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Through al the world, fil'd with thy wide Alarmes,
Which some braue muse may sing

To ages following

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Vpon the Brydale day, which is not long.

Sweete Themmes ! runne softly, till I end my Song.

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Fit for so goodly stature,

That like the twins of Joue they seem'd in sight,

Which decke the Bauldricke of the Heauens bright.

They two, forth pacing to the Riuers side,

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Receiued those two faire Brides, their Loues delight;
Which, at th' appointed tyde,

Each one did make his Bryde

Against their Brydale day, which is not long.

Sweete Themmes ! runne softly, till I end my Song.

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MILTON.

HYMN ON THE NATIVITY.

I.

THIS is the month, and this the happy morn,
Wherein the Son of Heav'ns eternal King,
Of wedded Maid and Virgin mother born,
Our great redemption from above did bring;
For so the holy Sages once did sing:

That he our deadly forfeit should release,
And with his Father work us a perpetual peace.

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He laid aside; and, here with us to be,
Forsook the courts of everlasting day,

And chose with us a darksom house of mortal clay.

III.

Say, heav'nly Muse, shall not thy sacred vein
Afford a present to the Infant God?

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Hast thou no vers, no hymn, or solemn strein,

To welcom him to this his new abode

Now while the Heav'n by the sun's team untrod
Hath took no print of the approching light,

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And all the spangled host keep watch in squadrons bright?

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IV.

See how from far upon the eastern rode

The star-led Wisards haste with Odours sweet;
O run, prevent them with thy humble ode,

And lay it lowly at his blessed feet;

Have thou the honour first thy Lord to greet,
And joyn thy voice unto the angel quire,

From out his secret altar toucht with hallow'd fire.

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But he, her fears to cease,

III.

Sent down the meek-eyed Peace;

She, crown'd with olive green, came softly sliding

Down through the turning sphear,

His ready harbinger,

With turtle wing the amorous clouds dividing,

And, waving wide her mirtle wand,

She strikes a universall peace through sea and land.

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IV.

No war, or battails sound,

Was heard the world around;

The idle spear and shield were high up hung; The hooked chariot stood

Unstain'd with hostile blood;

The trumpet spake not to the armed throng; And kings sate still with awfull eye,

As if they surely knew their sovran Lord was by.

But peacefull was the night

Wherin the Prince of Light

V.

His raign of peace upon the earth began; The windes, with wonder whist,

Smoothly the waters kist,

Whispering new joyes to the milde ocean,

Who now hath quite forgot to rave,

While birds of calm sit brooding on the charmed wave.

The stars, with deep amaze,

Stand fixt in stedfast gaze,

VI.

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Bending one way their pretious influence,

And will not take their flight

For all the morning light

Or Lucifer that often warn'd them thence;

But in their glimmering orbs did glow,

Untill their Lord himself bespake, and bid them go.

VII.

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The new-enlightn'd world no more should need;

He saw a greater sun appear

Then his bright throne or burning axle-tree could bear.

The shepherds on the lawn

Or ere the point of dawn

VIII.

Sate simply chatting in a rustick row; Full little thought they than

That the mighty Pan

Was kindly com to live with them below;

Perhaps their loves, or else their sheep,

Was all that did their silly thoughts so busie keep,

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IX.

When such musick sweet

Their hearts and ears did greet

As never was by mortall finger strook,

Divinely warbled voice

Answering the stringed noise,

As all their souls in blissfull rapture took;

The air, such pleasure loth to lose,

With thousand echo's still prolongs each heav'nly close.

X.

Nature, that heard such sound

Beneath the hollow round

Of Cynthia's seat the airy region thrilling,

Now was almost won

To think her part was don,

And that her raign had here its last fulfilling;

She knew such harmony alone

Could hold all Heav'n and Earth in happier union.

XI.

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At last surrounds their sight

A globe of circular light,

That with long beams the shame-fac't Night array'd ;

The helmed Cherubim,

The sworded Seraphim

Are seen in glittering ranks with wings displaied, Harping in loud and solemn quire

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With unexpressive notes to Heav'n's new-born Heir.

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