[6-text p 258]
¶ By verray force at Gasan on a night
Maugre philistiens of þat Cite
The gates of þe toun he haþ vp plight
And on his bakke y-karyed hem haþ he
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heighe on an hille where as men mighte se
O noble almighty Sampson leef and deere
That strong and noble haþ be /
In alle þis world ne hadde þer ben þy peere
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¶ This Sampson neuer cyder drank ne wyn
Ne on his heed came Rasour non ne scheere
By precepte of þe messanger deuyn
ffor alle his strengþe was in his here
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And fully twenty ȝeer by ȝere
he hadde of Israel þe gouernance
But after soone schal he wepe many a teere
ffor wommen schuln bringe him to meschance
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¶ Vnto his lemman Dalida he tolde
That in his heeres alle his strengþe lay
And falsly to his fomen sche him solde
And slepyng vpon hire barme vpan a day
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Sche made to clippe or schere his here away
And made his foomen alle his crafte aspyen
And whan þat þay him fond in such aray
They bonde him faste and putte out his eyen
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¶ But er his heer was y-clipped or y-schaue
Ther was no bond þat might him bynde
But now is he in prisoun putte in a Caue
Where as þey made him at þe querne grynde
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O noble Sampson strengest of mankynde
O whilom Iugge in glorie and in richesse
Now maystow wepe with þin eyen blynde [folio 237b]
Seþenes þou art fro wele falle in to wrecchidnesse
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