With zeal, if ought religion feem'd concern'd; 1420
No less the people on their holy-days
Impetuous, infolent, unquenchable:
Happen what may, of me expect to hear
Nothing dishonorable, impure, unworthy
Our God, our Law, my Nation, or myself,
The laft of me or no I cannot warrant.

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
up in flames after his message told

Rode
Of thy conception, and be now a shield

Of fire; that Spirit that first rush'd on thee
In the camp of Dan

Be efficacious in thee now at need.

For never was from Heav'n imparted

1435

Measure of strength fo great to mortal feed,
As in thy wondrous actions hath been seen. 1140
But wherefore comes old Manoah in fuch hafte
With youthful fteps? much livelier than ere while
He seems supposing here to find his fon,

Or of him bringing to us fome glad news? (hither
Man. Peace with you,
you, Brethren; my inducement
Was not at present here to find my fon,
By order of the lords new parted hence

1446

Το

To come and play before them at their feast.
I heard all as I came, the city rings,

1450

And numbers thither flock, I had no will,
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 fuccefs to work his liberty.

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
They had enough reveng'd, having reduc'd
Their foe to misery beneath their fears,
The rest was magnanimity to remit,
If fome convenient ransome were propos'd.
What noise or shout was that? it tore the sky.
Chor. Doubtless the people fhouting to behold
Their once great dread captive, and blind before them,
Or at fome proof of ftrength before them shown.

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,
And he in that calamitous prifon 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 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.
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 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.