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Amidft their highth of noon

Changeft thy count'nance, and thy hand with no regard

Of highest favors past

From thee on them, or them to thee of fervice.

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Nor only doft degrade them, or remit

To life obfcur'd, which were a fair difmiffion,

But throw'ft them lower than thou didst exalt them high, Unfeemly falls in human eye,

Too grievous for the trefpafs or omiffion;

Oft leav'ft them to the hoftile fword
Of Heathen and profane, their carcafes

To dogs and fowls a prey, or elfe captív'd;

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Or to th' unjust tribunals, under change of times, 695 And condemnation of th' ingrateful multitude.

If these they scape, perhaps in poverty

With fickness and disease thou bow'ft them down,
Painful difeafes and deform'd,

In crude old-age;

Though not difordinate, yet causeless suffering
The punishment of diffolute days: in fine,
Juft or unjust alike seem miserable,

For oft alike both come to evil end.

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So deal not with this once thy glorious champion, The image of thy ftrength, and mighty minifter. What do I beg? how haft thou dealt already? Behold him in this state calamitous, and turn His labors, for thou canft, to peaceful end. But who is this, what thing of sea or land?

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Female of fex it seems,

That so bedeck'd, ornate, and gay,

Comes

Comes this way failing

Like a ftately fhip

Of Tarfus, bound for th' iles

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Of Javan or Gadire

With all her bravery on, and tackle trim,

Sails fill'd, and ftreamers waving,

Courted by all the winds that hold them play,
An amber fent of odorous perfume
Her.harbinger, a damfel train behind;
Some rich Philiftian matron fhe may feem,
And now at nearer view, no other certain
Than Dalila thy wife.

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[near me.

SAMS. My Wife, my Traitress, let her not come CHO. Yet on the moves, now ftands, and eyes thes

fix'd,

About t' have spoke, but now, with head declin'd
Like a fair flower furcharg'd with dew, the weeps,
And words addrefs'd feem into tears diffolv'd,
Wetting the borders of her filken veil :

But now again she makes address to speak.

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DAL. With doubtful feet and wavering refolution

I came, ftill dreading thy difpleafure, Samfon,
Which to have merited, without excufe,
I cannot but acknowledge; yet if tears
May expiate (though the fact more evil drew
In the perverse event than I foresaw)

My penance hath not slacken'd, though my pardon
No way affur'd. But conjugal affection,
Prevailing over fear and timorous doubt,

Hath led me on defirous to behold

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Once

Once more thy face, and know of thy estate,
If ought in my ability may ferve

To lighten what thou fufer'ft, and appease
Thy mind with what amends is in my power,
Though late, yet in fame part to recompenfe
My rash but more unfortunate misdeed.

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SAMS. Out, out, Hyæna; thefe are thy wonted arts, And arts of every woman falfe like thee,

To break all faith, all vows, deceive, betray, · 750
Then as repentant to fubmit, befeech,

And reconcilement move-with feign'd remorse,
Confefs, and promise wonders in her change,
Not truly penitent, but chief to try

Her husband, how far urg'd his patience bears,
His virtue or weakness which way to affail:
Then with more cautious and inftructed skill
Again tranfgreffes, and again fubmits;
That wifeft and beft men full oft beguil'd
With goodness principled not to reject
The penitent, but ever to forgive,
Are drawn to wear out miferable days,
Intangled with a pois'nous bofom fnake,
If not by quick destruction soon cut off
As I by thee, to ages an example.

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DAL. Yet hear me, Samfon; not that I endevor

To leffen or extenuate my offenfe,

But that on th' other fide if it be weigh'd

By' itself, with aggravations not surcharg'd,
Or elfe with just allowance counterpois'd,
I may, if poffible, thy pardon find

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The

The easier towards me, or thy hatred lefs.
First granting, as I do, it was a weakness
In me, but incident to all our fex,
Curiofity, inquifitive, importune
Of fecrets, then with like infirmity

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To publish them, both common female faults:
Was it not weakness also to make known
For importunity, that is for nought,

Wherein confifted all thy ftrength and safety?
To what I did thou show'dft me first the way.
But I to enemies reveal'd, and should not :

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Nor should't thou have trusted that to woman's frailty: Ere I to thee, thou to thyself wast cruel.

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Let weakness then with weakness come to parle 785
So near related, or the fame of kind,

Thine forgive mine; that men may censure thine
The gentler, if feverely thou exact not

More ftrength from me, than in thyfelf was found.
And what if love, which thou interpret'ft hate,
The jealousy of love, pow'rful of sway

In human hearts, nor less in mine tow'rds thee,
Caus'd what I did? I faw thee mutable

Of fancy, fear'd left one day thou would't leave me
As her at Timna, fought by all means therefore
How to indear, and hold thee, to me firmeft:
No better way I faw than by importuning
To learn thy fecrets, get into my power
The key of strength and safety: thou wilt say,
Why then reveal'd? I was affur'd by those
Who tempted me, that nothing was defign'd
VOL. III.

D

790

795

800

Again't

Against thee but safe cuftody, and hold:
That made for me; I knew that liberty
Would draw thee forth to perilous enterprises,
While I at home fat full of cares and fears,
Wailing thy abfence in my widow'd bed;
Here I should still enjoy thee day and night
Mine and love's prifoner, not the Philistines,
Whole to myself, unhazarded abroad,
Fearless at home of partners in my love.
These reasons in love's law have past for good,

Though fond and reasonless to some perhaps ;

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And love hath oft, well meaning, wrought much woe,

Yet always pity' or pardon hath obtain'd.

Be not unlike all others, not auftere

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As thou art strong, inflexible as steel.

If thou in ftrength all mortals doft exceed,
In uncompaffionate anger do not fo.

SAMS. How cunningly the forceress displays
Her own tranfgreffions, to upbraid me mine!
That malice not repentance brought thee hither,
By this
appears : I thou fay'ft, th' example,
I led the way; bitter reproach, but true;

gave,

I to myself was falfe ere thou to me ;

Such pardon therefore as I give my folly,

Take to thy wicked deed; which when thou seest
Impartial, felf-fevere, inexorable,

Thou wilt renounce thy seeking, and much rather
Confefs it feign'd: weakness is thy excufe,

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And I believe it, weakness to refift

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Philiftian gold if weakness may excuse,

What

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