1230 Har: O Baal-zebub! can my ears unus'd Hear these dishonours, and not render death?
Sam: No man with-holds thee, nothing from thy hand Fear I incurable; bring up thy van, My heels are fetter'd, but my fist is free.
Har: This insolence other kind of answer fits.
Sam: Go baffl'd coward, lest I run upon thee, Though in these chains, bulk without spirit vast, And with one buffet lay thy structure low, Or swing thee in the Air, then dash thee down 1240 To the hazard of thy brains and shatter'd sides.
Har: By Astaroth e're long thou shalt lament These braveries in Irons loaden on thee.
Chor: His Giantship is gone somewhat crestfall'n, Stalking with less unconsci'nable strides, And lower looks, but in a sultrie chafe.
Sam: I dread him not, nor all his Giant-brood, Though Fame divulge him Father of five Sons All of Gigantic size, Goliah chief.
Chor: He will directly to the Lords, I fear, 1250 And with malitious counsel stir them up Some way or other yet further to afflict thee.
Sam: He must allege some cause, and offer'd fight Will not dare mention, lest a question rise Whether he durst accept the offer or not, And that he durst not plain enough appear'd.
Much more affliction then already felt They cannot well impose, nor I sustain; If they intend advantage of my labours The work of many hands, which earns my keeping 1260 With no small profit daily to my owners.
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 so it may fall out, because thir end Is hate, not help to me, it may with mine Draw thir own ruin who attempt the deed.
Chor: Oh how comely it is and how reviving To the Spirits of just men long opprest! When God into the hands of thir deliverer 1270 Puts invincible might To quell the mighty of the Earth, th' oppressour, The brute and boist'rous force of violent men Hardy and industrious to support Tyrannic power, but raging to pursue The righteous and all such as honour Truth; He all thir Ammunition And feats of War defeats With plain Heroic magnitude of mind And celestial vigour arm'd, 1270 Thir Armories and Magazins contemns, Renders them useless, while With winged expedition Swift as the lightning glance he executes His errand on the wicked, who surpris'd Lose thir defence distracted and amaz'd.
But patience is more oft the exercise Of Saints, the trial of thir fortitude, Making them each his own Deliverer, And Victor over all 1290 That tyrannie or fortune can inflict, Either of these is in thy lot, Samson, with might endu'd Above the Sons of men; but sight bereav'd May chance to number thee with those Whom Patience finally must crown.
This Idols day hath bin to thee no day of rest, Labouring thy mind More then the working day thy hands, And yet perhaps more trouble is behind.

1300 For I descry this way Some other tending, in his hand A Scepter 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.
Off: Ebrews, the Pris'ner Samson here I seek.
Chor: His manacles remark him, there he sits.
Off: Samson, to thee our Lords thus bid me say; 1310 This day to Dagon is a solemn Feast, 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 heartn'd and fresh clad To appear as fits before th' illustrious Lords.
Sam: Thou knowst I am an Ebrew, therefore tell them, Our Law forbids at thir Religious Rites 1320 My presence; for that cause I cannot come.
Off: This answer, be assur'd, will not content them.
Sam: Have they not Sword-players, and ev'ry 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 thir publick Mill, To make them sport with blind activity?
Do they not seek occasion of new quarrels On my refusal to distress me more, 1330 Or make a game of my calamities?
Return the way thou cam'st, I will not come.
Off: Regard thy self, this will offend them highly.
Sam: My self?
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 thir drudge, to be thir fool or jester, And in my midst of sorrow and heart-grief To shew them feats, and play before thir god, 1340 The worst of all indignities, yet on me Joyn'd with extream contempt?
I will not come.
Off: My message was impos'd on me with speed, Brooks no delay: is this thy resolution?
Sam: So take it with what speed thy message needs.
Off: I am sorry what this stoutness will produce.
Sam: Perhaps thou shalt have cause to sorrow indeed.
Chor: Consider, Samson; matters now are strain'd Up to the highth, whether to bold or break; He's gone, and who knows how he may report 1350 Thy words by adding fuel to the flame?
Expect another message more imperious, More Lordly thund'ring then thou well wilt bear.
Sam: Shall I abuse this Consecrated gift Of strength, again returning with my hair 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 thir Dagon?
1360 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.
Sam: Not in thir Idol-worship, but by labour Honest and lawful to deserve my food Of those who have me in thir civil power.
Chor: Where the heart joins not, outward acts defile not Sam: Where outward force constrains, the sentence holds: But who constrains me to the Temple of Dagon, 1370 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 jealousie 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 needst not doubt.
Chor: How thou wilt here come off surmounts my reach.

1380 Sam: Be of good courage, I begin to feel Some rouzing 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 returns.

1390 Off: Samson, this second message from our Lords To thee I am bid say.