meet him came his Ofspring dear Great joy was at thir meeting and at sight Of that stupendious Bridge his joy encreas'd Long hee admiring stood till Sin his faire Inchanting Daughter thus the silence broke O Parent these are thy magnific deeds Thy Trophies which thou view'st as not thine own Thou art thir Author and prime Architect For I no sooner in my Heart divin'd My Heart which by a secret harmonie Still moves with thine joyn'd in connexion sweet That thou on Earth hadst prosper'd which thy looks Now also evidence but straight I felt Though distant from thee Worlds between yet felt That I must aâ—…ter thee with this thy Son Such fatal consequence unites us three Hell could no longer hold us in her bounds Nor this unvoyageable Gulf obscure Detain from following thy illustrious track Thou hast atchiev'd our libertie confin'd Within Hell Gates till now thou us impow'rd To fortifie thus farr and overlay With this portentous Bridge the dark Abyss Thine now is all this World thy vertue hath won What thy hands builded not thy Wisdom gain'd With odds what Warr hath lost and fully aveng'd Our foile in Heav'n here thou shalt Monarch reign There didst not there let him still Victor sway As Battel hath adjudg'd from this new World Retiring by his own doom alienated And henceforth Monarchie with thee divide Of all things parted by th' Empyreal bounds His Quadrature from thy Orbicular World Or trie thee now more dang'rous to his Throne Whom thus the Prince of Darkness answerd glad Fair Daughter and thou Son and Grandchild both High proof ye now have giv'n to be the Race Of Satan for I glorie in the name Antagonist of Heav'ns Almightie King Amply have merited of me of all Th' Infernal Empire that so neer Heav'ns dore Triumphal with triumphal act have met Mine with this glorious Work made one Realm Hell and this World one Realm one Continent Of easie thorough-fare Therefore while I Descend through Darkness on your Rode with ease To my associate Powers them to acquaint With these successes and with them rejoyce You two this way among those numerous Orbs All yours right down to Paradise descend There dwell Reign in bliss thence on the Earth Dominion exercise and in the Aire Chiefly on Man sole Lord of all declar'd Him first make sure your thrall and lastly kill My Substitutes I send ye and Create Plenipotent on Earth of matchless might Issuing from mee on your joynt vigor now My hold of this new Kingdom all depends Through Sin to Death expos'd by my exploit If your joynt power prevaile th' affaires of Hell No detriment need feare goe and be strong So saying he dismiss'd them they with speed Thir course through thickest Constellations held Spreading thir bane the blasted Starrs lookt wan And Planets Planet-strook real Eclips Then sufferd Th' other way Satan went down The Causey to Hell Gate on either side Disparted Chaos over built exclaimd And with rebounding surge the barrs assaild That scorn'd his indignation through the Gate Wide open and unguarded Satan pass'd And all about found desolate for those Appointed to sit there had left thir charge Flown to the upper World the rest were all Farr to the in land retir'd about the walls Of Pandaemonium Citie and proud seate Of Lucifer so by allusion calld Of that bright Starr to Satan paragond There kept thir Watch the Legions while the Grand In Council sate sollicitous what chance Might intercept thir Emperour sent so hee Departing gave command and they observ'd As when the Tartar from his Russian Foe By 〈◊〉 over the Snowie Plaines Retires or Bactrian Sophi from the hornes Of Turkish Crescent leaves all waste beyond The Realme of Aladule in his retreate To Tauris or Casbeen So these the late Heav'n-banisht Host left desert utmost Hell Many a dark League reduc't in careful Watch Round thir Metropolis and now expecting Each hour their great adventurer from the search Of Forrein Worlds he through the midst unmarkt In shew plebeian Angel militant Of lowest order past and from the dore Of that Plutonian Hall invisible Ascended his high Throne which under state Of richest texture spred at th' upper end Was plac't in regal lustre Down a while He sate and round about him saw unseen At last as from a Cloud his fulgent head And shape Starr-bright appeer'd or brighter clad With what permissive glory since his fall Was left him or false glitter All amaz'd At that so sudden blaze the Stygian throng Bent thir aspect and whom they wish'd beheld Thir mighty Chief returnd loud was th'acclaime Forth rush'd in haste the great consulting Peers Rais'd from thir dark Divan and with like joy Congratulant approach'd him who with hand Silence and with these words attention won Thrones Dominations Princedoms Vertues Powers For in possession such not onely of right I call ye and declare ye now returnd Successful beyond hope to lead ye forth Triumphant out of this infernal Pit Abominable accurst the house of woe And Dungeon of our Tyrant Now possess As Lords a spacious World to our native Heaven Little inferiour by my adventure hard With peril great atchiev'd Long were to tell What I have don what sufferd with what paine Voyag'd th' unreal vast unbounded deep Of horrible confusion over which By Sin and Death a broad way now is pav'd To expedite your glorious march but I Toild out my uncouth passage forâ—…'t to ride Th' untractable Abysse plung'd in the womb Of unoriginal Night and Chaos wilde That jealous of thir secrets fiercely oppos'd My journey strange with clamorous uproare Protesting Fate supreame thence how I found The new created World which fame in Heav'n Long had foretold a Fabrick wonderful Of absolute perfection therein Man Plac't in a Paradise by our exile Made happie Him by fraud I have seduc'd From his Creator and the more to increase Your wonder with an Apple he thereat Offended worth your laughter hath giv'n up Both his beloved Man and all his World To Sin and Death a prey and so to us Without our hazard labour or allarme To range in and to dwell and over Man To rule as over all he should have rul'd True is mee also he hath judg'd or rather Mee not but the brute Serpent in whose shape Man I deceav'd that which to mee belongs Is enmity which he will put between Mee and Mankinde I am to bruise his heel His Seed when is not set shall bruise my head A World who would not purchase with a bruise Or much more grievous pain Ye have th' account Of my performance What remaines ye Gods But up and enter now into full bliss So having said a while he stood expecting Thir universal shout and high applause To fill his eare when contrary he hears On all sides from innumerable tongues A dismal universal hiss the sound Of public scorn he wonderd but not long Had leasure wondring at himself now more His Visage drawn he felt to sharp
Paradise lost A POEM Written in TEN BOOKS By JOHN MILTON Licensed and Entred according to Order LONDON Printed and are to be sold by Peter Parker under Creed Church neer Aldgate And by Robert Boulter at the Turks Head in Bishopsgate-street And Matthias Walker under St. Dunstons Church in Fleet-street 1667. PARADISE LOST BOOK I. OF Mans First Disobedience and the Fruit Of that Forbidden Tree whose mortal tast Brought Death into the World and all our woe With loss of Eden till one greater Man Restore us and regain the blissful Seat Sing Heav'nly Muse that on the secret top Of Oreb or of Sinai didst inspire That Shepherd who first taught the chosen Seed In the Beginning how the Heav'ns and Earth Rose out of Chaos Or if Sion Hill Delight thee more and Siloa's Brook that flow'd Fast by the Oracle of God I thence Invoke thy aid to my adventrous Song That with no middle flight intends to soar Above th' Aonian Mount while it pursues Things 〈◊〉 yet in Prosâ—… 〈◊〉 Rhime And chiefly Thou O Spirit that dost prefer Before all Temples th' upâ—…ght â—…eart and pure Instruct me for Thou know'st Thou from the first Wast present and with mighty wings outspread Dove like 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 Abyss And mad'st it pregnant What in me is dark Illumine what is low 〈◊〉 and support That to the highth of this great Argument I may assert th' Eternal Providence And justifie the wayes of God to men Say first for Heav'n 〈◊〉 nothing from thy view Nor the deep Tract of Hell say first what cause Mov'd our Grand Parents in that happy State Favour'd of 〈◊〉 so highly to fall off From their Creator and transgress his Will For one restraint Lords of the World besides Who first seduc'd them to that fowl revolt Stird up with Envy and Revenge deceiv'd The Mother of Mankinde what time his Pride Had cast him out from Heav'n with all his Host Of Rebel Angels by whose aid aspiring To set himself in Glory above his Peers He trusted to have equal'd the most High If he oppos'd and with ambitious aim Against the Throne and Monarchy of God Rais'd impious War in Heav'n and Battel proud With vain attempt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Power Hurld headlong 〈◊〉 â—…om th' 〈◊〉 Skie With 〈◊〉 ruine and combustion down One next himself in power and next in crime Long after known in Palestine and nam'd Eëëlzebub To whom th' Arch-Enemy And thence in Heav'n call'd Satan with bold words Breaking the horrid silence thus began If thoâ—… beest he But O how fall'n how chang'd From him who in the happy Reâ—…lms of Light Cloth'd with 〈◊〉 brightnes didst outshine Myriads though bright If he whom mutual league United thoughts and counsels equal hope And hazard in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joynd wâ—…th me once now misery hath joynd In equal ruin into what Pit thou seest From what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so much the stronger provd He with his Thunder and till then who knew The force of those dire Arms yet not for those Nor what the Potent Victor in his rage Can else inflict do I repent or change Though chang'd in outward lustre that fixt mind And high 〈◊〉 from sence of injur'd merit That with the 〈◊〉 rais'd me to contend And to the fierce contention brought along Innumerable force of Spirits arm'd That durst dislike his reign and me preferring His utmost power with adverse power oppos'd In dubious Battel on the Plains of Heav'n And shook his throne What 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 field belost All is not lost the unconquerable Will And study of revenge immortal hate And courage never to submit or yield And what is else not to be overcome That Glory never shall his wrath 〈◊〉 might Extort from me To bow and fue for grace With suppliant knee and deifie his power Who from the terrour of this Arm so lâ—…te Doubted his Empire that were low indeed That were an ignominy and â—…hame beneath This downfall since by Fate the strength of Gods And this Empyreal substance cannot fail Since through experience of this great event In Arms not worse in foresight much advanc't We may â—…ith more successful hope resolve To wage by force or guile eternal Warr Irreconcileable to our grand Foe Who now triumphs and in th' excess of joy Sole reigning holds the Tyranny of Heav'n So spake th' Apostate Angel though in pain Vaunting aloud but rackt with deep despare And him thus answer'd soon his bold Compeer O Prince O Chief of many Throned Powers That led th' imbattelld Seraphim to Warr Under thy conduct and in dreadful deeds Fearless endanger'd Heav'ns perpetual King And put to proof his high Supremacy Whether upheld by strength or Chance or Fate Too well I see and rue the dire event That with sad overthrow and foul defeat Hath lost us Heav'n and all this mighty Host In horrible destruction laid thus low As far as Gods and Heav'nly Essences Can Perish for the mind and spirit remains Invincible and vigour soon returns Though all our Glory extinct and happy 〈◊〉 Here swallow'd up in endless misery But what if he our Conquerour whom I now Of force believe Almighty since no less Then such could hav orepow'rd such force as ours Have left us this our spirit and strength intire Strongly to suffer and support our pains That we may 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his vengeful ire Or do hâ—… 〈◊〉 service as 〈◊〉 thralls By right of Waâ—… what e're his business be Here in the heart of Hell to work in Fire Or do his Errands in the gloomy Deep What can it then avail though yet we feel Strength undiminisht or eternal being To undergo eternal punishment Whereto with speedy words th'Arch-fiend reply'd Fall'n Cherube to be weak is miserable Doing or Suffering but of this be sure To do ought good never will be our task But ever to do ill our sole delight As being the contrary to his high will Whom we resist If then his Providence Out of our evil seek to bring forth good Our labour must be â—…o peâ—…vert that end And out of good still to find means of evil Which oft times may succeed so as perhaps Shall grieve him if I fail not and disturb His iâ—…st counsels from their destind pursuit But see the 〈◊〉 Victor hath recall'd His Ministers of vengeance and pursuit Back to the Gaâ—… of Heav'n The Sulphurous Hail Shot after us in storm oreblown â—…h laid The fiery Suâ—… that from the Precipice Of Heav'n receiv'd us falling and the Thunder Wing'd with red Lightning and impetuous rage Perhaps hath spent his shasts and ceases now To bellow through the vast and boundless Deep Let us not slip th' occasion whether scorn Or satiate fury yield it from our Foe Seest thou yon dreary Plain forlorn and wilde The seat of desolation voyd of light Save what the glimmering of these livid flâ—…s Casts pale and dreadful Thither let us tend From off the tossing of these fiery waves There rest if any rest can harbour there And reassembling our
more endanger'd then when Argo pass'd Through Bosporus betwixt the 〈◊〉 Rocks Or when 〈◊〉 on the Larbord 〈◊〉 Charybdis and by th' other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So he with difficulty and labour hard Mov'd on with difficulty and labour hee But hee once past soon after when man fell Strange alteration Sin and Death amain Following his track such was the will of Heav'n Pav'd after him a broad and beat'n way Over the dark 〈◊〉 whose boiling Gulf Taâ—…ely endur'd a Bridge of wondrous length From Hell continu'd reaching th' utmost Orbe Of this frail World by which the Spirits perverse With easie intercourse pass to and â—…ro To tempt or punish mortals except whom God and good Angels guard by special grace But now at last the sacred influence Of light appears and from the walls of Heav'n Shoots farr into the bosom of dim Night A glimmering dawn here Nature first begins Her fardest verge and Chaos to retire As from her outmost works a brok'n foe With tumult less and with less hostile din That Satan with less toil and now with ease Wafts on the calmer wave by dubious light And like a weather-beaten Vessel holds Gladly the Port though Shrouds and Tackle torn Or in the emptier waste resembling Air Weighs his spread wings at leasure to be hold Farr off th' Empyreal Heav'n extended wide In circuit undetermind square or round With Opal Towrs and Battlements adorn'd Of living Saphire once his native Seat And fast by hanging in a golden Chain This pendant world in bigness as a Starr Of smallest Magnitude close by the Moon Thither full fraught with mischievous revenge Accurst and in a cursed hour he hies The End of the Second Book PARADISE LOST BOOK III. HAil holy light ofspring of Heav'n first-born Or of th' Eternal Coeternal beam May I express thee unblam'd since God is light And never but in unapproached light Dwelt from Eternitie dwelt then in thee Bright esfluence of bright essence increate Or hear'st thou rather pure Ethereal stream Whose Fountain who shall tell before the Sun Before the Heavens thou wert and at the voice Of God as with a Mantle didst invest The rising world of waters dark and deep Won from the void and formless infinite Thee I re-visit now with bolder wing Escap't the Stygian Pool though long detain'd In that obscure sojourn while in my flight Through utter and through middle darkness borne With other notes then to th' Orphean Lyre I sung of Chaos and Eternal Night Taught by the heav'nly Muse to venture down The dark descent and up to reascend Though hard and rare thee I revisit safe And â—…eel thy sovran vital Lamp but thou Revisit'st not these eyes that rowle in vain To find thy piercing ray and find no dawn So thick a drop serene hath quencht thir Orbs Or dim suffusion veild Yet not the more Cease I to wander where the Muses haunt Cleer Spring or shadie Grove or Sunnie Hill Smit with the love of sacred song but chief Thee Sion and the flowrie Brooks beneath That wash thy hallowd feet and warbling flow Nightly I visit nor somtimes forget Those other two equal'd with me in Fate So were I equal'd with them in renown Blind Thamyris and blind Maeonides And Tiresias and Phineus Prophets old Then feed on thoughts that voluntarie move Harmonious numbers as the wakeful Bird Sings darkling and in shadiest Covert hid Tunes her nocturnal Note Thus with the Year Seasons return but not to me returns Day or the sweet approach of Ev'n or Morn Or sight of vernal bloom or Summers Rose Or flocks or herds or human face divine But cloud in stead and ever during dark Surrounds me from the chearful waies of men Cut off and for the Book of knowledg fair Presented with a Universal blanc Of Natures works to mee expung'd and ras'd And wisdome at one entrance quite shut out So much the rather thou Celestial light Shine inward and the mind through all her powers Irradiate there plant eyes all mist from thence Purge and disperse that I may see and tell Of things invisible to mortal fight Now had the Almighty Father from above From the pure Empyrean where he sits High Thron'd above all highth bent down his eye His own works and their works at once to view About him all the Sanctities of Heaven Stood thick as Starrs and from his sight receiv'd Beatitude past utterance on his right The radiant image of his Glory sat His onely Son On Earth he first beheld Our two first Parents yet the onely two Of mankind in the happie Garden plac't Reaping immortal fruits of joy and love Uninterrupted joy unrivald love In 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he then survey'd Hell and the Gulf between and Satan there Coasting the wall of Heav'n on this side Night In the dun Air sublime and ready now To stoop with 〈◊〉 wings and willing feet On the bare outside of this World that seem'd Firm land imbosom'd without Firmament Uncertain which in Ocean or in Air. Him God beholding from his prospect high Wherein past present future he beholds Thus to his onely Son foreseeing spake Onely begotten Son seest thou what rage â—…ransports our adversarie whom no bounds Prescrib'd no barrs of Hell nor all the chains Heapt on him there nor yet the main Abyss Wide interrupt can hold so bent he seems On desperat revenge that shall redound Upon his own rebellious head And now Through all restraint broke loose he wings his way Not farr off Heav'n in the Precincts of light Directly towards the new created World And Man there plac't with purpose to assay If him by force he can destroy or worse By som false guile pervert and shall pervert For man will heark'n to his glozing lyes And easily transgress the sole Command Sole pledge of his obedience So will fall Hee and his faithless Progenie whose fault Whose but his own ingrate he had of mee All he could have I made him just and right Sufficient to have stood though free to fall Such I created all th' Ethereal Powers And Spirits both them who stood them who faild Freely they stood who stood and fell who fell Not free what proof could they have givn sincere Of true allegiance constant Faith or Love Where onely what they needs must do appeard Not what they would what praise could they receive What pleasure I from such obedience paid When Will and Reason Reason also is choice Useless and vain of freedom both despoild Made passive both had servd necessitie Not mee They therefore as to right belongd So were created nor can justly accuse Thir maker or thir making or thir Fate As if Predestination over-rul'd Thir will dispos'd by absolute Decree Or high foreknowledge they themselves decreed Thir own revolt not I if I foreknew Foreknowledge had no influence on their fault Which had no less prov'd certain unforeknown So without least impulse or shadow of Fate Or aught by me immutablie foreseen They trespass Authors to themselves in all
led captive through the Aâ—…re The Realme 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 Childern 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 Thornes also and Thistles it shall bring thee forth Unbid and thou shalt eate th' Herb of th' Field In the sweat of thy Face shalt thou eate Bread Till thou return unto the ground for thou Out of the ground wast taken know thy Birth For dust thou art and shalt to dust returne So judg'd he Man both Judge and Saviour sent And th' instant stroke of Death denounc't that day Remov'd farr off then pittying how they stood Before him naked to the aire that now Must suffer change disdain'd not to begin Thenceforth the forme of servant to assume As when he wash'd his servants feet so now As Father of his Familie he clad Thir nakedness with Skins of Beasts or slain Or as the Snake with youthful Coate repaid And thought not much to cloath his Enemies Nor hee 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 Avenger since no place like this Can fit his punishment or their revenge Methinks I feel new strength within me rise Wings growing and Dominion giv'n me large Beyond this Deep whatever drawes me on Or sympathie or som connatural force Powerful at greatest distance to unite With secret amity things of like kinde By secretest conveyance Thou my Shade Inseparable must with mee along For Death from Sin no power can separate But least the difficultie of passing back Stay his returne perhaps over this Gulfe Impassable impervious let us try Adventrous work yet to thy power and mine Not unagreeable to found a path Over this Maine from Hell to that new World Where Satan now prevailes a Monument Of merit high to all th' infernal Host Easing thir passage hence for intercourse Or transmigration as thir lot shall lead Nor can I miss the way so strongly drawn By this new felt attraction and instinct Whom thus the meager Shadow answerd soon Goe whither Fate and inclination strong Leads thee I shall not lag behinde nor erre The way thou leading such a sent I draw Of carnage prey innumerable and taste The savour of Death from all things there that live Nor shall I to the work thou enterprisest 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 Quarrey from so farr Then Both from out Hell Gates into the waste Wide Anarchie of Chaos damp and dark Flew divers with Power thir Power was great Hovering upon the Waters what they met Solid or slimie as in raging Sea Tost up and down together crowded drove From each side shoaling towards the mouth of Hell As when two Polar Winds blowing adverse Upon the Cronian Sea together drive 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 joyning to the Wall Immoveable of this now fenceless world Forfeit to Death from hence a passage broad Smooth easie inoffensive down to Hell So if great things to small may be compar'd Xerxes the Libertie of Greece to yoke From Susa his Memnonian Palace high Came to the Sea and over Hellespont Bridging his way Europe with Asia joyn'd And scourg'd with many a stroak th' indignant waves Now had they brought the work by wondrous Art Pontifical a ridge of pendent Rock Over the vext Abyss following the track Of Satan to the self same place where hee First lighted from his Wing and landed safe From out of Chaos to the outside bare Of this round World with Pinns of Adamant And Chains they made all fast too fast they made And durable and now in little space The Confines met of Empyrean Heav'n And of this World and on the left hand Hell With long reach interpos'd three sev'ral wayes In sight to each of these three places led And now thir way to Earth they had descri'd To Paradise first tending when behold Satan in likeness of an Angel bright Betwixt the Centaure and the Scorpion stearing His Zenith while the Sun in Aries rose Disguis'd he came but those his Childern dear 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 guâ—…ie what his wrauth Might suddenly inflict that past return'd By Night and listning where the hapless Paire Sate in thir sad discourse and various plaint Thence gatherd his own doom which understood Not instant but of future time With joy And tidings fraught to Hell he now return'd And at the brink of Chaos neer the foot Of this new wondrous Pontifice unhop't Met who to
conviction first and last On mee mee onely as the sourse and spring Of all corruption all the blame lights due So might the wrauth Fond wish 〈◊〉 thou support That burden heavier then the Earth to 〈◊〉 Then all the World much heavier though divided With that bad Woman Thus what thou 〈◊〉 And what thou fearst alike destroyes all hope Of refuge and concludes thee miserable Beyond all past 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 To 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like both 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 O Conscience into what Abyss of fears And horrors 〈◊〉 thou 〈◊〉 me out of which I find no way from 〈◊〉 to deeper plung'd Thus Adam to himself lamented loud 〈◊〉 the still Night not now as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wholsom and cool and mild but with 〈◊〉 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 〈◊〉 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 VVith other echo late I taught your Shades To answer and resound farr other Song VVhom thus afflicted when sad Eve beheld Desolate where she sate approaching nigh Soft words to his fierce passion she assay'd But her with â—…tern regard he thus repell'd Out of my sight thou Serpent that name bâ—…st 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 〈◊〉 them But for thee I had persisted happie had not thy pride And wandring vanitie when lest was safe Rejected my fore warning 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 most shall seldom gain Through her perverseness but shall see her gaind By a farr worse or if she love withheld By Parents or his happiest choice too late Shall meet alreadie linkt and Wedlock-bound To a fell Adversarie his hate or shame Which infinite calamitie shall cause To Humane life and houshold peace confound He added not and from her turn'd but Eve Not so repulst with Tears that 〈◊〉 not flowing And tresses all disorderd at his feet Fell humble and imbracing them be saught 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 already 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 judgement will return There with my cries importune Heaven that all The sentence from thy head remov'd may light On me fole 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 〈◊〉 Commiseration â—…oon his heart relented Towards her his life so late and sole delight Now at his feet submissive in distress Creature so faire his reconcilement â—…eeking His counsel whom she had displeas'd his aide As one disarm'd his anger all he lost And thus with peaceful wprds 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 〈◊〉 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 Liâ—…e must be at last Food for so soule a Monster in thy power It lies yet ere Conception to prevent The Race unblest to being yet unbegot Childless thou art Childless râ—…maine So Death shall be deceav'd his glut and with us two Be forc'd to satissie his Rav'nous Maw But if thou judge it hard and difficult Conversing looking loving
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 streame the signe Of washing them from guilt of sin to Life Pure and in mind prepar'd if so befall For death like that which the redeemer dy'd All Nations they shall teach for from that day Not onely to the Sons of Abrahams Loines Salvation shall be Preacht but to the Sons Of Abrahams Faith wherever through the world So in his seed all Nations shall be blest Then to the Heav'n of Heav'ns he shall ascend With victory triumphing through the aire Over his foes and thine there shall surprise The Serpent Prince of aire and drag in Chaines Through all his realme there confounded leave Then enter into glory and resume His Seat at Gods right hand exalted high Above all names in Heav'n and thence shall come When this worlds dissolution shall be ripe With glory and power to judge both quick dead 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 But 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 Will deem in outward Rites and specious formes Religion satisfi'd Truth shall retire Bestuck with slandrous darts and works of Faith Rarely be found so shall the World goe on To good malignant to bad men benigne Under her own waight groaning till the day Appeer of respiration to the just And vengeance to the wicked at return Of him so lately promiss'd to thy aid The Womans seed obscurely then foretold Now amplier known thy Saviour and thy Lord Last in the Clouds from Heav'n to be reveald In glory of the Father to dissolve Satan with his perverted World then raise From the conflagrant mass purg'd and refin'd New Heav'ns new Earth Ages of endless date Founded in righteousness and peace and love To bring forth fruits Joy and eternal Bliss He ended and thus Adam last reply'd How soon hath thy prediction Seer blest Measur'd this transient World the Race of time Till time stand fixt beyond is all abyss Eternitie whose end no eye can reach Greatly instructed I shall hence depart Greatly in peace of thought and have my fill Of knowledge what this vessel can containe Beyond which was my folly to aspire Henceforth I learne that to obey is best And love with feare the onely God to walk As in his presence ever to observe His providence and on him sole depend Merciful over all his works with good Still overcoming evil and by small Accomplishing great things by things deemd weak Subverting worldly strong and worldly wise By simply meek that suffering for Truths sake Is fortitude to highest victorie And to the faithful Death the Gate of Life Taught this by his example whom I now Acknowledge my Redeemer ever blest To whom thus also th' Angel last repli'd This having learnt thou hast attaind the summe Of wisdom hope no higher though all the Starrs Thou knewst by name and all th' ethereal Powers All secrets of the deep all Natures works Or works of God in Heav'n Air Earth or Sea And all the riches of this World enjoydst And all the rule one Empire onely add Deeds to thy knowledge answerable add Faith Add Vertue Patience Temperance add Love By name to come call'd Charitie the soul Of all the rest then wilt thou not be loath To leave this Paradise but shalt possess A Paradise within thee happier farr Let us descend now therefore from this top Of Speculation for the hour precise Exacts our parting hence and see the Guards By mee encampt on yonder Hill expect Thir motion at whose Front a flaming Sword In signal of remove waves fiercely round We may no longer stay go waken Eve Her also I with gentle Dreams have calm'd Portending good and all her spirits compos'd To meek submission thou at season fit Let her with thee partake what thou hast heard Chiefly what may concern her Faith to know The great deliverance by her Seed to come For by the Womans Seed on all Mankind That ye may live which will be many dayes Both in one Faith unanimous though sad With cause for evils past yet much more cheer'd With meditation on the happie end He ended and they both descend the Hill Descended Adam to the Bowre where Eve Lay sleeping ran before but found her wak't And thus with words not sad she him receav'd Whence thou returnst whither wentst I know For God is also in sleep and Dreams advise Which he hath sent propitious some great good Presaging since with sorrow and hearts distress VVearied I fell asleep but now lead on In mee is no delay with thee to goe Is to stay here without thee here to stay Is to go hence unwilling thou to mee Art all things under Heav'n all places thou VVho for my wilful crime art banisht hence This further consolation yet secure I carry hence though all by mee is lost Such favour I unworthie am voutsaft By mee the Promis'd Seed shall all restore So spake our Mother Eve and Adam heard VVell pleas'd but answer'd not for now too nigh Th' Archangel stood and from the other Hill To thir fixt Station all in bright array The Cherubim descended on the ground Gliding meteorous as Ev'ning Mist Ris'n from a River o're the marish glides And gathers ground fast at the Labourers heel Homeward returning High in Front advanc't The brandisht Sword of God before them blaz'd Fierce as a Comet which with torrid heat And vapour as the Libyan Air adust Began to parch that temperate Clime whereat In either hand the hastning Angel caught Our lingring Parents and to th' Eastern Gate Led them direct and down the Cliff as fast To the subjected Plaine then disappeer'd They looking back all th' Eastern side beheld Of Paradise so late thir happie seat Wav'd over by that flaming Brand the â—…ate With dreadful Faces throng'd and fierie Armes Som natural tears they drop'd but wip'd them soon The World was all before them where to choose Thir place of rest and Providence thir guide They hand in hand with wandring steps and slow Through Eden took thir solitarie way THE END