With plain heroic magnitude of mind

And celestial vigor arm'd,

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 distracted 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

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1285

$290

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

Laboring thy mind

More than the working-day thy hands.

And yet perhaps more trouble is behind,

1300

For I defcry this way

Some other tending, in his hand
A fcepter or quaint ftaff he bears,
Comes on amain, fpeed in his look.
By his habit I difcern him now
A public Officer, and now at hand.
His meffage will be fhort and voluble.

1305

OFF.

OFF. Hebrews, the pris'ner Samfon here I feek. CHO. His manacles remark him, there he fits. OFF. Samfon, to thee our lords thus bid me say; This day to Dagon is a folemn feast,

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With facrifices, triumph, pomp, and games;
Thy ftrength they know furpaffing human rate,
And now fome public proof thereof require
To honor this great feast, and great assembly;
Rife 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.
SAMS. Thou know'ft I am an Hebrew, therefore tell
them

Our Law forbids at their religious rites

My prefence; for that cause I cannot come.

1320

OFF. This answer, be affur'd, will not content them.
SAMS. 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-labor'd at their public mill,

To make them sport with blind activity?
Do they not feek occafion of new quarrels
On my refufal to distress me more,

Or make a game of my calamities?

Return the way thou cam'st, I will not come.

1330

OFF. Regard thyfelf; this will offend them highly. SAMS. Myfelf? my conscience and internal peace.

Can they think me fo broken, fo debas'd

With corporal fervitude, that my mind ever

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Will

Will condefcend to fuch abfurd commands?

Although their drudge, to be their fool or jester,
And in my midst of forrow 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 meflage was impos'd on me with speed,
Brooks no delay: is this thy resolution ?

SAMS. So take it with what speed thy message needs. OFF. I am forry what this ftoutnefs will produce. SAMS. Perhaps thou shalt have cause to forrow' indeed. CHO. Confider, Samfon; matters now are strain'd Up to the highth, whether to hold or break;

He 's gone, and who knows how he may report 1350 Thy words by adding fuel to the flame?

Expect another meffage more imperious,

More lordly thundering than thou well wilt bear.

SAMS. Shall I abuse this confecrated gift

Of ftrength, again returning with my hair
After my great tranfgreffion, fo requite
Favor renew'd, and add a greater fin
By proftituting holy things to idols;
A Nazarite in place abominable

1355

Vaunting my strength in honor to their Dagon? 1360 Befides how vile, contemptible, ridiculous,

What act more execrably unclean, profane?

CHO. Yet with this ftrength thou ferv'ft the Philistines, Idolatrous, uncircumcis'd, unclean.

SAMS. Not in their idol-worship, but by labor 1365 Honeft and lawful to deferve my food

of

Of those who have me in their civil power.

[not.

CHO. Where the heart joins not, outward acts defile SAMS. Where outward force conftrains, the fen

tence holds.

But who constrains me to the temple' of Dagon, 1370
Not dragging? the Philiftian lords command.
Commands are no conftraints. If I obey them,
I do it freely, vent'ring to displease

God for the fear of Man, and Man prefer,
Set God behind: which in his jealousy
Shall never, unrepented, find forgiveness.
Yet that he may dispense with me or thee
Prefent in temples at idolatrous rites

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For fome important caufe, thou need'ft not doubt. CHO. How thou wilt here come off furmounts my

reach.

SAMS. Be of good courage, I begin to feel

Some roufing motions in me, which dispose
To fomething extraordinary my thoughts.
I with this messenger will go along,
Nothing to do, be fure, that may difhonor
Our Law, or stain my vow of Nazarite.
If there be ought of prefage in the mind,
This day will be remarkable in my life
By fome great act, or of my days the last.

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CHO. In time thou haft refolv'd, the man returns.
OFF. Samson, this second message from our lords

To thee I am bid fay. Art thou our flave,
Our captive, at the public mill our drudge,
And dar'ft thou at our fending and command

Difpute thy coming? come without delay;
Or we fhall find fuch engins to affail

And hamper thee, as thou fhalt come of force,
Though thou wert firmlier faften'd than a rock.

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SAMS. I could be well content to try their art, Which to no few of them would prove pernicious. 1400 Yet, knowing their advantages too many, Because they shall not trail me through their streets Like a wild beaft, I am content to go. Mafters' commands come with a power To fuch as owe them abfolute fubjection;

refiftlefs

And for a life who will not change his purpose ?
(So mutable are all the ways of men!)

Yet this be fure, in nothing to comply
Scandalous or forbidden in our Law.

1405

OFF. I praise thy refolution: doff these links: 1410 By this compliance thou wilt win the lords

To favor, and perhaps to fet thee free.

SAMS. Brethren, farewel; your company along I will not wish, left it perhaps offend them

To fee me girt with friends; and how the fight 1415
Of me as of a common enemy,

So dreaded once, may now exafperate them,
I know not: lords are lordlieft in their wine;
And the well-feasted priest then soonest fir'd
With zeal, if ought religion seem concern'd;
No lefs the people on their holy-days
Impetuous, infolent, unquenchable:
Happen what may, of me expect to hear
Nothing dishonorable, impure, unworthy

1420

Our