Certain to' have won by mortal duel from thee,
I lofe, prevented by thy eyes put out.

[do

IIIO

1115

SAMS. Boaft not of what thou wouldst have done, but What then thou wouldst, thou seest it in thy hand. HAR. To combat with a blind man I difdain, And thou haft need much washing to be touch'd. SAMS. Such ufage as your honorable lords Afford me' affaffinated and betray'd, Who durft not with their whole united powers In fight withstand me fingle and unarm'd, Nor in the house with chamber ambushes Close-banded durst attack me, no not sleeping Till they had hir'd a woman with their gold Breaking her marriage faith to circumvent me. Therefore without feign'd shifts let be affign'd Some narrow place inclos'd, where fight may give thee, Or rather flight, no great advantage on me ; Then put on all thy gorgeous arms, thy helmet And brigandine of brafs, thy broad habergeon, Vant-brafs and greves, and gauntlet, add thy spear, A weaver's beam, and feven-times-folded fhield, I only with an oaken staff will meet thee, And raife fuch outcries on thy clatter'd iron, Which long shall not withhold me from thy head, 1125 That in a little time while breath remains thee, Thou oft shalt wish thyself at Gath to boast Again in fafety what thou wouldst have done To Samfon, but shalt never see Gath more. HAR. Thou durft not thus disparage glorious arms, Which greatest heroes have in battle worn,

I 120

Their ornament and fafety, had not spells

And black inchantments, fome magician's art,

Arm'd thee or charm'd thee strong, which thou from
Heaven

Feign'dft at thy birth was giv'n thee in thy hair, 1135
Where ftrength can leaft abide, though all thy hairs
Were briftles rang'd like those that ridge the back
Of chaf'd wild boars, or ruffled porcupines.

SAMS. I know no fpells, ufe no forbidden arts;
My trust is in the living God, who gave me
At my nativity this strength, diffus'd

No lefs through all my finews, joints, and bones,
Than thine, while I preferv'd these locks unfhorn,
unviolated vow.
The pledge of my

For proof hereof, if Dagon be thy God,

Go to his temple, invocate his aid

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1145

With folemneft devotion, spread before him

How highly it concerns his glory now

1150.

To frustrate and dissolve these magic spells,
Which I to be the power of Ifrael's God
Avow, and challenge Dagon to the test,
Offering to combat thee his champion bold,
With th' utmost of his Godhead feconded:
Then thou fhalt fee, or rather to thy forrow
Soon feel, whose God is strongest, thine or mine. 1155.
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

Into thy enemies' hand, permitted them

To put out both thine eyes, and fetter'd fend thee

Inte

Into the common prifon, there to grind
Among the flaves and affes thy comrades,
As good for nothing elfe, no better service
With thofe thy boisterous locks, no worthy match
For valor to affail, nor by the fword

Of noble warrior, fo to ftain his honor,
But by the barber's razor best subdued.

SAMS. All thefe indignities, for fuch they are
From thine, thefe evils I deferve and more,
Acksowledge them from God inflicted on me
Juftly, yet defpair not of his final pardon
Whofe ear is ever open, and his eye
Gracious to re-admit the fuppliant:
In confidence whereof I once again
Defy thee to the trial of mortal fight,
By combat to decide whofe God is God,

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1175

Thine, or whom I with Ifrael's fons adore.

HAR. Fair honor that thou doft thy God, in trusting.

He will accept thee to defend his caufe,

A Murderer, a Revolter, and a Robber.

1180

SAMS. Tongue-doughty Giant, how dost thou prove

me these?

HAR. Is not thy nation fubject to our lords?
Their magiftrates confefs'd it, when they took thee
As a league-breaker and deliver'd bound

Into our hands: for hadft thou not committed 1185
Notorious murder on those thirty men

At Afcalon, who never did thee harm,

Then like a robber stripp'dft them of their robes ?

The Philistines, when thou hadst broke the league,

Went up with armed powers thee only feeking, 1190
To others did no violence nor fpoil.

SAMS. Among the daughters of the Philiftines
I chofe a wife, which argued me no foe;
And in your city held my nuptial feaft:
But your ill-meaning politician lords
Under pretence of bridal friends and guests,
Appointed to await me thirty fpies,

Who threatning cruel death constrain'd the bride
To wring from me and tell to them my fecret,
That folv'd the riddle which I had propos'd.
When I perceiv'd all fet on enmity,
As on my enemies, wherever chanc'd,
I us'd hoftility, and took their spoil
To pay my underminers in their coin.
My nation was fubjected 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 acts.

I was no private but a perfon rais'd

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1200

1205

1210

1215

With ftrength fufficient and command from Heaven
To free my country; if their fervile minds
Me their deliverer fent would not receive,
But to their masters gave me up for nought,
Th' unworthier they; whence to this day they ferve.
I was to do my part from Heav'n affign'd,
And had perform'd it, if my known offenfe
Had not difabled me, not all your force:

Thefe

Thefe fhifts refuted, anfwer thy appellant

1220

Though by his blindness maim'd for high attempts,
Who now defies thee thrice to fingle fight,
As a petty enterprife of fmall enforce.

HAR. With thee, a man condemn'd, a slave inroll'd,

Due by the law to capital punishment?

1225

To fight with thee no man of arms will deign.
SAMS. Cam'ft thou for this, vain boafter, to furvey me,
To défcant on my ftrength, and give thy verdict?
Come nearer, part not hence fo flight inform'd;
But take good heed my hand furvey not thee.
HAR. O Baal-zebub! can my ears unus'd

Hear thefe difhonors, and not render death?

1230

SAMS. No man withholds thee, nothing from thy hand

Fear I incurable; bring up thy van,

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

HAR. This infolence other kind of anfwer fits. SAMS. Go, baffled coward, left I run upon thee, Though in these chains, bulk without spirit vaft, And with one buffet lay thy ftru&ture low,

1235

Or fwing thee in the air, then dash thee down
To th' hazard of thy brains and shatter'd fides.
HAR. By Aftaroth ere long thou shalt lament
Thefe braveries in irons loaden on thee.

1240

CHO. His giantship is gone forewhat creft-faln, Stalking with lefs unconfcionable strides,

And lower looks, but in a fultry chafe.

1245

SAMS. I dread him not, nor all his giant-brood, Though fame divulge him father of five fons, All of gigantic fize, Goliah chief,

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