yet not for that a Crown Golden in shew is but a wreath of thorns Brings dangers troubles cares and sleepless nights To him who wears the Regal Diadem When on his shoulders each mans burden lies For therein stands the office of a King His Honour Vertue Merit and chief Praise That for the Publick all this weight he bears Yet he who reigns within himself and rules Passions Desires and Fears is more a King Which every wise and vertuous man attains And who attains not ill aspires to rule Cities of men or head-strong Multitudes Subject himself to Anarchy within Or lawless passions in him which he serves But to guide Nations in the way of truth By saving Doctrine and from errour lead To know and knowing worship God aright Is yet more Kingly this attracts the Soul Governs the inner man the nobler part That other o're the body only reigns And oft by force which to a generous mind So reigning can be no sincere delight Besides to give a Kingdom hath been thought Greater and nobler done and to lay down Far more magnanimous then to assume Riches are needless then both for themselves And for thy reason why they should be sought To gain a Scepter oftest better miss't The End of the Second Book PARADISE REGAIN'D The Third BOOK SO spake the Son of God and Satan stood A while as mute confounded what to say What to reply confuted and convinc't Of his weak arguing and fallacious drift At length collecting all his Serpent wiles With soothing words renew'd him thus accosts I see thou know'st what is of use to know What best to say canst say to do canst do Thy actions to thy words accord thy words To thy large heart give utterance due thy heart Conteins of good wise just the perfect shape Should Kings and Nations from thy mouth consult Thy Counsel would be as the Oracle Urim and Thummim those oraculous gems On Aaron's breast or tongue of Seers old Infallible or wert thou sought to deeds That might requireth ' array of war thy skill Of conduct would be such that all the world Could not sustain thy Prowess or subsist In battel though against thy few in arms These God-like Vertues wherefore dost thou hide Affecting private life or more obscure In savage Wilderness wherefore deprive All Earth her wonder at thy acts thy self The fame and glory glory the reward That sole excites to high attempts the flame Of most erected Spirits most temper'd pure Aetherial who all pleasures else despise All treasures and all gain esteem as dross And dignities and powers all but the highest Thy years are ripe and over-ripe the Son Of Macedonian Philip had e're these Won Asia and the Throne of Cyrus held At his dispose young Scipio had brought down The Carthaginian pride young Pompey quell'd The Pontic King and in triumph had rode Yet years and to ripe years judgment mature Quench not the thirst of glory but augment Great Julius whom now all the world admires The more he grew in years the more inflam'd With glory wept that he had liv'd so long Inglorious but thou yet art not too late To whom our Saviour calmly thus reply'd Thou neither dost perswade me to seek wealth For Empires sake nor Empire to affect For glories sake by all thy argument For what is glory but the blaze of fame The peoples praise if always praise unmixt And what the people but a herd confus'd A miscellaneous rabble who extol praise Things vulgar well weigh'd scarce worth the They praise and they admire they know not what And know not whom but as one leads the other And what delight to be by such extoll'd To live upon thir tongues and be thir talk Of whom to be disprais'd were no small praise His lot who dares be singularly good Th' intelligent among them and the wise Are few and glory scarce of few is rais'd This is true glory and renown when God Looking on the Earth with approbation marks The just man and divulges him through Heaven To all his Angels who with true applause Recount his praises thus he did to Job When to extend his fame through Heaven Earth As thou to thy reproach mayst well remember He ask'd thee hast thou seen my servant Job Famous he was in Heaven on Earth less known Where glory is false glory attributed To things not glorious men not worthy of fame They err who count it glorious to subdue By Conquest far and wide to over-run Large Countries and in field great Battels win Great Cities by assault what do these Worthies But rob and spoil burn flaughter and enslave Peaceable Nations neighbouring or remote Made Captive yet deserving freedom more Then those thir Conquerours who leave behind Nothing but ruin wheresoe're they rove And all the flourishing works of peace destroy Then swell with pride and must be titl'd Gods Great Benefactors of mankind Deliverers Worship't with Temple Priest and Sacrifice One is the Son of Jove of Mars the other Till Conquerour Death discover them scarce men Rowling in brutish vices and deform'd Violent or shameful death thir due reward But if there be in glory aught of good It may by means far different be attain'd Without ambition war or violence By deeds of peace by wisdom eminent By patience temperance I mention still Him whom thy wrongs with Saintly patience born Made famous in a Land and times obscure Who names not now with honour patient Job Poor Socrates who next more memorable By what he taught and suffer'd for so doing For truths sake suffering death unjust lives now Equal in fame to proudest Conquerours Yet if for fame and glory aught be done Aught suffer'd if young African for fame His wasted Country freed from Punâ—â— rage The deed becomes unprais'd the ma◠〈◊〉 least And loses though but verbal his 〈◊〉 Shall I seek glory then as vain me◠〈◊〉 Oft not deserv'd I seek not mine 〈◊〉 Who sent me and thereby witness whence I am To whom the Tempter murmuring thus reply'd Think not so slight of glory therein least Resembling thy great Father he seeks glory And for his glory all things made all things Orders and governs nor content in Heaven By all his Angels glorifi'd requires Glory from men from all men good or bad Wise or unwise no difference no exemption Above all Sacrifice or hallow'd gift Glory he requires and glory he receives Promiscuous from all Nations Jew or Greek Or Barbarous nor exception hath declar'd From us his foes pronounc't glory he exacts To whom our Saviour fervently reply'd And reason since his word all things produc'd Though chiefly not for glory as prime end But to shew forth his goodness and impart His good communicable to every soul Freely of whom what could he less expect Then glory and benediction that is thanks The slightest easiest readiest recompence From them who could return him nothing else And not returning that would likeliest render Contempt instead dishonour obloquy Hard recompence unsutable
Set God behind which in his jealousie Shall never unrepented find forgiveness Yet that he may dispense with me or thee Present in Temples at Idolatrous Rites For some important cause thouneedst not doubt Chor. How thou wilt here come off surmounts my reach Sam. Be of good courage I begin to feel Some rouzing motions in me which dispose To something extraordinary my thoughts I with this Messenger will go along Nothing do be sure that may dishonour Our Law or stain my vow of Nazarite If there be aught of presage in the mind This day will be remarkable in my life By some great act or of my days the last Chor. In time thou hast resolv'd the man returns Off. Samson this second message from our Lords To thee I am bid say Art thou our Slave Our Captive at the public Mill our drudge And dar'st thou at our sending and command Dispute thy coming come without delay Or we shall find such Engines to assail And hamper thee as thou shalt come of force Though thou wert firmlier fastn'd then a rock Sam. I could be well content to try thir Art Which to no few of them would prove pernicious Yet knowing thir advantages too many Because they shall not trail me through thir streets Like a wild Beast I am content to go Masters commands come with a power resistless To such as owe them absolute subjection And for a life who will not change his purpose So mutable are all the ways of men Yet this be sure in nothing to comply Scandalous or forbidden in our Law Off. I praise thy resolution doff these links By this compliance thou wilt win the Lords To favour and perhaps to set thee free Sam. Brethren farewel your company along I will not wish lest it perhaps offend them To see me girt with Friends and how the sight Of me as of a common Enemy So dreaded once may now exasperate them I know not Lords are Lordliest in thir wines And the well-feasted Priest then soonest fir'd With zeal if aught Religion seem concern'd No less the people on thir Holy-days Impetuous insolent unquenchable Happ'n what may of me expect to hear Nothing dishonourable impure unworthy Our God our Law my Nation or my self The last of me or no I cannot warrant Chor. Go and the Holy One Of Israel be thy guide To what may serve his glory best spread his name Great among the Heathen round Send thee the Angel of thy Birth to stand Fast by thy side who from thy Fathers field Rode up in flames after his message told Of thy conception and be now a shield Of fire that Spirit that first rusht on thee In the Camp of Dan Be efficacious in thee now at need For never was from Heaven imparted Measure of strength so great to mortal seed As in thy wond'rous actions hath been seen But wherefore comes old Manoa in such hast With youthful steps much livelier then e're while He seems supposing here to find his Son Or of him bringing to us some glad news Man Peace with you brethren my inducement hither Was not at present here to find my Son By order of the Lords new parted hence To come and play before them at thir Feast I heard all as I came the City rings And numbers thither flock I had no will Lest I should see him forc't to things unseemly But that which mov'd my coming now was chiefly To give ye part with me what hope I have With good success to work his liberty Cho. That hope would much rejoyce us to partake With thee say reverend Sire we thirst to hear Man I have attempted one by one the Lords Either at home or through the high street passing With supplication prone and Fathers tears To accept of ransom for my Son thir pris'ner Some much averse I found and wondrous harsh Contemptuous proud set on revenge and spite That part most reverenc'd Dagon and his Priests Others more moderate seeming but thir aim Private reward for which both God and State They easily would set to sale a third More generous far and civil who confess'd They had anough reveng'd having reduc't Thir foe to misery beneath thir fears The rest was magnanimity to remit If some convenient ransom were propos'd What noise or shout was that it tore the Skie Chor. Doubtless the people shouting to behold Thir once great dread captive blind before them Or at some proof of strength before them shown Man His ransom if my whole inheritance May compass it shall willingly be paid And numberd down much rather I shall chuse To live the poorest in my Tribe then richest And he in that calamitous prison left No I am fixt not to part hence without him â—or his redemption all my Patrimony If need be I am ready to forgo And quit not wanting him I shall want nothing Chor. Fathers are wont to lay up for thir Sons Thou for thy Son art bent to lay out all Sons wont to nurse thir Parents in old age Thou in old age car'st how to nurse thy Son Made older then thy age through eye-sight lost Man It shall be my delight to tend his eyes And view him sitting in the house enobl'd With all those high exploits by him atchiev'd And on his shoulders waving down those locks That of a Nation arm'd the strength contain'd And I perswade me God had not permitted His strength again to grow up with his hair Garrison'd round about him like a Camp Of faithful Souldiery were not his purpose To use him further yet in some great service Not to sit idle with so great a gift Useless and thence ridiculous about him And since his strength with eye-sight was not lost God will restore him eye-sight to his strength Chor. Thy hopes are not ill founded nor seem vain Of his delivery and thy joy thereon Conceiv'd agreeable to a Fathers love In both which we as next participate Man I know your friendly minds and O what noise Mercy of Heav'n what hideous noise was that Horribly loud unlike the former shout Chor. Noise call you it or universal groan As if the whole inhabitation perish'd Blood death and deathful deeds are in that noise Ruin destruction at the utmost point Man Of ruin indeed methought I heard the noise Oh it continues they have slain my Son Chor. Thy Son is rather slaying them that outcry From slaughter of one foe could not ascend Man Some dismal accident it needs must be What shall we do stay here or run and see Chor. Best keep together here lest running thither We unawares run into dangers mouth This evil on the Philistines is fall'n From whom could else a general cry be heard The sufferers then will scarce molest us here From other hands we need not much to fear A little stay will bring some notice hither For evil news rides post while good news baits And to our wish I see one hither speeding An Ebrew as I guess and of our Tribe
exercise him in the Wilderness There he shall first lay down the rudiments Of his great warfare e're I send him forth To conquer Sin and Death the two grand soes By Humiliation and strong Sufferance His weakness shall o'recome Satanic strength And all the world and mass of sinful flesh That all the Angels and Aetherial Powers They now and men hereafter may discern From what consummate vertue I have chose This perfect Man by merit call'd my Son To earn Salvation for the Sons of men So spake the Eternal Father and all Heaven Admiring stood a space then into Hymns Burst forth and in Celestial measures mov'd Circling the Throne and Singing while the hand Sung with the voice and this the argument Victory and Triumph to the Son of God Now entring his great duel not of arms But to vanquish by wisdom hellish wiles The Father knows the Son therefore secure Ventures his filial Vertue though untri'd Against whate're may tempt whate're seduce Allure or terrifie or undermine Be frustrate all ye stratagems of Hell And devilish machinations come to nought So they in Heav'n their Odes and Vigils tun'd Mean while the Son of God who yet some days Lodg'd in Bethabara where John baptiz'd Musing and much revolving in his brest How best the mighty work he might begin Of Saviour to mankind and which way first Publish his God-like office now mature One day forth walk'd alone the Spirit leading And his deep thoughts the better to converse With solitude till far from track of men Thought following thought and step by step led on He entred now the bordering Desert wild And with dark shades and rocks environ'd round His holy Meditations thus persu'd O what a multitude of thoughts at once Awakn'd in me swarm while I consider What from within I feel my self and hear What from without comes often to my ears Ill sorting with my present state compar'd When I was yet a child no childish play To me was pleasing all my mind was set Serious to learn and know and thence to do What might be publick good my self I thought Born to that end born to promote all truth All righteous things therefore above my years The Law of God I read and found it sweet Made it my whole delight and in it grew To such perfection that e're yet my age Had measur'd twice six years at our great Feast I went into the Temple there to hear The Teachers of our Law and to propose What might improve my knowledge or their own And was admir'd by all yet this not all To which my Spirit aspir'd victorious deeds Flam'd in my heart heroic acts one while To rescue Israel from the Roman yoke Then to subdue and quell o're all the earth Brute violence and proud Tyrannick pow'r Till truth were freed and equity restor'd Yet held it more humane more heavenly first By winning words to conquer willing hearts And make perswasion do the work of fear At least to try and teach the erring Soul Not wilfully mis-doing but unware Missed the stubborn only to destroy These growing thoughts my Mother soon perceiving By words at times cast forth inly rejoyc'd And said to me apart high are thy thoughts O Son but nourish them and let them soar To what highth sacred vertue and true worth Can raise them though above example high By matchless Deeds express thy matchless Sire For know thou art no Son of mortal man Though men esteem thee low of Parentage Thy Father is the Eternal King who rules All Heaven and Earth Angels and Sons of men A messenger from God fore-told thy birth Conceiv'd in me a Virgin he fore-told Thou shouldst be great and sit on David's Throne And of thy Kingdom there should be no end At thy Nativity a glorious Quire Of Angels in the fields of Bethlehem sung To Shepherds watching at their folds by night And told them the Messiah now was born Where they might see him and to thee they came Directed to the Manger where thou lais't For in the Inn was left no better room A Star not seen before in Heaven appearing Guided the Wise Men thither from the East To honour thee with Incense Myrrh and Gold By whose bright course led on they found the place Affirming it thy Star new grav'n in Heaven By which they knew thee King of Israel born Just Simeon and Prophetic Anna warn'd By Vision found thee in the Temple and spake Before the Altar and the vested Priest Like things of thee to all that present stood This having heard strait I again revolv'd The Law and Prophets searching what was writ Concerning the Messiah to our Scribes Known partly and soon found of whom they spake I am this chiefly that my way must lie Through many a hard assay even to the death E're I the promis'd Kingdom can attain Or work Redemption for mankind whose sins Full weight must be transferr'd upon my head Yet neither thus disheartn'd or dismay'd The time prefixt I waited when behold The Baptist of whose birth I oft had heard Not knew by sight now come who was to come Before Messiah and his way prepare I as all others to his Baptism came Which I believ'd was from above but he Strait knew me and with loudest voice proclaim'd Me him for it was shew'n him so from Heaven Me him whose Harbinger he was and first Refus'd on me his Baptism to confer As much his greater and was hardly won But as I rose out of the laving stream Heaven open'd her eternal doors from whence The Spirit descended on me like a Dove And last the sum of all my Father's voice Audibly heard from Heav'n pronounc'd me his Me his beloved Son in whom alone He was well pleas'd by which I knew the time Now full that I no more should live obscure But openly begin as best becomes The Authority which I deriv'd from Heaven And now by some strong motion I am led Into this Wilderness to what intent I learn not yet perhaps I need not know For what concerns my knowledge God reveals So spake our Morning Star then in his rise And looking round on every side beheld A pathless Desert dusk with horrid shades The way he came not having mark'd return Was difficult by humane steps untrod And he still on was led but with such thoughts Accompanied of things past and to come Lodg'd in his brest as well might recommend Such Solitude before choicest Society Full forty days he pass'd whether on hill Sometimes anon in shady vale each night Under the covert of some ancient Oak Or Cedar to defend him from the dew Or harbour'd in one Cave is not reveal'd Nor tasted humane food nor hunger felt Till those days ended hunger'd then at last Among wild Beasts they at his sight grew mild Nor sleeping him nor waking harm'd his walk The fiery Serpent fled and noxious Worm The Lion and fierce Tiger glar'd aloof But now an aged man in Rural weeds Following as seem'd
Licensed July 2. 1670. PARADISE REGAIN'D A POEM In IV BOOKS To which is added SAMSON AGONISTES The Author JOHN MILTON LONDON Printed by J. M. for John Starkey at the Mitre in Fleetstreet near Temple-Bar MDCLXXI PARADISE REGAIN'D A POEM The First BOOK I Who e're while the happy Garden sung By one mans disobedience lost now sing Recover'd Paradise to all mankind By one mans firm obedience fully tri'd Through all temptation and the Tempter foil'd In all his wiles defeated and repuls't And Eden rais'd in the wast Wilderness Thou Spirit who ledst this glorious Eremite Into the Desert his Victorious Field Against the Spiritual Foe and broughtst him thence By proof the undoubted Son of God inspire As thou art wont my prompted Song else mute And bear through highth or depth of natures bounds With prosperous wing full summ'd to tell of deeds Above Heroic though in secret done And unrecorded left through many an Age Worthy t' have not remain'd so long unsung Now had the great Proclaimer with a voice More awful then the sound of Trumpet cri'd Repentance and Heavens Kingdom nigh at hand To all Baptiz'd to his great Baptism flock'd With aw the Regions round and with them came From Nazareth the Son of Joseph deem'd To the flood Jordan came as then obscure Unmarkt unknown but him the Baptist soon Descri'd divinely warn'd and witness bore As to his worthier and would have resign'd To him his Heavenly Office nor was long His witness unconfirm'd on him baptiz'd Heaven open'd and in likeness of a Dove The Spirit descended while the Fathers voice From Heav'n pronounc'd him his beloved Son That heard the Adversary who roving still About the world at that assembly fam'd Would not be last and with the voice divine Nigh Thunder-struck th' exalted man to whom Such high attest was giv'n a while survey'd With wonder then with envy fraught and rage Flies to his place nor rests but in mid air To Councel summons all his mighty Peers Within thick Clouds and dark ten-fold involv'd A gloomy Consistory and them amidst With looks agast and sad he thus bespake O ancient Powers of Air and this wide world For much more willingly I mention Air This our old Conquest then remember Hell Our hated habitation well ye know How many Ages as the years of men This Universe we have possest and rul'd In manner at our will th' affairs of Earth Since Adam and his facil consort Eve Lost Paradise deceiv'd by me though since With dread attending when that fatal wound Shall be inflicted by the Seed of Eve Upon my head long the decrees of Heav'n Delay for longest time to him is short And now too soon for us the circling hours This dreaded time have compast wherein we Must bide the stroak of that long threatn'd wound At least if so we can and by the head Broken be not intended all our power To be infring'd our freedom and our being In this fair Empire won of Earth and Air For this ill news I bring the Womans seed Destin'd to this is late of woman born His birth to our just fear gave no small cause But his growth now to youths full flowr displaying All vertue grace and wisdom to atchieve Things highest greatest multiplies my fear Before him a great Prophet to proclaim His coming is sent Harbinger who all Invites and in the Consecrated stream Pretends to wash off sin and fit them so Purified to receive him pure or rather To do him honour as their King all come And he himself among them was baptiz'd Not thence to be more pure but to receive The testimony of Heaven that who he is Thenceforth the Nations may not doubt I saw The Prophet do him reverence on him rising Out of the water Heav'n above the Clouds Unfold her Crystal Dores thence on his head A perfect Dove descend whate're it meant And out of Heav'n the Sov'raign voice I heard This is my Son belov'd in him am pleas'd His Mother then is mortal but his Sire He who obtains the Monarchy of Heav'n And what will he not do to advance his Son His first-begot we know and sore have felt When his fierce thunder drove us to the deep Who this is we must learn for man he seems In all his lineaments though in his face The glimpses of his Fathers glory shine Ye see our danger on the utmost edge Of hazard which admits no long debate But must with something sudden be oppos'd Not force but well couch't fraud well woven snares E're in the head of Nations he appear Their King their Leader and Supream on Earth I when no other durst sole undertook The dismal expedition to find out And ruine Adam and the exploit perform'd Successfully a calmer voyage now Will waft me and the way found prosperous once Induces best to hope of like success He ended and his words impression left Of much amazement to th' infernal Crew Distracted and surpriz'd with deep dismay At these sad tidings but no time was then For long indulgence to their fears or grief Unanimous they all commit the care And management of this main enterprize To him their great Dictator whose attempt At first against mankind so well had thriv'd In Adam's overthrow and led thir march From Hell's deep-vaulted Den to dwell in light Regents and Potentates and Kings yea gods Of many a pleasant Realm and Province wide So to the Coast of Jordan he directs His easie steps girded with snaky wiles Where he might likeliest find this new-declar'd This man of men attested Son of God Temptation and all guile on him to try So to subvert whom he suspected rais'd To end his Raign on Earth so long enjoy'd But contrary unweeting he fulfill'd The purpos'd Counsel pre-ordain'd and fixt Of the most High who in full frequence bright Of Angels thus to Gabriel smiling spake Gabriel this day by proof thou shalt behold Thou and all Angels conversant on Earth With man or mens affairs how I begin To verifie that solemn message late On which I sent thee to the Virgin pure In Galilee that she should bear a Son Great in Renown and call'd the Son of God Then toldst her doubting how these things could be To her a Virgin that on her should come The Holy Ghost and the power of the highest O're-shadow her this man born and now up-grown To shew him worthy of his birth divine And high prediction henceforth I expose To Satan let him tempt and now assay His utmost subtilty because he boasts And vaunts of his great cunning to the throng Of his Apostasie he might have learnt Less over-weening since he fail'd in Job Whose constant perseverance overcame Whate're his cruel malice could invent He now shall know I can produce a man Of female Seed far abler to resist All his sollicitations and at length All his vast force and drive him back to Hell Winning by Conquest what the first man lost By fallacy surpriz'd But first I mean To
unsay feign flatter or abjure But thou art plac't above me thou art Lord From thee I can and must submiss endure Check or reproof and glad to scape so quit Hard are the ways of truth and rough to walk Smooth on the tongue discourst pleasing to th' ear And tuneable as Silvan Pipe or Song What wonder then if I delight to hear Her dictates from thy mouth most men admire Vertue who follow not her lore permit me To hear thee when I come since no man comes And talk at least though I despair to attain Thy Father who is holy wise and pure Suffers the Hypocrite or Atheous Priest To tread his Sacred Courts and minister About his Altar handling holy things Praying or vowing and vouchsaf'd his voice To Balaam Reprobate a Prophet yet Inspir'd disdain not such access to me To whom our Saviour with unalter'd brow Thy coming hither though I know thy scope I bid not or forbid do as thou find'st Permission from above thou canst not more He added not and Satan bowing low His gray dissimulation disappear'd Into thin Air diffus'd for now began Night with her sullen wing to double-shade The Desert Fowls in thir clay nests were couch't And now wild Beasts came forth the woods to roam The End of the First Book PARADISE REGAIN'D The Second BOOK MEan while the new-baptiz'd who yet remain'd At Jordan with the Baptist and had seen Him whom they heard so late expresly call'd Jesus Messiah Son of God declar'd And on that high Authority had believ'd And with him talkt and with him lodg'd I mean Andrew and Simon famous after known With others though in Holy Writ not nam'd Now missing him thir joy so lately found So lately found and so abruptly gone Began to doubt and doubted many days And as the days increas'd increas'd thir doubt Sometimes they thought he might be only shewn And for a time caught up to God as once Moses was in the Mount and missing long And the great Thisbite who onfiery wheels Rode up to Heaven yet once again to come Therefore as those young Prophets then with care Sought lost Eliah so in each place these Night to Bethabara in Jerico The City of Palms Aenon and Salem Old Machaerus and each Town or City wall'd On this side the broad lake Genezaret Or in Perea but return'd in vain Then on the bank of Jordan by a Creek Where winds with Reeds and Osiers whisp'ring play Plain Fishermen no greater men them call Close in a Cottage low together got Thir unexpected loss and plaints out breath'd Alas from what high hope to what relapse Unlook'd for are we fall'n our eyes beheld Messiah certainly now come so long Expected of our Fathers we have heard His words his wisdom full of grace and truth Now now for sure deliverance is at hand The Kingdom shall to Israel be restor'd Thus we rejoyc'd but soon our joy is turn'd Into perplexity and new amaze For whither is he gone what accident Hath rapt him from us will he now retire After appearance and again prolong Our expectation God of Israel Send thy Messiah forth the time is come Behold the Kings of the Earth how they oppress Thy chosen to what highth thir pow'r unjust They have exalted and behind them cast All fear of thee arise and vindicate Thy Glory freethy people from thir yoke But let us wait thus far he hath perform'd Sent his Anointed and to us reveal'd him By his great Prophet pointed at and shown In publick and with him we have convers'd Let us be glad of this and all our fears Lay on his Providence he will not fail Nor will withdraw him now nor will recall Mock us with his blest sight then snatch him hence Soon we shall see our hope our joy return Thus they out of their plaints new hope resume To find whom at the first they found unsought But to his Mother Mary when she saw Others return'd from Baptism not her Son Nor left at Jordan tydings of him none Within her brest though calm her brest though pure Motherly cares and fears got head and rais'd Some troubl'd thoughts which she in sighs thus clad O what avails me now that honour high To have conceiv'd of God or that salute Hale highly favour'd among women blest While I to sorrows am no less advanc't And fears as eminent above the lot Of other women by the birth I bore In such a season born when scarce a Shed Could be obtain'd to shelter him or me From the bleak air a Stable was our warmth A Manger his yet soon enforc't to flye Thence into Egypt till the Murd'rous King Were dead who sought his life and missing fill'd With Infant blood the streets of Bethlehem From Egypt home return'd in Nazareth Hath been our dwelling many years his life Private unactive calm contemplative Little suspicious to any King but now Full grown to Man acknowledg'd as I hear By John the Baptist and in publick shown Son own'd from Heaven by his Father's voice I look't for some great change to Honour no But trouble as old Simeon plain fore-told That to the fall and rising he should be Of many in Israel and to a sign Spoken against that through my very Soul A sword shall pierce this is my favour'd lot My Exaltation to Afflictions high Afflicted I may be it seems and blest I will not argue that nor will repine But where delays he now some great intent Conceals him when twelve years he scarce had seen I lost him but so found as well I saw He could not lose himself but went about His Father's business what he meant I mus'd Since understand much more his absence now Thus long to some great purpose he obscures But I to wait with patience am inur'd My heart hath been a store-house long of things And sayings laid up portending strange events Thus Mary pondering oft and oft to mind Recalling what remarkably had pass'd Since first her Salutation heard with thoughts Meekly compos'd awaited the fulfilling The while her Son tracing the Desert wild Sole but with holiest Meditations fed Into himself descended and at once All his great work to come before him set How to begin how to accomplish best His end of being on Earth and mission high For Satan with slye preface to return Had left him vacant and with speed was gon Up to the middle Region of thick Air Where all his Potentates in Council sate There without sign of boast or sign of joy Sollicitous and blank he thus began Princes Heavens antient Sons Aethereal Thrones Demonian Spirits now from the Element Each of his reign allotted rightlier call'd Powers of Fire Air Water and Earth beneath So may we hold our place and these mild seats Without new trouble such an Enemy Is ris'n to invade us who no less Threat'ns our expulsion down to Hell I as I undertook and with the vote Consenting in full frequence was impowr'd Have found him view'd him tasted him but
find Far other labour to be undergon Then when I dealt with Adam first of Men Though Adam by his Wives allurement fell However to this Man inferior far If he be Man by Mothers side at least With more then humane gifts from Heaven adorn'd Perfections absolute Graces divine And amplitude of mind to greatest Deeds Therefore I am return'd lest confidence Of my success with Eve in Paradise Deceive ye to perswasion over-sure Of like succeeding here I summon all Rather to be in readiness with hand Or counsel to assist lest I who erst Thought none my equal now be over-match'd So spake the old Serpent doubting and from all With clamour was assur'd thir utmost aid At his command when from amidst them rose Belial the dislolutest Spirit that fell The sensuallest and after Asmodai The fleshliest Incubus and thus advis'd Set women in his eye and in his walk Among daughters of men the fairest found Many are in each Region passing fair As the noon Skie more like to Goddesses Then Mortal Creatures graceful and discreet Expert in amorous Arts enchanting tongues Perswasive Virgin majesty with mild And sweet allay'd yet terrible to approach Skill'd to retire and in retiring draw Hearts after them tangl'd in Amorous Nets Such object hath the power to soft'n and tame Severest temper smooth the rugged'st brow Enerve and with voluptuous hope dissolve Draw out with credulous desire and lead At will the manliest resolutest brest As the Magnetic hardest Iron draws Women when nothing else beguil'd the heart Of wisest Solomon and made him build And made him bow to the Gods of his Wives To whom quick answer Satan thus return'd Belial in much uneven scale thou weigh'st All others by thy self because of old Thou thy self doat'st on womankind admiring Thir shape thir colour and attractive grace None are thou think'st but taken with such toys Before the Flood thou with thy lusty Crew False titl'd Sons of God roaming the Earth Cast wanton eyes on the daughters of men And coupl'd with them and begot a race Have we not seen or by relation heard In Courts and Regal Chambers how thou lurk'st In Wood or Grove by mossie Fountain side In Valley or Green Meadow to way-lay Some beauty rare Calisto Clymene Daphne or Semele Antiopa Or Amymone Syrinx many more Too long then lay'st thy scapes on names ador'd Apollo Neptune Jupiter or Pan Satyr or Fawn or Silvan But these haunts Delight not all among the Sons of Men How many have with a smile made small account Of beauty and her lures easily scorn'd All her assaults on worthier things intent Remember that Pellean Conquerour A youth how all the Beauties of the East He slightly view'd and slightly over-pass'd How hee sirnam'd of Africa dismiss'd In his prime youth the fair Iberian maid For Solomon he liv'd at ease and full Of honour wealth high fare aim'd not beyond Higher design then to enjoy his State Thence to the bait of Women lay expos'd But he whom we attempt is wiser far Then Solomon of more exalted mind Made and set wholly on the accomplishment Of greatest things what woman will you find Though of this Age the wonder and the fame On whom his leisure will vouchsafe an eye Of fond desire or should she confident As sitting Queen ador'd on Bauties Throne Descend with all her winning charms beg'rt To enamour as the Zone of Venus once Wrought that effect on Jove so Fables tell How would one look from his Majestick brow Seated as on the top of Vertues hill Discount'nance her despis'd and put to rout All her array her female pride deject Or turn to reverent awe for Beauty stands In the admiration only of weak minds Led captive cease to admire and all her Plumes Fall flat and shrink into a trivial toy At every sudden slighting quite abasht Therefore with manlier objects we must try His constancy with such as have more shew Of worth of honour glory and popular praise Rocks whereon greatest men have oftest wreck'd Or that which only seems to satisfie Lawful desires of Nature not beyond And now I know he hungers where no food Is to be found in the wide Wilderness The rest commit to me I shall let pass No advantage and his strength as oft assay He ceas'd and heard thir grant in loud acclaim Then forthwith to him takes a chosen band Of Spirits likest to himself in guile To be at hand and at his beck appear If cause were to unfold some active Scene Of various persons each to know his part Then to the Desert takes with these his flight Where still from shade to shade the Son of God After forty days fasting had remain'd Now hungring first and to himself thus said Where will this end four times ten days I have pass'd Wandring this woody maze and humane food Nor tasted nor had appetite that Fast To Vertue I impute not or count part Of what I suffer here if Nature need not Or God support Nature without repast Though needing what praise is it to endure But now I feel I hunger which declares Nature hath need of what she asks yet God Can satisfie that need some other way Though hunger still remain so it remain Without this bodies wasting I content me And from the sting of Famine fear no harm Nor mind it fed with better thoughts that feed Mee hungring more to do my Fathers will It was the hour of night when thus the Son Commun'd in silent walk then laid him down Under the hospitable covert nigh Of Trees thick interwoven there he slept And dream'd as appetite is wont to dream Of meats and drinks Natures refreshment sweet Him thought he by the Brook of Cherith stood And saw the Ravens with their horny beaks Food to Elijah bringing Even and Morn Though ravenous taught to abstain from what they brought He saw the Prophet also how he fled Into the Desert and how there he slept Under a Juniper then how awakt He found his Supper on the coals prepar'd And by the Angel was bid rise and eat And eat the second time after repose The strength whereof suffic'd him forty days Sometimes that with Elijah he partook Or as a guest with Daniel at his pulse Thus wore out night and now the Herald Lark Left his ground-nest high towring to descry The morns approach and greet her with his Song As lightly from his grassy Couch up rose Our Saviour and found all was but a dream Fasting he went to sleep and fasting wak'd Up to a hill anon his steps he rear'd From whose high top to ken the prospect round If Cottage were in view Sheep-cote or Herd But Cottage Herd or Sheep-cote none he saw Only in a bottom saw a pleasant Grove With chaunt of tuneful Birds resounding loud Thither he bent his way determin'd there To rest at noon and entr'd soon the shade High rooft and walks beneath and alleys brown That open'd in the midst a woody Scene Natures own work it seem'd Nature
taught Art And to a Superstitious eye the haunt Of Wood-Gods and Wood-Nymphs he view'd it round When suddenly a man before him stood Not rustic as before but seemlier clad As one in City or Court or Palace bred And with fair speech these words to him address'd With granted leave officious I return But much more wonder that the Son of God In this wild solitude so long should bide Of all things destitute and well I know Not without hunger Others of some note As story tells have trod this Wilderness The Fugitive Bond-woman with her Son Out cast Nebaioth yet found he relief By a providing Angel all the race Of Israel here had famish'd had not God Rain'd from Heaven Manna and that Prophet bold Native of Thebes wandring here was fed Twice by a voice inviting him to eat Of thee these forty days none hath regard Forty and more deserted here indeed To whom thus Jesus what conclud'st thou hence They all had need I as thou seest have none How hast thou hunger then Satan reply'd Tell me if Food were now before thee set Would'st thou not eat Thereafter as I like The giver answer'd Jesus Why should that Cause thy refusal said the subtle Fiend Hast thou not right to all Created things Owe not all Creatures by just right to thee Duty and Service nor to stay till bid But tender all their power nor mention I Meats by the Law unclean or offer'd first To Idols those young Daniel could refuse Nor proffer'd by an Enemy though who Would scruple that with want opprest behold Nature asham'd or better to express Troubl'd that thou shouldst hunger hath purvey'd From all the Elements her choicest store To treat thee as beseems and as her Lord With honour only deign to sit and eat He spake no dream for as his words had end Our Saviour lifting up his eyes beheld In ample space under the broadest shade A Table richly spred in regal mode With dishes pill'd and meats of noblest sort And savour Beasts of chase or Fowl of game In pastry built or from the spit or boyl'd Gris-amber-steam'd all Fish from Sea or Shore Freshet or purling Brook of shell or fin And exquisitest name for which was drain'd Pontus and Lucrine Bay and Afric Coast. Alas how simple to these Cates compar'd Was that crude Apple that diverted Eve And at a stately side-board by the wine That fragrant smell diffus'd in order stood Tall stripling youths rich clad of fairer hew Then Ganymed or Hylas distant more Under the Trees now trip'd now solemn stood Nymphs of Diana's train and Naiades With fruits and flowers from Amalthea's horn And Ladies of th' Hesperides that seem'd Fairer then feign'd of old or fabl'd since Of Fairy Damsels met in Forest wide By Knights of Logres or of Lyones Lancelot or Pelleas or Pellenore And all the while Harmonious Airs were heard Of chiming strings or charming pipes and winds Of gentlest gale Arabian odors fann'd From their soft wings and Flora's earliest smells Such was the Splendour and the Tempter now His invitation earnestly renew'd What doubts the Son of God to sit and eat These are not Fruits forbidden no interdict Defends the touching of these viands pure Thir taste no knowledge works at least of evil But life preserves destroys life's enemy Hunger with sweet restorative delight All these are Spirits of Air and Woods and Springs Thy gentle Ministers who come to pay Thee homage and acknowledge thee thir Lord What doubt'st thou Son of God sit down and eat To whom thus Jesus temperately reply'd Said'st thou not that to all things I had right And who withholds my pow'r that right to use Shall I receive by gift what of my own When and where likes me best I can command I can at will doubt not assoon as thou Command a Table in this Wilderness And call swift flights of Angels ministrant Array'd in Glory on my cup to attend Why shouldst thou then obtrude this diligence In vain where no acceptance it can find And with my hunger what hast thou to do Thy pompous Delicacies I contemn And count thy specious gifts no gifts but guiles To whom thus answer'd Satan malecontent That I have also power to give thou seest If of that pow'r I bring thee voluntary What I might have bestow'd on whom I pleas'd And rather opportunely in this place Chose to impart to thy apparent need Why shouldst thou not accept it but I see What I can do or offer is suspect Of these things others quickly will dispose Whose pains have earn'd the far fet spoil With that Both Table and Provision vanish'd quite With sound of Harpies wings and Talons heard Only the importune Tempter still remain'd And with these words his temptation pursu'd By hunger that each other Creature tames Thou art not to be harm'd therefore not mov'd Thy temperance invincible besides For no allurement yields to appetite And all thy heart is set on high designs High actions but wherewith to be atchiev'd Great acts require great means of enterprise Thou art unknown unfriended low of birth A Carpenter thy Father known thy self Bred up in poverty and streights at home Lost in a Desert here and hunger-bit Which way or from what hope dost thou aspire To greatness whence Authority deriv'st What Followers what Retinue canst thou gain Or at thy heels the dizzy Multitude Longer then thou canst feed them on thy cost Money brings Honour Friends Conquest and Realms What rais'd Antipater the Edomite And his Son Herod plac'd on Juda's Throne Thy throne but gold that got him puissant friends Therefore if at great things thou wouldst arrive Get Riches first get Wealth and Treasure heap Not difficult if thou hearken to me Riches are mine Fortune is in my hand They whom I favour thrive in wealth amain While Virtue Valour Wisdom sit in want To whom thus Jesus patiently reply'd Yet Wealth without these three is impotent To gain dominion or to keep it gain'd Witness those antient Empires of the Earth In highth of all thir flowing wealth dissolv'd But men endu'd with these have oft attain'd In lowest poverty to highest deeds Gideon and Jephtha and the Shepherd lad Whose off-spring on the Throne of Juda sat So many Ages and shall yet regain That seat and reign in Israel without end Among the Heathen for throughout the World To me is not unknown what hath been done Worthy of Memorial canst thou not remember Quintius Fabricius Curius Regulus For I esteem those names of men so poor Who could do mighty things and could contemn Riches though offer'd from the hand of Kings And what in me seems wanting but that I May also in this poverty as soon Accomplish what they did perhaps and more Extol not Riches then the toyl of Fools The wise mans cumbrance if not snare more apt To slacken Virtue and abate her edge Then prompt her to do aught may merit praise What if with like aversion I reject Riches and Realms
assertion for so in Physic things of melancholic hue and quality are us'd against melancholy sowr against sowr salt to remove salt humours Hence Philosophers and other gravest Writers as Cicero Plutarch and others frequently cite out of Tragic Poets both to adorn and illustrate thir discourse The Apostle Paul himself thought it not unworthy to insert a verse of Euripides into the Text of Holy Scripture 1 Cor. 15. 33. and Parsus commenting on the Revelation divides the whole Book as a Tragedy into Acts distinguisht each by a Chorus of Heavenly Harpings and Song between Heretofore Men in highest dignity have labour'd not a little to be thought able to compose a Tragedy Of that honour Dionysius the elder was no less ambitious then before of his attaining to the Tyranny Augustus Caesar also had begun his Ajax but unable to please his own judgment with what he had begun left it unfinisht Seneca the Philosopher is by some thought the Author of those Tragedies at lest the best of them that go under that name Gregory Nazianzen a Father of the Church thought it not unbeseeming the sanctity of his person to write a Tragedy which he entitl'd Christ suffering This is mention'd to vindicate Tragedy from the small esteem or rather infamy which in the account of many it undergoes at this day with other common Interludes hap'ning through the Poets error of intermixing Comic stuff with Tragic sadness and gravity or introducing trivial and vulgar persons which by all judicious hath bin counted absurd and brought in without discretion corruptly to gratifie the people And though antient Tragedy use no Prologue yet using sometimes in case of self defence or explanation that which Martial calls an Epistle in behalf of this Tragedy coming forth after the antient manner much different from what among us passes for best thus much before-hand may be Epistl'd that Chorus is here introduc'd after the Greek manner not antient only but modern and still in use among the Italians In the modelling therefore of this Poem with good reason the Antients and Italians are rather follow'd as of much more authority and fame The measure of Verse us'd in the Chorus is of all sorts call'd by the Greeks Monostrophic or rather Apolelymenon without regard had to Strophe Antistrophe or Epod which were a kind of Stanza's fram'd only for the Music then us'd with the Chorus that sung not essential to the Poem and therefore not material or being divided into Stanza's or Pauses they may be call'd Allaeostropha Division into Act and Scene referring chiefly to the Stage to which this work never was intended is here omitted It suffices if the whole Drama be found not produc't beyond the fift Act of the style and uniformitie and that commonly call'd the Plot whether intricate or explicit which is nothing indeed but such oeconomy or disposition of the fable as may stand best with verisimilitude and decorum they only will best judge who are not unacquainted with Aeschulus Sophocles and Euripides the three Tragic Poets unequall'd yet by any and the best rule to all who endeavour to write Tragedy The circumscription of time wherein the whole Drama begins and ends is according to antient rule and best example within the space of 24 hours The ARGUMENT SAmson made Captive Blind and now in the Prison at Gaza there to labour as in a common work-house on a Festival day in the general cessation from labour comes forth into the open Air to a place nigh somewhat retir'd there to sit a while and bemoan his condition Where he happens at length to be visited by certain friends and equals of his tribe which make the Chorus who seek to comfort him what they can then by his old Father Manoa who endeavours the like and withal tells him his purpose to procure his liberty by ransom lastly that this Feast was proclaim'd by the Philistins as a day of Thanksgiving for thir deliverance from the hands of Samson which yet more troubles him Manoa then departs to prosecute his endeavour with the Philistian Lords for Samson's redemption who in the mean while is visited by other persons and lastly by a publick Officer to require his coming to the Feast before the Lords and People to play or shew his strength in thir presence he at first refuses dismissing the publick Officer with absolute denyal to come at length perswaded inwardly that this was from God he yields to go along with him who came now the second time with great threatnings to fetch him the Chorus yet remaining on the place Manoa returns full of joyful hope to procure e're long his Sons deliverance in the midst of which discourse an Ebrew comes in haste confusedly at first and afterward more distinctly relating the Catastrophe what Samson had done to the Philistins and by accident to himself wherewith the Tragedy ends The Persons Samson Manoa the Father of Samson Dalila his Wife Harapha of Gath. Publick Officer Messenger Chorus of Danites The Scene before the Prison in Gaza SAMSON AGONISTES Sams A Little onward lend thy guiding hand To these dark steps a little further on For yonder bank hath choice of Sun or shade There I am wont to sit when any chance Relieves me from my task of servile toyl Daily in the common Prison else enjoyn'd me Where I a Prisoner chain'd scarce freely draw The air imprison'd also close and damp Unwholsom draught but here I feel amends The breath of Heav'n fresh-blowing pure and sweet With day-spring born here leave me to respire This day a solemn Feast the people hold To Dagon thir Sea-Idol and forbid Laborious works unwillingly this rest Thir Superstition yields me hence with leave Retiring from the popular noise I seek This unfrequented place to find some ease Ease to the body some none to the mind From restless thoughts that like a deadly swarm Of Hornets arm'd no sooner found alone But rush upon me thronging and present Times past what once I was and what am now O wherefore was my birth from Heaven foretold Twice by an Angel who at last in sight Of both my Parents all in flames ascended From off the Altar where an Off'ring burn'd As in a fiery column charioting His Godlike presence and from some great act Or benefit reveal'd to Abraham's race Why was my breeding order'd and prescrib'd As of a person separate to God Design'd for great exploits if I must dye Betray'd Captiv'd and both my Eyes put out Made of my Enemies the scorn and gaze To grind in Brazen Fetters under task With this Heav'n-gifted strength O glorious strength Put to the labour of a Beast debas't Lower then bondslave Promise was that I Should Israel from Philistian yoke deliver Ask for this great Deliverer now and find him Eyeless in Caza at the Mill with slaves Himself in bonds under Philistian yoke Yet stay let me not rashly call in doubt Divine Prediction what if all foretold Had been fulfilld but through mine own