Pagina-afbeeldingen
PDF
ePub

Some other tending; in his hand
A sceptre or quaint staff he bears,
Comes on amain, speed in his look.
By his habit I discern him now
A public officer, and now at hand;
His message will be short and voluble.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

[Enter] Officer.

Off. Hebrews, the prisoner Samson here I seek.

"Chor. His manacles remark him, there he sits.

Off. Samson, to thee our lords thus bid me
This day to Dagon is a solemn feast, [say;
With sacrifices, triumph, pomp, and games:
Thy strength they know surpassing human rate,
And now some public proof thereof require
To honour this great feast, and great assembly:
Rise therefore with all speed, and come along,
Where I will see thee hearten'd, and fresh clad,
To appear as fits before the illustrious lords.
Sams. Thou know'st I am an Hebrew, there-
fore tell them,

Our law forbids at their religiou rites
My presence; for that cause cannot come.
Off. This answer, be assur'd, will not content
them.

Sams. Have they not sword-players, and every

sort

Of gymnic artists, wrestlers, riders, runners, Juglers, and dancers, antics, mummers, mimics,

But they must pick me out, with shackles tir'd,
And over-labour'd at their public mill,
To make them sport with blind activity?
Do they not seek occasion of new quarrels
On my refusal to distress me more,
Or make a game of my calamities?
Return the way thou cam'st, I will not come.
Off. Regard thyself; this will offend them
highly.

Sams. Myself? my conscience, and internal

peace.

Can they think me so broken, so debas'd
With corporal servitude, that my mind ever
Will condescend to such absurd commands?
Although their drudge, to be their fool or jester,
And in my midst of sorrow and heart-grief
To show them feats, and play before their god,
The worst of all indignities, yet on me
Join'd with extreme contempt? I will not come.
Off. My message was impos'd on me with
speed,

Brooks no delay: is this thy resolution?
Sams. So take it with what speed thy message
needs.

Off. I am sorry what this stoutness will produce. [Exit.]

Sums. Perhaps thou shalt have cause to sor-
row indeed.

Chor. Consider, Samson; matters now
strain'd

are

Up to the height, whether to hold or break:
He's gone, and who knows how he may report
Thy words by adding fuel to the flame?
Expect another message more imperious,
More lordly thundering than thou well wilt bear.
Sums. Shall I abuse this consecrated gift
Of strength, again returning with my hair

VOL. VI1.

After my great transgression, so requite
Favour renew'd, and add a greater sin
By prostituting holy things to idols ?
A Nazarite in place abominable
Vaunting my strength in honour to their Dagon!
Besides, how vile, contemptible, ridiculous,
What act more execrably unclean, prophane ?
Chor. Yet with this strength thou serv'st the
Philistines,

Idolatrous, uncircumcis'd, unclean.

Sams. Not in their idol-worship, but by labour Honest and lawful to deserve my food

Of those who have me in their civil power. Chor. Where the heart joins not, outward acts defile not.

Sams. Where outward force constrains, the sentence holds.

But who constrains me to the temple of Dagon,
Not dragging? the Philistian lords command.
Commands are no constraints. If I obey them,
I do it freely, venturing to displease
God for the fear of man, and man prefer,
Set God behind: which in his jealousy
Shall never, unrepented, find forgiveness.
Yet that he may dispense with me, or thee,
Present in temples at idolatrous rites
For some important cause, thou need'st not doubt.
Chor. How thou wilt here come off surmounts

my reach.

Sams. Be of good courage; I begin to feel
Some rousing motions in me, which dispose
To something extraordinary my thoughts.
I with this messenger will go along,
Nothing to do, be sure, that may dishonour
Our law, or stain my vow of Nazarite.
If there be aught of presage in the mind,
This day will be remarkable in my life

By some great act, or of my days the last.
Chor. In time thou hast resolv'd, the man re-
turns.

Off. Samson, this

second message from our

lords To thee I am bid say. Art thou our slave, Our captive at the public mill, our drudge, And dar'st thou at our sending and command Dispute thy coming? come without delay; Or we shall find such engines to assail And hamper thee, as thou shalt come of force, Though thou wert firmlier fasten'd than a rock

Sams. I could be well content to try their art, Which to no few of them would prove pernicious. Yet, knowing their advantages too many, Because they shall not trail me through their

streets

Like a wild beast, I am content to go.
Masters' commands come with a power resistless
To such as owe them absolute subjection,
And for a life who will not change his purpose?
(So mutable are all the ways of men ;)
Yet this be sure, in nothing to comply
Scandalous or forbidden in our law.

Off. I praise thy resolution: doff these links:
By this compliance thou wilt win the lords
To favour, and perhaps to set thee free.

Sams. Brethren, farewell; your company along

I will not wish, lest it perhaps offend them
To see me girt with friends; and how the sight
Of me,as of a common enemy,

Hh

So dreaded once, may now exasperate them,
I know not: lords are lordliest in their wine;
And the well-feasted priest then soonest fir'd
With zeal, if aught religion seem concern'd;
No less the people, on their holy-days,
Impetuous, insolent, unquenchable:
Happen what may, of me expect to hear
Nothing dishonourable, impure, unworthy
Our God, our law, my nation, or myself,
The last of me or no I cannot warrant.
Chor. Go, and the Holy One

Of Israel be thy guide

[name

To what may serve his glory best, and spread his
Great among the Heathen round;
Send thee the angel of thy birth, to stand
Fast by thy side, 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
In the camp of Dan,

Be efficacious in thee now at need.
For never was from Heaven imparted
Measure of strength so great to mortal seed,
As in thy wondrous actions hath been seen.—
But wherefore comes old Manoah in such haste
With youthful steps? much livelier than ere
while

He seems; supposing here to find his son,
Or of him bringing to us some glad news?

[Enter] Manoah.

Man. Peace with you, brethren; my inducement hither

Was not at present here to find my son,
By order of the lords now parted hence
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,
Lest I should see him forc'd to things unseemly.
But that, which mov'd my coming now, was
chiefly

To give ye part with me what hope I have
With good success to work his liberty.

And number'd down: much rather I shall 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,

Chor. That hope would much rejoice us to partake

If need be, I am ready to forego

With thee; say, reverend sire, we thirst to hear.
Man. I have attempted one by one the lords
Either at home, or through the high street pass-
ing,

And quit: not wanting him, I shall want no
thing.

Chor. Fathers are wont to lay up for their sons,
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-sight lost

With supplication prone and father's tears,
To accept of ransom for my son their prisoner.
Some much averse I found and wonderous 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
They easily would set to sale: a third
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 some convenient ransom were propos'd.
What noise or shout was that? it tore the sky.

Man. It shall be my delight to tend his eyes, And view him sitting 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 persuade me, God had not permitted His strength again to grow up with his hair, Garrison'd round about him like a camp Of faithful soldiery, were not his purpose To use him further yet in some great service; Not to sit idle with so great a gift Useless, and thence ridiculous about him. And since his strength with eye-sight was not God will restore him eye-sight to his strength. Chor. Thy hopes are not ill founded, nor seem Of his delivery, and the joy thereon [vain Conceiv'd, agreeable to a father's love, In both which we, as next, participate. * Man. I know your friendly minds and-0 what noise!

Chor. Doubtless the people shouting to behold Their once great dread, captive, and blind before

them,

Or at some proof of strength before them shown.
Man. His ransom, if my whole inheritance
May compass it, shall willingly be paid

[lost,

[blocks in formation]

We unawares run into danger's mouth.
This evil on the Philistines is fall'n:
From whom could else a general cry be heard;
The sufferers then will scarce molest us here;
From other hands we need not much to fear.
What if, his eye-sight (for to Israel's God
Nothing is hard) by miracle restor❜d,
He now be dealing dole among his foes,
And over heaps of slaughter'd walk his way?
Man. That were a joy presumptuous to be
thought.

Chor. Yet God hath wrought things as incre

dible

[blocks in formation]

For evil news rides post, while good news bates.
And to our wish I see one hither speeding,
An Hebrew, as I guess, and of our tribe.

[Enter] Messenger.

Mess. O whither shall I run, or which way fly
The sight of this so horrid spectacle,
Which erst my eyes beheld, and yet behold?
For dire imagination still pursues me.
But providence or instinct of nature seems,
Or reason though disturb'd, and scarce consulted,
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 horrour,
So in the sad event too much concern'd.

[ocr errors]

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.
Man. Tell us the sum, the circumstance defer.
Mess. Gaza yet stands, but all her sons are
fall'n,

All in a moment overwhelm'd and fall'n.
Man. Sad, but thou know'st to Israelites not
The desolation of a hostile city. [saddest
Mess. Feed on that first; there may in grief
be surfeit.

[blocks in formation]

out.

Mess. Take then the worst in brief, Samson is dead.

Man. The worst indeed, O all my hopes de-
feated

To free him hence! but death, who sets all free,
Hath paid his ransom now and full discharge.
What windy joy this day had I conceiv'd
Hopeful of his delivery, which now proves
Abortive as the first-born bloom of spring
Nipt with the lagging rear of winter's frost !
Yet ere I give the reins to grief, say first,
How died he; death to life is crown or shame.
All by him fell, thou say'st; by whom fell he?
What glorious hand gave Samson his death's
wound?

Mess. Unwounded of his enemies he fell.
Man. Wearied with slaughter then, or how?
explain.

Mess. By his own hands.
Man.
Self-violence? what cause
Brought him so soon at variance with himself
Among his foes?

Mess.

Inevitable cause
At once both to destroy, and be destroy'd;
The edifice, where all were met to see him,
Upon their heads and on his own he pull'd.

Man. O lastly over-strong against thyself!
A dreadful way thou took' to thy revenge.

More than enough we know; but while things yet
Are in confusion, give us, if thou canst,
Eye-witness of what first or last was done,
Relation more particular and distinct.

Mess. Occasions drew me early to this city;
And, as the gates I enter'd with sun-rise,
The morning trumpets festival proclaim'd
Through each high street: little I had despatch'd,
When all abroad was rumour'd that this day
Samson should be brought forth, to show the
people

Proof of his mighty strength in feats and games;
I sorrow'd at his captive state, but minded
Not to be absent at that spectacle.
The building was a spacious theatre
Half-round, on two main pillars vaulted high,
With seats where all the lords, and each degree
Of sort, might sit in order to behold;
The other side was open, where the throng
On banks and scaffolds under sky might stand;
I among these aloof obscurely stood.
The feast and noon grew high, and sacrifice
Had fill'd their hearts with mirth, high cheer,
and wine,

When to their sports they turn'd. Immediately
Was Samson as a public servant brought,
In their state livery clad; before him pipes,
And timbrels, on each side went armed guards,
Both horse and foot, before him and behind
Archers, and slingers, cataphracts and spears.
At sight of him the people with a shout
Rifted the air, clamouring their God with praise,
Who had made their dreadful enemy their thrall.
He patient, but undaunted, where they led him,
Came to the place; and what was set before him,
Which without help of eye might be assay'd,
To heave, pull, draw, or break, he still perform'd
All with incredible, stupendous force;
Note daring to appear antagonist.
At length for intermission sake they led him
Between the pillars; he his guide requested
(For so from such as nearer stood we heard)
As over-tir'd to let him lean a while
With both his arms on those two massy pillars,
That to the arched roof gave main support.
He, unsuspicious, led him; which when Samson
Felt in his arms, with head a while inclin'd,
And eyes fast fix'd he stood, as one who pray'd,
Or some great matter in his mind revolv'd:
At last with head erect thus cried aloud,
"Hitherto, lords, what your commands impos'd
I have perform'd, as reason was, obeying,
Not without wonder or delight bebeld:
Now of my own accord such other trial
I mean to show you of my strength, yet greater,
As with amaze shall strike all who behold.”
This utter'd, straining all his nerves he bow'd,
As with the force of winds and waters pent,
When mountains tremble, those two massy pil-
With horrible convulsion to and fro
[lars
He tugg'd, he shook, till down they came and
drew

The whole roof after them, with burst of thunder
Upon the heads of all who sat beneath,
Lords, ladies, captains, counsellors, or priests,
Their choice nobility and flower, not only
Of this but each Philistian city round,
Met from all parts to solemnize this feast.
Samson, with these immix'd, inevitably

6

Pull'd down the same destruction on himself;
The vulgar only 'scap'd who stood without.
Chor. O dearly-bought revenge, yet glorious!
Living or dying thou hast fulfill'd
The work for which thou wast foretold
To Israel, and now ly'st victorious
Among thy slain self-kill'd,

Not willingly, but tangled in the fold

Of dire necessity, whose law in death conjoin'd Thee with thy slaughter'd foes, in number more Than all thy life hath slain before.

1. Semichor. While their hearts were jocund
and sublime,

Drunk with idolatry, drunk with wine,
And fat regorg'd of bulls and goats,
Chanting their idol, and preferring
Before our living Dread who dwells
In Silo, his bright sanctuary:

Among them he a spirit of phrenzy sent,
Who hurt their minds,

And urg'd them on with mad desire
To call in haste for their destroyer;
They, only set on sport and play,
Unweetingly importun'd

Let us go find the body where it lies Soak'd in his enemies blood; and from the stream With lavers pure, and cleansing herbs, wash off The clotted gore. I, with what speed the while, (Gaza is not in plight to say us nay,) Will send for all my kindred, all my friends, To fetch him hence, and solemnly attend With silent obsequy, and funeral train, Home to his father's house: there will I build him A monument, and plant it round with shade Of laurel ever green, and branching palm, With all his trophies hung, and acts inroll'd In copious legend, or sweet lyric song. Thither shall all the valiant youth resort, And from his memory inflame their breasts To matchless valour, and adventures high: The virgins also shall, on feastful days, Visit his tomb with flowers; only bewailing His lot unfortunate in nuptial choice, From whence captivity and loss of eyes.

Chor. All is best, though we oft doubt
What the unsearchable dispose

Of highest Wisdom brings about,
And ever best found in the close,

Their own destruction to come speedy upon them. Oft he seems to hide his face,

So fond are mortal men,

Fall'n into wrath divine.

As their own ruin on themselves to invite,
Insensate left, or to sense reprobate,
And with blindness internal struck.

2. Semichor. But he, though blind of sight, Despis'd and thought extinguish'd quite, With inward eyes illuminated,

His fiery virtue rous'd

From under ashes into sudden flame,

And as an evening dragon came,

Assailant on the perched roosts

And nests in order rang'd

Of tame villatic fowl; but as an eagle

His cloudless thunder bolted on their heads.

So virtue, given for lost,

Depress'd, and overthrown, as seem'd,

Like that self-begotten bird

In the Arabian woods embost,

That no second knows nor third,

And lay ere while a holocaust,

From out her ashy womb now teem'd,

Revives, reflourishes, then vigorous most

When most unactive deem'd;

And, though her body die, her fame survives

A secular bird ages of lives.

Man. Come, come;

now,

no time for lamentation

Nor much more cause; Samson hath quit himself Like Samson, and heroicly hath finish'd

A life heroic, on his enemies

Fully reveng'd, hath left them years of mourning,
And lamentation to the sons of Caphtor
Through all Philistian bounds, to Israel
Honour hath left, and freedom, let but them
Find courage to lay hold on this occasion;
To himself and father's house eternal fame;
And, which is best and happiest yet, all this
With God not parted from him, as was fear'd,
But favouring and assisting to the end.
Nothing is here for tears, nothing to wail
Or knock the breast; no weakness, no contempt,
Dispraise, or blame; nothing but well and fair,
And what may quiet us in a death so noble.

But unexpectedly returns,

And to his faithful champion hath in place

Bore witness gloriously; whence Gaza mourns, And all that band them to resist

His uncontrollable intent;

His servants he, with new acquist

Of true experience, from this great event
With peace and consolation hath dismist
And calm of mind, all passion spent.

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

vi. Thamar Cuophorusa. Where Juda is found to have been the author of that crime, which he condemned in Tamar : Tamar excus'd in what she attempted.

vii, The golden Calfe, or The Massacre in Horeb.

viii. The Quails. Num. xi.

ix, The Murmurers. Num. xiv,

x. Corah, Dathan, &c. Num. xvi, xvii.
xi. Moabitides. Num, xxv. [See No. lv.
below.]

xii. Achan. Joshue vii and viii. xiii. Josuah in Gibeon. Josh. x. xiv. Gideon Idoloclastes. Judg. vi, vii. xv. Gideon pursuing. Judg. viii. xvi. Abimelech the Usurper. Judg. ix. xvii. SAMSON MARRIING, or in Ramach Lechi. Judg. xv.

xviii, SAMSON PURSOPHORUS, or Hybristes, or Dagonalia. Judg. xvi,

xix. Comazontes, or The Benjaminites, or The
Rioters. Judg. xix, xx, xxi.

xx. Theristria, a Pastoral, out of Ruth.
xxi. Eliada, Hophni and Phinehas. I Sam.
i, ii, iii, iv. Beginning with the first
overthrow of Israel by the Philistines;
interlac't with Samuel's vision concern-
ing Elie's family.

xxii. Jonathan rescued. I Sam. xiv.
xxiii. Doeg slandering. I Sam, xxii.
xxiv. The sheep-shearers in Carmel, a Pastoral,

I Sam. xxv.

xxv. Saul in Gilboa. I Sam. xxviji, xxxi. xxvi. David revolted. I Sam. from the xxvii chap. to the xxxi. xxvii. David adulterous, II Sam. c. xi, xii. xxviii. Tamar, II Sam. xiii.

xxix. Achitophel. II Sam. xv, xvi, xvii, xviii. xxx. Adoniah. I Reg. ii. xxxi. Solomon Gynæcocratumenus, or Idolomargus, aut Thysiazusa. I Reg. xi. xxxii. Rehoboam. I Reg. xii. Wher is disputed of a politic religion.

xxxiii. Abias Thersæus. IReg. xiv. The queen, after much dispute, as the last refuge, sent to the profet Ahias of Shilo; receavs the message. The Epitasis, in that shee, hearing the child shall die, as she comes home, refuses to return, thinking thereby to elude the oracle.

[blocks in formation]

The former part is spent in bringing the sick prince forth as it were desirous to shift his chamber and couch, as dying men use; his father telling him what sacrifize he had sent for his health to Bethel and Dan; his fearlessnesse of death, and putting his father in mind to set [send] to Ahiah. The Chorus of the Elders of Israel bemoning his virtues bereft them, and at another time wondring why Jeroboam, being bad himself, should so grieve for his son that was good, &c.

xxxiv, Imbres, or The Showers. I Reg. xviii, xix.

χχχν. Naboth συκνφαντώμενος. I Reg. xxi. xxxvi. Ahab. I Reg. xxii. Beginning at the

synod of fals profets: ending with relation of Ahab's death: his bodie brought. Zedechiah slain by Ahab's friends for his seducing. (See Lavater, II Chron. xviii.)

xxxvii. Elias in the mount. II Reg. i. 'Opeißárng. Or, better, Elias Polemistes.

xxxviii. Elisaus Hudrochóos. II Reg. iii. Hudrophantes. Aquator.

xxxix. Elisaus Adorodocétas.

xl. Elisæus Minutes, sive in Dothaimis. II
Reg. vi.

xli. Samaria Liberata. II Reg. vii.
xlii. Achabai Cunoboromeni. II Reg. ix.

The Scene, Jesrael. Beginning, from
the watchman's discovery of Jehu, till
he go out. In the mean while, message
of things passing brought to Jesebel,
&c. Lastly, the 70 heads of Ahab's
sons brought in, and message brought of
Ahaziah's brethren slain on the way.
Chap. x.

xliii. Jehu Belicola. II Reg. x.
xliv. Athaliah. II Reg. xi.
xlv. Amaziah Doryalotus.

Chron. xxv.

II Reg. xiv. II

xlvi. Hezechias moignéμecos. II Reg. xviii, xix. Hesechia beseiged. The wicked hypocrisy of Shebna, (spoken of in the xi. or thereabout of Isaiah,) and the commendation of Eliakim,will afford άpóguas Móys, together with a faction that sought help from Egypt.

xlvii. Josiah Alalomenos. II Reg. xxiii. xlviii. Zedechia VEOTERY. II Reg. But the story is larger in Jeremiah. xlix. Salymay Halosis.

Which may begin from a message brought to the city, of the judgement upon Zedechiah and his children in Ribla: and so seconded with the burning and destruction of city lamented and temple by Nebuzaradan; by Jeremiah.

1. Asa, or Ethiopes. II Chron. xiv. with the deposing his mother, and burning her idol.

li. The three children. Dan. iii.

lii. Abram from Morea, or Isaac redeem-
The
The oiconomie may be thus.
fift or sixt day after Abraham's depar
ture, Eleazar (Abram's steward) first
alone, and then with the Chorus, dis

« VorigeDoorgaan »