The Poetical Works of John Milton

John Milton

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PUBLISHER TO THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD

LONDON, EDINBURGH, AND NEW YORK

FROM THE AUTOGRAPH MANUSCRIPT SENT TO ROUS, AND PRESERVED IN THE BODLEIAN LIBRARY, OXFORD

THE POETICAL WORKS OF JOHN MILTON

EDITED AFTER THE ORIGINAL TEXTS BY THE REV. H. C. BEECHING, M.A. BALLIOL COLLEGE, OXFORD CLARK LECTURER AT TRINITY COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE

Oxford

AT THE CLARENDON PRESS

1900

Oxford

PRINTED AT THE CLARENDON PRESS

BY HORACE HART, M.A.

PRINTER TO THE UNIVERSITY

PREFACE.

THIS edition of Milton’s Poetry is a reprint, as careful as Editor and Printers have been able to make it, from the earliest printed copies of the several poems. First the 1645 volume of the Minor Poems has been printed entire; then follow in order the poems added in the reissue of 1673; the Paradise Lost, from the edition of 1667; and the Paradise Regain’d and Samson Agonistes from the edition of 1671.

The most interesting portion of the book must be reckoned the first section of it, which reproduces for the first time the scarce small octavo of 1645. The only reprint of the Minor Poems in the old spelling, so far as I know, is the one edited by Mitford, but that followed the edition of 1673, which is comparatively uninteresting since it could not have had Milton’s oversight as it passed through the press. We know that it was set up from a copy of the 1645 edition, because it reproduces some pointless eccentricities such as the varying form of the chorus to Psalm cxxxvi; but while it corrects the errata tabulated in that edition it commits many more blunders of its own. It is valuable, however, as the editio princeps of ten of the sonnets, and it contains one important alteration in the Ode on the Nativity. This and all other alterations will be found noted where they occur. I have not thought it necessary to note mere differences of spelling between the two editions, but a word may find place here upon their general character. Generally it may be said that, where the two editions differ, the later spelling is that now in use. Thus words like goddess, darkness, usually written in the first edition with one final s, have two, while on the other hand words like vernall, youthfull, and monosyllables like hugg, farr, lose their double letter. Many monosyllables, e. g. som, cours, glimps, wher, vers, aw, els, don, ey, ly, so written in 1645, take on in 1673 an e mute, while words like harpe, windes, onely, lose it. By a reciprocal change ayr and cipress become air and cypress; and the vowels in daign, vail, neer, beleeve, sheild, boosom, eeven, battail, travailer, and many other words are similarly modernized. On the other hand there are a few cases where the 1645 edition exhibits the spelling which has succeeded in fixing itself, as travail (1673, travel ) in the sense of labour; and rob’d, profane, human, flood and bloody, forest, triple, alas, huddling, are found where the 1673 edition has roab’d, prophane, humane, floud and bloudy, forrest, tripple, alass and hudling. Indeed the spelling in this later edition is not untouched by seventeenth century inconsistency. It retains here and there forms like shameles, cateres, (where 1645 reads cateress ), and occasionally reverts to the older-fashioned spelling of monosyllables without the mute e. In the Epitaph on the Marchioness of Winchester, it reads—‘And som flowers and some bays.’ But undoubtedly the impression on the whole is of a much more modern text.

In the matter of small or capital letters I have followed the old copy, except in one or two places where a personification seemed not plainly enough marked to a modern reader without a capital. Thus in Il Penseroso, l. 49, I print Leasure, although both editions read leasure; and in the Vacation Exercise, l. 71, Times for times. Also where the employment or omission of a capital is plainly due to misprinting, as too frequently in the 1673 edition, I silently make the correction. Examples are, notes for Notes in Sonnet xvii. l. 13; Anointed for anointed in Psalm ii. l. 12.

In regard to punctuation I have followed the old printers except in obvious misprints, and followed them also, as far as possible, in their distribution of roman and italic type and in the grouping of words and lines in the various titles. To follow them exactly was impossible, as the books are so very different in size.

At this point the candid reader may perhaps ask what advantage is gained by presenting these poems to modern readers in the dress of a bygone age. If the question were put to me I should probably evade it by pointing out that Mr. Frowde is issuing an edition based upon this, in which the spelling is frankly that of to-day. But if the question were pressed, I think a sufficient answer might be found. To begin with, I should point out that even Prof. Masson, who in his excellent edition argues the point and decides in favour of modern spelling, allows that ‘there are peculiarities of Milton’s spelling which are really significant, and ought therefore to be noted or preserved.’ But who is to determine exactly which words are spelt according to the poet’s own instructions, and which according to the printer’s whim? It is notorious that in Paradise Lost some words were spelt upon a deliberate system, and it may very well happen that in the volume of minor poems which the poet saw through the press in 1645, there were spellings no less systematic. Prof. Masson makes a great point of the fact that Milton’s own spelling, exhibited in the autograph manuscript of some of the minor poems preserved in Trinity College, Cambridge, does not correspond with that of the printed copy [1] . This is certainly true, as the reader may see for himself by comparing the passage from the manuscript given in the appendix with the corresponding place in the text. Milton’s own spelling revels in redundant e ’s, while the printer of the 1645 book is very sparing of them. But in cases where the spelling affects the metre, we find that the printed text and Milton’s manuscript closely correspond; and it is upon its value in determining the metre, quite as much as its antiquarian interest, that I should base a justification of this reprint. Take, for instance, such a line as the eleventh of Comus, which Prof. Masson gives as:—

Amongst the enthroned gods on sainted seats.

A reader not learned in Miltonic rhythms will certainly read this line:

Amongst th’ enthronèd gods

But the 1645 edition reads:

Amongst the enthron’d gods

and so does Milton’s manuscript. Again, in line 597, Prof. Masson reads:

- It shall be in eternal restless change

- Self-fed and self-consumed. If this fail,

- The pillared firmament is rottenness, c.

But the 1645 text and Milton’s manuscript read self-consum’d; after which word there is to be understood a metrical pause to mark the violent transition of the thought.

Again in the second line of the Sonnet to a Nightingale Prof. Masson has:

Warblest at eve when all the woods are still

but the early edition, which probably follows Milton’s spelling, though in this case we have no manuscript to compare, reads ‘Warbl’st.’ So the original text of Samson, l. 670, has ‘temper’st.’

The retention of the old system of punctuation may be less defensible, but I have retained it because it may now and then be of use in determining a point of syntax. The absence of a comma, for example, after the word hearse in the 58th line of the Epitaph on the Marchiones of Winchester, printed by Prof. Masson thus:—

- And some flowers, and some bays

- For thy hearse, to strew thy ways,

but in the 1645 edition:—

- And som Flowers, and som Bays,

- For thy Hears to strew the ways,

goes to prove that for here must be taken as ’ fore.

Of the Paradise Lost there were two editions issued during Milton’s lifetime, and while the first has been taken as our text, all the variants in the second, not being simple misprints, have been recorded in the notes. In one respect, however, in the distribution of the poem into twelve books instead of ten, it has seemed best, for the sake of practical convenience, to follow the second edition. A word may be allowed here on the famous correction among the Errata prefixed to the first edition; ‘Lib. 2. v. 414, for we read wee.’ This correction shows not only that Milton had theories about spelling, but also that he found means, though his sight was gone, to ascertain whether his rules had been carried out by his printer; and in itself this fact justifies a facsimile reprint. What the principle in the use of the double vowel exactly was (and it is found to affect the other monosyllabic pronouns) it is not so easy to discover, though roughly it is clear the reduplication was intended to mark emphasis. For example, in the speech of the Divine Son after the battle in heaven (vi. 810-817) the pronouns which the voice would naturally emphasize are spelt with the double vowel:

- Stand onely and behold

- Gods indignation on these Godless pourd

- By mee; not you but mee they have despis’d,

- Yet envied; against mee is all thir rage,

- Because the Father, t’whom in Heav’n supream

- Kingdom and Power and Glorie appertains,

- Hath honourd me according to his will.

- Therefore to mee thir doom he hath assig’n’d.

In the Son’s speech offering himself as Redeemer (iii. 227-249) where the pronoun all through is markedly emphasized, it is printed mee the first four times, and afterwards me; but it is noticeable that these first four times the emphatic word does not stand in the stressed place of the verse, so that a careless reader might not emphasize it, unless his attention were specially called by some such sign:

- Behold mee then, mee for him, life for life

- I offer, on mee let thine anger fall;

- Account mee man.

In the Hymn of Creation (v. 160-209) where ye occurs fourteen times, the emphasis and the metrical stress six times out of seven coincide, and the pronoun is spelt yee; where it is unemphatic, and in an unstressed place, it is spelt ye. Two lines are especially instructive:

Speak yee who best can tell, ye Sons of light

(l. 160);

and

- Fountains and yee, that warble, as ye flow,

- Melodious murmurs, warbling tune his praise

- (l. 195).

In v. 694 it marks, as the voice by its emphasis would mark in reading, a change of subject:

- So spake the false Arch-Angel, and infus’d

- Bad influence into th’ unwarie brest

- Of his Associate; hee ( i. e. the associate) together calls, c.

An examination of other passages, where there is no antithesis, goes to show that the lengthened form of the pronoun is most frequent before a pause (as vii. 95); or at the end of a line (i. 245, 257); or when a foot is inverted (v. 133); or when as object it precedes its verb (v. 612; vii. 747), or as subject follows it (ix. 1109; x. 4). But as we might expect under circumstances where a purist could not correct his own proofs, there are not a few inconsistencies. There does not seem, for example, any special emphasis in the second we of the following passage:

- Freely we serve.

- Because wee freely love, as in our will

- To love or not; in this we stand or fall

- (v. 538).

On the other hand, in the passage (iii. 41) in which the poet speaks of his own blindness:

- Thus with the Year

- Seasons return, but not to me returns

- Day, c.

where, if anywhere, we should expect mee, we do not find it, though it occurs in the speech eight lines below. It should be added that this differentiation of the pronouns is not found in any printed poem of Milton’s before Paradise Lost, nor is it found in the Cambridge autograph. In that manuscript the constant forms are me, wee, yee. There is one place where there is a difference in the spelling of she, and it is just possible that this may not be due to accident. In the first verse of the song in Arcades, the MS. reads:

This, this is shee;

and in the third verse:

This, this is she alone.

This use of the double vowel is found a few times in Paradise Regain’d; in ii. 259 and iv. 486, 497 where mee begins a line, and in iv. 638 where hee is specially emphatic in the concluding lines of the poem. In Samson Agonistes it is more frequent ( e. g. lines 124, 178, 193, 220, 252, 290, 1125). Another word the spelling of which in Paradise Lost will be observed to vary is the pronoun their, which is spelt sometimes thir. The spelling in the Cambridge manuscript is uniformly thire, except once when it is thir; and where their once occurs in the writing of an amanuensis the e is struck through. That the difference is not merely a printer’s device to accommodate his line may be seen by a comparison of lines 358 and 363 in the First Book, where the shorter word comes in the shorter line. It is probable that the lighter form of the word was intended to be used when it was quite unemphatic. Contrast, for example, in Book iii. l. 59:

His own works and their works at once to view

with line 113:

Thir maker and thir making and thir Fate.

But the use is not consistent, and the form thir is not found at all till the 349th line of the First Book. The distinction is kept up in the Paradise Regain’d and Samson Agonistes, but, if possible, with even less consistency. Such passages, however, as Paradise Regain’d, iii. 414-440; Samson Agonistes, 880-890, are certainly spelt upon a method, and it is noticeable that in the choruses the lighter form is universal.

Paradise Regain’d and Samson Agonistes were published in 1671, and no further edition was called for in the remaining three years of the poet’s lifetime, so that in the case of these poems there are no new readings to record; and the texts were so carefully revised, that only one fault ( Paradise Regain’d, ii. 309) was left for correction later. In these and the other poems I have corrected the misprints catalogued in the tables of Errata, and I have silently corrected any other unless it might be mistaken for a various reading, when I have called attention to it in a note. Thus I have not recorded such blunders as Letbian for Lesbian in the 1645 text of Lycidas, line 63; or hallow for hollow in Paradise Lost, vi. 484; but I have noted content for concent, in At a Solemn Musick, line 6.

In conclusion I have to offer my sincere thanks to all who have collaborated with me in preparing this Edition; to the Delegates of the Oxford Press for allowing me to undertake it and decorate it with so many facsimiles; to the Controller of the Press for his unfailing courtesy; to the printers and printer’s reader for their care and pains. I have also to thank the Curators of the Bodleian Library for their permission to reproduce a portion of Milton’s autograph poem addressed to Rous, Bodley’s Librarian of that day; and the Council of Trinity College, Cambridge, for leave to reproduce a page from their priceless manuscript of the Minor Poems. Coming nearer home I cannot but acknowledge the help I have received in looking over proof-sheets from my sister, Mrs. P. A. Barnett, who has ungrudgingly put at the service of this book both time and eyesight. In taking leave of it, I may be permitted to say that it has cost more of both these inestimable treasures than I had anticipated. The last proof reaches me just a year after the first, and the progress of the work has not in the interval been interrupted. In tenui labor et tenuis gloria. Nevertheless I cannot be sorry it was undertaken.

H. C. B.

YATTENDON RECTORY,

November 8, 1899

.

CONTENTS.

- MISCELLANEOUS POEMS —

- ON THE MORNING OF CHRISTS NATIVITY . . . . . PAGE 1

- THE HYMN . . . . . . . . . . 2

- A PARAPHRASE ON PSALM 114 . . . . . . . 9

- PSALM 136 . . . . . . . . . . . 9

- THE PASSION . . . . . . . . . . 12

- ON TIME . . . . . . . . . . . 14

- UPON THE CIRCUMCISION . . . . . . . . 14

- AT A SOLEMN MUSICK . . . . . . . . . 15

- AN EPITAPH ON THE MARCHIONESS OF WINCHESTER . . . 16

- SONG ON MAY MORNING . . . . . . . . 18

- ON SHAKESPEAR. 1630 . . . . . . . . 18

- ON THE UNIVERSITY CARRIER . . . . . . . 19

- ANOTHER ON THE SAME . . . . . . . . 19

- L’ALLEGRO . . . . . . . . . . . 20

- IL PENSEROSO . . . . . . . . . . 24

- SONNETS (I-X) . . . . . . . . . 28-32

- ARCADES . . . . . . . . . . . 33

- LYCIDAS . . . . . . . . . . . 37

- A MASKE PRESENTED AT LUDLOW CASTLE, 1634 . . . . 43

- POEMS ADDED IN THE 1673 EDITION —

- ON THE DEATH OF A FAIR INFANT . . . . . . 76

- AT A VACATION EXERCISE . . . . . . . . 79

- THE FIFTH ODE OF HORACE. LIB. I . . . . . 82

- SONNETS (XI-XIX) . . . . . . . . 82-86

- SONNET —On the new forcers of Conscience under the Long Parliament . . . . . . . . 86

- SONNET —On the Lord Gen. Fairfax at the seige of Colchester . 87

- SONNET —To the Lord Generall Cromwell May 1652 . . . 88

- SONNET —To S Henry Vane the younger . . . . . 88

- SONNET —To Mr. Cyriack Skinner upon his Blindness . . . 89

- PSALMS I-VIII. Done into Verse, 1653 . . . . 89-96

- PSALMS LXXX-LXXXVIII. Done into Metre, 1648 . . 97-110

- PASSAGES TRANSLATED IN THE PROSE WRITINGS . . . . 111

- ADDRESSES TO MILTON . . . . . . . . 117

- ELEGIARUM LIBER . . . . . . . . . 122

- SYLVARUM LIBER . . . . . . . . . . 143

- PARADISE LOST —

- BOOK I . . . . . . . . . . . 181

- BOOK II . . . . . . . . . . . 201

- BOOK III . . . . . . . . . . . 227

- BOOK IV . . . . . . . . . . . 246

- BOOK V . . . . . . . . . . . 272

- BOOK VI . . . . . . . . . . . 295

- BOOK VII . . . . . . . . . . . 318

- BOOK VIII . . . . . . . . . . . 334

- BOOK IX . . . . . . . . . . . 351

- BOOK X . . . . . . . . . . . 381

- BOOK XI . . . . . . . . . . . 409

- BOOK XII . . . . . . . . . . . 432

- PARADISE REGAIN’D —

- BOOK I . . . . . . . . . . . 451

- BOOK II . . . . . . . . . . . 464

- BOOK III . . . . . . . . . . . 476

- BOOK IV . . . . . . . . . . 487

- SAMSON AGONISTES . . . . . . . . . 503

- APPENDIX —

- SPECIMEN OF MILTON’S SPELLING, FROM CAMBRIDGE AUTOGRAPH MS . 553

- NOTE OF A FEW READINGS FROM THE SAME . . . . . 554

- ERRATUM . . . . . . . . . . . 554

POEMS OF Mr. John Milton, BOTH ENGLISH and LATIN, Compos’d at several times.

Printed by his true Copies.

The SONGS were set in Musick by Mr. HENRY LAWES Gentleman of the KINGS Chappel, and one of His MAIESTIES Private Musick.

— Baccare frontem Cingite, ne vati noceat mala lingua futuro, Virgil, Eclog. 7.

Printed and publish’d according to ORDER.

LONDON, Printed by Ruth Raworth for Humphrey Moseley, and are to be sold at the signe of the Princes Arms in S. Pauls Church-yard. 1645.

POEMS,c. u PON Several Occasions.

BY Mr. JOHN MILTON:

Both ENGLISH and LATIN,c.

Composed at several times.

With a small Tractate of EDUCATION To Mr. HARTLIB

LONDON,

Printed for Tho. Dring at the Blew Anchor next Mitre Court over against Fetter Lane in Fleet-Street. 1673.

THE STATIONER

TO THE READER.

It is not any private respect of gain, Gentle Reader, for the slightest Pamphlet is now adayes more vendible then the Works of learnedest men; but it is the love I have to our own Language that hath made me diligent to collect, and set forth such Peeces both in Prose and Vers as may renew the wonted honour and esteem of our English tongue: and it’s the worth of these both English and Latin Poems, not the flourish of any prefixed encomions that can invite thee to buy them, though these are not without the highest Commendations and Applause of the learnedst Academicks, both domestick and forrein: And amongst those of our own Countrey, the unparallel’d attestation of that renowned Provost of Eaton, Sir Henry Wootton : I know not thy palat how it relishes such dainties, nor how harmonious thy soul is; perhaps more trivial Airs may please thee better. But howsoever thy opinion is spent upon these, that incouragement I have already received from the most ingenious men in their clear and courteous entertainment of Mr. Wallers late choice Peeces, hath once more made me adventure into the World, presenting it with these ever-green, and not to be blasted Laurels. The Authors more peculiar excellency in these studies, was too well known to conceal his Papers, or to keep me from attempting to sollicit them from him. Let the event guide it self which way it will, I shall deserve of the age, by bringing into the Light as true a Birth, as the Muses have brought forth since our famous Spencer wrote; whose Poems in these English ones are as rarely imitated, as sweetly excell’d. Reader, if thou art Eagle-eied to censure their worth, I am not fearful to expose them to thy exactest perusal.

Thine to command

HUMPH. MOSELEY.

MISCELLANEOUS POEMS.

On the Morning of CHRISTS Nativity.

- Compos’d 1629.

- I

- THIS is the Month, and this the happy morn

- Wherin the Son of Heav’ns eternal King,

- Of wedded Maid, and Virgin Mother born,

- Our great redemption from above did bring;

- For so the holy sages once did sing,

- That he our deadly forfeit should release,

- And with his Father work us a perpetual peace.

- II

- That glorious Form, that Light unsufferable,

- And that far-beaming blaze of Majesty,

- Wherwith he wont at Heav’ns high Councel-Table,  originalEd: 10

- To sit the midst of Trinal Unity,

- He laid aside; and here with us to be,

- Forsook the Courts of everlasting Day,

- And chose with us a darksom House of mortal Clay.

- III

- Say Heav’nly Muse, shall not thy sacred vein

- Afford a present to the Infant God?

- Hast thou no vers, no hymn, or solemn strein,

- To welcom him to this his new abode,

- Now while the Heav’n by the Suns team untrod,

- Hath took no print of the approching light,  originalEd: 20

- And all the spangled host keep watch in squadrons bright?

- IV

- See how from far upon the Eastern rode

- The Star-led Wisards haste with odours sweet,

- O run, prevent them with thy humble ode,

- And lay it lowly at his blessed feet;

- Have thou the honour first, thy Lord to greet,

- And joyn thy voice unto the Angel Quire,

- From out his secret Altar toucht with hallow’d fire.

The Hymn.

- I

- IT was the Winter wilde,

- While the Heav’n-born-childe,  originalEd: 30

- All meanly wrapt in the rude manger lies;

- Nature in aw to him

- Had doff’t her gawdy trim,

- With her great Master so to sympathize:

- It was no season then for her

- To wanton with the Sun her lusty Paramour.

- II

- Only with speeches fair

- She woo’s the gentle Air

- To hide her guilty front with innocent Snow,

- And on her naked shame,  originalEd: 40

- Pollute with sinfull blame,

- The Saintly Vail of Maiden white to throw,

- Confounded, that her Makers eyes

- Should look so neer upon her foul deformities.

- III

- But he her fears to cease,

- Sent down the meek-eyd Peace,

- She crown’d with Olive green, came softly sliding

- Down through the turning sphear

- His ready Harbinger,

- With Turtle wing the amorous clouds dividing,  originalEd: 50

- And waving wide her mirtle wand,

- She strikes a universall Peace through Sea and Land.

- IV

- No War, or Battails sound

- Was heard the World around,

- The idle spear and shield were high up hung;

- The hooked Chariot stood

- Unstain’d with hostile blood,

- The Trumpet spake not to the armed throng,

- And Kings sate still with awfull eye,

- As if they surely knew their sovran Lord was by.  originalEd: 60

- V

- But peacefull was the night

- Wherin the Prince of light

- His raign of peace upon the earth began:

- The Windes with wonder whist,

- Smoothly the waters kist,

- Whispering new joyes to the milde Ocean,

- Who now hath quite forgot to rave,

- While Birds of Calm sit brooding on the charmed wave.

- VI

- The Stars with deep amaze

- Stand fixt in stedfast gaze,  originalEd: 70

- Bending one way their pretious influence,

- And will not take their flight,

- For all the morning light,

- Or Lucifer that often warn’d them thence;

- But in their glimmering Orbs did glow,

- Untill their Lord himself bespake, and bid them go.

- VII

- And though the shady gloom

- Had given day her room,

- The Sun himself with-held his wonted speed,

- And hid his head for shame,  originalEd: 80

- As his inferiour flame,

- The new enlightn’d world no more should need;

- He saw a greater Sun appear

- Then his bright Throne, or burning Axletree could bear.

- VIII

- The Shepherds on the Lawn,

- Or ere the point of dawn,

- Sate simply chatting in a rustick row;

- Full little thought they than,

- That the mighty Pan

- Was kindly com to live with them below;  originalEd: 90

- Perhaps their loves, or els their sheep,

- Was all that did their silly thoughts so busie keep.

- IX

- When such musick sweet

- Their hearts and ears did greet,

- As never was by mortall finger strook,

- Divinely-warbled voice

- Answering the stringed noise,

- As all their souls in blisfull rapture took:

- The Air such pleasure loth to lose,

- With thousand echo’s still prolongs each heav’nly close.

- X

- Nature that heard such sound  originalEd: 101

- Beneath the hollow round

- Of Cynthia’s seat, the Airy region thrilling,

- Now was almost won

- To think her part was don,

- And that her raign had here its last fulfilling;

- She knew such harmony alone

- Could hold all Heav’n and Earth in happier union.

- XI

- At last surrounds their sight

- A Globe of circular light,  originalEd: 110

- That with long beams the shame-fac’t night array’d,

- The helmed Cherubim

- And sworded Seraphim,

- Are seen in glittering ranks with wings displaid,

- Harping in loud and solemn quire,

- With unexpressive notes to Heav’ns new-born Heir.

- XII

- Such Musick (as ’tis said)

- Before was never made,

- But when of old the sons of morning sung,

- While the Creator Great  originalEd: 120

- His constellations set,

- And the well-ballanc’t world on hinges hung,

- And cast the dark foundations deep,

- And bid the weltring waves their oozy channel keep.

- XIII

- Ring out ye Crystall sphears,

- Once bless our human ears,

- (If ye have power to touch our senses so)

- And let your silver chime

- Move in melodious time;

- And let the Base of Heav’ns deep Organ blow,  originalEd: 130

- And with your ninefold harmony

- Make up full consort to th’Angelike symphony.

- XIV

- For if such holy Song

- Enwrap our fancy long,

- Time will run back, and fetch the age of gold,

- And speckl’d vanity

- Will sicken soon and die,

- And leprous sin will melt from earthly mould,

- And Hell it self will pass away,

- And leave her dolorous mansions to the peering day.  originalEd: 140

- XV

- Yea Truth, and Justice then

- Will down return to men,

- Th’enameld Arras of the Rain-bow wearing,

- And Mercy set between,

- Thron’d in Celestiall sheen,

- With radiant feet the tissued clouds down stearing,

- And Heav’n as at som festivall,

- Will open wide the Gates of her high Palace Hall.

143-4 Orb’d in a Rain-bow; and like glories wearing Mercy will sit between 1673

- XVI

- But wisest Fate sayes no,

- This must not yet be so,  originalEd: 150

- The Babe lies yet in smiling Infancy,

- That on the bitter cross

- Must redeem our loss;

- So both himself and us to glorifie:

- Yet first to those ychain’d in sleep,

- The wakefull trump of doom must thunder through the deep,

- XVII

- With such a horrid clang

- As on mount Sinai rang

- While the red fire, and smouldring clouds out brake:

- The aged Earth agast  originalEd: 160

- With terrour of that blast,

- Shall from the surface to the center shake;

- When at the worlds last session,

- The dreadfull Judge in middle Air shall spread his throne.

- XVIII

- And then at last our bliss

- Full and perfect is,

- But now begins; for from this happy day

- Th’old Dragon under ground

- In straiter limits bound,

- Not half so far casts his usurped sway,  originalEd: 170

- And wrath to see his Kingdom fail,

- Swindges the scaly Horrour of his foulded tail.

- XIX

- The Oracles are dumm,

- No voice or hideous humm

- Runs through the arched roof in words deceiving.

- Apollo from his shrine

- Can no more divine,

- With hollow shreik the steep of Delphos leaving.

- No nightly trance, or breathed spell,

- Inspire’s the pale-ey’d Priest from the prophetic cell.  originalEd: 180

- XX

- The lonely mountains o’re,

- And the resounding shore,

- A voice of weeping heard, and loud lament;

- From haunted spring, and dale

- Edg’d with poplar pale,

- The parting Genius is with sighing sent,

- With flowre-inwov’n tresses torn

- The Nimphs in twilight shade of tangled thickets mourn.

- XXI

- In consecrated Earth,

- And on the holy Hearth,  originalEd: 190

- The Lars, and Lemures moan with midnight plaint,

- In Urns, and Altars round,

- A drear, and dying sound

- Affrights the Flamins at their service quaint;

- And the chill Marble seems to sweat,

- While each peculiar power forgoes his wonted seat.

- XXII

- Peor, and Baalim,

- Forsake their Temples dim,

- With that twise-batter’d god of Palestine,

- And mooned Ashtaroth,  originalEd: 200

- Heav’ns Queen and Mother both,

- Now sits not girt with Tapers holy shine,

- The Libyc Hammon shrinks his horn,

- In vain the Tyrian Maids their wounded Thamuz mourn.

- XXIII

- And sullen Moloch fled,

- Hath left in shadows dred,

- His burning Idol all of blackest hue,

- In vain with Cymbals ring,

- They call the grisly king,

- In dismall dance about the furnace blue;  originalEd: 210

- The brutish gods of Nile as fast,

- Isis and Orus, and the Dog Anubis hast.

- XXIV

- Nor is Osiris seen

- In Memphian Grove, or Green,

- Trampling the unshowr’d Grasse with lowings loud:

- Nor can he be at rest

- Within his sacred chest,

- Naught but profoundest Hell can be his shroud,

- In vain with Timbrel’d Anthems dark

- The sable-stoled Sorcerers bear his worshipt Ark.  originalEd: 220

- XXV

- He feels from Juda’s Land

- The dredded Infants hand,

- The rayes of Bethlehem blind his dusky eyn;

- Nor all the gods beside,

- Longer dare abide,

- Not Typhon huge ending in snaky twine:

- Our Babe to shew his Godhead true,

- Can in his swadling bands controul the damned crew.

- XXVI

- So when the Sun in bed,

- Curtain’d with cloudy red,  originalEd: 230

- Pillows his chin upon an Orient wave,

- The flocking shadows pale,

- Troop to th’infernall jail,

- Each fetter’d Ghost slips to his severall grave,

- And the yellow-skirted Fayes,

- Fly after the Night-steeds, leaving their Moon-lov’d maze.

- XXVII

- But see the Virgin blest,

- Hath laid her Babe to rest.

- Time is our tedious Song should here have ending,

- Heav’ns youngest teemed Star,  originalEd: 240

- Hath fixt her polisht Car,

- Her sleeping Lord with Handmaid Lamp attending:

- And all about the Courtly Stable,

- Bright-harnest Angels sit in order serviceable.

A Paraphrase on Psalm 114.

This and the following Psalm were don by the Author at fifteen yeers old.

- WHEN the blest seed of Terah’s faithfull Son,

- After long toil their liberty had won,

- And past from Pharian fields to Canaan Land,

- Led by the strength of the Almighties hand,

- Jehovah’s wonders were in Israel shown,

- His praise and glory was in Israel known.

- That saw the troubl’d Sea, and shivering fled,

- And sought to hide his froth-becurled head

- Low in the earth, Jordans clear streams recoil,

- As a faint host that hath receiv’d the foil.  originalEd: 10

- The high, huge-bellied Mountains skip like Rams

- Amongst their Ews, the little Hills like Lambs.

- Why fled the Ocean? And why skipt the Mountains?

- Why turned Jordan toward his Crystall Fountains?

- Shake earth, and at the presence be agast

- Of him that ever was, and ay shall last,

- That glassy flouds from rugged rocks can crush,

- And make soft rills from fiery flint-stones gush.

Psalm 136.

- LET us with a gladsom mind

- Praise the Lord, for he is kind,

- For his mercies ay endure,

- Ever faithfull, ever sure.

- Let us blaze his Name abroad,

- For of gods he is the God;

- For, c.

- O let us his praises tell,

- That doth the wrathfull tyrants quell.  originalEd: 10

- For, c.

- That with his miracles doth make

- Amazed Heav’n and Earth to shake.

- For, c.

- That by his wisdom did create

- The painted Heav’ns so full of state.

- For, c.  originalEd: 20

- That did the solid Earth ordain

- To rise above the watry plain.

- For, c.

- That by his all-commanding might,

- Did fill the new-made world with light.

- For, c.

- And caus’d the Golden-tressed Sun,

- All the day long his cours to run.  originalEd: 30

- For, c.

- The horned Moon to shine by night,

- Amongst her spangled sisters bright.

- For, c.

- He with his thunder-clasping hand,

- Smote the first-born of Egypt Land.

- For, c.  originalEd: 40

- And in despight of Pharao fell,

- He brought from thence his Israel.

- For, c.

- The ruddy waves he cleft in twain,

- Of the Erythræan main.

- For, c.

- The floods stood still like Walls of Glass,

- While the Hebrew Bands did pass.  originalEd: 50

- For, c.

- But full soon they did devour

- The Tawny King with all his power.

- For, c.

- His chosen people he did bless

- In the wastfull Wildernes.

- For, c.  originalEd: 60

- In bloody battail he brought down

- Kings of prowess and renown.

- For, c.

- He foild bold Seon and his host,

- That rul’d the Amorrean coast.

- For, c.

- And large-lim’d Og he did subdue,

- With all his over hardy crew.  originalEd: 70

- For, c.

- And to his Servant Israel,

- He gave their Land therin to dwell.

- For, c.

- He hath with a piteous eye

- Beheld us in our misery.

- For, c.  originalEd: 80

- And freed us from the slavery

- Of the invading enimy.

- For, c.

- All living creatures he doth feed,

- And with full hand supplies their need.

- For, c.

- Let us therfore warble forth

- His mighty Majesty and worth.  originalEd: 90

- For, c.

- That his mansion hath on high

- Above the reach of mortall ey.

- For his mercies ay endure,

- Ever faithfull, ever sure.

The Passion.

- I

- ERE -while of Musick, and Ethereal mirth,

- Wherwith the stage of Ayr and Earth did ring,

- And joyous news of heav’nly Infants birth,

- My muse with Angels did divide to sing;

- But headlong joy is ever on the wing,

- In Wintry solstice like the shortn’d light

- Soon swallow’d up in dark and long out-living night.

- II

- For now to sorrow must I tune my song,

- And set my Harpe to notes of saddest wo,

- Which on our dearest Lord did sease er’e long,  originalEd: 10

- Dangers, and snares, and wrongs, and worse then so,

- Which he for us did freely undergo.

- Most perfect Heroe, try’d in heaviest plight

- Of labours huge and hard, too hard for human wight.

- III

- He sov’ran Priest stooping his regall head

- That dropt with odorous oil down his fair eyes,

- Poor fleshly Tabernacle entered,

- His starry front low-rooft beneath the skies;

- O what a Mask was there, what a disguise!

- Yet more; the stroke of death he must abide,  originalEd: 20

- Then lies him meekly down fast by his Brethrens side.

- IV

- These latter scenes confine my roving vers,

- To this Horizon is my Phoebus bound,

- His Godlike acts, and his temptations fierce,

- And former sufferings other where are found;

- Loud o’re the rest Cremona’s Trump doth sound;

- Me softer airs befit, and softer strings

- Of Lute, or Viol still, more apt for mournful things.

- V

- Befriend me night best Patroness of grief,

- Over the Pole thy thickest mantle throw,  originalEd: 30

- And work my flatter’d fancy to belief,

- That Heav’n and Earth are colour’d with my wo;

- My sorrows are too dark for day to know:

- The leaves should all be black wheron I write,

- And letters where my tears have washt a wannish white.

- VI

- See see the Chariot, and those rushing wheels,

- That whirl’d the Prophet up at Chebar flood,

- My spirit som transporting Cherub feels,

- To bear me where the Towers of Salem stood,

- Once glorious Towers, now sunk in guiltles blood;  originalEd: 40

- There doth my soul in holy vision sit

- In pensive trance, and anguish, and ecstatick fit.

- VII

- Mine eye hath found that sad Sepulchral rock

- That was the Casket of Heav’ns richest store,

- And here though grief my feeble hands up-lock,

- Yet on the softned Quarry would I score

- My plaining vers as lively as before;

- For sure so well instructed are my tears,

- That they would fitly fall in order’d Characters.

- VIII

- Or should I thence hurried on viewles wing,  originalEd: 50

- Take up a weeping on the Mountains wilde,

- The gentle neighbourhood of grove and spring

- Would soon unboosom all their Echoes milde,

- And I (for grief is easily beguild)

- Might think th’infection of my sorrows loud,

- Had got a race of mourners on som pregnant cloud.

This Subject the Author finding to be above the yeers he had, when he wrote it, and nothing satisfi’d with what was begun, left it unfinisht.

On Time.

- FLY envious Time, till thou run out thy race,

- Call on the lazy leaden-stepping hours,

- Whose speed is but the heavy Plummets pace;

- And glut thy self with what thy womb devours,

- Which is no more then what is false and vain,

- And meerly mortal dross;

- So little is our loss,

- So little is thy gain.

- For when as each thing bad thou hast entomb’d,

- And last of all, thy greedy self consum’d,  originalEd: 10

- Then long Eternity shall greet our bliss

- With an individual kiss;

- And Joy shall overtake us as a flood,

- When every thing that is sincerely good

- And perfectly divine,

- With Truth, and Peace, and Love shall ever shine

- About the supreme Throne

- Of him, t’whose happy-making sight alone,

- When once our heav’nly-guided soul shall clime,

- Then all this Earthy grosnes quit,  originalEd: 20

- Attir’d with Stars, we shall for ever sit,

- Triumphing over Death, and Chance, and thee O Time.

Upon the Circumcision.

- YE flaming Powers, and winged Warriours bright,

- That erst with Musick, and triumphant song

- First heard by happy watchful Shepherds ear,

- So sweetly sung your Joy the Clouds along

- Through the soft silence of the list’ning night;

- Now mourn, and if sad share with us to bear

- Your fiery essence can distill no tear,

- Burn in your sighs, and borrow

- Seas wept from our deep sorrow,

- He who with all Heav’ns heraldry whileare  originalEd: 10

- Enter’d the world, now bleeds to give us ease;

- Alas, how soon our sin

- Sore doth begin

- His Infancy to sease!

- O more exceeding love or law more just?

- Just law indeed, but more exceeding love!

- For we by rightfull doom remediles

- Were lost in death, till he that dwelt above

- High thron’d in secret bliss, for us frail dust

- Emptied his glory, ev’n to nakedness;  originalEd: 20

- And that great Cov’nant which we still transgress

- Intirely satisfi’d,

- And the full wrath beside

- Of vengeful Justice bore for our excess,

- And seals obedience first with wounding smart

- This day, but O ere long

- Huge pangs and strong

- Will pierce more neer his heart.

At a Solemn Musick.

- BLEST pair of Sirens, pledges of Heav’ns joy,

- Sphear-born harmonious Sisters, Voice, and Vers,

- Wed your divine sounds, and mixt power employ

- Dead things with inbreath’d sense able to pierce,

- And to our high-rais’d phantasie present,

- That undisturbed Song of pure content,

- Ay sung before the saphire-colour’d throne

- To him that sits theron

- With Saintly shout, and solemn Jubily,

- Where the bright Seraphim in burning row  originalEd: 10

- Their loud up-lifted Angel trumpets blow,

- And the Cherubick host in thousand quires

- Touch their immortal Harps of golden wires,

- With those just Spirits that wear victorious Palms,

- Hymns devout and holy Psalms

- Singing everlastingly;

- That we on Earth with undiscording voice

- May rightly answer that melodious noise;

- As once we did, till disproportion’d sin

- Jarr’d against natures chime, and with harsh din  originalEd: 20

- Broke the fair musick that all creatures made

- To their great Lord, whose love their motion sway’d

- In perfect Diapason, whilst they stood

- In first obedience, and their state of good.

- O may we soon again renew that Song

- And keep in tune with Heav’n, till God ere long

- To his celestial consort us unite,

- To live with him, and sing in endles morn of light.

An Epitaph on the Marchioness of Winchester.

- THIS rich Marble doth enterr

- The honour’d Wife of Winchester,

- A Vicounts daughter, an Earls heir,

- Besides what her vertues fair

- Added to her noble birth,

- More then she could own from Earth.

- Summers three times eight save one

- She had told, alas too soon,

- After so short time of breath,

- To house with darknes, and with death.  originalEd: 10

- Yet had the number of her days

- Bin as compleat as was her praise,

- Nature and fate had had no strife

- In giving limit to her life.

- Her high birth, and her graces sweet,

- Quickly found a lover meet;

- The Virgin quire for her request

- The God that sits at marriage feast;

- He at their invoking came

- But with a scarce-wel-lighted flame;  originalEd: 20

- And in his Garland as he stood,

- Ye might discern a Cipress bud.

- Once had the early Matrons run

- To greet her of a lovely son,

- And now with second hope she goes,

- And calls Lucina to her throws;

- But whether by mischance or blame

- Atropos for Lucina came;

- And with remorsles cruelty,

- Spoil’d at once both fruit and tree:  originalEd: 30

- The haples Babe before his birth

- Had burial, yet not laid in earth,

- And the languisht Mothers Womb

- Was not long a living Tomb.

- So have I seen som tender slip

- Sav’d with care from Winters nip,

- The pride of her carnation train,

- Pluck’t up by som unheedy swain,

- Who onely thought to crop the flowr

- New shot up from vernall showr;  originalEd: 40

- But the fair blossom hangs the head

- Side-ways as on a dying bed,

- And those Pearls of dew she wears,

- Prove to be presaging tears

- Which the sad morn had let fall

- On her hast’ning funerall.

- Gentle Lady may thy grave

- Peace and quiet ever have;

- After this thy travail sore

- Sweet rest sease thee evermore,  originalEd: 50

- That to give the world encrease,

- Shortned hast thy own lives lease;

- Here besides the sorrowing

- That thy noble House doth bring,

- Here be tears of perfect moan

- Weept for thee in Helicon,

- And som Flowers, and som Bays,

- For thy Hears to strew the ways,

- Sent thee from the banks of Came,

- Devoted to thy vertuous name;  originalEd: 60

- Whilst thou bright Saint high sit’st in glory,

- Next her much like to thee in story,

- That fair Syrian Shepherdess,

- Who after yeers of barrennes,

- The highly favour’d Joseph bore

- To him that serv’d for her before,

- And at her next birth much like thee,

- Through pangs fled to felicity,

- Far within the boosom bright

- Of blazing Majesty and Light,  originalEd: 70

- There with thee, new welcom Saint,

- Like fortunes may her soul acquaint,

- With thee there clad in radiant sheen,

- No Marchioness, but now a Queen.

SONG

- On May morning.

- Now the bright morning Star, Dayes harbinger,

- Comes dancing from the East, and leads with her

- The Flowry May, who from her green lap throws

- The yellow Cowslip, and the pale Primrose.

- Hail bounteous May that dost inspire

- Mirth and youth, and warm desire,

- Woods and Groves, are of thy dressing,

- Hill and Dale, doth boast thy blessing.

- Thus we salute thee with our early Song,

- And welcom thee, and wish thee long.  originalEd: 10

- On Shakespear. 1630.

- WHAT needs my Shakespear for his honour’d Bones,

- The labour of an age in piled Stones,

- Or that his hallow’d reliques should be hid

- Under a Star-ypointing Pyramid?

- Dear son of memory, great heir of Fame,

- What need’st thou such weak witnes of thy name?

- Thou in our wonder and astonishment

- Hast built thy self a live-long Monument.

- For whilst to th’shame of slow-endeavouring art,

- Thy easie numbers flow, and that each heart  originalEd: 10

- Hath from the leaves of thy unvalu’d Book,

- Those Delphick lines with deep impression took,

- Then thou our fancy of it self bereaving,

- Dost make us Marble with too much conceaving;

- And so Sepulcher’d in such pomp dost lie,

- That Kings for such a Tomb would wish to die.

On Shakespear. Reprinted 1632 in the second folio Shakespeare: Title] An epitaph on the admirable dramaticke poet W. Shakespeare

- On the University Carrier who

sickn’d in the time of his vacancy, being forbid to go to London, by reason of the Plague.

- HERE lies old Hobson, Death hath broke his girt,

- And here alas, hath laid him in the dirt,

- Or els the ways being foul, twenty to one,

- He’s here stuck in a slough, and overthrown.

- ’Twas such a shifter, that if truth were known,

- Death was half glad when he had got him down;

- For he had any time this ten yeers full,

- Dodg’d with him, betwixt Cambridge and the Bull.

- And surely, Death could never have prevail’d,

- Had not his weekly cours of carriage fail’d;  originalEd: 10

- But lately finding him so long at home,

- And thinking now his journeys end was come,

- And that he had tane up his latest Inne,

- In the kind office of a Chamberlin

- Shew’d him his room where he must lodge that night,

- Pull’d off his Boots, and took away the light:

- If any ask for him, it shall be sed,

- Hobson has supt, and’s newly gon to bed.

Another on the same.

- HERE lieth one who did most truly prove,

- That he could never die while he could move,

- So hung his destiny never to rot

- While he might still jogg on, and keep his trot,

- Made of sphear-metal, never to decay

- Untill his revolution was at stay.

- Time numbers motion, yet (without a crime

- ’Gainst old truth) motion number’d out his time:

- And like an Engin mov’d with wheel and waight,

- His principles being ceast, he ended strait.  originalEd: 10

- Rest that gives all men life, gave him his death,

- And too much breathing put him out of breath;

- Nor were it contradiction to affirm

- Too long vacation hastned on his term.

- Meerly to drive the time away he sickn’d,

- Fainted, and died, nor would with Ale be quickn’d;

- Nay, quoth he, on his swooning bed out-stretch’d,

- If I may not carry, sure Ile ne’re be fetch’d,

- But vow though the cross Doctors all stood hearers,

- For one Carrier put down to make six bearers.  originalEd: 20

- Ease was his chief disease, and to judge right,

- He di’d for heavines that his Cart went light,

- His leasure told him that his time was com,

- And lack of load, made his life burdensom,

- That even to his last breath (ther be that say’t)

- As he were prest to death, he cry’d more waight;

- But had his doings lasted as they were,

- He had bin an immortall Carrier.

- Obedient to the Moon he spent his date

- In cours reciprocal, and had his fate  originalEd: 30

- Linkt to the mutual flowing of the Seas,

- Yet (strange to think) his wain was his increase:

- His Letters are deliver’d all and gon,

- Onely remains this superscription.

L’Allegro.

- HENCE loathed Melancholy

- Of Cerberus, and blackest midnight born,

- In Stygian Cave forlorn

- ’Mongst horrid shapes, and shreiks, and sights unholy,

- Find out som uncouth cell,

- Where brooding darknes spreads his jealous wings,

- And the night-Raven sings;

- There under Ebon shades, and low-brow’d Rocks,

- As ragged as thy Locks,

- In dark Cimmerian desert ever dwell.  originalEd: 10

- But com thou Goddes fair and free,

- In Heav’n ycleap’d Euphrosyne,

- And by men, heart-easing Mirth,

- Whom lovely Venus at a birth

- With two sister Graces more

- To Ivy-crowned Bacchus bore;

- Or whether (as som Sager sing)

- The frolick Wind that breathes the Spring,

- Zephir with Aurora playing,

- As he met her once a Maying,  originalEd: 20

- There on Beds of Violets blew,

- And fresh-blown Roses washt in dew,

- Fill’d her with thee a daughter fair,

- So bucksom, blith, and debonair.

- Haste thee nymph, and bring with thee

- Jest and youthful Jollity,

- Quips and Cranks, and wanton Wiles,

- Nods, and Becks, and Wreathed Smiles,

- Such as hang on Hebe’s cheek,

- And love to live in dimple sleek;  originalEd: 30

- Sport that wrincled Care derides,

- And Laughter holding both his sides.

- Com, and trip it as ye go

- On the light fantastick toe,

- And in thy right hand lead with thee,

- The Mountain Nymph, sweet Liberty;

- And if I give thee honour due,

- Mirth, admit me of thy crue

- To live with her, and live with thee,

- In unreproved pleasures free;  originalEd: 40

- To hear the Lark begin his flight,

- And singing startle the dull night,

- From his watch-towre in the skies,

- Till the dappled dawn doth rise;

- Then to com in spight of sorrow,

- And at my window bid good morrow,

- Through the Sweet-Briar, or the Vine,

- Or the twisted Eglantine.

- While the Cock with lively din,

- Scatters the rear of darkness thin,  originalEd: 50

- And to the stack, or the Barn dore,

- Stoutly struts his Dames before,

- Oft list’ning how the Hounds and horn

- Chearly rouse the slumbring morn,

- From the side of som Hoar Hill,

- Through the high wood echoing shrill.

- Som time walking not unseen

- By Hedge-row Elms, on Hillocks green,

- Right against the Eastern gate,

- Wher the great Sun begins his state,  originalEd: 60

- Rob’d in flames, and Amber light,

- The clouds in thousand Liveries dight.

- While the Plowman neer at hand,

- Whistles ore the Furrow’d Land,

- And the Milkmaid singeth blithe,

- And the Mower whets his sithe,

- And every Shepherd tells his tale

- Under the Hawthorn in the dale.

- Streit mine eye hath caught new pleasures

- Whilst the Lantskip round it measures,  originalEd: 70

- Russet Lawns, and Fallows Gray,

- Where the nibling flocks do stray,

- Mountains on whose barren brest

- The labouring clouds do often rest:

- Meadows trim with Daisies pide,

- Shallow Brooks, and Rivers wide.

- Towers, and Battlements it sees

- Boosom’d high in tufted Trees,

- Wher perhaps som beauty lies,

- The Cynosure of neighbouring eyes.  originalEd: 80

- Hard by, a Cottage chimney smokes,

- From betwixt two aged Okes,

- Where Corydon and Thyrsis met,

- Are at their savory dinner set

- Of Hearbs, and other Country Messes,

- Which the neat-handed Phillis dresses;

- And then in haste her Bowre she leaves,

- With Thestylis to bind the Sheaves;

- Or if the earlier season lead

- To the tann’d Haycock in the Mead,  originalEd: 90

- Som times with secure delight

- The up-land Hamlets will invite,

- When the merry Bells ring round,

- And the jocond rebecks sound

- To many a youth, and many a maid,

- Dancing in the Chequer’d shade;

- And young and old com forth to play

- On a Sunshine Holyday,

- Till the live-long day-light fail,

- Then to the Spicy Nut-brown Ale,  originalEd: 100

- With stories told of many a feat,

- How Faery Mab the junkets eat,

- She was pincht, and pull’d she sed,

- And he by Friars Lanthorn led

- Tells how the drudging Goblin swet,

- To ern his Cream-bowle duly set,

- When in one night, ere glimps of morn,

- His shadowy Flale hath thresh’d the Corn

- That ten day-labourers could not end,

- Then lies him down the Lubbar Fend.  originalEd: 110

- And stretch’d out all the Chimney’s length,

- Basks at the fire his hairy strength;

- And Crop-full out of dores he flings,

- Ere the first Cock his Mattin rings.

- Thus don the Tales, to bed they creep,

- By whispering Windes soon lull’d asleep.

- Towred Cities please us then,

- And the busie humm of men,

- Where throngs of Knights and Barons bold,

- In weeds of Peace high triumphs hold,  originalEd: 120

- With store of Ladies, whose bright eies

- Rain influence, and judge the prise

- Of Wit, or Arms, while both contend

- To win her Grace, whom all commend.

- There let Hymen oft appear

- In Saffron robe, with Taper clear,

- And pomp, and feast, and revelry,

- With mask, and antique Pageantry,

- Such sights as youthfull Poets dream

- On Summer eeves by haunted stream.  originalEd: 130

- Then to the well-trod stage anon,

- If Jonsons learned Sock be on,

- Or sweetest Shakespear fancies childe,

- Warble his native Wood-notes wilde,

- And ever against eating Cares,

- Lap me in soft Lydian Aires,

- Married to immortal verse

- Such as the meeting soul may pierce

- In notes, with many a winding bout

- Of lincked sweetnes long drawn out,  originalEd: 140

- With wanton heed, and giddy cunning,

- The melting voice through mazes running;

- Untwisting all the chains that ty

- The hidden soul of harmony.

- That Orpheus self may heave his head

- From golden slumber on a bed

- Of heapt Elysian flowers, and hear

- Such streins as would have won the ear

- Of Pluto, to have quite set free

- His half regain’d Eurydice.  originalEd: 150

- These delights, if thou canst give,

- Mirth with thee, I mean to live.

Il Penseroso.

- HENCE vain deluding joyes,

- The brood of folly without father bred,

- How little you bested,

- Or fill the fixed mind with all your toyes;

- Dwell in som idle brain,

- And fancies fond with gaudy shapes possess,

- As thick and numberless

- As the gay motes that people the Sun Beams,

- Or likest hovering dreams

- The fickle Pensioners of Morpheus train.  originalEd: 10

- But hail thou Goddes, sage and holy,

- Hail divinest Melancholy,

- Whose Saintly visage is too bright

- To hit the Sense of human sight;

- And therfore to our weaker view,

- Ore laid with black staid Wisdoms hue.

- Black, but such as in esteem,

- Prince Memnons sister might beseem,

- Or that Starr’d Ethiope Queen that strove

- To set her beauties praise above  originalEd: 20

- The Sea Nymphs, and their powers offended.

- Yet thou art higher far descended,

- Thee bright-hair’d Vesta long of yore,

- To solitary Saturn bore;

- His daughter she (in Saturns raign,

- Such mixture was not held a stain)

- Oft in glimmering Bowres, and glades

- He met her, and in secret shades

- Of woody Ida’s inmost grove,

- While yet there was no fear of Jove.  originalEd: 30

- Com pensive Nun, devout and pure,

- Sober, stedfast, and demure,

- All in a robe of darkest grain,

- Flowing with majestick train,

- And sable stole of Cipres Lawn,

- Over thy decent shoulders drawn.

- Com, but keep thy wonted state,

- With eev’n step, and musing gate,

- And looks commercing with the skies,

- Thy rapt soul sitting in thine eyes:  originalEd: 40

- There held in holy passion still,

- Forget thy self to Marble, till

- With a sad Leaden downward cast,

- Thou fix them on the earth as fast.

- And joyn with thee calm Peace, and Quiet,

- Spare Fast, that oft with gods doth diet,

- And hears the Muses in a ring,

- Ay round about Joves Altar sing.

- And adde to these retired Leasure,

- That in trim Gardens takes his pleasure;  originalEd: 50

- But first, and chiefest, with thee bring,

- Him that yon soars on golden wing,

- Guiding the fiery-wheeled throne,

- The Cherub Contemplation,

- And the mute Silence hist along,

- ’Less Philomel will daign a Song,

- In her sweetest, saddest plight,

- Smoothing the rugged brow of night,

- While Cynthia checks her Dragon yoke,

- Gently o’re th’accustom’d Oke;  originalEd: 60

- Sweet Bird that shunn’st the noise of folly,

- Most musicall, most melancholy!

- Thee Chauntress oft the Woods among,

- I woo to hear thy eeven-Song;

- And missing thee, I walk unseen

- On the dry smooth-shaven Green,

- To behold the wandring Moon,

- Riding neer her highest noon,

- Like one that had bin led astray

- Through the Heav’ns wide pathles way;  originalEd: 70

- And oft, as if her head she bow’d,

- Stooping through a fleecy cloud.

- Oft on a Plat of rising ground,

- I hear the far-off Curfeu sound,

- Over som wide-water’d shoar,

- Swinging slow with sullen roar;

- Or if the Ayr will not permit,

- Som still removed place will fit,

- Where glowing Embers through the room

- Teach light to counterfeit a gloom,  originalEd: 80

- Far from all resort of mirth,

- Save the Cricket on the hearth,

- Or the Belmans drousie charm,

- To bless the dores from nightly harm:

- Or let my Lamp at midnight hour,

- Be seen in som high lonely Towr,

- Where I may oft out-watch the Bear,

- With thrice great Hermes, or unsphear

- The spirit of Plato to unfold

- What Worlds, or what vast Regions hold  originalEd: 90

- The immortal mind that hath forsook

- Her mansion in this fleshly nook:

- And of those Dæmons that are found

- In fire, air, flood, or under ground,

- Whose power hath a true consent

- With Planet, or with Element.

- Som time let Gorgeous Tragedy

- In Scepter’d Pall com sweeping by,

- Presenting Thebs, or Pelops line,

- Or the tale of Troy divine.  originalEd: 100

- Or what (though rare) of later age,

- Ennobled hath the Buskind stage.

- But, O sad Virgin, that thy power

- Might raise Musæus from his bower,

- Or bid the soul of Orpheus sing

- Such notes as warbled to the string,

- Drew Iron tears down Pluto’s cheek,

- And made Hell grant what Love did seek.

- Or call up him that left half told

- The story of Cambuscan bold,  originalEd: 110

- Of Camball, and of Algarsife,

- And who had Canace to wife,

- That own’d the vertuous Ring and Glass,

- And of the wondrous Hors of Brass,

- On which the Tartar King did ride;

- And if ought els, great Bards beside,

- In sage and solemn tunes have sung,

- Of Turneys and of Trophies hung;

- Of Forests, and inchantments drear,

- Where more is meant then meets the ear.  originalEd: 120

- Thus night oft see me in thy pale career,

- Till civil-suited Morn appeer,

- Not trickt and frounc’t as she was wont,

- With the Attick Boy to hunt,

- But Cherchef’t in a comly Cloud,

- While rocking Winds are Piping loud,

- Or usher’d with a shower still,

- When the gust hath blown his fill,

- Ending on the russling Leaves,

- With minute drops from off the Eaves.  originalEd: 130

- And when the Sun begins to fling

- His flaring beams, me Goddes bring

- To arched walks of twilight groves,

- And shadows brown that Sylvan loves

- Of Pine, or monumental Oake,

- Where the rude Ax with heaved stroke,

- Was never heard the Nymphs to daunt,

- Or fright them from their hallow’d haunt.

- There in close covert by som Brook,

- Where no profaner eye may look,  originalEd: 140

- Hide me from Day’s garish eie,

- While the Bee with Honied thie,

- That at her flowry work doth sing,

- And the Waters murmuring

- With such consort as they keep,

- Entice the dewy-feather’d Sleep;

- And let som strange mysterious dream,

- Wave at his Wings in Airy stream,

- Of lively portrature display’d,

- Softly on my eye-lids laid.  originalEd: 150

- And as I wake, sweet musick breath

- Above, about, or underneath,

- Sent by som spirit to mortals good,

- Or th’unseen Genius of the Wood.

- But let my due feet never fail,

- To walk the studious Cloysters pale,

- And love the high embowed Roof,

- With antick Pillars massy proof,

- And storied Windows richly dight,

- Casting a dimm religious light.  originalEd: 160

- There let the pealing Organ blow,

- To the full voic’d Quire below,

- In Service high, and Anthems cleer,

- As may with sweetnes, through mine ear,

- Dissolve me into extasies,

- And bring all Heav’n before mine eyes.

- And may at last my weary age

- Find out the peacefull hermitage,

- The Hairy Gown and Mossy Cell,

- Where I may sit and rightly spell  originalEd: 170

- Of every Star that Heav’n doth shew,

- And every Herb that sips the dew;

- Till old experience do attain

- To something like Prophetic strain.

- These pleasures Melancholy give,

- And I with thee will choose to live.

SONNETS.

- I

- O Nightingale, that on yon bloomy Spray

- Warbl’st at eeve, when all the Woods are still,

- Thou with fresh hope the Lovers heart dost fill,

- While the jolly hours lead on propitious May,

- Thy liquid notes that close the eye of Day,

- First heard before the shallow Cuccoo’s bill

- Portend success in love; O if Jove’s will

- Have linkt that amorous power to thy soft lay,

- Now timely sing, ere the rude Bird of Hate

- Foretell my hopeles doom in som Grove ny:  originalEd: 10

- As thou from yeer to yeer hast sung too late

- For my relief; yet hadst no reason why,

- Whether the Muse, or Love call thee his mate,

- Both them I serve, and of their train am I.

- II

- Donna leggiadra il cui bel nome honora

- L’herbosa val di Rheno, e il nobil varco,

- Ben è colui d’ogni valore scarco

- Qual tuo spirto gentil non innamora,

- Che dolcemente mostra si di fuora

- De suoi atti soavi giamai parco,

- E i don’, che son d’amor saette ed arco,

- La onde l’ alta tua virtù s’infiora.

- Quando tu vaga parli, o lieta canti

- Che mover possa duro alpestre legno,  originalEd: 10

- Guardi ciascun a gli occhi, ed a gli orecchi

- L’entrata, chi di te si truova indegno;

- Gratia sola di sù gli vaglia, inanti

- Che’l disio amoroso al cuor s’invecchi.

- III

- Qual in colle aspro, al imbrunir di sera

- L’avezza giovinetta pastorella

- Va bagnando l’herbetta strana e bella

- Che mal si spande a disusata spera

- Fuor di sua natia alma primavera,

- Cosi Amor meco insù la lingua snella

- Desta il fior novo di strania favella,

- Mentre io di te, vezzosamente altera,

- Canto, dal mio buon popol non inteso

- E’l bel Tamigi cangio col bel Arno.  originalEd: 10

- Amor lo volse, ed io a l’altrui peso

- Seppi ch’ Amor cosa mai volse indarno.

- Deh! foss’ il mio cuor lento e’l duro seno

- A chi pianta dal ciel si buon terreno.

- Canzone.

- Ridonsi donne e giovani amorosi

- M’ accostandosi attorno, e perche scrivi,

- Perche tu scrivi in lingua ignota e strana

- Verseggiando d’amor, e come t’osi?

- Dinne, se la tua speme sia mai vana,

- E de pensieri lo miglior t’ arrivi;

- Cosi mi van burlando, altri rivi

- Altri lidi t’ aspettan, altre onde

- Nelle cui verdi sponde

- Spuntati ad hor, ad hor a la tua chioma  originalEd: 10

- L’immortal guiderdon d’eterne frondi

- Perche alle spalle tue soverchia soma?

- Canzon dirotti, e tu per me rispondi

- Dice mia Donna, e’l suo dir, è il mio cuore

- Questa è lingua di cui si vanta Amore.

- IV

- Diodati, e te’l dirò con maraviglia,

- Quel ritroso io ch’amor spreggiar soléa

- E de suoi lacci spesso mi ridéa

- Gia caddi, ov’huom dabben talhor s’impiglia.

- Ne treccie d’oro, ne guancia vermiglia

- M’ abbaglian sì, ma sotto nova idea

- Pellegrina bellezza che’l cuor bea,

- Portamenti alti honesti, e nelle ciglia

- Quel sereno fulgor d’ amabil nero,

- Parole adorne di lingua piu d’una,  originalEd: 10

- E’l cantar che di mezzo l’hemispero

- Traviar ben può la faticosa Luna,

- E degli occhi suoi auventa si gran fuoco

- Che l’incerar gli orecchi mi fia poco.

- V

- Per certo i bei vostr’occhi Donna mia

- Esser non puo che non fian lo mio sole

- Si mi percuoton forte, come ei suole

- Per l’arene di Libia chi s’invia,

- Mentre un caldo vapor ( ne sentì pria )

- Da quel lato si spinge ove mi duole,

- Che forse amanti nelle lor parole

- Chiaman sospir; io non so che si sia:

- Parte rinchiusa, e turbida si cela

- Scosso mi il petto, e poi n’uscendo poco  originalEd: 10

- Quivi d’ attorno o s’agghiaccia, o s’ingiela;

- Ma quanto a gli occhi giunge a trovar loco

- Tutte le notti a me suol far piovose

- Finche mia Alba rivien colma di rose.

- VI

- Giovane piano, e semplicetto amante

- Poi che fuggir me stesso in dubbio sono,

- Madonna a voi del mio cuor l’humil dono

- Farò divoto; io certo a prove tante

- L’hebbi fedele, intrepido, costante,

- De pensieri leggiadro, accorto, e buono;

- Quando rugge il gran mondo, e scocca il tuono,

- S’arma di se, e d’ intero diamante,

- Tanto del forse, e d’ invidia sicuro,

- Di timori, e speranze al popol use  originalEd: 10

- Quanto d’ingegno, e d’ alto valor vago,

- E di cetra sonora, e delle muse:

- Sol troverete in tal parte men duro

- Ove amor mise l’insanabil ago.

- VII

- How soon hath Time the suttle theef of youth,

- Stoln on his wing my three and twentith yeer!

- My hasting dayes flie on with full career,

- But my late spring no bud or blossom shew’th.

- Perhaps my semblance might deceive the truth,

- That I to manhood am arriv’d so near,

- And inward ripenes doth much less appear,

- That som more timely-happy spirits indu’th.

- Yet be it less or more, or soon or slow,

- It shall be still in strictest measure eev’n,  originalEd: 10

- To that same lot, however mean, or high,

- Toward which Time leads me, and the will of Heav’n;

- All is, if I have grace to use it so,

- As ever in my great task Masters eye.

- VIII

- Captain or Colonel, or Knight in Arms,

- Whose chance on these defenceless dores may sease,

- If ever deed of honour did thee please,

- Guard them, and him within protect from harms,

- He can requite thee, for he knows the charms

- That call Fame on such gentle acts as these,

- And he can spred thy Name o’re Lands and Seas,

- What ever clime the Suns bright circle warms.

- Lift not thy spear against the Muses Bowre,

- The great Emathian Conqueror bid spare  originalEd: 10

- The house of Pindarus, when Temple and Towre

- Went to the ground: And the repeated air

- Of sad Electra’s Poet had the power

- To save th’ Athenian Walls from ruine bare.

VIII. Camb. autograph supplies title, When the assault was intended to the city

- IX

- Lady that in the prime of earliest youth,

- Wisely hath shun’d the broad way and the green,

- And with those few art eminently seen,

- That labour up the Hill of heav’nly Truth,

- The better part with Mary and with Ruth,

- Chosen thou hast, and they that overween,

- And at thy growing vertues fret their spleen,

- No anger find in thee, but pity and ruth.

- Thy care is fixt and zealously attends

- To fill thy odorous Lamp with deeds of light,  originalEd: 10

- And Hope that reaps not shame. Therefore be sure

- Thou, when the Bridegroom with his feastfull friends

- Passes to bliss at the mid hour of night,

- Hast gain’d thy entrance, Virgin wise and pure.

- X

- Daughter to that good Earl, once President

- Of Englands Counsel, and her Treasury,

- Who liv’d in both, unstain’d with gold or fee,

- And left them both, more in himself content,

- Till the sad breaking of that Parlament

X. Camb. autograph supplies title, To the Lady Margaret Ley.

- Broke him, as that dishonest victory

- At Chæronéa, fatal to liberty

- Kil’d with report that Old man eloquent,

- Though later born, then to have known the dayes

- Wherin your Father flourisht, yet by you  originalEd: 10

- Madam, me thinks I see him living yet;

- So well your words his noble vertues praise,

- That all both judge you to relate them true,

- And to possess them, Honour’d Margaret.

Arcades.

Part of an entertainment presented to the Countess Dowager of Darby at Harefield, by som Noble persons of her Family, who appear on the Scene in pastoral habit, moving toward the seat of State with this Song.

- 1.

- SONG.

- Look Nymphs, and Shepherds look,

- What sudden blaze of majesty

- Is that which we from hence descry

- Too divine to be mistook:

- This this is she

- To whom our vows and wishes bend,

- Heer our solemn search hath end.

- Fame that her high worth to raise,

- Seem’d erst so lavish and profuse,

- We may justly now accuse  originalEd: 10

- Of detraction from her praise,

- Less then half we find exprest,

- Envy bid conceal the rest.

- Mark what radiant state she spreds,

- In circle round her shining throne,

- Shooting her beams like silver threds,

- This this is she alone,

- Sitting like a Goddes bright,

- In the center of her light,

- Might she the wise Latona be,  originalEd: 20

- Or the towred Cybele,

- Mother of a hunderd gods;

- Juno dare’s not give her odds;

- Who had thought this clime had held

- A deity so unparalel’d?

As they com forward, the genius of the Wood appears, and turning toward them, speaks.

- Gen. Stay gentle Swains, for though in this disguise,

- I see bright honour sparkle through your eyes,

- Of famous Arcady ye are, and sprung

- Of that renowned flood, so often sung,

- Divine Alpheus, who by secret sluse,  originalEd: 30

- Stole under Seas to meet his Arethuse;

- And ye the breathing Roses of the Wood,

- Fair silver-buskind Nymphs as great and good,

- I know this quest of yours, and free intent

- Was all in honour and devotion ment

- To the great Mistres of yon princely shrine,

- Whom with low reverence I adore as mine,

- And with all helpful service will comply

- To further this nights glad solemnity;

- And lead ye where ye may more neer behold  originalEd: 40

- What shallow-searching Fame hath left untold;

- Which I full oft amidst these shades alone

- Have sate to wonder at, and gaze upon:

- For know by lot from Jove I am the powr

- Of this fair Wood, and live in Oak’n bowr,

- To nurse the Saplings tall, and curl the grove

- With Ringlets quaint, and wanton windings wove.

- And all my Plants I save from nightly ill,

- Of noisom winds, and blasting vapours chill.

- And from the Boughs brush off the evil dew,  originalEd: 50

- And heal the harms of thwarting thunder blew,

- Or what the cross dire-looking Planet smites,

- Or hurtfull Worm with canker’d venom bites.

- When Eev’ning gray doth rise, I fetch my round

- Over the mount, and all this hallow’d ground,

- And early ere the odorous breath of morn

- Awakes the slumbring leaves, or tasseld horn

- Shakes the high thicket, haste I all about,

- Number my ranks, and visit every sprout

- With puissant words, and murmurs made to bless,  originalEd: 60

- But els in deep of night when drowsines

- Hath lockt up mortal sense, then listen I

- To the celestial Sirens harmony,

- That sit upon the nine enfolded Sphears,

- And sing to those that hold the vital shears,

- And turn the Adamantine spindle round,

- On which the fate of gods and men is wound.

- Such sweet compulsion doth in musick ly,

- To lull the daughters of Necessity,

- And keep unsteddy Nature to her law,  originalEd: 70

- And the low world in measur’d motion draw

- After the heavenly tune, which none can hear

- Of human mould with grosse unpurged ear;

- And yet such musick worthiest were to blaze

- The peerles height of her immortal praise,

- Whose lustre leads us, and for her most fit,

- If my inferior hand or voice could hit

- Inimitable sounds, yet as we go,

- What ere the skill of lesser gods can show,

- I will assay, her worth to celebrate,  originalEd: 80

- And so attend ye toward her glittering state;

- Where ye may all that are of noble stemm

- Approach, and kiss her sacred vestures hemm.

- 2.

- SONG.

- O’re the smooth enameld green

- Where no print of step hath been,

- Follow me as I sing,

- And touch the warbled string.

- Under the shady roof

- Of branching Elm Star-proof,

- Follow me,  originalEd: 90

- I will bring you where she sits

- Clad in splendor as befits

- Her deity.

- Such a rural Queen

- All Arcadia hath not seen.

- 3.

- SONG.

- Nymphs and Shepherds dance no more

- By sandy Ladons Lillied banks.

- On old Lycæus or Cyllene hoar,

- Trip no more in twilight ranks,

- Though Erymanth your loss deplore,  originalEd: 100

- A better soyl shall give ye thanks.

- From the stony Mænalus,

- Bring your Flocks, and live with us,

- Here ye shall have greater grace,

- To serve the Lady of this place.

- Though Syrinx your Pans Mistres were,

- Yet Syrinx well might wait on her.

- Such a rural Queen

- All Arcadia hath not seen.

JUST A EDOVARDO KING naufrago, ab Amicis mœrentibus, amoris μνείας χάϐιν.

Sirectè calculum ponas, ubique naufragium est. Pet. Arb.

CANTABRIGIÆ:

Apud Thomam Buck, Rogerum Daniel, celeberrimæ Academiæ typographos. 1638.

Lycidas.

In this Monody the Author bewails a learned Friend, unfortunatly drown’d in his Passage from Chester on the Irish Seas, 1637. And by occasion foretels the ruine of our corrupted Clergy then in their height.

- YET once more, O ye Laurels, and once more

- Ye Myrtles brown, with Ivy never-sear,

- I com to pluck your Berries harsh and crude,

- And with forc’d fingers rude,

- Shatter your leaves before the mellowing year.

- Bitter constraint, and sad occasion dear,

- Compels me to disturb your season due:

- For Lycidas is dead, dead ere his prime

- Young Lycidas, and hath not left his peer:

- Who would not sing for Lycidas? he knew  originalEd: 10

- Himself to sing, and build the lofty rhyme.

- He must not flote upon his watry bear

- Unwept, and welter to the parching wind,

- Without the meed of som melodious tear.

- Begin then, Sisters of the sacred well,

- That from beneath the seat of Jove doth spring,

- Begin, and somwhat loudly sweep the string.

- Hence with denial vain, and coy excuse,

- So may som gentle Muse

- With lucky words favour my destin’d Urn,  originalEd: 20

- And as he passes turn,

- And bid fair peace be to my sable shrowd.

- For we were nurst upon the self-same hill,

- Fed the same flock, by fountain, shade, and rill.

- Together both, ere the high Lawns appear’d

- Under the opening eye-lids of the morn,

- We drove a field, and both together heard

- What time the Gray-fly winds her sultry horn,

- Batt’ning our flocks with the fresh dews of night,

- Oft till the Star that rose, at Ev’ning, bright  originalEd: 30

- Toward Heav’ns descent had slop’d his westering wheel.

- Mean while the Rural ditties were not mute,

- Temper’d to th’Oaten Flute;

- Rough Satyrs danc’d, and Fauns with clov’n heel,

- From the glad sound would not be absent long,

- And old Damœtas lov’d to hear our song.

- But O the heavy change, now thou art gon,

- Now thou art gon, and never must return!

- Thee Shepherd, thee the Woods, and desert Caves,

- With wilde Thyme and the gadding Vine o’regrown,  originalEd: 40

- And all their echoes mourn.

- The Willows, and the Hazle Copses green,

- Shall now no more be seen,

- Fanning their joyous Leaves to thy soft layes.

- As killing as the Canker to the Rose,

- Or Taint-worm to the weanling Herds that graze,

- Or Frost to Flowers, that their gay wardrop wear,

- When first the White thorn blows;

- Such, Lycidas, thy loss to Shepherds ear.

- Where were ye Nymphs when the remorseless deep

- Clos’d o’re the head of your lov’d Lycidas?  originalEd: 51

- For neither were ye playing on the steep,

- Where your old Bards, the famous Druids ly,

- Nor on the shaggy top of Mona high,

- Nor yet where Deva spreads her wisard stream:

- Ay me, I fondly dream!

- Had ye bin there—for what could that have don?

- What could the Muse her self that Orpheus bore,

- The Muse her self, for her inchanting son

- Whom Universal nature did lament,  originalEd: 60

- When by the rout that made the hideous roar,

- His goary visage down the stream was sent,

- Down the swift Hebrus to the Lesbian shore.

- Alas! What boots it with uncessant care

- To tend the homely slighted Shepherds trade,

- And strictly meditate the thankles Muse,

- Were it not better don as others use,

- To sport with Amaryllis in the shade,

- Or with the tangles of Neæra’s hair?

- Fame is the spur that the clear spirit doth raise  originalEd: 70

- (That last infirmity of Noble mind)

- To scorn delights, and live laborious dayes;

- But the fair Guerdon when we hope to find,

- And think to burst out into sudden blaze,

- Comes the blind Fury with th’abhorred shears,

- And slits the thin spun life. But not the praise,

- Phœbus repli’d, and touch’d my trembling ears;

- Fame is no plant that grows on mortal soil,

- Nor in the glistering foil

- Set off to th’world, nor in broad rumour lies,  originalEd: 80

- But lives and spreds aloft by those pure eyes,

- And perfet witnes of all judging Jove;

- As he pronounces lastly on each deed,

- Of so much fame in Heav’n expect thy meed.

- O Fountain Arethuse, and thou honour’d floud,

- Smooth-sliding Mincius, crown’d with vocall reeds,

- That strain I heard was of a higher mood:

- But now my Oate proceeds,

- And listens to the Herald of the Sea

- That came in Neptune’s plea,  originalEd: 90

- He ask’d the Waves, and ask’d the Fellon winds,

- What hard mishap hath doom’d this gentle swain?

- And question’d every gust of rugged wings

- That blows from off each beaked Promontory,

- They knew not of his story,

- And sage Hippotades their answer brings,

- That not a blast was from his dungeon stray’d,

- The Ayr was calm, and on the level brine,

- Sleek Panope with all her sisters play’d.

- It was that fatall and perfidious Bark  originalEd: 100

- Built in th’eclipse, and rigg’d with curses dark,

- That sunk so low that sacred head of thine.

- Next Camus, reverend Sire, went footing slow,

- His Mantle hairy, and his Bonnet sedge,

- Inwrought with figures dim, and on the edge

- Like to that sanguine flower inscrib’d with woe.

- Ah; Who hath reft (quoth he) my dearest pledge?

- Last came, and last did go,

- The Pilot of the Galilean lake,

- Two massy Keyes he bore of metals twain,  originalEd: 110

- (The Golden opes, the Iron shuts amain)

- He shook his Miter’d locks, and stern bespake,

- How well could I have spar’d for thee, young swain,

- Anow of such as for their bellies sake,

- Creep and intrude, and climb into the fold?

- Of other care they little reck’ning make,

- Then how to scramble at the shearers feast,

- And shove away the worthy bidden guest.

- Blind mouthes! that scarce themselves know how to hold

- A Sheep-hook, or have learn’d ought els the least  originalEd: 120

- That to the faithfull Herdmans art belongs!

- What recks it them? What need they? They are sped;

- And when they list, their lean and flashy songs

- Grate on their scrannel Pipes of wretched straw,

- The hungry Sheep look up, and are not fed,

- But swoln with wind, and the rank mist they draw,

- Rot inwardly, and foul contagion spread:

- Besides what the grim Woolf with privy paw

- Daily devours apace, and nothing sed,

- But that two-handed engine at the door,  originalEd: 130

- Stands ready to smite once, and smite no more.

- Return Alpheus, the dread voice is past,

- That shrunk thy streams; Return Sicilian Muse,

- And call the Vales, and bid them hither cast

- Their Bels, and Flourets of a thousand hues.

- Ye valleys low where the milde whispers use,

- Of shades and wanton winds, and gushing brooks

- On whose fresh lap the swart Star sparely looks,

- Throw hither all your quaint enameld eyes,

- That on the green terf suck the honied showres,  originalEd: 140

- And purple all the ground with vernal flowres.

- Bring the rathe Primrose that forsaken dies.

- The tufted Crow-toe, and pale Gessamine,

- The white Pink, and the Pansie freakt with jeat,

- The glowing Violet.

- The Musk-rose, and the well attir’d Woodbine.

- With Cowslips wan that hang the pensive hed,

- And every flower that sad embroidery wears:

- Bid Amaranthus all his beauty shed,

- And Daffadillies fill their cups with tears,  originalEd: 150

- To strew the Laureat Herse where Lycid lies.

- For so to interpose a little ease,

- Let our frail thoughts dally with false surmise.

- Ay me! Whilst thee the shores, and sounding Seas

- Wash far away, where ere thy bones are hurld,

- Whether beyond the stormy Hebrides,

- Where thou perhaps under the whelming tide

- Visit’st the bottom of the monstrous world;

- Or whether thou to our moist vows deny’d,

- Sleep’st by the fable of Bellerus old,  originalEd: 160

- Where the great vision of the guarded Mount

- Looks toward Namancos and Bayona’s hold;

- Look homeward Angel now, and melt with ruth.

- And, O ye Dolphins, waft the haples youth.

- Weep no more, woful Shepherds weep no more,

- For Lycidas your sorrow is not dead,

- Sunk though he be beneath the watry floar,

- So sinks the day-star in the Ocean bed,

- And yet anon repairs his drooping head,

- And tricks his beams, and with new spangled Ore,  originalEd: 170

- Flames in the forehead of the morning sky:

- So Lycidas sunk low, but mounted high,

- Through the dear might of him that walk’d the waves

- Where other groves, and other streams along,

- With Nectar pure his oozy Lock’s he laves,

- And hears the unexpressive nuptiall Song,

- In the blest Kingdoms meek of joy and love.

- There entertain him all the Saints above,

- In solemn troops, and sweet Societies

- That sing, and singing in their glory move,  originalEd: 180

- And wipe the tears for ever from his eyes.

- Now Lycidas the Shepherds weep no more;

- Hence forth thou art the Genius of the shore,

- In thy large recompense, and shalt be good

- To all that wander in that perilous flood.

- Thus sang the uncouth Swain to th’Okes and rills,

- While the still morn went out with Sandals gray,

- He touch’d the tender stops of various Quills,

- With eager thought warbling his Dorick lay:

- And now the Sun had stretch’d out all the hills,  originalEd: 190

- And now was dropt into the Western bay;

- At last he rose, and twitch’d his Mantle blew:

- To morrow to fresh Woods, and Pastures new.

A MASKE PRESENTED At Ludlow Castle, 1634:

On Michaelmasse night, before the RIGHT HONORABLE, IOHN Earle of Bridgewater, Vicount BRACKLY, Lord Præsident of WALES, And one of His MAIESTIES most honorable Privie Counsell.

Eheu quid volui misero mihi! floribus austrum Perditus ———

LONDON

Printed for Hy MPHREY ROBINSON, at the signe of the Three Pidgeons in Pauls Church-yard. 1637.

H. Lawes

Lawes, H.

John Lord Vicount Bracly

Bracly, John Lord Vicount

[1] To the Right Honourable, John Lord Vicount Bracly, Son and Heir apparent to the Earl of Bridgewater, c.

MY LORD,

This Poem, which receiv’d its first occasion of Birth from your Self, and others of your Noble Family, and much honour from your own Person in the performance, now returns again to make a finall Dedication of it self to you. Although not openly acknowledg’d by the Author, yet it is a legitimate off-spring, so lovely, and so much desired, that the often Copying of it hath tir’d my Pen to give my severall friends satisfaction, and brought me to a necessity of producing it to the publike view; and now to offer it up in all rightfull devotion to those fair Hopes, and rare Endowments of your much-promising Youth, which give a full assurance, to all that know you, of a future excellence. Live sweet Lord to be the honour of your Name, and receive this as your own, from the hands of him, who hath by many favours been long oblig’d to your most honour’d Parents, and as in this representation your attendant Thyrsis, so now in all reall expression

Your faithfull, and most humble Servant

H. LAWES.

Sir Henry Wootton

Wootton, Sir Henry

13. of April, 1638

Colledge

John Milton

Milton, John

[1] The Copy of a Letter writt’n by Sir HENRY WOOTTON, to the Author, upon the following Poem.

From the

Colledge

, this

13. of April, 1638

.

SIR,

It was a special favour, when you lately bestowed upon me here, the first taste of your acquaintance, though no longer then to make me know that I wanted more time to value it, and to enjoy it rightly; and in truth, if I could then have imagined your father stay in these parts, which I understood afterwards by Mr. H. I would have been bold in our vulgar phrase to mend my draught (for you left me with an extreme thirst) and to have begged your conversation again, joyntly with your said learned Friend, at a poor meal or two, that we might have banded together som good Authors of the antient time: Among which, I observed you to have been familiar.

Since your going, you have charg’d me with new Obligations, both for a very kinde Letter from you dated the sixth of this Month, and for a dainty peece of entertainment which came therwith. Wherin I should much commend the Tragical part, if the Lyrical did not ravish me with a certain Dorique delicacy in your Songs and Odes, wherunto I must plainly confess to have seen yet nothing parallel in our Language: Ipsa mollities. But I must not omit to tell you, that I now onely owe you thanks for intimating unto me (how modestly soever) the true Artificer. For the work it self I had view’d som good while before, with singular delight, having receiv’d it from our common Friend Mr. R. in the very close of the late R ’s Poems, Printed at Oxford, wherunto it was added (as I now suppose) that the Accessory might help out the Principal, according to the Art of Stationers, and to leave the Reader Con la bocca dolce.

Now Sir, concerning your travels, wherin I may chalenge a little more priviledge of Discours with you; I suppose you will not blanch Paris in your way; therfore I have been bold to trouble you with a few lines to Mr. M. B. whom you shall easily find attending the young Lord S. as his Governour, and you may surely receive from him good directions for the shaping of your farther journey into Italy, where he did reside by my choice som time for the King, after mine own recess from Venice.

I should think that your best Line will be thorow the whole length of France to Marseilles, and thence by Sea to Genoa, whence the passage into Tuscany is as Diurnal as a Gravesend Barge: I hasten as you do to Florence, or Siena, the rather to tell you a short story from the interest you have given me in your safety.

At Siena I was tabled in the House of one Alberto Scipioni, an old Roman Courtier in dangerous times, having bin Steward to the Duca di Pagliano, who with all his Family were strangled, save this onely man that escap’d by foresight of the Tempest: With him I had often much chat of those affairs; Into which he took pleasure to look back from his Native Harbour; and at my departure toward Rome (which had been the center of his experience) I had wonn confidence enough to beg his advice, how I might carry my self securely there, without offence of others, or of mine own conscience. Signor Arrigo mio (sayes he) I pensieri stretti, il viso sciolto will go safely over the whole World: Of which Delphian Oracle (for so I have found it) your judgement doth need no commentary; and therfore (Sir) I will commit you with it to the best of all securities, Gods dear love, remaining

Your Friend as much at command as any of longer date,

Henry Wootton.

Postscript.

SIR, I have expressly sent this my Foot-boy to prevent your departure without som acknowledgement from me of the receipt of your obliging Letter, having myself through som busines, I know not how, neglected the ordinary conveyance. In any part where I shall understand you fixed, I shall be glad, and diligent to entertain you with Home-Novelties; even for som fomentation of our friendship, too soon interrupted in the Cradle.

The Persons.

The attendant Spirit afterwards in the habit of Thyrsis.

Comus with his crew.

The Lady.

1. Brother.

2. Brother.

Sabrina the Nymph.

The cheif persons which presented, were

The Lord Bracly,

Mr. Thomas Egerton his Brother,

The Lady Alice Egerton.

A MASK

PRESENTED At LUDLOW-Castle, 1634. c.

The first Scene discovers a wilde Wood.

The attendant Spirit descends or enters.

Spirit

- BEFORE the starry threshold of Joves Court

- My mansion is, where those immortal shapes

- Of bright aëreal Spirits live insphear’d

- In Regions milde of calm and serene Ayr,

- Above the smoak and stirr of this dim spot,

- Which men call Earth, and with low-thoughted care

- Confin’d, and pester’d in this pin-fold here,

- Strive to keep up a frail, and Feaverish being

- Unmindfull of the crown that Vertue gives

- After this mortal change, to her true Servants  originalEd: 10

- Amongst the enthron’d gods on Sainted seats.

- Yet som there be that by due steps aspire

- To lay their just hands on that Golden Key

- That ope’s the Palace of Eternity:

- To such my errand is, and but for such,

- I would not soil these pure Ambrosial weeds,

- With the rank vapours of this Sin-worn mould.

- But to my task. Neptune besides the sway

- Of every salt Flood, and each ebbing Stream,

- Took in by lot ’twixt high, and neather Jove,  originalEd: 20

- Imperial rule of all the Sea-girt Iles

- That like to rich, and various gemms inlay

- The unadorned boosom of the Deep,

- Which he to grace his tributary gods

- By course commits to severall government,

- And gives them leave to wear their Saphire crowns,

- And weild their little tridents, but this Ile

- The greatest, and the best of all the main

- He quarters to his blu-hair’d deities,

- And all this tract that fronts the falling Sun  originalEd: 30

- A noble Peer of mickle trust, and power

- Has in his charge, with temper’d awe to guide

- An old, and haughty Nation proud in Arms:

- Where his fair off-spring nurs’t in Princely lore,

- Are coming to attend their Fathers state,

- And new-entrusted Scepter, but their way

- Lies through the perplex’t paths of this drear Wood,

- The nodding horror of whose shady brows

- Threats the forlorn and wandring Passinger.

- And here their tender age might suffer perill,  originalEd: 40

- But that by quick command from Soveran Jove

- I was dispatcht for their defence, and guard;

- And listen why, for I will tell ye now

- What never yet was heard in Tale or Song

- From old, or modern Bard in Hall, or Bowr.

- Bacchus that first from out the purple Grape,

- Crush’t the sweet poyson of mis-used Wine

- After the Tuscan Mariners transform’d

- Coasting the Tyrrhene shore, as the winds listed,

- On Circes Iland fell (who knows not Circe  originalEd: 50

- The daughter of the Sun? Whose charmed Cup

- Whoever tasted, lost his upright shape,

- And downward fell into a groveling Swine)

- This Nymph that gaz’d upon his clustring locks,

- With Ivy berries wreath’d, and his blithe youth,

- Had by him, ere he parted thence, a Son

- Much like his Father, but his Mother more,

- Whom therfore she brought up and Comus nam’d,

- Who ripe, and frolick of his full grown age,

- Roaving the Celtick, and Iberian fields,  originalEd: 60

- At last betakes him to this ominous Wood,

- And in thick shelter of black shades imbowr’d,

- Excells his Mother at her mighty Art,

- Offring to every weary Travailer,

- His orient liquor in a Crystal Glasse,

- To quench the drouth of Phœbus, which as they taste

- (For most do taste through fond intemperate thirst)

- Soon as the Potion works, their human count’nance,

- Th’ express resemblance of the gods, is chang’d

- Into som brutish form of Woolf, or Bear,  originalEd: 70

- Or Ounce, or Tiger, Hog, or bearded Goat,

- All other parts remaining as they were,

- And they, so perfect is their misery,

- Not once perceive their foul disfigurement,

- But boast themselves more comely then before

- And all their friends, and native home forget

- To roule with pleasure in a sensual stie.

- Therfore when any favour’d of high Jove,

- Chances to pass through this adventrous glade,

- Swift as the Sparkle of a glancing Star,  originalEd: 80

- I shoot from Heav’n to give him safe convoy,

- As now I do: But first I must put off

- These my skie robes spun out of Iris Wooff,

- And take the Weeds and likenes of a Swain,

- That to the service of this house belongs,

- Who with his soft Pipe, and smooth-dittied Song,

- Well knows to still the wilde winds when they roar,

- And hush the waving Woods, nor of lesse faith,

- And in this office of his Mountain watch,

- Likeliest, and neerest to the present ayd  originalEd: 90

- Of this occasion. But I hear the tread

- Of hatefull steps, I must be viewles now.

Comus enters with a Charming Rod in one hand, his Glass in the other, with him a rout of Monsters, headed like sundry sorts of wilde Beasts, but otherwise like Men and Women, their Apparel glistring, they com in making a riotous and unruly noise, with Torches in their hands.

Comus.

- The Star that bids the Shepherd fold,

- Now the top of Heav’n doth hold,

- And the gilded Car of Day,

- His glowing Axle doth allay

- In the steep Atlantick stream,

- And the slope Sun his upward beam

- Shoots against the dusky Pole,

- Pacing toward the other gole  originalEd: 100

- Of his Chamber in the East.

- Mean while welcom Joy, and Feast,

- Midnight shout, and revelry,

- Tipsie dance, and Jollity.

- Braid your Locks with rosie Twine

- Dropping odours, dropping Wine.

- Rigor now is gon to bed,

- And Advice with scrupulous head,

- Strict Age, and sowre Severity,

- With their grave Saws in slumber ly.  originalEd: 110

- We that are of purer fire

- Imitate the Starry Quire,

- Who in their nightly watchfull Sphears,

- Lead in swift round the Months and Years.

- The Sounds, and Seas with all their finny drove

- Now to the Moon in wavering Morrice move,

- And on the Tawny Sands and Shelves,

- Trip the pert Fairies and the dapper Elves;

- By dimpled Brook, and Fountain brim,

- The Wood-Nymphs deckt with Daisies trim,  originalEd: 120

- Their merry wakes and pastimes keep:

- What hath night to do with sleep?

- Night hath better sweets to prove,

- Venus now wakes, and wak’ns Love.

- Com let us our rights begin,

- ’Tis onely day-light that makes Sin

- Which these dun shades will ne’re report.

- Hail Goddesse of Nocturnal sport

- Dark vaild Cotytto, t’ whom the secret flame

- Of mid-night Torches burns; mysterious Dame  originalEd: 130

- That ne’re art call’d, but when the Dragon woom

- Of Stygian darknes spets her thickest gloom,

- And makes one blot of all the ayr,

- Stay thy cloudy Ebon chair,

- Wherin thou rid’st with Hecat ’, and befriend

- Us thy vow’d Priests, til utmost end

- Of all thy dues be done, and none left out,

- Ere the blabbing Eastern scout,

- The nice Morn on th’ Indian steep

- From her cabin’d loop hole peep,  originalEd: 140

- And to the tel-tale Sun discry

- Our conceal’d Solemnity.

- Com, knit hands, and beat the ground,

- In a light fantastick round.

The Measure.

- Break off, break off, I feel the different pace,

- Of som chast footing neer about this ground.

- Run to your shrouds, within these Brakes and Trees,

- Our number may affright: Som Virgin sure

- (For so I can distinguish by mine Art)

- Benighted in these Woods. Now to my charms,  originalEd: 150

- And to my wily trains, I shall e’re long

- Be well stock’t with as fair a herd as graz’d

- About my Mother Circe. Thus I hurl

- My dazling Spells into the spungy ayr,

- Of power to cheat the eye with blear illusion,

- And give it false presentments, lest the place

- And my quaint habits breed astonishment,

- And put the Damsel to suspicious flight,

- Which must not be, for that’s against my course;

- I under fair pretence of friendly ends,  originalEd: 160

- And well plac’t words of glozing courtesie

- Baited with reasons not unplausible

- Wind me into the easie-hearted man,

- And hugg him into snares. When once her eye

- Hath met the vertue of this Magick dust,

- I shall appear som harmles Villager

- Whom thrift keeps up about his Country gear,

- But here she comes, I fairly step aside,

- And hearken, if I may, her busines here.

The Lady enters.

The Lady

- This way the noise was, if mine ear be true,  originalEd: 170

- My best guide now, me thought it was the sound

- Of Riot, and ill manag’d Merriment,

- Such as the jocond Flute, or gamesom Pipe

- Stirs up among the loose unleter’d Hinds,

- When for their teeming Flocks, and granges full

- In wanton dance they praise the bounteous Pan,

- And thank the gods amiss. I should be loath

- To meet the rudenesse, and swill’d insolence

- Of such late Wassailers; yet O where els

- Shall I inform my unacquainted feet  originalEd: 180

167 omitted 1673

168, 9 order inverted 1673

- In the blind mazes of this tangl’d Wood?

- My Brothers when they saw me wearied out

- With this long way, resolving here to lodge

- Under the spreading favour of these Pines,

- Stept as they se’d to the next Thicket side

- To bring me Berries, or such cooling fruit

- As the kind hospitable Woods provide.

- They left me then, when the gray-hooded Eev’n

- Like a sad Votarist in Palmers weed

- Rose from the hindmost wheels of Phœbus wain.  originalEd: 190

- But where they are, and why they came not back,

- Is now the labour of my thoughts, ’tis likeliest

- They had ingag’d their wandring steps too far,

- And envious darknes, e’re they could return,

- Had stole them from me, els O theevish Night

- Why shouldst thou, but for som fellonious end,

- In thy dark lantern thus close up the Stars,

- That nature hung in Heav’n, and fill’d their Lamps

- With everlasting oil, to give due light

- To the misled and lonely Travailer?  originalEd: 200

- This is the place, as well as I may guess,

- Whence eev’n now the tumult of loud Mirth

- Was rife, and perfet in my list’ning ear,

- Yet nought but single darknes do I find.

- What might this be? A thousand fantasies

- Begin to throng into my memory

- Of calling shapes, and beckning shadows dire,

- And airy tongues, that syllable mens names

- On Sands, and Shoars, and desert Wildernesses.

- These thoughts may startle well, but not astound  originalEd: 210

- The vertuous mind, that ever walks attended

- By a strong siding champion Conscience.—

- O welcom pure-ey’d Faith, white-handed Hope,

- Thou hovering Angel girt with golden wings,

- And thou unblemish’t form of Chastity,

- I see ye visibly, and now beleeve

- That he, the Supreme good, t’ whom all things ill

- Are but as slavish officers of vengeance,

- Would send a glistring Guardian if need were

- To keep my life and honour unassail’d.  originalEd: 220

- Was I deceiv’d, or did a sable cloud

- Turn forth her silver lining on the night?

- I did not err, there does a sable cloud

- Turn forth her silver lining on the night,

- And casts a gleam over this tufted Grove.

- I cannot hallow to my Brothers, but

- Such noise as I can make to be heard farthest

- Ile venter, for my new enliv’nd spirits

- Prompt me; and they perhaps are not far off.

- SONG.

- Sweet Echo, sweetest Nymph that liv’st unseen  originalEd: 230

- Within thy airy shell

- By slow Meander’s margent green,

- And in the violet imbroider’d vale

- Where the love-lorn Nightingale

- Nightly to thee her sad Song mourneth well.

- Canst thou not tell me of a gentle Pair

- That likest thy Narcissus are?

- O if thou have

- Hid them in som flowry Cave,

- Tell me but where  originalEd: 240

- Sweet Queen of Parly, Daughter of the Sphear,

- So maist thou be translated to the skies,

- And give resounding grace to all Heav’ns Harmonies.

Com.

- Can any mortal mixture of Earths mould

- Breath such Divine inchanting ravishment?

- Sure somthing holy lodges in that brest,

- And with these raptures moves the vocal air

- To testifie his hidd’n residence;

- How sweetly did they float upon the wings

- Of silence, through the empty-vaulted night  originalEd: 250

- At every fall smoothing the Raven doune

- Of darknes till it smil’d: I have oft heard

- My mother Circe with the Sirens three,

- Amid’st the flowry-kirtl’d Naiades

- Culling their Potent hearbs, and balefull drugs,

- Who as they sung, would take the prison’d soul,

- And lap it in Elysium, Scylla wept,

- And chid her barking waves into attention,

- And fell Charybdis murmur’d soft applause:

- Yet they in pleasing slumber lull’d the sense,  originalEd: 260

- And in sweet madnes rob’d it of it self,

- But such a sacred, and home-felt delight,

- Such sober certainty of waking bliss

- I never heard till now. Ile speak to her

- And she shall be my Queen. Hail forren wonder

- Whom certain these rough shades did never breed

- Unlesse the Goddes that in rurall shrine

- Dwell’st here with Pan, or Silvan, by blest Song

- Forbidding every bleak unkindly Fog

- To touch the prosperous growth of this tall Wood.  originalEd: 270

La.

- Nay gentle Shepherd ill is lost that praise

- That is addrest to unattending Ears,

- Not any boast of skill, but extreme shift

- How to regain my sever’d company

- Compell’d me to awake the courteous Echo

- To give me answer from her mossie Couch.

Co.

What chance good Lady hath bereft you thus?

La.

Dim darknes, and this leavy Labyrinth.

Co.

Could that divide you from neer-ushering guides?

La.

They left me weary on a grassie terf.  originalEd: 280

Co.

By falshood, or discourtesie, or why?

La.

To seek i’th vally som cool friendly Spring.

Co.

And left your fair side all unguarded Lady?

La.

They were but twain, and purpos’d quick return.

Co.

Perhaps fore-stalling night prevented them.

La.

How easie my misfortune is to hit!

Co.

Imports their loss, beside the present need?

La.

No less then if I should my brothers loose.

Co.

Were they of manly prime, or youthful bloom?

La.

As smooth as Hebe’s their unrazor’d lips.  originalEd: 290

Co.

Two such I saw, what time the labour’d Oxe

- In his loose traces from the furrow came,

- And the swink’t hedger at his Supper sate;

- I saw them under a green mantling vine

- That crawls along the side of yon small hill,

- Plucking ripe clusters from the tender shoots,

- Their port was more then human, as they stood;

- I took it for a faëry vision

- Of som gay creatures of the element

- That in the colours of the Rainbow live  originalEd: 300

- And play i’th plighted clouds. I was aw-strook,

- And as I past, I worshipt: if those you seek

- It were a journey like the path to Heav’n,

- To help you find them.

La.

- Gentle villager

- What readiest way would bring me to that place?

Co.

Due west it rises from this shrubby point.

La.

To find out that, good Shepherd, I suppose,

- In such a scant allowance of Star-light,

- Would overtask the best Land-Pilots art,

- Without the sure guess of well-practiz’d feet,  originalEd: 310

Co.

- I know each lane, and every alley green

- Dingle, or bushy dell of this wilde Wood,

- And every bosky bourn from side to side

- My daily walks and ancient neighbourhood,

- And if your stray attendance be yet lodg’d,

- Or shroud within these limits, I shall know

- Ere morrow wake, or the low roosted lark

- From her thatch’t pallat rowse, if otherwise

- I can conduct you Lady to a low

- But loyal cottage, where you may be safe  originalEd: 320

- Till further quest’.

La.

- Shepherd I take thy word,

- And trust thy honest offer’d courtesie,

- Which oft is sooner found in lowly sheds

- With smoaky rafters, then in tapstry Halls

- And Courts of Princes, where it first was nam’d,

- And yet is most pretended: In a place

- Less warranted then this, or less secure

- I cannot be, that I should fear to change it.

- Eie me blest Providence, and square my triall

- To my proportion’d strength. Shepherd lead on.—  originalEd: 330

The Two Brothers.

Eld. Bro.

- Unmuffle ye faint stars, and thou fair Moon

- That wontst to love the travailers benizon,

- Stoop thy pale visage through an amber cloud,

- And disinherit Chaos, that raigns here

- In double night of darknes, and of shades;

- Or if your influence be quite damm’d up

- With black usurping mists, som gentle taper

- Though a rush Candle from the wicker hole

- Of som clay habitation visit us

- With thy long levell’d rule of streaming light,  originalEd: 340

- And thou shalt be our star of Arcady,

- Or Tyrian Cynosure.

2. Bro.

- Or if our eyes

- Be barr’d that happines, might we but hear

- The folded flocks pen’d in their watled cotes,

- Or sound of pastoral reed with oaten stops,

- Or whistle from the Lodge, or village cock

- Count the night watches to his feathery Dames,

- ’Twould be som solace yet, som little chearing

- In this close dungeon of innumerous bowes.

- But O that haples virgin our lost sister  originalEd: 350

- Where may she wander now, whether betake her

- From the chill dew, amongst rude burrs and thistles?

- Perhaps som cold bank is her boulster now

- Or ’gainst the rugged bark of som broad Elm

- Leans her unpillow’d head fraught with sad fears.

- What if in wild amazement, and affright,

- Or while we speak within the direfull grasp

- Of Savage hunger, or of Savage heat?

Eld. Bro.

- Peace brother, be not over-exquisite

- To cast the fashion of uncertain evils;  originalEd: 360

- For grant they be so, while they rest unknown,

- What need a man forestall his date of grief,

- And run to meet what he would most avoid?

- Or if they be but false alarms of Fear,

- How bitter is such self-delusion?

- I do not think my sister so to seek,

- Or so unprincipl’d in vertues book,

- And the sweet peace that goodnes boosoms ever,

- As that the single want of light and noise

- (Not being in danger, as I trust she is not)  originalEd: 370

- Could stir the constant mood of her calm thoughts,

- And put them into mis-becoming plight.

- Vertue could see to do what vertue would

- By her own radiant light, though Sun and Moon

- Were in the flat Sea sunk. And Wisdoms self

- Oft seeks to sweet retired Solitude,

- Where with her best nurse Contemplation

- She plumes her feathers, and lets grow her wings

- That in the various bussle of resort

- Were all to ruffl’d, and somtimes impair’d.  originalEd: 380

- He that has light within his own cleer brest

- May sit i’th center, and enjoy bright day,

- But he that hides a dark soul, and foul thoughts

- Benighted walks under the mid-day Sun;

- Himself is his own dungeon.

2. Bro.

- Tis most true

- That musing meditation most affects

- The pensive secrecy of desert cell,

- Far from the cheerfull haunt of men, and herds,

- And sits as safe as in a Senat house,

- For who would rob a Hermit of his Weeds,  originalEd: 390

- His few Books, or his Beads, or Maple Dish,

- Or do his gray hairs any violence?

- But beauty like the fair Hesperian Tree

- Laden with blooming gold, had need the guard

- Of dragon watch with uninchanted eye,

- To save her blossoms, and defend her fruit

- From the rash hand of bold Incontinence.

- You may as well spred out the unsun’d heaps

- Of Misers treasure by an out-laws den,

- And tell me it is safe, as bid me hope  originalEd: 400

- Danger will wink on Opportunity,

- And let a single helpless maiden pass

- Uninjur’d in this wilde surrounding wast.

- Of night, or lonelines it recks me not,

- I fear the dred events that dog them both,

- Lest som ill greeting touch attempt the person

- Of our unowned sister.

Eld. Bro.

- I do not, brother,

- Inferr, as if I thought my sisters state

- Secure without all doubt, or controversie:

- Yet where an equall poise of hope and fear  originalEd: 410

- Does arbitrate th’event, my nature is

- That I encline to hope, rather then fear,

- And gladly banish squint suspicion.

- My sister is not so defenceless left

- As you imagine, she has a hidden strength

- Which you remember not.

2. Bro.

- What hidden strength,

- Unless the strength of Heav’n, if you mean that?

Eld. Bro.

- I mean that too, but yet a hidden strength

- Which if Heav’n gave it, may be term’d her own:

- ’Tis chastity, my brother, chastity:  originalEd: 420

- She that has that, is clad in compleat steel,

- And like a quiver’d Nymph with Arrows keen

- May trace huge Forests, and unharbour’d Heaths,

- Infamous Hills, and sandy perilous wildes,

- Where through the sacred rayes of Chastity,

- No savage fierce, Bandite, or mountaneer

- Will dare to soyl her Virgin purity,

- Yea there, where very desolation dwels

- By grots, and caverns shag’d with horrid shades,

- She may pass on with unblench’t majesty,  originalEd: 430

- Be it not don in pride, or in presumption.

- Som say no evil thing that walks by night

- In fog, or fire, by lake, or moorish fen,

- Blew meager Hag, or stubborn unlaid ghost,

- That breaks his magick chains at curfeu time,

- No goblin, or swart faëry of the mine,

- Hath hurtfull power o’re true virginity.

- Do ye beleeve me yet, or shall I call

- Antiquity from the old Schools of Greece

- To testifie the arms of Chastity?  originalEd: 440

- Hence had the huntress Dian her dred bow

- Fair silver-shafted Queen for ever chaste,

- Wherwith she tam’d the brinded lioness

- And spotted mountain pard, but set at nought

- The frivolous bolt of Cupid, gods and men

- Fear’d her stern frown, and she was queen oth’ Woods.

- What was that snaky-headed Gorgon sheild

- That wise Minerva wore, unconquer’d Virgin,

- Wherwith she freez’d her foes to congeal’d stone?

- But rigid looks of Chast austerity,  originalEd: 450

- And noble grace that dash’t brute violence

- With sudden adoration, and blank aw.

- So dear to Heav’n is Saintly chastity,

- That when a soul is found sincerely so,

- A thousand liveried Angels lacky her,

- Driving far off each thing of sin and guilt,

- And in cleer dream, and solemn vision

- Tell her of things that no gross ear can hear,

- Till oft convers with heav’nly habitants

- Begin to cast a beam on th’outward shape,  originalEd: 460

- The unpolluted temple of the mind,

- And turns it by degrees to the souls essence,

- Till all be made immortal: but when lust

- By unchaste looks, loose gestures, and foul talk,

- But most by leud and lavish act of sin,

- Lets in defilement to the inward parts,

- The soul grows clotted by contagion,

- Imbodies, and imbrutes, till she quite loose

- The divine property of her first being.

- Such are those thick and gloomy shadows damp  originalEd: 470

- Oft seen in Charnell vaults, and Sepulchers

- Lingering, and sitting by a new made grave,

- As loath to leave the body that it lov’d,

- And link’t it self by carnal sensualty

- To a degenerate and degraded state.

2. Bro.

- How charming is divine Philosophy!

- Not harsh, and crabbed as dull fools suppose,

- But musical as is Apollo’s lute,

- And a perpetual feast of nectar’d sweets,

- Where no crude surfet raigns.

Eld. Bro.

- List, list, I hear

- Som far off hallow break the silent Air.  originalEd: 481

2. Bro.

Me thought so too; what should it be?

Eld. Bro.

- For certain

- Either som one like us night-founder’d here,

- Or els som neighbour Wood-man, or at worst,

- Som roaving Robber calling to his fellows.

2. Bro.

- Heav’n keep my sister, agen agen and neer,

- Best draw, and stand upon our guard.

Eld. Bro.

- Ile hallow,

- If he be friendly he comes well, if not,

- Defence is a good cause, and Heav’n be for us.

The attendant Spirit habited like a Shepherd.

- That hallow I should know, what are you? speak;  originalEd: 490

- Com not too neer, you fall on iron stakes else.

Spir.

What voice is that, my young Lord? speak agen.

2. Bro.

O brother, ’tis my father Shepherd sure.

Eld. Bro.

- Thyrsis ? Whose artful strains have oft delaid

- The huddling brook to hear his madrigal,

- And sweeten’d every muskrose of the dale,

- How cam’st thou here good Swain? hath any ram

- Slip’t from the fold, or young Kid lost his dam,

- Or straggling weather the pen’t flock forsook?

- How couldst thou find this dark sequester’d nook?  originalEd: 500

Spir.

- O my lov’d masters heir, and his next joy,

- I came not here on such a trivial toy

- As a stray’d Ewe, or to pursue the stealth

- Of pilfering Woolf, not all the fleecy wealth

- That doth enrich these Downs, is worth a thought

- To this my errand, and the care it brought.

- But O my Virgin Lady, where is she?

- How chance she is not in your company?

Eld. Bro.

- To tell thee sadly Shepherd, without blame,

- Or our neglect, we lost her as we came.  originalEd: 510

Spir.

Ay me unhappy then my fears are true.

Eld. Bro.

What fears good Thyrsis? Prethee briefly shew.

Spir.

- Ile tell ye, ’tis not vain or fabulous,

- (Though so esteem’d by shallow ignorance)

- What the sage Poëts taught by th’ heav’nly Muse,

- Storied of old in high immortal vers

- Of dire Chimera’s and inchanted Iles,

- And rifted Rocks whose entrance leads to hell,

- For such there be, but unbelief is blind.

- Within the navil of this hideous Wood,  originalEd: 520

- Immur’d in cypress shades a Sorcerer dwels

- Of Bacchus, and of Circe born, great Comus,

- Deep skill’d in all his mothers witcheries,

- And here to every thirsty wanderer,

- By sly enticement gives his banefull cup,

- With many murmurs mixt, whose pleasing poison

- The visage quite transforms of him that drinks,

- And the inglorious likenes of a beast

- Fixes instead, unmoulding reasons mintage

- Character’d in the face; this have I learn’t  originalEd: 530

- Tending my flocks hard by i’th hilly crofts,

- That brow this bottom glade, whence night by night

- He and his monstrous rout are heard to howl

- Like stabl’d wolves, or tigers at their prey,

- Doing abhorred rites to Hecate

- In their obscured haunts of inmost bowres.

- Yet have they many baits, and guilefull spells

- To inveigle and invite th’unwary sense

- Of them that pass unweeting by the way.

- This evening late by then the chewing flocks  originalEd: 540

- Had ta’n their supper on the savoury Herb

- Of Knot-grass dew-besprent, and were in fold,

- I sate me down to watch upon a bank

- With Ivy canopied, and interwove

- With flaunting Hony-suckle, and began

- Wrapt in a pleasing fit of melancholy

- To meditate my rural minstrelsie,

- Till fancy had her fill, but ere a close

- The wonted roar was up amidst the Woods,

- And fill’d the Air with barbarous dissonance,  originalEd: 550

- At which I ceas’t, and listen’d them a while,

- Till an unusuall stop of sudden silence

- Gave respit to the drowsie frighted steeds

- That draw the litter of close-curtain’d sleep.

- At last a soft and solemn breathing sound

- Rose like a steam of rich distill’d Perfumes,

- And stole upon the Air, that even Silence

- Was took e’re she was ware, and wish’t she might

- Deny her nature, and be never more

- Still to be so displac’t. I was all eare,  originalEd: 560

- And took in strains that might create a soul

- Under the ribs of Death, but O ere long

- Too well I did perceive it was the voice

- Of my most honour’d Lady, your dear sister.

- Amaz’d I stood, harrow’d with grief and fear,

- And O poor hapless Nightingale thought I,

- How sweet thou sing’st, how neer the deadly snare!

- Then down the Lawns I ran with headlong hast

- Through paths, and turnings oft’n trod by day,

- Till guided by mine ear I found the place  originalEd: 570

- Where that damn’d wisard hid in sly disguise

- (For so by certain signes I knew) had met

- Already, ere my best speed could prævent,

- The aidless innocent Lady his wish’t prey,

- Who gently ask’t if he had seen such two,

- Supposing him som neighbour villager;

- Longer I durst not stay, but soon I guess’t

- Ye were the two she mean’t, with that I sprung

- Into swift flight, till I had found you here,

- But furder know I not.

2. Bro.

- O night and shades,  originalEd: 580

- How are ye joyn’d with hell in triple knot

- Against th’unarmed weakness of one Virgin

- Alone, and helpless! Is this the confidence

- You gave me Brother?

Eld. Bro.

- Yes, and keep it still,

- Lean on it safely, not a period

- Shall be unsaid for me: against the threats

- Of malice or of sorcery, or that power

- Which erring men call Chance, this I hold firm,

- Vertue may be assail’d, but never hurt,

- Surpriz’d by unjust force, but not enthrall’d,  originalEd: 590

- Yea even that which mischief meant most harm,

- Shall in the happy trial prove most glory.

- But evil on it self shall back recoyl,

- And mix no more with goodness, when at last

- Gather’d like scum, and setl’d to it self

- It shall be in eternal restless change

- Self-fed, and self-consum’d, if this fail,

- The pillar’d firmament is rott’nness,

- And earths base built on stubble. But com let’s on.

- Against th’ opposing will and arm of Heav’n  originalEd: 600

- May never this just sword be lifted up,

- But for that damn’d magician, let him be girt

- With all the greisly legions that troop

- Under the sooty flag of Acheron,

- Harpyies and Hydra’s, or all the monstrous forms

- ’Twixt Africa and Inde, Ile find him out,

- And force him to restore his purchase back,

- Or drag him by the curls, to a foul death,

- Curs’d as his life.

Spir.

- Alas good ventrous youth,

- I love thy courage yet, and bold Emprise,  originalEd: 610

- But here thy sword can do thee little stead,

- Farr other arms, and other weapons must

- Be those that quell the might of hellish charms,

- He with his bare wand can unthred thy joynts,

- And crumble all thy sinews.

Eld. Bro.

- Why prethee Shepherd

- How durst thou then thy self approach so neer

- As to make this relation?

Spir.

- Care and utmost shifts

- How to secure the Lady from surprisal,

- Brought to my mind a certain Shepherd Lad

- Of small regard to see to, yet well skill’d  originalEd: 620

- In every vertuous plant and healing herb

- That spreds her verdant leaf to th’morning ray,

- He lov’d me well, and oft would beg me sing,

- Which when I did, he on the tender grass

- Would sit, and hearken even to extasie,

- And in requitall ope his leather’n scrip,

- And shew me simples of a thousand names

- Telling their strange and vigorous faculties;

- Amongst the rest a small unsightly root,

- But of divine effect, he cull’d me out;  originalEd: 630

- The leaf was darkish, and had prickles on it,

- But in another Countrey, as he said,

- Bore a bright golden flowre, but not in this soyl:

- Unknown, and like esteem’d, and the dull swayn

- Treads on it daily with his clouted shoon,

- And yet more med’cinal is it then that Moly

- That Hermes once to wise Ulysses gave;

- He call’d it Hæmony, and gave it me,

- And bad me keep it as of sov’ran use

- ’Gainst all inchantments, mildew blast, or damp  originalEd: 640

- Or gastly furies apparition;

- I purs’t it up, but little reck’ning made,

- Till now that this extremity compell’d,

- But now I find it true; for by this means

- I knew the foul inchanter though disguis’d,

- Enter’d the very lime-twigs of his spells,

- And yet came off: if you have this about you

- (As I will give you when we go) you may

- Boldly assault the necromancers hall;

- Where if he be, with dauntless hardihood,  originalEd: 650

- And brandish’t blade rush on him, break his glass,

- And shed the lushious liquor on the ground,

- But sease his wand, though he and his curst crew

- Feirce signe of battail make, and menace high,

- Or like the sons of Vulcan vomit smoak,

- Yet will they soon retire, if he but shrink.

Eld. Bro.

- Thyrsis lead on apace, Ile follow thee,

- And som good angel bear a sheild before us.

The Scene changes to a stately Palace, set out with all manner of deliciousness; soft Musick, Tables spred with all dainties. Comus appears with his rabble, and the Lady set in an inchanted Chair, to whom he offers his Glass, which she puts by, and goes about to rise.

Comus.

- Nay Lady sit; if I but wave this wand,

- Your nerves are all chain’d up in Alablaster,  originalEd: 660

- And you a statue; or as Daphne was

- Root-bound, that fled Apollo.

La.

- Fool do not boast,

- Thou canst not touch the freedom of my minde

- With all thy charms, although this corporal rinde

- Thou haste immanacl’d, while Heav’n sees good.

Co.

- Why are you vext Lady? why do you frown?

- Here dwell no frowns, nor anger, from these gates

- Sorrow flies farr: See here be all the pleasures

- That fancy can beget on youthfull thoughts,

- When the fresh blood grows lively, and returns  originalEd: 670

- Brisk as the April buds in Primrose-season.

- And first behold this cordial Julep here

- That flames, and dances in his crystal bounds

- With spirits of balm, and fragrant Syrops mixt.

- Not that Nepenthes which the wife of Thone,

- In Egypt gave to Jove -born Helena

- Is of such power to stir up joy as this,

- To life so friendly, or so cool to thirst.

- Why should you be so cruel to your self,

- And to those dainty limms which nature lent  originalEd: 680

- For gentle usage, and soft delicacy?

- But you invert the cov’nants of her trust,

- And harshly deal like an ill borrower

- With that which you receiv’d on other terms,

- Scorning the unexempt condition

- By which all mortal frailty must subsist,

- Refreshment after toil, ease after pain,

- That have been tir’d all day without repast,

- And timely rest have wanted, but fair Virgin

- This will restore all soon.

La.

- ’Twill not false traitor,  originalEd: 690

- ’Twill not restore the truth and honesty

- That thou hast banish’t from thy tongue with lies,

- Was this the cottage, and the safe abode

- Thou told’st me of? What grim aspects are these,

- These oughly-headed Monsters? Mercy guard me!

- Hence with thy brew’d inchantments, foul deceiver,

- Hast thou betrai’d my credulous innocence

- With visor’d falshood, and base forgery,

- And wouldst thou seek again to trap me here

- With lickerish baits fit to ensnare a brute?  originalEd: 700

- Were it a draft for Juno when she banquets,

- I would not taste thy treasonous offer; none

FROM THE AUTOGRAPH MANUSCRIPT OF THE MINOR POEMS PRESERVED IN TRINITY COLLEGE CAMBRIDGE [COMUS, 672-706]

- But such as are good men can give good things,

- And that which is not good, is not delicious

- To a well-govern’d and wise appetite.

Co.

- O foolishnes of men! that lend their ears

- To those budge doctors of the Stoick Furr,

- And fetch their precepts from the Cynick Tub,

- Praising the lean and sallow Abstinence.

- Wherefore did Nature powre her bounties forth,  originalEd: 710

- With such a full and unwithdrawing hand,

- Covering the earth with odours, fruits, and flocks,

- Thronging the Seas with spawn innumerable,

- But all to please, and sate the curious taste?

- And set to work millions of spinning Worms,

- That in their green shops weave the smooth-hair’d silk

- To deck her Sons, and that no corner might

- Be vacant of her plenty, in her own loyns

- She hutch’t th’all-worshipt ore, and precious gems

- To store her children with; if all the world  originalEd: 720

- Should in a pet of temperance feed on Pulse,

- Drink the clear stream, and nothing wear but Freize,

- Th’all-giver would be unthank’t, would be unprais’d,

- Not half his riches known, and yet despis’d,

- And we should serve him as a grudging master,

- As a penurious niggard of his wealth,

- And live like Natures bastards, not her sons,

- Who would be quite surcharged with her own weight,

- And strangl’d with her waste fertility;

- Th’earth cumber’d, and the wing’d air dark’t with plumes,

- The herds would over-multitude their Lords,  originalEd: 731

- The Sea o’refraught would swell, and th’unsought diamonds

- Would so emblaze the forhead of the Deep,

- And so bestudd with Stars, that they below

- Would grow inur’d to light, and com at last

- To gaze upon the Sun with shameless brows.

- List Lady be not coy, and be not cosen’d

- With that same vaunted name Virginity,

- Beauty is natures coyn, must not be hoorded,

- But must be currant, and the good thereof  originalEd: 740

- Consists in mutual and partak’n bliss,

- Unsavoury in th’injoyment of it self

- If you let slip time, like a neglected rose

- It withers on the stalk with languish’t head.

- Beauty is natures brag, and must be shown

- In courts, at feasts, and high solemnities

- Where most may wonder at the workmanship;

- It is for homely features to keep home,

- They had their name thence; course complexions

- And cheeks of sorry grain will serve to play  originalEd: 750

- The sampler, and to teize the huswifes wooll.

- What need a vermeil-tinctured lip for that

- Love-darting eyes, or tresses like the Morn?

- There was another meaning in these gifts,

- Think what, and be adviz’d, you are but young yet.

La.

- I had not thought to have unlockt my lips

- In this unhallow’d air, but that this Jugler

- Would think to charm my judgement, as mine eyes,

- Obtruding false rules pranckt in reasons garb.

- I hate when vice can bolt her arguments,  originalEd: 760

- And vertue has no tongue to check her pride:

- Impostor do not charge most innocent nature,

- As if she would her children should be riotous

- With her abundance, she good cateress

- Means her provision onely to the good

- That live according to her sober laws,

- And holy dictate of spare Temperance:

- If every just man that now pines with want

- Had but a moderate and beseeming share

- Of that which lewdly-pamper’d Luxury  originalEd: 770

- Now heaps upon som few with vast excess,

- Natures full blessings would be well dispenc’t

- In unsuperfluous eeven proportion,

- And she no whit encomber’d with her store,

- And then the giver would be better thank’t,

- His praise due paid, for swinish gluttony

- Ne’re looks to Heav’n amidst his gorgeous feast,

- But with besotted base ingratitude

- Cramms, and blasphemes his feeder. Shall I go on?

- Or have I said anough? To him that dares  originalEd: 780

- Arm his profane tongue with contemptuous words

- Against the Sun-clad power of Chastity,

- Fain would I somthing say, yet to what end?

- Thou hast nor Eare, nor Soul to apprehend

- The sublime notion, and high mystery

- That must be utter’d to unfold the sage

- And serious doctrine of Virginity,

- And thou art worthy that thou shouldst not know

- More happiness then this thy present lot.

- Enjoy your deer Wit, and gay Rhetorick  originalEd: 790

- That hath so well been taught her dazling fence,

- Thou art not fit to hear thy self convinc’t;

- Yet should I try, the uncontrouled worth

- Of this pure cause would kindle my rap’t spirits

- To such a flame of sacred vehemence,

- That dumb things would be mov’d to sympathize,

- And the brute Earth would lend her nerves, and shake,

- Till all thy magick structures rear’d so high,

- Were shatter’d into heaps o’re thy false head.

Co.

- She fables not, I feel that I do fear  originalEd: 800

- Her words set off by som superior power;

- And though not mortal, yet a cold shuddring dew

- Dips me all o’re, as when the wrath of Jove

- Speaks thunder, and the chains of Erebus

- To som of Saturns crew. I must dissemble,

- And try her yet more strongly. Com, no more,

- This is meer moral babble, and direct

- Against the canon laws of our foundation;

- I must not suffer this, yet ’tis but the lees

- And setlings of a melancholy blood;  originalEd: 810

- But this will cure all streight, one sip of this

- Will bathe the drooping spirits in delight

- Beyond the bliss of dreams. Be wise, and taste.—

The Brothers rush in with Swords drawn, wrest his Glass out of his hand, and break it against the ground; his rout make signe of resistance, but are all driven in; The attendant Spirit comes in.

Spir.

- What, have you let the false enchanter scape?

- O ye mistook, ye should have snatcht his wand

- And bound him fast; without his rod revers’t,

- And backward mutters of dissevering power,

- We cannot free the Lady that sits here

- In stony fetters fixt, and motionless;

- Yet stay, be not disturb’d, now I bethink me,  originalEd: 820

- Som other means I have which may be us’d,

- Which once of Melibœus old I learnt

- The soothest Shepherd that ere pip’t on plains.

- There is a gentle Nymph not farr from hence,

- That with moist curb sways the smooth Severn stream,

- Sabrina is her name, a Virgin pure,

- Whilom she was the daughter of Locrine,

- That had the Scepter from his father Brute.

- The guiltless damsel flying the mad pursuit

- Of her enraged stepdam Guendolen,  originalEd: 830

- Commended her fair innocence to the flood

- That stay’d her flight with his cross-flowing course,

- The water Nymphs that in the bottom plaid,

- Held up their pearled wrists and took her in,

- Bearing her straight to aged Nereus Hall,

- Who piteous of her woes, rear’d her lank head,

- And gave her to his daughters to imbathe

- In nectar’d lavers strew’d with Asphodil,

- And through the porch and inlet of each sense

- Dropt in Ambrosial Oils till she reviv’d,  originalEd: 840

- And underwent a quick immortal change

- Made Goddess of the River; still she retains

- Her maid’n gentlenes, and oft at Eeve

- Visits the herds along the twilight meadows,

- Helping all urchin blasts, and ill luck signes

- That the shrewd medling Elfe delights to make,

- Which she with pretious viold liquors heals.

- For which the Shepherds at their festivals

- Carrol her goodnes lowd in rustick layes,

- And throw sweet garland wreaths into her stream  originalEd: 850

- Of pancies, pinks, and gaudy Daffadils.

- And, as the old Swain said, she can unlock

- The clasping charm, and thaw the numming spell,

- If she be right invok’t in warbled Song,

- For maid’nhood she loves, and will be swift

- To aid a Virgin, such as was her self

- In hard besetting need, this will I try

- And adde the power of som adjuring verse.

- SONG.

- Sabrina fair

- Listen where thou art sitting  originalEd: 860

- Under the glassie, cool, translucent wave,

- In twisted braids of Lillies knitting

- The loose train of thy amber-dropping hair,

- Listen for dear honour’s sake,

- Goddess of the silver lake,

- Listen and save.

- Listen and appear to us

- In name of great Oceanus,

- By the earth-shaking Neptune’s mace,

- And Tethys grave majestick pace,  originalEd: 870

- By hoary Nereus wrincled look,

- And the Carpathian wisards hook,

- By scaly Tritons winding shell,

- And old sooth-saying Glaucus spell,

- By Leucothea’s lovely hands,

- And her son that rules the strands,

- By Thetis tinsel-slipper’d feet,

- And the Songs of Sirens sweet,

- By dead Parthenope’s dear tomb,

- And fair Ligea’s golden comb,  originalEd: 880

- Wherwith she sits on diamond rocks

- Sleeking her soft alluring locks,

- By all the Nymphs that nightly dance

- Upon thy streams with wily glance,

- Rise, rise, and heave thy rosie head

- From thy coral-pav’n bed,

- And bridle in thy headlong wave,

- Till thou our summons answered have.

- Listen and save.

Sabrina rises, attended by water-Nymphes, and sings.

Sabrina

- By the rushy-fringed bank,  originalEd: 890

- Where grows the Willow and the Osier dank,

- My sliding Chariot stayes,

- Thick set with Agat, and the azurn sheen

- Of Turkis blew, and Emrauld green

- That in the channell strayes,

- Whilst from off the waters fleet

- Thus I set my printless feet

- O’re the Cowslips Velvet head,

- That bends not as I tread,

- Gentle swain at thy request  originalEd: 900

- I am here.

Spir.

- Goddess dear

- We implore thy powerful hand

- To undo the charmed band

- Of true Virgin here distrest,

- Through the force, and through the wile

- Of unblest inchanter vile.

Sab.

- Shepherd ’tis my office best

- To help insnared chastity;

- Brightest Lady look on me,  originalEd: 910

- Thus I sprinkle on thy brest

- Drops that from my fountain pure,

- I have kept of pretious cure,

- Thrice upon thy fingers tip,

- Thrice upon thy rubied lip,

- Next this marble venom’d seat

- Smear’d with gumms of glutenous heat

- I touch with chaste palms moist and cold,

- Now the spell hath lost his hold;

- And I must haste ere morning hour  originalEd: 920

- To wait in Amphitrite’s bowr.

Sabrina descends, and the Lady rises out of her seat.

Spir.

- Virgin, daughter of Locrine

- Sprung of old Anchises line,

- May thy brimmed waves for this

- Their full tribute never miss

- From a thousand petty rills,

- That tumble down the snowy hills:

- Summer drouth, or singed air

- Never scorch thy tresses fair,

- Nor wet Octobers torrent flood  originalEd: 930

- Thy molten crystal fill with mudd,

- May thy billows rowl ashoar

- The beryl, and the golden ore,

- May thy lofty head be crown’d

- With many a tower and terrass round,

- And here and there thy banks upon

- With Groves of myrrhe, and cinnamon.

- Com Lady while Heaven lends us grace,

- Let us fly this cursed place,

- Lest the Sorcerer us intice  originalEd: 940

- With som other new device.

- Not a waste, or needless sound

- Till we com to holier ground,

- I shall be your faithfull guide

- Through this gloomy covert wide,

- And not many furlongs thence

- Is your Fathers residence,

- Where this night are met in state

- Many a friend to gratulate

- His wish’t presence, and beside  originalEd: 950

- All the Swains that there abide,

- With Jiggs, and rural dance resort,

- We shall catch them at their sport,

- And our sudden coming there

- Will double all their mirth and chere;

- Com let us haste, the Stars grow high,

- But night sits monarch yet in the mid sky.

The Scene changes, presenting Ludlow Town and the Presidents Castle, then com in Countrey-Dancers, after them the attendant Spirit, with the two Brothers and the Lady.

SONG.

Spir.

- Back Shepherds, back, anough your play,

- Till next Sun-shine holiday,

- Here be without duck or nod  originalEd: 960

- Other trippings to be trod

- Of lighter toes, and such Court guise

- As Mercury did first devise

- With the mincing Dryades

- On the Lawns, and on the Leas.

This second Song presents them to their father and mother.

- Noble Lord, and Lady bright,

- I have brought ye new delight,

- Here behold so goodly grown

- Three fair branches of your own,

- Heav’n hath timely tri’d their youth,  originalEd: 970

- Their faith, their patience, and their truth.

- And sent them here through hard assays

- With a crown of deathless Praise,

- To triumph in victorious dance

- O’re sensual Folly, and Intemperance.

The dances ended, the Spirit Epiloguises.

Spir.

- To the Ocean now I fly,

- And those happy climes that ly

- Where day never shuts his eye,

- Up in the broad fields of the sky:

- There I suck the liquid ayr  originalEd: 980

- All amidst the Gardens fair

- Of Hesperus, and his daughters three

- That sing about the golden tree:

- Along the crisped shades and bowres

- Revels the spruce and jocond Spring,

- The Graces, and the rosie-boosom’d Howres,

- Thither all their bounties bring,

- That there eternal Summer dwels,

- And West winds, with musky wing

- About the cedar’n alleys fling  originalEd: 990

- Nard, and Cassia’s balmy smels.

- Iris there with humid bow,

- Waters the odorous banks that blow

- Flowers of more mingled hew

- Then her purfl’d scarf can shew,

- And drenches with Elysian dew

- (List mortals, if your ears be true)

- Beds of Hyacinth, and roses

- Where young Adonis oft reposes,

- Waxing well of his deep wound  originalEd: 1000

- In slumber soft, and on the ground

- Sadly sits th’ Assyrian Queen;

- But far above in spangled sheen

- Celestial Cupid her fam’d son advanc’t,

- Holds his dear Psyche sweet intranc’t

- After her wandring labours long,

- Till free consent the gods among

- Make her his eternal Bride,

- And from her fair unspotted side

- Two blissful twins are to be born,  originalEd: 1010

- Youth and Joy; so Jove hath sworn.

- But now my task is smoothly don,

- I can fly, or I can run

- Quickly to the green earths end,

- Where the bow’d welkin slow doth bend,

- And from thence can soar as soon

- To the corners of the Moon.

- Mortals that would follow me,

- Love vertue, she alone is free,

- She can teach ye how to clime  originalEd: 1020

- Higher then the Spheary chime;

- Or if Vertue feeble were,

- Heav’n it self would stoop to her.

The End.

POEMS ADDED IN THE 1673 EDITION.

Anno aetatis 17. On the Death of a fair Infant dying of a Cough.

- I

- O FAIREST flower no sooner blown but blasted,

- Soft silken Primrose fading timelesslie,

- Summers chief honour if thou hadst out-lasted

- Bleak winters force that made thy blossome drie;

- For he being amorous on that lovely die

- That did thy cheek envermeil, thought to kiss

- But kill’d alas, and then bewayl’d his fatal bliss.

- II

- For since grim Aquilo his charioter

- By boistrous rape th’ Athenian damsel got,

- He thought it toucht his Deitie full neer,  originalEd: 10

- If likewise he some fair one wedded not,

- Thereby to wipe away th’ infamous blot,

- Of long-uncoupled bed, and childless eld,

- Which ’mongst the wanton gods a foul reproach was held.

- III

- So mounting up in ycie-pearled carr,

- Through middle empire of the freezing aire

- He wanderd long, till thee he spy’d from farr,

- There ended was his quest, there ceast his care.

- Down he descended from his Snow-soft chaire,

- But all unwares with his cold-kind embrace  originalEd: 20

- Unhous’d thy Virgin Soul from her fair biding place.

- IV

- Yet art thou not inglorious in thy fate;

- For so Apollo, with unweeting hand

- Whilome did slay his dearly-loved mate

- Young Hyacinth born on Eurotas ’ strand,

- Young Hyacinth the pride of Spartan land;

- But then transform’d him to a purple flower

- Alack that so to change thee winter had no power.

- V

- Yet can I not perswade me thou art dead

- Or that thy coarse corrupts in earths dark wombe,  originalEd: 30

- Or that thy beauties lie in wormie bed,

- Hid from the world in a low delved tombe;

- Could Heav’n for pittie thee so strictly doom?

- Oh no! for something in thy face did shine

- Above mortalitie that shew’d thou wast divine.

- VI

- Resolve me then oh Soul most surely blest

- (If so it be that thou these plaints dost hear)

- Tell me bright Spirit where e’re thou hoverest

- Whether above that high first-moving Spheare

- Or in the Elisian fields (if such there were.)  originalEd: 40

- Oh say me true if thou wert mortal wight

- And why from us so quickly thou didst take thy flight.

- VII

- Wert thou some Starr which from the ruin’d roofe

- Of shak’t Olympus by mischance didst fall;

- Which carefull Jove in natures true behoofe

- Took up, and in fit place did reinstall?

- Or did of late earths Sonnes besiege the wall

- Of sheenie Heav’n, and thou some goddess fled

- Amongst us here below to hide thy nectar’d head.

- VIII

- Or wert thou that just Maid who once before  originalEd: 50

- Forsook the hated earth, O tell me sooth

- And cam’st again to visit us once more?

- Or wert thou that sweet smiling Youth!

- Or that c[r]own’d Matron sage white-robed Truth?

- Or any other of that heav’nly brood

- Let down in clowdie throne to do the world some good.

- IX

- Or wert thou of the golden-winged hoast,

- Who having clad thy self in humane weed,

- To earth from thy præfixed seat didst poast,

- And after short abode flie back with speed,  originalEd: 60

- As if to shew what creatures Heav’n doth breed,

- Thereby to set the hearts of men on fire

- To scorn the sordid world, and unto Heav’n aspire.

- X

- But oh why didst thou not stay here below

- To bless us with thy heav’n-lov’d innocence,

- To slake his wrath whom sin hath made our foe

- To turn Swift-rushing black perdition hence,

- Or drive away the slaughtering pestilence,

- To stand ’twixt us and our deserved smart

- But thou canst best perform that office where thou art.  originalEd: 70

- XI

- Then thou the mother of so sweet a child

- Her false imagin’d loss cease to lament,

- And wisely learn to curb thy sorrows wild;

- Think what a present thou to God hast sent,

- And render him with patience what he lent;

- This if thou do he will an off-spring give,

- That till the worlds last-end shall make thy name to live.

Anno Aetatis 19. At a Vacation Exercise in the Colledge, part Latin, part English. The Latin speeches ended, the English thus began.

- HAIL native Language, that by sinews weak

- Didst move my first endeavouring tongue to speak,

- And mad’st imperfect words with childish tripps,

- Half unpronounc’t, slide through my infant-lipps,

- Driving dum silence from the portal dore,

- Where he had mutely sate two years before:

- Here I salute thee and thy pardon ask,

- That now I use thee in my latter task:

- Small loss it is that thence can come unto thee,

- I know my tongue but little Grace can do thee:  originalEd: 10

- Thou needst not be ambitious to be first,

- Believe me I have thither packt the worst:

- And, if it happen as I did forecast,

- The daintest dishes shall be serv’d up last.

- I pray thee then deny me not thy aide

- For this same small neglect that I have made:

- But haste thee strait to do me once a Pleasure,

- And from thy wardrope bring thy chiefest treasure;

- Not those new fangled toys, and triming slight

- Which takes our late fantasticks with delight,  originalEd: 20

- But cull those richest Robes, and gay’st attire

- Which deepest Spirits, and choicest Wits desire:

- I have some naked thoughts that rove about

- And loudly knock to have their passage out;

- And wearie of their place do only stay

- Till thou hast deck’t them in thy best aray;

- That so they may without suspect or fears

- Fly swiftly to this fair Assembly’s ears;

- Yet I had rather if I were to chuse,

- Thy service in some graver subject use,  originalEd: 30

- Such as may make thee search thy coffers round,

- Before thou cloath my fancy in fit sound:

- Such where the deep transported mind may soare

- Above the wheeling poles, and at Heav’ns dore

- Look in, and see each blissful Deitie

- How he before the thunderous throne doth lie,

- Listening to what unshorn Apollo sings

- To th’touch of golden wires, while Hebe brings

- Immortal Nectar to her Kingly Sire:

- Then passing through the Spherse of watchful fire,  originalEd: 40

- And mistie Regions of wide air next under,

- And hills of Snow and lofts of piled Thunder,

- May tell at length how green-ey’d Neptune raves,

- In Heav’ns defiance mustering all his waves;

- Then sing of secret things that came to pass

- When Beldam Nature in her cradle was;

- And last of Kings and Queens and Hero’s old,

- Such as the wise Demodocus once told

- In solemn Songs at King Alcinous feast,

- While sad Ulisses soul and all the rest  originalEd: 50

- Are held with his melodious harmonie

- In willing chains and sweet captivitie.

- But fie my wandring Muse how thou dost stray!

- Expectance calls thee now another way,

- Thou know’st it must be now thy only bent

- To keep in compass of thy Predicament:

- Then quick about thy purpos’d business come,

- That to the next I may resign my Roome.

Then Ens is represented as Father of the Prædicaments his ten Sons, whereof the Eldest stood for Substance with his Canons, which Ens thus speaking, explains.

Ens

- Good luck befriend thee Son; for at thy birth

- The Faiery Ladies daunc’t upon the hearth;  originalEd: 60

- Thy drowsie Nurse hath sworn she did them spie

- Come tripping to the Room where thou didst lie;

- And sweetly singing round about thy Bed

- Strew all their blessings on thy sleeping Head.

- She heard them give thee this, that thou should’st still

- From eyes of mortals walk invisible,

- Yet there is something that doth force my fear,

- For once it was my dismal hap to hear

- A Sybil old, bow-bent with crooked age,

- That far events full wisely could presage,  originalEd: 70

- And in Times long and dark Prospective Glass

- Fore-saw what future dayes should bring to pass,

- Your Son, said she, (nor can you it prevent)

- Shall subject be to many an Accident.

- O’re all his Brethren he shall Reign as King,

- Yet every one shall make him underling,

- And those that cannot live from him asunder

- Ungratefully shall strive to keep him under,

- In worth and excellence he shall out-go them,

- Yet being above them, he shall be below them;  originalEd: 80

- From others he shall stand in need of nothing,

- Yet on his Brothers shall depend for Cloathing.

- To find a Foe it shall not be his hap,

- And peace shall lull him in her flowry lap;

- Yet shall he live in strife, and at his dore

- Devouring war shall never cease to roare;

- Yea it shall be his natural property

- To harbour those that are at enmity.

- What power, what force, what mighty spell, if not

- Your learned hands, can loose this Gordian knot?  originalEd: 90

The next Quantity and Quality, spake in Prose, then Relation was call’d by his Name.

- Rivers arise; whether thou be the Son,

- Of utmost Tweed, or Oose, or gulphie Dun,

- Or Trent, who like some earth-born Giant spreads

- His thirty Armes along the indented Meads,

- Or sullen Mole that runneth underneath,

- Or Severn swift, guilty of Maidens death,

- Or Rockie Avon, or of Sedgie Lee,

- Or Coaly Tine, or antient hallowed Dee,

- Or Humber loud that keeps the Scythians Name,

- Or Medway smooth, or Royal Towred Thame.  originalEd: 100

The rest was Prose.

The Fifth Ode of Horace. Lib. I.

Quis multa gracilis te puer in Rosa, Rendred almost word for word without Rhyme according to the Latin Measure, as near as the Language will permit.

- WHAT slender Youth bedew’d with liquid odours

- Courts thee on Roses in some pleasant Cave,

- Pyrrha for whom bind’st thou

- In wreaths thy golden Hair,

- Plain in thy neatness; O how oft shall he

- On Faith and changed Gods complain: and Seas

- Rough with black winds and storms

- Unwonted shall admire:

- Who now enjoyes thee credulous, all Gold,

- Who alwayes vacant, alwayes amiable  originalEd: 10

- Hopes thee; of flattering gales

- Unmindfull. Hapless they

- To whom thou untry’d seem’st fair. Me in my vow’d

- Picture the sacred wall declares t’ have hung

- My dank and dropping weeds

- To the stern God of Sea.

[ The Latin text follows. ]

SONNETS.

- XI

- A Book was writ of late call’d Tetrachordon;

- And wov’n close, both matter, form and stile;

- The Subject new: it walk’d the Town a while,

- Numbring good intellects; now seldom por’d on.

- Cries the stall-reader, bless us! what a word on

- A title page is this! and some in file

- Stand spelling fals, while one might walk to Mile-

- End Green. Why is it harder Sirs then Gordon,

- Colkitto, or Macdonnel, or Galasp?

- Those rugged names to our like mouths grow sleek  originalEd: 10

- That would have made Quintilian stare and gasp.

- Thy age, like ours, O Soul of Sir John Cheek,

- Hated not Learning wors then Toad or Asp;

- When thou taught’ st Cambridge, and King Edward Greek.

XI. Camb. Autograph supplies title, On the Detraction which followed upon my writing certain Treatises.

XII.: On the same.

- I did but prompt the age to quit their cloggs

- By the known rules of antient libertie,

- When strait a barbarous noise environs me

- Of Owles and Cuckoes, Asses, Apes and Doggs.

- As when those Hinds that were transform’d to Froggs

- Raild at Latona’s twin-born progenie

- Which after held the Sun and Moon in fee.

- But this is got by casting Pearl to Hoggs;

- That bawle for freedom in their senceless mood,

- And still revolt when truth would set them free.  originalEd: 10

- Licence they mean when they cry libertie;

- For who loves that, must first be wise and good;

- But from that mark how far they roave we see

- For all this wast of wealth, and loss of blood.

To Mr. H. Lawes, on his Aires.

- XIII

- Harry whose tuneful and well measur’d Song

- First taught our English Musick how to span

- Words with just note and accent, not to scan

- With Midas Ears, committing short and long;

- Thy worth and skill exempts thee from the throng,

- With praise enough for Envy to look wan;

- To after age thou shalt be writ the man,

- That with smooth aire couldst humor best our tongue.

- Thou honour’st Verse, and Verse must send her wing

- To honour thee, the Priest of Phœbus Quire  originalEd: 10

- That tun’st their happiest lines in Hymn, or Story.

- Dante shall give Fame leave to set thee higher

- Then his Casella, whom he woo’d to sing

- Met in the milder shades of Purgatory.

- XIV

- When Faith and Love which parted from thee never,

- Had ripen’d thy just soul to dwell with God,

- Meekly thou didst resign this earthy load

- Of Death, call’d Life; which us from Life doth sever.

- Thy Works and Alms and all thy good Endeavour

- Staid not behind, nor in the grave were trod;

- But as Faith pointed with her golden rod,

- Follow’d thee up to joy and bliss for ever.

- Love led them on, and Faith who knew them best

- Thy hand-maids, clad them o’re with purple beams  originalEd: 10

- And azure wings, that up they flew so drest,

- And speak the truth of thee on glorious Theams

- Before the Judge, who thenceforth bid thee rest

- And drink thy fill of pure immortal streams.

On the late Massacher in Piemont.

- XV

- Avenge O Lord thy slaughter’d Saints, whose bones

- Lie scatter’d on the Alpine mountains cold,

- Ev’n them who kept thy truth so pure of old

- When all our Fathers worship’t Stocks and Stones,

- Forget not: in thy book record their groanes

- Who were thy Sheep and in their antient Fold

- Slayn by the bloody Piemontese that roll’d

- Mother with Infant down the Rocks. Their moans

- The Vales redoubl’d to the Hills, and they

- To Heav’n. Their martyr’d blood and ashes sow  originalEd: 10

- O’re all th’ Italian fields where still doth sway

- The triple Tyrant: that from these may grow

- A hunder’d-fold, who having learnt thy way

- Early may fly the Babylonian wo.

XIV. Camb. Autograph supplies title, On the Religious Memory of Mrs. Catherine Thomson, my Christian Friend, deceased 16 Decemb. 1646.

- XVI

- When I consider how my light is spent,

- E’re half my days, in this dark world and wide,

- And that one Talent which is death to hide,

- Lodg’d with me useless, though my Soul more bent

- To serve therewith my Maker, and present

- My true account, least he returning chide,

- Doth God exact day-labour, light deny’d,

- I fondly ask; But patience to prevent

- That murmur, soon replies, God doth not need

- Either man’s work or his own gifts, who best  originalEd: 10

- Bear his milde yoak, they serve him best, his State

- Is Kingly. Thousands at his bidding speed

- And post o’re Land and Ocean without rest:

- They also serve who only stand and waite.

- XVII

- Lawrence of vertuous Father vertuous Son,

- Now that the Fields are dank, and ways are mire,

- Where shall we sometimes meet, and by the fire

- Help wast a sullen day; what may be won

- From the hard Season gaining: time will run

- On smoother, till Favonius re-inspire

- The frozen earth; and cloth in fresh attire

- The Lillie and Rose, that neither sow’d nor spun.

- What neat repast shall feast us, light and choice,

- Of Attick tast, with Wine, whence we may rise  originalEd: 10

- To hear the Lute well toucht, or artfull voice

- Warble immortal Notes and Tuskan Ayre?

- He who of those delights can judge, and spare

- To interpose them oft, is not unwise.

- XVIII

- Cyriack, whose Grandsire on the Royal Bench

- Of Brittish Themis, with no mean applause

- Pronounc’t and in his volumes taught our Lawes,

- Which others at their Barr so often wrench:

- To day deep thoughts resolve with me to drench

- In mirth, that after no repenting drawes;

- Let Euclid rest and Archimedes pause,

- And what the Swede intend, and what the French.

- To measure life, learn thou betimes, and know

- Toward solid good what leads the nearest way;  originalEd: 10

- For other things mild Heav’n a time ordains,

- And disapproves that care, though wise in show,

- That with superfluous burden loads the day,

- And when God sends a cheerful hour, refrains.

- XIX

- Methought I saw my late espoused Saint

- Brought to me like Alcestis from the grave,

- Whom Joves great Son to her glad Husband gave,

- Rescu’d from death by force though pale and faint.

- Mine as whom washt from spot of child-bed taint,

- Purification in the old Law did save,

- And such, as yet once more I trust to have

- Full sight of her in Heaven without restraint,

- Came vested all in white, pure as her mind:

- Her face was vail’d, yet to my fancied sight,  originalEd: 10

- Love, sweetness, goodness, in her person shin’d

- So clear, as in no face with more delight.

- But O as to embrace me she enclin’d

- I wak’d, she fled, and day brought back my night.

On the new forcers of Conscience under the Long PARLIAMENT.

- Because you have thrown of your Prelate Lord,

- And with stiff Vowes renounc’d his Liturgie

- To seise the widdow’d whore Pluralitie

- From them whose sin ye envi’d, not abhor’d,

- Dare ye for this adjure the Civill Sword

- To force our Consciences that Christ set free,

- And ride us with a classic Hierarchy

- Taught ye by meer A. S. and Rotherford ?

- Men whose Life, Learning, Faith and pure intent

- Would have been held in high esteem with Paul  originalEd: 10

- Must now be nam’d and printed Hereticks

- By shallow Edwards and Scotch what d’ye call:

- But we do hope to find out all your tricks,

- Your plots and packing wors then those of Trent,

- That so the Parliament

- May with their wholsom and preventive Shears

- Clip your Phylacteries, though bauk your Ears,

- And succour our just Fears

- When they shall read this clearly in your charge

- New Presbyter is but Old Priest writ Large.  originalEd: 20

The four following sonnets were not published until 1694, and then in a mangled form by Phillips in his Life of Milton; they are here printed from the Cambridge MS., where that to Fairfax is in Milton’s autograph.

On the Lord Gen. Fairfax at the seige of Colchester.

- Fairfax, whose name in armes through Europe rings

- Filling each mouth with envy, or with praise,

- And all her jealous monarchs with amaze,

- And rumors loud, that daunt remotest kings,

- Thy firm unshak’n vertue ever brings

- Victory home, though new rebellions raise

- Thir Hydra heads, the fals North displaies

- Her brok’n league, to impe their serpent wings,

- O yet a nobler task awaites thy hand;

- For what can Warr, but endless warr still breed,  originalEd: 10

- Till Truth, Right from Violence be freed,

- And Public Faith cleard from the shamefull brand

- Of Public Fraud. In vain doth Valour bleed

- While Avarice, Rapine share the land.

To the Lord Generall Cromwell May 1652.

On the proposalls of certaine ministers at the Committee for Propagation of the Gospell.

- Cromwell, our cheif of men, who through a cloud

- Not of warr onely, but detractions rude,

- Guided by faith matchless Fortitude

- To peace truth thy glorious way hast plough’d,

- And on the neck of crowned Fortune proud

- Hast reard Gods Trophies, his work pursu’d,

- While Darwen stream with blood of Scotts imbru’d,

- And Dunbarr field resounds thy praises loud,

- And Worsters laureat wreath; yet much remaines

- To conquer still; peace hath her victories  originalEd: 10

- No less renownd then warr, new foes aries

- Threatning to bind our soules with secular chaines:

- Helpe us to save free Conscience from the paw

- Of hireling wolves whose Gospell is their maw.

To S r Henry Vane the younger.

- Vane, young in yeares, but in sage counsell old,

- Then whome a better Senatour nere held

- The helme of Rome, when gownes not armes repelld

- The feirce Epeirot the African bold,

- Whether to settle peace, or to unfold

- The drift of hollow states, hard to be spelld,

- Then to advise how warr may best, upheld,

- Move by her two maine nerves, Iron Gold

- In all her equipage; besides to know

- Both spirituall powre civill, what each meanes  originalEd: 10

- What severs each thou ’hast learnt, which few have don.

- The bounds of either sword to thee wee ow.

- Therfore on thy firme hand religion leanes

- In peace, reck’ns thee her eldest son.

To Mr. Cyriack Skinner upon his Blindness.

- Cyriack, this three years day these eys, though clear

- To outward view, of blemish or of spot;

- Bereft of light thir seeing have forgot,

- Nor to thir idle orbs doth sight appear

- Of Sun or Moon or Starre throughout the year,

- Or man or woman. Yet I argue not

- Against heavns hand or will, nor bate a jot

- Of heart or hope; but still bear vp and steer

- Right onward. What supports me, dost thou ask?

- The conscience, Friend, to have lost them overply’d  originalEd: 10

- In libertyes defence, my noble task,

- Of which all Europe talks from side to side.

- This thought might lead me through the world’s vain mask

- Content though blind, had I no better guide.

PSAL. I. Done into Verse, 1653.

- BLESS’D is the man who hath not walk’d astray

- In counsel of the wicked, and ith’way

- Of sinners hath not stood, and in the seat

- Of scorners hath not sate. But in the great

- Jehovahs Law is ever his delight,

- And in his Law he studies day and night.

- He shall be as a tree which planted grows

- By watry streams, and in his season knows

- To yield his fruit, and his leaf shall not fall,

- And what he takes in hand shall prosper all.  originalEd: 10

- Not so the wicked, but as chaff which fann’d

- The wind drives, so the wicked shall not stand

- In judgment, or abide their tryal then,

- Nor sinners in th’assembly of just men.

- For the Lord knows th’upright way of the just,

- And the way of bad men to ruine must.

PSAL. II. Done Aug. 8. 1653. Terzetti.

- WHY do the Gentiles tumult, and the Nations

- Muse a vain thing, the Kings of th’earth upstand

- With power, and Princes in their Congregations

- Lay deep their plots together through each Land,

- Against the Lord and his Messiah dear.

- Let us break off, say they, by strength of hand

- Their bonds, and cast from us, no more to wear,

- Their twisted cords: he who in Heaven doth dwell

- Shall laugh, the Lord shall scoff them, then severe

- Speak to them in his wrath, and in his fell  originalEd: 10

- And fierce ire trouble them; but I saith hee

- Anointed have my King (though ye rebell)

- On Sion my holi’ hill. A firm decree

- I will declare; the Lord to me hath say’d

- Thou art my Son I have begotten thee

- This day; ask of me, and the grant is made;

- As thy possession I on thee bestow

- Th’Heathen, and as thy conquest to be sway’d

- Earths utmost bounds: them shalt thou bring full low

- With Iron Scepter bruis’d, and them disperse  originalEd: 20

- Like to a potters vessel shiver’d so.

- And now be wise at length ye Kings averse

- Be taught ye Judges of the earth; with fear

- Jehovah serve, and let your joy converse

- With trembling; kiss the Son least he appear

- In anger and ye perish in the way

- If once his wrath take fire like fuel sere.

- Happy all those who have in him their stay.

PSAL. III. Aug. 9. 1653.

When he fled from Absalom.

- LORD how many are my foes

- How many those

- That in arms against me rise

- Many are they

- That of my life distrustfully thus say,

- No help for him in God there lies.

- But thou Lord art my shield my glory,

- Thee through my story

- Th’ exalter of my head I count

- Aloud I cry’d  originalEd: 10

- Unto Jehovah, he full soon reply’d

- And heard me from his holy mount.

- I lay and slept, I wak’d again,

- For my sustain

- Was the Lord. Of many millions

- The populous rout

- I fear not though incamping round about

- They pitch against me their Pavillions.

- Rise Lord, save me my God for thou

- Hast smote ere now  originalEd: 20

- On the cheek-bone all my foes,

- Of men abhor’d

- Hast broke the teeth. This help was from the Lord;

- Thy blessing on thy people flows.

PSAL. IV. Aug. 10. 1653.

- ANSWER me when I call

- God of my righteousness;

- In straights and in distress

- Thou didst me disinthrall

- And set at large; now spare,

- Now pity me, and hear my earnest prai’r.

- Great ones how long will ye

- My glory have in scorn

- How long be thus forborn

- Still to love vanity,  originalEd: 10

- To love, to seek, to prize

- Things false and vain and nothing else but lies?

- Yet know the Lord hath chose

- Chose to himself a part

- The good and meek of heart

- (For whom to chuse he knows)

- Jehovah from on high

- Will hear my voyce what time to him I crie.

- Be aw’d, and do not sin,

- Speak to your hearts alone,  originalEd: 20

- Upon your beds, each one,

- And be at peace within.

- Offer the offerings just

- Of righteousness and in Jehovah trust.

- Many there be that say

- Who yet will shew us good?

- Talking like this worlds brood;

- But Lord, thus let me pray,

- On us lift up the light

- Lift up the favour of thy count’nance bright.  originalEd: 30

- Into my heart more joy

- And gladness thou hast put

- Then when a year of glut

- Their stores doth over-cloy

- And from their plenteous grounds

- With vast increase their corn and wine abounds.

- In peace at once will I

- Both lay me down and sleep

- For thou alone dost keep

- Me safe where ere I lie  originalEd: 40

- As in a rocky Cell

- Thou Lord alone in safety mak’st me dwell.

PSAL. V. Aug. 12. 1653.

- JEHOVAH to my words give ear

- My meditation waigh

- The voyce of my complaining hear

- My King and God for unto thee I pray.

- Jehovah thou my early voyce

- Shalt in the morning hear

- Ith’morning I to thee with choyce

- Will rank my Prayers, and watch till thou appear.

- For thou art not a God that takes

- In wickedness delight  originalEd: 10

- Evil with thee no biding makes

- Fools or mad men stand not within thy sight.

- All workers of iniquity

- Thou hat’st; and them unblest

- Thou wilt destroy that speak a ly

- The bloodi’ and guileful man God doth detest.

- But I will in thy mercies dear

- Thy numerous mercies go

- Into thy house; I in thy fear

- Will towards thy holy temple worship low.  originalEd: 20

- Lord lead me in thy righteousness

- Lead me because of those

- That do observe if I transgress,

- Set thy wayes right before, where my step goes.

- For in his faltring mouth unstable

- No word is firm or sooth

- Their inside, troubles miserable;

- An open grave their throat, their tongue they smooth.

- God, find them guilty, let them fall

- By their own counsels quell’d;  originalEd: 30

- Push them in their rebellions all

- Still on; for against thee they have rebell’d;

- Then all who trust in thee shall bring

- Their joy, while thou from blame

- Defend’st them, they shall ever sing

- And shall triumph in thee, who love thy name.

- For thou Jehovah wilt be found

- To bless the just man still,

- As with a shield thou wilt surround

- Him with thy lasting favour and good will.  originalEd: 40

PSAL. VI. Aug. 13. 1653.

- LORD in thine anger do not reprehend me

- Nor in thy hot displeasure me correct;

- Pity me Lord for I am much deject

- Am very weak and faint; heal and amend me,

- For all my bones, that even with anguish ake,

- Are troubled, yea my soul is troubled sore;

- And thou O Lord how long? turn Lord, restore

- My soul, O save me for thy goodness sake

- For in death no remembrance is of thee;

- Who in the grave can celebrate thy praise?  originalEd: 10

- Wearied I am with sighing out my dayes,

- Nightly my Couch I make a kind of Sea;

- My Bed I water with my tears; mine Eie

- Through grief consumes, is waxen old and dark

- Ith’ mid’st of all mine enemies that mark.

- Depart all ye that work iniquitie.

- Depart from me, for the voice of my weeping

- The Lord hath heard, the Lord hath heard my prai’r

- My supplication with acceptance fair

- The Lord will own, and have me in his keeping.  originalEd: 20

- Mine enemies shall all be blank and dash’t

- With much confusion; then grow red with shame,

- They shall return in hast the way they came

- And in a moment shall be quite abash’t.

PSAL. VII. Aug. 14. 1653. Upon the words of Chush the Benjamite against him.

- LORD my God to thee I flie

- Save me and secure me under

- Thy protection while I crie

- Least as a Lion (and no wonder)

- He hast to tear my Soul asunder

- Tearing and no rescue nigh.

- Lord my God if I have thought

- Or done this, if wickedness

- Be in my hands, if I have wrought

- Ill to him that meant me peace,  originalEd: 10

- Or to him have render’d less,

- And not fre’d my foe for naught;

- Let th’enemy pursue my soul

- And overtake it, let him tread

- My life down to the earth and roul

- In the dust my glory dead,

- In the dust and there out spread

- Lodge it with dishonour foul.

- Rise Jehovah in thine ire

- Rouze thy self amidst the rage  originalEd: 20

- Of my foes that urge like fire;

- And wake for me, their furi’ asswage;

- Judgment here thou didst ingage

- And command which I desire.

- So th’ assemblies of each Nation

- Will surround thee, seeking right,

- Thence to thy glorious habitation

- Return on high and in their sight.

- Jehovah judgeth most upright

- All people from the worlds foundation.  originalEd: 30

- Judge me Lord, be judge in this

- According to my righteousness

- And the innocence which is

- Upon me: cause at length to cease

- Of evil men the wickedness

- And their power that do amiss.

- But the just establish fast,

- Since thou art the just God that tries

- Hearts and reins. On God is cast

- My defence, and in him lies  originalEd: 40

- In him who both just and wise

- Saves th’ upright of Heart at last,

- God is a just Judge and severe,

- And God is every day offended;

- If th’ unjust will not forbear,

- His Sword he whets, his Bow hath bended

- Already, and for him intended

- The tools of death, that waits him near.

- (His arrows purposely made he

- For them that persecute.) Behold  originalEd: 50

- He travels big with vanitie,

- Trouble he hath conceav’d of old

- As in a womb, and from that mould

- Hath at length brought forth a Lie,

- He dig’d a pit, and delv’d it deep,

- And fell into the pit he made,

- His mischief that due course doth keep,

- Turns on his head, and his ill trade

- Of violence will undelay’d

- Fall on his crown with ruine steep.  originalEd: 60

- Then will I Jehovah’s praise

- According to his justice raise

- And sing the Name and Deitie

- Of Jehovah the most high.

PSAL. VIII. Aug. 14. 1653.

- O JEHOVAH our Lord how wondrous great

- And glorious is thy name through all the earth?

- So as above the Heavens thy praise to set

- Out of the tender mouths of latest bearth,

- Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings thou

- Hast founded strength because of all thy foes

- To stint th’enemy, and slack th’avengers brow

- That bends his rage thy providence to oppose.

- When I behold thy Heavens, thy Fingers art,

- The Moon and Starrs which thou so bright hast set,  originalEd: 10

- In the pure firmament, then saith my heart,

- O what is man that thou remembrest yet,

- And think’st upon him; or of man begot

- That him thou visit’st and of him art found;

- Scarce to be less then Gods, thou mad’st his lot,

- With honour and with state thou hast him crown’d.

- O’re the works of thy hand thou mad’st him Lord,

- Thou hast put all under his lordly feet,

- All Flocks, and Herds, by thy commanding word,

- All beasts that in the field or forrest meet.  originalEd: 20

- Fowl of the Heavens, and Fish that through the wet

- Sea-paths in shoals do slide. And know no dearth

- O Jehovah our Lord bow wondrous great

- And glorious is thy name through all the earth.

April, 1648. J. M. Nine of the Psalms done into Metre, wherein all but what is in a different Character, are the very words of the Text, translated from the Original.

PSAL. LXXX.

- 1 THOU Shepherd that dost Israel keep

- Give ear in time of need,

- Who leadest like a flock of sheep

- Thy loved Josephs seed,

- That sitt’st between the Cherubs bright

- Between their wings out-spread

- Shine forth, and from thy cloud give light,

- And on our foes thy dread.

- 2 In Ephraims view and Benjamins,

- And in Manasse’s sight  originalEd: 10

- Awake [*] thy strength, come, and be seen

- To save us by thy might.

- 3 Turn us again, thy grace divine

- To us O God vouchsafe;

- Cause thou thy face on us to shine

- And then we shall be safe.

- 4 Lord God of Hosts, how long wilt thou,

- How long wilt thou declare

- Thy [*] smoaking wrath, and angry brow

- Against thy peoples praire.  originalEd: 20

- 5 Thou feed’st them with the bread of tears,

- Their bread with tears they eat,

- And mak’st them [*] largely drink the tears

- Wherwith their cheeks are wet.

- 6 A strife thou mak’st us and a prey

- To every neighbour foe,

- Among themselves they [*] laugh, they [*] play,

- And [*] flouts at us they throw.

- 7 Return us, and thy grace divine,

- O God of Hosts vouchsafe  originalEd: 30

- Cause thou thy face on us to shine,

- And then we shall be safe.

- 8 A Vine from Ægypt thou hast brought,

- Thy free love made it thine,

- And drov’st out Nations proud and haut

- To plant this lovely Vine.

- 9 Thou did’st prepare for it a place

- And root it deep and fast

- That it began to grow apace,

- And fill’d the land at last.  originalEd: 40

- 10 With her green shade that cover’d all,

- The Hills were over-spread

- Her Bows as high as Cedars tall

- Advanc d their lofty head.

- 11 Her branches on the western side

- Down to the Sea she sent,

- And upward to that river wide

- Her other branches went.

- 12 Why hast thou laid her Hedges low

- And brok’n down her Fence,  originalEd: 50

- That all may pluck her, as they go,

- With rudest violence?

- 13 The tusked Boar out of the wood

- Up turns it by the roots,

- Wild Beasts there brouze, and make their food

- Her Grapes and tender Shoots.

- 14 Return now, God of Hosts, look down

- From Heav’n, thy Seat divine,

- Behold us, but without a frown,

- And visit this thy Vine.  originalEd: 60

- 15 Visit this Vine, which thy right hand

- Hath set, and planted long,

- And the young branch, that for thy self

- Thou hast made firm and strong.

- 16 But now it is consum’d with fire,

- And cut with Axes down,

- They perish at thy dreadfull ire,

- At thy rebuke and frown.

- 17 Upon the man of thy right hand

- Let thy good hand be laid,  originalEd: 70

- Upon the Son of Man, whom thou

- Strong for thyself hast made.

- 18 So shall we not go back from thee

- To wayes of sin and shame,

- Quick’n us thou, then gladly wee

- Shall call upon thy Name.

- Return us, and thy grace divine

- Lord God of Hosts voutsafe,

- Cause thou thy face on us to shine,

- And then we shall be safe.  originalEd: 80

PSAL. LXXXI.

- 1 To God our strength sing loud, and clear,

- Sing loud to God our King,

- To Jacobs God, that all may hear

- Loud acclamations ring.

- 2 Prepare a Hymn, prepare a Song

- The Timbrel hither bring

- The cheerfull Psaltry bring along

- And Harp with pleasant string.

- 3 Blow, as is wont, in the new Moon

- With Trumpets lofty sound,  originalEd: 10

- Th’ appointed time, the day wheron

- Our solemn Feast comes round.

- 4 This was a Statute giv’n of old

- For Israel to observe

- A Law of Jacobs God, to hold

- From whence they might not swerve.

- 5 This he a Testimony ordain’d

- In Joseph, not to change,

- When as he pass’d through Ægypt land;

- The Tongue I heard, was strange.  originalEd: 20

- 6 From burden, and from slavish toyle

- I set his shoulder free;

- His hands from pots, and mirie soyle

- Deliver’d were by me.

- 7 When trouble did thee sore assaile,

- On me then didst thou call,

- And I to free thee did not faile,

- And led thee out of thrall.

- I answer’d thee in [*] thunder deep

- With clouds encompass’d round;  originalEd: 30

- I tri’d thee at the water steep

- Of Meriba renown’d.

- 8 Hear O my people, heark’n well,

- I testifie to thee

- Thou antient flock of Israel,

- If thou wilt list to mee,

- 9 Through out the land of thy abode

- No alien God shall be

- Nor shalt thou to a forein God

- In honour bend thy knee.  originalEd: 40

- 10 I am the Lord thy God which brought

- Thee out of Ægypt land

- Ask large enough, and I, besought,

- Will grant thy full demand.

- 11 And yet my people would not hear,

- Nor hearken to my voice;

- And Israel whom I lov’d so dear

- Mislik’d me for his choice.

- 12 Then did I leave them to their will

- And to their wandring mind;  originalEd: 50

- Their own conceits they follow’d still

- Their own devises blind.

- 13 O that my people would be wise

- To serve me all their daies,

- And O that Israel would advise

- To walk my righteous waies.

- 14 Then would I soon bring down their foes

- That now so proudly rise,

- And turn my hand against all those

- That are their enemies.  originalEd: 60

- 15 Who hate the Lord should then be fain

- To bow to him and bend,

- But they, His people, should remain,

- Their time should have no end.

- 16 And he would feed them from the shock

- With flower of finest wheat,

- And satisfie them from the rock

- With Honey for their Meat.

PSAL. LXXXII.

- 1 God in the [*] great [*] assembly stands

- Of Kings and lordly States,

- Among the gods [†] on both his hands

- He judges and debates.

- 2 How long will ye [*] pervert the right

- With [*] judgment false and wrong

- Favouring the wicked by your might,

- Who thence grow bold and strong?

- 3 [*] Regard the [*] weak and fatherless

- [*] Dispatch the [*] poor mans cause,  originalEd: 10

- And [†] raise the man in deep distress

- By [†] just and equal Lawes.

- 4 Defend the poor and desolate,

- And rescue from the hands

- Of wicked men the low estate

- Of him that help demands.

- 5 They know not nor will understand,

- In darkness they walk on,

- The Earths foundations all are [*] mov’d

- And [*] out of order gon.  originalEd: 20

- 6 I said that ye were Gods, yea all

- The Sons of God most high

- 7 But ye shall die like men, and fall

- As other Princes die.

- 8 Rise God, [*] judge thou the earth in might,

- This wicked earth [*] redress,

- For thou art he who shalt by right

- The Nations all possess.

PSAL. LXXXIII.

- 1 BE not thou silent now at length

- O God hold not thy peace,

- Sit not thou still O God of strength

- We cry and do not cease.

- 2 For lo thy furious foes now * swell

- And • storm outrageously,

- And they that hate thee proud and fell

- Exalt their heads full hie.

- 3 Against thy people they [†] contrive

- [†] Their Plots and Counsels deep,  originalEd: 10

- [*] Them to ensnare they chiefly strive

- [*] Whom thou dost hide and keep.

- 4 Come let us cut them off say they,

- Till they no Nation be

- That Israels name for ever may

- Be lost in memory.

- 5 For they consult [†] with all their might,

- And all as one in mind

- Themselves against thee they unite

- And in firm union bind.  originalEd: 20

- 6 The tents of Edom, and the brood

- Of scornful Ishmael,

- Moab, with them of Hagars blood

- That in the Desart dwell,

- 7 Gebal and Ammon there conspire,

- And hateful Amalec,

- The Philistims, and they of Tyre

- Whose bounds the Sea doth check.

- 8 With them great Asshur also bands

- And doth confirm the knot,  originalEd: 30

- All these have lent their armed hands

- To aid the Sons of Lot.

- 9 Do to them as to Midian bold

- That wasted all the Coast.

- To Sisera, and as is told

- Thou didst to Jabins hoast,

- When at the brook of Kishon old

- They were repulst and slain,

- 10 At Endor quite cut off, and rowl’d

- As dung upon the plain.  originalEd: 40

- 11 As Zeb and Oreb evil sped

- So let their Princes speed

- As Zeba, and Zalmunna bled

- So let their Princes bleed.

- 12 For they amidst their pride have said

- By right now shall we seize

- Gods houses, and will now invade

- [†] Their stately Palaces.

- 13 My God, oh make them as a wheel

- No quiet let them find,  originalEd: 50

- Giddy and restless let them reel

- Like stubble from the wind.

- 14 As when an aged wood takes fire

- Which on a sudden straies,

- The greedy flame runs hier and hier

- Till all the mountains blaze,

- 15 So with thy whirlwind them pursue,

- And with thy tempest chase;

- 16 [*] And till they [*] yield thee honour due,

- Lord fill with shame their face.

- 17 Asham’d and troubl’d let them be,  originalEd: 61

- Troubl’d and sham’d for ever,

- Ever confounded, and so die

- With shame, and scape it never.

- 18 Then shall they know that thou whose name

- Jehova is alone,

- Art the most high, and thou the same

- O’re all the earth art one.

PSAL. LXXXIV.

- 1 How lovely are thy dwellings fair!

- O Lord of Hoasts, how dear

- The pleasant Tabernacles are!

- Where thou do’st dwell so near.

- 2 My Soul doth long and almost die

- Thy Courts O Lord to see,

- My heart and flesh aloud do crie,

- O living God, for thee.

- 3 There ev’n the Sparrow freed from wrong

- Hath found a house of rest,  originalEd: 10

- The Swallow there, to lay her young

- Hath built her brooding nest,

- Ev’n by thy Altars Lord of Hoasts

- They find their safe abode,

- And home they fly from round the Coasts

- Toward thee, My King, my God.

- 4 Happy, who in thy house reside

- Where thee they ever praise,

- 5 Happy, whose strength in thee doth bide,

- And in their hearts thy waies.  originalEd: 20

- 6 They pass through Baca’s thirstie Vale,

- That dry and barren ground

- As through a fruitfull watry Dale

- Where Springs and Showrs abound.

- 7 They journey on from strength to strength

- With joy and gladsom cheer

- Till all before our God at length

- In Sion do appear.

- 8 Lord God of Hoasts hear now my praier

- O Jacobs God give ear,  originalEd: 30

- 9 Thou God our shield look on the face

- Of thy anointed dear.

- 10 For one day in thy Courts to be

- Is better, and more blest

- Then in the joyes of Vanity,

- A thousand daies at best.

- I in the temple of my God

- Had rather keep a dore,

- Then dwell in Tents, and rich abode

- With Sin for evermore.  originalEd: 40

- 11 For God the Lord both Sun and Shield

- Gives grace and glory bright,

- No good from them shall be with-held

- Whose waies are just and right.

- 12 Lord God of Hoasts that raign’st on high,

- That man is truly blest

- Who only on thee doth relie.

- And in thee only rest.

PSAL. LXXXV.

- 1 THY Land to favour graciously

- Thou hast not Lord been slack,

- Thou hast from hard Captivity

- Returned Jacob back.

- 2 Th’ iniquity thou didst forgive

- That wrought thy people woe,

- And all their Sin, that did thee grieve

- Hast hid where none shall know.

- 3 Thine anger all thou hadst remov’d,

- And calmly didst return  originalEd: 10

- From thy [†] fierce wrath which we had prov’d

- Far worse then fire to burn.

- 4 God of our saving health and peace,

- Turn us, and us restore,

- Thine indignation cause to cease

- Toward us, and chide no more.

- 5 Wilt thou be angry without end,

- For ever angry thus

- Wilt thou thy frowning ire extend

- From age to age on us?  originalEd: 20

- 6 Wilt thou not [*] turn, and hear our voice

- And us again [*] revive,

- That so thy people may rejoyce

- By thee preserv’d alive.

- 7 Cause us to see thy goodness Lord,

- To us thy mercy shew

- Thy saving health to us afford

- And life in us renew.

- 8 And now what God the Lord will speak

- I will go strait and hear,  originalEd: 30

- For to his people he speaks peace

- And to his Saints full dear,

- To his dear Saints he will speak peace,

- But let them never more

- Return to folly, but surcease

- To trespass as before.

- 9 Surely to such as do him fear

- Salvation is at hand

- And glory shall ere long appear

- To dwell within our Land.  originalEd: 40

- 10 Mercy and Truth that long were miss’d

- Now joyfully are met

- Sweet Peace and Righteousness have kiss’d

- And hand in hand are set.

- 11 Truth from the earth like to a flowr

- Shall bud and blossom then,

- And Justice from her heavenly bowr

- Look down on mortal men.

- 12 The Lord will also then bestow

- Whatever thing is good  originalEd: 50

- Our Land shall forth in plenty throw

- Her fruits to be our food.

- 13 Before him Righteousness shall go

- His Royal Harbinger,

- Then [*] will he come, and not be slow

- His footsteps cannot err.

PSAL. LXXXVI.

- 1 THY gracious ear, O Lord, encline,

- O hear me I thee pray,

- For I am poor, and almost pine

- With need, and sad decay.

- 2 Preserve my soul, for [†] I have trod

- Thy waies, and love the just,

- Save thou thy servant O my God

- Who still in thee doth trust.

- 3 Pitty me Lord for daily thee

- I call; 4 O make rejoyce  originalEd: 10

- Thy Servants Soul; for Lord to thee

- I lift my soul and voice,

- 5 For thou art good, thou Lord art prone

- To pardon, thou to all

- Art full of mercy, thou alone

- To them that on thee call.

- 6 Unto my supplication Lord

- Give ear, and to the crie

- Of my incessant praiers afford

- Thy hearing graciously.  originalEd: 20

- 7 I in the day of my distress

- Will call on thee for aid;

- For thou wilt grant me free access

- And answer, what I pray’d,

- 8 Like thee among the gods is none

- O Lord, nor any works

- Of all that other Gods have done

- Like to thy glorious works.

- 9 The Nations all whom thou hast made

- Shall come, and all shall frame  originalEd: 30

- To bow them low before thee Lord,

- And glorifie thy name.

- 10 For great thou art, and wonders great

- By thy strong hand are done,

- Thou in thy everlasting Seat

- Remainest God alone.

- 11 Teach me O Lord thy way most right,

- I in thy truth will bide,

- To fear thy name my heart unite

- So shall it never slide.  originalEd: 40

- 12 Thee will I praise O Lord my God

- Thee honour, and adore

- With my whole heart, and blaze abroad

- Thy name for ever more.

- 13 For great thy mercy is toward me,

- And thou hast free’d my Soul

- Eev’n from the lowest Hell set free

- From deepest darkness foul.

- 14 O God the proud against me rise

- And violent men are met  originalEd: 50

- To seek my life, and in their eyes

- No fear of thee have set.

- 15 But thou Lord art the God most mild

- Readiest thy grace to shew,

- Slow to be angry, and art stil’d

- Most mercifull, most true.

- 16 O turn to me thy face at length,

- And me have mercy on,

- Unto thy servant give thy strength,

- And save thy hand-maids Son.  originalEd: 60

- 17 Some sign of good to me afford,

- And let my foes then see

- And be asham’d, because thou Lord

- Do’st help and comfort me.

PSAL. LXXXVII.

- 1 AMONG the holy Mountains high

- Is his foundation fast,

- There Seated in his Sanctuary,

- His Temple there is plac’t.

- 2 Sions fair Gates the Lord loves more

- Then all the dwellings faire

- Of Jacobs Land, though there be store,

- And all within his care.

- 3 City of God, most glorious things

- Of thee abroad are spoke;  originalEd: 10

- 4 I mention Egypt, where proud Kings

- Did our forefathers yoke,

- I mention Babel to my friends,

- Philistia full of scorn,

- And Tyre with Ethiops utmost ends,

- Lo this man there was born:

- 5 But twise that praise shall in our ear

- Be said of Sion last

- This and this man was born in her,

- High God shall fix her fast.  originalEd: 20

- 6 The Lord shall write it in a Scrowle

- That ne’re shall be out-worn

- When he the Nations doth enrowle

- That this man there was born.

- 7 Both they who sing, and they who dance

- With sacred Songs are there,

- In thee fresh brooks, and soft streams glance

- And all my fountains clear.

PSAL. LXXXVIII.

- 1 LORD God that dost me save and keep,

- All day to thee I cry;

- And all night long, before thee weep

- Before thee prostrate lie.

- 2 Into thy presence let my praier

- With sighs devout ascend

- And to my cries, that ceaseless are,

- Thine ear with favour bend.

- 3 For cloy’d with woes and trouble store

- Surcharg’d my Soul doth lie,  originalEd: 10

- My life at death’s uncherful dore

- Unto the grave draws nigh.

- 4 Reck’n’d I am with them that pass

- Down to the dismal pit

- I am a [*] man, but weak alas

- And for that name unfit.

- 5 From life discharg’d and parted quite

- Among the dead to sleep,

- And like the slain in bloody fight

- That in the grave lie deep.  originalEd: 20

- Whom thou rememberest no more,

- Dost never more regard,

- Them from thy hand deliver’d o’re

- Deaths hideous house hath barr’d.

- 6 Thou in the lowest pit profound

- Hast set me all forlorn,

- Where thickest darkness hovers round,

- In horrid deeps to mourn.

- 7 Thy wrath from which no shelter saves

- Full sore doth press on me;  originalEd: 30

- [*] Thou break’st upon me all thy waves,

- [*] And all thy waves break me.

- 8 Thou dost my friends from me estrange,

- And mak’st me odious,

- Me to them odious, for they change,

- And I here pent up thus.

- 9 Through sorrow, and affliction great

- Mine eye grows dim and dead,

- Lord all the day I thee entreat,

- My hands to thee I spread.  originalEd: 40

- 10 Wilt thou do wonders on the dead,

- Shall the deceas’d arise

- And praise thee from their loathsom bed

- With pale and hollow eyes?

- 11 Shall they thy loving kindness tell

- On whom the grave hath hold,

- Or they who in perdition dwell

- Thy faithfulness unfold?

- 12 In darkness can thy mighty hand

- Or wondrous acts be known,  originalEd: 50

- Thy justice in the gloomy land

- Of dark oblivion?

- 13 But I to thee O Lord do cry

- E’re yet my life be spent,

- And up to thee my praier doth hie

- Each morn, and thee prevent.

- 14 Why wilt thou Lord my soul forsake,

- And hide thy face from me,

- 15 That am already bruis’d, and [†] shake

- With terror sent from thee;  originalEd: 60

- Bruz’d, and afflicted and so low

- As ready to expire,

- While I thy terrors undergo

- Astonish’d with thine ire.

- 16 Thy fierce wrath over me doth flow

- Thy threatnings cut me through.

- 17 All day they round about me go,

- Like waves they me persue.

- 18 Lover and friend thou hast remov’d

- And sever’d from me far.  originalEd: 70

- They fly me now whom I have lov’d,

- And as in darkness are.

Finis.

Passages from Prose Writings.

A COLLECTION OF PASSAGES TRANSLATED IN THE PROSE WRITINGS.

[From Of Reformation in England, 1641.]

- Ah Constantine, of how much ill was cause

- Not thy Conversion, but those rich demains

- That the first wealthy Pope receiv’d of thee.

- DANTE, Inf. xix. 115.

- Founded in chast and humble Poverty,

- ’Gainst them that rais’d thee dost thou lift thy horn,

- Impudent whoore, where hast thou plac’d thy hope?

- In thy Adulterers, or thy ill got wealth?

- Another Constantine comes not in hast.

- PETRARCA, Son. 108.

- And to be short, at last his guid him brings

- Into a goodly valley, where he sees

- A mighty mass of things strangely confus’d

- Things that on earth were lost or were abus’d.

- . . . . . .

- Then past he to a flowry Mountain green,

- Which once smelt sweet, now stinks as odiously;

- This was that gift (if you the truth will have)

- That Constantine to good Sylvestro gave.

- ARIOSTO, Orl. Fur. xxxiv. 80.

[From Reason of Church Government, 1641.]

When I die, let the Earth be roul’d in flames.

[From Apology for Smectymnuus, 1642.]

- Laughing to teach the truth

- What hinders? as some teachers give to Boys

- Junkets and knacks, that they may learne apace.

- HORACE, Sat. 1. 24.

- Jesting decides great things

- Stronglier, and better oft than earnest can.

- Ibid. i. 10. 14.

- ’Tis you that say it, not I: you do the deeds

- And your ungodly deeds find me the words.

- SOPHOCLES, Elec. 624.

[From Areopagitica, 1644.]

- This is true Liberty, when free-born Men,

- Having to advise the Public, may speak free,

- Which he who can, and will, deserv’s high praise;

- Who neither can nor will, may hold his peace,

- What can be juster in a state then this?

- EURIPIDES, Supp. 438.

[From Tetrachordon, 1645.]

- Whom do we count a good man, whom but he

- Who keeps the laws and statutes of the Senate,

- Who judges in great suits and controversies,

- Whose witness and opinion wins the cause?

- But his own house, and the whole neighbourhood

- See his foul inside through his whited skin.

- HORACE, Ep. i. 16. 40.

[From The Tenure of Kings and Magistrates, 1649.]

- There can be slaine

- No sacrifice to God more acceptable

- Than an unjust and wicked king.

- SENECA, Herc. Fur. 922.

[From History of Britain, 1670.]

- Brutus thus addresses Diana in the country of Leogecia.

- Goddess of Shades, and Huntress, who at will

- Walk’st on the rowling Sphear, and through the deep,

- On thy third Reign the Earth look now, and tell

- What Land, what Seat of rest thou bidst me seek,

- What certain Seat, where I may worship thee

- For aye, with Temples vow’d, and Virgin quires.

- To whom sleeping before the altar , Diana in a Vision that night thus answer’d.

- Brutus far to the West, in th’ Ocean wide

- Beyond the Realm of Gaul, a Land there lies,

- Sea-girt it lies, where Giants dwelt of old,

- Now void, it fits thy People; thether bend

- Thy course, there shalt thou find a lasting seat,

- There to thy Sons another Troy shall rise,

- And Kings be born of thee, whose dredded might

- Shall aw the World, and conquer Nations bold.

Joannis Miltoni LONDINENSIS POEMATA. Quorum pleraque intra Annum ætatis Vigesimum Conscripsit.

Nunc primum Edita.

LONDINI,

Typis R. R. Prostant ad Insignia Principis, in Cœmeterio D. Pauli, apud Humphredum Moseley. 1645.

HÆC quæ sequuntur de Authore testimonia, tametsi ipse intelligebat non tam de se quam supra se esse dicta, eo quod præclaro ingenio viri, nec non amici ita fere solent laudare, ut omnia suis potius virtutibus, quam veritati congruentia nimis cupide affingant, noluit tamen horum egregiam in se voluntatem non esse notam; Cum alii præsertim ut id saceret magnopere suaderent. Dum enim nimiæ laudis invidiam totis ab se viribus amolitur, sibique quod plus æquo est non attributum esse mavult, judicium interim hominum cordatorum atque illustrium quin summo sibi honori ducat, negare non potest.

Joannes Baptista Mansus, Marchio Villensis Neapolitanus ad Joannem Miltonium Anglum.

- Ut mens, forma, decor, facies, mos, si pietas sic,

- Non Anglus, verùm herclè Angelus ipse fores.

Ad Joannem Miltonem Anglum triplici poeseos laureâ coronandum Græcâ nimirum, Latinâ, atque Hetruscâ, Epigramma Joannis Salsilli Romani.

- CEDE Meles, cedat depressa Mincius urna;

- Sebetus Tassum desinat usque loqui;

- At Thamesis victor cunctis ferat altior undas

- Nam per te Milto par tribus unus erit.

Ad Joannem Miltonum.

- GRÆCIA Mæonidem, jactet sibi Roma Maronem,

- Anglia Miltonum jactat utrique parem.

- Selvaggi.

Al Signor Gio. Miltoni Nobile Inglese.

- ODE.

- Ergimi all’ Etra ò Clio

- Perche di stelle intreccierò corona

- Non più del Biondo Dio

- La Fronde eterna in Pindo, e in Elicona,

- Diensi a merto maggior, maggiori i fregi,

- A’ celeste virtù celesti pregi.

- Non puo del tempo edace

- Rimaner preda, eterno alto valore

- Non puo l’ oblio rapace

- Furar dalle memorie eccelso onore,  originalEd: 10

- Su l’ arco di mia cetra un dardo forte

- Virtù m’ adatti, e ferirò la morte.

- Del Ocean profondo

- Cinta dagli ampi gorghi Anglia risiede

- Separata dal mondo,

- Però che il suo valor l’ umano eccede:

- Questa feconda sà produrre Eroi,

- Ch’ hanno a ragion del sovruman tra noi.

- Alla virtù sbandita

- Danno ne i petti lor fido ricetto,  originalEd: 10

- Quella gli è sol gradita,

- Perche in lei san trovar gioia, e diletto;

- Ridillo tu Giovanni e mostra in tanto

- Con tuo vera virtù, vero il mio Canto.

- Lungi dal Patrio lido

- Spinse Zeusi l’ industre ardente brama;

- Ch’ udio d’ Helena il grido

- Con aurea tromba rimbombar la fama,

- E per poterla effigiare al paro

- Dalle più belle Idee trasse il priù raro.  originalEd: 30

- Cosi l’ Ape Ingegnosa

- Trae con industria il suo liquor pregiato

- Dal giglio e dalla rosa,

- E quanti vaghi fiori ornano il prato;

- Formano un dolce suon diverse Chorde,

- Fan varie voci melodia concorde.

- Di bella gloria amante

- Milton dal Ciel natio per varie parti

- Le peregrine piante

- Volgesti a ricercar scienze, ed arti;  originalEd: 40

- Del Gallo regnator vedesti i Regni,

- E dell’ Italia ancor gl’ Eroi piu degni.

- Fabro quasi divino

- Sol virtù rintracciando il tuo pensiero

- Vide in ogni confino

- Chi di nobil valor calca il sentiero;

- L’ ottimo dal miglior dopo scegliea

- Per fabbricar d’ ogni virtu l’ Idea.

- Quanti nacquero in Flora

- O in lei del parlar Tosco appreser l’ arte,  originalEd: 50

- La cui memoria onora

- Il mondo fatta eterna in dotte carte,

- Volesti ricercar per tuo tesoro,

- E parlasti con lor nell’ opre loro.

- Nell’ altera Babelle

- Per te il parlar confuse Giove in vano,

- Che per varie favelle

- Di se stessa trofeo cadde su’l piano:

- Ch’ Ode oltr’ all Anglia il suo piu degno Idioma

- Spagna, Francia, Toscana, e Grecia e Roma  originalEd: 60

- I piu profondi arcani

- Ch’ occulta la natura e in cielo e in terra

- Ch’ a Ingegni sovrumani

- Troppo avara tal’ hor gli chiude, e serra,

- Chiaramente conosci, e giungi al fine

- Della moral virtude al gran confine.

- Non batta il Tempo l’ ale,

- Fermisi immoto, e in un ferminsi gl’ anni,

- Che di virtù immortale

- Scorron di troppo ingiuriosi a i danni;  originalEd: 70

- Che s’ opre degne di Poema o storia

- Furon gia, l’ hai presenti alla memoria.

- Dammi tua dolce Cetra

- Se vuoi ch’ io dica del tuo dolce canto,

- Ch’ inalzandoti all’ Etra

- Di farti huomo celeste ottiene il vanto,

- Il Tamigi il dirà che gl’ è concesso

- Per te suo cigno pareggiar Permesso.

- Io che in riva del Arno

- Tento spiegar tuo merto alto, e preclaro  originalEd: 80

- So che fatico indarno,

- E ad ammirar, non a lodarlo imparo;

- Freno dunque la lingua, e ascolto il core

- Che ti prende a lodar con lo stupore.

- Del sig. Antonio Francini gentilhuomo Fiorentino.

JOANNI MILTONI

LONDINIENSI.

Juveni Patria, virtutibus eximio,

VIRO qui multa peregrinatione, studio cuncta orbis terrarum loca perspexit, ut novus Ulysses omnia ubique ab omnibus apprehenderet.

Polyglotto, in cujus ore linguæ jam deperditæ sic reviviscunt, ut idiomata omnia sint in ejus laudibus infacunda; Et jure ea percallet ut admirationes plausus populorum ab propria sapientia excitatos, intelligat.

Illi, cujus animi dotes corporisque, sensus ad admirationem commovent, per ipsam motum cuique auferunt; cujus opera ad plausus hortantur, sed vastitate [1] vocem laudatoribus adimunt.

Cui in Memoria totus Orbis: In intellectu Sapientia: in voluntate ardor gloriæ: in ore Eloquentia: Harmonicos celestium Sphærarum sonitus Astronomia Duce audienti; Characteres mirabilium naturæ per quos Dei magnitudo describitur magistra Philosophia legenti; Antiquitatum latebras, vetustatis excidia, eruditionis ambages comite assidua autorum Lectione.

- Exquirenti, restauranti, percurrenti.

- At cur nitor in arduum?

Illi in cujus virtutibus evulgandis ora Famæ non sufficiant, nec hominum stupor in laudandis satis est, Reverentiæ amoris ergo hoc ejus meritis debitum admirationis tributum offert Carolus Datus Patricius Florentinus.

Tanto homini servus, tantæ virtutis amator.

ELEGIARUM

Liber Primus.

Elegia prima ad Carolum Diodatum.

- TANDEM, chare, tuæ mihi pervenere tabellæ,

- Pertulit voces nuntia charta tuas,

- Pertulit occiduâ Devæ Cestrensis ab orâ

- Vergivium prono quà petit amne salum.

- Multùm crede juvat terras aluisse remotas

- Pectus amans nostri, tamque fidele caput,

- Quòdque mihi lepidum tellus longinqua sodalem

- Debet, at unde brevi reddere jussa velit.

- Me tenet urbs refluâ quam Thamesis alluit undâ,

- Meque nec invitum patria dulcis habet.  originalEd: 10

- Jam nec arundiferum mihi cura revisere Camum,

- Nec dudum vetiti me laris angit amor.

- Nuda nec arva placent, umbrasque negantia molles,

- Quàm male Phœbicolis convenit ille locus!

- Nec duri libet usque minas perferre magistri

- Cæteraque ingenio non subeunda meo.

- Si sit hoc exilium patrios adiisse penates,

- Et vacuum curis otia grata sequi,

- Non ego vel profugi nomen, sortemve recuso,

- Lætus exilii conditione fruor.  originalEd: 20

- O utinam vates nunquam graviora tulisset

- Ille Tomitano flebilis exul agro;

- Non tunc Jonio quicquam cessisset Homero

- Neve foret victo laus tibi prima Maro.

- Tempora nam licet hîc placidis dare libera Musis,

- Et totum rapiunt me mea vita libri.

- Excipit hinc fessum sinuosi pompa theatri,

- Et vocat ad plausus garrula scena suos.

- Seu catus auditur senior, seu prodigus hæres,

- Seu procus, aut positâ casside miles adest,  originalEd: 30

- Sive decennali fœcundus lite patronus

- Detonat inculto barbara verba foro,

- Sæpe vafer gnato succurrit servus amanti,

- Et nasum rigidi fallit ubique Patris;

- Sæpe novos illic virgo mirata calores

- Quid sit amor nescit, dum quoque nescit, amat.

- Sive cruentatum furiosa Tragœdia sceptrum

- Quassat, effusis crinibus ora rotat,

- Et dolet, specto, juvat spectasse dolendo,

- Interdum lacrymis dulcis amaror inest:  originalEd: 40

- Seu puer infelix indelibata reliquit

- Gaudia, abrupto flendus amore cadit,

- Seu ferus è tenebris iterat Styga criminis ultor

- Conscia funereo peotora torre movens,

- Seu mæret Pelopeia domus, feu nobilis Ili,

- Aut luit incestos aula Creontis avos.

- Sed neque sub tecto semper nec in urbe latemus,

- Irrita nec nobis tempora veris eunt.

- Nos quoque lucus habet vicinâ consitus ulmo

- Atque suburbani nobilis umbra loci.  originalEd: 50

- Sæpius hic blandas spirantia sydera flammas

- Virgineos videas præteriisse choros.

- Ah quoties dignæ stupui miracula formæ

- Quæ possit senium vel reparare Jovis;

- Ah quoties vidi superantia lumina gemmas,

- Atque faces quotquot volvit uterque polus;

- Collaque bis vivi Pelopis quæ brachia vincant,

- Quæque fluit puro nectare tincta via,

- Et decus eximium frontis, tremulosque capillos,

- Aurea quæ fallax retia tendit Amor.  originalEd: 60

- Pellacesque genas, ad quas hyacinthina sordet

- Purpura, ipse tui floris, Adoni, rubor.

- Cedite laudatæ toties Heroides olim,

- Et quæcunque vagum cepit amica Jovem.

- Cedite Achæmeniæ turritâ fronte puellæ,

- Et quot Susa colunt, Memnoniamque Ninon.

- Vos etiam Danaæ fasces submittite Nymphæ,

- Et vos Iliacæ, Romuleæque nurus.

- Nec Pompeianas Tarpëia Musa columnas

- Jactet, Ausoniis plena theatra stolis.  originalEd: 70

- Gloria Virginibus debetur prima Britannis,

- Extera sat tibi sit fœmina posse sequi.

- Tuque urbs Dardaniis Londinum structa colonis

- Turrigerum latè conspicienda caput,

- Tu nimium felix intra tua mœnia claudis

- Quicquid formosi pendulus orbis habet.

- Non tibi tot cælo scintillant astra sereno

- Endymioneæ turba ministra deæ,

- Quot tibi conspicuæ formáque auróque puellæ

- Per medias radiant turba videnda vias.  originalEd: 80

- Creditur huc geminis venisse invecta columbis

- Alma pharetrigero milite cincta Venus,

- Huic Cnidon, riguas Simoentis flumine valles,

- Huic Paphon, roseam posthabitura Cypron.

- Ast ego, dum pueri sinit indulgentia cæci,

- Mœnia quàm subitò linquere fausta paro;

- Et vitare procul malefidæ infamia Circes

- Atria, divini Molyos usus ope.

- Stat quoque juncosas Cami remeare paludes,

- Atque iterum raucæ murmur adire Scholæ.  originalEd: 90

- Interea fidi parvum cape munus amici,

- Paucaque in alternos verba coacta modos.

Elegia secunda, Anno ætatis 17. In obitum Præconis Academici Cantabrigiensis.

- TE, qui conspicuus baculo fulgente solebas

- Palladium toties ore ciere gregem,

- Ultima præconum præconem te quoque sæva

- Mors rapit, officio nec favet ipsa suo.

- Candidiora licet fuerint tibi tempora plumis

- Sub quibus accipimus delituisse Jovem,

- O dignus tamen Hæmonio juvenescere succo,

- Dignus in Æsonios vivere posse dies,

- Dignus quem Stygiis medicâ revocaret ab undis

- Arte Coronides, sæpe rogante dea.  originalEd: 10

- Tu si jussus eras acies accire togatas,

- Et celer à Phoebo nuntius ire tuo,

- Talis in Iliacâ stabat Cyllenius aula

- Alipes, æthereâ missus ab arce Patris.

- Talis Eurybates ante ora furentis Achillei

- Rettulit Atridæ jussa severa ducis.

- Magna sepulchrorum regina, satelles Averni

- Sæva nimis Musis, Palladi sæva nimis,

- Quin illos rapias qui pondus inutile terræ,

- Turba quidem est telis ista petenda tuis.  originalEd: 20

- Vestibus hunc igitur pullis Academia luge,

- Et madeant lachrymis nigra feretra tuis.

- Fundat ipsa modos querebunda Elegëia tristes,

- Personet totis nænia mœsta scholis.

Elegia tertia, Anno ætatis 17. In obitum Præsulis Wintoniensis.

- MŒSTUS eram, tacitus nullo comitante sedebam,

- Hærebantque animo tristia plura meo,

- Protinus en subiit funestæ cladis Imago

- Fecit in Angliaco quam Libitina solo;

- Dum procerum ingressa est splendentes marmore turres

- Dira sepulchrali mors metuenda face;

- Pulsavitque auro gravidos jaspide muros,

- Nec metuit satrapum sternere falce greges.

- Tunc memini clarique ducis, fratrisque verendi

- Intempestivis ossa cremata rogis.  originalEd: 10

- Et memini Heroum quos vidit ad æthera raptos,

- Flevit amissos Belgia tota duces.

- At te præcipuè luxi dignissime præsul,

- Wintoniæque olim gloria magna tuæ;

- Delicui fletu, tristi sic ore querebar,

- Mors fera Tartareo diva secunda Jovi,

- Nonne satis quod sylva tuas persentiat iras,

- Et quod in herbosos jus tibi detur agros,

- Quodque afflata tuo marcescant lilia tabo,

- Et crocus, pulchræ Cypridi sacra rosa,  originalEd: 20

- Nec sinis ut semper fluvio contermina quercus

- Miretur lapsus prætereuntis aquæ?

- Et tibi succumbit liquido quæ plurima cœlo

- Evehitur pennis quamlibet augur avis,

- Et quæ mille nigris errant animalia sylvis,

- Et quod alunt mutum Proteos antra pecus.

- Invida, tanta tibi cum sit concessa potestas,

- Quid juvat humanâ tingere cæde manus?

- Nobileque in pectus certas acuisse sagittas,

- Semideamque animam sede fugâsse suâ?  originalEd: 30

- Talia dum lacrymans alto sub pectore volvo,

- Roscidus occiduis Hesperus exit aquis,

- Et Tartessiaco submerserat æquore currum

- Phœbus, ab eöo littore mensus iter.

- Nec mora, membra cavo posui refovenda cubili,

- Condiderant oculos noxque soporque meos.

- Cum mihi visus eram lato spatiarier agro,

- Heu nequit ingenium visa referre meum.

- Illic puniceâ radiabant omnia luce,

- Ut matutino cum juga sole rubent.  originalEd: 40

- Ac veluti cum pandit opes Thaumantia proles,

- Vestitu nituit multicolore solum.

- Non dea tam variis ornavit floribus hortos

- Alcinoi, Zephyro Chloris amata levi.

- Flumina vernantes lambunt argentea campos,

- Ditior Hesperio flavet arena Tago.

- Serpit odoriferas per opes levis aura Favoni,

- Aura sub innumeris humida nata rosis.

- Talis in extremis terræ Gangetidis oris

- Luciferi regis fingitur esse domus.  originalEd: 50

- Ipse racemiferis dum densas vitibus umbras

- Et pellucentes miror ubique locos,

- Ecce mihi subito præsul Wintonius astat,

- Sydereum nitido fulsit in ore jubar;

- Vestis ad auratos defluxit candida talos,

- Infula divinum cinxerat alba caput.

- Dumque senex tali incedit venerandus amictu,

- Intremuit læto florea terra sono.

- Agmina gemmatis plaudunt cælestia pennis,

- Pura triumphali personat æthra tubâ.  originalEd: 60

- Quisque novum amplexu comitem cantuque salutat,

- Hosque aliquis placido misit ab ore sonos;

- Nate veni, patrii felix cape gaudia regni,

- Semper ab hinc duro, nate, labore vaca.

- Dixit, aligeræ tetigerunt nablia turmæ,

- At mihi cum tenebris aurea pulsa quies.

- Flebam turbatos Cephaleiâ pellice somnos,

- Talia contingant somnia sæpe mihi.

Elegia quarta. Anno ætatis 18. Ad Thomam Junium præceptorem suum apud mercatores Anglicos Hamburgæ agentes Pastoris munere fungentem.

- CURRE per immensum subitò mea littera pontum,

- I, pete Teutonicos læve per æquor agros,

- Segnes rumpe moras, nil, precor, obstet eunti,

- Et festinantis nil remoretur iter.

- Ipse ego Sicanio frænantem carcere ventos

- Æolon, virides sollicitabo Deos;

- Cæruleamque suis comitatam Dorida Nymphis,

- Ut tibi dent placidam per sua regna viam.

- At tu, si poteris, celeres tibi sume jugales,

- Vecta quibus Colchis fugit ab ore viri.  originalEd: 10

- Aut queis Triptolemus Scythicas devenit in oras

- Gratus Eleusinâ missus ab urbe puer.

- Atque ubi Germanas flavere videbis arenas

- Ditis ad Hamburgæ mœnia flecte gradum,

- Dicitur occiso quæ ducere nomen ab Hamâ,

- Cimbrica quem fertur clava dedisse neci.

- Vivit ibi antiquæ clarus pietatis honore

- Præsul Christicolas pascere doctus oves;

- Ille quidem est animæ plusquam pars altera nostræ,

- Dimidio vitæ vivere cogor ego.  originalEd: 20

- Hei mihi quot pelagi, quot montes interjecti

- Me faciunt aliâ parte carere mei!

- Charior ille mihi quam tu doctissime Graium

- Cliniadi, pronepos qui Telamonis erat.

- Quámque Stagirites generoso magnus alumno,

- Quem peperit Libyco Chaonis alma Jovi.

- Qualis Amyntorides, qualis Philyrëius Heros

- Myrmidonum regi, talis ille mihi.

- Primus ego Aonios illo præeunte recessus

- Lustrabam, bifidi sacra vireta jugi,  originalEd: 30

- Pieriosque hausi latices, Clioque favente,

- Castalio sparsi læta ter ora mero.

- Flammeus at signum ter viderat arietis Æthon

- Induxitque auro lanea terga novo,

- Bisque novo terram sparsisti Chlori senilem

- Gramine, bisque tuas abstulit Auster opes:

- Necdum ejus licuit mihi lumina pascere vultu,

- Aut linguæ dulces aure bibisse sonos.

- Vade igitur, cursuque Eurum præverte sonorum,

- Quàm sit opus monitis res docet, ipsa vides.  originalEd: 40

- Invenies dulci cum conjuge forte sedentem,

- Mulcentem gremio pignora chara suo,

- Forsitan aut veterum prælarga volumina patrum

- Versantem, aut veri biblia sacra Dei.

- Cælestive animas saturantem rore tenellas,

- Grande salutiferæ religionis opus.

- Utque solet, multam, sit dicere cura salutem,

- Dicere quam decuit, si modo adesset, herum.

- Hæc quoque paulum oculos in humum defixa modestos,

- Verba verecundo sis memor ore loqui:  originalEd: 50

- Hæc tibi, si teneris vacat inter prælia Musis

- Mittit ab Angliaco littore fida manus.

- Accipe sinceram, quamvis sit sera, salutem;

- Fiat hoc ipso gratior illa tibi.

- Sera quidem, sed vera fuit, quam casta recepit

- Icaris a lento Penelopeia viro.

- Ast ego quid volui manifestum tollere crimen,

- Ipse quod ex omni parte levare nequit.

- Arguitur tardus meritò, noxamque fatetur,

- Et pudet officium deseruisse suum.  originalEd: 60

- Tu modò da veniam fasso, veniamque roganti,

- Crimina diminui, quæ patuere, solent.

- Non ferus in pavidos rictus diducit hiantes,

- Vulnifico pronos nec rapit ungue leo.

- Sæpe sarissiferi crudelia pectora Thracis

- Supplicis ad mœstas delicuere preces.

- Extensæque manus avertunt fulminis ictus,

- Placat iratos hostia parva Deos.

- Jamque diu scripsisse tibi fuit impetus illi,

- Neve moras ultra ducere passus Amor.  originalEd: 70

- Nam vaga Fama refert, heu nuntia vera malorum!

- In tibi finitimis bella tumere locis.

- Teque tuàmque urbem truculento milite cingi,

- Et jam Saxonicos arma parasse duces.

- Te circum latè campos populatur Enyo,

- Et sata carne virûm jam cruor arva rigat.

- Germanisque suum concessit Thracia Martem,

- Illuc Odrysios Mars pater egit equos.

- Perpetuóque comans jam deflorescit oliva,

- Fugit ærisonam Diva perosa tubam,  originalEd: 80

- Fugit io terris, jam non ultima virgo

- Creditur ad superas justa volasse domos.

- Te tamen intereà belli circumsonat horror,

- Vivis ignoto solus inópsque solo;

- Et, tibi quam patrii non exhibuere penates

- Sede peregrinâ quæris egenus opem.

- Patria dura parens, saxis sævior albis

- Spumea quæ pulsat littoris unda tui,

- Siccine te decet innocuos exponere fætus;

- Siccine in externam ferrea cogis humum,  originalEd: 90

- Et sinis ut terris quærant alimenta remotis

- Quos tibi prospiciens miserat ipse Deus,

- Et qui læta ferunt de cælo nuntia, quique

- Quæ via post cineres ducat ad astra, docent?

- Digna quidem Stygiis quæ vivas clausa tenebris,

- Æternâque animæ digna perire fame!

- Haud aliter vates terræ Thesbitidis olim

- Pressit inassueto devia tesqua pede,

- Desertasque Arabum salebras, dum regis Achabi

- Effugit atque tuas, Sidoni dira, manus.  originalEd: 100

- Talis horrisono laceratus membra flagello,

- Paulus ab Æmathiâ pellitur urbe Cilix.

- Piscosæque ipsum Gergessæ civis Jesum

- Finibus ingratus jussit abire suis.

- At tu sume animos, nec spes cadat anxia curis

- Nec tua concutiat decolor ossa metus.

- Sis etenim quamvis fulgentibus obsitus armis,

- Intententque tibi millia tela necem,

- At nullis vel inerme latus violabitur armis,

- Deque tuo cuspis nulla cruore bibet.  originalEd: 110

- Namque eris ipse Dei radiante sub ægide tutus,

- Ille tibi custos, pugil ille tibi;

- Ille Sionææ qui tot sub mœnibus arcis

- Assyrios fudit nocte silente viros;

- Inque fugam vertit quos in Samaritidas oras

- Misit ab antiquis prisca Damascus agris,

- Terruit densas pavido rege cohortes,

- Ære dum vacuo buccina clara sonat,

- Cornea pulvereum dum verberat ungula campum,

- Currus arenosam dum quatit actus humum,  originalEd: 120

- Auditurque hinnitus equorum ad bella ruentûm,

- Et strepitus ferri, murmuraque alta virûm.

- Et tu (quod superest miseris) sperare memento,

- Et tua magnanimo pectore vince mala.

- Nec dubites quandoque frui melioribus annis,

- Atque iterum patrios posse videre lares.

Elegia quinta, Anno ætatis 20. In adventum veris.

- IN se perpetuo Tempus revolubile gyro

- Jam revocat Zephyros vere tepente novos.

- Induiturque brevem Tellus reparata juventam,

- Jamque soluta gelu dulce virescit humus.

- Fallor? an nobis redeunt in carmina vires,

- Ingeniumque mihi munere veris adest?

- Munere veris adest, iterumque vigescit ab illo

- (Quis putet) atque aliquod jam sibi poscit opus.

- Castalis ante oculos, bifidumque cacumen oberrat,

- Et mihi Pyrenen somnia nocte ferunt.  originalEd: 10

- Concitaque arcano fervent mihi pectora motu,

- Et furor, sonitus me sacer intùs agit.

- Delius ipse venit, video Penëide lauro

- Implicitos crines, Delius ipse venit.

- Jam mihi mens liquidi raptatur in ardua cœli,

- Perque vagas nubes corpore liber eo.

- Perque umbras, perque antra feror penetralia vatum,

- Et mihi fana patent interiora Deûm.

- Intuiturque animus toto quid agatur Olympo,

- Nec fugiunt oculos Tartara cæca meos.  originalEd: 20

- Quid tam grande sonat distento spiritus ore?

- Quid parit hæc rabies, quid sacér iste furor?

- Ver mihi, quod dedit ingenium, cantabitur illo;

- Profuerint isto reddita dona modo.

- Jam Philomela tuos foliis adoperta novellis

- Instituis modulos, dum silet omne nemus.

- Urbe ego, tu sylvâ simul incipiamus utrique,

- Et simul adventum veris uterque canat.

- Veris io rediere vices, celebremus honores

- Veris, hoc subeat Musa quotannis opus.  originalEd: 30

- Jam sol Æthiopas fugiens Tithoniaque arva,

- Flectit ad Arctöas aurea lora plagas.

- Est breve noctis iter, brevis est mora noctis opacæ

- Horrida cum tenebris exulat illa suis.

- Jamque Lycaonius plaustrum cæleste Boötes

- Non longâ sequitur fessus ut ante viâ,

- Nunc etiam solitas circum Jovis atria toto

- Excubias agitant sydera rara polo.

- Nam dolus cædes, vis cum nocte recessit,

- Neve Giganteum Dii timuere scelus.  originalEd: 40

- Forte aliquis scopuli recubans in vertice pastor,

- Roscida cum primo sole rebescit humus,

- Hac, ait, hac certè caruisti nocte puellâ

- Phœbe tuâ, celeres quæ retineret equos.

- Læta suas repetit sylvas, pharetramque resumit

- Cynthia, Luciferas ut videt alta rotas,

- Et tenues ponens radios gaudere videtur

- Officium fieri tam breve fratris ope.

- Desere, Phœbus ait, thalamos Aurora seniles,

- Quid juvat effœto procubuisse toro?  originalEd: 50

- Te manet Æolides viridi venator in herba,

- Surge, tuos ignes altus Hymettus habet.

- Flava verecundo dea crimen in ore fatetur,

- Et matutinos ocyus urget equos.

- Exuit invisam Tellus rediviva senectam,

- Et cupit amplexus Phœbe subire tuos;

- Et cupit, digna est, quid enim formosius illâ,

- Pandit ut omniferos luxuriosa sinus,

- Atque Arabum spirat messes, ab ore venusto

- Mitia cum Paphiis fundit amoma rosis.  originalEd: 60

- Ecce coronatur sacro frons ardua luco,

- Cingit ut Idæam pinea turris Opim;

- Et vario madidos intexit flore capillos,

- Floribus visa est posse placere suis.

- Floribus effusos ut erat redimita capillos

- Tænario placuit diva Sicana Deo.

- Aspice Phœbe tibi faciles hortantur amores,

- Mellitasque movent flamina verna preces.

- Cinnameâ Zephyrus leve plaudit odorifer alâ,

- Blanditiasque tibi ferre videntur aves.  originalEd: 70

- Nec sine dote tuos temeraria quærit amores

- Terra, nec optatos poscit egena toros,

- Alma salutiferum medicos tibi gramen in usus

- Præbet, hinc titulos adjuvat ipsa tuos.

- Quòd si te pretium, si te fulgentia tangunt

- Munera, (muneribus sæpe coemptus Amor)

- Illa tibi ostentat quascunque sub æquore vasto,

- Et superinjectis montibus abdit opes.

- Ah quoties cum tu clivoso fessus Olympo

- In vespertinas præcipitaris aquas,  originalEd: 80

- Cur te, inquit, cursu languentem Phœbe diurno

- Hesperiis recipit Cærula mater aquis?

- Quid tibi cum Tethy? Quid cum Tartesside lymphâ,

- Dia quid immundo perluis ora salo?

- Frigora Phœbe meâ melius captabis in umbrâ,

- Huc ades, ardentes imbue rore comas.

- Mollior egelidâ veniet tibi somnus in herbâ,

- Huc ades, gremio lumina pone meo.

- Quáque jaces circum mulcebit lene susurrans

- Aura per humentes corpora fusa rosas.  originalEd: 90

- Nec me (crede mihi) terrent Semelëia fata,

- Nec Phäetonteo fumidus axis equo;

- Cum tu Phœbe tuo sapientius uteris igni,

- Huc ades gremio lumina pone meo.

- Sic Tellus lasciva suos suspirat amores;

- Matris in exemplum cætera turba ruunt.

- Nunc etenim toto currit vagus orbe Cupido,

- Languentesque fovet solis ab igne faces.

- Insonuere novis lethalia cornua nervis,

- Triste micant ferro tela corusca novo.  originalEd: 100

- Jamque vel invictam tentat superasse Dianam,

- Quæque sedet sacro Vesta pudica foco.

- Ipsa senescentem reparat Venus annua formam,

- Atque iterum tepido creditur orta mari.

- Marmoreas juvenes clamant Hymenæe per urbes,

- Litus io Hymen, cava saxa sonant.

- Cultior ille venit tunicâque decentior aptâ,

- Puniceum redolet vestis odora crocum.

- Egrediturque frequens ad amœni gaudia veris

- Virgineos auro cincta puella sinus.  originalEd: 110

- Votum est cuique suum, votum est tamen omnibus unum,

- Ut sibi quem cupiat, det Cytherea virum.

- Nunc quoque septenâ modulatur arundine pastor,

- Et sua quæ jungat carmina Phyllis habet.

- Navita nocturno placat sua sydera cantu,

- Delphinasque leves ad vada summa vocat.

- Jupiter ipse alto cum conjuge ludit Olympo,

- Convocat famulos ad sua festa Deos.

- Nunc etiam Satyri cum sera crepuscula surgunt,

- Pervolitant celeri florea rura choro,  originalEd: 120

- Sylvanusque suâ Cyparissi fronde revinctus,

- Semicaperque Deus, semideusque caper.

- Quæque sub arboribus Dryades latuere vetustis

- Per juga, per solos expatiantur agros.

- Per sata luxuriat fruticetaque Mænalius Pan,

- Vix Cybele mater, vix sibi tuta Ceres,

- Atque aliquam cupidus prædatur Oreada Faunus,

- Consulit in trepidos dum sibi Nympha pedes,

- Jamque latet, latitansque cupit male tecta videri,

- Et fugit, fugiens pervelit ipsa capi.  originalEd: 130

- Dii quoque non dubitant cælo præponere sylvas,

- Et sua quisque sibi numina lucus habet.

- Et sua quisque diu sibi numina lucus habeto,

- Nec vos arboreâ dii precor ite domo.

- Te referant miseris te Jupiter aurea terris

- Sæcla, quid ad nimbos aspera tela redis?

- Tu saltem lentè rapidos age Phœbe jugales

- Quà potes, sensim tempora veris eant.

- Brumaque productas tardè ferat hispida noctes,

- Ingruat nostro serior umbra polo.  originalEd: 140

Elegia sexta. Ad Carolum Diodatum ruri commorantem.

Qui cum idibus Decemb. scripsisset, sua carmina excusari postulasset si solito minus essent bona, quòd inter lautitias quibus erat ab amicis exceptus, haud satis felicem operam Musis dare se posse affirmabat, hunc habuit responsum.

- MITTO tibi sanam non pleno ventre salutem,

- Quâ tu distento forte carere potes.

- At tua quid nostram prolectat Musa camœnam,

- Nec sinit optatas posse sequi tenebras?

- Carmine scire velis quàm te redamémque colámque,

- Crede mihi vix hoc carmine scire queas,

- Nam neque noster amor modulis includitur arctis,

- Nec venit ad claudos integer ipse pedes.

- Quàm bene solennes epulas, hilaremque Decembrim

- Festaque cœlifugam quæ coluere Deum,  originalEd: 10

- Deliciasque refers, hyberni gaudia ruris,

- Haustaque per lepidos Gallica musta focos.

- Quid quereris refugam vino dapibusque poesin?

- Carmen amat Bacchum, Carmina Bacchus amat.

- Nec puduit Phœbum virides gestasse corymbos,

- Atque hederam lauro præposuisse suæ.

- Sæpius Aoniis clamavit collibus Euœ

- Mista Thyonêo turba novena choro.

- Naso Corallæis mala carmina misit ab agris:

- Non illic epulæ non sata vitis erat.  originalEd: 20

- Quid nisi vina, rosasque racemiferumque Lyæum

- Cantavit brevibus Tëia Musa modis?

- Pindaricosque inflat numeros Teumesius Euan,

- Et redolet sumptum pagina quæque merum.

- Dum gravis everso currus crepat axe supinus,

- Et volat Eléo pulvere fuscus eques.

- Quadrimoque madens Lyricen Romanus Iaccho

- Dulce canit Glyceran, flavicomamque Chloen.

- Jam quoque lauta tibi generoso mensa paratu,

- Mentis alit vires, ingeniumque fovet.  originalEd: 30

- Massica fœcundam despumant pocula venam,

- Fundis ex ipso condita metra cado.

- Addimus his artes, fusumque per intima Phœbum

- Corda, favent uni Bacchus, Apollo, Ceres.

- Scilicet haud mirum tam dulcia carmina per te

- Numine composito tres peperisse Deos.

- Nunc quoque Thressa tibi cælato barbitos auro

- Insonat argutâ molliter icta manu;

- Auditurque chelys suspensa tapetia circum,

- Virgineos tremulâ quæ regat arte pedes.  originalEd: 40

- Illa tuas saltem teneant spectacula Musas,

- Et revocent, quantum crapula pellit iners.

- Crede mihi dum psallit ebur, comitataque plectrum

- Implet odoratos festa chorea tholos,

- Percipies tacitum per pectora serpere Phœbum,

- Quale repentinus permeat ossa calor,

- Perque puellares oculos digitumque sonantem

- Irruet in totos lapsa Thalia sinus.

- Namque Elegía levis multorum cura deorum est,

- Et vocat ad numeros quemlibet illa suos;  originalEd: 50

- Liber adest elegis, Eratoque, Ceresque, Venusque,

- Et cum purpureâ matre tenellus Amor.

- Talibus inde licent convivia larga poetis,

- Sæpius veteri commaduisse meto.

- At qui bella refert, adulto sub Jove cælum,

- Heroasque pios, semideosque duces,

- Et nunc sancta canit superum consulta deorum,

- Nunc latrata fero regna profunda cane,

- Ille quidem parcè Samii pro more magistri

- Vivat, innocuos præbeat herba cibos;  originalEd: 60

- Stet prope fagineo pellucida lympha catillo,

- Sobriaque è puro pocula fonte bibat.

- Additur huic scelerisque vacans, casta juventus,

- Et rigidi mores, sine labe manus.

- Qualis veste nitens sacrâ, lustralibus undis

- Surgis ad infensos augur iture Deos.

- Hoc ritu vixisse ferunt post rapta sagacem

- Lumina Tiresian, Ogygiumque Linon,

- Et lare devoto profugum Calchanta, senemque

- Orpheon edomitis sola per antra feris;  originalEd: 70

- Sic dapis exiguus, sic rivi potor Homerus

- Dulichium vexit per freta longa virum,

- Et per monstrificam Perseiæ Phœbados aulam,

- Et vada fœmineis insidiosa sonis,

- Perque tuas rex ime domos, ubi sanguine nigro

- Dicitur umbrarum detinuisse greges.

- Diis etenim sacer est vates, divûmque sacerdos,

- Spirat occultum pectus, ora Jovem.

- At tu si quid agam, scitabere (si modò saltem

- Esse putas tanti noscere siquid agam)  originalEd: 80

- Paciferum canimus cælesti semine regem,

- Faustaque sacratis sæcula pacta libris,

- Vagitumque Dei, stabulantem paupere tecto

- Qui suprema suo cum patre regna colit.

- Stelliparumque polum, modulantesque æthere turmas,

- Et subitò elisos ad sua fana Deos.

- Dona quidem dedimus Christi natalibus illa

- Illa sub auroram lux mihi prima tulit.

- Te quoque pressa manent patriis meditata cicutis,

- Tu mihi, cui recitem, judicis instar eris.  originalEd: 90

Elegia septima, Anno ætatis undevigesimo.

- NONDUM blanda tuas leges Amathusia noram,

- Et Paphio vacuum pectus ab igne fuit.

- Sæpe cupidineas, puerilia tela, sagittas,

- Atque tuum sprevi maxime, numen, Amor.

- Tu puer imbelles dixi transfige columbas,

- Conveniunt tenero mollia bella duci.

- Aut de passeribus tumidos age, parve, triumphos,

- Hæc sunt militiæ digna trophæa tuæ.

- In genus humanum quid inania dirigis arma?

- Non valet in fortes ista pharetra viros.  originalEd: 10

- Non tulit hoc Cyprius, (neque enim Deus ullus ad iras

- Promptior) duplici jam ferus igne calet.

- Ver erat, summæ radians per culmina villæ

- Attulerat primam lux tibi Maie diem:

- At mihi adhuc refugam quærebant lumina noctem

- Nec matutinum sustinuere jubar.

- Astat Amor lecto, pictis Amor impiger alis,

- Prodidit astantem mota pharetra Deum:

- Prodidit facies, dulce minantis ocelli,

- Et quicquid puero, dignum Amore fuit.  originalEd: 20

- Talis in æterno juvenis Sigeius Olympo

- Miscet amatori pocula plena Jovi;

- Aut qui formosas pellexit ad oscula nymphas

- Thiodamantæus Naiade raptus Hylas;

- Addideratque iras, sed has decuisse putares,

- Addideratque truces, nec sine felle minas.

- Et miser exemplo sapuisses tutiùs, inquit,

- Nunc mea quid possit dextera testis eris.

- Inter expertos vires numerabere nostras,

- Et faciam vero per tua damna fidem.  originalEd: 30

- Ipse ego si nescis strato Pythone superbum

- Edomui Phœbum, cessit ille mihi;

- Et quoties meminit Peneidos, ipse fatetur

- Certiùs graviùs tela nocere mea.

- Me nequit adductum curvare peritiùs arcum,

- Qui post terga solet vincere Parthus eques.

- Cydoniusque mihi cedit venator, ille

- Inscius uxori qui necis author erat.

- Est etiam nobis ingens quoque victus Orion,

- Herculeæque manus, Herculeusque comes.  originalEd: 40

- Jupiter ipse licet sua fulmina torqueat in me,

- Hærebunt lateri spicula nostra Jovis.

- Cætera quæ dubitas meliùs mea tela docebunt,

- Et tua non leviter corda petenda mihi.

- Nec te stulte tuæ poterunt defendere Musæ,

- Nec tibi Phœbæus porriget anguis opem.

- Dixit, aurato quatiens mucrone sagittam,

- Evolat in tepidos Cypridos ille sinus.

- At mihi risuro tonuit ferus ore minaci,

- Et mihi de puero non metus ullus erat.  originalEd: 50

- Et modò quà nostri spatiantur in urbe Quirites

- Et modò villarum proxima rura placent.

- Turba frequens, faciéque simillima turba dearum

- Splendida per medias itque reditque vias.

- Auctaque luce dies gemino fulgore coruscat,

- Fallor? an radios hinc quoque Phœbus habet.

- Hæc ego non fugi spectacula grata severus,

- Impetus quò me fert juvenilis, agor.

- Lumina luminibus malè providus obvia misi,

- Neve oculos potui continuisse meos.  originalEd: 60

- Unam forte aliis supereminuisse notabam,

- Principium nostri lux erat illa mali.

- Sic Venus optaret mortalibus ipsa videri,

- Sic regina Deûm conspicienda fuit.

- Hanc memor objecit nobis malus ille Cupido,

- Solus hos nobis texuit antè dolos.

- Nec procul ipse vafer latuit, multæque sagittæ,

- Et facis a tergo grande pependit onus.

- Nec mora, nunc ciliis hæsit, nunc virginis ori,

- Insilit hinc labiis, insidet inde genis:  originalEd: 70

- Et quascunque agilis partes jaculator oberrat,

- Hei mihi, mille locis pectus inerme ferit.

- Protinus insoliti subierunt corda furores,

- Uror amans intùs, flammaque totus eram.

- Interea misero quæ jam mihi sola placebat,

- Ablata est oculis non reditura meis.

- Ast ego progredior tacitè querebundus, excors,

- Et dubius volui sæpe referre pedem.

- Findor, hæc remanet, sequitur pars altera votum,

- Raptaque tàm subitò gaudia flere juvat.  originalEd: 80

- Sic dolet amissum proles Junonia cœlum,

- Inter Lemniacos præcipitata focos.

- Talis abreptum solem respexit, ad Orcum

- Vectus ab attonitis Amphiaraus equis.

- Quid faciam infelix, luctu victus, amores

- Nec licet inceptos ponere, neve sequi.

- O utinam spectare semel mihi detur amatos

- Vultus, coràm tristia verba loqui;

- Forsitan duro non est adamante creata,

- Forte nec ad nostras surdeat illa preces.  originalEd: 90

- Crede mihi nullus sic infeliciter arsit,

- Ponar in exemplo primus unus ego.

- Parce precor teneri cum sis Deus ales amoris,

- Pugnent officio nec tua facta tuo.

- Jam tuus O certè est mihi formidabilis arcus,

- Nate deâ, jaculis nec minus igne potens:

- Et tua fumabunt nostris altaria donis,

- Solus in superis tu mihi summus eris.

- Deme meos tandem, verùm nec deme furores,

- Nescio cur, miser est suaviter omnis amans:  originalEd: 100

- Tu modo da facilis, posthæc mea siqua futura est,

- Cuspis amaturos figat ut una duos.

- HÆC ego mente olim lævâ, studioque supino

- Nequitiæ posui vana trophæa meæ.

- Scilicet abreptum sic me malus impulit error,

- Indocilisque ætas prava magistra fuit.

- Donec Socraticos umbrosa Academia rivos

- Præbuit, admissum dedocuitque jugum.

- Protinus extinctis ex illo tempore flammis,

- Cincta rigent multo pectora nostra gelu.

- Unde suis frigus metuit puer ipse Sagittis,

- Et Diomedéam vim timet ipse Venus.  originalEd: 10

In Proditionem Bombardicam.

- CUM simul in regem nuper satrapasque Britannos

- Ausus es infandum perfide Fauxe nefas,

- Fallor? an mitis voluisti ex parte videri,

- Et pensare malâ cum pietate scelus;

- Scilicet hos alti missurus ad atria cæli,

- Sulphureo curru flammivolisque rotis.

- Qualiter ille feris caput inviolabile Parcis

- Liquit Jördanios turbine raptus agros.

In eandem.

- SICCINE tentasti cælo donâsse Jäcobum

- Quae septemgemino Bellua monte lates?

- Ni meliora tuum poterit dare munera numen,

- Parce precor donis insidiosa tuis.

- Ille quidem sine te consortia serus adivit

- Astra, nec inferni pulveris usus ope.

- Sic potiùs fœdos in cælum pelle cucullos,

- Et quot habet brutos Roma profana Deos.

- Namque hac aut aliâ nisi quemque adjuveris arte,

- Crede mihi cæli vix bene scandet iter.  originalEd: 10

In eandem.

- PURGATOREM animæ derisit Jäcobus ignem,

- Et sine quo superûm non adeunda domus.

- Frenduit hoc trinâ monstrum Latiale coronâ

- Movit horrificùm cornua dena minax.

- Et nec inultus ait temnes mea sacra Britanne,

- Supplicium spretâ relligione dabis.

- Et si stelligeras unquam penetraveris arces,

- Non nisi per flammas triste patebit iter.

- O quàm funesto cecinisti proxima vero,

- Verbaque ponderibus vix caritura suis!  originalEd: 10

- Nam prope Tartareo sublime rotatus ab igni

- Ibat ad æthereas umbra perusta plagas.

In eandem.

- QUEM modò Roma suis devoverat impia diris,

- Et Styge damnarât Tænarioque sinu,

- Hunc vice mutatâ jam tollere gestit ad astra,

- Et cupit ad superos evehere usque Deos.

In inventorem Bombardæ.

- JAPETIONIDEM laudavit cæca vetustas,

- Qui tulit ætheream solis ab axe facem;

- At mihi major erit, qui lurida creditur arma,

- Et trifidum fulmen surripuisse Jovi.

Ad Leonoram Romæ canentem.

- ANGELUS unicuique suus (sic credite gentes)

- Obtigit æthereis ales ab ordinibus.

- Quid mirum? Leonora tibi si gloria major,

- Nam tua præsentem vox sonat ipsa Deum

- Aut Deus, aut vacui certè mens tertia cœli

- Per tua secretò guttura serpit agens;

- Serpit agens, facilisque docet mortalia corda

- Sensim immortali assuescere posse sono.

- Quòd si cuncta quidem Deus est, per cunctaque fusus,

- In te unâ loquitur, cætera mutus habet.  originalEd: 10

Ad eandem.

- ALTERA Torquatum cepit Leonora Poëtam,

- Cujus ab insano cessit amore furens.

- Ah miser ille tuo quantò feliciùs ævo

- Perditus, propter te Leonora foret!

- Et te Pieriâ sensisset voce canentem

- Aurea maternæ fila movere lyræ,

- Quamvis Dircæo torsisset lumina Pentheo

- Sævior, aut totus desipuisset iners,

- Tu tamen errantes cæcâ vertigine sensus

- Voce eadem poteras composuisse tuâ;  originalEd: 10

- Et poteras ægro spirans sub corde quietem

- Flexanimo cantu restituisse sibi.

Ad eandem.

- CREDULA quid liquidam Sirena Neapoli jactas,

- Claraque Parthenopes fana Achelöiados,

- Littoreamque tuâ defunctam Naiada ripâ

- Corpora Chalcidico sacra dedisse rogo?

- Illa quidem vivitque, amœnâ Tibridis undâ

- Mutavit rauci murmura Pausilipi.

- Illic Romulidûm studiis ornata secundis,

- Atque homines cantu detinet atque Deos.

Elegiarum Finis.

[Added in Second Edition, 1673.]

Apologus de Rustico Hero.

- RUSTICUS ex Malo sapidissima poma quotannis

- Legit, urbano lecta dedit Domino:

- Hic incredibili fructûs dulcedine Captus

- Malum ipsam in proprias transtulit areolas.

- Hactenus illa ferax, sed longo debilis ævo,

- Mota solo assueto, protinùs aret iners.

- Quod tandem ut patuit Domino, spe lusus inani,

- Damnavit celeres in sua damna manus.

- Atque ait, Heu quantò satius fuit illa Coloni

- (Parva licet) grato dona tulisse animo!  originalEd: 10

- Possem Ego avaritiam frœnare, gulamque voracem:

- Nunc periere mihi fœtus ipsa parens.

[From Defensio pro populo anglicano, 1651.]

In Salmasii Hundredam.

- QUIS expedivit Salmasio suam Hundredam,

- Picamque docuit verba nostra conari?

- Magister artis venter, et Jacobei

- Centum exulantis viscera marsupii regis.

- Quod si dolosi spes refulserit nummi,

- Ipse, Antichristi modo qui primatum Papæ

- Minatus uno est dissipare sufflatu,

- Cantabit ultro Cardinalitium melos.

[From Defensio secunda, 1654.]

In Salmasium.

- GAUDETE scombri, et quicquid est piscium salo,

- Qui frigida hyeme incolitis algentes freta!

- Vestrum misertus ille Salmasius Eques

- Bonus, amicire nuditatem cogitat;

- Chartæque largus, apparat papyrinos

- Vobis cucullos, præferentes Claudii

- Insignia, nomenque et decus, Salmasii:

- Gestetis ut per omne cetarium forum

- Equitis clientes, scriniis mungentium

- Cubito virorum, et capsulis, gratissimos.  originalEd: 10

SYLVARUM LIBER.

Anno ætatis 16. In obitum Procancellarii medici.

- PARERE fati discite legibus,

- Manusque Parcæ jam date supplices,

- Qui pendulum telluris orbem

- Jäpeti colitis nepotes.

- Vos si relicto mors vaga Tænaro

- Semel vocârit flebilis, heu moræ

- Tentantur incassùm dolique;

- Per tenebras Stygis ire certum est.

- Si destinatam pellere dextera

- Mortem valeret, non ferus Hercules  originalEd: 10

- Nessi venenatus cruore

- Æmathiâ jacuisset Œtâ.

- Nec fraude turpi Palladis invidæ

- Vidisset occisum Ilion Hectora, aut

- Quem larva Pelidis peremit

- Ense Locro, Jove lacrymante.

- Si triste fatum verba Hecatëia

- Fugare possint, Telegoni parens

- Vixisset infamis, potentique

- Ægiali soror usa virgâ.  originalEd: 20

- Numenque trinum fallere si queant

- Artes medentûm, ignotaque gramina,

- Non gnarus herbarum Machaon

- Eurypyli cecidisset hastâ.

- Læsisset nec te Philyreie

- Sagitta echidnæ perlita sanguine,

- Nec tela te fulmenque avitum

- Cæse puer genitricis alvo.

- Tuque O alumno major Apolline,

- Gentis togatæ cui regimen datum,  originalEd: 30

- Frondosa quem nunc Cirrha luget,

- Et mediis Helicon in undis,

- Jam præfuisses Palladio gregi

- Lætus, superstes, nec sine gloria,

- Nec puppe lustrasses Charontis

- Horribiles barathri recessus.

- At fila rupit Persephone tua

- Irata, cum te viderit artibus

- Succoque pollenti tot atris

- Faucibus eripuisse mortis.  originalEd: 40

- Colende præses, membra precor tua

- Molli quiescant cespite, ex tuo

- Crescant rosæ, calthæque busto,

- Purpureoque hyacinthus ore.

- Sit mite de te judicium Æaci,

- Subrideatque Ætnæa Proserpina,

- Interque felices perennis

- Elysio spatiere campo.

In quintum Novembris, Anno ætatis 17.

- JAM pius extremâ veniens Jäcobus ab arcto

- Teucrigenas populos, latéque patentia regna

- Albionum tenuit, jamque inviolabile fœdus

- Sceptra Caledoniis conjunxerat Anglica Scotis:

- Pacificusque novo felix divesque sedebat

- In solio, occultique doli securus hostis:

- Cum ferus ignifluo regnans Acheronte tyrannus,

- Eumenidum pater, æthereo vagus exul Olympo,

- Forte per immensum terrarum erraverat orbem,

- Dinumerans sceleris socios, vernasque fideles,  originalEd: 10

- Participes regni post funera mœsta futuros;

- Hic tempestates medio ciet aëre diras,

- Illic unanimes odium struit inter amicos,

- Armat invictas in mutua viscera gentes;

- Regnaque olivifera vertit florentia pace,

- Et quoscunque videt puræ virtutis amantes,

- Hos cupit adjicere imperio, fraudumque magister

- Tentat inaccessum sceleri corrumpere pectus,

- Insidiasque locat tacitas, cassesque latentes

- Tendit, ut incautos rapiat, seu Caspia Tigris  originalEd: 20

- Insequitur trepidam deserta per avia prædam

- Nocte sub illuni, somno nictantibus astris.

- Talibus infestat populos Summanus urbes

- Cinctus cæruleæ fumanti turbine flammæ.

- Jamque fluentisonis albentia rupibus arva

- Apparent, terra Deo dilecta marino,

- Cui nomen dederat quondam Neptunia proles

- Amphitryoniaden qui non dubitavit atrocem

- Æquore tranato furiali poscere bello,

- Ante expugnatæ crudelia sæcula Troiæ.  originalEd: 30

- At simul hanc opibusque festâ pace beatam

- Aspicit, pingues donis Cerealibus agros,

- Quodque magis doluit, venerantem numina veri

- Sancta Dei populum, tandem suspiria rupit

- Tartareos ignes luridum olentia sulphur.

- Qualia Trinacriâ trux ab Jove clausus in Ætna

- Efflat tabifico monstrosus ab ore Tiphœus.

- Ignescunt oculi, stridetque adamantinus ordo

- Dentis, ut armorum fragor, ictaque cuspide cuspis.

- Atque pererrato solum hoc lacrymabile mundo  originalEd: 40

- Inveni, dixit, gens hæc mihi sola rebellis,

- Contemtrixque jugi, nostrâque potentior arte.

- Illa tamen, mea si quicquam tentamina possunt,

- Non feret hoc impune diu, non ibit inulta,

- Hactenus; piceis liquido natat aëre pennis;

- Quà volat, adversi præcursant agmine venti,

- Densantur nubes, crebra tonitrua fulgent.

- Jamque pruinosas velox superaverat alpes,

- Et tenet Ausoniæ fines, à parte sinistrâ

- Nimbifer Appenninus erat, priscique Sabini,  originalEd: 50

- Dextra veneficiis infamis Hetruria, nec non

- Te furtiva Tibris Thetidi videt oscula dantem;

- Hinc Mavortigenæ consistit in arce Quirini.

- Reddiderant dubiam jam sera crepuscula lucem,

- Cum circumgreditur totam Tricoronifer urbem,

- Panificosque Deos portat, scapulisque virorum

- Evehitur, præeunt summisso poplite reges,

- Et mendicantum series longissima fratrum;

- Cereaque in manibus gestant funalia cæci,

- Cimmeriis nati in tenebris, vitamque trahentes.

- Templa dein multis subeunt lucentia tædis

- (Vesper erat sacer iste Petro) fremitúsque canentum

- Sæpe tholos implet vacuos, inane locorum.

- Qualiter exululat Bromius, Bromiique caterva,

- Orgia cantantes in Echionio Aracyntho,

- Dum tremit attonitus vitreis Asopus in undis,

- Et procul ipse cavâ responsat rupe Cithæron.

- His igitur tandem solenni more peractis,

- Nox senis amplexus Erebi taciturna reliquit,

- Præcipitesque impellit equos stimulante flagello,  originalEd: 70

- Captum oculis Typhlonta, Melanchætemque ferocem,

- Atque Acherontæo prognatam patre Siopen

- Torpidam, hirsutis horrentem Phrica capillis.

- Interea regum domitor, Phlegetontius hæres,

- Ingreditur thalamos (neque enim secretus adulter

- Producit steriles molli sine pellice noctes)

- At vix compositos somnus claudebat ocellos,

- Cum niger umbrarum dominus, rectorque silentum,

- Prædatorque hominum falsâ sub imagine tectus

- Astitit, assumptis micuerunt tempora canis,  originalEd: 80

- Barba sinus promissa tegit, cineracea longo

- Syrmate verrit humum vestis, pendetque cucullus

- Vertice de raso, ne quicquam desit ad artes,

- Cannabeo lumbos constrinxit fune salaces.

- Tarda fenestratis figens vestigia calceis.

- Talis uti fama est, vastâ Franciscus eremo

- Tetra vagabatur solus per lustra ferarum,

- Sylvestrique tulit genti pia verba salutis

- Impius, atque lupos domuit, Lybicosque leones.

- Subdolus at tali Serpens velatus amictu  originalEd: 90

- Solvit in has fallax ora execrantia voces;

- Dormis nate? Etiamne tuos sopor opprimit artus

- Immemor O fidei, pecorumque oblite tuorum,

- Dum cathedram venerande tuam, diademaque triplex

- Ridet Hyperboreo gens barbara nata sub axe,

- Dumque pharetrati spernunt tua jura Britanni;

- Surge, age, surge piger, Latius quem Cæsar adorat,

- Cui reserata patet convexi janua cæli,

- Turgentes animos, fastus frange procaces,

- Sacrilegique sciant, tua quid maledictio possit,  originalEd: 100

- Et quid Apostolicæ possit custodia clavis;

- Et memor Hesperæ disjectam ulciscere classem,

- Mersaque Iberorum lato vexilla profundo,

- Sanctorumque cruci tot corpora fixa probrosæ,

- Thermodoontéa nuper regnante puella.

- At tu si tenero mavis torpescere lecto

- Crescentesque negas hosti contundere vires,

- Tyrrhenum implebit numeroso milite Pontum,

- Signaque Aventino ponet fulgentia colle:

- Relliquias veterum franget, flammisque cremabit,  originalEd: 110

- Sacraque calcabit pedibus tua colla profanis,

- Cujus gaudebant soleis dare basia reges.

- Nec tamen hunc bellis aperto Marte lacesses,

- Irritus ille labor, tu callidus utere fraude,

- Quælibet hæreticis disponere retia fas est;

- Jamque ad consilium extremis rex magnus ab oris

- Patricios vocat, procerum de stirpe creatos,

- Grandævosque patres trabeâ, canisque verendos;

- Hos tu membratim poteris conspergere in auras,

- Atque dare in cineres, nitrati pulveris igne  originalEd: 120

- Ædibus injecto, quà convenere, sub imis.

- Protinus ipse igitur quoscumque habet Anglia fidos

- Propositi, factique mone, quisquámne tuorum

- Audebit summi non jussa facessere Papæ.

- Perculsosque metu subito, casúque stupentes

- Invadat vel Gallus atrox, vel sævus Iberus.

- Sæcula sic illic tandem Mariana redibunt,

- Tuque in belligeros iterum dominaberis Anglos.

- Et nequid timeas, divos divasque secundas

- Accipe, quotque tuis celebrantur numina fastis.  originalEd: 130

- Dixit adscitos ponens malefidus amictus

- Fugit ad infandam, regnum illætabile, Lethen.

- Jam rosea Eoas pandens Tithonia portas

- Vestit inauratas redeunti lumine terras;

- Mæstaque adhuc nigri deplorans funera nati

- Irrigat ambrosiis montana cacumina guttis;

- Cum somnos pepulit stellatæ janitor aulæ

- Nocturnos visus, somnia grata revolvens.

- Est locus æternâ septus caligine noctis

- Vasta ruinosi quondam fundamina tecti,  originalEd: 140

- Nunc torvi spelunca Phoni, Prodotæque bilinguis

- Effera quos uno peperit Discordia partu.

- Hic inter cæmenta jacent semifractaque saxa,

- Ossa inhumata virûm, trajecta cadavera ferro;

- Hic Dolus intortis semper sedet ater ocellis,

- Jurgiaque, stimulis armata Calumnia fauces,

- Et Furor, atque viæ moriendi mille videntur,

- Et Timor, exanguisque locum circumvolat Horror,

- Perpetuoque leves per muta silentia Manes

- Exululant, tellus sanguine conscia stagnat.  originalEd: 150

- Ipsi etiam pavidi latitant penetralibus antri

- Et Phonos, Prodotes, nulloque sequente per antrum

- Antrum horrens, scopulosum, atrum feralibus umbris

- Diffugiunt sontes, retrò lumina vortunt,

- Hos pugiles Romæ per sæcula longa fideles

- Evocat antistes Babylonius, atque ita fatur.

- Finibus occiduis circumfusum incolit æquor

- Gens exosa mihi, prudens natura negavit

- Indignam penitùs nostro conjungere mundo:

- Illuc, sic jubeo, celeri contendite gressu,  originalEd: 160

- Tartareoque leves difflentur pulvere in auras

- Et rex pariter satrapæ, scelerata propago

- Et quotquot fidei caluere cupidine veræ

- Consilii socios adhibete, operisque ministros.

- Finierat, rigidi cupidè paruere gemelli.

- Interea longo flectens curvamine cælos

- Despicit æthereâ dominus qui fulgurat arce,

- Vanaque perversæ ridet conamina turbæ,

- Atque sui causam populi volet ipse tueri.

- Esse ferunt spatium, quà distat ab Aside terra  originalEd: 170

- Fertilis Europe, spectat Mareotidas undas;

- Hic turris posita est Titanidos ardua Famæ

- Ærea, lata, sonans, rutilis vicinior astris

- Quàm superimpositum vel Athos vel Pelion Ossæ

- Mille fores aditusque patent, totidemque fenestræ,

- Amplaque per tenues translucent atria muros;

- Excitat hic varios plebs agglomerata susurros;

- Qualiter instrepitant circum mulctralia bombis

- Agmina muscarum, aut texto per ovilia junco,

- Dum Canis æstivum cœli petit ardua culmen  originalEd: 180

- Ipsa quidem summâ sedet ultrix matris in arce,

- Auribus innumeris cinctum caput eminet olli,

- Queis sonitum exiguum trahit, atque levissima captat

- Murmura, ab extremis patuli confinibus orbis.

- Nec tot Aristoride servator inique juvencæ

- Isidos, immiti volvebas lumina vultu,

- Lumina non unquam tacito nutantia somno,

- Lumina subjectas late spectantia terras.

- Istis illa solet loca luce carentia sæpe

- Perlustrare, etiam radianti impervia soli.  originalEd: 190

- Millenisque loquax auditaque visaque linguis

- Cuilibet effundit temeraria, veráque mendax

- Nunc minuit, modò confictis sermonibus auget.

- Sed tamen a nostro meruisti carmine laudes

- Fama, bonum quo non aliud veracius ullum,

- Nobis digna cani, nec te memorasse pigebit

- Carmine tam longo, servati scilicet Angli

- Officiis vaga diva tuis, tibi reddimus æqua.

- Te Deus æternos motu qui temperat ignes,

- Fulmine præmisso alloquitur, terrâque tremente:  originalEd: 200

- Fama siles? an te latet impia Papistarum

- Conjurata cohors in meque meosque Britannos,

- Et nova sceptrigero cædes meditata Jäcobo:

- Nec plura, illa statim sensit mandata Tonantis,

- Et satis antè fugax stridentes induit alas,

- Induit variis exilia corpora plumis;

- Dextra tubam gestat Temesæo ex ære sonoram.

- Nec mora jam pennis cedentes remigat auras,

- Atque parum est cursu celeres prævertere nubes,

- Jam ventos, jam solis equos post terga reliquit:  originalEd: 210

- Et primò Angliacas solito de more per urbes

- Ambiguas voces, incertaque murmura spargit,

- Mox arguta dolos, detestabile vulgat

- Proditionis opus, nec non facta horrida dictu,

- Authoresque addit sceleris, nec garrula cæcis

- Insidiis loca structa silet; stupuere relatis,

- Et pariter juvenes, pariter tremuere puellæ,

- Effætique senes pariter, tantæque ruinæ

- Sensus ad ætatem subitò penetraverat omnem

- Attamen interea populi miserescit ab alto  originalEd: 220

- Æthereus pater, crudelibus obstitit ausis

- Papicolûm; capti pœnas raptantur ad acres;

- At pia thura Deo, grati solvuntur honores;

- Compita læta focis genialibus omnia fumant;

- Turba choros juvenilis agit: Quintoque Novembris

- Nulla Dies toto occurrit celebratior anno.

Anno ætatis 17. In obitum Præsulis Eliensis.

- ADHUC madentes rore squalebant genæ,

- Et sicca nondum lumina

- Adhuc liquentis imbre turgebant salis,

- Quem nuper effudi pius,

- Dum mœsta charo justa persolvi rogo

- Wintoniensis præsulis.

- Cum centilinguis Fama (proh semper mali

- Cladisque vera nuntia)

- Spargit per urbes divitis Britanniæ,

- Populosque Neptuno satos,  originalEd: 10

- Cessisse morti, ferreis sororibus

- Te generis humani decus,

- Qui rex sacrorum illâ fuisti in insulâ

- Quæ nomen Anguillæ tenet.

- Tunc inquietum pectus irâ protinus

- Ebulliebat fervidâ,

- Tumulis potentem sæpe devovens deam:

- Nec vota Naso in Ibida

- Concepit alto diriora pectore,

- Graiusque vates parciùs  originalEd: 20

- Turpem Lycambis execratus est dolum,

- Sponsamque Neobolen suam.

- At ecce diras ipse dum fundo graves,

- Et imprecor neci necem,

- Audisse tales videor attonitus sonos

- Leni, sub aurâ, flamine:

- Cæcos furores pone, pone vitream

- Bilemque irritas minas,

- Quid temerè violas non nocenda numina,

- Subitoque ad iras percita.  originalEd: 30

- Non est, ut arbitraris elusus miser,

- Mors atra Noctis filia,

- Erebóve patre creta, sive Erinnye,

- Vastóve nata sub Chao:

- Ast illa cælo missa stellato, Dei

- Messes ubique colligit;

- Animasque mole carneâ reconditas

- In lucem auras evocat;

- Ut cum fugaces excitant Horæ diem

- Themidos Jovisque filiæ;  originalEd: 40

- Et sempiterni ducit ad vultus patris;

- At justa raptat impios

- Sub regna furvi luctuosa Tartari,

- Sedesque subterraneas

- Hanc ut vocantem lætus audivi, citò

- Fœdum reliqui carcerem,

- Volatilesque faustus inter milites

- Ad astra sublimis feror:

- Vates ut olim raptus ad cœlum senex

- Auriga currus ignei,  originalEd: 50

- Non me Boötis terruere lucidi

- Sarraca tarda frigore, aut

- Formidolosi Scorpionis brachia,

- Non ensis Orion tuus.

- Prætervolavi fulgidi solis globum,

- Longéque sub pedibus deam

- Vidi triformem, dum coercebat suos

- Frænis dracones aureis.

- Erraticorum syderum per ordines,

- Per lacteas vehor plagas,  originalEd: 60

- Velocitatem sæpe miratus novam,

- Donec nitentes ad fores

- Ventum est Olympi, regiam Crystallinam,

- Stratum smaragdis Atrium.

- Sed hic tacebo, nam quis effari queat

- Oriundus humano patre

- Amœnitates illius loci, mihi

- Sat est in æternum frui.

Naturam non pati senium.

- HEU quàm perpetuis erroribus acta fatiscit

- Avia mens hominum, tenebrisque immersa profundis

- Œdipodioniam volvit sub pectore noctem!

- Quæ vesana suis metiri facta deorum

- Audet, incisas leges adamante perenni

- Assimilare suis, nulloque solubile sæclo

- Consilium fati perituris alligat horis.

- Ergóne marcescet sulcantibus obsita rugis

- Naturæ facies, rerum publica mater

- Omniparum contracta uterum sterilescet ab ævo?  originalEd: 10

- Et se fassa senem malè certis passibus ibit

- Sidereum tremebunda caput? num tetra vetustas

- Annorumque æterna fames, squalorque situsque

- Sidera vexabunt? an insatiabile Tempus

- Esuriet Cælum, rapietque in viscera patrem?

- Heu, potuitne suas imprudens Jupiter arces

- Hoc contra munisse nefas, Temporis isto

- Exemisse malo, gyrosque dedisse perennes?

- Ergo erit ut quandoque sono dilapsa tremendo

- Convexi tabulata ruant, atque obvius ictu  originalEd: 20

- Stridat uterque polus, superâque ut Olympius aulâ

- Decidat, horribilisque retectâ Gorgone Pallas.

- Qualis in Ægæam proles Junonia Lemnon

- Deturbata sacro cecidit de limine cæli.

- Tu quoque Phœbe tui casus imitabere nati

- Præcipiti curru, subitáque ferere ruinâ

- Pronus, extinctâ fumabit lampade Nereus,

- Et dabit attonito feralia sibila ponto.

- Tunc etiam aërei divulsis sedibus Hæmi

- Dissultabit apex, imoque allisa barathro  originalEd: 30

- Terrebunt Stygium dejecta Ceraunia Ditem

- In superos quibus usus erat, fraternaque bella.

- At Pater omnipotens fundatis fortius astris

- Consuluit rerum summæ, certoque peregit

- Pondere fatorum lances, atque ordine summo

- Singula perpetuum jussit servare tenorem.

- Volvitur hinc lapsu mundi rota prima diurno;

- Raptat ambitos sociâ vertigine cælos.

- Tardior haud solito Saturnus, acer ut olim

- Fulmineum rutilat cristatâ casside Mavors.  originalEd: 40

- Floridus æternùm Phœbus juvenile coruscat,

- Nec fovet effœtas loca per declivia terras

- Devexo temone Deus; sed semper amicá

- Luce potens eadem currit per signa rotarum,

- Surgit odoratis pariter formosus ab Indis

- Æthereum pecus albenti qui cogit Olympo

- Mane vocans, serus agens in pascua cæli,

- Temporis gemino dispertit regna colore.

- Fulget, obitque vices alterno Delia cornu,

- Cæruleumque ignem paribus complectitur ulnis.  originalEd: 50

- Nec variant elementa fidem, solitóque fragore

- Lurida perculsas jaculantur fulmina rupes.

- Nec per inane furit leviori murmure Corus,

- Stringit armiferos æquali horrore Gelonos

- Trux Aquilo, spiratque hyemem, nimbosque volutat.

- Utque solet, Siculi diverberat ima Pelori

- Rex maris, raucâ circumstrepit æquora conchâ

- Oceani Tubicen, nec vastâ mole minorem

- Ægæona ferunt dorso Balearica cete.

- Sed neque Terra tibi sæcli vigor ille vetusti  originalEd: 60

- Priscus abest, servatque suum Narcissus odorem,

- Et puer ille suum tenet puer ille decorem

- Phœbe tuusque Cypri tuus, nec ditior olim

- Terra datum sceleri celavit montibus aurum

- Conscia, vel sub aquis gemmas. Sic denique in ævum

- Ibit cunctarum series justissima rerum,

- Donec flamma orbem populabitur ultima, latè

- Circumplexa polos, vasti culmina cæli;

- Ingentique rogo flagrabit machina mundi.

De Idea Platonica quemadmodum Aristoteles intellexit.

- DICITE sacrorum præsides nemorum deæ,

- Tuque O noveni perbeata numinis

- Memoria mater, quæque in immenso procul

- Antro recumbis otiosa Æternitas,

- Monumenta servans, ratas leges Jovis,

- Cælique fastos atque ephemeridas Deûm,

- Quis ille primus cujus ex imagine

- Natura sollers finxit humanum genus,

- Æternus, incorruptus, æquævus polo,

- Unusque universus, exemplar Dei?  originalEd: 10

- Haud ille Palladis gemellus innubæ

- Interna proles insidet menti Jovis;

- Sed quamlibet natura sit communior,

- Tamen seorsùs extat ad morem unius,

- Et, mira, certo stringitur spatio loci;

- Seu sempiternus ille syderum comes

- Cæli pererrat ordines decemplicis,

- Citimúmve terris incolit Lunæ globum:

- Sive inter animas corpus adituras sedens

- Obliviosas torpet ad Lethes aquas:  originalEd: 20

- Sive in remotâ forte terrarum plagâ

- Incedit ingens hominis archetypus gigas,

- Et diis tremendus erigit celsum caput

- Atlante major portitore syderum.

- Non cui profundum cæcitas lumen dedit

- Dircæus augur vidit hunc alto sinu;

- Non hunc silenti nocte Plëones nepos

- Vatum sagaci præpes ostendit choro;

- Non hunc sacerdos novit Assyrius, licet

- Longos vetusti commemoret atavos Nini,  originalEd: 30

- Priscumque Belon, inclytumque Osiridem.

- Non ille trino gloriosus nomine

- Ter magnus Hermes (ut sit arcani sciens)

- Talem reliquit Isidis cultoribus.

- At tu perenne ruris Academi decus

- (Hæc monstra si tu primus induxti scholis)

- Jam jam pöetas urbis exules tuæ

- Revocabis, ipse fabulator maximus,

- Aut institutor ipse migrabis foras.

Ad Patrem.

- NUNC mea Pierios cupiam per pectora fontes

- Irriguas torquere vias, totumque per ora

- Volvere laxatum gemino de vertice rivum;

- Ut tenues oblita sonos audacibus alis

- Surgat in officium venerandi Musa parentis.

- Hoc utcunque tibi gratum pater optime carmen

- Exiguum meditatur opus, nec novimus ipsi

- Aptiùs à nobis quæ possint munera donis

- Respondere tuis, quamvis nec maxima possint

- Respondere tuis, nedum ut par gratia donis  originalEd: 10

- Esse queat, vacuis quæ redditur arida verbis.

- Sed tamen hæc nostros ostendit pagina census,

- Et quod habemus opum chartâ numeravimus istâ,

- Quæ mihi sunt nullæ, nisi quas dedit aurea Clio

- Quas mihi semoto somni peperere sub antro,

- Et nemoris laureta sacri Parnassides umbræ.

- Nec tu vatis opus divinum despice carmen,

- Quo nihil æthereos ortus, semina cæli,

- Nil magis humanam commendat origine mentem,

- Sancta Promethéæ retinens vestigia flammæ.  originalEd: 20

- Carmen amant superi, tremebundaque Tartara carmen

- Ima ciere valet, divosque ligare profundos,

- Et triplici duros Manes adamante coercet.

- Carmine sepositi retegunt arcana futuri

- Phœbades, tremulæ pallentes ora Sibyllæ;

- Carmina sacrificus solennes pangit ad aras

- Aurea seu sternit motantem cornua taurum;

- Seu cùm fata sagax fumantibus abdita fibris

- Consulit, tepidis Parcam scrutatur in extis.

- Nos etiam patrium tunc cum repetemus Olympum,  originalEd: 30

- Æternæque moræ stabunt immobilis ævi,

- Ibimus auratis per cæli templa coronis,

- Dulcia suaviloquo sociantes carmina plectro,

- Astra quibus, geminique poli convexa sonabunt.

- Spiritus rapidos qui circinat igneus orbes.

- Nunc quoque sydereis intercinit ipse choreis

- Immortale melos, inenarrabile carmen;

- Torrida dum rutilus compescit sibila serpens,

- Demissoque ferox gladio mansuescit Orion;

- Stellarum nec sentit onus Maurusius Atlas.  originalEd: 40

- Carmina regales epulas ornare solebant,

- Cum nondum luxus, vastæque immensa vorago

- Nota gulæ, modico spumabat cœna Lyæo.

- Tum de more sedens festa ad convivia vates

- Æsculeâ intonsos redimitus ab arbore crines,

- Heroumque actus, imitandaque gesta canebat,

- Et chaos, positi latè fundamina mundi,

- Reptantesque Deos, alentes numina glandes,

- Et nondum Ætneo quæsitum fulmen ab antro.

- Denique quid vocis modulamen inane juvabit,  originalEd: 50

- Verborum sensusque vacans, numerique loquacis?

- Silvestres decet iste choros, non Orphea cantus,

- Qui tenuit fluvios quercubus addidit aures

- Carmine, non citharâ, simulachraque functa canendo

- Compulit in lacrymas; habet has à carmine laudes.

- Nec tu perge precor sacras contemnere Musas,

- Nec vanas inopesque puta, quarum ipse peritus

- Munere, mille sonos numeros componis ad aptos,

- Millibus vocem modulis variare canoram

- Doctus, Arionii meritò sis nominis hæres.  originalEd: 60

- Nunc tibi quid mirum, si me genuisse poëtam

- Contigerit, charo si tam propè sanguine juncti

- Cognatas artes, studiumque affine sequamur:

- Ipse volens Phœbus se dispertire duobus,

- Altera dona mihi, dedit altera dona parenti,

- Dividuumque Deum genitorque puerque tenemus.

- Tu tamen ut simules teneras odisse camœnas,

- Non odisse reor, neque enim, pater, ire jubebas

- Quà via lata patet, quà pronior area lucri,

- Certaque condendi fulget spes aurea nummi:  originalEd: 70

- Nec rapis ad leges, malè custoditaque gentis

- Jura, nec insulsis damnas clamoribus aures.

- Sed magis excultam cupiens ditescere mentem,

- Me procul urbano strepitu, secessibus altis

- Abductum Aoniæ jucunda per otia ripæ

- Phœbæo lateri comitem sinis ire beatum.

- Officium chari taceo commune parentis,

- Me poscunt majora, tuo pater optime sumptu

- Cùm mihi Romuleæ patuit facundia linguæ,

- Et Latii veneres, quæ Jovis ora decebant  originalEd: 80

- Grandia magniloquis elata vocabula Graiis,

- Addere suasisti quos jactat Gallia flores,

- Et quam degeneri novus Italus ore loquelam

- Fundit, Barbaricos testatus voce tumultus,

- Quæque Palæstinus loquitur mysteria vates.

- Denique quicquid habet cælum, subjectaque cœlo

- Terra parens, terræque cœlo interfluus aer,

- Quicquid unda tegit, pontique agitabile marmor,

- Per te nosse licet, per te, si nosse libebit.

- Dimotáque venit spectanda scientia nube,  originalEd: 90

- Nudaque conspicuos inclinat ad oscula vultus,

- Ni fugisse velim, ni sit libâsse molestum.

- I nunc, confer opes quisquis malesanus avitas

- Austriaci gazas, Perüanaque regna præoptas.

- Quæ potuit majora pater tribuisse, vel ipse

- Jupiter, excepto, donâsset ut omnia, cœlo?

- Non potiora dedit, quamvis tuta fuissent,

- Publica qui juveni commisit lumina nato

- Atque Hyperionios currus, fræna diei,

- Et circùm undantem radiatâ luce tiaram.  originalEd: 100

- Ergo ego jam doctæ pars quamlibet ima catervæ

- Victrices hederas inter, laurosque sedebo,

- Jamque nec obscurus populo miscebor inerti,

- Vitabuntque oculos vestigia nostra profanos.

- Este procul vigiles curæ, procul este querelæ,

- Invidiæque acies transverso tortilis hirquo,

- Sæva nec anguiferos extende Calumnia rictus;

- In me triste nihil fædissima turba potestis,

- Nec vestri sum juris ego; securaque tutus

- Pectora, vipereo gradiar sublimis ab ictu.  originalEd: 110

- At tibi, chare pater, postquam non æqua merenti

- Posse referre datur, nec dona rependere factis,

- Sit memorâsse satis, repetitaque munera grato

- Percensere animo, fidæque reponere menti.

- Et vos, O nostri, juvenilia carmina, lusus,

- Si modo perpetuos sperare audebitis annos,

- Et domini superesse rogo, lucemque tueri,

- Nec spisso rapient oblivia nigra sub Orco,

- Forsitan has laudes, decantatumque parentis

- Nomen, ad exemplum, sero servabitis ævo.  originalEd: 120

Psalm 114.

- Ισραὴλ ὅτε παɩ̂δες, ὅτ’ ἀγλαὰ ϕν̂λ’ Ἰακωβου

- Αιγύπτιον λίπε δη̂μον, ἀπεχθέα, βαρβαρόϕωνον,

- Δὴ τότε μον̂νον ἔην ὅσιον γένος υἷες Ἰον̂δα·

- Εν δ[Editor: illegible character] θεὸς λαοɩ̂σι μέγα κρείων βασίλευεν.

- Εἷδε, καὶ ἐντροπάδην ϕύγαδ’ ἐῤῥωησε θάλασσα

- Κύματι εἰλυμύνη ῥοθίῳ, ὁδ’ ἄρ’ ἐστυϕελίχθη

- Ἱρὸς Ἰορδάνης ποτὶ ἀργυροειδέα πηγὴν.

- Εκ δ’ ὄρεα σκαρθμοɩ̂σιν ἀπειρέσια κλονέοντο,

- Ως κριοὶ σϕριγόωντες ἐῡτραϕερω̂ ἐν ἀλωη̂.

- Βαιότεραι δ’ ἅμα πάσαι ἀνασκίρτησαν ἐρίπναι,  originalEd: 10

- Οἷα παραὶ σύριγγι ϕίλῃ ὑπὸ μητέρι ἀρνες.

- Τίπτε σύγ’ αἰνὰ θάλασσα πέλωρ ϕύγαδ’ ἐῤῥώησας;

- Κύματι είλυμένη ῥοθίφ; τί δ’ ἄρ’ ἐστνϕελίχθης

- Ἱρὸς Ἰορδάνη ποτὶ ἀργυροειδέα πηγὴν;

- Τίπτ’ ὄρεα σκαρθμοɩ̂σιν ἀπειρέσια κλονέεσθ[Editor: illegible character]

- Ως κριοὶ σϕριγόωντες ἐῡτραϕερω̂ ἐα ἀλωη̂;

- Βαιοτέραι τί δ’ αρ’ ὑμμως ἀνασκιρτησατ’ ἐρίπναι,

- Οἷα παραὶ σύριγγι ϕίλῃ ὑπὸ μητέρι ἄρνες,

- Σείεο γαɩ̂α τρέουσα θεὸν μεγάλ’ ἐκτυπέοντα

- Γαɩ̂α, θεὸν τρείουσ’ ὕπατον σέβας Ἰσσακίδαο  originalEd: 20

- Ὁς τε καὶ ἐκ σπιλάδων ποταμοὺς χέε μορμύροντας,

- Κρήνηντ’ ἀέναον πέτρης ἀπὸ δακρυοέσσης.

Philosophus ad regem quendam qui eum ignotum insontem inter reos forte captum inscius damnaverat τὴν ἐπὶ θανάτῳ πορευόμενος, hæc subito misit.

- Ω ἄνα εἰ ὀλέσης με τὸν ἔννομον, οὐδέ τιν’ ἀνδρω̂ν

- Δεινὸν ὅλως δράσαντα, σοϕώτατον ἴσθι κάρηνον

- Ρηῑδίως ἀϕέλοιο, τὸδ’ ὕστερον αὐθι νοήσεις,

- Μαψ ἂντως δ’ ἀρ’ ἔπειτα χρόνω μαλα πολλὸν ὀδύρῃ,

- Τοιόνδ’ ἐκ πόλεως περιώνυμον ἄλκαρ ὀλέσσας.

In Effigiei ejus Sculptorem.

- Ἀμαθεɩ̂ γεγράϕθαι χειρὶ τήνδε μ[Editor: illegible character]ν εἰκόνα

- Φαίῃς τάχ’ ἂν, πρὸς είδος αὐτοϕυ[Editor: illegible character]ς βλέπων·

- Τὸν δ’ ἐκτυπωτὸν οὐκ ἐπιγνόντες, ϕίλοι,

- Γελα̂τε ϕαύλου δυσμίμημα ζωγράϕου.

Ad Salsillum poetam Romanum ægrotantem.

SCAZONTES.

- O MUSA gressum quæ volens trahis claudum,

- Vulcanioque tarda gaudes incessu,

- Nec sentis illud in loco minus gratum,

4 Μαψιδίως δ’ ἀρ ἔπειτα τεὸν πρὸς θυμὸν ὀδνρη̂ 1673

- Quàm cùm decentes flava Dëiope suras

- Alternat aureum ante Junonis lectum,

- Adesdum hæc s’is verba pauca Salsillo

- Refer, camœna nostra cui tantum est cordi,

- Quamque ille magnis prætulit immeritò divis.

- Hæc ergo alumnus ille Londini Milto,

- Diebus hisce qui suum linquens nidum  originalEd: 10

- Polique tractum, (pessimus ubi ventorum,

- Insanientis impotensque pulmonis

- Pernix anhela sub Jove exercet flabra)

- Venit feraces Itali soli ad glebas,

- Visum superbâ cognitas urbes famâ

- Virosque doctæque indolem juventutis,

- Tibi optat idem hic fausta multa Salsille,

- Habitumque fesso corpori penitùs sanum;

- Cui nunc profunda bilis infestat renes,

- Præcordiisque fixa damnosùm spirat.  originalEd: 20

- Nec id pepercit impia quòd tu Romano

- Tam cultus ore Lesbium condis melos.

- O dulce divûm munus, O salus Hebes

- Germana! Tuque Phœbe morborum terror

- Pythone cæso, sive tu magis Pæan

- Libenter audis, hic tuus sacerdos est.

- Querceta Fauni, vosque rore vinoso

- Colles benigni, mitis Euandri sedes,

- Siquid salubre vallibus frondet vestris,

- Levamen ægro ferte certatim vati.  originalEd: 30

- Sic ille charis redditus rursùm Musis

- Vicina dulci prata mulcebit cantu.

- Ipse inter atros emirabitur lucos

- Numa, ubi beatum degit otium æternum,

- Suam reclivis semper Ægeriam spectans.

- Tumidusque ipse Tibris hinc delinitus

- Spei favebit annuæ colonorum:

- Nec in sepulchris ibit obsessum reges

- Nimiùm sinistro laxus irruens loro:

- Sed fræna melius temperabit undarum,  originalEd: 40

- Adusque curvi salsa regna Portumni.

Miscellaneous Poems.

Mansus.

Joannes Baptista Mansus Marchio Villensis vir ingenii laude, tum literarum studio, nec non bellicâ virtute apud Italos clarus in primis est. Ad quem Torquati Tassi dialogus extat de Amicitia scriplus; erat enim Tassi amicissimus; ab quo etiam inter Campaniœ principes celebratur, in illo poemate cui titulus Gerusalemme conquistata, lib. 20.

- Fra cavalier magnanimi, è cortesi

- Risplende il Manso—

Is authorem Neapoli commorantem summâ benevolentiâ prosecutus est, multaque ei detulit humanitatis officia. Ad hunc itaque hospes ille antequam ab eâ urbe discederet, ut ne ingratum se ostenderet, hoc carmen misit.

- HÆC quoque Manse tuæ meditantur carmina laudi

- Pierides, tibi Manse choro notissime Phœbi,

- Quandoquidem ille alium haud æquo est dignatus honore,

- Post Galli cineres, Mecænatis Hetrusci.

- Tu quoque si nostræ tantùm valet aura Camœnæ,

- Victrices hederas inter, laurosque sedebis.

- Te pridem magno felix concordia Tasso

- Junxit, æternis inscripsit nomina chartis,

- Mox tibi dulciloquum non inscia Musa Marinum

- Tradidit, ille tuum dici se gaudet alumnum,  originalEd: 10

- Dum canit Assyrios divûm prolixus amores;

- Mollis Ausonias stupefecit carmine nymphas.

- Ille itidem moriens tibi soli debita vates

- Ossa tibi soli, supremaque vota reliquit.

- Nec manes pietas tua chara fefellit amici,

- Vidimus arridentem operoso ex ære poetam.

- Nec satis hoc visum est in utrumque, nec pia cessant

- Officia in tumulo, cupis integros rapere Orco,

- Quà potes, atque avidas Parcarum eludere leges:

- Amborum genus, variâ sub sorte peractam  originalEd: 20

- Describis vitam, moresque, dona Minervæ;

- Æmulus illius Mycalen qui natus ad altam

- Rettulit Æolii vitam facundus Homeri.

- Ergo ego te Cliûs magni nomine Phœbi

- Manse pater, jubeo longum salvere per ævum

- Missus Hyperboreo juvenis peregrinus ab axe.

- Nec tu longinquam bonus aspernabere Musam,

- Quæ nuper gelidâ vix enutrita sub Arcto

- Imprudens Italas ausa est volitare per urbes.

- Nos etiam in nostro modulantes flumine cygnos  originalEd: 30

- Credimus obscuras noctis sensisse per umbras,

- Quà Thamesis latè puris argenteus urnis

- Oceani glaucos perfundit gurgite crines.

- Quin in has quondam pervenit Tityrus oras.

- Sed neque nos genus incultum, nec inutile Phœbo,

- Quà plaga septeno mundi sulcata Trione

- Brumalem patitur longâ sub nocte Boöten.

- Nos etiam colimus Phœbum, nos munera Phœbo

- Flaventes spicas, lutea mala canistris,

- Halantemque crocum (perhibet nisi vana vetustas)  originalEd: 40

- Misimus, lectas Druidum de gente choreas.

- (Gens Druides antiqua sacris operata deorum

- Heroum laudes imitandaque gesta canebant)

- Hinc quoties festo cingunt altaria cantu

- Delo in herbosâ Graiæ de more puellæ

- Carminibus lætis memorant Corineïda Loxo,

- Fatidicamque Upin, cum flavicomâ Hecaërge

- Nuda Caledonio variatas pectora fuco.

- Fortunate senex, ergo quacunque per orbem

- Torquati decus, nomen celebrabitur ingens,  originalEd: 50

- Claraque perpetui succrescet fama Marini,

- Tu quoque in ora frequens venies plausumque virorum,

- Et parili carpes iter immortale volatu.

- Dicetur tum sponte tuos habitasse penates

- Cynthius, famulas venisse ad limina Musas:

- At non sponte domum tamen idem, regis adivit

- Rura Pheretiadæ cælo fugitivus Apollo;

- Ille licet magnum Alciden susceperat hospes;

- Tantùm ubi clamosos placuit vitare bubulcos,

- Nobile mansueti cessit Chironis in antrum,  originalEd: 60

- Irriguos inter saltus frondosaque tecta

- Peneium prope rivum: ibi sæpe sub ilice nigrâ

- Ad citharæ strepitum blandâ prece victus amici

- Exilii duros lenibat voce labores.

- Tum neque ripa suo, barathro nec fixa sub imo,

- Saxa stetere loco, nutat Trachinia rupes,

- Nec sentit solitas, immania pondera, silvas,

- Emotæque suis properant de collibus orni,

- Mulcenturque novo maculosi carmine lynces.

- Diis dilecte senex, te Jupiter æquus oportet  originalEd: 70

- Nascentem, miti lustrarit lumine Phœbus,

- Atlantisque nepos; neque enim nisi charus ab ortu

- Diis superis poterit magno favisse poetae.

- Hinc longæva tibi lento sub flore senectus

- Vernat, Æsonios lucratur vivida fusos,

- Nondum deciduos servans tibi frontis honores,

- Ingeniumque vigens, adultum mentis acumen.

- O mihi si mea sors talem concedat amicum

- Phœbæos decorâsse viros qui tam bene norit,

- Si quando indigenas revocabo in carmina reges,  originalEd: 80

- Arturumque etiam sub terris bella moventem;

- Aut dicam invictæ sociali fœdere mensæ,

- Magnanimos Heroas, (O modo spiritus ad sit)

- Frangam Saxonicas Britonum sub Marte phalanges.

- Tandem ubi non tacitæ permensus tempora vitæ,

- Annorumque satur cineri sua jura relinquam,

- Ille mihi lecto madidis astaret ocellis,

- Astanti sat erit si dicam sim tibi curæ;

- Ille meos artus liventi morte solutos

- Curaret parvâ componi molliter urnâ.  originalEd: 90

- Forsitan nostros ducat de marmore vultus,

- Nectens aut Paphiâ myrti aut Parnasside lauri

- Fronde comas, at ego securâ pace quiescam.

- Tum quoque, si qua fides, si præmia certa bonorum,

- Ipse ego cælicolûm semotus in æthera divûm,

- Quò labor mens pura vehunt, atque ignea virtus

- Secreti hæc aliquâ mundi de parte videbo

- (Quantum fata sinunt) totâ mente serenùm

- Ridens purpureo suffundar lumine vultus

- Et simul æthereo plaudam mihi lætus Olympo.  originalEd: 100

Epitaphium Damonis.

EPITAPHIUM DAMONIS.

Argumentum.

Thyrsis Damon ejusdem viciniæ Pastores, eadem studia sequuti a pueritiâ amici erant, ut qui plurimùm. Thyrsis animi causâ profectus peregrè de obitu Damonis nuncium accepit. Domum postea reversus, rem ita esse comperto, se, suamque solitudinem hoc carmine deplorat. Damonis autem sub personâ hic intelligitur Carolus Deodatus ex urbe Hetruriæ Luca paterno genere oriundus, cætera Anglus; ingenio, doctrina, clarissimisque cæteris virtutibus, dum viveret, juvenis egregius.

- HIMERIDES nymphæ (nam vos Daphnin Hylan,

- Et plorata diu meministis fata Bionis)

- Dicite Sicelicum Thamesina per oppida carmen:

- Quas miser effudit voces, quæ murmura Thyrsis,

- Et quibus assiduis exercuit antra querelis,

- Fluminaque, fontesque vagos, nemorumque recessus,

- Dum sibi præreptum queritur Damona, neque altam

- Luctibus exemit noctem loca sola pererrans.

- Et jam bis viridi surgebat culmus arista,

- Et totidem flavas numerabant horrea messes,  originalEd: 10

- Ex quo summa dies tulerat Damona sub umbras,

- Nec dum aderat Thyrsis; pastorem scilicet illum

- Dulcis amor Musæ Thusca retinebat in urbe.

- Ast ubi mens expleta domum, pecorisque relicti

- Cura vocat, simul assuetâ sedítque sub ulmo,

- Tum vero amissum tum denique sentit amicum,

- Cœpit immensum sic exonerare dolorem.

- Ite domum impasti, domino jam non vacat, agni.

- Hei mihi! quæ terris, quæ dicam numina cœlo,

- Postquam te immiti rapuerunt funere Damon;  originalEd: 20

- Siccine nos linquis, tua sic sine nomine virtus

- Ibit, obscuris numero sociabitur umbris?

- At non ille, animas virgâ qui dividit aureâ,

- Ista velit, dignumque tui te ducat in agmen,

- Ignavumque procul pecus arceat omne silentum.

- Ite domum impasti, domino jam non vacat, agni.

- Quicquid erit, certè nisi me lupus antè videbit,

- Indeplorato non comminuere sepulchro,

- Constabitque tuus tibi honos, longúmque vigebit

- Inter pastores: Illi tibi vota secundo  originalEd: 30

- Solvere post Daphnin, post Daphnin dicere laudes

- Gaudebunt, dum rura Pales, dum Faunus amabit:

- Si quid id est, priscamque fidem coluisse, piúmque,

- Palladiásque artes, sociúmque habuisse canorum.

- Ite domum impasti, domino jam non vacat, agni.

- Hæc tibi certa manent, tibi erunt hæc præmia Damon;

- At mihi quid tandem fiet modò? quis mihi fidus

- Hærebit lateri comes, ut tu sæpe solebas

- Frigoribus duris, per loca fœta pruinis,

- Aut rapido sub sole, siti morientibus herbis?  originalEd: 40

- Sive opus in magnos fuit eminùs ire leones

- Aut avidos terrere lupos præsepibus altis;

- Quis fando sopire diem, cantuque solebit?

- Ite domum impasti, domino jam non vacat, agni.

- Pectora cui credam? quis me lenire docebit

- Mordaces curas, quis longam fallere noctem

- Dulcibus alloquiis, grato cùm sibilat igni

- Molle pyrum, nucibus strepitat focus, at malus auster

- Miscet cuncta foris, desuper intonat ulmo.

- Ite domum impasti, domino jam non vacat, agni.  originalEd: 50

- Aut æstate, dies medio dum vertitur axe,

- Cum Pan æsculeâ somnum capit abditus umbrâ,

- Et repetunt sub aquis sibi nota sedilia nymphæ.

- Pastoresque latent, stertit sub sepe colonus,

- Quis mihi blanditiásque tuas, quis tum mihi risus,

- Cecropiosque sales referet, cultosque lepores?

- Ite domum impasti, domino jam non vacat, agni.

- At jam solus agros, jam pascua solus oberro,

- Sicubi ramosæ densantur vallibus umbræ,

- Hic serum expecto, supra caput imber Eurus  originalEd: 60

- Triste sonant, fractæque agitata crepuscula silvæ.

- Ite domum impasti, domino jam non vacat, agni.

- Heu quàm culta mihi priùs arva procacibus herbis

- Involvuntur, ipsa situ seges alta fatiscit!

- Innuba neglecto marcescit uva racemo,

- Nec myrteta juvant; ovium quoque tædet, at illæ

- Moerent, inque suum convertunt ora magistrum.

- Ite domum impasti, domino jam non vacat, agni.

- Tityrus ad corylos vocat, Alphesibœus ad ornos,

- Ad salices Ægon, ad flumina pulcher Amyntas,  originalEd: 70

- Hîc gelidi fontes, hîc illita gramina musco,

- Hîc Zephyri, hîc placidas interstrepit arbutus undas;

- Ista canunt surdo, frutices ego nactus abibam.

- Ite domum impasti, domino jam non vacat, agni.

- Mopsus ad hæc, nam me redeuntem forte notârat

- (Et callebat avium linguas, sydera Mopsus)

- Thyrsi quid hoc? dixit, quæ te coquit improba bilis?

- Aut te perdit amor, aut te malè fascinat astrum,

- Saturni grave sæpe fuit pastoribus astrum,

- Intimaque obliquo figit præcordia plumbo.  originalEd: 80

- Ite domum impasti, domino jam non vacat, agni.

- Mirantur nymphæ, quid te Thyrsi futurum est?

- Quid tibi vis? ajunt, non hæc solet esse juventæ

- Nubila frons, oculique truces, vultusque severi,

- Illa choros, lususque leves, semper amorem

- Jure petit, bis ille miser qui serus amavit.

- Ite domum impasti, domino jam non vacat, agni.

- Venit Hyas, Dryopéque, filia Baucidis Ægle

- Docta modos, citharæque sciens, sed perdita fastu,

- Venit Idumanii Chloris vicina fluenti;  originalEd: 90

- Nil me blanditiæ, nil me solantia verba,

- Nil me, si quid adest, movet, aut spes ulla futuri.

- Ite domum impasti, domino jam non vacat, agni.

- Hei mihi quam similes ludunt per prata juvenci,

- Omnes unanimi secum sibi lege sodales,

- Nec magis hunc alio quisquam secernit amicum

- De grege, sic densi veniunt ad pabula thoes,

- Inque vicem hirsuti paribus junguntur onagri;

- Lex eadem pelagi, deserto in littore Proteus

- Agmina Phocarum numerat, vilisque volucrum  originalEd: 100

- Passer habet semper quicum sit, omnia circum

- Farra libens volitet, serò sua tecta revisens,

- Quem si fors letho objecit, seu milvus adunco

- Fata tulit rostro, seu stravit arundine fossor,

- Protinus ille alium socio petit inde volatu.

- Nos durum genus, diris exercita fatis

- Gens homines aliena animis, pectore discors,

- Vix sibi quisque parem de millibus invenit unum,

- Aut si sors dederit tandem non aspera votis,

- Illum inopina dies quâ non speraveris horâ  originalEd: 110

- Surripit, æternum linquens in sæcula damnum.

- Ite domum impasti, domino jam non vacat, agni.

- Heu quis me ignotas traxit vagus error in oras

- Ite per aëreas rupes, Alpemque nivosam!

- Ecquid erat tanti Roman vidisse sepultam?

- Quamvis illa foret, qualem dum viseret olim,

- Tityrus ipse suas oves rura reliquit;

- Ut te tam dulci possem caruisse sodale,

- Possem tot maria alta, tot interponere montes,

- Tot sylvas, tot saxa tibi, fluviosque sonantes.  originalEd: 120

- Ah certè extremùm licuisset tangere dextram,

- Et bene compositos placidè morientis ocellos,

- Et dixisse vale, nostri memor ibis ad astra.

- Ite domum impasti, domino jam non vacat, agni.

- Quamquam etiam vestri nunquam meminisse pigebit

- Pastores Thusci, Musis operata juventus,

- Hic Charis, atque Lepos; Thuscus tu quoque Damon,

- Antiquâ genus unde petis Lucumonis ab urbe.

- O ego quantus eram, gelidi cum stratus ad Arni

- Murmura, populeumque nemus, quà mollior herba,  originalEd: 130

- Carpere nunc violas, nunc summas carpere myrtos,

- Et potui Lycidæ certantem audire Menalcam.

- Ipse etiam tentare ausus sum, nec puto multùm

- Displicui, nam sunt apud me munera vestra

- Fiscellæ, calathique cerea vincla cicutæ,

- Quin nostra suas docuerunt nomina fagos

- Et Datis, Francinus, erant vocibus ambo

- Et studiis noti, Lydorum sanguinis ambo.

- Ite domum impasti, domino jam non vacat, agni.

- Hæc mihi tum læto dictabat roscida luna,  originalEd: 140

- Dum solus teneros claudebam cratibus hœdos.

- Ah quoties dixi, cùm te cinis ater habebat,

- Nunc canit, aut lepori nunc tendit retia Damon,

- Vimina nunc texit, varios sibi quod sit in usus;

- Et quæ tum facili speraham mente futura

- Arripui voto levis, præsentia finxi,

- Heus bone numquid agis? nisi te quid forte retardat

- Imus? argutâ paulùm recubamus in umbra,

- Aut ad aquas Colni, aut ubi jugera Cassibelauni?

- Tu mihi percurres medicos, tua gramina, succos,  originalEd: 150

- Helleborúmque, humilésque crocos, foliúmque hyacinthi,

- Quasque habet ista palus herbas, artesque medentûm,

- Ah pereant herbæ, pereant artesque medentûm

- Gramina, postquam ipsi nil profecere magistro.

- Ipse etiam, nam nescio quid mihi grande sonabat

- Fistula, ab undecimâ jam lux est altera nocte,

- Et tum forte novis admôram labra cicutis,

- Dissiluere tamen rupta compage, nec ultra

- Ferre graves potuere sonos, dubito quoque ne sim

- Turgidulus, tamen referam, vos cedite silvæ.  originalEd: 160

- Ite domum impasti, domino jam non vacat, agni.

- Ipse ego Dardanias Rutupina per æquora puppes

- Dicam, Pandrasidos regnum vetus Inogeniæ,

- Brennúmque Arviragúmque duces, priscúmque Belinum,

- Et tandem Armoricos Britonum sub lege colonos;

- Tum gravidam Arturo fatali fraude Jögernen

- Mendaces vultus, assumptáque Gorlöis arma,

- Merlini dolus. O mihi tum si vita supersit,

- Tu procul annosa pendebis fistula pinu

- Multùm oblita mihi, aut patriis mutata camœnis  originalEd: 170

- Brittonicum strides, quid enim? omnia non licet uni

- Non sperâsse uni licet omnia, mi satis ampla

- Merces, mihi grande decus (sim ignotus in ævum

- Tum licet, externo penitúsque inglorius orbi)

- Si me flava comas legat Usa, potor Alauni,

- Vorticibúsque frequens Abra, nemus omne Treantæ,

- Et Thamesis meus ante omnes, fusca metallis

- Tamara, extremis me discant Orcades undis.

- Ite domum impasti, domino jam non vacat, agni.

- Hæc tibi servabam lentâ sub cortice lauri,  originalEd: 180

- Hæc, plura simul, tum quæ mihi pocula Mansus,

- Mansus Chalcidicæ non ultima gloria ripæ

- Bina dedit, mirum artis opus, mirandus ipse,

- Et circùm gemino cælaverat argumento:

- In medio rubri maris unda, odoriferum ver

- Littora longa Arabum, sudantes balsama silvæ,

- Has inter Phœnix divina avis, unica terris

- Cæruleùm fulgens diversicoloribus alis

- Auroram vitreis surgentem respicit undis.

- Parte alia polus omnipatens, magnus Olympus;  originalEd: 190

- Quis putet? hic quoque Amor, pictæque in nube pharetræ,

- Arma corusca faces, spicula tincta pyropo;

- Nec tenues animas, pectúsque ignobile vulgi

- Hinc ferit, at circùm flammantia lumina torquens

- Semper in erectum spargit sua tela per orbes

- Impiger, pronos nunquam collimat ad ictus,

- Hinc mentes ardere sacræ, formæque deorum.

- Tu quoque in his, nec me fallit spes lubrica Damon,

- Tu quoque in his certè es, nam quò tua dulcis abiret

- Sanctáque simplicitas, nam quò tua candida virtus?  originalEd: 200

- Nec te Lethæo fas quæsivisse sub orco,

- Nec tibi conveniunt lacrymæ, nec flebimus ultrà,

- Ite procul lacrymæ, purum colit æthera Damon,

- Æthera purus habet, pluvium pede reppulit arcum;

- Heroúmque animas inter, divósque perennes,

- Æthereos haurit latices gaudia potat

- Ore Sacro. Quin tu cœli post jura recepta

- Dexter ades, placidúsque fave quicúnque vocaris,

- Seu tu noster eris Damon, sive æquior audis

- Diodotus, quo te divino nomine cuncti  originalEd: 210

- Cœlicolæ nôrint, sylvísque vocabere Damon.

- Quòd tibi purpureus pudor, sine labe juventus

- Grata fuit, quòd nulla tori libata voluptas,

- En etiam tibi virginei servantur honores;

- Ipse caput nitidum cinctus rutilante corona,

- Letáque frondentis gestans umbracula palmæ

- Æternùm perages immortales hymenæos;

- Cantus ubi, choreisque furit lyra mista beatis,

- Festa Sionæo bacchantur Orgia Thyrso.

Finis.

Ad Joannem Rousium.

[Added in Second Edition, 1673.]

Jan. 23. 1646.

Ad Joannem Rousium Oxoniensis Academiæ Bibliothecarium.

De libro Poematum amisso, quem ille sibi denuo mitti postulabat, ut cum aliis nostris in Bibliotheca publica reponeret, Ode.

- Strophe 1.

- GEMELLE cultu simplici gaudens liber,

- Fronde licet geminâ,

- Munditiéque nitens non operosâ,

- Quam manus attulit

- Juvenilis olim,

- Sedula tamen haud nimii Poetæ;

- Dum vagus Ausonias nunc per umbras

- Nunc Britannica per vireta lusit

- Insons populi, barbitóque devius

- Indulsit patrio, mox itidem pectine Daunio  originalEd: 10

- Longinquum intonuit melos

- Vicinis, humum vix tetigit pede;

- Antistrophe.

- Quis te, parve liber, quis te fratribus

- Subduxit reliquis dolo?

- Cum tu missus ab urbe,

- Docto jugiter obsecrante amico,

- Illustre tendebas iter

- Thamesis ad incunabula

- Cærulei patris,

- Fontes ubi limpidi  originalEd: 20

- Aonidum, thyasusque sacer

- Orbi notus per immensos

- Temporum lapsus redeunte cœlo,

- Celeberque futurus in ævum;

- Strophe 2.

- Modò quis deus, aut editus deo

- Pristinam gentis miseratus indolem

- (Si satis noxas luimus priores

- Mollique luxu degener otium)

- Tollat nefandos civium tumultus,

- Almaque revocet studia sanctus  originalEd: 30

- Et relegatas sine sede Musas

- Jam penè totis finibus Angligenûm;

- Immundasque volucres

- Unguibus imminentes

- Figat Apollineâ pharetrâ,

- Phinéamque abigat pestem procul amne Pegaséo.

- Antistrophe.

- Quin tu, libelle, nuntii licet malâ

- Fide, vel oscitantiâ

- Semel erraveris agmine fratrum,

- Seu quis te teneat specus,  originalEd: 40

- Seu qua te latebra, forsan unde vili

- Callo teréris institoris insulsi,

- Lætare felix, en iterum tibi

- Spes nova fulget posse profundam

- Fugere Lethen, vehique Superam

- In Jovis aulam remige pennâ;

- Strophe 3.

- Nam te Roüsius sui

- Optat peculî, numeróque justo

- Sibi pollicitum queritur abesse,

- Rogatque venias ille cujus inclyta  originalEd: 50

- Sunt data virûm monumenta curæ:

- Téque adytis etiam sacris

- Voluit reponi quibus ipse præsidet

- Æternorum operum custos fidelis,

- Quæstorque gazæ nobilioris,

- Quàm cui præfuit Iön

- Clarus Erechtheides

- Opulenta dei per templa parentis

- Fulvosque tripodas, donaque Delphica

- Iön Actæa genitus Creusâ.  originalEd: 60

- Antistrophe.

- Ergo tu visere lucos

- Musarum ibis amœnos,

- Diamque Phœbi rursus ibis in domum

- Oxoniâ quam valle colit

- Delo posthabitâ,

- Bifidóque Parnassi jugo:

- Ibis honestus,

- Postquam egregiam tu quoque sortem

- Nactus abis, dextri prece sollicitatus amici.

- Illic legéris inter alta nomina  originalEd: 70

- Authorum, Graiæ simul Latinæ

- Antiqua gentis lumina, verum decus.

- Epodos.

- Vos tandem haud vacui mei labores,

- Quicquid hoc sterile fudit ingenium,

- Jam serò placidam sperare jubeo

- Perfunctam invidiâ requiem, sedesque beatas

- Quas bonus Hermes

- Et tutela dabit solers Roüsi,

- Quò neque lingua procax vulgi penetrabit, atque longè

- Turba legentum prava facesset;  originalEd: 80

- At ultimi nepotes,

- Et cordatior ætas

- Judicia rebus æquiora forsitan

- Adhibebit integro sinu.

- Tum livore sepulto,

- Si quid meremur sana posteritas sciet

- Roüsio favente.

Ode tribus constat Strophis, totidémque Antistrophis unä demum epodo clausis, quas, tametsi omnes nec versuum numero, nec certis ubique colis exactè respondeant, ita tamen secuimus, commodè legendi potius, quam ad antiquos concinendi modos rationem spectantes. Alioquin hoc genus rectiùs fortasse dici monostrophicum debuerat. Metra partim sunt κατὰ σχέσιν, partim ἀπολελυμένα. Phaleucia quæ sunt, spondæum tertio loco bis admittunt, quod idem in secundo loco Catullus ad libitum fecit.

PARADISE LOST.

Paradise lost.

A POEM Written in TEN BOOKS

By JOHN MILTON.

Licensed and Entred according to Order.

LONDON

Printed, and are to be sold by Peter Parker under Creed Church neer Aldgate; And by Robert Boulter at the Turks Head in Bishoplgate-street; And Matthias Walker, under St. Dunstons Church in Fleet-street, 1667.

Paradise Lost.

A POEM IN TWELVE BOOKS.

The Author JOHN MILTON.

The Second Edition

Revised and Augmented by the same Author.

LONDON, Printed by S. Simmous next door to the Golden Lion in Aldersgate-street, 1674.

IN Paradisum Amissam

Summi Poetæ

JOHANNIS MILTONI.

- Qui legis Amissam Paradisum, grandia magni

- Carmina Miltoni, quid nisi cuncta legis?

- Res cunctas, cunctarum primordia rerum,

- Et fata, fines continet iste liber.

- Intima panduntur magni penetralia mundi,

- Scribitur toto quicquid in Orbe latet.

- Terræque, tractusque maris, cælumque profundum

- Sulphureumque Erebi flammivomumque specus.

- Quæque colunt terras, Portumque Tartara cæca,

- Quæque colunt summi lucida regna Poli.

- Et quodcunque ullis conclusum est finibus usquam,

- Et sine fine Chaos, sine fine Deus;

- Et sine fine magis, si quid magis est sine fine,

- In Christo erga homines conciliatus amor.

- Hæc qui speraret quis crederet esse futurum?

- Et tamen hæc hodie terra Britanna legit.

- O quantos in bella Duces! quæ protulit arma!

- Quæ canit, et quanta prælia dira tuba.

- Cælestes acies! atque in certamine Cælum!

- Et quæ Cœlestes pugna deceret agros!

- Quantus in ætheriis tollit se Lucifer armis!

- Atque ipso graditur vix Michaele minor!

- Quantis, quam funestis concurritur iris

- Dum ferus hic stellas protegit, ille rapit!

- Dum vulsos Montes ceu Tela reciproca torquent,

- Et non mortali desuper igne pluunt:

- Stat dubius cui se parti concedat Olympus,

- Et metuit pugnæ non superesse suæ.

- At simul in cælis Messiæ insignia fulgent,

- Et currus animes, armaque digna Deo,

- Horrendumque rotæ strident, sæva rotarum

- Erumpunt torvis fulgura luminibus,

- Et flammæ vibrant, vera tonitrua rauco

- Admistis flammis insonuere Polo:

- Excidit attonitis mens omnis, impetus omnis

- Et cassis dextris irrita Tela cadunt.

- Ad pænas fugiunt, ceu foret Orcus asylum

- Infernis certant condere se tenebris.

- Cedite Romani scriptores, cedite Graii

- Et quos fama recens vel celebravit anus.

- Hæc quicunque leget tantum cecinisse putabit

- Mæonidem ranas, Virgilium culices.

- S. B., M. D.

ON Paradise Lost.

- WHEN I beheld the Poet blind, yet bold,

- In slender Book his vast Design unfold,

- Messiah Crown’d, Gods Reconcil’d Decree,

- Rebelling Angels, the Forbidden Tree,

- Heav’n, Hell, Earth, Chaos, All; the Argument

- Held me a while misdoubting his Intent,

- That he would ruine (for I saw him strong)

- The sacred Truths to Fable and old Song

- (So Sampson groap’d the Temples Posts in spight)

- The World o’rewhelming to revenge his sight.

- Yet as I read, soon growing less severe,

- I lik’d his Project, the success did fear;

- Through that wide Field how he his way should find

- O’re which lame Faith leads Understanding blind;

- Lest he perplex’d the things he would explain,

- And what was easie he should render vain.

- Or if a Work so infinite he spann’d,

- Jealous I was that some less skilful hand

- (Such as disquiet always what is well,

- And by ill imitating would excell)

- Might hence presume the whole Creations day

- To change in Scenes, and show it in a Play.

- Pardon me, Mighty Poet, nor despise

- My causeless, yet not impious, surmise.

- But I am now convinc’d, and none will dare

- Within thy Labours to pretend a share.

- Thou hast not miss’d one thought that could be fit,

- And all that was improper dost omit:

- So that no room is here for Writers left,

- But to detect their Ignorance or Theft.

- That Majesty which through thy Work doth Reign

- Draws the Devout, deterring the Profane.

- And things divine thou treatst of in such state

- As them preserves, and thee, inviolate.

- At once delight and horrour on us seise,

- Thou singst with so much gravity and ease;

- And above humane flight dost soar aloft

- With Plume so strong, so equal, and so soft.

- The Bird nam’d from that Paradise you sing

- So never flaggs, but always keeps on Wing.

- Where couldst thou words of such a compass find?

- Whence furnish such a vast expence of mind?

- Just Heav’n thee like Tiresias to requite

- Rewards with Prophesie thy loss of sight.

- Well mightst thou scorn thy Readers to allure

- With tinkling Rhime, of thy own sense secure;

- While the Town-Bayes writes all the while and spells,

- And like a Pack-horse tires without his Bells:

- Their Fancies like our Bushy-points appear,

- The Poets tag them, we for fashion wear.

- I too transported by the Mode offend,

- And while I meant to Praise thee must Commend.

- Thy Verse created like thy Theme sublime,

- In Number, Weight, and Measure, needs not Rhime.

- A. M.

In Paradisum Amissam. On Paradise Lost] Added in the second edition 1674.

The Printer to the Reader.

Courteous Reader, there was no Argument at first intended to the Book, but for the satisfaction of many that have desired it, I have procur’d it, and withall a reason of that which stumbled many others, why the Poem Rimes not.

S. Simmons.

The Printer to the Reader ] Added in 1668 to the copies then remaining of the first edition, amended in 1669, and omitted in 1670. I have procur’d it, and . . . . not 1669 ] us procured 1668.

THE VERSE.

THE measure is English Heroic Verse without Rime, as that of Homer in Greek, and of Virgil in Latin; Rime being no necessary Adjunct or true Ornament of Poem or good Verse, in longer Works especially, but the Invention of a barbarous Age, to set off wretched matter and lame Meeter; grac’t indeed since by the use of some famous modern Poets, carried away by Custom, but much to thir own vexation, hindrance, and constraint to express many things otherwise, and for the most part worse then else they would have exprest them. Not without cause therefore some both Italian and Spanish Poets of prime note have rejected Rime both in longer and shorter Works, as have also long since our best English Tragedies, as a thing of it self, to all judicious eares, triveal and of no true musical delight; which consists only in apt Numbers, fit quantity of Syllables, and the sense variously drawn out from one Verse into another, not in the jingling sound of like endings, a fault avoyded by the learned Ancients both in Poetry and all good Oratory. This neglect then of Rime so little is to be taken for a defect, though it may seem so perhaps to vulgar Readers, that it rather is to be esteem’d an example set, the first in English, of ancient liberty recover’d to Heroic Poem from the troublesom and modern bondage of Rimeing.

The Verse] Added in 1668 to the copies then remaining of the first edition; together with the Argument. In the second edition ( 1674 ) the Argument, with the necessary adjustment to the division made in Books vii and x, was distributed through the several books of the poem, as it is here printed.

BOOK I.

THE ARGUMENT.

THIS first Book proposes first in brief the whole Subject, Mans disobedience, and the loss thereupon of Paradise wherein he was plac’t: Then touches the prime cause of his fall, the Serpent, or rather Satan in the Serpent; who revolting from God, and drawing to his side many Legions of Angels, was by the command of God driven out of Heaven with all his Crew into the great Deep. Which action past over, the Poem hasts into the midst of things, presenting Satan with his Angels now fallen into Hell, describ’d here, not in the Center (for Heaven and Earth may be suppos’d as yet not made, certainly not yet accurst) but in a place of utter darknesse, fitliest call’d Chaos: Here Satan with his Angels lying on the burning Lake, thunder-struck and astonisht, after a certain space recovers, as from confusion, calls up him who next in Order and Dignity lay by him; they confer of thir miserable fall. Satan awakens all his Legions, who lay till then in the same manner confounded; They rise, thir Numbers, array of Battel, thir chief Leaders nam’d, according to the Idols known afterwards in Canaan and the Countries adjoyning. To these Satan directs his Speech, comforts them with hope yet of regaining Heaven, but tells them lastly of a new World and new kind of Creature to be created, according to an ancient Prophesie or report in Heaven; for that Angels were long before this visible Creation, was the opinion of many ancient Fathers. To find out the truth of this Prophesie, and what to determin thereon he refers to a full Councell. What his Associates thence attempt. Pandemonium the Palace of Satan rises, suddenly built out of the Deep: The infernal Peers there sit in Counsel.

- OF Mans First Disobedience, and the Fruit

- Of that Forbidden Tree, whose mortal tast

- Brought Death into the World, and all our woe,

- With loss of Eden, till one greater Man

- Restore us, and regain the blissful Seat,

- Sing Heav’nly Muse, that on the secret top

- Of Oreb, or of Sinai, didst inspire

- That Shepherd, who first taught the chosen Seed,

- In the Beginning how the Heav’ns and Earth

- Rose out of Chaos: or if Sion Hill  originalEd: 10

- Delight thee more, and Siloa’s Brook that flow’d

- Fast by the Oracle of God; I thence

- Invoke thy aid to my adventrous Song,

- That with no middle flight intends to soar

- Above th’ Aonian Mount, while it pursues

- Things unattempted yet in Prose or Rhime.

- And chiefly Thou O Spirit, that dost prefer

- Before all Temples th’ upright heart and pure,

- Instruct me, for Thou know’st; Thou from the first

- Wast present, and with mighty wings outspread  originalEd: 20

- Dove-like satst brooding on the vast Abyss

- And mad’st it pregnant: What in me is dark

- Illumine, what is low raise and support;

- That to the highth of this great Argument

- I may assert Eternal Providence,

- And justifie the wayes of God to men.

- Say first, for Heav’n hides nothing from thy view

- Nor the deep Tract of Hell, say first what cause

- Mov’d our Grand Parents in that happy State,

- Favour’d of Heav’n so highly, to fall off  originalEd: 30

- From their Creator, and transgress his Will

- For one restraint, Lords of the World besides?

- Who first seduc’d them to that fowl revolt?

- Th’ infernal Serpent; he it was, whose guile

- Stird up with Envy and Revenge, deceiv’d

- The Mother of Mankinde, what time his Pride

- Had cast him out from Heav’n, with all his Host

- Of Rebel Angels, by whose aid aspiring

- To set himself in Glory above his Peers,

- He trusted to have equal’d the most High,  originalEd: 40

- If he oppos’d; and with ambitious aim

- Against the Throne and Monarchy of God

- Rais’d impious War in Heav’n and Battel proud

- With vain attempt. Him the Almighty Power

- Hurld headlong flaming from th’ Ethereal Skie

- With hideous ruine and combustion down

- To bottomless perdition, there to dwell

- In Adamantine Chains and penal Fire,

- Who durst defie th’ Omnipotent to Arms.

- Nine times the Space that measures Day and Night  originalEd: 50

- To mortal men, he with his horrid crew

- Lay vanquisht, rowling in the fiery Gulfe

- Confounded though immortal: But his doom

- Reserv’d him to more wrath; for now the thought

- Both of lost happiness and lasting pain

- Torments him; round he throws his baleful eyes

- That witness’d huge affliction and dismay

- Mixt with obdurate pride and stedfast hate:

- At once as far as Angels kenn he views

- The dismal Situation waste and wilde,  originalEd: 60

- A Dungeon horrible, on all sides round

- As one great Furnace flam’d, yet from those flames

- No light, but rather darkness visible

- Serv’d only to discover sights of woe,

- Regions of sorrow, doleful shades, where peace

- And rest can never dwell, hope never comes

- That comes to all; but torture without end

- Still urges, and a fiery Deluge, fed

- With ever-burning Sulphur unconsum’d:

- Such place Eternal Justice had prepar’d  originalEd: 70

- For those rebellious, here their Prison ordain’d

- In utter darkness, and their portion set

- As far remov’d from God and light of Heav’n

- As from the Center thrice to th’ utmost Pole.

- O how unlike the place from whence they fell!

- There the companions of his fall, o’rewhelm’d

- With Floods and Whirlwinds of tempestuous fire,

- He soon discerns, and weltring by his side

- One next himself in power, and next in crime,

- Long after known in Palestine, and nam’d  originalEd: 80

- Bëëlzebub. To whom th’ Arch-Enemy,

- And thence in Heav’n call’d Satan, with bold words

- Breaking the horrid silence thus began.

- If thou beest he; But O how fall’n! how chang’d

- From him, who in the happy Realms of Light

- Cloth’d with transcendent brightness didst outshine

- Myriads though bright: If he whom mutual league,

- United thoughts and counsels, equal hope,

- And hazard in the Glorious Enterprize,

- Joynd with me once, now misery hath joynd  originalEd: 90

- In equal ruin: into what Pit thou seest

- From what highth fal’n, so much the stronger provd

- He with his Thunder: and till then who knew

- The force of those dire Arms? yet not for those

- Nor what the Potent Victor in his rage

- Can else inflict do I repent or change,

- Though chang’d in outward lustre; that fixt mind

- And high disdain, from sence of injur’d merit,

- That with the mightiest rais’d me to contend,

- And to the fierce contention brought along  originalEd: 100

- Innumerable force of Spirits arm’d

- That durst dislike his reign, and me preferring,

- His utmost power with adverse power oppos’d

- In dubious Battel on the Plains of Heav’n,

- And shook his throne. What though the field be lost?

- All is not lost; the unconquerable Will,

- And study of revenge, immortal hate,

- And courage never to submit or yield:

- And what is else not to be overcome?

- That Glory never shall his wrath or might  originalEd: 110

- Extort from me. To bow and sue for grace

- With suppliant knee, and deifie his power

- Who from the terrour of this Arm so late

- Doubted his Empire, that were low indeed,

- That were an ignominy and shame beneath

- This downfall; since by Fate the strength of Gods

- And this Empyreal substance cannot fail,

- Since through experience of this great event

- In Arms not worse, in foresight much advanc’t,

- We may with more successful hope resolve  originalEd: 120

- To wage by force or guile eternal Warr

- Irreconcileable, to our grand Foe,

- Who now triumphs, and in th’ excess of joy

- Sole reigning holds the Tyranny of Heav’n.

- So spake th’ Apostate Angel, though in pain,

- Vaunting aloud, but rackt with deep despare:

- And him thus answer’d soon his bold Compeer.

- O Prince, O Chief of many Throned Powers,

- That led th’ imbattelld Seraphim to Warr

- Under thy conduct, and in dreadful deeds  originalEd: 130

- Fearless, endanger’d Heav’ns perpetual King;

- And put to proof his high Supremacy,

- Whether upheld by strength, or Chance, or Fate,

- Too well I see and rue the dire event,

- That with sad overthrow and foul defeat

- Hath lost us Heav’n, and all this mighty Host

- In horrible destruction laid thus low,

- As far as Gods and Heav’nly Essences

- Can perish: for the mind and spirit remains

- Invincible, and vigour soon returns,  originalEd: 140

- Though all our Glory extinct, and happy state

- Here swallow’d up in endless misery.

- But what if he our Conquerour, (whom I now

- Of force believe Almighty, since no less

- Then such could hav orepow’rd such force as ours)

- Have left us this our spirit and strength intire

- Strongly to suffer and support our pains,

- That we may so suffice his vengeful ire,

- Or do him mightier service as his thralls

- By right of Warr, what e’re his business be  originalEd: 150

- Here in the heart of Hell to work in Fire,

- Or do his Errands in the gloomy Deep;

- What can it then avail though yet we feel

- Strength undiminisht, or eternal being

- To undergo eternal punishment?

- Whereto with speedy words th’ Arch-fiend reply’d.

- Fall’n Cherube, to be weak is miserable

- Doing or Suffering: but of this be sure,

- To do ought good never will be our task,

- But ever to do ill our sole delight,  originalEd: 160

- As being the contrary to his high will

- Whom we resist. If then his Providence

- Out of our evil seek to bring forth good,

- Our labour must be to pervert that end,

- And out of good still to find means of evil;

- Which oft times may succeed, so as perhaps

- Shall grieve him, if I fail not, and disturb

- His inmost counsels from their destind aim.

- But see the angry Victor hath recall’d

- His Ministers of vengeance and pursuit  originalEd: 170

- Back to the Gates of Heav’n: The Sulphurous Hail

- Shot after us in storm, oreblown hath laid

- The fiery Surge, that from the Precipice

- Of Heav’n receiv’d us falling, and the Thunder,

- Wing’d with red Lightning and impetuous rage,

- Perhaps hath spent his shafts, and ceases now

- To bellow through the vast and boundless Deep.

- Let us not slip th’ occasion, whether scorn,

- Or satiate fury yield it from our Foe.

- Seest thou yon dreary Plain, forlorn and wilde,  originalEd: 180

- The seat of desolation, voyd of light,

- Save what the glimmering of these livid flames

- Casts pale and dreadful? Thither let us tend

- From off the tossing of these fiery waves,

- There rest, if any rest can harbour there,

- And reassembling our afflicted Powers,

- Consult how we may henceforth most offend

- Our Enemy, our own loss how repair,

- How overcome this dire Calamity,

- What reinforcement we may gain from Hope,  originalEd: 190

- If not what resolution from despare.

- Thus Satan talking to his neerest Mate

- With Head up-lift above the wave, and Eyes

- That sparkling blaz’d, his other Parts besides

- Prone on the Flood, extended long and large

- Lay floating many a rood, in bulk as huge

- As whom the Fables name of monstrous size,

- Titanian, or Earth-born, that warr’d on Jove,

- Briarios or Typhon, whom the Den

- By ancient Tarsus held, or that Sea-beast  originalEd: 200

- Leviathan, which God of all his works

- Created hugest that swim th’ Ocean stream:

- Him haply slumbring on the Norway foam

- The Pilot of some small night-founder’d Skiff,

- Deeming some Island, oft, as Sea-men tell,

- With fixed Anchor in his skaly rind

- Moors by his side under the Lee, while Night

- Invests the Sea, and wished Morn delayes:

- So stretcht out huge in length the Arch-fiend lay

- Chain’d on the burning Lake, nor ever thence  originalEd: 210

- Had ris’n or heav’d his head, but that the will

- And high permission of all-ruling Heaven

- Left him at large to his own dark designs,

- That with reiterated crimes he might

- Heap on himself damnation, while he sought

- Evil to others, and enrag’d might see

- How all his malice serv’d but to bring forth

- Infinite goodness, grace and mercy shewn

- On Man by him seduc’t, but on himself

- Treble confusion, wrath and vengeance pour’d.  originalEd: 220

- Forthwith upright he rears from off the Pool

- His mighty Stature; on each hand the flames

- Drivn backward slope their pointing spires, rowld

- In billows, leave i’ th’ midst a horrid Vale.

- Then with expanded wings he stears his flight

- Aloft, incumbent on the dusky Air

- That felt unusual weight, till on dry Land

- He lights, if it were Land that ever burn’d

- With solid, as the Lake with liquid fire;

- And such appear’d in hue, as when the force  originalEd: 230

- Of subterranean wind transports a Hill

- Torn from Pelorus, or the shatter’d side

- Of thundring Ætna, whose combustible

- And fewel’d entrals thence conceiving Fire,

- Sublim’d with Mineral fury, aid the Winds,

- And leave a singed bottom all involv’d

- With stench and smoak: Such resting found the sole

- Of unblest feet. Him followed his next Mate,

- Both glorying to have scap’t the Stygian flood

- As Gods, and by their own recover’d strength,  originalEd: 240

- Not by the sufferance of supernal Power.

- Is this the Region, this the Soil, the Clime,

- Said then the lost Arch Angel, this the seat

- That we must change for Heav’n, this mournful gloom

- For that celestial light? Be it so, since hee

- Who now is Sovran can dispose and bid

- What shall be right: fardest from him is best

- Whom reason hath equald, force hath made supream

- Above his equals. Farewel happy Fields

- Where Joy for ever dwells: Hail horrours, hail  originalEd: 250

- Infernal world, and thou profoundest Hell

- Receive thy new Possessor: One who brings

- A mind not to be chang’d by Place or Time.

- The mind is its own place, and in it self

- Can make a Heav’n of Hell, a Hell of Heav’n.

- What matter where, if I be still the same,

- And what I should be, all but less then hee

- Whom Thunder hath made greater? Here at least

- We shall be free; th’ Almighty hath not built

- Here for his envy, will not drive us hence:  originalEd: 260

- Here we may reign secure, and in my choyce

- To reign is worth ambition though in Hell:

- Better to reign in Hell, then serve in Heav’n.

- But wherefore let we then our faithful friends,

- Th’ associates and copartners of our loss

- Lye thus astonisht on th’ oblivious Pool,

- And call them not to share with us their part

- In this unhappy Mansion, or once more

- With rallied Arms to try what may be yet

- Regained in Heav’n, or what more lost in Hell?  originalEd: 270

- So Satan spake, and him Bëëlsebub

- Thus answer’d. Leader of those Armies bright,

- Which but th’ Omnipotent none could have foyld,

- If once they hear that voyce, their liveliest pledge

- Of hope in fears and dangers, heard so oft

- In worst extreams, and on the perilous edge

- Of battel when it rag’d, in all assaults

- Their surest signal, they will soon resume

- New courage and revive, though now they lye

- Groveling and prostrate on yon Lake of Fire,  originalEd: 280

- As we erewhile, astounded and amaz’d,

- No wonder, fall’n such a pernicious highth.

- He scarce had ceas’t when the superiour Fiend

- Was moving toward the shore; his ponderous shield

- Ethereal temper, massy, large and round,

- Behind him cast; the broad circumference

- Hung on his shoulders like the Moon, whose Orb

- Through Optic Glass the Tuscan Artist views

- At Ev’ning from the top of Fesole,

- Or in Valdarno, to descry new Lands,  originalEd: 290

- Rivers or Mountains in her spotty Globe.

- His Spear, to equal which the tallest Pine

- Hewn on Norwegian hills, to be the Mast

- Of some great Ammiral, were but a wand,

- He walkt with to support uneasie steps

- Over the burning Marle, not like those steps

- On Heavens Azure, and the torrid Clime

- Smote on him sore besides, vaulted with Fire;

- Nathless he so endur’d, till on the Beach

- Of that inflamed Sea, he stood and call’d  originalEd: 300

- His Legions, Angel Forms, who lay intrans’t

- Thick as Autumnal Leaves that strow the Brooks

- In Vallombrosa, where th’ Etrurian shades

- High overarch’t imbowr; or scatterd sedge

- Afloat, when with fierce Winds Orion arm’d

- Hath vext the Red-Sea Coast, whose waves orethrew

- Busiris and his Memphian Chivalrie,

- While with perfidious hatred they pursu’d

- The Sojourners of Goshen, who beheld

- From the safe shore their floating Carkases  originalEd: 310

- And broken Chariot Wheels, so thick bestrown

- Abject and lost lay these, covering the Flood,

- Under amazement of their hideous change.

- He call’d so loud, that all the hollow Deep

- Of Hell resounded. Princes, Potentates,

- Warriers, the Flowr of Heav’n, once yours, now lost,

- If such astonishment as this can sieze

- Eternal spirits; or have ye chos’n this place

- After the toyl of Battel to repose

- Your wearied vertue, for the ease you find  originalEd: 320

- To slumber here, as in the Vales of Heav’n?

- Or in this abject posture have ye sworn

- To adore the Conquerour? who now beholds

- Cherube and Seraph rowling in the Flood

- With scatter’d Arms and Ensigns, till anon

- His swift pursuers from Heav’n Gates discern

- Th’ advantage, and descending tread us down

- Thus drooping, or with linked Thunderbolts

- Transfix us to the bottom of this Gulfe.

- Awake, arise, or be for ever fall’n.  originalEd: 330

- They heard, and were abasht, and up they sprung

- Upon the wing, as when men wont to watch

- On duty, sleeping found by whom they dread,

- Rouse and bestir themselves ere well awake.

- Nor did they not perceave the evil plight

- In which they were, or the fierce pains not feel;

- Yet to their Generals Voyce they soon obeyd

- Innumerable. As when the potent Rod

- Of Amrams Son in Egypts evill day

- Wav’d round the Coast, up call’d a pitchy cloud  originalEd: 340

- Of Locusts, warping on the Eastern Wind,

- That ore the Realm of impious Pharaoh hung

- Like Night, and darken’d all the Land of Nile:

- So numberless were those bad Angels seen

- Hovering on wing under the Cope of Hell

- ’Twixt upper, nether, and surrounding Fires;

- Till, as a signal giv’n, th’ uplifted Spear

- Of their great Sultan waving to direct

- Thir course, in even ballance down they light

- On the firm brimstone, and fill all the Plain;  originalEd: 350

- A multitude, like which the populous North

- Pour’d never from her frozen loyns, to pass

- Rhene or the Danaw, when her barbarous Sons

- Came like a Deluge on the South, and spread

- Beneath Gibraltar to the Lybian sands.

- Forthwith from every Squadron and each Band

- The Heads and Leaders thither hast where stood

- Their great Commander; Godlike shapes and forms

- Excelling human, Princely Dignities,

- And Powers that earst in Heaven sat on Thrones;  originalEd: 360

- Though of their Names in heav’nly Records now

- Be no memorial, blotted out and ras’d

- By thir Rebellion, from the Books of Life.

- Nor had they yet among the Sons of Eve

- Got them new Names, till wandring ore the Earth,

- Through Gods high sufferance for the tryal of man,

- By falsities and lyes the greatest part

- Of Mankind they corrupted to forsake

- God their Creator, and th’ invisible

- Glory of him, that made them, to transform  originalEd: 370

- Oft to the Image of a Brute, adorn’d

- With gay Religions full of Pomp and Gold,

- And Devils to adore for Deities:

- Then were they known to men by various Names,

- And various Idols through the Heathen World.

- Say, Muse, their Names then known, who first, who last,

- Rous’d from the slumber, on that fiery Couch,

- At thir great Emperors call, as next in worth

- Came singly where he stood on the bare strand,

- While the promiscuous croud stood yet aloof?  originalEd: 380

- The chief were those who from the Pit of Hell

- Roaming to seek their prey on earth, durst fix

- Their Seats long after next the Seat of God,

- Their Altars by his Altar, Gods ador’d

- Among the Nations round, and durst abide

- Jehovah thundring out of Sion, thron’d

- Between the Cherubim; yea, often plac’d

- Within his Sanctuary it self their Shrines,

- Abominations; and with cursed things

- His holy Rites, and solemn Feasts profan’d,  originalEd: 390

- And with their darkness durst affront his light.

- First Moloch, horrid King besmear’d with blood

- Of human sacrifice, and parents tears,

- Though for the noyse of Drums and Timbrels loud

- Their childrens cries unheard, that past through fire

- To his grim Idol. Him the Ammonite

- Worshipt in Rabba and her watry Plain,

- In Argob and in Basan, to the stream

- Of utmost Arnon. Nor content with such

- Audacious neighbourhood, the wisest heart  originalEd: 400

- Of Solomon he led by fraud to build

- His Temple right against the Temple of God

- On that opprobrious Hill, and made his Grove

- The pleasant Vally of Hinnom, Tophet thence

- And black Gehenna call’d, the Type of Hell.

- Next Chemos, th’ obscene dread of Moabs Sons,

- From Aroer to Nebo, and the wild

- Of Southmost Abarim; in Hesebon

- And Horonaim, Seons Realm, beyond

- The flowry Dale of Sibma clad with Vines,  originalEd: 410

- And Eleale to th’ Asphaltick Pool.

- Peor his other Name, when he entic’d

- Israel in Sittim on their march from Nile

- To do him wanton rites, which cost them woe.

- Yet thence his lustful Orgies he enlarg’d

- Even to that Hill of scandal, by the Grove

- Of Moloch homicide, lust hard by hate;

- Till good Josiah drove them thence to Hell.

- With these came they, who from the bordring flood

- Of old Euphrates to the Brook that parts  originalEd: 420

- Egypt from Syrian ground, had general Names

- Of Baalim and Ashtaroth, those male,

- These Feminine. For Spirits when they please

- Can either Sex assume, or both; so soft

- And uncompounded is their Essence pure,

- Not ti’d or manacl’d with joynt or limb,

- Nor founded on the brittle strength of bones,

- Like cumbrous flesh; but in what shape they choose

- Dilated or condens’t, bright or obscure,

- Can execute their aerie purposes,  originalEd: 430

- And works of love or enmity fulfill.

- For those the Race of Israel oft forsook

- Their living strength, and unfrequented left

- His righteous Altar, bowing lowly down

- To bestial Gods; for which their heads as low

- Bow’d down in Battel, sunk before the Spear

- Of despicable foes. With these in troop

- Came Astoreth, whom the Phœnicians call’d

- Astarte, Queen of Heav’n, with crescent Horns;

- To whose bright Image nightly by the Moon  originalEd: 440

- Sidonian Virgins paid their Vows and Songs,

- In Sion also not unsung, where stood

- Her Temple on th’ offensive Mountain, built

- By that uxorious King, whose heart though large,

- Beguil’d by fair Idolatresses, fell

- To Idols foul. Thammuz came next behind,

- Whose annual wound in Lebanon allur’d

- The Syrian Damsels to lament his fate

- In amorous dittyes all a Summers day,

- While smooth Adonis from his native Rock  originalEd: 450

- Ran purple to the Sea, suppos’d with blood

- Of Thammuz yearly wounded: the Love-tale

- Infected Sions daughters with like heat,

- Whose wanton passions in the sacred Porch

- Ezekiel saw, when by the Vision led

- His eye survay’d the dark Idolatries

- Of alienated Judah. Next came one

- Who mourn’d in earnest, when the Captive Ark

- Maim’d his brute Image, head and hands lopt off

- In his own Temple, on the grunsel edge,  originalEd: 460

- Where he fell flat, and sham’d his Worshipers:

- Dagon his Name, Sea Monster, upward Man

- And downward Fish: yet had his Temple high

- Rear’d in Azotus, dreaded through the Coast

- Of Palestine, in Gath and Ascalon,

- And Accaron and Gaza’s frontier bounds.

- Him follow’d Rimmon, whose delightful Seat

- Was fair Damascus, on the fertil Banks

- Of Abbana and Pharphar, lucid streams.

- He also against the house of God was bold:  originalEd: 470

- A Leper once he lost and gain’d a King,

- Ahaz his sottish Conquerour, whom he drew

- Gods Altar to disparage and displace

- For one of Syrian mode, whereon to burn

- His odious offrings, and adore the Gods

- Whom he had vanquisht. After these appear’d

- A crew who under Names of old Renown,

- Osiris, Isis, Orus and their Train

- With monstrous shapes and sorceries abus’d

- Fanatic Egypt and her Priests, to seek  originalEd: 480

- Thir wandring Gods disguis’d in brutish forms

- Rather then human. Nor did Israel scape

- Th’ infection when their borrow’d Gold compos’d

- The Calf in Oreb: and the Rebel King

- Doubl’d that sin in Bethel and in Dan,

- Lik’ning his Maker to the Grazed Ox,

- Jehovah, who in one Night when he pass’d

- From Egypt marching, equal’d with one stroke

- Both her first born and all her bleating Gods.

- Belial came last, then whom a Spirit more lewd  originalEd: 490

- Fell not from Heaven, or more gross to love

- Vice for it self: To him no Temple stood

- Or Altar smoak’d; yet who more oft then hee

- In Temples and at Altars, when the Priest

- Turns Atheist, as did Elys Sons, who fill’d

- With lust and violence the house of God.

- In Courts and Palaces he also Reigns

- And in luxurious Cities, where the noyse

- Of riot ascends above thir loftiest Towrs,

- And injury and outrage: And when Night  originalEd: 500

- Darkens the Streets, then wander forth the Sons

- Of Belial, flown with insolence and wine.

- Witness the Streets of Sodom, and that night

- In Gibeah, when hospitable Dores

- Yielded thir Matrons to prevent worse rape.

- These were the prime in order and in might;

- The rest were long to tell, though far renown’d,

- Th’ Ionian Gods, of Javans Issue held

- Gods, yet confest later then Heav’n and Earth

- Thir boasted Parents; Titan Heav’ns first born  originalEd: 510

- With his enormous brood, and birthright seis’d

- By younger Saturn, he from mightier Jove

- His own and Rhea’s Son like measure found;

- So Jove usurping reign’d: these first in Creet

- And Ida known, thence on the Snowy top

- Of cold Olympus rul’d the middle Air

- Thir highest Heav’n; or on the Delphian Cliff,

- Or in Dodona, and through all the bounds

- Of Doric Land; or who with Saturn old

- Fled over Adria to th’ Hesperian Fields,  originalEd: 520

- And ore the Celtic roam’d the utmost Isles.

- All these and more came flocking; but with looks

- Down cast and damp, yet such wherein appear’d

- Obscure som glimps of joy, to have found thir chief

- Not in despair, to have found themselves not lost

- In loss it self; which on his count’nance cast

- Like doubtful hue: but he his wonted pride

- Soon recollecting, with high words, that bore

- Semblance of worth not substance, gently rais’d

- Their fainted courage, and dispel’d their fears.  originalEd: 530

- Then strait commands that at the warlike sound

- Of Trumpets loud and Clarions be upreard

- His mighty Standard; that proud honour claim’d

- Azazel as his right, a Cherube tall:

- Who forthwith from the glittering Staff unfurld

- Th’ Imperial Ensign, which full high advanc’t

- Shon like a Meteor streaming to the Wind

- With Gemms and Golden lustre rich imblaz’d,

- Seraphic arms and Trophies: all the while

- Sonorous mettal blowing Martial sounds:  originalEd: 540

- At which the universal Host upsent

- A shout that tore Hells Concave, and beyond

- Frighted the Reign of Chaos and old Night.

- All in a moment through the gloom were seen

- Ten thousand Banners rise into the Air

- With Orient Colours waving: with them rose

- A Forrest huge of Spears: and thronging Helms

- Appear’d, and serried Shields in thick array

- Of depth immeasurable: Anon they move

- In perfect Phalanx to the Dorian mood  originalEd: 550

- Of Flutes and soft Recorders; such as rais’d

- To highth of noblest temper Hero’s old

- Arming to Battel, and in stead of rage

- Deliberate valour breath’d, firm and unmov’d

- With dread of death to flight or foul retreat,

- Nor wanting power to mitigate and swage

- With solemn touches, troubl’d thoughts, and chase

- Anguish and doubt and fear and sorrow and pain

- From mortal or immortal minds. Thus they

- Breathing united force with fixed thought  originalEd: 560

- Mov’d on in silence to soft Pipes that charm’d

- Thir painful steps o’re the burnt soyle; and now

- Advanc’t in view they stand, a horrid Front

- Of dreadful length and dazling Arms, in guise

- Of Warriers old with order’d Spear and Shield,

- Awaiting what command thir mighty Chief

- Had to impose: He through the armed Files

- Darts his experienc’t eye, and soon traverse

- The whole Battalion views, thir order due,

- Thir visages and stature as of Gods,  originalEd: 570

- Thir number last he summs. And now his heart

- Distends with pride, and hardning in his strength

- Glories: For never since created man,

- Met such imbodied force, as nam’d with these

- Could merit more then that small infantry

- Warr’d on by Cranes: though all the Giant brood

- Of Phlegra with th’ Heroic Race were joyn’d

- That fought at Theb’s and Ilium, on each side

- Mixt with auxiliar Gods; and what resounds

- In Fable or Romance of Uthers Son  originalEd: 580

- Begirt with British and Armoric Knights;

- And all who since, Baptiz’d or Infidel

- Jousted in Aspramont or Montalban,

- Damasco, or Marocco, or Trebisond,

- Or whom Biserta sent from Afric shore

- When Charlemain with all his Peerage fell

- By Fontarabbia. Thus far these beyond

- Compare of mortal prowess, yet observ’d

- Thir dread Commander: he above the rest

- In shape and gesture proudly eminent  originalEd: 590

- Stood like a Towr; his form had yet not lost

- All her Original brightness, nor appear’d

- Less then Arch Angel ruind, and th’ excess

- Of Glory obscur’d: As when the Sun new ris’n

- Looks through the Horizontal misty Air

- Shorn of his Beams, or from behind the Moon

- In dim Eclips disastrous twilight sheds

- On half the Nations, and with fear of change

- Perplexes Monarchs. Dark’n’d so, yet shon

- Above them all th’ Arch Angel: but his face  originalEd: 600

- Deep scars of Thunder had intrencht, and care

- Sat on his faded cheek, but under Browes

- Of dauntless courage, and considerate Pride

- Waiting revenge: cruel his eye, but cast

- Signs of remorse and passion to behold

- The fellows of his crime, the followers rather

- (Far other once beheld in bliss) condemn’d

- For ever now to have their lot in pain,

- Millions of Spirits for his fault amerc’t

- Of Heav’n, and from Eternal Splendors flung  originalEd: 610

- For his revolt, yet faithfull how they stood,

- Thir Glory witherd. As when Heavens Fire

- Hath scath’d the Forrest Oaks, or Mountain Pines,

- With singed top their stately growth though bare

- Stands on the blasted Heath. He now prepar’d

- To speak; whereat their doubl’d Ranks they bend

- From Wing to Wing, and half enclose him round

- With all his Peers: attention held them mute.

- Thrice he assayd, and thrice in spite of scorn,

- Tears such as Angels weep, burst forth: at last  originalEd: 620

- Words interwove with sighs found out their way.

- O Myriads of immortal Spirits, O Powers

- Matchless, but with th’ Almighty, and that strife

- Was not inglorious, though th’ event was dire,

- As this place testifies, and this dire change

- Hateful to utter: but what power of mind

- Foreseeing or presaging, from the Depth

- Of knowledge past or present, could have fear’d,

- How such united force of Gods, how such

- As stood like these, could ever know repulse?  originalEd: 630

- For who can yet beleeve, though after loss,

- That all these puissant Legions, whose exile

- Hath emptied Heav’n, shall faile to re-ascend

- Self-rais’d, and repossess their native seat?

- For me, be witness all the Host of Heav’n,

- If counsels different, or danger shun’d

- By me, have lost our hopes. But he who reigns

- Monarch in Heav’n, till then as one secure

- Sat on his Throne, upheld by old repute,

- Consent or custome, and his Regal State  originalEd: 640

- Put forth at full, but still his strength conceal’d,

- Which tempted our attempt, and wrought our fall.

- Henceforth his might we know, and know our own

- So as not either to provoke, or dread

- New warr, provok’t; our better part remains

- To work in close design, by fraud or guile

- What force effected not: that he no less

- At length from us may find, who overcomes

- By force, hath overcome but half his foe.

- Space may produce new Worlds; whereof so rife  originalEd: 650

- There went a fame in Heav’n that he ere long

- Intended to create, and therein plant

- A generation, whom his choice regard

- Should favour equal to the Sons of Heaven:

- Thither, if but to prie, shall be perhaps

- Our first eruption, thither or elsewhere:

- For this Infernal Pit shall never hold

- Cælestial Spirits in Bondage, nor th’ Abysse

- Long under darkness cover. But these thoughts

- Full Counsel must mature: Peace is despaird,  originalEd: 660

- For who can think Submission! Warr then, Warr

- Open or understood must be resolv’d.

- He spake: and to confirm his words, out-flew

- Millions of flaming swords, drawn from the thighs

- Of mighty Cherubim; the sudden blaze

- Far round illumin’d hell: highly they rag’d

- Against the Highest, and fierce with grasped arm’s

- Clash’d on their sounding shields the din of war,

- Hurling defiance toward the vault of Heav’n.

- There stood a Hill not far whose griesly top  originalEd: 670

- Belch’d fire and rowling smoak; the rest entire

- Shon with a glossie scurff, undoubted sign

- That in his womb was hid metallic Ore,

- The work of Sulphur. Thither wing’d with speed

- A numerous Brigad hasten’d. As when bands

- Of Pioners with Spade and Pickaxe arm’d

- Forerun the Royal Camp, to trench a Field,

- Or cast a Rampart. Mammon led them on,

- Mammon, the least erected Spirit that fell

- From heav’n, for ev’n in heav’n his looks and thoughts  originalEd: 680

- Were always downward bent, admiring more

- The riches of Heav’ns pavement, trod’n Gold,

- Then aught divine or holy else enjoy’d

- In vision beatific: by him first

- Men also, and by his suggestion taught,

- Ransack’d the Center, and with impious hands

- Rifl’d the bowels of their mother Earth

- For Treasures better hid. Soon had his crew

- Op’nd into the Hill a spacious wound

- And dig’d out ribs of Gold. Let none admire  originalEd: 690

- That riches grow in Hell; that soyle may best

- Deserve the pretious bane. And here let those

- Who boast in mortal things, and wondring tell

- Of Babel, and the works of Memphian Kings,

- Learn how thir greatest Monuments of Fame,

- And Strength and Art are easily outdone

- By Spirits reprobate, and in an hour

- What in an age they with incessant toyle

- And hands innumerable scarce perform.

- Nigh on the Plain in many cells prepar’d,  originalEd: 700

- That underneath had veins of liquid fire

- Sluc’d from the Lake, a second multitude

- With wondrous Art founded the massie Ore,

- Severing each kinde, and scum’d the Bullion dross:

- A third as soon had form’d within the ground

- A various mould, and from the boyling cells

- By strange conveyance fill’d each hollow nook,

- As in an Organ from one blast of wind

- To many a row of Pipes the sound-board breaths.

- Anon out of the earth a Fabrick huge  originalEd: 710

- Rose like an Exhalation, with the sound

- Of Dulcet Symphonies and voices sweet,

- Built like a Temple, where Pilasters round

- Were set, and Doric pillars overlaid

- With Golden Architrave; nor did there want

- Cornice or Freeze, with bossy Sculptures grav’n,

- The Roof was fretted Gold. Not Babilon,

- Nor great Alcairo such magnificence

- Equal’d in all thir glories, to inshrine

- Belus or Serapis thir Gods, or seat  originalEd: 720

- Thir Kings, when Ægypt with Assyria strove

- In wealth and luxurie. Th’ ascending pile

- Stood fixt her stately highth, and strait the dores

- Op’ning thir brazen foulds discover wide

- Within, her ample spaces, o’re the smooth

- And level pavement: from the arched roof

- Pendant by suttle Magic many a row

- Of Starry Lamps and blazing Cressets fed

- With Naphtha and Asphaltus yeilded light

- As from a sky. The hasty multitude  originalEd: 730

- Admiring enter’d, and the work some praise

- And some the Architect: his hand was known

- In Heav’n by many a Towred structure high,

- Where Scepter’d Angels held thir residence,

- And sat as Princes, whom the supreme King

- Exalted to such power, and gave to rule,

- Each in his Herarchie, the Orders bright.

- Nor was his name unheard or unador’d

- In ancient Greece; and in Ausonian land

- Men called him Mulciber; and how he fell  originalEd: 740

- From Heav’n, they fabl’d, thrown by angry Jove

- Sheer o’re the Chrystal Battlements: from Morn

- To Noon he fell, from Noon to dewy Eve,

- A Summers day; and with the setting Sun

- Dropt from the Zenith like a falling Star,

- On Lemnos th’ Ægœan Ile: thus they relate,

- Erring; for he with this rebellious rout

- Fell long before; nor aught avail’d him now

- To have built in Heav’n high Towrs; nor did he scape

- By all his Engins, but was headlong sent  originalEd: 750

- With his industrious crew to build in bell.

- Mean while the winged Haralds by command

- Of Sovran power, with awful Ceremony

- And Trumpets sound throughout the Host proclaim

- A solemn Councel forthwith to be held

- At Pandæmonium, the high Capital

- Of Satan and his Peers: thir summons call’d

- From every Band and squared Regiment

- By place or choice the worthiest; they anon

- With hunderds and with thousands trooping came  originalEd: 760

- Attended: all access was throng’d, the Gates

- And Porches wide, but chief the spacious Hall

- (Though like a cover’d field, where Champions bold

- Wont ride in arm’d, and at the Soldans chair

- Defi’d the best of Panim chivalry

- To mortal combat or carreer with Lance)

- Thick swarm’d, both on the ground and in the air,

- Brusht with the hiss of russling wings. As Bees

- In spring time, when the Sun with Taurus rides,

- Poure forth thir populous youth about the Hive  originalEd: 770

- In clusters; they among fresh dews and flowers

- Flie to and fro, or on the smoothed Plank,

- The suburb of thir Straw-built Cittadel,

- New rub’d with Baume, expatiate and confer

- Thir State affairs. So thick the aerie crowd

- Swarm’d and were straitn’d; till the Signal giv’n,

- Behold a wonder! they but now who seemd

- In bigness to surpass Earths Giant Sons

- Now less then smallest Dwarfs, in narrow room

- Throng numberless, like that Pigmean Race  originalEd: 780

- Beyond the Indian Mount, or Faerie Elves,

- Whose midnight Revels, by a Forrest side

- Or Fountain some belated Peasant sees,

- Or dreams he sees, while over head the Moon

- Sits Arbitress, and neerer to the Earth

- Wheels her pale course, they on thir mirth dance

- Intent, with jocond Music charm his ear;

- At once with joy and fear his heart rebounds.

- Thus incorporeal Spirits to smallest forms

- Reduc’d thir shapes immense, and were at large,  originalEd: 790

- Though without number still amidst the Hall

- Of that infernal Court. But far within

- And in thir own dimensions like themselves

- The great Seraphic Lords and Cherubim

- In close recess and secret conclave sat

- A thousand Demy-Gods on golden seat’s,

- Frequent and full. After short silence then

- And summons read, the great consult began.

The End of the First Book.

BOOK II.

THE ARGUMENT.

The Consultation begun, Satan debates whether another Battel be to be hazarded for the recovery of Heaven: some advise it, others dissuade: A third proposal is prefer’d, mention’d before by Satan, to search the truth of that Prophesie or Tradition in Heaven concerning another world, and another kind of creature equal or not much inferiour to themselves, about this time to be created: Thir doubt who shall be sent on this difficult search: Satan thir chief undertakes alone the voyage, is honourd and applauded. The Councel thus ended, the rest betake them several wayes and to several imployments, as thir inclinations lead them, to entertain the time till Satan return. He passes on his Journey to Hell Gates, finds them shut, and who sat there to guard them, by whom at length they are op’nd, and discover to him the great Gulf between Hell and Heaven; with what difficulty he passes through, directed by Chaos, the Power of that place, to the sight of this new World which he sought.

- HIGH on a Throne of Royal State, which far

- Outshon the wealth of Ormus and of Ind,

- Or where the gorgeous East with richest hand

- Showrs on her Kings Barbaric Pearl Gold,

- Satan exalted sat, by merit rais’d

- To that bad eminence; and from despair

- Thus high uplifted beyond hope, aspires

- Beyond thus high, insatiate to pursue

- Vain Warr with Heav’n, and by success untaught

- His proud imaginations thus displaid.  originalEd: 10

- Powers and Dominions, Deities of Heav’n,

- For since no deep within her gulf can hold

- Immortal vigor, though opprest and fall’n,

- I give not Heav’n for lost. From this descent

- Celestial vertues rising, will appear

Argument l. 7 shall] should 1669

- More glorious and more dread then from no fall,

- And trust themselves to fear no second fate:

- Mee though just right, and the fixt Laws of Heav’n

- Did first create your Leader, next, free choice,

- With what besides, in Counsel or in Fight,  originalEd: 20

- Hath bin achievd of merit, yet this loss

- Thus farr at least recover’d, hath much more

- Establisht in a safe unenvied Throne

- Yielded with full consent. The happier state

- In Heav’n, which follows dignity, might draw

- Envy from each inferior; but who here

- Will envy whom the highest place exposes

- Formost to stand against the Thunderers aime

- Your bulwark, and condemns to greatest share

- Of endless pain? where there is then no good  originalEd: 30

- For which to strive, no strife can grow up there

- From Faction; for none sure will claim in hell

- Precedence, none, whose portion is so small

- Of present pain, that with ambitious mind

- Will covet more. With this advantage then

- To union, and firm Faith, and firm accord,

- More then can be in Heav’n, we now return

- To claim our just inheritance of old,

- Surer to prosper then prosperity

- Could have assur’d us; and by what best way,  originalEd: 40

- Whether of open Warr or covert guile,

- We now debate; who can advise, may speak.

- He ceas’d, and next him Moloc, Scepter’d King

- Stood up, the strongest and the fiercest Spirit

- That fought in Heav’n; now fiercer by despair:

- His trust was with th’ Eternal to be deem’d

- Equal in strength, and rather then be less

- Car’d not to be at all; with that care lost

- Went all his fear: of God, or Hell, or worse

- He reckd not, and these words thereafter spake.  originalEd: 50

- My sentence is for open Warr: Of Wiles,

- More unexpert, I boast not: them let those

- Contrive who need, or when they need, not now.

- For while they sit contriving, shall the rest,

- Millions that stand in Arms, and longing wait

- The Signal to ascend, sit lingring here

- Heav’ns fugitives, and for thir dwelling place

- Accept this dark opprobrious Den of shame,

- The Prison of his Tyranny who Reigns

- By our delay? no, let us rather choose  originalEd: 60

- Arm’d with Hell flames and fury all at once

- O’re Heav’ns high Towrs to force resistless way,

- Turning our Tortures into horrid Arms

- Against the Torturer; when to meet the noise

- Of his Almighty Engin he shall hear

- Infernal Thunder, and for Lightning see

- Black fire and horror shot with equal rage

- Among his Angels; and his Throne it self

- Mixt with Tartarean Sulphur, and strange fire,

- His own invented Torments. But perhaps  originalEd: 70

- The way seems difficult and steep to scale

- With upright wing against a higher foe.

- Let such bethink them, if the sleepy drench

- Of that forgetful Lake benumme not still,

- That in our proper motion we ascend

- Up to our native seat: descent and fall

- To us is adverse. Who but felt of late

- When the fierce Foe hung on our brok’n Rear

- Insulting, and pursu’d us through the Deep,

- With what compulsion and laborious flight  originalEd: 80

- We sunk thus low? Th’ ascent is easie then;

- Th’ event is fear’d; should we again provoke

- Our stronger, some worse way his wrath may find

- To our destruction: if there be in Hell

- Fear to be worse destroy’d: what can be worse

- Then to dwell here, driv’n out from bliss, condemn’d

- In this abhorred deep to utter woe;

- Where pain of unextinguishable fire

- Must exercise us without hope of end

- The Vassals of his anger, when the Scourge  originalEd: 90

- Inexorably, and the torturing houre

- Calls us to Penance? More destroy’d then thus

- We should be quite abolisht and expire.

- What fear we then? what doubt we to incense

- His utmost ire? which to the highth enrag’d,

- Will either quite consume us, and reduce

- To nothing this essential, happier farr

- Then miserable to have eternal being:

- Or if our substance be indeed Divine,

- And cannot cease to be, we are at worst  originalEd: 100

- On this side nothing; and by proof we feel

- Our power sufficient to disturb his Heav’n,

- And with perpetual inrodes to Allarme,

- Though inaccessible, his fatal Throne:

- Which if not Victory is yet Revenge.

- He ended frowning, and his look denounc’d

- Desperate revenge, and Battel dangerous

- To less then Gods. On th’ other side up rose

- Belial, in act more graceful and humane;

- A fairer person lost not Heav’n; he seemd  originalEd: 110

- For dignity compos’d and high exploit:

- But all was false and hollow; though his Tongue

- Dropt Manna, and could make the worse appear

- The better reason, to perplex and dash

- Maturest Counsels: for his thoughts were low;

- To vice industrious, but to Nobler deeds

- Timorous and slothful: yet he pleas’d the eare,

- And with perswasive accent thus began.

- I should be much for open Warr, O Peers,

- As not behind in hate; if what was urg’d  originalEd: 120

- Main reason to perswade immediate Warr,

- Did not disswade me most, and seem to cast

- Ominous conjecture on the whole success:

- When he who most excels in fact of Arms,

- In what he counsels and in what excels

- Mistrustful, grounds his courage on despair

- And utter dissolution, as the scope

- Of all his aim, after some dire revenge.

- First, what Revenge? the Towrs of Heav’n are fill’d

- With Armed watch, that render all access  originalEd: 130

- Impregnable; oft on the bordering Deep

- Encamp thir Legions, or with obscure wing

- Scout farr and wide into the Realm of night,

- Scorning surprize. Or could we break our way

- By force, and at our heels all Hell should rise

- With blackest Insurrection, to confound

- Heav’ns purest Light, yet our great Enemie

- All incorruptible would on his Throne

- Sit unpolluted, and th’ Ethereal mould

- Incapable of stain would soon expel  originalEd: 140

- Her mischief, and purge off the baser fire

- Victorious. Thus repuls’d, our final hope

- Is flat despair; we must exasperate

- Th’ Almighty Victor to spend all his rage,

- And that must end us, that must be our cure,

- To be no more; sad cure; for who would loose,

- Though full of pain, this intellectual being,

- Those thoughts that wander through Eternity,

- To perish rather, swallowd up and lost

- In the wide womb of uncreated night,  originalEd: 150

- Devoid of sense and motion? and who knows,

- Let this be good, whether our angry Foe

- Can give it, or will ever? how he can

- Is doubtful; that he never will is sure.

- Will he, so wise, let loose at once his ire,

- Belike through impotence, or unaware,

- To give his Enemies thir wish, and end

- Them in his anger, whom his anger saves

- To punish endless? wherefore cease we then?

- Say they who counsel Warr, we are decreed,  originalEd: 160

- Reserv’d and destin’d to Eternal woe;

- Whatever doing, what can we suffer more,

- What can we suffer worse? is this then worst,

- Thus sitting, thus consulting, thus in Arms?

- What when we fled amain, pursu’d and strook

- With Heav’ns afflicting Thunder, and besought

- The Deep to shelter us? this Hell then seem’d

- A refuge from those wounds: or when we lay

- Chain’d on the burning Lake? that sure was worse.

- What if the breath that kindl’d those grim fires  originalEd: 170

- Awak’d should blow them into sevenfold rage

- And plunge us in the Flames? or from above

- Should intermitted vengeance Arme again

- His red right hand to plague us? what if all

- Her stores were op’n’d, and this Firmament

- Of Hell should spout her Cataracts of Fire,

- Impendent horrors, threatning hideous fall

- One day upon our heads; while we perhaps

- Designing or exhorting glorious Warr,

- Caught in a fierie Tempest shall be hurl’d  originalEd: 180

- Each on his rock transfixt, the sport and prey

- Of racking whirlwinds, or for ever sunk

- Under yon boyling Ocean, wrapt in Chains;

- There to converse with everlasting groans,

- Unrespited, unpitied, unrepreevd,

- Ages of hopeless end; this would be worse.

- Warr therefore, open or conceal’d, alike

- My voice disswades; for what can force or guile

- With him, or who deceive his mind, whose eye

- Views all things at one view? he from heav’ns highth

- All these our motions vain, sees and derides;  originalEd: 191

- Not more Almighty to resist our might

- Then wise to frustrate all our plots and wiles.

- Shall we then live thus vile, the race of Heav’n

- Thus trampl’d, thus expell’d to suffer here

- Chains and these Torments? better these then worse

- By my advice; since fate inevitable

- Subdues us, and Omnipotent Decree

- The Victors will. To suffer, as to doe,

- Our strength is equal, nor the Law unjust  originalEd: 200

- That so ordains: this was at first resolv’d,

- If we were wise, against so great a foe

- Contending, and so doubtful what might fall.

- I laugh, when those who at the Spear are bold

- And vent’rous, if that fail them, shrink and fear

- What yet they know must follow, to endure

- Exile, or ignominy, or bonds, or pain,

- The sentence of thir Conquerour: This is now

- Our doom; which if we can sustain and bear,

- Our Supream Foe in time may much remit  originalEd: 210

- His anger, and perhaps thus farr remov’d

- Not mind us not offending, satisfi’d

- With what is punish’t; whence these raging fires

- Will slack’n, if his breath stir not thir flames.

- Our purer essence then will overcome

- Thir noxious vapour, or enur’d not feel,

- Or chang’d at length, and to the place conformd

- In temper and in nature, will receive

- Familiar the fierce heat, and void of pain;

- This horror will grow milde, this darkness light,  originalEd: 220

- Besides what hope the never-ending flight

- Of future days may bring, what chance, what change

- Worth waiting, since our present lot appeers

- For happy though but ill, for ill not worst,

- If we procure not to our selves more woe.

- Thus Belial with words cloath’d in reasons garb

- Counsel’d ignoble ease, and peaceful sloath,

- Not peace: and after him thus Mammon spake.

- Either to disinthrone the King of Heav’n

- We warr, if warr be best, or to regain  originalEd: 230

- Our own right lost: him to unthrone we then

- May hope, when everlasting Fate shall yeild

- To fickle Chance, and Chaos judge the strife:

- The former vain to hope argues as vain

- The latter: for what place can be for us

- Within Heav’ns bound, unless Heav’ns Lord supream

- We overpower? Suppose he should relent

- And publish Grace to all, on promise made

- Of new Subjection; with what eyes could we

- Stand in his presence humble, and receive  originalEd: 240

- Strict Laws impos’d, to celebrate his Throne

- With warbl’d Hymns, and to his Godhead sing

- Forc’t Halleluiahs; while he Lordly sits

- Our envied Sovran, and his Altar breathes

- Ambrosial Odours and Ambrosial Flowers,

- Our servile offerings. This must be our task

- In Heav’n, this our delight; how wearisom

- Eternity so spent in worship paid

- To whom we hate. Let us not then pursue

- By force impossible, by leave obtain’d  originalEd: 250

- Unacceptable, though in Heav’n, our state

- Of splendid vassalage, but rather seek

- Our own good from our selves, and from our own

- Live to our selves, though in this vast recess,

- Free, and to none accountable, preferring

- Hard liberty before the easie yoke

- Of servile Pomp. Our greatness will appear

- Then most conspicuous, when great things of small,

- Useful of hurtful, prosperous of adverse

- We can create, and in what place so e’re  originalEd: 260

- Thrive under evil, and work ease out of pain

- Through labour and endurance. This deep world

- Of darkness do we dread? How oft amidst

- Thick clouds and dark doth Heav’ns all-ruling Sire

- Choose to reside, his Glory unobscur’d,

- And with the Majesty of darkness round

- Covers his Throne; from whence deep thunders roar

- Must’ring thir rage, and Heav’n resembles Hell?

- As he our Darkness, cannot we his Light

- Imitate when we please? This Desart soile  originalEd: 270

- Wants not her hidden lustre, Gemms and Gold;

- Nor want we skill or art, from whence to raise

- Magnificence; and what can Heav’n shew more?

- Our torments also may in length of time

- Become our Elements, these piercing Fires

- As soft as now severe, our temper chang’d

- Into their temper; which must needs remove

- The sensible of pain. All things invite

- To peaceful Counsels, and the settl’d State

- Of order, how in safety best we may  originalEd: 280

- Compose our present evils, with regard

- Of what we are and where, dismissing quite

- All thoughts of Warr; ye have what I advise.

- He scarce had finisht, when such murmur filld

- Th’ Assembly, as when hollow Rocks retain

- The sound of blustring winds, which all night long

- Had rous’d the Sea, now with hoarse cadence lull

- Sea-faring men orewatcht, whose Bark by chance

- Or Pinnace anchors in a craggy Bay

- After the Tempest: Such applause was heard  originalEd: 290

- As Mammon ended, and his Sentence pleas’d,

- Advising peace: for such another Field

- They dreaded worse then Hell: so much the fear

- Of Thunder and the Sword of Michael

- Wrought still within them; and no less desire

- To found this nether Empire, which might rise

- By pollicy, and long process of time,

- In emulation opposite to Heav’n.

- Which when Bēëlzebub perceiv’d, then whom,

- Satan except, none higher sat, with grave  originalEd: 300

- Aspect he rose, and in his rising seem’d

- A Pillar of State; deep on his Front engraven

- Deliberation sat and publick care;

- And Princely counsel in his face yet shon,

- Majestick though in ruin: sage he stood

- With Atlantean shoulders fit to bear

- The weight of mightiest Monarchies; his look

- Drew audience and attention still as Night

- Or Summers Noon-tide air, while thus he spake.

- Thrones and imperial Powers, off-spring of heav’n,  originalEd: 310

- Ethereal Vertues; or these Titles now

- Must we renounce, and changing stile be call’d

- Princes of Hell? for so the popular vote

- Inclines, here to continue, and build up here

- A growing Empire; doubtless; while we dream,

- And know not that the King of Heav’n hath doom’d

- This place our dungeon, not our safe retreat

- Beyond his Potent arm, to live exempt

- From Heav’ns high jurisdiction, in new League

- Banded against his Throne, but to remaine  originalEd: 320

- In strictest bondage, though thus far remov’d,

- Under th’ inevitable curb, reserv’d

- His captive multitude: For he, be sure,

- In highth or depth, still first and last will Reign

- Sole King, and of his Kingdom loose no part

- By our revolt, but over Hell extend

- His Empire, and with Iron Scepter rule

- Us here, as with his Golden those in Heav’n.

- What sit we then projecting Peace and Warr?

- Warr hath determin’d us, and foild with loss  originalEd: 330

- Irreparable; tearms of peace yet none

- Voutsaf’t or sought; for what peace will be giv’n

- To us enslav’d, but custody severe,

- And stripes, and arbitrary punishment

- Inflicted? and what peace can we return,

- But to our power hostility and hate,

- Untam’d reluctance, and revenge though slow,

- Yet ever plotting how the Conquerour least

- May reap his conquest, and may least rejoyce

- In doing what we most in suffering feel?  originalEd: 340

- Nor will occasion want, nor shall we need

- With dangerous expedition to invade

- Heav’n, whose high walls fear no assault or Siege,

- Or ambush from the Deep. What if we find

- Some easier enterprize? There is a place

- (If ancient and prophetic fame in Heav’n

- Err not) another World, the happy seat

- Of som new Race call’d Man, about this time

- To be created like to us, though less

- In power and excellence, but favour’d more  originalEd: 350

- Of him who rules above; so was his will

- Pronounc’d among the Gods, and by an Oath,

- That shook Heav’ns whol circumference, confirm’d.

- Thither let us bend all our thoughts, to learn

- What creatures there inhabit, of what mould,

- Or substance, how endu’d, and what thir Power,

- And where thir weakness, how attempted best,

- By force or suttlety: Though Heav’n be shut,

- And Heav’ns high Arbitrator sit secure

- In his own strength, this place may lye expos’d  originalEd: 360

- The utmost border of his Kingdom, left

- To their defence who hold it: here perhaps

- Som advantagious act may be achiev’d

- By sudden onset, either with Hell fire

- To waste his whole Creation, or possess

- All as our own, and drive as we were driven,

- The punie habitants, or if not drive,

- Seduce them to our Party, that thir God

- May prove thir foe, and with repenting hand

- Abolish his own works. This would surpass  originalEd: 370

- Common revenge, and interrupt his joy

- In our Confusion, and our Joy upraise

- In his disturbance; when his darling Sons

- Hurl’d headlong to partake with us, shall curse

- Thir frail Originals, and faded bliss,

- Faded so soon. Advise if this be worth

- Attempting, or to sit in darkness here

- Hatching vain Empires. Thus Bëëlzebub

- Pleaded his devilish Counsel, first devis’d

- By Satan, and in part propos’d: for whence,  originalEd: 380

- But from the Author of all ill could Spring

- So deep a malice, to confound the race

- Of mankind in one root, and Earth with Hell

- To mingle and involve, done all to spite

- The great Creatour? But thir spite still serves

- His glory to augment. The bold design

- Pleas’d highly those infernal States, and joy

- Sparkl’d in all thir eyes; with full assent

- They vote: whereat his speech he thus renews.

- Well have ye judg’d, well ended long debate,  originalEd: 390

- Synod of Gods, and like to what ye are,

- Great things resolv’d; which from the lowest deep

- Will once more lift us up, in spight of Fate,

- Neerer our ancient Seat; perhaps in view

- Of those bright confines, whence with neighbouring Arms

- And opportune excursion we may chance

- Re-enter Heav’n; or else in some milde Zone

- Dwell not unvisited of Heav’ns fair Light

- Secure, and at the brightning Orient beam

- Purge off this gloom; the soft delicious Air,  originalEd: 400

- To heal the scarr of these corrosive Fires

- Shall breath her balme. But first whom shall we send

- In search of this new world, whom shall we find

- Sufficient? who shall tempt with wandring feet

- The dark unbottom’d infinite Abyss

- And through the palpable obscure find out

- His uncouth way, or spread his aerie flight

- Upborn with indefatigable wings

- Over the vast abrupt, ere he arrive

- The happy Ile; what strength, what art can then  originalEd: 410

- Suffice, or what evasion bear him safe

- Through the strict Senteries and Stations thick

- Of Angels watching round? Here he had need

- All circumspection, and wee now no less

- Choice in our suffrage; for on whom we send,

- The weight of all and our last hope relies.

- This said, he sat; and expectation held

- His look suspence, awaiting who appeer’d

- To second, or oppose, or undertake

- The perilous attempt; but all sat mute,  originalEd: 420

- Pondering the danger with deep thoughts; and each

- In others count’nance red his own dismay

- Astonisht: none among the choice and prime

- Of those Heav’n-warring Champions could be found

- So hardie as to proffer or accept

- Alone the dreadful voyage; till at last

- Satan, whom now transcendent glory rais’d

- Above his fellows, with Monarchal pride

- Conscious of highest worth, unmov’d thus spake.

- O Progeny of Heav’n, Empyreal Thrones,  originalEd: 430

- With reason hath deep silence and demurr

- Seis’d us, though undismaid: long is the way

- And hard, that out of Hell leads up to Light;

- Our prison strong, this huge convex of Fire,

- Outrageous to devour, immures us round

- Ninefold, and gates of burning Adamant

- Barr’d over us prohibit all egress.

- These past, if any pass, the void profound

- Of unessential Night receives him next

- Wide gaping, and with utter loss of being  originalEd: 440

- Threatens him, plung’d in that abortive gulf.

- If thence he scape into what ever world,

- Or unknown Region, what remains him less

- Then unknown dangers and as hard escape.

- But I should ill become this Throne, O Peers,

- And this Imperial Sov’ranty, adorn’d

- With splendor, arm’d with power, if aught propos’d

- And judg’d of public moment, in the shape

- Of difficulty or danger could deterre

- Me from attempting. Wherefore do I assume  originalEd: 450

- These Royalties, and not refuse to Reign,

- Refusing to accept as great a share

- Of hazard as of honour, due alike

- To him who Reigns, and so much to him due

- Of hazard more, as he above the rest

- High honourd sits? Go therefore mighty powers,

- Terror of Heav’n, though fall’n; intend at home,

- While here shall be our home, what best may ease

- The present misery, and render Hell

- More tollerable; if there be cure or charm  originalEd: 460

- To respite or deceive, or slack the pain

- Of this ill Mansion: intermit no watch

- Against a wakeful Foe, while I abroad

- Through all the coasts of dark destruction seek

- Deliverance for us all: this enterprize

- None shall partake with me. Thus saying rose

- The Monarch, and prevented all reply,

- Prudent, least from his resolution rais’d

- Others among the chief might offer now

- (Certain to be refus’d) what erst they feard;  originalEd: 470

- And so refus’d might in opinion stand

- His rivals, winning cheap the high repute

- Which he through hazard huge must earn. But they

- Dreaded not more th’ adventure then his voice

- Forbidding; and at once with him they rose;

- Thir rising all at once was as the sound

- Of Thunder heard remote. Towards him they bend

- With awful reverence prone; and as a God

- Extoll him equal to the highest in Heav’n:

- Nor fail’d they to express how much they prais’d,  originalEd: 480

- That for the general safety he despis’d

- His own: for neither do the Spirits damn’d

- Loose all thir vertue; least bad men should boast

- Thir specious deeds on earth, which glory excites,

- Or close ambition varnisht o’re with zeal.

- Thus they thir doubtful consultations dark

- Ended rejoycing in thir matchless Chief:

- As when from mountain tops the dusky clouds

- Ascending, while the North wind sleeps, o’respread

- Heavn’s chearful face, the lowring Element  originalEd: 490

- Scowls ore the dark’nd lantskip Snow, or showre;

- If chance the radiant Sun with farewell sweet

- Extend his ev’ning beam, the fields revive,

- The birds thir notes renew, and bleating herds

- Attest thir joy, that hill and valley rings.

- O shame to men! Devil with Devil damn’d

- Firm concord holds, men onely disagree

- Of Creatures rational, though under hope

- Of heavenly Grace; and God proclaiming peace,

- Yet live in hatred, enmitie, and strife  originalEd: 500

- Among themselves, and levie cruel warres,

- Wasting the Earth, each other to destroy:

- As if (which might induce us to accord)

- Man had not hellish foes anow besides,

- That day and night for his destruction waite.

- The Stygian Councel thus dissolv’d; and forth

- In order came the grand infernal Peers,

- Midst came thir mighty Paramount, and seemd

- Alone th’ Antagonist of Heav’n, nor less

- Then Hells dread Emperour with pomp Supream,  originalEd: 510

- And God-like imitated State; him round

- A Globe of fierie Seraphim inclos’d

- With bright imblazonrie, and horrent Arms.

- Then of thir Session ended they bid cry

- With Trumpets regal sound the great result:

- Toward the four winds four speedy Cherubim

- Put to thir mouths the sounding Alchymie

- By Haralds voice explain’d: the hollow Abyss

- Heard farr and wide, and all the host of Hell

- With deafning shout, return’d them loud acclaim.  originalEd: 520

- Thence more at ease thir minds and somwhat rais’d

- By false presumptuous hope, the ranged powers

- Disband, and wandring, each his several way

- Pursues, as inclination or sad choice

- Leads him perplext, where he may likeliest find

- Truce to his restless thoughts, and entertain

- The irksome hours, till his great Chief return.

- Part on the Plain, or in the Air sublime

- Upon the wing, or in swift race contend,

- As at th’ Olympian Games or Pythian fields;  originalEd: 530

- Part curb thir fierie Steeds, or shun the Goal

- With rapid wheels, or fronted Brigads form.

- As when to warn proud Cities warr appears

- Wag’d in the troubl’d Skie, and Armies rush

- To Battel in the Clouds, before each Van

- Pric forth the Aerie Knights, and couch thir spears

- Till thickest Legions close; with feats of Arms

- From either end of Heav’n the welkin burns.

- Others with vast Typhœan rage more fell

- Rend up both Rocks and Hills, and ride the Air  originalEd: 540

- In whirlwind; Hell scarce holds the wilde uproar.

- As when Alcides from Oealia Crown’d

- With conquest, felt th’ envenom’d robe, and tore

- Through pain up by the roots Thessalian Pines,

- And Lichas from the top of Oeta threw

- Into th’ Euboic Sea. Others more milde,

- Retreated in a silent valley, sing

- With notes Angelical to many a Harp

- Thir own Heroic deeds and hapless fall

- By doom of Battel; and complain that Fate  originalEd: 550

- Free Vertue should enthrall to Force or Chance.

- Thir song was partial, but the harmony

- (What could it less when Spirits immortal sing?)

- Suspended Hell, and took with ravishment

- The thronging audience. In discourse more sweet

- (For Eloquence the Soul, Song charms the Sense,)

- Others apart sat on a Hill retir’d,

- In thoughts more elevate, and reason’d high

- Of Providence, Foreknowledge, Will, and Fate,

- Fixt Fate, free will, foreknowledge absolute,  originalEd: 560

- And found no end, in wandring mazes lost.

- Of good and evil much they argu’d then,

- Of happiness and final misery,

- Passion and Apathie, and glory and shame,

- Vain wisdom all, and false Philosophie:

- Yet with a pleasing sorcerie could charm

- Pain for a while or anguish, and excite

- Fallacious hope, or arm th’ obdured brest

- With stubborn patience as with triple steel.

- Another part in Squadrons and gross Bands  originalEd: 570

- On bold adventure to discover wide

- That dismal World, if any Clime perhaps

- Might yeild them easier habitation, bend

- Four ways thir flying March, along the Banks

- Of four infernal Rivers that disgorge

- Into the burning Lake thir baleful streams;

- Abhorred Styx the flood of deadly hate,

- Sad Acheron of Sorrow, black and deep;

- Cocytus, nam’d of lamentation loud

- Heard on the ruful stream; fierce Phlegeton  originalEd: 580

- Whose waves of torrent fire inflame with rage.

- Farr off from these a slow and silent stream,

- Lethe the River of Oblivion roules

- Her watrie Labyrinth, whereof who drinks,

- Forthwith his former state and being forgets,

- Forgets both joy and grief, pleasure and pain.

- Beyond this flood a frozen Continent

- Lies dark and wilde, beat with perpetual storms

- Of Whirlwind and dire Hail, which on firm land

- Thaws not, but gathers heap, and ruin seems  originalEd: 590

- Of ancient pile; all else deep snow and ice,

- A gulf profound as that Serbonian Bog

- Betwixt Damiata and mount Casius old,

- Where Armies whole have sunk: the parching Air

- Burns frore, and cold performs th’ effect of Fire.

- Thither by harpy-footed Furies hail’d,

- At certain revolutions all the damn’d

- Are brought: and feel by turns the bitter change

- Of fierce extreams, extreams by change more fierce,

- From Beds of raging Fire to starve in Ice  originalEd: 600

- Thir soft Ethereal warmth, and there to pine

- Immovable, infixt, and frozen round,

- Periods of time, thence hurried back to fire.

- They ferry over this Lethean Sound

- Both to and fro, thir sorrow to augment,

- And wish and struggle, as they pass, to reach

- The tempting stream, with one small drop to loose

- In sweet forgetfulness all pain and woe,

- All in one moment, and so neer the brink;

- But fate withstands, and to oppose th’ attempt  originalEd: 610

- Medusa with Gorgonian terror guards

- The Ford, and of it self the water flies

- All taste of living wight, as once it fled

- The lip of Tantalus. Thus roving on

- In confus’d march forlorn, th’ adventrous Bands

- With shuddring horror pale, and eyes agast

- View’d first thir lamentable lot, and found

- No rest: through many a dark and drearie Vaile

- They pass’d, and many a Region dolorous,

- O’re many a Frozen, many a Fierie Alpe,  originalEd: 620

- Rocks, Caves, Lakes, Fens, Bogs, Dens, and shades of death,

- A Universe of death, which God by curse

- Created evil, for evil only good,

- Where all life dies, death lives, and nature breeds,

- Perverse, all monstrous, all prodigious things,

- Abominable, inutterable, and worse

- Then Fables yet have feign’d, or fear conceiv’d,

- Gorgons and Hydra’s, and Chimera’s dire.

- Mean while the Adversary of God and Man,

- Satan with thoughts inflam’d of highest design,  originalEd: 630

- Puts on swift wings, and toward the Gates of Hell

- Explores his solitary flight; som times

- He scours the right hand coast, som times the left,

- Now shaves with level wing the Deep, then soares

- Up to the fiery concave touring high.

- As when farr off at Sea a Fleet descri’d

- Hangs in the Clouds, by Æquinoctial Winds

- Close sailing from Bengala, or the Iles

- Of Ternate and Tidore, whence Merchants bring

- Thir spicie Drugs: they on the trading Flood  originalEd: 640

- Through the wide Ethiopian to the Cape

- Ply stemming nightly toward the Pole. So seem’d

- Farr off the flying Fiend: at last appeer

- Hell bounds high reaching to the horrid Roof,

- And thrice threefold the Gates; three folds were Brass,

- Three Iron, three of Adamantine Rock,

- Impenitrable, impal’d with circling fire,

- Yet unconsum’d. Before the Gates there sat

- On either side a formidable shape;

- The one seem’d Woman to the waste, and fair,  originalEd: 650

- But ended foul in many a scaly fould

- Voluminous and vast, a Serpent arm’d

- With mortal sting: about her middle round

- A cry of Hell Hounds never ceasing bark’d

- With wide Cerberean mouths full loud, and rung

- A hideous Peal: yet, when they list, would creep,

- If aught disturb’d thir noyse, into her woomb,

- And kennel there, yet there still bark’d and howl’d

- Within unseen. Farr less abhorrd then these

- Vex’d Scylla bathing in the Sea that parts  originalEd: 660

- Calabria from the hoarce Trinacrian shore:

- Nor uglier follow the Night-Hag, when call’d

- In secret, riding through the Air she comes

- Lur’d with the smell of infant blood, to dance

- With Lapland Witches, while the labouring Moon

- Eclipses at thir charms. The other shape,

- If shape it might be call’d that shape had none

- Distinguishable in member, joynt, or limb,

- Or substance might be call’d that shadow seem’d,

- For each seem’d either; black it stood as Night,  originalEd: 670

- Fierce as ten Furies, terrible as Hell,

- And shook a dreadful Dart; what seem’d his head

- The likeness of a Kingly Crown had on.

- Satan was now at hand, and from his seat

- The Monster moving onward came as fast,

- With horrid strides, Hell trembled as he strode.

- Th’ undaunted Fiend what this might be admir’d,

- Admir’d, not fear’d; God and his Son except,

- Created thing naught vallu’d he nor shun’d;

- And with disdainful look thus first began.  originalEd: 680

- Whence and what art thou, execrable shape,

- That dar’st, though grim and terrible, advance

- Thy miscreated Front athwart my way

- To yonder Gates? through them I mean to pass,

- That be assured, without leave askt of thee:

- Retire, or taste thy folly, and learn by proof,

- Hell-born, not to contend with Spirits of Heav’n.

- To whom the Goblin full of wrauth reply’d,

- Art thou that Traitor Angel, art thou hee,

- Who first broke peace in Heav’n and Faith, till then  originalEd: 690

- Unbrok’n, and in proud rebellious Arms

- Drew after him the third part of Heav’ns Sons

- Conjur’d against the highest, for which both Thou

- And they outcast from God, are here condemn’d

- To waste Eternal daies in woe and pain?

- And reck’n’st thou thy self with Spirits of Heav’n,

- Hell-doomd, and breath’st defiance here and scorn,

- Where I reign King, and to enrage thee more,

- Thy King and Lord? Back to thy punishment,

- False fugitive, and to thy speed add wings,  originalEd: 700

- Least with a whip of Scorpions I pursue

- Thy lingring, or with one stroke of this Dart

- Strange horror seise thee, and pangs unfelt before.

- So spake the grieslie terrour, and in shape,

- So speaking and so threatning, grew ten fold

- More dreadful and deform: on th’ other side

- Incenc’t with indignation Satan stood

- Unterrifi’d, and like a Comet burn’d,

- That fires the length of Ophiucus huge

- In th’ Artick Sky, and from his horrid hair  originalEd: 710

- Shakes Pestilence and Warr. Each at the Head

- Level’d his deadly aime; thir fatall hands

- No second stroke intend, and such a frown

- Each cast at th’ other, as when two black Clouds

- With Heav’ns Artillery fraught, come rattling on

- Over the Caspian, then stand front to front

- Hov’ring a space, till Winds the signal blow

- To joyn thir dark Encounter in mid air:

- So frownd the mighty Combatants, that Hell

- Grew darker at thir frown, so matcht they stood;  originalEd: 720

- For never but once more was either like

- To meet so great a foe: and now great deeds

- Had been achiev’d, whereof all Hell had rung,

- Had not the Snakie Sorceress that sat

- Fast by Hell Gate, and kept the fatal Key,

- Ris’n, and with hideous outcry rush’d between.

- O Father, what intends thy hand, she cry’d,

- Against thy only Son? What fury O Son,

- Possesses thee to bend that mortal Dart

- Against thy Fathers head? and know’st for whom;  originalEd: 730

- For him who sits above and laughs the while

- At thee ordain’d his drudge, to execute

- What e’re his wrath, which he calls Justice, bids,

- His wrath which one day will destroy ye both.

- She spake, and at her words the hellish Pest

- Forbore, then these to her Satan return’d:

- So strange thy outcry, and thy words so strange

- Thou interposest, that my sudden hand

- Prevented spares to tell thee yet by deeds

- What it intends; till first I know of thee,  originalEd: 740

- What thing thou art, thus double-form’d, and why

- In this infernal Vaile first met thou call’st

- Me Father, and that Fantasm call’st my Son?

- I know thee not, nor ever saw till now

- Sight more detestable then him and thee.

- T’ whom thus the Portress of Hell Gate reply’d;

- Hast thou forgot me then, and do I seem

- Now in thine eye so foul, once deemd so fair

- In Heav’n, when at th’ Assembly, and in sight

- Of all the Seraphim with thee combin’d  originalEd: 750

- In bold conspiracy against Heav’ns King,

- All on a sudden miserable pain

- Surpris’d thee, dim thine eyes, and dizzie swumm

- In darkness, while thy head flames thick and fast

- Threw forth, till on the left side op’ning wide,

- Likest to thee in shape and count’nance bright,

- Then shining heav’nly fair, a Goddess arm’d

- Out of thy head I sprung; amazement seis’d

- All th’ Host of Heav’n; back they recoild affraid

- At first, and call’d me Sin, and for a Sign  originalEd: 760

- Portentous held me; but familiar grown,

- I pleas’d, and with attractive graces won

- The most averse, thee chiefly, who full oft

- Thy self in me thy perfect image viewing

- Becam’st enamour’d, and such joy thou took’st

- With me in secret, that my womb conceiv’d

- A growing burden. Mean while Warr arose,

- And fields were fought in Heav’n; wherein remaind

- (For what could else) to our Almighty Foe

- Cleer Victory, to our part loss and rout  originalEd: 770

- Through all the Empyrean: down they fell

- Driv’n headlong from the Pitch of Heaven, down

- Into this Deep, and in the general fall

- I also; at which time this powerful Key

- Into my hand was giv’n, with charge to keep

- These Gates for ever shut, which none can pass

- Without my op’ning. Pensive here I sat

- Alone, but long I sat not, till my womb

- Pregnant by thee, and now excessive grown

- Prodigious motion felt and rueful throes.  originalEd: 780

- At last this odious offspring whom thou seest

- Thine own begotten, breaking violent way

- Tore through my entrails, that with fear and pain

- Distorted, all my nether shape thus grew

- Transform’d: but he my inbred enemie

- Forth issu’d, brandishing his fatal Dart

- Made to destroy: I fled, and cry’d out Death;

- Hell trembl’d at the hideous Name, and sigh’d

- From all her Caves, and back resounded Death.

- I fled, but he pursu’d (though more, it seems,  originalEd: 790

- Inflam’d with lust then rage) and swifter far,

- Me overtook his mother all dismaid,

- And in embraces forcible and foule

- Ingendring with me, of that rape begot

- These yelling Monsters that with ceasless cry

- Surround me, as thou sawst, hourly conceiv’d

- And hourly born, with sorrow infinite

- To me, for when they list into the womb

- That bred them they return, and howle and gnaw

- My Bowels, their repast; then bursting forth  originalEd: 800

- Afresh with conscious terrours vex me round,

- That rest or intermission none I find.

- Before mine eyes in opposition sits

- Grim Death my Son and foe, who sets them on,

- And me his Parent would full soon devour

- For want of other prey, but that he knows

- His end with mine involvd; and knows that I

- Should prove a bitter Morsel, and his bane,

- When ever that shall be; so Fate pronounc’d.

- But thou O Father, I forewarn thee, shun  originalEd: 810

- His deadly arrow; neither vainly hope

- To be invulnerable in those bright Arms,

- Though temper’d heav’nly, for that mortal dint,

- Save he who reigns above, none can resist.

- She finish’d, and the suttle Fiend his lore

- Soon learnd, now milder, and thus answerd smooth.

- Dear Daughter, since thou claim’st me for thy Sire,

- And my fair Son here showst me, the dear pledge

- Of dalliance had with thee in Heav’n, and joys

- Then sweet, now sad to mention, through dire change  originalEd: 820

- Befalln us unforeseen, unthought of, know

- I come no enemie, but to set free

- From out this dark and dismal house of pain,

- Both him and thee, and all the heav’nly Host

- Of Spirits that in our just pretenses arm’d

- Fell with us from on high: from them I go

- This uncouth errand sole, and one for all

- My self expose, with lonely steps to tread

- Th’ unfounded deep, through the void immense

- To search with wandring quest a place foretold  originalEd: 830

- Should be, and, by concurring signs, ere now

- Created vast and round, a place of bliss

- In the Pourlieues of Heav’n, and therein plac’t

- A race of upstart Creatures, to supply

- Perhaps our vacant room, though more remov’d,

- Least Heav’n surcharg’d with potent multitude

- Might hap to move new broiles: Be this or aught

- Then this more secret now design’d, I haste

- To know, and this once known, shall soon return,

- And bring ye to the place where Thou and Death  originalEd: 840

- Shall dwell at ease, and up and down unseen

- Wing silently the buxom Air, imbalm’d

- With odours; there ye shall be fed and fill’d

- Immeasurably, all things shall be your prey.

- He ceas’d, for both seemd highly pleasd, and Death

- Grinnd horrible a gastly smile, to hear

- His famine should be fill’d, and blest his mawe

- Destin’d to that good hour: no less rejoyc’d

- His mother bad, and thus bespake her Sire.

- The key of this infernal Pit by due,  originalEd: 850

- And by command of Heav’ns all-powerful King

- I keep, by him forbidden to unlock

- These Adamantine Gates; against all force

- Death ready stands to interpose his dart,

- Fearless to be o’rematcht by living might.

- But what ow I to his commands above

- Who hates me, and hath hither thrust me down

- Into this gloom of Tartarus profound,

- To sit in hateful Office here confin’d,

- Inhabitant of Heav’n, and heav’nlie-born,  originalEd: 860

- Here in perpetual agonie and pain,

- With terrors and with clamors compasst round

- Of mine own brood, that on my bowels feed:

- Thou art my Father, thou my Author, thou

- My being gav’st me; whom should I obey

- But thee, whom follow? thou wilt bring me soon

- To that new world of light and bliss, among

- The Gods who live at ease, where I shall Reign

- At thy right hand voluptuous, as beseems

- Thy daughter and thy darling, without end.  originalEd: 870

- Thus saying, from her side the fatal Key,

- Sad instrument of all our woe, she took;

- And towards the Gate rouling her bestial train,

- Forthwith the huge Portcullis high up drew,

- Which but her self not all the Stygian powers

- Could once have mov’d; then in the key-hole turns

- Th’ intricate wards, and every Bolt and Bar

- Of massie Iron or sollid Rock with ease

- Unfast’ns: on a sudden op’n flie

- With impetuous recoile and jarring sound  originalEd: 880

- Th’ infernal dores, and on thir hinges grate

- Harsh Thunder, that the lowest bottom shook

- Of Erebus. She op’nd, but to shut

- Excel’d her power; the Gates wide op’n stood,

- That with extended wings a Bannerd Host

- Under spread Ensigns marching might pass through

- With Horse and Chariots rankt in loose array;

- So wide they stood, and like a Furnace mouth

- Cast forth redounding smoak and ruddy flame.

- Before thir eyes in sudden view appear  originalEd: 890

- The secrets of the hoarie deep, a dark

- Illimitable Ocean without bound,

- Without dimension, where length, breadth, and highth,

- And time and place are lost; where eldest Night

- And Chaos, Ancestors of Nature, hold

- Eternal Anarchie, amidst the noise

- Of endless warrs, and by confusion stand.

- For hot, cold, moist, and dry, four Champions fierce

- Strive here for Maistrie, and to Battel bring

- Thir embryon Atoms; they around the flag  originalEd: 900

- Of each his faction, in thir several Clanns,

- Light-arm’d or heavy, sharp, smooth, swift or slow,

- Swarm populous, unnumber’d as the Sands

- Of Barca or Cyrene’s torrid soil,

- Levied to side with warring Winds, and poise

- Thir lighter wings. To whom these most adhere,

- Hee rules a moment; Chaos Umpire sits,

- And by decision more imbroiles the fray

- By which he Reigns: next him high Arbiter

- Chance governs all. Into this wilde Abyss,  originalEd: 910

- The Womb of nature and perhaps her Grave,

- Of neither Sea, nor Shore, nor Air, nor Fire,

- But all these in thir pregnant causes mixt

- Confus’dly, and which thus must ever fight,

- Unless th’ Almighty Maker them ordain

- His dark materials to create more Worlds,

- Into this wild Abyss the warie fiend

- Stood on the brink of Hell and look’d a while,

- Pondering his Voyage: for no narrow frith

- He had to cross. Nor was his eare less peal’d  originalEd: 920

- With noises loud and ruinous (to compare

- Great things with small) then when Bellona storms,

- With all her battering Engines bent to rase

- Som Capital City, or less then if this frame

- Of Heav’n were falling, and these Elements

- In mutinie had from her Axle torn

- The stedfast Earth. At last his Sail-broad Vannes

- He spreads for flight, and in the surging smoak

- Uplifted spurns the ground, thence many a League

- As in a cloudy Chair ascending rides  originalEd: 930

- Audacious, but that seat soon failing, meets

- A vast vacuitie: all unawares

- Fluttring his pennons vain plumb down he drops

- Ten thousand fadom deep, and to this hour

- Down had been falling, had not by ill chance

- The strong rebuff of som tumultuous cloud

- Instinct with Fire and Nitre hurried him

- As many miles aloft: that furie stay’d,

- Quencht in a Boggie Syrtis, neither Sea,

- Nor good dry Land: nigh founderd on he fares,  originalEd: 940

- Treading the crude consistence, half on foot,

- Half flying; behoves him now both Oare and Saile.

- As when a Gryfon through the Wilderness

- With winged course ore Hill or moarie Dale,

- Pursues the Arimaspian, who by stelth

- Had from his wakeful custody purloind

- The guarded Gold: So eagerly the fiend

- Ore bog or steep, through strait, rough, dense, or rare,

- With head, hands, wings, or feet pursues his way,

- And swims or sinks, or wades, or creeps, or flyes:  originalEd: 950

- At length a universal hubbub wilde

- Of stunning sounds and voices all confus’d

- Born through the hollow dark assaults his eare

- With loudest vehemence: thither he plyes,

- Undaunted to meet there what ever power

- Or Spirit of the nethermost Abyss

- Might in that noise reside, of whom to ask

- Which way the neerest coast of darkness lyes

- Bordering on light; when strait behold the Throne

- Of Chaos, and his dark Pavilion spread  originalEd: 960

- Wide on the wasteful Deep; with him Enthron’d

- Sat Sable-vested Night, eldest of things,

- The Consort of his Reign; and by them stood

- Orcus and Ades, and the dreaded name

- Of Demogorgon; Rumor next and Chance,

- And Tumult and Confusion all imbroild,

- And Discord with a thousand various mouths.

- T’ whom Satan turning boldly, thus. Ye Powers

- And Spirits of this nethermost Abyss,

- Chaos and ancient Night, I come no Spie,  originalEd: 970

- With purpose to explore or to disturb

- The secrets of your Realm, but by constraint

- Wandring this darksome desart, as my way

- Lies through your spacious Empire up to light,

- Alone, and without guide, half lost, I seek

- What readiest path leads where your gloomie bounds

- Confine with Heav’n; or if som other place

- From your Dominion won, th’ Ethereal King

- Possesses lately, thither to arrive

- I travel this profound, direct my course;  originalEd: 980

- Directed, no mean recompence it brings

- To your behoof, if I that Region lost,

- All usurpation thence expell’d, reduce

- To her original darkness and your sway

- (Which is my present journey) and once more

- Erect the Standerd there of ancient Night;

- Yours be th’ advantage all, mine the revenge.

- Thus Satan; and him thus the Anarch old

- With faultring speech and visage incompos’d

- Answer’d. I know thee, stranger, who thou art,  originalEd: 990

- That mighty leading Angel, who of late

- Made head against Heav’ns King, though overthrown.

- I saw and heard, for such a numerous host

- Fled not in silence through the frighted deep

- With ruin upon ruin, rout on rout,

- Confusion worse confounded; and Heav’n Gates

- Pourd out by millions her victorious Bands

- Pursuing. I upon my Frontieres here

- Keep residence; if all I can will serve,

- That little which is left so to defend  originalEd: 1000

- Encroacht on still through our intestine broiles

- Weakning the Scepter of old Night: first Hell

- Your dungeon stretching far and wide beneath;

- Now lately Heaven and Earth, another World

- Hung ore my Realm, link’d in a golden Chain

- To that side Heav’n from whence your Legions fell:

- If that way be your walk, you have not farr;

- So much the neerer danger; goe and speed;

- Havock and spoil and ruin are my gain.

- He ceas’d; and Satan staid not to reply,  originalEd: 1010

- But glad that now his Sea should find a shore,

- With fresh alacritie and force renew’d

- Springs upward like a Pyramid of fire

- Into the wilde Expanse, and through the shock

- Of fighting Elements, on all sides round

- Environ’d wins his way; harder beset

- And more endanger’d, then when Argo pass’d

- Through Bosporus betwixt the justling Rocks:

- Or when Ulysses on the Larbord shunnd

- Charybdis, and by th’ other whirlpool steard.  originalEd: 1020

- So he with difficulty and labour hard

- Mov’d on, with difficulty and labour hee;

- But hee once past, soon after when man fell,

- Strange alteration! Sin and Death amain

- Following his track, such was the will of Heav’n,

- Pav’d after him a broad and beat’n way

- Over the dark Abyss, whose boiling Gulf

- Tamely endur’d a Bridge of wondrous length

- From Hell continu’d reaching th’ utmost Orbe

- Of this frail World; by which the Spirits perverse  originalEd: 1030

- With easie intercourse pass to and fro

- To tempt or punish mortals, except whom

- God and good Angels guard by special grace.

- But now at last the sacred influence

- Of light appears, and from the walls of Heav’n

- Shoots farr into the bosom of dim Night

- A glimmering dawn; here Nature first begins

- Her fardest verge, and Chaos to retire

- As from her outmost works a brok’n foe

- With tumult less and with less hostile din,  originalEd: 1040

- That Satan with less toil, and now with ease

- Wafts on the calmer wave by dubious light

- And like a weather-beaten Vessel holds

- Gladly the Port, though Shrouds and Tackle torn;

- Or in the emptier waste, resembling Air,

- Weighs his spread wings, at leasure to behold

- Farr off th’ Empyreal Heav’n, extended wide

- In circuit, undetermind square or round,

- With Opal Towrs and Battlements adorn’d

- Of living Saphire, once his native Seat;  originalEd: 1050

- And fast by hanging in a golden Chain

- This pendant world, in bigness as a Starr

- Of smallest Magnitude close by the Moon.

- Thither full fraught with mischievous revenge,

- Accurst, and in a cursed hour he hies.

- The End of the Second Book.

BOOK III.

THE ARGUMENT.

God sitting on his Throne sees Satan flying towards this world, then newly created; shews him to the Son who sat at his right hand; foretells the success of Satan in perverting mankind; clears his own Justice and Wisdom from all imputation, having created Man free and able enough to have withstood his Tempter; yet declares his purpose of grace towards him, in regard he fell not of his own malice, as did Satan, but by him seduc’t. The Son of God renders praises to his Father for the manifestation of his gracious purpose towards Man; but God again declares, that Grace cannot be extended towards Man without the satisfaction of divine Justice; Man hath offended the majesty of God by aspiring to Godhead, and therefore with all his Progeny devoted to death must dye, unless some one can be found sufficient to answer for his offence, and undergoe his Punishment. The Son of God freely offers himself a Ransome for Man: the Father accepts him, ordains his incarnation, pronounces his exaltation above all Names in Heaven and Earth; commands all the Angels to adore him; they obey, and hymning to their Harps in full Quire, celebrate the Father and the Son. Mean while Satan alights upon the bare convex of this Worlds outermost Orb; where wandring he first finds a place since call’d The Lymbo of Vanity; what persons and things fly up thither; thence comes to the Gate of Heaven, describ’d ascending by stairs, and the waters above the Firmament that flow about it: His passage thence to the Orb of the Sun; he finds there Uriel the Regent of that Orb, but first changes himself into the shape of a meaner Angel; and pretending a sealous desire to behold the new Creation and Man whom God had plac’t here, inquires of him the place of his habitation, and is directed; alights first on Mount Niphates.

- HAIL holy light, ofspring of Heav’n first-born,

- Or of th’ Eternal Coeternal beam

- May I express thee unblam’d? since God is light,

- And never but in unapproached light

- Dwelt from Eternitie, dwelt then in thee,

- Bright effluence of bright essence increate.

- Or hear’st thou rather pure Ethereal stream,

- Whose Fountain who shall tell? before the Sun,

- Before the Heavens thou wert, and at the voice

- Of God, as with a Mantle didst invest  originalEd: 10

- The rising world of waters dark and deep,

- Won from the void and formless infinite.

- Thee I re-visit now with bolder wing,

- Escap’t the Stygian Pool, though long detain’d

- In that obscure sojourn, while in my flight

- Through utter and through middle darkness borne

- With other notes then to th’ Orphean Lyre

- I sung of Chaos and Eternal Night,

- Taught by the heav’nly Muse to venture down

- The dark descent, and up to reascend,  originalEd: 20

- Though hard and rare: thee I revisit safe,

- And feel thy sovran vital Lamp; but thou

- Revisit’st not these eyes, that rowle in vain

- To find thy piercing ray, and find no dawn;

- So thick a drop serene hath quencht thir Orbs,

- Or dim suffusion veild. Yet not the more

- Cease I to wander where the Muses haunt

- Cleer Spring, or shadie Grove, or Sunnie Hill,

- Smit with the love of sacred song; but chief

- Thee Sion and the flowrie Brooks beneath  originalEd: 30

- That wash thy hallowd feet, and warbling flow,

- Nightly I visit: nor somtimes forget

- Those other two equal’d with me in Fate,

- So were I equal’d with them in renown,

- Blind Thamyris and blind Mæonides,

- And Tiresias and Phineus Prophets old.

- Then feed on thoughts, that voluntarie move

- Harmonious numbers; as the wakeful Bird

- Sings darkling, and in shadiest Covert hid

- Tunes her noctural Note. Thus with the Year  originalEd: 40

- Seasons return, but not to me returns

- Day, or the sweet approach of Ev’n or Morn,

- Or sight of vernal bloom, or Summers Rose,

- Or flocks, or herds, or human face divine;

- But cloud in stead, and ever-during dark

- Surrounds me, from the chearful waies of men

- Cut off, and for the Book of knowledg fair

- Presented with a Universal blanc

- Of Natures works to mee expung’d and ras’d,

- And wisdome at one entrance quite shut out.  originalEd: 50

- So much the rather thou Celestial light

- Shine inward, and the mind through all her powers

- Irradiate, there plant eyes, all mist from thence

- Purge and disperse, that I may see and tell

- Of things invisible to mortal sight.

- Now had the Almighty Father from above,

- From the pure Empyrean where he sits

- High Thron’d above all highth, bent down his eye,

- His own works and their works at once to view:

- About him all the Sanctities of Heaven  originalEd: 60

- Stood thick as Starrs, and from his sight receiv’d

- Beatitude past utterance; on his right

- The radiant image of his Glory sat,

- His onely Son; On Earth he first beheld

- Our two first Parents, yet the onely two

- Of mankind, in the happie Garden plac’t,

- Reaping immortal fruits of joy and love,

- Uninterrupted joy, unrivald love

- In blissful solitude; he then survey’d

- Hell and the Gulf between, and Satan there  originalEd: 70

- Coasting the wall of Heav’n on this side Night

- In the dun Air sublime, and ready now

- To stoop with wearied wings, and willing feet

- On the bare outside of this World, that seem’d

- Firm land imbosom’d without Firmament,

- Uncertain which, in Ocean or in Air.

- Him God beholding from his prospect high,

- Wherein past, present, future he beholds,

- Thus to his onely Son foreseeing spake.

- Onely begotten Son, seest thou what rage  originalEd: 80

- Transports our adversarie, whom no bounds

- Prescrib’d, no barrs of Hell, nor all the chains

- Heapt on him there, nor yet the main Abyss

- Wide interrupt can hold; so bent he seems

- On desperat revenge, that shall redound

- Upon his own rebellious head. And now

- Through all restraint broke loose he wings his way

- Not farr off Heav’n, in the Precincts of light,

- Directly towards the new created World,

- And Man there plac’t, with purpose to assay  originalEd: 90

- If him by force he can destroy, or worse,

- By som false guile pervert; and shall pervert;

- For man will heark’n to his glozing lyes,

- And easily transgress the sole Command,

- Sole pledge of his obedience: So will fall

- Hee and his faithless Progenie: whose fault?

- Whose but his own? ingrate, he had of mee

- All he could have; I made him just and right,

- Sufficient to have stood, though free to fall.

- Such I created all th’ Ethereal Powers  originalEd: 100

- And Spirits, both them who stood them who faild;

- Freely they stood who stood, and fell who fell.

- Not free, what proof could they have givn sincere

- Of true allegiance, constant Faith or Love,

- Where onely what they needs must do, appeard,

- Not what they would? what praise could they receive?

- What pleasure I from such obedience paid,

- When Will and Reason (Reason also is choice)

- Useless and vain, of freedom both despoild,

- Made passive both, had servd necessitie,  originalEd: 110

- Not mee. They therefore as to right belongd,

- So were created, nor can justly accuse

- Thir maker, or thir making, or thir Fate;

- As if Predestination over-rul’d

- Thir will, dispos’d by absolute Decree

- Or high foreknowledge; they themselves decreed

- Thir own revolt, not I: if I foreknew,

- Foreknowledge had no influence on their fault,

- Which had no less prov’d certain unforeknown.

- So without least impulse or shadow of Fate,  originalEd: 120

- Or aught by me immutablie foreseen,

- They trespass, Authors to themselves in all

- Both what they judge and what they choose; for so

- I formed them free, and free they must remain,

- Till they enthrall themselves: I else must change

- Thir nature, and revoke the high Decree

- Unchangeable, Eternal, which ordain’d

- Thir freedom, they themselves ordain’d thir fall.

- The first sort by thir own suggestion fell,

- Self-tempted, self-deprav’d: Man falls deceiv’d  originalEd: 130

- By the other first: Man therefore shall find grace,

- The other none: in Mercy and Justice both,

- Through Heav’n and Earth, so shall my glorie excel,

- But Mercy first and last shall brightest shine.

- Thus while God spake, ambrosial fragrance fill’d

- All Heav’n, and in the blessed Spirits elect

- Sense of new joy ineffable diffus’d:

- Beyond compare the Son of God was seen

- Most glorious, in him all his Father shon

- Substantially express’d, and in his face  originalEd: 140

- Divine compassion visibly appeerd,

- Love without end, and without measure Grace,

- Which uttering thus he to his Father spake.

- O Father, gracious was that word which clos’d

- Thy sovran sentence, that Man should find grace;

- For which both Heav’n and Earth shall high extoll

- Thy praises, with th’ innumerable sound

- Of Hymns and sacred Songs, wherewith thy Throne

- Encompass’d shall resound thee ever blest.

- For should Man finally be lost, should Man  originalEd: 150

- Thy creature late so lov’d, thy youngest Son

- Fall circumvented thus by fraud, though joynd

- With his own folly? that be from thee farr,

- That farr be from thee, Father, who art Judge

- Of all things made, and judgest onely right.

- Or shall the Adversarie thus obtain

- His end, and frustrate thine, shall he fulfill

- His malice, and thy goodness bring to naught,

- Or proud return though to his heavier doom,

- Yet with revenge accomplish’t and to Hell  originalEd: 160

- Draw after him the whole Race of mankind,

- By him corrupted? or wilt thou thy self

- Abolish thy Creation, and unmake,

- For him, what for thy glorie thou hast made?

- So should thy goodness and thy greatness both

- Be questiond and blaspheam’d without defence.

- To whom the great Creatour thus reply’d.

- O Son, in whom my Soul hath chief delight,

- Son of my bosom, Son who art alone

- My word, my wisdom, and effectual might,  originalEd: 170

- All hast thou spok’n as my thoughts are, all

- As my Eternal purpose hath decreed:

- Man shall not quite be lost, but sav’d who will,

- Yet not of will in him, but grace in me

- Freely voutsaft; once more I will renew

- His lapsed powers, though forfeit and enthrall’d

- By sin to foul exorbitant desires;

- Upheld by me, yet once more he shall stand

- On even ground against his mortal foe,

- By me upheld, that he may know how frail  originalEd: 180

- His fall’n condition is, and to me ow

- All his deliv’rance, and to none but me.

- Some I have chosen of peculiar grace

- Elect above the rest; so is my will:

- The rest shall hear me call, and oft be warnd

- Thir sinful state, and to appease betimes

- Th’ incensed Deitie while offerd grace

- Invites; for I will cleer thir senses dark,

- What may suffice, and soft’n stonie hearts

- To pray, repent, and bring obedience due.  originalEd: 190

- To prayer, repentance, and obedience due,

- Though but endevord with sincere intent,

- Mine eare shall not be slow, mine eye not shut.

- And I will place within them as a guide

- My Umpire Conscience, whom if they will hear,

- Light after light well us’d they shall attain,

- And to the end persisting, safe arrive.

- This my long sufferance and my day of grace

- They who neglect and scorn, shall never taste;

- But hard be hard’nd, blind be blinded more,  originalEd: 200

- That they may stumble on, and deeper fall;

- And none but such from mercy I exclude.

- But yet all is not don; Man disobeying,

- Disloyal breaks his fealtie, and sinns

- Against the high Supremacie of Heav’n,

- Affecting God-head, and so loosing all,

- To expiate his Treason hath naught left,

- But to destruction sacred and devote,

- He with his whole posteritie must die,

- Die hee or Justice must; unless for him  originalEd: 210

- Som other able, and as willing, pay

- The rigid satisfaction, death for death.

- Say Heav’nly Powers, where shall we find such love,

- Which of ye will be mortal to redeem

- Mans mortal crime, and just th’ unjust to save,

- Dwels in all Heaven charitie so deare?

- He ask’d, but all the Heav’nly Quire stood mute,

- And silence was in Heav’n: on mans behalf

- Patron or Intercessor none appeerd,

- Much less that durst upon his own head draw  originalEd: 220

- The deadly forfeiture, and ransom set.

- And now without redemption all mankind

- Must have bin lost, adjudg’d to Death and Hell

- By doom severe, had not the Son of God,

- In whom the fulness dwels of love divine,

- His dearest mediation thus renewd.

- Father, thy word is past, man shall find grace;

- And shall grace not find means, that finds her way,

- The speediest of thy winged messengers,

- To visit all thy creatures, and to all  originalEd: 230

- Comes unprevented, unimplor’d, unsought,

- Happie for man, so coming; he her aide

- Can never seek, once dead in sins and lost;

- Attonement for himself or offering meet,

- Indebted and undon, hath none to bring:

- Behold mee then, mee for him, life for life

- I offer, on mee let thine anger fall;

- Account mee man; I for his sake will leave

- Thy bosom, and this glorie next to thee

- Freely put off, and for him lastly die  originalEd: 240

- Well pleas’d, on me let Death wreck all his rage;

- Under his gloomie power I shall not long

- Lie vanquisht; thou hast givn me to possess

- Life in my self for ever, by thee I live,

- Though now to Death I yeild, and am his due

- All that of me can die, yet that debt paid,

- Thou wilt not leave me in the loathsom grave

- His prey, nor suffer my unspotted Soule

- For ever with corruption there to dwell;

- But I shall rise Victorious, and subdue  originalEd: 250

- My Vanquisher, spoild of his vanted spoile;

- Death his deaths wound shall then receive, stoop

- Inglorious, of his mortall sting disarm’d.

- I through the ample Air in Triumph high

- Shall lead Hell Captive maugre Hell, and show

- The powers of darkness bound. Thou at the sight

- Pleas’d, out of Heaven shalt look down and smile,

- While by thee rais’d I ruin all my Foes,

- Death last, and with his Carcass glut the Grave:

- Then with the multitude of my redeemd  originalEd: 260

- Shall enter Heaven long absent, and returne,

- Father, to see thy face, wherein no cloud

- Of anger shall remain, but peace assur’d,

- And reconcilement; wrauth shall be no more

- Thenceforth, but in thy presence Joy entire.

- His words here ended, but his meek aspect

- Silent yet spake, and breath’d immortal love

- To mortal men, above which only shon

- Filial obedience: as a sacrifice

- Glad to be offer’d, he attends the will  originalEd: 270

- Of his great Father. Admiration seis’d

- All Heav’n, what this might mean, whither tend

- Wondring; but soon th’ Almighty thus reply’d:

- O thou in Heav’n and Earth the only peace

- Found out for mankind under wrauth, O thou

- My sole complacence! well thou know’st how dear,

- To me are all my works, nor Man the least

- Though last created, that for him I spare

- Thee from my bosom and right hand, to save,

- By loosing thee a while, the whole Race lost.  originalEd: 280

- Thou therefore whom thou only canst redeeme,

- Thir Nature also to thy Nature joyne;

- And be thy self Man among men on Earth,

- Made flesh, when time shall be, of Virgin seed,

- By wondrous birth: Be thou in Adams room

- The Head of all mankind, though Adams Son.

- As in him perish all men, so in thee

- As from a second root shall be restor’d,

- As many as are restor’d, without thee none.

- His crime makes guiltie all his Sons, thy merit  originalEd: 290

- Imputed shall absolve them who renounce

- Thir own both righteous and unrighteous deeds,

- And live in thee transplanted, and from thee

- Receive new life. So Man, as is most just,

- Shall satisfie for Man, be judg’d and die,

- And dying rise, and rising with him raise

- His Brethren, ransomd with his own dear life.

- So Heav’nly love shal outdoo Hellish hate,

- Giving to death, and dying to redeeme,

- So dearly to redeem what Hellish hate  originalEd: 300

- So easily destroy’d, and still destroyes

- In those who, when they may, accept not grace.

- Nor shalt thou by descending to assume

- Mans Nature, less’n or degrade thine owne.

- Because thou hast, though Thron’d in highest bliss

- Equal to God, and equally enjoying

- God-like fruition, quitted all to save

- A World from utter loss, and hast been found

- By Merit more then Birthright Son of God,

- Found worthiest to be so by being Good,  originalEd: 310

- Farr more then Great or High; because in thee

- Love hath abounded more then Glory abounds,

- Therefore thy Humiliation shall exalt

- With thee thy Manhood also to this Throne;

- Here shalt thou sit incarnate, here shalt Reigne

- Both God and Man, Son both of God and Man,

- Anointed universal King; all Power

- I give thee, reign for ever, and assume

- Thy Merits; under thee as Head Supream

- Thrones, Princedoms, Powers, Dominions I reduce:  originalEd: 320

- All knees to thee shall bow, of them that bide

- In Heaven, or Earth, or under Earth in Hell;

- When thou attended gloriously from Heav’n

- Shalt in the Skie appeer, and from thee send

- The summoning Arch-Angels to proclaime

- Thy dread Tribunal: forthwith from all Windes

- The living, and forthwith the cited dead

- Of all past Ages to the general Doom

- Shall hast’n, such a peal shall rouse thir sleep.

- Then all thy Saints assembl’d, thou shalt judge  originalEd: 330

- Bad men and Angels, they arraignd shall sink

- Beneath thy Sentence; Hell, her numbers full,

- Thenceforth shall be for ever shut. Mean while

- The World shall burn, and from her ashes spring

- New Heav’n and Earth, wherein the just shall dwell

- And after all thir tribulations long

- See golden days, fruitful of golden deeds,

- With Joy and Love triumphing, and fair Truth.

- Then thou thy regal Scepter shalt lay by,

- For regal Scepter then no more shall need,  originalEd: 340

- God shall be All in All. But all ye Gods,

- Adore him, who to compass all this dies,

- Adore the Son, and honour him as mee.

- No sooner had th’ Almighty ceas’t, but all

- The multitude of Angels with a shout

- Loud as from numbers without number, sweet

- As from blest voices, uttering joy, Heav’n rung

- With Jubilee, and loud Hosannas fill’d

- Th’ eternal Regions: lowly reverent

- Towards either Throne they bow, to the ground  originalEd: 350

- With solemn adoration down they cast

- Thir Crowns inwove with Amarant and Gold,

- Immortal Amarant, a Flour which once

- In Paradise, fast by the Tree of Life

- Began to bloom, but soon for mans offence

- To Heav’n remov’d where first it grew, there grows,

- And flours aloft shading the Fount of Life,

- And where the river of Bliss through midst of Heavn

- Rowls o’re Elisian Flours her Amber stream;

- With these that never fade the Spirits Elect  originalEd: 360

- Bind thir resplendent locks inwreath’d with beams,

- Now in loose Garlands thick thrown off, the bright

- Pavement that like a Sea of Jasper shon

- Impurpl’d with Celestial Roses smil’d.

- Then Crown’d again thir gold’n Harps they took,

- Harps ever tun’d, that glittering by thir side

- Like Quivers hung, and with Præamble sweet

- Of charming symphonie they introduce

- Thir sacred Song, and waken raptures high;

- No voice exempt, no voice but well could joine  originalEd: 370

- Melodious part, such concord is in Heav’n.

- Thee Father first they sung Omnipotent,

- Immutable, Immortal, Infinite,

- Eternal King; thee Author of all being,

- Fountain of Light, thy self invisible

- Amidst the glorious brightness where thou sit’st

- Thron’d inaccessible, but when thou shad’st

- The full blaze of thy beams, and through a cloud

- Drawn round about thee like a radiant Shrine,

- Dark with excessive bright thy skirts appeer,  originalEd: 380

- Yet dazle Heav’n, that brightest Seraphim

- Approach not, but with both wings veil thir eyes.

- Thee next they sang of all Creation first,

- Begotten Son, Divine Similitude,

- In whose conspicuous count’nance, without cloud

- Made visible, th’ Almighty Father shines,

- Whom else no Creature can behold; on thee

- Impresst the effulgence of his Glorie abides,

- Transfus’d on thee his ample Spirit rests.

- Hee Heav’n of Heavens and all the Powers therein  originalEd: 390

- By thee created, and by thee threw down

- Th’ aspiring Dominations: thou that day

- Thy Fathers dreadful Thunder didst not spare,

- Nor stop thy flaming Chariot wheels, that shook

- Heav’ns everlasting Frame, while o’re the necks

- Thou drov’st of warring Angels disarraid.

- Back from pursuit thy Powers with loud acclaime

- Thee only extold, Son of thy Fathers might,

- To execute fierce vengeance on his foes,

- Not so on Man; him through their malice fall’n,  originalEd: 400

- Father of Mercie and Grace, thou didst not doome

- So strictly, but much more to pitie encline:

- No sooner did thy dear and onely Son

- Perceive thee purpos’d not to doom frail Man

- So strictly, but much more to pitie enclin’d,

- He to appease thy wrauth, and end the strife

- Of Mercy and Justice in thy face discern’d,

- Regardless of the Bliss wherein hee sat

- Second to thee, offerd himself to die

- For mans offence. O unexampl’d love,  originalEd: 410

- Love no where to be found less then Divine!

- Hail Son of God, Saviour of Men, thy Name

- Shall be the copious matter of my Song

- Henceforth, and never shall my Harp thy praise

- Forget, nor from thy Fathers praise disjoine.

- Thus they in Heav’n, above the starry Sphear,

- Thir happie hours in joy and hymning spent.

- Mean while upon the firm opacous Globe

- Of this round World, whose first convex divides

- The luminous inferior Orbs, enclos’d  originalEd: 420

- From Chaos and th’ inroad of Darkness old,

- Satan alighted walks: a Globe farr off

- It seem’d, now seems a boundless Continent

- Dark, waste, and wild, under the frown of Night

- Starless expos’d, and ever-threatning storms

- Of Chaos blustring round, inclement skie;

- Save on that side which from the wall of Heav’n

- Though distant farr som small reflection gaines

- Of glimmering air less vext with tempest loud:

- Here walk’d the Fiend at large in spacious field.  originalEd: 430

- As when a Vultur on Imaus bred,

- Whose snowie ridge the roving Tartar bounds,

- Dislodging from a Region scarce of prey

- To gorge the flesh of Lambs or yeanling Kids

- On Hills where Flocks are fed, flies toward the Springs

- Of Ganges or Hydaspes, Indian streams;

- But in his way lights on the barren plaines

- Of Sericana, where Chineses drive

- With Sails and Wind thir canie Waggons light:

- So on this windie Sea of Land, the Fiend  originalEd: 440

- Walk’d up and down alone bent on his prey,

- Alone, for other Creature in this place

- Living or liveless to be found was none,

- None yet, but store hereafter from the earth

- Up hither like Aereal vapours flew

- Of all things transitorie and vain, when Sin

- With vanity had filld the works of men:

- Both all things vain, and all who in vain things

- Built their fond hopes of Glorie or lasting fame,

- Or happiness in this or th’ other life;  originalEd: 450

- All who have thir reward on Earth, the fruits

- Of painful Superstition and blind Zeal,

- Naught seeking but the praise of men, here find

- Fit retribution, emptie as thir deeds;

- All th’ unaccomplisht works of Natures hand,

- Abortive, monstrous, or unkindly mixt,

- Dissolvd on earth, fleet hither, and in vain,

- Till final dissolution, wander here,

- Not in the neighbouring Moon, as some have dreamd;

- Those argent Fields more likely habitants,  originalEd: 460

- Translated Saints, or middle Spirits hold

- Betwixt th’ Angelical and Human kinde:

- Hither of ill-joynd Sons and Daughters born

- First from the ancient World those Giants came

- With many a vain exploit, though then renownd:

- The builders next of Babel on the Plain

- Of Sennaar, and still with vain designe

- New Babels, had they wherewithall, would build:

- Others came single; hee who to be deemd

- A God, leap’d fondly into Ætna flames,  originalEd: 470

- Empedocles, and hee who to enjoy

- Plato’s Elysium, leap’d into the Sea,

- Cleombrotus, and many more too long,

- Embryos, and Idiots, Eremits and Friers

- White, Black and Grey, with all thir trumperie.

- Here Pilgrims roam, that stray’d so farr to seek

- In Golgotha him dead, who lives in Heav’n;

- And they who to be sure of Paradise

- Dying put on the weeds of Dominic,

- Or in Franciscan think to pass disguis’d;  originalEd: 480

- They pass the Planets seven, and pass the fixt,

- And that Crystalline Sphear whose ballance weighs

- The Trepidation talkt, and that first mov’d;

- And now Saint Peter at Heav’ns Wicket seems

- To wait them with his Keys, and now at foot

- Of Heav’ns ascent they lift thir Feet, when loe

- A violent cross wind from either Coast

- Blows them transverse ten thousand Leagues awry

- Into the devious Air; then might ye see

- Cowles, Hoods and Habits with thir wearers tost  originalEd: 490

- And flutterd into Raggs, then Reliques, Beads,

- Indulgences, Dispenses, Pardons, Bulls,

- The sport of Winds: all these upwhirld aloft

- Fly o’re the backside of the World farr off

- Into a Limbo large and broad, since calld

- The Paradise of Fools, to few unknown

- Long after, now unpeopl’d, and untrod;

- All this dark Globe the Fiend found as he pass’d,

- And long he wanderd, till at last a gleame

- Of dawning light turnd thither-ward in haste  originalEd: 500

- His travell’d steps; farr distant hee descries

- Ascending by degrees magnificent

- Up to the wall of Heaven a Structure high,

- At top whereof, but farr more rich appeerd

- The work as of a Kingly Palace Gate

- With Frontispice of Diamond and Gold

- Imbellisht, thick with sparkling orient Gemmes

- The Portal shon, inimitable on Earth

- By Model, or by shading Pencil drawn.

- The Stairs were such as whereon Jacob saw  originalEd: 510

- Angels ascending and descending, bands

- Of Guardians bright, when he from Esau fled

- To Padan-Aram in the field of Luz,

- Dreaming by night under the open Skie,

- And waking cri’d, This is the Gate of Heav’n.

- Each Stair mysteriously was meant, nor stood

- There alwaies, but drawn up to Heav’n somtimes

- Viewless, and underneath a bright Sea flow’d

- Of Jasper, or of liquid Pearle, whereon

- Who after came from Earth, sayling arriv’d,  originalEd: 520

- Wafted by Angels, or flew o’re the Lake

- Rapt in a Chariot drawn by fiery Steeds.

- The Stairs were then let down, whether to dare

- The Fiend by easie ascent, or aggravate

- His sad exclusion from the dores of Bliss.

- Direct against which op’nd from beneath,

- Just o’re the blissful seat of Paradise,

- A passage down to th’ Earth, a passage wide,

- Wider by farr then that of after-times

- Over Mount Sion, and, though that were large,  originalEd: 530

- Over the Promis’d Land to God so dear,

- By which, to visit oft those happy Tribes,

- On high behests his Angels to and fro

- Pass’d frequent, and his eye with choice regard

- From Paneas the fount of Jordans flood

- To Bëersaba, where the Holy Land

- Borders on Ægypt and the Arabian shoare;

- So wide the op’ning seemd, where bounds were set

- To darkness, such as bound the Ocean wave.

- Satan from hence now on the lower stair  originalEd: 540

- That scal’d by steps of Gold to Heav’n Gate

- Looks down with wonder at the sudden view

- Of all this World at once. As when a Scout

- Through dark and desart wayes with peril gone

- All night; at last by break of chearful dawne

- Obtains the brow of some high-climbing Hill,

- Which to his eye discovers unaware

- The goodly prospect of some forein land

- First seen, or some renownd Metropolis

- With glistering Spires and Pinnacles adornd,  originalEd: 550

- Which now the Rising Sun guilds with his beams.

- Such wonder seis’d, though after Heaven seen,

- The Spirit maligne, but much more envy seis’d

- At sight of all this World beheld so faire.

- Round he surveys, and well might, where he stood

- So high above the circling Canopie

- Of Nights extended shade; from Eastern Point

- Of Libra to the fleecie Starr that bears

- Andromeda farr off Atlantick Seas

- Beyond th’ Horizon; then from Pole to Pole  originalEd: 560

- He views in bredth, and without longer pause

- Down right into the Worlds first Region throws

- His flight precipitant, and windes with ease

- Through the pure marble Air his oblique way

- Amongst innumerable Starrs, that shon

- Stars distant, but nigh hand seemd other Worlds,

- Or other Worlds they seemd, or happy Iles,

- Like those Hesperian Gardens fam’d of old,

- Fortunate Fields, and Groves and flourie Vales,

- Thrice happy Iles, but who dwelt happy there  originalEd: 570

- He stayd not to enquire: above them all

- The golden Sun in splendor likest Heaven

- Allur’d his eye: Thither his course he bends

- Through the calm Firmament; but up or downe

- By center, or eccentric, hard to tell,

- Or Longitude, where the great Luminarie

- Alooff the vulgar Constellations thick,

- That from his Lordly eye keep distance due,

- Dispenses Light from farr; they as they move

- Thir Starry dance in numbers that compute  originalEd: 580

- Days, months, and years, towards his all-chearing Lamp

- Turn swift their various motions, or are turnd

- By his Magnetic beam, that gently warms

- The Univers, and to each inward part

- With gentle penetration, though unseen,

- Shoots invisible vertue even to the deep:

- So wondrously was set his Station bright.

- There lands the Fiend, a spot like which perhaps

- Astronomer in the Sun’s lucent Orbe

- Through his glaz’d Optic Tube yet never saw.  originalEd: 590

- The place he found beyond expression bright,

- Compar’d with anght on Earth, Medal or Stone;

- Not all parts like, but all alike informd

- With radiant light, as glowing Iron with fire;

- If mettal, part seemd Gold, part Silver cleer;

- If stone, Carbuncle most or Chrysolite,

- Rubie or Topaz, to the Twelve that shon

- In Aarons Brestplate, and a stone besides

- Imagind rather oft then elsewhere seen,

- That stone, or like to that which here below  originalEd: 600

- Philosophers in vain so long have sought,

- In vain, though by thir powerful Art they binde

- Volatil Hermes, and call up unbound

- In various shapes old Proteus from the Sea,

- Draind through a Limbec to his Native forme.

- What wonder then if fields and regions here

- Breathe forth Elixir pure, and Rivers run

- Potable Gold, when with one vertuous touch

- Th’ Arch-chimic Sun so farr from us remote

- Produces with Terrestrial Humor mixt  originalEd: 610

- Here in the dark so many precious things

- Of colour glorious and effect so rare?

- Here matter new to gaze the Devil met

- Undazl’d, farr and wide his eye commands,

- For sight no obstacle found here, nor shade,

- But all Sun-shine, as when his Beams at Noon

- Culminate from th’ Æquator, as they now

- Shot upward still direct, whence no way round

- Shadow from body opaque can fall, and the Aire,

- No where so cleer, sharp’nd his visual ray  originalEd: 620

- To objects distant farr, whereby he soon

- Saw within kenn a glorious Angel stand,

- The same whom John saw also in the Sun:

- His back was turnd, but not his brightness hid;

- Of beaming sunnie Raies, a golden tiar

- Circl’d his Head, nor less his Locks behind

- Illustrious on his Shoulders fledge with wings

- Lay waving round; on som great charge imploy’d

- Hee seemd, or fixt in cogitation deep.

- Glad was the Spirit impure; as now in hope  originalEd: 630

- To find who might direct his wandring flight

- To Paradise the happie seat of Man,

- His journies end and our beginning woe.

- But first he casts to change his proper shape,

- Which else might work him danger or delay:

- And now a stripling Cherube he appeers,

- Not of the prime, yet such as in his face

- Youth smil’d Celestial, and to every Limb

- Sutable grace diffus’d, so well he feignd;

- Under a Coronet his flowing haire  originalEd: 640

- In curles on either cheek plaid, wings he wore

- Of many a colourd plume sprinkl’d with Gold,

- His habit fit for speed succinct, and held

- Before his decent steps a Silver wand.

- He drew not nigh unheard, the Angel bright,

- Ere he drew nigh, his radiant visage turnd,

- Admonisht by his eare, and strait was known

- Th’ Arch-Angel Uriel, one of the seav’n

- Who in God’s presence, neerest to his Throne

- Stand ready at command, and are his Eyes  originalEd: 650

- That run through all the Heav’ns, or down to th’ Earth

- Bear his swift errands over moist and dry,

- O’re Sea and Land; him Satan thus accostes.

- Uriel, for thou of those seav’n Spirits that stand

- In sight of Gods high Throne, gloriously bright,

- The first are wont his great authentic will

- Interpreter through highest Heav’n to bring,

- Where all his Sons thy Embassie attend;

- And here art likeliest by supream decree

- Like honour to obtain, and as his Eye  originalEd: 660

- To visit oft this new Creation round;

- Unspeakable desire to see, and know

- All these his wondrous works, but chiefly Man,

- His chief delight and favour, him for whom

- All these his works so wondrous he ordaind,

- Hath brought me from the Quires of Cherubim

- Alone thus wandring. Brightest Seraph tell

- In which of all these shining Orbes hath Man

- His fixed seat, or fixed seat hath none,

- But all these shining Orbes his choice to dwell;  originalEd: 670

- That I may find him, and with secret gaze,

- Or open admiration him behold

- On whom the great Creator hath bestowd

- Worlds, and on whom hath all these graces powrd;

- That both in him and all things, as is meet,

- The Universal Maker we may praise;

- Who justly hath drivn out his Rebell Foes

- To deepest Hell, and to repair that loss

- Created this new happie Race of Men

- To serve him better: wise are all his wayes.  originalEd: 680

- So spake the false dissembler unperceivd;

- For neither Man nor Angel can discern

- Hypocrisie, the only evil that walks

- Invisible, except to God alone,

- By his permissive will, through Heav’n and Earth:

- And oft though wisdom wake, suspicion sleeps

- At wisdoms Gate, and to simplicitie

- Resigns her charge, while goodness thinks no ill

- Where no ill seems: Which now for once beguil’d

- Uriel, though Regent of the Sun, and held  originalEd: 690

- The sharpest sighted Spirit of all in Heav’n;

- Who to the fraudulent Impostor foule

- In his uprightness answer thus returnd.

- Faire Angel, thy desire which tends to know

- The works of God, thereby to glorifie

- The great Work-Maister, leads to no excess

- That reaches blame, but rather merits praise

- The more it seems excess, that led thee hither

- From thy Empyreal Mansion thus alone,

- To witness with thine eyes what some perhaps  originalEd: 700

- Contented with report heare onely in heav’n:

- For wonderful indeed are all his works,

- Pleasant to know, and worthiest to be all

- Had in remembrance alwayes with delight;

- But what created mind can comprehend

- Thir number, or the wisdom infinite

- That brought them forth, but hid thir causes deep.

- I saw when at his Word the formless Mass,

- This worlds material mould, came to a heap:

- Confusion heard his voice, and wilde uproar  originalEd: 710

- Stood rul’d, stood vast infinitude confin’d;

- Till at his second bidding darkness fled,

- Light shon, and order from disorder sprung:

- Swift to thir several Quarters hasted then

- The cumbrous Elements, Earth, Flood, Aire, Fire,

- And this Ethereal quintessence of Heav’n

- Flew upward, spirited with various forms,

- That rowld orbicular, and turnd to Starrs

- Numberless, as thou seest, and how they move;

- Each had his place appointed, each his course,  originalEd: 720

- The rest in circuit walles this Universe.

- Look downward on that Globe whose hither side

- With light from hence, though but reflected, shines;

- That place is Earth the seat of Man, that light

- His day, which else as th’ other Hemisphere

- Night would invade, but there the neighbouring Moon

- (So call that opposite fair Starr) her aide

- Timely interposes, and her monthly round

- Still ending, still renewing through mid Heav’n,

- With borrowd light her countenance triform  originalEd: 730

- Hence fills and empties to enlighten the Earth,

- And in her pale dominion checks the night.

- That spot to which I point is Paradise,

- Adams abode, those loftie shades his Bowre.

- Thy way thou canst not miss, me mine requires.

- Thus said, he turnd, and Satan bowing low,

- As to superior Spirits is wont in Heav’n,

- Where honour due and reverence none neglects,

- Took leave, and toward the coast of Earth beneath,

- Down from th’ Ecliptic, sped with hop’d success,  originalEd: 740

- Throws his steep flight in many an Aerie wheele,

- Nor staid, till on Niphates top he lights.

- The End of the Third Book.

BOOK IV.

THE ARGUMENT.

Satan now in prospect of Eden, and nigh the place where he must now attempt the bold enterprise which he undertook alone against God and Man, falls into many doubts with himself, and many passions, fear, envy, and despare; but at length confirms himself in evil, journeys on to Paradise, whose outward prospect and scituation is described, overleaps the bounds, sits in the shape of a Cormorant on the Tree of life, as highest in the Garden to look about him. The Garden describ’d; Satans first sight of Adam and Eve; his wonder at thir excellent form and happy state, but with resolution to work thir fall; overhears thir discourse, thence gathers that the Tree of knowledge was forbidden them to eat of, under penalty of death; and thereon intends to found his temptation, by seducing them to transgress: then leaves them a while, to know further of thir state by some other means. Mean while Uriel descending on a Sun-beam warns Gabriel, who had in charge the Gate of Paradise, that some evil spirit had escap’d the Deep, and past at Noon by his Sphere in the shape of a good Angel down to Paradise, discovered after by his furious gestures in the Mount. Gabriel promises to find him out ere morning. Night coming on, Adam and Eve discourse of going to thir rest: thir Bower describ’d; thir Evening worship. Gabriel drawing forth his Bands of Night-watch to walk the round of Paradise, appoints two strong Angels to Adams Bower, least the evill spirit should be there doing some harm to Adam or Eve sleeping; there they find him at the ear of Eve, tempting her in a dream, and bring him, though unwilling, to Gabriel; by whom question’d, he scornfully answers, prepares resistance, but hinder’d by a Sign from Heaven, flies out of Paradise.

- O FOR that warning voice, which he who saw

- Th’ Apocalyps, heard cry in Heav’n aloud,

- Then when the Dragon, put to second rout,

- Came furious down to be reveng’d on men,

- Wo to the inhabitants on Earth! that now,

- While time was, our first Parents had bin warnd

- The coming of thir secret foe, and scap’d

- Haply so scap’d his mortal snare; for now

- Satan, now first inflam’d with rage came down,

- The Tempter ere th’ Accuser of man-kind,  originalEd: 10

- To wreck on innocent frail man his loss

- Of that first Battel, and his flight to Hell:

- Yet not rejoycing in his speed, though bold,

- Far off and fearless, nor with cause to boast,

- Begins his dire attempt, which nigh the birth

- Now rowling, boiles in his tumultuous brest,

- And like a devillish Engine back recoiles

- Upon himself; horror and doubt distract

- His troubl’d thoughts, and from the bottom stirr

- The Hell within him, for within him Hell  originalEd: 20

- He brings, and round about him, nor from Hell

- One step no more then from himself can fly

- By change of place: Now conscience wakes despair

- That slumberd, wakes the bitter memorie

- Of what he was, what is, and what must be

- Worse; of worse deeds worse sufferings must ensue.

- Sometimes towards Eden which now in his view

- Lay pleasant, his grievd look he fixes sad,

- Sometimes towards Heav’n and the full-blazing Sun,

- Which now sat high in his Meridian Towre:  originalEd: 30

- Then much revolving, thus in sighs began.

- O thou that with surpassing Glory crownd,

- Look’st from thy sole Dominion like the God

- Of this new World; at whose sight all the Starrs

- Hide thir diminisht heads; to thee I call,

- But with no friendly voice, and add thy name

- O Sun, to tell thee how I hate thy beams

- That bring to my remembrance from what state

- I fell, how glorious once above thy Spheare;

- Till Pride and worse Ambition threw me down  originalEd: 40

- Warring in Heav’n against Heav’ns matchless King:

- Ah wherefore! he deservd no such return

- From me, whom be created what I was

- In that bright eminence, and with his good

- Upbraided none; nor was his service hard.

- What could be less then to afford him praise,

- The easiest recompence, and pay him thanks,

- How due! yet all his good prov’d ill in me,

- And wrought but malice; lifted up so high

- I sdeind subjection, and thought one step higher  originalEd: 50

- Would set me highest, and in a moment quit

- The debt immense of endless gratitude,

- So burthensome, still paying, still to ow;

- Forgetful what from him I still receivd,

- And understood not that a grateful mind

- By owing owes not, but still pays, at once

- Indebted and dischargd; what burden then?

- O had his powerful Destiny ordaind

- Me some inferiour Angel, I had stood

- Then happie; no unbounded hope had rais’d  originalEd: 60

- Ambition. Yet why not? som other Power

- As great might have aspir’d, and me though mean

- Drawn to his part; but other Powers as great

- Fell not, but stand unshak’n, from within

- Or from without, to all temptations arm’d.

- Hadst thou the same free Will and Power to stand?

- Thou hadst: whom hast thou then or what to accuse,

- But Heav’ns free Love dealt equally to all?

- Be then his Love accurst, since love or hate,

- To me alike, it deals eternal woe.  originalEd: 70

- Nay curs’d be thou; since against his thy will

- Chose freely what it now so justly rues.

- Me miserable! which way shall I flie

- Infinite wrauth, and infinite despaire?

- Which way I flie is Hell; my self am Hell;

- And in the lowest deep a lower deep

- Still threatning to devour me opens wide,

- To which the Hell I suffer seems a Heav’n.

- O then at last relent: is there no place

- Left for Repentance, none for Pardon left?  originalEd: 80

- None left but by submission; and that word

- Disdain forbids me, and my dread of shame

- Among the spirits beneath, whom I seduc’d

- With other promises and other vaunts

- Then to submit, boasting I could subdue

- Th’ Omnipotent. Ay me, they little know

- How dearly I abide that boast so vaine,

- Under what torments inwardly I groane:

- While they adore me on the Throne of Hell,

- With Diadem and Scepter high advancd  originalEd: 90

- The lower still I fall, onely Supream

- In miserie; such joy Ambition findes.

- But say I could repent and could obtaine

- By Act of Grace my former state; how soon

- Would highth recal high thoughts, how soon unsay

- What feign’d submission swore: ease would recant

- Vows made in pain, as violent and void.

- For never can true reconcilement grow

- Where wounds of deadly hate have peirc’d so deep:

- Which would but lead me to a worse relapse,  originalEd: 100

- And heavier fall: so should I purchase deare

- Short intermission bought with double smart.

- This knows my punisher; therefore as farr

- From granting hee, as I from begging peace:

- All hope excluded thus, behold in stead

- Of us out-cast, exil’d, his new delight,

- Mankind created, and for him this World.

- So farwel Hope, and with Hope farwel Fear,

- Farwel Remorse: all Good to me is lost;

- Evil be thou my Good; by thee at least  originalEd: 110

- Divided Empire with Heav’ns King I hold

- By thee, and more then half perhaps will reigne;

- As Man ere long, and this new World shall know.

- Thus while he spake, each passion dimm’d his face

- Thrice chang’d with pale, ire, envie and despair,

- Which marrd his borrow’d visage, and betraid

- Him counterfet, if any eye beheld.

- For heav’nly mindes from such distempers foule

- Are ever cleer. Whereof hee soon aware,

- Each perturbation smooth’d with outward calme,  originalEd: 120

- Artificer of fraud; and was the first

- That practisd falshood under saintly shew,

- Deep malice to conceale, couch’t with revenge:

- Yet not anough had practisd to deceive

- Uriel once warnd; whose eye pursu’d him down

- The way he went, and on th’ Assyrian mount

- Saw him disfigur’d, more then could befall

- Spirit of happie sort: his gestures fierce

- He markd and mad demeanour, then alone,

- As he suppos’d all unobserv’d, unseen.  originalEd: 130

- So on he fares, and to the border comes

- Of Eden, where delicious Paradise,

- Now nearer, Crowns with her enclosure green,

- As with a rural mound the champain head

- Of a steep wilderness, whose hairie sides

- With thicket overgrown, grottesque and wilde,

- Access deni’d; and over head up grew

- Insuperable highth of loftiest shade,

- Cedar, and Pine, and Firr, and branching Palm,

- A Silvan Scene, and as the ranks ascend  originalEd: 140

- Shade above shade, a woodie Theatre

- Of stateliest view. Yet higher then thir tops

- The verdurous wall of Paradise up sprung:

- Which to our general Sire gave prospect large

- Into his neather Empire neighbouring round.

- And higher then that wall a circling row

- Of goodliest Trees loaden with fairest Fruit,

- Blossoms and Fruits at once of golden hue

- Appeerd, with gay enameld colours mixt:

- On which the Sun more glad impress’d his beams  originalEd: 150

- Then in fair Evening Cloud, or humid Bow,

- When God hath showrd the earth; so lovely seemd

- That Lantskip: And of pure now purer aire

- Meets his approach, and to the heart inspires

- Vernal delight and joy, able to drive

- All sadness but despair: now gentle gales

- Fanning thir odoriferous wings dispense

- Native perfumes, and whisper whence they stole

- Those balmie spoiles. As when to them who saile

- Beyond the Cape of Hope, and now are past  originalEd: 160

- Mosambic, off at Sea North-East windes blow

- Sabean Odours from the spicie shoare

- Of Arabie the blest, with such delay

- Well pleas’d they slack thir course, and many a League

- Cheard with the grateful smell old Ocean smiles.

- So entertaind those odorous sweets the Fiend

- Who came thir bane, though with them better pleas’d

- Then Asmodeus with the fishie fume,

- That drove him, though enamourd, from the Spouse

- Of Tobits Son, and with a vengeance sent  originalEd: 170

- From Media post to Ægypt, there fast bound.

- Now to th’ ascent of that steep savage Hill

- Satan had journied on, pensive and slow;

- But further way found none, so thick entwin’d,

- As one continu’d brake, the undergrowth

- Of shrubs and tangling bushes had perplext

- All path of Man or Beast that past that way:

- One Gate there onely was, and that look’d East

- On th’ other side: which when th’ arch-fellon saw

- Due entrance he disdaind, and in contempt,  originalEd: 180

- At one slight bound high overleap’d all bound

- Of Hill or highest Wall, and sheer within

- Lights on his feet. As when a prowling Wolfe,

- Whom hunger drives to seek new haunt for prey,

- Watching where Shepherds pen thir Flocks at eeve

- In hurdl’d Cotes amid the field secure,

- Leaps o’re the fence with ease into the Fould:

- Or as a Thief bent to unhoord the cash

- Of some rich Burgher, whose substantial dores,

- Cross-barrd and bolted fast, fear no assault,  originalEd: 190

- In at the window climbes, or o’re the tiles:

- So clomb this first grand Thief into Gods Fould:

- So since into his Church lewd Hirelings climbe.

- Thence up he flew, and on the Tree of Life,

- The middle Tree and highest there that grew,

- Sat like a Cormorant; yet not true Life

- Thereby regaind, but sat devising Death

- To them who liv’d; nor on the vertue thought

- Of that life-giving Plant, but only us’d

- For prospect, what well us’d had bin the pledge  originalEd: 200

- Of immortalitie. So little knows

- Any, but God alone, to value right

- The good before him, but perverts best things

- To worst abuse, or to thir meanest use.

- Beneath him with new wonder now he views

- To all delight of human sense expos’d

- In narrow room Natures whole wealth, yea more,

- A Heaven on Earth: for blissful Paradise

- Of God the Garden was, by him in the East

- Of Eden planted; Eden stretchd her Line  originalEd: 210

- From Auran Eastward to the Royal Towrs

- Of Great Seleucia, built by Grecian Kings,

- Or where the Sons of Eden long before

- Dwelt in Telassar: in this pleasant soile

- His farr more pleasant Garden God ordaind;

- Out of the fertil ground he caus’d to grow

- All Trees of noblest kind for sight, smell, taste;

- And all amid them stood the Tree of Life,

- High eminent, blooming Ambrosial Fruit

- Of vegetable Gold; and next to Life  originalEd: 220

- Our Death the Tree of Knowledge grew fast by,

- Knowledge of Good bought dear by knowing ill.

- Southward through Eden went a River large,

- Nor chang’d his course, but through the shaggie hill

- Pass’d underneath ingulft, for God had thrown

- That Mountain as his Garden mould high rais’d

- Upon the rapid current, which through veins

- Of porous Earth with kindly thirst up drawn,

- Rose a fresh Fountain, and with many a rill

- Waterd the Garden; thence united fell  originalEd: 230

- Down the steep glade, and met the neather Flood,

- Which from his darksom passage now appeers,

- And now divided into four main Streams,

- Runs divers, wandring many a famous Realme

- And Country whereof here needs no account,

- But rather to tell how, if Art could tell,

- How from that Saphire Fount the crisped Brooks,

- Rowling on Orient Pearl and sands of Gold,

- With mazie error under pendant shades

- Ran Nectar, visiting each plant, and fed  originalEd: 240

- Flours worthy of Paradise which not nice Art

- In Beds and curious Knots, but Nature boon

- Powrd forth profuse on Hill and Dale and Plaine,

- Both where the morning Sun first warmly smote

- The open field, and where the unpierc’t shade

- Imbround the noontide Bowrs: Thus was this place,

- A happy rural seat of various view:

- Groves whose rich Trees wept odorous Gumms and Balme,

- Others whose fruit burnisht with Golden Rinde

- Hung amiable, Hesperian Fables true,  originalEd: 250

- If true, here onely, and of delicious taste:

- Betwixt them Lawns, or level Downs, and Flocks

- Grasing the tender herb, were interpos’d,

- Or palmie hilloc, or the flourie lap

- Of som irriguous Valley spread her store,

- Flours of all hue, and without Thorn the Rose:

- Another side, umbrageous Grots and Caves

- Of coole recess, o’re which the mantling Vine

- Layes forth her purple Grape, and gently creeps

- Luxuriant; mean while murmuring waters fall  originalEd: 260

- Down the slope hills, disperst, or in a Lake,

- That to the fringed Bank with Myrtle crownd,

- Her chrystall mirror holds, unite thir streams.

- The Birds thir quire apply; aires, vernal aires,

- Breathing the smell of field and grove, attune

- The trembling leaves, while Universal Pan

- Knit with the Graces and the Hours in dance

- Led on th’ Eternal Spring. Not that faire field

- Of Enna, where Proserpin gathring flours

- Her self a fairer Floure by gloomie Dis  originalEd: 270

- Was gatherd, which cost Ceres all that pain

- To seek her through the world; nor that sweet Grove

- Of Daphne by Orontes, and th’ inspir’d

- Castalian Spring might with this Paradise

- Of Eden strive; nor that Nyseian Ile

- Girt with the River Triton, where old Cham,

- Whom Gentiles Ammon call and Libyan Jove,

- Hid Amalthea and her Florid Son

- Young Bacchus from his Stepdame Rhea’s eye;

- Nor where Abassin Kings thir issue Guard,  originalEd: 280

- Mount Amara, though this by som suppos’d

- True Paradise under the Ethiop Line

- By Nilus head, enclos’d with shining Rock,

- A whole dayes journey high, but wide remote

- From this Assyrian Garden, where the Fiend

- Saw undelighted all delight, all kind

- Of living Creatures new to sight and strange:

- Two of far nobler shape erect and tall,

- Godlike erect, with native Honour clad

- In naked Majestie seemd Lords of all,  originalEd: 290

- And worthie seemd, for in thir looks Divine

- The image of thir glorious Maker shon,

- Truth, Wisdome, Sanctitude severe and pure,

- Severe, but in true filial freedom plac’t;

- Whence true autoritie in men; though both

- Not equal, as their sex not equal seemd;

- For contemplation hee and valour formd,

- For softness shee and sweet attractive Grace,

- Hee for God only, shee for God in him:

- His fair large Front and Eye sublime declar’d  originalEd: 300

- Absolute rule; and Hyacinthin Locks

- Round from his parted forelock manly hung

- Clustring, but not beneath his shoulders broad:

- Shee as a vail down to the slender waste

- Her unadorned golden tresses wore

- Dissheveld, but in wanton ringlets wav’d

- As the Vine curles her tendrils, which impli’d

- Subjection, but requir’d with gentle sway,

- And by her yeilded, by him best receivd,

- Yeilded with coy submission, modest pride,  originalEd: 310

- And sweet reluctant amorous delay.

- Nor those mysterious parts were then conceald,

- Then was not guiltie shame, dishonest shame

- Of natures works, honor dishonorable,

- Sin-bred, how have ye troubl’d all mankind

- With shews instead, meer shews of seeming pure,

- And banisht from mans life his happiest life,

- Simplicitie and spotless innocence.

- So passd they naked on, nor shund the sight

- Of God or Angel, for they thought no ill:  originalEd: 320

- So hand in hand they passd, the lovliest pair

- That ever since in loves imbraces met,

- Adam the goodliest man of men since born

- His Sons, the fairest of her Daughters Eve.

- Under a tuft of shade that on a green

- Stood whispering soft, by a fresh Fountain side

- They sat them down, and after no more toil

- Of thir sweet Gardning labour then suffic’d

- To recommend coole Zephyr, and made ease

- More easie, wholsom thirst and appetite  originalEd: 330

- More grateful, to thir Supper Fruits they fell,

- Nectarine Fruits which the compliant boughes

- Yeilded them, side-long as they sat recline

- On the soft downie Bank damaskt with flours:

- The savourie pulp they chew, and in the rinde

- Still as they thirsted scoop the brimming stream;

- Nor gentle purpose, nor endearing smiles

- Wanted, nor youthful dalliance as beseems

- Fair couple, linkt in happie nuptial League,

- Alone as they. About them frisking playd  originalEd: 340

- All Beasts of th’ Earth, since wilde, and of all chase

- In Wood or Wilderness, Forrest or Den;

- Sporting the Lion rampd, and in his paw

- Dandl’d the Kid; Bears, Tygers, Ounces, Pards

- Gambold before them, th’ unwieldy Elephant

- To make them mirth us’d all his might, and wreathd

- His Lithe Proboscis; close the Serpent sly

- Insinuating, wove with Gordian twine

- His breaded train, and of his fatal guile

- Gave proof unheeded; others on the grass  originalEd: 350

- Coucht, and now fild with pasture gazing sat,

- Or Bedward ruminating; for the Sun

- Declin’d was hasting now with prone carreer

- To th’ Ocean Iles, and in th’ ascending Scale

- Of Heav’n the Starrs that usher Evening rose:

- When Satan still in gaze, as first he stood,

- Scarce thus at length faild speech recoverd sad.

- O Hell! what doe mine eyes with grief behold,

- Into our room of bliss thus high advanc’t

- Creatures of other mould, earth-born perhaps,  originalEd: 360

- Not Spirits, yet to heav’nly Spirits bright

- Little inferior; whom my thoughts pursue

- With wonder, and could love, so lively shines

- In them Divine resemblance, and such grace

- The hand that formd them on thir shape hath pourd.

- Ah gentle pair, yee little think how nigh

- Your change approaches, when all these delights

- Will vanish and deliver ye to woe,

- More woe, the more your taste is now of joy;

- Happie, but for so happie ill secur’d  originalEd: 370

- Long to continue, and this high seat your Heav’n

- Ill fenc’t for Heav’n to keep out such a foe

- As now is enterd; yet no purpos’d foe

- To you whom I could pittie thus forlorne

- Though I unpittied: League with you I seek,

- And mutual amitie so streight, so close,

- That I with you must dwell, or you with me

- Henceforth; my dwelling haply may not please

- Like this fair Paradise, your sense, yet such

- Accept your Makers work; he gave it me,  originalEd: 380

- Which I as freely give; Hell shall unfould,

- To entertain you two, her widest Gates,

- And send forth all her Kings; there will be room,

- Not like these narrow limits, to receive

- Your numerous ofspring; if no better place,

- Thank him who puts me loath to this revenge

- On you who wrong me not for him who wrongd.

- And should I at your harmless innocence

- Melt, as I doe, yet public reason just,

- Honour and Empire with revenge enlarg’d,  originalEd: 390

- By conquering this new World, compels me now

- To do what else though damnd I should abhorre.

- So spake the Fiend, and with necessitie,

- The Tyrants plea, excus’d his devilish deeds.

- Then from his loftie stand on that high Tree

- Down he alights among the sportful Herd

- Of those fourfooted kindes, himself now one,

- Now other, as thir shape servd best his end

- Neerer to view his prey, and unespi’d

- To mark what of thir state he more might learn  originalEd: 400

- By word or action markt: about them round

- A Lion now he stalkes with fierie glare,

- Then as a Tiger, who by chance hath spi’d

- In some Purlieu two gentle Fawnes at play,

- Strait couches close, then rising changes oft

- His couchant watch, as one who chose his ground

- Whence rushing he might surest seise them both

- Grip’t in each paw: when Adam first of men

- To first of women Eve thus moving speech,

- Turnd him all eare to heare new utterance flow.  originalEd: 410

- Sole partner and sole part of all these joyes,

- Dearer thy self then all; needs must the Power

- That made us, and for us this ample World

- Be infinitly good, and of his good

- As liberal and free as infinite,

- That rais’d us from the dust and plac’t us here

- In all this happiness, who at his hand

- Have nothing merited, nor can performe

- Aught whereof hee hath need, hee who requires

- From us no other service then to keep  originalEd: 420

- This one, this easie charge, of all the Trees

- In Paradise that beare delicious fruit

- So various, not to taste that onely Tree

- Of knowledge, planted by the Tree of Life,

- So neer grows Death to Life, what ere Death is,

- Som dreadful thing no doubt; for well thou knowst

- God hath pronounc’t it death to taste that Tree,

- The only sign of our obedience left

- Among so many signes of power and rule

- Conferrd upon us, and Dominion giv’n  originalEd: 430

- Over all other Creatures that possesse

- Earth, Aire, and Sea. Then let us not think hard

- One easie prohibition, who enjoy

- Free leave so large to all things else, and choice

- Unlimited of manifold delights:

- But let us ever praise him, and extoll

- His bountie, following our delightful task

- To prune these growing Plants, tend these Flours,

- Which were it toilsom, yet with thee were sweet.

- To whom thus Eve repli’d. O thou for whom  originalEd: 440

- And from whom I was formd flesh of thy flesh,

- And without whom am to no end, my Guide

- And Head, what thou hast said is just and right.

- For wee to him indeed all praises owe,

- And daily thanks, I chiefly who enjoy

- So farr the happier Lot, enjoying thee

- Preëminent by so much odds, while thou

- Like consort to thy self canst no where find.

- That day I oft remember, when from sleep

- I first awak’t, and found my self repos’d  originalEd: 450

- Under a shade on flours, much wondring where

- And what I was, whence thither brought, and how.

- Not distant far from thence a murmuring sound

- Of waters issu’d from a Cave and spread

- Into a liquid Plain, then stood unmov’d

- Pure as th’ expanse of Heav’n; I thither went

- With unexperienc’t thought, and laid me downe

- On the green bank, to look into the cleer

- Smooth Lake, that to me seemd another Skie.

- As I bent down to look, just opposite,  originalEd: 460

- A Shape within the watry gleam appeerd

- Bending to look on me, I started back,

- It started back, but pleasd I soon returnd,

- Pleas’d it returnd as soon with answering looks

- Of sympathie and love, there I had fixt

- Mine eyes till now, and pin’d with vain desire,

- Had not a voice thus warnd me, What thou seest,

- What there thou seest fair Creature is thy self,

- With thee it came and goes: but follow me,

- And I will bring thee where no shadow staies  originalEd: 470

- Thy coming, and thy soft imbraces, hee

- Whose image thou art, him thou shall enjoy

- Inseparablie thine, to him shalt beare

- Multitudes like thy self, and thence be call’d

- Mother of human Race: what could I doe,

- But follow strait, invisibly thus led?

- Till I espi’d thee, fair indeed and tall,

- Under a Platan, yet methought less faire,

- Less winning soft, less amiablie milde,

- Then that smooth watry image; back I turnd,  originalEd: 480

- Thou following cryd’st aloud, Return fair Eve,

- Whom fli’st thou? whom thou fli’st, of him thou art,

- His flesh, his bone; to give thee being I lent

- Out of my side to thee, neerest my heart

- Substantial Life, to have thee by my side

- Henceforth an individual solace dear;

- Part of my Soul I seek thee, and thee claim

- My other half: with that thy gentle hand

- Seisd mine, I yeilded, and from that time see

- How beauty is excelld by manly grace  originalEd: 490

- And wisdom, which alone is truly fair.

- So spake our general Mother, and with eyes

- Of conjugal attraction unreprov’d,

- And meek surrender, half imbracing leand

- On our first Father, half her swelling Breast

- Naked met his under the flowing Gold

- Of her loose tresses hid: he in delight

- Both of her Beauty and submissive Charms

- Smil’d with superior Love, as Jupiter

- On Juno smiles, when he impregns the Clouds  originalEd: 500

- That shed May Flowers; and press’d her Matron lip

- With kisses pure: aside the Devil turnd

- For envie, yet with jealous leer maligne

- Ey’d them askance, and to himself thus plaind.

- Sight hateful, sight tormenting! thus these two

- Imparadis’t in one anothers arms

- The happier Eden, shall enjoy thir fill

- Of bliss on bliss, while I to Hell am thrust,

- Where neither joy nor love, but fierce desire,

- Among our other torments not the least,  originalEd: 510

- Still unfulfill’d with pain of longing pines;

- Yet let me not forget what I have gain’d

- From thir own mouths; all is not theirs it seems:

- One fatal Tree there stands of Knowledge call’d,

- Forbidden them to taste: Knowledge forbidd’n?

- Suspicious, reasonless. Why should thir Lord

- Envie them that? can it be sin to know,

- Can it be death? and do they onely stand

- By Ignorance, is that thir happie state,

- The proof of thir obedience and thir faith?  originalEd: 520

- O fair foundation laid whereon to build

- Thir ruine! Hence I will excite thir minds

- With more desire to know, and to reject

- Envious commands, invented with designe

- To keep them low whom knowledge might exalt

- Equal with Gods; aspiring to be such,

- They taste and die: what likelier can ensue?

- But first with narrow search I must walk round

- This Garden, and no corner leave unspi’d;

- A chance but chance may lead where I may meet  originalEd: 530

- Some wandring Spirit of Heav’n, by Fountain side,

- Or in thick shade retir’d, from him to draw

- What further would be learnt. Live while ye may,

- Yet happie pair; enjoy, till I return,

- Short pleasures, for long woes are to succeed.

- So saying, his proud step he scornful turn’d,

- But with sly circumspection, and began

- Through wood, through waste, o’re hil, o’re dale his roam.

- Mean while in utmost Longitude, where Heav’n

- With Earth and Ocean meets, the setting Sun  originalEd: 540

- Slowly descended, and with right aspect

- Against the eastern Gate of Paradise

- Leveld his eevning Rayes: it was a Rock

- Of Alablaster, pil’d up to the Clouds,

- Conspicuous farr, winding with one ascent

- Accessible from Earth, one entrance high;

- The rest was craggie cliff, that overhung

- Still as it rose, impossible to climbe.

- Betwixt these rockie Pillars Gabriel sat

- Chief of th’ Angelic Guards, awaiting night;  originalEd: 550

- About him exercis’d Heroic Games

- Th’ unarmed Youth of Heav’n, but nigh at hand

- Celestial Armourie, Shields, Helmes, and Speares

- Hung high with Diamond flaming, and with Gold.

- Thither came Uriel, gliding through the Eeven

- On a Sun beam, swift as a shooting Starr

- In Autumn thwarts the night, when vapors fir’d

- Impress the Air, and shews the Mariner

- From what point of his Compass to beware

- Impetuous winds: he thus began in haste.  originalEd: 560

- Gabriel, to thee thy cours by Lot hath giv’n

- Charge and strict watch that to this happie place

- No evil thing approach or enter in;

- This day at highth of Noon came to my Spheare

- A Spirit, zealous, as he seem’d, to know

- More of th’ Almighties works, and chiefly Man

- Gods latest Image: I describ’d his way

- Bent all on speed, and markt his Aerie Gate;

- But in the Mount that lies from Eden North,

- Where he first lighted, soon discernd his looks  originalEd: 570

- Alien from Heav’n, with passions foul obscur’d:

- Mine eye pursu’d him still, but under shade

- Lost sight of him; one of the banisht crew

- I fear, hath ventur’d from the deep, to raise

- New troubles; him thy care must be to find.

- To whom the winged Warriour thus returnd:

- Uriel, no wonder if thy perfet sight,

- Amid the Suns bright circle where thou sitst,

- See farr and wide: in at this Gate none pass

- The vigilance here plac’t, but such as come  originalEd: 580

- Well known from Heav’n; and since Meridian hour

- No Creature thence: if Spirit of other sort,

- So minded, have oreleapt these earthie bounds

- On purpose, hard thou knowst it to exclude

- Spiritual substance with corporeal barr.

- But if within the circuit of these walks

- In whatsoever shape he lurk, of whom

- Thou telst, by morrow dawning I shall know.

- So promis’d hee, and Uriel to his charge

- Returnd on that bright beam, whose point now raisd  originalEd: 590

- Bore him slope downward to the Sun now fall’n

- Beneath th’ Azores; whither the prime Orb,

- Incredible how swift, had thither rowl’d

- Diurnal, or this less volubil Earth

- By shorter flight to th’ East, had left him there

- Arraying with reflected Purple and Gold

- The Clouds that on his Western Throne attend:

- Now came still Eevning on, and Twilight gray

- Had in her sober Liverie all things clad;

- Silence accompanied, for Beast and Bird,  originalEd: 600

- They to thir grassie Couch, these to thir Nests

- Were slunk, all but the wakeful Nightingale;

- She all night long her amorous descant sung;

- Silence was pleas’d: now glow’d the Firmament

- With living Saphirs: Hesperus that led

- The starrie Host, rode brightest, till the Moon

- Rising in clouded Majestie, at length

- Apparent Queen unvaild her peerless light,

- And o’re the dark her Silver Mantle threw.

- When Adam thus to Eve: Fair Consort, th’ hour  originalEd: 610

- Of night, and all things now retir’d to rest

- Mind us of like repose, since God hath set

- Labour and rest, as day and night to men

- Successive, and the timely dew of sleep

- Now falling with soft slumbrous weight inclines

- Our eye-lids; other Creatures all day long

- Rove idle unimploid, and less need rest;

- Man hath his daily work of body or mind

- Appointed, which declares his Dignitie,

- And the regard of Heav’n on all his waies;  originalEd: 620

- While other Animals unactive range,

- And of thir doings God takes no account.

- To morrow ere fresh Morning streak the East

- With first approach of light, we must be ris’n,

- And at our pleasant labour, to reform

- Yon flourie Arbors, yonder Allies green,

- Our walks at noon, with branches overgrown,

- That mock our scant manuring, and require

- More hands then ours to lop thir wanton growth:

- Those Blossoms also, and those dropping Gumms,  originalEd: 630

- That lie bestrowne unsightly and unsmooth,

- Ask riddance, if we mean to tread with ease;

- Mean while, as Nature wills, Night bids us rest.

- To whom thus Eve with perfet beauty adornd.

- My Author and Disposer, what thou bidst

- Unargu’d I obey; so God ordains,

- God is thy Law, thou mine: to know no more

- Is womans happiest knowledge and her praise.

- With thee conversing I forget all time,

- All seasons and thir change, all please alike.  originalEd: 640

- Sweet is the breath of morn, her rising sweet,

- With charm of earliest Birds; pleasant the Sun

- When first on this delightful Land he spreads

- His orient Beams, on herb, tree, fruit, and flour,

- Glistring with dew; fragrant the fertil earth

- After soft showers; and sweet the coming on

- Of grateful Eevning milde, then silent Night

- With this her solemn Bird and this fair Moon,

- And these the Gemms of Heav’n, her starrie train:

- But neither breath of Morn when she ascends  originalEd: 650

- With charm of earliest Birds, nor rising Sun

- On this delightful land, nor herb, fruit, floure,

- Glistring with dew, nor fragrance after showers,

- Nor grateful Evening mild, nor silent Night

- With this her solemn Bird, nor walk by Moon,

- Or glittering Starr-light without thee is sweet.

- But wherfore all night long shine these, for whom

- This glorious sight, when sleep hath shut all eyes?

- To whom our general Ancestor repli’d.

- Daughter of God and Man, accomplisht Eve,  originalEd: 660

- Those have thir course to finish, round the Earth,

- By morrow Eevning, and from Land to Land

- In order, though to Nations yet unborn,

- Ministring light prepar’d, they set and rise;

- Least total darkness should by Night regaine

- Her old possession, and extinguish life

- In Nature and all things, which these soft fires

- Not only enlighten, but with kindly heate

- Of various influence foment and warme,

- Temper or nourish, or in part shed down  originalEd: 670

- Thir stellar vertue on all kinds that grow

- On Earth, made hereby apter to receive

- Perfection from the Suns more potent Ray.

- These then, though unbeheld in deep of night,

- Shine not in vain, nor think, though men were none,

- That heav’n would want spectators, God want praise;

- Millions of spiritual Creatures walk the Earth

- Unseen, both when we wake, and when we sleep:

- All these with ceasless praise his works behold

- Both day and night: how often from the steep  originalEd: 680

- Of echoing Hill or Thicket have we heard

- Celestial voices to the midnight air,

- Sole, or responsive each to others note

- Singing thir great Creator: oft in bands

- While they keep watch, or nightly rounding walk

- With Heav’nly touch of instrumental sounds

- In full harmonic number joind, thir songs

- Divide the night, and lift our thoughts to Heaven.

- Thus talking hand in hand alone they pass’d

- On to thir blissful Bower; it was a place  originalEd: 690

- Chos’n by the sovran Planter, when he fram’d

- All things to mans delightful use; the roofe

- Of thickest covert was inwoven shade

- Laurel and Mirtle, and what higher grew

- Of firm and fragrant leaf; on either side

- Acanthus, and each odorous bushie shrub

- Fenc’d up the verdant wall; each beauteous flour,

- Iris all hues, Roses, and Gessamin

- Rear’d high thir flourisht heads between, and wrought

- Mosaic; underfoot the Violet,  originalEd: 700

- Crocus, and Hyacinth with rich inlay

- Broiderd the ground, more colour’d then with stone

- Of costliest Emblem: other Creature here

- Beast, Bird, Insect, or Worm durst enter none;

- Such was thir awe of man. In shadier Bower

- More sacred and sequesterd, though but feignd,

- Pan or Silvanus never slept, nor Nymph,

- Nor Faunus haunted. Here in close recess

- With Flowers, Garlands, and sweet-smelling Herbs

- Espoused Eve deckt first her Nuptial Bed,  originalEd: 710

- And heav’nly Quires the Hymenæan sung,

- What day the genial Angel to our Sire

- Brought her in naked beauty more adorn’d

- More lovely then Pandora, whom the Gods

- Endowd with all thir gifts, and O too like

- In sad event, when to the unwiser Son

- Of Japhet brought by Hermes, she ensnar’d

- Mankind with her faire looks, to be aveng’d

- On him who had stole Joves authentic fire.

- Thus at thir shadie Lodge arriv’d, both stood,  originalEd: 720

- Both turnd, and under op’n Skie ador’d

- The God that made both Skie, Air, Earth Heav’n

- Which they beheld, the Moons resplendent Globe

- And starrie Pole: Thou also mad’st the Night,

- Maker Omnipotent, and thou the Day,

- Which we in our appointed work imployd

- Have finisht happie in our mutual help

- And mutual love, the Crown of all our bliss

- Ordain’d by thee, and this delicious place

- For us too large, where thy abundance wants  originalEd: 730

- Partakers, and uncropt falls to the ground.

- But thou hast promis’d from us two a Race

- To fill the Earth, who shall with us extoll

- Thy goodness infinite, both when we wake,

- And when we seek, as now, thy gift of sleep.

- This said unanimous, and other Rites

- Observing none, but adoration pure

- Which God likes best, into thir inmost bower

- Handed they went; and eas’d the putting off

- These troublesom disguises which wee wear,  originalEd: 740

- Strait side by side were laid, nor turnd I weene

- Adam from his fair Spouse, nor Eve the Rites

- Mysterious of connubial Love refus’d:

- Whatever Hypocrites austerely talk

- Of puritie and place and innocence,

- Defaming as impure what God declares

- Pure, and commands to som, leaves free to all.

- Our Maker bids increase, who bids abstain

- But our Destroyer, foe to God and Man?

- Haile wedded Love, mysterious Law, true sourse  originalEd: 750

- Of human ofspring, sole proprietie,

- In Paradise of all things common else.

- By thee adulterous lust was driv’n from men

- Among the bestial herds to raunge, by thee

- Founded in Reason, Loyal, Just, and Pure,

- Relations dear, and all the Charities

- Of Father, Son, and Brother first were known.

- Farr be it, that I should write thee sin or blame,

- Or think thee unbefitting holiest place,

- Perpetual Fountain of Domestic sweets,  originalEd: 760

- Whose Bed is undefil’d and chast pronounc’t,

- Present, or past, as Saints and Patriarchs us’d.

- Here Love his golden shafts imploies, here lights

- His constant Lamp, and waves his purple wings,

- Reigns here and revels; not in the bought smile

- Of Harlots, loveless, joyless, unindeard,

- Casual fruition, nor in Court Amours

- Mixt Dance, or wanton Mask, or Midnight Bal,

- Or Serenate, which the starv’d Lover sings

- To his proud fair, best quitted with disdain.  originalEd: 770

- These lulld by Nightingales imbraceing slept,

- And on thir naked limbs the flourie roof

- Showrd Roses, which the Morn repair’d. Sleep on,

- Blest pair; and O yet happiest if ye seek

- No happier state, and know to know no more.

- Now had night measur’d with her shaddowie Cone

- Half way up Hill this vast Sublunar Vault,

- And from thir Ivorie Port the Cherubim

- Forth issuing at th’ accustomd hour stood armd

- To thir night watches in warlike Parade,  originalEd: 780

- When Gabriel to his next in power thus spake.

- Uzziel, half these draw off, and coast the South

- With strictest watch; these other wheel the North,

- Our circuit meets full West. As flame they part

- Half wheeling to the Shield, half to the Spear.

- From these, two strong and suttle Spirits he calld

- That neer him stood, and gave them thus in charge.

- Ithuriel and Zephon, with wingd speed

- Search through this Garden, leav unsearcht no nook,

- But chiefly where those two fair Creatures Lodge,  originalEd: 790

- Now laid perhaps asleep secure of harme.

- This Eevning from the Sun’s decline arriv’d

- Who tells of som infernal Spirit seen

- Hitherward bent (who could have thought?) escap’d

- The barrs of Hell, on errand bad no doubt:

- Such where ye find, seise fast, and hither bring.

- So saying, on he led his radiant Files,

- Daz’ling the Moon; these to the Bower direct

- In search of whom they sought: him there they found

- Squat like a Toad, close at the eare of Eve;  originalEd: 800

- Assaying by his Devilish art to reach

- The Organs of her Fancie, and with them forge

- Illusions as he list, Phantasms and Dreams,

- Or if, inspiring venom, he might taint

- Th’ animal Spirits that from pure blood arise

- Like gentle breaths from Rivers pure, thence raise

- At least distemperd, discontented thoughts,

- Vain hopes, vain aimes, inordinate desires

- Blown up with high conceits ingendring pride.

- Him thus intent Ithuriel with his Spear  originalEd: 810

- Touch’d lightly; for no falshood can endure

- Touch of Celestial temper, but returns

- Of force to its own likeness: up he starts

- Discoverd and surpriz’d. As when a spark

- Lights on a heap of nitrous Powder, laid

- Fit for the Tun som Magazin to store

- Against a rumord Warr, the Smuttie graine

- With sudden blaze diffus’d, inflames the Aire:

- So started up in his own shape the Fiend.

- Back stept those two fair Angels half amaz’d  originalEd: 820

- So sudden to behold the grieslie King;

- Yet thus, unmovd with fear, accost him soon.

- Which of those rebell Spirits adjudg’d to Hell

- Com’st thou, escap’d thy prison, and transform’d,

- Why satst thou like an enemie in waite

- Here watching at the head of these that sleep?

- Know ye not then said Satan, filld with scorn

- Know ye not me? ye knew me once no mate

- For you, there sitting where ye durst not soare;

- Not to know mee argues your selves unknown,  originalEd: 830

- The lowest of your throng; or if ye know,

- Why ask ye, and superfluous begin

- Your message, like to end as much in vain?

- To whom thus Zephon, answering scorn with scorn.

- Think not, revolted Spirit, thy shape the same,

- Or undiminisht brightness, to be known

- As when thou stoodst in Heav’n upright and pure;

- That Glorie then, when thou no more wast good,

- Departed from thee, and thou resembl’st now

- Thy sin and place of doom obscure and foule.  originalEd: 840

- But come, for thou, besure, shalt give account

- To him who sent us, whose charge is to keep

- This place inviolable, and these from harm.

- So spake the Cherube, and his grave rebuke

- Severe in youthful beautie, added grace

- Invincible: abasht the Devil stood,

- And felt how awful goodness is, and saw

- Vertue in her shape how lovly, saw, and pin’d

- His loss; but chiefly to find here observd

- His lustre visibly impar’d; yet seemd  originalEd: 850

- Undaunted. If I must contend, said he,

- Best with the best, the Sender not the sent,

- Or all at once; more glorie will be wonn,

- Or less be lost. Thy fear, said Zephon bold,

- Will save us trial what the least can doe

- Single against thee wicked, and thence weak.

- The Fiend repli’d not, overcome with rage;

- But like a proud Steed reind, went hautie on,

- Chaumping his iron curb: to strive or flie

- He held it vain; awe from above had quelld  originalEd: 860

- His heart, not else dismai’d. Now drew they nigh

- The western point, where those half-rounding guards

- Just met, closing stood in squadron joind

- Awaiting next command. To whom thir Chief

- Gabriel from the Front thus calld aloud.

- O friends, I hear the tread of nimble feet

- Hasting this way, and now by glimps discerne

- Ithuriel and Zephon through the shade,

- And with them comes a third of Regal port,

- But faded splendor wan; who by his gate  originalEd: 870

- And fierce demeanour seems the Prince of Hell,

- Not likely to part hence without contest;

- Stand firm, for in his look defiance lours.

- He scarce had ended, when those two approachd

- And brief related whom they brought, wher found,

- How busied, in what form and posture coucht.

- To whom with stern regard thus Gabriel spake.

- Why hast thou, Satan, broke the bounds prescrib’d

- To thy transgressions, and disturbd the charge

- Of others, who approve not to transgress  originalEd: 880

- By thy example, but have power and right

- To question thy bold entrance on this place;

- Imploi’d it seems to violate sleep, and those

- Whose dwelling God hath planted here in bliss?

- To whom thus Satan with contemptuous brow.

- Gabriel, thou hadst in Heav’n th’ esteem of wise,

- And such I held thee; but this question askt

- Puts me in doubt. Lives ther who loves his pain?

- Who would not, finding way, break loose from Hell,

- Though thither doomd? Thou wouldst thy self, no doubt,  originalEd: 890

- And boldly venture to whatever place

- Farthest from pain, where thou mightst hope to change

- Torment with ease, soonest recompence

- Dole with delight, which in this place I sought;

- To thee no reason; who knowst only good,

- But evil hast not tri’d: and wilt object

- His will who bound us? let him surer barr

- His Iron Gates, if he intends our stay

- In that dark durance: thus much what was askt.

- The rest is true, they found me where they say;  originalEd: 900

- But that implies not violence or harme.

- Thus hee in scorn. The warlike Angel mov’d,

- Disdainfully half smiling thus repli’d.

- O loss of one in Heav’n to judge of wise,

- Since Satan fell, whom follie overthrew,

- And now returns him from his prison scap’t,

- Gravely in doubt whether to hold them wise

- Or not, who ask what boldness brought him hither

- Unlicenc’t from his bounds in Hell prescrib’d;

- So wise he judges it to fly from pain  originalEd: 910

- However, and to scape his punishment.

- So judge thou still, presumptuous, till the wrauth,

- Which thou incurr’st by flying, meet thy flight

- Seavenfold, and scourge that wisdom back to Hell,

- Which taught thee yet no better, that no pain

- Can equal anger infinite provok’t.

- But wherefore thou alone? wherefore with thee

- Came not all Hell broke loose? is pain to them

- Less pain, less to be fled, or thou then they

- Less hardie to endure? courageous Chief,  originalEd: 920

- The first in flight from pain, had’st thou alleg’d

- To thy deserted host this cause of flight,

- Thou surely hadst not come sole fugitive.

- To which the Fiend thus answerd frowning stern.

- Not that I less endure, or shrink from pain,

- Insulting Angel, well thou knowst I stood

- Thy fiercest, when in Battel to thy aide

- The blasting volied Thunder made all speed

- And seconded thy else not dreaded Spear.

- But still thy words at random, as before,  originalEd: 930

- Argue thy inexperience what behooves

- From hard assaies and ill successes past

- A faithful Leader, not to hazard all

- Through wayes of danger by himself untri’d.

- I therefore, I alone first undertook

- To wing the desolate Abyss, and spie

- This new created World, whereof in Hell

- Fame is not silent, here in hope to find

- Better abode, and my afflicted Powers

- To settle here on Earth, or in mid Aire;  originalEd: 940

- Though for possession put to try once more

- What thou and thy gay Legions dare against;

- Whose easier business were to serve thir Lord

- High up in Heav’n, with songs to hymne his Throne,

- And practis’d distances to cringe, not fight.

- To whom the warriour Angel soon repli’d.

- To say and strait unsay, pretending first

- Wise to flie pain, professing next the Spie,

- Argues no Leader, but a lyar trac’t,

- Satan, and couldst thou faithful add? O name,  originalEd: 950

- O sacred name of faithfulness profan’d!

- Faithful to whom? to thy rebellious crew?

- Armie of Fiends, fit body to fit head;

- Was this your discipline and faith ingag’d,

- Your military obedience, to dissolve

- Allegeance to th’ acknowledg’d Power supream?

- And thou sly hypocrite, who now wouldst seem

- Patron of liberty, who more then thou

- Once fawn’d, and cring’d, and servilly ador’d

- Heav’ns awful Monarch? wherefore but in hope  originalEd: 960

- To dispossess him, and thy self to reigne?

- But mark what I arreede thee now, avant;

- Flie thither whence thou fledst: if from this houre

- Within these hallowd limits thou appeer,

- Back to th’ infernal pit I drag thee chaind,

- And Seale thee so, as henceforth not to scorne

- The facil gates of hell too slightly barrd.

- So threatn’d hee, but Satan to no threats

- Gave heed, but waxing more in rage repli’d.

- Then when I am thy captive talk of chaines,  originalEd: 970

- Proud limitarie Cherube, but ere then

- Farr heavier load thy self expect to feel

- From my prevailing arme, though Heavens King

- Ride on thy wings, and thou with thy Compeers,

- Us’d to the yoak, draw’st his triumphant wheels

- In progress through the rode of Heav’n Star-pav’d.

- While thus he spake, th’ Angelic Squadron bright

- Turnd fierie red, sharpning in mooned hornes

- Thir Phalanx, and began to hemm him round

- With ported Spears, as thick as when a field  originalEd: 980

- Of Ceres ripe for harvest waving bends

- Her bearded Grove of ears, which way the wind

- Swayes them; the careful Plowman doubting stands

- Least on the threshing floore his hopeful sheaves

- Prove chaff. On th’ other side Satan allarm’d

- Collecting all his might dilated stood,

- Like Teneriff or Atlas unremov’d:

- His stature reacht the Skie, and on his Crest

- Sat horror Plum’d; nor wanted in his graspe

- What seemd both Spear and Shield: now dreadful deeds  originalEd: 990

- Might have ensu’d, nor onely Paradise

- In this commotion, but the Starrie Cope

- Of Heav’n perhaps, or all the Elements

- At least had gon to rack, disturbd and torne

- With violence of this conflict, had not soon

- Th’ Eternal to prevent such horrid fray

- Hung forth in Heav’n his golden Scales, yet seen

- Betwixt Astrea and the Scorpion signe,

- Wherein all things created first he weighd,

- The pendulous round Earth with ballanc’t Aire  originalEd: 1000

- In counterpoise, now ponders all events,

- Battels and Realms: in these he put two weights

- The sequel each of parting and of fight;

- The latter quick up flew, and kickt the beam;

- Which Gabriel spying, thus bespake the Fiend.

- Satan, I know thy strength, and thou knowst mine,

- Neither our own but giv’n; what follie then

- To boast what Arms can doe, since thine no more

- Then Heav’n permits, nor mine, though doubld now

- To trample thee as mire: for proof look up,  originalEd: 1010

- And read thy Lot in yon celestial Sign

- Where thou art weigh’d, shown how light, how weak,

- If thou resist. The Fiend lookt up and knew

- His mounted scale aloft: nor more; but fled

- Murmuring, and with him fled the shades of night.

The End of the Fourth Book.

BOOK V.

THE ARGUMENT.

Morning approach’t, Eve relates to Adam her troublesome dream; he likes it not, yet comforts her: They come forth to thir day labours: Their Morning Hymn at the Door of their Bower. God to render Man inexcusable sends Raphael to admonish him of his obedience, of his free estate, of his enemy near at hand; who he is, and why his enemy, and whatever else may avail Adam to know. Raphael comes down to Paradise, his appearance describ’d, his coming discern’d by Adam afar off sitting at the door of his Bower; he goes out to meet him, brings him to his lodge, entertains him with the choycest fruits of Paradise got together by Eve; their discourse at Table: Raphael performs his message, minds Adam of his state and of his enemy; relates at Adams request who that enemy is, and how he came to be so, beginning from his first revolt in Heaven, and the occasion thereof; how he drew his Legions after him to the parts of the North, and there incited them to rebel with him, perswading all but only Abdiel a Seraph, who in Argument diswades and opposes him, then forsakes him.

- Now morn her rosie steps in th’ Eastern Clime

- Advancing, sow’d the Earth with Orient Pearle,

- When Adam wak’t, so customd, for his sleep

- Was Aerie light, from pure digestion bred,

- And temperat vapors bland, which th’ only sound

- Of leaves and fuming rills, Aurora’s fan,

- Lightly dispers’d, and the shrill Matin Song

- Of Birds on every bough; so much the more

- His wonder was to find unwak’nd Eve

- With Tresses discompos’d, and glowing Cheek,  originalEd: 10

- As through unquiet rest: he on his side

- Leaning half-rais’d, with looks of cordial Love

- Hung over her enamour’d, and beheld

- Beautie, which whether waking or asleep,

- Shot forth peculiar Graces; then with voice

- Milde, as when Zephyrus on Flora breathes,

- Her hand soft touching, whisperd thus. Awake

- My fairest, my espous’d, my latest found,

- Heav’ns last best gift, my ever new delight,

- Awake, the morning shines, and the fresh field  originalEd: 20

- Calls us, we lose the prime, to mark how spring

- Our tended Plants, how blows the Citron Grove,

- What drops the Myrrhe, what the balmie Reed,

- How Nature paints her colours, how the Bee

- Sits on the Bloom extracting liquid sweet.

- Such whispering wak’d her, but with startl’d eye

- On Adam, whom imbracing, thus she spake.

- O Sole in whom my thoughts find all repose,

- My Glorie, my Perfection, glad I see

- Thy face, and Morn return’d, for I this Night,  originalEd: 30

- Such night till this I never pass’d, have dream’d,

- If dream’d, not as I oft am wont, of thee,

- Works of day pass’t, or morrows next designe,

- But of offence and trouble, which my mind

- Knew never till this irksom night; methought

- Close at mine ear one call’d me forth to walk

- With gentle voice, I thought it thine; it said,

- Why sleepst thou Eve? now is the pleasant time,

- The cool, the silent, save where silence yields

- To the night-warbling Bird, that now awake  originalEd: 40

- Tunes sweetest his love-labor’d song; now reignes

- Full Orb’d the Moon, and with more pleasing light

- Shadowie sets off the face of things; in vain,

- If none regard; Heav’n wakes with all his eyes,

- Whom to behold but thee, Natures desire,

- In whose sight all things joy, with ravishment

- Attracted by thy beauty still to gaze.

- I rose as at thy call, but found thee not;

- To find thee I directed then my walk;

- And on, methought, alone I pass’d through ways  originalEd: 50

- That brought me on a sudden to the Tree

- Of interdicted Knowledge: fair it seem’d,

- Much fairer to my Fancie then by day:

- And as I wondring lookt, beside it stood

- One shap’d and wing’d like one of those from Heav’n

- By us oft seen; his dewie locks distill’d

- Ambrosia; on that Tree he also gaz’d;

- And O fair Plant, said he, with fruit surcharg’d,

- Deigns none to ease thy load and taste thy sweet,

- Nor God, nor Man; is Knowledge so despis’d?  originalEd: 60

- Or envie, or what reserve forbids to taste?

- Forbid who will, none shall from me withhold

- Longer thy offerd good, why else set here?

- This said he paus’d not, but with ventrous Arme

- He pluckt, he tasted; mee damp horror chil’d

- At such bold words voucht with a deed so bold:

- But he thus overjoy’d, O Fruit Divine,

- Sweet of thy self, but much more sweet thus cropt,

- Forbidd’n here, it seems, as onely fit

- For Gods, yet able to make Gods of Men:  originalEd: 70

- And why not Gods of Men, since good, the more

- Communicated, more abundant growes,

- The Author not impair’d, but honourd more?

- Here, happie Creature, fair Angelic Eve,

- Partake thou also; happie though thou art,

- Happier thou mayst be, worthier canst not be:

- Taste this, and be henceforth among the Gods

- Thy self a Goddess, not to Earth confind,

- But sometimes in the Air, as wee, sometimes

- Ascend to Heav’n, by merit thine, and see  originalEd: 80

- What life the Gods live there, and such live thou.

- So saying, he drew nigh, and to me held,

- Even to my mouth of that same fruit held part

- Which he had pluckt; the pleasant savourie smell

- So quick’nd appetite, that I, methought,

- Could not but taste. Forthwith up to the Clouds

- With him I flew, and underneath beheld

- The Earth outstretcht immense, a prospect wide

- And various: wondring at my flight and change

- To this high exaltation; suddenly  originalEd: 90

- My Guide was gon, and I, me thought, sunk down,

- And fell asleep; but O how glad I wak’d

- To find this but a dream! Thus Eve her Night

- Related, and thus Adam answerd sad.

- Best Image of my self and dearer half,

- The trouble of thy thoughts this night in sleep

- Affects me equally; nor can I like

- This uncouth dream, of evil sprung I fear;

- Yet evil whence? in thee can harbour none,

- Created pure. But know that in the Soule  originalEd: 100

- Are many lesser Faculties that serve

- Reason as chief; among these Fansie next

- Her office holds; of all external things,

- Which the five watchful Senses represent,

- She forms Imaginations, Aerie shapes,

- Which Reason joyning or disjoyning, frames

- All what we affirm or what deny, and call

- Our knowledge or opinion; then retires

- Into her private Cell when Nature rests.

- Oft in her absence mimic Fansie wakes  originalEd: 110

- To imitate her; but misjoyning shapes,

- Wilde work produces oft, and most in dreams,

- Ill matching words and deeds long past or late.

- Som such resemblances methinks I find

- Of our last Eevnings talk, in this thy dream,

- But with addition strange; yet be not sad.

- Evil into the mind of God or Man

- May come and go, so unapprov’d, and leave

- No spot or blame behind: Which gives me hope

- That what in sleep thou didst abhorr to dream,  originalEd: 120

- Waking thou never wilt consent to do:

- Be not disheart’nd then, nor cloud those looks

- That wont to be more chearful and serene

- Then when fair Morning first smiles on the World,

- And let us to our fresh imployments rise

- Among the Groves, the Fountains, and the Flours

- That open now thir choicest bosom’d smells

- Reservd from night, and kept for thee in store.

- So cheard he his fair Spouse, and she was cheard,

- But silently a gentle tear let fall  originalEd: 130

- From either eye, and wip’d them with her haire;

- Two other precious drops that ready stood,

- Each in thir chrystal sluce, hee ere they fell

- Kiss’d as the gracious signs of sweet remorse

- And pious awe, that feard to have offended.

- So all was cleard, and to the Field they haste.

- But first from under shadie arborous roof,

- Soon as they forth were come to open sight

- Of day-spring, and the Sun, who scarce up risen

- With wheels yet hov’ring o’re the Ocean brim,  originalEd: 140

- Shot paralel to the earth his dewie ray,

- Discovering in wide Lantskip all the East

- Of Paradise and Edens happie Plains,

- Lowly they bow’d adoring, and began

- Thir Orisons, each Morning duly paid

- In various style, for neither various style

- Nor holy rapture wanted they to praise

- Thir Maker, in fit strains pronounc’t or sung

- Unmeditated, such prompt eloquence

- Flowd from thir lips, in Prose or numerous Verse,  originalEd: 150

- More tuneable then needed Lute or Harp

- To add more sweetness, and they thus began.

- These are thy glorious works Parent of good,

- Almightie, thine this universal Frame,

- Thus wondrous fair; thy self how wondrous then!

- Unspeakable, who sitst above these Heavens

- To us invisible or dimly seen

- In these thy lowest works, yet these declare

- Thy goodness beyond thought, and Power Divine:

- Speak yee who best can tell, ye Sons of light,  originalEd: 160

- Angels, for yee behold him, and with songs

- And choral symphonies, Day without Night,

- Circle his Throne rejoycing, yee in Heav’n,

- On Earth joyn all yee Creatures to extoll

- Him first, him last, him midst, and without end.

- Fairest of Starrs, last in the train of Night,

- If better thou belong not to the dawn,

- Sure pledge of day, that crownst the smiling Morn

- With thy bright Circlet, praise him in thy Spheare

- While day arises, that sweet hour of Prime.  originalEd: 170

- Thou Sun, of this great World both Eye and Soule,

- Acknowledge him thy Greater, sound his praise

- In thy eternal course, both when thou climb’st,

- And when high Noon hast gaind, when thou fallst.

- Moon, that now meetst the orient Sun, now fli’st

- With the fixt Starrs, fixt in thir Orb that flies,

- And yee five other wandring Fires that move

- In mystic Dance not without Song, resound

- His praise, who out of Darkness call’d up Light.

- Aire, and ye Elements the eldest birth  originalEd: 180

- Of Natures Womb, that in quaternion run

- Perpetual Circle, multiform; and mix

- And nourish all things, let your ceasless change

- Varie to our great Maker still new praise.

- Ye Mists and Exhalations that now rise

- From Hill or steaming Lake, duskie or grey,

- Till the Sun paint your fleecie skirts with Gold,

- In honour to the Worlds great Author rise,

- Whether to deck with Clouds the uncolourd skie,

- Or wet the thirstie Earth with falling showers,  originalEd: 190

- Rising or falling still advance his praise.

- His praise ye Winds, that from four Quarters blow,

- Breathe soft or loud; and wave your tops, ye Pines,

- With every Plant, in sign of Worship wave.

- Fountains and yee, that warble, as ye flow,

- Melodious murmurs, warbling tune his praise.

- Joyn voices all ye living Souls, ye Birds,

- That singing up to Heaven Gate ascend,

- Bear on your wings and in your notes his praise;

- Yee that in Waters glide, and yee that walk  originalEd: 200

- The Earth, and stately tread, or lowly creep;

- Witness if I be silent, Morn or Eeven,

- To Hill, or Valley, Fountain, or fresh shade

- Made vocal by my Song, and taught his praise.

- Hail universal Lord, be bounteous still

- To give us onely good; and if the night

- Have gathered aught of evil or conceald,

- Disperse it, as now light dispels the dark.

- So pray’d they innocent, and to thir thoughts

- Firm peace recoverd soon and wonted calm.  originalEd: 210

- On to thir mornings rural work they haste

- Among sweet dewes and flours; where any row

- Of Fruit-trees overwoodie reachd too farr

- Thir pamperd boughes, and needed hands to check

- Fruitless imbraces: or they led the Vine

- To wed her Elm; she spous’d about him twines

- Her mariageable arms, and with her brings

- Her dowr th’ adopted Clusters, to adorn

- His barren leaves. Them thus imploid beheld

- With pittie Heav’ns high King, and to him call’d  originalEd: 220

- Raphael, the sociable Spirit, that deign’d

- To travel with Tobias, and secur’d

- His marriage with the seaventimes-wedded Maid.

- Raphael, said hee, thou hear’st what stir on Earth

- Satan from Hell scap’t through the darksom Gulf

- Hath raisd in Paradise, and how disturbd

- This night the human pair, how he designes

- In them at once to ruin all mankind.

- Go therefore, half this day as friend with friend

- Converse with Adam, in what Bowre or shade  originalEd: 230

- Thou find’st him from the heat of Noon retir’d,

- To respit his day-labour with repast,

- Or with repose; and such discourse bring on,

- As may advise him of his happie state,

- Happiness in his power left free to will,

- Left to his own free Will, his Will though free,

- Yet mutable, whence warne him to beware

- He swerve not too secure: tell him withall

- His danger, and from whom, what enemie

- Late falln himself from Heaven, is plotting now  originalEd: 240

- The fall of others from like state of bliss;

- By violence, no, for that shall be withstood,

- But by deceit and lies; this let him know,

- Least wilfully transgressing he pretend

- Surprisal, unadmonisht, unforewarnd.

- So spake th’ Eternal Father, and fulfilld

- All Justice: nor delaid the winged Saint

- After his charge receivd; but from among

- Thousand Celestial Ardors, where he stood

- Vaild with his gorgeous wings, up springing light  originalEd: 250

- Flew through the midst of Heav’n; th’ angelic Quires

- On each hand parting, to his speed gave way

- Through all th’ Empyreal road; till at the Gate

- Of Heav’n arriv’d, the gate self-opend wide

- On golden Hinges turning, as by work

- Divine the sov’ran Architect had fram’d.

- From hence, no cloud, or, to obstruct his sight,

- Starr interpos’d, however small he sees,

- Not unconform to other shining Globes,

- Earth and the Gard’n of God, with Cedars crownd  originalEd: 260

- Above all Hills. As when by night the Glass

- Of Galileo, less assur’d, observes

- Imagind Lands and Regions in the Moon:

- Or Pilot from amidst the Cyclades

- Delos or Samos first appeering kenns

- A cloudy spot. Down thither prone in flight

- He speeds, and through the vast Ethereal Skie

- Sailes between worlds worlds, with steddie wing

- Now on the polar windes, then with quick Fann

- Winnows the buxom Air; till within soare  originalEd: 270

- Of Towring Eagles, to all the Fowles he seems

- A Phœnix, gaz’d by all, as that sole Bird

- When to enshrine his reliques in the Sun’s

- Bright Temple, to Ægyptian Theb’s he flies.

- At once on th’ Eastern cliff of Paradise

- He lights, and to his proper shape returns

- A Seraph wingd; six wings he wore, to shade

- His lineaments Divine; the pair that clad

- Each shoulder broad, came mantling o’re his brest

- With regal Ornament; the middle pair  originalEd: 280

- Girt like a Starrie Zone his waste, and round

- Skirted his loines and thighes with downie Gold

- And colours dipt in Heav’n; the third his feet

- Shaddowd from either heele with featherd maile

- Skie-tinctur’d grain. Like Maia’s son he stood,

- And shook his Plumes, that Heav’nly fragrance filld

- The circuit wide. Strait knew him all the Bands

- Of Angels under watch; and to his state,

- And to his message high in honour rise;

- For on som message high they guessd him bound.  originalEd: 290

- Thir glittering Tents he passd, and now is come

- Into the blissful field, through Groves of Myrrhe,

- And flouring Odours, Cassia, Nard, and Balme;

- A Wilderness of sweets; for Nature here

- Wantond as in her prime, and plaid at will

- Her Virgin Fancies, pouring forth more sweet,

- Wilde above rule or art; enormous bliss.

- Him through the spicie Forrest onward com

- Adam discernd, as in the dore he sat

- Of his coole Bowre, while now the mounted Sun  originalEd: 300

- Shot down direct his fervid Raies, to warme

- Earths inmost womb, more warmth then Adam needs;

- And Eve within, due at her hour prepar’d

- For dinner savourie fruits, of taste to please

- True appetite, and not disrelish thirst

- Of nectarous draughts between, from milkie stream,

- Berrie or Grape: to whom thus Adam call’d.

- Haste hither Eve, and worth thy sight behold

- Eastward among those Trees, what glorious shape

- Comes this way moving; seems another Morn  originalEd: 310

- Ris’n on mid-noon; som great behest from Heav’n

- To us perhaps he brings, and will voutsafe

- This day to be our Guest. But goe with speed,

- And what thy stores contain, bring forth and poure

- Abundance, fit to honour and receive

- Our Heav’nly stranger; well we may afford

- Our givers thir own gifts, and large bestow

- From large bestowd, where Nature multiplies

- Her fertil growth, and by disburd’ning grows

- More fruitful, which instructs us not to spare.  originalEd: 320

- To whom thus Eve. Adam, earths hallowd mould,

- Of God inspir’d, small store will serve, where store,

- All seasons, ripe for use hangs on the stalk;

- Save what by frugal storing firmness gains

- To nourish, and superfluous moist consumes:

- But I will haste and from each bough and break,

- Each Plant juciest Gourd will pluck such choice

- To entertain our Angel guest, as hee

- Beholding shall confess that here on Earth

- God hath dispenst his bounties as in Heav’n.  originalEd: 330

- So saying, with dispatchful looks in haste

- She turns, on hospitable thoughts intent

- What choice to chuse for delicacie best,

- What order, so contriv’d as not to mix

- Tastes, not well joynd, inelegant, but bring

- Taste after taste upheld with kindliest change,

- Bestirs her then, and from each tender stalk

- Whatever Earth all-bearing Mother yeilds

- In India East or West, or middle shoare

- In Pontus or the Punic Coast, or where  originalEd: 340

- Alcinous reign’d, fruit of all kindes, in coate,

- Rough, or smooth rin’d, or bearded husk, or shell

- She gathers, Tribute large, and on the board

- Heaps with unsparing hand; for drink the Grape

- She crushes, inoffensive moust, and meathes

- From many a berrie, and from sweet kernels prest

- She tempers dulcet creams, nor these to hold

- Wants her fit vessels pure, then strews the ground

- With Rose and Odours from the shrub unfum’d.

- Mean while our Primitive great Sire, to meet  originalEd: 350

- His god-like Guest, walks forth, without more train

- Accompani’d then with his own compleat

- Perfections, in himself was all his state,

- More solemn then the tedious pomp that waits

- On Princes, when thir rich Retinue long

- Of Horses led, and Grooms besmeard with Gold

- Dazles the croud, and sets them all agape.

- Neerer his presence Adam though not awd,

- Yet with submiss approach and reverence meek,

- As to a superior Nature, bowing low,  originalEd: 360

- Thus said. Native of Heav’n, for other place

- None can then Heav’n such glorious shape contain;

- Since by descending from the Thrones above,

- Those happie places thou hast deignd a while

- To want, and honour these, voutsafe with us

- Two onely, who yet by sov’ran gift possess

- This spacious ground, in yonder shadie Bowre

- To rest, and what the Garden choicest bears

- To sit and taste, till this meridian heat

- Be over, and the Sun more coole decline.  originalEd: 370

- Whom thus the Angelic Vertue answerd milde.

- Adam, I therefore came, nor art thou such

- Created, or such place hast here to dwell,

- As may not oft invite, though Spirits of Heav’n

- To visit thee; lead on then where thy Bowre

- Oreshades; for these mid-hours, till Eevning rise

- I have at will. So to the Silvan Lodge

- They came, that like Pomona’s Arbour smil’d

- With flourets deck’t and fragrant smells; but Eve

- Undeckt, save with her self more lovely fair  originalEd: 380

- Then Wood-Nymph, or the fairest Goddess feign’d

- Of three that in Mount Ida naked strove,

- Stood to entertain her guest from Heav’n; no vaile

- Shee needed, Vertue-proof, no thought infirme

- Alterd her cheek. On whom the Angel Haile

- Bestowd, the holy salutation us’d

- Long after to blest Marie, second Eve.

- Haile Mother of Mankind, whose fruitful Womb

- Shall fill the World more numerous with thy Sons

- Then with these various fruits the Trees of God  originalEd: 390

- Have heap’d this Table. Rais’d of grassie terf

- Thir Table was, and mossie seats had round,

- And on her ample Square from side to side

- All Autumn pil’d, though Spring and Autumn here

- Danc’d hand in hand. A while discourse they hold;

- No fear lest Dinner coole; when thus began

- Our Authour. Heav’nly stranger, please to taste

- These bounties which our Nourisher, from whom

- All perfet good unmeasur’d out, descends,

- To us for food and for delight hath caus’d  originalEd: 400

- The Earth to yeild; unsavourie food perhaps

- To spiritual Natures; only this I know,

- That one Celestial Father gives to all.

- To whom the Angel. Therefore what he gives

- (Whose praise be ever sung) to man in part

- Spiritual, may of purest Spirits be found

- No ingrateful food: and food alike those pure

- Intelligential substances require

- As doth your Rational; and both contain

- Within them every lower facultie  originalEd: 410

- Of sense, whereby they hear, see, smell, touch, taste,

- Tasting concoct, digest, assimilate,

- And corporeal to incorporeal turn.

- For know, whatever was created, needs

- To be sustaind and fed; of Elements

- The grosser feeds the purer, earth the sea,

- Earth and the Sea feed Air, the Air those Fires

- Ethereal, and as lowest first the Moon;

- Whence in her visage round those spots, unpurg’d

- Vapours not yet into her substance turn’d.  originalEd: 420

- Nor doth the Moon no nourishment exhale

- From her moist Continent to higher Orbes.

- The Sun that light imparts to all, receives

- From all his alimental recompence

- In humid exhalations, and at Even

- Sups with the Ocean: though in Heav’n the Trees

- Of life ambrosial frutage bear, and vines

- Yeild Nectar, though from off the boughs each Morn

- We brush mellifluous Dewes, and find the ground

- Cover’d with pearly grain: yet God hath here  originalEd: 430

- Varied his bounty so with new delights,

- As may compare with Heaven; and to taste

- Think not I shall be nice. So down they sat,

- And to thir viands fell, nor seemingly

- The Angel, nor in mist, the common gloss

- Of Theologians, but with keen dispatch

- Of real hunger, and concoctive heate

- To transubstantiate; what redounds, transpires

- Through Spirits with ease; nor wonder; if by fire

- Of sooty coal the Empiric Alchimist  originalEd: 440

- Can turn, or holds it possible to turn

- Metals of drossiest Ore to perfet Gold

- As from the Mine. Mean while at Table Eve

- Ministerd naked, and thir flowing cups

- With pleasant liquors crown’d: O innocence

- Deserving Paradise! if ever, then,

- Then had the Sons of God excuse to have bin

- Enamour’d at that sight; but in those hearts

- Love unlibidinous reign’d, nor jealousie

- Was understood, the injur’d Lovers Hell.  originalEd: 450

- Thus when with meats drinks they had suffic’d,

- Not burd’nd Nature, sudden mind arose

- In Adam, not to let th’ occasion pass

- Given him by this great Conference to know

- Of things above his World, and of thir being

- Who dwell in Heav’n, whose excellence he saw

- Transcend his own so farr, whose radiant forms

- Divine effulgence, whose high Power so far

- Exceeded human, and his wary speech

- Thus to th’ Empyreal Minister he fram’d.  originalEd: 460

- Inhabitant with God, now know I well

- Thy favour, in this honour done to man,

- Under whose lowly roof thou hast voutsaf’t

- To enter, and these earthly fruits to taste,

- Food not of Angels, yet accepted so,

- As that more willingly thou couldst not seem

- At Heav’ns high feasts to have fed: yet what compare?

- To whom the winged Hierarch repli’d.

- O Adam, one Almightie is, from whom

- All things proceed, and up to him return,  originalEd: 470

- If not deprav’d from good, created all

- Such to perfection, one first matter all,

- Indu’d with various forms, various degrees

- Of substance, and in things that live, of life;

- But more refin’d, more spiritous, and pure,

- As neerer to him plac’t or neerer tending

- Each in thir several active Sphears assignd,

- Till body up to spirit work, in bounds

- Proportiond to each kind. So from the root

- Springs lighter the green stalk, from thence the leaves  originalEd: 480

- More aerie, last the bright consummate floure

- Spirits odorous breathes: flours and thir fruit

- Mans nourishment, by gradual scale sublim’d

- To vital Spirits aspire, to animal,

- To intellectual, give both life and sense,

- Fansie and understanding, whence the soule

- Reason receives, and reason is her being,

- Discursive, or Intuitive; discourse

- Is oftest yours, the latter most is ours,

- Differing but in degree, of kind the same.  originalEd: 490

- Wonder not then, what God for you saw good

- If I refuse not, but convert, as you,

- To proper substance; time may come when men

- With Angels may participate, and find

- No inconvenient Diet, nor too light Fare:

- And from these corporal nutriments perhaps

- Your bodies may at last turn all to Spirit,

- Improv’d by tract of time, and wingd ascend

- Ethereal, as wee, or may at choice

- Here or in Heav’nly Paradises dwell;  originalEd: 500

- If ye be found obedient, and retain

- Unalterably firm his love entire

- Whose progenie you are. Mean while enjoy

- Your fill what happiness this happie state

- Can comprehend, incapable of more.

- To whom the Patriarch of mankind repli’d.

- O favourable spirit, propitious guest,

- Well hast thou taught the way that might direct

- Our knowledge, and the scale of Nature set

- From center to circumference, whereon  originalEd: 510

- In contemplation of created things

- By steps we may ascend to God. But say,

- What meant that caution joind, if ye be found

- Obedient? can wee want obedience then

- To him, or possibly his love desert

- Who formd us from the dust, and plac’d us here

- Full to the utmost measure of what bliss

- Human desires can seek or apprehend?

- To whom the Angel. Son of Heav’n and Earth,

- Attend: That thou art happie, owe to God;  originalEd: 520

- That thou continu’st such, owe to thy self,

- That is, to thy obedience; therein stand.

- This was that caution giv’n thee; be advis’d.

- God made thee perfet, not immutable;

- And good he made thee, but to persevere

- He left it in thy power, ordaind thy will

- By nature free, not over-rul’d by Fate

- Inextricable, or strict necessity;

- Our voluntarie service he requires,

- Not our necessitated, such with him  originalEd: 530

- Findes no acceptance, nor can find, for how

- Can hearts, not free, be tri’d whether they serve

- Willing or no, who will but what they must

- By Destinie, and can no other choose?

- My self and all th’ Angelic Host that stand

- In sight of God enthron’d, our happie state

- Hold, as you yours, while our obedience holds;

- On other surety none; freely we serve.

- Because wee freely love, as in our will

- To love or not; in this we stand or fall:  originalEd: 540

- And som are fall’n, to disobedience fall’n,

- And so from Heav’n to deepest Hell; O fall

- From what high state of bliss into what woe!

- To whom our great Progenitor. Thy words

- Attentive, and with more delighted eare

- Divine instructer, I have heard, then when

- Cherubic Songs by night from neighbouring Hills

- Aereal Music send: nor knew I not

- To be both will and deed created free;

- Yet that we never shall forget to love  originalEd: 550

- Our maker, and obey him whose command

- Single, is yet so just, my constant thoughts

- Assur’d me and still assure: though what thou tellst

- Hath past in Heav’n, som doubt within me move,

- But more desire to hear, if thou consent,

- The full relation, which must needs be strange,

- Worthy of Sacred silence to be heard;

- And we have yet large day, for scarce the Sun

- Hath finisht half his journey, and scarce begins

- His other half in the great Zone of Heav’n.  originalEd: 560

- Thus Adam made request, and Raphael

- After short pause assenting, thus began.

- High matter thou injoinst me, O prime of men,

- Sad task and hard, for how shall I relate

- To human sense th’ invisible exploits

- Of warring Spirits; how without remorse

- The ruin of so many glorious once

- And perfet while they stood; how last unfould

- The secrets of another world, perhaps

- Not lawful to reveal? yet for thy good  originalEd: 570

- This is dispenc’t, and what surmounts the reach

- Of human sense, I shall delineate so,

- By lik’ning spiritual to corporal forms,

- As may express them best, though what if Earth

- Be but the shaddow of Heav’n, and things therein

- Each to other like, more then on earth is thought?

- As yet this world was not, and Chaos wilde

- Reignd where these Heav’ns now rowl, where Earth now rests

- Upon her Center pois’d, when on a day

- (For Time, though in Eternitie, appli’d  originalEd: 580

- To motion, measures all things durable

- By present, past, and future) on such day

- As Heav’ns great Year brings forth, th’ Empyreal Host

- Of Angels by Imperial summons call’d,

- Innumerable before th’ Almighties Throne

- Forthwith from all the ends of Heav’n appeerd

- Under thir Hierarchs in orders bright

- Ten thousand thousand Ensignes high advanc’d,

- Standards, and Gonfalons twixt Van and Reare

- Streame in the Aire, and for distinction serve  originalEd: 590

- Of Hierarchies, of Orders, and Degrees;

- Or in thir glittering Tissues bear imblaz’d

- Holy Memorials, acts of Zeale and Love

- Recorded eminent. Thus when in Orbes

- Of circuit inexpressible they stood,

- Orb within Orb, the Father infinite,

- By whom in bliss imbosom’d sat the Son,

- A midst as from a flaming Mount, whose top

- Brightness had made invisible, thus spake.

- Hear all ye Angels, Progenie of Light,  originalEd: 600

- Thrones, Dominations, Princedoms, Vertues, Powers,

- Hear my Decree, which unrevok’t shall stand.

- This day I have begot whom I declare

- My onely Son, and on this holy Hill

- Him have anointed, whom ye now behold

- At my right hand; your Head I him appoint;

- And by my Self have sworn to him shall bow

- All knees in Heav’n, and shall confess him Lord:

- Under his great Vice-gerent Reign abide

- United as one individual Soule  originalEd: 610

- For ever happie: him who disobeyes

- Mee disobeyes, breaks union, and that day

- Cast out from God and blessed vision, falls

- Into utter darkness, deep ingulft, his place

- Ordaind without redemption, without end.

- So spake th’ Omnipotent, and with his words

- All seemd well pleas’d, all seem’d but were not all.

- That day, as other solem dayes, they spent

- In song and dance about the sacred Hill,

- Mystical dance, which yonder starrie Spheare  originalEd: 620

- Of Planets and of fixt in all her Wheeles

- Resembles nearest, mazes intricate,

- Eccentric, intervolv’d, yet regular

- Then most, when most irregular they seem:

- And in thir motions harmonie Divine

- So smooths her charming tones, that Gods own ear

- Listens delighted. Eevning approachd

- (For we have also our Eevning and our Morn,

- We ours for change delectable, not need)

- Forthwith from dance to sweet repast they turn  originalEd: 630

- Desirous, all in Circles as they stood,

- Tables are set, and on a sudden pil’d

- With Angels Food, and rubied Nectar flows:

- In Pearl, in Diamond, and massie Gold,

- Fruit of delicious Vines, the growth of Heav’n.

- They eat, they drink, and with refection sweet

- 636-9 On flours repos’d, and with fresh flourets crownd,

- They eate, they drink, and in communion sweet

- Quaff immortalitie and joy, secure

- Of surfet where full measure onely bounds

- Excess, before th’ all bounteous King, who showrd 1674

- Are fill’d before th’ all bounteous King, who showrd

- With copious hand, rejoycing in thir joy.

- Now when ambrosial Night with Clouds exhal’d

- From that high mount of God, whence light shade  originalEd: 640

- Spring both, the face of brightest Heav’n had changd

- To grateful Twilight (for Night comes not there

- In darker veile) and roseat Dews dispos’d

- All but the unsleeping eyes of God to rest,

- Wide over all the Plain, and wider farr

- Then all this globous Earth in Plain outspred,

- (Such are the Courts of God) Th’ Angelic throng

- Disperst in Bands and Files thir Camp extend

- By living Streams among the Trees of Life,

- Pavilions numberless, and sudden reard,  originalEd: 650

- Celestial Tabernacles, where they slept

- Fannd with coole Winds, save those who in thir course

- Melodious Hymns about the sovran Throne

- Alternate all night long: but not so wak’d

- Satan, so call him now, his former name

- Is heard no more in Heav’n; he of the first,

- If not the first Arch-Angel, great in Power,

- In favour and præeminence, yet fraught

- With envie against the Son of God, that day

- Honourd by his great Father, and proclaimd  originalEd: 660

- Messiah King anointed, could not beare

- Through pride that sight, and thought himself impaird.

- Deep malice thence conceiving disdain,

- Soon as midnight brought on the duskie houre

- Friendliest to sleep and silence, he resolv’d

- With all his Legions to dislodge, and leave

- Unworshipt, unobey’d the Throne supream

- Contemptuous, and his next subordinate

- Awak’ning, thus to him in secret spake.

- Sleepst thou, Companion dear, what sleep can close  originalEd: 670

- Thy eye-lids? and remembrest what Decree

- Of yesterday, so late hath past the lips

- Of Heav’ns Almightie. Thou to me thy thoughts

- Wast wont, I mine to thee was wont to impart;

- Both waking we were one; how then can now

- Thy sleep dissent? new Laws thou seest impos’d;

- New Laws from him who reigns, new minds may raise

- In us who serve, new Counsels, to debate

- What doubtful may ensue, more in this place

- To utter is not safe. Assemble thou  originalEd: 680

- Of all those Myriads which we lead the chief;

- Tell them that by command, ere yet dim Night

- Her shadowie Cloud withdraws, I am to haste,

- And all who under me thir Banners wave,

- Homeward with flying march where we possess

- The Quarters of the North, there to prepare

- Fit entertainment to receive our King

- The great Messiah, and his new commands,

- Who speedily through all the Hierarchies

- Intends to pass triumphant, and give Laws.  originalEd: 690

- So spake the false Arch-Angel, and infus’d

- Bad influence into th’ unwarie brest

- Of his Associate; hee together calls,

- Or several one by one, the Regent Powers,

- Under him Regent, tells, as he was taught,

- That the most High commanding, now ere Night,

- Now ere dim Night had disincumberd Heav’n,

- The great Hierarchal Standard was to move;

- Tells the suggested cause, and casts between

- Ambiguous words and jealousies, to sound  originalEd: 700

- Or taint integritie; but all obey’d

- The wonted signal, and superior voice

- Of thir great Potentate; for great indeed

- His name, and high was his degree in Heav’n;

- His count’nance, as the Morning Starr that guides

- The starrie flock, allur’d them, and with lyes

- Drew after him the third part of Heav’ns Host:

- Mean while th’ Eternal eye, whose sight discernes

- Abstrusest thoughts, from forth his holy Mount

- And from within the golden Lamps that burne  originalEd: 710

- Nightly before him, saw without thir light

- Rebellion rising, saw in whom, how spred

- Among the sons of Morn, what multitudes

- Were banded to oppose his high Decree;

- And smiling to his onely Son thus said.

- Son, thou in whom my glory I behold

- In full resplendence, Heir of all my might,

- Neerly it now concernes us to be sure

- Of our Omnipotence, and with what Arms

- We mean to hold what anciently we claim  originalEd: 720

- Of Deitie or Empire, such a foe

- Is rising, who intends to erect his Throne

- Equal to ours, throughout the spacious North;

- Nor so content, hath in his thought to trie

- In battel, what our Power is, or our right.

- Let us advise, and to this hazard draw

- With speed what force is left, and all imploy

- In our defence, lest unawares we lose

- This our high place, our Sanctuarie, our Hill.

- To whom the Son with calm aspect and cleer  originalEd: 730

- Light’ning Divine, ineffable, serene,

- Made answer. Mightie Father, thou thy foes

- Justly hast in derision, and secure

- Laugh’st at thir vain designes and tumults vain,

- Matter to mee of Glory, whom thir hate

- Illustrates, when they see all Regal Power

- Giv’n me to quell thir pride, and in event

- Know whether I be dextrous to subdue

- Thy Rebels, or be found the worst in Heav’n.

- So spake the Son, but Satan with his Powers  originalEd: 740

- Farr was advanc’t on winged speed, an Host

- Innumerable as the Starrs of Night,

- Or Starrs of Morning, Dew-drops, which the Sun

- Impearls on every leaf and every flouer.

- Regions they pass’d, the mightie Regencies

- Of Seraphim and Potentates and Thrones

- In thir triple Degrees, Regions to which

- All thy Dominion, Adam, is no more

- Then what this Garden is to all the Earth,

- And all the Sea, from one entire globose  originalEd: 750

- Stretcht into Longitude; which having pass’d

- At length into the limits of the North

- They came, and Satan to his Royal seat

- High on a Hill, far blazing, as a Mount

- Rais’d on a Mount, with Pyramids and Towrs

- From Diamond Quarries hew’n, Rocks of Gold,

- The Palace of great Lucifer, (so call

- That Structure in the Dialect of men

- Interpreted) which not long after, hee

- Affecting all equality with God,  originalEd: 760

- In imitation of that Mount whereon

- Messiah was declar’d in sight of Heav’n,

- The Mountain of the Congregation call’d;

- For thither he assembl’d all his Train,

- Pretending so commanded to consult

- About the great reception of thir King,

- Thither to come, and with calumnious Art

- Of counterfeted truth thus held thir ears.

- Thrones, Dominations, Princedomes, Vertues, Powers,

- If these magnific Titles yet remain  originalEd: 770

- Not meerly titular, since by Decree

- Another now hath to himself ingross’t

- All Power, and us eclipst under the name

- Of King anointed, for whom all this haste

- Of midnight march, and hurried meeting here,

- This onely to consult how we may best

- With what may be devis’d of honours new

- Receive him coming to receive from us

- Knee-tribute yet unpaid, prostration vile,

- Too much to one, but double how endur’d,  originalEd: 780

- To one and to his image now proclaim’d?

- But what if better counsels might erect

- Our minds and teach us to cast off this Yoke?

- Will ye submit your necks, and chuse to bend

- The supple knee? ye will not, if I trust

- To know ye right, or if ye know your selves

- Natives and Sons of Heav’n possest before

- By none, and if not equal all, yet free,

- Equally free; for Orders and Degrees

- Jarr not with liberty, but well consist.  originalEd: 790

- Who can in reason then or right assume

- Monarchie over such as live by right

- His equals, if in power and splendor less,

- In freedome equal? or can introduce

- Law and Edict on us, who without law

- Erre not, much less for this to be our Lord,

- And look for adoration to th’ abuse

- Of those Imperial Titles which assert

- Our being ordain’d to govern, not to serve?

- Thus farr his bold discourse without controule  originalEd: 800

- Had audience, when among the Seraphim

- Abdiel, then whom none with more zeale ador’d

- The Deitie, and divine commands obei’d,

- Stood up, and in a flame of zeale severe

- The current of his fury thus oppos’d.

- O argument blasphemous, false and proud!

- Words which no eare ever to hear in Heav’n

- Expected, least of all from thee, ingrate

- In place thy self so high above thy Peeres.

- Canst thou with impious obloquie condemne  originalEd: 810

- The just Decree of God, pronounc’t and sworn,

- That to his only Son by right endu’d

- With Regal Scepter, every Soule in Heav’n

- Shall bend the knee, and in that honour due

- Confess him rightful King? unjust thou saist

- Flatly unjust, to binde with Laws the free,

- And equal over equals to let Reigne,

- One over all with unsucceeded power.

- Shalt thou give Law to God, shalt thou dispute

- With him the points of libertie, who made  originalEd: 820

- Thee what thou art, formd the Pow’rs of Heav’n

- Such as he pleasd, and circumscrib’d thir being?

- Yet by experience taught we know how good,

- And of our good, and of our dignitie

- How provident he is, how farr from thought

- To make us less, bent rather to exalt

- Our happie state under one Head more neer

- United. But to grant it thee unjust,

- That equal over equals Monarch Reigne:

- Thy self though great glorious dost thou count,  originalEd: 830

- Or all Angelic Nature joind in one,

- Equal to him begotten Son, by whom

- As by his Word the mighty Father made

- All things, ev’n thee, and all the Spirits of Heav’n

- By him created in thir bright degrees,

- Crownd them with Glory, to thir Glory nam’d

- Thrones, Dominations, Princedoms, Vertues, Powers,

- Essential Powers, nor by his Reign obscur’d,

- But more illustrious made, since he the Head

- One of our number thus reduc’t becomes,  originalEd: 840

- His Laws our Laws, all honour to him done

- Returns our own. Cease then this impious rage,

- And tempt not these; but hast’n to appease

- Th’ incensed Father, and th’ incensed Son,

- While Pardon may be found in time besought.

- So spake the fervent Angel, but his zeale

- None seconded, as out of season judg’d,

- Or singular and rash, whereat rejoic’d

- Th’ Apostat, and more haughty thus repli’d.

- That we were formd then saist thou? the work  originalEd: 850

- Of secondarie hands, by task transferd

- From Father to his Son? strange point and new!

- Doctrin which we would know whence learnt: who saw

- When this creation was? rememberst thou

- Thy making, while the Maker gave thee being?

- We know no time when we were not as now;

- Know none before us, self-begot, self-rais’d

- By our own quick’ning power, when fatal course

- Had circl’d his full Orbe, the birth mature

- Of this our native Heav’n, Ethereal Sons.  originalEd: 860

- Our puissance is our own, our own right hand

- Shall teach us highest deeds, by proof to try

- Who is our equal: then thou shalt behold

- Whether by supplication we intend

- Address, and to begirt th’ Almighty Throne

- Beseeching or besieging. This report,

- These tidings carrie to th’ anointed King;

- And fly, ere evil intercept thy flight.

- He said, and as the sound of waters deep

- Hoarce murmur echo’d to his words applause  originalEd: 870

- Through the infinite Host, nor less for that

- The flaming Seraph fearless, though alone

- Encompass’d round with foes, thus answerd bold.

- O alienate from God, O spirit accurst,

- Forsak’n of all good; I see thy fall

- Determind, and thy hapless crew involv’d

- In this perfidious fraud, contagion spred

- Both of thy crime and punishment: henceforth

- No more be troubl’d how to quit the yoke

- Of Gods Messiah: those indulgent Laws  originalEd: 880

- Will not now be voutsaf’t, other Decrees

- Against thee are gon forth without recall;

- That Golden Scepter which thou didst reject

- Is now an Iron Rod to bruise and breake

- Thy disobedience. Well thou didst advise,

- Yet not for thy advise or threats I fly

- These wicked Tents devoted, least the wrauth

- Impendent, raging into sudden flame

- Distinguish not: for soon expect to feel

- His Thunder on thy head, devouring fire.  originalEd: 890

- Then who created thee lamenting learne,

- When who can uncreate thee thou shalt know.

- So spake the Seraph Abdiel faithful found,

- Among the faithless, faithful only hee;

- Among innumerable false, unmov’d,

- Unshak’n, unseduc’d, unterrifi’d

- His Loyaltie he kept, his Love, his Zeale;

- Nor number, nor example with him wrought

- To swerve from truth, or change his constant mind

- Though single. From amidst them forth he passd,  originalEd: 900

- Long way through hostile scorn, which he susteind

- Superior, nor of violence fear’d aught;

- And with retorted scorn his back he turn’d

- On those proud Towrs to swift destruction doom’d.

The End of the Fifth Book.

BOOK VI.

THE ARGUMENT.

Raphael continues to relate how Michael and Gabriel were sent forth to Battel against Satan and his Angels. The first Fight describ’d: Satan and his Powers retire under Night: He calls a Councel, invents devilish Engines, which in the second dayes Fight put Michael and his Angels to some disorder; But they at length pulling up Mountains overwhelm’d both the force and Machins of Satan: Yet the Tumult not so ending, God on the third day sends Messiah his Son, for whom he had reserv’d the glory of that Victory: Hee in the Power of his Father coming to the place, and causing all his Legions to stand still on either side, with his Chariot and Thunder driving into the midst of his Enemies, pursues them unable to resist towards the wall of Heaven; which opening, they leap down with horrour and confusion into the place of punishment prepar’d for them in the Deep: Messiah returns with triumph to his Father.

- ALL night the dreadless Angel unpursu’d

- Through Heav’ns wide Champain held his way, till Morn,

- Wak’t by the circling Hours, with rosie hand

- Unbarr’d the gates of Light. There is a Cave

- Within the Mount of God, fast by his Throne,

- Where light and darkness in perpetual round

- Lodge and dislodge by turns, which makes through Heav’n

- Grateful vicissitude, like Day and Night;

- Light issues forth, and at the other dore

- Obsequious darkness enters, till her houre  originalEd: 10

- To veile the Heav’n, though darkness there might well

- Seem twilight here; and now went forth the Morn

- Such as in highest Heav’n, arrayd in Gold

- Empyreal, from before her vanisht Night,

- Shot through with orient Beams: when all the Plain

- Coverd with thick embatteld Squadrons bright,

- Chariots and flaming Armes, and fierie Steeds

- Reflecting blaze on blaze, first met his view:

- Warr he perceav’d, warr in procinct, and found

- Already known what he for news had thought  originalEd: 20

- To have reported: gladly then he mixt

- Among those friendly Powers who him receav’d

- With joy and acclamations loud, that one

- That of so many Myriads fall’n, yet one

- Returnd not lost: On to the sacred hill

- They led him high applauded, and present

- Before the seat supream; from whence a voice

- From midst a Golden Cloud thus milde was heard.

- Servant of God, well done, well hast thou fought

- The better fight, who single hast maintaind  originalEd: 30

- Against revolted multitudes the Cause

- Of Truth, in word mightier then they in Armes;

- And for the testimonie of Truth hast born

- Universal reproach, far worse to beare

- Then violence: for this was all thy care

- To stand approv’d in sight of God, though Worlds

- Judg’d thee perverse: the easier conquest now

- Remains thee, aided by this host of friends,

- Back on thy foes more glorious to return

- Then scornd thou didst depart, and to subdue  originalEd: 40

- By force, who reason for thir Law refuse,

- Right reason for thir Law, and for thir King

- Messiah, who by right of merit Reigns.

- Goe Michael of Celestial Armies Prince,

- And thou in Military prowess next

- Gabriel, lead forth to Battel these my Sons

- Invincible, lead forth my armed Saints

- By Thousands and by Millions rang’d for fight;

- Equal in number to that Godless crew

- Rebellious, them with Fire and hostile Arms  originalEd: 50

- Fearless assault, and to the brow of Heav’n

- Pursuing drive them out from God and bliss,

- Into thir place of punishment, the Gulf

- Of Tartarus, which ready opens wide

- His fiery Chaos to receave thir fall.

- So spake the Sovran voice, and Clouds began

- To darken all the Hill, and smoak to rowl

- In duskie wreathes, reluctant flames, the signe

- Of wrauth awak’t: nor with less dread the loud

- Ethereal Trumpet from on high gan blow:  originalEd: 60

- At which command the Powers Militant,

- That stood for Heav’n, in mighty Quadrate joyn’d

- Of Union irresistible, mov’d on

- In silence thir bright Legions, to the sound

- Of instrumental Harmonie that breath’d

- Heroic Ardor to advent’rous deeds

- Under thir God-like Leaders, in the Cause

- Of God and his Messiah. On they move

- Indissolubly firm; nor obvious Hill,

- Nor streit’ning Vale, nor Wood, nor Stream divides  originalEd: 70

- Thir perfet ranks; for high above the ground

- Thir march was, and the passive Air upbore

- Thir nimble tread; as when the total kind

- Of Birds in orderly array on wing

- Came summond over Eden to receive

- Thir names of thee; so over many a tract

- Of Heav’n they march’d, and many a Province wide

- Tenfold the length of this terrene: at last

- Farr in th’ Horizon to the North appeer’d

- From skirt to skirt a fierie Region, stretcht  originalEd: 80

- In battailous aspect, and neerer view

- Bristl’d with upright beams innumerable

- Of rigid Spears, and Helmets throng’d, and Shields

- Various, with boastful Argument portraid,

- The banded Powers of Satan hasting on

- With furious expedition; for they weend

- That self same day by fight, or by surprize

- To win the Mount of God, and on his Throne

- To set the envier of his State, the proud

- Aspirer, but thir thoughts prov’d fond and vain  originalEd: 90

- In the mid way: though strange to us it seemd

- At first, that Angel should with Angel warr,

- And in fierce hosting meet, who wont to meet

- So oft in Festivals of joy and love

- Unanimous, as sons of one great Sire

- Hymning th’ Eternal Father: but the shout

- Of Battel now began, and rushing sound

- Of onset ended soon each milder thought.

- High in the midst exalted as a God

- Th’ Apostat in his Sun-bright Chariot sate  originalEd: 100

- Idol of Majestie Divine, enclos’d

- With Flaming Cherubim, and golden Shields;

- Then lighted from his gorgeous Throne, for now

- ’Twixt Host and Host but narrow space was left,

- A dreadful interval, and Front to Front

- Presented stood in terrible array

- Of hideous length: before the cloudie Van,

- On the rough edge of battle ere it joyn’d,

- Satan with vast and haughtie strides advanc’t,

- Came towring, armd in Adamant and Gold;  originalEd: 110

- Abdiel that sight endur’d not, where he stood

- Among the mightiest, bent on highest deeds,

- And thus his own undaunted heart explores.

- O Heav’n! that such resemblance of the Highest

- Should yet remain, where faith and realtie

- Remain not; wherefore should not strength might

- There fail where Vertue fails, or weakest prove

- Where boldest; though to sight unconquerable?

- His puissance, trusting in th’ Almightie’s aide,

- I mean to try, whose Reason I have tri’d  originalEd: 120

- Unsound and false; nor is it aught but just,

- That he who in debate of Truth hath won,

- Should win in Arms, in both disputes alike

- Victor; though brutish that contest and foule,

- When Reason hath to deal with force, yet so

- Most reason is that Reason overcome.

- So pondering, and from his armed Peers

- Forth stepping opposite, half way he met

- His daring foe, at this prevention more

- Incens’t, and thus securely him defi’d.  originalEd: 130

- Proud, art thou met? thy hope was to have reacht

- The highth of thy aspiring unoppos’d,

- The Throne of God unguarded, and his side

- Abandond at the terror of thy Power

- Or potent tongue; fool, not to think how vain

- Against th’ Omnipotent to rise in Arms;

- Who out of smallest things could without end

- Have rais’d incessant Armies to defeat

- Thy folly; or with solitarie hand

- Reaching beyond all limit, at one blow  originalEd: 140

- Unaided could have finisht thee, and whelmd

- Thy Legions under darkness; but thou seest

- All are not of thy Train; there be who Faith

- Prefer, and Pietie to God, though then

- To thee not visible, when I alone

- Seemed in thy World erroneous to dissent

- From all: my Sect thou seest, now learn too late

- How few sometimes may know, when thousands err.

- Whom the grand foe with scornful eye askance

- Thus answerd. Ill for thee, but in wisht houre  originalEd: 150

- Of my revenge, first sought for thou returnst

- From flight, seditious Angel, to receave

- Thy merited reward, the first assay

- Of this right hand provok’t, since first that tongue

- Inspir’d with contradiction durst oppose

- A third part of the Gods, in Synod met

- Thir Deities to assert, who while they feel

- Vigour Divine within them, can allow

- Omnipotence to none. But well thou comst

- Before thy fellows, ambitious to win  originalEd: 160

- From me som Plume, that thy success may show

- Destruction to the rest: this pause between

- (Unanswerd least thou boast) to let thee know;

- At first I thought that Libertie and Heav’n

- To heav’nly Soules had bin all one; but now

- I see that most through sloth had rather serve,

- Ministring Spirits, trained up in Feast and Song;

- Such hast thou arm’d, the Minstrelsie of Heav’n,

- Servilitie with freedom to contend,

- As both thir deeds compar’d this day shall prove.  originalEd: 170

- To whom in brief thus Abdiel stern repli’d.

- Apostat still thou errst, nor end wilt find

- Of erring, from the path of truth remote:

- Unjustly thou deprav’st it with the name

- Of Servitude to serve whom God ordains,

- Or Nature; God and Nature bid the same,

- When he who rules is worthiest, and excells

- Them whom he governs. This is servitude,

- To serve th’ unwise, or him who hath rebelld

- Against his worthier, as thine now serve thee,  originalEd: 180

- Thy self not free, but to thy self enthrall’d;

- Yet leudly dar’st our ministring upbraid.

- Reign thou in Hell thy Kingdom, let mee serve

- In Heav’n God ever blest, and his Divine

- Behests obey, worthiest to be obey’d,

- Yet Chains in Hell, not Realms expect: mean while

- From mee returnd, as erst thou saidst, from flight,

- This greeting on thy impious Crest receive.

- So saying, a noble stroke he lifted high,

- Which hung not, but so swift with tempest fell  originalEd: 190

- On the proud Crest of Satan, that no sight,

- Nor motion of swift thought, less could his Shield

- Such ruin intercept: ten paces huge

- He back recoild; the tenth on bended knee

- His massie Spear upstaid; as if on Earth

- Winds under ground or waters forcing way

- Sidelong, had push’t a Mountain from his seat

- Half sunk with all his Pines. Amazement seis’d

- The Rebel Thrones, but greater rage to see

- Thus foil’d thir mightiest, ours joy filld, and shout,  originalEd: 200

- Presage of Victorie and fierce desire

- Of Battel: whereat Michael bid sound

- Th’ Arch-angel trumpet; through the vast of Heav’n

- It sounded, and the faithful Armies rung

- Hosanna to the Highest: nor stood at gaze

- The adverse Legions, nor less hideous joyn’d

- The horrid shock: now storming furie rose,

- And clamour such as heard in Heav’n till now

- Was never, Arms on Armour clashing bray’d

- Horrible discord, and the madding Wheeles  originalEd: 210

- Of brazen Chariots rag’d; dire was the noise

- Of conflict; over head the dismal hiss

- Of fiery Darts in flaming volies flew,

- And flying vaulted either Host with fire.

- So under fierie Cope together rush’d

- Both Battels maine, with ruinous assault

- And inextinguishable rage; all Heav’n

- Resounded, and had Earth bin then, all Earth

- Had to her Center shook. What wonder? when

- Millions of firce encountring Angels fought  originalEd: 220

- On either side, the least of whom could weild

- These Elements, and arm him with the force

- Of all thir Regions: how much more of Power

- Armie against Armie numberless to raise

- Dreadful combustion warring, and disturb,

- Though not destroy, thir happie Native seat;

- Had not th’ Eternal King Omnipotent

- From his strong hold of Heav’n high over-rul’d

- And limited thir might; though numberd such

- As each divided Legion might have seemd  originalEd: 230

- A numerous Host, in strength each armed hand

- A Legion; led in fight, yet Leader seemd

- Each Warriour single as in Chief, expert

- When to advance, or stand, or turn the sway

- Of Battel, open when, and when to close

- The ridges of grim Warr; no thought of flight,

- None of retreat, no unbecoming deed

- That argu’d fear; each on himself reli’d,

- As onely in his arm the moment lay

- Of victorie; deeds of eternal fame  originalEd: 240

- Were don, but infinite: for wide was spred

- That Warr and various; somtimes on firm ground

- A standing fight, then soaring on main wing

- Tormented all the Air; all Air seemd then

- Conflicting Fire: long time in eeven scale

- The Battel hung; till Satan, who that day

- Prodigious power had shewn, and met in Armes

- No equal, raunging through the dire attack

- Of fighting Seraphim confus’d, at length

- Saw where the Sword of Michael smote, and fell’d  originalEd: 250

- Squadrons at once, with huge two-handed sway

- Brandisht aloft the horrid edge came down

- Wide wasting; such destruction to withstand

- He hasted, and oppos’d the rockie Orb

- Of tenfold Adamant, his ample Shield

- A vast circumference: At his approach

- The great Arch-Angel from his warlike toile

- Surceas’d, and glad as hoping here to end

- Intestine War in Heav’n, the arch foe subdu’d

- Or Captive drag’d in Chains, with hostile frown  originalEd: 260

- And visage all enflam’d first thus began.

- Author of evil, unknown till thy revolt,

- Unnam’d in Heav’n, now plenteous, as thou seest

- These Acts of hateful strife, hateful to all,

- Though heaviest by just measure on thy self

- And thy adherents: how hast thou disturb’d

- Heav’ns blessed peace, and into Nature brought

- Miserie, uncreated till the crime

- Of thy Rebellion? how hast thou instill’d

- Thy malice into thousands, once upright  originalEd: 270

- And faithful, now prov’d false. But think not here

- To trouble Holy Rest; Heav’n casts thee out

- From all her Confines. Heav’n the seat of bliss

- Brooks not the works of violence and Warr.

- Hence then, and evil go with thee along

- Thy ofspring, to the place of evil, Hell,

- Thou and thy wicked crew; there mingle broiles,

- Ere this avenging Sword begin thy doome,

- Or som more sudden vengeance wing’d from God

- Precipitate thee with augmented paine.  originalEd: 280

- So spake the Prince of Angels; to whom thus

- The Adversarie. Nor think thou with wind

- Of airie threats to aw whom yet with deeds

- Thou canst not. Hast thou turnd the least of these

- To flight, or if to fall, but that they rise

- Unvanquisht, easier to transact with mee

- That thou shouldst hope, imperious, with threats

- To chase me hence? erre not that so shall end

- The strife which thou call’st evil, but wee style

- The strife of Glorie: which we mean to win,  originalEd: 290

- Or turn this Heav’n it self into the Hell

- Thou fablest, here however to dwell free,

- If not to reign: mean while thy utmost force,

- And join him nam’d Almightie to thy aid,

- I flie not, but have sought thee farr and nigh.

- They ended parle, and both addrest for fight

- Unspeakable; for who, though with the tongue

- Of Angels, can relate, or to what things

- Liken on Earth conspicuous, that may lift

- Human imagination to such highth  originalEd: 300

- Of Godlike Power: for likest Gods they seemd,

- Stood they or mov’d, in stature, motion arms

- Fit to decide the Empire of great Heav’n.

- Now wav’d thir fierie Swords, and in the Aire

- Made horrid Circles; two broad Suns thir Shields

- Blaz’d opposite, while expectation stood

- In horror; from each hand with speed retir’d

- Where erst was thickest fight, th’ Angelic throng,

- And left large field, unsafe within the wind

- Of such commotion, such as to set forth  originalEd: 310

- Great things by small, if Natures concord broke,

- Among the Constellations warr were sprung,

- Two Planets rushing from aspect maligne

- Of fiercest opposition in mid Skie,

- Should combat, and thir jarring Sphears confound.

- Together both with next to Almightie Arme,

- Uplifted imminent one stroke they aim’d

- That might determine, and not need repeate,

- As not of power, at once; nor odds appeerd

- In might or swift prevention; but the sword  originalEd: 320

- Of Michael from the Armorie of God

- Was giv’n him temperd so, that neither keen

- Nor solid might resist that edge: it met

- The sword of Satan with steep force to smite

- Descending, and in half cut sheere, nor staid,

- But with swift wheele reverse, deep entring shar’d

- All his right side; then Satan first knew pain,

- And writh’d him to and fro convolv’d; so sore

- The griding sword with discontinuous wound

- Pass’d through him, but th’ Ethereal substance clos’d  originalEd: 330

- Not long divisible, and from the gash

- A stream of Nectarous humor issuing flow’d

- Sanguin, such as Celestial Spirits may bleed,

- And all his Armour staind ere while so bright.

- Forthwith on all sides to his aide was run

- By Angels many and strong, who interpos’d

- Defence, while others bore him on thir Shields

- Back to his Chariot; where it stood retir’d

- From off the files of warr: there they him laid

- Gnashing for anguish and despite and shame  originalEd: 340

- To find himself not matchless, and his pride

- Humbl’d by such rebuke, so farr beneath

- His confidence to equal God in power.

- Yet soon he heal’d; for Spirits that live throughout

- Vital in every part, not as frail man

- In Entrailes, Heart or Head, Liver or Reines,

- Cannot but by annihilating die;

- Nor in thir liquid texture mortal wound

- Receive, no more then can the fluid Aire:

- All Heart they live, all Head, all Eye, all Eare,  originalEd: 350

- All Intellect, all Sense, and as they please,

- They Limb themselves, and colour, shape or size

- Assume, as likes them best, condense or rare.

- Mean while in other parts like deeds deservd

- Memorial, where the might of Gabriel fought,

- And with fierce Ensignes pierc’d the deep array

- Of Moloc furious King, who him defi’d,

- And at his Chariot wheeles to drag him bound

- Threatn’d, nor from the Holie One of Heav’n

- Refrein’d his tongue blasphemous; but anon  originalEd: 360

- Down clov’n to the waste, with shatterd Armes

- And uncouth paine fled bellowing. On each wing

- Uriel and Raphael his vaunting foe,

- Though huge, and in a Rock of Diamond Armd,

- Vanquish’d Adramelec, and Asmadai,

- Two potent Thrones, that to be less then Gods

- Disdain’d, but meaner thoughts learnd in thir flight,

- Mangl’d with gastly wounds through Plate and Maile.

- Nor stood unmindful Abdiel to annoy

- The Atheist crew, but with redoubl’d blow  originalEd: 370

- Ariel and Arioc, and the violence

- Of Ramiel scorcht and blasted overthrew.

- I might relate of thousands, and thir names

- Eternize here on Earth; but those elect

- Angels contented with thir fame in Heav’n

- Seek not the praise of men; the other sort

- In might though wondrous and in Acts of Warr,

- Nor of Renown less eager, yet by doome

- Canceld from Heav’n and sacred memorie,

- Nameless in dark oblivion let them dwell.  originalEd: 380

- For strength from Truth divided and from Just,

- Illaudable, naught merits but dispraise

- And ignominie, yet to glorie aspires

- Vain glorious, and through infamie seeks fame:

- Therfore Eternal silence be thir doome.

- And now thir mightiest quelld, the battel swerv’d,

- With many an inrode gor’d; deformed rout

- Enter’d, and foul disorder; all the ground

- With shiverd armour strow’n, and on a heap

- Chariot and Charioter lay overturnd  originalEd: 390

- And fierie foaming Steeds; what stood, recoyld

- Orewearied, through the faint Satanic Host

- Defensive scarce, or with pale fear surpris’d,

- Then first with fear surpris’d and sense of paine

- Fled ignominious, to such evil brought

- By sinne of disobedience, till that hour

- Not liable to fear or flight or paine.

- Far otherwise th’ inviolable Saints

- In Cubic Phalanx firm advanc’t entire,

- Invulnerable, impenitrably arm’d:  originalEd: 400

- Such high advantages thir innocence

- Gave them above thir foes, not to have sinnd,

- Not to have disobei’d; in fight they stood

- Unwearied, unobnoxious to be pain’d

- By wound, though from thir place by violence mov’d.

- Now Night her course began, and over Heav’n

- Inducing darkness, grateful truce impos’d,

- And silence on the odious dinn of Warr:

- Under her Cloudie covert both retir’d,

- Victor and Vanquisht: on the foughten field  originalEd: 410

- Michael and his Angels prevalent

- Encamping, plac’d in Guard thir Watches round,

- Cherubic waving fires: on th’ other part

- Satan with his rebellious disappeerd,

- Far in the dark dislodg’d, and void of rest,

- His Potentates to Councel call’d by night;

- And in the midst thus undismai’d began.

- O now in danger tri’d, now known in Armes

- Not to be overpowerd, Companions deare,

- Found worthy not of Libertie alone,  originalEd: 420

- Too mean pretense, but what we more affect,

- Honour, Dominion, Glorie, and renowne,

- Who have sustaind one day in doubtful fight,

- (And if one day, why not Eternal dayes?)

- What Heavens Lord had powerfullest to send

- Against us from about his Throne, and judg’d

- Sufficient to subdue us to his will,

- But proves not so: then fallible, it seems,

- Of future we may deem him, though till now

- Omniscient thought. True is, less firmly arm’d,  originalEd: 430

- Some disadvantage we endur’d and paine,

- Till now not known, but known as soon contemnd,

- Since now we find this our Empyreal forme

- Incapable of mortal injurie

- Imperishable, and though peirc’d with wound,

- Soon closing, and by native vigour heal’d.

- Of evil then so small as easie think

- The remedie; perhaps more valid Armes,

- Weapons more violent, when next we meet,

- May serve to better us, and worse our foes,  originalEd: 440

- Or equal what between us made the odds,

- In Nature none: if other hidden cause

- Left them Superiour, while we can preserve

- Unhurt our mindes, and understanding sound,

- Due search and consultation will disclose.

- He sat; and in th’ assembly next upstood

- Nisroc, of Principalities the prime;

- As one he stood escap’t from cruel fight,

- Sore toild, his riv’n Armes to havoc hewn,

- And cloudie in aspect thus answering spake.  originalEd: 450

- Deliverer from new Lords, leader to free

- Enjoyment of our right as Gods; yet hard

- For Gods, and too unequal work we find

- Against unequal armes to fight in paine,

- Against unpaind, impassive; from which evil

- Ruin must needs ensue; for what availes

- Valour or strength, though matchless, quelld with pain

- Which all subdues, and makes remiss the hands

- Of Mightiest. Sense of pleasure we may well

- Spare out of life perhaps, and not repine,  originalEd: 460

- But live content, which is the calmest life:

- But pain is perfet miserie, the worst

- Of evils, and excessive, overturnes

- All patience. He who therefore can invent

- With what more forcible we may offend

- Our yet unwounded Enemies, or arme

- Our selves with like defence, to mee deserves

- No less then for deliverance what we owe.

- Whereto with look compos’d Satan repli’d.

- Not uninvented that, which thou aright  originalEd: 470

- Beleivst so main to our success, I bring;

- Which of us who beholds the bright surface

- Of this Ethereous mould whereon we stand,

- This continent of spacious Heav’n, adornd

- With Plant, Fruit, Flour Ambrosial, Gemms Gold,

- Whose Eye so superficially surveyes

- These things, as not to mind from whence they grow

- Deep under ground, materials dark and crude,

- Of spiritous and fierie spume, till toucht

- With Heav’ns ray, and temperd they shoot forth  originalEd: 480

- So beauteous, op’ning to the ambient light.

- These in thir dark Nativitie the Deep

- Shall yeild us, pregnant with infernal flame,

- Which into hollow Engins long and round

- Thick-rammd, at th’ other bore with touch of fire

- Dilated and infuriate shall send forth

- From far with thundring noise among our foes

- Such implements of mischief as shall dash

- To pieces, and orewhelm whatever stands

- Adverse, that they shall fear we have disarmd  originalEd: 490

- The Thunderer of his only dreaded bolt.

- Nor long shall be our labour, yet ere dawne,

- Effect shall end our wish. Mean while revive;

- Abandon fear; to strength and counsel joind

- Think nothing hard, much less to be despaird.

- He ended, and his words thir drooping chere

- Enlightn’d, and thir languisht hope reviv’d.

- Th’ invention all admir’d, and each, how hee

- To be th’ inventer miss’d, so easie it seemd

- Once found, which yet unfound most would have thought

- Impossible: yet haply of thy Race  originalEd: 501

- In future dayes, if Malice should abound,

- Some one intent on mischief, or inspir’d

- With dev’lish machination might devise

- Like instrument to plague the Sons of men

- For sin, on warr and mutual slaughter bent.

- Forthwith from Councel to the work they flew,

- None arguing stood, innumerable hands

- Were ready, in a moment up they turnd

- Wide the Celestial soile, and saw beneath  originalEd: 510

- Th’ originals of Nature in thir crude

- Conception; Sulphurous and Nitrous Foame

- They found, they mingl’d, and with suttle Art,

- Concocted and adusted they reduc’d

- To blackest grain, and into store conveyd:

- Part hidd’n veins diggd up (nor hath this Earth

- Entrails unlike) of Mineral and Stone,

- Whereof to found thir Engins and thir Balls

- Of missive ruin; part incentive reed

- Provide, pernicious with one touch to fire.  originalEd: 520

- So all ere day-spring, under conscious Night

- Secret they finish’d, and in order set,

- With silent circumspection unespi’d.

- Now when fair Morn Orient in Heav’n appeerd

- Up rose the Victor Angels, and to Arms

- The matin Trumpet Sung: in Arms they stood

- Of Golden Panoplie, refulgent Host,

- Soon banded; others from the dawning Hills

- Lookd round, and Scouts each Coast light-armed scoure,

- Each quarter, to descrie the distant foe,  originalEd: 530

- Where lodg’d, or whither fled, or if for fight,

- In motion or in alt: him soon they met

- Under spred Ensignes moving nigh, in slow

- But firm Battalion; back with speediest Sail

- Zophiel, of Cherubim the swiftest wing,

- Came flying, and in mid Aire aloud thus cri’d.

- Arme, Warriours, Arme for fight, the foe at hand,

- Whom fled we thought, will save us long pursuit

- This day, fear not his flight; so thick a Cloud

- He comes, and settl’d in his face I see  originalEd: 540

- Sad resolution and secure: let each

- His Adamantine coat gird well, and each

- Fit well his Helme, gripe fast his orbed Shield,

- Born eevn or high, for this day will pour down,

- If I conjecture aught, no drizling showr,

- But ratling storm of Arrows barbd with fire.

- So warnd he them aware themselves, and soon

- In order, quit of all impediment;

- Instant without disturb they took Allarm,

- And onward move Embattelld; when behold  originalEd: 550

- Not distant far with heavie pace the Foe

- Approaching gross and huge; in hollow Cube

- Training his devilish Enginrie, impal’d

- On every side with shaddowing Squadrons Deep,

- To hide the fraud. At interview both stood

- A while, but suddenly at head appeerd

- Satan: And thus was heard Commanding loud.

- Vangard, to Right and Left the Front unfould;

- That all may see who hate us, how we seek

- Peace and composure, and with open brest  originalEd: 560

- Stand readie to receive them, if they like

- Our overture, and turn not back perverse;

- But that I doubt, however witness Heaven,

- Heav’n witness thou anon, while we discharge

- Freely our part: yee who appointed stand

- Do as you have in charge, and briefly touch

- What we propound, and loud that all may hear.

- So scoffing in ambiguous words, he scarce

- Had ended; when to Right and Left the Front

- Divided, and to either Flank retir’d.  originalEd: 570

- Which to our eyes discoverd new and strange,

- A triple-mounted row of Pillars laid

- On Wheels (for like to Pillars most they seem’d

- Or hollow’d bodies made of Oak or Firr

- With branches lopt, in Wood or Mountain fell’d)

- Brass, Iron, Stonie mould, had not thir mouthes

- With hideous orifice gap’t on us wide,

- Portending hollow truce; at each behind

- A Seraph stood, and in his hand a Reed

- Stood waving tipt with fire; while we suspense,  originalEd: 580

- Collected stood within our thoughts amus’d,

- Not long, for sudden all at once thir Reeds

- Put forth, and to a narrow vent appli’d

- With nicest touch. Immediate in a flame,

- But soon obscurd with smoak, all Heav’n appeerd,

- From those deep-throated Engins belcht, whose roar

- Emboweld with outragious noise the Air,

- And all her entrails tore, disgorging foule

- Thir devillish glut, chaind Thunderbolts and Hail

- Of Iron Globes, which on the Victor Host  originalEd: 590

- Level’d, with such impetuous furie smote,

- That whom they hit, none on thir feet might stand,

- Though standing else as Rocks, but down they fell

- By thousands, Angel on Arch-Angel rowl’d;

- The sooner for thir Arms, unarm’d they might

- Have easily as Spirits evaded swift

- By quick contraction or remove; but now

- Foule dissipation follow’d and forc’t rout;

- Nor serv’d it to relax thir serried files.

- What should they do? if on they rusht, repulse  originalEd: 600

- Repeated, and indecent overthrow

- Doubl’d, would render them yet more despis’d,

- And to thir foes a laughter; for in view

- Stood rankt of Seraphim another row

- In posture to displode thir second tire

- Of Thunder: back defeated to return

- They worse abhorr’d. Satan beheld thir plight,

- And to his Mates thus in derision call’d.

- O Friends, why come not on these Victors proud?

- Ere while they fierce were coming, and when wee,  originalEd: 610

- To entertain them fair with open Front

- And Brest, (what could we more?) propounded terms

- Of composition, strait they chang’d thir minds,

- Flew off, and into strange vagaries fell,

- As they would dance, yet for a dance they seemd

- Somwhat extravagant and wilde, perhaps

- For joy of offerd peace: but I suppose

- If our proposals once again were heard

- We should compel them to a quick result.

- To whom thus Belial in like gamesom mood.  originalEd: 620

- Leader, the terms we sent were terms of weight,

- Of hard contents, and full of force urg’d home,

- Such as we might perceive amus’d them all,

- And stumbl’d many, who receives them right,

- Had need from head to foot well understand;

- Not understood, this gift they have besides,

- They shew us when our foes walk not upright.

- So they among themselves in pleasant veine

- Stood scoffing, highthn’d in thir thoughts beyond

- All doubt of Victorie, eternal might  originalEd: 630

- To match with thir inventions they presum’d

- So easie, and of his Thunder made a scorn,

- And all his Host derided, while they stood

- A while in trouble; but they stood not long,

- Rage prompted them at length, found them arms

- Against such hellish mischief fit to oppose.

- Forthwith (behold the excellence, the power

- Which God hath in his mighty Angels plac’d)

- Thir Arms away they threw, and to the Hills

- (For Earth hath this variety from Heav’n  originalEd: 640

- Of pleasure situate in Hill and Dale)

- Light as the Lightning glimps they ran, they flew,

- From thir foundations loosning to and fro

- They pluckt the seated Hills with all thir load,

- Rocks, Waters, Woods, and by the shaggie tops

- Up lifting bore them in thir hands: Amaze,

- Be sure, and terrour seis’d the rebel Host,

- When coming towards them so dread they saw

- The bottom of the Mountains upward turn’d,

- Till on those cursed Engins triple-row  originalEd: 650

- They saw them whelmd, and all thir confidence

- Under the weight of Mountains buried deep,

- Themselves invaded next, and on thir heads

- Main Promontories flung, which in the Air

- Came shadowing, and opprest whole Legions arm’d,

- Thir armor help’d their harm, crush’t in and brus’d

- Into thir substance pent, which wrought them pain

- Implacable, and many a dolorous groan,

- Long strugling underneath, ere they could wind

- Out of such prison, though Spirits of purest light,  originalEd: 660

- Purest at first, now gross by sinning grown.

- The rest in imitation to like Armes

- Betook them, and the neighbouring Hills uptore;

- So Hills amid the Air encountered Hills

- Hurl’d to and fro with jaculation dire,

- That under ground they fought in dismal shade;

- Infernal noise; Warr seem’d a civil Game

- To this uproar; horrid confusion heapt

- Upon confusion rose: and now all Heav’n

- Had gone to wrack, with ruin overspread,  originalEd: 670

- Had not th’ Almightie Father where he sits

- Shrin’d in his Sanctuarie of Heav’n secure,

- Consulting on the sum of things, foreseen

- This tumult, and permitted all, advis’d:

- That his great purpose he might so fulfill,

- To honour his Anointed Son aveng’d

- Upon his enemies, and to declare

- All power on him transferr’d: whence to his Son

- Th’ Assessor of his Throne he thus began.

- Effulgence of my Glorie, Son belov’d,  originalEd: 680

- Son in whose face invisible is beheld

- Visibly, what by Deitie I am,

- And in whose hand what by Decree I doe,

- Second Omnipotence, two dayes are past,

- Two dayes, as we compute the dayes of Heav’n,

- Since Michael and his Powers went forth to tame

- These disobedient; sore hath been thir fight,

- As likeliest was, when two such Foes met arm’d;

- For to themselves I left them, and thou knowst,

- Equal in their Creation they were form’d,  originalEd: 690

- Save what sin hath impaird, which yet hath wrought

- Insensibly, for I suspend thir doom;

- Whence in perpetual fight they needs must last

- Endless, and no solution will be found:

- Warr wearied hath perform’d what Warr can do,

- And to disorder’d rage let loose the reines,

- With Mountains as with Weapons arm’d, which makes

- Wild work in Heav’n, and dangerous to the maine.

- Two dayes are therefore past, the third is thine;

- For thee I have ordain’d it, and thus farr  originalEd: 700

- Have sufferd, that the Glorie may be thine

- Of ending this great Warr, since none but Thou

- Can end it. Into thee such Vertue and Grace

- Immense I have transfus’d, that all may know

- In Heavn and Hell thy Power above compare,

- And this perverse Commotion governd thus,

- To manifest thee worthiest to be Heir

- Of all things, to be Heir and to be King

- By Sacred Unction, thy deserved right.

- Go then thou Mightiest in thy Fathers might,  originalEd: 710

- Ascend my Chariot, guide the rapid Wheeles

- That shake Heav’ns basis, bring forth all my Warr,

- My Bow and Thunder, my Almightie Arms

- Gird on, and Sword upon thy puissant Thigh;

- Pursue these sons of Darkness, drive them out

- From all Heav’ns bounds into the utter Deep:

- There let them learn, as likes them, to despise

- God and Messiah his anointed King.

- He said, and on his Son with Rayes direct

- Shon full, he all his Father full exprest  originalEd: 720

- Ineffably into his face receiv’d,

- And thus the filial Godhead answering spake.

- O Father, O Supream of heav’nly Thrones,

- First, Highest, Holiest, Best, thou alwayes seekst

- To glorifie thy Son, I alwayes thee,

- As is most just; this I my Glorie account,

- My exaltation, and my whole delight,

- That thou in me well pleas’d declarst thy will

- Fulfill’d, which to fulfil is all my bliss.

- Scepter and Power, thy giving, I assume,  originalEd: 730

- And gladlier shall resign, when in the end

- Thou shalt be All in All, and I in thee

- For ever, and in mee all whom thou lov’st;

- But whom thou hat’st, I hate, and can put on

- Thy terrors, as I put thy mildness on,

- Image of thee in all things; and shall soon,

- Armd with thy might, rid heav’n of these rebell’d,

- To thir prepar’d ill Mansion driven down

- To chains of Darkness, and th’ undying Worm,

- That from thy just obedience could revolt,  originalEd: 740

- Whom to obey is happiness entire.

- Then shall thy Saints unmixt, and from th’ impure

- Farr separate, circling thy holy Mount

- Unfained Halleluiahs to thee sing,

- Hymns of high praise, and I among them chief.

- So said, he o’re his Scepter bowing, rose

- From the right hand of Glorie where he sate,

- And the third sacred Morn began to shine

- Dawning through Heav’n: forth rush’d with whirl-wind sound

- The Chariot of Paternal Deitie,  originalEd: 750

- Flashing thick flames, Wheele within Wheele undrawn,

- It self instinct with Spirit, but convoyd

- By four Cherubic shapes, four Faces each

- Had wondrous, as with Starrs thir bodies all

- And Wings were set with Eyes, with Eyes the Wheels

- Of Beril, and careering Fires between;

- Over thir heads a chrystal Firmament,

- Whereon a Saphir Throne, inlaid with pure

- Amber, and colours of the showrie Arch.

- Hee in Celestial Panoplie all armd  originalEd: 760

- Of radiant Urim, work divinely wrought,

- Ascended, at his right hand Victorie

- Sate Eagle-wing’d, beside him hung his Bow

- And Quiver with three-bolted Thunder stor’d,

- And from about him fierce Effusion rowld

- Of smoak and bickering flame, and sparkles dire;

- Attended with ten thousand thousand Saints,

- He onward came, farr off his coming shon,

- And twentie thousand (I thir number heard)

- Chariots of God, half on each hand were seen:  originalEd: 770

- Hee on the wings of Cherub rode sublime

- On the Crystallin Skie, in Saphir Thron’d.

- Illustrious farr and wide, but by his own

- First seen, them unexpected joy surpriz’d,

- When the great Ensign of Messiah blaz’d

- Aloft by Angels born, his Sign in Heav’n:

- Under whose Conduct Michael soon reduc’d

- His Armie, circumfus’d on either Wing,

- Under thir Head imbodied all in one.

- Before him Power Divine his way prepar’d;  originalEd: 780

- At his command the uprooted Hills retir’d

- Each to his place, they heard his voice and went

- Obsequious, Heav’n his wonted face renewed,

- And with fresh Flourets Hill and Valley smil’d.

- This saw his hapless Foes, but stood obdur’d,

- And to rebellious fight rallied thir Powers

- Insensate, hope conceiving from despair.

- In heav’nly Spirits could such perverseness dwell?

- But to convince the proud what Signs availe,

- Or Wonders move th’ obdurate to relent?  originalEd: 790

- They hard’nd more by what might most reclame,

- Grieving to see his Glorie, at the sight

- Took envie, and aspiring to his highth,

- Stood reimbattell’d fierce, by force or fraud

- Weening to prosper, and at length prevaile

- Against God and Messiah, or to fall

- In universal ruin last, and now

- To final Battel drew, disdaining flight,

- Or faint retreat; when the great Son of God

- To all his Host on either hand thus spake.  originalEd: 800

- Stand still in bright array ye Saints, here stand

- Ye Angels arm’d, this day from Battel rest;

- Faithful hath been your Warfare, and of God

- Accepted, fearless in his righteous Cause,

- And as ye have receivd, so have ye don

- Invincibly: but of this cursed crew

- The punishment to other hand belongs,

- Vengeance is his, or whose he sole appoints;

- Number to this dayes work is not ordain’d

- Nor multitude, stand onely and behold  originalEd: 810

- Gods indignation on these Godless pourd

- By mee; not you but mee they have despis’d,

- Yet envied; against mee is all thir rage,

- Because the Father, t’whom in Heav’n supream

- Kingdom and Power and Glorie appertains,

- Hath honourd me according to his will.

- Therefore to mee thir doom he hath assig’n’d;

- That they may have thir wish, to trie with mee

- In Battel which the stronger proves, they all,

- Or I alone against them, since by strength  originalEd: 820

- They measure all, of other excellence

- Not emulous, nor care who them excells;

- Nor other strife with them do I voutsafe.

- So spake the Son, and into terrour chang’d

- His count’nance too severe to be beheld

- And full of wrauth bent on his Enemies.

- At once the Four spred out thir Starrie wings

- With dreadful shade contiguous, and the Orbes

- Of his fierce Chariot rowld, as with the sound

- Of torrent Floods, or of a numerous Host.  originalEd: 830

- Hee on his impious Foes right onward drove,

- Gloomie as Night; under his burning Wheeles

- The stedfast Empyrean shook throughout,

- All but the Throne it self of God. Full soon

- Among them he arriv’d; in his right hand

- Grasping ten thousand Thunders, which he sent

- Before him, such as in thir Soules infix’d

- Plagues; they astonisht all resistance lost,

- All courage; down thir idle weapons drop’d;

- O’re Shields and Helmes, and helmed heads he rode  originalEd: 840

- Of Thrones and mighty Seraphim prostrate,

- That wish’d the Mountains now might be again

- Thrown on them as a shelter from his ire.

- Nor less on either side tempestuous fell

- His arrows, from the fourfold-visag’d Foure,

- Distinct with eyes, and from the living Wheels,

- Distinct alike with multitude of eyes,

- One Spirit in them rul’d, and every eye

- Glar’d lightning, and shot forth pernicious fire

- Among th’ accurst, that witherd all thir strength,  originalEd: 850

- And of thir wonted vigour left them draind,

- Exhausted, spiritless, afflicted, fall’n.

- Yet half his strength he put not forth, but check’d

- His Thunder in mid Volie, for he meant

- Not to destroy, but root them out of Heav’n:

- The overthrown he rais’d, and as a Heard

- Of Goats or timerous flock together throngd

- Drove them before him Thunder-struck, pursu’d

- With terrors and with furies to the bounds

- And Chrystall wall of Heav’n, which op’ning wide,  originalEd: 860

- Rowld inward, and a spacious Gap disclos’d

- Into the wastful Deep; the monstrous sight

- Strook them with horror backward, but far worse

- Urg’d them behind; headlong themselves they threw

- Down from the verge of Heav’n, Eternal wrauth

- Burnt after them to the bottomless pit.

- Hell heard th’ unsufferable noise, Hell saw

- Heav’n ruining from Heav’n, and would have fled

- Affrighted; but strict Fate had cast too deep

- Her dark foundations, and too fast had bound.  originalEd: 870

- Nine dayes they fell; confounded Chaos roard,

- And felt tenfold confusion in thir fall

- Through his wilde Anarchie, so huge a rout

- Incumberd him with ruin: Hell at last

- Yawning receavd them whole, and on them clos’d,

- Hell thir fit habitation fraught with fire

- Unquenchable, the house of woe and paine.

- Disburd’nd Heav’n rejoic’d, and soon repaird

- Her mural breach, returning whence it rowld.

- Sole Victor from th’ expulsion of his Foes  originalEd: 880

- Messiah his triumphal Chariot turnd:

- To meet him all his Saints, who silent stood

- Eye witnesses of his Almightie Acts,

- With Jubilie advanc’d; and as they went,

- Shaded with branching Palme, each order bright,

- Sung Triumph, and him sung Victorious King,

- Son, Heire, and Lord, to him Dominion giv’n,

- Worthiest to Reign: he celebrated rode

- Triumphant through mid Heav’n, into the Courts

- And Temple of his mightie Father Thron’d  originalEd: 890

- On high; who into Glorie him receav’d,

- Where now he sits at the right hand of bliss.

- Thus measuring things in Heav’n by things on Earth

- At thy request, and that thou maist beware

- By what is past, to thee I have reveal’d

- What might have else to human Race bin hid:

- The discord which befel, and Warr in Heav’n

- Among th’ Angelic Powers, and the deep fall

- Of those too high aspiring, who rebelld

- With Satan, hee who envies now thy state,  originalEd: 900

- Who now is plotting how he may seduce

- Thee also from obedience, that with him

- Bereavd of happiness thou maist partake

- His punishment, Eternal miserie;

- Which would be all his solace and revenge,

- As a despite don against the most High,

- Thee once to gaine Companion of his woe.

- But list’n not to his Temptations, warne

- Thy weaker; let it profit thee to have heard

- By terrible Example the reward  originalEd: 910

- Of disobedience; firm they might have stood,

- Yet fell; remember, and fear to transgress.

- The End of the Sixth Book.

BOOK VII.

THE ARGUMENT.

Raphael at the request of Adam relates how and wherefore this world was first created; that God, after the expelling of Satan and his Angels out of Heaven, declar’d his pleasure to create another World and other Creatures to dwell therein; sends his Son with Glory and attendance of Angels to perform the work of Creation in six dayes: the Angels celebrate with Hymns the performance thereof, and his reascention into Heaven.

- DESCEND from Heav’n Urania, by that name

- If rightly thou art call’d, whose Voice divine

- Following, above th’ Olympian Hill I soare,

- Above the flight of Pegasean wing.

- The meaning, not the Name I call: for thou

- Nor of the Muses nine, nor on the top

- Of old Olympus dwell’st, but Heav’nlie borne,

- Before the Hills appeerd, or Fountain flow’d,

- Thou with Eternal wisdom didst converse,

- Wisdom thy Sister, and with her didst play  originalEd: 10

- In presence of th’ Almightie Father, pleas’d

- With thy Celestial Song. Up led by thee

- Into the Heav’n of Heav’ns I have presum’d,

- An Earthlie Guest, and drawn Empyreal Aire,

- Thy tempring; with like safetie guided down

- Return me to my Native Element:

- Least from this flying Steed unrein’d, (as once

- Bellerophon, though from a lower Clime)

- Dismounted, on th’ Aleian Field I fall

- Erroneous, there to wander and forlorne.  originalEd: 20

- Half yet remaines unsung, but narrower bound

- Within the visible Diurnal Spheare;

- Standing on Earth, not rapt above the Pole,

- More safe I Sing with mortal voice, unchang’d

- To hoarce or mute, though fall’n on evil dayes,

- On evil dayes though fall’n, and evil tongues;

- In darkness, and with dangers compast round,

- And solitude; yet not alone, while thou

- Visit’st my slumbers Nightly, or when Morn

- Purples the East: still govern thou my Song,  originalEd: 30

- Urania, and fit audience find, though few.

- But drive farr off the barbarous dissonance

- Of Bacchus and his Revellers, the Race

- Of that wilde Rout that tore the Thracian Bard

- In Rhodope, where Woods and Rocks had Eares

- To rapture, till the savage clamor dround

- Both Harp and Voice; nor could the Muse defend

- Her Son. So fail not thou, who thee implores:

- For thou art Heav’nlie, shee an empty dreame.

- Say Goddess, what ensu’d when Raphael,  originalEd: 40

- The affable Arch-angel, had forewarn’d

- Adam by dire example to beware

- Apostasie, by what befell in Heaven

- To those Apostates, least the like befall

- In Paradise to Adam or his Race,

- Charg’d not to touch the interdicted Tree,

- If they transgress, and slight that sole command,

- So easily obeyd amid the choice

- Of all tasts else to please thir appetite.

- Though wandring. He with his consorted Eve  originalEd: 50

- The storie heard attentive, and was fill’d

- With admiration, and deep Muse to heare

- Of things so high and strange, things to thir thought

- So unimaginable as hate in Heav’n,

- And Warr so neer the Peace of God in bliss

- With such confusion: but the evil soon

- Driv’n back redounded as a flood on those

- From whom it sprung, impossible to mix

- With Blessedness. Whence Adam soon repeal’d

- The doubts that in his heart arose: and now  originalEd: 60

- Led on, yet sinless, with desire to know

- What neerer might concern him, how this World

- Of Heav’n and Earth conspicuous first began,

- When, and whereof created, for what cause,

- What within Eden or without was done

- Before his memorie, as one whose drouth

- Yet scarce allay’d still eyes the current streame,

- Whose liquid murmur heard new thirst excites,

- Proceeded thus to ask his Heav’nly Guest.

- Great things, and full of wonder in our eares,  originalEd: 70

- Farr differing from this World, thou hast reveal’d

- Divine Interpreter, by favour sent

- Down from the Empyrean to forewarne

- Us timely of what might else have bin our loss,

- Unknown, which human knowledg could not reach:

- For which to the infinitly Good we owe

- Immortal thanks, and his admonishment

- Receave with solemne purpose to observe

- Immutably his sovran will, the end

- Of what we are. But since thou hast voutsaf’t  originalEd: 80

- Gently for our instruction to impart

- Things above Earthly thought, which yet concernd

- Our knowing, as to highest wisdom seemd,

- Deign to descend now lower, and relate

- What may no less perhaps availe us known,

- How first began this Heav’n which we behold

- Distant so high, with moving Fires adornd

- Innumerable, and this which yeelds or fills

- All space, the ambient Aire wide interfus’d

- Imbracing round this florid Earth, what cause  originalEd: 90

- Mov’d the Creator in his holy Rest

- Through all Eternitie so late to build

- In Chaos, and the work begun, how soon

- Absolv’d, if unforbid thou maist unfould

- What wee, not to explore the secrets aske

- Of his Eternal Empire, but the more

- To magnifie his works, the more we know.

- And the great Light of Day yet wants to run

- Much of his Race though steep, suspens in Heav’n

- Held by thy voice, thy potent voice he heares,  originalEd: 100

- And longer will delay to heare thee tell

- His Generation, and the rising Birth

- Of Nature from the unapparent Deep:

- Or if the Starr of Eevning and the Moon

- Haste to thy audience, Night with her will bring

- Silence, and Sleep listning to thee will watch,

- Or we can bid his absence, till thy Song

- End, and dismiss thee ere the Morning shine.

- Thus Adam his illustrious Guest besought:

- And thus the Godlike Angel answerd milde.  originalEd: 110

- This also thy request with caution askt

- Obtaine: though to recount Almightie works

- What words or tongue of Seraph can suffice,

- Or heart of man suffice to comprehend?

- Yet what thou canst attain, which best may serve

- To glorifie the Maker, and inferr

- Thee also happier, shall not be withheld

- Thy hearing, such Commission from above

- I have receav’d, to answer thy desire

- Of knowledge within bounds; beyond abstain  originalEd: 120

- To ask, nor let thine own inventions hope

- Things not reveal’d which th’ invisible King,

- Onely Omniscient hath supprest in Night,

- To none communicable in Earth or Heaven:

- Anough is left besides to search and know.

- But Knowledge is as food, and needs no less

- Her Temperance over Appetite, to know

- In measure what the mind may well contain,

- Oppresses else with Surfet, and soon turns

- Wisdom to Folly, as Nourishment to Winde.  originalEd: 130

- Know then, that after Lucifer from Heav’n

- (So call him, brighter once amidst the Host

- Of Angels, then that Starr the Starrs among)

- Fell with his flaming Legions through the Deep

- Into his place, and the great Son returnd

- Victorious with his Saints, th’ Omnipotent

- Eternal Father from his Throne beheld

- Thir multitude, and to his Son thus spake.

- At least our envious Foe hath fail’d, who thought

- All like himself rebellious, by whose aid  originalEd: 140

- This inaccessible high strength, the seat

- Of Deitie supream, us dispossest,

- He trusted to have seis’d, and into fraud

- Drew many, whom thir place knows here no more;

- Yet farr the greater part have kept, I see,

- Thir station, Heav’n yet populous retaines

- Number sufficient to possess her Realmes

- Though wide, and this high Temple to frequent

- With Ministeries due and solemn Rites:

- But least his heart exalt him in the harme  originalEd: 150

- Already done, to have dispeopl’d Heav’n,

- My damage fondly deem’d, I can repaire

- That detriment, if such it be to lose

- Self-lost, and in a moment will create

- Another World, out of one man a Race

- Of men innumerable, there to dwell,

- Not here, till by degrees of merit rais’d

- They open to themselves at length the way

- Up hither, under long obedience tri’d,

- And Earth be chang’d to Heavn, Heav’n to Earth,  originalEd: 160

- One Kingdom, Joy and Union without end.

- Mean while inhabit laxe, ye Powers of Heav’n,

- And thou my Word, begotten Son, by thee

- This I perform, speak thou, and be it don:

- My overshadowing Spirit and might with thee

- I send along, ride forth, and bid the Deep

- Within appointed bounds be Heav’n and Earth,

- Boundless the Deep, because I am who fill

- Infinitude, nor vacuous the space.

- Though I uncircumscrib’d my self retire,  originalEd: 170

- And put not forth my goodness, which is free

- To act or not, Necessitie and Chance

- Approach not mee, and what I will is Fate.

- So spake th’ Almightie, and to what he spake

- His Word, the Filial Godhead, gave effect.

- Immediate are the Acts of God, more swift

- Then time or motion, but to human ears

- Cannot without process of speech be told,

- So told as earthly notion can receave.

- Great triumph and rejoycing was in Heav’n  originalEd: 180

- When such was heard declar’d the Almightie’s will;

- Glorie they sung to the most High, good will

- To future men, and in thir dwellings peace:

- Glorie to him whose just avenging ire

- Had driven out th’ ungodly from his sight

- And th’ habitations of the just; to him

- Glorie and praise, whose wisdom had ordain’d

- Good out of evil to create, in stead

- Of Spirits maligne a better Race to bring

- Into thir vacant room, and thence diffuse  originalEd: 190

- His good to Worlds and Ages infinite.

- So sang the Hierarchies: Mean while the Son

- On his great Expedition now appeer’d,

- Girt with Omnipotence, with Radiance crown’d

- Of Majestie Divine, Sapience and Love

- Immense, and all his Father in him shon.

- About his Chariot numberless were pour’d

- Cherub and Seraph, Potentates and Thrones,

- And Vertues, winged Spirits, and Chariots wing’d,

- From the Armoury of God, where stand of old  originalEd: 200

- Myriads between two brazen Mountains lodg’d

- Against a solemn day, harnest at hand,

- Celestial Equipage; and now came forth

- Spontaneous, for within them Spirit livd,

- Attendant on thir Lord: Heav’n op’nd wide

- Her ever during Gates, Harmonious sound

- On golden Hinges moving, to let forth

- The King of Glorie in his powerful Word

- And Spirit coming to create new Worlds.

- On heav’nly ground they stood, and from the shore  originalEd: 210

- They view’d the vast immeasurable Abyss

- Outrageous as a Sea, dark, wasteful, wilde,

- Up from the bottom turn’d by furious windes

- And surging waves, as Mountains to assault

- Heav’ns highth, and with the Center mix the Pole.

- Silence, ye troubl’d waves, and thou Deep, peace,

- Said then th’ Omnific Word, your discord end:

- Nor staid, but on the Wings of Cherubim

- Uplifted, in Paternal Glorie rode

- Farr into Chaos, and the World unborn;  originalEd: 220

- For Chaos heard his voice: him all his Traine

- Follow’d in bright procession to behold

- Creation, and the wonders of his might.

- Then staid the fervid Wheeles, and in his hand

- He took the golden Compasses, prepar’d

- In Gods Eternal store, to circumscribe

- This Universe, and all created things:

- One foot he center’d, and the other turn’d

- Round through the vast profunditie obscure,

- And said, thus farr extend, thus farr thy bounds,  originalEd: 230

- This be thy just Circumference, O World.

- Thus God the Heav’n created, thus the Earth,

- Matter unform’d and void: Darkness profound

- Cover’d th’ Abyss: but on the watrie calme

- His brooding wings the Spirit of God outspred,

- And vital vertue infus’d, and vital warmth

- Throughout the fluid Mass, but downward purg’d

- The black tartareous cold infernal dregs

- Adverse to life; then founded, then conglob’d

- Like things to like, the rest to several place  originalEd: 240

- Disparted, and between spun out the Air,

- And Earth self-ballanc’t on her Center hung.

- Let ther be Light, said God, and forthwith Light

- Ethereal, first of things, quintessence pure

- Sprung from the Deep, and from her Native East

- To journie through the airie gloom began,

- Sphear’d in a radiant Cloud, for yet the Sun

- Was not; shee in a cloudie Tabernacle

- Sojourn’d the while. God saw the Light was good;

- And light from darkness by the Hemisphere  originalEd: 250

- Divided: Light the Day, and Darkness Night

- He nam’d. Thus was the first Day Eev’n and Morn:

- Nor past uncelebrated, nor unsung

- By the Celestial Quires, when Orient Light

- Exhaling first from Darkness they beheld:

- Birth-day of Heav’n and Earth; with joy and shout

- The hollow Universal Orb they fill’d,

- And touch’t thir Golden Harps, hymning prais’d

- God and his works, Creatour him they sung,

- Both when first Eevning was, and when first Morn.  originalEd: 260

- Again, God said, let ther be Firmament

- Amid the Waters, and let it divide

- The Waters from the Waters: and God made

- The Firmament, expanse of liquid, pure,

- Transparent, Elemental Air, diffus’d

- In circuit to the uttermost convex

- Of this great Round: partition firm and sure,

- The Waters underneath from those above

- Dividing: for as Earth, so hee the World

- Built on circumfluous Waters calme, in wide  originalEd: 270

- Crystallin Ocean, and the loud misrule

- Of Chaos farr remov’d, least fierce extreames

- Contiguous might distemper the whole frame:

- And Heav’n he nam’d the Firmament: So Eev’n

- And Morning Chorus sung the second Day.

- The Earth was form’d, but in the Womb as yet

- Of Waters, Embryon immature involv’d,

- Appeer’d not: over all the face of Earth

- Main Ocean flow’d, not idle, but with warme

- Prolific humour soft’ning all her Globe,  originalEd: 280

- Fermented the great Mother to conceave,

- Satiate with genial moisture, when God said

- Be gather’d now ye Waters under Heav’n

- Into one place, and let dry Land appeer.

- Immediately the Mountains huge appeer

- Emergent, and thir broad bare backs upheave

- Into the Clouds, thir tops ascend the Skie:

- So high as heav’d the tumid Hills, so low

- Down sunk a hollow bottom broad and deep,

- Capacious bed of Waters: thither they  originalEd: 290

- Hasted with glad precipitance, uprowld

- As drops on dust conglobing from the drie;

- Part rise in crystal Wall, or ridge direct,

- For haste; such flight the great command impress’d

- On the swift flouds: as Armies at the call

- Of Trumpet (for of Armies thou hast heard)

- Troop to thir Standard, so the watrie throng,

- Wave rowling after Wave, where way they found,

- If steep, with torrent rapture, if through Plaine,

- Soft-ebbing; nor withstood them Rock or Hill,  originalEd: 300

- But they, or under ground, or circuit wide

- With Serpent errour wandring, found thir way,

- And on the washie Oose deep Channels wore;

- Easie, e’re God had bid the ground be drie,

- All but within those banks, where Rivers now

- Stream, and perpetual draw thir humid traine.

- The dry Land, Earth, and the great receptacle

- Of congregated Waters he call’d Seas:

- And saw that it was good, and said, Let th’ Earth

- Put forth the verdant Grass, Herb yeilding Seed,  originalEd: 310

- And Fruit Tree yeilding Fruit after her kind;

- Whose Seed is in her self upon the Earth.

- He scarce had said, when the bare Earth, till then

- Desert and bare, unsightly, unadorn’d,

- Brought forth the tender Grass, whose verdure clad

- Her Universal Face with pleasant green,

- Then Herbs of every leaf, that sudden flour’d

- Op’ning thir various colours, and made gay

- Her bosom smelling sweet: and these scarce blown,

- Forth flourish’t thick the clustring Vine, forth crept  originalEd: 320

- The smelling Gourd, up stood the cornie Reed

- Embattell’d in her field: add the humble Shrub,

- And Bush with frizl’d hair implicit: last

- Rose as in Dance the stately Trees, and spred

- Thir branches hung with copious Fruit: or gemm’d

- Thir Blossoms: with high Woods the Hills were crownd,

- With tufts the vallies each fountain side,

- With borders long the Rivers. That Earth now

- Seemd like to Heav’n, a seat where Gods might dwell,

- Or wander with delight, and love to haunt  originalEd: 330

- Her sacred shades: though God had yet not rain’d

- Upon the Earth, and man to till the ground

- None was, but from the Earth a dewie Mist

- Went up and waterd all the ground, and each

- Plant of the field, which e’re it was in the Earth

- God made, and every Herb, before it grew

- On the green stemm; God saw that it was good:

- So Eev’n and Morn recorded the Third Day.

- Again th’ Almightie spake: Let there be Lights

- High in th’ expanse of Heaven to divide  originalEd: 340

- The Day from Night; and let them be for Signes,

- For Seasons, and for Dayes, and circling Years,

- And let them be for Lights as I ordaine

- Thir Office in the Firmament of Heav’n

- To give Light on the Earth; and it was so.

- And God made two great Lights, great for thir use

- To Man, the greater to have rule by Day,

- The less by Night alterne: and made the Starrs,

- And set them in the Firmament of Heav’n

- To illuminate the Earth, and rule the Day  originalEd: 350

- In thir vicissitude, and rule the Night,

- And Light from Darkness to divide. God saw,

- Surveying his great Work, that it was good:

- For of Celestial Bodies first the Sun

- A mightie Spheare he fram’d, unlightsom first,

- Though of Ethereal Mould: then form’d the Moon

- Globose, and everie magnitude of Starrs,

- And sowd with Starrs the Heav’n thick as a field:

- Of Light by farr the greater part he took,

- Transplanted from her cloudie Shrine, and plac’d  originalEd: 360

- In the Suns Orb, made porous to receive

- And drink the liquid Light, firm to retaine

- Her gather’d beams, great Palace now of Light.

- Hither as to thir Fountain other Starrs

- Repairing, in thir gold’n Urns draw Light,

- And hence the Morning Planet guilds his horns;

- By tincture or reflection they augment

- Thir small peculiar, though from human sight

- So farr remote, with diminution seen.

- First in his East the glorious Lamp was seen,  originalEd: 370

- Regent of Day, and all th’ Horizon round

- Invested with bright Rayes, jocond to run

- His Longitude through Heav’ns high rode: the gray

- Dawn, and the Pleiades before him danc’d

- Shedding sweet influence: less bright the Moon,

- But opposite in leveld West was set

- His mirror with full face borrowing her Light

- From him, for other light she needed none

- In that aspect, and still that distance keepes

- Till night, then in the East her turn she shines,  originalEd: 380

- Revolvd on Heav’ns great Axle, and her Reign

- With thousand lesser Lights dividual holds,

- With thousand thousand Starres, that then appeer’d

- Spangling the Hemisphere: then first adornd

- With thir bright Luminaries that Set and Rose,

- Glad Eevning glad Morn crownd the fourth day.

- And God said, let the Waters generate

- Reptil with Spawn abundant, living Soule:

- And let Fowle flie above the Earth, with wings

- Displayd on the op’n Firmament of Heav’n.  originalEd: 390

- And God created the great Whales, and each

- Soul living, each that crept, which plenteously

- The waters generated by thir kindes,

- And every Bird of wing after his kinde;

- And saw that it was good, and bless’d them, saying,

- Be fruitful, multiply, and in the Seas

- And Lakes and running Streams the waters fill;

- And let the Fowle be multiply’d on the Earth.

- Forthwith the Sounds and Seas, each Creek Bay

- With Frie innumerable swarme, and Shoales  originalEd: 400

- Of Fish that with thir Finns shining Scales

- Glide under the green Wave, in Sculles that oft

- Bank the mid Sea: part single or with mate

- Graze the Sea weed thir pasture, through Groves

- Of Coral stray, or sporting with quick glance

- Show to the Sun thir wav’d coats dropt with Gold,

- Or in thir Pearlie shells at ease, attend

- Moist nutriment, or under Rocks thir food

- In jointed Armour watch: on smooth the Seale,

- And bended Dolphins play: part huge of bulk  originalEd: 410

- Wallowing unweildie, enormous in thir Gate

- Tempest the Ocean: there Leviathan

- Hugest of living Creatures, on the Deep

- Stretcht like a Promontorie sleeps or swimmes,

- And seems a moving Land, and at his Gilles

- Draws in, and at his Trunck spouts out a Sea.

- Mean while the tepid Caves, and Fens and shoares

- Thir Brood as numerous hatch, from the Egg that soon

- Bursting with kindly rupture forth disclos’d

- Thir callow young, but featherd soon and fledge  originalEd: 420

- They summ’d thir Penns, and soaring th’ air sublime

- With clang despis’d the ground, under a cloud

- In prospect; there the Eagle and the Stork

- On Cliffs and Cedar tops thir Eyries build:

- Part loosly wing the Region, part more wise

- In common, rang’d in figure wedge thir way,

- Intelligent of seasons, and set forth

- Thir Aierie Caravan high over Sea’s

- Flying, and over Lands with mutual wing

- Easing thir flight; so stears the prudent Crane  originalEd: 430

- Her annual Voiage, born on Windes; the Aire

- Floats, as they pass, fann’d with unnumber’d plumes:

- From Branch to Branch the smaller Birds with song

- Solac’d the Woods, and spred thir painted wings

- Till Ev’n, nor then the solemn Nightingal

- Ceas’d warbling, but all night tun’d her soft layes:

- Others on Silver Lakes and Rivers Bath’d

- Thir downie Brest; the Swan with Arched neck

- Between her white wings mantling proudly, Rowes

- Her state with Oarie feet: yet oft they quit  originalEd: 440

- The Dank, and rising on stiff Pennons, towre

- The mid Aereal Skie: Others on ground

- Walk’d firm; the crested Cock whose clarion sounds

- The silent hours, and th’ other whose gay Traine

- Adorns him, colour’d with the Florid hue

- Of Rainbows and Starrie Eyes. The Waters thus

- With Fish replenisht, and the Aire with Fowle,

- Ev’ning and Morn solemniz’d the Fift day.

- The Sixt, and of Creation last arose

- With Eevning Harps and Mattin, when God said,  originalEd: 450

- Let th’ Earth bring forth Fowle living in her kinde,

- Cattel and Creeping things, and Beast of the Earth,

- Each in thir kinde. The Earth obey’d, and strait

- Op’ning her fertil Woomb teem’d at a Birth

- Innumerous living Creatures, perfet formes,

- Limb’d and full grown: out of the ground up rose

- As from his Laire the wilde Beast where he wonns

- In Forrest wilde, in Thicket, Brake, or Den;

- Among the Trees in Pairs they rose, they walk’d:

- The Cattel in the Fields and Meddowes green:  originalEd: 460

- Those rare and solitarie, these in flocks

- Pasturing at once, and in broad Herds upsprung.

- The grassie Clods now Calv’d, now half appeer’d

- The Tawnie Lion, pawing to get free

- His hinder parts, then springs as broke from Bonds,

- And Rampant shakes his Brinded main; the Ounce,

- The Libbard, and the Tyger, as the Moale

- Rising, the crumbl’d Earth above them threw

- In Hillocks; the swift Stag from under ground

- Bore up his branching head: scarse from his mould  originalEd: 470

- Behemoth biggest born of Earth upheav’d

- His vastness: Fleec’t the Flocks and bleating rose,

- As Plants: ambiguous between Sea and Land

- The River Horse and scalie Crocodile.

- At once came forth whatever creeps the ground,

- Insect or Worme; those wav’d thir limber fans

- For wings, and smallest Lineaments exact

- In all the Liveries dect of Summers pride

- With spots of Gold and Purple, azure and green:

- These as a line thir long dimension drew,  originalEd: 480

- Streaking the ground with sinuous trace; not all

- Minims of Nature; some of Serpent kinde

- Wondrous in length and corpulence involv’d

- Thir Snakie foulds, and added wings. First crept

- The Parsimonious Emmet, provident

- Of future, in small room large heart enclos’d,

- Pattern of just equalitie perhaps

- Hereafter, join’d in her popular Tribes

- Of Commonaltie: swarming next appeer’d

- The Femal Bee that feeds her Husband Drone  originalEd: 490

- Deliciously, and builds her waxen Cells

- With Honey stor’d: the rest are numberless,

- And thou thir Natures know’st, and gav’st them Names,

- Needless to thee repeated; nor unknown

- The Serpent suttl’st Beast of all the field,

- Of huge extent somtimes, with brazen Eyes

- And hairie Main terrific, though to thee

- Not noxious, but obedient at thy call.

- Now Heav’n in all her Glorie shon, and rowld

- Her motions, as the great first-Movers hand  originalEd: 500

- First wheeld thir course; Earth in her rich attire

- Consummate lovly smil’d; Aire, Water, Earth,

- By Fowl, Fish, Beast, was flown, was swum, was walkt

- Frequent; and of the Sixt day yet remain’d;

- There wanted yet the Master work, the end

- Of all yet don; a Creature who not prone

- And Brute as other Creatures, but endu’d

- With Sanctitie of Reason, might erect

- His Stature, and upright with Front serene

- Govern the rest, self-knowing, and from thence  originalEd: 510

- Magnanimous to correspond with Heav’n,

- But grateful to acknowledge whence his good

- Descends, thither with heart and voice and eyes

- Directed in Devotion, to adore

- And worship God Supream, who made him chief

- Of all his works: therefore the Omnipotent

- Eternal Father (For where is not hee

- Present) thus to his Son audibly spake.

- Let us make now Man in our image, Man

- In our similitude, and let them rule  originalEd: 520

- Over the Fish and Fowle of Sea and Aire,

- Beast of the Field, and over all the Earth,

- And every creeping thing that creeps the ground.

- This said, he formd thee, Adam, thee O Man

- Dust of the ground, and in thy nostrils breath’d

- The breath of Life; in his own Image hee

- Created thee, in the Image of God

- Express, and thou becam’st a living Soul.

- Male he created thee, but thy consort

- Femal for Race; then bless’d Mankinde, and said,  originalEd: 530

- Be fruitful, multiplie, and fill the Earth,

- Subdue it, and throughout Dominion hold

- Over Fish of the Sea, and Fowle of the Aire,

- And every living thing that moves on the Earth.

- Wherever thus created, for no place

- Is yet distinct by name, thence, as thou know’st

- He brought thee into this delicious Grove,

- This Garden, planted with the Trees of God,

- Delectable both to behold and taste;

- And freely all thir pleasant fruit for food  originalEd: 540

- Gave thee, all sorts are here that all th’ Earth yeelds,

- Varietie without end; but of the Tree

- Which tasted works knowledge of Good and Evil,

- Thou mai’st not; in the day thou eat’st, thou di’st;

- Death is the penaltie impos’d, beware,

- And govern well thy appetite, least sin

- Surprise thee, and her black attendant Death.

- Here finish’d hee, and all that he had made

- View’d, and behold all was entirely good;

- So Ev’n and Morn accomplish’t the Sixt day:  originalEd: 550

- Yet not till the Creator from his work

- Desisting, though unwearied, up returnd

- Up to the Heav’n of Heav’ns his high abode,

- Thence to behold this new created World

- Th’ addition of his Empire, how it shew’d

- In prospect from his Throne, how good, how faire,

- Answering his great Idea. Up he rode

- Followd with acclamation and the sound

- Symphonious of ten thousand Harpes that tun’d

- Angelic harmonies: the Earth, the Aire  originalEd: 560

- Resounded, (thou remember’st for thou heardst)

- The Heav’ns and all the Constellations rung,

- The Planets in thir stations list’ning stood,

- While the bright Pomp ascended jubilant.

- Open, ye everlasting Gates, they sung,

- Open, ye Heav’ns, your living dores; let in

- The great Creator from his work returnd

- Magnificent, his Six days work, a World;

- Open, and henceforth oft; for God will deigne

- To visit oft the dwellings of just Men  originalEd: 570

- Delighted, and with frequent intercourse

- Thither will send his winged Messengers

- On errands of supernal Grace. So sung

- The glorious Train ascending: He through Heav’n,

- That open’d wide her blazing Portals, led

- To Gods Eternal house direct the way,

- A broad and ample rode, whose dust is Gold

- And pavement Starrs, as Starrs to thee appeer,

- Seen in the Galaxie, that Milkie way

- Which nightly as a circling Zone thou seest  originalEd: 580

- Pouderd with Starrs. And now on Earth the Seaventh

- Eev’ning arose in Eden, for the Sun

- Was set, and twilight from the East came on,

- Forerunning Night; when at the holy mount

- Of Heav’ns high-seated top, th’ Impereal Throne

- Of Godhead, fixt for ever firm and sure,

- The Filial Power arriv’d, and sate him down

- With his great Father, for he also went

- Invisible, yet staid (such priviledge

- Hath Omnipresence) and the work ordain’d,  originalEd: 590

- Author and end of all things, and from work

- Now resting, bless’d and hallowd the Seav’nth day,

- As resting on that day from all his work,

- But not in silence holy kept; the Harp

- Had work and rested not, the solemn Pipe,

- And Dulcimer, all Organs of sweet stop,

- All sounds on Fret by String or Golden Wire

- Temper’d soft Tunings, intermixt with Voice

- Choral or Unison; of incense Clouds

- Fuming from Golden Censers hid the Mount.  originalEd: 600

- Creation and the Six dayes acts they sung,

- Great are thy works, Jehovah, infinite

- Thy power; what thought can measure thee or tongue

- Relate thee; greater now in thy return

- Then from the Giant Angels; thee that day

- Thy Thunders magnifi’d; but to create

- Is greater then created to destroy.

- Who can impair thee, mighty King, or bound

- Thy Empire? easily the proud attempt

- Of Spirits apostat and thir Counsels vaine  originalEd: 610

- Thou hast repeld, while impiously they thought

- Thee to diminish, and from thee withdraw

- The number of thy worshippers. Who seekes

- To lessen thee, against his purpose serves

- To manifest the more thy might: his evil

- Thou usest, and from thence creat’st more good.

- Witness this new-made World, another Heav’n

- From Heaven Gate not farr, founded in view

- On the cleer Hyaline, the Glassie Sea;

- Of amplitude almost immense, with Starr’s  originalEd: 620

- Numerous, and every Starr perhaps a World

- Of destind habitation; but thou know’st

- Thir seasons: among these the seat of men,

- Earth with her nether Ocean circumfus’d,

- Thir pleasant dwelling place. Thrice happie men,

- And sons of men, whom God hath thus advanc’t,

- Created in his Image, there to dwell

- And worship him, and in reward to rule

- Over his Works, on Earth, in Sea, or Air,

- And multiply a Race of Worshippers  originalEd: 630

- Holy and just: thrice happie if they know

- Thir happiness, and persevere upright.

- So sung they, and the Empyrean rung,

- With Halleluiahs: Thus was Sabbath kept.

- And thy request think now fulfill’d, that ask’d

- How first this World and face of things began,

- And what before thy memorie was don

- From the beginning, that posteritie

- Informd by thee might know; if else thou seek’st

- Aught, not surpassing human measure, say.  originalEd: 640

- The End of the Seventh Book.

BOOK VIII.

THE ARGUMENT.

Adam inquires concerning celestial Motions, is doubtfully answer’d, and exhorted to search rather things more worthy of knowledg: Adam assents, and still desirous to detain Raphael, relates to him what he remember’d since his own Creation, his placing in Paradise, his talk with God concerning solitude and fit society, his first meeting and Nuptials with Eve, his discourse with the Angel thereupon; who after admonitions repeated departs.

- [ THE Angel ended, and in Adams Eare

- So Charming left his voice, that he a while

- Thought him still speaking, still stood fixt to hear;

- Then as new wak’t thus gratefully repli’d.]

- What thanks sufficient, or what recompence

- Equal have I to render thee, Divine

- Hystorian, who thus largely hast allayd

- The thirst I had of knowledge, and voutsaf’t

- This friendly condescention to relate

- Things else by me unsearchable, now heard  originalEd: 10

- With wonder, but delight, and, as is due,

- With glorie attributed to the high

- Creator; some thing yet of doubt remaines,

- Which onely thy solution can resolve.

- When I behold this goodly Frame, this World

- Of Heav’n and Earth consisting, and compute,

- Thir magnitudes, this Earth a spot, a graine,

1-4 These lines were added in the second edition, (1674), when Book VII was divided into two at line 640. Line 641 had read: ‘To whom thus Adam gratefully repli’d.’

- An Atom, with the Firmament compar’d

- And all her numberd Starrs, that seem to rowle

- Spaces incomprehensible (for such  originalEd: 20

- Thir distance argues and thir swift return

- Diurnal) meerly to officiate light

- Round this opacous Earth, this punctual spot,

- One day and night; in all thir vast survey

- Useless besides, reasoning I oft admire,

- How Nature wise and frugal could commit

- Such disproportions, with superfluous hand

- So many nobler Bodies to create,

- Greater so manifold to this one use,

- For aught appeers, and on thir Orbs impose  originalEd: 30

- Such restless revolution day by day

- Repeated, while the sedentarie Earth,

- That better might with farr less compass move,

- Serv’d by more noble then her self, attaines

- Her end without least motion, and receaves,

- As Tribute such a sumless journey brought

- Of incorporeal speed, her warmth and light;

- Speed, to describe whose swiftness Number failes.

- So spake our Sire, and by his count’nance seemd

- Entring on studious thoughts abstruse, which Eve  originalEd: 40

- Perceaving where she sat retir’d in sight,

- With lowliness Majestic from her seat,

- And Grace that won who saw to wish her stay,

- Rose, and went forth among her Fruits and Flours,

- To visit how they prosper’d, bud and bloom,

- Her Nurserie; they at her coming sprung

- And toucht by her fair tendance gladlier grew.

- Yet went she not, as not with such discourse

- Delighted, or not capable her eare

- Of what was high: such pleasure she reserv’d,  originalEd: 50

- Adam relating, she sole Auditress;

- Her Husband the Relater she preferr’d

- Before the Angel, and of him to ask

- Chose rather: hee, she knew would intermix

- Grateful digressions, and solve high dispute

- With conjugal Caresses, from his Lip

- Not Words alone pleas’d her. O when meet now

- Such pairs, in Love and mutual Honour joyn’d?

- With Goddess-like demeanour forth she went;

- Not unattended, for on her as Queen  originalEd: 60

- A pomp of winning Graces waited still,

- And from about her shot Darts of desire

- Into all Eyes to wish her still in sight.

- And Raphael now to Adam’s doubt propos’d

- Benevolent and facil thus repli’d.

- To ask or search I blame thee not, for Heav’n

- Is as the Book of God before thee set,

- Wherein to read his wondrous Works, and learne

- His Seasons, Hours, or Days, or Months, or Yeares;

- This to attain, whether Heav’n move or Earth,  originalEd: 70

- Imports not, if thou reck’n right, the rest

- From Man or Angel the great Architect

- Did wisely to conceal, and not divulge

- His secrets to be scann’d by them who ought

- Rather admire; or if they list to try

- Conjecture, he his Fabric of the Heav’ns

- Hath left to thir disputes, perhaps to move

- His laughter at thir quaint Opinions wide

- Hereafter, when they come to model Heav’n

- And calculate the Starrs, how they will weild  originalEd: 80

- The mightie frame, how build, unbuild, contrive

- To save appeerances, how gird the Sphear

- With Centric and Eccentric scribl’d o’re,

- Cycle and Epicycle, Orb in Orb:

- Alreadie by thy reasoning this I guess,

- Who art to lead thy ofspring, and supposest

- That Bodies bright and greater should not serve

- The less not bright, nor Heav’n such journies run,

- Earth sitting still, when she alone receaves

- The benefit: consider first, that Great  originalEd: 90

- Or Bright inferrs not Excellence: the Earth

- Though, in comparison of Heav’n so small,

- Nor glistering, may of solid good containe

- More plenty then the Sun that barren shines,

- Whose vertue on it self workes no effect,

- But in the fruitful Earth; there first receavd

- His beams, unactive else, thir vigor find.

- Yet not to Earth are those bright Luminaries

- Officious, but to thee Earths habitant.

- And for the Heav’ns wide Circuit, let it speak  originalEd: 100

- The Makers high magnificence, who built

- So spacious, and his Line stretcht out so farr;

- That Man may know he dwells not in his own;

- An Edifice too large for him to fill,

- Lodg’d in a small partition, and the rest

- Ordain’d for uses to his Lord best known.

- The swiftness of those Circles attribute,

- Though numberless, to his Omnipotence,

- That to corporeal substances could adde

- Speed almost Spiritual; mee thou thinkst not slow,  originalEd: 110

- Who since the Morning hour set out from Heav’n

- Where God resides, and ere mid-day arriv’d

- In Eden, distance inexpressible

- By Numbers that have name. But this I urge,

- Admitting Motion in the Heav’ns, to shew

- Invalid that which thee to doubt it mov’d;

- Not that I so affirm, though so it seem

- To thee who hast thy dwelling here on Earth.

- God to remove his wayes from human sense,

- Plac’d Heav’n from Earth so farr, that earthly sight,  originalEd: 120

- If it presume, might erre in things too high,

- And no advantage gaine. What if the Sun

- Be Center to the World, and other Starrs

- By his attractive vertue and thir own

- Incited, dance about him various rounds?

- Thir wandring course now high, now low, then hid,

- Progressive, retrograde, or standing still,

- In six thou seest, and what if sev’nth to these

- The Planet Earth, so stedfast though she seem,

- Insensibly three different Motions move?  originalEd: 130

- Which else to several Sphears thou must ascribe,

- Mov’d contrarie with thwart obliquities,

- Or save the Sun his labour, and that swift

- Nocturnal and Diurnal rhomb suppos’d,

- Invisible else above all Starrs, the Wheele

- Of Day and Night; which needs not thy beleefe,

- If Earth industrious of her self fetch Day

- Travelling East, and with her part averse

- From the Suns beam meet Night, her other part

- Still luminous by his ray. What if that light  originalEd: 140

- Sent from her through the wide transpicuous aire,

- To the terrestrial Moon be as a Starr

- Enlightning her by Day, as she by Night

- This Earth? reciprocal, if Land be there,

- Feilds and Inhabitants: Her spots thou seest

- As Clouds, and Clouds may rain, and Rain produce

- Fruits in her soft’nd Soile, for some to eate

- Allotted there; and other Suns perhaps

- With thir attendant Moons thou wilt descrie

- Communicating Male and Female Light,  originalEd: 150

- Which two great Sexes animate the World,

- Stor’d in each Orb perhaps with some that live.

- For such vast room in Nature unpossest

- By living Soule, desert and desolate,

- Onely to shine, yet scarce to contribute

- Each Orb a glimps of Light, conveyd so farr

- Down to this habitable, which returnes

- Light back to them, is obvious to dispute.

- But whether thus these things, or whether not,

- Whether the Sun predominant in Heav’n  originalEd: 160

- Rise on the Earth, or Earth rise on the Sun,

- Hee from the East his flaming rode begin,

- Or Shee from West her silent course advance

- With inoffensive pace that spinning sleeps

- On her soft Axle, while she paces Eev’n,

- And bears thee soft with the smooth Air along,

- Sollicit not thy thoughts with matters hid,

- Leave them to God above, him serve and feare;

- Of other Creatures, as him pleases best,

- Wherever plac’t, let him dispose: joy thou  originalEd: 170

- In what he gives to thee, this Paradise

- And thy fair Eve: Heav’n is for thee too high

- To know what passes there; be lowlie wise:

- Think onely what concernes thee and thy being;

- Dream not of other Worlds, what Creatures there

- Live, in what state, condition or degree,

- Contented that thus farr hath been reveal’d

- Not of Earth onely but of highest Heav’n.

- To whom thus Adam cleerd of doubt, repli’d.

- How fully hast thou satisfi’d mee, pure  originalEd: 180

- Intelligence of Heav’n, Angel serene,

- And freed from intricacies, taught to live,

- The easiest way, nor with perplexing thoughts

- To interrupt the sweet of Life, from which

- God hath bid dwell farr off all anxious cares,

- And not molest us, unless we our selves

- Seek them with wandring thoughts, and notions vaine.

- But apte the Mind or Fancie is to roave

- Uncheckt, and of her roaving is no end;

- Till warn’d, or by experience taught, she learne,  originalEd: 190

- That not to know at large of things remote

- From use, obscure and suttle, but to know

- That which before us lies in daily life,

- Is the prime Wisdom, what is more, is fume,

- Or emptiness, or fond impertinence,

- And renders us in things that most concerne

- Unpractis’d, unprepar’d, and still to seek.

- Therefore from this high pitch let us descend

- A lower flight, and speak of things at hand

- Useful, whence haply mention may arise  originalEd: 200

- Of somthing not unseasonable to ask

- By sufferance, and thy wonted favour deign’d.

- Thee I have heard relating what was don

- Ere my remembrance: now hear mee relate

- My Storie, which perhaps thou hast not heard;

- And Day is yet not spent; till then thou seest

- How suttly to detaine thee I devise,

- Inviting thee to hear while I relate,

- Fond, were it not in hope of thy reply:

- For while I sit with thee, I seem in Heav’n,  originalEd: 210

- And sweeter thy discourse is to my eare

- Then Fruits of Palm-tree pleasantest to thirst

- And hunger both, from labour, at the houre

- Of sweet repast; they satiate, and soon fill,

- Though pleasant, but thy words with Grace Divine

- Imbu’d, bring to thir sweetness no satietie.

- To whom thus Raphael answer’d heav’nly meek.

- Nor are thy lips ungraceful, Sire of men,

- Nor tongue ineloquent; for God on thee

- Abundantly his gifts hath also pour’d  originalEd: 220

- Inward and outward both, his image faire:

- Speaking or mute all comliness and grace

- Attends thee, and each word, each motion formes.

- Nor less think wee in Heav’n of thee on Earth

- Then of our fellow servant, and inquire

- Gladly into the wayes of God with Man:

- For God we see hath honour’d thee, and set

- On Man his equal Love: say therefore on;

- For I that Day was absent, as befell,

- Bound on a voyage uncouth and obscure,  originalEd: 230

- Farr on excursion toward the Gates of Hell;

- Squar’d in full Legion (such command we had)

- To see that none thence issu’d forth a spie,

- Or enemie, while God was in his work,

- Least hee incenst at such eruption bold,

- Destruction with Creation might have mixt.

- Not that they durst without his leave attempt,

- But us he sends upon his high behests

- For state, as Sovran King, and to enure

- Our prompt obedience. Fast we found, fast shut  originalEd: 240

- The dismal Gates, and barricado’d strong;

- But long ere our approaching heard within

- Noise, other then the sound of Dance or Song,

- Torment, and lowd lament, and furious rage.

- Glad we return’d up to the coasts of Light

- Ere Sabbath Eev’ning: so we had in charge.

- But thy relation now; for I attend,

- Pleas’d with thy words no less then thou with mine.

- So spake the Godlike Power, and thus our Sire.

- For Man to tell how human Life began  originalEd: 250

- Is hard: for who himself beginning knew?

- Desire with thee still longer to converse

- Induc’d me. As new wak’t from soundest sleep

- Soft on the flourie herb I found me laid

- In Balmie Sweat, which with his Beames the Sun

- Soon dri’d, and on the reaking moisture fed.

- Strait toward Heav’n my wondring Eyes I turnd,

- And gaz’d a while the ample Skie, till rais’d

- By quick instinctive motion up I sprung,

- As thitherward endevoring, and upright  originalEd: 260

- Stood on my feet; about me round I saw

- Hill, Dale, and shadie Woods, and sunnie Plaines,

- And liquid Lapse of murmuring Streams; by these,

- Creatures that livd, and movd, and walk’d, or flew,

- Birds on the branches warbling; all things smil’d,

- With fragrance and with joy my heart oreflow’d.

- My self I then perus’d, and Limb by Limb

- Survey’d, and sometimes went, and sometimes ran

- With supple joints, as lively vigour led:

- But who I was, or where, or from what cause,  originalEd: 270

- Knew not; to speak I tri’d, and forthwith spake,

- My Tongue obey’d and readily could name

- What e’re I saw. Thou Sun, said I, faire Light,

- And thou enlight’nd Earth, so fresh and gay,

- Ye Hills and Dales, ye Rivers, Woods, and Plaines,

- And ye that live and move, fair Creatures, tell,

- Tell, if ye saw, how came I thus, how here?

- Not of my self; by some great Maker then,

- In goodness and in power præeminent;

- Tell me, how may I know him, how adore,  originalEd: 280

- From whom I have that thus I move and live,

- And feel that I am happier then I know.

- While thus I call’d, and stray’d I knew not whither,

- From where I first drew Aire, and first beheld

- This happie Light, when answer none return’d,

- On a green shadie Bank profuse of Flours

- Pensive I sate me down; there gentle sleep

- First found me, and with soft oppression seis’d

- My droused sense, untroubl’d, though I thought

- I then was passing to my former state  originalEd: 290

- Insensible, and forthwith to dissolve:

- When suddenly stood at my Head a dream,

- Whose inward apparition gently mov’d

- My Fancy to believe I yet had being,

- And livd: One came, methought, of shape Divine,

- And said, thy Mansion wants thee, Adam, rise,

- First Man, of Men innumerable ordain’d

- First Father, call’d by thee I come thy Guide

- To the Garden of bliss, thy seat prepar’d.

- So saying, by the hand he took me rais’d,  originalEd: 300

- And over Fields and Waters, as in Aire

- Smooth sliding without step, last led me up

- A woodie Mountain; whose high top was plaine,

- A Circuit wide, enclos’d, with goodliest Trees

- Planted, with Walks, and Bowers, that what I saw

- Of Earth before scarce pleasant seemd. Each Tree

- Load’n with fairest Fruit, that hung to the Eye

- Tempting, stirr’d in me sudden appetite

- To pluck and eate; whereat I wak’d, and found

- Before mine Eyes all real, as the dream  originalEd: 310

- Had lively shadowd: Here had new begun

- My wandring, had not hee who was my Guide

- Up hither, from among the Trees appeer’d,

- Presence Divine. Rejoycing, but with aw

- In adoration at his feet I fell

- Submiss: he rear’d me, Whom thou soughtst I am,

- Said mildely, Author of all this thou seest

- Above, or round about thee or beneath.

- This Paradise I give thee, count it thine

- To Till and keep, and of the Fruit to eate:  originalEd: 320

- Of every Tree that in the Garden growes

- Eate freely with glad heart; fear here no dearth:

- But of the Tree whose operation brings

- Knowledge of good and ill, which I have set

- The Pledge of thy Obedience and thy Faith,

- Amid the Garden by the Tree of Life,

- Remember what I warne thee, shun to taste,

- And shun the bitter consequence: for know,

- The day thou eat’st therefore, my sole command

- Transgrest, inevitably thou shalt dye;  originalEd: 330

- From that day mortal, and this happie State

- Shalt loose, expell’d from hence into a World

- Of woe and sorrow. Sternly he pronounc’d

- The rigid interdiction, which resounds

- Yet dreadful in mine eare, though in my choice

- Not to incur; but soon his cleer aspect

- Return’d and gratious purpose thus renew’d.

- Not onely these fair bounds, but all the Earth

- To thee and to thy Race I give; as Lords

- Possess it, and all things that therein live,  originalEd: 340

- Or live in Sea, or Aire, Beast, Fish, and Fowle.

- In signe whereof each Bird and Beast behold

- After thir kindes; I bring them to receave

- From thee thir Names, and pay thee fealtie

- With low subjection; understand the same

- Of Fish within thir watry residence,

- Not hither summond, since they cannot change

- Thir Element to draw the thinner Aire.

- As thus he spake, each Bird and Beast behold

- Approaching two and two, These cowring low  originalEd: 350

- With blandishment, each Bird stoop’d on his wing.

- I nam’d them, as they pass’d, and understood

- Thir Nature, with such knowledg God endu’d

- My sudden apprehension: but in these

- I found not what me thought I wanted still;

- And to the Heav’nly vision thus presum’d.

- O by what Name, for thou above all these,

- Above mankinde, or aught then mankinde higher,

- Surpassest farr my naming, how may I

- Adore thee, Author of this Universe,  originalEd: 360

- And all this good to man, for whose well being

- So amply, and with hands so liberal

- Thou hast provided all things: but with mee

- I see not who partakes. In solitude

- What happiness, who can enjoy alone,

- Or all enjoying, what contentment find?

- Thus I presumptuous; and the vision bright,

- As with a smile more bright’nd, thus repli’d.

- What call’st thou solitude, is not the Earth

- With various living creatures, and the Aire  originalEd: 370

- Replenisht, and all these at thy command

- To come and play before thee, know’st thou not

- Thir language and thir wayes, they also know,

- And reason not contemptibly; with these

- Find pastime, and beare rule; thy Realm is large.

- So spake the Universal Lord, and seem’d

- So ordering. I with leave of speech implor’d,

- And humble deprecation thus repli’d.

- Let not my words offend thee, Heav’nly Power,

- My Maker, be propitious while I speak.  originalEd: 380

- Hast thou not made me here thy substitute,

- And these inferiour farr beneath me set?

- Among unequals what societie

- Can sort, what harmonie or true delight?

- Which must be mutual, in proportion due

- Giv’n and receiv’d; but in disparitie

- The one intense, the other still remiss

- Cannot well suite with either, but soon prove

- Tedious alike: Of fellowship I speak

- Such as I seek, fit to participate  originalEd: 390

- All rational delight, wherein the brute

- Cannot be human consort; they rejoyce

- Each with thir kinde, Lion with Lioness;

- So fitly them in pairs thou hast combin’d;

- Much less can Bird with Beast, or Fish with Fowle

- So well converse, nor with the Ox the Ape;

- Wors then can Man with Beast, and least of all.

- Whereto th’ Almighty answer’d, not displeas’d.

- A nice and suttle happiness I see

- Thou to thy self proposest, in the choice  originalEd: 400

- Of thy Associates, Adam, and wilt taste

- No pleasure, though in pleasure, solitarie.

- What thinkst thou then of mee, and this my State,

- Seem I to thee sufficiently possest

- Of happiness, or not? who am alone

- From all Eternitie, for none I know

- Second to mee or like, equal much less.

- How have I then with whom to hold converse

- Save with the Creatures which I made, and those

- To me inferiour, infinite descents  originalEd: 410

- Beneath what other Creatures are to thee?

- He ceas’d, I lowly answer’d. To attaine

- The highth and depth of thy Eternal wayes

- All human thoughts come short, Supream of things;

- Thou in thy self art perfet, and in thee

- Is no deficience found; not so is Man,

- But in degree, the cause of his desire

- By conversation with his like to help,

- Or solace his defects. No need that thou

- Shouldst propagat, already infinite;  originalEd: 420

- And through all numbers absolute, though One;

- But Man by number is to manifest

- His single imperfection, and beget

- Like of his like, his Image multipli’d,

- In unitie defective, which requires

- Collateral love, and deerest amitie.

- Thou in thy secresie although alone,

- Best with thy self accompanied, seek’st not

- Social communication, yet so pleas’d,

- Canst raise thy Creature to what highth thou wilt  originalEd: 430

- Of Union or Communion, deifi’d;

- I by conversing cannot these erect

- From prone, nor in thir wayes complacence find.

- Thus I embold’nd spake, and freedom us’d

- Permissive, and acceptance found, which gain’d

- This answer from the gratious voice Divine.

- Thus farr to try thee Adam, I was pleas’d,

- And finde thee knowing not of Beasts alone,

- Which thou hast rightly nam’d, but of thy self,

- Expressing well the spirit within thee free,  originalEd: 440

- My Image, not imparted to the Brute,

- Whose fellowship therefore unmeet for thee

- Good reason was thou freely shouldst dislike,

- And be so minded still; I, ere thou spak’st,

- Knew it not good for Man to be alone,

- And no such companie as then thou saw’st

- Intended thee, for trial onely brought,

- To see how thou could’st judge of fit and meet:

- What next I bring shall please thee, be assur’d,

- Thy likeness, thy fit help, thy other self,  originalEd: 450

- Thy wish, exactly to thy hearts desire.

- Hee ended, or I heard no more, for now

- My earthly by his Heav’nly overpowerd,

- Which it had long stood under, streind to the highth

- In that celestial Colloquie sublime,

- As with an object that excels the sense,

- Dazl’d and spent, sunk down, and sought repair

- Of sleep, which instantly fell on me, call’d

- By Nature as in aide, and clos’d mine eyes.

- Mine eyes he clos’d, but op’n left the Cell  originalEd: 460

- Of Fancie my internal sight, by which

- Abstract as in a transe methought I saw,

- Though sleeping, where I lay, and saw the shape

- Still glorious before whom awake I stood;

- Who stooping op’nd my left side, and took

- From thence a Rib, with cordial spirits warme,

- And Life-blood streaming fresh; wide was the wound,

- But suddenly with flesh fill’d up heal’d:

- The Rib he formd and fashond with his hands;

- Under his forming hands a Creature grew,  originalEd: 470

- Manlike, but different sex, so lovly faire,

- That what seemd fair in all the World, seemd now

- Mean, or in her summd up, in her containd

- And in her looks, which from that time infus’d

- Sweetness into my heart, unfelt before,

- And into all things from her Aire inspir’d

- The spirit of love and amorous delight.

- She disappeerd, and left me dark, I wak’d

- To find her, or for ever to deplore

- Her loss, and other pleasures all abjure:  originalEd: 480

- When out of hope, behold her, not farr off,

- Such as I saw her in my dream, adornd

- With what all Earth or Heaven could bestow

- To make her amiable: One she came,

- Led by her Heav’nly Maker, though unseen,

- And guided by his voice, nor uninformd

- Of nuptial Sanctitie and marriage Rites:

- Grace was in all her steps, Heav’n in her Eye,

- In every gesture dignitie and love.

- I overjoyd could not forbear aloud.  originalEd: 490

- This turn hath made amends; thou hast fulfill’d

- Thy words, Creator bounteous and benigne,

- Giver of all things faire, but fairest this

- Of all thy gifts, nor enviest. I now see

- Bone of my Bone, Flesh of my Flesh, my Self

- Before me; Woman is her Name, of Man

- Extracted; for this cause he shall forgoe

- Father and Mother, and to his Wife adhere;

- And they shall be one Flesh, one Heart, one Soule.

- She heard me thus, and though divinely brought,  originalEd: 500

- Yet Innocence and Virgin Modestie,

- Her vertue and the conscience of her worth,

- That would be woo’d, and not unsought be won,

- Not obvious, not obtrusive, but retir’d,

- The more desirable, or to say all,

- Nature her self, though pure of sinful thought,

- Wrought in her so, that seeing me, she turn’d;

- I follow’d her, she what was Honour knew,

- And with obsequious Majestie approv’d

- My pleaded reason. To the Nuptial Bowre  originalEd: 510

- I led her blushing like the Morn: all Heav’n,

- And happie Constellations on that houre

- Shed thir selectest influence; the Earth

- Gave sign of gratulation, and each Hill;

- Joyous the Birds; fresh Gales and gentle Aires

- Whisper’d it to the Woods, and from thir wings

- Flung Rose, flung Odours from the spicie Shrub,

- Disporting, till the amorous Bird of Night

- Sung Spousal, and bid haste the Eevning Starr

- On his Hill top, to light the bridal Lamp.  originalEd: 520

- Thus I have told thee all my State, and brought

- My Storie to the sum of earthly bliss

- Which I enjoy, and must confess to find

- In all things else delight indeed, but such

- As us’d or not, works in the mind no change,

- Nor vehement desire, these delicacies

- I mean of Taste, Sight, Smell, Herbs, Fruits, Flours,

- Walks, and the melodie of Birds; but here

- Farr otherwise, transported I behold,

- Transported touch; here passion first I felt,  originalEd: 530

- Commotion strange, in all enjoyments else

- Superiour and unmov’d, here onely weake

- Against the charm of Beauties powerful glance.

- Or Nature faild in mee, and left some part

- Not proof enough such Object to sustain,

- Or from my side subducting, took perhaps

- More then enough; at least on her bestow’d

- Too much of Ornament, in outward shew

- Elaborate, of inward less exact.

- For well I understand in the prime end  originalEd: 540

- Of Nature her th’ inferiour, in the mind

- And inward Faculties, which most excell,

- In outward also her resembling less

- His Image who made both, and less expressing

- The character of that Dominion giv’n

- O’re other Creatures; yet when I approach

- Her loveliness, so absolute she seems

- And in her self compleat, so well to know

- Her own, that what she wills to do or say,

- Seems wisest, vertuousest, discreetest, best;  originalEd: 550

- All higher knowledge in her presence falls

- Degraded, Wisdom in discourse with her

- Looses discount’nanc’t, and like folly shewes;

- Authoritie and Reason on her waite,

- As one intended first, not after made

- Occasionally; and to consummate all,

- Greatness of mind and nobleness thir seat

- Build in her loveliest, and create an awe

- About her, as a guard Angelic plac’t.

- To whom the Angel with contracted brow.  originalEd: 560

- Accuse not Nature, she hath don her part;

- Do thou but thine, and be not diffident

- Of Wisdom, she deserts thee not, if thou

- Dismiss not her, when most thou needst her nigh,

- By attributing overmuch to things

- Less excellent, as thou thy self perceav’st.

- For what admir’st thou, what transports thee so,

- An outside? fair no doubt, and worthy well

- Thy cherishing, thy honouring, and thy love,

- Not thy subjection: weigh with her thy self;  originalEd: 570

- Then value: Oft times nothing profits more

- Then self-esteem, grounded on just and right

- Well manag’d; of that skill the more thou know’st,

- The more she will acknowledge thee her Head,

- And to realities yeild all her shows;

- Made so adorn for thy delight the more,

- So awful, that with honour thou maist love

- Thy mate, who sees when thou art seen least wise.

- But if the sense of touch whereby mankind

- Is propagated seem such dear delight  originalEd: 580

- Beyond all other, think the same voutsaf’t

- To Cattel and each Beast; which would not be

- To them made common divulg’d, if aught

- Therein enjoy’d were worthy to subdue

- The Soule of Man, or passion in him move.

- What higher in her societie thou findst

- Attractive, human, rational, love still;

- In loving thou dost well, in passion not,

- Wherein true Love consists not; love refines

- The thoughts, and heart enlarges, hath his seat  originalEd: 590

- In Reason, and is judicious, is the scale

- By which to heav’nly Love thou maist ascend,

- Not sunk in carnal pleasure, for which cause

- Among the Beasts no Mate for thee was found.

- To whom thus half abash’t Adam repli’d.

- Neither her out-side formd so fair, nor aught

- In procreation common to all kindes

- (Though higher of the genial Bed by far,

- And with mysterious reverence I deem)

- So much delights me, as those graceful acts,  originalEd: 600

- Those thousand decencies that daily flow

- From all her words and actions, mixt with Love

- And sweet compliance, which declare unfeign’d

- Union of Mind, or in us both one Soule;

- Harmonie to behold in wedded pair

- More grateful then harmonious sound to the eare.

- Yet these subject not; I to thee disclose

- What inward thence I feel, not therefore foild,

- Who meet with various objects, from the sense

- Variously representing; yet still free  originalEd: 610

- Approve the best, and follow what I approve.

- To love thou blam’st me not, for love thou saist

- Leads up to Heav’n, is both the way and guide;

- Bear with me then, if lawful what I ask;

- Love not the heav’nly Spirits, and how thir Love

- Express they, by looks onely, or do they mix

- Irradiance, virtual or immediate touch?

- To whom the Angel with a smile that glow’d

- Celestial rosie red, Loves proper hue,

- Answer’d. Let it suffice thee that thou know’st  originalEd: 620

- Us happie, and without Love no happiness.

- Whatever pure thou in the body enjoy’st

- (And pure thou wert created) we enjoy

- In eminence, and obstacle find none

- Of membrane, joynt, or limb, exclusive barrs:

- Easier then Air with Air, if Spirits embrace,

- Total they mix, Union of Pure with Pure

- Desiring; nor restrain’d conveyance need

- As Flesh to mix with Flesh, or Soul with Soul.

- But I can now no more; the parting Sun  originalEd: 630

- Beyond the Earths green Cape and verdant Isles

- Hesperean sets, my Signal to depart.

- Be strong, live happie, and love, but first of all

- Him whom to love is to obey, and keep

- His great command; take heed least Passion sway

- Thy Judgement to do aught, which else free Will

- Would not admit; thine and of all thy Sons

- The weal or woe in thee is plac’t; beware.

- I in thy persevering shall rejoyce,

- And all the Blest: stand fast; to stand or fall  originalEd: 640

- Free in thine own Arbitrement it lies.

- Perfect within, no outward aid require;

- And all temptation to transgress repel.

- So saying, he arose; whom Adam thus

- Follow’d with benediction. Since to part,

- Go heavenly Guest, Ethereal Messenger,

- Sent from whose sovran goodness I adore.

- Gentle to me and affable hath been

- Thy condescension, and shall be honour’d ever

- With grateful Memorie: thou to mankind  originalEd: 650

- Be good and friendly still, and oft return.

- So parted they, the Angel up to Heav’n

- From the thick shade, and Adam to his Bowre.

The End of the Eighth Book.

BOOK IX.

THE ARGUMENT.

Satan having compast the Earth, with meditated guile returns as a mist by Night into Paradise, enters into the Serpent sleeping. Adam and Eve in the Morning go forth to their labours, which Eve proposes to divide in several places, each labouring apart: Adam consents not, alledging the danger, lest that Enemy, of whom they were forewarn’d, should attempt her found alone: Eve loath to be thought not circumspect or firm enough, urges her going apart, the rather desirous to make tryal of her strength; Adam at last yields: The Serpent finds her alone; his subtle approach, first gazing, then speaking, with much flattery extolling Eve above all other Creatures. Eve wondring to hear the Serpent speak, asks how he attain’d to human speech and such understanding not till now; the Serpent answers, that by tasting of a certain Tree in the Garden he attain’d both to Speech and Reason, till then void of both: Eve requires him to bring her to that Tree, and finds it to be the Tree of Knowledge forbidden: The Serpent now grown bolder, with many wiles and arguments induces her at length to eat; she pleas’d with the taste deliberates awhile whether to impart thereof to Adam or not, at last brings him of the Fruit, relates what persuaded her to eat thereof: Adam at first amas’d, but perceiving her lost, resolves through vehemence of love to perish with her; and extenuating the trespass, eats also of the Fruit: The effects thereof in them both; they seek to cover thir nakedness; then fall to variance and accusation of one another.

- No more of talk where God or Angel Guest

- With Man, as with his Friend, familiar us’d

- To sit indulgent, and with him partake

- Rural repast, permitting him the while

- Venial discourse unblam’d: I now must change

- Those Notes to Tragic; foul distrust, and breach

- Disloyal on the part of Man, revolt,

- And disobedience: On the part of Heav’n

- Now alienated, distance and distaste,

- Anger and just rebuke, and judgement giv’n,  originalEd: 10

- That brought into this World a world of woe,

- Sinne and her shadow Death, and Miserie

- Deaths Harbinger: Sad task, yet argument

- Not less but more Heroic then the wrauth

- Of stern Achilles on his Foe pursu’d

- Thrice Fugitive about Troy Wall; or rage

- Of Turnus for Lavinia disespous’d,

- Or Neptun ’s ire or Juno ’s, that so long

- Perplex’d the Greek and Cytherea ’s Son;

- If answerable style I can obtaine  originalEd: 20

- Of my Celestial Patroness, who deignes

- Her nightly visitation unimplor’d,

- And dictates to me slumbring, or inspires

- Easie my unpremeditated Verse:

- Since first this Subject for Heroic Song

- Pleas’d me long choosing, and beginning late;

- Not sedulous by Nature to indite

- Warrs, hitherto the onely Argument

- Heroic deem’d, chief maistrie to dissect

- With long and tedious havoc fabl’d Knights  originalEd: 30

- In Battels feign’d; the better fortitude

- Of Patience and Heroic Martyrdom

- Unsung; or to describe Races and Games,

- Or tilting Furniture, emblazon’d Shields,

- Impreses quaint, Caparisons and Steeds;

- Bases and tinsel Trappings, gorgious Knights

- At Joust and Torneament; then marshal’d Feast

- Serv’d up in Hall with Sewers, and Seneshals;

- The skill of Artifice or Office mean,

- Not that which justly gives Heroic name  originalEd: 40

- To Person or to Poem. Mee of these

- Nor skilld nor studious, higher Argument

- Remaines, sufficient of it self to raise

- That name, unless an age too late, or cold

- Climat, or Years damp my intended wing

- Deprest, and much they may, if all be mine,

- Not Hers who brings it nightly to my Ear.

- The Sun was sunk, and after him the Starr

- Of Hesperus, whose Office is to bring

- Twilight upon the Earth, short Arbiter  originalEd: 50

- Twixt Day and Night, and now from end to end

- Nights Hemisphere had veild the Horizon round:

- When Satan who late fled before the threats

- Of Gabriel out of Eden, now improv’d

- In meditated fraud and malice, bent

- On mans destruction, maugre what might hap

- Of heavier on himself, fearless return’d.

- By Night he fled, and at Midnight return’d

- From compassing the Earth, cautious of day,

- Since Uriel Regent of the Sun descri’d  originalEd: 60

- His entrance, and forewarnd the Cherubim

- That kept thir watch; thence full of anguish driv’n,

- The space of seven continu’d Nights he rode

- With darkness, thrice the Equinoctial Line

- He circl’d, four times cross’d the Carr of Night

- From Pole to Pole, traversing each Colure;

- On the eighth return’d, and on the Coast averse

- From entrance or Cherubic Watch, by stealth

- Found unsuspected way. There was a place,

- Now not, though Sin, not Time, first wraught the change,  originalEd: 70

- Where Tigris at the foot of Paradise

- Into a Gulf shot under ground, till part

- Rose up a Fountain by the Tree of Life;

- In with the River sunk, and with it rose

- Satan involv’d in rising Mist, then sought

- Where to lie hid; Sea he had searcht and Land

- From Eden over Pontus, and the Poole

- Mæotis, up beyond the River Ob;

- Downward as farr Antartic; and in length

- West from Orontes to the Ocean barr’d  originalEd: 80

- At Darien, thence to the Land where flowes

- Ganges and Indus: thus the Orb he roam’d

- With narrow search; and with inspection deep

- Consider’d every Creature, which of all

- Most opportune might serve his Wiles, and found

- The Serpent suttlest Beast of all the Field.

- Him after long debate, irresolute

- Of thoughts revolv’d, his final sentence chose

- Fit Vessel, fittest Imp of fraud, in whom

- To enter, and his dark suggestions hide  originalEd: 90

- From sharpest sight: for in the wilie Snake,

- Whatever sleights none would suspicious mark,

- As from his wit and native suttletie

- Proceeding, which in other Beasts observ’d

- Doubt might beget of Diabolic pow’r

- Active within beyond the sense of brute.

- Thus he resolv’d, but first from inward griefe

- His bursting passion into plaints thus pour’d:

- O Earth, how like to Heav’n, if not preferr’d

- More justly, Seat worthier of Gods, as built  originalEd: 100

- With second thoughts, reforming what was old!

- For what God after better worse would build?

- Terrestrial Heav’n, danc’t round by other Heav’ns

- That shine, yet bear thir bright officious Lamps,

- Light above Light, for thee alone, as seems,

- In thee concentring all thir precious beams

- Of sacred influence: As God in Heav’n

- Is Center, yet extends to all, so thou

- Centring receav’st from all those Orbs; in thee,

- Not in themselves, all thir known vertue appeers  originalEd: 110

- Productive in Herb, Plant, and nobler birth

- Of Creatures animate with gradual life

- Of Growth, Sense, Reason, all summ’d up in Man.

- With what delight could I have walk’t thee round

- If I could joy in aught, sweet interchange

- Of Hill and Vallie, Rivers, Woods and Plaines,

- Now Land, now Sea, Shores with Forrest crownd,

- Rocks, Dens, and Caves; but I in none of these

- Find place or refuge; and the more I see

- Pleasures about me, so much more I feel  originalEd: 120

- Torment within me, as from the hateful siege

- Of contraries; all good to me becomes

- Bane, and in Heav’n much worse would be my state.

- But neither here seek I, no nor in Heav’n

- To dwell, unless by maistring Heav’ns Supreame;

- Nor hope to be my self less miserable

- By what I seek, but others to make such

- As I, though thereby worse to me redound:

- For onely in destroying I finde ease

- To my relentless thoughts; and him destroyd,  originalEd: 130

- Or won to what may work his utter loss,

- For whom all this was made, all this will soon

- Follow, as to him linkt in weal or woe,

- In wo then; that destruction wide may range:

- To mee shall be the glorie sole among

- The infernal Powers, in one day to have marr’d

- What he Almightie styl’d, six Nights and Days

- Continu’d making, and who knows how long

- Before had bin contriving, though perhaps

- Not longer then since I in one Night freed  originalEd: 140

- From servitude inglorious welnigh half

- Th’ Angelic Name, and thinner left the throng

- Of his adorers: hee to be aveng’d,

- And to repaire his numbers thus impair’d,

- Whether such vertue spent of old now faild

- More Angels to Create, if they at least

- Are his Created or to spite us more,

- Determin’d to advance into our room

- A Creature form’d of Earth, and him endow,

- Exalted from so base original,  originalEd: 150

- With Heav’nly spoils, our spoils; What he decreed

- He effected; Man he made, and for him built

- Magnificent this World, and Earth his seat,

- Him Lord pronounc’d, and, O indignitie!

- Subjected to his service Angel wings,

- And flaming Ministers to watch and tend

- Thir earthie Charge: Of these the vigilance

- I dread, and to elude, thus wrapt in mist

- Of midnight vapor glide obscure, and prie

- In every Bush and Brake, where hap may finde  originalEd: 160

- The Serpent sleeping, in whose mazie foulds

- To hide me, and the dark intent I bring.

- O foul descent! that I who erst contended

- With Gods to sit the highest, am now constraind

- Into a Beast, and mixt with bestial slime,

- This essence to incarnate and imbrute,

- That to the hight of Deitie aspir’d;

- But what will not Ambition and Revenge

- Descend to? who aspires must down as low

- As high he soard, obnoxious first or last  originalEd: 170

- To basest things. Revenge, at first though sweet,

- Bitter ere long back on it self recoiles;

- Let it; I reck not, so it light well aim’d,

- Since higher I fall short, on him who next

- Provokes my envie, this new Favorite

- Of Heav’n, this Man of Clay, Son of despite,

- Whom us the more to spite his Maker rais’d

- From dust: spite then with spite is best repaid.

- So saying, through each Thicket Danck or Drie,

- Like a black mist low creeping, he held on  originalEd: 180

- His midnight search, where soonest he might finde

- The Serpent: him fast sleeping soon he found

- In Labyrinth of many a round self-rowld,

- His head the midst, well stor’d with suttle wiles:

- Not yet in horrid Shade or dismal Den,

- Not nocent yet, but on the grassie Herbe

- Fearless unfeard he slept: in at his Mouth

- The Devil enterd, and his brutal sense,

- In heart or head, possessing soon inspir’d

- With act intelligential; but his sleep  originalEd: 190

- Disturb’d not, waiting close th’ approach of Morn.

- Now whenas sacred Light began to dawne

- In Eden on the humid Flours, that breathd

- Thir morning Incense, when all things that breath,

- From th’ Earths great Altar send up silent praise

- To the Creator, and his Nostrils fill

- With gratefull Smell, forth came the human pair

- And joynd thir vocal Worship to the Quire

- Of Creatures wanting voice, that done, partake

- The season, prime for sweetest Sents and Aires:  originalEd: 200

- Then commune how that day they best may ply

- Thir growing work: for much thir work outgrew

- The hands dispatch of two Gardning so wide.

- And Eve first to her Husband thus began.

- Adam, well may we labour still to dress

- This Garden, still to tend Plant, Herb and Flour.

- Our pleasant task enjoyn’d, but till more hands

- Aid us, the work under our labour grows,

- Luxurious by restraint; what we by day

- Lop overgrown, or prune, or prop, or bind,  originalEd: 210

- One night or two with wanton growth derides

- Tending to wilde. Thou therefore now advise

- Or hear what to my mind first thoughts present,

- Let us divide our labours, thou where choice

- Leads thee, or where most needs, whether to wind

- The Woodbine round this Arbour, or direct

- The clasping Ivie where to climb, while I

- In yonder Spring of Roses intermixt

- With Myrtle, find what to redress till Noon:

- For while so near each other thus all day  originalEd: 220

- Our task we choose, what wonder if so near

- Looks intervene and smiles, or object new

- Casual discourse draw on, which intermits

- Our dayes work brought to little, though begun

- Early, and th’ hour of Supper comes unearn’d.

- To whom mild answer Adam thus return’d.

- Sole Eve, Associate sole, to me beyond

- Compare above all living Creatures deare,

- Well hast thou motion’d, wel thy thoughts imployd

- How we might best fulfill the work which here  originalEd: 230

- God hath assign’d us, nor of me shalt pass

- Unprais’d: for nothing lovelier can be found

- In woman, then to studie houshold good,

- And good workes in her Husband to promote.

- Yet not so strictly hath our Lord impos’d

- Labour, as to debarr us when we need

- Refreshment, whether food, or talk between,

- Food of the mind, or this sweet intercourse

- Of looks and smiles, for smiles from Reason flow,

- To brute deni’d, and are of Love the food,  originalEd: 240

- Love not the lowest end of human life.

- For not to irksom toile, but to delight

- He made us, and delight to Reason joyn’d.

- These paths and Bowers doubt not but our joynt hands

- Will keep from Wilderness with ease, as wide

- As we need walk, till younger hands ere long

- Assist us: But if much converse perhaps

- Thee satiate, to short absence I could yeild.

- For solitude somtimes is best societie,

- And short retirement urges sweet returne.  originalEd: 250

- But other doubt possesses me, least harm

- Befall thee sever’d from me; for thou knowst

- What hath bin warn’d us, what malicious Foe

- Envying our happiness, and of his own

- Despairing, seeks to work us woe and shame

- By sly assault; and somwhere nigh at hand

- Watches, no doubt, with greedy hope to find

- His wish and best advantage, us asunder,

- Hopeless to circumvent us joynd, where each

- To other speedie aide might lend at need;  originalEd: 260

- Whether his first design be to withdraw

- Our fealtie from God, or to disturb

- Conjugal Love, then which perhaps no bliss

- Enjoy’d by us excites his envie more;

- Or this, or worse, leave not the faithful side

- That gave thee being, stil shades thee and protects.

- The Wife, where danger or dishonour lurks,

- Safest and seemliest by her Husband staies,

- Who guards her, or with her the worst endures.

- To whom the Virgin Majestie of Eve,  originalEd: 270

- As one who loves, and some unkindness meets,

- With sweet austeer composure thus reply’d.

- Ofspring of Heav’n and Earth, and all Earths Lord,

- That such an Enemie we have, who seeks

- Our ruin, both by thee informd I learne,

- And from the parting Angel over-heard

- As in a shadie nook I stood behind,

- Just then returnd at shut of Evening Flours.

- But that thou shouldst my firmness therfore doubt

- To God or thee, because we have a foe  originalEd: 280

- May tempt it, I expected not to hear.

- His violence thou fearst not, being such,

- As wee, not capable of death or paine,

- Can either not receave, or can repell.

- His fraud is then thy fear, which plain inferrs

- Thy equal fear that my firm Faith and Love

- Can by his fraud be shak’n or seduc’t;

- Thoughts, which how found they harbour in thy brest,

- Adam, missthought of her to thee so dear?

- To whom with healing words Adam reply’d.  originalEd: 290

- Daughter of God and Man, immortal Eve,

- For such thou art, from sin and blame entire:

- Not diffident of thee do I dissuade

- Thy absence from my sight, but to avoid

- Th’ attempt it self, intended by our Foe.

- For hee who tempts, though in vain, at least asperses

- The tempted with dishonour foul, suppos’d

- Not incorruptible of Faith, not prooff

- Against temptation: thou thy self with scorne

- And anger wouldst resent the offer’d wrong,  originalEd: 300

- Though ineffectual found: misdeem not then,

- If such affront I labour to avert

- From thee alone, which on us both at once

- The Enemie, though bold, will hardly dare,

- Or daring, first on mee th’ assault shall light.

- Nor thou his malice and false guile contemn;

- Suttle he needs must be, who could seduce

- Angels, nor think superfluous others aid.

- I from the influence of thy looks receave

- Access in every Vertue, in thy sight  originalEd: 310

- More wise, more watchful, stronger, if need were

- Of outward strength; while shame, thou looking on,

- Shame to be overcome or over-reacht

- Would utmost vigor raise, and rais’d unite.

- Why shouldst not thou like sense within thee feel

- When I am present, and thy trial choose

- With me, best witness of thy Vertue tri’d.

- So spake domestick Adam in his care

- And Matrimonial Love, but Eve, who thought

- Less attributed to her Faith sincere,  originalEd: 320

- Thus her reply with accent sweet renewd.

- If this be our condition, thus to dwell

- In narrow circuit strait’nd by a Foe,

- Suttle or violent, we not endu’d

- Single with like defence, wherever met,

- How are we happie, still in fear of harm?

- But harm precedes not sin: onely our Foe

- Tempting affronts us with his foul esteem

- Of our integritie: his foul esteeme

- Sticks no dishonor on our Front, but turns  originalEd: 330

- Foul on himself; then wherfore shund or feard

- By us? who rather double honour gaine

- From his surmise prov’d false, finde peace within,

- Favour from Heav’n, our witness from th’ event.

- And what is Faith, Love, Vertue unassaid

- Alone, without exterior help sustaind?

- Let us not then suspect our happie State

- Left so imperfet by the Maker wise,

- As not secure to single or combin’d.

- Fraile is our happiness, if this be so,  originalEd: 340

- And Eden were no Eden thus expos’d.

- To whom thus Adam fervently repli’d.

- O Woman, best are all things as the will

- Of God ordaind them, his creating hand

- Nothing imperfet or deficient left

- Of all that he Created, much less Man,

- Or ought that might his happie State secure,

- Secure from outward force; within himself

- The danger lies, yet lies within his power:

- Against his will he can receave no harme.  originalEd: 350

- But God left free the Will, for what obeyes

- Reason, is free, and Reason he made right

- But bid her well beware, and still erect,

- Least by some faire appeering good surpris’d

- She dictate false, and missinforme the Will

- To do what God expressly hath forbid.

- Not then mistrust, but tender love enjoynes,

- That I should mind thee oft, and mind thou me.

- Firm we subsist, yet possible to swerve,

- Since Reason not impossibly may meet  originalEd: 360

- Some specious object by the Foe subornd,

- And fall into deception unaware,

- Not keeping strictest watch, as she was warnd.

- Seek not temptation then, which to avoide

- Were better, and most likelie if from mee

- Thou sever not: Trial will come unsought.

- Wouldst thou approve thy constancie, approve

- First thy obedience; th’ other who can know,

- Not seeing thee attempted, who attest?

- But if thou think, trial unsought may finde  originalEd: 370

- Us both securer then thus warnd thou seemst,

- Go; for thy stay, not free, absents thee more;

- Go in thy native innocence, relie

- On what thou hast of vertue, summon all,

- For God towards thee hath done his part, do thine.

- So spake the Patriarch of Mankinde, but Eve

- Persisted, yet submiss, though last, repli’d.

- With thy permission then, and thus forewarnd

- Chiefly by what thy own last reasoning words

- Touchd onely, that our trial, when least sought,  originalEd: 380

- May finde us both perhaps farr less prepar’d,

- The willinger I goe, nor much expect

- A Foe so proud will first the weaker seek;

- So bent, the more shall shame him his repulse.

- Thus saying, from her Husbands hand her hand

- Soft she withdrew, and like a Wood-Nymph light

- Oread or Dryad, or of Delia ’s Traine,

- Betook her to the Groves, but Delia ’s self

- In gate surpass’d and Goddess-like deport,

- Though not as shee with Bow and Quiver armd,  originalEd: 390

- But with such Gardning Tools as Art yet rude,

- Guiltless of fire had formd, or Angels brought.

- To Pales, or Pomona, thus adornd,

- Likest she seemd, Pomona when she fled

- Vertumnus, or to Ceres in her Prime,

- Yet Virgin of Proserpina from Jove.

- Her long with ardent look his Eye pursu’d

- Delighted, but desiring more her stay.

- Oft he to her his charge of quick returne

- Repeated, shee to him as oft engag’d  originalEd: 400

- To be returnd by Noon amid the Bowre,

- And all things in best order to invite

- Noontide repast, or Afternoons repose.

- O much deceav’d, much failing, hapless Eve,

- Of thy presum’d return! event perverse!

- Thou never from that houre in Paradise

- Foundst either sweet repast, or sound repose;

- Such ambush hid among sweet Flours and Shades

- Waited with hellish rancor imminent

- To intercept thy way, or send thee back  originalEd: 410

- Despoild of Innocence, of Faith, of Bliss.

- For now, and since first break of dawne the Fiend,

- Meer Serpent in appearance, forth was come,

- And on his Quest, where likeliest he might finde

- The onely two of Mankinde, but in them

- The whole included Race, his purposd prey.

- In Bowre and Field he sought, where any tuft

- Of Grove or Garden-Plot more pleasant lay,

- Thir tendance or Plantation for delight,

- By Fountain or by shadie Rivulet  originalEd: 420

- He sought them both, but wish’d his hap might find

- Eve separate, he wish’d, but not with hope

- Of what so seldom chanc’d, when to his wish,

- Beyond his hope, Eve separate he spies,

- Veil’d in a Cloud of Fragrance, where she stood,

- Half spi’d, so thick the Roses bushing round

- About her glowd, oft stooping to support

- Each Flour of slender stalk, whose head though gay

- Carnation, Purple, Azure, or spect with Gold,

- Hung drooping unsustained, them she upstaies  originalEd: 430

- Gently with Mirtle band, mindless the while,

- Her self, though fairest unsupported Flour,

- From her best prop so farr, and storm so nigh.

- Neerer he drew, and many a walk travers’d

- Of stateliest Covert, Cedar, Pine, or Palme,

- Then voluble and bold, now hid, now seen

- Among thick-wov’n Arborets and Flours

- Imborderd on each Bank, the hand of Eve:

- Spot more delicious then those Gardens feign’d

- Or of reviv’d Adonis, or renownd  originalEd: 440

- Alcinous, host of old Laertes Son,

- Or that, not Mystic, where the Sapient King

- Held dalliance with his faire Egyptian Spouse.

- Much hee the Place admir’d, the Person more.

- As one who long in populous City pent,

- Where Houses thick and Sewers annoy the Aire,

- Forth issuing on a Summers Morn to breathe

- Among the pleasant Villages and Farmes

- Adjoynd, from each thing met conceaves delight,

- The smell of Grain, or tedded Grass, or Kine,  originalEd: 450

- Or Dairie, each rural sight, each rural sound;

- If chance with Nymphlike step fair Virgin pass,

- What pleasing seemd, for her now pleases more,

- She most, and in her looks summs all Delight.

- Such Pleasure took the Serpent to behold

- This Flourie Plat, the sweet recess of Eve

- Thus earlie, thus alone; her Heav’nly forme

- Angelic, but more soft, and Feminine,

- Her graceful Innocence, her every Aire

- Of gesture or lest action overawd  originalEd: 460

- His Malice, and with rapine sweet bereav’d

- His fierceness of the fierce intent it brought:

- That space the Evil one abstracted stood

- From his own evil, and for the time remaind

- Stupidly good, of enmitie disarm’d,

- Of guile, of hate, of envie, of revenge;

- But the hot Hell that alwayes in him burnes,

- Though in mid Heav’n, soon ended his delight,

- And tortures him now more, the more he sees

- Of pleasure not for him ordain’d: then soon  originalEd: 470

- Fierce hate he recollects, and all his thoughts

- Of mischief, gratulating, thus excites.

- Thoughts, whither have ye led me, with what sweet

- Compulsion thus transported to forget

- What hither brought us, hate, not love, nor hope

- Of Paradise for Hell, hope here to taste

- Of pleasure, but all pleasure to destroy,

- Save what is in destroying, other joy

- To me is lost. Then let me not let pass

- Occasion which now smiles, behold alone  originalEd: 480

- The Woman, opportune to all attempts,

- Her Husband, for I view far round, not nigh,

- Whose higher intellectual more I shun,

- And strength, of courage hautie, and of limb

- Heroic built, though of terrestrial mould,

- Foe not informidable, exempt from wound,

- I not; so much hath Hell debas’d, and paine

- Infeebl’d me, to what I was in Heav’n.

- Shee fair, divinely fair, fit Love for Gods,

- Not terrible, though terrour be in Love  originalEd: 490

- And beautie, not approacht by stronger hate,

- Hate stronger, under shew of Love well feign’d,

- The way which to her ruin now I tend.

- So spake the Enemie of Mankind, enclos’d

- In Serpent, Inmate bad, and toward Eve

- Address’d his way, not with indented wave,

- Prone on the ground, as since, but on his reare,

- Circular base of rising foulds, that tour’d

- Fould above fould a surging Maze, his Head

- Crested aloft, and Carbuncle his Eyes;  originalEd: 500

- With burnisht Neck of verdant Gold, erect

- Amidst his circling Spires, that on the grass

- Floted redundant: pleasing was his shape,

- And lovely, never since of Serpent kind

- Lovelier, not those that in Illyria chang’d

- Hermione and Cadmus, or the God

- In Epidaurus; nor to which transformd

- Ammonian Jove, or Capitoline was seen,

- Hee with Olympias, this with her who bore

- Scipio the highth of Rome. With tract oblique  originalEd: 510

- At first, as one who sought access, but feard

- To interrupt, side-long he works his way.

- As when a Ship by skilful Stearsman wrought

- Nigh Rivers mouth or Foreland, where the Wind

- Veres oft, as oft so steers, and shifts her Saile;

- So varied hee, and of his tortuous Traine

- Curld many a wanton wreath in sight of Eve,

- To lure her Eye; shee busied heard the sound

- Of rusling Leaves, but minded not, as us’d

- To such disport before her through the Field,  originalEd: 520

- From every Beast, more duteous at her call,

- Then at Circean call the Herd disguis’d.

- Hee boulder now, uncall’d before her stood;

- But as in gaze admiring: Oft he bowd

- His turret Crest, and sleek enamel’d Neck,

- Fawning, and lick’d the ground whereon she trod.

- His gentle dumb expression turn’d at length

- The Eye of Eve to mark his play; he glad

- Of her attention gaind, with Serpent Tongue

- Organic, or impulse of vocal Air,  originalEd: 530

- His fraudulent temptation thus began.

- Wonder not, sovran Mistress, if perhaps

- Thou canst, who art sole Wonder, much less arm

- Thy looks, the Heav’n of mildness, with disdain,

- Displeas’d that I approach thee thus, and gaze

- Insatiate, I thus single, nor have feard

- Thy awful brow, more awful thus retir’d.

- Fairest resemblance of thy Maker faire,

- Thee all things living gaze on, all things thine

- By gift, and thy Celestial Beautie adore  originalEd: 540

- With ravishment beheld, there best beheld

- Where universally admir’d: but here

- In this enclosure wild, these Beasts among,

- Beholders rude, and shallow to discerne

- Half what in thee is fair, one man except,

- Who sees thee? (and what is one?) who shouldst be seen

- A Goddess among Gods, ador’d and serv’d

- By Angels numberless, thy daily Train.

- So gloz’d the Tempter, and his Proem tun’d;

- Into the Heart of Eve his words made way,  originalEd: 550

- Though at the voice much marveling; at length

- Not unamaz’d she thus in answer spake.

- What may this mean? Language of Man pronounc’t

- By Tongue of Brute, and human sense exprest?

- The first at lest of these I thought deni’d

- To Beasts, whom God on thir Creation-Day

- Created mute to all articulat sound;

- The latter I demurre, for in thir looks

- Much reason, and in thir actions oft appeers.

- Thee, Serpent, suttlest beast of all the field  originalEd: 560

- I knew, but not with human voice endu’d;

- Redouble then this miracle, and say,

- How cam’st thou speakable of mute, and how

- To me so friendly grown above the rest

- Of brutal kind, that daily are in sight?

- Say, for such wonder claims attention due.

- To whom the guileful Tempter thus reply’d.

- Empress of this fair World, resplendent Eve,

- Easie to mee it is to tell thee all

- What thou commandst and right thou shouldst be obeyd:  originalEd: 570

- I was at first as other Beasts that graze

- The trodden Herb, of abject thoughts and low,

- As was my food, nor aught but food discern’d

- Or Sex, and apprehended nothing high:

- Till on a day roaving the field, I chanc’d

- A goodly Tree farr distant to behold

- Loaden with fruit of fairest colours mixt,

- Ruddie and Gold: I nearer drew to gaze;

- When from the boughes a savorie odour blow’n,

- Grateful to appetite, more pleas’d my sense  originalEd: 580

- Then smell of sweetest Fenel, or the Teats

- Of Ewe or Goat dropping with Milk at Eevn,

- Unsuckt of Lamb or Kid, that tend thir play.

- To satisfie the sharp desire I had

- Of tasting those fair Apples, I resolv’d

- Not to deferr; hunger and thirst at once,

- Powerful perswaders, quick’nd at the scent

- Of that alluring fruit, urg’d me so keene.

- About the Mossie Trunk I wound me soon,

- For high from ground the branches would require  originalEd: 590

- Thy utmost reach or Adams: Round the Tree

- All other Beasts that saw, with like desire

- Longing and envying stood, but could not reach.

- Amid the Tree now got, where plentie hung

- Tempting so nigh, to pluck and eat my fill

- I spar’d not, for such pleasure till that hour

- At Feed or Fountain never had I found.

- Sated at length, ere long I might perceave

- Strange alteration in me, to degree

- Of Reason in my inward Powers, and Speech  originalEd: 600

- Wanted not long, though to this shape retaind.

- Thenceforth to Speculations high or deep

- I turnd my thoughts, and with capacious mind

- Considerd all things visible in Heav’n,

- Or Earth, or Middle, all things fair and good;

- But all that fair and good in thy Divine

- Semblance, and in thy Beauties heav’nly Ray

- United I beheld; no Fair to thine

- Equivalent or second, which compel’d

- Mee thus, though importune perhaps, to come  originalEd: 610

- And gaze, and worship thee of right declar’d

- Sovran of Creatures, universal Dame.

- So talk’d the spirited sly Snake; and Eve

- Yet more amaz’d unwarie thus reply’d.

- Serpent, thy overpraising leaves in doubt

- The vertue of that Fruit, in thee first prov’d:

- But say, where grows the Tree, from hence how far?

- For many are the Trees of God that grow

- In Paradise, and various, yet unknown

- To us, in such abundance lies our choice,  originalEd: 620

- As leaves a greater store of Fruit untoucht,

- Still hanging incorruptible, till men

- Grow up to thir provision, and more hands

- Help to disburden Nature of her Bearth.

- To whom the wilie Adder, blithe and glad.

- Empress, the way is readie, and not long,

- Beyond a row of Myrtles, on a Flat,

- Fast by a Fountain, one small Thicket past

- Of blowing Myrrh and Balme; if thou accept

- My conduct, I can bring thee thither soon.  originalEd: 630

- Lead then, said Eve. Hee leading swiftly rowld

- In tangles, and made intricate seem strait,

- To mischief swift. Hope elevates, and joy

- Bright’ns his Crest, as when a wandring Fire

- Compact of unctuous vapor, which the Night

- Condenses, and the cold invirons round,

- Kindl’d through agitation to a Flame,

- Which oft, they say, some evil Spirit attends,

- Hovering and blazing with delusive Light,

- Misleads th’ amaz’d Night-wanderer from his way  originalEd: 640

- To Boggs and Mires, oft through Pond or Poole,

- There swallow’d up and lost, from succour farr.

- So glister’d the dire Snake, and into fraud

- Led Eve our credulous Mother, to the Tree

- Of prohibition, root of all our woe;

- Which when she saw, thus to her guide she spake.

- Serpent, we might have spar’d our coming hither,

- Fruitless to me, though Fruit be here to excess,

- The credit of whose vertue rest with thee,

- Wondrous indeed, if cause of such effects.  originalEd: 650

- But of this Tree we may not taste nor touch;

- God so commanded, and left that Command

- Sole Daughter of his voice; the rest, we live

- Law to our selves, our Reason is our Law.

- To whom the Tempter guilefully repli’d.

- Indeed? hath God then said that of the Fruit

- Of all these Garden Trees ye shall not eate,

- Yet Lords declar’d of all in Earth or Aire?

- To whom thus Eve yet sinless. Of the Fruit

- Of each Tree in the Garden we may eate,  originalEd: 660

- But of the Fruit of this fair Tree amidst

- The Garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eate

- Thereof, nor shall ye touch it, least ye die.

- She scarse had said, though brief, when now more bold

- The Tempter, but with shew of Zeale and Love

- To Man, and indignation at his wrong,

- New part puts on, and as to passion mov’d,

- Fluctuats disturbd, yet comely, and in act

- Rais’d, as of som great matter to begin.

- As when of old som Orator renound  originalEd: 670

- In Athens or free Rome, where Eloquence

- Flourishd, since mute, to som great cause addrest,

- Stood in himself collected, while each part,

- Motion, each act won audience ere the tongue,

- Somtimes in highth began, as no delay

- Of Preface brooking through his Zeal of Right.

- So standing, moving, or to highth upgrown

- The Tempter all impassiond thus began.

- O Sacred, Wise, and Wisdom-giving Plant,

- Mother of Science, Now I feel thy Power  originalEd: 680

- Within me cleere, not onely to discerne

- Things in thir Causes, but to trace the wayes

- Of highest Agents, deemd however wise.

- Queen of this Universe, doe not believe

- Those rigid threats of Death; ye shall not Die:

- How should ye? by the Fruit? it gives you Life

- To Knowledge: By the Threatner? look on mee,

- Mee who have touch’d and tasted, yet both live,

- And life more perfet have attaind then Fate

- Meant mee, by ventring higher then my Lot.  originalEd: 690

- Shall that be shut to Man, which to the Beast

- Is open? or will God incense his ire

- For such a petty Trespass, and not praise

- Rather your dauntless vertue, whom the pain

- Of Death denounc’t, whatever thing Death be,

- Deterrd not from atchieving what might leade

- To happier life, knowledge of Good and Evil;

- Of good, how just? of evil, if what is evil

- Be real, why not known, since easier shunnd?

- God therefore cannot hurt ye, and be just;  originalEd: 700

- Not just, not God; not feard then, nor obeid:

- Your feare it self of Death removes the feare.

- Why then was this forbid? Why but to awe,

- Why but to keep ye low and ignorant,

- His worshippers; he knows that in the day

- Ye Eate thereof, your Eyes that seem so cleere,

- Yet are but dim, shall perfetly be then

- Op’nd and cleerd, and ye shall be as Gods,

- Knowing both Good and Evil as they know.

- That ye should be as Gods, since I as Man,  originalEd: 710

- Internal Man, is but proportion meet,

- I of brute human, yee of human Gods.

- So ye shall die perhaps, by putting off

- Human, to put on Gods, death to be wisht,

- Though threat’nd, which no worse then this can bring.

- And what are Gods that Man may not become

- As they, participating God-like food?

- The Gods are first, and that advantage use

- On our belief, that all from them proceeds;

- I question it, for this fair Earth I see,  originalEd: 720

- Warm’d by the Sun, producing every kind,

- Them nothing: If they all things, who enclos’d

- Knowledge of Good and Evil in this Tree,

- That whoso eats thereof, forthwith attains

- Wisdom without their leave? and wherein lies

- Th’ offence, that Man should thus attain to know?

- What can your knowledge hurt him, or this Tree

- Impart against his will if all be his?

- Or is it envie, and can envie dwell

- In heav’nly brests? these, these and many more  originalEd: 730

- Causes import your need of this fair Fruit.

- Goddess humane, reach then, and freely taste.

- He ended, and his words replete with guile

- Into her heart too easie entrance won:

- Fixt on the Fruit she gaz’d, which to behold

- Might tempt alone, and in her ears the sound

- Yet rung of his perswasive words, impregn’d

- With Reason, to her seeming, and with Truth;

- Meanwhile the hour of Noon drew on, and wak’d

- An eager appetite, rais’d by the smell  originalEd: 740

- So savorie of that Fruit, which with desire,

- Inclinable now grown to touch or taste,

- Sollicited her longing eye; yet first

- Pausing a while, thus to her self she mus’d.

- Great are thy Vertues, doubtless, best of Fruits,

- Though kept from Man, worthy to be admir’d,

- Whose taste, too long forborn, at first assay

- Gave elocution to the mute, and taught

- The Tongue not made for Speech to speak thy praise:

- Thy praise hee also who forbids thy use,  originalEd: 750

- Conceales not from us, naming thee the Tree

- Of Knowledge, knowledge both of good and evil;

- Forbids us then to taste, but his forbidding

- Commends thee more, while it inferrs the good

- By thee communicated, and our want:

- For good unknown, sure is not had, or had

- And yet unknown, is as not had at all.

- In plain then, what forbids he but to know,

- Forbids us good, forbids us to be wise?

- Such prohibitions binde not. But if Death  originalEd: 760

- Bind us with after-bands, what profits then

- Our inward freedom? In the day we eate

- Of this fair Fruit, our doom is, we shall die.

- How dies the Serpent? hee hath eat’n and lives,

- And knows, and speaks, and reasons, and discernes,

- Irrational till then. For us alone

- Was death invented? or to us deni’d

- This intellectual food, for beasts reserv’d?

- For Beasts it seems: yet that one Beast which first

- Hath tasted, envies not, but brings with joy  originalEd: 770

- The good befall’n him, Author unsuspect,

- Friendly to man, farr from deceit or guile.

- What fear I then, rather what know to feare

- Under this ignorance of Good and Evil,

- Of God or Death, of Law or Penaltie?

- Here grows the Cure of all, this Fruit Divine,

- Fair to the Eye, inviting to the Taste,

- Of vertue to make wise: what hinders then

- To reach, and feed at once both Bodie and Mind?

- So saying, her rash hand in evil hour  originalEd: 780

- Forth reaching to the Fruit, she pluck’d, she eat:

- Earth felt the wound, and Nature from her seat

- Sighing through all her Works gave signs of woe,

- That all was lost. Back to the Thicket slunk

- The guiltie Serpent, and well might, for Eve

- Intent now wholly on her taste, naught else

- Regarded, such delight till then, as seemd,

- In Fruit she never tasted, whether true

- Or fansied so, through expectation high

- Of knowledg, nor was God-head from her thought.  originalEd: 790

- Greedily she ingorg’d without restraint,

- And knew not eating Death: Satiate at length,

- And hight’nd as with Wine, jocond and boon,

- Thus to her self she pleasingly began.

- O Sovran, vertuous, precious of all Trees

- In Paradise, of operation blest

- To Sapience, hitherto obscur’d, infam’d,

- And thy fair Fruit let hang, as to no end

- Created; but henceforth my early care,

- Not without Song, each Morning, and due praise  originalEd: 800

- Shall tend thee, and the fertil burden ease

- Of thy full branches offer’d free to all;

- Till dieted by thee I grow mature

- In knowledge, as the Gods who all things know;

- Though others envie what they cannot give;

- For had the gift bin theirs, it had not here

- Thus grown. Experience, next to thee I owe,

- Best guide; not following thee, I had remaind

- In ignorance, thou op’nst Wisdoms way,

- And giv’st access, though secret she retire.  originalEd: 810

- And I perhaps am secret; Heav’n is high,

- High and remote to see from thence distinct

- Each thing on Earth; and other care perhaps

- May have diverted from continual watch

- Our great Forbidder, safe with all his Spies

- About him. But to Adam in what sort

- Shall I appeer? shall I to him make known

- As yet my change, and give him to partake

- Full happiness with mee, or rather not,

- But keep the odds of Knowledge in my power  originalEd: 820

- Without Copartner? so to add what wants

- In Femal Sex, the more to draw his Love,

- And render me more equal, and perhaps,

- A thing not undesireable, somtime

- Superior: for inferior who is free?

- This may be well: but what if God have seen,

- And Death ensue? then I shall be no more,

- And Adam wedded to another Eve,

- Shall live with her enjoying, I extinct;

- A death to think. Confirm’d then I resolve,  originalEd: 830

- Adam shall share with me in bliss or woe:

- So dear I love him, that with him all deaths

- I could endure, without him live no life.

- So saying, from the Tree her step she turnd,

- But first low Reverence don, as to the power

- That dwelt within, whose presence had infus’d

- Into the plant sciential sap, deriv’d

- From Nectar, drink of Gods. Adam the while

- Waiting desirous her return, had wove

- Of choicest Flours a Garland to adorne  originalEd: 840

- Her Tresses, and her rural labours crown

- As Reapers oft are wont thir Harvest Queen.

- Great joy he promis’d to his thoughts, and new

- Solace in her return, so long delay’d;

- Yet oft his heart, divine of somthing ill,

- Misgave him; hee the faultring measure felt;

- And forth to meet her went, the way she took

- That Morn when first they parted; by the Tree

- Of Knowledge he must pass, there he her met,

- Scarse from the Tree returning; in her hand  originalEd: 850

- A bough of fairest fruit that downie smil’d,

- New gatherd, and ambrosial smell diffus’d.

- To him she hasted, in her face excuse

- Came Prologue, and Apologie to prompt,

- Which with bland words at will she thus addrest.

- Hast thou not wonderd, Adam, at my stay?

- Thee I have misst, and thought it long, depriv’d

- Thy presence, agonie of love till now

- Not felt, nor shall be twice, for never more

- Mean I to trie, what rash untri’d I sought,  originalEd: 860

- The paine of absence from thy sight. But strange

- Hath bin the cause, and wonderful to heare:

- This Tree is not as we are told, a Tree

- Of danger tasted, nor to evil unknown

- Op’ning the way, but of Divine effect

- To open Eyes, and make them Gods who taste;

- And hath bin tasted such: the Serpent wise,

- Or not restraind as wee, or not obeying,

- Hath eat’n of the fruit, and is become,

- Not dead, as we are threatn’d, but thenceforth  originalEd: 870

- Endu’d with human voice and human sense,

- Reasoning to admiration, and with mee

- Perswasively hath so prevaild, that I

- Have also tasted, and have also found

- Th’ effects to correspond, opener mine Eyes

- Dimm erst, dilated Spirits, ampler Heart,

- And growing up to Godhead; which for thee

- Chiefly I sought, without thee can despise.

- For bliss, as thou hast part, to me is bliss,

- Tedious, unshar’d with thee, and odious soon.  originalEd: 880

- Thou therfore also taste, that equal Lot

- May joyne us, equal Joy, as equal Love;

- Least thou not tasting, different degree

- Disjoyne us, and I then too late renounce

- Deitie for thee, when Fate will not permit.

- Thus Eve with Countnance blithe her storie told;

- But in her Cheek distemper flushing glowd.

- On th’ other side, Adam, soon as he heard

- The fatal Trespass done by Eve, amaz’d,

- Astonied stood and Blank, while horror chill  originalEd: 890

- Ran through his veins, and all his joynts relax’d;

- From his slack hand the Garland wreath’d for Eve

- Down drop’d, and all the faded Roses shed:

- Speechless he stood and pale, till thus at length

- First to himself he inward silence broke.

- O fairest of Creation, last and best

- Of all Gods Works, Creature in whom excell’d

- Whatever can to sight or thought be formd,

- Holy, divine, good, amiable, or sweet!

- How art thou lost, how on a sudden lost,  originalEd: 900

- Defac’t, deflourd, and now to Death devote?

- Rather how hast thou yeelded to transgress

- The strict forbiddance, how to violate

- The sacred Fruit forbidd’n! som cursed fraud

- Of Enemie hath beguil’d thee, yet unknown,

- And mee with thee hath ruind, for with thee

- Certain my resolution is to Die;

- How can I live without thee, how forgoe

- Thy sweet Converse and Love so dearly joyn’d,

- To live again in these wilde Woods forlorn?  originalEd: 910

- Should God create another Eve, and I

- Another Rib afford, yet loss of thee

- Would never from my heart; no no, I feel

- The Link of Nature draw me: Flesh of Flesh,

- Bone of my Bone thou art, and from thy State

- Mine never shall be parted, bliss or woe.

- So having said, as one from sad dismay

- Recomforted, and after thoughts disturbd

- Submitting to what seemd remediless,

- Thus in calme mood his Words to Eve he turnd.  originalEd: 920

- Bold deed thou hast presum’d, adventrous Eve,

- And peril great provok’t, who thus hast dar’d

- Had it bin onely coveting to Eye

- That sacred Fruit, sacred to abstinence,

- Much more to taste it under banne to touch.

- But past who can recall, or don undoe?

- Not God Omnipotent, nor Fate, yet so

- Perhaps thou shalt not Die, perhaps the Fact

- Is not so hainous now, foretasted Fruit,

- Profan’d first by the Serpent, by him first  originalEd: 930

- Made common and unhallowd ere our taste;

- Nor yet on him found deadly, he yet lives,

- Lives, as thou saidst, and gaines to live as Man

- Higher degree of Life, inducement strong

- To us, as likely tasting to attaine

- Proportional ascent, which cannot be

- But to be Gods, or Angels Demi-gods.

- Nor can I think that God, Creator wise,

- Though threatning, will in earnest so destroy

- Us his prime Creatures, dignifi’d so high,  originalEd: 940

- Set over all his Works, which in our Fall,

- For us created, needs with us must faile,

- Dependent made; so God shall uncreate,

- Be frustrate, do, undo, and labour loose,

- Not well conceav’d of God, who though his Power

- Creation could repeate, yet would be loath

- Us to bolish, least the Adversary

- Triumph and say; Fickle their State whom God

- Most Favors, who can please him long? Mee first

- He ruind, now Mankind; whom will he next?  originalEd: 950

- Matter of scorne, not to be given the Foe.

- However I with thee have fixt my Lot,

- Certain to undergoe like doom, if Death

- Consort with thee, Death is to mee as Life;

- So forcible within my heart I feel

- The Bond of Nature draw me to my owne,

- My own in thee, for what thou art is mine;

- Our State cannot be severd, we are one,

- One Flesh; to loose thee were to loose my self.

- So Adam, and thus Eve to him repli’d.  originalEd: 960

- O glorious trial of exceeding Love,

- Illustrious evidence, example high!

- Ingaging me to emulate, but short

- Of thy perfection, how shall I attaine,

- Adam, from whose deare side I boast me sprung,

- And gladly of our Union heare thee speak,

- One Heart, one Soul in both; whereof good prooff

- This day affords, declaring thee resolvd,

- Rather then Death or aught then Death more dread

- Shall separate us, linkt in Love so deare,  originalEd: 970

- To undergoe with mee one Guilt, one Crime,

- If any be, of tasting this fair Fruit,

- Whose vertue, for of good still good proceeds,

- Direct, or by occasion hath presented

- This happie trial of thy Love, which else

- So eminently never had bin known.

- Were it I thought Death menac’t would ensue

- This my attempt, I would sustain alone

- The worst, and not perswade thee, rather die

- Deserted, then oblige thee with a fact  originalEd: 980

- Pernicious to thy Peace, chiefly assur’d

- Remarkably so late of thy so true,

- So faithful Love unequald; but I feel

- Farr otherwise th’ event, not Death, but Life

- Augmented, op’nd Eyes, new Hopes, new Joyes,

- Taste so Divine, that what of sweet before

- Hath toucht my sense, flat seems to this, and harsh.

- On my experience, Adam, freely taste,

- And fear of Death deliver to the Windes.

- So saying, she embrac’d him, and for joy  originalEd: 990

- Tenderly wept, much won that he his Love

- Had so enobl’d, as of choice to incurr

- Divine displeasure for her sake, or Death.

- In recompence (for such compliance bad

- Such recompence best merits) from the bough

- She gave him of that fair enticing Fruit

- With liberal hand: he scrupl’d not to eat

- Against his better knowledge, not deceav’d,

- But fondly overcome with Femal charm.

- Earth trembl’d from her entrails, as again  originalEd: 1000

- In pangs, and Nature gave a second groan,

- Skie lowr’d, and muttering Thunder, som sad drops

- Wept at compleating of the mortal Sin

- Original; while Adam took no thought,

- Eating his fill, nor Eve to iterate

- Her former trespass fear’d, the more to soothe

- Him with her lov’d societie, that now

- As with new Wine intoxicated both

- They swim in mirth, and fansie that they feel

- Divinitie within them breeding wings  originalEd: 1010

- Wherewith to scorn the Earth: but that false Fruit

- Farr other operation first displaid,

- Carnal desire enflaming, hee on Eve

- Began to cast lascivious Eyes, she him

- As wantonly repaid; in Lust they burne:

- Till Adam thus ’gan Eve to dalliance move.

- Eve, now I see thou art exact of taste,

- And elegant, of Sapience no small part,

- Since to each meaning savour we apply,

- And Palate call judicious; I the praise  originalEd: 1020

- Yeild thee, so well this day thou hast purvey’d.

- Much pleasure we have lost, while we abstain’d

- From this delightful Fruit, nor known till now

- True relish, tasting; if such pleasure be

- In things to us forbidden, it might be wish’d,

- For this one Tree had bin forbidden ten.

- But come, so well refresh’t, now let us play,

- As meet is, after such delicious Fare;

- For never did thy Beautie since the day

- I saw thee first and wedded thee, adorn’d  originalEd: 1030

- With all perfections, so enflame my sense

- With ardor to enjoy thee, fairer now

- Than ever, bountie of this vertuous Tree.

- So said he, and forbore not glance or toy

- Of amorous intent, well understood

- Of Eve, whose Eye darted contagious Fire.

- Her hand he seis’d, and to a shadie bank,

- Thick overhead with verdant roof imbowr’d

- He led her nothing loath; Flours were the Couch,

- Pansies, and Violets, and Asphodel,  originalEd: 1040

- And Hyacinth, Earths freshest softest lap.

- There they thir fill of Love and Loves disport

- Took largely, of thir mutual guilt the Seale,

- The solace of thir sin, till dewie sleep

- Oppress’d them, wearied with thir amorous play.

- Soon as the force of that fallacious Fruit,

- That with exhilerating vapour bland

- About thir spirits had plaid, and inmost powers

- Made erre, was now exhal’d, and grosser sleep

- Bred of unkindly fumes, with conscious dreams  originalEd: 1050

- Encumberd, now had left them, up they rose

- As from unrest, and each the other viewing,

- Soon found thir Eyes how op’nd, and thir minds

- How dark’nd; innocence, that as a veile

- Had shadow’d them from knowing ill, was gon,

- Just confidence, and native righteousness,

- And honour from about them, naked left

- To guiltie shame hee cover’d, but his Robe

- Uncover’d more. So rose the Danite strong

- Herculean Samson from the Harlot-lap  originalEd: 1060

- Of Philistean Dalilah, and wak’d

- Shorn of his strength, They destitute and bare

- Of all thir vertue: silent, and in face

- Confounded long they sate, as struck’n mute,

- Till Adam, though not less then Eve abasht,

- At length gave utterance to these words constraind.

- O Eve, in evil hour thou didst give eare

- To that false Worm, of whomsoever taught

- To counterfet Mans voice, true in our Fall,

- False in our promis’d Rising; since our Eyes  originalEd: 1070

- Op’nd we find indeed, and find we know

- Both Good and Evil Good lost, and Evil got,

- Bad Fruit of Knowledge, if this be to know,

- Which leaves us naked thus, of Honour void,

- Of Innocence, of Faith, of Puritie,

- Our wonted Ornaments now soild and staind,

- And in our Faces evident the signes

- Of foul concupiscence; whence evil store;

- Even shame, the last of evils; of the first

- Be sure then. How shall I behold the face  originalEd: 1080

- Henceforth of God or Angel, earst with joy

- And rapture so oft beheld? those heav’nly shapes

- Will dazle now this earthly, with thir blaze

- Insufferably bright. O might I here

- In solitude live savage, in some glade

- Obscur’d, where highest Woods impenetrable

- To Starr or Sun-light, spread thir umbrage broad,

- And brown as Evening: Cover me ye Pines,

- Ye Cedars, with innumerable boughs

- Hide me, where I may never see them more.  originalEd: 1090

- But let us now, as in bad plight, devise

- What best may for the present serve to hide

- The Parts of each from other, that seem most

- To shame obnoxious, and unseemliest seen,

- Some Tree whose broad smooth Leaves together sowd,

- And girded on our loyns, may cover round

- Those middle parts, that this new commer, Shame,

- There sit not, and reproach us as unclean.

- So counsel’d hee, and both together went

- Into the thickest Wood, there soon they chose  originalEd: 1100

- The Figtree, not that kind for Fruit renown’d,

- But such as at this day to Indians known

- In Malabar or Decan spreds her Armes

- Braunching so broad and long, that in the ground

- The bended Twigs take root, and Daughters grow

- About the Mother Tree, a Pillard shade

- High overarch’t, and echoing Walks between;

- There oft the Indian Herdsman shunning heate

- Shelters in coole, and tends his pasturing Herds

- At Loopholes cut through thickest shade: Those Leaves  originalEd: 1110

- They gatherd, broad as Amazonian Targe,

- And with what skill they had, together sowd,

- To gird thir waste, vain Covering if to hide

- Thir guilt and dreaded shame; O how unlike

- To that first naked Glorie. Such of late

- Columbus found th’ American so girt

- With featherd Cincture, naked else and wilde

- Among the Trees on Iles and woodie Shores.

- Thus fenc’t, and as they thought, thir shame in part

- Coverd, but not at rest or ease of Mind,  originalEd: 1120

- They sate them down to weep, nor onely Teares

- Raind at thir Eyes, but high Winds worse within

- Began to rise, high Passions, Anger, Hate,

- Mistrust, Suspicion, Discord, and shook sore

- Thir inward State of Mind, calme Region once

- And full of Peace, now tost and turbulent:

- For Understanding rul’d not, and the Will

- Heard not her lore, both in subjection now

- To sensual Appetite, who from beneathe

- Usurping over sovran Reason claimd  originalEd: 1130

- Superior sway: From thus distemperd brest,

- Adam, estrang’d in look and alterd stile,

- Speech intermitted thus to Eve renewd.

- Would thou hadst heark’nd to my words, stai’d

- With me, as I besought thee, when that strange

- Desire of wandring this unhappie Morn,

- I know not whence possessd thee; we had then

- Remaind still happie, not as now, despoild

- Of all our good, sham’d, naked, miserable.

- Let none henceforth seek needless cause to approve  originalEd: 1140

- The Faith they owe; when earnestly they seek

- Such proof, conclude, they then begin to faile.

- To whom soon mov’d with touch of blame thus Eve.

- What words have past thy Lips, Adam severe,

- Imput’st thou that to my default, or will

- Of wandering, as thou call’st it, which who knows

- But might as ill have happ’nd thou being by,

- Or to thy self perhaps: hadst thou bin there,

- Or here th’ attempt, thou could’st not have discernd

- Fraud in the Serpent, speaking as he spake;  originalEd: 1150

- No ground of enmitie between us known,

- Why hee should mean me ill, or seek to harme.

- Was I to have never parted from thy side?

- As good have grown there still a liveless Rib.

- Being as I am, why didst not thou the Head

- Command me absolutely not to go,

- Going into such danger as thou saidst?

- Too facil then thou didst not much gainsay,

- Nay, didst permit, approve, and fair dismiss.

- Hadst thou bin firm and fixt in thy dissent,  originalEd: 1160

- Neither had I transgress’d, nor thou with mee.

- To whom then first incenst Adam repli’d.

- Is this the Love, is this the recompence

- Of mine to thee, ingrateful Eve, exprest

- Immutable when thou wert lost, not I,

- Who might have liv’d and joyd immortal bliss,

- Yet willingly chose rather Death with thee:

- And am I now upbraided, as the cause

- Of thy transgressing? not enough severe,

- It seems, in thy restraint: what could I more?  originalEd: 1170

- I warn’d thee, I admonish’d thee, foretold

- The danger, and the lurking Enemie

- That lay in wait; beyond this had bin force,

- And force upon free Will hath here no place.

- But confidence then bore thee on, secure

- Either to meet no danger, or to finde

- Matter of glorious trial; and perhaps

- I also err’d in overmuch admiring

- What seemd in thee so perfet, that I thought

- No evil durst attempt thee, but I rue  originalEd: 1180

- That errour now, which is become my crime,

- And thou th’ accuser. Thus it shall befall

- Him who to worth in Women overtrusting

- Lets her Will rule; restraint she will not brook,

- And left to her self, if evil thence ensue,

- Shee first his weak indulgence will accuse.

- Thus they in mutual accusation spent

- The fruitless hours, but neither self-condemning,

- And of thir vain contest appeer’d no end.

The End of the Ninth Book.

BOOK X.

THE ARGUMENT.

Mans transgression known, the Guardian Angels forsake Paradise, and return up to Heaven to approve thir vigilance, and are approv’d, God declaring that The entrance of Satan could not be by them prevented. He sends his Son to judge the Transgressors, who descends and gives Sentence accordingly; then in pity cloaths them both, and reascends. Sin and Death sitting till then at the Gates of Hell, by wondrous sympathie feeling the success of Satan in this new World, and the sin by Man there committed, resolve to sit no longer confin’d in Hell, but to follow Satan thir Sire up to the place of Man: To make the way easier from Hell to this World to and fro, they pave a broad Highway or Bridge over Chaos, according to the Track that Satan first made; then preparing for Earth, they meet him proud of his success returning to Hell; thir mutual gratulation. Satan arrives at Pandemonium, in full assembly relates with boasting his success against Man; instead of applause is entertained with a general hiss by all his audience, transform’d with himself also suddenly into Serpents, according to his doom giv’n in Paradise; then deluded with a shew of the forbidden Tree springing up before them, they greedily reaching to take of the Fruit, chew dust and bitter ashes. The proceedings of Sin and Death; God foretels the final Victory of his Son over them, and the renewing of all things; but for the present commands his Angels to make several alterations in the Heavens and Elements. Adam more and more perceiving his fall’n condition heavily bewailes, rejects the condolement of Eve; she persists and at length appeases him: then to evade the Curse likely to fall on thir Ofspring, proposes to Adam violent wayes, which he approves not, but conceiving better hope, puts her in mind of the late Promise made them, that her Seed should be reveng’d on the Serpent, and exhorts her with him to seek Peace of the offended Deity, by repentance and supplication.

- MEANWHILE the hainous and despightfull act

- Of Satan done in Paradise, and how

- Hee in the Serpent had perverted Eve,

- Her Husband shee, to taste the fatall fruit,

- Was known in Heav’n; for what can scape the Eye

- Of God All-seeing, or deceave his Heart

- Omniscient, who in all things wise and just,

- Hinder’d not Satan to attempt the minde

- Of Man, with strength entire, and free Will arm’d,

- Complete to have discover’d and repulst  originalEd: 10

- Whatever wiles of Foe or seeming Friend.

- For still they knew, and ought to have still remember’d

- The high Injunction not to taste that Fruit,

- Whoever tempted; which they not obeying,

- Incurr’d, what could they less, the penaltie,

- And manifold in sin, deserv’d to fall.

- Up into Heav’n from Paradise in hast

- Th’ Angelic Guards ascended, mute and sad

- For Man, for of his state by this they knew,

- Much wondring how the suttle Fiend had stoln  originalEd: 20

- Entrance unseen. Soon as th’ unwelcome news

- From Earth arriv’d at Heaven Gate, displeas’d

- All were who heard, dim sadness did not spare

- That time Celestial visages, yet mixt

- With pitie, violated not thir bliss.

- About the new-arriv’d, in multitudes

- Th’ ethereal People ran, to hear and know

- How all befell: they towards the Throne Supream

- Accountable made haste to make appear

- With righteous plea, thir utmost vigilance,  originalEd: 30

- And easily approv’d; when the most High

- Eternal Father from his secret Cloud,

- Amidst in Thunder utter’d thus his voice.

- Assembl’d Angels, and ye Powers return’d

- From unsuccessful charge, be not dismaid,

- Nor troubl’d at these tidings from the Earth,

- Which your sincerest care could not prevent,

- Foretold so lately what would come to pass,

- When first this Tempter cross’d the Gulf from Hell.

- I told ye then he should prevail and speed  originalEd: 40

- On his bad Errand, Man should be seduc’t

- And flatter’d out of all, believing lies

- Against his Maker; no Decree of mine

- Concurring to necessitate his Fall,

- Or touch with lightest moment of impulse

- His free Will, to her own inclining left

- In even scale. But fall’n he is, and now

- What rests, but that the mortal Sentence pass

- On his transgression, Death denounc’t that day,

- Which he presumes already vain and void,  originalEd: 50

- Because not yet inflicted, as he fear’d,

- By some immediate stroak; but soon shall find

- Forbearance no acquittance ere day end.

- Justice shall not return as bountie scorn’d.

- But whom send I to judge them? whom but thee

- Vicegerent Son, to thee I have transferr’d

- All Judgement, whether in Heav’n, or Earth, or Hell.

- Easie it may be seen that I intend

- Mercie collegue with Justice, sending thee

- Mans Friend, his Mediator, his design’d  originalEd: 60

- Both Ransom and Redeemer voluntarie,

- And destin’d Man himself to judge Man fall’n.

- So spake the Father, and unfoulding bright

- Toward the right hand his Glorie, on the Son

- Blaz’d forth unclouded Deitie; he full

- Resplendent all his Father manifest

- Express’d, and thus divinely answer’d milde.

- Father Eternal, thine is to decree,

- Mine both in Heav’n and Earth to do thy will

- Supream, that thou in mee thy Son belov’d  originalEd: 70

- Mayst ever rest well pleas’d. I go to judge

- On Earth these thy transgressors, but thou knowst,

- Whoever judg’d, the worst on mee must light,

- When time shall be, for so I undertook

- Before thee; and not repenting, this obtaine

- Of right, that I may mitigate thir doom

- On me deriv’d, yet I shall temper so

- Justice with Mercie, as may illustrate most

- Them fully satisfied, and thee appease.

- Attendance none shall need, nor Train, where none  originalEd: 80

- Are to behold the Judgement, but the judg’d,

- Those two; the third best absent is condemn’d,

- Convict by flight, and Rebel to all Law

- Conviction to the Serpent none belongs.

- Thus saying, from his radiant Seat he rose

- Of high collateral glorie: him Thrones and Powers,

- Princedoms, and Dominations ministrant

- Accompanied to Heaven Gate, from whence

- Eden and all the Coast in prospect lay.

- Down he descended strait; the speed of Gods  originalEd: 90

- Time counts not, though with swiftest minutes wing’d.

- Now was the Sun in Western cadence low

- From Noon, and gentle Aires due at thir hour

- To fan the Earth now wak’d, and usher in

- The Evening coole when he from wrauth more coole

- Came the mild Judge and Intercessor both

- To sentence Man: the voice of God they heard

- Now walking in the Garden, by soft windes

- Brought to thir Ears, while day declin’d, they heard,

- And from his presence his themselves among  originalEd: 100

- The thickest Trees, both Man and Wife, till God

- Approaching, thus to Adam call’d aloud.

- Where art thou Adam, wont with joy to meet

- My coming seen far off? I miss thee here,

- Not pleas’d, thus entertaind with solitude,

- Where obvious dutie erewhile appear’d unsaught:

- Or come I less conspicuous, or what change

- Absents thee, or what chance detains? Come forth,

- He came, and with him Eve, more loth, though first

- To offend, discount’nanc’t both, and discompos’d;  originalEd: 110

- Love was not in thir looks, either to God

- Or to each other, but apparent guilt,

- And shame, and perturbation, and despaire,

- Anger, and obstinacie, and hate, and guile.

- Whence Adam faultring long, thus answer’d brief.

- I heard thee in the Garden, and of thy voice

- Affraid, being naked, hid my self. To whom

- The gracious Judge without revile repli’d.

- My voice thou oft hast heard, and hast not fear’d,

- But still rejoyc’t, how is it now become  originalEd: 120

- So dreadful to thee? that thou art naked, who

- Hath told thee? hast thou eaten of the Tree

- Whereof I gave thee charge thou shouldst not eat?

- To whom thus Adam sore beset repli’d.

- O Heav’n! in evil strait this day I stand

- Before my Judge, either to undergoe

- My self the total Crime, or to accuse

- My other self, the partner of my life;

- Whose failing, while her Faith to me remaines,

- I should conceal, and not expose to blame  originalEd: 130

- By my complaint; but strict necessitie

- Subdues me, and calamitous constraint,

- Least on my head both sin and punishment,

- However insupportable, be all

- Devolv’d; though should I hold my peace, yet thou

- Wouldst easily detect what I conceale.

- This Woman whom thou mad’st to be my help,

- And gav’st me as thy perfet gift, so good,

- So fit, so acceptable, so Divine,

- That from her hand I could suspect no ill,  originalEd: 140

- And what she did, whatever in it self,

- Her doing seem’d to justifie the deed;

- Shee gave me of the Tree, and I did eate.

- To whom the sovran Presence thus repli’d.

- Was shee thy God, that her thou didst obey

- Before his voice, or was shee made thy guide,

- Superior, or but equal, that to her

- Thou did’st resigne thy Manhood, and the Place

- Wherein God set thee above her made of thee,

- And for thee, whose perfection farr excell’d  originalEd: 150

- Hers in all real dignitie: Adornd

- She was indeed, and lovely to attract

- Thy Love, not thy Subjection, and her Gifts

- Were such as under Government well seem’d,

- Unseemly to beare rule, which was thy part

- And person, had’st thou known thy self aright.

- So having said, he thus to Eve in few:

- Say Woman, what is this which thou hast done?

- To whom sad Eve with shame nigh overwhelm’d,

- Confessing soon, yet not before her Judge  originalEd: 160

- Bold or loquacious, thus abasht repli’d.

- The Serpent me beguil’d and I did eate.

- Which when the Lord God heard, without delay

- To Judgement he proceeded on th’ accus’d

- Serpent though brute, unable to transferre

- The Guilt on him who made him instrument

- Of mischief, and polluted from the end

- Of his Creation; justly then accurst,

- As vitiated in Nature: more to know

- Concern’d not Man (since he no further knew)  originalEd: 170

- Nor alter’d his offence; yet God at last

- To Satan first in sin his doom apply’d

- Though in mysterious terms, judg’d as then best:

- And on the Serpent thus his curse let fall.

- Because thou hast done this, thou art accurst

- Above all Cattel, each Beast of the Field;

- Upon thy Belly groveling thou shalt goe,

- And dust shalt eat all the days of thy Life.

- Between Thee and the Woman I will put

- Enmitie, and between thine and her Seed;  originalEd: 180

- Her Seed shall bruise thy head, thou bruise his heel.

- So spake this Oracle, then verifi’d

- When Jesus son of Mary second Eve,

- Saw Satan fall like Lightning down from Heav’n,

- Prince of the Aire; then rising from his Grave

- Spoild Principalities and Powers, triumpht

- In open shew, and with ascention bright

- Captivity led captive through the Aire,

- The Realme it self of Satan long usurpt,

- Whom he shall tread at last under our feet;  originalEd: 190

- Eevn hee who now foretold his fatal bruise,

- And to the Woman thus his Sentence turn’d.

- Thy sorrow I will greatly multiplie

- By thy Conception; Children thou shalt bring

- In sorrow forth, and to thy Husbands will

- Thine shall submit, hee over thee shall rule.

- On Adam last thus judgement he pronounc’d.

- Because thou hast heark’nd to the voice of thy Wife,

- And eaten of the Tree concerning which

- I charg’d thee, saying: Thou shalt not eate thereof,  originalEd: 200

- Curs’d is the ground for thy sake, thou in sorrow

- Shalt eate thereof all the days of thy Life;

- Thornes also and Thistles it shall bring thee forth

- Unbid, and thou shalt eate th’ Herb of th’ Field,

- In the sweat of thy Face shalt thou eate Bread,

- Till thou return unto the ground, for thou

- Out of the ground wast taken, know thy Birth,

- For dust thou art, and shalt to dust returne.

- So judg’d he Man, both Judge and Saviour sent,

- And th’ instant stroke of Death denounc’t that day  originalEd: 210

- Remov’d farr off; then pittying how they stood

- Before him naked to the aire, that now

- Must suffer change, disdain’d not to begin

- Thenceforth the forme of servant to assume,

- As when he wash’d his servants feet, so now

- As Father of his Familie he clad

- Thir nakedness with Skins of Beasts, or slain,

- Or as the Snake with youthful Coate repaid;

- And thought not much to cloath his Enemies:

- Nor hee outward onely with the Skins  originalEd: 220

- Of Beasts, but inward nakedness, much more

- Opprobrious, with his Robe of righteousness,

- Araying cover’d from his Fathers sight.

- To him with swift ascent he up return’d,

- Into his blissful bosom reassum’d

- In glory as of old, to him appeas’d

- All, though all-knowning, what had past with Man

- Recounted, mixing intercession sweet.

- Meanwhile ere thus was sin’d and judg’d on Earth,

- Within the Gates of Hell sate Sin and Death,  originalEd: 230

- In counterview within the Gates, that now

- Stood open wide, belching outrageous flame

- Farr into Chaos, since the Fiend pass’d through,

- Sin opening, who thus now to Death began.

- O Son, why sit we here each other viewing

- Idlely, while Satan our great Author thrives

- In other Worlds, and happier Seat provides

- For us his ofspring deare? It cannot be

- But that success attends him; if mishap,

- Ere this he had return’d, with fury driv’n  originalEd: 240

- By his Avenger, since no place like this

- Can fit his punishment, or their revenge.

- Methinks I feel new strength within me rise,

- Wings growing, and Dominion giv’n me large

- Beyond this Deep; whatever drawes me on,

- Or sympathie, or som connatural force

- Powerful at greatest distance to unite

- With secret amity things of like kinde

- By secretest conveyance. Thou my Shade

- Inseparable must with mee along:  originalEd: 250

- For Death from Sin no power can separate.

- But least the difficultie of passing back

- Stay his returne perhaps over this Gulfe

- Impassable, impervious, let us try

- Adventrous work, yet to thy power and mine

- Not unagreeable, to found a path

- Over this Maine from Hell to that new World

- Where Satan now prevailes, a Monument

- Of merit high to all th’ infernal Host,

- Easing thir passage hence, for intercourse,  originalEd: 260

- Or transmigration, as thir lot shall lead.

- Nor can I miss the way, so strongly drawn

- By this new felt attraction and instinct.

- Whom thus the meager Shadow answerd soon.

- Goe whither Fate and inclination strong

- Leads thee, I shall not lag behinde, nor erre

- The way, thou leading, such a sent I draw

- Of carnage, prey innumerable, and taste

- The savour of Death from all things there that live:

- Nor shall I to the work thou enterprisest  originalEd: 270

- Be wanting, but afford thee equal aid.

- So saying, with delight he snuff’d the smell

- Of mortal change on Earth. As when a flock

- Of ravenous Fowl, though many a League remote,

- Against the day of Battel, to a Field,

- Where Armies lie encampt, come flying, lur’d

- With sent of living Carcasses design’d

- For death, the following day, in bloodie fight.

- So sented the grim Feature, and upturn’d

- His Nostril wide into the murkie Air,  originalEd: 280

- Sagacious of his Quarrey from so farr.

- Then Both from out Hell Gates into the waste

- Wide Anarchie of Chaos damp and dark

- Flew divers, with Power (thir Power was great)

- Hovering upon the Waters; what they met

- Solid or slimie, as in raging Sea

- Tost up and down, together crowded drove

- From each side shoaling towards the mouth of Hell.

- As when two Polar Winds blowing adverse

- Upon the Cronian Sea, together drive  originalEd: 290

- Mountains of Ice, that stop th’ imagin’d way

- Beyond Petsora Eastward, to the rich

- Cathaian Coast. The aggregated Soyle

- Death with his Mace petrific, cold and dry,

- As with a Trident smote, and fix’t as firm

- As Delos floating once; the rest his look

- Bound with Gorgonian rigor not to move,

- And with Asphaltic slime; broad as the Gate,

- Deep to the Roots of Hell the gather’d beach

- They fasten’d, and the Mole immense wraught on  originalEd: 300

- Over the foaming deep high Archt, a Bridge

- Of length prodigious joyning to the Wall

- Immoveable of this now fenceless world

- Forfeit to Death; from hence a passage broad,

- Smooth, easie, inoffensive down to Hell.

- So, if great things to small may be compar’d,

- Xerxes, the Libertie of Greece to yoke,

- From Susa his Memnonian Palace high

- Came to the Sea, and over Hellespont

- Bridging his way, Europe with Asia joyn’d,  originalEd: 310

- And scourg’d with many a stroak th’ indignant waves.

- Now had they brought the work by wondrous Art

- Pontifical, a ridge of pendent Rock

- Over the vext Abyss, following the track

- Of Satan, to the self same place where hee

- First lighted from his Wing, and landed safe

- From out of Chaos to the outside bare

- Of this round World: with Pinns of Adamant

- And Chains they made all fast, too fast they made

- And durable; and now in little space  originalEd: 320

- The Confines met of Empyrean Heav’n

- And of this World, and on the left hand Hell

- With long reach interpos’d; three sev’ral wayes

- In sight, to each of these three places led.

- And now thir way to Earth they had descri’d,

- To Paradise first tending, when behold

- Satan in likeness of an Angel bright

- Betwixt the Centaure and the Scorpion stearing

- His Zenith, while the Sun in Aries rose:

- Disguis’d he came, but those his Childern dear  originalEd: 330

- Thir Parent soon discern’d, though in disguise.

- Hee, after Eve seduc’t, unminded slunk

- Into the Wood fast by, and changing shape

- To observe the sequel, saw his guileful act

- By Eve, though all unweeting, seconded

- Upon her Husband, saw thir shame that sought

- Vain covertures; but when he saw descend

- The Son of God to judge them, terrifi’d

- Hee fled, not hoping to escape, but shun

- The present, fearing guiltie what his wrauth  originalEd: 340

- Might suddenly inflict; that past, return’d

- By Night, and listning where the hapless Paire

- Sate in thir sad discourse, and various plaint,

- Thence gatherd his own doom, which understood

- Not instant, but of future time. With joy

- And tidings fraught, to Hell he now return’d,

- And at the brink of Chaos, neer the foot

- Of this new wondrous Pontifice, unhop’t

- Met who to meet him came, his Ofspring dear.

- Great joy was at thir meeting, and at sight  originalEd: 350

- Of that stupendious Bridge his joy encreas’d.

- Long hee admiring stood, till Sin, his faire

- Inchanting Daughter, thus the silence broke.

- O Parent, these are thy magnific deeds,

- Thy Trophies, which thou view’st as not thine own,

- Thou art thir Author and prime Architect:

- For I no sooner in my Heart divin’d,

- My Heart, which by a secret harmonie

- Still moves with thine, joyn’d in connexion sweet,

- That thou on Earth hadst prosper’d, which thy looks  originalEd: 360

- Now also evidence, but straight I felt

- Though distant from thee Worlds between, yet felt

- That I must after thee with this thy Son;

- Such fatal consequence unites us three:

- Hell could no longer hold us in her bounds,

- Nor this unvoyageable Gulf obscure

- Detain from following thy illustrious track.

- Thou hast atchiev’d our libertie, confin’d

- Within Hell Gates till now, thou us impow’rd

- To fortifie thus farr, and overlay  originalEd: 370

- With this portentous Bridge the dark Abyss.

- Thine now is all this World, thy vertue hath won

- What thy hands builded not, thy Wisdom gain’d

- With odds what Warr hath lost, and fully aveng’d

- Our foile in Heav’n; here thou shalt Monarch reign,

- There didst not; there let him still Victor sway,

- As Battel hath adjudg’d, from this new World

- Retiring, by his own doom alienated,

- And henceforth Monarchie with thee divide

- Of all things, parted by th’ Empyreal bounds,  originalEd: 380

- His Quadrature, from thy Orbicular World,

- Or trie thee now more dang’rous to his Throne.

- Whom thus the Prince of Darkness answerd glad.

- Fair Daughter, and thou Son and Grandchild both,

- High proof ye now have giv’n to be the Race

- Of Satan (for I glorie in the name,

- Antagonist of Heav’ns Almightie King)

- Amply have merited of me, of all

- Th’ Infernal Empire, that so neer Heav’ns dore

- Triumphal with triumphal act have met,  originalEd: 390

- Mine with this glorious Work, made one Realm

- Hell and this World, one Realm, one Continent

- Of easie thorough-fare. Therefore while I

- Descend through Darkness, on your Rode with ease

- To my associate Powers, them to acquaint

- With these successes, and with them rejoyce,

- You two this way, among those numerous Orbs

- All yours, right down to Paradise descend;

- There dwell Reign in bliss, thence on the Earth

- Dominion exercise and in the Aire,  originalEd: 400

- Chiefly on Man, sole Lord of all declar’d,

- Him first make sure your thrall, and lastly kill.

- My Substitutes I send ye, and Create

- Plenipotent on Earth, of matchless might

- Issuing from mee: on your joynt vigor now

- My hold of this new Kingdom all depends,

- Through Sin to Death expos’d by my exploit.

- If your joynt power prevaile, th’ affaires of Hell

- No detriment need feare, goe and be strong.

- So saying he dismiss’d them, they with speed  originalEd: 410

- Thir course through thickest Constellations held

- Spreading thir bane; the blasted Starrs lookt wan,

- And Planets, Planet-strook, real Eclips

- Then sufferd. Th’ other way Satan went down

- The Causey to Hell Gate; on either side

- Disparted Chaos over built exclaimd,

- And with rebounding surge the barrs assaild,

- That scorn’d his indignation: through the Gate,

- Wide open and unguarded, Satan pass’d,

- And all about found desolate; for those  originalEd: 420

- Appointed to sit there, had left thir charge,

- Flown to the upper World; the rest were all

- Farr to the inland retir’d, about the walls

- Of Pandæmonium, Citie and proud seate

- Of Lucifer, so by allusion calld,

- Of that bright Starr to Satan paragond.

- There kept thir Watch the Legions, while the Grand

- In Council sate, sollicitous what chance

- Might intercept thir Emperour sent, so hee

- Departing gave command, and they observ’d.  originalEd: 430

- As when the Tartar from his Russian Foe

- By Astracan over the Snowie Plaines

- Retires, or Bactrian Sophi from the hornes

- Of Turkish Crescent, leaves all waste beyond

- The Realme of Aladule, in his retreate

- To Tauris or Casbeen. So these the late

- Heav’n-banisht Host, left desert utmost Hell

- Many a dark League, reduc’t in careful Watch

- Round thir Metropolis, and now expecting

- Each hour thir great adventurer from the search  originalEd: 440

- Of Forrein Worlds: he through the midst unmarkt,

- In shew plebeian Angel militant

- Of lowest order, past; and from the dore

- Of that Plutonian Hall, invisible

- Ascended his high Throne, which under state

- Of richest texture spred, at th’ upper end

- Was plac’t in regal lustre. Down a while

- He sate, and round about him saw unseen:

- At last as from a Cloud his fulgent head

- And shape Starr-bright appeer’d, or brighter, clad  originalEd: 450

- With what permissive glory since his fall

- Was left him, or false glitter: All amaz’d

- At that so sudden blaze the Stygian throng

- Bent thir aspect, and whom they wish’d beheld,

- Thir mighty Chief returnd: loud was th’ acclaime:

- Forth rush’d in haste the great consulting Peers,

- Rais’d from thir dark Divan, and with like joy

- Congratulant approach’d him, who with hand

- Silence, and with these words attention won.

- Thrones, Dominations, Princedoms, Vertues, Powers,  originalEd: 460

- For in possession such, not onely of right,

- I call ye and declare ye now, returnd

- Successful beyond hope, to lead ye forth

- Triumphant out of this infernal Pit

- Abominable, accurst, the house of woe,

- And Dungeon of our Tyrant: Now possess,

- As Lords, a spacious World, to our native Heaven

- Little inferiour, by my adventure hard

- With peril great atchiev’d. Long were to tell

- What I have don, what sufferd, with what paine  originalEd: 470

- Voyag’d th’ unreal, vast, unbounded deep

- Of horrible confusion, over which

- By Sin and Death a broad way now is pav’d

- To expedite your glorious march; but I

- Toild out my uncouth passage, forc’t to ride

- Th’ untractable Abysse, plung’d in the womb

- Of unoriginal Night and Chaos wilde,

- That jealous of thir secrets fiercely oppos’d

- My journey strange, with clamorous uproare

- Protesting Fate supreame; thence how I found  originalEd: 480

- The new created World, which fame in Heav’n

- Long had foretold, a Fabrick wonderful

- Of absolute perfection, therein Man

- Plac’t in a Paradise, by our exile

- Made happie: Him by fraud I have seduc’d

- From his Creator, and the more to increase

- Your wonder, with an Apple; he thereat

- Offended, worth your laughter, hath giv’n up

- Both his beloved Man and all his World,

- To Sin and Death a prey, and so to us,  originalEd: 490

- Without our hazard, labour, or allarme,

- To range in, and to dwell, and over Man,

- To rule, as over all he should have rul’d.

- True is, mee also he hath judg’d, or rather

- Mee not, but the brute Serpent in whose shape

- Man I deceav’d: that which to mee belongs,

- Is enmity, which he will put between

- Mee and Mankinde; I am to bruise his heel;

- His Seed, when is not set, shall bruise my head:

- A World who would not purchase with a bruise,  originalEd: 500

- Or much more grievous pain? Ye have th’ account

- Of my performance: What remaines, ye Gods,

- But up and enter now into full bliss.

- So having said, a while he stood, expecting

- Thir universal shout and high applause

- To fill his eare, when contrary he hears

- On all sides, from innumerable tongues

- A dismal universal hiss, the sound

- Of public scorn; he wonderd, but not long

- Had leasure, wondring at himself now more;  originalEd: 510

- His Visage drawn he felt to sharp and spare,

- His Armes clung to his Ribs, his Leggs entwining

- Each other, till supplanted down he fell

- A monstrous Serpent on his Belly prone,

- Reluctant, but in vaine, a greater power

- Now rul’d him, punisht in the shape he sin’d,

- According to his doom: he would have spoke,

- But hiss for hiss returnd with forked tongue

- To forked tongue, for now were all transform’d

- Alike, to Serpents all as accessories  originalEd: 520

- To his bold Riot: dreadful was the din

- Of hissing through the Hall, thick swarming now

- With complicated monsters, head and taile,

- Scorpion and Asp, and Amphisbæna dire,

- Cerastes hornd, Hydrus, and Ellops drear,

- And Dipsas (Not so thick swarm’d once the Soil

- Bedropt with blood of Gorgon, or the Isle

- Ophiusa ) but still greatest hee the midst,

- Now Dragon grown, larger then whom the Sun

- Ingenderd in the Pythian Vale on slime,  originalEd: 530

- Huge Python, and his Power no less he seem’d

- Above the rest still to retain; they all

- Him follow’d issuing forth to th’ open Field,

- Where all yet left of that revolted Rout

- Heav’n-fall’n, in station stood or just array,

- Sublime with expectation when to see

- In Triumph issuing forth thir glorious Chief;

- They saw, but other sight instead, a crowd

- Of ugly Serpents; horror on them fell,

- And horrid sympathie; for what they saw,  originalEd: 540

- They felt themselvs now changing; down thir arms,

- Down fell both Spear and Shield, down they as fast,

- And the dire hiss renew’d, and the dire form

- Catcht by Contagion, like in punishment,

- As in thir crime. Thus was th’ applause they meant,

- Turnd to exploding hiss, triumph to shame

- Cast on themselves from thir own mouths. There stood

- A Grove hard by, sprung up with this thir change,

- His will who reigns above, to aggravate

- Thir penance, laden with fair Fruit, like that  originalEd: 550

- Which grew in Paradise, the bait of Eve

- Us’d by the Tempter: on that prospect strange

- Thir earnest eyes they fix’d, imagining

- For one forbidden Tree a multitude

- Now ris’n, to work them furder woe or shame;

- Yet parcht with scalding thurst and hunger fierce,

- Though to delude them sent, could not abstain,

- But on they rould in heaps, and up the Trees

- Climbing, sat thicker than the snakie locks

- That curld Megæra: greedily they pluck’d  originalEd: 560

- The Frutage fair to sight, like that which grew

- Neer that bituminous Lake where Sodom flam’d;

- This more delusive, not the touch, but taste

- Deceav’d; they fondly thinking to allay

- Thir appetite with gust, instead of Fruit

- Chewd bitter Ashes, which th’ offended taste

- With spattering noise rejected: oft they assayd,

- Hunger and thirst constraining, drugd as oft,

- With hatefullest disrelish writh’d thir jaws

- With soot and cinders fill’d; so oft they fell  originalEd: 570

- Into the same illusion, not as Man

- Whom they triumph’d once lapst. Thus were they plagu’d

- And worn with Famin, long and ceasless hiss,

- Till thir lost shape, permitted, they resum’d,

- Yearly enjoynd, some say, to undergo

- This annual humbling certain number’d days,

- To dash thir pride, and joy for Man seduc’t.

- However some tradition they dispers’d

- Among the Heathen of thir purchase got,

- And Fabl’d how the Serpent, whom they calld  originalEd: 580

- Ophion with Eurynome, the wide-

- Encroaching Eve perhaps, had first the rule

- Of high Olympus, thence by Saturn driv’n

- And Ops, ere yet Dictæan Jove was born.

- Mean while in Paradise the hellish pair

- Too soon arriv’d, Sin there in power before,

- Once actual, now in body, and to dwell

- Habitual habitant; behind her Death

- Close following pace for pace, not mounted yet

- On his pale Horse: to whom Sin thus began.  originalEd: 590

- Second of Satan sprung, all conquering Death,

- What thinkst thou of our Empire now, though earnd

- With travail difficult, not better farr

- Then stil at Hels dark threshold to have sate watch,

- Unnam’d, undreaded, and thy self half starv’d?

- Whom thus the Sin-born Monster answerd soon.

- To mee, who with eternal Famin pine,

- Alike is Hell, or Paradise, or Heaven,

- There best, where most with ravin I may meet;

- Which here, though plenteous, all too little seems  originalEd: 600

- To stuff this Maw, this vast unhide-bound Corps.

- To whom th’ incestuous Mother thus repli’d.

- Thou therefore on these Herbs, and Fruits, Flours

- Feed first, on each Beast next, and Fish, and Fowle,

- No homely morsels, and whatever thing

- The Sithe of Time mowes down, devour unspar’d,

- Till I in Man residing through the Race,

- His thoughts, his looks, words, actions all infect,

- And season him thy last and sweetest prey.

- This said, they both betook them several wayes,  originalEd: 610

- Both to destroy, or unimmortal make

- All kinds, and for destruction to mature

- Sooner or later; which th’ Almightie seeing

- From his transcendent Seat the Saints among,

- To those bright Orders uttered thus his voice.

- See with what heat these Dogs of Hell advance

- To waste and havoc yonder World, which I

- So fair and good created, and had still

- Kept in that state, had not the folly of Man

- Let in these wastful Furies, who impute  originalEd: 620

- Folly to mee, so doth the Prince of Hell

- And his Adherents, that with so much ease

- I suffer them to enter and possess

- A place so heav’nly, and conniving seem

- To gratifie my scornful Enemies,

- That laugh, as if transported with some fit

- Of Passion, I to them had quitted all,

- At random yeilded up to their misrule;

- And know not that I call’d and drew them thither

- My Hell-hounds, to lick up the draff and filth  originalEd: 630

- Which mans polluting Sin with taint hath shed

- On what was pure, till cramm’d and gorg’d, nigh burst

- With suckt and glutted offal, at one sling

- Of thy victorious Arm, well-pleasing Son,

- Both Sin, and Death, and yawning Grave at last

- Through Chaos hurld, obstruct the mouth of Hell

- For ever, and seal up his ravenous Jawes.

- Then Heav’n and Earth renewd shall be made pure

- To sanctitie that shall receive no staine:

- Till then the Curse pronounc’t on both precedes.  originalEd: 640

- Hee ended, and the heav’nly Audience loud

- Sung Halleluia, as the sound of Seas,

- Through multitude that sung: Just are thy ways,

- Righteous are thy Decrees on all thy Works;

- Who can extenuate thee? Next, to the Son,

- Destin’d restorer of Mankind, by whom

- New Heav’n and Earth shall to the Ages rise,

- Or down from Heav’n descend. Such was thir song,

- While the Creator calling forth by name

- His mightie Angels gave them several charge,  originalEd: 650

- As sorted best with present things. The Sun

- Had first his precept so to move, so shine,

- As might affect the Earth with cold and heat

- Scarce tollerable, and from the North to call

- Decrepit Winter, from the South to bring

- Solstitial summers heat. To the blanc Moone

- Her office they prescrib’d, to th’ other five

- Thir planetarie motions and aspects

- In Sextile, Square, and Trine, and Opposite,

- Of noxious efficacie, and when to joyne  originalEd: 660

- In Synod unbenigne, and taught the fixt

- Thir influence malignant when to showre,

- Which of them rising with the Sun, or falling,

- Should prove tempestuous: To the Winds they set

- Thir corners, when with bluster to confound

- Sea, Aire, and Shoar, the Thunder when to rowle

- With terror through the dark Aereal Hall.

- Some say he bid his Angels turne ascanse

- The Poles of Earth twice ten degrees and more

- From the Suns Axle; they with labour push’d  originalEd: 670

- Oblique the Centric Globe: Som say the Sun

- Was bid turn Reines from th’ Equinoctial Rode

- Like distant breadth to Taurus with the Seav’n

- Atlantick Sisters, and the Spartan Twins

- Up to the Tropic Crab; thence down amaine

- By Leo and the Virgin and the Scales,

- As deep as Capricorne, to bring in change

- Of Seasons to each Clime; else had the Spring

- Perpetual smil’d on Earth with vernant Flours,

- Equal in Days and Nights, except to those  originalEd: 680

- Beyond the Polar Circles; to them Day

- Had unbenighted shon, while the low Sun

- To recompence his distance, in thir sight

- Had rounded still th’ Horison, and not known

- Or East or West, which had forbid the Snow

- From cold Estotiland, and South as farr

- Beneath Magellan. At that tasted Fruit

- The Sun, as from Thyestean Banquet, turn’d

- His course intended; else how had the World

- Inhabited, though sinless, more then now,  originalEd: 690

- Avoided pinching cold and scorching heate?

- These changes in the Heav’ns, though slow, produc’d

- Like change on Sea and Land, sideral blast,

- Vapour, and Mist, and Exhalation hot,

- Corrupt and Pestilent: Now from the North

- Of Norumbega, and the Samoed shoar

- Brusting thir brazen Dungeon, armd with ice

- And snow and haile and stormie gust and flaw,

- Boreas and Cæcias and Argestes loud

- And Thrascias rend the Woods and Seas upturn;  originalEd: 700

- With adverse blast up-turns them from the South

- Notus and Afer black with thundrous Clouds

- From Serraliona; thwart of these as fierce

- Forth rush the Levant and the Ponent Windes

- Eurus and Zephir with thir lateral noise,

- Sirocco, and Libecchio. Thus began

- Outrage from liveless things; but Discord first

- Daughter of Sin, among th’ irrational,

- Death introduc’d through fierce antipathie:

- Beast now with Beast gan war, Fowle with Fowle,  originalEd: 710

- And Fish with Fish; to graze the Herb all leaving,

- Devourd each other; nor stood much in awe

- Of Man, but fled him, or with count’nance grim

- Glar’d on him passing: these were from without

- The growing miseries, which Adam saw

- Alreadie in part, though hid in gloomiest shade,

- To sorrow abandond, but worse felt within,

- And in a troubl’d Sea of passion tost,

- Thus to disburd’n sought with sad complaint.

- O miserable of happie! is this the end  originalEd: 720

- Of this new glorious World, and mee so late

- The Glory of that Glory, who now becom

- Accurst of blessed, hide me from the face

- Of God, whom to behold was then my highth

- Of happiness: yet well, if here would end

- The miserie, I deserv’d it, and would beare

- My own deservings; but this will not serve;

- All that I eate or drink, or shall beget,

- Is propagated curse. O voice once heard

- Delightfully, Encrease and multiply,  originalEd: 730

- Now death to heare! for what can I encrease

- Or multiplie, but curses on my head?

- Who of all Ages to succeed, but feeling

- The evil on him brought by me, will curse

- My Head, Ill fare our Ancestor impure,

- For this we may thank Adam; but his thanks

- Shall be the execration; so besides

- Mine own that bide upon me, all from mee

- Shall with a fierce reflux on mee redound,

- On mee as on thir natural center light  originalEd: 740

- Heavie, though in thir place. O fleeting joyes

- Of Paradise, deare bought with lasting woes!

- Did I request thee, Maker, from my Clay

- To mould me Man, did I sollicite thee

- From darkness to promote me, or here place

- In this delicious Garden? as my Will

- Concurd not to my being, it were but right

- And equal to reduce me to my dust,

- Desirous to resigne, and render back

- All I receav’d, unable to performe  originalEd: 750

- Thy terms too hard, by which I was to hold

- The good I sought not. To the loss of that,

- Sufficient penaltie, why hast thou added

- The sense of endless woes? inexplicable

- Thy Justice seems; yet to say truth, too late,

- I thus contest; then should have been refusd

- Those terms whatever, when they were propos’d:

- Thou didst accept them; wilt thou enjoy the good,

- Then cavil the conditions? and though God

- Made thee without thy leave, what if thy Son  originalEd: 760

- Prove disobedient, and reprov’d, retort,

- Wherefore didst thou beget me? I sought it not:

- Wouldst thou admit for his contempt of thee

- That proud excuse? yet him not thy election,

- But Natural necessity begot.

- God made thee of choice his own, and of his own

- To serve him, thy reward was of his grace,

- Thy punishment then justly is at his Will.

- Be it so, for I submit, his doom is fair,

- That dust I am, and shall to dust returne:  originalEd: 770

- O welcom hour whenever! why delayes

- His hand to execute what his Decree

- Fixd on this day? why do I overlive,

- Why am I mockt with death, and length’nd out

- To deathless pain? how gladly would I meet

- Mortalitie my sentence, and be Earth

- Insensible, how glad would lay me down

- As in my Mothers lap? there I should rest

- And sleep secure; his dreadful voice no more

- Would Thunder in my ears, no fear of worse  originalEd: 780

- To mee and to my ofspring would torment me

- With cruel expectation. Yet one doubt

- Pursues me still, least all I cannot die,

- Least that pure breath of Life, the Spirit of Man

- Which God inspir’d, cannot together perish

- With this corporeal Clod; then in the Grave,

- Or in some other dismal place, who knows

- But I shall die a living Death? O thought

- Horrid, if true! yet why? it was but breath

- Of Life that sinn’d; what dies but what had life  originalEd: 790

- And sin? the Bodie properly hath neither.

- All of me then shall die: let this appease

- The doubt, since humane reach no further knows.

- For though the Lord of all be infinite,

- Is his wrauth also? be it, man is not so,

- But mortal doom’d. How can he exercise

- Wrath without end on Man whom Death must end?

- Can he make deathless Death? that were to make

- Strange contradiction, which to God himself

- Impossible is held, as Argument  originalEd: 800

- Of weakness, not of Power. Will he draw out,

- For angers sake, finite to infinite

- In punisht man, to satisfie his rigour

- Satisfi’d never; that were to extend

- His Sentence beyond dust and Natures Law,

- By which all Causes else according still

- To the reception of thir matter act,

- Not to th’ extent of thir own Spheare. But say

- That Death be not one stroak, as I suppos’d,

- Bereaving sense, but endless miserie  originalEd: 810

- From this day onward, which I feel begun

- Both in me, and without me, and so last

- To perpetuitie; Ay me, that fear

- Comes thundring back with dreadful revolution

- On my defensless head; both Death and I

- Am found Eternal, and incorporate both,

- Nor I on my part single, in mee all

- Posteritie stands curst: Fair Patrimonie

- That I must leave ye, Sons; O were I able

- To waste it all my self, and leave ye none!  originalEd: 820

- So disinherited how would ye bless

- Me now your Curse! Ah, why should all mankind

- For one mans fault thus guiltless be condemn’d,

- If guiltless? But from mee what can proceed,

- But all corrupt, both Mind and Will deprav’d,

- Not to do onely, but to will the same

- With me; how can they acquitted stand

- In sight of God? Him after all Disputes

- Forc’t I absolve: all my evasions vain

- And reasonings, though through Mazes, leads me still  originalEd: 830

- But to my own conviction: first and last

- On mee, mee onely, as the sourse and spring

- Of all corruption, all the blame lights due;

- So might the wrauth. Fond wish! couldst thou support

- That burden heavier then the Earth to bear,

- Then all the World much heavier, though divided

- With that bad Woman? Thus what thou desir’st,

- And what thou fearst, alike destroyes all hope

- Of refuge, and concludes thee miserable

- Beyond all past example and future,  originalEd: 840

- To Satan onely like both crime and doom.

- O Conscience, into what Abyss of fears

- And horrors hast thou driv’n me; out of which

- I find no way, from deep to deeper plung’d!

- Thus Adam to himself lamented loud

- Through the still Night, not now, as ere man fell,

- Wholsom and cool, and mild, but with black Air

- Accompanied, with damps and dreadful gloom,

- Which to his evil Conscience represented

- All things with double terror: On the ground  originalEd: 850

- Outstretcht he lay, on the cold ground, and oft

- Curs’d his Creation, Death as oft accus’d

- Of tardie execution, since denounc’t

- The day of his offence. Why comes not Death,

- Said hee, with one thrice acceptable stroke

- To end me? Shall Truth fail to keep her word,

- Justice Divine not hast’n to be just?

- But Death comes not at call, Justice Divine

- Mends not her slowest pace for prayers or cries.

- O Woods, O Fountains, Hillocks, Dales and Bowrs,  originalEd: 860

- With other echo late I taught your Shades

- To answer, and resound farr other Song.

- Whom thus afflicted when sad Eve beheld,

- Desolate where she sate, approaching nigh,

- Soft words to his fierce passion she assay’d:

- But her with stern regard he thus repell’d.

- Out of my sight, thou Serpent, that name best

- Befits thee with him leagu’d, thy self as false

- And hateful; nothing wants, but that thy shape,

- Like his, and colour Serpentine may shew  originalEd: 870

- Thy inward fraud, to warn all Creatures from thee

- Henceforth; least that too heav’nly form, pretended

- To hellish falshood, snare them. But for thee

- I had persisted happie, had not thy pride

- And wandring vanitie, when lest was safe,

- Rejected my forewarning, and disdain’d

- Not to be trusted, longing to be seen

- Though by the Devil himself, him overweening

- To over-reach, but with the Serpent meeting

- Fool’d and beguil’d, by him thou, I by thee,  originalEd: 880

- To trust thee from my side, imagin’d wise,

- Constant, mature, proof against all assaults,

- And understood not all was but a shew

- Rather then solid vertu, all but a Rib

- Crooked by nature, bent, as now appears,

- More to the part sinister from me drawn,

- Well if thrown out, as supernumerarie

- To my just number found. O why did God,

- Creator wise, that peopl’d highest Heav’n

- With Spirits Masculine, create at last  originalEd: 890

- This noveltie on Earth, this fair defect

- Of Nature, and not fill the World at once

- With Men as Angels without Feminine,

- Or find some other way to generate

- Mankind? this mischief had not then befall’n,

- And more that shall befall, innumerable

- Disturbances on Earth through Femal snares,

- And straight conjunction with this Sex: for either

- He never shall find out fit Mate, but such

- As some misfortune brings him, or mistake,  originalEd: 900

- Or whom he wishes most shall seldom gain

- Through her perverseness, but shall see her gaind

- By a farr worse, or if she love, withheld

- By Parents, or his happiest choice too late

- Shall meet, alreadie linkt and Wedlock-bound

- To a fell Adversarie, his hate or shame:

- Which infinite calamitie shall cause

- To Humane life, and houshold peace confound.

- He added not, and from her turn’d, but Eve

- Not so repulst, with Tears that ceas’d not flowing,  originalEd: 910

- And tresses all disorderd, at his feet

- Fell humble, and imbracing them, besaught

- His peace, and thus proceeded in her plaint.

- Forsake me not thus, Adam, witness Heav’n

- What love sincere, and reverence in my heart

- I beare thee, and unweeting have offended,

- Unhappilie deceav’d; thy suppliant

- I beg, and clasp thy knees; bereave me not,

- Whereon I live, thy gentle looks, thy aid,

- Thy counsel in this uttermost distress,  originalEd: 920

- My onely strength and stay: forlorn of thee,

- Whither shall I betake me, where subsist?

- While yet we live, scarse one short hour perhaps,

- Between us two let there be peace, both joyning,

- As joyn’d in injuries, one enmitie

- Against a Foe by doom express assign’d us,

- That cruel Serpent: On me exercise not

- Thy hatred for this miserie befall’n,

- On me already lost, mee, then thy self

- More miserable; both have sin’d, but thou  originalEd: 930

- Against God onely, I against god and thee,

- And to the place of judgement will return,

- There with my cries importune Heaven, that all

- The sentence from thy head remov’d may light

- On me, sole cause to thee of all this woe,

- Mee mee onely just object of his ire.

- She ended weeping, and her lowlie plight,

- Immoveable till peace obtain’d from fault

- Acknowledg’d and deplor’d, in Adam wraught

- Commiseration; soon his heart relented  originalEd: 940

- Towards her, his life so late and sole delight,

- Now at his feet submissive in distress,

- Creature so faire his reconcilement seeking,

- His counsel whom she had displeas’d, his aide;

- As one disarm’d, his anger all he lost,

- And thus with peaceful words uprais’d her soon.

- Unwarie, and too desirous, as before,

- So now of what thou knowst not, who desir’st

- The punishment all on thy self; alas,

- Beare thine own first, ill able to sustaine  originalEd: 950

- His full wrauth whose thou feelst as yet lest part,

- And my displeasure bearst so ill. If Prayers

- Could alter high Decrees, I to that place

- Would speed before thee, and be louder heard,

- That on my head all might be visited,

- Thy frailtie and infirmer Sex forgiv’n,

- To me committed and by me expos’d.

- But rise, let us no more contend, nor blame

- Each other, blam’d enough elsewhere, but strive

- In offices of Love, how we may light’n  originalEd: 960

- Each others burden in our share of woe;

- Since this days Death denounc’t, if ought I see,

- Will prove no sudden, but a slow-pac’t evill,

- A long days dying to augment our paine,

- And to our Seed (O hapless Seed!) deriv’d.

- To whom thus Eve, recovering heart, repli’d.

- Adam, by sad experiment I know

- How little weight my words with thee can finde,

- Found so erroneous, thence by just event

- Found so unfortunate; nevertheless,  originalEd: 970

- Restor’d by thee, vile as I am, to place

- Of new acceptance, hopeful to regaine

- Thy Love, the sole contentment of my heart,

- Living or dying from thee I will not hide

- What thoughts in my unquiet brest are ris’n,

- Tending to som relief of our extremes,

- Or end, though sharp and sad, yet tolerable,

- As in our evils, and of easier choice.

- If care of our descent perplex us most,

- Which must be born to certain woe, devourd  originalEd: 980

- By Death at last, and miserable it is

- To be to others cause of misery,

- Our own begotten, and of our Loines to bring

- Into this cursed World a woful Race,

- That after wretched Life must be at last

- Food for so foule a Monster, in thy power

- It lies, yet ere Conception to prevent

- The Race unblest, to being yet unbegot.

- Childless thou art, Childless remaine:

- So Death shall be deceav’d his glut, and with us two  originalEd: 990

- Be forc’d to satisfie his Rav’nous Maw.

- But if thou judge it hard and difficult,

- Conversing, looking, loving, to abstain

- From Loves due Rites, Nuptial embraces sweet,

- And with desire to languish without hope,

- Before the present object languishing

- With like desire, which would be miserie

- And torment less then none of what we dread,

- Then both our selves and Seed at once to free

- From what we fear for both, let us make short,  originalEd: 1000

- Let us seek Death, or hee not found, supply

- With our own hands his Office on our selves;

- Why stand we longer shivering under feares,

- That shew no end but Death, and have the power,

- Of many wayes to die the shortest choosing,

- Destruction with destruction to destroy.

- She ended heer, or vehement despaire

- Broke off the rest; so much of Death her thoughts

- Had entertaind, as di’d her Cheeks with pale.

- But Adam with such counsel nothing sway’d,  originalEd: 1010

- To better hopes his more attentive minde

- Labouring had rais’d, and thus to Eve repli’d.

- Eve, thy contempt of life and pleasure seems

- To argue in thee somthing more sublime

- And excellent then what thy minde contemnes;

- But self-destruction therefore saught, refutes

- That excellence thought in thee, and implies,

- Not thy contempt, but anguish and regret

- For loss of life and pleasure overlov’d.

- Or if thou covet death, as utmost end  originalEd: 1020

- Of miserie, so thinking to evade

- The penaltie pronounc’t, doubt not but God

- Hath wiselier arm’d his vengeful ire then so

- To be forestall’d; much more I fear least Death

- So snatcht will not exempt us from the paine

- We are by doom to pay; rather such acts

- Of contumacie will provoke the highest

- To make death in us live: Then let us seek

- Som safer resolution, which methinks

- I have in view, calling to minde with heed  originalEd: 1030

- Part of our Sentence, that thy Seed shall bruise

- The Serpents head; piteous amends, unless

- Be meant, whom I conjecture, our grand Foe

- Satan, who in the Serpent hath contriv’d

- Against us this deceit: to crush his head

- Would be revenge indeed; which will be lost

- By death brought on our selves, or childless days

- Resolv’d, as thou proposest; so our Foe

- Shall scape his punishment ordain’d, and wee

- Instead shall double ours upon our heads.  originalEd: 1040

- No more be mention’d then of violence

- Against our selves, and wilful barrenness,

- That cuts us off from hope, and savours onely

- Rancor and pride, impatience and despite,

- Reluctance against God and his just yoke

- Laid on our Necks. Remember with what mild

- And gracious temper he both heard and judg’d

- Without wrauth or reviling; wee expected

- Immediate dissolution, which we thought

- Was meant by Death that day, when lo, to thee  originalEd: 1050

- Pains onely in Child-bearing were foretold,

- And bringing forth, soon recompenc’t with joy,

- Fruit of thy Womb: On mee the Curse aslope

- Glanc’d on the ground, with labour I must earne

- My bread; what harm? Idleness had bin worse;

- My labour will sustain me; and least Cold

- Or Heat should injure us, his timely care

- Hath unbesaught provided, and his hands

- Cloath’d us unworthie, pitying while he judg’d;

- How much more, if we pray him, will his ear  originalEd: 1060

- Be open, and his heart to pitie incline,

- And teach us further by what means to shun

- Th’ inclement Seasons, Rain, Ice, Hail and Snow,

- Which now the Skie with various Face begins

- To shew us in this Mountain, while the Winds

- Blow moist and keen, shattering the graceful locks

- Of these fair spreading Trees; which bids us seek

- Som better shroud, som better warmth to cherish

- Our Limbs benumm’d, ere this diurnal Starr

- Leave cold the Night, how we his gather’d beams  originalEd: 1070

- Reflected, may with matter sere foment,

- Or by collision of two bodies grinde

- The Air attrite to Fire, as late the Clouds

- Justling or pusht with Winds rude in thir shock

- Tine the slant Lightning, whose thwart flame driv’n down

- Kindles the gummie bark of Firr or Pine,

- And sends a comfortable heat from farr,

- Which might supply the Sun: such Fire to use,

- And what may else be remedie or cure

- To evils which our own misdeeds have wrought,  originalEd: 1080

- Hee will instruct us praying, and of Grace

- Beseeching him, so as we need not fear

- To pass commodiously this life, sustain’d

- By him with many comforts, till we end

- In dust, our final rest and native home.

- What better can we do, then to the place

- Repairing where he judg’d us, prostrate fall

- Before him reverent, and there confess

- Humbly our faults, and pardon beg, with tears

- Watering the ground, and with our sighs the Air  originalEd: 1090

- Frequenting, sent from hearts contrite, in sign

- Of sorrow unfeign’d, and humiliation meek.

- Undoubtedly he will relent and turn

- From his displeasure; in whose look serene,

- When angry most he seem’d and most severe,

- What else but favor, grace, and mercie shon?

- So spake our Father penitent, nor Eve

- Felt less remorse: they forthwith to the place

- Repairing where he judg’d them prostrate fell

- Before him reverent, and both confess’d  originalEd: 1100

- Humbly thir faults, and pardon beg’d, with tears

- Watering the ground, and with thir sighs the Air

- Frequenting, sent from hearts contrite, in sign

- Of sorrow unfeign’d, and humiliation meek.

The End of the Tenth Book.

BOOK XI.

THE ARGUMENT.

The Son of God presents to his Father the Prayers of our first Parents now repenting, and intercedes for them: God accepts them, but declares that they must no longer abide in Paradise; sends Michael with a Band of Cherubim to dispossess them; but first to reveal to Adam future things: Michaels coming down. Adam shews to Eve certain ominous signs; he discerns Michaels approach, goes out to meet him: the Angel denounces thir departure. Eve’s Lamentation. Adam pleads, but submits: The Angel leads him up to a high Hill, sets before him in vision what shall happ’n till the Flood.

- THUS they in lowliest plight repentant stood

- Praying, for from the Mercie-seat above

- Prevenient Grace descending had remov’d

- The stonie from thir hearts, and made new flesh

- Regenerate grow instead, that sighs now breath’d

- Unutterable, which the Spirit of prayer

- Inspir’d, and wing’d for Heav’n with speedier flight

- Then loudest Oratorie: yet thir port

- Not of mean suiters, nor important less

- Seem’d thir Petition, then when th’ ancient Pair  originalEd: 10

- In Fables old, less ancient yet then these,

- Deucalion and chaste Pyrrha to restore

- The Race of Mankind drownd, before the Shrine

- Of Themis stood devout. To Heav’n thir prayers

- Flew up, nor missd the way, by envious windes

- Blow’n vagabond or frustrate: in they passd

- Dimentionless through Heav’nly dores; then clad

- With incense, where the Golden Altar fum’d,

- By thir great Intercessor, came in sight

- Before the Fathers Throne: Them the glad Son  originalEd: 20

- Presenting, thus to intercede began.

- See Father, what first fruits on Earth are sprung

- From thy implanted Grace in Man, these Sighs

- And Prayers, which in this Golden Censer, mixt

- With Incense, I thy Priest before thee bring,

- Fruits of more pleasing savour from thy seed

- Sow’n with contrition in his heart, then those

- Which his own hand manuring all the Trees

- Of Paradise could have produc’t, ere fall’n

- From innocence. Now therefore bend thine eare  originalEd: 30

- To supplication, heare his sighs though mute;

- Unskilful with what words to pray, let mee

- Interpret for him, mee his Advocate

- And propitiation, all his works on mee

- Good or not good ingraft, my Merit those

- Shall perfet, and for these my Death shall pay.

- Accept me, and in mee from these receave

- The smell of peace toward Mankinde, let him live

- Before thee reconcil’d, at least his days

- Numberd, though sad, till Death, his doom (which I  originalEd: 40

- To mitigate thus plead, not to reverse)

- To better life shall yeeld him, where with mee

- All my redeemd may dwell in joy and bliss,

- Made one with me as I with thee am one.

- To whom the Father, without Cloud, serene.

- All thy request for Man, accepted Son,

- Obtain, all thy request was my Decree:

- But longer in that Paradise to dwell,

- The Law I gave to Nature him forbids:

- Those pure immortal Elements that know  originalEd: 50

- No gross, no unharmoneous mixture foule,

- Eject him tainted now, and purge him off

- As a distemper, gross to aire as gross,

- And mortal food, as may dispose him best

- For dissolution wrought by Sin, that first

- Distemperd all things, and of incorrupt

- Corrupted. I at first with two fair gifts

- Created him endowd, with Happiness

- And Immortalitie: that fondly lost,

- This other serv’d but to eternize woe;  originalEd: 60

- Till I provided Death; so Death becomes

- His final remedie, and after Life

- Tri’d in sharp tribulation, and refin’d

- By Faith and faithful works, to second Life,

- Wak’t in the renovation of the just,

- Resignes him up with Heav’n and Earth renewd.

- But let us call to Synod all the Blest

- Through Heavn’s wide bounds; from them I will not hide

- My judgments, how with Mankind I proceed,

- As how with peccant Angels late they saw;  originalEd: 70

- And in thir state, though firm, stood more confirmd.

- He ended, and the Son gave signal high

- To the bright Minister that watch’d, hee blew

- His Trumpet, heard in Oreb since perhaps

- When God descended, and perhaps once more

- To sound at general doom. Th’ Angelic blast

- Filld all the Regions: from thir blissful Bowrs

- Of Amarantin Shade, Fountain or Spring,

- By the waters of Life, where ere they sate

- In fellowships of joy: the Sons of Light  originalEd: 80

- Hasted, resorting to the Summons high,

- And took thir Seats; till from his Throne supream

- Th’ Almighty thus pronounc’d his sovran Will.

- O Sons, like one of us Man is become

- To know both Good and Evil, since his taste

- Of that defended Fruit; but let him boast

- His knowledge of Good lost, and Evil got,

- Happier, had it suffic’d him to have known

- Good by it self, and Evil not at all.

- He sorrows now, repents, and prayes contrite,  originalEd: 90

- My motions in him, longer then they move,

- His heart I know, how variable and vain

- Self-left. Least therefore his now bolder hand

- Reach also of the Tree of Life, and eat,

- And live for ever, dream at least to live

- For ever, to remove him I decree,

- And send him from the Garden forth to Till

- The Ground whence he was taken, fitter soile.

- Michael, this my behest have thou in charge,

- Take to thee from among the Cherubim  originalEd: 100

- Thy choice of flaming Warriours, least the Fiend

- Or in behalf of Man, or to invade

- Vacant possession som new trouble raise:

- Hast thee, and from the Paradise of God

- Without remorse drive out the sinful Pair,

- From hallowd ground th’ unholie, and denounce

- To them and to thir Progenie from thence

- Perpetual banishment. Yet least they faint

- At the sad Sentence rigorously urg’d,

- For I behold them soft’nd and with tears  originalEd: 110

- Bewailing thir excess, all terror hide.

- If patiently thy bidding they obey,

- Dismiss them not disconsolate; reveale

- To Adam what shall come in future dayes,

- As I shall thee enlighten, intermix

- My Cov’nant in the Womans seed renewd;

- So send them forth, though sorrowing, yet in peace:

- And on the East side of the Garden place,

- Where entrance up from Eden easiest climbes,

- Cherubic watch, and of a Sword the flame  originalEd: 120

- Wide waving, all approach farr off to fright,

- And guard all passage to the Tree of Life:

- Least Paradise a receptacle prove

- To Spirits foule, and all my Trees thir prey,

- With whose stol’n Fruit Man once more to delude.

- He ceas’d; and th’ Archangelic Power prepar’d

- For swift descent, with him the Cohort bright

- Of watchful Cherubim; four faces each

- Had, like a double Janus, all thir shape

- Spangl’d with eyes more numerous then those  originalEd: 130

- Of Argus, and more wakeful then to drouze,

- Charm’d with Arcadian Pipe, the Pastoral Reed

- Of Hermes, or his opiate Rod. Mean while

- To resalute the World with sacred Light

- Leucothea wak’d, and with fresh dews imbalmd

- The Earth, when Adam and first Matron Eve

- Had ended now thir Orisons, and found,

- Strength added from above, new hope to spring

- Out of despaire, joy, but with fear yet linkt;

- Which thus to Eve his welcome words renewd.  originalEd: 140

- Eve, easily may Faith admit, that all

- The good which we enjoy, from Heav’n descends

- But that from us ought should ascend to Heav’n

- So prevalent as to concerne the mind

- Of God high-blest, or to incline his will,

- Hard to belief may seem; yet this will Prayer,

- Or one short sigh of humane breath, up-borne

- Ev’n to the Seat of God. For since I saught

- By Prayer th’ offended Deitie to appease,

- Kneel’d and before him humbl’d all my heart,  originalEd: 150

- Methought I saw him placable and mild,

- Bending his eare; perswasion in me grew

- That I was heard with favour; peace return’d

- Home to my brest, and to my memorie

- His promise, that thy Seed shall bruise our Foe;

- Which then not minded in dismay, yet now

- Assures me that the bitterness of death

- Is past, and we shall live. Whence Haile to thee

- Eve rightly call’d, Mother of all Mankind,

- Mother of all things living, since by thee  originalEd: 160

- Man is to live, and all things live for Man.

- To whom thus Eve with sad demeanour meek.

- Ill worthie I such title should belong

- To me transgressour, who for thee ordaind

- A help, became thy snare; to mee reproach

- Rather belongs, distrust and all dispraise:

- But infinite in pardon was my Judge,

- That I who first brought Death on all, am grac’t

- The sourse of life; next favourable thou,

- Who highly thus to entitle me voutsaf’st,  originalEd: 170

- Farr other name deserving. But the Field

- To labour calls us now with sweat impos’d,

- Though after sleepless Night; for see the Morn,

- All unconcern’d with our unrest, begins

- Her rosie progress smiling; let us forth,

- I never from thy side henceforth to stray,

- Wherere our days work lies, though now enjoind

- Laborious, till day droop; while here we dwell,

- What can be toilsom in these pleasant Walkes?

- Here let us live, though in fall’n state, content.  originalEd: 180

- So spake, so wish’d much humbl’d Eve, but Fate

- Subscrib’d not; Nature first gave Signs, imprest

- On Bird, Beast, Aire, Aire suddenly eclips’d

- After short blush of Morn; nigh in her sight

- The Bird of Jove, stoopt from his aerie tour,

- Two Birds of gayest plume before him drove:

- Down from a Hill the Beast that reigns in Woods,

- First Hunter then, pursu’d a gentle brace,

- Goodliest of all the Forrest, Hart and Hinde;

- Direct to th’ Eastern Gate was bent thir flight.  originalEd: 190

- Adam observ’d, and with his Eye the chase

- Pursuing, not unmov’d to Eve thus spake.

- O Eve, some furder change awaits us nigh,

- Which Heav’n by these mute signs in Nature shews

- Forerunners of his purpose, or to warn

- Us haply too secure of our discharge

- From penaltie, because from death releast

- Some days; how long, and what till then our life,

- Who knows, or more then this, that we are dust,

- And thither must return and be no more.  originalEd: 200

- Why else this double object in our sight

- Of flight pursu’d in th’ Air and ore the ground

- One way the self-same hour? why in the East

- Darkness ere Dayes mid-course, and Morning light

- More orient in yon Western Cloud that draws

- O’re the blew Firmament a radiant white,

- And slow descends, with somthing heav’nly fraught.

- He err’d not, for by this the heav’nly Bands

- Down from a Skie of Jasper lighted now

- In Paradise, and on a Hill made alt,  originalEd: 210

- A glorious Apparition, had not doubt

- And carnal fear that day dimm’d Adams eye.

- Not that more glorious, when the Angels met

- Jacob in Mahanaim, where he saw

- The field Pavilion’d with his Guardians bright;

- Nor that which on the flaming Mount appeerd

- In Dothan, cover’d with a Camp of Fire,

- Against the Syrian King, who to surprize

- One man, Assassin-like had levied Warr,

- Warr unproclam’d. The Princely Hierarch  originalEd: 220

- In thir bright stand, there left his Powers to seise

- Possession of the Garden; hee alone,

- To finde where Adam shelterd, took his way,

- Not unperceav’d of Adam, who to Eve,

- While the great Visitant approachd, thus spake.

- Eve, now expect great tidings, which perhaps

- Of us will soon determin, or impose

- New Laws to be observ’d; for I descrie

- From yonder blazing Cloud that veils the Hill

- One of the heav’nly Host, and by his Gate  originalEd: 230

- None of the meanest, some great Potentate

- Or of the Thrones above, such Majestie

- Invests him coming; yet not terrible,

- That I should fear, nor sociably mild,

- As Raphael, that I should much confide,

- But solemn and sublime, whom not to offend,

- With reverence I must meet, and thou retire.

- He ended; and th’ Arch-Angel soon drew nigh,

- Not in his shape Celestial, but as Man

- Clad to meet Man; over his lucid Armes  originalEd: 240

- A militarie Vest of purple flowd

- Livelier then Melibæan, or the graine

- Of Sarra, worn by Kings and Hero’s old

- In time of Truce; Iris had dipt the wooff;

- His starrie Helme unbuckl’d shew’d him prime

- In Manhood where Youth ended; by his side

- As in a glistering Zodiac hung the Sword,

- Satans dire dread, and in his hand the Spear.

- Adam bowd low, hee Kingly from his State

- Inclin’d not, but his coming thus declar’d.  originalEd: 250

- Adam, Heav’ns high behest no Preface needs:

- Sufficient that thy Prayers are heard, and Death,

- Then due by sentence when thou didst transgress,

- Defeated of his seisure many dayes

- Giv’n thee of Grace, wherein thou may’st repent,

- And one bad act with many deeds well done

- Mayst cover: well may then thy Lord appeas’d

- Redeem thee quite from Deaths rapacious claime;

- But longer in this Paradise to dwell

- Permits not; to remove thee I am come,  originalEd: 260

- And send thee from the Garden forth to till

- The ground whence thou wast tak’n, fitter Soile.

- He added not, for Adam at the newes

- Heart-strook with chilling gripe of sorrow stood,

- That all his senses bound; Eve, who unseen

- Yet all had heard, with audible lament

- Discover’d soon the place of her retire.

- O unexspected stroke, worse then of Death!

- Must I thus leave thee Paradise? thus leave

- Thee Native Soile, these happie Walks and Shades,  originalEd: 270

- Fit haunt of Gods? where I had hope to spend,

- Quiet though sad, the respit of that day

- That must be mortal to us both. O flours,

- That never will in other Climate grow,

- My early visitation, and my last

- At Eev’n, which I bred up with tender hand

- From the first op’ning bud, and gave ye Names,

- Who now shall reare ye to the Sun, or ranke

- Your Tribes, and water from th’ ambrosial Fount?

- Thee lastly nuptial Bowre, by mee adornd  originalEd: 280

- With what to sight or smell was sweet; from thee

- How shall I part, and whither wander down

- Into a lower World, to this obscure

- And wilde, how shall we breath in other Aire

- Less pure, accustomd to immortal Fruits?

- Whom thus the Angel interrupted milde.

- Lament not Eve, but patiently resigne

- What justly thou hast lost; nor set thy heart,

- Thus over fond, on that which is not thine;

- Thy going is not lonely, with thee goes  originalEd: 290

- Thy Husband, him to follow thou art bound;

- Where he abides, think there thy native soile.

- Adam by this from the cold sudden damp

- Recovering, and his scatterd spirits returnd,

- To Michael thus his humble words addressd.

- Celestial, whether among the Thrones, or nam’d

- Of them the Highest, for such of shape may seem

- Prince above Princes, gently hast thou tould

- Thy message, which might else in telling wound,

- And in performing end us; what besides  originalEd: 300

- Of sorrow and dejection and despair

- Our frailtie can sustain, thy tidings bring,

- Departure from this happy place, our sweet

- Recess, and onely consolation left

- Familiar to our eyes, all places else

- Inhospitable appeer and desolate,

- Nor knowing us nor known: and if by prayer

- Incessant I could hope to change the will

- Of him who all things can, I would not cease

- To wearie him with my assiduous cries:  originalEd: 310

- But prayer against his absolute Decree

- No more availes then breath against the winde,

- Blown stifling back on him that breaths it forth:

- Therefore to his great bidding I submit.

- This most afflicts me, that departing hence,

- As from his face I shall be hid, deprivd

- His blessed count’nance here I could frequent,

- With worship, place by place where he voutsaf’d

- Presence Divine, and to my Sons relate;

- On this Mount he appeerd, under this Tree  originalEd: 320

- Stood visible, among these Pines his voice

- I heard, here with him at this Fountain talk’d:

- So many grateful Altars I would reare

- Of grassie Terfe, and pile up every Stone

- Of lustre from the brook, in memorie,

- Or monument to Ages, and thereon

- Offer sweet smelling Gumms Fruits and Flours:

- In yonder nether World where shall I seek

- His bright appearances, or footstep trace?

- For though I fled him angrie, yet recall’d  originalEd: 330

- To life prolongd and promisd Race, I now

- Gladly behold though but his utmost skirts

- Of glory, and farr off his steps adore.

- To whom thus Michael with regard benigne.

- Adam, thou know’st Heav’n his, and all the Earth,

- Not this Rock onely; his Omnipresence fills

- Land, Sea, and Aire, and every kinde that lives,

- Fomented by his virtual power and warmd:

- All th’ Earth he gave thee to possess and rule,

- No despicable gift; surmise not then  originalEd: 340

- His presence to these narrow bounds confin’d

- Of Paradise or Eden: this had been

- Perhaps thy Capital Seate, from whence had spred

- All generations, and had hither come

- From all the ends of th’ Earth, to celebrate

- And reverence thee thir great Progenitor.

- But this præeminence thou hast lost, brought down

- To dwell on eeven ground now with thy Sons:

- Yet doubt not but in Vallie and in Plaine

- God is as here, and will be found alike  originalEd: 350

- Present, and of his presence many a signe

- Still following thee, still compassing thee round

- With goodness and paternal Love, his Face

- Express, and of his steps the track Divine.

- Which that thou mayst beleeve, and be confirmd,

- Ere thou from hence depart, know I am sent

- To shew thee what shall come in future dayes

- To thee and to thy Ofspring; good with bad

- Expect to hear, supernal Grace contending

- With sinfulness of Men; thereby to learn  originalEd: 360

- True patience, and to temper joy with fear

- And pious sorrow, equally enur’d

- By moderation either state to beare,

- Prosperous or adverse: so shalt thou lead

- Safest thy life, and best prepar’d endure

- Thy mortal passage when it comes. Ascend

- This Hill; let Eve (for I have drencht her eyes)

- Here sleep below while thou to foresight wak’st,

- As once thou slepst, while Shee to life was formd.

- To whom thus Adam gratefully repli’d.  originalEd: 370

- Ascend, I follow thee, safe Guide, the path

- Thou lead’st me, and to the hand of Heav’n submit,

- However chast’ning, to the evil turne

- My obvious breast, arming to overcom

- By suffering, and earne rest from labour won,

- If so I may attain. So both ascend

- In the Visions of God: It was a Hill

- Of Paradise the highest, from whose top

- The Hemisphere of Earth in cleerest Ken

- Stretcht out to amplest reach of prospect lay.  originalEd: 380

- Not higher that Hill nor wider looking round,

- Whereon for different cause the Tempter set

- Our second Adam in the Wilderness,

- To shew him all Earths Kingdomes and thir Glory.

- His Eye might there command wherever stood

- City of old or modern Fame, the Seat

- Of mightiest Empire, from the destind Walls

- Of Cambalu, seat of Cathaian Can

- And Samarchand by Oxus, Temirs Throne,

- To Paquin of Sinæan Kings, and thence  originalEd: 390

- To Agra and Lahor of great Mogul

- Down to the golden Chersonese, or where

- The Persian in Ecbatan sate, or since

- In Hispahan, or where the Russian Ksar

- In Mosco, or the Sultan in Bizance,

- Turchestan -born; nor could his eye not ken

- Th’ Empire of Negus to his utmost Port

- Ercoco and the less Maritine Kings

- Mombaza, and Quiloa, and Melind,

- And Sofala thought Ophir, to the Realme  originalEd: 400

- Of Congo, and Angola fardest South;

- Or thence from Niger Flood to Atlas Mount

- The Kingdoms of Almansor, Fez and Sus,

- Marocco and Algiers, and Tremisen;

- On Europe thence, and where Rome was to sway

- The World: in Spirit perhaps he also saw

- Rich Mexico the seat of Motezume,

- And Cusco in Peru, the richer seat

- Of Atabalipa, and yet unspoil’d

- Guiana, whose great Citie Geryons Sons  originalEd: 410

- Call El Dorado: but to nobler sights

- Michael from Adams eyes the Filme remov’d

- Which that false Fruit that promis’d clearer sight

- Had bred; then purg’d with Euphrasie and Rue

- The visual Nerve, for he had much to see;

- And from the Well of Life three drops instill’d.

- So deep the power of these Ingredients pierc’d,

- Eevn to the inmost seat of mental sight,

- That Adam now enforc’t to close his eyes,

- Sunk down and all his Spirits became intranst:  originalEd: 420

- But him the gentle Angel by the hand

- Soon rais’d, and his attention thus recall’d.

- Adam, now ope thine eyes, and first behold

- Th’ effects which thy original crime hath wrought

- In some to spring from thee, who never touch’d

- Th’ excepted Tree, nor with the Snake conspir’d,

- Nor sinn’d thy sin, yet from that sin derive

- Corruption to bring forth more violent deeds.

- His eyes he op’nd, and beheld a field,

- Part arable and tilth, whereon were Sheaves  originalEd: 430

- New reapt, the other part sheep-walks and foulds;

- Ith’ midst an Altar as the Land-mark stood

- Rustic, of grassie sord; thither anon

- A sweatie Reaper from his Tillage brought

- First Fruits, the green Eare, and the yellow Sheaf,

- Uncull’d, as came to hand; a Shepherd next

- More meek came with the Firstlings of his Flock

- Choicest and best; then sacrificing, laid

- The Inwards and thir Fat, with Incense strew’d,

- On the cleft Wood, and all due Rites perform’d.  originalEd: 440

- His Offring soon propitious Fire from Heav’n

- Consum’d with nimble glance, and grateful steame;

- The others not, for his was not sincere;

- Whereat hee inlie rag’d, and as they talk’d,

- Smote him into the Midriff with a stone

- That beat out life; he fell, and deadly pale

- Groand out his Soul with gushing bloud effus’d.

- Much at that sight was Adam in his heart

- Dismai’d, and thus in haste to th’ Angel cri’d.

- O Teacher, some great mischief hath befall’n  originalEd: 450

- To that meek man, who well had sacrific’d;

- Is Pietie thus and pure Devotion paid?

- T’ whom Michael thus, hee also mov’d, repli’d.

- These two are Brethren, Adam, and to come

- Out of thy loyns; th’ unjust the just hath slain,

- For envie that his Brothers Offering found

- From Heav’n acceptance; but the bloodie Fact

- Will be aveng’d, and th’ others Faith approv’d

- Loose no reward, though here thou see him die,

- Rowling in dust and gore. To which our Sire.  originalEd: 460

- Alas, both for the deed and for the cause!

- But have I now seen Death? Is this the way

- I must return to native dust? O sight

- Of terrour, foul and ugly to behold,

- Horrid to think, how horrible to feel!

- To whom thus Michael. Death thou hast seen

- In his first shape on man; but many shapes

- Of Death, and many are the wayes that lead

- To his grim Cave, all dismal; yet to sense

- More terrible at th’ entrance then within.  originalEd: 470

- Some, as thou saw’st, by violent stroke shall die,

- By Fire, Flood, Famin, by Intemperance more

- In Meats and Drinks, which on the Earth shal bring

- Diseases dire, of which a monstrous crew

- Before thee shall appear; that thou mayst know

- What miserie th’ inabstinence of Eve

- Shall bring on men. Immediately a place

- Before his eyes appeard, sad, noysom, dark,

- A Lazar-house it seemd, wherein were laid

- Numbers of all diseas’d, all maladies  originalEd: 480

- Of gastly Spasm, or racking torture, qualmes

- Of heart-sick Agonie, all feavorous kinds,

- Convulsions, Epilepsies, fierce Catarrhs,

- Intestin Stone and Ulcer, Colic pangs,

484 After this line, 1674 adds:

- Dæmoniac Phrenzie, moaping Melancholie

- And Moon struck madness, pining Atrophie,

- Marasmus, and wide wasting Pestilence,

- Dropsies, and Asthma’s, and Joint-racking Rheums.

- Dire was the tossing, deep the groans, despair

- Tended the sick busiest from Couch to Couch;

- And over them triumphant Death his Dart

- Shook, but delaid to strike, though oft invok’t

- With vows, as thir chief good, and final hope.  originalEd: 490

- Sight so deform what heart of Rock could long

- Drie-ey’d behold? Adam could not, but wept,

- Though not of Woman born; compassion quell’d

- His best of Man, and gave him up to tears

- A space, till firmer thoughts restraind excess,

- And scarce recovering words his plaint renew’d.

- O miserable Mankind, to what fall

- Degraded, to what wretched state reserv’d!

- Better end heer unborn. Why is life giv’n

- To be thus wrested from us? rather why  originalEd: 500

- Obtruded on us thus? who if we knew

- What we receive, would either not accept

- Life offer’d, or soon beg to lay it down,

- Glad to be so dismist in peace. Can thus

- Th’ Image of God in man created once

- So goodly and erect, though faultie since,

- To such unsightly sufferings be debas’t

- Under inhuman pains? Why should not Man,

- Retaining still Divine similitude

- In part, from such deformities be free,  originalEd: 510

- And for his Makers Image sake exempt?

- Thir Makers Image, answerd Michael, then

- Forsook them, when themselves they villifi’d

- To serve ungovern’d appetite, and took

- His Image whom they serv’d, a brutish vice,

- Inductive mainly to the sin of Eve.

- Therefore so abject is thir punishment,

- Disfiguring not Gods likeness, but thir own,

- Or if his likeness, by themselves defac’t

- While they pervert pure Natures healthful rules  originalEd: 520

- To loathsom sickness, worthily, since they

- Gods Image did not reverence in themselves.

- I yeild it just, said Adam, and submit.

- But is there yet no other way, besides

- These painful passages, how we may come

- To Death, and mix with our connatural dust?

- There is, said Michael, if thou well observe

- The rule of not too much, by temperance taught

- In what thou eatst and drinkst, seeking from thence

- Due nourishment, not gluttonous delight,  originalEd: 530

- Till many years over thy head return:

- So maist thou live, till like ripe Fruit thou drop

- Into thy Mothers lap, or be with ease

- Gatherd, not harshly pluckt, for death mature:

- This is old age; but then thou must outlive

- Thy youth, thy strength, thy beauty, which will change

- To withered weak gray; thy Senses then

- Obtuse, all taste of pleasure must forgoe,

- To what thou hast, and for the Aire of youth

- Hopeful and cheerful, in thy blood will reigne  originalEd: 540

- A melancholly damp of cold and dry

- To waigh thy spirits down, and last consume

- The Balme of Life. To whom our Ancestor.

- Henceforth I flie not Death, nor would prolong

- Life much, bent rather how I may be quit

- Fairest and easiest of this combrous charge,

- Which I must keep till my appointed day

- Of rendring up, Michael to him repli’d.

- 548 Of rendring up, and patiently attend

- My dissolution. Michael repli’d. 1674

- Nor love thy Life, nor hate; but what thou livst

- Live well, how long or short permit to Heav’n:  originalEd: 550

- And now prepare thee for another sight.

- He lookd and saw a spacious Plaine, whereon

- Were Tents of various hue; by some were herds

- Of Cattel grazing: others, whence the sound

- Of Instruments that made melodious chime

- Was heard, of Harp and Organ; and who moovd

- Thir stops and chords was seen: his volant touch

- Instinct through all proportions low and high

- Fled and pursu’d transverse the resonant fugue.

- In other part stood one who at the Forge  originalEd: 560

- Labouring, two massie clods of Iron and Brass

- Had melted (whether found where casual fire

- Had wasted woods on Mountain or in Vale,

- Down to the veins of Earth, thence gliding hot

- To som Caves mouth, or whether washt by stream

- From underground) the liquid Ore he dreind

- Into fit moulds prepar’d; from which he formd

- First his own Tooles; then, what might else be wrought

- Fusil or grav’n in mettle. After these,

- But on the hether side a different sort  originalEd: 570

- From the high neighbouring Hills, which was thir Seat,

- Down to the Plain descended: by thir guise

- Just men they seemd, and all thir study bent

- To worship God aright, and know his works

- Not hid, nor those things last which might preserve

- Freedom and Peace to men: they on the Plain

- Long had not walkt, when from the Tents behold

- A Beavie of fair Women, richly gay

- In Gems and wanton dress; to the Harp they sung

- Soft amorous Ditties, and in dance came on:  originalEd: 580

- The Men though grave, ey’d them, and let thir eyes

- Rove without rein, till in the amorous Net

- Fast caught, they lik’d, and each his liking chose;

- And now of love they treat till th’ Eevning Star

- Loves Harbinger appeerd; then all in heat

- They light the Nuptial Torch, and bid invoke

- Hymen, then first to marriage Rites invok’t;

- With Feast and Musick all the Tents resound.

- Such happy interview and fair event

- Of love youth not lost, Songs, Garlands, Flours,  originalEd: 590

- And charming Symphonies attach’d the heart

- Of Adam, soon enclin’d to admit delight,

- The bent of Nature; which he thus express’d.

- True opener of mine eyes, prime Angel blest,

- Much better seems this Vision, and more hope

- Of peaceful dayes portends, then those two past;

- Those were of hate and death, or pain much worse,

- Here Nature seems fulfilld in all her ends.

- To whom thus Michael. Judg not what is best

- By pleasure, though to Nature seeming meet,  originalEd: 600

- Created, as thou art, to nobler end

- Holie and pure, conformitie divine.

- Those Tents thou sawst so pleasant, were the Tents

- Of wickedness, wherein shall dwell his Race

- Who slew his Brother; studious they appere

- Of Arts that polish Life, Inventers rare,

- Unmindful of thir Maker, though his Spirit

- Taught them, but they his gifts acknowledg’d none.

- Yet they a beauteous ofspring shall beget;

- For that fair femal Troop thou sawst, that seemd  originalEd: 610

- Of Goddesses, so blithe, so smooth, so gay,

- Yet empty of all good wherein consists

- Womans domestic honour and chief praise;

- Bred onely and completed to the taste

- Of lustful appetence, to sing, to dance,

- To dress, and troule the Tongue, and roule the Eye.

- To these that sober Race of Men, whose lives

- Religious titl’d them the Sons of God,

- Shall yeild up all thir vertue, all thir fame

- Ignobly, to the traines and to the smiles  originalEd: 620

- Of these fair Atheists, and now swim in joy,

- (Erelong to swim at larg) and laugh; for which

- The world erelong a world of tears must weepe.

- To whom thus Adam of short joy bereft.

- O pittie and shame, that they who to live well

- Enterd so faire, should turn aside to tread

- Paths indirect, or in the mid way faint!

- But still I see the tenor of Mans woe

- Holds on the same, from Woman to begin.

- From Mans effeminate slackness it begins,  originalEd: 630

- Said th’ Angel, who should better hold his place

- By wisdome, and superiour gifts receavd.

- But now prepare thee for another Scene.

- He lookd and saw wide Territorie spred

- Before him, Towns, and rural works between,

- Cities of Men with lofty Gates and Towrs,

- Concours in Arms, fierce Faces threatning Warr,

- Giants of mightie Bone, and bould emprise;

- Part wield thir Arms, part courb the foaming Steed,

- Single or in Array of Battel rang’d  originalEd: 640

- Both Horse and Foot, nor idely mustring stood;

- One way a Band select from forage drives

- A herd of Beeves, faire Oxen and faire Kine

- From a fat Meddow ground; or fleecy Flock,

- Ewes and thir bleating Lambs over the Plaine,

- Thir Bootie; scarce with Life the Shepherds flye,

- But call in aide, which tacks a bloody Fray;

- With cruel Tournament the Squadrons joine;

- Where Cattel pastur’d late, now scatterd lies

- With Carcasses and Arms th’ ensanguind Field  originalEd: 650

- Deserted: Others to a Citie strong

- Lay Siege, encampt; by Batterie, Scale, and Mine,

- Assaulting; others from the Wall defend

- With Dart and Jav’lin, Stones and sulfurous Fire;

- On each hand slaughter and gigantic deeds.

- In other part the scepter’d Haralds call

- To Council in the Citie Gates: anon

- Grey-headed men and grave, with Warriours mixt,

- Assemble, and Harangues are heard, but soon

- In factious opposition, till at last  originalEd: 660

- Of middle Age one rising, eminent

- In wise deport, spake much of Right and Wrong,

- Of Justice, of Religion, Truth and Peace,

- And Judgement from above: him old and young

- Exploded, and had seiz’d with violent hands,

- Had not a Cloud descending snatch’d him thence

- Unseen amid the throng: so violence

- Proceeded, and Oppression, and Sword-Law

- Through all the Plain, and refuge none was found.

- Adam was all in tears, and to his guide  originalEd: 670

- Lamenting turnd full sad; O what are these,

- Deaths Ministers, not Men, who thus deal Death

- Inhumanly to men, and multiply

- Ten thousand fould the sin of him who slew

- His Brother; for of whom such massacher

- Make they but of thir Brethren, men of men?

- But who was that Just Man, whom had not Heav’n

- Rescu’d, had in his Righteousness bin lost?

- To whom thus Michael; These are the product

- Of those ill-mated Marriages thou saw’st;  originalEd: 680

- Where good with bad were matcht, who of themselves

- Abhor to joyn; and by imprudence mixt,

- Produce prodigious Births of bodie or mind.

- Such were these Giants, men of high renown;

- For in those dayes Might onely shall be admir’d,

- And Valour and Heroic Vertu call’d;

- To overcome in Battel, and subdue

- Nations, and bring home spoils with infinite

- Man-slaughter, shall be held the highest pitch

- Of human Glorie, and for Glorie done  originalEd: 690

- Of triumph, to be styl’d great Conquerours,

- Patrons of Mankind, Gods, and Sons of Gods,

- Destroyers rightlier call’d and Plagues of men.

- Thus Fame shall be achiev’d, renown on Earth,

- And what most merits fame in silence hid.

- But hee the seventh from thee, whom thou beheldst

- The onely righteous in a World perverse,

- And therefore hated, therefore so beset

- With Foes for daring single to be just,

- And utter odious Truth, that God would come  originalEd: 700

- To judge them with his Saints: Him the most High

- Rapt in a balmie Cloud with winged Steeds

- Did, as thou sawst, receave, to walk with God

- High in Salvation and the Climes of bliss,

- Exempt from Death; to shew thee what reward

- Awaits the good, the rest what punishment;

- Which now direct thine eyes and soon behold.

- He look’d, saw the face of things quite chang’d;

- The brazen Throat of Warr had ceast to roar,

- All now was turn’d to jollitie and game,  originalEd: 710

- To luxurie and riot, feast and dance,

- Marrying or prostituting, as befell,

- Rape or Adulterie, where passing faire

- Allurd them; thence from Cups to civil Broiles.

- At length a Reverend Sire among them came,

- And of thir doings great dislike declar’d,

- And testifi’d against thir wayes; hee oft

- Frequented thir Assemblies, whereso met,

- Triumphs or Festivals, and to them preachd

- Conversion and Repentance, as to Souls  originalEd: 720

- In prison under Judgements imminent:

- But all in vain: which when he saw, he ceas’d

- Contending, and remov’d his Tents farr off;

- Then from the Mountain hewing Timber tall,

- Began to build a Vessel of huge bulk,

- Measur’d by Cubit, length, breadth, and highth,

- Smeard round with Pitch, and in the side a dore

- Contriv’d, and of provisions laid in large

- For Man and Beast: when loe a wonder strange!

- Of everie Beast, and Bird, and Insect small  originalEd: 730

- Came seavens, and pairs, and enterd in, as taught

- Thir order; last the Sire, and his three Sons

- With thir four Wives; and God made fast the dore.

- Meanwhile the Southwind rose, with black wings

- Wide hovering, all the Clouds together drove

- From under Heav’n; the Hills to their supplie

- Vapour, and Exhalation dusk and moist,

- Sent up amain; and now the thick’nd Skie

- Like a dark Ceeling stood; down rush’d the Rain

- Impetuous, and continu’d till the Earth  originalEd: 740

- No more was seen; the floating Vessel swum

- Uplifted; and secure with beaked prow

- Rode tilting o’re the Waves, all dwellings else

- Flood overwhelmd, and them with all thir pomp

- Deep under water rould; Sea cover’d Sea,

- Sea without shoar; and in thir Palaces

- Where luxurie late reign’d, Sea-monsters whelp’d

- And stabl’d; of Mankind, so numerous late,

- All left, in one small bottom swum imbark’t.

- How didst thou grieve then, Adam, to behold  originalEd: 750

- The end of all thy Ofspring, end so sad,

- Depopulation; thee another Floud,

- Of tears and sorrow a Floud thee also drown’d,

- And sunk thee as thy Sons; till gently reard

- By th’ Angel, on thy feet thou stoodst at last,

- Though comfortless, as when a Father mourns

- His Children, all in view destroyd at once;

- And scarce to th’ Angel utterdst thus thy plaint.

- O Visions ill foreseen! better had I

- Liv’d ignorant of future, so had borne  originalEd: 760

- My part of evil onely, each dayes lot

- Anough to bear; those now, that were dispenst

- The burd’n of many Ages, on me light

- At once, by my foreknowledge gaining Birth

- Abortive, to torment me ere thir being,

- With thought that they must be. Let no man seek

- Henceforth to be foretold what shall befall

- Him or his Children, evil he may be sure,

- Which neither his foreknowing can prevent,

- And hee the future evil shall no less  originalEd: 770

- In apprehension then in substance feel

- Grievous to bear: but that care now is past,

- Man is not whom to warne: those few escap’t

- Famin and anguish will at last consume

- Wandring that watrie Desert: I had hope

- When violence was ceas’t, and Warr on Earth,

- All would have then gon well, peace would have crownd

- With length of happy days the race of man;

- But I was farr deceav’d; for now I see

- Peace to corrupt no less then Warr to waste.  originalEd: 780

- How comes it thus? unfould, Celestial Guide,

- And whether here the Race of man will end.

- To whom thus Michael. Those whom last thou sawst

- In triumph and luxurious wealth, are they

- First seen in acts of prowess eminent

- And great exploits, but of true vertu void;

- Who having spilt much blood, and don much waste

- Subduing Nations, and achievd thereby

- Fame in the World, high titles, and rich prey,

- Shall change thir course to pleasure, ease, and sloth,  originalEd: 790

- Surfet, and lust, till wantonness and pride

- Raise out of friendship hostil deeds in Peace.

- The conquerd also, and enslav’d by Warr

- Shall with thir freedom lost all vertu loose

- And feare of God, from whom thir pietie feign’d

- In sharp contest of Battel found no aide

- Against invaders; therefore coold in zeale

- Thenceforth shall practice how to live secure,

- Worldlie or dissolute, on what thir Lords

- Shall leave them to enjoy; for th’ Earth shall bear  originalEd: 800

- More than anough, that temperance may be tri’d:

- So all shall turn degenerate, all deprav’d,

- Justice and Temperance, Truth and Faith forgot;

- One Man except, the onely Son of light

- In a dark Age, against example good,

- Against allurement, custom, and a World

- Offended; fearless of reproach and scorn,

- Or violence, hee of thir wicked wayes

- Shall them admonish, and before them set

- The paths of righteousness, how much more safe,  originalEd: 810

- And full of peace, denouncing wrauth to come

- On thir impenitence; and shall returne

- Of them derided, but of God observd

- The one just Man alive; by his command

- Shall build a wondrous Ark, as thou beheldst,

- To save himself and houshold from amidst

- A World devote to universal rack.

- No sooner hee with them of Man and Beast

- Select for life shall in the Ark be lodg’d,

- And shelterd round, but all the Cataracts  originalEd: 820

- Of Heav’n set open on the Earth shall powre

- Raine day and night, all fountaines of the Deep

- Broke up, shall heave the Ocean to usurp

- Beyond all bounds, till inundation rise

- Above the highest Hills: then shall this Mount

- Of Paradise by might of Waves be moovd

- Out of his place, pushd by the horned floud,

- With all his verdure spoil’d, and Trees adrift

- Down the great River to the op’ning Gulf,

- And there take root an Iland salt and bare,  originalEd: 830

- The haunt of Seales and Orcs, and Sea-mews clang.

- To teach thee that God attributes to place

- No sanctitie, if none be thither brought

- By Men who there frequent, or therein dwell.

- And now what further shall ensue, behold.

- He lookd, and saw the Ark hull on the floud,

- Which now abated, for the Clouds were fled,

- Drivn by a keen North-winde, that blowing drie

- Wrinkl’d the face of Deluge, as decai’d;

- And the cleer Sun on his wide watrie Glass  originalEd: 840

- Gaz’d hot, and of the fresh Wave largely drew,

- As after thirst, which made thir flowing shrink

- From standing lake to tripping ebbe, that stole

- With soft foot towards the deep, who now had stopt

- His Sluces, as the Heav’n his windows shut.

- The Ark no more now flotes, but seems on ground

- Fast on the top of som high mountain fixt.

- And now the tops of Hills as Rocks appeer;

- With clamor thence the rapid Currents drive

- Towards the retreating Sea thir furious tyde.  originalEd: 850

- Forthwith from out the Arke a Raven flies,

- And after him, the surer messenger,

- A Dove sent forth once and agen to spie

- Green Tree or ground whereon his foot may light;

- The second time returning, in his Bill

- An Olive leafe he brings, pacific signe:

- Anon drie ground appeers, and from his Arke

- The ancient Sire descends with all his Train;

- Then with uplifted hands, and eyes devout,

- Grateful to Heav’n, over his head beholds  originalEd: 860

- A dewie Cloud, and in the Cloud a Bow

- Conspicuous with three listed colours gay,

- Betok’ning peace from God, and Cov’nant new.

- Whereat the heart of Adam erst so sad

- Greatly rejoyc’d, and thus his joy broke forth.

- O thou that future things canst represent

- As present, Heav’nly instructer, I revive

- At this last sight, assur’d that Man shall live

- With all the Creatures, and thir seed preserve.

- Farr less I now lament for one whole World  originalEd: 870

- Of wicked Sons destroyd, then I rejoyce

- For one Man found so perfet and so just,

- That God voutsafes to raise another World

- From him, and all his anger to forget.

- But say, what mean those colourd streaks in Heavn,

- Distended as the Brow of God appeas’d,

- Or serve they as a flourie verge to binde

- The fluid skirts of that same watrie Cloud,

- Least it again dissolve and showr the Earth?

- To whom th’ Archangel. Dextrously thou aim’st;  originalEd: 880

- So willingly doth God remit his Ire,

- Though late repenting him of Man deprav’d,

- Griev’d at his heart, when looking down he saw

- The whole Earth fill’d with violence, and all flesh

- Corrupting each thir way; yet those remoov’d,

- Such grace shall one just Man find in his sight,

- That he relents, not to blot out mankind,

- And makes a Covenant never to destroy

- The Earth again by flood, nor let the Sea

- Surpass his bounds, nor Rain to drown the World  originalEd: 890

- With Man therein or Beast; but when he brings

- Over the Earth a Cloud, will therein set

- His triple-colour’d Bow, whereon to look

- And call to mind his Cov’nant: Day and Night,

- Seed time and Harvest, Heat and hoary Frost

- Shall hold thir course, till fire purge all things new,

- Both Heav’n and Earth, wherein the just shall dwell.

The End of the Eleventh Book.

BOOK XII.

THE ARGUMENT.

The Angel Michael continues from the Flood to relate what shall succeed; then, in the mention of Abraham, comes by degrees to explain, who that Seed of the Woman shall be, which was promised Adam and Eve in the Fall; his Incarnation, Death, Resurrection, and Ascention; the state of the Church till his second Coming. Adam greatly satisfied and recomforted by these Relations and Promises descends the Hill with Michael; wakens Eve, who all this while had slept, but with gentle dreams compos’d to quietness of mind and submission. Michael in either hand leads them out of Paradise, the fiery Sword waving behind them, and the Cherubim taking thir Stations to guard the Place.

- [As one who in his journey bates at Noone,

- Though bent on speed, so heer the Archangel paus’d

- Betwixt the world destroy’d and world restor’d,

- If Adam aught perhaps might interpose;

- Then with transition sweet new Speech resumes.]

- Thus thou hast seen one World begin and end;

- And Man as from a second stock proceed.

- Much thou hast yet to see, but I perceave

- Thy mortal sight to faile; objects divine

- Must needs impaire and wearie human sense:  originalEd: 10

- Henceforth what is to com I will relate,

- Thou therefore give due audience, and attend.

- This second sours of Men, while yet but few,

Argument. The Angel . . . seed] Thence from the Flood relates, and by degrees explains who that seed 1667

1-5 These five lines were added in the Second Edition (1674) when the original tenth book was divided into an eleventh and twelfth.

- And while the dread of judgement past remains

- Fresh in thir mindes, fearing the Deitie,

- With some regard to what is just and right

- Shall lead thir lives, and multiplie apace,

- Labouring the soile, and reaping plenteous crop,

- Corn wine and oyle; and from the herd or flock,

- Oft sacrificing Bullock, Lamb, or Kid,  originalEd: 20

- With large Wine-offerings pour’d, and sacred Feast

- Shal spend thir dayes in joy unblam’d, and dwell

- Long time in peace by Families and Tribes

- Under paternal rule; till one shall rise

- Of proud ambitious heart, who not content

- With fair equalitie, fraternal state,

- Will arrogate Dominion undeserv’d

- Over his brethren, and quite dispossess

- Concord and law of Nature from the Earth;

- Hunting (and Men not Beasts shall be his game)  originalEd: 30

- With Warr and hostile snare such as refuse

- Subjection to his Empire tyrannous:

- A mightie Hunter thence he shall be styl’d

- Before the Lord, as in despite of Heav’n,

- Or from Heav’n claming second Sovrantie;

- And from Rebellion shall derive his name,

- Though of Rebellion others he accuse.

- Hee with a crew, whom like Ambition joyns

- With him or under him to tyrannize,

- Marching from Eden towards the West, shall finde  originalEd: 40

- The Plain, wherein a black bituminous gurge

- Boiles out from under ground, the mouth of Hell;

- Of Brick, and of that stuff they cast to build

- A Citie Towre, whose top may reach to Heav’n;

- And get themselves a name, least far disperst

- In foraign Lands thir memorie be lost,

- Regardless whether good or evil fame.

- But God who oft descends to visit men

- Unseen, and through thir habitations walks

- To mark thir doings, them beholding soon,  originalEd: 50

- Comes down to see thir Citie, ere the Tower

- Obstruct Heav’n Towrs, and in derision sets

- Upon thir Tongues a various Spirit to rase

- Quite out thir Native Language, and instead

- To sow a jangling noise of words unknown:

- Forthwith a hideous gabble rises loud

- Among the Builders; each to other calls

- Not understood, till hoarse, and all in rage,

- As mockt they storm; great laughter was in Heav’n

- And looking down, to see the hubbub strange  originalEd: 60

- And hear the din; thus was the building left

- Ridiculous, and the work Confusion nam’d.

- Whereto thus Adam fatherly displeas’d.

- O execrable Son so to aspire

- Above his Brethren, to himself assuming

- Authoritie usurpt, from God not giv’n:

- He gave us onely over Beast, Fish, Fowl

- Dominion absolute; that right we hold

- By his donation; but Man over men

- He made not Lord; such title to himself  originalEd: 70

- Reserving, human left from human free.

- But this Usurper his encroachment proud

- Stayes not on Man; to God his Tower intends

- Siege and defiance: Wretched man! what food

- Will he convey up thither to sustain

- Himself and his rash Armie, where thin Aire

- Above the Clouds will pine his entrails gross,

- And famish him of Breath, if not of Bread?

- To whom thus Michael. Justly thou abhorr’st

- That Son, who on the quiet state of men  originalEd: 80

- Such trouble brought, affecting to subdue

- Rational Libertie; yet know withall,

- Since thy original lapse, true Libertie

- Is lost, which alwayes with right Reason dwells

- Twinn’d, and from her hath no dividual being:

- Reason in man obscur’d, or not obeyd,

- Immediately inordinate desires

- And upstart Passions catch the Government

- From Reason, and to servitude reduce

- Man till then free. Therefore since hee permits  originalEd: 90

- Within himself unworthie Powers to reign

- Over free Reason, God in Judgement just

- Subjects him from without to violent Lords;

- Who oft as undeservedly enthrall

- His outward freedom: Tyrannie must be,

- Though to the Tyrant thereby no excuse.

- Yet somtimes Nations will decline so low

- From vertue, which is reason, that no wrong,

- But Justice, and some fatal curse annext

- Deprives them of thir outward libertie,  originalEd: 100

- Thir inward lost: Witness th’ irreverent Son

- Of him who built the Ark, who for the shame

- Don to his Father, heard this heavie curse,

- Servant of Servants, on his vitious Race.

- Thus will this latter, as the former World,

- Still tend from bad to worse, till God at last

- Wearied with their iniquities, withdraw

- His presence from among them, and avert

- His holy Eyes; resolving from thenceforth

- To leave them to thir own polluted wayes;  originalEd: 110

- And one peculiar Nation to select

- From all the rest, of whom to be invok’d,

- A Nation from one faithful man to spring:

- Him on this side Euphrates yet residing,

- Bred up in Idol-worship; O that men

- (Canst thou believe?) should be so stupid grown,

- While yet the Patriark liv’d, who scap’d the Flood,

- As to forsake the living God, and fall

- To worship thir own work in Wood and Stone

- For Gods! yet him God the most High voutsafes  originalEd: 120

- To call by Vision from his Fathers house,

- His kindred and false Gods, into a Land

- Which he will shew him, and from him will raise

- A mightie Nation, and upon him showre

- His benediction so, that in his Seed

- All Nations shall be blest; hee straight obeys,

- Not knowing to what Land, yet firm believes:

- I see him, but thou canst not, with what Faith

- He leaves his Gods, his Friends, and native Soile

- Ur of Chaldæa, passing now the Ford  originalEd: 130

- To Haran, after him a cumbrous Train

- Of Herds and Flocks, and numerous servitude;

- Not wandring poor, but trusting all his wealth

- With God, who call’d him, in a land unknown.

- Canaan he now attains, I see his Tents

- Pitcht about Sechem, and the neighbouring Plaine

- Of Moreh; there by promise he receaves

- Gift to his Progenie of all that Land;

- From Hamath Northward to the Desert South

- (Things by thir names I call, though yet unnam’d)  originalEd: 140

- From Hermon East to the great Western Sea,

- Mount Hermon, yonder Sea, each place behold

- In prospect, as I point them; on the shoare

- Mount Carmel; here the double-founted stream

- Jordan, true limit Eastward; but his Sons

- Shall dwell to Senir, that long ridge of Hills.

- This ponder, that all Nations of the Earth

- Shall in his Seed be blessed; by that Seed

- Is meant thy great deliverer, who shall bruise

- The Serpents head; whereof to thee anon  originalEd: 150

- Plainlier shall be reveald. This Patriarch blest,

- Whom faithful Abraham due time shall call,

- A Son, and of his Son a Grand-childe leaves,

- Like him in faith, in wisdom, and renown;

- The Grandchilde with twelve Sons increast, departs

- From Canaan, to a land hereafter call’d

- Egypt, divided by the River Nile;

- See where it flows, disgorging at seaven mouthes

- Into the Sea: to sojourn in that Land

- He comes invited by a younger Son  originalEd: 160

- In time of dearth, a Son whose worthy deeds

- Raise him to be the second in that Realme

- Of Pharao: there he dies, and leaves his Race

- Growing into a Nation, and now grown

- Suspected to a sequent King, who seeks

- To stop thir overgrowth, as inmate guests

- Too numerous; whence of guests he makes them slaves

- Inhospitably, and kills thir infant Males:

- Till by two brethren (those two brethren call

- Moses and Aaron ) sent from God to claime  originalEd: 170

- His people from enthralment, they return

- With glory and spoile back to thir promis’d Land.

- But first the lawless Tyrant, who denies

- To know thir God, or message to regard,

- Must be compelld by Signes and Judgements dire;

- To blood unshed the Rivers must be turnd,

- Frogs, Lice and Flies must all his Palace fill

- With loath’d intrusion, and fill all the land;

- His Cattel must of Rot and Murren die,

- Botches and blaines must all his flesh imboss,  originalEd: 180

- And all his people; Thunder mixt with Haile,

- Haile mixt with fire must rend th’ Egyptian Skie

- And wheel on th’ Earth, devouring where it rouls;

- What it devours not, Herb, or Fruit, or Graine,

- A darksom Cloud of Locusts swarming down

- Must eat, and on the ground leave nothing green:

- Darkness must overshadow all his bounds,

- Palpable darkness, and blot out three dayes;

- Last with one midnight stroke all the first-born

- Of Egypt must lie dead. Thus with ten wounds  originalEd: 190

- This River-dragon tam’d at length submits

- To let his sojourners depart, and oft

- Humbles his stubborn heart, but still as Ice

- More hard’nd after thaw, till in his rage

- Pursuing whom he late dismissd, the Sea

- Swallows him with his Host, but them lets pass

- As on drie land between two christal walls,

- Aw’d by the rod of Moses so to stand

- Divided, till his rescu’d gain thir shoar:

- Such wondrous power God to his Saint will lend,  originalEd: 200

- Though present in his Angel, who shall goe

- Before them in a Cloud, and Pillar of Fire,

- By day a Cloud, by night a Pillar of Fire,

- To guide them in thir journey, and remove

- Behinde them, while th’ obdurat King pursues:

- All night he will pursue, but his approach

- Darkness defends between till morning Watch;

- Then through the Firey Pillar and the Cloud

- God looking forth will trouble all his Host

- And craze thir Chariot wheels: when by command  originalEd: 210

- Moses once more his potent Rod extends

- Over the Sea; the Sea his Rod obeys;

- On thir imbattelld ranks the Waves return,

- And overwhelm thir Warr: the Race elect

- Safe towards Canaan from the shoar advance

- Through the wilde Desert, not the readiest way,

- Least entring on the Canaanite allarmd

- Warr terrifie them inexpert, and feare

- Return them back to Egypt, choosing rather

- Inglorious life with servitude; for life  originalEd: 220

- To noble and ignoble is more sweet

- Untraind in Armes, where rashness leads not on.

- This also shall they gain by thir delay

- In the wide Wilderness, there they shall found

- Thir government, and thir great Senate choose

- Through the twelve Tribes, to rule by Laws ordaind:

- God from the Mount of Sinai, whose gray top

- Shall tremble, he descending, will himself

- In Thunder Lightning and loud Trumpets sound

- Ordaine them Lawes; part such as appertaine  originalEd: 230

- To civil Justice, part religious Rites

- Of sacrifice, informing them, by types

- And shadowes, of that destind Seed to bruise

- The Serpent, by what meanes he shall achieve

- Mankinds deliverance. But the voice of God

- To mortal eare is dreadful; they beseech

- That Moses might report to them his will,

- And terror cease; he grants them thir desire,

- Instructed that to God is no access

- Without Mediator, whose high Office now  originalEd: 240

- Moses in figure beares, to introduce

- One greater, of whose day he shall foretell,

- And all the Prophets in thir Age, the times

- Of great Messiah shall sing. Thus Laws and Rites

- Establisht, such delight hath God in Men

- Obedient to his will, that he voutsafes

- Among them to set up his Tabernacle,

- The holy One with mortal Men to dwell:

- By his prescript a Sanctuary is fram’d

- Of Cedar, overlaid with Gold, therein  originalEd: 250

- An Ark, and in the Ark his Testimony,

- The Records of his Cov’nant, over these

- A Mercie-seat of Gold between the wings

- Of two bright Cherubim, before him burn

- Seaven Lamps as in a Zodiac representing

- The Heav’nly fires; over the Tent a Cloud

- Shall rest by Day, a fierie gleame by Night,

- Save when they journie, and at length they come,

- Conducted by his Angel to the Land

- Promisd to Abraham and his Seed: the rest  originalEd: 260

- Were long to tell, how many Battels fought,

- How many Kings destroyd, and Kingdoms won,

- Or how the Sun shall in mid Heav’n stand still

- A day entire, and Nights due course adjourne,

- Mans voice commanding, Sun in Gibeon stand,

- And thou Moon in the vale of Aialon,

- Till Israel overcome; so call the third

- From Abraham, Son of Isaac, and from him

- His whole descent, who thus shall Canaan win.

- Here Adam interpos’d. O sent from Heav’n,  originalEd: 270

- Enlightner of my darkness, gracious things

- Thou hast reveald, those chiefly which concerne

- Just Abraham and his Seed: now first I finde

- Mine eyes true op’ning, and my heart much eas’d,

- Erwhile perplext with thoughts what would becom

- Of mee and all Mankind; but now I see

- His day, in whom all Nations shall be blest,

- Favour unmerited by me, who sought

- Forbidd’n knowledge by forbidd’n means.

- This yet I apprehend not, why to those  originalEd: 280

- Among whom God will deigne to dwell on Earth

- So many and so various Laws are giv’n;

- So many Laws argue so many sins

- Among them; how can God with such reside?

- To whom thus Michael. Doubt not but that sin

- Will reign among them, as of thee begot;

- And therefore was Law given them to evince

- Thir natural pravitie, by stirring up

- Sin against Law to fight; that when they see

- Law can discover sin, but not remove,  originalEd: 290

- Save by those shadowie expiations weak,

- The bloud of Bulls and Goats, they may conclude

- Some bloud more precious must be paid for Man,

- Just for unjust, that in such righteousness

- To them by Faith imputed, they may finde

- Justification towards God, and peace

- Of Conscience, which the Law by Ceremonies

- Cannot appease, nor Man the moral part

- Perform, and not performing cannot live.

- So Law appears imperfet, and but giv’n  originalEd: 300

- With purpose to resign them in full time

- Up to a better Cov’nant, disciplin’d

- From shadowie Types to Truth, from Flesh to Spirit,

- From imposition of strict Laws, to free

- Acceptance of large Grace, from servil fear

- To filial, works of Law to works of Faith.

- And therefore shall not Moses, though of God

- Highly belov’d, being but the Minister

- Of Law, his people into Canaan lead;

- But Joshua whom the Gentiles Jesus call,  originalEd: 310

- His Name and Office bearing, who shall quell

- The adversarie Serpent, and bring back

- Through the worlds wilderness long wanderd man

- Safe to eternal Paradise of rest.

- Meanwhile they in thir earthly Canaan plac’t

- Long time shall dwell and prosper, but when sins

- National interrupt thir public peace,

- Provoking God to raise them enemies:

- From whom as oft he saves them penitent

- By Judges first, then under Kings; of whom  originalEd: 320

- The second, both for pietie renownd

- And puissant deeds, a promise shall receive

- Irrevocable, that his Regal Throne

- For ever shall endure; the like shall sing

- All Prophecie, That of the Royal Stock

- Of David (so I name this King) shall rise

- A Son, the Womans Seed to thee foretold,

- Foretold to Abraham, as in whom shall trust

- All Nations, and to Kings foretold, of Kings

- The last, for of his Reign shall be no end.  originalEd: 330

- But first a long succession must ensue,

- And his next Son for Wealth and Wisdom fam’d,

- The clouded Ark of God till then in Tents

- Wandring, shall in a glorious Temple enshrine.

- Such follow him, as shall be registerd

- Part good, part bad, of bad the longer scrowle,

- Whose foul Idolatries, and other faults

- Heapt to the popular summe, will so incense

- God, as to leave them, and expose thir Land,

- Thir Citie, his Temple, and his holy Ark  originalEd: 340

- With all his sacred things, a scorn and prey

- To that proud Citie, whose high Walls thou saw’st

- Left in confusion, Babylon thence call’d.

- There in captivitie he lets them dwell

- The space of seventie years, then brings them back,

- Remembring mercie, and his Cov’nant sworn

- To David, stablisht as the dayes of Heav’n.

- Returnd from Babylon by leave of Kings

- Thir Lords, whom God dispos’d, the house of God

- They first re-edifie, and for a while  originalEd: 350

- In mean estate live moderate, till grown

- In wealth and multitude, factious they grow;

- But first among the Priests dissension springs,

- Men who attend the Altar, and should most

- Endeavour Peace: thir strife pollution brings

- Upon the Temple it self: at last they seise

- The Scepter, and regard not Davids Sons,

- Then loose it to a stranger, that the true

- Anointed King Messiah might be born

- Barr’d of his right; yet at his Birth a Starr  originalEd: 360

- Unseen before in Heav’n proclaims him com,

- And guides the Eastern Sages, who enquire

- His place, to offer Incense, Myrrh, and Gold;

- His place of birth a solemn Angel tells

- To simple Shepherds, keeping watch by night;

- They gladly thither haste, and by a Quire

- Of squadrond Angels hear his Carol sung.

- A Virgin is his Mother, but his Sire

- The Power of the most High; he shall ascend

- The Throne hereditarie, and bound his Reign  originalEd: 370

- With earths wide bounds, his glory with the Heav’ns.

- He ceas’d, discerning Adam with such joy

- Surcharg’d, as had like grief bin dew’d in tears,

- Without the vent of words, which these he breathd.

- O Prophet of glad tidings, finisher

- Of utmost hope! now clear I understand

- What oft my steddiest thoughts have searcht in vain,

- Why our great expectation should be call’d

- The seed of Woman: Virgin Mother, Haile,

- High in the love of Heav’n, yet from my Loynes  originalEd: 380

- Thou shalt proceed, and from thy Womb the Son

- Of God most High; So God with man unites.

- Needs must the Serpent now his capital bruise

- Expect with mortal paine: say where and when

- Thir fight, what stroke shall bruise the Victors heel.

- To whom thus Michael. Dream not of thir fight,

- As of a Duel, or the local wounds

- Of head or heel: not therefore joynes the Son

- Manhood to God-head, with more strength to foil

- Thy enemie; nor so is overcome  originalEd: 390

- Satan, whose fall from Heav’n, a deadlier bruise,

- Disabl’d not to give thee thy deaths wound:

- Which hee, who comes thy Saviour, shall recure,

- Not by destroying Satan, but his works

- In thee and in thy Seed: nor can this be,

- But by fulfilling that which thou didst want,

- Obedience to the Law of God, impos’d

- On penaltie of death, and suffering death,

- The penaltie to thy transgression due,

- And due to theirs which out of thine will grow:  originalEd: 400

- So onely can high Justice rest appaid.

- The Law of God exact he shall fulfill

- Both by obedience and by love, though love

- Alone fulfill the Law; thy punishment

- He shall endure by coming in the Flesh

- To a reproachful life and cursed death,

- Proclaming Life to all who shall believe

- In his redemption, and that his obedience

- Imputed becomes theirs by Faith, his merits

- To save them, not their own, though legal works.  originalEd: 410

- For this he shall live hated, be blasphem’d,

- Seis’d on by force, judg’d, and to death condemnd

- A shameful and accurst, naild to the Cross

- By his own Nation, slaine for bringing Life;

- But to the Cross he nailes thy Enemies,

- The Law that is against thee, and the sins

- Of all mankinde, with him there crucifi’d,

- Never to hurt them more who rightly trust

- In this his satisfaction; so he dies,

- But soon revives, Death over him no power  originalEd: 420

- Shall long usurp; ere the third dawning light

- Returne, the Starres of Morn shall see him rise

- Out of his grave, fresh as the dawning light,

- Thy ransom paid, which Man from death redeems,

- His death for Man, as many as offered Life

- Neglect not, and the benefit imbrace

- By Faith not void of workes: this God-like act

- Annuls thy doom, the death thou shouldst have dy’d,

- In sin for ever lost from life; this act

- Shall bruise the head of Satan, crush his strength  originalEd: 430

- Defeating Sin and Death, his two maine armes,

- And fix farr deeper in his head thir stings

- Then temporal death shall bruise the Victors heel,

- Or theirs whom he redeems, a death like sleep,

- A gentle wafting to immortal Life.

- Nor after resurrection shall he stay

- Longer on Earth then certaine times to appeer

- To his Disciples, Men who in his Life

- Still follow’d him; to them shall leave in charge

- To teach all nations what of him they learn’d  originalEd: 440

- And his Salvation, them who shall beleeve

- Baptizing in the profluent streame, the signe

- Of washing them from guilt of sin to Life

- Pure, and in mind prepar’d, if so befall,

- For death, like that which the redeemer dy’d.

- All Nations they shall teach; for from that day

- Not onely to the Sons of Abrahams Loines

- Salvation shall be Preacht, but to the Sons

- Of Abrahams Faith wherever through the world;

- So in his seed all Nations shall be blest.  originalEd: 450

- Then to the Heav’n of Heav’ns he shall ascend

- With victory, triumphing through the aire

- Over his foes and thine; there shall surprise

- The Serpent, Prince of aire, and drag in Chaines

- Through all his realme, there confounded leave;

- Then enter into glory, and resume

- His Seat at Gods right hand, exalted high

- Above all names in Heav’n; and thence shall come,

- When this worlds dissolution shall be ripe,

- With glory and power to judge both quick dead  originalEd: 460

- To judge th’ unfaithful dead, but to reward

- His faithful, and receave them into bliss,

- Whether in Heav’n or Earth, for then the Earth

- Shall all be Paradise, far happier place

- Then this of Eden, and far happier daies.

- So spake th’ Archangel Michael, then paus’d,

- As at the Worlds great period; and our Sire

- Replete with joy and wonder thus repli’d.

- O goodness infinite, goodness immense!

- That all this good of evil shall produce,  originalEd: 470

- And evil turn to good; more wonderful

- Then that by which creation first brought forth

- Light out of darkness! full of doubt I stand,

- Whether I should repent me now of sin

- By mee done and occasiond, or rejoyce

- Much more, that much more good thereof shall spring,

- To God more glory, more good will to Men

- From God, and over wrauth grace shall abound.

- But say, if our deliverer up to Heav’n

- Must reascend, what will betide the few  originalEd: 480

- His faithful, left among th’ unfaithful herd,

- The enemies of truth; who then shall guide

- His people, who defend? will they not deale

- Wors with his followers then with him they dealt?

- Be sure they will, said th’ Angel; but from Heav’n

- Hee to his own a Comforter will send,

- The promise of the Father, who shall dwell

- His Spirit within them, and the Law of Faith

- Working through love, upon thir hearts shall write,

- To guide them in all truth, and also arme  originalEd: 490

- With spiritual Armour, able to resist

- Satans assaults, and quench his fierie darts,

- What Man can do against them, not affraid,

- Though to the death, against such cruelties

- With inward consolations recompenc’t,

- And oft supported so as shall amaze

- Thir proudest persecuters: for the Spirit

- Powrd first on his Apostles, whom he sends

- To evangelize the Nations, then on all

- Baptiz’d, shall them with wondrous gifts endue  originalEd: 500

- To speak all Tongues, and do all Miracles,

- As did thir Lord before them. Thus they win

- Great numbers of each Nation to receave

- With joy the tidings brought from Heav’n: at length

- Thir Ministry perform’d, and race well run,

- Thir doctrine and thir story written left,

- They die; but in thir room, as they forewarne,

- Wolves shall succeed for teachers, grievous Wolves,

- Who all the sacred mysteries of Heav’n

- To thir own vile advantages shall turne  originalEd: 510

- Of lucre and ambition, and the truth

- With superstitions and traditions taint,

- Left onely in those written Records pure,

- Though not but by the Spirit understood.

- Then shall they seek to avail themselves of names,

- Places and titles, and with these to joine

- Secular power, though feigning still to act

- By spiritual, to themselves appropriating

- The Spirit of God, promisd alike and giv’n

- To all Beleevers; and from that pretense,  originalEd: 520

- Spiritual Lawes by carnal power shall force

- On every conscience; Laws which none shall finde

- Left them inrould, or what the Spirit within

- Shall on the heart engrave. What will they then

- But force the Spirit of Grace it self, and binde

- His consort Libertie; what, but unbuild

- His living Temples, built by Faith to stand,

- Thir own Faith not anothers: for on Earth

- Who against Faith and Conscience can be heard

- Infallible? yet many will presume:  originalEd: 530

- Whence heavie persecution shall arise

- On all who in the worship persevere

- Of Spirit and Truth; the rest, farr greater part,

- Will deem in outward Rites and specious formes

- Religion satisfi’d; Truth shall retire

- Bestuck with slandrous darts, and works of Faith

- Rarely be found: so shall the World goe on,

- To good malignant, to bad men benigne,

- Under her own waight groaning, till the day

- Appeer of respiration to the just,  originalEd: 540

- And vengeance to the wicked, at return

- Of him so lately promiss’d to thy aid,

- The Womans seed, obscurely then foretold,

- Now amplier known thy Saviour and thy Lord,

- Last in the Clouds from Heav’n to be reveald

- In glory of the Father, to dissolve

- Satan with his perverted World, then raise

- From the conflagrant mass, purg’d and refin’d,

- New Heav’ns, new Earth, Ages of endless date

- Founded in righteousness and peace and love,  originalEd: 550

- To bring forth fruits Joy and eternal Bliss.

- He ended; and thus Adam last reply’d.

- How soon hath thy prediction, Seer blest,

- Measur’d this transient World, the Race of time,

- Till time stand fixt: beyond is all abyss,

- Eternitie, whose end no eye can reach.

- Greatly instructed I shall hence depart,

- Greatly in peace of thought, and have my fill

- Of knowledge, what this vessel can containe;

- Beyond which was my folly to aspire.  originalEd: 560

- Henceforth I learne, that to obey is best,

- And love with feare the onely God, to walk

- As in his presence, ever to observe

- His providence, and on him sole depend,

- Merciful over all his works, with good

- Still overcoming evil, and by small

- Accomplishing great things, by things deemd weak

- Subverting worldly strong, and worldly wise

- By simply meek; that suffering for Truths sake

- Is fortitude to highest victorie,  originalEd: 570

- And to the faithful Death the Gate of Life;

- Taught this by his example whom I now

- Acknowledge my Redeemer ever blest.

- To whom thus also th’ Angel last repli’d:

- This having learnt, thou hast attained the summe

- Of wisdom; hope no higher, though all the Starrs

- Thou knewst by name, and all th’ ethereal Powers,

- All secrets of the deep, all Natures works,

- Or works of God in Heav’n, Air, Earth, or Sea,

- And all the riches of this World enjoydst,  originalEd: 580

- And all the rule, one Empire; onely add

- Deeds to thy knowledge answerable, add Faith,

- Add Vertue, Patience, Temperance, add Love,

- By name to come call’d Charitie, the soul

- Of all the rest: then wilt thou not be loath

- To leave this Paradise, but shalt possess

- A Paradise within thee, happier farr.

- Let us descend now therefore from this top

- Of Speculation; for the hour precise

- Exacts our parting hence; and see the Guards,  originalEd: 590

- By mee encampt on yonder Hill, expect

- Thir motion, at whose Front a flaming Sword,

- In signal of remove, waves fiercely round;

- We may no longer stay: go, waken Eve;

- Her also I with gentle Dreams have calm’d

- Portending good, and all her spirits compos’d

- To meek submission: thou at season fit

- Let her with thee partake what thou hast heard,

- Chiefly what may concern her Faith to know,

- The great deliverance by her Seed to come  originalEd: 600

- (For by the Womans Seed) on all Mankind.

- That ye may live, which will be many dayes,

- Both in one Faith unanimous though sad,

- With cause for evils past, yet much more cheer’d

- With meditation on the happie end.

- He ended, and they both descend the Hill;

- Descended, Adam to the Bowre where Eve

- Lay sleeping ran before, but found her wak’t;

- And thus with words not sad she him receav’d.

- Whence thou returnst, whither wentst, I know;  originalEd: 610

- For God is also in sleep, and Dreams advise,

- Which he hath sent propitious, some great good

- Presaging, since with sorrow and hearts distress

- Wearied I fell asleep: but now lead on;

- In mee is no delay; with thee to goe,

- Is to stay here; without thee here to stay,

- Is to go hence unwilling; thou to mee

- Art all things under Heav’n, all places thou,

- Who for my wilful crime art banisht hence.

- This further consolation yet secure  originalEd: 620

- I carry hence; though all by mee is lost,

- Such favour I unworthie am voutsaft,

- By mee the Promis’d Seed shall all restore.

- So spake our Mother Eve, and Adam heard

- Well pleas’d, but answer’d not; for now too nigh

- Th’ Archangel stood, and from the other Hill

- To thir fixt Station, all in bright array

- The Cherubim descended; on the ground

- Gliding meteorous, as Ev’ning Mist

- Ris’n from a River o’re the marish glides,  originalEd: 630

- And gathers ground fast at the Labourers heel

- Homeward returning. High in Front advanc’t,

- The brandisht Sword of God before them blaz’d

- Fierce as a Comet; which with torrid heat,

- And vapour as the Libyan Air adust,

- Began to parch that temperate Clime; whereat

- In either hand the hastning Angel caught

- Our lingring Parents, and to th’ Eastern Gate

- Led them direct, and down the Cliff as fast

- To the subjected Plaine; then disappeer’d.  originalEd: 640

- They looking back, all th’ Eastern side beheld

- Of Paradise, so late thir happie seat,

- Wav’d over by that flaming Brand, the Gate

- With dreadful Faces throng’d and fierie Armes:

- Som natural tears they drop’d, but wip’d them soon;

- The World was all before them, where to choose

- Thir place of rest, and Providence thir guide:

- They hand in hand with wandring steps and slow,

- Through Eden took thir solitarie way.

The End.

PARADISE REGAIND.

A POEM.

In IV BOOKS.

To which is added SAMSON AGONISTES.

The Author JOHN MILTON.

LONDON, Printed by J. M for John Starkey at the Mitre in Fleetstreet, near Temple-Bar.

MDCLXXI.

The First Book.

- I WHO e’re while the happy Garden sung,

- By one mans disobedience lost, now sing

- Recover’d Paradise to all mankind,

- By one mans firm obedience fully tri’d

- Through all temptation, and the Tempter foil’d

- In all his wiles, defeated and repuls’t,

- And Eden rais’d in the wast Wilderness.

- Thou Spirit who ledst this glorious Eremite

- Into the Desert, his Victorious Field

- Against the Spiritual Foe, and broughtst him thence  originalEd: 10

- By proof the undoubted Son of God, inspire,

- As thou art wont, my prompted Song else mute,

- And bear through highth or depth of natures bounds

- With prosperous wing full summ’d to tell of deeds

- Above Heroic, though in secret done,

- And unrecorded left through many an Age,

- Worthy t’ have not remain’d so long unsung.

- Now had the great Proclaimer with a voice

- More awful then the sound of Trumpet, cri’d

- Repentance, and Heavens Kingdom nigh at hand  originalEd: 20

- To all Baptiz’d: to his great Baptism flock’d

- With aw the Regions round, and with them came

- From Nazareth the Son of Joseph deem’d

- To the flood Jordan, came as then obscure,

- Unmarkt, unknown; but him the Baptist soon

- Descri’d, divinely warn’d, and witness bore

- As to his worthier, and would have resign’d

- To him his Heavenly Office, nor was long

- His witness unconfirm’d: on him baptiz’d

- Heaven open’d, and in likeness of a Dove  originalEd: 30

- The Spirit descended, while the Fathers voice

- From Heav’n pronounc’d him his beloved Son.

- That heard the Adversary, who roving still

- About the world, at that assembly fam’d

- Would not be last, and with the voice divine

- Nigh Thunder-struck, th’ exalted man, to whom

- Such high attest was giv’n, a while survey’d

- With wonder, then with envy fraught and rage

- Flies to his place, nor rests, but in mid air

- To Councel summons all his mighty Peers,  originalEd: 40

- Within thick Clouds and dark ten-fold involv’d,

- A gloomy Consistory; and them amidst

- With looks agast and sad he thus bespake.

- O ancient Powers of Air and this wide world,

- For much more willingly I mention Air,

- This our old Conquest, then remember Hell

- Our hated habitation; well ye know

- How many Ages, as the years of men,

- This Universe we have possest, and rul’d

- In manner at our will th’ affairs of Earth,  originalEd: 50

- Since Adam and his facil consort Eve

- Lost Paradise deceiv’d by me, though since

- With dread attending when that fatal wound

- Shall be inflicted by the Seed of Eve

- Upon my head, long the decrees of Heav’n

- Dealy, for longest time to him is short;

- And now too soon for us the circling hours

- This dreaded time have compast, wherein we

- Must bide the stroak of that long threatn’d wound,

- At least if so we can, and by the head  originalEd: 60

- Broken be not intended all our power

- To be infring’d, our freedom and our being

- In this fair Empire won of Earth and Air;

- For this ill news I bring, the Womans seed

- Destin’d to this, is late of woman born,

- His birth to our just fear gave no small cause,

- But his growth now to youths full flowr, displaying

- All vertue, grace and wisdom to atchieve

- Things highest, greatest, multiplies my fear.

- Before him a great Prophet, to proclaim  originalEd: 70

- His coming, is sent Harbinger, who all

- Invites, and in the Consecrated stream

- Pretends to wash off sin, and fit them so

- Purified to receive him pure, or rather

- To do him honour as their King; all come,

- And he himself among them was baptiz’d,

- Not thence to be more pure, but to receive

- The testimony of Heaven, that who he is

- Thenceforth the Nations may not doubt; I saw

- The Prophet do him reverence, on him rising  originalEd: 80

- Out of the water, Heav’n above the Clouds

- Unfold her Crystal Dores, thence on his head

- A perfect Dove descend, what e’re it meant,

- And out of Heav’n the Sov’raign voice I heard,

- This is my Son belov’d, in him am pleas’d.

- His Mother then is mortal, but his Sire,

- He who obtains the Monarchy of Heav’n,

- And what will he not do to advance his Son?

- His first-begot we know, and sore have felt,

- When his fierce thunder drove us to the deep;  originalEd: 90

- Who this is we must learn, for man he seems

- In all his lineaments, though in his face

- The glimpses of his Fathers glory shine.

- Ye see our danger on the utmost edge

- Of hazard, which admits no long debate,

- But must with something sudden be oppos’d,

- Not force, but well couch’t fraud, well woven snares,

- E’re in the head of Nations he appear

- Their King, their Leader, and Supream on Earth.

- I, when no other durst, sole undertook  originalEd: 100

- The dismal expedition to find out

- And ruine Adam, and the exploit perform’d

- Successfully; a calmer voyage now

- Will waft me; and the way found prosperous once

- Induces best to hope of like success.

- He ended, and his words impression left

- Of much amazement to th’ infernal Crew,

- Distracted and surpriz’d with deep dismay

- At these sad tidings; but no time was then

- For long indulgence to their fears or grief:  originalEd: 110

- Unanimous they all commit the care

- And management of this main enterprize

- To him their great Dictator, whose attempt

- At first against mankind so well had thriv’d

- In Adam ’s overthrow, and led thir march

- From Hell’s deep-vaulted Den to dwell in light,

- Regents and Potentates, and Kings, yea gods

- Of many a pleasant Realm and Province wide.

- So to the Coast of Jordan he directs

- His easie steps; girded with snaky wiles,  originalEd: 120

- Where he might likeliest find this new-declar’d,

- This man of men, attested Son of God,

- Temptation and all guile on him to try;

- So to subvert whom he suspected rais’d

- To end his Raign on Earth so long enjoy’d:

- But contrary unweeting he fulfill’d

- The purpos’d Counsel pre-ordain’d and fixt

- Of the most High, who in full frequence bright

- Of Angels, thus to Gabriel smiling spake.

- Gabriel this day by proof thou shalt behold,  originalEd: 130

- Thou and all Angels conversant on Earth

- With man or mens affairs, how I begin

- To verifie that solemn message late,

- On which I sent thee to the Virgin pure

- In Galilee, that she should bear a Son

- Great in Renown, and call’d the Son of God;

- Then toldst her doubting how these things could be

- To her a Virgin, that on her should come

- The Holy Ghost, and the power of the highest

- O’re-shadow her: this man born and now up-grown,  originalEd: 140

- To shew him worthy of his birth divine

- And high prediction, henceforth I expose

- To Satan; let him tempt and now assay

- His utmost subtilty, because he boasts

- And vaunts of his great cunning to the throng

- Of his Apostasie; he might have learnt

- Less over-weening, since he fail’d in Job,

- Whose constant perseverance overcame

- Whate’re his cruel malice could invent.

- He now shall know I can produce a man  originalEd: 150

- Of female Seed, far abler to resist

- All his sollicitations, and at length

- All his vast force, and drive him back to Hell,

- Winning by Conquest what the first man lost

- By fallacy surpriz’d. But first I mean

- To exercise him in the Wilderness,

- There he shall first lay down the rudiments

- Of his great warfare, e’re I send him forth

- To conquer Sin and Death the two grand foes,

- By Humiliation and strong Sufferance:  originalEd: 160

- His weakness shall o’recome Satanic strength

- And all the world, and mass of sinful flesh;

- That all the Angels and Ætherial Powers,

- They now, and men hereafter may discern,

- From what consummate vertue I have chose

- This perfect Man, by merit call’d my Son,

- To earn Salvation for the Sons of men.

- So spake the Eternal Father, and all Heaven

- Admiring stood a space, then into Hymns

- Burst forth, and in Celestial measures mov’d,  originalEd: 170

- Circling the Throne and Singing, while the hand

- Sung with the voice, and this the argument.

- Victory and Triumph to the Son of God

- Now entring his great duel, not of arms,

- But to vanquish by wisdom hellish wiles.

- The Father knows the Son; therefore secure

- Ventures his filial Vertue, though untri’d,

- Against whate’re may tempt, whate’re seduce,

- Allure, or terrifie, or undermine.

- Be frustrate all ye stratagems of Hell,  originalEd: 180

- And devilish machinations come to nought.

- So they in Heav’n their Odes and Vigils tun’d:

- Mean while the Son of God, who yet some days

- Lodg’d in Bethabara where John baptiz’d,

- Musing and much revolving in his brest,

- How best the mighty work he might begin

- Of Saviour to mankind, and which way first

- Publish his God-like office now mature,

- One day forth walk’d alone, the Spirit leading;

- And his deep thoughts, the better to converse  originalEd: 190

- With solitude, till far from track of men,

- Thought following thought, and step by step led on,

- He entred now the bordering Desert wild,

- And with dark shades and rocks environ’d round,

- His holy Meditations thus persu’d.

- O what a multitude of thoughts at once

- Awakn’d in me swarm, while I consider

- What from within I feel my self, and hear

- What from without comes often to my ears,

- Ill sorting with my present state compar’d.  originalEd: 200

- When I was yet a child, no childish play

- To me was pleasing, all my mind was set

- Serious to learn and know, and thence to do

- What might be publick good; my self I thought

- Born to that end, born to promote all truth,

- All righteous things: therefore above my years,

- The Law of God I read, and found it sweet,

- Made it my whole delight, and in it grew

- To such perfection, that e’re yet my age

- Had measur’d twice six years, at our great Feast  originalEd: 210

- I went into the Temple, there to hear

- The Teachers of our Law, and to propose

- What might improve my knowledge or their own;

- And was admir’d by all, yet this not all

- To which my Spirit aspir’d, victorious deeds

- Flam’d in my heart, heroic acts, one while

- To rescue Israel from the Roman yoke,

- Thence to subdue and quell o’re all the earth

- Brute violence and proud Tyrannick pow’r,

- Till truth were freed, and equity restor’d:  originalEd: 220

- Yet held it more humane, more heavenly first

- By winning words to conquer willing hearts,

- And make perswasion do the work of fear;

- At least to try, and teach the erring Soul

- Not wilfully mis-doing, but unware

- Misled: the stubborn only to subdue.

- These growing thoughts my Mother soon perceiving

- By words at times cast forth inly rejoyc’d,

- And said to me apart, high are thy thoughts

- O Son, but nourish them and let them soar  originalEd: 230

- To what highth sacred vertue and true worth

- Can raise them, though above example high;

- By matchless Deeds express thy matchless Sire.

- For know, thou art no Son of mortal man,

- Though men esteem thee low of Parentage,

- Thy Father is the Eternal King, who rules

- All Heaven and Earth, Angels and Sons of men,

- A messenger from God fore-told thy birth

- Conceiv’d in me a Virgin, he fore-told

- Thou shouldst be great and sit on David ’s Throne,  originalEd: 240

- And of thy Kingdom there should be no end.

- At thy Nativity a glorious Quire

- Of Angels in the fields of Bethlehem sung

- To Shepherds watching at their folds by night,

- And told them the Messiah now was born,

- Where they might see him, and to thee they came;

- Directed to the Manger where thou lais’t,

- For in the Inn was left no better room:

- A Star, not seen before in Heaven appearing

- Guided the Wise Men thither from the East,  originalEd: 250

- To honour thee with Incense, Myrrh, and Gold,

- By whose bright course led on they found the place,

- Affirming it thy Star new grav’n in Heaven,

- By which they knew thee King of Israel born.

- Just Simeon and Prophetic Anna, warn’d

- By Vision, found thee in the Temple, and spake

- Before the Altar and the vested Priest,

- Like things of thee to all that present stood.

- This having heard, strait I again revolv’d

- The Law and Prophets, searching what was writ  originalEd: 260

- Concerning the Messiah, to our Scribes

- Known partly, and soon found of whom they spake

- I am; this chiefly, that my way must lie

- Through many a hard assay even to the death,

- E’re I the promis’d Kingdom can attain,

- Or work Redemption for mankind, whose sins

- Full weight must be transferr’d upon my head.

- Yet neither thus disheartn’d or dismay’d,

- The time prefixt I waited, when behold

- The Baptist, (of whose birth I oft had heard,  originalEd: 270

- Not knew by sight) now come, who was to come

- Before Messiah and his way prepare.

- I as all others to his Baptism came,

- Which I believ’d was from above; but he

- Strait knew me, and with loudest voice proclaim’d

- Me him (for it was shew’n him so from Heaven)

- Me him whose Harbinger he was; and first

- Refus’d on me his Baptism to confer,

- As much his greater, and was hardly won;

- But as I rose out of the laving stream,  originalEd: 280

- Heaven open’d her eternal doors, from whence

- The Spirit descended on me like a Dove,

- And last the sum of all, my Father’s voice,

- Audibly heard from Heav’n, pronounc’d me his,

- Me his beloved Son, in whom alone

- He was well pleas’d; by which I knew the time

- Now full, that I no more should live obscure,

- But openly begin, as best becomes

- The Authority which I deriv’d from Heaven.

- And now by some strong motion I am led  originalEd: 290

- Into this wilderness, to what intent

- I learn not yet, perhaps I need not know;

- For what concerns my knowledge God reveals.

- So spake our Morning Star then in his rise,

- And looking round on every side beheld

- A pathless Desert, dusk with horrid shades;

- The way he came not having mark’d, return

- Was difficult, by humane steps untrod;

- And he still on was led, but with such thoughts

- Accompanied of things past and to come  originalEd: 300

- Lodg’d in his brest, as well might recommend

- Such Solitude before choicest Society.

- Full forty days he pass’d, whether on hill

- Sometimes, anon in shady vale, each night

- Under the covert of some ancient Oak,

- Or Cedar, to defend him from the dew,

- Or harbour’d in one Cave, is not reveal’d;

- Nor tasted humane food, nor hunger felt

- Till those days ended, hunger’d then at last

- Among wild Beasts: they at his sight grew mild,  originalEd: 310

- Nor sleeping him nor waking harm’d, his walk

- The fiery Serpent fled, and noxious Worm,

- The Lion and fierce Tiger glar’d aloof.

- But now an aged man in Rural weeds,

- Following, as seem’d, the quest of some stray Ewe,

- Or wither’d sticks to gather; which might serve

- Against a Winters day when winds blow keen,

- To warm him wet return’d from field at Eve,

- He saw approach, who first with curious eye

- Perus’d him, then with words thus utt’red spake.  originalEd: 320

- Sir, what ill chance hath brought thee to this place

- So far from path or road of men, who pass

- In Troop or Caravan, for single none

- Durst ever, who return’d, and dropt not here

- His Carcass, pin’d with hunger and with droughth?

- I ask the rather, and the more admire,

- For that to me thou seem’st the man, whom late

- Our new baptizing Prophet at the Ford

- Of Jordan honour’d so, and call’d thee Son

- Of God; I saw and heard, for we sometimes  originalEd: 330

- Who dwell this wild, constrain’d by want, come forth

- To Town or Village nigh (nighest is far)

- Where ought we hear, and curious are to hear,

- What happ’ns new; Fame also finds us out.

- To whom the Son of God. Who brought me hither

- Will bring me hence, no other Guide I seek.

- By Miracle he may, reply’d the Swain,

- What other way I see not, for we here

- Live on tough roots and stubs, to thirst inur’d

- More then the Camel, and to drink go far,  originalEd: 340

- Men to much misery and hardship born;

- But if thou be the Son of God, Command

- That out of these hard stones be made thee bread;

- So shalt thou save thy self and us relieve

- With Food, whereof we wretched seldom taste.

- He ended, and the Son of God reply’d.

- Think’st thou such force in Bread? is it not written

- (For I discern thee other then thou seem’st)

- Man lives not by Bread only, but each Word

- Proceeding from the mouth of God; who fed  originalEd: 350

- Our Fathers here with Manna; in the Mount

- Moses was forty days, nor eat nor drank,

- And forty days Eliah without food

- Wandred this barren waste, the same I now:

- Why dost thou then suggest to me distrust,

- Knowing who I am, as I know who thou art?

- Whom thus answer’d th’ Arch Fiend now undisguis’d.

- ’Tis true, I am that Spirit unfortunate,

- Who leagu’d with millions more in rash revolt

- Kept not my happy Station, but was driv’n  originalEd: 360

- With them from bliss to the bottomless deep,

- Yet to that hideous place not so confin’d

- By rigour unconniving, but that oft

- Leaving my dolorous Prison I enjoy

- Large liberty to round this Globe of Earth,

- Or range in th’ Air, nor from the Heav’n of Heav’ns

- Hath he excluded my resort sometimes.

- I came among the Sons of God, when he

- Gave up into my hands Uzzean Job

- To prove him, and illustrate his high worth;  originalEd: 370

- And when to all his Angels he propos’d

- To draw the proud King Ahab into fraud

- That he might fall in Ramoth, they demurring,

- I undertook that office, and the tongues

- Of all his flattering Prophets glibb’d with lyes

- To his destruction, as I had in charge.

- For what he bids I do; though I have lost

- Much lustre of my native brightness, lost

- To be belov’d of God, I have not lost

- To love, at least contemplate and admire  originalEd: 380

- What I see excellent in good, or fair,

- Or vertuous, I should so have lost all sense.

- What can be then less in me then desire

- To see thee and approach thee, whom I know

- Declar’d the Son of God, to hear attent

- Thy wisdom, and behold thy God-like deeds?

- Men generally think me much a foe

- To all mankind: why should I? they to me

- Never did wrong or violence, by them

- I lost not what I lost, rather by them  originalEd: 390

- I gain’d what I have gain’d, and with them dwell

- Copartner in these Regions of the World,

- If not disposer; lend them oft my aid,

- Oft my advice by presages and signs,

- And answers, oracles, portents and dreams,

- Whereby they may direct their future life.

- Envy they say excites me, thus to gain

- Companions of my misery and wo.

- At first it may be; but long since with wo

- Nearer acquainted, now I feel by proof,  originalEd: 400

- That fellowship in pain divides not smart,

- Nor lightens aught each mans peculiar load.

- Small consolation then, were Man adjoyn’d:

- This wounds me most (what can it less) that Man,

- Man fall’n shall be restor’d, I never more.

- To whom our Saviour sternly thus reply’d.

- Deservedly thou griev’st, compos’d of lyes

- From the beginning, and in lies wilt end;

- Who boast’st release from Hell, and leave to come

- Into the Heav’n of Heavens; thou com’st indeed,  originalEd: 410

- As a poor miserable captive thrall,

- Comes to the place where he before had sat

- Among the Prime in Splendour, now depos’d,

- Ejected, emptyed, gaz’d, unpityed, shun’d,

- A spectacle of ruin or of scorn

- To all the Host of Heaven; the happy place

- Imparts to thee no happiness, no joy,

- Rather inflames thy torment, representing

- Lost bliss, to thee no more communicable,

- So never more in Hell then when in Heaven.  originalEd: 420

- But thou art serviceable to Heaven’s King.

- Wilt thou impute to obedience what thy fear

- Extorts, or pleasure to do ill excites?

- What but thy malice mov’d thee to misdeem

- Of righteous Job, then cruelly to afflict him

- With all inflictions, but his patience won?

- The other service was thy chosen task,

- To be a lyer in four hundred mouths;

- For lying is thy sustenance, thy food.

- Yet thou pretend’st to truth; all Oracles  originalEd: 430

- By thee are giv’n, and what confest more true

- Among the Nations? that hath been thy craft,

- By mixing somewhat true to vent more lyes.

- But what have been thy answers, what but dark

- Ambiguous and with double sense deluding,

- Which they who ask’d have seldom understood,

- And not well understood as good not known?

- Who ever by consulting at thy shrine

- Return’d the wiser, or the more instruct

- To flye or follow what concern’d him most,  originalEd: 440

- And run not sooner to his fatal snare?

- For God hath justly giv’n the Nations up

- To thy Delusions; justly, since they fell

- Idolatrous, but when his purpose is

- Among them to declare his Providence

- To thee not known, whence hast thou then thy truth,

- But from him or his Angels President

- In every Province, who themselves disdaining

- To approach thy Temples, give thee in command

- What to the smallest tittle thou shalt say  originalEd: 450

- To thy Adorers; thou with trembling fear,

- Or like a Fawning Parasite obey’st;

- Then to thy self ascrib’st the truth fore-told.

- But this thy glory shall be soon retrench’d;

- No more shalt thou by oracling abuse

- The Gentiles; henceforth Oracles are ceast,

- And thou no more with Pomp and Sacrifice

- Shalt be enquir’d at Delphos or elsewhere,

- At least in vain, for they shall find thee mute.

- God hath now sent his living Oracle  originalEd: 460

- Into the World, to teach his final will,

- And sends his Spirit of Truth henceforth to dwell

- In pious Hearts, an inward Oracle

- To all truth requisite for men to know.

- So spake our Saviour; but the subtle Fiend,

- Though inly stung with anger and disdain,

- Dissembl’d, and this answer smooth return’d.

- Sharply thou hast insisted on rebuke,

- And urg’d me hard with doings, which not will

- But misery hath rested from me; where  originalEd: 470

- Easily canst thou find one miserable,

- And not inforc’d oft-times to part from truth;

- If it may stand him more in stead to lye,

- Say and unsay, feign, flatter, or abjure?

- But thou art plac’t above me, thou art Lord;

- From thee I can and must submiss endure

- Check or reproof, and glad to scape so quit.

- Hard are the ways of truth, and rough to walk,

- Smooth on the tongue discourst, pleasing to th’ ear,

- And tuneable as Silvan Pipe or Song;  originalEd: 480

- What wonder then if I delight to hear

- Her dictates from thy mouth? most men admire

- Vertue, who follow not her lore: permit me

- To hear thee when I come (since no man comes)

- And talk at least, though I despair to attain.

- Thy Father, who is holy, wise and pure,

- Suffers the Hypocrite or Atheous Priest

- To tread his Sacred Courts, and minister

- About his Altar, handling holy things,

- Praying or vowing, and vouchsaf’d his voice  originalEd: 490

- To Balaam Reprobate, a Prophet yet

- Inspir’d; disdain not such access to me.

- To whom our Saviour with unalter’d brow.

- Thy coming hither, though I know thy scope,

- I bid not or forbid; do as thou find’st

- Permission from above; thou canst not more.

- He added not; and Satan bowing low

- His gray dissimulation, disappear’d

- Into thin Air diffus’d: for now began

- Night with her sullen wing to double-shade  originalEd: 500

- The Desert, Fowls in thir clay nests were couch’t;

- And now wild Beasts came forth the woods to roam.

The End of the First Book.

The Second Book.

- MEAN while the new-baptiz’d, who yet remain’d

- At Jordan with the Baptist, and had seen

- Him whom they heard so late expresly call’d

- Jesus Messiah Son of God declar’d,

- And on that high Authority had believ’d,

- And with him talkt, and with him lodg’d, I mean

- Andrew and Simon, famous after known

- With others though in Holy Writ not nam’d,

- Now missing him thir joy so lately found,

- So lately found, and so abruptly gone,  originalEd: 10

- Began to doubt, and doubted many days,

- And as the days increas’d, increas’d thir doubt:

- Sometimes they thought he might be only shewn,

- And for a time caught up to God, as once

- Moses was in the Mount, and missing long;

- And the great Thisbite who on fiery wheels

- Rode up to Heaven, yet once again to come.

- Therefore as those young Prophets then with care

- Sought lost Eliah, so in each place these

- Nigh to Bethabara; in Jerico  originalEd: 20

- The City of Palms, Ænon, and Salem Old,

- Machærus and each Town or City wall’d

- On this side the broad lake Genezaret,

- Or in Perea, but return’d in vain.

- Then on the bank of Jordan, by a Creek:

- Where winds with Reeds, and Osiers whisp’ring play

- Plain Fishermen, no greater men them call,

- Close in a Cottage low together got

- Thir unexpected loss and plaints out breath’d.

- Alas, from what high hope to what relapse  originalEd: 30

- Unlook’d for are we fall’n, our eyes beheld

- Messiah certainly now come, so long

- Expected of our Fathers; we have heard

- His words, his wisdom full of grace and truth,

- Now, now, for sure, deliverance is at hand,

- The Kingdom shall to Israel be restor’d:

- Thus we rejoyc’d, but soon our joy is turn’d

- Into perplexity and new amaze:

- For whither is he gone, what accident

- Hath rapt him from us? will he now retire  originalEd: 40

- After appearance, and again prolong

- Our expectation? God of Israel,

- Send thy Messiah forth, the time is come;

- Behold the Kings of the Earth how they oppress

- Thy chosen, to what highth thir pow’r unjust

- They have exalted, and behind them cast

- All fear of thee, arise and vindicate

- Thy Glory, free thy people from thir yoke,

- But let us wait; thus far he hath perform’d,

- Sent his Anointed, and to us reveal’d him,  originalEd: 50

- By his great Prophet, pointed at and shown,

- In publick, and with him we have convers’d;

- Let us be glad of this, and all our fears

- Lay on his Providence; he will not fail

- Nor will withdraw him now, nor will recall,

- Mock us with his blest sight, then snatch him hence,

- Soon we shall see our hope, our joy return.

- Thus they out of their plaints new hope resume

- To find whom at the first they found unsought:

- But to his Mother Mary, when she saw  originalEd: 60

- Others return’d from Baptism, not her Son,

- Nor left at Jordan, tydings of him none;

- Within her brest, though calm; her brest though pure,

- Motherly cares and fears got head, and rais’d

- Some troubl’d thoughts, which she in sighs thus clad.

- O what avails me now that honour high

- To have conceiv’d of God, or that salute

- Hale highly favour’d, among women blest;

- While I to sorrows am no less advanc’t,

- And fears as eminent, above the lot  originalEd: 70

- Of other women, by the birth I bore,

- In such a season born when scarce a Shed

- Could be obtain’d to shelter him or me

- From the bleak air; a Stable was our warmth,

- A Manger his, yet soon enforc’t to flye

- Thence into Egypt, till the Murd’rous King

- Were dead, who sought his life, and missing fill’d

- With Infant blood the streets of Bethlehem;

- From Egypt home return’d, in Nazareth

- Hath been our dwelling many years, his life  originalEd: 80

- Private, unactive, calm, contemplative,

- Little suspicious to any King; but now

- Full grown to Man, acknowledg’d, as I hear,

- By John the Baptist, and in publick shown,

- Son own’d from Heaven by his Father’s voice;

- I look’t for some great change; to Honour? no,

- But trouble, as old Simeon plain fore-told,

- That to the fall and rising he should be

- Of many in Israel, and to a sign

- Spoken against, that through my very Soul  originalEd: 90

- A sword shall pierce, this is my favour’d lot,

- My Exaltation to Afflictions high;

- Afflicted I may be, it seems, and blest;

- I will not argue that, nor will repine.

- But where delays he now? some great intent

- Conceals him: when twelve years he scarce had seen,

- I lost him, but so found, as well I saw

- He could not lose himself; but went about

- His Father’s business; what he meant I mus’d,

- Since understand; much more his absence now  originalEd: 100

- Thus long to some great purpose he obscures.

- But I to wait with patience am inur’d;

- My heart hath been a store-house long of things

- And sayings laid up, portending strange events.

- Thus Mary pondering oft, and oft to mind

- Recalling what remarkably had pass’d

- Since first her Salutation heard, with thoughts

- Meekly compos’d awaited the fulfilling:

- The while her Son tracing the Desert wild,

- Sole but with holiest Meditations fed,  originalEd: 110

- Into himself descended, and at once

- All his great work to come before him set;

- How to begin, how to accomplish best

- His end of being on Earth, and mission high:

- For Satan with slye preface to return

- Had left him vacant, and with speed was gon

- Up to the middle Region of thick Air,

- Where all his Potentates in Council sate;

- There without sign of boast, or sign of joy,

- Sollicitous and blank he thus began.  originalEd: 120

- Princes, Heavens antient Sons, Æthereal Thrones,

- Demonian Spirits now, from the Element

- Each of his reign allotted, rightlier call’d,

- Powers of Fire, Air, Water, and Earth beneath,

- So may we hold our place and these mild seats

- Without new trouble; such an Enemy

- Is ris’n to invade us, who no less

- Threat’ns then our expulsion down to Hell;

- I, as I undertook, and with the vote

- Consenting in full frequence was impowr’d,  originalEd: 130

- Have found him, view’d him, tasted him, but find

- Far other labour to be undergon

- Then when I dealt with Adam first of Men,

- Though Adam by his Wives allurement fell,

- However to this Man inferior far,

- If he be Man by Mothers side at least,

- With more then humane gifts from Heav’n adorn’d,

- Perfections absolute, Graces divine,

- And amplitude of mind to greatest Deeds.

- Therefore I am return’d, lest confidence  originalEd: 140

- Of my success with Eve in Paradise

- Deceive ye to perswasion over-sure

- Of like succeeding here; I summon all

- Rather to be in readiness, with hand

- Or counsel to assist; lest I who erst

- Thought none my equal, now be over-match’d.

- So spake the old Serpent doubting, and from all

- With clamour was assur’d thir utmost aid

- At his command; when from amidst them rose

- Belial the dissolutest Spirit that fell  originalEd: 150

- The sensuallest, and after Asmodai

- The fleshliest Incubus, and thus advis’d.

- Set women in his eye and in his walk,

- Among daughters of men the fairest found;

- Many are in each Region passing fair

- As the noon Skie; more like to Goddesses

- Then Mortal Creatures, graceful and discreet,

- Expert in amorous Arts, enchanting tongues

- Perswasive, Virgin majesty with mild

- And sweet allay’d, yet terrible to approach,  originalEd: 160

- Skill’d to retire, and in retiring draw

- Hearts after them tangl’d in Amorous Nets.

- Such object hath the power to soft’n and tame

- Severest temper, smooth the rugged’st brow,

- Enerve, and with voluptuous hope dissolve,

- Draw out with credulous desire, and lead

- At will the manliest, resolutest brest,

- As the Magnetic hardest Iron draws.

- Women, when nothing else, beguil’d the heart

- Of wisest Solomon, and made him build,  originalEd: 170

- And made him bow to the Gods of his Wives.

- To whom quick answer Satan thus return’d.

- Belial, in much uneven scale thou weigh’st

- All others by thy self; because of old

- Thou thy self doat’st on womankind, admiring

- Thir shape, thir colour, and attractive grace,

- None are, thou think’st, but taken with such toys.

- Before the Flood thou with thy lusty Crew,

- False titl’d Sons of God, roaming the Earth

- Cast wanton eyes on the daughters of men,  originalEd: 180

- And coupl’d with them, and begot a race.

- Have we not seen, or by relation heard,

- In Courts and Regal Chambers how thou lurk’st,

- In Wood or Grove by mossie Fountain side,

- In Valley or Green Meadow to way-lay

- Some beauty rare, Calisto, Clymene,

- Daphne, or Semele, Antiopa,

- Or Amymone, Syrinx, many more

- Too long, then lay’st thy scapes on names ador’d,

- Apollo, Neptune, Jupiter, or Pan,  originalEd: 190

- Satyr, or Fawn, or Silvan? But these haunts

- Delight not all; among the Sons of Men,

- How many have with a smile made small account

- Of beauty and her lures, easily scorn’d

- All her assaults, on worthier things intent?

- Remember that Pellean Conquerour,

- A youth, how all the Beauties of the East

- He slightly view’d, and slightly over-pass’d;

- How hee sirnam’d of Africa dismiss’d

- In his prime youth the fair Iberian maid.  originalEd: 200

- For Solomon he liv’d at ease, and full

- Of honour, wealth, high fare, aim’d not beyond

- Higher design then to enjoy his State;

- Thence to the bait of Women lay expos’d;

- But he whom we attempt is wiser far

- Then Solomon, of more exalted mind,

- Made and set wholly on the accomplishment

- Of greatest things; what woman will you find,

- Though of this Age the wonder and the fame,

- On whom his leisure will vouchsafe an eye  originalEd: 210

- Of fond desire? or should she confident,

- As sitting Queen ador’d on Beauties Throne,

- Descend with all her winning charms begirt

- To enamour, as the Zone of Venus once

- Wrought that effect on Jove, so Fables tell;

- How would one look from his Majestick brow

- Seated as on the top of Vertues hill,

- Discount’nance her despis’d, and put to rout

- All her array; her female pride deject,

- Or turn to reverent awe? for Beauty stands  originalEd: 220

- In the admiration only of weak minds

- Led captive; cease to admire, and all her Plumes

- Fall flat and shrink into a trivial toy,

- At every sudden slighting quite abasht:

- Therefore with manlier objects we must try

- His constancy, with such as have more shew

- Of worth, of honour, glory, and popular praise;

- Rocks whereon greatest men have oftest wreck’d;

- Or that which only seems to satisfie

- Lawful desires of Nature, not beyond;  originalEd: 230

- And now I know he hungers where no food

- Is to be found, in the wide Wilderness;

- The rest commit to me, I shall let pass

- No advantage, and his strength as oft assay.

- He ceas’d, and heard thir grant in loud acclaim;

- Then forthwith to him takes a chosen band

- Of Spirits likest to himself in guile

- To be at hand, and at his beck appear,

- If cause were to unfold some active Scene

- Of various persons each to know his part;  originalEd: 240

- Then to the Desert takes with these his flight;

- Where still from shade to shade the Son of God

- After forty days fasting had remain’d,

- Now hungring first, and to himself thus said.

- Where will this end? four times ten days I have pass’d

- Wandring this woody maze, and humane food

- Nor tasted, nor had appetite: that Fast

- To Vertue I impute not, or count part

- Of what I suffer here; if Nature need not,

- Or God support Nature without repast  originalEd: 250

- Though needing, what praise is it to endure?

- But now I feel I hunger, which declares,

- Nature hath need of what she asks; yet God

- Can satisfie that need some other way,

- Though hunger still remain: so it remain

- Without this bodies wasting, I content me,

- And from the sting of Famine fear no harm,

- Nor mind it, fed with better thoughts that feed

- Mee hungring more to do my Fathers will.

- It was the hour of night, when thus the Son  originalEd: 260

- Commun’d in silent walk, then laid him down

- Under the hospitable covert nigh

- Of Trees thick interwoven; there he slept,

- And dream’d, as appetite is wont to dream,

- Of meats and drinks, Natures refreshment sweet;

- Him thought, he by the Brook of Cherith stood

- And saw the Ravens with thir horny beaks

- Food to Elijah bringing Even and Morn,

- Though ravenous, taught to abstain from what they brought:

- He saw the Prophet also how he fled  originalEd: 270

- Into the Desert, and how there he slept

- Under a Juniper; then how awakt,

- He found his Supper on the coals prepar’d,

- And by the Angel was bid rise and eat,

- And eat the second time after repose,

- The strength whereof suffic’d him forty days;

- Sometimes that with Elijah he partook,

- Or as a guest with Daniel at his pulse.

- Thus wore out night, and now the Herald Lark

- Left his ground-nest, high towring to descry  originalEd: 280

- The morns approach, and greet her with his Song:

- As lightly from his grassy Couch up rose

- Our Saviour, and found all was but a dream,

- Fasting he went to sleep, and fasting wak’d.

- Up to a hill anon his steps he rear’d,

- From whose high top to ken the prospect round,

- If Cottage were in view, Sheep-cote or Herd;

- But Cottage, Herd or Sheep-cote none he saw,

- Only in a bottom saw a pleasant Grove,

- With chaunt of tuneful Birds resounding loud;  originalEd: 290

- Thither he bent his way, determin’d there

- To rest at noon, and entr’d soon the shade

- High rooft and walks beneath, and alleys brown

- That open’d in the midst a woody Scene,

- Natures own work it seem’d (Nature taught Art)

- And to a Superstitious eye the haunt

- Of Wood-Gods and Wood-Nymphs; he view’d it round,

- When suddenly a man before him stood,

- Not rustic as before, but seemlier clad,

- As one in City, or Court, or Palace bred,  originalEd: 300

- And with fair speech these words to him address’d.

- With granted leave officious I return,

- But much more wonder that the Son of God

- In this wild solitude so long should bide

- Of all things destitute, and well I know,

- Not without hunger. Others of some note,

- As story tells, have trod this Wilderness;

- The Fugitive Bond-woman with her Son

- Out cast Nebaioth, yet found he relief

- By a providing Angel; all the race  originalEd: 310

- Of Israel here had famish’d, had not God

- Rain’d from Heaven Manna, and that Prophet bold

- Native of Thebez wandring here was fed

- Twice by a voice inviting him to eat.

- Of thee these forty days none hath regard,

- Forty and more deserted here indeed.

- To whom thus Jesus; what conclud’st thou hence?

- They all had need, I as thou seest have none.

- How hast thou hunger then? Satan reply’d,

- Tell me if Food were now before thee set,  originalEd: 320

- Would’st thou not eat? Thereafter as I like

- The giver, answer’d Jesus. Why should that

- Cause thy refusal, said the subtle Fiend,

- Hast thou not right to all Created things,

- Owe not all Creatures by just right to thee

- Duty and Service, nor to stay till bid,

- But tender all their power? nor mention I

- Meats by the Law unclean, or offer’d first

- To Idols, those young Daniel could refuse;

- Nor proffer’d by an Enemy, though who  originalEd: 330

- Would scruple that, with want opprest? behold

- Nature asham’d, or better to express,

- Troubl’d that thou should’st hunger, hath purvey’d

- From all the Elements her choicest store

- To treat thee as beseems, and as her Lord

- With honour, only deign to sit and eat.

- He spake no dream, for as his words had end,

- Our Saviour lifting up his eyes beheld

- In ample space under the broadest shade

- A Table richly spred, in regal mode,  originalEd: 340

- With dishes pil’d, and meats of noblest sort

- And savour, Beasts of chase, or Fowl of game,

- In pastry built, or from the spit, or boyl’d,

- Gris-amber-steam’d; all Fish from Sea or Shore,

- Freshet, or purling Brook, of shell or fin,

- And exquisitest name, for which was drain’d

- Pontus and Lucrine Bay, and Afric Coast.

- Alas how simple, to these Cates compar’d,

- Was that crude Apple that diverted Eve !

- And at a stately side-board by the wine  originalEd: 350

- That fragrant smell diffus’d, in order stood

- Tall stripling youths rich clad, of fairer hew

- Then Ganymed or Hylas, distant more

- Under the Trees now trip’d, now solemn stood

- Nymphs of Diana ’s train, and Naiades

- With fruits and flowers from Amalthea ’s horn,

- And Ladies of th’ Hesperides, that seem’d

- Fairer then feign’d of old, or fabl’d since

- Of Fairy Damsels met in Forest wide

- By Knights of Logres, or of Lyones,  originalEd: 360

- Lancelot or Pelleas, or Pellenore,

- And all the while Harmonious Airs were heard

- Of chiming strings, or charming pipes and winds

- Of gentlest gale Arabian odors fann’d

- From their soft wings, and Flora ’s earliest smells.

- Such was the Splendour, and the Tempter now

- His invitation earnestly renew’d.

- What doubts the Son of God to sit and eat?

- These are not Fruits forbidden, no interdict

- Defends the touching of these viands pure,  originalEd: 370

- Thir taste no knowledge works, at least of evil,

- But life preserves, destroys life’s enemy,

- Hunger, with sweet restorative delight.

- All these are Spirits of Air, and Woods, and Springs,

- Thy gentle Ministers, who come to pay

- Thee homage, and acknowledge thee thir Lord:

- What doubt’st thou Son of God? sit down and eat.

- To whom thus Jesus temperately reply’d:

- Said’st thou not that to all things I had right?

- And who withholds my pow’r that right to use?  originalEd: 380

- Shall I receive by gift what of my own,

- When and where likes me best, I can command?

- I can at will, doubt not, assoon as thou,

- Command a Table in this Wilderness,

- And call swift flights of Angels ministrant

- Array’d in Glory on my cup to attend:

- Why shouldst thou then obtrude this diligence,

- In vain, where no acceptance it can find,

- And with my hunger what hast thou to do?

- Thy pompous Delicacies I contemn,  originalEd: 390

- And count thy specious gifts no gifts but guiles.

- To whom thus answer’d Satan malecontent:

- That I have also power to give thou seest,

- If of that pow’r I bring thee voluntary

- What I might have bestow’d on whom I pleas’d,

- And rather opportunely in this place

- Chose to impart to thy apparent need,

- Why shouldst thou not accept it? but I see

- What I can do or offer is suspect;

- Of these things others quickly will dispose  originalEd: 400

- Whose pains have earn’d the far fet spoil. With that

- Both Table and Provision vanish’d quite

- With sound of Harpies wings, and Talons heard;

- Only the importune Tempter still remain’d,

- And with these words his temptation pursu’d.

- By hunger, that each other Creature tames,

- Thou art not to be harm’d, therefore not mov’d;

- Thy temperance invincible besides,

- For no allurement yields to appetite,

- And all thy heart is set on high designs,  originalEd: 410

- High actions: but wherewith to be atchiev’d?

- Great acts require great means of enterprise,

- Thou art unknown, unfriended, low of birth,

- A Carpenter thy Father known, thy self

- Bred up in poverty and streights at home;

- Lost in a Desert here and hunger-bit:

- Which way or from what hope dost thou aspire

- To greatness? whence Authority deriv’st,

- What Followers, what Retinue canst thou gain,

- Or at thy heels the dizzy Multitude,  originalEd: 420

- Longer then thou canst feed them on thy cost?

- Money brings Honour, Friends, Conquest, and Realms;

- What rais’d Antipater the Edomite,

- And his Son Herod plac’d on Juda ’s Throne;

- (Thy throne) but gold that got him puissant friends?

- Therefore, if at great things thou wouldst arrive,

- Get Riches first, get Wealth, and Treasure heap,

- Not difficult, if thou hearken to me,

- Riches are mine, Fortune is in my hand;

- They whom I favour thrive in wealth amain,  originalEd: 430

- While Virtue, Valour, Wisdom sit in want.

- To whom thus Jesus patiently reply’d;

- Yet Wealth without these three is impotent,

- To gain dominion or to keep it gain’d.

- Witness those antient Empires of the Earth,

- In highth of all thir flowing wealth dissolv’d:

- But men endu’d with these have oft attain’d

- In lowest poverty to highest deeds;

- Gideon and Jephtha, and the Shepherd lad,

- Whose off-spring on the Throne of Juda sat  originalEd: 440

- So many Ages, and shall yet regain

- That seat, and reign in Israel without end.

- Among the Heathen, (for throughout the World

- To me is not unknown what hath been done

- Worthy of Memorial) canst thou not remember

- Quintius, Fabricius, Curius, Regulus?

- For I esteem those names of men so poor

- Who could do mighty things, and could contemn

- Riches though offer’d from the hand of Kings.

- And what in me seems wanting, but that I  originalEd: 450

- May also in this poverty as soon

- Accomplish what they did, perhaps and more?

- Extol not Riches then, the toyl of Fools,

- The wise mans cumbrance if not snare, more apt

- To slacken Virtue, and abate her edge,

- Then prompt her to do aught may merit praise.

- What if with like aversion I reject

- Riches and Realms; yet not for that a Crown,

- Golden in shew, is but a wreath of thorns,

- Brings dangers, troubles, cares, and sleepless nights  originalEd: 460

- To him who wears the Regal Diadem,

- When on his shoulders each mans burden lies;

- For therein stands the office of a King,

- His Honour, Vertue, Merit and chief Praise,

- That for the Publick all this weight he bears.

- Yet he who reigns within himself, and rules

- Passions, Desires, and Fears, is more a King;

- Which every wise and vertuous man attains:

- And who attains not, ill aspires to rule

- Cities of men, or head-strong Multitudes,  originalEd: 470

- Subject himself to Anarchy within,

- Or lawless passions in him which he serves.

- But to guide Nations in the way of truth

- By saving Doctrine, and from errour lead

- To know, and knowing worship God aright,

- Is yet more Kingly, this attracts the Soul,

- Governs the inner man, the nobler part,

- That other o’re the body only reigns,

- And oft by force, which to a generous mind

- So reigning can be no sincere delight.  originalEd: 480

- Besides to give a Kingdom hath been thought

- Greater and nobler done, and to lay down

- Far more magnanimous, then to assume.

- Riches are needless then, both for themselves,

- And for thy reason why they should be sought,

- To gain a Scepter, oftest better miss’t.

- The End of the Second Book.

The Third Book.

- So spake the Son of God, and Satan stood

- A while as mute confounded what to say,

- What to reply, confuted and convinc’t

- Of his weak arguing, and fallacious drift;

- At length collecting all his Serpent wiles,

- With soothing words renew’d, him thus accosts.

- I see thou know’st what is of use to know,

- What best to say canst say, to do canst do;

- Thy actions to thy words accord, thy words

- To thy large heart give utterance due, thy heart  originalEd: 10

- Conteins of good, wise, just, the perfect shape.

- Should Kings and Nations from thy mouth consult,

- Thy Counsel would be as the Oracle

- Urim and Thummim, those oraculous gems

- On Aaron ’s breast: or tongue of Seers old

- Infallible; or wert thou sought to deeds

- That might require th’ array of war, thy skill

- Of conduct would be such, that all the world

- Could not sustain thy Prowess, or subsist

- In battel, though against thy few in arms.  originalEd: 20

- These God-like Vertues wherefore dost thou hide?

- Affecting private life, or more obscure

- In savage Wilderness, wherefore deprive

- All Earth her wonder at thy acts, thy self

- The fame and glory, glory the reward

- That sole excites to high attempts the flame

- Of most erected Spirits, most temper’d pure

- Ætherial, who all pleasures else despise,

- All treasures and all gain esteem as dross,

- And dignities and powers all but the highest?  originalEd: 30

- Thy years are ripe, and over-ripe, the Son

- Of Macedonian Philip had e’re these

- Won Asia and the Throne of Cyrus held

- At his dispose, young Scipio had brought down

- The Carthaginian pride, young Pompey quell’d

- The Pontic King and in triumph had rode.

- Yet years, and to ripe years judgment mature,

- Quench not the thirst of glory, but augment.

- Great Julius, whom now all the world admires,

- The more he grew in years, the more inflam’d  originalEd: 40

- With glory, wept that he had liv’d so long

- Inglorious: but thou yet art not too late.

- To whom our Saviour calmly thus reply’d.

- Thou neither dost perswade me to seek wealth

- For Empires sake, nor Empire to affect

- For glories sake by all thy argument.

- For what is glory but the blaze of fame,

- The peoples praise, if always praise unmixt?

- And what the people but a herd confus’d,

- A miscellaneous rabble, who extol  originalEd: 50

- Things vulgar, well weigh’d, scarce worth the praise,

- They praise and they admire they know not what;

- And know not whom, but as one leads the other;

- And what delight to be by such extoll’d,

- To live upon thir tongues and be thir talk,

- Of whom to be disprais’d were no small praise?

- His lot who dares be singularly good.

- Th’ intelligent among them and the wise

- Are few, and glory scarce of few is rais’d.

- This is true glory and renown, when God  originalEd: 60

- Looking on the Earth, with approbation marks

- The just man, and divulges him through Heaven

- To all his Angels, who with true applause

- Recount his praises; thus he did to Job,

- When to extend his fame through Heaven Earth,

- As thou to thy reproach mayst well remember,

- He ask’d thee, hast thou seen my servant Job ?

- Famous he was in Heaven, on Earth less known;

- Where glory is false glory, attributed

- To things not glorious, men not worthy of fame.  originalEd: 70

- They err who count it glorious to subdue

- By Conquest far and wide, to over-run

- Large Countries, and in field great Battels win,

- Great Cities by assault: what do these Worthies,

- But rob and spoil, burn, slaughter, and enslave

- Peaceable Nations, neighbouring, or remote,

- Made Captive, yet deserving freedom more

- Then those thir Conquerours, who leave behind

- Nothing but ruin wheresoe’re they rove,

- And all the flourishing works of peace destroy,  originalEd: 80

- Then swell with pride, and must be titl’d Gods,

- Great Benefactors of mankind, Deliverers,

- Worship’t with Temple, Priest and Sacrifice;

- One is the Son of Jove, of Mars the other,

- Till Conquerour Death discover them scarce men,

- Rowling in brutish vices, and deform’d,

- Violent or shameful death thir due reward.

- But if there be in glory aught of good,

- It may be means far different be attain’d

- Without ambition, war, or violence;  originalEd: 90

- By deeds of peace, by wisdom eminent,

- By patience, temperance; I mention still

- Him whom thy wrongs with Saintly patience born,

- Made famous in a Land and times obscure;

- Who names not now with honour patient Job ?

- Poor Socrates (who next more memorable?)

- By what he taught and suffer’d for so doing,

- For truths sake suffering death unjust, lives now

- Equal in fame to proudest Conquerours.

- Yet if for fame and glory aught be done,  originalEd: 100

- Aught suffer’d; if young African for fame

- His wasted Country freed from Punic rage,

- The deed becomes unprais’d, the man at least,

- And loses, though but verbal, his reward.

- Shall I seek glory then, as vain men seek

- Oft not deserv’d? I seek not mine, but his

- Who sent me, and thereby witness whence I am.

- To whom the Tempter murmuring thus reply’d.

- Think not so slight of glory; therein least,

- Resembling thy great Father: he seeks glory,  originalEd: 110

- And for his glory all things made, all things

- Orders and governs, nor content in Heaven

- By all his Angels glorifi’d, requires

- Glory from men, from all men good or bad,

- Wise or unwise, no difference, no exemption;

- Above all Sacrifice, or hallow’d gift

- Glory he requires, and glory he receives

- Promiscuous from all Nations, Jew, or Greek,

- Or Barbarous, nor exception hath declar’d;

- From us his foes pronounc’t glory he exacts.  originalEd: 120

- To whom our Saviour fervently reply’d.

- And reason; since his word all things produc’d,

- Though chiefly not for glory as prime end,

- But to shew forth his goodness, and impart

- His good communicable to every soul

- Freely; of whom what could he less expect

- Then glory and benediction, that is thanks,

- The slightest, easiest, readiest recompence

- From them who could return him nothing else,

- And not returning that would likeliest render  originalEd: 130

- Contempt instead, dishonour, obloquy?

- Hard recompence, unsutable return

- For so much good, so much beneficence.

- But why should man seek glory? who of his own

- Hath nothing, and to whom nothing belongs

- But condemnation, ignominy, and shame?

- Who for so many benefits receiv’d

- Turn’d recreant to God, ingrate and false,

- And so of all true good himself despoil’d,

- Yet, sacrilegious, to himself would take  originalEd: 140

- That which to God alone of right belongs;

- Yet so much bounty is in God, such grace,

- That who advance his glory, not thir own,

- Them he himself to glory will advance.

- So spake the Son of God; and here again

- Satan had not to answer, but stood struck

- With guilt of his own sin, for he himself

- Insatiable of glory had lost all,

- Yet of another Plea bethought him soon.

- Of glory as thou wilt, said he, so deem,  originalEd: 150

- Worth or not worth the seeking, let it pass:

- But to a Kingdom thou art born, ordain’d

- To sit upon thy Father David ’s Throne;

- By Mother’s side thy Father, though thy right

- Be now in powerful hands, that will not part

- Easily from possession won with arms;

- Judæa now and all the promis’d land

- Reduc’t a Province under Roman yoke,

- Obeys Tiberius; nor is always rul’d

- With temperate sway; oft have they violated  originalEd: 160

- The Temple, oft the Law with foul affronts,

- Abominations rather, as did once

- Antiochus: and think’st thou to regain

- Thy right by sitting still or thus retiring?

- So did not Machabeus: he indeed

- Retir’d unto the Desert, but with arms;

- And o’re a mighty King so oft prevail’d,

- That by strong hand his Family obtain’d,

- Though Priests, the Crown, and David ’s Throne usurp’d,

- With Modin and her Suburbs once content.  originalEd: 170

- If Kingdom move thee not, let move thee Zeal,

- And Duty; Zeal and Duty are not slow;

- But on Occasions forelock watchful wait.

- They themselves rather are occasion best,

- Zeal of thy Fathers house, Duty to free

- Thy Country from her Heathen servitude;

- So shalt thou best fullfil, best verifie

- The Prophets old, who sung thy endless raign,

- The happier raign the sooner it begins,

- Raign then; what canst thou better do the while?  originalEd: 180

- To whom our Saviour answer thus return’d.

- All things are best fullfil’d in thir due time,

- And time there is for all things, Truth hath said:

- If of my raign Prophetic Writ hath told

- That it shall never end, so when begin

- The Father in his purpose hath decreed,

- He in whose hand all times and seasons roul.

- What if he hath decreed that I shall first

- Be try’d in humble state, and things adverse,

- By tribulations, injuries, insults,  originalEd: 190

- Contempts, and scorns, and snares, and violence,

- Suffering, abstaining, quietly expecting

- Without distrust or doubt, that he may know

- What I can suffer, how obey? who best

- Can suffer, best can do; best reign, who first

- Well hath obey’d; just tryal e’re I merit

- My exaltation without change or end.

- But what concerns it thee when I begin

- My everlasting Kingdom, why art thou

- Sollicitous, what moves thy inquisition?  originalEd: 200

- Know’st thou not that my rising is thy fall,

- And my promotion will be thy destruction?

- To whom the Tempter inly rackt reply’d.

- Let that come when it comes; all hope is lost

- Of my reception into grace; what worse?

- For where no hope is left, is left no fear;

- If there be worse, the expectation more

- Of worse torments me then the feeling can.

- I would be at the worst; worst is my Port,

- My harbour and my ultimate repose,  originalEd: 210

- The end I would attain, my final good.

- My error was my error, and my crime

- My crime; whatever for it self condemn’d,

- And will alike be punish’d; whether thou

- Raign or raign not; though to that gentle brow

- Willingly I could flye, and hope thy raign,

- From that placid aspect and meek regard,

- Rather then aggravate my evil state,

- Would stand between me and thy Fathers ire,

- (Whose ire I dread more then the fire of Hell)  originalEd: 220

- A shelter and a kind of shading cool

- Interposition, as a summers cloud.

- If I then to the worst that can be hast,

- Why move thy feet so slow to what is best,

- Happiest both to thy self and all the world,

- That thou who worthiest art should’st be thir King?

- Perhaps thou linger’st in deep thoughts detain’d

- Of the enterprize so hazardous and high;

- No wonder, for though in thee be united

- What of perfection can in man be found,  originalEd: 230

- Or human nature can receive, consider

- Thy life hath yet been private, most part spent

- At home, scarce view’d the Gallilean Towns,

- And once a year Jerusalem, few days

- Short sojourn; and what thence could’st thou observe?

- The world thou hast not seen, much less her glory,

- Empires, and Monarchs, and thir radiant Courts,

- Best school of best experience, quickest in sight

- In all things that to greatest actions lead.

- The wisest, unexperienc’t, will be ever  originalEd: 240

- Timorous and loth, with novice modesty,

- (As he who seeking Asses found a Kingdom)

- Irresolute, unhardy, unadventrous:

- But I will bring thee where thou soon shalt quit

- Those rudiments, and see before thine eyes

- The Monarchies of the Earth, thir pomp and state,

- Sufficient introduction to inform

- Thee, of thy self so apt, in regal Arts,

- And regal Mysteries; that thou may’st know

- How best their opposition to withstand.  originalEd: 250

- With that (such power was giv’n him then) he took

- The Son of God up to a Mountain high.

- It was a Mountain at whose verdant feet

- A spatious plain out strech’t in circuit wide

- Lay pleasant; from his side two rivers flow’d,

- Th’ one winding, the other strait and left between

- Fair Champain with less rivers interveind,

- Then meeting joyn’d thir tribute to the Sea:

- Fertil of corn the glebe, of oyl and wine,

- With herds the pastures throng’d, with flocks the hills,  originalEd: 260

- Huge Cities and high towr’d, that well might seem

- The seats of mightiest Monarchs, and so large

- The Prospect was, that here and there was room

- For barren desert fountainless and dry.

- To this high mountain top the Tempter brought

- Our Saviour, and new train of words began.

- Well have we speeded, and o’re hill and dale,

- Forest and field, and flood, Temples and Towers

- Cut shorter many a league; here thou behold’st

- Assyria and her Empires antient bounds,  originalEd: 270

- Araxes and the Caspian lake, thence on

- As far as Indus East, Euphrates West,

- And oft beyond; to South the Persian Bay,

- And inaccessible the Arabian drouth:

- Here Ninevee, of length within her wall

- Several days journey, built by Ninus old,

- Of that first golden Monarchy the seat,

- And seat of Salmanassar, whose success

- Israel in long captivity still mourns;

- There Babylon the wonder of all tongues,  originalEd: 280

- As antient, but rebuilt by him who twice

- Judah and all thy Father David ’s house

- Led captive, and Jerusalem laid waste,

- Till Cyrus set them free; Persepolis

- His City there thou seest, and Bactra there;

- Ecbatana her structure vast there shews,

- And Hecatompylos her hunderd gates,

- There Susa by Choaspes, amber stream,

- The drink of none but Kings; of later fame

- Built by Emathian, or by Parthian hands,  originalEd: 290

- The great Seleucia, Nisibis, and there

- Artaxata, Teredon, Tesiphon,

- Turning with easie eye thou may’st behold.

- All these the Parthian, now some Ages past,

- By great Arsaces led, who founded first

- That Empire, under his dominion holds

- From the luxurious Kings of Antioch won.

- And just in time thou com’st to have a view

- Of his great power; for now the Parthian King

- In Ctesiphon hath gather’d all his Host  originalEd: 300

- Against the Scythian, whose incursions wild

- Have wasted Sogdiana; to her aid

- He marches now in hast; see, though from far,

- His thousands, in what martial equipage

- They issue forth, Steel Bows, and Shafts their arms

- Of equal dread in flight, or in pursuit;

- All Horsemen, in which fight they most excel;

- See how in warlike muster they appear,

- In Rhombs and wedges, and half moons, and wings.

- He look’t and saw what numbers numberless  originalEd: 310

- The City gates out powr’d, light armed Troops

- In coats of Mail and military pride;

- In Mail thir horses clad, yet fleet and strong,

- Prauncing their riders bore, the flower and choice

- Of many Provinces from bound to bound;

- From Arachosia, from Candaor East,

- And Margiana to the Hyrcanian cliffs

- Of Caucasus, and dark Iberian dales,

- From Atropatia and the neighbouring plains

- Of Adiabene, Media, and the South  originalEd: 320

- Of Susiana to Balsara ’s hav’n.

- He saw them in thir forms of battell rang’d,

- How quick they wheel’d, and flying behind them shot

- Sharp sleet of arrowie showers against the face

- Of thir pursuers, and overcame by flight;

- The field all iron cast a gleaming brown,

- Nor wanted clouds of foot, nor on each horn,

- Cuirassiers all in steel for standing fight;

- Chariots or Elephants endorst with Towers

- Of Archers, nor of labouring Pioners  originalEd: 330

- A multitude with Spades and Axes arm’d

- To lay hills plain, fell woods, or valleys fill,

- Or where plain was raise hill, or over-lay

- With bridges rivers proud, as with a yoke;

- Mules after these, Camels and Dromedaries,

- And Waggons fraught with Utensils of war.

- Such forces met not, nor so wide a camp,

- When Agrican with all his Northern powers

- Besieg’d Albracca, as Romances tell;

- The City of Gallaphrone, from thence to win  originalEd: 340

- The fairest of her Sex Angelica

- His daughter, sought by many Prowest Knights,

- Both Paynim, and the Peers of Charlemane.

- Such and so numerous was thir Chivalrie;

- At sight whereof the Fiend yet more presum’d,

- And to our Saviour thus his words renew’d.

- That thou may’st know I seek not to engage

- Thy Vertue, and not every way secure

- On no slight grounds thy safety; hear, and mark

- To what end I have brought thee hither and shewn  originalEd: 350

- All this fair sight; thy Kingdom though foretold

- By Prophet or by Angel, unless thou

- Endeavour, as thy Father David did,

- Thou never shalt obtain; prediction still

- In all things, and all men, supposes means,

- Without means us’d, what it predicts revokes.

- But say thou wer’t possess’d of David ’s Throne

- By free consent of all, none opposite,

- Samaritan or Jew; how could’st thou hope

- Long to enjoy it quiet and secure,  originalEd: 360

- Between two such enclosing enemies

- Roman and Parthian ? therefore one of these

- Thou must make sure thy own, the Parthian first

- By my advice, as nearer and of late

- Found able by invasion to annoy

- Thy country, and captive lead away her Kings

- Antigonus, and old Hyrcanus bound,

- Maugre the Roman: it shall be my task

- To render thee the Parthian at dispose;

- Chuse which thou wilt by conquest or by league  originalEd: 370

- By him thou shalt regain, without him not,

- That which alone can truly reinstall thee

- In David ’s royal seat, his true Successour,

- Deliverance of thy brethren, those ten Tribes

- Whose off-spring in his Territory yet serve

- In Habor, and among the Medes dispers’t,

- Ten Sons of Jacob, two of Joseph lost

- Thus long from Israel; serving as of old

- Thir Fathers in the land of Egypt serv’d,

- This offer sets before thee to deliver.  originalEd: 380

- These if from servitude thou shalt restore

- To thir inheritance, then, nor till then,

- Thou on the Throne of David in full glory,

- From Egypt to Euphrates and beyond

- Shalt raign, and Rome or Cæsar not need fear.

- To whom our Saviour answer’d thus unmov’d.

- Much ostentation vain of fleshly arm,

- And fragile arms, much instrument of war

- Long in preparing, soon to nothing brought,

- Before mine eyes thou hast set; and in my ear  originalEd: 390

- Vented much policy, and projects deep

- Of enemies, of aids, battels and leagues,

- Plausible to the world, to me worth naught.

- Means I must use thou say’st, prediction else

- Will unpredict and fail me of the Throne:

- My time I told thee, (and that time for thee

- Were better farthest off) is not yet come;

- When that comes think not thou to find me slack

- On my part aught endeavouring, or to need

- Thy politic maxims, or that cumbersome  originalEd: 400

- Luggage of war there shewn me, argument

- Of human weakness rather then of strength.

- My brethren, as thou call’st them; those Ten Tribes

- I must deliver, if I mean to raign

- David ’s true heir, and his full Scepter sway

- To just extent over all Israel ’s Sons;

- But whence to thee this zeal, where was it then

- For Israel, or for David, or his Throne,

- When thou stood’st up his Tempter to the pride

- Of numbring Israel, which cost the lives  originalEd: 410

- Of threescore and ten thousand Israelites

- By three days Pestilence? such was thy zeal

- To Israel then, the same that now to me.

- As for those captive Tribes, themselves were they

- Who wrought their own captivity, fell off

- From God to worship Calves, the Deities

- Of Egypt, Baal next and Ashtaroth,

- And all the Idolatries of Heathen round,

- Besides thir other worse then heathenish crimes;

- Nor in the land of their captivity  originalEd: 420

- Humbled themselves, or penitent besought

- The God of their fore-fathers; but so dy’d

- Impenitent, and left a race behind

- Like to themselves, distinguishable scarce

- From Gentils, but by Circumcision vain,

- And God with Idols in their worship joyn’d.

- Should I of these the liberty regard,

- Who freed, as to their antient Patrimony,

- Unhumbl’d, unrepentant, unreform’d,

- Headlong would follow; and to thir Gods perhaps  originalEd: 430

- Of Bethel and of Dan ? no, let them serve

- Thir enemies, who serve Idols with God.

- Yet he at length, time to himself best known,

- Remembring Abraham by some wond’rous call

- May bring them back repentant and sincere,

- And at their passing cleave the Assyrian flood,

- While to their native land with joy they hast,

- As the Red Sea and Jordan once he cleft,

- When to the promis’d land thir Fathers pass’d;

- To his due time and providence I leave them.  originalEd: 440

- So spake Israel ’s true King, and to the Fiend

- Made answer meet, that made void all his wiles.

- So fares it when with truth falshood contends.

The End of the Third Book.

The Fourth Book.

- PERPLEX’D and troubl’d at his bad success

- The Tempter stood, nor had what to reply,

- Discover’d in his fraud, thrown from his hope,

- So oft, and the perswasive Rhetoric

- That sleek’t his tongue, and won so much on Eve,

- So little here, nay lost; but Eve was Eve,

- This far his over-match, who self deceiv’d

- And rash, before-hand had no better weigh’d

- The strength he was to cope with, or his own:

- But as a man who had been matchless held  originalEd: 10

- In cunning, over-reach’t where least he thought,

- To salve his credit, and for very spight

- Still will be tempting him who foyls him still,

- And never cease, though to his shame the more;

- Or as a swarm of flies in vintage time,

- About the wine-press where sweet moust is powr’d,

- Beat off, returns as oft with humming sound;

- Or surging waves against a solid rock,

- Though all to shivers dash’t, the assault renew,

- Vain battry, and in froth or bubbles end:  originalEd: 20

- So Satan, whom repulse upon repulse

- Met ever; and to shameful silence brought,

- Yet gives not o’re though desperate of success,

- And his vain importunity pursues.

- He brought our Saviour to the western side

- Of that high mountain, whence he might behold

- Another plain, long but in bredth not wide;

- Wash’d by the Southern Sea, and on the North

- To equal length back’d with a ridge of hills

- That screen’d the fruits of the earth and seats of men  originalEd: 30

- From cold Septentrion blasts, thence in the midst

- Divided by a river, of whose banks

- On each side an Imperial City stood,

- With Towers and Temples proudly elevate

- On seven small Hills, with Palaces adorn’d,

- Porches and Theatres, Baths, Aqueducts,

- Statues and Trophees, and Triumphal Arcs,

- Gardens and Groves presented to his eyes,

- Above the highth of Mountains interpos’d.

- By what strange Parallax or Optic skill  originalEd: 40

- Of vision multiplyed through air, or glass

- Of Telescope, were curious to enquire:

- And now the Tempter thus his silence broke.

- The City which thou seest no other deem

- Then great and glorious Rome, Queen of the Earth

- So far renown’d, and with the spoils enricht

- Of Nations; there the Capitol thou seest

- Above the rest lifting his stately head

- On the Tarpeian rock, her Cittadel

- Impregnable, and there Mount Palatine  originalEd: 50

- The Imperial Palace, compass huge, and high

- The Structure, skill of noblest Architects,

- With gilded battlements, conspicuous far,

- Turrets and Terrases, and glittering Spires.

- Many a fair Edifice besides, more like

- Houses of Gods (so well I have dispos’d

- My Aerie Microscope) thou may’st behold

- Outside and inside both, pillars and roofs

- Carv’d work, the hand of fam’d Artificers

- In Cedar, Marble, Ivory or Gold.  originalEd: 60

- Thence to the gates cast round thine eye, and see

- What conflux issuing forth, or entring in,

- Pretors, Proconsuls to thir Provinces

- Hasting or on return, in robes of State;

- Lictors and rods the ensigns of thir power,

- Legions and Cohorts, turmes of horse and wings:

- Or Embassies from Regions far remote

- In various habits on the Appian road,

- Or on the Æmilian, some from farthest South,

- Syene, and where the shadow both way falls,  originalEd: 70

- Meroe, Nilotic Isle, and more to West,

- The Realm of Bocchus to the Black-moor Sea;

- From the Asian Kings and Parthian among these,

- From India and the golden Chersoness,

- And utmost Indian Isle Taprobane,

- Dusk faces with white silken Turbants wreath’d:

- From Gallia, Gades, and the Brittish West,

- Germans and Scythians, and Sarmatians North

- Beyond Danubius to the Tauric Pool.

- All Nations now to Rome obedience pay,  originalEd: 80

- To Rome ’s great Emperour, whose wide domain

- In ample Territory, wealth and power,

- Civility of Manners, Arts, and Arms,

- And long Renown thou justly may’st prefer

- Before the Parthian; these two Thrones except,

- The rest are barbarous, and scarce worth the sight,

- Shar’d among petty Kings too far remov’d;

- These having shewn thee, I have shewn thee all

- The Kingdoms of the world, and all thir glory.

- This Emperour hath no Son, and now is old,  originalEd: 90

- Old, and lascivious, and from Rome retir’d

- To Capreæ an Island small but strong

- On the Campanian shore, with purpose there

- His horrid lusts in private to enjoy,

- Committing to a wicked Favourite

- All publick cares, and yet of him suspicious,

- Hated of all, and hating; with what ease

- Indu’d with Regal Vertues as thou art,

- Appearing, and beginning noble deeds,

- Might’st thou expel this monster from his Throne  originalEd: 100

- Now made a stye, and in his place ascending

- A victor people free from servile yoke?

- And with my help thou may’st; to me the power

- Is given, and by that right I give it thee.

- Aim therefore at no less then all the world,

- Aim at the highest, without the highest attain’d

- Will be for thee no sitting, or not long

- On David ’s Throne, be propheci’d what will.

- To whom the Son of God unmov’d reply’d.

- Nor doth this grandeur and majestic show  originalEd: 110

- Of luxury, though call’d magnificence,

- More then of arms before, allure mine eye,

- Much less my mind; though thou should’st add to tell

- Thir sumptuous gluttonies, and gorgeous feasts

- On Cittron tables or Atlantic stone;

- (For I have also heard, perhaps have read)

- Their wines of Setia, Cales, and Falerne,

- Chios and Creet, and how they quaff in Gold,

- Crystal and Myrrhine cups imboss’d with Gems

- And studs of Pearl, to me should’st tell who thirst  originalEd: 120

- And hunger still: then Embassies thou shew’st

- From Nations far and nigh; what honour that,

- But tedious wast of time to sit and hear

- So many hollow complements and lies,

- Outlandish flatteries? then proceed’st to talk

- Of the Emperour, how easily subdu’d,

- How gloriously; I shall, thou say’st, expel

- A brutish monster: what if I withal

- Expel a Devil who first made him such?

- Let his tormenter Conscience find him out,  originalEd: 130

- For him I was not sent, nor yet to free

- That people victor once, now vile and base,

- Deservedly made vassal, who once just,

- Frugal, and mild, and temperate, conquer’d well,

- But govern ill the Nations under yoke,

- Peeling thir Provinces, exhausted all

- By lust and rapine; first ambitious grown

- Of triumph that insulting vanity;

- Then cruel, by thir sports to blood enur’d

- Of fighting beasts, and men to beasts expos’d,  originalEd: 140

- Luxurious by thir wealth, and greedier still,

- And from the daily Scene effeminate.

- What wise and valiant man would seek to free

- These thus degenerate, by themselves enslav’d,

- Or could of inward slaves make outward free?

- Know therefore when my season comes to sit

- On David ’s Throne, it shall be like a tree

- Spreading and over-shadowing all the Earth,

- Or as a stone that shall to pieces dash

- All Monarchies besides throughout the world,  originalEd: 150

- And of my Kingdom there shall be no end:

- Means there shall be to this, but what the means,

- Is not for thee to know, nor me to tell.

- To whom the Tempter impudent repli’d.

- I see all offers made by me how slight

- Thou valu’st, because offer’d, and reject’st:

- Nothing will please the difficult and nice,

- Or nothing more then still to contradict:

- On the other side know also thou, that I

- On what I offer set as high esteem,  originalEd: 160

- Nor what I part with mean to give for naught;

- All these which in a moment thou behold’st,

- The Kingdoms of the world to thee I give;

- For giv’n to me, I give to whom I please,

- No trifle; yet with this reserve, not else,

- On this condition, if thou wilt fall down,

- And worship me as thy superior Lord,

- Easily done, and hold them all of me;

- For what can less so great a gift deserve?

- Whom thus our Saviour answer’d with disdain.  originalEd: 170

- I never lik’d thy talk, thy offers less,

- Now both abhor, since thou hast dar’d to utter

- The abominable terms, impious condition;

- But I endure the time, till which expir’d,

- Thou hast permission on me. It is written

- The first of all Commandments, Thou shalt worship

- The Lord thy God, and only him shalt serve;

- And dar’st thou to the Son of God propound

- To worship thee accurst, now more accurst

- For this attempt bolder then that on Eve,  originalEd: 180

- And more blasphemous? which expect to rue.

- The Kingdoms of the world to thee were giv’n,

- Permitted rather, and by thee usurp’t,

- Other donation none thou canst produce:

- If given, by whom but by the King of Kings,

- God over all supreme? if giv’n to thee,

- By thee how fairly is the Giver now

- Repaid? But gratitude in thee is lost

- Long since. Wert thou so void of fear or shame,

- As offer them to me the Son of God,  originalEd: 190

- To me my own, on such abhorred pact,

- That I fall down and worship thee as God?

- Get thee behind me; plain thou now appear’st

- That Evil one, Satan for ever damn’d.

- To whom the Fiend with fear abasht reply’d.

- Be not so sore offended, Son of God;

- Though Sons of God both Angels are and Men,

- If I to try whether in higher sort

- Then these thou bear’st that title, have propos’d

- What both from Men and Angels I receive,  originalEd: 200

- Tetrarchs of fire, air, flood, and on the earth

- Nations besides from all the quarter’d winds,

- God of this world invok’t and world beneath;

- Who then thou art, whose coming is foretold

- To me so fatal, me it most concerns.

- The tryal hath indamag’d thee no way,

- Rather more honour left and more esteem;

- Me naught advantag’d, missing what I aim’d.

- Therefore let pass, as they are transitory,

- The Kingdoms of this world; I shall no more  originalEd: 210

- Advise thee, gain them as thou canst, or not.

- And thou thy self seem’st otherwise inclin’d

- Then to a worldly Crown, addicted more

- To contemplation and profound dispute,

- As by that early action may be judg’d,

- When slipping from thy Mothers eye thou went’st

- Alone into the Temple; there was found

- Among the gravest Rabbies disputant

- On points and questions fitting Moses Chair,

- Teaching not taught; the childhood shews the man,  originalEd: 220

- As morning shews the day. Be famous then

- By wisdom; as thy Empire must extend,

- So let extend thy mind o’re all the world,

- In knowledge, all things in it comprehend,

- All knowledge is not couch’t in Moses Law,

- The Pentateuch or what the Prophets wrote,

- The Gentiles also know, and write, and teach

- To admiration, led by Natures light;

- And with the Gentiles much thou must converse,

- Ruling them by perswasion as thou mean’st,  originalEd: 230

- Without thir learning how wilt thou with them,

- Or they with thee hold conversation meet?

- How wilt thou reason with them, how refute

- Thir Idolisms, Traditions, Paradoxes?

- Error by his own arms is best evinc’t.

- Look once more e’re we leave this specular Mount

- Westward, much nearer by Southwest, behold

- Where on the Ægean shore a City stands

- Built nobly, pure the air, and light the soil,

- Athens the eye of Greece, Mother of Arts  originalEd: 240

- And Eloquence, native to famous wits

- Or hospitable, in her sweet recess,

- City or Suburban, studious walks and shades;

- See there the Olive Grove of Academe,

- Plato ’s retirement, where the Attic Bird

- Trills her thick-warbl’d notes the summer long,

- There flowrie hill Hymettus with the sound

- Of Bees industrious murmur oft invites

- To studious musing; there Ilissus rouls

- His whispering stream; within the walls then view  originalEd: 250

- The schools of antient Sages; his who bred

- Great Alexander to subdue the world,

- Lyceum there, and painted Stoa next:

- There thou shalt hear and learn the secret power

- Of harmony in tones and numbers hit

- By voice or hand, and various-measur’d verse,

- Æolian charms and Dorian Lyric Odes,

- And his who gave them breath, but higher sung,

- Blind Melesigenes thence Homer call’d,

- Whose Poem Phæbus challeng’d for his own.  originalEd: 260

- Thence what the lofty grave Tragœdians taught

- In Chorus or Iambic, teachers best

- Of moral prudence, with delight receiv’d

- In brief sententious precepts, while they treat

- Of fate, and chance, and change in human life;

- High actions, and high passions best describing:

- Thence to the famous Orators repair,

- Those antient, whose resistless eloquence

- Wielded at will that fierce Democratie,

- Shook the Arsenal and fulmin’d over Greece,  originalEd: 270

- To Macedon, and Artaxerxes Throne;

- To sage Philosophy next lend thine ear,

- From Heaven descended to the low-rooft house

- Of Socrates, see there his Tenement,

- Whom well inspir’d the Oracle pronounc’d

- Wisest of men; from whose mouth issu’d forth

- Mellifluous streams that water’d all the schools

- Of Academics old and new, with those

- Sirnam’d Peripatetics, and the Sect

- Epicurean, and the Stoic severe;  originalEd: 280

- These here revolve, or, as thou lik’st, at home,

- Till time mature thee to a Kingdom’s waight;

- These rules will render thee a King compleat

- Within thy self, much more with Empire joyn’d.

- To whom our Saviour sagely thus repli’d.

- Think not but that I know these things, or think

- I know them not; not therefore am I short

- Of knowing what I aught: he who receives

- Light from above, from the fountain of light,

- No other doctrine needs, though granted true;  originalEd: 290

- But these are false, or little else but dreams,

- Conjectures, fancies, built on nothing firm.

- The first and wisest of them all profess’d

- To know this only, that he nothing knew;

- The next to fabling fell and smooth conceits,

- A third sort doubted all things, though plain sence;

- Others in vertue plac’d felicity,

- But vertue joyn’d with riches and long life,

- In corporal pleasure he, and careless ease,

- The Stoic last in Philosophic pride,  originalEd: 300

- By him call’d vertue; and his vertuous man,

- Wise, perfect in himself, and all possessing

- Equal to God, oft shames not to prefer,

- As fearing God nor man, contemning all

- Wealth, pleasure, pain or torment, death and life,

- Which when he lists, he leaves, or boasts he can,

- For all his tedious talk is but vain boast,

- Or subtle shifts conviction to evade.

- Alas what can they teach, and not mislead;

- Ignorant of themselves, of God much more,  originalEd: 310

- And how the world began, and how man fell

- Degraded by himself, on grace depending?

- Much of the Soul they talk, but all awrie,

- And in themselves seek vertue, and to themselves

- All glory arrogate, to God give none,

- Rather accuse him under usual names,

- Fortune and Fate, as one regardless quite

- Of mortal things. Who therefore seeks in these

- True wisdom, finds her not, or by delusion

- Far worse, her false resemblance only meets,  originalEd: 320

- An empty cloud. However many books

- Wise men have said are wearisom; who reads

- Incessantly, and to his reading brings not

- A spirit and judgment equal or superior,

- (And what he brings, what needs he elsewhere seek)

- Uncertain and unsettl’d still remains,

- Deep verst in books and shallow in himself,

- Crude or intoxicate, collecting toys,

- And trifles for choice matters, worth a spunge;

- As Children gathering pibles on the shore.  originalEd: 330

- Or if I would delight my private hours

- With Music or with Poem, where so soon

- As in our native Language can I find

- That solace? All our Law and Story strew’d

- With Hymns, our Psalms with artful terms inscrib’d,

- Our Hebrew Songs and Harps in Babylon,

- That pleas’d so well our Victors ear, declare

- That rather Greece from us these Arts deriv’d;

- Ill imitated, while they loudest sing

- The vices of thir Deities, and thir own  originalEd: 340

- In Fable, Hymn, or Song, so personating

- Thir Gods ridiculous, and themselves past shame.

- Remove their swelling Epithetes thick laid

- As varnish on a Harlots cheek, the rest,

- Thin sown with aught of profit or delight,

- Will far be found unworthy to compare

- With Sion ’s songs, to all true tasts excelling,

- Where God is prais’d aright, and Godlike men,

- The Holiest of Holies, and his Saints;

- Such are from God inspir’d, not such from thee;  originalEd: 350

- Unless where moral vertue is express’t

- By light of Nature not in all quite lost.

- Thir Orators thou then extoll’st, as those

- The top of Eloquence, Statists indeed,

- And lovers of thir Country, as may seem;

- But herein to our Prophets far beneath,

- As men divinely taught, and better teaching

- The solid rules of Civil Government

- In thir majestic unaffected stile

- Then all the Oratory of Greece and Rome.  originalEd: 360

- In them is plainest taught, and easiest learnt,

- What makes a Nation happy, and keeps it so,

- What ruins Kingdoms, and lays Cities flat;

- These only with our Law best form a King.

- So spake the Son of God; but Satan now

- Quite at a loss, for all his darts were spent,

- Thus to our Saviour with stern brow reply’d.

- Since neither wealth, nor honour, arms nor arts,

- Kingdom nor Empire pleases thee, nor aught

- By me propos’d in life contemplative,  originalEd: 370

- Or active, tended on by glory, or fame,

- What dost thou in this World? the Wilderness

- For thee is fittest place, I found thee there,

- And thither will return thee, yet remember

- What I foretell thee, soon thou shalt have cause

- To wish thou never hadst rejected thus

- Nicely or cautiously my offer’d aid,

- Which would have set thee in short time with ease

- On David ’s Throne; or Throne of all the world,

- Now at full age, fulness of time, thy season,  originalEd: 380

- When Prophesies of thee are best fullfill’d.

- Now contrary, if I read aught in Heaven,

- Or Heav’n write aught of Fate, by what the Stars

- Voluminous, or single characters,

- In thir conjunction met, give me to spell,

- Sorrows, and labours, opposition, hate,

- Attends thee, scorns, reproaches, injuries,

- Violence and stripes, and lastly cruel death,

- A Kingdom they portend thee, but what Kingdom,

- Real or Allegoric I discern not,  originalEd: 390

- Nor when, eternal sure, as without end,

- Without beginning; for no date prefixt

- Directs me in the Starry Rubric set.

- So saying he took (for still he knew his power

- Not yet expir’d) and to the Wilderness

- Brought back the Son of God, and left him there,

- Feigning to disappear. Darkness now rose,

- As day-light sunk, and brought in lowring night

- Her shadowy off-spring unsubstantial both,

- Privation meer of light and absent day.  originalEd: 400

- Our Saviour meek and with untroubl’d mind

- After his aerie jaunt, though hurried sore,

- Hungry and cold betook him to his rest,

- Wherever, under some concourse of shades

- Whose branching arms thick intertwind might shield

- From dews and damps of night his shelter’d head,

- But shelter’d slept in vain, for at his head

- The Tempter watch’d, and soon with ugly dreams

- Disturb’d his sleep; and either Tropic now

- ’Gan thunder, and both ends of Heav’n, the Clouds  originalEd: 410

- From many a horrid rift abortive pour’d

- Fierce rain with lightning mixt, water with fire

- In ruine reconcil’d: nor slept the winds

- Within thir stony caves, but rush’d abroad

- From the four hinges of the world, and fell

- On the vext Wilderness, whose tallest Pines,

- Though rooted deep as high, and sturdiest Oaks

- Bow’d thir Stiff necks, loaden with stormy blasts,

- Or torn up sheer: ill wast thou shrouded then,

- O patient Son of God, yet only stoodst  originalEd: 420

- Unshaken; nor yet staid the terror there,

- Infernal Ghosts, and Hellish Furies, round

- Environ’d thee, some howl’d, some yell’d, some shriek’d,

- Some bent at thee thir fiery darts, while thou

- Sat’st unappall’d in calm and sinless peace.

- Thus pass’d the night so foul till morning fair

- Came forth with Pilgrim steps in amice gray;

- Who with her radiant finger still’d the roar

- Of thunder, chas’d the clouds, and laid the winds,

- And grisly Spectres, which the Fiend had rais’d  originalEd: 430

- To tempt the Son of God with terrors dire.

- And now the Sun with more effectual beams

- Had chear’d the face of Earth, and dry’d the wet

- From drooping plant, or dropping tree; the birds

- Who all things now behold more fresh and green,

- After a night of storm so ruinous,

- Clear’d up their choicest notes in bush and spray

- To gratulate the sweet return of morn;

- Nor yet amidst this joy and brightest morn

- Was absent, after all his mischief done,  originalEd: 440

- The Prince of darkness, glad would also seem

- Of this fair change, and to our Saviour came,

- Yet with no new device, they all were spent,

- Rather by this his last affront resolv’d,

- Desperate of better course, to vent his rage,

- And mad despight to be so oft repell’d.

- Him walking on a Sunny hill he found,

- Back’d on the North and West by a thick wood,

- Out of the wood he starts in wonted shape;

- And in a careless mood thus to him said.  originalEd: 450

- Fair morning yet betides thee Son of God,

- After a dismal night; I heard the rack

- As Earth and Skie would mingle; but my self

- Was distant; and these flaws, though mortals fear them

- As dangerous to the pillard frame of Heaven,

- Or to the Earths dark basis underneath,

- Are to the main as inconsiderable,

- And harmless, if not wholsom, as a sneeze

- To mans less universe, and soon are gone;

- Yet as being oft times noxious where they light  originalEd: 460

- On man, beast, plant, wastful and turbulent,

- Like turbulencies in the affairs of men,

- Over whose heads they rore, and seem to point,

- They oft fore-signifie and threaten ill:

- This Tempest at this Desert most was bent;

- Of men at thee, for only thou here dwell’st.

- Did I not tell thee, if thou didst reject

- The perfet season offer’d with my aid

- To win thy destin’d seat, but wilt prolong

- All to the push of Fate, persue thy way  originalEd: 470

- Of gaining David ’s Throne no man knows when,

- For both the when and how is no where told,

- Thou shalt be what thou art ordain’d, no doubt;

- For Angels have proclaim’d it, but concealing

- The time and means: each act is rightliest done,

- Not when it must, but when it may be best.

- If thou observe not this, be sure to find,

- What I foretold thee, many a hard assay

- Of dangers, and adversities and pains,

- E’re thou of Israel ’s Scepter get fast hold;  originalEd: 480

- Whereof this ominous night that clos’d thee round,

- So many terrors, voices, prodigies

- May warn thee, as a sure fore-going sign.

- So talk’d he, while the Son of God went on

- And staid not, but in brief him answer’d thus.

- Mee worse then wet thou find’st not; other harm

- Those terrors which thou speak’st of, did me none;

- I never fear’d they could, though noising loud

- And threatning nigh; what they can do as signs

- Betok’ning, or ill boding, I contemn  originalEd: 490

- As false portents, not sent from God, but thee;

- Who knowing I shall raign past thy preventing,

- Obtrud’st thy offer’d aid, that I accepting

- At least might seem to hold all power of thee,

- Ambitious spirit, and wouldst be thought my God,

- And storm’st refus’d, thinking to terrifie

- Mee to thy will; desist, thou art discern’d

- And toil’st in vain, nor me in vain molest.

- To whom the Fiend now swoln with rage reply’d:

- Then hear, O Son of David, Virgin-born;  originalEd: 500

- For Son of God to me is yet in doubt,

- Of the Messiah I have heard foretold

- By all the Prophets; of thy birth at length

- Announc’t by Gabriel with the first I knew,

- And of the Angelic Song in Bethlehem field,

- On thy birth-night, that sung thee Saviour born.

- From that time seldom have I ceas’d to eye

- Thy infancy, thy childhood, and thy youth,

- Thy manhood last, though yet in private bred;

- Till at the Ford of Jordan whither all  originalEd: 510

- Flock’d to the Baptist, I among the rest,

- Though not to be Baptiz’d, by voice from Heav’n

- Heard thee pronounc’d the Son of God belov’d.

- Thenceforth I thought thee worth my nearer view

- And narrower Scrutiny, that I might learn

- In what degree or meaning thou art call’d

- The Son of God, which bears no single sence;

- The Son of God I also am, or was,

- And if I was, I am; relation stands;

- All men are Sons of God; yet thee I thought  originalEd: 520

- In some respect far higher so declar’d.

- Therefore I watch’d thy footsteps from that hour

- And follow’d thee still on to this wast wild;

- Where by all best conjectures I collect

- Thou art to be my fatal enemy.

- Good reason then, if I before-hand seek

- To understand my Adversary, who

- And what he is; his wisdom, power, intent,

- By parl, or composition, truce, or league

- To win him, or win from him what I can.  originalEd: 530

- And opportunity I here have had

- To try thee, sift thee, and confess have found thee

- Proof against all temptation as a rock

- Of Adamant, and as a Center, firm

- To the utmost of meer man both wise and good,

- Not more; for Honours, Riches, Kingdoms, Glory

- Have been before contemn’d, and may agen:

- Therefore to know what more thou art then man,

- Worth naming Son of God by voice from Heav’n,

- Another method I must now begin.  originalEd: 540

- So saying he caught him up, and without wing

- Of Hippogrif bore through the Air sublime

- Over the Wilderness and o’re the Plain;

- Till underneath them fair Jerusalem,

- The holy City lifted high her Towers,

- And higher yet the glorious Temple rear’d

- Her pile, far off appearing like a Mount

- Of Alabaster, top’t with golden Spires:

- There on the highest Pinacle he set

- The Son of God; and added thus in scorn:  originalEd: 550

- There stand, if thou wilt stand; to stand upright

- Will ask thee skill; I to thy Fathers house

- Have brought thee, and highest plac’t, highest is best,

- Now shew thy Progeny; if not to stand,

- Cast thy self down; safely if Son of God:

- For it is written, He will give command

- Concerning thee to his Angels, in thir hands

- They shall up lift thee, lest at any time

- Thou chance to dash thy foot against a stone.

- To whom thus Jesus: also it is written,  originalEd: 560

- Tempt not the Lord thy God, he said and stood.

- But Satan smitten with amazement fell

- As when Earths Son Antæus (to compare

- Small things with greatest) in Irassa strove

- With Joves Alcides, and oft foil’d still rose,

- Receiving from his mother Earth new strength,

- Fresh from his fall, and fiercer grapple joyn’d,

- Throttl’d at length in the Air, expir’d and fell;

- So after many a foil the Tempter proud,

- Renewing fresh assaults, amidst his pride  originalEd: 570

- Fell whence he stood to see his Victor fall.

- And as that Theban Monster that propos’d

- Her riddle, and him, who solv’d it not, devour’d;

- That once found out and solv’d, for grief and spight

- Cast her self headlong from th’ Ismenian steep,

- So strook with dread and anguish fell the Fiend,

- And to his crew, that sat consulting, brought

- Joyless triumphals of his hop’t success,

- Ruin, and desperation, and dismay,

- Who durst so proudly tempt the Son of God.  originalEd: 580

- So Satan fell and strait a fiery Globe

- Of Angels on full sail of wing flew nigh,

- Who on their plumy Vans receiv’d him soft

- From his uneasie station, and upbore

- As on a floating couch through the blithe Air,

- Then in a flowry valley set him down

- On a green bank, and set before him spred

- A table of Celestial Food, Divine,

- Ambrosial, Fruits fetcht from the tree of life,

- And from the fount of life Ambrosial drink,  originalEd: 590

- That soon refresh’d him wearied, and repair’d

- What hunger, if aught hunger had impair’d,

- Or thirst, and as he fed, Angelic Quires

- Sung Heavenly Anthems of his victory

- Over temptation, and the Tempter proud.

- True Image of the Father whether thron’d

- In the bosom of bliss, and light of light

- Conceiving, or remote from Heaven, enshrin’d

- In fleshly Tabernacle, and human form,

- Wandring the Wilderness, whatever place,  originalEd: 600

- Habit, or state, or motion, still expressing

- The Son of God, with Godlike force indu’d

- Against th’ Attempter of thy Fathers Throne,

- And Thief of Paradise; him long of old

- Thou didst debel, and down from Heav’n cast

- With all his Army, now thou hast aveng’d

- Supplanted Adam, and by vanquishing

- Temptation, hast regain’d lost Paradise,

- And frustrated the conquest fraudulent:

- He never more henceforth will dare set foot  originalEd: 610

- In Paradise to tempt; his snares are broke:

- For though that seat of earthly bliss be fail’d,

- A fairer Paradise is founded now

- For Adam and his chosen Sons, whom thou

- A Saviour art come down to re-install.

- Where they shall dwell secure, when time shall be

- Of Tempter and Temptation without fear.

- But thou, Infernal Serpent, shalt not long

- Rule in the Clouds; like an Autumnal Star

- Or Lightning thou shalt fall from Heav’n trod down  originalEd: 620

- Under his feet: for proof, e’re this thou feel’st

- Thy wound, yet not thy last and deadliest wound

- By this repulse receiv’d, and hold’st in Hell

- No triumph; in all her gates Abaddon rues

- Thy bold attempt; hereafter learn with awe

- To dread the Son of God: he all unarm’d

- Shall chase thee with the terror of his voice

- From thy Demoniac holds, possession foul,

- Thee and thy Legions, yelling they shall flye,

- And beg to hide them in a herd of Swine,  originalEd: 630

- Lest he command them down into the deep

- Bound, and to torment sent before thir time.

- Hail Son of the most High, heir of both worlds,

- Queller of Satan, on thy glorious work

- Now enter, and begin to save mankind.

- Thus they the Son of God our Saviour meek

- Sung Victor, and from Heavenly Feast refresht

- Brought on his way with joy; hee unobserv’d

- Home to his Mothers house private return’d.

The End.

SAMSON AGONISTES, A DRAMATIC POEM.

The Author JOHN MILTON.

Aristot. Poet. Cap. 6.

Τε[Editor: illegible character]γωδία μίμοπ πρίξιως σπ[Editor: illegible character]δαίας, c.

Tragœdia estimitatio actionis seriæ, c. Per misericordiam metum perficiens talium affectuum instrationem.

LONDON, Printed by J. M. for John Starkey at the Mitre in Fleetstreet, near Temple-Bar.

MDCLXXI.

Of that sort of Dramatic Poem which is call’d Tragedy.

TRAGEDY, as it was antiently compos’d, hath been ever held the gravest, moralest, and most profitable of all other Poems: therefore said by Aristotle to be of power by raising pity and fear, or terror, to purge the mind of those and such like passions, that is to temper and reduce them to just measure with a kind of delight, stirr’d up by reading or seeing those passions well imitated. Nor is Nature wanting in her own effects to make good his assertion: for so in Physic things of melancholic hue and quality are us’d against melancholy, sowr against sowr, salt to remove salt humours. Hence Philosophers and other gravest Writers, as Cicero, Plutarch and others, frequently cite out of Tragic Poets, both to adorn and illustrate thir discourse. The Apostle Paul himself thought it not unworthy to insert a verse of Euripides into the Text of Holy Scripture, 1 Cor. 15. 33. and Paræus commenting on the Revelation, divides the whole Book as a Tragedy, into Acts distinguisht each by a Chorus of Heavenly Harpings and Song between. Heretofore Men in highest dignity have labour’d not a little to be thought able to compose a Tragedy. Of that honour Dionysius the elder was no less ambitious, then before of his attaining to the Tyranny. Augustus Cæsar also had begun his Ajax, but unable to please his own judgment with what he had begun, left it unfinisht. Seneca the Philosopher is by some thought the Author of those Tragedies (at lest the best of them) that go under that name. Gregory Nazianzen a Father of the Church, thought it not unbeseeming the sanctity of his person to write a Tragedy, which he entitl’d, Christ suffering. This is mention’d to vindicate Tragedy from the small esteem, or rather infamy, which in the account of many it undergoes at this day with other common Interludes; hap’ning through the Poets error of intermixing Comic stuff with Tragic sadness and gravity; or introducing trivial and vulgar persons, which by all judicious hath bin counted absurd; and brought in without discretion, corruptly to gratifie the people. And though antient Tragedy use no Prologue, yet using sometimes, in case of self defence, or explanation, that which Martial calls an Epistle; in behalf of this Tragedy coming forth after the antient manner, much different from what among us passes for best, thus much before-hand may be Epistl’d; that Chorus is here introduc’d after the Greek manner, not antient only but modern, and still in use among the Italians. In the modelling therefore of this Poem, with good reason, the Antients and Italians are rather follow’d, as of much more authority and fame. The measure of Verse us’d in the Chorus is of all sorts, call’d by the Greeks Monostrophic, or rather Apolelymenon, without regard had to Strophe, Antistrophe or Epod, which were a kind of Stanza’s fram’d only for the Music, then us’d with the Chorus that sung; not essential to the Poem, and therefore not material; or being divided into Stanza’s or Pauses, they may be call’d Allæostropha. Division into Act and Scene referring chiefly to the Stage (to which this work never was intended) is here omitted.

It suffices if the whole Drama be found not produc’t beyond the fift Act, of the style and uniformitie, and that commonly call’d the Plot, whether intricate or explicit, which is nothing indeed but such œconomy, or disposition of the fable as may stand best with verisimilitude and decorum; they only will best judge who are not unacquainted with Æschulus, Sophocles, and Euripides, the three Tragic Poets unequall’d yet by any, and the best rule to all who endeavour to write Tragedy. The circumscription of time wherein the whole Drama begins and ends, is according to antient rule, and best example, within the space of 24 hours.

The ARGUMENT.

Samson made Captive, Blind, and now in the Prison at Gaza, there to labour as in a common work-house, on a Festival day, in the general cessation from labour, comes forth into the open Air, to a place nigh, somewhat retir’d there to sit a while and bemoan his condition. Where he happens at length to be visited by certain friends and equals of his tribe, which make the Chorus, who seek to comfort him what they can; then by his old Father Manoa, who endeavours the like, and withal tells him his purpose to procure his liberty by ransom; lastly, that this Feast was proclaim’d by the Philistins as a day of Thanksgiving for thir deliverance from the hands of Samson, which yet more troubles him. Manoa then departs to prosecute his endeavour with the Philistian Lords for Samson ’s redemption; who in the mean while is visited by other persons; and lastly by a publick Officer to require his coming to the Feast before the Lords and People, to play or shew his strength in thir presence; he at first refuses, dismissing the publick Officer with absolute denyal to come; at length perswaded inwardly that this was from God, he yields to go along with him, who came now the second time with great threatnings to fetch him; the Chorus yet remaining on the place, Manoa returns full of joyful hope, to procure e’re long his Sons deliverance: in the midst of which discourse an Ebrew comes in haste confusedly at first; and afterward more distinctly relating the Catastrophe, what Samson had done to the Philistins, and by accident to himself; wherewith the Tragedy ends.

The Persons.

Samson.

Manoa the Father of Samson.

Dalila his Wife.

Harapha of Gath.

Publick Officer.

Messenger.

Chorus of Danites.

The Scene before the Prison in Gaza.

AGONISTES.

Sams.

- A LITTLE onward lend thy guiding hand

- To these dark steps, a little further on;

- For yonder bank hath choice of Sun or shade,

- There I am wont to sit, when any chance

- Relieves me from my task of servile toyl,

- Daily in the common Prison else enjoyn’d me,

- Where I a Prisoner chain’d, scarce freely draw

- The air imprison’d also, close and damp,

- Unwholsom draught: but here I feel amends,

- The breath of Heav’n fresh-blowing, pure and sweet,  originalEd: 10

- With day-spring born; here leave me to respire.

- This day a solemn Feast the people hold

- To Dagon thir Sea-Idol, and forbid

- Laborious works, unwillingly this rest

- Thir Superstition yields me; hence with leave

- Retiring from the popular noise, I seek

- This unfrequented place to find some ease,

- Ease to the body some, none to the mind

- From restless thoughts, that like a deadly swarm

- Of Hornets arm’d, no sooner found alone,  originalEd: 20

- But rush upon me thronging, and present

- Times past, what once I was, and what am now.

- O wherefore was my birth from Heaven foretold

- Twice by an Angel, who at last in sight

- Of both my Parents all in flames ascended

- From off the Altar, where an Off’ring burn’d,

- As in a fiery column charioting

- His Godlike presence, and from some great act

- Or benefit reveal’d to Abraham ’s race?

- Why was my breeding order’d and prescrib’d  originalEd: 30

- As of a person separate to God,

- Design’d for great exploits; if I must dye

- Betray’d, Captiv’d, and both my Eyes put out,

- Made of my Enemies the scorn and gaze;

- To grind in Brazen Fetters under task

- With this Heav’n-gifted strength? O glorious strength

- Put to the labour of a Beast, debas’t

- Lower then bondslave! Promise was that I

- Should Israel from Philistian yoke deliver;

- Ask for this great Deliverer now, and find him  originalEd: 40

- Eyeless in Gaza at the Mill with slaves,

- Himself in bonds under Philistian yoke;

- Yet stay, let me not rashly call in doubt

- Divine Prediction; what if all foretold

- Had been fulfilld but through mine own default,

- Whom have I to complain of but my self?

- Who this high gift of strength committed to me,

- In what part lodg’d, how easily bereft me,

- Under the Seal of silence could not keep,

- But weakly to a woman must reveal it  originalEd: 50

- O’recome with importunity and tears.

- O impotence of mind, in body strong!

- But what is strength without a double share

- Of wisdom, vast, unwieldy, burdensom,

- Proudly secure, yet liable to fall

- By weakest suttleties, not made to rule,

- But to subserve where wisdom bears command.

- God, when he gave me strength, to shew withal

- How slight the gift was, hung it in my Hair.

- But peace, I must not quarrel with the will  originalEd: 60

- Of highest dispensation, which herein

- Happ’ly had ends above my reach to know:

- Suffices that to me strength is my bane,

- And proves the sourse of all my miseries;

- So many, and so huge, that each apart

- Would ask a life to wail, but chief of all,

- O loss of sight, of thee I most complain!

- Blind among enemies, O worse then chains,

- Dungeon, or beggery, or decrepit age!

- Light the prime work of God to me is extinct,  originalEd: 70

- And all her various objects of delight

- Annull’d, which might in part my grief have eas’d,

- Inferiour to the vilest now become

- Of man or worm; the vilest here excel me,

- They creep, yet see, I dark in light expos’d

- To daily fraud, contempt, abuse and wrong,

- Within doors, or without, still as a fool,

- In power of others, never in my own;

- Scarce half I seem to live, dead more then half.

- O dark, dark, dark, amid the blaze of noon,  originalEd: 80

- Irrecoverably dark, total Eclipse

- Without all hope of day!

- O first created Beam, and thou great Word,

- Let there be light, and light was over all;

- Why am I thus bereav’d thy prime decree?

- The Sun to me is dark

- And silent as the Moon,

- When she deserts the night

- Hid in her vacant interlunar cave.

- Since light so necessary is to life,  originalEd: 90

- And almost life itself, if it be true

- That light is in the Soul,

- She all in every part; why was the sight

- To such a tender ball as th’ eye confin’d?

- So obvious and so easie to be quench’t,

- And not as feeling through all parts diffus’d,

- That she might look at will through every pore?

- Then had I not been thus exil’d from light;

- As in the land of darkness yet in light,

- To live a life half dead, a living death,  originalEd: 100

- And buried; but O yet more miserable!

- My self, my Sepulcher, a moving Grave,

- Buried, yet not exempt

- By priviledge of death and burial

- From worst of other evils, pains and wrongs,

- But made hereby obnoxious more

- To all the miseries of life,

- Life in captivity

- Among inhuman foes.

- But who are these? for with joint pace I hear  originalEd: 110

- The tread of many feet stearing this way;

- Perhaps my enemies who come to stare

- At my affliction, and perhaps to insult,

- Thir daily practice to afflict me more.

Chor.

- This, this is he; softly a while,

- Let us not break in upon him;

- O change beyond report, thought, or belief!

- See how he lies at random, carelessly diffus’d,

- With languish’t head unpropt,

- As one past hope, abandon’d  originalEd: 120

- And by himself given over;

- In slavish habit, ill-fitted weeds

- O’re worn and soild;

- Or do my eyes misrepresent? Can this be hee,

- That Heroic, that Renown’d,

- Irresistible Samson ? whom unarm’d

- No strength of man, or fiercest wild beast could withstand;

- Who tore the Lion, as the Lion tears the Kid,

- Ran on embattelld Armies clad in Iron,

- And weaponless himself,  originalEd: 130

- Made Arms ridiculous, useless the forgery

- Of brazen shield and spear, the hammer’d Cuirass,

- Chalybean temper’d steel, and frock of mail

- Adamantean Proof;

- But safest he who stood aloof,

- When insupportably his foot advanc’t,

- In scorn of thir proud arms and warlike tools,

- Spurn’d them to death by Troops. The bold Ascalonite

- Fled from his Lion ramp, old Warriors turn’d

- Thir plated backs under his heel;  originalEd: 140

- Or grovling soild thir crested helmets in the dust.

- Then with what trivial weapon came to hand,

- The Jaw of a dead Ass, his sword of bone,

- A thousand fore-skins fell, the flower of Palestin

- In Ramath-lechi famous to this day:

- Then by main force pull’d up, and on his shoulders bore

- The Gates of Azza, Post, and massie Bar

- Up to the Hill by Hebron, seat of Giants old,

- No journey of a Sabbath day, and loaded so;

- Like whom the Gentiles feign to bear up Heav’n.  originalEd: 150

- Which shall I first bewail,

- Thy Bondage or lost Sight,

- Prison within Prison

- Inseparably dark?

- Thou art become (O worst imprisonment!)

- The Dungeon of thy self; thy Soul

- (Which Men enjoying sight oft without cause complain)

- Imprison’d now indeed,

- In real darkness of the body dwells,

- Shut up from outward light  originalEd: 160

- To incorporate with gloomy night;

- For inward light alas

- Puts forth no visual beam.

- O mirror of our fickle state,

- Since man on earth unparallel’d!

- The rarer thy example stands,

- By how much from the top of wondrous glory,

- Strongest of mortal men,

- To lowest pitch of abject fortune thou art fall’n.

- For him I reckon not in high estate  originalEd: 170

- Whom long descent of birth

- Or the sphear of fortune raises;

- But thee whose strength, while vertue was her mate

- Might have subdu’d the Earth,

- Universally crown’d with highest praises.

Sam.

- I hear the sound of words, thir sense the air

- Dissolves unjointed e’re it reach my ear.

Chor.

- Hee speaks, let us draw nigh. Matchless in might,

- The glory late of Israel, now the grief;

- We come thy friends and neighbours not unknown  originalEd: 180

- From Eshtaol and Zora ’s fruitful Vale

- To visit or bewail thee, or if better,

- Counsel or Consolation we may bring,

- Salve to thy Sores, apt words have power to swage

- The tumors of a troubl’d mind,

- And are as Balm to fester’d wounds.

Sam.

- Your coming, Friends, revives me, for I learn

- Now of my own experience, not by talk,

- How counterfeit a coin they are who friends

- Bear in their Superscription (of the most  originalEd: 190

- I would be understood) in prosperous days

- They swarm, but in adverse withdraw their head

- Not to be found, though sought. Yee see, O friends,

- How many evils have enclos’d me round;

- Yet that which was the worst now least afflicts me,

- Blindness, for had I sight, confus’d with shame,

- How could I once look up, or heave the head,

- Who like a foolish Pilot have shipwrack’t,

- My Vessel trusted to me from above,

- Gloriously rigg’d; and for a word, a tear,  originalEd: 200

- Fool, have divulg’d the secret gift of God

- To a deceitful Woman: tell me Friends,

- Am I not sung and proverbd for a Fool

- In every street, do they not say, how well

- Are come upon him his deserts? yet why?

- Immeasurable strength they might behold

- In me, of wisdom nothing more then mean;

- This with the other should, at least, have paird,

- These two proportiond ill drove me transverse.

Chor.

- Tax not divine disposal, wisest Men  originalEd: 210

- Have err’d, and by bad Women been deceiv’d;

- And shall again, pretend they ne’re so wise.

- Deject not then so overmuch thy self,

- Who hast of sorrow thy full load besides;

- Yet truth to say, I oft have heard men wonder

- Why thou shouldst wed Philistian women rather

- Then of thine own Tribe fairer, or as fair,

- At least of thy own Nation, and as noble.

Sam.

- The first I saw at Timna, and she pleas’d

- Mee, not my Parents, that I sought to wed,  originalEd: 220

- The daughter of an Infidel: they knew not

- That what I motion’d was of God; I knew

- From intimate impulse, and therefore urg’d

- The Marriage on; that by occasion hence

- I might begin Israel ’s Deliverance,

- The work to which I was divinely call’d;

- She proving false, the next I took to Wife

- (O that I never had! fond wish too late)

- Was in the Vale of Sorec, Dalila,

- That specious Monster, my accomplisht snare.  originalEd: 230

- I thought it lawful from my former act,

- And the same end; still watching to oppress

- Israel ’s oppressours: of what now I suffer

- She was not the prime cause, but I my self,

- Who vanquisht with a peal of words (O weakness!)

- Gave up my fort of silence to a Woman.

Chor.

- In seeking just occasion to provoke

- The Philistine, thy Countries Enemy,

- Thou never wast remiss, I bear thee witness:

- Yet Israel still serves with all his Sons.  originalEd: 240

Sam.

- That fault I take not on me, but transfer

- On Israel ’s Governours, and Heads of Tribes,

- Who seeing those great acts which God had done

- Singly by me against their Conquerours

- Acknowledg’d not, or not at all consider’d

- Deliverance offerd: I on th’ other side

- Us’d no ambition to commend my deeds,

- The deeds themselves, though mute, spoke loud the dooer;

- But they persisted deaf, and would not seem

- To count them things worth notice, till at length  originalEd: 250

- Thir Lords the Philistines with gather’d powers

- Enterd Judea seeking mee, who then

- Safe to the rock of Etham was retir’d,

- Not flying, but fore-casting in what place

- To set upon them, what advantag’d best;

- Mean while the men of Judah to prevent

- The harrass of thir Land, beset me round;

- I willingly on some conditions came

- Into thir hands, and they as gladly yield me

- To the uncircumcis’d a welcom prey,  originalEd: 260

- Bound with two cords; but cords to me were threds

- Toucht with the flame: on thir whole Host I flew

- Unarm’d, and with a trivial weapon fell’d

- Thir choicest youth; they only liv’d who fled.

- Had Judah that day join’d, or one whole Tribe,

- They had by this possess’d the Towers of Gath,

- And lorded over them whom now they serve;

- But what more oft in Nations grown corrupt,

- And by thir vices brought to servitude,

- Then to love Bondage more then Liberty,  originalEd: 270

- Bondage with ease then strenuous liberty;

- And to despise, or envy, or suspect

- Whom God hath of his special favour rais’d

- As thir Deliverer; if he aught begin,

- How frequent to desert him, and at last

- To heap ingratitude on worthiest deeds?

Chor.

- Thy words to my remembrance bring

- How Succoth and the Fort of Penuel

- Thir great Deliverer contemn’d,

- The matchless Gideon in pursuit  originalEd: 280

- Of Madian and her vanquisht Kings:

- And how ingrateful Ephraim

- Had dealt with Jephtha, who by argument,

- Not worse then by his shield and spear

- Defended Israel from the Ammonite,

- Had not his prowess quell’d thir pride

- In that sore battel when so many dy’d

- Without Reprieve adjudg’d to death,

- For want of well pronouncing Shibboleth.

Sam.

- Of such examples adde mee to the roul,  originalEd: 290

- Mee easily indeed mine may neglect,

- But Gods propos’d deliverance not so.

Chor.

- Just are the ways of God,

- And justifiable to Men;

- Unless there be who think not God at all,

- If any be, they walk obscure;

- For of such Doctrine never was there School,

- But the heart of the Fool,

- And no man therein Doctor but himself.

- Yet more there be who doubt his ways not just,  originalEd: 300

- As to his own edicts, found contradicting,

- Then give the rains to wandring thought,

- Regardless of his glories diminution;

- Till by thir own perplexities involv’d

- They ravel more, still less resolv’d,

- But never find self-satisfying solution.

- As if they would confine th’ interminable,

- And tie him to his own prescript,

- Who made our Laws to bind us, not himself,

- And hath full right to exempt  originalEd: 310

- Whom so it pleases him by choice

- From National obstriction, without taint

- Of sin, or legal debt;

- For with his own Laws he can best dispence.

- He would not else who never wanted means,

- Nor in respect of the enemy just cause

- To set his people free,

- Have prompted this Heroic Nazarite,

- Against his vow of strictest purity,

- To seek in marriage that fallacious Bride,  originalEd: 320

- Unclean, unchaste.

- Down Reason then, at least vain reasonings down,

- Though Reason here aver

- That moral verdit quits her of unclean:

- Unchaste was subsequent, her stain not his.

- But see here comes thy reverend Sire

- With careful step, Locks white as doune,

- Old Manoah: advise

- Forthwith how thou oughtst to receive him.

Sam.

- Ay me, another inward grief awak’t,  originalEd: 330

- With mention of that name renews th’ assault.

Man.

- Brethren and men of Dan, for such ye seem,

- Though in this uncouth place; if old respect,

- As I suppose, towards your once gloried friend,

- My Son now Captive, hither hath inform’d

- Your younger feet, while mine cast back with age

- Came lagging after; say if he be here.

Chor.

- As signal now in low dejected state,

- As earst in highest, behold him where he lies.

Man.

- O miserable change! is this the man,  originalEd: 340

- That invincible Samson, far renown’d,

- The dread of Israel ’s foes, who with a strength

- Equivalent to Angels walk’d thir streets,

- None offering fight; who single combatant

- Duell’d thir Armies rank’t in proud array,

- Himself an Army, now unequal match

- To save himself against a coward arm’d

- At one spears length. O ever failing trust

- In mortal strength! and oh what not in man

- Deceivable and vain! Nay what thing good  originalEd: 350

- Pray’d for, but often proves our woe, our bane?

- I pray’d for Children, and thought barrenness

- In wedlock a reproach; I gain’d a Son,

- And such a Son as all Men hail’d me happy;

- Who would be now a Father in my stead?

- O wherefore did God grant me my request,

- And as a blessing with such pomp adorn’d?

- Why are his gifts desirable, to tempt

- Our earnest Prayers, then giv’n with solemn hand

- As Graces, draw a Scorpions tail behind?  originalEd: 360

- For this did the Angel twice descend? for this

- Ordain’d thy nurture holy, as of a Plant;

- Select, and Sacred, Glorious for a while,

- The miracle of men: then in an hour

- Ensnar’d, assaulted, overcome, led bound,

- Thy Foes derision, Captive, Poor, and Blind

- Into a Dungeon thrust, to work with Slaves?

- Alas methinks whom God hath chosen once

- To worthiest deeds, if he through frailty err,

- He should not so o’rewhelm, and as a thrall  originalEd: 370

- Subject him to so foul indignities,

- Be it but for honours sake of former deeds.

Sam.

- Appoint not heavenly disposition, Father,

- Nothing of all these evils hath befall’n me

- But justly; I my self have brought them on,

- Sole Author I, sole cause: if aught seem vile,

- As vile hath been my folly, who have profan’d

- The mystery of God giv’n me under pledge

- Of vow, and have betray’d it to a woman,

- A Canaanite, my faithless enemy.  originalEd: 380

- This well I knew, nor was at all surpris’d,

- But warn’d by oft experience: did not she

- Of Timna first betray me, and reveal

- The secret wrested from me in her highth

- Of Nuptial Love profest, carrying it strait

- To them who had corrupted her, my Spies,

- And Rivals? In this other was there found

- More Faith? who also in her prime of love,

- Spousal embraces, vitiated with Gold,

- Though offer’d only, by the sent conceiv’d  originalEd: 390

- Her spurious first-born; Treason against me?

- Thrice she assay’d with flattering prayers and sighs,

- And amorous reproaches to win from me

- My capital secret, in what part my strength

- Lay stor’d in what part summ’d, that she might know:

- Thrice I deluded her, and turn’d to sport

- Her importunity, each time perceiving

- How openly, and with what impudence

- She purpos’d to betray me, and (which was worse

- Then undissembl’d hate) with what contempt  originalEd: 400

- She sought to make me Traytor to my self;

- Yet the fourth time, when mustring all her wiles,

- With blandisht parlies, feminine assaults,

- Tongue-batteries, she surceas’d not day nor night

- To storm me over-watch’t, and wearied out.

- At times when men seek most repose and rest,

- I yielded, and unlock’d her all my heart,

- Who with a grain of manhood well resolv’d

- Might easily have shook off all her snares:

- But foul effeminacy held me yok’t  originalEd: 410

- Her Bond-slave; O indignity, O blot

- To Honour and Religion! servil mind

- Rewarded well with servil punishment!

- The base degree to which I now am fall’n,

- These rags, this grinding, is not yet so base

- As was my former servitude, ignoble,

- Unmanly, ignominious, infamous,

- True slavery, and that blindness worse then this,

- That saw not how degeneratly I serv’d.

Man.

- I cannot praise thy Marriage choises, Son,  originalEd: 420

- Rather approv’d them not; but thou didst plead

- Divine impulsion prompting how thou might’st

- Find some occasion to infest our Foes.

- I state not that; this I am sure; our Foes

- Found soon occasion thereby to make thee

- Thir Captive, and thir triumph; thou the sooner

- Temptation found’st, or over-potent charms

- To violate the sacred trust of silence

- Deposited within thee; which to have kept

- Tacit, was in thy power; true; and thou bear’st  originalEd: 430

- Enough, and more the burden of that fault;

- Bitterly hast thou paid, and still art paying

- That rigid score. A worse thing yet remains,

- This day the Philistines a popular Feast

- Here celebrate in Gaza; and proclaim

- Great Pomp, and Sacrifice, and Praises loud

- To Dagon, as their God who hath deliver’d

- Thee Samson bound and blind into thir hands,

- Them out of thine, who slew’st them many a slain.

- So Dagon shall be magnifi’d, and God,  originalEd: 440

- Besides whom is no God, compar’d with Idols,

- Disglorifi’d, blasphem’d, and had in scorn

- By th’ Idolatrous rout amidst thir wine;

- Which to have come to pass by means of thee,

- Samson, of all thy sufferings think the heaviest,

- Of all reproach the most with shame that ever

- Could have befall’n thee and thy Fathers house.

Sam.

- Father, I do acknowledge and confess

- That I this honour, I this pomp have brought

- To Dagon, and advanc’d his praises high  originalEd: 450

- Among the Heathen round; to God have brought

- Dishonour, obloquie, and op’t the mouths

- Of Idolists, and Atheists; have brought scandal

- To Israel, diffidence of God, and doubt

- In feeble hearts, propense anough before

- To waver, or fall off and joyn with Idols:

- Which is my chief affliction, shame and sorrow,

- The anguish of my Soul, that suffers not

- Mine eie to harbour sleep, or thoughts to rest.

- This only hope relieves me, that the strife  originalEd: 460

- With me hath end; all the contest is now

- ’Twixt God and Dagon; Dagon hath presum’d,

- Me overthrown, to enter lists with God,

- His Deity comparing and preferring

- Before the God of Abraham. He, be sure,

- Will not connive, or linger, thus provok’d,

- But will arise and his great name assert:

- Dagon must stoop, and shall e’re long receive

- Such a discomfit, as shall quite despoil him

- Of all these boasted Trophies won on me,  originalEd: 470

- And with confusion blank his Worshippers.

Man.

- With cause this hope relieves thee, and these words

- I as a Prophecy receive: for God,

- Nothing more certain, will not long defer

- To vindicate the glory of his name

- Against all competition, nor will long

- Endure it, doubtful whether God be Lord,

- Or Dagon. But for thee what shall be done?

- Thou must not in the mean while here forgot

- Lie in this miserable loathsom plight  originalEd: 480

- Neglected. I already have made way

- To some Philistian Lords, with whom to treat

- About thy ransom: well they may by this

- Have satisfi’d thir utmost of revenge

- By pains and slaveries, worse then death inflicted

- On thee, who now no more canst do them harm.

Sam.

- Spare that proposal, Father, spare the trouble

- Of that sollicitation; let me here,

- As I deserve, pay on my punishment;

- And expiate, if possible, my crime,  originalEd: 490

- Shameful garrulity. To have reveal’d

- Secrets of men, the secrets of a friend,

- How hainous had the fact been, how deserving

- Contempt, and scorn of all, to be excluded

- All friendship, and avoided as a blab,

- The mark of fool set on his front?

- But I Gods counsel have not kept, his holy secret

- Presumptuously have publish’d, impiously,

- Weakly at least, and shamefully: A sin

- That Gentiles in thir Parables condemn  originalEd: 500

- To thir abyss and horrid pains confin’d.

Man.

- Be penitent and for thy fault contrite,

- But act not in thy own affliction, Son,

- Repent the sin, but if the punishment

- Thou canst avoid, self-preservation bids;

- Or th’ execution leave to high disposal,

- And let another hand, not thine, exact

- Thy penal forfeit from thy self; perhaps

- God will relent, and quit thee all his debt;

- Who evermore approves and more accepts  originalEd: 510

- (Best pleas’d with humble and filial submission)

- Him who imploring mercy sues for life,

- Then who self-rigorous chooses death as due;

- Which argues over-just, and self-displeas’d

- For self-offence, more then for God offended.

- Reject not then what offerd means, who knows

- But God hath set before us, to return thee

- Home to thy countrey and his sacred house,

- Where thou mayst bring thy off’rings, to avert

- His further ire, with praiers and vows renew’d.  originalEd: 520

Sam.

- His pardon I implore; but as for life,

- To what end should I seek it? when in strength

- All mortals I excell’d, and great in hopes

- With youthful courage and magnanimous thoughts

- Of birth from Heav’n foretold and high exploits,

- Full of divine instinct, after some proof

- Of acts indeed heroic, far beyond

- The Sons of Anac, famous now and blaz’d,

- Fearless of danger, like a petty God

- I walk’d about admir’d of all and dreaded  originalEd: 530

- On hostile ground, none daring my affront.

- Then swoll’n with pride into the snare I fell

- Of fair fallacious looks, venereal trains,

- Softn’d with pleasure and voluptuous life;

- At length to lay my head and hallow’d pledge

- Of all my strength in the lascivious lap

- Of a deceitful Concubine who shore me

- Like a tame Weather, all my precious fleece,

- Then turn’d me out ridiculous, despoil’d,

- Shav’n, and disarm’d among my enemies.  originalEd: 540

Chor.

- Desire of wine and all delicious drinks,

- Which many a famous Warriour overturns,

- Thou couldst repress, nor did the dancing Rubie

- Sparkling, out-pow’rd, the flavor, or the smell,

- Or taste that cheers the heart of Gods and men,

- Allure thee from the cool Crystalline stream.

Sam.

- Where ever fountain or fresh current flow’d

- Against the Eastern ray, translucent, pure,

- With touch ætherial of Heav’ns fiery rod

- I drank, from the clear milkie juice allaying  originalEd: 550

- Thirst, and refresht; nor envy’d them the grape

- Whose heads that turbulent liquor fills with fumes.

Chor.

- O madness, to think use of strongest wines

- And strongest drinks our chief support of health,

- When God with these forbid’n made choice to rear

- His mighty Champion, strong above compare,

- Whose drink was only from the liquid brook.

Sam.

- But what avail’d this temperance, not compleat

- Against another object more enticing?

- What boots it at one gate to make defence,  originalEd: 560

- And at another to let in the foe

- Effeminatly vanquish’t? by which means,

- Now blind, disheartn’d, sham’d, dishonour’d, quell’d,

- To what can I be useful, wherein serve

- My Nation, and the work from Heav’n impos’d,

- But to sit idle on the houshold hearth,

- A burdenous drone; to visitants a gaze,

- Or pitied object, these redundant locks

- Robustious to no purpose clustring down,

- Vain monument of strength; till length of years  originalEd: 570

- And sedentary numness craze my limbs

- To a contemptible old age obscure.

- Here rather let me drudge and earn my bread,

- Till vermin or the draff of servil food

- Consume me, and oft-invocated death

- Hast’n the welcom end of all my pains.

Man.

- Wilt thou then serve the Philistines with that gift

- Which was expresly giv’n thee to annoy them?

- Better at home lie bed-rid, not only idle,

- Inglorious, unimploy’d, with age out-worn.  originalEd: 580

- But God who caus’d a fountain at thy prayer

- From the dry ground to spring, thy thirst to allay

- After the brunt of battel, can as easie

- Cause light again within thy eies to spring,

- Wherewith to serve him better then thou hast;

- And I perswade me so; why else this strength

- Miraculous yet remaining in those locks?

- His might continues in thee not for naught,

- Nor shall his wondrous gifts be frustrate thus.

Sam.

- All otherwise to me my thoughts portend,  originalEd: 590

- That these dark orbs no more shall treat with light,

- Nor th’ other light of life continue long,

- But yield to double darkness nigh at hand:

- So much I feel my genial spirits droop,

- My hopes all flat, nature within me seems

- In all her functions weary of herself;

- My race of glory run, and race of shame,

- And I shall shortly be with them that rest.

Man.

- Believe not these suggestions which proceed

- From anguish of the mind and humours black,  originalEd: 600

- That mingle with thy fancy. I however

- Must not omit a Fathers timely care

- To prosecute the means of thy deliverance

- By ransom or how else: mean while be calm,

- And healing words from these thy friends admit.

Sam.

- O that torment should not be confin’d

- To the bodies wounds and sores

- With maladies innumerable

- In heart, head, brest, and reins;

- But must secret passage find  originalEd: 610

- To th’ inmost mind,

- There exercise all his fierce accidents,

- And on her purest spirits prey,

- As on entrails, joints, and limbs,

- With answerable pains, but more intense,

- Though void of corporal sense.

- My griefs not only pain me

- As a lingring disease,

- But finding no redress, ferment and rage,

- Nor less then wounds immedicable  originalEd: 620

- Ranckle, and fester, and gangrene,

- To black mortification.

- Thoughts my Tormenters arm’d with deadly stings

- Mangle my apprehensive tenderest parts,

- Exasperate, exulcerate, and raise

- Dire inflammation which no cooling herb

- Or medcinal liquor can asswage,

- Nor breath of Vernal Air from snowy Alp.

- Sleep hath forsook and giv’n me o’re

- To deaths benumming Opium as my only cure.  originalEd: 630

- Thence faintings, swounings of despair,

- And sense of Heav’ns desertion.

- I was his nursling once and choice delight,

- His destin’d from the womb,

- Promisd by Heavenly message twice descending.

- Under his special eie

- Abstemious I grew up and thriv’d amain;

- He led me on to mightiest deeds

- Above the nerve of mortal arm

- Against the uncircumcis’d, our enemies.  originalEd: 640

- But now hath cast me off as never known,

- And to those cruel enemies,

- Whom I by his appointment had provok’t,

- Left me all helpless with th’ irreparable loss

- Of sight, reserv’d alive to be repeated

- The subject of thir cruelty, or scorn.

- Nor am I in the list of them that hope;

- Hopeless are all my evils, all remediless;

- This one prayer yet remains, might I be heard,

- No long petition, speedy death,  originalEd: 650

- The close of all my miseries, and the balm.

Chor.

- Many are the sayings of the wise

- In antient and in modern books enroll’d;

- Extolling Patience as the truest fortitude;

- And to the bearing well of all calamities,

- All chances incident to mans frail life

- Consolatories writ

- With studied argument, and much perswasion sought

- Lenient of grief and anxious thought,

- But with th’ afflicted in his pangs thir sound  originalEd: 660

- Little prevails, or rather seems a tune,

- Harsh, and of dissonant mood from his complaint,

- Unless he feel within

- Some sourse of consolation from above;

- Secret refreshings, that repair his strength,

- And fainting spirits uphold.

- God of our Fathers, what is man!

- That thou towards him with hand so various,

- Or might I say contrarious,

- Temperst thy providence through his short course,  originalEd: 670

- Not evenly, as thou rul’st

- The Angelic orders and inferiour creatures mute,

- Irrational and brute.

- Nor do I name of men the common rout,

- That wandring loose about

- Grow up and perish, as the summer flie,

- Heads without name no more rememberd,

- But such as thou hast solemnly elected,

- With gifts and graces eminently adorn’d

- To some great work, thy glory,  originalEd: 680

- And peoples safety, which in part they effect:

- Yet toward these thus dignifi’d, thou oft

- Amidst thir highth of noon,

- Changest thy countenance, and thy hand with no regard

- Of highest favours past

- From thee on them, or them to thee of service.

- Nor only dost degrade them, or remit

- To life obscur’d, which were a fair dismission,

- But throw’st them lower then thou didst exalt them high,

- Unseemly falls in human eie,  originalEd: 690

- Too grievous for the trespass or omission,

- Oft leav’st them to the hostile sword

- Of Heathen and prophane, thir carkasses

- To dogs and fowls a prey, or else captiv’d:

- Or to the unjust tribunals, under change of times,

- And condemnation of the ingrateful multitude.

- If these they scape, perhaps in poverty

- With sickness and disease thou bow’st them down,

- Painful diseases and deform’d,

- In crude old age;  originalEd: 700

- Though not disordinate, yet causless suffring

- The punishment of dissolute days, in fine,

- Just or unjust, seem alike miserable,

- For oft alike, both come to evil end.

- So deal not with this once thy glorious Champion,

- The Image of thy strength, and mighty minister.

- What do I beg? how hast thou dealt already?

- Behold him in this state calamitous, and turn

- His labours, for thou canst, to peaceful end.

- But who is this, what thing of Sea or Land?  originalEd: 710

- Femal of sex it seems,

- That so bedeckt, ornate, and gay,

- Comes this way sailing

- Like a stately Ship

- Of Tarsus, bound for th’ Isles

- Of Javan or Gadier

- With all her bravery on, and tackle trim,

- Sails fill’d, and streamers waving,

- Courted by all the winds that hold them play,

- An Amber sent of odorous perfume  originalEd: 720

- Her harbinger, a damsel train behind;

- Some rich Philistian Matron she may seem,

- And now at nearer view, no other certain

- Than Dalila thy wife.

Sam.

My Wife, my Traytress, let her not come near me.

Cho.

- Yet on she moves, now stands eies thee fixt,

- About t’ have spoke, but now, with head declin’d

- Like a fair flower surcharg’d with dew, she weeps

- And words addrest seem into tears dissolv’d,

- Wetting the borders of her silk’n veil:  originalEd: 730

- But now again she makes address to speak.

Dal.

- With doubtful feet and wavering resolution

- I came, still dreading thy displeasure, Samson,

- Which to have merited, without excuse,

- I cannot but acknowledge; yet if tears

- May expiate (though the fact more evil drew

- In the perverse event then I foresaw)

- My penance hath not slack’n’d, though my pardon

- No way assur’d. But conjugal affection

- Prevailing over fear, and timerous doubt  originalEd: 740

- Hath led me on desirous to behold

- Once more thy face, and know of thy estate.

- If aught in my ability may serve

- To light’n what thou suffer’st, and appease

- Thy mind with what amends is in my power,

- Though late, yet in some part to recompense

- My rash but more unfortunate misdeed.

Sam.

- Out, out Hyæna; these are thy wonted arts,

- And arts of every woman false like thee,

- To break all faith, all vows, deceive, betray,  originalEd: 750

- Then as repentant to submit, beseech,

- And reconcilement move with feign’d remorse,

- Confess, and promise wonders in her change,

- Not truly penitent, but chief to try

- Her husband, how far urg’d his patience bears,

- His vertue or weakness which way to assail:

- Then with more cautious and instructed skill

- Again transgresses, and again submits;

- That wisest and best men full oft beguil’d

- With goodness principl’d not to reject  originalEd: 760

- The penitent, but ever to forgive,

- Are drawn to wear out miserable days,

- Entangl’d with a poysnous bosom snake,

- If not by quick destruction soon cut off

- As I by thee, to Ages an example.

Dal.

- Yet hear me Samson; not that I endeavour

- To lessen or extenuate my offence,

- But that on th’ other side if it be weigh’d

- By it self, with aggravations not surcharg’d,

- Or else with just allowance counterpois’d  originalEd: 770

- I may, if possible, thy pardon find

- The easier towards me, or thy hatred less.

- First granting, as I do, it was a weakness

- In me, but incident to all our sex,

- Curiosity, inquisitive, importune

- Of secrets, then with like infirmity

- To publish them, both common female faults:

- Was it not weakness also to make known

- For importunity, that is for naught,

- Wherein consisted all thy strength and safety?  originalEd: 780

- To what I did thou shewdst me first the way.

- But I to enemies reveal’d, and should not.

- Nor shouldst thou have trusted that to womans frailty

- E’re I to thee, thou to thy self wast cruel.

- Let weakness then with weakness come to parl

- So near related, or the same of kind,

- Thine forgive mine; that men may censure thine

- The gentler, if severely thou exact not

- More strength from me, then in thy self was found.

- And what if Love, which thou interpret’st hate,  originalEd: 790

- The jealousie of Love, powerful of sway

- In human hearts, nor less in mine towards thee,

- Caus’d what I did? I saw thee mutable

- Of fancy, feard lest one day thou wouldst leave me

- As her at Timna, sought by all means therefore

- How to endear, and hold thee to me firmest:

- No better way I saw then by importuning

- To learn thy secrets, get into my power

- Thy key of strength and safety: thou wilt say,

- Why then reveal’d? I was assur’d by those  originalEd: 800

- Who tempted me, that nothing was design’d

- Against thee but safe custody, and hold:

- That made for me, I knew that liberty

- Would draw thee forth to perilous enterprises,

- While I at home sate full of cares and fears

- Wailing thy absence in my widow’d bed;

- Here I should still enjoy thee day and night

- Mine and Loves prisoner, not the Philistines,

- Whole to my self, unhazarded abroad,

- Fearless at home of partners in my love.  originalEd: 810

- These reasons in Loves law have past for good,

- Though fond and reasonless to some perhaps:

- And Love hath oft, well meaning, wrought much wo,

- Yet always pity or pardon hath obtain’d.

- Be not unlike all others, not austere

- As thou art strong, inflexible as steel.

- If thou in strength all mortals dost exceed,

- In uncompassionate anger do not so.

Sam.

- How cunningly the sorceress displays

- Her own transgressions, to upbraid me mine!  originalEd: 820

- That malice not repentance brought thee hither,

- By this appears: I gave, thou say’st, th’ example,

- I led the way; bitter reproach, but true,

- I to my self was false e’re thou to me,

- Such pardon therefore as I give my folly,

- Take to thy wicked deed: which when thou seest

- Impartial, self-severe, inexorable,

- Thou wilt renounce thy seeking, and much rather

- Confess it feign’d, weakness is thy excuse,

- And I believe it, weakness to resist  originalEd: 830

- Philistian gold: if weakness may excuse,

- What Murtherer, what Traytor, Parricide,

- Incestuous, Sacrilegious, but may plead it?

- All wickedness is weakness: that plea therefore

- With God or Man will gain thee no remission.

- But Love constrain’d thee; call it furious rage

- To satisfie thy lust: Love seeks to have Love;

- My love how couldst thou hope, who tookst the way

- To raise in me inexpiable hate,

- Knowing, as needs I must, by thee betray’d?  originalEd: 840

- In vain thou striv’st to cover shame with shame,

- Or by evasions thy crime uncoverst more.

Dal.

- Since thou determinst weakness for no plea

- In man or woman, though to thy own condemning,

- Hear what assaults I had, what snares besides,

- What sieges girt me round, e’re I consented;

- Which might have aw’d the best resolv’d of men,

- The constantest to have yielded without blame.

- It was not gold, as to my charge thou lay’st,

- That wrought with me: thou know’st the Magistrates  originalEd: 850

- And Princes of my countrey came in person,

- Sollicited, commanded, threatn’d, urg’d,

- Adjur’d by all the bonds of civil Duty

- And of Religion, press’d how just it was,

- How honourable, how glorious to entrap

- A common enemy, who had destroy’d

- Such numbers of our Nation: and the Priest

- Was not behind, but ever at my ear,

- Preaching how meritorious with the gods

- It would be to ensnare an irreligious  originalEd: 860

- Dishonourer of Dagon: what had I

- To oppose against such powerful arguments?

- Only my love of thee held long debate;

- And combated in silence all these reasons

- With hard contest: at length that grounded maxim

- So rife and celebrated in the mouths

- Of wisest men; that to the public good

- Private respects must yield; with grave authority

- Took full possession of me and prevail’d;

- Vertue, as I thought, truth, duty so enjoyning.  originalEd: 870

Sam.

- I thought where all thy circling wiles would end;

- In feign’d Religion, smooth hypocrisie.

- But had thy love, still odiously pretended,

- Bin, as it ought, sincere, it would have taught thee

- Far other reasonings, brought forth other deeds.

- I before all the daughters of my Tribe

- And of my Nation chose thee from among

- My enemies, lov’d thee, as too well thou knew’st,

- Too well, unbosom’d all my secrets to thee,

- Not out of levity, but over-powr’d  originalEd: 880

- By thy request, who could deny thee nothing;

- Yet now am judg’d an enemy. Why then

- Didst thou at first receive me for thy husband?

- Then, as since then, thy countries foe profest:

- Being once a wife, for me thou wast to leave

- Parents and countrey; nor was I their subject,

- Nor under their protection but my own,

- Thou mine, not theirs: if aught against my life

- Thy countrey sought of thee, it sought unjustly,

- Against the law of nature, law of nations,  originalEd: 890

- No more thy countrey, but an impious crew

- Of men conspiring to uphold thir state

- By worse than hostile deeds, violating the ends

- For which our countrey is a name so dear;

- Not therefore to be obey’d. But zeal mov’d thee;

- To please thy gods thou didst it; gods unable

- To acquit themselves and prosecute their foes

- But by ungodly deeds, the contradiction

- Of their own deity, Gods cannot be:

- Less therefore to be pleas’d, obey’d, or fear’d,  originalEd: 900

- These false pretexts and varnish’d colours failing,

- Bare in thy guilt how foul must thou appear?

Dal.

- In argument with men a woman ever

- Goes by the worse, whatever be her cause.

Sam.

- For want of words no doubt, or lack of breath,

- Witness when I was worried with thy peals.

Dal.

- I was a fool, too rash, and quite mistaken

- In what I thought would have succeeded best.

- Let me obtain forgiveness of thee, Samson,

- Afford me place to shew what recompence  originalEd: 910

- Towards thee I intend for what I have misdone,

- Misguided: only what remains past cure

- Bear not too sensibly, nor still insist

- To afflict thy self in vain: though sight be lost,

- Life yet hath many solaces, enjoy’d

- Where other senses want not their delights

- At home in leisure and domestic ease,

- Exempt from many a care and chance to which

- Eye-sight exposes daily men abroad.

- I to the Lords will intercede, not doubting  originalEd: 920

- Thir favourable ear, that I may fetch thee

- From forth this loathsom prison-house, to abide

- With me, where my redoubl’d love and care

- With nursing diligence, to me glad office,

- May ever tend about thee to old age

- With all things grateful chear’d, and so suppli’d,

- That what by me thou hast lost thou least shalt miss.

Sam.

- No, no, of my condition take no care;

- It fits not; thou and I long since are twain;

- Nor think me so unwary or accurst  originalEd: 930

- To bring my feet again into the snare

- Where once I have been caught; I know thy trains

- Though dearly to my cost, thy ginns, and toyls;

- Thy fair enchanted cup, and warbling charms

- No more on me have power, their force is null’d,

- So much of Adders wisdom I have learn’t

- To fence my ear against thy sorceries.

- If in my flower of youth and strength, when all men

- Lov’d, honour’d, fear’d me, thou alone could hate me

- Thy Husband, slight me, sell me, and forgo me;  originalEd: 940

- How wouldst thou use me now, blind, and thereby

- Deceiveable, in most things as a child

- Helpless, thence easily contemn’d, and scorn’d,

- And last neglected? How wouldst thou insult

- When I must live uxorious to thy will

- In perfet thraldom, how again betray me,

- Bearing my words and doings to the Lords

- To gloss upon, and censuring, frown or smile?

- This Gaol I count the house of Liberty

- To thine whose doors my feet shall never enter.  originalEd: 950

Dal.

Let me approach at least, and touch thy hand.

Sam.

- Not for thy life, lest fierce remembrance wake

- My sudden rage to tear thee joint by joint.

- At distance I forgive thee, go with that;

- Bewail thy falshood, and the pious works

- It hath brought forth to make thee memorable

- Among illustrious women, faithful wives:

- Cherish thy hast’n’d widowhood with the gold

- Of Matrimonial treason: so farewel.

Dal.

- I see thou art implacable, more deaf  originalEd: 960

- To prayers, then winds and seas, yet winds to seas

- Are reconcil’d at length, and Sea to Shore:

- Thy anger, unappeasable, still rages,

- Eternal tempest never to be calm’d.

- Why do I humble thus my self, and suing

- For peace, reap nothing but repulse and hate?

- Bid go with evil omen and the brand

- Of infamy upon my name denounc’t?

- To mix with thy concernments I desist

- Henceforth, nor too much disapprove my own.  originalEd: 970

- Fame if not double-fac’t is double-mouth’d,

- And with contrary blast proclaims most deeds,

- On both his wings, one black, th’ other white,

- Bears greatest names in his wild aerie flight.

- My name perhaps among the Circumcis’d

- In Dan, in Judah, and the bordering Tribes,

- To all posterity may stand defam’d,

- With malediction mention’d, and the blot

- Of falshood most unconjugal traduc’t.

- But in my countrey where I most desire,  originalEd: 980

- In Ecron, Gaza, Asdod, and in Gath

- I shall be nam’d among the famousest

- Of Women, sung at solemn festivals,

- Living and dead recorded, who to save

- Her countrey from a fierce destroyer, chose

- Above the faith of wedlock-bands, my tomb

- With odours visited and annual flowers.

- Not less renown’d then in Mount Ephraim,

- Jael, who with inhospitable guile

- Smote Sisera sleeping through the Temples nail’d.  originalEd: 990

- Nor shall I count it hainous to enjoy

- The public marks of honour and reward

- Conferr’d upon me, for the piety

- Which to my countrey I was judg’d to have shewn.

- At this who ever envies or repines

- I leave him to his lot, and like my own.

Chor.

- She’s gone, a manifest Serpent by her sting

- Discover’d in the end, till now conceal’d.

Sam.

- So let her go, God sent her to debase me,

- And aggravate my folly who committed  originalEd: 1000

- To such a viper his most sacred trust

- Of secresie, my safety, and my life.

Chor.

- Yet beauty, though injurious, hath strange power,

- After offence returning, to regain

- Love once possest, nor can be easily

- Repuls’t, without much inward passion felt

- And secret sting of amorous remorse.

Sam.

- Love-quarrels oft in pleasing concord end,

- Not wedlock-trechery endangering life.

Chor.

- It is not vertue, wisdom, valour, wit,  originalEd: 1010

- Strength, comliness of shape, or amplest merit

- That womans love can win or long inherit;

- But what it is, hard is to say,

- Harder to hit,

- (Which way soever men refer it)

- Much like thy riddle, Samson, in one day

- Or seven, though one should musing sit;

- If any of these or all, the Timnian bride

- Had not so soon preferr’d

- Thy Paranymph, worthless to thee compar’d,  originalEd: 1020

- Successour in thy bed,

- Nor both so loosly disally’d

- Thir nuptials, nor this last so trecherously

- Had shorn the fatal harvest of thy head.

- Is it for that such outward ornament

- Was lavish’t on thir Sex, that inward gifts

- Were left for hast unfinish’t, judgment scant,

- Capacity not rais’d to apprehend

- Or value what is best

- In choice, but oftest to affect the wrong?  originalEd: 1030

- Or was too much of self-love mixt,

- Of constancy no root infixt,

- That either they love nothing, or not long?

- What e’re it be, to wisest men and best

- Seeming at first all heavenly under virgin veil,

- Soft, modest, meek, demure,

- Once join’d, the contrary she proves, a thorn

- Intestin, far within defensive arms

- A cleaving mischief, in his way to vertue

- Adverse and turbulent, or by her charms  originalEd: 1040

- Draws him awry enslav’d

- With dotage, and his sense deprav’d

- To folly and shameful deeds which ruin ends.

- What Pilot so expert but needs must wreck

- Embarqu’d with such a Stears-mate at the Helm?

- Favour’d of Heav’n who finds

- One vertuous rarely found,

- That in domestic good combines:

- Happy that house! his way to peace is smooth:

- But vertue which breaks through all opposition,  originalEd: 1050

- And all temptation can remove,

- Most shines and most is acceptable above.

- Therefore Gods universal Law

- Gave to the man despotic power

- Over his female in due awe,

- Nor from that right to part an hour,

- Smile she or lowre:

- So shall he least confusion draw

- On his whole life, not sway’d

- By female usurpation, nor dismay’d.  originalEd: 1060

- But had we best retire, I see a storm?

Sam.

Fair days have oft contracted wind and rain.

Chor.

But this another kind of tempest brings.

Sam.

Be less abstruse, my riddling days are past.

Chor.

- Look now for no inchanting voice, nor fear

- The bait of honied words; a rougher tongue

- Draws hitherward, I know him by his stride,

- The Giant Harapha of Gath, his look

- Haughty as is his pile high-built and proud.

- Comes he in peace? what wind hath blown him hither

- I less conjecture then when first I saw  originalEd: 1071

- The sumptuous Dalila floating this way:

- His habit carries peace, his brow defiance.

Sam.

Or peace or not, alike to me he comes.

Chor.

His fraught we soon shall know, he now arrives.

Har.

- I come not Samson, to condole thy chance,

- As these perhaps, yet wish it had not been,

- Though for no friendly intent. I am of Gath,

- Men call me Harapha, of stock renown’d

- As Og or Anak and the Emims old  originalEd: 1080

- That Kiriathaim held, thou knowst me now

- If thou at all art known. Much I have heard

- Of thy prodigious might and feats perform’d

- Incredible to me, in this displeas’d,

- That I was never present on the place

- Of those encounters, where we might have tri’d

- Each others force in camp or listed field:

- And now am come to see of whom such noise

- Hath walk’d about, and each limb to survey,

- If thy appearance answer loud report.  originalEd: 1090

Sam.

The way to know were not to see but taste.

Har.

- Dost thou already single me; I thought

- Gives and the Mill had tam’d thee? O that fortune

- Had brought me to the field where thou art fam’d

- To have wrought such wonders with an Asses Jaw;

- I should have forc’d thee soon with other arms,

- Or left thy carkass where the Ass lay thrown:

- So had the glory of Prowess been recover’d

- To Palestine, won by a Philistine

- From the unforeskinn’d race, of whom thou bear’st  originalEd: 1100

- The highest name for valiant Acts, that honour

- Certain to have won by mortal duel from thee,

- I lose, prevented by thy eyes put out.

Sam.

- Boast not of what thou wouldst have done, but do

- What then thou would’st, thou seest it in thy hand.

Har.

- To combat with a blind man I disdain,

- And thou hast need much washing to be toucht.

Sam.

- Such usage as your honourable Lords

- Afford me assassinated and betray’d,

- Who durst not with thir whole united powers  originalEd: 1110

- In fight withstand me single and unarm’d,

- Nor in the house with chamber Ambushes

- Close-banded durst attaque me, no not sleeping,

- Till they had hir’d a woman with their gold

- Breaking her Marriage Faith to circumvent me.

- Therefore without feign’d shifts let be assign’d

- Some narrow place enclos’d, where sight may give thee,

- Or rather flight, no great advantage on me;

- Then put on all thy gorgeous arms, thy Helmet

- And Brigandine of brass, thy broad Habergeon,  originalEd: 1120

- Vant-brass and Greves, and Gauntlet, add thy Spear

- A Weavers beam, and seven-times-folded shield,

- I only with an Oak’n staff will meet thee,

- And raise such out-cries on thy clatter’d Iron,

- Which long shall not with-hold mee from thy head,

- That in a little time while breath remains thee,

- Thou oft shalt wish thy self at Gath to boast

- Again in safety what thou wouldst have done

- To Samson, but shalt never see Gath more.

Har.

- Thou durst not thus disparage glorious arms  originalEd: 1130

- Which greatest Heroes have in battel worn,

- Thir ornament and safety, had not spells

- And black enchantments, some Magicians Art

- Arm’d thee or charm’d thee strong, which thou from Heaven

- Feigndst at thy birth was giv’n thee in thy hair,

- Where strength can least abide, though all thy hairs

- Were bristles rang’d like those that ridge the back

- Of chaf’t wild Boars, or ruffl’d Porcupines.

Sam.

- I know no Spells, use no forbidden Arts;

- My trust is in the living God who gave me  originalEd: 1140

- At my Nativity this strength, diffus’d

- No less through all my sinews, joints and bones,

- Then thine, while I preserv’d these locks unshorn,

- The pledge of my unviolated vow.

- For proof hereof, if Dagon be thy god,

- Go to his Temple, invocate his aid

- With solemnest devotion, spread before him

- How highly it concerns his glory now

- To frustrate and dissolve these Magic spells,

- Which I to be the power of Israel ’s God  originalEd: 1150

- Avow, and challenge Dagon to the test,

- Offering to combat thee his Champion bold,

- With th’ utmost of his Godhead seconded:

- Then thou shalt see, or rather to thy sorrow

- Soon feel, whose God is strongest, thine or mine.

Har.

- Presume not on thy God, what e’re he be,

- Thee he regards not, owns not, hath cut off

- Quite from his people, and delivered up

- Into thy Enemies hand, permitted them

- To put out both thine eyes, and fetter’d send thee  originalEd: 1160

- Into the common Prison, there to grind

- Among the Slaves and Asses thy comrades,

- As good for nothing else, no better service

- With those thy boyst’rous locks, no worthy match

- For valour to assail, nor by the sword

- Of noble Warriour, so to stain his honour,

- But by the Barbers razor best subdu’d.

Sam.

- All these indignities, for such they are

- From thine, these evils I deserve and more,

- Acknowledge them from God inflicted on me  originalEd: 1170

- Justly, yet despair not of his final pardon

- Whose ear is ever open; and his eye

- Gracious to re-admit the suppliant;

- In confidence whereof I once again

- Defie thee to the trial of mortal fight,

- By combat to decide whose god is God,

- Thine or whom I with Israel ’s Sons adore.

Har.

- Fair honour that thou dost thy God, in trusting

- He will accept thee to defend his cause,

- A Murtherer, a Revolter, and a Robber.  originalEd: 1180

Sam.

Tongue-doubtie Giant, how dost thou prove me these?

Har.

- Is not thy Nation subject to our Lords?

- Thir Magistrates confest it, when they took thee

- As a League-breaker and deliver’d bound

- Into our hands: for hadst thou not committed

- Notorious murder on those thirty men

- At Askalon, who never did thee harm,

- Then like a Robber stripdst them of thir robes?

- The Philistines, when thou hadst broke the league,

- Went up with armed powers thee only seeking,  originalEd: 1190

- To others did no violence nor spoil.

Sam.

- Among the Daughters of the Philistines

- I chose a Wife, which argu’d me no foe;

- And in your City held my Nuptial Feast:

- But your ill-meaning Politician Lords,

- Under pretence of Bridal friends and guests,

- Appointed to await me thirty spies,

- Who threatning cruel death constrain’d the bride

- To wring from me and tell to them my secret,

- That solv’d the riddle which I had propos’d.  originalEd: 1200

- When I perceiv’d all set on enmity,

- As on my enemies, where ever chanc’d,

- I us’d hostility, and took thir spoil

- To pay my underminers in thir coin.

- My Nation was subjected to your Lords.

- It was the force of Conquest; force with force

- Is well ejected when the Conquer’d can.

- But I a private person, whom my Countrey

- As a league-breaker gave up bound, presum’d

- Single Rebellion and did Hostile Acts.  originalEd: 1210

- I was no private but a person rais’d

- With strength sufficient and command from Heav’n

- To free my Countrey; if their servile minds

- Me their Deliverer sent would not receive,

- But to thir Masters gave me up for nought,

- Th’ unworthier they; whence to this day they serve.

- I was to do my part from Heav’n assign’d,

- And had perform’d it if my known offence

- Had not disabl’d me, not all your force:

- These shifts refuted, answer thy appellant  originalEd: 1220

- Though by his blindness maim’d for high attempts,

- Who now defies thee thrice to single fight,

- As a petty enterprise of small enforce.

Har.

- With thee a Man condemn’d, a Slave enrol’d,

- Due by the Law to capital punishment?

- To fight with thee no man of arms will deign.

Sam.

- Cam’st thou for this, vain boaster, to survey me,

- To descant on my strength, and give thy verdit?

- Come nearer, part not hence so slight inform’d;

- But take good heed my hand survey not thee.  originalEd: 1230

Har.

- O Baal-zebub ! can my ears unus’d

- Hear these dishonours, and not render death?

Sam.

- No man with-holds thee, nothing from thy hand

- Fear I incurable; bring up thy van,

- My heels are fetter’d, but my fist is free.

Har.

This insolence other kind of answer fits.

Sam.

- Go baffl’d coward, lest I run upon thee,

- Though in these chains, bulk without spirit vast,

- And with one buffet lay thy structure low,

- Or swing thee in the Air, then dash thee down  originalEd: 1240

- To the hazard of thy brains and shatter’d sides.

Har.

- By Astaroth e’re long thou shalt lament

- These braveries in Irons loaden on thee.

Chor.

- His Giantship is gone somewhat crestfall’n,

- Stalking with less unconsci’nable strides,

- And lower looks, but in a sultrie chafe.

Sam.

- I dread him not, nor all his Giant-brood,

- Though Fame divulge him Father of five Sons

- All of Gigantic size, Goliah chief.

Chor.

- He will directly to the Lords, I fear,  originalEd: 1250

- And with malitious counsel stir them up

- Some way or other yet further to afflict thee.

Sam.

- He must allege some cause, and offer’d fight

- Will not dare mention, lest a question rise

- Whether he durst accept the offer or not,

- And that he durst not plain enough appear’d.

- Much more affliction then already felt

- They cannot well impose, nor I sustain;

- If they intend advantage of my labours

- The work of many hands, which earns my keeping  originalEd: 1260

- With no small profit daily to my owners.

- But come what will, my deadliest foe will prove

- My speediest friend, by death to rid me hence,

- The worst that he can give, to me the best.

- Yet so it may fall out, because thir end

- Is hate, not help to me, it may with mine

- Draw thir own ruin who attempt the deed.

Chor.

- Oh how comely it is and how reviving

- To the Spirits of just men long opprest!

- When God into the hands of thir deliverer  originalEd: 1270

- Puts invincible might

- To quell the mighty of the Earth, th’ oppressour,

- The brute and boist’rous force of violent men

- Hardy and industrious to support

- Tyrannic power, but raging to pursue

- The righteous and all such as honour Truth;

- He all thir Ammunition

- And feats of War defeats

- With plain Heroic magnitude of mind

- And celestial vigour arm’d,  originalEd: 1280

- Thir Armories and Magazins contemns,

- Renders them useless, while

- With winged expedition

- Swift as the lightning glance he executes

- His errand on the wicked, who surpris’d

- Lose thir defence distracted and amaz’d.

- But patience is more oft the exercise

- Of Saints, the trial of thir fortitude,

- Making them each his own Deliverer,

- And Victor over all  originalEd: 1290

- That tyrannie or fortune can inflict,

- Either of these is in thy lot,

- Samson, with might endu’d

- Above the Sons of men; but sight bereav’d

- May chance to number thee with those

- Whom Patience finally must crown.

- This Idols day hath bin to thee no day of rest,

- Labouring thy mind

- More then the working day thy hands,

- And yet perhaps more trouble is behind.  originalEd: 1300

- For I descry this way

- Some other tending, in his hand

- A Scepter or quaint staff he bears,

- Comes on amain, speed in his look.

- By his habit I discern him now

- A Public Officer, and now at hand.

- His message will be short and voluble.

Off.

Ebrews, the Pris’ner Samson here I seek.

Chor.

His manacles remark him, there he sits.

Off.

- Samson, to thee our Lords thus bid me say;  originalEd: 1310

- This day to Dagon is a solemn Feast,

- With Sacrifices, Triumph, Pomp, and Games;

- Thy strength they know surpassing human rate,

- And now some public proof thereof require

- To honour this great Feast, and great Assembly;

- Rise therefore with all speed and come along,

- Where I will see thee heartn’d and fresh clad

- To appear as fits before th’ illustrious Lords.

Sam.

- Thou knowst I am an Ebrew, therefore tell them,

- Our Law forbids at thir Religious Rites  originalEd: 1320

- My presence; for that cause I cannot come.

Off.

This answer, be assur’d, will not content them.

Sam.

- Have they not Sword-players, and ev’ry sort

- Of Gymnic Artists, Wrestlers, Riders, Runners,

- Juglers and Dancers, Antics, Mummers, Mimics,

- But they must pick me out with shackles tir’d,

- And over-labour’d at thir publick Mill,

- To make them sport with blind activity?

- Do they not seek occasion of new quarrels

- On my refusal to distress me more,  originalEd: 1330

- Or make a game of my calamities?

- Return the way thou cam’st, I will not come.

Off.

Regard thy self, this will offend them highly.

Sam.

- My self? my conscience and internal peace.

- Can they think me so broken, so debas’d

- With corporal servitude, that my mind ever

- Will condescend to such absurd commands?

- Although thir drudge, to be thir fool or jester,

- And in my midst of sorrow and heart-grief

- To shew them feats, and play before thir god,  originalEd: 1340

- The worst of all indignities, yet on me

- Joyn’d with extream contempt? I will not come.

Off.

- My message was impos’d on me with speed,

- Brooks no delay: is this thy resolution?

Sam.

So take it with what speed thy message needs.

Off.

I am sorry what this stoutness will produce.

Sam.

Perhaps thou shalt have cause to sorrow indeed.

Chor.

- Consider, Samson; matters now are strain’d

- Up to the highth, whether to hold or break;

- He’s gone, and who knows how he may report  originalEd: 1350

- Thy words by adding fuel to the flame?

- Expect another message more imperious,

- More Lordly thund’ring then thou well wilt bear.

Sam.

- Shall I abuse this Consecrated gift

- Of strength, again returning with my hair

- After my great transgression, so requite

- Favour renew’d, and add a greater sin

- By prostituting holy things to Idols;

- A Nazarite in place abominable

- Vaunting my strength in honour to thir Dagon ?  originalEd: 1360

- Besides, how vile, contemptible, ridiculous,

- What act more execrably unclean, prophane?

Chor.

- Yet with this strength thou serv’st the Philistines,

- Idolatrous, uncircumcis’d, unclean.

Sam.

- Not in thir Idol-worship, but by labour

- Honest and lawful to deserve my food

- Of those who have me in thir civil power.

Chor.

Where the heart joins not, outward acts defile not.

Sam.

- Where outward force constrains, the sentence holds;

- But who constrains me to the Temple of Dagon,  originalEd: 1370

- Not dragging? the Philistian Lords command.

- Commands are no constraints. If I obey them,

- I do it freely; venturing to displease

- God for the fear of Man, and Man prefer,

- Set God behind: which in his jealousie

- Shall never, unrepented, find forgiveness.

- Yet that he may dispense with me or thee

- Present in Temples at Idolatrous Rites

- For some important cause, thou needst not doubt.

Chor.

How thou wilt here come off surmounts my reach.

Sam.

- Be of good courage, I begin to feel  originalEd: 1381

- Some rouzing motions in me which dispose

- To something extraordinary my thoughts.

- I with this Messenger will go along,

- Nothing to do, be sure, that may dishonour

- Our Law, or stain my vow of Nazarite.

- If there be aught of presage in the mind,

- This day will be remarkable in my life

- By some great act, or of my days the last.

Chor.

In time thou hast resolv’d, the man returns.  originalEd: 1390

Off.

- Samson, this second message from our Lords

- To thee I am bid say. Art thou our Slave,

- Our Captive, at the public Mill our drudge,

- And dar’st thou at our sending and command

- Dispute thy coming? come without delay;

- Or we shall find such Engines to assail

- And hamper thee, as thou shalt come of force,

- Though thou wert firmlier fastn’d then a rock.

Sam.

- I could be well content to try thir Art,

- Which to no few of them would prove pernicious.  originalEd: 1400

- Yet knowing thir advantages too many,

- Because they shall not trail me through thir streets

- Like a wild Beast, I am content to go.

- Masters commands come with a power resistless

- To such as owe them absolute subjection;

- And for a life who will not change his purpose?

- (So mutable are all the ways of men)

- Yet this be sure, in nothing to comply

- Scandalous or forbidden in our Law.

Off.

- I praise thy resolution, doff these links:  originalEd: 1410

- By this compliance thou wilt win the Lords

- To favour, and perhaps to set thee free.

Sam.

- Brethren farewel, your company along

- I will not wish, lest it perhaps offend them

- To see me girt with Friends; and how the sight

- Of me as of a common Enemy,

- So dreaded once, may now exasperate them

- I know not. Lords are Lordliest in thir wine;

- And the well-feasted Priest then soonest fir’d

- With zeal, if aught Religion seem concern’d:  originalEd: 1420

- No less the people on thir Holy-days

- Impetuous, insolent, unquenchable;

- Happ’n what may, of me expect to hear

- Nothing dishonourable, impure, unworthy

- Our God, our Law, my Nation, or my self,

- The last of me or no I cannot warrant.

Chor.

- Go, and the Holy One

- Of Israel be thy guide

- To what may serve his glory best, spread his name

- Great among the Heathen round:  originalEd: 1430

- Send thee the Angel of thy Birth, to stand

- Fast by thy side, who from thy Fathers field

- Rode up in flames after his message told

- Of thy conception, and be now a shield

- Of fire; that Spirit that first rusht on thee

- In the camp of Dan

- Be efficacious in thee now at need.

- For never was from Heaven imparted

- Measure of strength so great to mortal seed,

- As in thy wond’rous actions hath been seen.  originalEd: 1440

- But wherefore comes old Manoa in such hast

- With youthful steps? much livelier than e’re while

- He seems: supposing here to find his Son,

- Or of him bringing to us some glad news?

Man.

- Peace with you brethren; my inducement hither

- Was not at present here to find my Son,

- By order of the Lords new parted hence

- To come and play before them at thir Feast.

- I heard all as I came, the City rings

- And numbers thither flock, I had no will,  originalEd: 1450

- Lest I should see him forc’t to things unseemly.

- But that which moved my coming now, was chiefly

- To give ye part with me what hope I have

- With good success to work his liberty.

Chor.

- That hope would much rejoyce us to partake

- With thee; say reverend Sire, we thirst to hear.

Man.

- I have attempted one by one the Lords

- Either at home, or through the high street passing,

- With supplication prone and Fathers tears

- To accept of ransom for my Son thir pris’ner,  originalEd: 1460

- Some much averse I found and wondrous harsh,

- Contemptuous, proud, set on revenge and spite;

- That part most reverenc’d Dagon and his Priests,

- Others more moderate seeming, but thir aim

- Private reward, for which both God and State

- They easily would set to sale, a third

- More generous far and civil, who confess’d

- They had anough reveng’d, having reduc’t

- Thir foe to misery beneath thir fears,

- The rest was magnanimity to remit,  originalEd: 1470

- If some convenient ransom were propos’d.

- What noise or shout was that? it tore the Skie.

Chor.

- Doubtless the people shouting to behold

- Thir once great dread, captive, blind before them,

- Or at some proof of strength before them shown.

Man.

- His ransom, if my whole inheritance

- May compass it, shall willingly be paid

- And numberd down: much rather I shall chuse

- To live the poorest in my Tribe, then richest,

- And he in that calamitous prison left.  originalEd: 1480

- No, I am fixt not to part hence without him.

- For his redemption all my Patrimony,

- If need be, I am ready to forgo

- And quit: not wanting him, I shall want nothing.

Chor.

- Fathers are wont to lay up for thir Sons,

- Thou for thy Son art bent to lay out all;

- Sons wont to nurse thir Parents in old age,

- Thou in old age car’st how to nurse thy Son,

- Made older then thy age through eye-sight lost.

Man.

- It shall be my delight to tend his eyes,  originalEd: 1490

- And view him sitting in the house, enobl’d

- With all those high exploits by him atchiev’d,

- And on his shoulders waving down those locks,

- That of a Nation arm’d the strength contain’d:

- And I perswade me God had not permitted

- His strength again to grow up with his hair

- Garrison’d round about him like a Camp

- Of faithful Souldiery, were not his purpose

- To use him further yet in some great service,

- Not to sit idle with so great a gift  originalEd: 1500

- Useless, and thence ridiculous about him.

- And since his strength with eye-sight was not lost,

- God will restore him eye-sight to his strength.

Chor.

- Thy hopes are not ill founded nor seem vain

- Of his delivery, and thy joy thereon

- Conceiv’d, agreeable to a Fathers love,

- In both which we, as next participate.

Man.

- I know your friendly minds and—O what noise!

- Mercy of Heav’n what hideous noise was that!

- Horribly loud unlike the former shout.  originalEd: 1510

Chor.

- Noise call you it or universal groan

- As if the whole inhabitation perish’d,

- Blood, death, and deathful deeds are in that noise,

- Ruin, destruction at the utmost point.

Man.

- Of ruin indeed methought I heard the noise,

- Oh it continues, they have slain my Son.

Chor.

- Thy Son is rather slaying them, that outcry

- From slaughter of one foe could not ascend.

Man.

- Some dismal accident it needs must be;

- What shall we do, stay here or run and see?  originalEd: 1520

Chor.

- Best keep together here, lest running thither

- We unawares run into dangers mouth.

- This evil on the Philistines is fall’n,

- From whom could else a general cry be heard?

- The sufferers then will scarce molest us here,

- From other hands we need not much to fear.

- What if his eye-sight (for to Israels God

- Nothing is hard) by miracle restor’d,

- He now be dealing dole among his foes,

- And over heaps of slaughter’d walk his way?  originalEd: 1530

Man.

That were a joy presumptuous to be thought.

Chor.

- Yet God hath wrought things as incredible

- For his people of old; what hinders now?

Man.

- He can I know, but doubt to think he will;

- Yet Hope would fain subscribe, and tempts Belief.

- A little stay will bring some notice hither.

Chor.

- Of good or bad so great, of bad the sooner;

- For evil news rides post, while good news baits.

- And to our wish I see one hither speeding,

- An Ebrew, as I guess, and of our Tribe.  originalEd: 1540

Mess.

- O whither shall I run, or which way flie

- The sight of this so horrid spectacle

- Which earst my eyes beheld and yet behold;

- For dire imagination still persues me.

- But providence or instinct of nature seems,

- Or reason though disturb’d, and scarse consulted

- To have guided me aright, I know not how,

- To thee first reverend Manoa, and to these

- My Countreymen, whom here I knew remaining,

- As at some distance from the place of horrour,  originalEd: 1550

- So in the sad event too much concern’d.

Man.

- The accident was loud, here before thee

- With rueful cry, yet what it was we hear not,

- No Preface needs, thou seest we long to know.

Mess.

- It would burst forth, but I recover breath

- And sense distract, to know well what I utter.

Man.

Tell us the sum, the circumstance defer.

Mess.

- Gaza yet stands, but all her Sons are fall’n,

- All in a moment overwhelm’d and fall’n.

Man.

- Sad, but thou knowst to Israelites not saddest  originalEd: 1560

- The desolation of a Hostile City.

Mess.

Feed on that first, there may in grief be surfet.

Man.

Relate by whom.

Mess.

By Samson.

Man.

- That still lessens

- The sorrow, and converts it nigh to joy.

Mess.

- Ah Manoa I refrain, too suddenly

- To utter what will come at last too soon;

- Lest evil tidings with too rude irruption

- Hitting thy aged ear should pierce too deep.

Man.

Suspense in news is torture, speak them out.

Mess.

Then take the worst in brief, Samson is dead.  originalEd: 1570

Man.

- The worst indeed, O all my hope’s defeated

- To free him hence! but death who sets all free

- Hath paid his ransom now and full discharge.

- What windy joy this day had I conceiv’d

- Hopeful of his Delivery, which now proves

- Abortive as the first-born bloom of spring

- Nipt with the lagging rear of winters frost.

- Yet e’re I give the rains to grief, say first,

- How dy’d he? death to life is crown or shame.

- All by him fell thou say’st, by whom fell he,  originalEd: 1580

- What glorious hand gave Samson his deaths wound?

Mess.

Unwounded of his enemies he fell.

Man.

Wearied with slaughter then or how? explain.

Mess.

By his own hands.

Man.

- Self-violence? what cause

- Brought him so soon at variance with himself

- Among his foes?

Mess.

- Inevitable cause

- At once both to destroy and be destroy’d;

- The Edifice where all were met to see him

- Upon thir heads and on his own he pull’d.

Man.

- O lastly over-strong against thy self!  originalEd: 1590

- A dreadful way thou took’st to thy revenge.

- More than anough we know; but while things yet

- Are in confusion, give us if thou canst,

- Eye-witness of what first or last was done,

- Relation more particular and distinct.

Mess.

- Occasions drew me early to this City,

- And as the gates I enter’d with Sun-rise,

- The morning Trumpets Festival proclaim’d

- Through each high street: little I had dispatch’t

- When all abroad was rumour’d that this day  originalEd: 1600

- Samson should be brought forth to shew the people

- Proof of his mighty strength in feats and games;

- I sorrow’d at his captive state, but minded

- Not to be absent at that spectacle.

- The building was a spacious Theatre

- Half round on two main Pillars vaulted high,

- With seats where all the Lords and each degree

- Of sort, might sit in order to behold,

- The other side was op’n, where the throng

- On banks and scaffolds under Skie might stand;  originalEd: 1610

- I among these aloof obscurely stood.

- The Feast and noon grew high, and Sacrifice

- Had fill’d thir hearts with mirth, high chear, wine,

- When to thir sports they turn’d. Immediately

- Was Samson as a public servant brought,

- In thir state Livery clad; before him Pipes

- And Timbrels, on each side went armed guards,

- Both horse and foot before him and behind

- Archers, and Slingers, Cataphracts and Spears.

- At sight of him the people with a shout  originalEd: 1620

- Rifted the Air clamouring thir god with praise,

- Who had made thir dreadful enemy thir thrall.

- He patient but undaunted where they led him,

- Came to the place, and what was set before him

- Which without help of eye, might be assay’d,

- To heave, pull, draw, or break, he still perform’d

- All with incredible, stupendious force,

- None daring to appear Antagonist.

- At length for intermission sake they led him

- Between the pillars; he his guide requested  originalEd: 1630

- (For so from such as nearer stood we heard)

- As over-tir’d to let him lean a while

- With both his arms on those two massie Pillars

- That to the arched roof gave main support.

- He unsuspitious led him; which when Samson

- Felt in his arms, with head a while enclin’d,

- And eyes fast fixt he stood, as one who pray’d,

- Or some great matter in his mind revolv’d.

- At last with head erect thus cryed aloud,

- Hitherto, Lords, what your commands impos’d  originalEd: 1640

- I have perform’d, as reason was, obeying,

- Not without wonder or delight beheld.

- Now of my own accord such other tryal

- I mean to shew you of my strength, yet greater;

- As with amaze shall strike all who behold.

- This utter’d, straining all his nerves he bow’d,

- As with the force of winds and waters pent,

- When Mountains tremble, those two massie Pillars

- With horrible convulsion to and fro,

- He tugg’d, he shook, till down they came and drew  originalEd: 1650

- The whole roof after them, with burst of thunder

- Upon the heads of all who sate beneath,

- Lords, Ladies, Captains, Councellors, or Priests,

- Thir choice nobility and flower, not only

- Of this but each Philistian City round

- Met from all parts to solemnize this Feast.

- Samson with these immixt, inevitably

- Pulld down the same destruction on himself;

- The vulgar only scap’d who stood without.

Chor.

- O dearly-bought revenge, yet glorious!  originalEd: 1660

- Living or dying thou hast fulfill’d

- The work for which thou wast foretold

- To Israel, and now ly’st victorious

- Among thy slain self-kill’d

- Not willingly, but tangl’d in the fold

- Of dire necessity, whose law in death conjoin’d

- Thee with thy slaughter’d foes in number more

- Then all thy life had slain before.

Semichor.

- While thir hearts were jocund and sublime,

- Drunk with Idolatry, drunk with Wine,  originalEd: 1670

- And fat regorg’d of Bulls and Goats,

- Chaunting thir Idol, and preferring

- Before our living Dread who dwells

- In Silo his bright Sanctuary:

- Among them he a spirit of phrenzie sent,

- Who hurt thir minds,

- And urg’d them on with mad desire

- To call in hast for thir destroyer;

- They only set on sport and play

- Unweetingly importun’d  originalEd: 1680

- Thir own destruction to come speedy upon them.

- So fond are mortal men

- Fall’n into wrath divine,

- As thir own ruin on themselves to invite,

- Insensate left, or to sense reprobate,

- And with blindness internal struck.

Semichor.

- But he though blind of sight,

- Despis’d and thought extinguish’t quite,

- With inward eyes illuminated

- His fierie vertue rouz’d  originalEd: 1690

- From under ashes into sudden flame,

- And as an ev’ning Dragon came,

- Assailant on the perched roosts,

- And nests in order rang’d

- Of tame villatic Fowl; but as an Eagle

- His cloudless thunder bolted on thir heads.

- So vertue giv’n for lost,

- Deprest, and overthrown, as seem’d,

- Like that self-begott’n bird

- In the Arabian woods embost,  originalEd: 1700

- That no second knows nor third,

- And lay e’re while a Holocaust,

- From out her ashie womb now teem’d

- Revives, reflourishes, then vigorous most

- When most unactive deem’d,

- And though her body die, her fame survives,

- A secular bird ages of lives.

Man.

- Come, come, no time for lamentation now,

- Nor much more cause, Samson hath quit himself

- Like Samson, and heroicly hath finish’d  originalEd: 1710

- A life Heroic, on his Enemies

- Fully reveng’d, hath left them years of mourning,

- And lamentation to the Sons of Caphtor

- Through all Philistian bounds. To Israel

- Honour hath left, and freedom, let but them

- Find courage to lay hold on this occasion,

- To himself and Fathers house eternal fame;

- And which is best and happiest yet, all this

- With God not parted from him, as was feard,

- But favouring and assisting to the end.  originalEd: 1720

- Nothing is here for tears, nothing to wail

- Or knock the breast, no weakness, no contempt,

- Dispraise, or blame, nothing but well and fair,

- And what may quiet us in a death so noble.

- Let us go find the body where it lies

- Sok’t in his enemies blood, and from the stream

- With lavers pure and cleansing herbs wash off

- The clotted gore. I with what speed the while

- ( Gaza is not in plight to say us nay)

- Will send for all my kindred, all my friends  originalEd: 1730

- To fetch him hence and solemnly attend

- With silent obsequie and funeral train

- Home to his Fathers house: there will I build him

- A Monument, and plant it round with shade

- Of Laurel ever green, and branching Palm,

- With all his Trophies hung, and Acts enroll’d

- In copious Legend, or sweet Lyric Song.

- Thither shall all the valiant youth resort,

- And from his memory inflame thir breasts

- To matchless valour, and adventures high:  originalEd: 1740

- The Virgins also shall on feastful days

- Visit his Tomb with flowers, only bewailing

- His lot unfortunate in nuptial choice,

- From whence captivity and loss of eyes.

Chor.

- All is best, though we oft doubt,

- What th’ unsearchable dispose

- Of highest wisdom brings about,

- And ever best found in the close.

- Oft he seems to hide his face,

- But unexpectedly returns  originalEd: 1750

- And to his faithful Champion hath in place

- Bore witness gloriously; whence Gaza mourns

- And all that band them to resist

- His uncontroulable intent,

- His servants he with new acquist

- Of true experience from this great event

- With peace and consolation hath dismist,

- And calm of mind all passion spent.

The End.

APPENDIX.

( a ): Specimen of Milton’s spelling, from the Cambridge autograph manuscript.

On Time

- set on a clock case

- Fly envious Time till thou run out thy race

- call on the lazie leaden-stepping howres

- whose speed is but the heavie plummets pace

- glut thy selfe w what thy womb devoures

- w is no more then what is false vaine

- meerly mortall drosse

- so little is our losse

- so little is thy gaine

- for when as each thing bad thou hast entomb’d

- last of all thy greedie selfe consum’d

- then long Æternity shall greet our blisse

- w an individuall kisse

- and Joy shall overtake us as a flood

- when every thing y is sincerely good

- pfectly divine

- with Truth, Peace, Love shall ever shine

- about the supreme throne

- of him t’ whose happy-making sight alone

- when once our heav’nly-guided soule shall clime

- then all this earthie grossnesse quit

- attir’d w starres wee shall for ever sit

- Triumphing over Death, Chance, thee O Time.

( b ): Note of a few readings in the same manuscript.

AT A SOLEMN MUSICK.

line 6. content. Manuscript reads concent as does the Second Edition; so that content is probably a misprint.

ARCADES.

line 22. hunderd. Milton’s own spelling here is hundred But in the Errata to Paradise Lost (i. 760) he corrects hundred to hunderd.

LYCIDAS.

line 64. uncessant. Manuscript reads incessant, so that uncessant is probably a misprint; though that spelling is retained in the Second Edition.

line 82. perfet. So in A Maske, line 203. In both these places the manuscript has perfect, as elsewhere where the word occurs. In the Solemn Music, line 23, where the First Edition reads perfect, the second reads perfet.

A MASK.

lines 168, 169. Manuscript reads—

- but heere she comes I fairly step aside

- hearken, if I may, her buisnesse heere.

line 474. sensualty. Manuscript also reads sensualtie, as the metre requires.

line 493. father. Manuscript reads father’s.

line 553. drowsie frighted. Manuscript reads drowsie flighted.

line 743. In the manuscript, which reads—

- If you let slip time like an neglected rose

a circle has been drawn round the an, but probably not by Milton.

( c )

Paradise Lost, vii. 451. Bentley’s emendation of soul for fowl should have been noted at the foot of the page. See Genesis i. 30 A. V. margin.

OXFORD

PRINTED AT THE CLARENDON PRESS

BY HORACE HART, M.A.

PRINTER TO THE UNIVERSITY

1

This manuscript, invaluable to all students of Milton, has lately been facsimiled under the superintendence of Dr. Aldis Wright, and published at the Cambridge University Press.

[ ]

Psalm 136. 10, 13 That] who 1673

[ ]

17, 21, 25 That] who 1673

[ ]

22 latter] latest 1673

[ ]

6 content] concent 1673

[ ]

1 needs] neede

[ ]

6 weak] dull

[ ]

8 live-long] lasting

[ ]

10 heart] part

[ ]

13 it] her

[ ]

33 ye] you 1673

[ ]

104 And he by] And by the 1673

[ ]

3 If deed of honour did thee ever please, 1673.

[ ]

IX. 5 with Ruth ] the Ruth 1645.

[ ]

149 Amaranthus] Amarantus 1673

1

Omitted in 1673

1

Omitted in 1673

[ ]

43 ye] you 1673

[ ]

169 If I may, her busines here] If I may her business hear 1673 Errata.

[ ]

474 sensualty] sensuality 1673

[ ]

493 father] So also 1673 for father’s

[ ]

547 meditate] meditate upon 1673

[ ]

556 steam] stream 1673

[ ]

580 furder] further 1673

[ ]

780 anough] anow 1673

[ ]

53 Or wert thou] Or wert thou Mercy conjectured by John Heskin of Ch. Ch. Oxon. from Ode on Nativity, st. 15.

[ ]

9 send] lend Cambridge Autograph MS.

*

G[Editor: illegible character]orera.

*

Gnashanta.

*

Shalish.

*

Jilgnagu.

*

Jilgnagu.

*

Jilgnagu.

*

Be Sether ragnam.

*

Bagnadathel.

†

Bekerev.

*

Tishphetu gnavel.

*

Shiphtu-dal.

†

Hatzdiku.

*

Jimmotu.

*

Shiphta.

•

Jehemajun.

†

Jagnarimu.

†

Sod.

*

Jithjagnatsu gnal.

*

Tsephuneca.

†

Lev jachdau.

†

Neoth Elohim bears both.

*

They seek thy Name. Heb.

*

They seek thy Name. Heb.

†

Heb. The burning heat of thy wrath.

*

Heb. Turn to quicken us.

*

Heb. Turn to quicken us.

*

Heb He will set his steps to the way.

†

Heb. I am good, loving, a doer of good and holy things.

*

Heb. A man without manly strength.

*

The Heb. bears both.

*

The Heb. bears both.

†

Heb. Prae Concussione

1

vastitate] venustate 1673

[ ]

30 quotannis] perennis 1673

[ ]

57 Summisso] submisso 1673

[ ]

143 semifractaque] præruptaque 1673

[ ]

149, 150 Manes Exululant,] Manes, Exululat 1673 Errata.

[ ]

504,5 hospitable Dores Yielded thir Matrons] the hospitable door Expos’d a Matron 1674

[ ]

530 fainted] fa(i)nting 1674

[ ]

703 founded] found out 1674

[ ]

737 Herarchie] Hierarchie 1674

[ ]

282 where] were 1674

[ ]

402 breath] misprint for breathe.

[ ]

483 thir] her 1674

[ ]

527 his] this 1674

[ ]

542 Oealia] Oechalia 1674

[ ]

631 toward] towards 1674

[ ]

18 find him out] find him 1674

[ ]

627 walks] walk 1674

[ ]

928 The] Thy 1674

[ ]

627 Eevning approachd] Eevning now approachd 1674

[ ]

366 his] her 1674

[ ]

563 stations] station 1674

[ ]

269 as] and 1674

[ ]

186 not] nor 1674

[ ]

213 hear] bear 1674

[ ]

394 Likest] likeliest 1674

[ ]

922 hast] hath 1674

[ ]

58 may] might 1674

[ ]

241 Avenger] Avengers 1674

[ ]

397 those] these 1674

[ ]

827 they acquitted] they then acquitted 1674

[ ]

647 tacks] makes 1674

[ ]

866 that] who 1674

[ ]

191 This] The 1674

[ ]

238 them thir desire] what they besaught 1674

[ ]

309 he] here 1695

Table of Contents

About Liberty Fund

About The Online Library of Liberty

Copyright and Fair Use

MISCELLANEOUS POEMS.

On the Morning of Christs Nativity.

The Hymn.

A Paraphrase on Psalm 114.

Psalm 136.

The Passion.

On Time.

Upon the Circumcision.

At a Solemn Musick.

An Epitaph on the Marchioness of Winchester.

SONG

Another on the same.

L’Allegro.

Il Penseroso.

SONNETS.

Arcades.

JUST A EDOVARDO KING naufrago, ab Amicis mœrentibus, amoris μνείας χάϐιν.

Lycidas.

A MASKE PRESENTED At Ludlow Castle, 1634: On Michaelmasse night, before the Right Honorable, Iohn Earle of Bridgewater, Vicount Brackly, Lord Præsident of Wales, And one of His Maiesties most honorable Privie Counsell.

1To the Right Honourable, John Lord Vicount Bracly, Son and Heir apparent to the Earl of Bridgewater, c.

1The Copy of a Letter writt’n by Sir Henry Wootton, to the Author, upon the following Poem.

The Persons.

A MASK Presented At LUDLOW-Castle, 1634. c.

The first Scene discovers a wilde Wood.

SONG.

POEMS ADDED IN THE 1673 EDITION.

Anno aetatis 17. On the Death of a fair Infant dying of a Cough.

Anno Aetatis 19. At a Vacation Exercise in the Colledge, part Latin, part English. The Latin speeches ended, the English thus began.

The Fifth Ode of Horace. Lib. I.

SONNETS.

XII.: On the same.

To Mr. H. Lawes, on his Aires.

On the late Massacher in Piemont.

On the new forcers of Conscience under the Long PARLIAMENT.

On the Lord Gen. Fairfax at the seige of Colchester.

To the Lord Generall Cromwell May 1652.

To Sr Henry Vane the younger.

To Mr. Cyriack Skinner upon his Blindness.

PSAL. I. Done into Verse, 1653.

PSAL. II. Done Aug. 8. 1653. Terzetti.

PSAL. III. Aug. 9. 1653. When he fled from Absalom.

PSAL. IV. Aug. 10. 1653.

PSAL. V. Aug. 12. 1653.

PSAL. VI. Aug. 13. 1653.

PSAL. VII. Aug. 14. 1653. Upon the words of Chush the Benjamite against him.

PSAL. VIII. Aug. 14. 1653.

PSAL. LXXX.

PSAL. LXXXI.

PSAL. LXXXII.

PSAL. LXXXIII.

PSAL. LXXXIV.

PSAL. LXXXV.

PSAL. LXXXVI.

PSAL. LXXXVII.

PSAL. LXXXVIII.

Passages from Prose Writings.

A COLLECTION OF PASSAGES TRANSLATED IN THE PROSE WRITINGS.

Joannis Miltoni LONDINENSIS POEMATA. Quorum pleraque intra Annum ætatis Vigesimum Conscripsit.

Joannes Baptista Mansus, Marchio Villensis Neapolitanus ad Joannem Miltonium Anglum.

Ad Joannem Miltonem Anglum triplici poeseos laureâ coronandum Græcâ nimirum, Latinâ, atque Hetruscâ, Epigramma Joannis Salsilli Romani.

Ad Joannem Miltonum.

Al Signor Gio. Miltoni Nobile Inglese.

JOANNI MILTONI

LONDINIENSI.

ELEGIARUM Liber Primus.

Elegia prima ad Carolum Diodatum.

Elegia secunda, Anno ætatis 17. In obitum Præconis Academici Cantabrigiensis.

Elegia tertia, Anno ætatis 17. In obitum Præsulis Wintoniensis.

Elegia quarta. Anno ætatis 18. Ad Thomam Junium præceptorem suum apud mercatores Anglicos Hamburgæ agentes Pastoris munere fungentem.

Elegia quinta, Anno ætatis 20. In adventum veris.

Elegia sexta. Ad Carolum Diodatum ruri commorantem.

Elegia septima, Anno ætatis undevigesimo.

In Proditionem Bombardicam.

In eandem.

In eandem.

In eandem.

In inventorem Bombardæ.

Ad Leonoram Romæ canentem.

Ad eandem.

Ad eandem.

Apologus de Rustico Hero.

In Salmasii Hundredam.

In Salmasium.

SYLVARUM LIBER.

Anno ætatis 16. In obitum Procancellarii medici.

In quintum Novembris, Anno ætatis 17.

Anno ætatis 17. In obitum Præsulis Eliensis.

Naturam non pati senium.

De Idea Platonica quemadmodum Aristoteles intellexit.

Ad Patrem.

Psalm 114.

Philosophus ad regem quendam qui eum ignotum insontem inter reos forte captum inscius damnaverat τὴν ἐπὶ θανάτῳ πορευόμενος, hæc subito misit.

In Effigiei ejus Sculptorem.

Ad Salsillum poetam Romanum ægrotantem. SCAZONTES.

Miscellaneous Poems.

Mansus.

Epitaphium Damonis.

EPITAPHIUM DAMONIS. Argumentum.

Ad Joannem Rousium.

Jan. 23. 1646. Ad Joannem Rousium Oxoniensis Academiæ Bibliothecarium.

PARADISE LOST.

Paradise lost. A POEM Written in TEN BOOKS

Paradise Lost. A POEM IN TWELVE BOOKS.

IN Paradisum Amissam Summi Poetæ JOHANNIS MILTONI.

ON Paradise Lost.

The Printer to the Reader.

BOOK I.

THE ARGUMENT.

BOOK II.

THE ARGUMENT.

BOOK III.

THE ARGUMENT.

BOOK IV.

THE ARGUMENT.

BOOK V.

THE ARGUMENT.

BOOK VI.

THE ARGUMENT.

BOOK VII.

THE ARGUMENT.

BOOK VIII.

THE ARGUMENT.

BOOK IX.

THE ARGUMENT.

BOOK X.

THE ARGUMENT.

BOOK XI.

THE ARGUMENT.

BOOK XII.

THE ARGUMENT.

PARADISE REGAIND. A POEM.

The First Book.

The Second Book.

The Third Book.

The Fourth Book.

SAMSON AGONISTES, A DRAMATIC POEM.

Of that sort of Dramatic Poem which is call’d Tragedy.

The ARGUMENT.

The Persons.

AGONISTES.

APPENDIX.

(a): Specimen of Milton’s spelling, from the Cambridge autograph manuscript.

(b): Note of a few readings in the same manuscript.

(c)