Chor. He will directly to the lords, I fear, And with malicious counfel ftir them up Some way or other farther to afflict thee.

Samf. He muft alledge fome caufe, and offer'd fight Will not dare mention, left a queftion rife have Whether he durft accept the offer or not,

And that he durft not plain enough appear'd: barb
Much more affliction than already felt

They cannot well impofe, nor I fustain;
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 fpeedieft friend, by death to rid me hence,
The worst that he can give, to me the belt.
Yet fo it may fall out, becaufe their end
Is hate, not help to me, it may with mine
Draw their own ruin who attempt the deed.

Chor. Oh how comely it is, and how reviving
To the fpirits of juft men long oppreft!

When God into the hands of their deliverer daddy

Puts invincible might

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

The brute and boift'rous force of violent men sloth kids

Hardy and induftrious 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,

And celeftial vigour arm'd,

Their armories and magazines contemas, hoved skift Renders them ufelefs, while

With winged expedition,

Swift as the light'ning glance, he executes

His errand on the wicked, who furpriz'debunk Lofe their defence distracted and amaz'd, doodT 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 these is in thy lot,
Samfon, with might endu'd

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 rest,
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 fcepter or quaint staff he bears,
Comes on amain, fpeed in his look;,
By his habit I difcern him now
A public officer, and now at hand,
His meffage will be short and voluble...

Off. Hebrews, the pris'ner Samfon here I feek.
Chor. His manacles remark him, there he fits,
Off. Samfon, to thee our lords thus bid me say;
This day to Dagon is a folemn feaft,
With facrifices, triumph, pomp and games;
Thy ftrength they know furpaffing human race,
And now fome public proof thereof require
To honour this great feast, and great affembly:
Rife therefore with all speed and come along,
Where I will fee thee heartn'd and fresh clad
To appear as fits before th' illuftrious lords. [them
Samf. Thou know'ft I am an Hebrew, therefore t
Our law forbids at their religious rites

My prefence; for that caufe I cannot come.
Off. This anfwer, be affur'd, will not content them.
Samf. Have they not ford-players, and ev'ry fort
Of gymnié artists, wrestlers, riders, runners,
Juglers and dancers, antics, mummers, miners,

RARY

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 distress me more,
Or make a game of my calamities?

Return the way thou cam'ft, I will not come.

Off. Regard thyfelf, this will offend them highly. Samf. 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 midst of forrow and heart-grief To fhew them feats, and play before their god, The worst of all indignities, yet on me Join'd with extreme contempt? I will not come. Off. My meffage was impos'd on me with speed, Brooks no delay: is this thy refolution?

Samf. So take it with what speed thy meffage needs.
Off. I am forry what this floutnefs will produce.
Samf. Perhaps thou shalt have cause to forrow indeed.
Chor. Confider, Samfon; matters now are strain'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 thand'ring than thou well wilt bear.
Samf. Shall I abufe this confecrated gift
Of strength, again returning with my hair
After my great tranfgreffion, fo requite
Favour renew'd, and add a greater fin
By proftituting holy things to idols?
A Nazarite in place abominable

Vaunting my ftrength 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 Philiftins,

Idolatrous, uncircumcis'd, unclean.

Samf. Not in their idol worship, but by labour Honest and lawful to deserve my food

Of those who have me in their civil power.

[not.

Chor. Where the heart joins not, outward acts defile Samf. Where outward force constrains, the fentence But who conftrains me to the temple of Dagon, [holds, Not dragging? the Philiftian lords command. Commands are no constraints. If I obey them, I do it freely, vent'ring to displease God for the fear of man, and man prefer, Set God behind: which in his jealoufy Shall never, unrepented, find forgiveness. Yet that he may dispense with me or thee Prefent in temples at idolatrous rites

For fome important caufe, thou need'ft not doubt." Chor. How thou wilt here come off furmounts my reach.{ Samf. Be of good courage, I begin to feel joy inf Some roufing motions in me, which difpofe de diy f To fomething extraordinary my thoughts. quilt is on I with this meffenger will go along, mic

Nothing to do, be fure, that may difhonour, asqueft
Our law, or stain my vow of Nazarite.

If there be aught of prefage in the mind,
This day will be remarkable in my life
By fome great act, or of my days the last.

Chor. In time thou hafl refolv'd, the man returns.
Off. 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 fach engines to affail
And hamper thee, as thou fhalt come of force,
Though thou art firmlier faftn'd than a rock.

Samf. I could be well content to try their art,
Which to no few of them would prove pernicious.
Yet knowing their advantages too many,

Because they fhall not trail me through their streets
Like a wild beast, I am content to go.
Masters commands come with a power refiftlefs
To fuch as owe them abfolute fubjection:
And for a life who will not change his purpose
(So mutable are all the ways of men)
Yet this be fure, in nothing to comply
Scandalous or forbidden in our law.

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

Samf. Brethren, farewell, your company along
I will not with, 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
1.know not: lords are lordlieft in their wine;
And the well-feafted priest then foonest fir'd
With zeal, if aught religion feem concern'd :
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 last 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 fpread his name

Great among the Heathen round;

Send the angel of thy birth to land

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 firft rufht on thee
In the camp of Dan

Be efficacious in thee now at need.
For never was from heaven imparted
Measure of ftrength fo great to mortal feed,