to go along with him, who came now the Second time with great threatnings to fetch him; the Chorus yet remaining on the place, Manoa returns full of joyful hope, to procure ere long his Son's deliverance: in the midst of which dif courfe an Hebrew comes in hafte, confufedly at firft, and afterward more diftinctly relating the Catastrophe, what Samfon had done to the Philiftins, and by accident to himself; wherewith the Tragedy ends.

The

The Perfons.

Samfon.

Manoa, the Father of Samfon.

Dalila his Wife.

Harapha of Gath.

Publick Officer.

Messenger.

Chorus of Danites.

The Scene before the Prison in Gaza.

Samfon

Samf.

Samfon Agonistes.

A

Little onward lend thy guiding hand To these dark steps, a little farther on; For yonder bank hath choice of fun or shade : There I am wont to fit, when any chance

Relieves me from my task of fervile toil,
Daily in the common Prison else enjoin'd me;
Where I a Prisoner chain'd, scarce freely draw
The Air imprison'd also, close and damp,
Unwholesome draught: but here I feel amends,
The breath of Heav'n fresh blowing, pure and sweet,
With day-fpring born; here leave me to respire.
This day a folemn Feast the people hold
To Dagon their Sea-Idol, and forbid
Laborious works, unwillingly this rest
Their Superftition yields me; hence with leave

Re

Retiring from the pop'lar noife, I seek
This unfrequented place to find fome ease,
Eafe to the body fome, none to the mind
From restless thoughts, that like a deadly swarm
Of hornets arm'd, no fooner found alone,
But rush upon me thronging, and prefent
Times paft, what once I was, and what am now,
O wherefore was my birth from Heav'n foretold
Twice by an Angel; who at last in fight

Of both my Parents all in flames afcended
From off the Altar, where an Off'ring burn'd,
As in a fiery column charioting

His God-like prefence, and from some great act
Or benefit reveal'd to Abraham's race?

Why was my breeding order'd and prescrib'd
As of a person separate to God,

Defign'd for great exploits; if I must die

Betray'd, captiv'd, and both my eyes put out,
Made of my Enemies the fcorn and gaze;

Should Ifrael from Philiftian yoke deliver ;
Ask for this great deliv'rer now, and find him
Eyelefs in Gaza at the Mill with flaves,
Himself in bonds under Philiftian yoke.
Yet stay, let me not rafhly call in doubt
Divine Prediction: what if all foretold
Had been fulfill'd but thro' mine own default,
Whom have I to complain of but my felf?
Who this high gift of ftrength committed to me,
In what part lodg'd, how easily bereft me,
Under the Seal of filence could not keep,
But weakly to a Woman must reveal it,
O'ercome with importunity and tears.
O impotence of mind, in body strong!
But what is ftrength without a double share
Of wisdom, vaft, unwieldy, burthenfome,
Proudly fecure, yet liable to fall

By weakest subtleties, not made to rule,

But to fubferve where wisdom bears command.
God, when he gave me strength, to fhew withal
How flight the gift was, hung it in my Hair.
But Peace, I must not quarrel with the will

Of highest difpenfation, which herein