sit not and reproach us as unclean So counsel'd hee and both together went Into the thickest Wood there soon they chose 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 thiekest shade Those Leaves 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 lies and woodie Shores Thus fenc't and as they thought thir shame in part Coverd but not at rest or ease of Mind 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 calm 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 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 and 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 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 wandring 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 been there Or here th' attempt thou couldst not have discernd Fraud in the Serpent speaking as he spake 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 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 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 bath 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 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 Paradise Lost 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 High-way 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 of 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 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 haste 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 Entrance unseen Soon as th' unwelcome news From
to th' Eastern Gate was bent thir flight 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 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 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 In thir bright stand there left his Powers to seise Possession of the Garden hee alone To find 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 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 A militarie Vest of purple flowd Livelier then Meliboean 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 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 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 unexpected stroke worse then of Death Must I thus leave thee Paradise thus leave Thee Native Soile these happie Walks and Shades 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 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 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 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 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 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 and Fruits and Flours In yonder nether World where shall I seek His bright appearances or foot step-trace For though I fled him angrie yet recall'd 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 His presence to these narrow bounds confin'd Of Paradise or Eden this had been Perhaps thy Capital Seare 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 praeeminence thou hast lost brought down To dwell on eeven ground now with thy Sons Yet doubt not but in Vallie and in plaine God
similitude In part from such deformities be free 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 To loathsom sickness worthily since they Gods Image did not reverence in themselves I yield 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 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 witherd weak and 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 A melancholly damp of cold and dry To weigh 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 and patiently attend My dissolution Michael repli'd Nor love thy Life nor hate but what thou livst Live well how long or short permit to Heav'n And now prepare thee for another sight He lookd and faw 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 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 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 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 and youth not lost Songs Garlands Flours 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 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 abeauteous ofspring shall beget For that fair femal Troop thou sawst that seemd 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 yield up all thir vertue all thir fame Ignobly to the traines and to the smiles Of these fair Atheists and now swim in joy Erelong to swim at large 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 Said th' Angel who should better hold his place By wisdome and superiour gifts receav'd 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 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 sat Meddow ground or fleecy Flock Ewes and thir bleating Lambs over the Plaine Thir Bootie scarce with Life the Shepherds flye But callin aide which makes a bloody Fray With cruel Tournament the Squadrons joine Where Cattle pastur'd late now scatterd lies With Carcasses and Arms th' ensanguind Field Deserted Others to a Citie strong Lay Seige 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 Of middle Age one rising eminent In wise deport spake much of Right and Wrong Of Justice of Religion Truth and Peace And Judgment 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 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 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 Battle and subdue Nations and bring home spoils with infinite Man-slaughter shall be held the highest pitch Of human Glorie and for Glorie done 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 atchiev'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 hared therefore so beset With Foes for daring single to be just And utter odious Truth that God would come 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 and 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 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 where so met Triumphs or Festivals and to them preachd Conversion and Repentance as to Souls 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 and 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 I Of every Beast and Bird and Insect small 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 and 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 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 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 My part of evil onely each dayes lot Anough to beare 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 Childern evil he may be sure Which neither his foreknowing can prevent And hee the future evil shall no less 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 dayes the race of man But I was farr deceav'd for now I see Peace to corrupt no less then Warr to waste 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 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 fear 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 More then 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 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 Of Heav'n set open on the Earth shall powre Raine day and night all fountains of the Deep Broke up shall heave the Ocean to usurp Beyond all bounds till inundation rise Above the highest
Coronet his flowing haire 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 ear and strait was known Th' Arch-Angel Vriel one of the seav'n Who in Gods presence neerest to his Throne Stand ready at command and are his Eyes 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 Vriel for thou of those seav'n Spirits that stand In sight of God's high Throne gloriously bright The first art 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 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 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 So spake the false dissembler unperceivd For neither Man nor Angel can discern Hypocrisie the onely 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 Vriel though Regent of the Sun and held The sharpest sighted Spirit of all in Heav'n Who to the fraudulent Impostor foule In his uprightness answer thus returnd Fair Angel thy desire which tends to know The works of God thereby to gforifie 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 Contented with report hear 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 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 Hew 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 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 Hence fills and empties to enlighten th' 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 Heaven 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 Throws his steep flight in many an Aerie wheele Nor staid till on Niphates top he lights The End of the Third Book Paradise Lost BOOK IV. THE ARGUMENT Satan now in prospect of Eden and nigh the place where he must now attempt the bold enterprize 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 discribed 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 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 Heaven 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 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
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 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 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 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 Female for Race then bless'd Mankinde and said 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 Gave thee all sorts are here that all th' Earth yields 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'd the Sixt day 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 Resounded thou remember'st for thou heardst The Heav'ns and all the Constellations rung The Planets in thir station 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 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 Pouderd with Starrs And now on Earth the Seventh 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 be also went Invisible yet staid such priviledge Hath Omnipresence and the work ordain'd 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 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 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 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 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 seekst Aught not surpassing human measure say The End of the Seventh Book Paradise Lost 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 With
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 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 Intern 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 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 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 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 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 Adam shall share with me in bliss or woe So dear I love him that with him all deaths I could endure without him Five 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 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 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 The pain 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 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 Thou therefore 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 don by Eve amaz'd Astonied stood and Blank while horror chill 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 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 be guil'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 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 calm mood his Words to Eve he turnd Bold deed thou hast presum'd adventrous Eve And peril great provok't who thus hath dar'd Had it been 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 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 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 abolish 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 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 O glorious trial of exceeding Love Illustrious evidence example high I 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 To undergoe with mee one Guilt one Crime If any be of tasting this fair Fruit Whole 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 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 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 recompenâ—â— 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 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 Wherewith to scorne 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 me apply And Palate call judicious I the praise 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 mee is after such delicious Fare For never did thy Beautie since the dâ—y I saw thee first and wedded thee adorn'd With all perfections so enflame my sense With ardor to enjoy thee fairer now Then 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 And Hyacinth Earths freshest softest lap There they thir fill of love and Loves disport Took largely of thir mutual guilt the Scale 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 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 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 abash't 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 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 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 But let us now as in bad plight devise What best may from the present serve to hide The Parts of each for 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
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 Realm it self of Satan long usurpt Whom he shall tread at last under our feet 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 Curs'd is the ground for thy sake thou in sorrow Shalt eate thereof all the days of thy Life Thorns 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 eat 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 thâ— instant stroke of Death denounc't that day 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 form 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 thir outward onely with the Skins 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 returnd Into his blissful bosom reassum'd In glory as of old to him appeas'd All though all-knowing 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 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 By his Avengers 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 amiry things of like kinde By secretest conveyance Thou my Shade Inseparable must with mee along For Death from Sin no power can separate But least the difficultie of passing back Stay his return 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 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 suth 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 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 Sagacious of his Quarry from so farr Then Both from out Hell Gates into the waste Wide Anarchie of Chaos damp and dark Flew divers and 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 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 Over the foaming deep high Archt a Bridge Of length prodigious joying to the Wall Immovable of this now fenceless world Forfeit to Death from hence a passage broad Smooth easie inoffensive down to Hell So if great thing to small may be compar'd Xerxes the Libertie of Greece to yoke From Susa his Momronian Palace high Came to the Sea and over Hellespont Bridging his way Europe with Asia joyn'd 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 out side 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 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 Children dear 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 Might suddenly inflict that past return'd By Night and listening where the hapless Paire Sate in thir sad discourse and various plaint Thence gatherd his own doom which understood Not instant but of future
innumerable tongues A dismal universal hiss the sound Of public scorn he wonderd but not long Had leasure wondring at himself now more 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 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 Amphisbaena 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 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 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 Fruit like that 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 thy rould in heaps and up the Trees Climbing sat thicker then the snakie locks That curld Megaera greedily they pluck'd 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 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 Ophion with Eurynome the wide Encroaching Eve perhaps had first the rule Of high Olympus thence by Saturn driv'n And Ops ere yet Dictaen 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 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 To stuff this Maw this vast unhide-bound Corps To whom th' incestuous Mother thus repli'd Thou therefore on these Herbs and Fruits and 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 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 utterd 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 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 Enemieâ— That laugh as if transported with some fit Of Passion I to them had quitted all At random yielded 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 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 He 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 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 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 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 A 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 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' Horizon 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 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 Normbega and the Samoed shoar Bursting thir brazen Dungeon armd with ice And snow and haile and stormie gust and flaw Boreas and Caecias and Argestes loud And Thrascias rend the Woods and Seas upturn 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 Bead gan war and Fowle with Fowle 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 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 nor serve All that I eat or drink or shall beget Is propagated curse O voice once heard Delightfully Encrease and multiply 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 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 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 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 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 test And sleep secure his dreadful voice no more Would Thunder in my ears no fear of worse 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 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 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 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 sound 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 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 me what can proceed But all corrupt both Mind and Will deprav'd Not to do onely but to will the same
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 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 deer Sun on his wide watrie Glass 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 Forthwith from out the Arke a Raven flies And after him the furer 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 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 who 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 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 So willingly doth God remit his Ire Though late repenting him of Mandeprav'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 nor 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 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 Paradise Lost 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 Henceforth what is to com I will relate Thou therefore give due audience and attend This second sours of Men while yet but few 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 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 nor 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 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 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 and 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 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 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
nor so is overcome 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 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 Proclaiming Life to all who shall believe In his redemption and that his obedience Imputed becomes theirs by Faith his merits To save them not thir own though legal works 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 Bur 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 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 offerd 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 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 And his Salvation them who shall beleeve Baptizing in the profluent stream 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 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 and 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 disolution shall be ripe With glory and power to judge both quick and dead 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 And evil turn to good more wonderful Then that which by 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 Buâ— say if our deliverer up to Heav'n Must reascend what will betide the few 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 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 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 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 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 Whence heavie persecution shall arise On all who in the worship persevere Of Spirit and Truth the rest farr greater part Well 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 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