My truft is in the living God, who gave me
At my nativity this ftrength, diffus'd
No less through all my finews, joints and bones,
Than thine, while I preferv'd thefe locks unfhorn,
The pledge of my unviolated vow.

For proof hereof, if Dagon be thy God,
Go to his temple invocate his aid
With folemneft devotion, fpread before him
How highly it concerns his glory now
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 fhalt see, or rather to thy forrow
Soon feel, whose God is strongest, thine or mine. 1155
Har. Presume 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
1161
Among the flaves and affes thy comrades,
As good for nothing else, no better service
With those thy boift'rous 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 subdued.

1165

1145

1150

Sams.

Sams. All these indignities, for such they are
From thine, these evils I deserve and more,
Acknowledge them from God inflicted on me
Justly, yet despair not of his final pardon
Whose ear is ever open, and his eye
Gracious to re-admit the fuppliant;
In confidence whereof I once again
Defy thee to the tryal of mortal fight,
By combat to decide whose God is God,
Thine or whom I with Ifrael's fons adore.

1170

1175

Har. Fair honor that thou doft thy God, in trusting He will accept thee to defend his cause, A Murderer, a Revolter, and a Robber. 1180 Sams.Tongue-doughty Giant,how doft thou prove me

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

Into our hands: for hadst thou not committed 1185 Notorious murder on thofe thirty men

At Afcalon, who never did thee harm,

Sams. Among the daughters of the Philiftines

I chose a wife, which argued me no foe;
And in your city held my nuptial feast:
But your ill-meaning politician lords,

Then like a robber ftripp'dft them of their robes? The Philiftines, when thou hadst broke the league, Went up with armed pow'rs thee only seeking, 1190 To others did no violence nor spoil.

1195

Under

Under pretence of bridal friends and guests,
Appointed to await me thirty fpies,
Who threatning cruel death constrain'd the bride
To wring from me and tell to them my secret,
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.
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 hoftile acts.

1200

1205

1210

I was no private but a person rais'd
With ftrength fufficient and command from Heaven
To free my country; if their fervile minds

Me their deliverer fent would not receive,
But to their masters gave me up for nought, 1215
Th'unworthier they; whence to this day they serve.
I was to do my part from Heav'n assign'd,

1220

And had perform'd it, if my known offense
Had not difabled 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 fingle fight,
As a petty enterprise of small enforce.

Har.

1225

Har. With thee a man condemn'd, a flave enroll'd, Due by the law to capital punishment? To fight with thee no man of arms will deign. Sams. Cam'ft thou for this, vain boafter, to furvey me, To defcant 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. 1230 Har. O Baal-zebub! can my ears unus'd Hear these dishonors, and not render death?

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.

1235

Har. This infolence other kind of answer fits. Sams. Go baffled coward, left I run upon thee, Though in these chains, bulk without spirit vast, And with one buffet lay thy ftructure low,

Or swing thee in the air, then dash thee down 1240. To th'hazard of thy brains and shatter'd sides.

Har. By Aftaroth ere long thou shalt lament These braveries in irons loaden on thee.

Chor. His giantship is gone somewhat creft-fall'n, Stalking with lefs unconscionable ftrides, 1245

And lower looks, but in a fultry chafe.

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

Chor. He will directly to the lords, I fear,
And with malicious counsel ftir them up

1250

Some

Some way or other yet further to afflict thee.

Sams. He must allege some cause, 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 small profit daily to my owners. But come what will, my deadliest foe will prove My speedieft 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 Is hate, not help to me, it may with mine Draw their own ruin who attempt the deed. Chor. Oh how comely it is, and how reviving To the spirits of just men long opprefs'd!

1261

When God into the hands of their deliverer 1270

Puts invincible might

To quell the mighty of the earth, th'oppreffor,
The brute and boift'rous force of violent men
Hardy and industrious to support
Tyrannic pow'r, but raging to pursue
The righteous and all fuch as honor truth;

He all their ammunition

And feats of war defeats

With plain heroic magnitude of mind

1255

1265

1275

And