Princedoms, and Dominations miniftrant
Accompanied to Heaven Gate, from whence
Eden and all the Coaft in profpect lay.

Down he defcended ftrait; the speed of Gods 90
Time counts not, though with swiftest minutes
Now was the Sun in Western cadence low [wing'd.
From Noon, and gentle Aires due at thir hour
To fan the Earth now wak'd, and usher in
The Eevning coole when he from wrauth more coole
Came the mild Judge and Interceffor both
To sentence Man: the voice of God they heard
Now walking in the Garden, by foft windes
Brought to thir Ears, while day declin'd, they heard,
And from his presence hid themselves among 100
The thickest Trees, both Man and Wife, till God
Approaching, thus to Adam call'd aloud.

Where art thou Adam, wont with joy to meet
My coming feen far off? I miss thee here,
Not pleas'd, thus entertaind with folitude,
Where obvious dutie erewhile appear'd unfaught:
Or come I lefs confpicuous, or what change
Absents thee, or what chance detains? Come forth.
He came, and with him Eve, more loth, though first
To offend, discount'nanc't both, and discompos'd;
Love was not in thir looks, either to God
Or to each other, but apparent guilt,
And shame, and peturbation, and despaire,
Anger, and obftinacie, and hate, and guile.
Whence Adam faultring long, thus answer'd brief.
I heard thee in the Garden, and of thy voice
Affraid, being naked, hid my self.
felf. To whom

The gracious Judge without revile repli'd.

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My voice thou oft hast heard, and hast not fear'd, But ftill rejoyc't, how is it now become So dreadful to thee? that thou art naked, who Hath told thee? haft thou eaten of the Tree Whereof I gave thee charge thou shouldst not eat? To whom thus Adam fore befet repli'd. O Heav'n! in evil ftrait this day I stand Before my Judge, either to undergoe My felf the total Crime, or to accuse My other self, the my partner of Whofe failing, while her Faith to me remaines, I should conceal, and not expofe to blame By my complaint; but strict neceffitie Subdues me, and calamitous constraint, Least on my head both fin and punishment, However infupportable, be all

life;

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Devolv'd; though should I hold my peace, yet thou
Wouldst easily detect what I conceale.

This Woman whom thou mad'ft to be my help,
And gav'ft me as thy perfet gift, fo good,
So fit, fo acceptable, fo Divine,

That from her hand I could suspect no ill,
And what she did, whatever in it self,
Her doing feem'd to justifie the deed;
Shee gave me of the Tree, and I did eate.

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To whom the fovran Prefence thus repli'd. Was thee thy God, that her thou didst obey Before his voice, or was fhee made thy guide, Superior, or but equal, that to her Thou did❜ft refigne thy Manhood, and the Place Wherein God fet thee above her made of thee, And for thee, whose perfection farr excell'd

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Hers in all real dignitie: Adornd

She was indeed, and lovely to attract
Thy Love, not thy Subjection, and her Gifts
Were fuch as under Government well feem'd,
Unseemly to beare rule, which was thy part
And person, had❜ft thou known thy self aright.
So having faid, he thus to Eve in few:

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Say Woman, what is this which thou haft done?
To whom fad Eve with shame nigh overwhelm'd,
Confeffing foon, yet not before her Judge
Bold or loquacious, thus abasht repli'd.
The Serpent me beguil'd and I did eate.
Which when the Lord God heard, without delay
To Judgement he proceeded on th' accus'd
Serpent though brute, unable to transferre
The Guilt on him who made him inftrument
Of mischief, and polluted from the end
Of his Creation; juftly then accurst,
As vitiated in Nature: more to know
Concern'd not Man (fince he no further knew)
Nor alter'd his offence; yet God at last
To Satan first in fin his doom apply'd,
Though in mysterious terms, judg'd as then beft:
And on the Serpent thus his curse let fall.

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Because thou haft done this, thou art accurst Above all Cattel, each Beast of the Field; Upon thy Belly groveling thou shalt goe, And duft fhalt eat all the days of thy Life. Between Thee and the Woman I will put Enmitie, and between thine and her Seed; Her Seed shall bruise thy head, thou bruise his heel. So fpake this Oracle, then verifi'd

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When Jefus fon of Mary fecond Eve,

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Saw Satan fall like Lightning down from Heav'n,
Prince of the Aire; then rifing from his Grave
Spoild Principalities and Powers, triumpht
In open fhew, and with afcention bright
Captivity led captive through the Aire,
The Realme it felf of Satan long ufurpt,
Whom he shall tread at laft under our feet;
Eevn hee who now foretold his fatal bruise,
And to the Woman thus his Sentence turn'd.
Thy forrow I will greatly multiplie
By thy Conception; Childern thou shalt bring
In forrow forth, and to thy Husbands will
Thine shall submit, hee over thee shall rule.

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On Adam last thus judgement he pronounc'd.
Because thou haft heark'nd to the voice of thy Wife,
And eaten of the Tree concerning which
I charg'd thee, faying: Thou shalt not eate thereof,
Curs'd is the ground for thy fake, thou in forrow
Shalt eate thereof all the days of thy Life;

Thornes alfo and Thistles it fhall bring thee forth
Unbid, and thou shalt eate th' Herb of th' Field,
In the sweat of thy Face fhalt thou eate Bread,
Till thou return unto the ground, for thou
Out of the ground waft taken, know thy Birth,
For duft thou art, and shalt to duft returne.

So judg'd he Man, both Judge and Saviour sent, And th' instant stroke of Death denounc't that day Remov'd farr off; then pittying how they stood Before him naked to the aire, that now

Muft fuffer change, difdain'd not to begin
Thenceforth the forme of fervant to affume,

As when he wash'd his fervants feet, so now
As Father of his Familie he clad

Thir nakedness with Skins of Beasts, or flain,
Or as the Snake with youthful Coate repaid;
And thought not much to cloath his Enemies :
Nor hee thir outward onely with the Skins
Of Beasts, but inward nakedness, much more
Opprobrious, with his Robe of righteousness,
Araying cover'd from his Fathers fight.
To him with swift ascent he

up returnd, Into his blissful bofom reaffum'd

In glory as of old, to him appeas'd

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All, though all-knowing, what had past with Man
Recounted, mixing interceffion sweet.

Meanwhile ere thus was fin'd and judg'd on Earth,
Within the Gates of Hell fate Sin and Death, 230
In counterview within the Gates, that now
Stood open wide, belching outrageous flame
Farr into Chaos, fince the Fiend pass'd through,
Sin opening, who thus now to Death began.

O Son, why fit we here each other viewing
Idlely, while Satan our great Author thrives
In other Worlds, and happier Seat provides
For us his ofspring deare? It cannot be
But that success attends him; if mishap,
Ere this he had return'd, with fury driv'n
By his Avenger, fince no place like this
Can fit his punishment, or their revenge.
Methinks I feel new ftrength within me rise,
Wings growing, and Dominion giv'n me large
Beyond this Deep; whatever drawes me on,
Or fympathie, or fom connatural force

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