The history of the world

§. I. Of ATHALIA her vsurping the Kingdome, and what pretences shee might forge. [unspec 10]

AFTER the death of Ahazia, it is saide that his house was not able to retaine the Kingdome: which note, and the proceedings of Athalia vpon the death of her* 1.1 Sonne, haue giuen occasion to diuers opinions con∣cerning the Pedigree of Ioas, who raigned shortly af∣ter. For Athalia being thus dispoiled of her Sonne, [unspec 20] vnder whose name shee had ruled at her pleasure, did forth-with lay hold vpon all the Princes of the bloud, and slew them, that so she might occupie the Royall Throne her selfe, and raigne as Queene, rather than liue a Subiect. Shee had before-hand put into great place, and made Counsailours vnto her sonne, such as were fittest for her purpose, and readie at all times to execute her will: that shee kept a strong guard about her it is very likely; and as likely it is that the great execution done by Iehoram, vpon the Princes, and many of the Nobilitie, had made the people tame, and fearefull to 〈◊〉〈◊〉, whatsoeuer they saw or heard. [unspec 30]

Yet ambition, how violent soeuer it bee, is seldome or neuer so shamelesse as tore∣fuse the commoditie of goodly pretenses offering themselues; but rather scrapes together all that will any way serue to colour her proceedings. Wherefore it were not absurd for vs to thinke, that Athalia, when shee saw the Princes of the Royall bloud, all of them in a manner, slaine by her husband, and afterwards his owne children destroyed by the Philistims, began euen then to play her owne game, re∣ducing by artificiall practice, into faire likelihoods, those possibilities where-with her husbands bad fortune had presented her. Not without great show of reason, either by her owne mouth, or by some trustic creature of hers, might shee giue him to vnderstand, how needfull it were to take the best order whilest as yet hee might, [unspec 40] for feare of the worst that might happen. If the issue of Dauid, which now remai∣ned onely in his Familie, should by any accident faile (as wofull experience had al∣readie shewed what might after come to passe) the people of Iuda were not vnlikely to choose a King of some new stocke, a popular seditious man peraduenture, one that to countenance his owne vnworthinesse, would not care what aspersions hee laide vpon that Royall house, which was fallen downe. And who could assure him, that some ambitious spirit, fore-seeing what might be gotten thereby, did not alreadie contriue the destruction of him, and all his seede? Wherefore it were tho wisest way to designe by his authoritie, not onely his Successour, but also the reuer∣sioner, and so to prouide, that the Crowne might neuer be subiect to any rifeling, but remaine in the disposition of them that loued him best, if the worst that might bee [unspec 50] feared comming to passe, his owne posteritic could not retaine it.

Such perswasions being vrged, and earnestly followed, by the importunate solli∣citation of her that gouerned his affections, were able to make the iealous Tyrant

thinke that the only way to frustrate all deuices of such as gaped after a change, was to make her Heire the laft and yongest of his house, whom it most concerned, as be∣ing the Queene-Mother, to vp-hold the first and eldest.

If Athalia tooke no such course as this in her husbands times, yet might shee doe it in her Sonnes. For Ahazia (besides that he was wholly ruled by his Mother) was not likely to take much care for the securitie of his halfe-brethren, or their chil∣dren; as accounting his Fathers other wiues, in respect of his owne high borne∣Mother, little better than Concubines, and their children basely begotten. But if this mischieuous woman forgate her selfe so farre in her wicked policie, that shee lost all opportunitie which the weakenesse of her husband and sonne did afford, of [unspec 10] procuring to her selfe some seeming Title; yet could shee afterwards faine some such matter, as boldly shee might: being sure that none would aske to see her eui∣dence, for feare of being sent to learne the certaintie of her sonne or husband in an∣other world. But I rather thinke that shee tooke order for her affaires before hand. For though shee had no reason to suspect or feare the suddaine death of her sonne, yet it was the wisest way to prouide betimes against all that might happen, whilest her husbands issue by other women was yong and vnable to resist. We plainly find that the Brethren or Nephewes of Ahazia, to the number of two and fortie, were sent to the Court of Israel, only to salute the children of the King, and the children [unspec 20] of the Queene. The slender occasion of which long iourney, considered together with the qualitie of these persons (being in effect all the stocke of Iehoram that could be growne to any strength) makes it very suspitious that their entertainement in Ie∣zabels house would only haue beene more formall, but little differing in substance, from that which they found at the hand of 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Hee that lookes into the courses held both before and after by these two Queenes, will finde cause enough to thinke no lesse. Of such as haue aspired vnto Lordships not belonging to them, and thrust out the right Heires by pretence of Testaments, that had no other validitie than the sword of such as claimed by them could giue, Histories of late, yea of many Ages, afford plentifull examples: and the rule of Salomon is true: Is there any thing* 1.2 [unspec 30] whereof one may say, Behold, this is new? it hath been alreadie in the old time that was before vs. That a King might shead his brothers bloud, was proued by Salomon vpon A∣donia; that he might aliene the Crowne from his naturall Heires, Dauid had giuen proofe: but these had good ground of their doings. They which follow examples that please them, will neglect the reasons of those examples, if they please them not, and rest contented with the practice, as more willingly shewing what they may doe, than acknowledging why Salomon slew his brother that had begunne one rebellion, and was entring into another. IEHORAM slew all his brethren, which were better than* 1.3 hee: DAVID purchased the Kingdome, and might the more freely dispose of it, yet he disposed of it as the Lord appointed; if Iehoram, who had lost much and got∣ten [unspec 40] nothing, thought that hee might aliene the remainder at his pleasure; or if Aba∣zia sought to cut off the succession of his brethren, or of their issue: either of these was to be answered with the wordes which Iehoiada the Priest vsed afterwards, in de∣claring the title of IOASH: Behold, the Kings 〈◊〉〈◊〉 must raigne; as the Lord 〈◊〉〈◊〉 said of the sonnes of DAVID. Wherefore though I hold it very probable, that Atha∣lia did pretend some title, whatsoeuer it might bee, to the Crowne of Iuda; yet is it most certaine that shee had thereunto no right at all, but onely got it by treachery, murder, and open violence; and so shee held it sixe whole yeeres, and a part of the seuenth, in good seeming-securitie. [unspec 50]

Notes

• * 1.1

  2. Chron. 22. 9.
• * 1.2

  Eccles. 1. 10.
• * 1.3

  2. Chro. 21. v. 13.