THE ARGUMENT. Samfon made captive, blind, and now in the prifon at Gaza, there to labor as in a common workhoufe, on a feitival day, in the general ceffation from labor, comes forth into the open air to a place nigh, fomewhat retir'd, there to fit a while and bemoan his condition. Where he happens at length to be vifited by certain friends and equals of his tribe, which make the Chorus, who feek to comfort him what they can ; then by his old father Manoah, who endevors the like, and withal tells him his purpofe to procure his liberty by ranfome ; laftly, that this feaft was proclaimed by the Philiftines as a day of thankfgiving for their deliverance from the hands of Samfon, which yet more troubles him. Manoah then departs to profecute his endevor with the Philiftian lords for Samfon's redemp. tion ; who in the mean while is vifited by other perfons ; and laftly by a public officer to requirehis coming to the feaft before the lords and people, to play or Chow his ftrength in their prefence ; he at firft refufes, difmiffing the public officer with abfolute de- nial to come ; at length perfuaded inwardly that this was from God, he yields to go along with him, who came now the fecond time with great threatnings to fetch him : the Chorus yet remain- ing on the place, Manoah returns full of joyful hope, to procure ere long his Eon's deliverance ; in the miclit of which difcourfe an Hebrew comes in hafte, confufedly at firft, and afterward more diftinetly relating the cataltrophe, what Samfon had done to the Philiftines, and by accident to himfelf; wherewith the tragedy ends.
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