Sams. Tongue-doughty giant, how dost thou prove

me these ?

Har. Is not thy nation subject to our lords? Their magistrates confess'd it when they took thee As a league-breaker, and deliver'd bound Into our hands; for hadst thou not committed Notorious murder on those thirty men

At Ascalon, who never did thee harm,

Then, like a robber, stripp'dst them of their robes ?
The Philistines, when thou hadst broke the league,
Went up with armed powers, thee only seeking, 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,

I 200

Who, threatening cruel death, constrain'd the bride
To wring from me, and tell to them, my secret,
That solved the riddle which I had proposed.
When I perceived all set on enmity,
As on my enemies, wherever chanced,
I used hostility, and took their spoil,
To pay my underminers in their coin.
My nation was subjected to your lords!
It was the force of conquest; force with force
Is well ejected when the conquer'd can.
But I, a private person, whom my country
As a league-breaker gave up bound, presumed
Single rebellion, and did hostile acts.

I was no private, but a person raised

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With strength sufficient, and command from Heaven, To free my country; if their servile minds

Me, their deliverer sent, would not receive,
But to their masters gave me up for naught,
The unworthier they; whence to this day they serve.
I was to do my part, from Heaven assign'd,
And had perform'd it, if my known offence
Had not disabled 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 single fight,
As a petty enterprise of small enforce.

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Har. With thee, a man condemn'd, a slave enroll'd, Due by the law to capital punishment?

To fight with thee no man of arms will deign.

Sams. Camest thou for this, vain boaster, to survey me, To descant on my strength, and give thy verdict? Come nearer; part not hence so slight inform'd; But take good heed my hand survey not thee. Har. O Baal-zebub! can my ears unused Hear these dishonours, and not render death?

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Sams. No man withholds thee; nothing from thy hand

Fear I incurable; bring up thy van,

My heels are fetter'd, but my fist is free.

Har. This insolence other kind of answer fits.
Sams. Go, baffled coward, lest I run upon thee,
Though in these chains, bulk without spirit vast,
And with one buffet lay thy structure low,
Or swing thee in the air, then dash thee down,
To the hazard of thy brains and shatter'd sides.
Har. By Astaroth, ere long thou shalt lament
These braveries, in irons loaded on thee.

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[Exit.

Cho. His giantship is gone somewhat crest-fallen, Stalking with less unconscionable strides,

And lower looks, but in a sultry chafe.

Sams. I dread him not, nor all his giant brood,

Though fame divulge him father of five sons,
All of gigantic size, Goliath chief.

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.

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Sams. He must allege some cause, and offer'd fight Will not dare mention, lest a question rise

Whether he durst accept the offer or not;
And, that he durst not, plain enough appear'd.
Much more affliction than already felt
They cannot well impose nor I sustain,
If they intend advantage of my labours,

The work of many hands, which earns my keeping 1260
With no small profit daily to my owners.

But come what will, my deadliest foe will prove
My speediest friend, by death to rid me hence;

The worst that he can give, to me the best.
Yet so 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.

Cho. O, how comely it is, and how reviving
To the spirits of just men long oppress'd,
When God into the hands of their deliverer
Puts invincible might,

To quell the mighty of the earth, the oppressor,
The brute and boisterous force of violent men,
Hardy and industrious to support

Tyrannic power, but raging to pursue

The righteous, and all such as honour truth!

He all their ammunition

And feats of war defeats,

With plain heroic magnitude of mind

And celestial vigour arm'd;

Their armouries and magazines contemns,

1270

1280

Renders them useless; while,
With winged expedition,

Swift as the lightning glance, he executes
His errand on the wicked, who, surprised,
Lose their defence, distracted and amazed.
But patience is more oft the exercise
Of saints, the trial of their fortitude,
Making them each his own deliverer,
And victor over all

That tyranny or fortune can inflict.
Either of these is in thy lot,

Samson, with might endued

Above the sons of men; but sight bereaved
May chance to number thee with those

Whom patience finally must crown.

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

Labouring thy mind

More than the working day thy hands.

And yet, perhaps, more trouble is behind,
For I descry this way

Some other tending; in his hand
A sceptre or quaint staff he bears,
Comes on amain, speed in his look.
By his habit I discern him now
A public officer, and now at hand;

His

message will be short and voluble.

Enter OFFICER.

1290

1300

Off. Hebrews, the prisoner Samson here I seek. Cho. His manacles remark him, there he sits. Off. Samson, to thee our lords thus bid me say: This day to Dagon is a solemn feast, With sacrifices, triumph, pomp, and games; Thy strength they know surpassing human rate,

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And now some public proof thereof require
To honour this great feast, and great assembly:
Rise, therefore, with all speed, and come along,
Where I will see thee hearten'd, and fresh clad,
To appear as fits before the illustrious lords.

[them

Sams. Thou know'st I am a Hebrew, therefore tell Our law forbids at their religious rites My presence; for that cause I cannot come.

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Off. This answer, be assured, will not content them. Sams. Have they not sword-players, and every sort Of gymnic artists, wrestlers, riders, runners, Jugglers, and dancers, antics, mummers, mimics, But they must pick me out, with shackles tired, And over-labour'd at their public mill,

To make them sport with blind activity ?

On

Do they not seek occasion for new quarrels,
my refusal, to distress me more,
Or make a game of my calamities ?

Return the way thou camest, I will not come.

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Off. Regard thyself; this will offend them highly. Sams. Myself? my conscience, and internal peace.

Can they think me so broken, so debased

With corporal servitude, that my mind ever

Will condescend to such absurd commands s;
Although their drudge, to be their fool or jester,
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 message was imposed on me with speed, Brooks no delay: is this thy resolution ?

Sams. So take it with what speed thy message needs. Off. I am sorry what this stoutness will produce.

[Exit.