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.

1250

1255

SAMS. He muft allege fome caufe, and offer'd fight Will not dare mention, left a question rife 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,

The work of many hands, which earns my keeping :
With no fmall profit daily to my owners.

But come what will, my deadlieft 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.

Cно. Oh how comely it is, and how reviving
To the fpirits of just men long opprefs'd!
When God into the hands of their deliverer

1270

Puts invincible might

To quell the mighty of the earth, th' oppreffor,
The brute and boisterous force of violent men

With plain heroic magnitude of mind

And celestial vigor arm'd,

Their armories and magazines contemns,
Renders them ufelefs, while

With winged expedition

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

1280

1285

1290

Either of these is in thy lot,

Samfon, with might indued

Above the fons of men: but fight bereav'd
May chance to number thee with those

1295

Whom patience finally muft crown.

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

Laboring thy mind

More than the working-day thy hands.

And yet perhaps more trouble is behind,

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 fhort and voluble.

1300

7395

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 fay; This day to Dagon is a folemn feast,

1315

With facrifices, triumph, pomp, and games;
Thy strength they know surpassing human rate,
And now fome public proof thereof require
To honor this great feast, and great assembly;
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 sport with blind activity?
Do they not feek occasion of new quarrels
On my refufal to distress me more,

Or make a game of my calamities ?

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

1330

OFF. Regard thyfelf; 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 jefter,
And in my midst of sorrow 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 meflage was impos'd on me with speed, Brooks no delay is this thy refolution?

:

SAMS. So take it with what speed thy meffage needs. OFF. I am forry what this ftoutness will produce. SAMS. Perhaps thou shalt have caufe 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 ftrength, again returning with my hair
After my great tranfgreffion, so 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 deserve my food

Of

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 Philistian 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 jealoufy
Shall never, unrepented, find forgiveness.
Yet that he may dispense 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 dispose
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

3385

CHO. In time thou haft refolv'd, the man returns. OFF. Samson, this fecond meffage from our lords

To thee I am bid fay. Art thou our slave,

Our captive, at the public mill our drudge,
And dar'ft thou at our fending and command.