With zeal, if ought religion feem'd concern'd; 1420 Chor. Go, and the Holy One Of Ifrael be thy guide 1425 (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 stand Fast by thy fide, who from thy father's field Rode Of fire; that Spirit that first rush'd on thee Be efficacious in thee now at need. For never was from Heav'n imparted 1435 Measure of strength fo great to mortal feed, Or of him bringing to us fome glad news? (hither 1446 Το To come and play before them at their feast. 1450 And numbers thither flock, I had no will, 1454 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 averfe I found and wondrous harsh, Contemptuous, proud, fet 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 fet to fale: a third 1470 More generous far and civil, who confess'd Man. Man. His ranfome, 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, 1480 No, I am fix'd not to part hence without him. If need be, I am ready to forgo And quit: not wanting him, I shall want nothing. 1486 Chor. Fathers are wont to lay up for their sons, Thou for thy fon art bent to lay out all; Sons wont to nurse their parents in old age, Thou in old age car'ft how to nurse thy fon Made older than thy age through eye-sight lost. 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 thofe locks, That of a nation arm'd the ftrength contain'd: And I perfuade me God hath not permitted 1495 His ftrength again to grow up with his hair Garrison'd round about him like a camp Of faithful foldiery, were not his purpose To ufe him further yet in fome great fervice, Not to fit idle with fo great a gift 1500 Useless, and thence ridiculous about him. Chor. Chor. Thy hopes are not ill founded nor feem vain Of his delivery, and thy joy thereon Conceiv'd, agreeable to a father's love, 1505 In both which we, as next, participate. (noife! 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. Noise call you it or univerfal 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. Of ruin indeed methought I heard the noise, Oh it continues, they have flain my son.. 1516 Chor. Thy fon is rather flaying them, that outcry From flaughter of one foe could not afcend. Man. Some difmal accident it needs must be; What shall we do, stay here or run and fee? 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 sufferers then will scarce moleft us here, 1525 From other hands we need not much to fear. What if his eye-fight (for to Ifrael's God Nothing is hard) by miracle restor'd, He now be dealing dole among his foes, And over heaps of flaughter'd walk his way? 1530 Man. That were a joy prefumptuous to be thought. 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 stay will bring some notice hither. 1536 1540 way fly Chor. Of good or bad fo great, of bad the fooner; For evil news rides post, while good news baits. And to our wish I fee one hither speeding, An Hebrew, as I guess, and of our tribe. Meff. O whither shall I run, or which The fight of this fo horrid fpectacle, Which erft my eyes beheld and yet behold? For dire imagination ftill pursues me. But providence or instinct of nature seems, Or reason 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. 1545 Man. The accident was loud, and here before thee With rueful cry, yet what it was we hear not; No preface needs, thou seest we long to know. Mess. It would burst forth, but I recover breath And fenfe diftract, to know well what I utter. 1556 Man. Tell us the fum, the circumstance defer. Meff. Gaza yet ftands, but all her fons are fall'n, All in a moment overwhelm'd and fall'n. Man. |