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Gabriel, thou hadft in Heav'n th' esteem of wise,
And fuch I held thee; but this question afkt

Puts me in doubt. Lives ther who loves his pain?
Who would not, finding way, break loose from Hell,
Though thither doomd? Thou wouldst thy self, no
And boldly venture to whatever place [doubt,
Fartheft from pain, where thou mightst hope to
Torment with ease, & fooneft recompence [change
Dole with delight, which in this place I fought;
To thee no reason; who knowft only good,
But evil haft not tri'd and wilt object
His will who bound us? let him furer barr
His Iron Gates, if he intends our stay

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In that dark durance: thus much what was afkt. The reft is true, they found me where they say; But that implies not violence or harme.

Thus hee in scorn. The warlike Angel mov'd, Disdainfully half smiling thus repli'd.

O lofs of one in Heav'n to judge of wife,
Since Satan fell, whom follie overthrew,
And now returns him from his prifon fcap't,
Gravely in doubt whether to hold them wise
Or not, who ask what boldness brought him hither
Unlicenc't from his bounds in Hell prefcrib'd; 910
So wife he judges it to fly from pain

However, and to fcape his punishment.

So judge thou still, prefumptuous, till the wrauth, Which thou incurr'ft by flying, meet thy flight Seavenfold, and scourge that wisdom back to Hell, Which taught thee yet no better, that no pain Can equal anger infinite provok't.

But wherefore thou alone? wherefore with thee Came not all Hell broke loose? is pain to them

Lefs pain, lefs to be fled, or thou then they
Less hardie to endure? courageous Chief,
The first in flight from pain, had'st thou alleg'd
To thy deserted hoft this cause of flight,

Thou furely hadft not come fole fugitive.

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To which the Fiend thus answerd frowning stern. Not that I lefs endure, or shrink from pain, Infulting Angel, well thou knowst I stood Thy fierceft, when in Battel to thy aide The blasting volied Thunder made all speed And feconded thy else not dreaded Spear. But ftill thy words at random, as before, Argue thy inexperience what behooves From hard affaies and ill fucceffes past A faithful Leader, not to hazard all Through wayes of danger by himself untri'd. I therefore, I alone first undertook To wing the defolate Abyss, and spie This new created World, whereof in Hell Fame is not filent, here in hope to find Better abode, and my afflicted Powers To settle here on Earth, or in mid Aire; Though for poffeffion put to try once more What thou and thy gay Legions dare against ; Whose easier business were to ferve thir Lord High up in Heav'n, with fongs to hymne his Throne, And practis'd distances to cringe, not fight. To whom the warriour Angel foon repli'd. To fay and ftrait unfay, pretending first Wife to flie pain, profeffing next the Spie, Argues no Leader, but a lyar trac't,

Satan, and couldft thou faithful add? O name, O facred name of faithfulness profan'd!

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Faithful to whom? to thy rebellious crew?
Armie of Fiends, fit body to fit head;
Was this your discipline and faith ingag'd,
Your military obedience, to diffolve

Allegeance to th' acknowledg'd Power fupream?
And thou fly hypocrite, who now wouldst seem
Patron of liberty, who more then thou

Once fawn'd, and cring'd, and fervilly ador'd 960
Heav'ns awful Monarch? wherefore but in hope
To difpoffefs him, and thy felf to reigne?
But mark what I arreede thee now, avant;
Flie thither whence thou fledft: if from this houre
Within these hallowd limits thou appeer,
Back to th' infernal pit I drag thee chaind,
And Seale thee fo, as henceforth not to scorne
The facil gates of hell too flightly barrd.

So threatn'd hee, but Satan to no threats
Gave heed, but waxing more in rage repli'd. 970
Then when I am thy captive talk of chaines,
Proud limitarie Cherube, but ere then

Farr heavier load thy self expect to feel

From
my prevailing arme, though Heavens King
Ride on thy wings, and thou with thy Compeers,
Us'd to the yoak, draw'st his triumphant wheels
In progress through the rode of Heav'n Star-pav'd.
While thus he spake, th' Angelic Squadron bright
Turnd fierie red, sharpning in mooned hornes
Thir Phalanx, and began to hemm him round 980
With ported Spears, as thick as when a field
Of Ceres ripe for harvest waving bends

Her bearded Grove of ears,

ears, which way the wind Swayes them; the careful Plowman doubting ftands Least on the threshing floore his hopeful sheaves

Prove chaff. On th' other fide Satan allarm'd
Collecting all his might dilated stood,

Like Teneriff or Atlas unremov'd:

His ftature reacht the Skie, and on his Crest
Sat horror Plum'd; nor wanted in his grafpe 990
What seemd both Spear and Shield: now dreadful
Might have enfu'd, nor onely Paradise

[deeds

In this commotion, but the Starrie Cope
Of Heav'n perhaps, or all the Elements
At least had gon to rack, disturbd and torne
With violence of this conflict, had not foon
Th' Eternal to prevent such horrid fray
Hung forth in Heav'n his golden Scales, yet feen
Betwixt Aftrea and the Scorpion figne,
Wherein all things created firft he weighd,
The pendulous round Earth with ballanc't Aire
In counterpoise, now ponders all events,
Battels and Realms: in thefe he put two weights
The sequel each of parting and of fight;
The latter quick up flew, and kickt the beam;
Which Gabriel fpying, thus bespake the Fiend.

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Satan, I know thy ftrength, and thou knowst mine, Neither our own but giv'n; what follie then To boast what Arms can doe, fince thine no more Then Heav'n permits, nor mine, though doubld now To trample thee as mire: for proof look up, 1011 And read thy Lot in yon celeftial Sign [weak, Where thou art weigh'd, & fhown how light, how If thou refift. The Fiend lookt up and knew His mounted scale aloft: nor more; but fled Murmuring, and with him fled the shades of night. The End of the Fourth Book.

Paradife Loft.

BOOK V.

OW Morn her rofie steps in th' Eastern
Clime

Advancing, fow'd the Earth with Orient
Pearle,

II

When Adam wak't, fo customd, for his fleep
Was Aerie light, from pure digestion bred,
And temperat vapors bland, which th' only found
Of leaves and fuming rills, Aurora's fan,
Lightly difpers'd, and the fhrill Matin Song
Of Birds on every bough; so much the more
His wonder was to find unwak'nd Eve
With Treffes difcompos'd, and glowing Cheek,
As through unquiet rest: he on his fide
Leaning half-rais'd, with looks of cordial Love
Hung over her enamour'd, and beheld
Beautie, which whether waking or asleep,
Shot forth peculiar Graces; then with voice
Milde, as when Zephyrus on Flora breathes,
Her hand soft touching, whisperd thus. Awake
My faireft, my efpous'd, my latest found,
Heav'ns last best gift, my ever new delight,
Awake, the morning fhines, and the fresh field 20
Calls us, we lofe the prime, to mark how spring

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