Certain to' have won by mortal duel from thee,

I lofe, prevented by thy eyes put out.

[do

IIIO

SAMS. Boaft not of what thou wouldst have done, but What then thou wouldft, thou feeft it in thy hand. HAR. To combat with a blind man I difdain, And thou haft need much washing to be touch'd. SAMS. Such ufage as your honorable lords Afford me' affaffinated and betray'd, Who durft not with their whole united powers In fight withstand me single and unarm'd, Nor in the house with chamber ambushes Close-banded durft attack me, no not fleeping Till they had hir'd a woman with their gold Breaking her marriage faith to circumvent me. Therefore without feign'd shifts let be affign'd Some narrow place inclos'd, where sight may give thee, Or rather flight, no great advantage on me; Then put on all thy gorgeous arms, thy helmet And brigandine of brafs, thy broad habergeon, Vant-brass and greves, and gauntlet, add thy spear, A weaver's beam, and seven-times-folded shield, I only with an oaken staff will meet thee,

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And raise fuch outcries on thy clatter'd iron,
Which long shall not withhold me from thy head, 1125
That in a little time while breath remains thee,

Thou oft shalt wish thyself at Gath to boast
Again in fafety what thou wouldst have done
To Samfon, but fhalt never see Gath more.
HAR. Thou durft not thus difparage glorious arms,
Which greatest heroes have in battle worn,

Their ornament and safety, had not spells

And black inchantments, fome magician's art,

Arm'd thee or charm'd thee ftrong, which thou from Heaven

Feign'dft at thy birth was giv'n thee in thy hair,

1135

Where strength can least abide, though all thy hairs
Were bristles rang'd like those that ridge the back
Of chaf'd wild boars, or ruffled porcupines.

SAMS. I know no spells, ufe no forbidden arts;
My truft is in the living God, who gave me
At my nativity this strength, diffus’d

No lefs through all my finews, joints, and bones,
Than thine, while I preferv'd these locks unfhorn,
The pledge of my unviolated vow.

114.0

For proof hereof, if Dagon be thy God,

1145

Go to his temple, invocate his aid

With folemneft devotion, spread before him

How highly it concerns his glory now

1150

To frustrate and dissolve these magic spells,
Which I to be the power of Ifrael's God
Avow, and challenge Dagon to the test,
Offering to combat thee his champion bold,
With th' utmost of his Godhead feconded:
Then thou shalt fee, or rather to thy forrow
Soon feel, whofe God is strongest, thine or mine. 1155
HAR. Prefume not on thy God, whate'er he be,
Thee he regards not, owns not, hath cut off
Quite from his people, and deliver'd up

Into thy enemies' hand, permitted them

To put out both thine eyes, and fetter'd fend thee

Into the common prison, there to grind
Among the flaves and affes thy comrades,
As good for nothing else, no better service
With those thy boisterous locks, no worthy match
For valor to affail, nor by the sword

Of noble warrior, so to stain his honor,
But by the barber's razor best fubdued.

SAMS. All these indignities, for fuch they are
From thine, thefe evils I deferve and more,
Acknowledge them from God inflicted on me
Justly, yet despair not of his final pardon
Whofe ear is ever open, and his eye
Gracious to re-admit the fuppliant:
In confidence whereof I once again
Defy thee to the trial of mortal fight,
By combat to decide whofe God is God,

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Thine, or whom I with Ifrael's fons adore.

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

He will accept thee to defend his caufe,

A Murderer, a Revolter, and a Robber.

1180

SAMS. Tongue-doughty Giant, how doft thou prove

me these?

HAR. Is not thy nation subject to our lords? Their magiftrates confefs'd it, when they took thee As a league-breaker and deliver'd bound

Into our hands: for hadft thou not committed 1185 Notorious murder on those thirty men

At Afcalon, who never did thee harm,

Then like a robber stripp'dst them of their robes ?
The Philistines, when thou hadst broke the league,

Went

Went up with armed powers thee only feeking, 1190 To others did no violence nor spoil.

SAMS. 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 threatning cruel death conftrain'd the bride
To wring from me and tell to them my fecret,
That folv'd the riddle which I had propos'd.
When I perceiv'd all fet on enmity,
As on my enemies, wherever chanc'd,
I us'd hoftility, and took their spoil
To pay my underminers in their coin.
My nation was fubjected to your lords.

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1205

It was the force of conqueft; force with force
Is well ejected when the conquer'd can.

But I a private perfon, whom my country

As a league-breaker gave up bound, prefum'd
Single rebellion, and did hostile acts.

́I was no private but a person rais'd

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With ftrength sufficient and command from Heaven
To free my country; if their fervile minds
Me their deliverer fent would not receive,
But to their mafters gave me up for nought,
Th' unworthier they; whence to this day they serve.
I was to do my part from Heav'n affign'd,
And had perform'd it, if my known offense
Had not difabled me, not all your force:

Thefe

These shifts refuted, answer thy appellant

1220

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 inroll'd, Due by the law to capital punishment?

To fight with thee no man of arms will deign.

1225

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 furvey 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 anfwer fits.
SAMS. Go, baffled coward, left I run upon thee,
Though in these chains, bulk without spirit vaft,
And with one buffet lay thy ftructure 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 fultry chafe.

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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.