Of those who have me in their civil power.

[not.

CHO. Where the heart joins not, outward acts defile SAMS. Where outward force conftrains, the fen

tence holds.

But who constrains me to the temple' of Dagon, 1370
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 jealousy
Shall never, unrepented, find forgiveness.
Yet that he may difpenfe with me or thee
Prefent in temples at idolatrous rites

1375

For fome important cause, thou need'st not doubt.
CHO. How thou wilt here come off furmounts my

reach.

SAMS. Be of good courage, I begin to feel

Some rousing motions in me, which difpofe
To fomething extraordinary my thoughts.
I with this messenger will go along,
Nothing to do, be fure, that may dishonor
Our Law, or stain my vow of Nazarite.
If there be ought of prefage in the mind,
This day will be remarkable in my life
By fome great act, or of my days the last.

1380

1385

CHO. In time thou haft refolv'd, the man returns.
OFF. Samfon, this second message 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 fuch engins to affail

And hamper thee, as thou fhalt come of force,
Though thou wert firmlier faften'd than a rock.

1393

SAMS. I could be well content to try their art, Which to no few of them would prove pernicious. 1400 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

1405

To fuch as owe them abfolute fubjection;

And for a life who will not change his purpofe?
(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 resolution: doff thefe links: 1410 By this compliance thou wilt win the lords

To favor, and perhaps to set thee free.

SAMS. Brethren, farewel; your company along I will not wish, left it perhaps offend them

To fee me girt with friends; and how the fight 1415
Of me as of a common enemy,

So dreaded once, may now exafperate them,
I know not: lords are lordlieft in their wine;
And the well-feafted priest then fooneft fir'd
With zeal, if ought religion feem concern'd;
No lefs the people on their holy-days
Impetuous, infolent, unquenchable:
Happen what may, of me expect to hear
Nothing dishonorable, impure, unworthy

1420

Our

Our God, our Law, my Nation, or myself,
The laft of me or no I cannot warrant.

CHO. Go, and the holy One

Of Ifrael be thy guide

1425

To what may serve his glory best, and spread his name Great among the Heathen round;

1430

Send thee the Angel of thy birth, to stand

Faft by thy fide, who from thy father's field

Rode up in flames after his message told

Of thy conception, and be now a fhield

Of fire; that Spirit that first rufh'd on thee
In the camp of Dan

1435

Be efficacious in thee now at need:

For never was from Heav'n imparted

Measure of strength so great to mortal feed,
As in thy wondrous actions hath been seen!
But wherefore comes old Manoah in fuch hafte
With youthful steps? much livelier than ere-while

He feems: fuppofing here to find his son,

1440

Or of him bringing to us fome glad news?

[hither

MAN. Peace with you, Brethren; my inducement Was not at present here to find my fon,

By order of the lords new parted hence

To come and play before them at their feast.

I heard all as I came, the city rings,

And numbers thither flock, I had no will,
Left I should fee him forc'd to things unfeemly.
But that which mov'd my coming now was chiefly
To give you part with me what hope I have
With good fuccefs to work his liberty.

E 4

1450

Сно.

CHO. That hope would much rejoice us to partake With thee; fay, reverend Sire, we thirst to hear.

MAN. I have attempted one by one the lords,
Either at home, or through the high street paffing,
With fupplication prone and father's tears,
T'accept of ransom for my fon their pris'ner.

Some much averfe I found and wondrous harsh,
Contemptuous, proud, fet on revenge and spite;
That part most reverenc'd Dagon and his priests :
Others more moderate feeming, but their aim
Private reward, for which both God and State
They easily would fet to fale: a third
More generous far and civil, who confefs'd
They had enough reveng'd, having reduc'd
Their foe to misery beneath their fears,
The rest was magnanimity to remit,
If fome convenient ranfom were propos'd.

What noife or fhout was that? it tore the sky.

1460

1465

1470

CHO. Doubtless the people fhouting to behold Their once great dread, captive, and blind before them, Or at fome proof of strength before them shown. 1475 MAN. His ranfom, if my whole inheritance May compass it, fhall willingly be paid

And number'd down: much rather I fhall choofe

To live the pooreft in my tribe, than richest,

And he in that calamitous prison left.

1480

No, I am fix'd not to part hence without him.

For his redemption all my patrimony,

If need be, I am ready to forego

And quit: not wanting him I fhall want nothing.

Сно.

CHO. Fathers are wont to lay up for their fons, 1485 Thou for thy fon art bent to lay out all:

Sons wont to nurse their parents in old age,

Thou in old age car'ft how to nurse thy fon
Made older than thy age through eye-fight lost.
MAN. It fhall be my delight to tend his eyes, 1490
And view him fitting in the house, ennobled
With all thofe high exploits by him achiev'd,
And on his fhoulders waving down those locks
That of a nation arm'd the strength contain`d:
And, I perfuade me, God had not permitted
His ftrength again to grow up with his hair
Garrifon'd round about him like a camp
Of faithful foldiery, were not his purpose
To ufe him further yet in fome great service,
Not to fit idle with fo great a gift

Ufelefs, and thence ridiculous about him.

And fince his ftrength with eye-fight was not loft,
God will restore him eye-fight to his strength.

1495

1500

CHо. Thy hopes are not ill founded nor feem vain Of his delivery, and thy joy thereon

Conceiv'd, agreeable to a father's love,

In both which we, as next, participate.

1505

[noife!

MAN. I know your friendly minds, and---O what Mercy of Heaven, what hideous noife was that! Horribly loud, unlike the former shout.

CHO. Noife call you it, or univerfal groan,

As if the whole inhabitation perish'd!

1510

Blood, death, and deathful deeds are in that noise,
Ruin, deftruction at the utmoft point.

MAN.