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Paradise Lost
PARADISE LOST. BOOK X.
Thus they in lowliest plight repentant stood Praying, for from the
Mercie-seat above Prevenient Grace descending had remov'd The stonie
from thir hearts, and made new flesh Regenerat grow instead, that
sighs now breath'd Unutterable, which the Spirit of prayer Inspir'd,
and wing'd for Heav'n with speedier flight Then loudest Oratorie: yet
thir port Not of mean suiters, nor important less Seem'd thir
Petition, then when th' ancient Pair In Fables old, less ancient yet
then these, DEUCALION and chaste PYRRHA to restore The Race of Mankind
drownd, before the Shrine Of THEMIS stood devout. To Heav'n thir
prayers Flew up, nor missed the way, by envious windes Blow'n vagabond
or frustrate: in they passd Dimentionless through Heav'nly dores; then
clad With incense, where the Golden Altar fum'd, By thir great
Intercessor, came in sight Before the Fathers Throne: Them the glad
Son Presenting, thus to intercede began. See Father, what first fruits
on Earth are sprung From thy implanted Grace in Man, these Sighs And
Prayers, which in this Golden Censer, mixt With Incense, I thy Priest
before thee bring, Fruits of more pleasing savour from thy seed Sow'n
with contrition in his heart, then those Which his own hand manuring
all the Trees Of Paradise could have produc't, ere fall'n From
innocence. Now therefore bend thine eare To supplication, heare his
sighs though mute; Unskilful with what words to pray, let mee
Interpret for him, mee his Advocate And propitiation, all his works on
mee Good or not good ingraft, my Merit those Shall perfet, and for
these my Death shall pay. Accept me, and in mee from these receave The
smell of peace toward Mankinde, let him live Before thee reconcil'd,
at least his days Numberd, though sad, till Death, his doom (which I
To mitigate thus plead, not to reverse) To better life shall yeeld
him, where with mee All my redeemd may dwell in joy and bliss, Made
one with me as I with thee am one. To whom the Father, without Cloud,
serene. All thy request for Man, accepted Son, Obtain, all thy request
was my Decree: But longer in that Paradise to dwell, The Law I gave to
Nature him forbids: Those pure immortal Elements that know No gross,
no unharmoneous mixture foule, Eject him tainted now, and purge him
off As a distemper, gross to aire as gross, And mortal food, as may
dispose him best For dissolution wrought by Sin, that first Distemperd
all things, and of incorrupt Corrupted. I at first with two fair
gifts Created him endowd, with Happiness And Immortalitie: that fondly
lost, This other serv'd but to eternize woe; Till I provided Death; so
Death becomes His final remedie, and after Life Tri'd in sharp
tribulation, and refin'd By Faith and faithful works, to second Life,
Wak't in the renovation of the just, Resignes him up with Heav'n and
Earth renewd. But let us call to Synod all the Blest Through Heav'ns
wide bounds; from them I will not hide My judgments, how with Mankind
I proceed, As how with peccant Angels late they saw; And in thir
state, though firm, stood more confirmd. He ended, and the Son gave
signal high To the bright Minister that watchd, hee blew His Trumpet,
heard in OREB since perhaps When God descended, and perhaps once more
To sound at general Doom. Th' Angelic blast Filld all the Regions:
from thir blissful Bowrs Of AMARANTIN Shade, Fountain or Spring, By
the waters of Life, where ere they sate In fellowships of joy: the
Sons of Light Hasted, resorting to the Summons high, And took thir
Seats; till from his Throne supream Th' Almighty thus pronounced his
sovran Will. O Sons, like one of us Man is become To know both Good
and Evil, since his taste Of that defended Fruit; but let him boast
His knowledge of Good lost, and Evil got, Happier, had it suffic'd him
to have known Good by it self, and Evil not at all. He sorrows now,
repents, and prayes contrite, My motions in him, longer then they
move, His heart I know, how variable and vain Self-left. Least
therefore his now bolder hand Reach also of the Tree of Life, and eat,
And live for ever, dream at least to live Forever, to remove him I
decree, And send him from the Garden forth to Till The Ground whence
he was taken, fitter soile. MICHAEL, this my behest have thou in
charge, Take to thee from among the Cherubim Thy choice of flaming
Warriours, least the Fiend Or in behalf of Man, or to invade Vacant
possession som new trouble raise: Hast thee, and from the Paradise of
God Without remorse drive out the sinful Pair, From hallowd ground th'
unholie, and denounce To them and to thir Progenie from thence
Perpetual banishment. Yet least they faint At the sad Sentence
rigorously urg'd, For I behold them soft'nd and with tears Bewailing
thir excess, all terror hide. If patiently thy bidding they obey,
Dismiss them not disconsolate; reveale To ADAM what shall come in
future dayes, As I shall thee enlighten, intermix My Cov'nant in the
Womans seed renewd; So send them forth, though sorrowing, yet in
peace: And on the East side of the Garden place, Where entrance up
from EDEN easiest climbes, Cherubic watch, and of a Sword the flame
Wide waving, all approach farr off to fright, And guard all passage to
the Tree of Life: Least Paradise a receptacle prove To Spirits foule,
and all my Trees thir prey, With whose stol'n Fruit Man once more to
delude. He ceas'd; and th' Archangelic Power prepar'd For swift
descent, with him the Cohort bright Of watchful Cherubim; four faces
each Had, like a double JANUS, all thir shape Spangl'd with eyes more
numerous then those Of ARGUS, and more wakeful then to drouze, Charm'd
with ARCADIAN Pipe, the Pastoral Reed Of HERMES, or his opiate Rod.
Meanwhile To resalute the World with sacred Light LEUCOTHEA wak'd, and
with fresh dews imbalmd The Earth, when ADAM and first Matron EVE Had
ended now thir Orisons, and found, Strength added from above, new hope
to spring Out of despaire, joy, but with fear yet linkt; Which thus to
EVE his welcome words renewd. EVE, easily may Faith admit, that all
The good which we enjoy, from Heav'n descends But that from us ought
should ascend to Heav'n So prevalent as to concerne the mind Of God
high blest, or to incline his will, Hard to belief may seem; yet this
will Prayer, Or one short sigh of humane breath, up-borne Ev'n to the
Seat of God. For since I saught By Prayer th' offended Deitie to
appease, Kneel'd and before him humbl'd all my heart, Methought I saw
him placable and mild, Bending his eare; perswasion in me grew That I
was heard with favour; peace returnd Home to my brest, and to my
memorie His promise, that thy Seed shall bruise our Foe; Which then
not minded in dismay, yet now Assures me that the bitterness of death
Is past, and we shall live. Whence Haile to thee, EVE rightly call'd,
Mother of all Mankind, Mother of all things living, since by thee Man
is to live, and all things live for Man. To whom thus EVE with sad
demeanour meek. Ill worthie I such title should belong To me
transgressour, who for thee ordaind A help, became thy snare; to mee
reproach Rather belongs, distrust and all dispraise: But infinite in
pardon was my Judge, That I who first brought Death on all, am grac't
The sourse of life; next favourable thou, Who highly thus to entitle
me voutsaf't, Farr other name deserving. But the Field To labour
calls us now with sweat impos'd, Though after sleepless Night; for see
the Morn, All unconcern'd with our unrest, begins Her rosie progress
smiling; let us forth, I never from thy side henceforth to stray,
Wherere our days work lies, though now enjoind Laborious, till day
droop; while here we dwell, What can be toilsom in these pleasant
Walkes? Here let us live, though in fall'n state, content. So spake,
so wish'd much-humbl'd EVE, but Fate Subscrib'd not; Nature first gave
Signs, imprest On Bird, Beast, Aire, Aire suddenly eclips'd After
short blush of Morn; nigh in her sight The Bird of JOVE, stoopt from
his aerie tour, Two Birds of gayest plume before him drove: Down from
a Hill the Beast that reigns in Woods, First Hunter then, pursu'd a
gentle brace, Goodliest of all the Forrest, Hart and Hinde; Direct to
th' Eastern Gate was bent thir flight. ADAM observ'd, and with his Eye
the chase Pursuing, not unmov'd to EVE thus spake. O EVE, some furder
change awaits us nigh, Which Heav'n by these mute signs in Nature
shews Forerunners of his purpose, or to warn Us haply too secure of
our discharge From penaltie, because from death releast Some days; how
long, and what till then our life, Who knows, or more then this, that
we are dust, And thither must return and be no more. VVhy else this
double object in our sight Of flight pursu'd in th' Air and ore the
ground One way the self-same hour? why in the East Darkness ere Dayes
mid-course, and Morning light More orient in yon VVestern Cloud that
draws O're the blew Firmament a radiant white, And slow descends, with
somthing heav'nly fraught. He err'd not, for by this the heav'nly
Bands Down from a Skie of Jasper lighted now In Paradise, and on a
Hill made alt, A glorious Apparition, had not doubt And carnal fear
that day dimm'd ADAMS eye. Not that more glorious, when the Angels met
JACOB in MAHANAIM, where he saw The field Pavilion'd with his
Guardians bright; Nor that which on the flaming Mount appeerd In
DOTHAN, cover'd with a Camp of Fire, Against the SYRIAN King, who to
surprize One man, Assassin-like had levied Warr, Warr unproclam'd.
The Princely Hierarch In thir bright stand, there left his Powers to
seise Possession of the Garden; hee alone, To finde where ADAM
shelterd, took his way, Not unperceav'd of ADAM, who to EVE, While the
great Visitant approachd, thus spake. EVE, now expect great tidings,
which perhaps Of us will soon determin, or impose New Laws to be
observ'd; for I descrie From yonder blazing Cloud that veils the Hill
One of the heav'nly Host, and by his Gate None of the meanest, some
great Potentate Or of the Thrones above, such Majestie Invests him
coming; yet not terrible, That I should fear, nor sociably mild, As
RAPHAEL, that I should much confide, But solemn and sublime, whom not
to offend, With reverence I must meet, and thou retire. He ended; and
th' Arch-Angel soon drew nigh, Not in his shape Celestial, but as Man
Clad to meet Man; over his lucid Armes A militarie Vest of purple
flowd Livelier then MELIBOEAN, or the graine Of SARRA, worn by Kings
and Hero's old In time of Truce; IRIS had dipt the wooff; His starrie
Helme unbuckl'd shew'd him prime In Manhood where Youth ended; by his
side As in a glistering ZODIAC hung the Sword, Satans dire dread, and
in his hand the Spear. ADAM bowd low, hee Kingly from his State
Inclin'd not, but his coming thus declar'd. ADAM, Heav'ns high behest
no Preface needs: Sufficient that thy Prayers are heard, and Death,
Then due by sentence when thou didst transgress, Defeated of his
seisure many dayes Giv'n thee of Grace, wherein thou may'st repent,
And one bad act with many deeds well done Mayst cover: well may then
thy Lord appeas'd Redeem thee quite from Deaths rapacious claimes; But
longer in this Paradise to dwell Permits not; to remove thee I am
come, And send thee from the Garden forth to till The ground whence
thou wast tak'n, fitter Soile. He added not, for ADAM at the newes
Heart-strook with chilling gripe of sorrow stood, That all his senses
bound; EVE, who unseen Yet all had heard, with audible lament
Discover'd soon the place of her retire. O unexpected stroke, worse
then of Death! Must I thus leave thee Paradise? thus leave Thee Native
Soile, these happie Walks and Shades, Fit haunt of Gods? where I had
hope to spend, Quiet though sad, the respit of that day That must be
mortal to us both. O flours, That never will in other Climate grow,
My early visitation, and my last At Eev'n, which I bred up with tender
hand From the first op'ning bud, and gave ye Names, Who now shall
reare ye to the Sun, or ranke Your Tribes, and water from th'
ambrosial Fount? Thee lastly nuptial Bowre, by mee adornd With what to
sight or smell was sweet; from thee How shall I part, and whither
wander down Into a lower World, to this obscure And wilde, how shall
we breath in other Aire Less pure, accustomd to immortal Fruits? Whom
thus the Angel interrupted milde. Lament not EVE, but patiently
resigne What justly thou hast lost; nor set thy heart, Thus over fond,
on that which is not thine; Thy going is not lonely, with thee goes
Thy Husband, him to follow thou art bound; Where he abides, think
there thy native soile. ADAM by this from the cold sudden damp
Recovering, and his scatterd spirits returnd, To MICHAEL thus his
humble words addressd. Celestial, whether among the Thrones, or nam'd
Of them the Highest, for such of shape may seem Prince above Princes,
gently hast thou tould Thy message, which might else in telling wound,
And in performing end us; what besides Of sorrow and dejection and
despair Our frailtie can sustain, thy tidings bring, Departure from
this happy place, our sweet Recess, and onely consolation left
Familiar to our eyes, all places else Inhospitable appeer and
desolate, Nor knowing us nor known: and if by prayer Incessant I could
hope to change the will Of him who all things can, I would not cease
To wearie him with my assiduous cries: But prayer against his absolute
Decree No more availes then breath against the winde, Blown stifling
back on him that breaths it forth: Therefore to his great bidding I
submit. This most afflicts me, that departing hence, As from his face
I shall be hid, deprivd His blessed count'nance; here I could
frequent, With worship, place by place where he voutsaf'd Presence
Divine, and to my Sons relate; On this Mount he appeerd, under this
Tree Stood visible, among these Pines his voice I heard, here with him
at this Fountain talk'd: So many grateful Altars I would reare Of
grassie Terfe, and pile up every Stone Of lustre from the brook, in
memorie, Or monument to Ages, and thereon Offer sweet smelling Gumms &
Fruits and Flours: In yonder nether World where shall I seek His
bright appearances, or footstep trace? For though I fled him angrie,
yet recall'd To life prolongd and promisd Race, I now Gladly behold
though but his utmost skirts Of glory, and farr off his steps adore.
To whom thus MICHAEL with regard benigne. ADAM, thou know'st Heav'n
his, and all the Earth Not this Rock onely; his Omnipresence fills
Land, Sea, and Aire, and every kinde that lives, Fomented by his
virtual power and warmd: All th' Earth he gave thee to possess and
rule, No despicable gift; surmise not then His presence to these
narrow bounds confin'd Of Paradise or EDEN: this had been Perhaps thy
Capital Seate, from whence had spred All generations, and had hither
come From all the ends of th' Earth, to celebrate And reverence thee
thir great Progenitor. But this praeeminence thou hast lost, brought
down To dwell on eeven ground now with thy Sons: Yet doubt not but in
Vallie and in Plaine God is as here, and will be found alike Present,
and of his presence many a signe Still following thee, still
compassing thee round With goodness and paternal Love, his Face
Express, and of his steps the track Divine. Which that thou mayst
beleeve, and be confirmd, Ere thou from hence depart, know I am sent
To shew thee what shall come in future dayes To thee and to thy
Ofspring; good with bad Expect to hear, supernal Grace contending With
sinfulness of Men; thereby to learn True patience, and to temper joy
with fear And pious sorrow, equally enur'd By moderation either state
to beare, Prosperous or adverse: so shalt thou lead Safest thy life,
and best prepar'd endure Thy mortal passage when it comes. Ascend
This Hill; let EVE (for I have drencht her eyes) Here sleep below
while thou to foresight wak'st, As once thou slepst, while Shee to
life was formd.