And dar'ft thou at our fending and command
Difpute thy coming? come without delay; 1395
Or we shall find fuch engins to affail

And hamper thee, as thou shalt come of force,
Though thou wert firmlier faften'd than a rock.
SAMS. I could be well content to try their art,
Which to no few of them would prove pernicious.
Yet, knowing their advantages too many,
Because they shall not trail me through their
ftreets

Like a wild beast, I am content to go.

1405

Masters' commands come with a power refiftless
To fuch as owe them absolute subjection;
And for a life who will not change his purpofe?
(So mutable are all the ways of men!)
Yet this be fure, in nothing to comply
Scandalous or forbidden in our Law.

OFF. 1 praife thy refolution: doff thefe links: By this compliance thou wilt win the lords 1411 To favor, and perhaps to fet thee free.

1416

SAMS. Brethren, farewell; your company along I will not wifh, left it perhaps offend them To fee me girt with friends; and how the fight Of me as of a common enemy, So dreaded once, may now exafperate them, I know not: lords are lordlieft in their wine; And the well-feafted prieft then fooneft fir'd With zeal, if ought religion feem concern'd; No lefs the people on their holy-days Impetuous, infolent, unquenchable: Happen what may, of me expect to hear Nothing dishonourable, impure, unworthy Our God, our Law, my Nation, or myself, 1425 The laft of me or no I cannot warrant.

CHO. Go, and the holy One

Of Ifrael be thy guide

1421

To what may ferve his glory beft, and spread his

name

Great among the Heathen round;

Send thee the Angel of thy birth, to ftand
Faft by thy fide, who from thy father's field
Rode up in flames after his meffage told
Of thy conception, and be now a fhield

1430

Of fire; that Spirit that first rufh'd on thee 1435
In the camp of Dan

Be efficacious in thee now at need:
For never was from Heav'n imparted
Measure of ftrength fo great to mortal feed,

As in thy wondrous actions hath been feen! 1440
But wherefore comes old Manoah in fuch hafte
With youthful steps? much livelier than ere-while
He feems: fuppofing here to find his fon,
Or of him bringing to us fome glad news?
MAN. Peace with you, Brethren; my induce-
ment hither
1445

With thee; fay, reverend Sire, we thirst to

MAN. I have attempted one by one the le Either at home, or through the high ftre fing,

With fupplication prone and father's tears,
T'accept of ranfom for my fon their pris't
Some much averfe I found and wondrous ha
Contemptuous, proud, fet on revenge and
That part moft reverenc'd Dagon and his p
Others more moderate feeming, but their
Private reward, for which both God and S
They easily would fet to fale: a third
More generous far and civil, who confefs
They had enough reveng'd, having reduc'd
Their foe to mifery beneath their fears,
The reft was magnanimity to remit,
If fome convenient ranfom were propos'd.
What noife or fout was that? it tore the

Cho. Doubtless the people fhouting to be Their once great dread, captive, and blindi them,

2

Or at fome proof of strength before them fo
MAN. His ranfom, if my whole inherita
May compafgit, fhall willingly be paid
And number'd down: much rather I fhall d
To live the poorest in my tribe, than richelt,
And he in that calamitous prifon left.
No, I am fix'd not to part hence without him
For his redemption all my patrimony,
If need be, I am ready to forego
And quit not wanting him I fhall want noth

Cho. Fathers are wont to lay up for the Thou for thy fon art bent to lay out all: Sons wont to nurse their parents in old age, Thou in old age car'i how to nurse thy fon Made older than thy age through eye-fights

Π

MAN. It shall be my delight to tend his ey And view him fitting in the house, ennobled 14 With all thofe high exploits by him achiev'd, And on his shoulders waving down thofe locks That of a nation arm'd the strength contain' And, I perfuade me, God had not permitted His ftrength again to grow up with his hair 14 Garrison'd round about him like a camp Of faithful foldiery, were not his purpofe To ufe him further yet in fome great service, Not to fit idle with fo great a gift Ufclefs, and thence ridiculous about him. And fince his strength with eye-fight was not lo God will restore him eye-fight to his ftrength. CHо. Thy hopes are not ill founded, nor feet

vain

Of his delivery, and thy joy thereon
Conceiv'd, agreeable to a father's love,
In both which we, as next, participate.
MAN. I know your friendly minds, and
what noife!

153

to. Of good or bad fo great, of bad the fooner;

evil news rides poft, while good news baits. to our wifh I fee one hither speeding, Hebrew, as I guess, and of our tribe.

1540

Ess. O whither fhall I run, or which way fly

fight of this fo horrid spectacle,

ch erft my eyes beheld, and yet behold? dire imagination ftill purfues me. providence or instinct of nature seems, 1545 reafon though disturb'd, and scarce confulted,

have guided me aright, I know not how, thee first, reverend Manoah, and to these countrymen, whom here I knew remaining,

at fome diftance from the place of horror, in the fad event too much concern'd. MAN. The accident was loud, and here before

thee

1551

To free him hence! but death who fets all free
Hath paid his ranfome now and full discharge.
What windy joy this day had I conceiv'd
Hopeful of his delivery, which now proves 1575
Abortive as the firft-born bloom of spring
Nipt with the lagging rear of winter's frost!
Yet, ere I give the reins to grief, say first,
How dy'd he; death to life is crown or fhame.
All by him fell thou fay'ft, by whom fell he,
What glorious hand gave Samfon his death's
wound?
1581

MESS. Unwounded of his enemies he fell. MAN. Wearied with flaughter then, or how? explain.

Mess. By his own hands.

MAN. Self-violence? what caufe

Brought him fo foon at variance with himself
Among his foes?

MESS. Inevitable caufe,

1586

MESS. Occafions drew me early to this city, And as the gates I enter'd with fun-rife, The morning trumpets festival proclaim'd Through each high-ftreet: little 1 had dispatch'd, When all abroad was rumor'd that this day 1600 Samfon fhould be brought forth, to fhow the people

1605

Proof of his mighty ftrength in fates and games;
I forrow'd at his captive ftate, but minded
Not to be abfent at that spectacle.
The building was a fpacious theatre
Half-round on two main pillars vaulted high,
With feats where all the lords and each degree
Of fort, might fit in order to behold;
The other fide was open, where the throng
On banks and fcaffolds under fky might stand;
I among these aloof obfcurely stood.
1611
The feaft and noon grew high, and facrifice
Had fill'd their hearts with mirth, high chear,
and wine,

When to their fports they turn'd. Immedi

ately

Was Samfon as a public fervant brought, In their ftate livery clad; before him pipes

1615

1620

And timbrels, on each fide went armed guards,
Both horse and foot, before him and behind
Archers and flingers, cataphracts and fpears.
At fight of him the people with a fhout
Rifted the air, clamoring their God with praife,
Who' had made their dreadful enemy their
thrall.

He patient but undaunted where they led him, Came to the place, and what was fet before him,

Which without help of eye might be affay'd, 1625 To heave, pull, draw, or break, he still perform'd

All with incredible, ftupendous force,
None daring to appear antagonist.

At length for intermiffion fake they led him
Between the pillars; he his guide requested 1630
(For fo from fuch as nearer ftood we heard
As over-tir'd to let him lean a while
With both his arms on those two maffy pillars,
That to the arched roof gave main fupport.
He unfufpicious led him; which when Samfon
Felt in his arms, with head a while inclin'd, 1636
And eyes fast fix'd he stood, as one who pray'd,
Or fome great matter in his mind revolv'd:
At laft with head erect thus cry'd aloud,
Hitherto, Lords, what your commands impos'd
I have perform'd, as reafon was, obeying, 1641
Not without wonder or delight beheld :
Now of my own accord fuch other trial

1645

I mean to show you of my ftrength, yet greater;
As with amaze fhall ftrike all who behold.
This utter'd, ftraining all his nerves he bow'd,
As with the force of winds and waters pent,
When mountais tremble, thofe two maffy pil-
lars

With horrible convulfion to and fro,

He tugg'd, he fhook, till down they came, and drew

1650 The whole roof after them, with burst of thunder

ing,

1720

And lamentation to the fons of Caphtor
Through all Philiftian bounds, to Ifrael
Honor hath left, and freedom, let but them 171
Find courage to lay hold on this occafion;
To' himself and father's houfe eternal fame;
And which is best and happiest yet, all this
With God not parted from him, as was fear'd,
But favoring and affifting to the end.
Nothing is here for tears, nothing to wail
Or knock the breast, no weakness, no contempt,
Difpraife, or blame, nothing but well and fair,
And what may quiet us in a death fo noble.
Let us go find the body where it lies
Sok'd in his enemies' blood, and from the stream
With lavers pure and cleaning herbs wash off
The clotted gore. I with what fspeed the while
(Gaza is not in plight to fay us nay)

1725

Will fend for all my kindred, all my friends, 1730
To fetch him hence, and folemnly attend
With filent obfequy and funeral train
Home to his father's houfe: there will I build him
A monument, and plant it round with fhade
Of laurel ever green, and branching palm, 1735
With all his trophies hung, and acts inroll'd