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 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, set on revenge and spite; That part most reverenc'd Dagon and his priests: Others more moderate feeming, but their aim Private reward, for which both God and State 1465 They eafily would fet to fale: a third

1470

More generous far and civil, who confefs'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 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 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

1486

And quit: not wanting him, I shall want nothing.
Chor. Fathers are wont to lay up for their fons,
Thou for thy son art bent to lay out all;
Sons wont to nurse their parents in old age,
Thou in old age car'st how to nurse thy son
Made older than thy age through eye-fight 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 those 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 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 lost,
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,

In both which we, as next, participate.

1505

(noife!

Man. I know your friendly minds and---O what Mercy of Heav'n, what hideous noise was that! Horribly loud, unlike the former fhout.

Chor. Noise 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. Of ruin 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 afcend.

Man. Some dismal 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 else a general cry be heard?

The fufferers 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?
Man. That were a joy prefumptuous to be thought.

U

1530

Chor.

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 fome notice hither. 1536

Chor. Of good or bad fo great, of bad the fooner; For evil news rides poft, while good news baits. And to our wish I see one hither speeding, An Hebrew, as I guess, and of our tribe.

1540

Meff. O whither shall I run, or which way fly The fight of this fo horrid fpectacle,

1545

Which erft my eyes beheld and yet behold?
For dire imagination ftill pursues me.
But providence or inftinct 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.

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 sense distract, to know well what I utter. 1556

Man. Tell us the fum, the circumftance defer. Meff. Gaza yet ftands, but all her fons are fall'n, All in a moment overwhelm'd and fall'n.

Man.

Man. Sad, but thou know'ft to Ifraelites not faddeft The defolation of a hostile city.

1561

Meff. Feed on that first, there may in grief be fur-
Man. Relate by whom. Meff. By Samson. (feit.
Man. That ftill leffens

The forrow, and converts it nigh to joy.
Meff. Ah Manoah, I refrain, too fuddenly 1565
To utter what will come at laft too foon;
Left evil tidings with too rude irruption
Hitting thy aged ear should pierce too deep.

1575

Man. Suspense in news is torture, speak them out. Melf. Take then the worst in brief, Samfon is dead. Man. The worst indeed, O all my hope's defeated 1571 To free him hence! but death who fets all free Hath paid his ransome now and full discharge. What windy joy this day had I conceiv'd Hopeful of his delivery, which now proves Abortive as the firft-born bloom of spring Nipt with the lagging rear of winter's frost! Yet ere I give the reins to grief, say first, How dy'd he; death to life is crown or shame. All by him fell thou say'st, by whom fell he, 1580 What glorious hand gave Samson his death's wound? Meff. Unwounded of his enemies he fell.

Man. Wearied with flaughter then or how? explain. Meff. By his own hands.

Man. Self-violence? what cause

1585

Among

Brought him so soon at variance with himself

U 2