The Birds thir quire apply; aires, vernal aires, Breathing the smell of field and grove, attune The trembling leaves, while Universal PAN Knit with the GRACES and the HOURS in dance Led on th' Eternal Spring. Not that faire field Of ENNA, where PROSERPIN gathring flours Her self a fairer Floure by gloomie DIS Was gatherd, which cost CERES all that pain To seek her through the world; nor that sweet Grove Of DAPHNE by ORONTES, and th' inspir'd CASTALIAN Spring might with this Paradise Of EDEN strive; nor that NYSEIAN Ile Girt with the River TRITON, where old CHAM, Whom Gentiles AMMON call and LIBYAN JOVE, Hid AMALTHEA and her Florid Son Young BACCHUS from his Stepdame RHEA'S eye;
Nor where ABASSIN Kings thir issue Guard, Mount AMARA, though this by som suppos'd True Paradise under the ETHIOP Line By NILUS head, enclos'd with shining Rock, A whole dayes journey high, but wide remote From this ASSYRIAN Garden, where the Fiend Saw undelighted all delight, all kind Of living Creatures new to sight and strange:
Two of far nobler shape erect and tall, Godlike erect, with native Honour clad In naked Majestie seemd Lords of all, And worthie seemd, for in thir looks Divine The image of thir glorious Maker shon, Truth, Wisdome, Sanctitude severe and pure, Severe, but in true filial freedom plac't;
Whence true autoritie in men; though both Not equal, as thir sex not equal seemd;
For contemplation hee and valour formd, For softness shee and sweet attractive Grace, Hee for God only, shee for God in him:
His fair large Front and Eye sublime declar'd Absolute rule; and Hyacinthin Locks Round from his parted forelock manly hung Clustring, but not beneath his shoulders broad:
Shee as a vail down to the slender waste Her unadorned golden tresses wore Dissheveld, but in wanton ringlets wav'd As the Vine curles her tendrils, which impli'd Subjection, but requir'd with gentle sway, And by her yeilded, by him best receivd, Yeilded with coy submission, modest pride, And sweet reluctant amorous delay.
Nor those mysterious parts were then conceald, Then was not guiltie shame, dishonest shame Of natures works, honor dishonorable, Sin-bred, how have ye troubl'd all mankind With shews instead, meer shews of seeming pure, And banisht from mans life his happiest life, Simplicitie and spotless innocence.
So passd they naked on, nor shund the sight Of God or Angel, for they thought no ill:
So hand in hand they passd, the lovliest pair That ever since in loves imbraces met, ADAM the goodliest man of men since borne His Sons, the fairest of her Daughters EVE.
Under a tuft of shade that on a green Stood whispering soft, by a fresh Fountain side They sat them down, and after no more toil Of thir sweet Gardning labour then suffic'd To recommend coole ZEPHYR, and made ease More easie, wholsom thirst and appetite More grateful, to thir Supper Fruits they fell, Nectarine Fruits which the compliant boughes Yeilded them, side-long as they sat recline On the soft downie Bank damaskt with flours:
The savourie pulp they chew, and in the rinde Still as they thirsted scoop the brimming stream;
Nor gentle purpose, nor endearing smiles Wanted, nor youthful dalliance as beseems Fair couple, linkt in happie nuptial League, Alone as they. About them frisking playd All Beasts of th' Earth, since wilde, and of all chase In Wood or Wilderness, Forrest or Den;
Sporting the Lion rampd, and in his paw Dandl'd the Kid; Bears, Tygers, Ounces, Pards Gambold before them, th' unwieldy Elephant To make them mirth us'd all his might, & wreathd His Lithe Proboscis; close the Serpent sly Insinuating, wove with Gordian twine His breaded train, and of his fatal guile Gave proof unheeded; others on the grass Coucht, and now fild with pasture gazing sat, Or Bedward ruminating: for the Sun Declin'd was hasting now with prone carreer To th' Ocean Iles, and in th' ascending Scale Of Heav'n the Starrs that usher Evening rose:
When SATAN still in gaze, as first he stood, Scarce thus at length faild speech recoverd sad.
O Hell! what doe mine eyes with grief behold, Into our room of bliss thus high advanc't Creatures of other mould, earth-born perhaps, Not Spirits, yet to heav'nly Spirits bright Little inferior; whom my thoughts pursue With wonder, and could love, so lively shines In them Divine resemblance, and such grace The hand that formd them on thir shape hath pourd.
Ah gentle pair, yee little think how nigh Your change approaches, when all these delights Will vanish and deliver ye to woe, More woe, the more your taste is now of joy;
Happie, but for so happie ill secur'd Long to continue, and this high seat your Heav'n Ill fenc't for Heav'n to keep out such a foe As now is enterd; yet no purpos'd foe To you whom I could pittie thus forlorne Though I unpittied: League with you I seek, And mutual amitie so streight, so close, That I with you must dwell, or you with me Henceforth; my dwelling haply may not please Like this fair Paradise, your sense, yet such Accept your Makers work; he gave it me, Which I as freely give; Hell shall unfould, To entertain you two, her widest Gates, And send forth all her Kings; there will be room, Not like these narrow limits, to receive Your numerous ofspring; if no better place, Thank him who puts me loath to this revenge On you who wrong me not for him who wrongd.
And should I at your harmless innocence Melt, as I doe, yet public reason just, Honour and Empire with revenge enlarg'd, By conquering this new World, compels me now To do what else though damnd I should abhorre.
So spake the Fiend, and with necessitie, The Tyrants plea, excus'd his devilish deeds.
