Gracious to re-admit the suppliant:
In confidence whereof I once again
Defy thee to the trial of mortal fight,

By combat to decide whose god is God,
Thine, or whom I with Israel's sons adore.

HAR. Fair honor that thou dost thy God, in
trusting

He will accept thee to defend his cause,
A murderer, a revolter, and a robber!

SAM. Tongue-doughty Giant! how dost thou prove me these?

HAR. Is not thy nation subject to our lords? Their magistrates confess'd it when they took thee As a league-breaker, and deliver'd bound Into our hands: for hadst thou not committed Notorious murder on those thirty men At Ascalon, who never did thee harm,

Then like a robber stripp'dst them of their robes? The Philistines, when thou hadst broke the league, Went up with armed powers thee only seeking; To others did no violence nor spoil.

SAM. Among the daughters of the Philistines
I chose a wife, which argued me no foe;
And in your city held my nuptial feast:
But your ill-meaning politician lords,
Under pretence of bridal friends and guests,
Appointed to await me thirty spies,

Who, threatening cruel death, constrain❜d the bride
To wring from me, and tell to them, my secret,
That solved the riddle which I had proposed.
When I perceived all set on enmity,
As on my enemies, wherever chanced,
I used hostility, and took their spoil,
To pay my underminers in their coin.

My nation was subjected to your lords:
It was the force of conquest; force with force
Is well ejected when the conquer'd can.
But I, a private person, whom my country
As a league-breaker gave up bound, presumed
Single rebellion, and did hostile acts.

I was no private, but a person raised
[ven,
With strength sufficient, and command from Hea-
To free my country: if their servile minds
Me, their deliverer sent, would not receive,
But to their masters gave me up for nought,
The unworthier they: whence to this day they

serve.

I was to do my part from Heaven assign'd,
And had perform'd it, if my known offence
Had not disabled
me, not all your force.
These shifts refuted, answer thy appellant,
Though by his blindness maim'd for high attempts,
Who now defies thee thrice to single fight,
As a petty' enterprise of small enforce.

HAR. With thee! a man condemn'd, a slave inDue by the law to capital punishment!

{roll'd, To fight with thee no man of arms will deign. SAM. Camest thou for this, vain boaster! to

survey me,

To descant on my strength, and give thy verdict?
Come nearer! part not hence so slight inform'd;
But take good heed my hand survey not thee.
HAR. O Baal-zebub! can my ears unused
Hear these dishonors, and not render death?
SAM. No man withholds thee, nothing from thy
Fear I incurable: bring up thy van,

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

[hand

HAR. This insolence other kind of answer fits.

SAM. Go, baffled Coward! lest I run upon thee, Though in these chains, bulk without spirit vast, And with one buffet lay thy structure low, Or swing thee in the air, then dash thee down To the' hazard of thy brains and shatter'd sides. HAR. By Ashtaroth, ere long thou shalt lament These braveries, in irons loaden on thee.

[Exit. CHO. His giantship is gone somewhat crest

fallen,

Stalking with less unconscionable strides,

And lower looks, but in a sultry chafe.

SAM. I dread him not, nor all his giant brood; Though Fame divulge him father of five sons, All of gigantic size, Goliath chief.

CHO. He will directly to the lords, I fear, And with malicious counsel stir them up Some way or other yet further to afflict thee.

SAM. He must allege some cause, and offer'd Will not dare mention, lest a question rise [fight Whether he durst accept the offer or not; And, that he durst 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, The work of many hands, which earns my keeping With no small 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 so it may fall out, because their end 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,

1

When God into the hands of their deliverer
Puts invincible might

To quell the mighty of the earth, the' oppressor,
The brute and boisterous force of violent men,
Hardy and industrious to support

Tyrannic power, but raging to pursue

The righteous and all such as honor truth!
He all their ammunition

And feats of war defeats,

With plain heroic magnitude of mind
And celestial vigor arm'd ;

Their armouries and magazines contemns,
Renders them useless; while

With winged expedition,

Swift as the lightning glance, he executes
His errand on the wicked, who, surprised,
Lose their defence, distracted and amazed.
But patience is more oft the exercise
Of saints, the trial of their fortitude,
Making them each his own deliverer,
And victor over all

That tyranny or fortune can inflict.
Either of these is in thy lot,

Samson! with might endued

Above the sons of men; but sight bereaved

May chance to number thee with those

Whom patience finally must crown.

This idol's day hath been to thee no day of rest,

Laboring thy mind

More than the working day thy hands.

And yet perhaps more trouble is behind,

For I descry this way

Some other tending; in his hand

A sceptre or quaint staff he bears,

Comes on amain, speed in his look.
By his habit I discern him now
A public officer, and now at hand;
His message will be short and voluble.

Enter Officer.

OFF. Hebrews! the prisoner Samson here I seek. CHO. His manacles remark him, there he sits. OFF. Samson! to thee our lords thus bid me This day to Dagon is a solemn feast, [say; With sacrifices, triumph, pomp, and games: Thy strength they know surpassing human rate, And now some public proof thereof require To honor this great feast, and great assembly. Rise therefore with all speed, and come along, Where I will see thee hearten'd, and fresh clad, To' appear, as fits, before the' illustrious lords.

SAM. Thou know'st 1 am an Hebrew, therefore Our law forbids at their religious rites [tell them, My presence; for that cause I cannot come. OFF. This answer, be assured, will not content

them. [sort SAM. Have they not sword-players, and every Of gymnic artists, wrestlers, riders, runners, Jugglers, and dancers, antics, mummers, mimics, But they must pick me out, with shackles tired, And over-labor'd at their public mill, To make them sport with blind activity? Do they not seek occasion of new quarrels refusal to distress me more, Or make a game of my calamities?

On

my

Return the way thou camest, I will not come. OFF. Regard thyself: this will offend them highly. SAM. Myself? my conscience, and internal peace.