaias._ Well, yet blessed Lord, relieve them with thy mercy.

Though they have been ill other princes' days, Yet good Hezekiah hath taught them goodly ways.

When the prince is good, the people are the better; And as he is nought, their vices are the greater.

Heavenly Lord, therefore send them the consolation, Which thou hast covenanted with every generation.

Open thou the heavens, and let the lamb come hither, Who will deliver thy people altogether.

Ye planets and clouds, cast down your dews and rain, That the earth may bear out healthful savour plain.

_Pater Clestis._ May the wife forget the child of her own body?

_Esaias._ Nay, that she can not in any wise verily.

_Pater Clestis._ No more can I them who will do my commandments, But must preserve them from all inconvenience.

_Esaias._ Blessed art thou, Lord, in all thy acts and judgments.

_Pater Clestis._ Well, Esaias, for this thy fidelity, A covenant of health thou shalt have also of me.

For Zion's sake now I will not hold my peace, And for Jerusalem, to speak will I not cease Till that righteous Lord become as a sunbeam bright, And their just saviour as a lamp extend his light.

A rod shall shoot forth from the old stock of Jesse, And a bright blossom from that root will arise, Upon whom always the spir't of the Lord shall be, The spir't of wisdom, the spir't of heavenly practice, And the spir't that will all G.o.dliness devise.

Take this for a sign, a maid of Israel Shall conceive and bear that Lord Emmanuel.