Our God, our Law, my Nation, or myself, CHO. Go, and the holy One Of Ifrael be thy guide 1425 To what may ferve his glory best, and spread his name Great among the Heathen round; 1430 Send thee the Angel of thy birth, to stand Faft by thy fide, 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 1435 Be efficacious in thee now at need: For never was from Heav'n imparted 1440 Or of him bringing to us fome glad news? [hither MAN. Peace with you, Brethren; my inducement Was not at present here to find my son, By order of the lords new parted hence To come and play before them at their feast. 1450 And numbers thither flock, I had no will, CHO. That hope would much rejoice us to partake With thee; fay, reverend Sire, we thirst to hear. MAN. I have attempted one by one the lords, If fome convenient ranfom were propos' s'd. What noise or shout was that? it tore the sky. 1460 1465 1470 CHO. Doubtless the people shouting to behold Their once great dread, captive, and blind before them, Or at fome proof of strength before them shown. 1475 MAN. His ranfom, if my whole inheritance May compass it, fhall willingly be paid And number'd down: much rather I fhall choofe To live the pooreft in my tribe, than richeft, And he in that calamitous prison left. 1480 No, I am fix'd not to part hence without him. For his redemption all my patrimony, If need be, I am ready to forego And quit: not wanting him I shall want nothing. Сно. CHO. Fathers are wont to lay up for their fons, 1485 Thou for thy fon art bent to lay out all: Sons wont to nurfe their parents in old age, Thou in old age car'ft how to nurse thy fon 1495 1500 Ufelefs, and thence ridiculous about him. And fince his ftrength with eye-fight was not loft, CHо. Thy hopes are not ill founded nor feem vain In both which we, as next, participate. 1505 [noife! MAN. I know your friendly minds, and---O what Mercy of Heaven, what hideous noife was that! Horribly loud, unlike the former shout. CHO. Noife call you it, or univerfal groan, As if the whole inhabitation perish'd! 1510 Blood, death, and deathful deeds are in that noife, MAN. MAN. Of ruin indeed methought I heard the noise : Oh it continues, they have flain my fon. CHO. Thy fon is rather flaying them, that outcry From flaughter of one foe could not ascend. MAN. Some difmal accident it needs must be; What shall we do? ftay here, or run and fee? 1520 CHO. Beft keep together here, left running thither We unawares run into danger's mouth. This evil on the Philiftines is fall'n; From whom could elfe a general cry be heard? 1525 From other hands we need not much to fear. What if, his eye-fight (for to Ifrael's God He now be dealing dole among his foes, 1530 MAN. That were a joy prefumptuous to be thought. CHO. Yet God hath wrought things as incredible For his people of old; what hinders now? MAN. He can I know, but doubt to think he will; Yet hope would fain fubfcribe, and tempts belief. 1535 A little stay will bring fome notice hither. CHO. Of good or bad fo great, of bad the sooner; For evil news rides poft, while good news baits. And to our wish I fee one hither speeding, An Hebrew, as I guefs, and of our tribe. 1540 MESS. O whither fhall I run, or which way fly The fight of this fo horrid fpectacle, Which erft my eyes beheld, and yet behold? But But providence or instinct of nature seems, 1545 1550 MAN. The accident was loud, and here before thee MAN. Tell us the fum, the circumftance defer. MAN. Sad, but thou know'ft to Ifraelites not faddeft, The forrow, and converts it nigh to joy. MESS. Ah Manoah, I refrain too fuddenly 1565 To utter what will come at last too soon; MAN. Sufpenfe in news is torture, speak them out. Hath |