Go to his temple, invocate his aid
With folemneft devotion, spread before him
How highly it concerns his glory now
To fruftrate and diffolve these magic spells,
Which I to be the power of Ifrael's God
Avow, and challenge Dagon to the teft,
Offering to combat thee his champion bold,
With th' utmost of his Godhead feconded:

1150

Then thou shalt fee, or rather to thy forrow 1154
Soon feel, whofe God is strongest, thine or mine.
HARAPH A.

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

1159

Το put out both thine eyes, and fetter'd fend thee Into the common prison, there to grind

Among the flaves and affes thy comrades, MA
As good for nothing else, no better service
With those thy boift'rous locks, no worthy match

And each particular hair to stand on end,

Like quills upon the fretful por

cupine,

For

1162. thy comrades,] With the accent upon the last fyllable as in 1. Henry ÎV. A&t 4. Sc. 2.

And

For valor to affail, nor by the fword

Of noble warrior, fo to ftain his honor,
But by the barber's razor beft fubdued.
SAMSON.

All these indignities, for fuch they are
From thine, thefe evils I deferve and more,
Acknowledge them from God inflicted on me
Justly, yet despair 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 whofe God is God,
Thine or whom I with Ifrael's fons adore.

HARAPH A.

1165

Fair honor that thou doft thy God, in trusting

He will accept thee to defend his cause,

A Murderer, a Revolter, and a Robber.

SAMSON.

1170

1175

1180

[these?

Tongue-doughty Giant, how doft thou prove me

HA

And his comrades, that daft the that is valiant. See Skinner. Spa

world afide

ousou. Efchylus. Septem con

And bid it país.

tra Thebas. 617.

Richardfon.

1181. Tongue-doughty] Doughty

1222. Whe

HARAPHA.

Is not thy nation subject to our lords? Their magistrates confefs'd it, when they took the As a league-breaker and deliver'd bound

Into our hands: for hadft thou not committed 1185 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 hadst broke the league, Went up with armed pow'rs thee only fecking, 1190 To others did no violence nor fpoil.

SAMSON.

Among the daughters of the Philiftines I chofe a wife, which argued me no foe; And in your city held my nuptial feaft: But your ill-meaning politician lords,

Under pretence of bridal friends and guests,

Appointed to await me thirty fpies,

1195

Who threatning cruel death constrain'd the bride
To wring from me and tell to them my fecret,
That folv'd the riddle which I had propos'd. 1200
When I perceiv'd all set on enmity,

1222. Who now defies thee thrice] arms to give the challenge This was the custom and the law of found the trumpet thrice.

As

and to

In al

As on my enemies, wherever chanc'd,
I us'd hoftility, and took their fpoil
To pay my underminers in their coin.

My nation was fubjected to your lords.

1205

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 hostile acts.

I was no private but a perfon rais'd

1210

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 mafters gave me up for nought,

1215

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 offense
Had not difabled me, not all your force:

Thefe fhifts refuted, anfwer thy appellant

1220

Though by his blindness maim'd for high attempts, Who now defies thee thrice to fingle fight,

As

lufion to the fame practice Edgar by the third found of the trumpet, appears to fight with the Baftard Lear. Act

VOL. I.

U

5.

Sc. 7.

1231. O

As a petty enterprise of small enforce.

HARAPH A.

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.
SAMSON.

1225

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. 1239 HARAPH A.

O Baal-zebub! can my ears unus'd

Hear these dishonors, and not render death?

SAMSON.

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

SAMSON.

in the notes on the Paradife Loft, and the learned reader may fee more in Selden.

1248. Though fame divulge bim &c.] So it plainly fhould be as