Of racking whirlwinds, or for ever funk
Under yon boyling Ocean, wrapt in Chains;
There to converse with everlasting groans,
Unrefpited, unpitied, unrepreevd,
Ages of hopeless end; this would be worse.
Warr therefore, open or conceal'd, alike
My voice diffwades; for what can force or guile
With him, or who deceive his mind, whose eye
Views all things at one view? he from heav'ns highth
All these our motions vain, fees and derides;
Not more Almighty to resist our might
Then wife to fruftrate all our plots and wiles.
Shall we then live thus vile, the race of Heav'n
Thus trampl'd, thus expell'd to fuffer here
Chains & these Torments? better these then worse
By my advice; fince fate inevitable
Subdues us, and Omnipotent Decree
The Victors will. To fuffer, as to doe,
Our strength is equal, nor the Law unjust
That fo ordains: this was at first resolv'd,
If we were wise, against so great a foe
Contending, and fo doubtful what might fall.
I laugh, when those who at the Spear are bold
And vent'rous, if that fail them, fhrink and fear
What yet they know must follow, to endure
Exile, or ignominy, or bonds, or pain,
The sentence of thir Conquerour: This is now
Our doom; which if we can fuftain and bear,
Our Supream Foe in time may much remit
His anger, and perhaps thus farr remov'd
Not mind us not offending, fatisfi'd
With what is punish't; whence these raging fires
Will slack'n, if his breath stir not thir flames.
Our purer essence then will overcome
Thir noxious vapour, or enur'd not feel,
Or chang'd at length, and to the place conformd
In temper and in nature, will receive
Familiar the fierce heat, and void of pain;
This horror will grow milde, this darkness light,
Besides what hope the never-ending flight
Of future days may bring, what chance, what change
Worth waiting, fince our present lot appeers
For happy though but ill, for ill not worst,
If we procure not to our felves more woe.
Thus Belial with words cloath'd in reasons garb Counsel'd ignoble ease, and peaceful sloath, Not peace and after him thus Mammon spake. Either to disinthrone the King of Heav'n We warr, if warr be beft, or to regain Our own right loft: him to unthrone we then May hope, when everlasting Fate shall yeild To fickle Chance, and Chaos judge the strife: The former vain to hope argues as vain The latter for what place can be for us Within Heav'ns bound, unless Heav'ns Lord fupream We overpower? Suppose he should relent And publish Grace to all, on promise made Of new Subjection; with what eyes could we Stand in his presence humble, and receive Strict Laws impos'd, to celebrate his Throne With warbl'd Hymns, and to his Godhead fing Forc't Halleluiahs; while he Lordly fits Our envied Sovran, and his Altar breathes Ambrofial Odours and Ambrofial Flowers,
Our fervile offerings. This must be our task
In Heav'n, this our delight; how wearisom
Eternity so spent in worship paid
To whom we hate. Let us not then pursue
By force impoffible, by leave obtain'd
Unacceptable, though in Heav'n, our state
Of fplendid vaffalage, but rather seek
Our own good from our felves, and from our own
Live to our felves, though in this vast recess,
Free, and to none accountable, preferring
Hard liberty before the eafie yoke
Of fervile Pomp. Our greatness will appear
Then most confpicuous, when great things of fmall,
Useful of hurtful, profperous of adverse
We can create, and in what place fo e're
Thrive under evil, and work ease out of pain
Through labour and endurance. This deep world
Of darkness do we dread? how oft amidst
Thick clouds and dark doth Heav'ns all-ruling Sire
Choose to refide, his Glory unobscur'd,
And with the Majesty of darkness round
Covers his Throne; from whence deep thunders roar
Muft'ring thir rage, and Heav'n resembles Hell?
As he our Darkness, cannot we his Light
Imitate when we please? This Defart soile
Wants not her hidden luftre, Gemms and Gold;
Nor want we fkill or art, from whence to raise
Magnificence; and what can Heav'n fhew more?
Our torments also may in length of time
Become our Elements, these piercing Fires
As foft as now fevere, our temper chang'd
Into their temper; which must needs remove
The sensible of pain. All things invite
To peaceful Counsels, and the settl'd State
Of order, how in fafety beft we may
Compose our present evils, with regard
Of what we are and where, dismiffing quite
All thoughts of Warr: ye have what I advise.
He scarce had finifht, when fuch murmur fill'd Th' Affembly, as when hollow Rocks retain The found of bluftring winds, which all night long Had rous'd the Sea, now with hoarfe cadence lull Sea-faring men orewatcht, whofe Bark by chance Or Pinnace anchors in a craggy Bay
After the Tempest: Such applause was heard 290
As Mammon ended, and his Sentence pleas'd,
Advifing peace: for fuch another Field
They dreaded worse then Hell: fo much the fear
Of Thunder and the Sword of Michael
Wrought still within them; and no less defire
To found this nether Empire, which might rise
By pollicy, and long process of time,
In emulation oppofite to Heav'n.
Which when Beelzebub perceiv'd, then whom,
Satan except, none higher fat, with grave
Aspect he rose, and in his rifing feem'd
A Pillar of State; deep on his Front engraven
Deliberation fat and publick care;
And Princely counsel in his face yet shon,
Majestick though in ruin: fage he stood
With Atlantean fhoulders fit to bear
The weight of mightiest Monarchies; his look
Drew audience and attention still as Night
Or Summers Noon-tide air, while thus he fpake.
Thrones and imperial Powers, off-spring of Ethereal Vertues; or thefe Titles now [heav'n, Must we renounce, and changing stile be call'd Princes of Hell? for fo the popular vote
Inclines, here to continue, and build up here
A growing Empire; doubtless; while we dream,
And know not that the King of Heav'n hath doom'd
This place our dungeon, not our safe retreat
Beyond his Potent arm, to live exempt
From Heav'ns high jurisdiction, in new League
Banded against his Throne, but to remaine
In strictest bondage, though thus far remov'd,
Under th' inevitable curb, reserv'd
His captive multitude: For he, be sure,
In highth or depth, still first and last will Reign
Sole King, and of his Kingdom loose no part
By our revolt, but over Hell extend
His Empire, and with Iron Scepter rule
Us here, as with his Golden those in Heav'n.
What fit we then projecting Peace and Warr?
Warr hath determin'd us, and foild with lofs 330
Irreparable; tearms of peace yet none
Voutsaft or fought; for what peace will be giv'n
To us enflav'd, but cuftody fevere,
And stripes, and arbitrary punishment
Inflicted? and what peace can we return,
But to our power hoftility and hate,
Untam'd reluctance, and revenge though flow,
Yet ever plotting how the Conquerour least
May reap
his conqueft, and may least rejoyce
In doing what we most in suffering feel?
Nor will occafion want, nor shall we need
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