Were briftles rang'd like thofe that ridge the back
Of chat'd wild boars, or ruffled porcupines.
SAM. I know no fpells, ufe no forbidden arts:
My truft is in the living God, who gave me
At my nativity this ftrength, diffus'd
No lefs through all my finews, joints, and bones,
Than thine, while I preferv'd these locks unshorn,
The pledge of my unviolated vow.
For proof hereof, if Dagen be thy god,
Go to his temple, invocate his aid
With folemneft devotion, spread before him
How highly it concerns his glory now
To fruftrate and diffolve thefe magic fpells,
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 ftrongeft, thine or mine.
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 send thee
Into the common prifon, there to grind
Among the flaves and afles thy comrades,
As good for nothing else; no better service
With thofe thy boift'rous locks, no worthy match
For valour to affail, nor by the sword
Of noble warrior, fo to ftain his honour,
But by the barber's razor best subdu’d.
SAM. All these indignities, for fuch they are
From thine, thefe evils I deferve, and more,
Acknowledge them from God inflicted on me
Juftly, yet defpair 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 whole god is God,
VOL. II,
Thine or whom I with Ifrael's fons adore.
HAR. Fair honour that thou doft thy God, intrusting He will accept thee to defend his caufe, A murderer, a revolter, and a robber.
SAM. Tongue-doughty Giant, how dost thou prove
HAR. Is not thy nation fubject 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
Notorious murder on those thirty men
At Afcalon, who never did thee harm,
Then like a robber ftripp'dft them of their robes ?
The Philistines, when thou hadft broke the league,
Went up with armed powers thee only feeking,
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 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 subjected to your lords,
It was the force of conqueft; force with for
Is well ejected when the conquer'd can.
But I, a private perfon, whom my country
As a league-breaker gave up bound, presum'd
Single rebellion, and did hoftile acts,
I was no private, but a person rais'd
With ftrength fufficient and command from Heav'n
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 ferve.
I was to do my part from Heav'n affign'd,
And had perform'd it, if my known offence
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 enterprize of small enforce.
HAR. With thee! a man condemn'd, a flave inroll'd, Due by the law to capital punishment ? To fight with thee no man of arms will deign.
SAM. Cam'ft thou for this, vain boafter, to furvey
To defcant on my ftrength, 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 difhonours, and not render death?
SAM. 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 answer fits.
SAM. 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 shatter'd fides.
HAR. By Aftaroth, ere long thou shalt lament
Thefe braveries in irons loaden on thee.
CHOR. His Giantship is gone fomewhat crest fall'n, Stalking with lefs unconfcionable strides,
SAM. I dread him not, nor all his giant-brood,
All of gigantic fize, Goliah chief.
And lower looks, but in a fultry chafe.
Though Fame divulge him father of five fons,
CHOR. He will directly to the lords, I fear,
And with malicious counsel ftir them up
Some way or other yet further to afflict thee.
SAM. He must alledge fome cause, and offer'd fight
Will not dare mention, left a question rife
Whether he durft accept th' offer or not,
And that he durft not plain enough appear'd.
Much more affliction than already felt
They cannot well impofe, nor I fultain;
If they intend advantage of my labours,
The work of many hands, which earns my keeping
With no finall profit daily to my owners.
But come what will, my deadliest foe will prove
My fpeediest 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 fpirits of juft men long opprefs'd,
When God into the hands of their deliverer
Puts invincible might
To quell the mighty of the earth, th' oppreffor,
The brute and boift'rous force of violent men
Hardy and induftrious to support
Tyrannic power, but raging to purfue
The righteous and all fuch as honour truth. ;
He all their ammunition
And feats of war defeats
And celeftial vigour arm'd,
With plain heroic magnitude of mind
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 diftracted 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.
Either of thefe is in thy lot,
Samfon, with might indu'd,
Above the fons of men; but fight bereav'd
May chance to number thee with those
Whom patience finally muft crown.
This idol's day hath been to thee no day of ref
Labouring thy mind
More than the working day thy hands.
And yet perhaps more trouble is behind,
For I defcry this way
Some other tending; in his hand
A fceptre or quaint staff he bears,
Comes on amain, fpeed in his look.
By his habit I discern him now
A public officer, and now at hand;
His meffage will be short and voluble.
OF. Hebrews, the pris'ner Samfon here I seek.
CHOR. His manacles remark him, there he fits.
OF. Samfon, to thee our lords thus bid me fay;
This day to Dagon is a folemn feast,
With facrifices, triumph, pomp and games :
Thy ftrength they know furpaffing human rate,
And now fome public proof thereof require
To honour this great feast, and great affembly:
Rise 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.
SAM. Thou know'ft I am an Hebrew, therefore tell them
Our law forbids at their religious rites'
My prefence: for that caufe I cannot come.
OF. This answer, be affur'd, will not content them.
SAM. 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 fhackles tir'd,
And over-labour'd at their public mill,
To make them sport with blind activity?
Do they not feek occafion of new quarrels
On my refufal to diftrefs me more,
Or make a game of my calamities?
Return the way thou cam'ft; I will not come.
Or. Regard thyfelf; this will offend them highly. SAM. Myfelf? my confcience and internal peace.
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