To Samfon, but shalt never see Gath more.
Har. Thou durft not thus difparage glorious arms
Which greatest Heroes have in battle worn,

Their ornament and safety, had not spells

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And black enchantments, fome Magician's Art,
Arm'd thee or charm'd thee strong; which thou from
Heav'n

Feign'ft at thy Birth was giv'n thee in thy Hair, 1135
Where ftrength can least abide, though all thy Hairs
Were briftles rang'd like those that ridge the back
Of chaf'd wild Boars, or ruffl'd Porcupines.

Sam. I know no Spells, use no forbidden Arts;
My truft is in the living God, who gave me
At my Nativity this strength, diffus'd

1140

No lefs through all my finews, joints and bones,

Than thine, while I preferv'd these locks unshorn,
The pledge of my unviolated vow.

For proof hereof, if Dagon be thy God,

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Go to his Temple, invocate his aid

With folemneft devotion, spread before him

How highly it concerns his glory now

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To fruftrate and diffolve these magic Spells,
Which I to be the power of Ifrael's God
Avow, and challenge Dagon to the teft,
Off ring to combat thee his Champion bold,
With th' utmost of his Godhead feconded:
Then thou shalt fee, or rather to thy forrow
Soon feel, whofe God is ftrongeft, thine or mine.
Har. Prefume not on thy God; whate'er he be,
Thee he regards not, owns not, hath cut off
Quite from his people, and deliver'd up

1154

Into thy Enemies hand, permitted them

To put out both thine eyes, and fetter'd fend thee
Into the common Prison, there to grind

Among the Slaves and Affes thy comrades,

As good for nothing else; no better service

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With those thy boyft'rous locks, no worthy match For Valour to affail, nor by the fword

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Of noble Warriour, fo to ftain his honour,

But by the Barber's razor best subdu’d.

Samf. All these indignities, for fuch they are From thine, these evils I deferve and more, Acknowledge them from God inflicted on me 1176 Juftly, yet despair not of his final pardon, Whose ear is ever open, and his eye Gracious to re-admit the suppliant; In confidence whereof I once again Defie thee to the trial of mortal fight, By combat to decide whose God is God, Thine, or whom I with Ifrael's Sons adore. Har. Fair honour that thou doft thy God, in trusting

He will accept thee to defend his cause,

A Murtherer, a Revolter, and a Robber.

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1180

Samf. Tongue-doughty Giant, how doft thou

prove me thefe ?

Har. Is not thy Nation fubject to our Lords? Their Magiftrates confeft it, when they took thee As a League-breaker, and deliver'd bound Into our hands: for hadft thou not committed 1185 Notorious murther on those thirty men

At Afkalon, who never did thee harm;

Then like a Robber strip'dft them of their robes ?

The

The Philiftins, when thou hadft broke the league, Went up with armed pow'rs, thee only seeking, 1190 To others did no violence nor spoil.

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1200

Samf. Among the Daughters of the Philiftins 1 chofe a Wife, which argu'd me no foe; And in your City held my nuptial Feast: But your ill-meaning Politician Lords, Under pretence of bridal friends and guests, Appointed to await me thirty Spies; Who threatning cruel death constrain'd the Bride To wring from me and tell to them my secret, That folv'd the riddle which I had propos'd. When I perceiv'd all fet on enmity, As on my enemies, where ever chanc'd, I us'd hoftility, and took their spoil To pay my Underminers in their coin. My Nation was subjected to your Lords: It was the force of Conqueft; force with force Is well ejected when the Conquer'd can. But I a private perfon, whom my Country As a league-breaker gave up bound, prefum'd Single Rebellion, and did hoftile A&ts: I was no private perfon, but was rais'd With strength sufficient and command from Heav'n To free my Country; if their fervile minds Me their deliverer fent would not receive,

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1210

But to their Mafters gave me up for nought, 1215
Th' unworthier they; whence to this day they serve.
I was to do my part from Heav'n affign'd,
And had perform'd it if my known offence
Had not difabled me, not all your force.

Thefe

1220

These shifts refuted, answer thy appellant,
Though by his blindness maim'd for high attempts,
Who now defies thee thrice to single fight,
As a petty enterprise of small enforce.

Har. With thee, a Man condemn'd, a Slave enroll'd,
Due by the Law to capital punishment ?
1225
To fight with thee no man of arms will deign. [me,
Samf. Cam'ft thou for this, vain boaster, to survey
To defcant on my strength, and give thy verdict?
Come nearer, part not hence fo flight inform'd;
But take good heed my hand furvey not thee. 1230
Har. O Baal-zebub! can my ears unus'd
Hear these dishonours, and not render death?
Samf. No man withholds thee, nothing from thy
Fear I incurable; bring up thy van,

My heels are fetter'd, but my fist is free.

[hand

1235

Har. This infolence other kind of answer fits. Samf. Go, baff'd coward, left I run upon thee, Though in these chains, bulk without spirit vast, And with one buffet lay thy structure low;

Or fwing thee in the Air, then dafh thee down 1240 To th' hazard of thy brains and shatter'd fides.

Har. By Aftarotb ere long thou shalt lament These braveries, in Irons loaden on thee.

Chor. His Giantship is gone fomewhat creft-fall'n, Stalking with less unconscionable strides,

And lower looks, but in a fultry chafe.

1245

Samf. I dread him not, nor all his Giant-brood,

Tho' fame divulge him Father of five Sons,

All of Gigantic fize, Goliab chief.

Cher. He will directly to the Lords, I fear.

1250

And with malicious counsel stir them up

Some way or other yet farther to afflict thee.

Samf. He must alledge fome caufe, and offer'd Will not dare mention, left a question rife

Ffight Whether he durst accept the offer or not : 1255 And that he durst not, plain enough appear❜d. Much more affliction than already felt They cannot well impose, nor I sustain ; If they intend advantage of my labours,

1265

The work of many hands, which earns my keeping
With no small profit daily to my owners.
1263
But come what will, my deadliest Foe will prove
My speediest Friend, by death to rid me hence,
The worst that he can give, to me the best.
yet fo it may fall out, because their end
Is hate, not help to me, it may with mine
Draw their own ruin who attempt the deed.
Chor. Oh! how comely it is, and how reviving
To the Spirits of juft men long oppreft ;
When God into the hands of their deliverer
Puts invincible might

To quell the mighty of the earth, th' oppressor,
The brute and boift'rous force of violent men,

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Hardy and industrious to support

Tyrannic pow'r, but raging to purfue

The righteous and all fuch as honour Truth!

He all their Ammunition

1275