Amidft their highth of noon Changest thy count'nance, and thy hand with no regard Of highest favors past From thee on them, or them to thee of fervice. Nor only doft degrade them, or remit To life obfcur'd, which were a fair difmiffion, 685 But throw'ft them lower than thou didst exalt them high, Unfeemly falls in human eye, Too grievous for the trespass or omiffion; Oft leav'ft them to the hostile fword Of Heathen and profane, their carcases To dogs and fowls a prey, or else captív'd; 690 Or to th' unjust tribunals, under change of times, 695 And condemnation of th' ingrateful multitude. If these they scape, perhaps in poverty With fickness and disease thou bow'st them down, In crude old-age; Though not difordinate, yet causeless suffering For oft alike both come to evil end. 700 So deal not with this once thy glorious champion, The image of thy ftrength, and mighty minifter. What do I beg ? how haft thou dealt already? Behold him in this ftate calamitous, and turn His labors, for thou canft to peaceful end. 710 Female of fex it feems, That fo bedeck'd, ornate, and gay, Comes Comes this way failing Like a stately ship Of Tarfus, bound for th' iles 715 Of Javan or Gadire With all her bravery on, and tackle trim, Sails fill'd, and ftreamers waving, Courted by all the winds that hold them play, 720 Her harbinger, a damsel train behind; Some rich Philiftian matron fhe may seem, Than Dalila thy wife. [near me. SAMS. My Wife, my Traitress, let her not come CHо. Yet on the moves, now stands, and eyes thee fix'd, About t' have spoke, but now, with head declin'd 730 But now again she makes address to speak. 735 My penance hath not flacken'd, though my pardon No way affur'd. But conjugal affection, Prevailing over fear and timorous doubt, Hath led me on defirous to behold 740 Once Once more thy face, and know of thy eftate, To lighten what thou fuffer'ft, and appease Thy mind with what amends is in my power, 745 My rash but more unfortunate mifdeed. SAMS. Out, out, Hyæna; these are thy wonted arts, And arts of every woman false like thee, To break all faith, all vows, deceive, betray, 750 Then as repentant to submit, beseech, And reconcilement move with feign'd remorse, Not truly penitent, but chief to try Her husband, how far urg'd his patience bears, 755 His virtue or weakness which way to affail: 760 765 DAL. Yet hear me, Samfon; not that I endevor To leffen or extenuate my offense, But that on th' other fide if it be weigh'd By' itself, with aggravations not furcharg'd, I may, if poffible, thy pardon find 770 The The eafier towards me, or thy hatred less. In me, but incident to all our sex, Curiofity, inquifitive, importune Of fecrets, then with like infirmity To publish them, both common female faults: Wherein confifted all thy strength and safety? 775 780 Nor fhould't thou have trufted that to woman's frailty: Ere I to thee, thou to thyfelf waft cruel. Let weakness then with weakness come to parle 785 Thine forgive mine; that men may cenfure thine 790 Of fancy, fear'd left one day thou would't leave me As her at Timna, fought by all means therefore 795 How to indear, and hold thee to me firmest: No better way I faw than by importuning To learn thy fecrets, get into my power The key of ftrength and fafety: thou wilt say, Why then reveal'd? I was affur'd by those Who tempted me, that nothing was defign'd VOL. XII. D 8c0 Against Against thee but fafe cuftody, and hold: 805 810 These reasons in love's law have paft for good, Though fond and reafonlefs to fome perhaps; And love hath oft, well meaning, wrought much woe, Yet always pity' or pardon hath obtain’d. Be not unlike all others, not auftere 815 If thou in ftrength all mortals doft exceed, SAMS. How cunningly the forceress displays I to myself was falfe ere thou to me; Take to thy wicked deed; which when thou seest Thou wilt renounce thy feeking, and much rather And I believe it, weakness to refift Philiftian gold if weakness may excufe, 820 825 830 What |