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

To publish them, both common female faults:
Was it not weakness alfo to make known
For importunity, that is, for naught,

Wherein confifted all thy strength and safety?
To what I did thou fhewd'ft me first the way.
But I to enemies reveal'd, and should not;

Nor should'st thou have trusted that to woman's frailty:
Ere I to thee, thou to thyself wast 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 feverly thou exact not

More ftrength from me, than in thyfelf was found.
And what if love, which thou interpret'st hate,
The jealoufy of love, powerful of sway,

In human hearts, nor lefs in mine towards thee,
Caus'd what I did? I faw thee mutable

Of fancy, fear'd left one day thou wou'dst leave me
As her at Timna, fought by all means therefore
How to endear, and hold thee to me firmest:
No better way I faw than by importuning
To learn thy fecrets, get into my pow'r
Thy key of strength and fafety: thou wilt fay,
Why then reveal'd? I was affur'd by those
Who tempted me, that nothing was design'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 Philistins,
Whole to my felf, unhazarded abroad,
Fearless, at home of partners in my love.
These reafons 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 hatlı obtain❜d:

Be not unlike all others, not austere
As thou art strong, inflexible as steel.
If thou in strength all mortals dost 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'it, th' example;
I led the way, bitter reproach, but true,

I to myself was false ere thou to me:
Such pardon therefore as I give my folly,

Take to thy wicked deed, which when thou feest
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 resist
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 must, by thee betray'd?

In vain thou ftriv't to cover fhame with shame,
For by evasions thy crime uncover'st more.

Dal. Since thou determin'st weakness for no plea
In man or woman, though to thy own condemning,
Hear what affaults I had, what snares besides,
What fieges girt me round, ere I confented;
Which might have aw'd the best resolv'd of men,
The constantest, to have yielded without blame.
It was not gold, as to my charge thou lay'st,
That wrought with me: thou know'st the magistrates
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, press'd how just it was,
How honourable, how glorious to entrap
A common enemy, who had destroy'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'oppofe against fuch 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 refpects must yield; with grave authority
Took full poffeffion of me, and prevail'd;
Virtue, as I thought, truth, duty so enjoining.

Sam thought where all thy circling wiles would end; In feign'd religion, smooth hypocrify.

But had thy love, still odiously pretended,

Been, as it ought, sincere, 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 secrets to thee,
Not out of levity, but over- pow'r'd`

By thy request, who could deny thee nothing;
Yet now am judg'd an enemy. When then
Didst thou at first receive me for thy husband!
Then, as fince then, thy country's foe profest:
Being once a wife, for me thou waft to leave
Parents and country; nor was I their subject,'
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 hostile 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 fods
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 muft 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 peals.

Dal. I was a fool, too rafh, and quite mistaken
In what I thought would have fucceeded beft.
Let me obtain forgivenefs of thee, Samfon,
Afford me place to shew what recompence
Towards thee I intend for what I have mifdone,
Mifguided; only what remains past cure
Bear not too fenfibly, nor still 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 leisure and domestick 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 prifon-house, t'abide
With me, where my redoubl'd love and care
With nursing diligence, to mé glad office,
May ever tend about thee to old age

With all things grateful chear'd, and fo fupply'd,

That what by me thou haft loft thou least shalt mifs.