Against thee but safe custody, and hold:
  That made for me, I knew that liberty
  Would draw thee forth to perilous enterprises,
  While I at home sate full of cares and fears
  Wailing thy absence in my widow'd bed;
  Here I should still enjoy thee day and night
  Mine and Loves prisoner, not the Philistines,
  Whole to my self, unhazarded abroad,
  Fearless at home of partners in my love.
  These reasons in Loves law have past for good,
  Though fond and reasonless to some perhaps:
  And Love hath oft, well meaning, wrought much wo,
  Yet always pity or pardon hath obtain'd.
  Be not unlike all others, not austere
  As thou art strong, inflexible as steel.
  If thou in strength all mortals dost exceed,
  In uncompassionate anger do not so.
    Sam. How cunningly the sorceress displays
  Her own transgressions, to upbraid me mine!
  That malice not repentance brought thee hither,
  By this appears: I gave, thou say'st, th' example,
  I led the way; bitter reproach, but true,
  I to my self was false e're thou to me,
  Such pardon therefore as I give my folly,
  Take to thy wicked deed: which when thou seest
  Impartial, self-severe, inexorable,
  Thou wilt renounce thy seeking, and much rather
  Confess it feign'd, weakness is thy excuse,
  And I believe it, weakness to resist
  Philistian gold: if weakness may excuse,
  What Murtherer, what Traytor, Parricide,
  Incestuous, Sacrilegious, but may plead it?
  All wickedness is weakness: that plea therefore
  With God or Man will gain thee no remission.
  But Love constrain'd thee; call it furious rage
  To satisfie thy lust: Love seeks to have Love;
  My love how couldst thou hope, who tookst the way
  To raise in me inexpiable hate,
  Knowing, as needs I must, by thee betray'd?
  In vain thou striv'st to cover shame with shame,
  Or by evasions thy crime uncoverst more.
    Dal. Since thou determinst weakness for no plea
  In man or woman, though to thy own condemning,
  Hear what assaults I had, what snares besides,
  What sieges girt me round, e're I consented;
  Which might have aw'd the best resolv'd of men,
  The constantest to have yielded without blame.
  It was not gold, as to my charge thou lay'st,
  That wrought with me: thou know'st the Magistrates
  And Princes of my countrey came in person,
  Sollicited, commanded, threatn'd, urg'd,
  Adjur'd by all the bonds of civil Duty
  And of Religion, press'd how just 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 ear,
  Preaching how meritorious with the gods
  It would be to ensnare an irreligious
  Dishonourer of Dagon: what had I
  To oppose against such powerful arguments?
  Only my love of thee held long debate;
  And combated in silence all these reasons
  With hard contest: at length that grounded maxim
  So rife and celebrated in the mouths
  Of wisest men; that to the public good
  Private respects must yield; with grave authority
  Took full possession of me and prevail'd;
  Vertue, as I thought, truth, duty so enjoyning.
    Sam. I thought where all thy circling wiles would end;
  In feign'd Religion, smooth hypocrisie.
  But had thy love, still odiously pretended,
  Bin, as it ought, sincere, 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, unbosom'd all my secrets 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 since then, thy countries foe profest:
  Being once a wife, for me thou wast to leave
  Parents and countrey; nor was I their subject,
  Nor under their protection but my own,
  Thou mine, not theirs: if aught against my life
  Thy countrey sought of thee, it sought unjustly,
  Against the law of nature, law of nations,
  No more thy countrey, but an impious crew
  Of men conspiring to uphold thir state
  By worse than hostile deeds, violating the ends
  For which our countrey is a name so dear;
  Not therefore to be obey'd. But zeal mov'd thee;
  To please thy gods thou didst it; gods unable
  To acquit themselves and prosecute their foes
  But by ungodly deeds, the contradiction
  Of their own deity, Gods cannot be:
  Less therefore to be pleas'd, obey'd, or fear'd,
  These false pretexts and varnish'd colours failing,