Dispute thy coming? come without delay; And hamper thee, as thou shalt come of force, Though thou wert firmlier fasten'd than a rock. 1101 SAM. I could be well content to try their art Masters' commands come with a power resistless OF. I praise thy resolution: doff these links: 1410 SAM. Brethren, farewell; your company along So dreaded once, may now exasperate them, may, of me expect to hear Nothing dishonourable, impure unworthy CHOR. Go, and the Holy One Of Israel be thy guide To what may serve his glory best, and spread his name Great among the Heathen round; Send thee the angel of thy birth to stand Fast by thy side, who from thy father's field Be efficacious in thee now at need. 1430 Measure of strength so great to mortal seed, ? much livelier than erewhile hither inducemer.t Was not at present here to find my son, And numbers thither flock, I had no will, 1450. To give ye part with me what hope I have CHOR. That hope would much rejoice us to par With thee; say, rev'rend Sire, we thirst to hear. [take MAN.I have attempted one by one the lords Either at home, or through the high street passing, With supplication prone and father's tears, 1459 Το accept of ransom for my son their pris'ner. Some much averse I found and wond'rous'harsh, Contemptuous, proud, set on revenge and spite; ¦ That part most reverenc'd Dagon and his priest Others more moderate seeming, but their aim Private reward, for which both God and state They easily would set to sale; a third More generous far and civil, who confess'd They had enough reveng'd, having reduc'd Their foe to misery beneath their fears, The rest was magnanimity to remit, If some convenient ransom were propos'd. What noise or shout was that? It tore the sky. 1470 CHOR. Doubtless the people shouting to behold Their once great dread, captive and blind before them, Or at some proof of strength before them shown, MAN. His ransom, if my whole inheritance May compass it, shall willingly be paid And number'd down: much rather I shall choose To live the poorest in my tribe, than richest, And he in that calamitous prison left. 1480 No, I am fix'd not to part hence without him, For his redemption all my patrimony, If need be I am ready to forego And quit not wanting him I shall want nothing. 1500 Useless, and thence ridiculous about him. Of his delivery, and the joy thereon In both which we, as next, participate. [vain [noise! MAN. I know your friendly minds and---O what Mercy of Heav'n what hideous noise was that! Horribly loud, unlike the former shout. 1510 CHOR. Noise call you it or universal groan, As if the whole inhabitátion perish'd! Blood, death, and deathful deeds are in that noise, Ruin, destruction at the utmost point. MAN.Ofruin indeed methought I heard the noise : Oh it continues, they have slain my son. CHOR. Thy son is rather slaying them, that outFrom slaughter of one foe could not ascend. [cry MAN. Some dismal accident it needs must be ; What shall we do, stay here or run and see? 1520. CHOR. Best keep together here,lest running thiWe unawares run into Danger's mouth, This evil on the Philistines is fall'n ; [ther From whom could else a gen'ral cry be heard? He now be dealing dole among his foes, And over heaps of slaughter'd walk his way ? 1530 MAN. That were a joy presumptuous to be thought. CHOR. Yet God hath wrought things as incrediFor his people of old: what hinders now? [ble MAN.He can I know, but doubt to think he will; Yet hope would fain subscribe, and tempt belief. A little stay will bring some notice hither. CHOR.Of good or bad so great, of bad the sooner; For evil news rides post, while good news baits, And to our wish I see one hither speeding, An Hebrew as I guess, and of our tribe. 1540 MES O whither shall I run, or which way fly |