Stand in his prefence humble, and receive
Strict Laws impos'd, to celebrate his Throne
With warbled Hymns, and to his Godhead fing
Forc'd Halleluiah's; while he Lordly fits 1
Our envi'd Sov'reign, and his Altar breathes
Ambrofial Odours and Ambrofial Flowers,
Our fervile offerings. This must be our Task
In Heav'n, this our delight; how wearisome
Eternity so spent in worship paid
To whom we hate. Let us not then purfue
By force impoffible, by leave obtain'd
Unacceptable, though in Heav'n, our ftate
Of splendid vaflalage, but rather feek
Our own good from our felves, and from our own
Live to our felves, though in this vaft recefs,
Free, and to none accountable, preferring
Hard liberty before the eafie yoke
Of fervile Pomp. Our great nefs will appear
Then moft confpicuous, when great things of fmall,
Useful of hurtful, profperous of adverse
We can create, and in what place fo e'er
Thrive under evil, and work cafe out of pain
Through labour and indurance. This deep world
Of darknefs do we dread? How oft amidft
Thick cloud and dark doth Heav'ns all-ruling Sire
Chufe to refide, his Glory unobfcur'd,
And with the Majefty of darknefs round
Covers his Throne; from whence deep thunders roar
Muft'ring their rage, and Heav'n refembles Heli
As he our darkness, cannot we his Light
Imitate when we pleafe? This defart foil
Wants not her hidden luftre, Gems and Gold;
Nor want we skill 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 muft needs remove
The fenfible of pain. All things invite
To peaceful Counfels, and the settl❜d State
Of order, how in fafety beft we may
Compose our present evils, with regard
Of what we are and were, difmiffing quite
All thoughts of war: 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 rouz'd the Sea, now with hoarfe cadence lull
Sea-faring men o'rewatch'd, whofe Bark by chance
Or Pinace anchors in a craggy Bay
After the Tempeft: Such applause was heard
As Mammon ended, and his Sentence pleas'd,
Advising peace: For fuch another Field
They dreaded worfe than Hell: So much the fear
Of Thunder and the Sword of Michael
Wrought ftill within them; and no lefs defire 295
To found this nether Empire, which might rise
By pollicy, and long procefs of time,
In emulation oppofite to Heav'n.
Which when Beelzebub perceiv'd, than whom,
Satan except, none higher fat, with grave
Afpect he rofe, and in his rifing feem'd
A Pillar of State; deep on his Front engraven
Deliberation fat and public Care ;4
And Princely counsel in his face yet shone,
Majestic though in ruin: fage he stood
With Atlantean fhoulders fit to bear
The weight of mighty Monarchies; his look
Drew audience and attention ftill as Night
Or Summers Noon-tide air, while thus he fpake.
Thrones and Imperial Powers, off-spring of heav'n
Ethereal Vertues; or thefe Titles now
Mult we renounce, and changing ftile be call'd
Princes of Hell? for fo the popular vote
Inclines, here to continue, and build up here
A growing Empire; doubtlefs; while we dream, gr
And know not that the King of Heav'n hath doom'd
This place our dungeon, not our fafe retreat
Beyond his otent arm, to live exempt
From Heav'ns high Jurifdiction, in new League
Banded against his Throne, but to remain
In ftricteft bondage, though thus far remov'd,
Under th'inevitable curb, referv'd
His captive multitude: For he, be fure,
In heighth or depth, still first and last will Reign
Sole King, and of his Kingdom lose 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 War?
War hath determin'd us, and foil'd with lofs
Irreparable; terms of peace yet none
Vouchfaf'd 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 Conqueror leaft
May reap his conqueft, and may least rejoice
In doing what we moft in fuffering feel?
Nor will occafion want, nor fhall we need
With dangerous expedition to invade
Heav'n, whofe high walls fear no Affault or Siege,
Or ambush from the Deep. What if we find
Some easier enterprize? There is a place
(If ancient and prophetic fame in Heav'n
Err not) another World, the happy feat
Of some new Race call'd Man, about this time
To be created like to us, though lefs
In power and excellence, but favour'd more
Of him who rules above; fo was his will
Pronounc'd among the Gods, and by an Oath,
That hook Heav'ns whole circumference, confirm'd.
Thither let us bend all our thoughts, to learn
What creatures there inhabit, of what mould, 355
Or fubftance, how eudu d, and what their Power,
And where their weakness, how attempted best,
By force or fubtlety: Though Heav'n be shut,
And Heav'ns high Arbitrator fit fecure
In his own ftrength, this place may lye expos'd 360
The utmost border of his Kingdom, left
To their defence who hold it: here perhaps
Some advantagious act may be atchiev'd
By fudden onfet, either with Hell fire
To waft his whole Creation, or poffefs
All as our own, and drive as we were driven,
The punie habitants, or if not drive,
Seduce them to our Party, that their God
May prove their foe, and with repenting hand
Abolish his own works. This would surpass
Common Revenge, and interrupt his joy
In our confufion, and our Joy upraise
In his difturbance; when his darling Sons
Hurl'd headlong to partake with us, shall curfe
Their frail Original, and faded blifs,
Faded fo foon. Advise if this be worth
Attempting, or to fit in darkness here
Hatching vain Empires. Thus Beelzebub
Pleaded his devilish Counfel, firft devis'd
By Satan, and in part propos'd: for whence, 380 But from the Author of all ill could spring
So deep a malice to confound the race
Of mankind in one root, and Earth with Hell
To mingle and involve, done all to spite
The great Creatour? But their spite ftill ferves 385
His glory to augment. The bold defign
Pleas'd highly those infernal States, and joy
Sparkl'd in all their eyes; with full affent
They vote where at his fpeech he thus renews.
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