With zeal, if ought religion feem 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 God, our Law, my Nation, or myself,

1425

The laft of me or no I cannot warrant.

Chor. Go, and the Holy One

Of Ifrael be thy guide

(name

To what may serve his glory best, and spread his Great among the Heathen round;

1430

Send thee the Angel of thy birth, to ftand

Fast by thy fide, who from thy father's field

Rode

up in flames after his message told

Of thy conception, and be now a shield

Of fire; that Spirit that first rush'd on thee

1435

In the camp of Dan

Be efficacious in thee now at need.

For never was from Heav'n imparted

Measure of ftrength so great to mortal seed,
As in thy wondrous actions hath been seen.
But wherefore comes old Manoah in fuch hafte
With youthful steps? much livelier than ere while
He feems: fuppofing here to find his son,

1440

Or of him bringing to us fome glad news? (hither

Man. Peace with you, Brethren; my inducement

1446

Was not at present here to find my fon,

By order of the lords new parted hence

To

To come and play before them at their feast.

I heard all as I came, the city rings,

And numbers thither flock, I had no will,

1450

Left I should see him forc'd to things unfeemly.

But that which mov'd my coming now, was chiefly
To give ye part with me what hope I have
With good fuccess to work his liberty.

1455

Chor. That hope would much rejoice us to partake With thee; fay, reverend Sire, we thirst to hear.

Man. I have attempted one by one the lords Either at home, or through the high ftreet paffing, With fupplication prone and father's tears, T'accept of ransome for my son their pris'ner. 1460 Some much averse I found and wondrous harsh, Contemptuous, proud, set on revenge and spite; That part most reverenc'd Dagon and his priests: Others more moderate seeming, but their aim Private reward, for which both God and State 1465 They easily would set to fale: a third

1470

More generous far and civil, who confess'd
They had enough reveng'd, having reduc'd
Their foe to misery beneath their fears,
The reft was magnanimity to remit,
If some convenient ransome were propos'd.
What noise or fhout was that? it tore the fky.
Chor. Doubtless the people shouting to behold
Their once great dread,captive, and blind before them,
Or at fome proof of ftrength before them shown. 1475
Man.

K 2

Man. His ransome, if my whole inheritance
May compass it, fhall willingly be paid

And number'd down: much rather I fhall choose
To live the poorest in my tribe, than richest,
And he in that calamitous prison left.

No, I am fix'd not to part hence without him.
For his redemption all my patrimony,

If need be, I am ready to forgo

1480

And quit: not wanting him, I shall want nothing.

Chor. Fathers are wont to lay up for their fons, Thou for thy fon art bent to lay out all;

1486

Sons wont to nurse their parents in old age,

Thou in old age car'ft how to nurfe thy fon
Made older than thy age through eye-fight loft.
Man. It fhall be my delight to tend his eyes, 1490
And view him fitting in the house, ennobled
With all those high exploits by him achiev'd,
And on his shoulders waving down those locks,
That of a nation arm'd the strength contain'd:
And I perfuade me God had not permitted
His ftrength to grow up with his hair
Garrison'd round about him like a camp
Of faithful foldiery, were not his purpose

1495

To use him further yet in fome great service,
Not to fit idle with so great a gift

1500

Ufelefs, and thence ridiculous about him.

And fince his ftrength with eye-fight was not loft,
God will restore him eye-fight to his strength.

Chor.

Chor. Thy hopes are not ill founded nor seem vain

Conceiv'd, agreeable to a father's love,

Of his delivery, and thy joy thereon

In both which we, as next, participate.

1505

(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.

Chor. Noife call you it or universal groan,

As if the whole inhabitation perish'd!

1510

Blood, death, and deathful deeds are in that noise, Ruin, deftruction at the utmost point.

Man. Ofruin indeed methought I heard the noise, Oh it continues, they have flain my fon.

1516 Chor. Thy fon is rather flaying them, that outcry From flaughter of one foe could not ascend.

Man. Some dismal accident it needs must be;

What shall we do, flay here or run and see?

1520

Chor. Best keep together here, left running thither

We unawares run into danger's mouth.

This evil on the Philiftines is fall'n;

From whom could elfe a general cry be heard?

The fufferers then will scarce moleft us here,
From other hands we need not much to fear.
What if his eye-fight (for to Ifrael's God

1525

Nothing is hard) by miracle restor'd,
He now be dealing dole among his foes,
And over heaps of flaughter'd walk his way?
Man. That were a joy prefumptuous to be thought.

1530

1

Chor. Yet God hath wrought things as incredible
For his people of old; what hinders now?

Man. He can I know, but doubt to think he will;
Yet hope would fain subscribe, and tempts belief.
A little ftay will bring fome notice hither. 1536

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 fee one hither speeding,

1540

1545

An Hebrew, as I guess, and of our tribe.
Mefs. O whither shall I run, or which way fly
The fight of this so horrid spectacle,
Which erft my eyes beheld and yet behold?
For dire imagination ftill pursues me.
But providence or instinct of nature seems,
Or reafon though disturb'd, and scarce confulted,
To' have guided me aright, I know not how,
To thee first reverend Manoah, and to these
My countrymen, whom here I knew remaining,
As at some distance from the place of horror, 1550
So in the fad event too much concern'd.

Man. The accident was loud, and here before thee
With rueful cry, yet what it was we hear not;
No preface needs, thou feeft we long to know.

Mefs. It would burst forth, but I recover breath
And sense distract, to know well what I utter. 1556
Man. Tell us the fum, the circumftance defer.
Mefs. Gaza yet ftands, but all her fons are fall'n,
All in a moment overwhelm'd and fall'n.

Man.