As with the force of winds and waters pent,
When Mountains tremble, those two maffie Pillars
With horrible confufion to and fro,

He tugg'd, he took, 'till down they came, and drew
The whole roof after them, with burft of thunder
Upon the heads of all who fat beneath,
Lords, Ladies, Captains, Counsellors, 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 these immixt, inevitably
Pull'd down the fame destruction on himself;
The vulgar only fcap'd who flood without.

Chor. O dearly-bought revenge, yet glorious! Living or dying thou haft fulfill'd

The work for which thou wait foretold

To Ifrael, and now ly'st victorious

Among thy flain self-kill'd,

Not willingly, but tangled in the fold

Of dire neceffity, whose law in death conjoin'd Thee with thy flaughter'd foes, in number more Than all thy life had flain before.

Semichor. While their hearts were jocund and
Drunk with Idolatry, drunk with Wine, [fublime,
And fat regorg'd of Bulls and Goats,
Chaunting their Idol, and preferring

Before our living Dread who dwells
In Silo his bright Sanctuary:

Among them he a spirit of phrenzie 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,
Unweetingly importun'd

Their own deftruction to come speedy upon them.

So fond are mortal men

Fall'n into wrath divine,

As their own ruin on themselves t'invite,
Infenfate left, or to fenfe reprobate,

And with blindnefs internal struck.

Semichor. But he though blind of fight, Defpis'd and thought extinguifh'd quite, With inward eyes illuminated,

His fiery virtue rous'd

From under ashes into fudden flame,

And as an ev'ning Dragon came,
Affailant on the perched roofts

And nests in order rang'd

Of tame villatick Fowl; but as an Eagle
His cloudlefs thunder bolted on their heads.

So virtue giv'n for loft,

Depreft, and overthrown, as feem'd,

Like that felf-begotten Bird

In the Arabian woods embost,

That no fecond knows nor third,

And lay ere-while a Holocauft,

From out her afhie womb now teem'd,

Revives, reflourishes, then vigorous moft,
When most unactive deem'd,

And though her body die, her fame survives,
A fecular Bird ages of lives.

[now,

Man. Come, come, no time for lamentation
Nor much more caufe; Samfon hath quit himself
Like Samfon, and heroickly hath finifh'd
A life Heroick, on his Enemies

Fully reveng'd, hath left them years of mourning,
And lamentation to the Sons of Caphtor

Through all Philiftian bounds: To Ifrael
Honour hath left, and freedom, let but them
Find courage to lay hold on this occafion:
To himself and Father's house eternal fame:
And which is best and happiest yet, all this
With God not parted from him, as was fear'd,
But favouring and affifting to the end.

Nothing is here for tears, nothing to wail

Or knock the breasts, no weakness, no contempt,
Dispraise, 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

Soak'd in his enemies blood, and from the stream
With lavers pure and cleanfing herbs wash off
The clodded gore. I with what speed the while
(Gaza is not in plight to say us nay)

Will fend for all my kindred, all my friends

To fetch him hence, and folemnly attend

With filent obfequie and funeral train

Home to his father's houfe: there will I build him

A Monument, and plant it round with shade

Of Laurel ever-green, and branching Palm,
With all his Trophies hung, and Acts enroll'd
In copious Legend, or sweet Lyrick Song.

Thither shall all the valiant Youth resort,
And from his memory inflame their breasts
To matchless valour, and adventures high:
The Virgins also shall on feastful days
Vifit his Tomb with flowers, only bewailing
His lot unfortunate in nuptial choice,
From whence captivity and lofs of eyes.

Chor. All is beft, though we oft doubt
What th'unfearchable dispose
Of highest wisdom brings about,
And ever best found in the close.

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 fervant he with new acquist

Of true experience from this great event
With peace and confolation hath dismist,

And calm of mind all paffion spent.

THE E N D.