Billeder på siden
PDF
ePub

But trouble, as old Simeon plain foretold,
That to the fall and rising he should be
Of many in Ifraël, and to a fign
Spoken againft, that through my very foul
A sword shall pierce; this is my favor'd lot,
My exaltation to afflictions high;

Afflicted I may be, it feems, and bleft;

I will not argue that, nor will repine.

90

[merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

I loft him, but fo found, as well I faw
He could not lofe himself; but went about
His Father's business; what he meant I mus'd,
Since understand; much more his abfence

[blocks in formation]

Thus long to fome great purpose he obfcures.
But I to wait with patience am inur'd;
My heart hath been a store-house long of
things

And fay'ings laid up, portending strange events.
Thus Mary pond'ring oft, and oft to

mind

Recalling, what remarkably had pafs'd

105

Since first her falutation heard, with thoughts

Meekly compos'd awaited the fulfilling:
The white her fon tracing the defert wild,
Sole but with holieft meditations fed,

110

Into himself defcended, and at once

All his great work to come before him fet;
How to begin, how to accomplish best
His end of being on earth, and mission high:
For Satan with fly preface to return 115
Had left him vacant, and with speed was gone
Up to the middle region of thick air,
Where all his potentates in council fat;
There without fign of boaft, or fign of joy,
Solicitous and blank he thus began.

120

Princes, Heav'n's ancient Sons, ethereal
Thrones,

Demonian Spirits now, from th' element
Each of his reign allotted, rightlier call'd
Pow'rs of fire, air, water, and earth beneath,
So may we hold our place and these mild

feats

Without new trouble; fuch an enemy

Is rifen to invade us, who no lefs

Threatens than our expulfion down to Hell; I, as I undertook, and with the vote

125

Confenting in full fréquence was impo

[ocr errors]
[blocks in formation]

Have found him, view'd him, tafted him,

but find

Far other labor to be undergone

Than when I dealt with Adam first of Men, Though Adam by his wife's allurement fell, However to this man inferior far,

135

If he be man by mother's fide at least, With more than human gifts from Heav'n adorn'd,

Perfections abfolute, graces divine,

140

And amplitude of mind to greatest deeds.
Therefore I am return'd, left confidence
Of my fuccefs with Eve in Paradife
Deceive ye to persuasion over-sure
Of like fucceeding here; I fummon all
Rather to be in readiness, with hand
Or counsel to affift; left I who erst
Thought none my equal, now be over-match'd.
So fpake th' old Serpent doubting, and
from all

145

150

With clamor was assur'd their utmost ́aid
At his command; when from amidst them rofe
Belial, the diffoluteft Spirit that fell,
The fenfualleft, and After Afmodai
The fleshlieft Incubus, and thus advis'd.
Set women in his eye, and in his walk,
Among daughters of men the fairest found;
Many are in each region passing fair
As the noon sky; more like to Goddesses

}

155

Than mortal creatures, graceful and discreet,
Expert in amorous arts,-inchanting tongues
Perfuafive, virgin majefty with mild

And sweet allay'd, yet terrible t' approach, 160
Skill'd to retire, and in retiring draw
Hearts after them tangled in amorous nets.

Such object hath the pow'r to soft'n and tame
Severeft temper, smooth the rugged'st brow,
Enerve, and with voluptuous hope dif-
folve,
165
Draw out with credulous defire, and lead
At will the manlieft, resolutest breast,
As the magnetic hardest iron draws.
Women, when nothing elfe, beguil'd the heart
Of wifeft Solomon, and made him build, 170
And made him bow to the Gods of his wives.

To whom quick answer Sàtan thus return'd.
Belial, in much uneven scale thou weigh'st
All others by thy felf; because of old
Thou thyself doat'dft on womankind, admi-

[blocks in formation]

Their fhape, their color, and attractive grace, None are, thou think'ft, but taken with such toys.

Before the flood thou with thy lufty crew,
Falle titled fons of God,, roaming the earth
Caft wanton eyes on the daughters of men, 180
And coupled with them, and begot a race.
Have we not feen, or by relation heard,
In courts and regal chambers, how thou lurk'st,
In wood or grove by molly fountain fide,
In valley or green meadow, to way lay
Some beauty rare, Califto, Clymene,
Daphne, or Semele, Antiopa,

Or Amymone, Syrinx, many more

185

Too long, then lay'ft thy fcapes on names ador'd,

Apollo, Neptune, Jupiter, or Pan,

190

Satir, or Faun, or Sylvan? But these haunts Delight not all; among the fons of men, How many have with a fmile made small

account

Of beauty and her lures, eafily fcorn'd
All her affaults, on worthier things intent? 195
Remember that Pellean conqueror,

A youth, how all the beauties of the east
He flightly view'd, and flightly overpafs'd;
How he firnam'd of Africa difmifs'd

In his prime youth the fair Iberian maid, 200
For Solomon, he liv'd at ease, and full
Of honor, wealth, high fare, aim'd not
beyond

Higher defign, than to enjoy his state;
Thence to the bait of women lay expos'd;
But he whom we attempt, is wiser far 205
Than Solomon, of more exalted mind,
Made and set wholly on th' accomplishment
Of greatest things; what woman will you find,
Though of this age the wonder and the fame,
On whom his leifure will vouchlafe an eye 210
Of fond defire? or fhould fhe confident,
As fitting queen ador'd on beauty's throne,
Defcend with all her winning charms begirt
T'enamour, as the zone of Venus once

« ForrigeFortsæt »