unquenchable, the house of woe and paine.
Disburd'nd Heav'n rejoic'd, and foon repaird
Her mural breach, returning whence it rowld.
Sole Victor from th' expulfion of his Foes
Meffiah his triumphal Chariot turnd :
To meet him all his Saints, who filent stood
Eye witneffes of his Almightie Acts,
With Jubilie advanc'd; and as they went,
Shaded with branching Palme, each order bright,
Sung Triumph, and him fung Victorious King,
Son, Heire, and Lord, to him Dominion giv'n,
Worthieft to Reign: he celebrated rode
Triumphant through mid Heav'n, into the Courts
And Temple of his mightie Father Thron'd
On high; who into Glorie him receav'd,
Where now he fits at the right hand of bliss.
Thus measuring things in Heav'n by things on
At thy request, and that thou maist beware (Earth
By what is past, to thee I have reveal'd
What might have else to human Race bin hid;
The difcord which befel, and Warr in Heav'n
Among th' Angelic Powers, and the deep fall
Of those too high aspiring, who rebelld
With Satan, hee who envies now thy state,
Who now is plotting how he may feduce
Thee alfo from obedience, that with him.
Bereavd of happiness thou maist partake
His punishment, Eternal miferie;
Which would be all his folace and revenge,
As a defpite don against the most High,
Thee once to gaine Companion of his woe.
Of evils, and exceffive, overturnes
All patience. He who therefore can invent
With what more forcible we may offend
Our yet unwounded Enemies, or arme
Our felves with like defence, to mee deferves
No lefs then for deliverance what we owe.
Whereto with look compos'd satan repli'd.
470 Not uninvented that, which thou aright
Beleivst so main to our success, I bring;
Which of us who beholds the bright surface
Of this Ethereous mould whereon we stand,
This continent of fpacious Heav'n, adornd
With Plant, Fruit, Flour Ambrofial, Gemms & Gold,
Whose Eye so superficially furveyes
These things,as not to mind from whence they grow
Deep under ground, materials dark and crude,
Of spiritous and fierie fpume, till toucht
480 With Heav'ns ray, and temperd they shoot forth
So beauteous, op'ning to the ambient light.
These in thir dark Nativitie the Deep
Shall yeild us, pregnant with infernal flame,
Which into hallow Engins long and round
Thick-rammd, at th' other bore with touch of fire
Dilated and infuriate shall fend forth
From far with thundring noise among our foes
Such implements of mischief as shall dash
To pieces, and orewhelm whatever stands
490 Adverse, that they shall fear we have disarmd
The Thunderer of his only dreaded bolt.
Nor long shall be our labour, yet ere dawne,
Effect shall end our wish. Mean while revive ;
Abandon fear; to strength and couníel joind
Think nothing hard, much lefs to be despaird.
He ended, and his words thir drooping chere
Enlightn'd, and thir languisht hope reviv'd.
Th' invention all admir'd, and each, how hee
To be th' inventer mifs'd, fo eafie it seemd
Once found, which yet unfound most would have
500
Impoffible: yet haply of thy Race
In future dayes,if Malice should abound,
Some one intent on mifchief, or infpir'd
With dev'lish machination might devise
Like inftrument to plague the Sons of men
For fin, on warr and mutual flaughter bent.
Forthwith from Councel to the work they flew,
None arguing ftood, innumerable hands
Were ready, in a moment up they turnd
Wide the Celestial foile, and faw beneath
Th' originals of Nature in thir crude
Conception; Sulphurous and Nitrous Foame
They found, they mingl'd, and with futtle Art,
Concocted and adufted they reduc'd
To blackest grain, and into store conveyd⚫
Part hidd'n veins diggd up (nor hath this Earth
Entrails unlike) of Mineral and Stone,
Whereof to found thir Engins and thir Balls
Of miffive ruin; part incentive reed
Provide, pernicious with one touch to fire.
So all ere day-fpring, under conscious Night
Secret they finish'd, and in order set,
With filent circumfpection unefpi'd.
Now when fair Morn Orient in Heav'n appeerd
Up rose the Victor Angels, and to Arms
The matin Trumpet Sung: in Arms they stood
Of Golden Panoplie, refulgent Hoft,
Soon banded; others from the dawning Hills Lookd round, and Scouts each Coast light-armed 530 Each quarter, to descrie the distant foe,
(fcoure,
Where lodg'd, or whither fled, or if for fight,
In motion or in alt: him foon they met
Under fpred Enfignes moving nigh, in flow
But firm Battalion; back with speediest Sail
Zophiel, of Cherubim the swifteit wing,
Came flying, and in mid Aire aloud thus cri'd.
Arme, Warriours, Arme for fight,the foe at hand,
Whom fled we thought, will fave us long purfuit
This day, fear not his flight; fo thick a Cloud
540 He comes, and fettl'd in his face I fee
Sad refolution and fecure : let each
His Adamantine coat gird well, and each
Fit well his Helme, gripe faft his orbed Shield,
Born eevn or high, for this day will pour down,
If I conjecture aught, no drizling showr,
But ratling ftorm of Arrows barbd with fire.
So warnd he them aware themselves, and foon
In order, quit of all impediment;
Instant without disturb they took Allarm,
55° And onward move Embattelld; when behold
Not diftant far with heavie pace the Foe
Approaching grofs and huge; in hollow Cube
Training his devilish Enginrie, impal'd
On every fide with fhaddowing Squadrons Deep,
To hide the fraud. At interview both stood
A while, but fuddenly at head appeerd
Satan: And thus was heard Commanding loud.
Vangard, to Right and Left the Front unfould;
That all may fee who hate us, how we seek
Peace and composure, and with open breft
Stand readie to receive them, if they like
Our overture, and turn not back perverse;
But that I doubt, however witness Heaven,
Heav'n witness thou anon, while we discharge
Freely our part yee who appointed stand
Do as you have in charge, and briefly touch
What we propound, and loud that all
may hear.
So fcoffing in ambiguous words, he scarce
Had ended; when to Right and Left the Front
Divided, and to either Flank retir'd.
Which to our eyes difcoverd new and strange,
A triple-mounted row of Pillars laid
On Wheels (for like to Pillars most they seem'd
Or hollow'd bodies made of Oak or Firr
With branches lopt, in Wood or Mountain fell'd)
Brafs, Iron, Stonie mould, had not thir mouthes
With hideous orifice gap't on us wide,
Portending hollow truce; at each behind
A Seraph stood, and in his hand a Reed
Stood waving tipt with fire; while we fufpenfe,
Collected stood within our thoughts amus'd,
Not long, for fudden all at once thir Reeds
Put forth, and to a narrow vent appli'd
With nicest touch. Immediate in a flame,
But foon obfcur'd with fmoak,all Heav'n appeerd,
From those deep-throated Engins belcht, whofe
Emboweld with outragious noise the Air, (roar
And all her entrails tore, difgorging foule
Thir devillish glut, chaind Thunderbolts and Hail
Of Iron Globes, which on the Victor Hoft
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