The Mirrour of Mutabilitie or Principall part of the Mirrour for Magistrates. Describing the fall of diuers famous Princes, and other memorable Personages. Selected out of the sacred Scriptures by Antony Munday, and dedicated to the Right Honorable the Earle of Oxenford |
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THE COMPLAINT
of Sampson, for his fond declaring to his wife
vvhere his cheefest strength vvas, vvhich made his
eyes be pulled out by the Philistines.
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 | The Mirrour of Mutabilitie |  |
THE COMPLAINT of Sampson, for his fond declaring to his wife vvhere his cheefest strength vvas, vvhich made his eyes be pulled out by the Philistines.
Caput 5.
If
I be he whose hauty hart and strength,
Throughout the world extelled was by fame
Suruey my life, peruse my deeds at length,
And see how Women brought me vnto shāe.
For I bewraid my Riddle to my Wife:
Which did procure to me a heauy strife.
Throughout the world extelled was by fame
Suruey my life, peruse my deeds at length,
And see how Women brought me vnto shāe.
For I bewraid my Riddle to my Wife:
Which did procure to me a heauy strife.
When as I set the Corne in fiery flame,
The Philistines conuincst me through the deed:
They bound me strait in hope to spoil my name,
But yet the Lord did ayd me at a need.
For nothing I esteemed of my bands:
But valiantly broke them betweene my hands.
The Philistines conuincst me through the deed:
They bound me strait in hope to spoil my name,
But yet the Lord did ayd me at a need.
For nothing I esteemed of my bands:
But valiantly broke them betweene my hands.
Then Gaza gates on shoulders I did beare,
Remoouing them vnto the Hebron hill:
My might was such, of none I stood in feare,
Til at the last through fondnes of my will.
Unto my Wife my secret did bewray:
And so by her obtayned my decay.
Remoouing them vnto the Hebron hill:
My might was such, of none I stood in feare,
Til at the last through fondnes of my will.
Unto my Wife my secret did bewray:
And so by her obtayned my decay.
I had example twise of her before,
But yet (alas) no warning would suffise:
If I had kept my self in Wisdomes lore,
And her refraynd that did me so despise.
I had not falne so soone into mishap:
Nor ouerwhelmd with terrors tristfull trap.
But yet (alas) no warning would suffise:
If I had kept my self in Wisdomes lore,
And her refraynd that did me so despise.
I had not falne so soone into mishap:
Nor ouerwhelmd with terrors tristfull trap.
But now to late my folly I repent,
And now I mone when as it is in vayne:
When vnaduisde I sought my self to shent,
And willing run vpon my bitter bayne.
Wel may you say his payment he deser'ud:
That saw his payn, & would not haue it sweru'd.
And now I mone when as it is in vayne:
When vnaduisde I sought my self to shent,
And willing run vpon my bitter bayne.
Wel may you say his payment he deser'ud:
That saw his payn, & would not haue it sweru'd.
For twise the guyle I plainly did espye,
When as she sayd, O Sampson now arise:
The Philistines doo seeke to make thee dye,
But quickly I preuented their deuise.
Yet foolish man could not be warnd by this:
But needs must tell wheras thy secret is.
When as she sayd, O Sampson now arise:
The Philistines doo seeke to make thee dye,
But quickly I preuented their deuise.
Yet foolish man could not be warnd by this:
But needs must tell wheras thy secret is.
Her Sirens songs layd me a sleepe on lap,
Then she from me my valiant force bereft:
The Philistines then caught me in their trap,
And then (alas) small comfort had I left.
But that in God my trust I firmly heeld:
Protesting him my Buckler and my Sheeld.
Then she from me my valiant force bereft:
The Philistines then caught me in their trap,
And then (alas) small comfort had I left.
But that in God my trust I firmly heeld:
Protesting him my Buckler and my Sheeld.
They traitourlike mine eyes puld from my head,
And in the Mill did vse me like a slaue:
Beholde my Wife what courtesie she bred,
See for my looue what recompence I haue.
Now grinde poore wretch thy liuing for to get:
To finde thee clothes, and also bread and meat.
And in the Mill did vse me like a slaue:
Beholde my Wife what courtesie she bred,
See for my looue what recompence I haue.
Now grinde poore wretch thy liuing for to get:
To finde thee clothes, and also bread and meat.
O seely Sampson now depriued of ioy,
Where is the life that thou didst lead of yore?
Is comfort turnd to direfull dark annoy,
Is all thy fame now dead thou hadest before?
Why? is it thou that burnt thy enmyes Corne?
Beholde thy self (alas) thou art forlorne.
Where is the life that thou didst lead of yore?
Is comfort turnd to direfull dark annoy,
Is all thy fame now dead thou hadest before?
Why? is it thou that burnt thy enmyes Corne?
Beholde thy self (alas) thou art forlorne.
Why, is it thou that shund the piercing pawes,
Of Lion fierce that sought thy dire decay?
And is it thou that rent his rauening iawes,
And Honny hadst as thou wentst by the way?
Looke on thy self (alas) to much vnwise:
See how the world thine honor dooth despise.
Of Lion fierce that sought thy dire decay?
And is it thou that rent his rauening iawes,
And Honny hadst as thou wentst by the way?
Looke on thy self (alas) to much vnwise:
See how the world thine honor dooth despise.
If with the Iaw of on poore siely Asse,
So many men thou broughtest to the ground?
Why then releeue this thine afflicted case,
And haste thee strayt thy foes for to confound.
Nay, stay awhile, thy folly first lament:
Remember well how Wisdome hath thee shent.
So many men thou broughtest to the ground?
Why then releeue this thine afflicted case,
And haste thee strayt thy foes for to confound.
Nay, stay awhile, thy folly first lament:
Remember well how Wisdome hath thee shent.
Would'st thou to feeld to fight against thy foes?
O naked man, where is thy cheef defence?
How canst thou now resist the battering blowes?
Fye, Coward fye, goe shroud thy hot pretence.
Think on the state thou didst inioy before:
And sit thee down thy folly to deplore.
O naked man, where is thy cheef defence?
How canst thou now resist the battering blowes?
Fye, Coward fye, goe shroud thy hot pretence.
Think on the state thou didst inioy before:
And sit thee down thy folly to deplore.
Say, once thou hadst, that which thou now doost misse,
Say, once thou wast free from all women kinde:
Say, Sampson, once thou didst remain in blisse,
And now reporte, O Sampson thou art blinde.
Thou well mayst say, that once thou hadst the power:
But now Dame Folly cleane hath cropt the floure.
Say, once thou wast free from all women kinde:
Say, Sampson, once thou didst remain in blisse,
And now reporte, O Sampson thou art blinde.
Thou well mayst say, that once thou hadst the power:
But now Dame Folly cleane hath cropt the floure.
Goe cary Gaza gates vnto their place
First take thy strength that brought them thence away:
And then perhaps thou mayst thy foes deface,
But til that time in thrall thou needs must stay.
The scourging whip must teare thy tender skin:
A guerdon iust which thou of right doost win.
First take thy strength that brought them thence away:
And then perhaps thou mayst thy foes deface,
But til that time in thrall thou needs must stay.
The scourging whip must teare thy tender skin:
A guerdon iust which thou of right doost win.
This is the thing the Philistines did craue,
Thy thrall it is procures their iocond ioy:
Since they haue got stout Sampson for their slaue,
They him detaine their pleasure to imploy.
And as a foole they vse thee at their Feast:
With thy blinde sporte to frame some mery Iest.
Thy thrall it is procures their iocond ioy:
Since they haue got stout Sampson for their slaue,
They him detaine their pleasure to imploy.
And as a foole they vse thee at their Feast:
With thy blinde sporte to frame some mery Iest.
But yet one day as they did celebrate,
Their Dagons Feast, I beeing then in place:
To make them sporte, to God did yeeld my state,
Desiring then I might them all deface.
The house with olde, yung, great and small:
I puld it down, so kild my self and all.
Their Dagons Feast, I beeing then in place:
To make them sporte, to God did yeeld my state,
Desiring then I might them all deface.
The house with olde, yung, great and small:
I puld it down, so kild my self and all.
Woe woorth Dalila that so wrought my shame,
Woe woorth Dalila my vnconstant foe:
Example take, let Sampsons bitter blame,
Forewarne you how you trust to Women so.
No more in secret to a Woman showe:
Then you would haue that all the world should knowe.
Woe woorth Dalila my vnconstant foe:
Example take, let Sampsons bitter blame,
Forewarne you how you trust to Women so.
No more in secret to a Woman showe:
Then you would haue that all the world should knowe.
See heer stout Sampson valiant in his strength,
Yet could he not a Loouers looke resist:
For all his might, see how he fel at length,
And forste to yeeld to Women as they list,
Take heed by me, let Sampsons great mishap:
Learne you beware to fall in such a trap.
Yet could he not a Loouers looke resist:
For all his might, see how he fel at length,
And forste to yeeld to Women as they list,
Take heed by me, let Sampsons great mishap:
Learne you beware to fall in such a trap.
Ful many moe haue fallen in like case,
And all through this, wherfore I warning giue:
Remember Beautie beares a fickle face,
And Beautie asks a treble cost to liue.
You haue your choyse, which you wil take or leue
Refuse the bad, the best you may receiue.
And all through this, wherfore I warning giue:
Remember Beautie beares a fickle face,
And Beautie asks a treble cost to liue.
You haue your choyse, which you wil take or leue
Refuse the bad, the best you may receiue.
FINIS
| The Mirrour of Mutabilitie | |