think the same voutsaft To Cattel and each Beast which would not be To them made common divulg'd if aught Therein enjoy'd were worthy to subdue The Soule of Man or passion in him move What higher in her societie thou findst Attractive human rational love still In loving thou dost well in passion not Wherein true Love consists not love refines The thoughts and heart enlarges hath his seat In Reason and is judicious is the scale By which to heav'nly Love thou maist asâ—…end Not sunk in carnal pleasure for which cause Among the Beasts no Mate for thee was found To whom thus half abash't Adam repli'd Neither her out-side formd so fair nor aught In procreation common to all kindes Though higher of the genial Bed by far And with mysterious reverence I deem So much delights me as those graceful acts Those thousand decencies that daily flow From all her words and actions mixt with Love And sweet compliance which declare unfeign'd Union of Mind or in us both one Soule Harmonie to behold in wedded pair More grateful then harmonious sound to the eare Yet these subject not I to thee disclose What inward thence I feel not therefore foild Who meet with various objects from the sense Variously representing yet still free Approve the best and follow what I approve To love thou blam'st me not for love thou saist Leads upto Heav'n is both the way and guide Bear with me then if lawful what I ask Love not the heav'nly Spirits and how thir Love Express they by looks onely or do they mix Irradiance virtual or immediate touch To whom the Angel with a smile that glow'd Celestial rosie red Loves proper hue Answer'd Let it suffice thee that thou know'st Us happie and without Love no happiness Whatever pure thou in the body enjoy'st And pure thou wert created we enjoy In eminence and obstacle find none Of membrane joynt or limb exclusive 〈◊〉 Easier then Air with Air if Spirits embrace Total they mix Union of Pure with Pure Desiring nor restrain'd conveyance need As Flesh to mix with Flesh or Soul with Soul But I can now no more the parting Sun Beyond the Earths green Cape and verdant Isles Hesperean sets my Signal to depart Be strong live happie and love but first of all Him whom to love is to obey and keep His great command take heed least Passion sway Thy Judgement to do aught which else free Will Would not admit thine and of all thy Sons The weal or woe in thee is plac't beware I in thy persevering shall rejoyce And all the Blest stand fast to stand or fall Free in thine own Arbitrement it lies Perfet within no outward aid require And all temptation to transgress repel So saying he arose whom Adam thus Follow'd with benediction Since to part Go heavenly Guest Ethereal Messenger Sent from whose sovran goodness I adore Gentle to me and affable hath been Thy condescension and shall be honour'd ever With grateful Memorie thou to mankind Be good and friendly still and oft return So parted they the Angel up to Heav'n From the thick shade and Adam to his Bowre PARADISE LOST BOOK VIII NO more of talk where God or Angel Guest With Man as with his Friend familiar us'd To sit indulgent and with him partake Rural repast permitting him the while Venial discourse unblam'd I now must change Those Notes to Tragic foul distrust and breach Disloyal on the part of Man râ—…volt And disoâ—…dience On the part of Heav'n Now aliâ—…ted distance and distaste Anger and just rebuke and judgement giv'n That brought into this World a world of woe Sinne and her shadow Death and Miserie Deaths â—…arbinger Sad 〈◊〉 yet argument Not less but more Heroic then the wrauth Of stern Aohilles on his Foe pursu'd Thrice Fugitive about Troy Wall or rage Of Turnus for Lavinia disespous'd Or Neptun's ire or Juno's that so long Perplex'd the Greek and Cytherea's Son If answerable style I can obtaine Of my Celestial Patroness who deignes Her nightly visitation unimplor'd And dictates to me slumbring or inspires Easie my unpremeditated Verse Since first this Subject for Heroic Song Pleas'd me long choosing and beginning late Not sedulous by Nature to indite Warrs hitherto the onely Argument Heroic deem'd chief maistrie to dissect With long and tedious havoc fabl'd Knights In Battels feign'd the better fortitude Of Patience and Heroic Martyrdom Unsung or to describe Races and Games Or tilting Furniture emblazon'd Shields Impreses quaint Caparisons and Steeds Bases and tinsel Trappings gorgious Knights At Joust and Torneament then marshal'd Feast Serv'd up in Hall with Sewers and Seneshals The skill of Artifice or Office mean Not that which justly gives Heroic name To Person or to Poem Mee of these Nor skilld nor â—…udious higher Argument Remaines sufficient of it self to raise That name unâ—…ess an age too late or cold Climat or Years damp my intended wing Deprest and much they may if all be mine Not Hers who brings it nightly to my Ear. The Sun was sunk and after him the Starr Of Hesperus whose Office is to bring Twilight upon the Earth short Arbiter Twixt Day and Night and now from end to end Nights Hemisphere had veild the Horizon round When Satan who late fled before the threats Of Gabriel out of Eden now improv'd In meditated fraud and malice bent On mans destruction maugre what might hap Of heavier on himself fearless return'd By Night he fled and at Midnight return'd From compassing the Earth cautious of day Since Uriel Regent of the Sun descri'd His entrance and forewarnd the Cherubim That kept thir watch thence full of anguish driv'n The space of seven continu'd Nights he rode With darkness thrice the Equinoctial Line He circl'd four times cross'd the Carr of Night From Pole to Pole traversing each Colure On the eighth return'd and on the Coast averse From entrance or Cherubic Watch by stealth Found unsuspected way There was a place Now not though Sin not Time first wraught the change Where Tigris at the foot of Paradise Into a Gulf shot under ground till part Rose up a Fountain by the Tree of Life In with the River sunk and with it rose Satan involv'd in rising Mist then sought Where to lie hid Sea he had searcht and Land From Eden over Pontus and the Poole Maeotis up beyond the River Ob Downward as farr Antartic and in length West from Orontes to the Ocean barr'd At Darieâ—… thence to the Land where flowes Ganges and Indus thus the Orb he roam'd With narrow search and with inspection deep Consider'd every Creature which of all Most opportune might serve his Wiles and found The Serpent suttlest Beast of all the Field Him after long debate irresolute Of thoughts revolv'd his final sentence chose Fit Vessel fittest Imp of fraud in whom To enter and his dark suggestions hide From sharpest sight for in the wilie Snake Whatever sleights none would suspicious mark As from his wit and native
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
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
Both what they judge and what they choose for so I formd them free and free they must remain Till they enthrall themselves I else must change Thir nature and revoke the high Decree Unchangeable Eternal which ordain'd Thir freedom they themselves ordain'd thir fall The first sort by thir own suggestion fell Self-tempted self-deprav'd Man falls deceiv'd By the other first Man therefore shall find grace The other none in Mercy and Justice both Through Heav'n and Earth so shall my glorie excel But Mercy first and last shall brightest shine Thus while God spake ambrosial fragrance fill'd All Heav'n and in the blessed Spirits elect Sense of new joy ineffable diffus'd Beyond compare the Son of God was seen Most glorious in him all his Father shon Substantially express'd and in his face Divine compassion visibly appeerd Love without end and without measure Grace Which uttering thus he to his Father spake O Father gracious was that word which clos'd Thy sovâ—… sentence that Man should find grace For which both Heav'n and Earth shall high extoll Thy praises with th' innumerable sound Of Hymns and sacred Songs wherewith thy Throne Encompass'd shall resound thee ever blest For should Man finally be lost should Man Thy creature late so lovâ—…d thy youngest Son Fall circumâ—…ented thus by fraud though joynd With his own folly that be from thee farr That â—…rr be froâ—… thee Father who art Judge Of all things made and judgest onely right Or shall the Adversarie thus obtain His end and frustrate thine shall he fulfill His malice and thy goodness bring to naught Or proud return though to his heavier doom Yet with revenge accomplish't and to Hell Draw after him the whole Race of mankind By him corrupted or wilt thou thy self Abolish thy Creation and unmake For him what for thy glorie thou hast made So should thy goodness and thy greatness both Be questiond and blaspheam'd without defence To whom the great Creatour thus reply'd O Son in whom my Soul hath chief delight Son of my bosom Son who art alone My word my wisdom and effectual might All hast thou spok'n as my thoughts are all As my Eternal purpose hath decreed Man shall not quite be lost but sav'd who will Yet not of will in him but grace in me Freely voutsaft once more I will renew His lapsed powers though forfeit and enthrall'd By sin to foul exorbitant desires Upheld by me yet once more he shall stand On even ground against his mortal foe By me upheld that he may know how frail His fall'n condition is and to me ow All his deliv'rance and to none but me Some I have chosen of peculiar grace Elect above the rest so is my will The rest shall hear me call and oft be warnd Thir sinful state and to appease betimes Th' incensed Deitie while offerd grace Invites for I will cleer thir senses dark What may suffice and soft'n stonie hearts To pray repent and bring obedience due To prayer repentance and obedience due Though but endevord with sincere intent Mine eare shall not be slow mine eye not shut And I will place within them as a guide My Umpire Conscience whom if they will hear Light after light well us'd they shall attain And to the end persisting safe arrive This my long sufferance and my day of grace They who neglect and scorn shall never taste But hard be hard'nd blind be blinded more That they may stumble on and deeper fall And none but such from mercy I exclude But yet all is not don Man disobeying Disloyal breaks his fealtie and sinns Against the high Supremacie of Heav'n Affecting God-head and so loosing all To expiate his Treason hath naught left But to destruction sacred and devote He with his whole posteritie must die Die hee or Justice must unless for him Som other able and as willing pay The rigid satisfaction death for death Say Heav'nly Powers where shall we find such love Which of ye will be mortal to redeem Mans mortal crime and just th' unjust to save Dwels in all Heaven charitie so deare He ask'd but all the Heav'nly Quire stood mute And silence was in Heav'n on mans behalf Patron or Intercessor none appeerd Much less that durst upon his own head draw The deadly forfeiture and ransom set And now without redemption all mankind Must have bin lost adjudg'd to Death and Hell By doom severe had not the Son of God In whom the fulness dwels of love divine His dearest mediation thus renewd Father thy word is past man shall find grace And shall grace not find means that finds her way The speediest of thy winged messengers To visit all thy creatures and to all Comes unprevented unimplor'd unsought Happie for man so coming he her aide Can never seek once dead in sins and lost Attonement for himself or offering meet Indebted and undon hath none to bring Behold mee then mee for him life for life I offer on mee let thine anger fall Account mee man I for his sake will leave Thy bosom and this glorie next to thee Freely put off and for him lastly die Well pleas'd on me let Death wreck all his rage Under his gloomie power I shall not long Lie vanquisht thou hast givn me to possess Life in my self for ever by thee I live Though now to Death I yeild and am his due All that of me can die yet that debt paid Thou wilt not leave me in the loathsom grave His prey nor suffer my unspotted Soule For ever with corruption there to dwell But I shall rise Victorious and subdue My Vanquiâ—…r spoild of his vanted spoile Death his deaths wound shall then receive stoop Inglorious of his mortall sting disarm'd I through the ample Air in Triumph high Shall lead Hell Captive maugre Hell and show The powers of darkness bound Thou at the sight Pleas'd out of Heaven shalt look down and smile While by thee rais'd I ruin all my Foes Death last and with his Carcass glut the Grave Then with the multitude of my redeemd Shall enter Heaven long absent and returne Father to see thy face wherein no cloud Of anger shall remain but peace assur'd And reconcilement wrauth shall be no more Thenceforth but in thy presence Joy entire His words here ended but his meek aspect Silent yet spake and breath'd immortal love To mortal men above which only shon Filial obedience as a sacrifice Glad to be offer'd he attends the will Of his great Father Admiration seis'd All Heav'n what this might mean whither tend Wondring but sooâ—… th' 〈◊〉 thus reply'd O thou in Heav'n and Eaâ—…h the only peace Found out for mankind under wrauth O thou My sole complacence well thou know'st how dear To me are all my works nor Mâ—… the least Though last created that for him I spare Thee from my bosom and right hand to save By loosing thee a while the whole Race lost Thou therefore whom thou only canst redeeme Thir Nature also to
thy Nature joyne And be thy self Man among men on Earth Made flesh when time shall be of Virgin seed By wondrous birth Be thou in Adams room The Head of all mankind though Adams Son As in him perish all men so in thee As from a second root shall be restor'd As many as are restor'd without thee none His crime makes guiltie all his Sons thy merit Imputed shall absolve them who renounce Thir own both righteous and uâ—…righteous deeds And live in thee transplanted and fâ—…om thee Receive new life So Man as iâ—…â—…ost â—…st Shall satisfie for Man be judg'd and die And dying rise and rising with him raise His Brethren ransomd with his own dear life So Heav'nly love shal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hellisâ—… hate Giving to death and dying to redâ—… So dearly to redeem what Hellish hate So easily destroy'd and still destroyes In those who when they may accept not grace Nor shalt thou by descending to assâ—…me Mans Nature less'n or degrade thine owne Because thou hast though Thron'd in highest bliss Equal to God and equally enjoying God-like fruition quitted all to save A World from utter loss and hast been found By Merit more then Birthright Son of God Found worthiest to be so by being Good Farr more then Great or High because in thee Love hath abounded more then Glory abounds Therefore thy Humiliation shall exalt With thee thy Manhood also to this Throne Here shalt thou sit incarnate here shalt Reigne Both God and Man Son both of God and Man Anointed universal King all Power I give thee reign for ever and assume Thy Merits under thee as Head Supream Thrones Princedoms Powers Dominions I reduce All knees to thee shall bow of them that bide In Heaven or Earth or under Earth in Hell When thou attended gloriously from Heav'n Shalt in the Skie appeer and from thee send The summoning Arch-Angels to proclaime Thy dread Tribunal forthwith from all Windes The living and forthwith the cited dead Of all past Ages to the general Doom Shall hast'n such a peal shall rouse thir sleep Then all thy Saints assembl'd thou shalt judge Bad men and Angels they arraignd shall sink Beneath thy Sentence Hell her numbers full Thenceforth shall be for ever shut Mean while The World shall burn and from her ashes spring New Heav'n and Earth wherein the just shall dwell And after all thir tribulations long See golden days fruitful of golden deeds With Joy and Love triumphing and fair Truth Then thou thy regal Scepter shalt lay by For regal Scepter then no more shall need God shall be All in All. But all ye Gods Adore him who to compass all this dies Adore the Son and honour him as mee No sooner had th' Almighty ceas't but all The multitude of Angels with a shout Loud as from numbers without number sweet As from blest voices uttering joy Heav'n rung With Jubilee and loud-Hosanna's fill'd Th' eternal Regions lowly reverent Towards either Throne they bow to the ground With solemn adoration down they cast Thir Crowns inwove with Amarant and Gold Immortal Amarant a Flour which once In Paradise fast by the Tree of Life Began to bloom but soon for mans offence To Heav'n remov'd where first it grew there grows And flours aloft shading the Fount of Life And where the river of Bliss through midst of Heavn Rowls o're Elisian Flours her Amber stream With these that never fade the Spirits Elect Bind thir resplendent locks inwreath'd with beams Now in loose Garlands thick thrown off the bright Pavement that like a Sea of Jasper shon Impurpl'd with Celestial Roses smil'd Then Crown'd again thir gold'n Harps they took Harps ever tun'd that glittering by their side Like Quivers hung and with Praeamble sweet Of charming symphonie they introduce Thir sacred Song and waken raptures high No voice exempt no voice but well could joine Melodious part such concord is in Heav'n Thee Father first they sung Omnipotent Immutable Immortal Infinite Eternal King thee Author of all being Fountain of Light thy self invisible Amidst the glorious brightness where thou sit'st Thron'd inaccessible but when thou shad'st The full blaze of thy beams and through a cloud Drawn round about thee like a radiant Shrine Dark with excessive bright thy skirts appeer Yet dazle Heav'n that brightest Seraphim Approach not but with both wings veil thir eyes Thee next they sang of all Creation first Begotten Son Divine Similitude In whose conspicuous count'nance without cloud Made visible th' Almighty Father shines Whom else no Creature can behold on thee Impresst the effulgence of his Glorie abides Transfus'd on thee his ample Spirit rests Hee Heav'n of Heavens and all the Powers therein By thee created and by thee threw down Th' aspiring Dominations thou that day Thy Fathers dreadful Thunder didst not spare Nor stop thy flâ—…ming Chariot wheels that shook Heav'ns ever lasting Frame while o're the necks Thou drov'st of warring Angels disarraid Back from pursuit thy Powers with loud acclaime Thee only exâ—…old Son of thy Fathers might To execute fierce vengeance on his foes Not so on Man him through their malice fall'n Father of Mercie and Grace thou didst not doome So strictly but much more to pitie encline No sooner did thy dear and onely Son Perceive thee purpos'd not to doom frail Man So strictly but much more to pitie â—…clin'd He to appease thy wrauth and end the strife Of Mercy and Justice in thy face discern'd Regardless of the Bliss wherein hee fat Second to thee offerd himself to die For mans offence O unexampl'd love Love no where to be found less then Divine Hail Son of God Saviour of Men thy Name Shall be the copious matter of my Song Henceforth and never shall my Harp thy praise Forget nor from thy Fathers praise disjoine Thus they in Heav'n above the starry Spâ—…ear Thir happie hours in joy and 〈◊〉 spent Mean while upon the â—…irm opacous Globe Of this round World whose first convex divides The luminous inferior Orbs enclos'd From Chaos and th' inroad of Darkness old Satan alighted walks a Globe farâ—… 〈◊〉 It seem'd now seems a boundless Continent Dark waste and wild under the frown of Night Starless expos'd and ever-threatning storms Of Chaos blustring round inclement skie Save on that fide which from the wall of Heav'n Though distant farr som small reflection gaines Of glimmering air less vext with tempest loud Here walk'd the Fiend at large in spacious field As when a Vultur on Imaus bred Whose snowie ridge the roving Tartar bounds Dislodging from a Region scarce of prey To gorge the â—…he of Lambs or yeanling Kids On Hills where Flocks are fed flies toward the Springs Of Ganges or Hydaspes Indian streams But in his way lights on the barren plaines Of Sericana where Câ—…ineses drive With Sails and Wind thir canie Waggons light So on this windie Sea of Land the Fiend Walk'd up and down alone bent on his prey Alone for other Creature in this place Living
from Hell One step no more then from himself can fly By change of place Now conscience wakes despair That slumberd wakes the bitter memorie Of what he was what is and what must be Worse of worse deeds worse sufferings must ensue Sometimes towards Eden which now in his view Lay pleasant his grievd look he fixes sad Sometimes towards Heav'n and the full blazing Sun Which now sat high in his Meridian Towre Then much revolving thus in sighs began O thou that with surpassing Glory crownd Look'st from thy sole Dominion like the God Of this new World at whose sight all the Starrs Hide thir diminisht heads to thee I call But with no friendly voice and add thy name O Sun to tell thee how I hate thy beams That bring to my remembrance from what state I fell how glorious once above thy Spheare Till Pride and worse Ambition threw me down Warring in Heav'n against Heav'ns matchless King Ah wherefore he deservd no such return From me whom he created what I was In that bright eminence and with his good Upbraided none nor was his service hard What could be less then to afford him praise The easiest recompence and pay him thanks How due yet all his good prov'd ill in me And wrought but malice lifted up so high I sdeind subjection and thought one step higher Would set me highest and in a moment quit The debt immense of endless gratitude So burthensome still paying still to ow Forgetful what from him I still receivd And understood not that a grateful mind By owing owes not but still pays at once Indebted and dischargd what burden then O had his powerful Destiny ordaind Me some inferiour Angel I had stood Then happie no unbounded hope had rais'd Ambition Yet why not som other Power As great might have aspir'd and me though mean Drawn to his part but other Powers as great Fell not but stand unshak'n from within Or from without to all temptations arm'd Hadst thou the same free Will and Power to stand Thou hadst whom hast thou then or what to accuse But Heav'ns free Love dealt equally to all Be then his Love accurst since love or hate To me alike it deals eternal woe Nay curs'd be thou since against his thy will Chose freely what it now so justly rues Me miserable which way shall I flie Infinite wrauth and infinite despaire Which way I flie is Hell my self am Hell And in the lowest deep a lower deep Still threatning to devour me opens wide To which the Hell I suffer seems a Heav'n O then at last relent is there no place Left for Repentance none for Pardon left None left but by submission and that word Disdain forbids me and my dread of shame Among the Spirits beneath whom I seduc'd With other promises and other vaunts Then to submit boasting I could subdue Th' Omnipotent Ay me they little know How dearly I abide that boast so vaine Under what torments inwardly I groane While they adore me on the Throne of Hell With Diadem and Scepter high advanc't The lower still I fall onely supream In miserie such joy Ambition findes But say I could repent and could obtaine By Act of Grace my former state how soon Would highth recal high thoughts how soon unsay What feign'd submission swore ease would recant Vows made in pain as violent and void For never can true reconcilement grow Where wounds of deadly hate have peirc'd so deep Which would but lead me to a worse relapse And heavier fall so should I purchase deare Short intermission bought with double smart This knows my punisher therefore as farr From granting hee as I from begging peace All hope excluded thus behold in stead Of us out-cast exil'd his new delight Mankind created and for him this World So farwel Hope and with Hope farwel Fear Farwel Remorse all Good to me is lost Evil be thou my Good by thee at least Divided Empire with Heav'ns King I hold By thee and more then half perhaps will reigne As Man ere long and this new World shall know Thus while he spake each passion dimm'd his face Thrice chang'd with pale ire envie and despair Which marrd his borrow'd visage and betraid Him counterfet if any eye beheld For heav'nly mindes from such distempers foule Are ever cleer Whereof hee soon aware Each perturbation smooth'd with outward calme Artificer of fraud and was the first That practisd falshood under saintly shew Deep malice to conceale couch't with revenge Yet not anough had practisd to deceive Uriel once warnd whose eye pursu'd him down The way he went and on th' Assyrian mount Saw him disfigur'd more then could befall Spirit of happie sort his gestures fierce He markd and mad demeanour then alone As he suppos'd all unobserv'd unseen So on he fares and to the border comes Of Eden where delicious Paradise Now nearer Crowns with her enclosure green As with a rural mound the champain head Of a steep wilderness whose hairie sides With thicket overgrown grottesque and wilde Access deni'd and over head up grew Insuperable highth of loftiest shade Cedar and Pine and Firr and branching Palm A Silvan Scene and as the ranks ascend Shade above shade a woodie Theatre Of stateliest view Yet higher then thir tops The verdurous wall of Paradise up sprung Which to our general Sire gave prospect large Into his neather Empire neighbouring round And higher then that Wall a circling row Of goodliest Trees loaden with fairest Fruit Blossoms and Fruits at once of golden hue Appeerd with gay enameld colours mixt On which the Sun more glad impress'd his beams Then in fair Evening Cloud or humid Bow When God hath showrd the earth so lovely seemd That Lantskip And of pure now purer aire Meets his approach and to the heart inspires Vernal delight and joy able to drive All sadness but despair now gentle gales Fanning thir odoriferous wings dispense Native perfumes and whisper whence they stole Those balmie spoiles As when to them who saile Beyond the Cape of Hope and now are past Mozambic off at Sea North-East windes blow Sabean Odours from the spicie shoare Of Arabie the blest with such delay Well pleas'd they slack thir course and many a League Cheard with the grateful smell old Ocean fmiles So entertaind those odorous sweets the Fiend Who came thir bane though with them better pleas'd Then 〈◊〉 with the fishie fume That drove him though enamourd from the Spouse Oâ—… Tobits Son and with a vengeance sent From Media post to Aegypt there fast bound Now to th' ascent of that steep savage Hill Satan had journied on pensive and slow But further way found none so thick entwin'd As one continu'd brake the undergrowth Of shrubs and tangling bushes had perplext All path of Man or Beast that past that way One Gate there onely was and that look'd East Onth ' other side which when th' arch-fellon saw Due entrance he disdaind and in contempt At one slight bound high overleap'd
sleep hath shut all eyes To whom our general Ancestor repli'd Daughter of God and Man accomplisht Eve Those have thir course to finish round the Earth By morrow Eevning and from Land to Land In order though to Nations yet unborn Ministring light prepar'd they set and rise Least total darkness should by Night regaine Her old possession and extinguish life In Nature and all things which these soft fires Not only enlighten but with kindly heate Of various influence foment and warme Temper or nourish or in part shed down Thir stellar vertue on all kinds that grow On Earth made hereby apter to receive Perfection from the Suns more potent Ray. These then though unbeheld in deep of night Shine not in vain nor think though men were none That heav'n would want spectators God want praise Millions of spiritual Creatures walk the Earth Unseen both when we wake and when we sleep All these with ceasless praise his works behold Both day and night how often from the steep Of echoing Hill or Thicket have we heard Celestial voices to the midnight air Sole or responsive each to others note Singing thir great Creator oft in bands While they keep watch or nightly rounding walk With Heav'nly touch of instrumental sounds In full harmonic number joind thir songs Divide the night and lift our thoughts to Heaven Thus talking hand in hand alone they pass'd On to thir blissful Bower it was a place Chos'n by the sovran Planter when he fram'd All things to mans delightful use the roofe Of thickest covert was inwoven shade Laurel and Mirtle and what higher grew Of firm and fragrant leaf on either side Acanthus and each odorous bushie shrub Fenc'd up the verdant wall each beauteous flour wrought Iris all hues Roses and Gessamin Rear'd high thir flourisht heads between and Mosaic underfoot the Violet Crocus and Hyacinth with rich inlay Broiderd the ground more colour'd then with stone Of costliest Emblem other Creature here Beast Bird Insect or Worm durst enter none Such was thir awe of man In shadier Bower More sacred and sequesterd though but feignd Pan or Silvanus never slept nor Nymph Nor Faunus haunted Here in close recess With Flowers Garlands and sweet-smelling Herbs Espoused Eve deckt first her Nuptial Bed And heav'nly Quires the Hymenaean sung What day the genial Angel to our Sire Brought her in naked beauty more adorn'd More lovely then Pandora whom the Gods Endowd with all thir gifts and O too like In sad event when to the unwiser Son Of Japhet brought by Hermes she ensnar'd Mankind with her faire looks to be aveng'd On him who had stole Joves authentic fire Thus at thir shadie Lodge arriv'd bâ—…th stood Both turnd and under op'n Skie adoâ—…'d The God that made both Skie Air Earth Heav'n Which they beheld the Moons resplendent Globe And starrie Pole Thou also mad'st the Night Maker Omnipotent and thou the Day Which we in our appointed work imployd Have finisâ—…t happie in our mutual help And mutual love the Crown of all our bliss Ordain'd by thee and this delicious place For us too large where thy abundance wants Partakers and uncropt falls to the ground But thou hast promis'd from us two a Race To fill the Earth who shall with us extoll Thy goodness infinite both when we wake And when we seek as now thy gift of sleep This said unanimous and other Rites Observing none but adoration pure Which God likes best into thir inmost bower Handed they went and eas'd the putting off These troublesom disguises which wee wear Strait side by side were â—…aid nor turnd I weene Adam from his fair Spouse nor Eve the Rites Mysterious of connubial Love refus'd Whatever Hypocrites austerely talk Of puritie and place and innocence Defaming as impure what God declares Pure and commands to som leaves free to all Our Maker bids increase who bids abâ—…ain But our Destroyer foe to God and Man Haile wedded Love mysterious Law true sourse Of human ofspring sole proprietie In Paradise of all things common else By thee adulterous lust was driv'n from men Among the bestial herds to raunge by thee Founded in Reason Loyal Just and Pure Relations dear and all the Charities Of Father Son and Brother first were known Farr be it that I should write thee sin or blame Or think thee unbeâ—…tting holiest place Perpetual Fountain of Domestic sweets Whose Bed is undefil'd and chast pronounc't Present or past as Saints and Patriarchs us'd Here Love his golden shafts imploies here lights His constant Lamp and waves his purple wings Reigns here and revels not in the bought smile Of Harlots loveless joyless unindeard Casual fruition nor in Court Amours Mixt Dance or wanton Mask or Midnight Bal Or Serenate which the starv'd Lover sings To his proud fair best quitted with disdain These lulld by Nightingales imbraceing slept And on thir naked limbs the flourie roof Showrd Roses which the Morn repair'd Sleep on Blest pair and O yet happiest if ye seek No happier state and know to know no more Now had night measur'd with her shaddowieCone Half way up Hill this vast Sublunar Vault And from thir Ivorie Port the Cherubim Forth issuing at th'accustomd hour stood armd To thir night watches in warlike Parade When Gabriel to his next in power thus spake Uzziel half these draw off and coast the South With strictest watch these other wheel the North Our circuit meets full West As flame they part Half wheeling to the Shield half to the Spear From these two strong and suttle Spirits he calld That neer him stood and gave them thus in charge Ithuriel and Zephon with wingd speed Search through this Garden leav unsearcht no nook But chiefly where those two fair Creatures Lodge Now laid perhaps asleep secure of harâ—…e This Eevning from the Sun 's decline arriv'd Who tells of som infernal Spirit seen Hitherward bent who could have thought escap'd The barrs of Hell on errand bad no doubt Such where ye find seise fast and hither bring So saying on he led his radiant Files Daz'ling the Moon these to the Bower direct In search of whom they sought him there they found Squat like a Toad close at the eare of Eve Assaying by his Devilish art to reach The Organs of her Fancie and with them forge Illusions as he list Phantasms and Dreams Or if inspiring venom he might taint Th' animal Spirits that from pure blood arise Like gentle breaths from Rivers pure thence raise At least distemperd discontented thoughts Vain hopes vain aimes inordinate desires Blown up with high conceits ingendring pride Him thus intent Ithuriel with his Spear Touch'd lightly for no falshood can endure Touch of Celestial temper but returns Of sorce to its own likeness up he starts Discoverd and surpriz'd As when a spark Lights on a heap of nitrous Powder laid Fit for the Tun som Magazin to store Against a rumord Warr the Smuttie graine With sudden blaze diffus'd inflames the Aire So started
shall be nice So down they sat And to thir viands fell nor seemingly The Angel nor in mist the common gloss Of Theologians but with keen dispatch Of real hunger and concoctive heate To transubstantiate what redounds transpires Through Spirits with ease nor wonder if by fire Of sooty coal the Empiric Alchimist Can turn or holds it possible to turn Metals of drossiest Ore to perfet Gold As from the Mine Mean while at Table Eve Ministerd naked and thir flowing cups With pleasant liquors crown'd O innocence Deserving Paradise if ever then Then had the Sons of God excuse to have bin Enamour'd at that sight but in those hearts Love unlibidinous reign'd nor jealousie Was understood the injur'd Lovers Hell Thus when with meats drinks they had suffic'd Not burd'nd Nature sudden mind arose In Adam not to let th' occasion pass Given him by this great Conference to know Of things above his World and of thir being Who dwell in Heav'n whose excellence he saw Transcend his own so farr whose radiant forms Divine effulgence whose high Power so far Exceeded human and his wary speech Thus to th'Empyreal Minister he fram'd Inhabitant with God now know I well Thy favour in this honour done to man Under whose lowly roof thou hast voutsaf't To enter and these earthly fruits to taste Food not of Angels yet accepted so As that more willingly thou couldst not seem At Heav'ns high feasts to have fed yet what compare To whom the winged Hierarch repli'd O Adam one Almightie is from whom All things proceed and up to him return If not deprav'd from good created all Such to perfection one first matter all Indu'd with various forms various degrees Of substance and in things that live of life But more refin'd more spiritous and pure As neerer to him plac't or neerer tending Each in thir several active Sphears assignd Till body up to spirit work in bounds Proportiond to each kind So from the root Springs lighter the green stalk from thence the leaves More aerie last the bright consummate floure Spirits odorous breathes flours and thir fruit Mans nourishment by gradual scale sublim'd To vital Spirits aspire to animal To intellectual give both life and sense Fansie and understanding whence the soule Reason receives and reason is her being Discursive or Intuitive discourse Is oftest yours the latter most is ours Differing but in degree of kind the same Wonder not then what God for you saw good If I refuse not but convert as you To proper substance time may come when men With Angels may participate and find No inconvenient Diet nor too light Fare And from these corporal nutriments perhaps Your bodies may at last turn all to Spirit Improv'd by tract of time and wingd ascend Ethereal as wee or may at choice Here or in Heav'nly Paradises dwell If ye be found obedient and retain Unalterably firm his love entire Whose progenie you are Mean while enjoy Your fill what happiness this happie state Can comprehend incapable of more To whom the Patriarch of mankind repli'd O favourable spirit propitious guest Well hast thou taught the way that might direct Our knowledge and the scale of Nature set From center to circumference whereon In contemplation of created things By steps we may ascend to God But say What meant that caution joind if ye be found Obedient can wee want obedience then To him or possibly his love desert Who formd us from the dust and plac'd us here Full to the â—…tmost measure of what bliss Human desires can seek or apprehend To whom the Angel Son of Heav'n and Earth Attend That thou art happie owe to God That thou continu'st such owe to thy self That is to thy obedience therein stand This was that caution giv'n thee be advis'd God made thee perfet not immutable And good he made thee but to persevere He left it in thy power ordaind thy will By nature free not over-rul'd by Fate Inextricable or strict necessity Our voluntarie service he requires Not our necessitated such with him Findes no acceptance nor can find for how Can hearts not free be tri'd whether they serve Willing or no who will but what they must By Destinie and can no other choose My self and all th' Angelic Host that stand In sight of God enthron'd our happie state Hold as you yours while our obedience holds On other surety none freely we serve Because wee freely love as in our will To love or not in this we stand or fall And som are fall'n to disobedience fall'n And so from Heav'n to deepest Hell O fall From what high state of bliss into what woe To whom our great Progenitor Thy words Attentive and with more delighted eare Divine instructer I have heard theâ—… when Cherubic Songs by night from neighbouring Hills Aereal Music send nor knew I not To be both will and deed created free Yet that we never shall forget to love Our maker and obey him whose command Single is yet so just my constant thoughts Assur'd me and still assure though what thou tellst Hath past in Heav'n som doubt within me move But more desire to hear if thou consent The full relation which must needs be strange Worthy of Sacred silence to be heard And we have yet large day for scarce the Sun Hath finisht half his journey and scarce begins His other half in the great Zone of Heav'n Thus Adam made request and Raphael After short pause assenting thus began High matter thou injoinst me O prime of men Sad task and hard for how shall I relate To human sense th' invisible exploits Of warring Spirits how without remorse The ruin of so many glorious once And perfet while they stood how last unfould The secrets of another world perhaps Not lawful to reveal yet for thy good This is dispenc't and what surmounts the reach Of human sense I shall delineate so By lik'ning spiritual to corporal forms As may express them best though what if Earth Be but the shaddow of Heav'n and things therein Each to other like more then on earth is thought As yet this world was not and Chaos wilde Reignd where these Heav'ns now rowl where Earth now rests Upon her Center pois'd when on a day For Time though in Eternitie appli'd To motion measures all things durable By present past and future on such day As Heav'ns great Year brings forth th'Empyreal Host Of Angels by Imperial summons call'd Innumerable before th' Almighties Throne Forth with from all the ends of Heav'n appeerd Under thir Hierarchs in orders bright Ten thousand thousand Ensignes high advanc'd Standards and Gonfalons twixt Van and Reare Streame in the Aire and for distinction serve Of Hierarchies of Orders and Degrees Or in thir glittering Tissues bear imblaz'd Holy Memorials acts of Zeale and Love Recorded eminent Thus when in Orbes Of circuit inexpressible they stood Orb within Orb the Father infinite By whom in bliss imbosom'd sat the Son A midst as from a flaming Mount
darkness by the Hemisphere Divided Light the Day and Darkness Night He nam'd Thus was the first Day Eev'n and Morn Nor past uncelebrated nor unsung By the Celestial Quires when Orient Light Exhaling first from Darkness they beheld Birth-day of Heav'n and Earth with joy and shout The hollow Universal Orb they fill'd And touch't thir Golden Harps hymning prais'd God and his works Creatour him they sung Both when first Eevning was and when first Morn Again God said let ther be Firmament Amid the Waters and let it divide The Waters from the Waters and God made The Firmament expanse of liquid pure Transparent Elemental Air diffus'd In circuit to the uttermost convex Of this great Round partition firm and sure The Waters underneath from those above Dividing for as Earth so hee the World Built on circumfluous Waters calme in wide Crystallin Ocean and the loud misrule Of Chaos farr remov'd least fierce extreames Contiguous might distemper the whole frame And Heav'n he nam'd the Firmament So Eev'n And Morning Chorus sung the second Day The Earth was form'd but in the Womb as yet Of Waters Embryon immature involv'd Appeer'd not over all the face of Earth Main Ocean flow'd not idle but with warme Prolific humour soft'ning all her Globe Fermented the great Mother to conceave Satiate with genial moisture when God said Be gather'd now ye Waters under Heav'n Into one place and let dry Land appeer Immediately the Mountains huge appeer Emergent and thir broad bare backs upheave Into the Clouds thir tops ascend the Skie So high as heav'd the tumid Hills so low Down sunk a hollow bottom broad and deep Capacious bed of Waters thither they Hasted with glad precipitance uprowld As drops on dust conglobing from the drie Part rise in crystal Wall or ridge direct For haste such 〈◊〉 the great command impress'd On the swift slouds as Armies at the call Of Trumpet for of Armies thou hast heard Troop to thir Standard so the watrie throng Wave rowling after Wave where way they found If steep with torrent rapture if through Plaine Soft ebbing nor withstood them Rock or Hill But they or under ground or circuit wide With Serpent errour wandring found thir way And on the waâ—…hie Oose deep Channels wore Easie e're God had bid the ground be drie All but within those banks where Rivers now Stream and perpetual draw thir humid traine The dry Land Earth and the great receptacle Of congregated Waters he call'd Seas And saw that it was good and said Let th' Earth Put forth the verdant Grass Herb yeilding Seed And Fruit Tree yeilding Fruit after her kind Whose Seed is in her self upon the Earth He scarce had said when the bare Earth till then Desert and bare unsightly unadorn'd Brought forth the tender Grass whose verdure clad Her Universal Face with pleasant green Then Herbs of every leaf that sudden flour'd Op'ning thir various colours and made gay Her bosom smelling sweet and these scarce blown Forth flourish't thick the clustring Vine forth crept The smelling Gourd up stood the cornie Reed Embattell'd in her field add the humble Shrub And Bush with frizl'd hair implicit last Rose as in Dance the stately Trees and spred Thir branches hung with copious Fruit or gemm'd Thir Blossoms with high Woods the Hills were crownd With tufts the vallies each fountain side With borders long the Rivers That Earth now Seemd like to Heav'n a seat where Gods might dwell Or wander with delight and love to haunt Her sacred shades though God had yet not rain'd Upon the Earth and man to till the ground None was but from the Earth a dewie Mist Went up and waterd all the ground and each Plant of the field which e're it was in the Earth God made and every Herb before it grew On the green stemm God saw that it was good So Eev'n and Morn recorded the Third Day Again th' Almightie spake Let there be Lights High in th' expanse of Heaven to divide The Day from Night and let them be for Signes For Seasons and for Dayes and circling Years And let them be for Lights as I ordaine Thir Office in the Firmament of Heav'n To give Light on the Earth and it was so And God made two great Lights great for thir use To Man the greater to have rule by Day The less by Night alterne and made the Starrs And set them in the Firmament of Heav'n To illuminate the Earth and rule the Day In thir vicissitude and rule the Night And Light from Darkness to divide God saw Surveying his great Work that it was good For of Celestial Bodies first the Sun A mightie Spheare he fram'd unlight som first Though of Ethereal Mould then form'd the Moon Globose and everie magnitude of Starrs And sowd with Starrs the Heav'n thick as a field Of Light by farr the greater part he took Transplanted from her cloudie Shrine and plac'd â—…n the Suns Orb made porous to receive And drink the liquid Light firm to retaine Her gather'd beams great Palace now of Light Hither as to thir Fountain other Starrs Repairing in thir gold'n Urns draw Light And hence the Morning Planet guilds his horns By tincture or reflection they augment Thir small peculiar though from human sight So farr remote with diminution seen First in his East the glorious Lamp was seen Regent of Day and all th' Horizon round Invested with bright Rayes jocond to 〈◊〉 His Longitude through Heav'ns high rode the gray Dawn and the Pleiades before him danc'd Shedding sweet influence less bright the Moon But opposite in leveld West was set His mirror with full face borrowing her Light From him for other light she needed none In that aspect and still that distance keepes Till night then in the East her turn she shines Revolvd on Heav'ns great Axle and her Reign With thousand lesser Lights dividual holds With thousand thousand Starres that then appeer'd Spangling the Hemisphere then first adornd With thir bright Luminaries that Set and Rose Glad Eevning glad Morn crownd the fourth day And God said let the Waters generate Reptil with Spawn abundant living Soule And let Fowle flie above the Earth with wings Displayd on the op'n Firmament of Heav'n And God created the great Whales and each Soul living each that crept which plenteously The waters generated by thir kindes And every Bird of wing after his kinde And saw that it was good and bless'd them saying Be fruitful multiply and in the Seas And Lakes and running Streams the waters fill And let the Fowle be multiply'd on the Earth Forth with the Sounds and Seas each Creek Bay With Frie innumerable swarme and Shoales Of Fish that with thir Finns and shining Scales Glide under the green Wave in Sculles that oft Bank the mid Sea part single or with mate Graze the Sea weed thir pasture through Groves Of Coral stray or sporting with quick glance Show to the Sun thir wav'd coats dropt with Gold Or
His beams unactive else thir vigor find Yet not to Earth are those bright Luminaries Officious but to thee Earths habitant And for the Heav'ns wide Circuit let it speak The Makers high magnificence who built So spacious and his Line stretcht out so farr That Man may know he dwells not in his own An Edifice too large for him to fill Lodg'd in a small partition and the rest Ordain'd for uses to his Lord best known The swiftness of those Circles attribute Though numberless to his Omnipotence That to corporeal substances could adde Speed almost Spiritual mee thou thinkst not slow Who since the Morning hour set out from Heav'n Where God resides and ere mid-day arriv'd In Eden distance inexpressible By Numbers that have name But this I urge Admitting Motion in the Heav'ns to shew Invalid that which thee to doubt it mov'd Not that I so affirm though so it seem To thee who hast thy dwelling here on Earth God to remove his wayes from human sense Plac'd Heav'n from Earth so farr that earthly sight If it presume might erre in things too high And no advantage gaine What if the Sun Be Center to the World and other Starrs By his attractive vertue and thir own Incited dance about him various rounds Thir wandring course now high now low then hid Progressive retrograde or standing still In six thou seest and what if sev'nth to these The Planet Earth so stedfast though she seem Insensibly three different Motions move Which else to several Sphears thou must ascribe Mov'd contrarie with thwart obliquities Or save the Sun his labour and that swift Nocturnal and Diurnal rhomb suppos'd Invisible else above all Starrs the Wheele Of Day and Night which needs not thy beleefe If Earth industrious of her self fetch Day Travelling East and with her part averse From the Suns beam meet Night her other part Still luminous by his ray What if that light Sent from her through the wide transpicuous aire To the terrestrial Moon be as a Starr Enlightning her by Day as she by Night This Earth reciprocal if Land be there Feilds and Inhabitants Her spots thou seest As Clouds and Clouds may rain and Rain produce Fruits in her soft'nd Soile for some to eate Allotted there and other Suns perhaps With thir attendant Moons thou wilt descrie Communicating Male and Femal Light Which two great Sexes animate the World Stor'd in each Orb perhaps with some that live For such vast room in Nature unpossest By living Soule desert and desolate Onely to shine yet scarce to contribute Each Orb a glimps of Light conveyd so farr Down to this habitable which returnes Light back to them is obvious to dispute But whether thus these things or whether not Whether the Sun predominant in Heav'n Rise on the Earth or Earth rise on the Sun Hee from the East his flaming rode begin Or Shee from West her silent course advance With inoffensive pace that spinning sleeps On her soft Axle while she paces Eev'n And beâ—…rs thee soft with the smooth Air along Sollicit not thy thoughts with matters hid Leave them to God above him serve and feare Of other Creatures as him pleases best Wherever plac't let him dispose joy thou In what he gives to thee this Paradise And thy faire Eve Heav'n is for thee too high To know what passes there be lowlie wise Think onely what concernes thee and thy being Dream not of other Worlds what Creatures there Live in what state condition or degree Contented that thus farr hath been reveal'd Not of Earth onely but of highest Heav'n To whom thus Adam cleerd of doubt repli'd How fully hast thou satisfi'd mee pure Intelligence of Heav'n Angel serene And freed from intricacies taught to live The easiest way nor with perplexing thoughts To interrupt the sweet of Life from which God hath bid dwell farr off all anxious cares And not molest us unless we our selves Seek them with wandring thoughts and notions vaine But apt the Mind or Fancie is to roave Uncheckt and of her roaving is no end Till warn'd or by experience taught she learne That not to know at large of things remote From use obscure and suttle but to know That which before us lies in daily life Is the prime Wisdom what is more is fume Or emptiness or fond impertinence And renders us in things that most concerne Unpractis'd unprepar'd and still to seek Therefore from this high pitch let us descend A lower flight and speak of things at hand Useful whence haply mention may arise Of somthing not unseasonable to ask By sufferance and thy wonted favour deign'd Thee I have heard relating what was don Ere my remembrance now hear mee relate My Storie which perhaps thou hast not heard And Day is yet not spent till then thou seest How suttly to detaine thee I devise Inviting thee to hear while I relate Fond were it not in hope of thy reply For while I sit with thee I seem in Heav'n And sweeter thy discourse is to my eare Then Fruits of Palm-tree pleasantest to thirst And hunger both from labour at the houre Of sweet repast they satiate and soon fill Though pleasant but thy words with Grace Divine Imbu'd bring to thir sweetness no satietie To whom thus Raphael answer'd heav'nly meek Nor are thy lips ungraceful Sire of men Nor tongue ineloquent for God on thee Abundantly his gifts hath also pour'd Inward and outward both his image faire Speaking or mute all comliness and grace Attends thee and each word each motion formes Nor less think wee in Heav'n of thee on Earth Then of our fellow servant and inquire Gladly into the wayes of God with Man For God we see hath honour'd thee and set On Man his equal Love say therefore on For I that Day was absent as befell bound on a voyage uncouth and obscure Farr on excursion toward the Gates of Hell Squar'd in full Legion such command we had To see that none thence issu'd forth a spie Or enemie while God was in his work Least hee incenst at such eruption bold Destruction with Creation might have mixt Not that they durst without his leave attempt But us he sends upon his high behests For state as Sovran King and to enure Our prompt obedience Fast we found fast shut The dismal Gates and barricado'd strong But long ere our approaching heard within Noise other then the sound of Dance or Song Torment and lowd lament and furious rage Glad we return'd up to the coasts of Light Ere Sabbath Eev'ning so we had in charge But thy relation now for I attend Pleas'd with thywords no less then thou with mine So spake the Godlike Power and thus our Sire For Man to tell how human Life began Is hard for who himself beginning knew Desire with thee still longer to converse Induc'd me As new wak't from soundest sleep Soft on the flourie herb I found me laid In Balmie Sweat which with his Beames the Sun Soon dri'd and on the
is Man But in degree the cause of his desire By conversation with his like to help Or solace his defects No need that thou Shouldst propagat already infinite And through all numbers absolute though One Bâ—…t Man by number is to manifest His single imperfection and beget Like of his like his Image multipli'd In unitie defective which requires Collateral love and deerest amitie Thou in thy secresie although alone Best with thy self accompanied seek'st not Social communication yet so pleas'd Canst raise thy Creature to what highth thou wilt Of Union or Communion deifi'd I by conversing cannot these erect From prone nor in thir wayes complacence find Thus I embold'nd spake and freedom us'd Permissive and acceptance found which gain'd This answer from the gratious voice Divine Thus farr to try thee Adam I was pleas'd And finde thee knowing not of Beasts alone Which thou hast rightly nam'd but of thy self Expressing well the spirit within thee free My Image not imparted to the Brute Whose fellowship therefore unmeet for thee Good reason was thou freely shouldst dislike And be so minded still I ere thou spak'st Knew it not good for Man to be alone And no such companie as then thou saw'st Intended thee for trial onely brought To see how thou could'st judge of fit and meet What next I bring shall please thee be assur'd Thy likeness thy fit help thy other self Thy wish exactly to thy hearts desire Hee ended or I heard no more for now My earthly by his Heav'nly overpowerd Which it had long stood under streind to the highth In that celestial Colloquie sublime As with an object that excels the sense Dazl'd and spent sunk down and sought repair Of sleep which instantly fell on me call'd By Nature as in aide and clos'd mine eyes Mine eyes he clos'd but op'n left the Cell Of Fancie my internal sight by which Abstract as in a transe methought I saw Though sleeping where I lay and saw the shape Still glorious before whom awake I stood Who stooping op'nd my left side and took From thence a Rib with cordial spirits warme And Life-blood streaming fresh wide was the wound But suddenly with flesh fill'd up heal'd The Rib he formd and fashond with his hands Under his forming hands a Creature grew Manlike but different sex so lovly faire That what seemd fair in all the World seemd now Mean or in her summd up in her containd And in her looks which from that time infus'd Sweetness into my heart unfelt before And into all things from her Aire inspir'd The spirit of love and amorous delight She disappeerd and left me dark I wak'd To find her or for ever to deplore Her loss and other pleasures all abjure When out of hope behold her not farr off Such as I saw her in my dream adornd With what all Earth or Heaven could bestow To make her amiable On she came Led by her Heav'nly Maker though unseen And guided by his voice nor uninformd Of nuptial Sanctitie and marriage Rites Grace was in all her steps Heav'n in her Eye In every gesture dignitie and love I overjoyd could not forbear aloud This turn hath made amends thou hast fulfill'd Thy words Creator bounteous and benigne Giver of all things faire but fairest this Of all thy gifts nor enviest I now see Bone of my Bone Flesh of my Flesh my Self Before me Woman is her Name of Man Extracted for this cause he shall forgoe Father and Mother and to his Wife adhere And they shall be one Flesh one Heart one Soule She heard me thus and though divinely brought Yet Innocence and Virgin Modestie Her vertue and the conscience of her worth That would be woo'd and not unsought be won Not obvious not obtrusive but retir'd The more desirable or to say all Nature herself though pure of sinful thought Wrought in her so that seeing me she turn'd I follow'd her she what was Honour knew And with obsequious Majestie approv'd My pleaded reason To the Nuptial Bowre I led her blushing like the Morn all Heav'n And happie Constellations on that houre Shed thir selectest influence the Earth Gave sign of gratulation and each Hill Joyous the Birds fresh Gales and gentle Aires Whisper'd it to the Woods and from thir wings Flung Rose flung Odours from the spicie Shrub Disporting till the amorous Bird of Night Sung Spousal and bid haste the Eevning Starr On his Hill top to light the bridal Lamp Thus I have told thee all my State and brought My Storie to the sum of earthly bliss Which I enjoy and must confess to find In all things else delight indeed but such As us'd or not works in the mind no change Nor vehement desire these delicacies I mean of Taste Sight Smell Herbs Fruits Flours Walks and the melodie of Birds but here Farr otherwise transported I behold Transported touch here passion first I felt Commotion strange in all enjoyments else Superiour and unmov'd here onely weake Against the charm of Beauties powerful glance Or Nature faild in mee and left some part Not proof enough such Object to sustain Or from my side subducting took perhaps More then enough at least on her bestow'd Too much of Ornament in outward shew Elaborate of inward less exact For well I understand in the prime end Of Nature her th' inferiour in the mind And inward Faculties which most excell In outward also her resembling less His Image who made both and less expressing The character of that Dominion giv'n O're other Creatures yet when I approach Her loveliness so absolute she seems And in her self compleat so well to know Her own that what she wills to do or say Seems wisest vertuousest discreetest best All higher knowledge in her presence falls Degraded Wisdom in discourse with her Looses discount'nanc't and like folly shewes Authoritie and Reason on her waite As one intended first not after made Occasionally and to consummate all Greatness of mind and nobleness thir seat Build in her loveliest and create an awe About her as a guard Angelic plac't To whom the Angel with contracted brow Accuse not Nature she hath don her part Do thou but thine and be not diffident Of Wisdom she deserts thee not if thou Dismiss not her when most thou needst her nigh By attributing overmuch to things Less excellent as thou thy self perceav'st For what admir'st thou what transports thee so An outside fair no doubt and worthy well Thy cherishing thy honouring and thy love Not thy subjection weigh with her thy self Then value Oft times nothing profits more Then self-esteem grounded on just and right Well manag'd of that skill the more thou know'st The more she will acknowledge thee her Head And to realities yeild all her shows Made so adorn for thy delight the more So awful that with honour thou maist love Thy mate who sees when thou art seen least wise But if the sense of touch whereby mankind Is propagated seem such dear delight Beyond all other
possesses me least harm Befall thee sever'd from me for thou knowst What hath bin warn'd us what malicious Foe Envying our happiness and of his own Despairing seeks to work us woe and shame By sly assault and somwhere nigh at hand Watches no doubt with greedy hope to find His wish and best advantage us asunder Hopeless to circumvent us joynd where each To other speedie aide might lend at need Whether his first design be to withdraw Our fealtie from God or to disturb Conjugal Love then which perhaps no bliss Enjoy'd by us excites his envie more Or this or worse leave not the faithful side That gave thee being stil shades thee and protects The Wife where danger or dishonour lurks Safest and seemliest by her Husband staies Who guards her or with her the worst endures To whom the Virgin Majestie of Eve As one who loves and some unkindnâ—…ss mâ—…ets With sweet austeèr composure thus reply'd Ofspring of Heav'n and Earth and all Earths Lord That such an Enemie we have who seeks Our ruin both by thee informd I learne And from the parting Angel over-heard As in a shadie nook I stood behind Just then returnd at shut of Evening Flours But that thou shouldst my firmness therfore doubt To God or thee because we have a foe May tempt it I expected not to hear His violence thou fearst not being such As wee not capable of death or paine Can either not receave or can repell His fraud is then thy fear which plain inferrs Thy equal fear that my firm Faith and Love Can by his fraud be shak'n or seduc't Thoughts which how found they harbour in thy brest Adam missthought of her to thee so dear To whom with healing words Adam reply'd Daughter of God and Man immortal Eve For such thou art from sin and blame entire Not diffident of thee do I dissuade Thy absence from my sight but to avoid Th' attempt it self intended by our Foe For hee who tempts though in vain at least asperses The tempted with dishonour foul suppos'd Not incorruptible of Faith not prooff Against temptation thou thy self with scorne And anger wouldst resent the offer'd wrong Though ineffectual found misdeem not then If such affront I labour to avert From thee alone which on us both at once The Enemie though bold will hardly dare Or daring first on â—…eeth ' assault shall light Nor thou his malice and false guile contemn Suttle he needs must be who â—…ould seduce Angels nor think superfluous others aid I from the influence of thy looks receave Access in every Vertue in thy sight More wise more watchful stronger if need were Of outward strength while shame thou looking on Shame to be overcome or over-reacht Would utmost vigor raise and rais'd unite Why shouldst not thou like sense within thee feel When I am present and thy trial choose With me best witness of thy Vertue tri'd So spake domestick Adam in his care And Matrimonial Love but Eve who thought Less attributed to her Faith sincere Thus her reply with accent sweet renewd If this be our condition thus to dwell In narrow circuit strait'nd by a Foe Suttle or violent we not endu'd Single with like defence wherever met How are we happie still in fear of harm â—…ut harm precedes not sin onely our Foe Tempting affronts us with his foul esteem Of our integritie his foul esteeme Sticks no dishonor on our Front but turns Foul on himself then wherfore shund or feard By us who rather double honour gaine From his surmise prov'd false finde peace within Favour from Heav'n our witness from th' event And what is Faith Love Vertue unassaid Alone without exterior help sustaind Let us not then suspect our happie State Lâ—…ft so imperfet by the Maker wâ—…se As not secure to single or combin'd Fraile is our happiness if this be so And Eden were no Eden thus expos'd To whom thus Adam fervently repli'd O Woman best are all things as the will Of God ordaind them his creating hand Nothing imperfet or deficient left Of all that he Created much less Man Or ought that might his happie State secure Secure from outward force within himself The danger lies yet lies within his power Against his will he can receave no harme But God left free the Will for what obeyes Reason is free and Reason he made right But bid her well beware and still erect Least by some faire appeering good surpris'd She dictate false and missinforme the Will To do what God expresly hath forbid Not then mistrust but tender love enjoynes That I should mind thee oft and mind thou me Firm we subsist yet possible to swerve Since Reason not impossibly may meet Some specious object by the Foe subornd And fall into deception unaware Not keeping strictest watch as she was warnd Seek not temptation then which to avoide Were better and most likelie if from â—…ee Thou sever not Trial will come unsougâ—…t Wouldst thou approve thy constancie approve First thy obedience th' other who can know Not seeing thee attempted who attest But if thou think trial unsought may finde Us both securer then thus warnd thou seemst Go for thy stay not free absents thee more Go in thy native innocence relie On what thou hast of vertue summon all For God towards thee hath done his part do thine So spake the Patriarch of Mankinde but Eve Persisted yet submiss though last repli'd With thy permission then and thus forewarnd Chiefly by what thy own last reasoning words Touchd onely that our trial when least sought May finde us both perhaps farr less prepar'd The willinger I goe nor much expect A Foe so proud will first the weaker seek So bent the more shall shame him his repulse Thus saying from her Husbands hand her hand Soft she withdrew and like a Wood-Nymph light Oread or Dryad or of Delia's Traine Betook her to the Groves but Delia's self In gate surpass'd and Goddess-like deport Though not as shee with Bow and Quiver armd But with such Gardning Tools as Art yet rude Guiltless of fire had formd or Angels brought To Pales or Pomona thus adornd Likest she seemd Pomona when she fled Vertumnus or to Ceres in her Prime Yet Virgin of Proserpina from Jove Her long with ardent look his Eye pursu'd Delighted but desiring more her stay Oft he to her his charge of quick returne Repeated shee to him as oft engag'd To be returnd by Noon amid the Bowre And all things in best order to invite Noontide repast or Afternoons repose O much deceav'd much failing hapless Eve Oâ—… thy presum'd return event perverse Thou never from that houre in Paradise Foundst either sweet repast or sound repose Such ambush hid among sweet Flours and Shades Waited with hellish rancor imminent To intercept thy way or send thee back Despoild of Innocence of Faith of Bliss For now and since first break of dawne the Fiend Meer Serpent in appearance forth was come And on his Quest where likeliest he might
finde The onely two of Mankinde but in them The whole included Race his purposd prey In Bowre and Field he sought where any tuft Of Grove or Garden-Plot more pleasant lay Thir tendance or Plantation for delight By Fountain or by shadie Rivulet He sought them both but wish'd his hap might find Eve separate he wish'd but not with hope Of what so seldom chanc'd when to his wish Beyond his hope Eve separate he spies Veild in a Cloud of Fragrance where she stood Half spi'd so thick the Roses bushing round About her glowd oft stooping to support Each Flour of slender stalk whose head though gay Carnation Purple Azure or spect with Gold Hung drooping unsustaind them she upstaies Gently with Mirtle band mindless the while Her self though fairest unsupported Flour From her best prop so farr and storm so nigh Neerer he drew and many a walk travers'd Of stateliest Covert Cedar Pine or Palme Then voluble and bold now hid now seen Among thick-wov'n Arborets and Flours Imborderd on each Bank the hand of Eve Spot more delicious then those Gardens feign'd Or of reviv'd Adonis or renownd Alcinous host of old Laertes Son Or that not Mystic where the Sapient King Held dalliance with his faire Egyptian Spouse Much hee the Place admir'd the Person more As one who long in populous City pent Where Houses thick and Sewers annoy the Aire Forth issuing on a Summers Morn to breathe Among the pleasant Villages and Farmes Adjoynd from each thing met conceaves delight The smell of Grain or tedded Grass or Kine Or Dairie each rural sight each rural sound If chance with Nymphlike step fair Virgin pass What pleasing seemd for her now pleases more She most and in her look summs all Delight Such Pleasure took the Serpent to behold This Flourie Plat the sweet recess of Eve Thus earlie thus alone her Heav'nly forme Angelic but more soft and Feminine Her graceful Innocence her every Aire Of gesture or lest action overawd His Malice and with rapine sweet bereav'd His fierceness of the fierce intent it brought That space the Evil one abstracted stood From his own evil and for the time remaind Stupidly good of enmitie disarm'd Of guile of hate of envie of revenge But the hot Hell that alwayes in him burnes Though in mid Heav'n soon ended his delight And tortures him now more the more he sees Of pleasure not for him ordain'd then soon Fierce hate he recollects and all his thoughts Of mischief gratulating thus excites Thoughts whither have ye led me with what sweet Compulsion thus transported to forget What hither brought us hate not love nor hope Of Paradise for Hell hope here to taste Of pleasure but all pleasure to destroy Save what is in destroying other joy To me is lost Then let me not let pass Occasion which now smiles behold alone The Woman opportune to all attempts Her Husband for I view far round not nigh Whose higher intellectual more I shun And strength of courage hautie and of limb Heroic built though of terrestrial mould Foe not informidable exempt from wound I not so much hath Hell debas'd and paine Infeebl'd me to what I was in Heav'n Shee fair divinely fair fit Love for Gods Not terrible though terrour be in Love And beautie not approacht by stronger hate Hate stronger under shew of Love well feign'd The way which to her ruin now I tend So spake the Enemie of Mankind enclos'd In Serpent Inmate bad and toward Eve Address'd his way not with indented wave Prone on the ground as since but on his reare Circular base of rising foulds that tour'd Fould above fould a surging Maze his Head Crested aloft and Carbuncle his Eyes With burnisht Neck of verdant Gold erect Amidst his circling Spires that on the grass Floted redundant pleasing was his shape And lovely never since of Serpent kind Lovelier not those that in Illyria chang'd Hermione and Cadmus or the God In Epidaurus nor to which transformd Ammonian Jove or Capitoline was seen Hee with Olympias this with her who bore Scipio the highth of Rome With tract oblique At first as one who sought access but feard To interrupt side-long he works his way As when a Ship by skilful Stearsman wrought Nigh Rivers mouth or Foreland where the Wind Veres oft as oft so steers and shifts her Saile So varied hee and of his tortuous Traine Curld many a wanton wreath in sight of Eve To lure her Eye shee busied heard the sound Of rusling Leaves but minded not as us'd To such disport before her through the Field From every Beast more duteous at her call Then at Circean call the Herd disguis'd Hee boulder now uncall'd before her stood But as in gaze admiring Oft he bowd His turret Crest and sleek enamel'd Neck Fawning and lick'd the ground whereon she trod His gentle dumb expression turnd at length The Eye of Eve to mark his play he glad Of her attention gaind with Serpent Tongue Organic or impulse of vocal Air His fraudulent temptation thus began Wonder not sovran Mistress if perhaps Thou canst who art sole Wonder much less arm Thy looks the Heav'n of mildness with disdain Displeas'd that I approach thee thus and gaze Inâ—…atiate I thus single nor have feard Thy awful brow more awful thus retir'd Fairest resemblance of thy Maker faire Thee all things living gaze on all things thine By gift and thy Celestial Beautie adore With ravishment beheld there best beheld Where universally admir'd but here In this enclosure wild these Beasts among Beholders rude and shallow to discerne Half what in thee is fair one man except Who sees thee and what is one who shouldst be seen A Goddess among Gods ador'd and serv'd By Angels numberless thy daily Train So gloz'd the Tempter and his Proem tun'd Into the Heart of Eve his words made way Though at the voice much marveling at length Not unamaz'd she thus in answer spake What may this mean Language of Man pronounc't By Tongue of Brute and human sense exprest The first at lest of these I thought deni'd To Beasts whom God on thir Creation-Day Created mute to all articulat sound The latter I demurre for in thir looks Much reason and in thir actions oft appeers Thee Serpent suttlest beast of all the field I knew but not with human voice endu'd Redouble then this miracle and say How cam'st thou speakable of mute and how To me so friendly grown above the rest Of brutal kind that daily are in sight Say for such wonder claims attention due To whom the guileful Tempter thus reply'd Empress of this fair World resplendent Eve Easie to mee it is to tell thee all What thou commandst and right thou shouldst be obeyd I was at first as other Beasts that graze The trodden Herb of abject thoughts and low As was my food nor aught but food discern'd Or Sex and apprehended nothing high Till on a day roaving the field I chanc'd A goodly Tree farr distant to
Eve Down drop'd and all the faded Roses shed Speechless he stood and pale till thus at length First to himself he inward silence broke O fairest of Creation last and best Of all Gods Works Creature in whom excell'd Whatever can to sight or thought be formd Holy divine good amiable or sweet How art thou lost how on a sudden lost Defac't deflourd and now to Death devote Rather how hast thou yeelded to transgress The strict forbiddance how to violate The sacred Fruit forbidd'n som cursed fraud Of Enemie hath beguil'd thee yet unknown And mee with thee hath ruind for with thee Certain my resolution is to Die How can I live without thee how forgoe Thy sweet Converse and Love so dearly joyn'd To live again in these wilde Woods forlorn Should God create another Eve and I Another Rib afford yet loss of thee Would never from my heart no no I feel The Link of Nature draw me Flesh of Flesh Bone of my Bone thou art and from thy State Mine never shall be parted bliss or woe So having said as one from sad dismay Recomforted and after thoughts disturbd Submitting to what seemd remediless Thus in calme mood his Words to Eve he turnd Bold deed thou hast presum'd adventrous Eve And peril great provok't who thus hast dar'd Had it bin onely coveting to Eye That sacred Fruit sacred to abstinence Much more to taste it under banne to touch But past who can recall or don undoe Not God Omnipotent nor Fate yet so Perhaps thou shalt not Die perhaps the Fact Is not so hainous now forâ—…tasted Fruit Profan'd first by the Serpent by him first Made common and unhallowd ere our taste Nor yet on him found deadly he yet lives Lives as thou saidst and gaines to live as Man Higher degree of Life inducement strong To us as likely tasting to attaine Proportional ascent which cannot be But to be Gods or Angels Demi-gods Nor can I think that God Creator wise Though threatning will in earnest so destroy Us his prime Creatures dignisi'd so high Set over all his Works which in our Fall For us created needs with us must faile Dependent made so God shall uncreate Be frustrate do undo and labour loose Not well conceav'd of God who though his Power Creation could repeate yet would be loath Us to abolish least the Adversary Triumph and say Fickle their State whom God Most Favors who can please him long Mee first He ruind now Mankind whom will he next Matter of scorne not to be given the Foe However I with thee have fixt my Lot Certain to undergoe like doom if Death Consort with thee Death is to mee as Life So forcible within my heart I feel The Bond of Nature draw me to my owne My own in thee for what thou art is mine Our State cannot be severd we are one One Flesh to loose thee were to loose my self So Adam and thus Eve to him repli'd O glorious trial of exceeding Love Illustrious evidence example high Iâ—…gaging me to emulate but short Of thy perfection how shall I attaine Adam from whose deare side I boast me sprung And gladly of our Union heare thee speak One Heart one Soul in both whereof good prooff This day affords declaring theè resolvd Rather then Death or aught then Death more dread Shall separate us linkt in Love so deare To undergoe with mee one Guilt one Crime If any be of tasting this fair Fruit Whose vertue for of good still good proceeds Direct or by occasion hath presented This happie trial of thy Love which else So eminently never had bin known Were it I thought Death menac't would ensue This my attempt I would sustain alone The worst and not perswade thee rather die Deserted then oblige thee with a fact Pernicious to thy Peace chiefly assur'd Remarkably so late of thy so true So faithful Love unequald but I feel Farr otherwise th' event not Death but Life Augmented op'nd Eyes new Hopes new Joyes Taste so Divine that what of sweet before Hath toucht my sense flat seems to this and harsh On my experience Adam freely taste And fear of Death deliver to the Windes So saying she embrac'd him and for joy Tenderly wept much won that he his Love Had so enobl'd as of choice to incurr Divine displeasure for her sake or Death In recompence for such compliance bad Such recompence best merits from the bough She gave him of that fair enticing Fruit With liberal hand he scrupl'd not to eat Against his better knowledge not deceav'd But fondly overcome with Femal charm Earth trembl'd from her entrails as again In pangs and Nature gave a second groan Skie lowr'd and muttering Thunder som sad drops Wept at compleating of the mortal Sin Original while Adam took no thought Eating his fill nor Eve to iterate Her former trespass fear'd the more to soothe Him with her lov'd societie that now As with new Wine intoxicated both They swim in mirth and fansie that they feel Diviniâ—…e within them breeding wings Where with to scorn the Eaâ—…h but that false Fruit Farr other operation first displaid Carnal desire enâ—…ming hee on Eve Began to cast lascivious Eyes she him As want only repaid in Lust they burne Till Adam â—…us â—…gan Eve to dalliance move Eve now I see thou art exact of taste And elegant of Sapience no small part Since to each meaning savour we apply And Palate call judicious I the praise Yeild thee so well this day thou hast purvey'd Much pleasure we have lost while we abstain'd From this delightful Fruit nor known till now True relish tasting if such pleasure be In things to us forbidden it might be wish'd For this one Tree had bin forbidden ten But come so well refresh't now let us play As meet is after such delicious Fare For never did thy Beautie since the day I saw thee first and wedded thee adorn'd With all perfections so enâ—…ame my sense With ardor to enjoy thee â—…airer now Then ever bountie of this vertuous Tree So said he and forbore not glance or toy Of amorous intent well understood Of Eve whose Eye darted contagious Fire Her hand he seis'd and to a shadie bank Thick overhead with verdant roof imbowr'd He led her nothing loath Flours were the Couch Pansies and Violets and Aâ—…phodel And Hyacinth Earths freshâ—…st softest lap There they thir â—…ill of Love and Loves disport Took largely of thir mutual guilt the Seale The â—…olace of thir sin till dewie sleep Oppress'd them wearied with thir amorous play Soon as the force of that fallacious Fruit That with exhile rating vapour bland About thir spiâ—…ts had plaid and inmost powers Made erre was now exhal'd and groâ—…er sleep Bred of unkindly fumes with conscious dreams Encumberd now had leâ—…t them up they rose As from unrest and each the other 〈◊〉 Soon found thir Eyes how opâ—…d and thir minds How dark'nd iâ—…ocence that as a vâ—…le Had â—…dow'd them from knowing 〈◊〉 was gon Just confidence