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A most excellent and famous Ditty of Sampson Iudge of Israell, how he wedded •• Philistines Daughter, who at length forsooke him: also how he slew a Lyon, and propounded a Riddle, and after how he was falsely betrayed by Dalila, and of his death.
To the tune of the Spanish Pauin.
VVHen Sampson was a tell young man
His power and strength increased than,
And in the host and Tribe of Dan,
the Lord did blesse him still.
It chancrd so vpon a day,
As he was walking on his way,
He saw Mayden fresh and gay,
in Timnah.
With whom he fell so sore in loue.
That he his fancy could not moue:
His Parents therefore he did proue,
and craued their good wills.
I haue found out a wise quoth he,
I pray you Father giue her me,
Though she a strangers daughter be,
I passe not.
Then did bespeake his Parents déere,
Haue we not many Maydens here,
Of Country, and acquaintance neere,
for thee to loue and like?
O no, (quoth Sampson presently)
Not one so pleasant in mine eye,
Whom I could find so faithfully
to fancy,
At length they graunted their consent:
And so with Sampson foorth they went,
To sée the Mayd was their intent.
which was so fayre and bright:
But as they were a going there,
A Lyon put them in great feare,
Whom Sampson presently did teare,
in péeces.
When they were come vnto the place,
They were agréed the case:
The wedding day appoynted was:
and when the time was come.
As Sampson went for beauties fées,
The Lyons carkasse there he sées,
Wherein a sort of hunny Bées
had swearmed.
Then closely Sampson went his way,
And not a word thereof did say,
Vntill the merry feasting day,
vnto the company.
A Riddle I will shew, quoth he,
The meaning if you tell to me
Within seuen dayes, I will giue yée
great riches.
But if the meaning you doe misse,
And cannot shew me what it is,
Then shall you giue to me (I wisse)
so much as I haue said.
Put forth thy Riddle (then quoth they)
And we will tell it by our day,
Or we will lose (as thou dost say)
the wager.
Then marke (quoth hee) the totall summe,
Out of the eater meate did come,
And from the strong did sweetnes runne,
declare it if you can.
And when they heard the Riddle told,
Their hearts within them waxed cold:
For none of them could then vnfold
the meaning.
Then vnto Sampsons wife went they
And threatned her without delay,
If she would not the thing bewray,
to burne her Fathers house.
Then Sampsons wife with gréefe and woe,
Desired him the same to show:
And when she knew she straight did goe
to tell them.
Then were they all full glad of this,
To tell the thing they did not misse,
What stronger beast then Lyon is?
What sweeter meate then Hunny:
Then Sampson answered them full round:
If my Hayfar had not ploughed the ground,
So easily you had not found
my Riddle.
Then Sampson did his losses pay,
And to his father went his way▪
But whilst with them he there did stay,
his wife forsooke him quite.
And tooke another to her Loue,
Which Samsons anger much did moue,
To plague them therefore he did proue
his cunning.
A subtill sight he then had found,
To burne their corne vpon the ground,
Their Vineyardes he destroyed round
which made them fret and fume.
But when they knew that Sampson he
Had done them all this iniury,
Because his wife did him denie,
they killed her:
And afterward they had decreed,
To murther Sampson for that déed,
Thrée thousand men they sent with spéede,
to bring him bound to them:
But he did breake his cords apace,
And with the Iaw-bone of an Asse,
A thousand men ere he did passe,
he killed.
When all his foes were laid in dust,
Then Sampson was full sore athirst.
In God therefore was all his trust,
to helpe his fanting heart:
For liquor thereabout was none?
The Lord therefore from the Iaw-bone,
Did make fresh water spring alone,
to helpe him.
Then Sampson had a ioyfull spright,
And in a Citty lay that night,
Whereas his foes with deadly spight,
did séeke his life to spill:
But he at midnight then awakes,
And tearing downe the Citty gates,
With him away the same he takes,
most stoutly.
Then on Dalila faire and bright.
Did Sampson set his whole delight,
Whom he did loue both day and night,
which wrought his ouerthrow:
For she with sweete words did intreat,
That for her sake he would repeat,
Wherein his strength, that was to great,
consisted.
At length vnto his vtter fall,
And through her sute, which was not smal••
He did not let to shew her all,
the secrets of his heart:
If that my hayre be cut, (quoth he)
Which now so fayre and long you see,
Liks other men then shall I be,
in weaknesse.
Then through deceit which was so déepe,
She lulled Sampson fast asleepe,
A man she cal'd which she did keepe,
to cut off all his hayre.
Then did she call his hatefull foes,
Ere Sampson from her lap arose,
Who could not thē withstand their blow••
for weakenesse,
To bind him fast they did deuise,
Then did they put out both his eyes.
In Prison wofully he lyes,
and there he grinds the Mill.
But God remembred all his payne,
And did restore his strenght agayne,
Although that bound he did remaine,
in Prison
The Philistines now were glad of this,
For ioy they made a feast (I wisse)
And al their Princes did not misse
to come vnto the same:
And being merry bent that day,
For Sampson they did send straightway
That they might laugh to see him play
among them
Then to the house was Sampson led
And when he had theire fancies fed,
He pluckt the house vpon their head,
and downe they tumbled all:
So that with gréefe and deadly paine,
Thrée thousand persons there were slain
Thus Sampson then with all his traine,
was brained.