[6-text p 258]
¶ By verray force / at Gazan / on a nyght [folio 90a]
Maugree Philistiens / of that Citee
The gates of the toun / he hath vp plight
And on his bak ycaried hem hath he
Line 3240
Hye on an hill / where as men myght hem se
O noble almyghty Sampson / leef and deere
Had thow nat toold / to wommen thy secree
In al this world / ne hadde been thy peere
Line 3244
¶ This Sampson / neuere Ciser drank ne wyn
Ne on his heed / cam Rasour noon ne shere
By precept of the Messager deuyn
ffor alle his strengthes / in his herys were
Line 3248
And fully .xx. wynter / yeer by yere
He hadde of Israel / the gouernance
But soone / shal he wepe many a teere
ffor wommen / shul hym bryngen to meschaunce
Line 3252
¶ Vn-to his lemman Dalida / he tolde
That in his herys / al his strengthe lay
And falsly / to his fomen she hym solde
And slepynge in hir barm / vp on a day
Line 3256
She made to clippe / or shere his heer away
And made his fomen / al this craft espien
And whan þat they / hym fond in this array
They bounde hym faste / and putten out his eyen
Line 3260
¶ But/ er his heer / was clipped or yshaue
Ther was no bond / with which / men myghte hym bynde
But now is he / in prisone in a Caue
Where as they made hym / at the querne grynde
Line 3264
O noble Sampson / strengest of mankynde
O whilom / Iuge in glorie / and in richesse
Now / maystow wepen / with thyne eyen blynde
Sith thow fro wele / art falle in wrecchednesse
Line 3268
