1

trufting

He will accept thee to defend his caufe,

A murderer, a revolter, and a robber.

SAM. Tongue-doughty Giant, how doft thou prove me these?

HAR. is not thy nation fubject to our lords?
Their magiftrates confefs'd it, when they took thee
As a league-breaker and deliver'd bound
Into our hands: for hadít thou not committed
Notorious murder on those thirty men

At Afcalon, who never did thee harm,
Then like a robber ftripp'dft them of their robes?
The Philiftines, when thou hadft broke the league,
Went up with armed powers thee only fecking,
To others did no violence, nor fpoil.

SAM. Among the daughters of the Philiftines
I chose a wife, which argued me no foe;
And in your city held my nuptial feaft:
But your ill-meaning politician lords,
Under

pretence of bridal friends and guests, Appointed to await me thirty fpies,

Who, threat'ning cruel death, conftrain'd the bride
To wring from me, and tell to them my fecret,
That folv'd the riddle which I had propos'd.
When I perceiv'd all fet on enmity,
As on my enemies, wherever chanc'd,
I us'd hoftility, and took their spoil
To pay my underminers in their coin;
My nation was fubjected to your lords.
It was the force of conqueft; force with force
Is well ejected when the conquer'd can.
But I a private perfon, whom my country
As a league-breaker gave up bound, prefum'd
Single rebellion, and did hoftile acts.
I was no private, but a perfon rais'd
With ftrength fufficient and command from Heav'n,
To free my country; if their fervile minds
Me their deliverer fent would not receive,
But to their mafters gave me up for nought,
Th' unworthier they; whence to this day they
I was to do my part from Heav'n affign'd, [ferve.
And had perform'd it, if my known offence
Had not difabled me, not all your force.
Thefe shifts refuted, anfwer thy appellant,
Though by his blindness maim'd for high attempts,
Who now defies thee thrice to fingle fight,
As a petty enterprise of small enforce.

HAR. With thee a man condemn'd, a flave inroli'd,

Due by the law to capital punishment;

To fight with thee no man of arms will deign. SAM. Cam'ft thou for this, vain boafter, to furvey me,

To defcant on my strength, and give thy verdict? Come nearer, part not hence fo flight inform'd; But take good heed my hand furvey not thee.

HAR. O Baal-zebub! can my ears unus'd Hear thefe difhonours, and not render death? SAM. No man withholds thee, nothing from thy hand

And with one buffet lay thy ftructure low,
Or fwing thee in the air, then dash thee down
To th' hazard of thy brains and shatter'd fides.

HAR. By Aftaroth, e'er long thou shalt lament Thefe braveries in irons loaden on thee.

CHOR. His Giantship is gone fomewhat creft-
fall'n,

Stalking with lefs unconscionable ftrides,
And lower looks, but in a fultry chafe.

SAM. I dread him not, nor all his giant-brood, Though Fame divulge him father of five fons, All of gigantic fize, Goliath chief.

CHOR. He will directly to the lords, I fear, And with malicious counsel stir them up Some way or other yet further to afflict thee

SAM. He must allege fome caufe, and offer'd
fight

Will not dare mention, left a question rife
Whether he durft accept th' offer or not;
And that he durft not, plain enough appear'd.
Much more affliction than already elt

| They cannot well impose, nor I sustain,
If they intend advantage of my labours,
The work of many hands, which earns my keeping
With no fmall profit daily to my owners.
But come what will, my deadliest foe will prove
My speedieft friend, by death to rid me hence,
The worst that he can give, to me the best.
Yet fo it may fall out, because their end
Is hate, not help to me, it may with mine
Draw their own ruin who attempt the deed.

CHOR. O how comely it is, and how reviving
To the fpirits of juft men long opprefs'd,
When God into the hands of their deliverer
Puts invincible might

To quell the mighty of the earth, th' oppreffor,

The brute and boift'rous force of violent men
Hardy and industrious to fupport
Tyrannic power, but raging to purfue
The righteous and all fuch as honour truth;
He all their ammunition

And feats of war defeats,

With plain heroic magnitude of mind
And celeftial vigour arm'd,

Their armories and magazines contemns,
Renders them useless, while,
With winged expedition,

Swift as the lightning glance he executes
His errand on the wicked, who furpris'd
Lose their defence diftracted and amaz'd.

But patience is more oft the exercife
Of faints, the trial of their fortitude,
Making them each his own deliverer,
And victor over all

That Tyranny or Fortune can inflict.
Either of thefe is in thy lot,

Samfon, with might indued

Above the fons of men; but fight bereav'd
May chance to number thee with those
Whom patience finally muft crown.

This idol's day hath been to thee no day of reft, Labouring thy mind

More than the working day thy hands.
And yet perhaps more trouble is behind,
For I defcry this way

Some other tending, in his hand
A fceptre or quaint ftaff he bears,
Comes on amain, speed in his look.
By his habit 1 difcern him now
A public officer, and now at hand.
His meffage will be fhort and voluble.

OF. Hebrews, the prif'ner Samfon here I feek. CHOR. His manacles remark him, there he fits. Or. Samfon, to thee our lords thus bid me fay; This day to Dagon is a folemn feast,

With facrifices, triumph, pomp, and games;
Thy ftrength they know furpafling human rate,
And now fome public proof thereof require
To honour this great feaft, and great affembly;
Rife therefore with all speed and come along,
Where I will fee thee hearten'd and fresh clad
To appear as fits before th' illuftrious lords.

SAM. Thou know't I am an Hebrew, there-
fore tell them

Our law forbids at their religious rites
My prefence; for that caufe I cannot come.

Or. This anfwer, be aflur'd will not content
them.

SAM. Have they not fword-players, and every fort

Of gymnic artists, wrestlers, riders, runners,
Juglers and dancers, antics, mummers, mimics,
But they must pick me out with fhackles tir'd,
And over-labour'd at their public mill
To make them fport with blind activity?
Do they not feek occafion of new quarrels
On my refufal to diftrefs me more,
Or make a game of my calamities?
Return the way thou cam'ft; I will not come,
Or. Regardthyfelf; this will offend them highly.
SAM. Myfelf? my confcience and internal peace.
Can they think me fo broken, fo debas'd
With corporal fervitude, that my mind ever
Will condefcend to fuch abfurd commands;
Although their drudge, to be their fool or jefter,
And in my midft of forrow and heart-grief
To fhew them feats, and play before their god,
The worst of all indigninitics, yet on me
Join'd with extreme contempt? I will not come.
Or. My meffage was impos'd on me with
Brooks no delay is this thy refolution? [fpeed,
SAM. So take it with what fpeed thy meffage
needs.

Or. I am forry what this floutnefs will produce. SAM. Perhaps thou fhalt have caufe to forrow indeed.

CHOR. Confider, Samfon, matters now are ftrain'd

Up to the height, whether to hold or break;
He's gone, and who knows how he may report
Thy words, by adding fuel to the flame?
Expect another meffage more imperious,
More lordly thund'ring than thou well wilt bear.
SAM. Shall I abufe this confecrated gift
Of ftrength, again returning with my hair

A. ter my great tranfgreflion, fo requite
Favour renew d, and add a greater fin
By proftituting holy things to idols;
A Nazarite in place abominable,

Vaunting my strength in honour to their Dagon ?
Befides, how vile, contemptible, ridiculous,
What act more execrably unclean, profane?

CHOR. Yet with this ftrength thou ferv'ft the Idolatrous, uncircumcis'd, unclean. [Philistines, SAM. Not in their idol-worship, but by labour Honeft and lawful to deferve my food

Of those who have me in their civil power, CHOR. Where the heart joins not, outward acts defile not.

SAM. Where outward force constrains, the fen-
tence holds;

But who constrains me to the temple of Dagon,
Not dragging? the Philiftian lords command.
Commands are no constraints. If I obey them,
I do it freely, vent ring to difpleafe
God for the fear of man, and man prefer,
Set God behind: which in his jealonly
Shall never unrepented, find forgiveness.
Yet that he may difpenfe with me or thee
Prefent in temples at idolatrous rites

For fome important cause, thou need'st rot doubt.
CHOR. How thou wilt here come off furmounts

my reach.

SAM. Be of good courage; I begin to feel Some roufing motions in me, which difpose To fomething extraordinary my thoughts. I with this meflenger will go along, Nothing to do, be fure, that may difhonour Our law, or ftain my vow of Nazarite. If there be ought of prefage in the mind, This day will be remarkable in my life By fome great act, or of my days the laft. CHOR. In time thou haft refolv'd; the man re

turns.

OF. Samfon, this fecond meffage from our lords To thee I am bid fay. Art thou our flave, Our captive, at the public mill our drudge, And dar'ft thou at our fending and command Difpute thy coming? come without delay; Or we fhall find fuch engines to affail And hamper thee, as thou fhalt come of force, Though thou wert firmlier faften d than a rock.

SAM. I could be well content to try their art, Which to no few of them would prove pernicious, Yet knowing their advantages too many, Becaufe they fhall not trail me through their streets Like a wild beaft, I am content to go. Mafters' commands come with a power refiftless To fuch as owe them abfolute fubjection; And for a life who will not change his purpose ? (So mutable are all the ways of nien) Yet this be fure, in nothing to comply Scandalous, or forbidden in our law.

Or. I praise thy refolution: doff thefe links; By this compliance thou wilt win the lords To favour, and perhaps to fet thee free.

SAM. Brethren farewel; 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 priest then soonest fir'd
With zeal, if ought religion feem concerned;
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,
The laft of me or no I cannot warrant.

CHOR. Go, and the Holy One

Of Ifrael be thy guide

To what may ferve his glory beft, and spread his
Great among the Heathen round;
[name

Send thee the angel of thy birth to stand
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
Of fire; that Spirit that first rufh'd on thee
In the camp of Dan

Be efficacious in thee now at need,
For never was from Heav n imparted
Measure of strength so great to mortal feed,
As in thy wondrous actions hath been seen.
But wherefore comes old Manoah in fuch hafte,
With youthful steps? much livelier than c'er while
He feems: fuppofing here to find his ton,
Or of him bringing to us fome glad news?

MAN. Peace with you, brethren; my inducement hither

Was not at prefent here to find my fon,
By order of the lords new parted hence
To come and play before them at their feaft,
I heard all as I came; the city rings,
And numbers thither flock; I had no will,
Leit I fhould fee him forc'd to things unfeemly.
But that which mov'd my coming now was chiefly
Te give ye part with me what hope I have
With good fuccefs to work his liberty.

CHOR. That hope would much rejoice us to
partake

With thee: fay, reverend Sire; we thirst to hear.
MAN. I have attempted one by one the Lords
Either at home or through the high street paffing,
With fupplication prone, and father's tears,
To accept of ranfon for my fon, their pris'ner.
Some much averfe I found, and wondrous harsh,
Contemptuous, proud, fet on revenge and spite;
That part most reverenc'd Dagon and his priest;
Others more moderate feening, but their aim
Private reward, for which both God and state
They easily would fet to fale: a third,
More generous far and civil, who confefs'd
They had enough reveng'd, having reduc'd
Their foe to milery beneath their fears,
The reft was magnanimity to remit,
If fcme convenient ranfon were propos'd.
What neife or fhout was that? it tore the fky.
CHOR. Doubtlefs the people fhouting to behold
Their once great dread, captive and blind before

them,

Or at fome proof of ftrength before them fhewn. MAN. His ranfom, if my whole inheritance May compass it, fhall willingly be paid

And number'd down; much rather I fall choose

To live the poorest in my tribe, than richest,
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 shall want nothing.
CHOR. Fathers are wont to lay up for their fons,
Thou for thy fon are bent to lay out all:
Sons wont to nurfe their parents in old age,
Thou in old age car'ft how to nurse thy fon,
Made older than thy age through eye-fight loft.

MAN. It fhall be my delight to tend his eyes,
And view him fitting in the house, ennobled
With all thofe high exploits by him achiev'd,
And on his fhoulders waving down thofe locks,
That of a nation arm'd the ftrength contain'd':
And I perfuade me God had not permitted
His ftrength again to grow up with his hair
Garrifon'd round about him like a camp
Of faithful foldiery, were not his purpose
To ufe him further yet in fome great service,
Not to fit idle with fo great a gift

Ufelefs, and thence ridiculous about him.
And fince his ftrength with eye-fight was not loft,
God will restore him eye-fight to his strength.

[vain,

CHOR. Thy hopes are not ill founded, nor feem Of his delivery, and the joy thereon Conceiv'd, agreeable to a father's love, In both which we, as next, participate. MAN. I know your friendly minds, and-O

what noife!

Mercy of Heav'n, what hideous noife was that! Horribly loud, unlike the former shout.

CHOR. Noife call you it, or universal groan, As if the whole inhabitation perish'd! Blood, death, and deathful deeds, are in that noife, Ruin, deftruction at the utmost point.

MAN. Ot ruin indeed, methought I heard the Oh it continues; they have flain my fon. [noife: CHOR. Thy foп is rather flaying them, that

outcry

From flaughter of one foe could not afcend,

MAN. Some difmal accident it needs must be ; What shall we do, stay here or run and fee?

CHOR. Beft keep together here, left running We unawares run into Danger's mouth. [thither This evil on the Philiftines is fall'n; From whom could elfe a general cry be heard? The fufferers then will fcarce moleft us here, From other hands we need not much to fear. What if his eye-fight (for to Ifrael's God Nothing is hard) by miracle reftor'd, He now be dealing dole among his foes, And over heaps of flaughter'd walk his way ? MAN. That were a joy prefumptuous to be thought.

CHOR. Yet God hath wrought things as increFor his people of old; what hinders now? [dible, MAN. He can I know, but doubt to think he

will;

And to our wish I fee one hither fpeeding,
An Hebrew, as I guess, and of our tribe.

MES. O whither fhall I run, or which way fly
The fight of this fo horrid spectacle,
Which erft my eyes beheld, and yet behold?
For dire imagination ftill purfues me.
But Providence or inftinct of nature feems,

Or reafon though disturb'd, and scarce confulted,
To have guided me aright, I know not how,
To thee firft reverend Manoah, and to these
My countrymen, whom here I knew remaining,
As at some distance from the place of horror,
So in the fad event too much concern'd.
MAN. The accident was loud, and here before

thee

With rueful cry, yet what it was we hear not;
No preface needs, thou feeft we long to know.
MES. It would burft forth, but I recover
breath

And fenfe diftract, to know well what I utter.
MAN. Tell us the fum; the circumftance defer.
MES. Gaza yet ftands, but all her fons are
fall'n,

All in a moment overwhelm'd and fall'n.

MAN. Sad; but thou know'ft to Ifraelites not The defolation of a hoftile city.

[faddeft, MES. Feed on that first, there may in grief be MAN. Relate by whom. [furfeit. MES. By Samfon.

MAN. That still leffens

The forrow, and converts it nigh to joy.
MES. Ah, Manoah, I refrain too suddenly
To utter what will come at last too soon ;
Left evil tidings with too rude irruption
Hitting thy aged ear fhould pierce too deep.
MAN. Sufpenfe in news is torture; fpeak them

out.

MES. Take then the worst in brief; Samfon is dead.

MAN. The worst indeed, O all my hopes defeated

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
Abortive as the first born bloom of Spring
Nipt with the lagging rear of Winter's froft!
Yet c'er give the reins to grief, fay firft
How dy'd he? death to life is crown or fhame.
All by him fell thou fay'st; by whom fell he?
What glorious hand gave Samfon his death's
wound?

MES. Unwounded of his enemies he fell.
MAN. Wearied with flaughter then, or how?
MES. By his own hands.

[explain.

MAN. Self-violence? what caufe Brought him fo foon at variance with himself, Among his foes?

MES. Inevitable caufe

At once both to deftroy and be destroy'd;
The edifice, where all were met to fee him,
Upon their heads, and on his own he pull'd.

MAN. O laftly overstrong against thyself!
A dreadful way thou took'st to thy revenge. [yet
More than enough we know; but while things

Are in confufion, give us, if thou canft,
Eye-witness of what first or laft was done,
Relation more particular and distinct.

MES. 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 street; little I had dispatch'd,
When all abroad was rumour'd that this day
Samfon fhould be brought forth to fhew the peo-

ple

Proof of his mighty ftrength in feats and games.
I forrow'd at his captive ftate, but minded
Not to be abfent at that fpectacle.

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 scaffolds under fky might stand;
I among thefe aloof obfcurely ftood.
The feaft and noon grew high, and facrifice
Had fill'd their hearts with mirth, high cheer,
and wine,

I

When to their sports they turn'd. Immediately
Was Samfon as a public fervant brought,
In their ftate livery clad; before him pipes
And timbrels, on each fide went armed guards,
Both horfe and foot, before him and behind
Archers, and flingers, cataphracts, and spears.
At fight of him the people with a fhout
Rifted the air, clamouring 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
To heave, pull, draw, or break, he still perform'd
All with incredible, ftupendous force,
None daring to appear antagonist.

At length for intermiflion fake they led him
Between the pillars, he his guide requested
(For fo from fuch as nearer flood we heard)
As overtir'd to let him lean a while
With both his arms on thofe two maffy pillars,
That to the arched roof gave main fupport.
He unfufpicious led him; which when San for
Felt in his arms, with head a while inclin'd,
And eyes fast fix'd he stood, as one who pray'd,
Or fome greater matter in his mind reveiv'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,
Not without wonder or delight beheld :
Now of my own accord fuch other trial
I mean to fhew you of my ftrength, yet greater,
As with amaze fhall strike all who behold.
This utter'd, ftraining all his nerves he bow'd,
As with the force of winds and waters pent,
When mountains tremble, thofe two mafly pillars,
With horrible convulfions, to and fro

He tugg d, he fhook, till down they came, and
Drew the whole roof after them, with burst of

thunder,

Upon the heads of all who fat beneath; Lords, ladies, captains, counsellers, or priests, Their choice nobility, and flower, not only

Of this but each Philiftian city round,
Met from all parts to folemnize this feast.
Samfon with thefe immix'd, inevitably
Pull'd down the fame deftruction on himself;
The vulgar only feap'd who stood without.
CHOR. O dearly-bought revenge, yet glorious!
Living or dying thou haft fulfill'd

The work for which thon waft foretold
To Ifrael, and now ly'ft victorious

Among thy flain, felf-kill'd,

Not willingly, but tangled in the fold

Of dire neceffity, whofe law in death conjoin'd Thee with thy flaughter'd foes in namber more Than all thy life hath flain before.

[fublime,
I SEMICHOR. While their hearts were jocund,
Drunk with idolatry, drunk with wine, [and
And fat regorg'd of bulls and goats,
Chaunting their idol, and preferring
Before our living dread, who dwells
In Silo, his bright fan&tuary :

Among them he a fp'rit of phrenzy fent,
Who hurt their minds,

And urg'd them on with mad defire
To call in hafte for their destroyer;

They only fet on sport and play

Unfweetingly importun'd

Nor much more caufe; Samfon hath quit himself Like Samfon, and heroicly hath finish'd

A life heroic; on his enemies

Fully reveng'd, hath left them years of mourning,
And lamentation to the Sons of Caphtor
Through all Philistian bounds, to Ifrael
Honour hath left, and freedom, let but them
Find courage to lay hold on this occasion;
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 favouring and affisting to the end,
Nothing is here for tears, nothing to wail
Or knock the breast, no weakness, no contempt,
Difpraise or blame, nothing but well and fair,
And what may quiet us in a death so noble.
Let us go find the body where it lies
Sock'd in his enemies' blood, and from the streams
With lavers pure, and cleansing herbs wash off
The clotted gore. I with what speed the while
(Gaza is not in plight to fay us nay)

Will fend for all my kindred, all my friends,
To fetch him hence, and folemnly attend
With filent obfequy, and funeral train,

A monument, and plant it round with fhade
Of laurel ever green, and branching palm,
With all his trophies hung, and acts inroll'd
In copious legend, or fweet lyric fong.
Thither fhall all the valiant youth refort,
And from his memory inflame their breasts
To matchlefs valour, and adventures high:
The virgins also shall on feastful days
Vifit his tomb with flow'rs, only bewailing
His lot unfortunate in nuptial choice,
From whence captivity and loss of eyes.
CHOR. All is beft, though we oft doubt
What th' unfearchable difpofe

Of highest Wisdom brings about,
And ever best found in the clofe.
Oft he seems to hide his face,

But unexpectedly returns,

And to his faithful champion hath in place

Bore witness gloriously; whence Gaza mourns, And all that band them to refift

His uncontroulable intent;

His fervants he with new aquist

Of true experience from this great event,
With peace and confolation hath dismist,
And calm of mind all passions spent.