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
purpose nor endearing smiles Wanted nor youthful dalliance as beseems Fair couple linkt in happie nuptial League Alone as they About them frisking playd 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 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 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 Long to continue and this high seat your Heav'n Ill senc'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 Which I as freely give Hell shall unfold 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 of spring 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 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 By word or action markt about them round A Lion now he stalkes with fierie glare Then as a Tyger 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 seize 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 hear new utterance flow Sole partner and sole part of all these joyes Bearer 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 This one this easie charge of all the Trees In Paradise that bear 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 Over all other Creatures that possess 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 and tend these Flours Which were it toilsom yet with thee were sweet To whom thus Eve repli'd O thou for whom 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 Praeminent 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 Under a shade of 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 A Shape within the watry gleam appeerd Bending to look on me I started back It started back but pleas'd 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 VVhat thou seest VVhat there thou seest fair Creature is thy self VVith thee it came and goes but follow me And I will bring thee where no shadow staies Thy coming and thy soft imbraces hee VVhose 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 Thou following cryd'st aloud Return faire Eve VVhom 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 nay Soul I seek thee and thee claim My other half with that thy gentle hand Seisd mine I yielded and from that time see How beauty is excelld by manly grace And wisdom which alone is truly fair So spake our general Mother and with eyes Of conjugal attraction unreprov'd And
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
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
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 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 Inflam'd with lust then rage and swifter far Mee 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 thir repast then bursting forth A fresh 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 VVhen ever that shall be so Fate pronounc'd But thou O Father I forewarn thee shun 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 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 and through the void immense To search with wandring quest a place foretold 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 Shall dwell at ease and up and down unseen VVing silently the buxom Air imbalm'd VVith 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 gast'y 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 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'rmatcht 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'n lie-born 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 ray 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 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 Porcullis 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 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 The secrets of the hoarie deep a dark Illimitable Ocean without bound Without dimension where length breadth 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 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 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 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 Audacious but that seat soon failing meets A vast vacuitie
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
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
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
With me how can they then acquitted stand In sight of God Him after all Disputes Forc't I absolve all my evasions vain And reasonings though through Mazes lead me still But to my own conviction first and last On mee mee onely as the fourse 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 To Satan only 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 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 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 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 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 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 Or whom he wishes mod shall seldom gain Through her perversness 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 calamine 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 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 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 alreadie lost mee then thy self More miserable both have sin'd but thou Against God onely I against God and thee And to the place of judgment will return There with my cries importune Heaven that all The sentence from thy head remov'd may ligh 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 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 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 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 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 some 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 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
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