LIB. XV. Amnon and T amar. A been fometimes ufed to fuch dcmdlique imployments, ihee ~ad be.n now 10 f<ek; neither had this been required of her, but upon the knowledge of her skill: Shee doth not plead the impairing ofh<r beauty by the fcorching of the fire . nor thinks her hand too dainty for fuch mean Cervices , but fctdes to the work , a~ one that had rather regard the necdlities of her Brorher,then her own flare: Only pride and idleneffe bath banifl1t honefl and thrifty diligence, out of the houfes of the great. , ThiswasnotyettheDifhthato.AmnDnlongedfor. It was the Cook, and not the Cat<s which that wanton eye affected. Unlawful! ACls fe.k for fecrecy; The company isdifmiffed, Tam.tr only flayes; Good meaning fufpectsnothin?;Whiles ihe prcfenrs the meat fhe had prepued, to her lick Brother, her fdf is made a prey B ro hisourragious Lull. The modefl Virgin inrreats, and perfwades in vain; fhee !ayes before him the fin , the ihame, the dan~er of the faCl; and fioce none ofthefe can prevail, fain would winne time by the fug~efling of onpofiible hopes; Notlling but violence can flay a refolved finner; What he cannot by intreaty,hewill have by force. If the Devil! were nor more f!rong in men, thenoaruro3 tbey would nev<r feek pleafure in violence. v{mn•n barb no fooner fulfilled his beallly ddirc~ then he hates T•mar more then beloved her. Inordinate lull n:ver ends bur in dilcontcntment; Loffe of fpirits, and remorfe offoul make the remembrance ofthat ACl tedious,whofe expectation promifcd delight. If we coold f, e the back offinfull pleafures, <re we behold their face, our heartS could nor but be forc-lblled with a jufl detellation. Brutifh Amn111, it was thy felf whom thou fhouldefl have hated c for this villany, not thine innocent filler; Both ofyou lay rognher, only one committed incefi: What was !he but a patient in that impotent fury oflull~ How unjullly doe carnal! men mif-place their affetlions ~ No man can fay whether that love, or this hatr<d were more unrcafonable : Fraud drew T•mAT inro the houfc of Amnon, force entertained her within, and drove herouc. FJin w.:>uld !he have hid her fhame where it was wrought, and may not be allowed it: That roofe under whicbfl1ecame with honour, and<inobedience and love, may not be !cor her for the rime as a fhelter ofher ignominy. Never any favage could be more barbarous: ' suhem had ravifhed Dinth, his offence did not make her odious; his affcdion fo continued, that he is willing rather io draw bloud ofhimfelf and his people, then forgoe her whom he had abufed; Amnonin one houre is.in the "celfe oflove and D hate; and is lick ofher,for whom he WJS lick: Shce that lardy kept the keyes of his heart, is now lockt out of his doors. Unruly patlions runne ever inro extremities, and are then bell appay<d,when they are furrhefl offfrom reafon and moderation. What could vfmn•n think, would be the event of fo foul a falt, which as he had not rhe grace toprevenr,fo he hath nocrhe care to conceal~ If he lookr not fo high as Heaven,what could he imagine would follow her<upon, but the difpleafure of a Father,the danger ofLaw,che indignation ofa Brother,the ihameand outcryes ofthe World; All which he might have hoped to avoid by fecrefie,and plaufible courfes of fatisfaClion. It is the jufl judgemeorof God upon prefumptuous offenders, that they lofe their wit,together with their honelly; and are eirhcr fo blinE ded, that they cannot fore-fee the ilfue oftheir actions,qr fo bcforted that tbey doe not regard ir. Poor TamAT can but bewail that which ihe could not keep, her Virginity, not loft, but torn from her by acruel! violence : She rends her Princely robe, and laid afhes on her head,and lamenrs the lhameof anothers fin; and lives more defolate then a widow, in the houfe ofherbrother Abfolom. . In the mean time,what acorrolive mull this news needs be to the hem ofgood David, whofe fatherly command had out of love, call his Daughter into the jaws ofthis Lion~ What an infolenr affronr mull he ne.eds conflr)le this, to be offered by a Son to a Father;that the Father ihould bc made the Pander ofhis own Daughrer to his Son~ He that lay uponthe ground weeping for, but the ficknelfc ofan Infant , how vexed doe we think he was with the villany ofhis Heir, with theravifhrhJntof his Illl
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