These shifts refuted, answer thy appellant

1220

Though by his blindness maim'd for high attempts, Who now defies thee thrice to fingle fight,

As a petty enterprise of small enforce.

HAR. With thee, a man condemn'd, a flave inroll'd,

Due by the law to capital punishment?

1225

To fight with thee no man of arms will deign.
SAMS. Cam'ft thou for this, vain boafter, to furvey me,
To défcant on my strength, and give thy verdict?
Come nearer, part not hence fo flight inform'd;
But take good heed my hand survey not thee.
HAR. O Baal-zebub! can my ears unus'd

Hear thefe difhonors, and not render death?

1230

SAMS. No man withholds thee, nothing from thy hand Fear I incurable; bring up thy van,

My heels are fetter'd, but my fift is free.

HAR. This infolence other kind of answer fits.
SAMS. Go, baffled coward, left I run upon thee,
Though in these chains, bulk without spirit vaft,
And with one buffet lay thy structure low,
Or fwing thee in the air, then dash thee down

To th' hazard of thy brains and fhatter'd fides.
HAR. By Aftaroth ere long thou shalt lament
These braveries in irons loaden on thee.

CHO. His giantship is gone fomewhat crest-faln,
Stalking with lefs unconscionable strides,

And lower looks, but in a sultry chafe.

1235

1240

1245

SAMS. I dread him not, nor all his giant-brood,
Though fame divulge him father of five fons,
All of gigantic fize, Goliah chief.

Сно.

1250

CHO. He will directly to the lords, I fear And with malicious counsel ftir them up Some way or other yet further to afflict thee. SAMS. He muft allege fome caufe, and offer'd fight Will not dare mention, left a question rise Whether he durft accept the' offer or not, And that he durft not plain enough appear'd. Much more affliction than already felt They cannot well impose, nor I sustain; If they intend advantage of my labors,

1255

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 speediest friend, by death to rid me hence,
The worst that he can give, to me the best.
Yet fo it may fall out, because their end

1265

Is hate, not help to me, it may with mine

Draw their own ruin who attempt the deed.

CHO. Oh how comely it is, and how reviving

To the spirits of just men long oppress'd!

When God into the hands of their deliverer

1270

Puts invincible might

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

The brute and boisterous force of violent men

Hardy and industrious to support

Tyrannic power, but raging to pursue

1275

The righteous and all fuch as honor truth;
He all their ammunition

And feats of war defeats

VOL. III.

E

With

With plain heroic magnitude of mind

And celeftial vigor arm'd,

Their armories and magazines contemns,
Renders them ufelefs, while

1280

With winged expedition.

Swift as the lightning glance he executes
His errand on the wicked, who, furpris'd,
Lofe their defence diftracted and amaz'd.

1285

But patience is more oft the exercise
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 thefe is in thy lot,

Samfon, with might indued

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 reft,

1290

1295

Laboring thy mind

More than the working-day thy hands.

And yet perhaps more trouble is behind,

1300

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.

1303

OFF

OFF. Hebrews, the pris'ner Samfon here I feek. CHO. His manacles remark him, there he fits. OFF. Samfon, to thee our lords thus bid me say; This day to Dagon is a folemn feast,

1315

With facrifices, triumph, pomp, and games;
Thy ftrength they know furpaffing human rate,
And now fome public proof thereof require
To honor this great feast, and great affembly;
Rife therefore with all speed and come along,
Where I will fee thee hearten'd and fresh clad
To' appear as fits before th' illuftrious lords.
SAMS. Thou know'ft I am an Hebrew, therefore tell
them

Our Law forbids at their religious rites

My prefence; for that cause I cannot come.

1320

OFF. This anfwer, be affur'd, will not content them.
SAMS. Have they not fword-players, and every fort
Of gymnic artists, wrestlers, riders, runners,
Juglers and dancers, antics, mummers, mimics, 1325
But they must pick me out with shackles tir'd,
And over-labor'd at their public mill,

To make them fport with blind activity ?
Do they not feek occafion of new quarrels

On my refusal to diftrefs me more,

Or make a game of my calamities?

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

1330

OFF. Regard thyself; this will offend them highly. SAMS. Myfelf? my confcience and internal peace.

Can they think me fo broken, fo debas'd

With corporal fervitude, that my mind ever

E 2

1335

Will

Will condefcend to fuch abfurd commands?

Although their drudge, to be their fool or jester,
And in my midst of forrow and heart-grief

To show them feats, and play before their God, 1340
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 resolution?

:

SAMS. So take it with what speed thy message needs. OFF. I am forry what this stoutnefs will produce. SAMS. Perhaps thou shalt have cause to forrow' indeed. CHO. Confider, Samfon; matters now are strain'd Up to the highth, whether to hold or break ;

He 's gone, and who knows how he may report 1350 Thy words by adding fuel to the flame?

Expect another meffage more imperious,

More lordly thundering than thou well wilt bear.
SAMS. Shall I abuse this confecrated gift

Of strength, again returning with my hair
After my great tranfgreffion, fo requite
Favor renew'd, and add a greater fin
By proftituting holy things to idols;
A Nazarite in place abominable

1355

Vaunting my strength in honor to their Dagon? 1360 Befides how vile, contemptible, ridiculous,

What act more execrably unclean, profane?

CHO. Yet with this strength thou serv'ft the Philistines, Idolatrous, uncircumcis'd, unclean.

SAMS. Not in their idol-worship, but by labor 1365 Honest and lawful to deferve my food

Of