The Historie of Samson: Section 2

Th wife Manoah attended
with fearfull Hope, and hpefull Feare,
The joyfull tydings recommended
to her amazed Husbands care.

THus, when the great Embassadour of Heaven
Had done that sacred service, which was given,
And trusted to his faithfull charge, he spred
His ayre dividing pinions, and fled:
But now, th'affrighted woman apprehends
The strangenesse of the Message; recommends
Both it, and him, that did it, to her feares;
The newes was welcome to her gratefull eares,
But what the newesman was did so encreae
Her doubts, that her strange hopes could finde no peace;
For when her hopes would build a Tower of joy,
O, then her feares would shake it, and destroy
The maine foundation; what her hopes in vaine
Did raise, her feares would ruinate againe:
One while, she thought; It was an Angel sent:
And then her feares would teach her to repent
That frighfull thought; but whē she deeply waigh'd
The joyfull message, then her thoughts obay'd
Her first conceit; Distracted, with confusion,
Sometimes she fear'd it was a false delusion,
Suggested in her too beleeving eares;
Sometimes she doubts it was a Dreame, that beares
No waight but in a slumber; till at last,
Her feet, advised by her thoughts, made haste
Vnto her husband; in whose eares she brake
This minde-perplexing secret thus, and spake;
Sir,
As my discursive thoughts did lately muse
On those great blessings, wherewith heaven doth use
To crowne his children, here; among the rest,
Me thoughts no one could make a wife more blest,
And crowne her youth, her age with greater measure
Of true content, than the unprized treasure
Of her chaste wombe: but as my thoughts were bent
Vpon this subject, being in our Tent,
And none but I, appear'd before mine eyes
A man of God: His habit, and his guise
Was such as holy Prophets use to weare,
But in his dreadfull lookes there did appeare
Something that made me tremble; In his eye
Mildnesse was mixt with awfull Majesty;
Strange was his language, and I could not chuse
But feare the man, although I lik'd his newes;
Woman (said he) Cheare up, and doe not feare,
I have no Vials, nor no Iudgements here,
My hand hath no Commission, to enquire
Into thy sinnes; nor am I clad in fire:
I come to bring thee tydings of such things,
As have their warrant from the King of Kings
Thou shalt conceive, and when thy time is come,
Thou shalt enjoy the blessings of thy wombe;
Before the space of twice five months be runne,
Thou shalt become the parent of a Sonne;
Till then, take heed, thou neither drinke, nor eate
Wines, or strong drinke, or Law-forbidden meate,
For when this promis'd child shall see the light,
Thou shalt be mother to a Nazarite.
While thus he spake, trembled: Horrid feare
Vsurpt my quivering heart; Onely mine eare
Was pleas'd to be the vessell of such newes,
Which Heaven make good; and give me strength to use
My better Faith: The holy Prophets name
I was affraid t'enquire, or whence he came.