shall be! 
  By Sanhedrims and clamorous crowds thus press’d,
  What passions rent the righteous David’s breast! 
  Who knows not how to oppose or to comply—­
  Unjust to grant, or dangerous to deny! 
  How near, in this dark juncture, Israel’s fate,
  Whose peace one sole expedient could create,
  Which yet the extremest virtue did require, 590
  Even of that prince whose downfall they conspire! 
  His absence David does with tears advise,
  To appease their rage.  Undaunted he complies. 
  Thus he, who, prodigal of blood and ease,
  A royal life exposed to winds and seas,
  At once contending with the waves and fire,
  And heading danger in the wars of Tyre,
  Inglorious now forsakes his native sand,
  And like an exile quits the promised land! 
  Our monarch scarce from pressing tears refrains, 600
  And painfully his royal state maintains,
  Who now, embracing on the extremest shore,
  Almost revokes what he enjoin’d before: 
  Concludes at last more trust to be allow’d
  To storms and seas than to the raging crowd! 
  Forbear, rash muse! the parting scene to draw,
  With silence charm’d as deep as theirs that saw! 
  Not only our attending nobles weep,
  But hardy sailors swell with tears the deep! 
  The tide restrain’d her course, and more amazed, 610
  The twin-stars on the royal brothers gazed: 
  While this sole fear—­
  Does trouble to our suffering hero bring,
  Lest next the popular rage oppress the king! 
  Thus parting, each for the other’s danger grieved,
  The shore the king, and seas the prince received. 
  Go, injured hero! while propitious gales,
  Soft as thy consort’s breath, inspire thy sails;
  Well may she trust her beauties on a flood,
  Where thy triumphant fleets so oft have rode! 620
  Safe on thy breast reclined, her rest be deep,
  Rock’d like a Nereid by the waves asleep;
  While happiest dreams her fancy entertain,
  And to Elysian fields convert the main! 
  Go, injured hero! while the shores of Tyre
  At thy approach so silent shall admire,
  Who on thy thunder still their thoughts employ,
  And greet thy landing with a trembling joy!

   On heroes thus the prophet’s fate is thrown,
  Admired by every nation but their own; 630
  Yet while our factious Jews his worth deny,
  Their aching conscience gives their tongue the lie. 
  Even in the worst of men the noblest parts
  Confess him, and he triumphs in their hearts,
  Whom to his king the best respects commend
  Of subject, soldier, kinsman, prince, and friend;
  All sacred names of most divine esteem,
  And to perfection all sustain’d by him;
  Wise, just, and constant, courtly without art,
  Swift to discern and to reward desert;