MAN. Of ruin indeed methought I heard the noise: Oh it continues, they have slain my fon.

CHO. Thy fon is rather flaying them, that outcry From flaughter of one foe could not afcend.

MAN. Some dismal accident it needs must be; What shall we do? stay here, or run and fee?

1520 CHO. Best keep together here, left running thither We unawares run into danger's mouth.

This evil on the Philiftines is fall'n;

From whom could elfe a general cry be heard?
The fufferers then will fcarce moleft us here,
From other hands we need not much to fear.
What if, his eye-fight (for to Ifrael's God
Nothing is hard) by miracle reftor'd,
He now be dealing dole among his foes,

1525

And over heaps of slaughter'd walk his way y? 1530 MAN. That were a joy prefumptuous to be thought. CHO. Yet God hath wrought things as incredible For his people of old; what hinders now?

MAN. He can I know, but doubt to think he will; Yet hope would fain fubfcribe, and tempts belief. 1535 A little stay will bring fome notice hither.

CHO. Of good or bad so great, of bad the sooner; For evil news rides poft, while good news baits. And to our wish I fee one hither speeding,

1540

An Hebrew, as I guess, and of our tribe.
MESS. O whither fhall I run, or which way fly
The fight of this fo horrid fpectacle,

Which erft my eyes beheld, and yet behold?
For dire imagination ftill purfues me.

But

But providence or instinct of nature seems,
Or reason though disturb'd, and scarce confulted,
To' have guided me aright, I know not how,
To thee first, reverend Manoah, and to these
My countrymen, whom here I knew remaining,
As at fome distance from the place of horror,
So in the fad event too much concern'd.

1545

1550

MAN. The accident was loud, and here before thee With rueful cry, yet what it was we hear not; No preface needs, thou feeft we long to know. MESS. It would burst forth, but I recover breath And fenfe diftract, to know well what I utter,

MAN. Tell us the fum, the circumstance defer. MESS. Gaza yet stands, but all her fons are fall'n, All in a moment overwhelm'd and fall'n.

MAN. Sad, but thou know'ft to Ifraelites not faddeft, The defolation of a hoftile city. [furfeit. MESS. Feed on that firft, there may in grief be MAN. Relate by whom.

The forrow, and converts it nigh to joy.

MESS. Ah Manoah, I refrain too fuddenly 1565 To utter what will come at last too soon; Left evil tidings with too rude irruption Hitting thy aged ear fhould pierce too deep.

MAN. Sufpenfe in news is torture, speak them out. MESS. Take then the worst in brief, Samson is dead. MAN. The worst indeed, O all my hopes defeated To free him hence! but death who fets all free

Hath

Hath paid his ranfom now and full discharge.
What windy joy this day had I conceiv'd
Hopeful of his delivery, which now proves
Abortive as the first-born bloom of spring
Nipt with the lagging rear of winter's frost!
Yet, ere I give the reins to grief, say first,
How dy'd he; death to life is crown or shame.
All by him fell thou fay'ft, by whom fell he,

1575

1580

What glorious hand gave Samfon his death's wound? MESS. Unwounded of his enemies he fell.

MAN. Wearied with flaughter then, or how? explain. MESS. By his own hands.

MAN. Self-violence? what caufe

Brought him fo foon at variance with himself
Among his foes?

MESS. Inevitable cause,

At once both to deftroy and be destroy'd;
The edifice, where all were met to fee him,
Upon their heads and on his own he pull'd.

1585

1590

MAN. O laftly over-ftrong against thy felf!
A dreadful way thou took'ft to thy revenge.
More than enough we know; but while things yet
Are in confufion, give us if thou canst,

Eye-witness of what firft or laft was done,

Relation more particular and distinct.

1595

MESS. Occafions drew me early to this city,

And as the gates I enter'd with fun-rife,
The morning trumpets festival proclam'd
Through each high-ftreet: little I had difpatch'd,
When all abroad was rumor'd that this day

1600 Samfon

Samfon fhould be brought forth, to show 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

Half-round on two main pillars vaulted high,
With feats where all the lords and each degree
Of fort, might fit in order to behold;
The other fide was open, where the throng

1605

On banks and fcaffolds under fky might ftand;
I among these aloof obfcurely ftood.

1610

The feaft and noon grew high, and facrifice

Had fill'd their hearts with mirth, high chear, and wine, When to their sports they turn'd. Immediately

Was Samfon as a public fervant brought,

In their state livery clad; before him pipes

1615

1620

And timbrels, on cach fide went armed guards,
Both horfe and foot, before him and behind
Archers and flingers, cataphracts and spears.
At fight of him, the people with a shout
Rifted the air, clamoring 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,
To heave, pull, draw, or break, he ftill perform'd
All with incredible, ftupendous force,

1625

None daring to appear antagonist.

At length for intermiffion fake they led him
Between the pillars; he his guide requested

1630

(For

(For fo from fuch as nearer stood we heard)
As over-tir'd to let him lean a while
With both his arms on those two maffy pillars,
That to the arched roof gave main fupport.
He unfufpicious led him; which when Samfon
Felt in his arms, with head a while inclin'd,
And eyes faft fix'd he stood, as one who pray'd,
Or fome great matter in his mind revolv'd:

At laft with head erect thus cry'd aloud,

1635

Hitherto, Lords, what your commands impos'd 1640
I have perform'd, as reafon was, obeying,
Not without wonder or delight beheld:

Now of my own accord fuch other trial

I mean to fhow you of my ftrength, yet greater;
As with amaze fhall ftrike all who behold.
This utter'd, straining all his nerves he bow'd,
As with the force of winds and water pents,
When mountains tremble, thofe two maffy pillars
With horrible convulfion to and fro,

1645

He tugg'd, he fhook, till down they came, and drew
The whole roof after them, with burst of thunder
Upon the heads of all who fat beneath,

Lords, ladies, captains, counsellors, or priests,
Their choice nobility and flower, not only

Of this but each Philiftian city round,

1655

Met from all parts to folemnize this feaft.

Samfon with these immix'd, inevitably

Pull'd down the fame destruction on himself;
The vulgar only fcap'd who stood without.

CHO. O dearly-bought revenge, yet glorious! 1660