Knowing, as needs I must, by thee betray'd? In vain thou ftriv'ft to cover shame with fhame, For by evafions thy crime uncover'st more.
Dal. Since thou determin'ft weakness for no ple
In man or woman, though to thy own condemning
Hear what affaults I had, what snares befides,
What fieges girt me round, e'er I confented;
Which might have aw'd the best refolv'd of Men,
The conftanteft, to have yielded without blame.
It was not Gold, as to my charge thou lay'st,
That wrought with me: thou know'ft theMagiftrates
And Princes of my country came in person,
Solicited, commanded, threatn'd, urg'd,
Adjur'd by all the bonds of civil Duty
And of Religion, press'd how juft it was
How honourable, how glorious to entrap
A common enemy, who had destroy'd
Such Numbers of our Nation: and the Priest
Was not behind, but ever at my car,
Preaching how meritorious with the Gods
It would be to enfnare an irreligious
Dishonourer of Dagon: what had I
T'oppose against fuch pow'rful Arguments?
Only my love of thee held long debate;
And combated in filence all their reasons
With hard conteft: at lenth that grounded maxim
So rife and celebrated in the mouths
Of wifeft men; that to the publick good
Private refpects muft yield, with grave authority
Took full poffeffion of me and prevail'd;
Virtue, as I thought, truth, duty so enjoyning.
Samf. I thought where all thy circling wiles would
In feign'd Religion, fmooth hypocrifie.
But had thy love, still odiously pretended,
Been, as it ought, fincere, it would have taught thee
Far other reasonings, brought forth other deeds.
I before all the daughters of my Tribe
And of my Nation chose thee from among
My enemies, lov'd thee, as too well thou knew'st,
Too well, unbofom'd all my fecrets to thee,
Not out of levity, but over-powr'd
By thy request, who could deny thee nothing;
Yet now am judg'd an enemy. Why then
Didst thou at first receive me for thy Husband?
Then, as fince then, thy country's foe profeft:
Being once a Wife, for me thou wast to leave
Parents and country; nor was I their subject,
Nor under their protection but
Thou mine, not theirs: if aught against my
life
Thy Country fought of thee, it fought unjustly,
Against the law of nature, law of nations,
No more thy Country, but an impious crew
Of men confpiring to uphold their state
By worse than hoftile deeds, violating the ends
For which our Country is a name fo dear;
Not therefore to be obey'd. But zeal mov'd thee;
To please thy Gods thou didst it, Gods unable
T'acquit themfelves and profecute their Foes
But by ungodly deeds, the contradiction
Of their own Deity, Gods they cannot be :
Lefs therefore to be pleas'd, obey'd, or fear'd.
Thefe falfe pretexts and varnish'd colours failing,
Bare in thy guilt how foul must thou appear?
Dal. In argument with Men a Woman ever
Goes by the worse, whatever be her cause.
Samf. For want of words no doubt, or lack of breath,
Witness when I was worried with thy peals.
Dal. I was a fool, too rafh, and quite mistaken In what I thought would have fucceeded beft.
Let me obtain forgiveness of thee, Samfon,
Afford me place to fhew what recompence
Towards thee I intend for what I have misdone,
Mifguided, only what remains paft cure
Bear not too fenfibly, nor still infift
T'afflict thy felf in vain: though fight be loft,
Life yet hath many folaces, enjoy'd
Where other senses want not their delights
At home in leifure and domeftick ease,
Exempt from many a care and chance to which
Eye-fight exposes daily men abroad.
Ito the Lords will intercede, not doubting
Their favourable car, that I may fetch thee
From forth this loathfom prifon-house, tabide
With me, where my redoubl❜d love and care
With nurfing diligence, to me glad office,
May ever tend about thee to old age
With all things grateful chear'd, and so supply'd,
That what by me thou haft loft thou leaft fhalt mifs.
Samf. No, no, of my condition take no care;
It fits not, thou and I long fince are twain,
Nor think me fo unwary or accurat
To bring my feet again into the fnare
Where once I have been caught; I know thy trains
Though dearly to my cost, thy ginns, and toyls,
Thy fair enchanted cup, and warbling charms
No more on me have pow'r, their force is null❜d,
So much of Adders wisdom I have learnt
To fence my ear against thy Sorceries.
If in my flower of youth and strength; when all men
Lov'd, honour'd, fear'd me, thou alone could't hate
Thy Husband, flight me, fell me, and forgo me;
How wouldst thou use me now, blind, and thereby
Deceivable, in moft things as a child
Helpless, thence easily contemn'd, and fcorn'd.
And last neglected? How wouldst thou insult
When I must live uxorious to thy will
In perfect thraldom, how again betray me,
Bearing my words and doings to the Lords
To glofs upon, and censuring, frown or smile?
This Goal I count the House of Liberty
To thine, whofe doors my feet shall never enter.
Dal. Let me approach at least and touch thy hand.
Samf. Not for thy life, left fierce remembrance
[wake
My fudden rage to tear thee joint by joint.
At distance I forgive thee, go with that;
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