King Solomons Solace, Book · Chapter 5
CAP. V.
Solomons Lordes examining themſelves and their dealinges one by one, are in their owne conſciences cleared of any cauſe of his affliction. Zabud and Azariah are iuſtified.
AS the ſodaine alteration of King Solomon (after that hee came to himſelfe again vponupon the ſenſe of his ſinne) was very maruailous, and his words aunſwerable to his deepe conceite: and that every one, aſwell his howſhold ſeruantes, as his Princes and Lords, were ready to note, obſerue and record both the one and the other: ſo alſo were they moſt willing to inueſtigate and ſeeke for the cauſe of theſe thinges: yea, eueryevery of them, was almoſt ready, (according to that ſentence of Zabud, with the aſſent of Zadock) to enter into him ſelfe with a due examination, to ſearch and enquire whether any iuſt cauſe or any occaſion whatſoeuer might ariſe from any thing in them, or of any their words or actions to trouble his Highnes mind, and ſo to cleare himſelfe in preſence, by declaring his integrity without all hypocriſie or vaine glory. And ſo it is to bee eſteemed, that although a mans owne mouth ſhould not prayſe himſelfe,Note. but rather another, yet theſe Lordes vttered nothing of themſelues, as to blaſe in the pride of their heartes,In what minde and ſort the Lordes cleared themſelues. the honour of their owne demerites: but as within the boundes of modeſty, they might excuſe and cleare themſelues of whatſoeuer might bée obiected to them. In this ſorte the holy man Iob, and the holy Patriarke Abraham and Moſes and Samuel, and Sampſon, and David the King were not onelyonly conſtrained, but well contented to doe, as in their ſeuerall hiſtories plainely appeareth. And herein they ſhew forth not onelyonly their great griefe conceiued for the kinges trouble, but alſo the deſire they hauehave to eaſe and remedy the ſame to their power.
But now, as hee is faithfull which performeth that in déede, which in worde he hath proteſted and promiſed:Zabud his Apologie. ſo reuerend Zabud (who firſt ſpake thereof) beganne in this ſort to performe it accordingly. And thus he ſaid: As the Heauen is high, and the earth deepe,Pro. 25.2. ſo is the kinges heart vnſearchable. I hauehave heard him thus to ſay: therefore omitting (as yet) the ſearch of his reines, (as Subiectes ſhould) I hauehave entered into mine owne heart, and hauehave examined and tried mine owne thoughtes, wordes and wayes, eſpecially,The godly man rather iudgeth himſelfe then others. ſuch as concerne his Highneſſe. I hauehave not caſt mine eyes on others, and cenſured them and their doinges and ſayings: but I hauehave (I ſay) obſerued, tried and iudged mine own: fearing greatly, whether at any time the King, as hee is paſſing wiſe, hath noted any point of folly or lightnes in mee, whome his grace hath vouchſafed to embrace, and to vſe as his deere and familiar friend. In the which point it were an ingratefull part in me, and nothing beſéeming the worthines and honour of my place, if I ſhould in ſuch ſort behaue my ſelfe, eſpecially towardes him or them by whoſe rich bountie I hauehave beene preferred, aduanced, and am dailie benefited and fauoured: yea, I confeſſe, I might well bee numbred vppe among thoſe fooles, that hauehave crooked ſoules in vpright bodies, for whome worſhippe is ſo vnſéemly, as the ſnow for the Summer, and raine for the harueſt: whome, whoſoeuer ſhall place in high dignity, ſhall binde a ſtone in a ſling to hurt himſelfe. And in my iudgement, as thoſe young Pellicans are worthily loathed, reiected and abandoned of their Dams, which neither feede them, nor comfort them, nor regard them,Ingratefull perſons. after the time they hauehave weakened their bodies by ſhedding foorth of their precious bloud to cure and recouer them of the biting of the venemous ſerpents: ſo alſo thoſe perſons do not only deſerue to be expelled and caſt out of this honourable ſocietie, but to be eſtéemed not worthy to liue, much leſſe to liue in honor that recompence their moſt gratious Princes and bountifull benefactors, with ſuch monſtrous ingratitude, as will not onelyonly not aſſay to requite, or that doe forget good turnes: but alſo yeeld hatred and diſpleaſures for that their louing demerites. Surelie, theſe be the perſons, in whom is plainely ſéene the enemy of the ſoule, the quencher out of merites, the diſpearcer of vertues, the deſtroyer of benefites, the conſumer of pieties fountaine, the dryer vp of mercies deaw, the ſtopper of graces ſtreame, the ſhutter out of Sonnes from their Fathers bleſſinges, and the ſame to the which the Almighty that formed all things, and both commendeth and commandeth gratitude to his Saints, ſhal adde the tranſgreſſors reward in the end. I am ſet in an high place, and enioy therein like fauour of my Lord the King. This I confeſſe, I doe prayſe God for the ſame, and ambolden to be right thankfull to my Soueraigne. God forbid, I ſhould in the ſame waxe proud, arrogant, diſdainefull,How zabud behaved himſelfe in the K. Court. enuious, or ſeeke to reuenge priuate iniuries on thē which in times paſt hauehave abuſed me, although I be in place, either to hurt or profite them at my pleaſure. I hauehave not (as being familiar with his Grace) ſuggeſted and vngodly thing, nor flattered, nor diſſembled with the King, nor plaied the ſycophant in accuſing others in his preſence. I hauehave not (though preferred and familiarly eſteemed of the Kinges Maieſtie) eyther contemned or neglected the dutie of my Prieſthoode, to the which I was called, nor the holy ſeruice and Religion: but deuoutely attended the ſame, and withall waited on the King and followed him, neither hauehave I abandoned the cry of the poore with their petitions to the king, when they hauehave been oppreſſed: but I hauehave beene right glad to heare them, and to further their ſuites, yea, and to defend and helpe the oppreſſed, and them which had none helper, againſt the proud faces of their oppreſſors. I hauehave been (as holy Iob hath taught me) an eye to the blinde, a ſtaffe to the lame, an eare to the deafe, a mouth to the dumbe, and a father to the fatherleſſe. I hauehave taken on me to further the honeſt ſuites of all the kings people that come to the Court for iuſtice: howbeit not in that minde which Abſolon had vnderunder David, as the Lord is my witnes (for he thought by this deuiſe to aſpire to the kingdome) but in the ſame ſpirite which my Lord the King had vnderunder his father by the good counſaile of his mother,Pro. 31.8.9. who thus taught him: Bee thou an Aduocate for the dumb to ſpeake in the cauſe of all ſuch as bee ſuccourleſſe in this tranſitory worlde. Open thy mouth, defend the thing that is lawfull and right, and the cauſe of the poore and helpeleſſe. Neyther hauehave I in this reſpect taken any mans oxe or aſſe, or any thing elſe for a bribe or reward, or a Fee, as ſuch often accuſtome to doe which ſtand in high places, yea rather I hauehave beene of Samuels ſpirite, and gladde withall mine heart, that ſuch an occaſion was offered mee to expreſſe my louelove to the Lordes poore people: and therefore I hauehave payde foorth of mine owne, and beſtowed largelie both to the neede of the oppreſſed, and the puniſhment of thoſe prowde perſons, which (knowing not their duties) hauehave both abuſed the King and his liege people. To be ſhort, I hauehave as much (as lay in mée) endeuoured in my place to diſcharge my duetie, to benefite my Countrie to ſerue my King, and to glorifie the Lord of heauen. Therefore I perſwade, that the Kinges Grace is not grieued or offended through me. Loe (my Lords all) this hauehave I ſaide for my ſelfe: of any of you can iuſtly accuſe mee of any thing offenſiue in this matter, ſay on, and let mee not bee holden guiltleſſe. *
Zabud had ſcarcely vttered thoſe wordes in ſuch his honeſt and lawfull excuſe:Azariah examineth and excuſeth him ſelfe. but Azariah (who thought it very long, yer hee could likewiſe enter into his owne Apologie) to declare his innocency, ſpake and proteſted, ſaying: And I (for mine owne part) ſéeing the King in this kind of diſpleaſure, I hauehave alſo many times ſuſpected, whether his Excellency, who hath exalted me, of his owne grations heart without any my demerites to this honourable place, hath obſerued or noted, or ſuſpected in me any touch of couetouſneſſe, ambition, pride, vaine glory, or any kind of teacherie, or diſloialtie towardes his Highneſſe: or any kind of iniuſtice done or offered to his people: wherof I here openly proteſt before thee Iehovah our God and you al, that I am as guiltleſſe (in mine own conſcience) as the innocent childe that lyeth in the cradle: for thus (indeed) I ſhould declare my ſelfe to bee eſteemed worthie this place and office. For I perſwade, that as thoſe props and ſtayes in an houſe, which are eyther noyſome, rotten, or vnprofitable, ſhould of neceſſitie be remoued, that ſome ſtronger and more commodious might be placed in the ſame: ſo al ſuch perſons which ſtand in place,VVhat perſons are moſt meete for authority. as to ſupport, ſtay vp and maintaine the eſtate and honour of their Prince and common wealth be remoued and excluded both from his fauour and al authority, which wāt the feare of the Lord, & thoſe heroical vertues which are ſo needefull and commendable in ſuch perſons, which extend not their forces to the due ſeruice and honour of th'one and benefite of th'other, and ſuch other to be preferred & ſet in their places & beſt fauoured, which are both wel qualified, and ready to perform their right offices in either, as ſuch, whereof the king at all times, and vponupon all occaſions, may happily take and receiue counſel & comfort, & the common wealth ſafety & vtilitie. *Therfore among (many other things) as the king hath not onelyonly placed me in office ouer all his purveyours & Cators for his houſe, and ſworn me to do & obſerue my duty truſtily therin,The office of the Purueyor. with this eſpeciall charge, that neither they, nor any other his ſeruantes ſhould oppreſſe, wring or wrong his ſubiects vnderunder colour of taking or making prouiſion for his houſe, Knowing how ſoone a Prince by ſuch meanes may become hatefull to his Subiects: I hauehave prouided charged and regarded, that both the ſaide Purueyors and their ſeruants be men of good report, and faithfull and true dealing perſons, and that they be duly ſworne to reſpect the kings cō mandement, and to execute their offices accordingly. Next I hauehave regarded, that none of thē ſhould preſume to go forth with out his lawful warrant or commiſſion ſealed with the Kings ſeale, to ye end, that both thēſelues might know and remember their charge therin, & the people might neither ſuſpect their authority nor feare of the māner of their dealings. Thirdly, I hauehave ſtraitely charged thē in the kings name, that they exact not, nor wreſt any thing from the Commons but vponupon agréement at a reaſonable price betwéene thē, & the owner of the things to be takē vp. And that if any thing be takē on credit for the king to be paid for at a day appointed, that ye perueiors hauing receiued thoſe monies out of the kinges Exchequer doe neither conuert the mony to their owne vſe, nor deteyne it from the Creditors, nor delay to ſatiſfie them at the ſaide daies. And becauſe all places of the Country are not ſtored with victuals and ſuch other things alike, I hauehave prouided and charged that prouiſion for the kings houſe be made in ſuch places where the moſt plentie of thoſe thinges are, and that at méets and conuenient times, and at ſuch reaſonable rates & prices, as the ſeller may wel afoord the ſame, without threates or violent ſpeeches. Alſo, that the purueiors ſhal not for fauor, fine or bribe, forbear to take of one man more then of another, whoſe goods are lyable to their authoritie at méete prices: nor ſhall charge or exacte of one man more then of another, for any malice, euil-will or ſuggeſtion of friendes or acquaintances. To bee ſhort, as they are ſworne to obſerue and perfourme the kings commandement and their duty therein: ſo hauehave I duly examined them & their dealings from time to time. And if any hauehave béene founde faultye or offenſiue in this caſe, I hauehave not onelyonly abhorred and baniſhed them the Court, but ſeuerely puniſhed them, as capitall enemies to the king and his people. Moreouer, as touching the prouiſion of mine owne houſe, I hauehave had no leſſe regard, that none of my Cators or Officers ſhoulde at any time exact of the kings ſubiects and kind of victuals, Corn, Cloath, Cariages or whatſoeuer els without the good wills and conſent of them whoſe the things be, and without making a lawfull bargaine betweene them for the ſame, nor yet without preſent paye according to their agréements, and that whenſoeuer I found any of my ſeruants or officers, whether for their filthie lucre, or mine owne commodity, to offend in their dealings, I hauehave neither defended them, nor fauoured them, nor wincked at their faults, but I hauehave reproued them, caſt them out of fauaur, depriued them of their offices and ſeuerely puniſhed them yea, I hauehave compelled them to reſtore and yeelde againe to the true owners the treble valew of ſuch goods ſo taken vp with like coſts of ſuite, beſides their amerciamēts to the kings Maieſtie at his pleaſure. Truely, this ſhould be the deſire of the Nobles, and ſo much the ſooner, that the commons might not be moued to murmure, but to commend their dealings that their owne conſciences, might neither accuſe nor condemne, but excuſe and cleare them: the poore people might not curſe, but bleſſe them: the kings grace might not be offended but well pleaſed with them: and the Lord of heauen might not in iuſtice plague, but in mercy proſper them in their honour. Thus hauehave I done and duly regarded, and for my part, I would not wiſh to liue, much leſſe to liue in this honour, longer then I am able, or at the leaſt hauehave a faithfull deſire both to aduance the true honour of the eternall God, preſerue and maintaine the moſt worthie Maieſtie of my Soueraign Lord, benefit the common-wealth and diſcharge my duty in my place. *