Bewail thy falfhood, and the pious works
It hath brought forth to make thee memorable.
Among illustrious Women, faithful Wives:
Cherish thy hastn'd widowhood with the gold
Of Matrimonial treason: so farewell.

Dal. I fee thou art implacable, more deaf
To pray'rs than winds and feas, yet winds to feas
Are reconcil'd at length, and sea to shore:
Thy anger unappeafable, ftill rages,

Eternal Tempest never to be calm'd.

Why do I humble thus my self, and suing

For

peace, reap nothing but repulse and hate? Bid go with evil omen and the brand

Of infamy upon my name denounc'd ?
To mix with thy concernments I defift
Henceforth, nor too much difapprove my own.
Fame if not double-fac'd is double-mouth'd
And with contrary blast proclaims most deeds,
On both his Wings, one black, the other white,
Bears greatest names in his wild aerie flight.
My name perhaps among the Circumcis'd
In Dan, in Judah, and the bordering Tribes,
To all posterity may stand defam'd,

With malediction mention'd, and the blot
Of falfhood most unconjugal traduc❜d.
But in my country where I most desire,
In Ecron, Gaza, Afdod, and in Gath
I shall be nam'd among the famousest
Of Women, fung at folemn festivals,
Living and dead recorded, who to fave
Her country from a fierce destroyer, chofe
Above the faith of wedlock-bands, my tomb
With odours vifited and annual flow'rs,
Not lefs renown'd than in Mount Ephraim,
Jael, who with inhofpitable guile

Smote Sifera fleeping through the Temples nail'd.

Nor shall I count it heinous to enjoy.

The publick marks of honour and reward
Conferr'd upon me, for the piety

Which to my country I was judg'd to have shewn.
At this who ever envies or repines

I leave him to his lot, and like my own.

Chor. She's gone, a manifeft Serpent by her sting Discover'd in the end, till now conceal'd.

Samf. So let her go, God fent her to debafe me, And aggravate my folly, who committed

Το

To fuch a viper his most facred trust

Of fecrefie, my safety, and my life.

Chor. Yet beauty, though injurious, hath strange

After offence returning, to regain

Love once poffeft, nor can be easily

Repulft, without much inward paffion felt

And secret sting of amorous remorse.

[pow'r,

Samf. Love quarrels oft in pleasing concord end. Not wedlock-treachery endang'ring life.

Chor. It is not virtue, wisdom, valour, wit, Strength, comliness of shape, or amplest merit That Woman's love can win or long inherit; But what it is, hard is to say,

Harder to hit,

(Which way foever Men refer it).
Much like thy riddle, Samfon, in one day
Or seven, though one should musing sit
If any of these or all, the Timnian bride
Had not fo foon preferr'd

Thy Paranymph, worthlefs to thee compar'd
Succeffor in thy Bed,

Nor both fo loofly disally'd

Their nuptials, nor this last so treacherously

Had fhorn the fatal Harveft of thy Head,
Is it for that fuch outward ornament

Was lavish'd on their Sex, that inward gifts
Were left for hafte unfinish'd, judgment fcant,
Capacity not rais'd to apprehend

Or value what is best

In choice, but oftest to affect the wrong?
Or was too much of felf-love mixt,

Of conftancy no root infix'd,

That either they love nothing, or not long?
Whate'er it be, to wisest Men and best
Seeming at firft all heav'nly under virgin Veil,
Soft, modeft, meek, demure,

Once joyn'd, the contrary she proves, a Thorn
Inteftine, far within defenfive arms

A cleaving mischief, in his way to virtue
Adverse and turbulent, or by her charms
Draws him awry enflav'd

With dotage, and his sense deprav'd

To folly and shameful deeds which ruin ends. What Pilot fo expert but needs must wreck Embarqu'd with fuch a Stears-mate at the Helm ?

Favour'd

Favour'd of Heav'n who finds

One virtuous rarely found,

That in domestick good combines :

Happy that house! his way to peace is smooth: But Virtue which breaks through all oppofition, And all temptation can remove,

Most shines and most is acceptable above.

Therefore God's univerfal Law

Gave to the Man defpotick power

Over his Female in due awe,

Nor from that right to part an hour,

Smile fhe or lowre:

So fhall he least confufion draw

On his whole life, not sway'd

By female ufurpation, or dismay'd.

But had we best retire, I see a storm?

Samf. Fair days have oft contracted wind and rain. Chor. But this another kind of tempeft brings. Samf. Be lefs abftruse, my riddling days are past. Chor. Look now for no inchanting voice, nor fear The bait of honied words; a rougher tongue Draws hitherward, I know him by his ftride, The Giant Harapha of Gath, his look

L 3

Haughty