How dy'd he death to life is crown or fhame.
All by him fell thou fay'ft, by whom fell he, 1580
What glorious hand gave Samson his deaths wound?
Meff. Unwounded of his enemies he fell.

Man, Wearied with slaughter then or how? explain.
Meff. By his own hands.

Man. Self-violence? what caufe

Brought him fo foon at variance with himself
Among his Foes? Meff. Inevitable cause
At once both to destroy and be destroyed;
The Edifice where all were met to fee him

1585

Upon their heads and on his own he pull'd. 1590
Man O laftly over-ftrong against thy felf!

A dreadful way, thou took'st to thy revenge.
More than enough we know; but while things yet
Are in confufion, give us if thou canft,

Eye-witness of what first or laft was done,
Relation more particular and distinct.

1395

Meff. Occafions drew me early to this City, And as the gates I enter'd with Sun-rife, The morning Trumpets Festival proclaim'd Through each high street: little had I dispatch'd, When all abroad was rumour'd that this day 1601 Samfon fhould be brought forth to shew the people Proof of his mighty ftrength in feats and games; I forrow'd at his captive ftate, but minded Not to be abfent at that spectacle.

The building was a fpacious Theatre

1605

Half-round on two main Pillars vaulted high, With feats where all the Lords and each degree t

Of fort, might fit in order to behold,

The other fide was op'n, where the throng 1610
On banks and scaffolds under Skie might stand;}
I among those aloof obfcurely ftood.

1616

The Feast and noon grew high, and Sacrifice
Had fill'd their hearts with mirth,high chear and wine,
When to their sports they turn'd. Immediately
Was Samfon as a publick servant brought,
In their frate Livery clad; before him Pipes
And Timbrels, on each fide went armed guards,
Both horfe and foot before him and behind.
Archers, and Slingers, Cataphracts and Spears.
At fight of him the people with a shout
Rifted the Air clamouring their god with praise,
who had made their dreadful enemy their thrall.
He patient but undaunted where they led him,
Came to the place, and what was fet before him
Which without help of eye might be affay'd, 1626
To heave, pull, draw, and break he still perform'd
All with incredible, ftupendious force,

None daring to appear Antagonist.

1625

At length for intermiffion fake they led him
Between the Pillars; he his guide requested 1631
(For fo from fuch as nearer ftood we heard).
As over-tir'd to let him lean a while

With both his arms on thofe two maffie Pillars
That to the arched roof gave main fupport, 1635
He unfufpicious led him; which when Samfon
Felt in his arms, with head a while inclin'd,

1640

And eyes faft fixt he flood as one who pray'd,
Or fome great matter in his mind revolv❜d.
At laft with head ere& thus cry'd aloud,
Hitherto, Lords, what your commands impos'd
I have perform'd, as reason was, obeying,
Nor without wonder or delight beheld.
Now of my own accord such other tryal

1646

I mean to fhew you of my ftrength, yet greater;
As with amaze (hall ftrike all who behold.
This utter'd, ftraining all his nerves he bow'd,
As with the force of winds and waters pent,
When Mountains tremble, thofe two maffie Pillars
With horrible confufion to and fro,

1655

1650 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, Councellors, or Friefts, 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 deftruction on himself; The vulgar only fcap'd who flood withont.

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

The work for which thou waft foretold
To Ifrael, and now lyft victorious
Among thy flain felf-kill'd

Not willingly, but rangl❜d in the fold,

1666

1665

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

1669

Semichor. While their hearts were jocund and

Drunk with Idolatry, drunk with Wine,

And fat regorg'd of Bulls and Goats,

[fublime,

Chaunting their Idol, and preferring
Before our living Dread who dwells
In Silo his bright Sanctuary:"

5675

Among them he a fpirit of phrenzie fent, #S

Who hurt their minds,

And trg'd them on with mad defire
To call in hafte for their deftroyer;
They only fet on sport and play

Unweetingly importun'd

1680

Infenfate left, or to fenfe reprobate,

And with blindness internal ftruck.

Semichor. But he though blind of fight,

Of tame villatick Fowl, but as an Eagle

His cloudless thunder bolted on their heads.
So virtue giv'n for lost,

Depreft, and overthrown, as feem'd,

Like that felf begott❜n Bird

In the Arabian woods embost,

That no fecond knows nor third,.

And lay ere while a Holocauft,

1700

From out her afhie wonib now teem'd,
Revives, reflourishes, then vigorous most
When moft unactive deem'd,

1705

And though her body die, her fame survives,

A fecular Bird ages of lives.

Man. Come, come, no time for lamentation now Nor much more cause, Samfon hath quit himself Like Samfon, and heroickly hath finish'd

A life Heroick, on his Enemies

1711

1715

Fully reveng'd, hath left them years of mourning,
And lamentation to the Sons of Chapter
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 houfe eternal fame;
And which is beft 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

1721

Or knock the breaft, no weakness, no contempt,. Dispraise, or blame, nothing but well and fais,.