First granting, as I do, it was a weakness
In me, but incident to all our fex,
Curiofity, inquifitive, importune
Of secrets, then with like infirmity

To publish them, both common female faults:
Was it not weakness also to make known
For importunity, that is, for naught,
Wherein confifted all thy ftrength and safety?
To what I did thou fhew'dft me first the way.
But I to enemies reveal'd, and should not;

Nor fhould'ft thou have trufted that to woman's frailty:
Ere I to thee, thou to thyfelf waft cruel.
Let weakness then with weakness come to parl,
So near related, or the fame of kind,

Thine forgive mine; that men may cenfure thine
The gentler, if feverely thou exact note
More ftrength from me, than in thyfelf was found.
And what if love, which thou interpret'st hate,
The jealousy of love, powerful of fway,
In human hearts, not lefs in mine towards thee,
Caus'd what I did? I faw thee mutable

Of fancy, fear'd left one day thou wou'dft leave me
As her at Timna, fought by all means therefore
How to endear, and hold thee to me firmeft:
No better way I faw than by importuning
To learn thy fecrets, get into my pow'r
Thy key of ftrength and safety: thou wilt say,
Why then reveal'd? I was affur'd by those
Who tempted me, that nothing was defign'd
Against thee but fafe cuftody, and hold:
That made for me, I knew that liberty

Would draw thee forth to perilous enterprises,
While I at home fate full of cares and fears,
Wailing thy abfence in my widow'd bed;
Here I should still enjoy thee day and night
Mine and love's pris'ner, not the Philiftins,
Whole to my felf, unhazarded abroad,
Fearless at home of partners in my love.

These reasons in love's law have past for good,
Though fond and reafonless to some perhaps;
And love hath oft, well meaning, wrought much wo
Yet always pity or pardon hath obtain'd:
Be not unlike all others, not auftere
As thou art strong, inflexible as steel.
If thou in ftrength all mortals doft exceed;
In uncompaffionate anger do not fo.

Samf. How cunningly the forceress displays.
Her own tranfgreffions, to upbraid' me mine?
That malice not repentance brought thee hither,
By this appears: I gave, thou fay'ft, th' example;
I led the way, bitter reproach, but true,

I to myself was falfe ere thou to me:

Such pardon therefore as I give my folly,

Take to thy wicked deed, which when thou feeft
Impartial, felf-fevere, inexorable,

Thou wilt renounce thy feeking, and much rather
Confefs it feign'd, weakness is thy excufe,
And I believe it, weakness to refift

Philiftian gold: if weakness may excufe,
What murderer, what traitor, parricide,
Incestuous, facrilegious, but may plead it?
All wickedness is weakness: that plea therefore

With God or man will gain thee no remiffion,
But love constrain'd thee; call it furious rage
To fatisfy thy luft: love feeks to have love;
My love how couldst thou hope, who took'st the way
To raise in me inexpiable hate,

Knowing, as needs I muft, by thee betray'd?
In vain thou ftriv't to cover fhame with fhame,
For by evafions thy crime uncover'ft more.

Dal. Since thou determin'ft weakness for no plea
In man or woman, though to thy own condemning,
Hear what affaults I had, what fnares befides,
What fieges girt me round, ere I confented;
Which might have aw'd the best resolv'd of men,
The conftanteft, to have yielded without blame.
It was not gold, as to my charge thou lay'ft,
That wrought with me: thou know'ft the magiftrates
And princes of my country came in person,
Solicited, commanded, threatn'd, urg'd,
Adjur'd by all the bonds of civil duty
And of religion, prefs'd how juft it was,
How honourable, how glorious to entrap
A common enemy, who had deftroy'd
Such numbers of our nation: and the priest
Was not behind, but ever at my ear,
Preaching how meritorious with the gods
It would be to enfnare an irreligious
Dishonourer of Dagon: what had I
T'oppose against such pow'rful arguments?
Only my love of thee held long debate;
And combated in filence all their reafons

With hard contest: at length that grounded maxim,

So rife and celebrated in the mouths
Of wifeft men; that to the publick good
Private respects muft yield; with grave authority
Took full poffeffion of me, and prevail'd;
Virtue, as I thought, truth, duty fo enjoining.
Samf.I thought where all thy circling wiles would end;
In feign'd religion, fmooth hypocrify.

But had thy love, ftill odiously pretended,

Been, as it ought, fincere, it wou'd have taught thee
Far other reasonings, brought forth other deeds.
I before all the daughters of my tribe

And of my nation chofe thee from among

My enemies, lov'd thee, as too well thou knew'ft,
Too well, unbofom'd all my fecrets to thee,
Not out of levity, but over-pow'r'd

By thy requeft, who could deny thee nothing;
Yet now am judg'd an enemy. When then
Didft thou at first receive me for thy husband?
Then, as fince then, thy country's foe profeft:
Being once a wife, for me thou waft to leave
Parents and country; nor was I their fubject,
Nor under their protection but my own;

Thou mine, not theirs; if aught against my life
Thy country fought of thee, it fought unjustly,
Against the law of nature, law of nations,
No more thy country, but an impious crew
Of men confpiring to uphold their state
By worse than hoftile deeds, violating the ends
For which our country is a name fo dear;
Not therefore to be obey'd. But zeal mov'd thee
To please thy gods thou didst it; gods unable

T'acquit themselves and profecute their foes
But by ungodly deeds, the contradiction
Of their own deity, gods they cannot be;
Lefs therefore to be pleas'd, obey'd or fear'd.
These false pretexts and varnish'd colours failing,
Bare in thy guilt, how foul must thou appear?
Dal. In argument with men a woman ever
Goes by the worse, whatever be her cause.

Samf, For want of words no doubt, or lack of breath, Witness when I was worried with thy peels.

Dal. I was a fool, too rafh, and quite mistaken
In what I thought would have fucceeded beft.
Let me obtain forgiveness of thee, Samfon,
Afford me place to fhew what recompence
Towards thee I intend for what I have misdone,
Mifguided; only what remains past cure
Bear not too fenfibly, nor ftill infift

T' afflict thyself in vain: though fight be loft,
Life yet hath many folaces, enjoy'd
Where other fenfes want not their delights
At home in leifure and domeftick ease,
Exempt from many a care and chance, to which
Eye fight expofes daily men abroad.

I to the lords will intercede, not doubting
Their favourable ear, that I may fetch thee
From forth this loathfome prison-house, t' abide
With me, where my redoubl'd love and care
With nurfing diligence, to me glad office,
May ever tend about thee to old age

With all things grateful chear'd, and so supply'd,

That what by me thou hast lost thou least shalt miss.