Thus at their shadie Lodge arriv'd, both stood, 729 Both turn'd, and under open Sky ador'd The God that made both Sky, Air, Earth and Heav'n, Which they beheld, the Moon's refplendent Globe And ftarry Pole: Thou also mad'ft the Night, Maker Omnipotent, and thou the Day. Which we in our appointed work imploy'd Have finisht happy in our mutual help And mutual love, the Crown of all our blifs Ordain'd by thee, and this delicious place For us too large, where thy abundance wants 730 Partakers, and uncropt falls to the ground. But thou haft promis'd from us two a Race To fill the Earth, who fhall with us extol Thy goodness infinite, both when we wake, And when we feek, as now, thy gift of fleep. 735 This faid unanimous, and other Rites
Observing none, but adoration pure
Which God likes beft, into their inmoft Bower
Handed they went; and eas'd the putting off
These troublesome disguises which we wear,
Streight fide by fide were laid, nor turn'd I weene
Adam from his fair Spouse, nor Eve the Rites
Mysterious of connubial Love refus'd:
Whatever Hypocrites aufterely talk
Of purity and place and innocence,
Defaming as impure what God declares
Pure, and commands to fome, leaves free to all.
Our Maker bids increase, who bids abstain
But our deftroyer, foe to God and Man?
G
Hail wedded Love, myfterious Law, true fource 750
Of human offspring, sole propriety,
In Paradife of all things common else.
By thee adulterous luft was driv'n from men
Among the beftial herds to range, by thee
Founded in Reason, Loyal, Juft, and Pure,
Relations dear, and all the Charities
Of Father, Son, and Brother first were known.
Far be it, that I fhould write thee fin or blame,
Or think thee unbefitting holiest place,
Perpetual Fountain of Domeftick fweets,
Whofe bed is undefil'd and chafte pronounc'd,
Present, or past, as Saints or Patriarchs us❜d.
Here Love his golden fhafts employs, here lights
His conftant Lamp, and waves his purple wings,
Reigns here and revels; not in the bought smile
Of Harlots, loveless, joyless, unindear'd,
Cafual fruition, nor in Court Amours
Mixt Dance, or wanton Mask, or midnight Ball,
Or Serenate, which the ftarv'd Lover fings
To his proud fair, best quitted with difdain.
Thefe lull'd by Nightingales imbracing flept,
And on their naked limbs the floury roof
Showr'd Rofes, which the Morn repair'd. Sleep on
Eleft pair; and O yet happiest if ye seek
No happier ftate, and know to know no more. 775
Now had night meafur'd with her shaddowy Cone
Half way up Hill this vaft fublunar Vault,
And from their Ivory Port the Cherubim
Worth iffuing at th'accustom❜d hour stood arm'd
To their night watches in warlike Parade,
When Gabriel to his next in power thus spake.
Uzziel, half thefe draw off, and coaft the South With ftri&teft watch; these other wheel the North, Our circuit meets full Weft. As flame they part Half wheeling to the Shield, half to the Spear. 785 From thefe, two ftrong and futtle Spirits he call'd That near him flood, and gave them thus in charge. Ithuriel and Zephon, with wing'd fpeed
Search through this Garden, leave unsearcht no nook,
But chiefly where thofe two fair Creatures lodge,
Now laid perhaps afleep fecure of harm.
This Eevning from the Sun's decline arriv'd,
Who tells of fome infernal Spirit seen
Hitherward bent (who could have thought?) efcap'd The bars of Hell, on errand bad no doubt:
Such where ye find, feize fast, and hither bring.
So faying, on he led his radiant Files,
Dazling the Moon; these to the Bower direct
In fearch of whom they fought: him there they found
Squat like a Toad, close at the car of Eve;
Affaying by his devilish Art to reach
The Organs of her Fancy, and with them forge Illufions as he lift, Phantafms and Dreams,
Or if, infpiring venom, he might taint
Th' animal Spirits that from pure blood arise 805
Like gentle breaths from Rivers pure, thence raise
At last diftemper'd, difcontented thoughts,
Vain hopes, vain aimes, inordinate defires
Blown up with high conceits ingendring pride.
Him thus intent Ithuriel with his Spear
Touch'd lightly; for no falfhood can endure
Touch of Celestial temper, but returns
Of force to its own likeness: up he starts
Discover'd and furpriz'd. As when a spark
Lights on a heap of nitrous Powder, laid
Fit for the Tun fome Magazine to store
Against a rumor'd War, the fmutty grain
With fudden blaze diffus'd, inflames the Air:
So ftarted up in his own shape the Fiend.
Back stept those two fair Angels half amaz'd 820
So fudden to behold the griefly King;
Yet thus, unmov'd with fear, accoft him foon.
Which of those rebel Spirits adjudg'd to Hell
Com'ft thou, efcap'd thy prison, and transform'd,
Why fat'st thou like an enemy in wait
Here watching at the head of these that sleep?
Know ye not then, faid Satan, fill'd with scorn,
Know ye not me ye knew me once no mate
For you, there fitting where you durft not foare;
Not to know me argues your felves unknown, 830
The loweft of your throng; or if ye know,
Why ask ye, and fuperfluous begin
Your meffage, like to end as much in vain?
To whom thus Zephon, answering fcorn with fcorn.
Think not, revolted Spirit, thy fhape the fame, 835
Or undiminisht brightness to be known
As when thou ftood'ft in Heav'n upright and pure;
That Glory then, when thou no more waft good,
Departed from thee, and thou resembl'st now
Thy fin and place of doom obfcure and foule. 840
But come, for thou, befure, fhalt give account
To him who fent us, whofe charge is to keep
This place inviolable, and these from harm.
So fpake the Cherube, and his grave rebuke
Severe in youthful beauty, added grace
Invincible: abafht the Devil stood,
And felt how awful goodness is, and faw
Virtue in her shape how lovely, faw, and pin'd
His lofs; but chiefly to find here obferv'd
His luftre visibly impair'd; yet feem'd
Undaunted. If I must contend, said he,
Beft with the beft, the Sender not the fent,
Or all at once; more glory will be won,
Or lefs be loft. Thy fear, faid Zephon bold,
Will fave us trial what the leaft can do
Single against thee wicked, and thence weak.
The Fiend reply'd not, overcome with rage; But like a proud Steed rein'd, went haughty on, Chaumping his iron curb: to ftrive or flie
He held it vain; awe from above had quell'd 860
His heart, not elfe difmay'd. Now drew they nigh
The western Point, where those half-rounding guards
Juft met, and closing stood in fquadron join'd
Awaiting next command. To whom their Chief
Gabriel from the Front thus call'd aloud.
865
O friends, I hear the tread of nimble feet
Hafting this way, and now by glimps difcern
Ithuriel and Zephon through the shade,
And with them comes a third of Regal port,
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