Note 208 — ABSALOM AND ACHITOPHEL.
Reading edition
"Naboth's Vineyard, or the Innocent Traitor, copied from the original Holy Scriptures, in Heroic Verse, printed for C. R. 1679."
"Since holy scripture itself is not exempt from being tortured and abused by the strainings and perversions of evil men, no great wonder were it if this small poem, which is but an illustration of a single, yet remarkable, passage thereof, be also subject to the like distortions and misapplications of the over-prying and underwitted of one side, and of the malicious on the other: But all ingenious and ingenuous men (to whose divertisement only this poem offers itself) will be guarantees for the author, that neither any honourable and just judge can be thought concerned in the character of Arod, nor any honest and veracious witness in that of Malchus: And as, by the singular care and royal goodness of his Majesty, whom God long preserve, our benches in this nation are furnished with persons of such eminent integrity and ability, that no character of a corrupt judge can, with the least shadow of resemblance, belong to them; so it is to be wished, that also, in all our courts of judicature, a proportionable honesty and veracity were to be found in all witnesses, that so justice and peace might close in a happy kiss."
In this piece, Scroggs is described under the character of Arod, an ambitious judge and statesman:
The chief was Arod, whose corrupted youth Had made his soul an enemy to truth; But nature furnished him with parts and wit For bold attempts, and deep intriguing fit. Small was his learning, and his eloquence Did please the rabble, nauseate men of sense; Bold was his spirit, nimble and loud his tongue, Which more than law or reason takes the throng, Him, part by money, partly by her grace, The covetous queen raised to a judge's place; And as he bought his place, he justice sold, Weighing his causes, not by law, but gold. He made the justice-seat a common mart; Well skilled was he in the mysterious art Of finding varnish for an unsound cause, And for the sound, imaginary flaws.
Malchus—Oates.
Malchus, a puny Levite, void of sense And grace, but stuff'd with noise and impudence, Was his prime tool; so venomous a brute, That every place he lived in spued him out. Lies in his mouth, and malice in his heart, By nature grew, and were improved by art; Mischief his pleasure was, and all his joy, To see his thriving calumny destroy Those, whom his double heart, and forked tongue, Surer than vipers' teeth, to death had stung.
Naboth—Stafford.
Naboth, among the tribes, the foremost place, Did, with his riches, birth, and virtue grace, A man, whose wealth was the poor's common stock; The hungry found their market in his flock. His justice made all law contentions cease; He was his neighbours' safeguard, and their peace: The rich by him were in due bounds contained; The poor, if strong, employed; if weak, maintained. Well had he served his country and his king, And the best troops in all their wars did bring; Nor with less bravery did he lead them on, Warding his country's danger with his own.