| |
| AND 1 now before yong Dauid could come in, | |
| The host of Israel somewhat doth begin | |
| To rouze itselfe; some climbe the nearest tree, | |
| And some the tops of tents, whence they might see | |
| How this vnarmed youth himselfe would beare | 5 |
| Against th’ all-armed giant (which they feare): | |
| Some get vp to the fronts of easie hills, | |
| That by their motion a vast murmure fills | |
| The neighbouring valleys, that th’ enemy thought | |
| Something would by the Israelites be wrought | 10 |
| They had not heard of, and they longed to see | |
| What strange and warlike stratagem ’t should be. | |
| When soone they saw a goodly youth descend, | |
| Himselfe alone, none after to attend, | |
| That at his need with armes might him supply, | 15 |
| As meerely carelesse of his enemy: | |
| His head vncouered, and his locks of hayre, | |
| As he came on, being play’d with by the ayre, | |
| Tost to and fro, did with such pleasure moue, | |
| As they had beene prouocatiues for loue: | 20 |
| His sleeues stript vp above his elbowes were, | |
| And in his hand a stiffe short staffe did beare, | |
| Which by the leather to it, and the string, | |
| They easily might discerne to be a sling. | |
| Suting to these he wore a shepheard’s scrip, | 25 |
| Which from his side hung down vpon his hip. | |
| Those for a champion that did him disdaine, | |
| Cast with themselues what such a thing should meane; | |
| Some seeing him so wonderousely faire, | |
| (As in their eyes he stood beyond compare,) | 30 |
| Their verdict gaue, that they had sent him sure | |
| As a choice bayt their champion to alure; | |
| Others, againe, of judgment more precise, | |
| Said they had sent him for a sacrifice, | |
| And though he seem’d thus to be very young, | 35 |
| Yet was he well proportioned and strong, | |
| And, with a comely and vndaunted grace, | |
| Holding a steady and most euen pace, | |
| This way, nor that way, neuer stood to gaze; | |
| But, like a man that death could not amaze, | 40 |
| Came close vp to Goliah, and so neare | |
| As he might easily reach him with his speare. | |
| Which when Goliah saw, “Why boy,” quoth he, | |
| “Thou desperate youth, thou tak’st me sure to be | |
| Some dog, I thinke, and vnder thy command, | 45 |
| That thus art come to beat me with a wand: | |
| The kites and rauens are not farre away, | |
| Nor beasts of rauin, that shall make a prey | |
| Of a poore corpse, which they from me shall haue, | |
| And their foule bowels shall be all thy graue.” | 50 |
| “Vncircumcised slaue,” quoth Dauid then, | |
| “That for thy shape the monster art of men, | |
| Thou thus in brasse com’st arm’d into the field, | |
| And thy huge speare of brasse, of brasse thy shield: | |
| I, in the name of Israel’s God alone, | 55 |
| That more then mighty, that Eternall One, | |
| Am come to meet thee, who bids not to feare, | |
| Nor once respect the armes that thou dost beare. | |
| Slaue, marke the earth whereon thou now dost stand, | |
| Ile make thy length to measure so much land, | 60 |
| As thou lyest groueling, and within this houre | |
| The birds and beasts thy carkasse shall deuoure.” | |
| In meantime Dauid, looking in his face, | |
| Betweene his temples saw how large a space | |
| He was to hit, steps backe a yard or two; | 65 |
| The gyant, wond’ring what the youth would doe, | |
| Whose nimble hand out of his scrip doth bring | |
| A pebble-stone, and puts it in his sling; | |
| At which the gyant openly doth ieere, | |
| And, as in scorne, stands leaning on his speare, | 70 |
| Which giues young Dauid much content to see, | |
| And to himselfe thus secretly saith he: | |
| “Stand but one minute still, stand but so fast, | |
| And haue at all Philistia at a cast.” | |
| When with such slight the shot away he sent, | 75 |
| That from his sling as ’t had beene lightning went; | |
| And him so full vpon the forehead smit, | |
| Which gaue a cracke when his thicke scalpe it hit, | |
| As ’t had beene throwne against some rocke or post, | |
| That the shrill clap was heard through either host. | 80 |
| Staggering awhile vpon his speare he leant, | |
| Till on a sodaine he began to faint, | |
| When downe he came, like an old oregrowne oake, | |
| His huge roote hewn vp by the labourer’s stroke, | |
| That with his very weight he shooke the ground; | 85 |
| His brazen armour gaue a iarring sound, | |
| Like a crackt bell, or vessel chanct to fall | |
| From some high place, which did like death apall. | |
| The proud Philistians, (hopelesse that remaine), | |
| To see their champion, great Goliah, slaine, | 90 |
| When such a shout the host of Israel gaue, | |
| As cleft the clouds; and like to men that raue, | |
| (O’rcome with comfort) crye, “The boy, the boy! | |
| O the braue Dauid, Israel’s onely joye! | |
| God’s chosen champion! O most wondrous thing! | 95 |
| The great Goliah slaine with a poore sling!” | |
| Themselue incompasse, nor can they containe; | |
| Now are they silent, then they shoute againe. | |
| Of which no notice Dauid seems to take, | |
| But towards the body of the dead doth make, | 100 |
| With a faire comely gate; 2 nor doth he runne | |
| As though he gloried in what he had done; | |
| But treading on th’ vncircumcised dead, | |
| With his foot strikes the helmet from his head; | |
| Which with the sword ta’n from the gyant’s side | 105 |
| He from the body quickly doth diuide. | |
| Now the Philistians at this fearefull sight, | |
| Leauing their armes, betake themselues to flight, | |
| Quitting their tents, nor dare a minute stay. | |
| Time wants to carry anything away, | 110 |
| Being strongly rowted with a generall feare, | |
| Yet in pursute Saul’s army strikes the reare | |
| To Ekron’s walles, and slew them as they fled, | |
| That Sharam’s plaines lay couered with the dead. | |
| And hauing put the Philistians to foyle, | 115 |
| Backe to the tents retire and take the spoyle | |
| Of what they left; and ransacking, they cry, | |
| “A Dauid, Dauid, and the victory!” | |
| When straightwaies Saul his generall, Abner, sent | |
| For valiant Dauid, that incontinent | 120 |
| He should repaire to court; at whose command | |
| He comes along, and beareth in his hand | |
| The gyant’s head, by th’ long hayre of his crowne, | |
| Which by his actiue knee hung dangling downe, | |
| And through the army as he comes along, | 125 |
| To gaze vpon him the glad souldiers throng: | |
| Some doe instile him Israel’s onely light, | |
| And other some the valiant Bethlemite. | |
| With coniayes 3 all salute him as he past, | |
| And vpon him their gracious glances cast: | 130 |
| He was thought base of him that did not boast— | |
| Nothing but Dauid, Dauid, through the host. | |
| The virgins to their timbrels frame their layes | |
| Of him, till Saul grew iealous of his praise. | |
