Th’ Almighty thus pronounc’d his sovran Will.

  O Sons, like one of us Man is become

  85

  To know both Good and Evil, since his taste

  Of that defended9 Fruit; but let him boast

  His knowledge of Good lost, and Evil got,

  Happier, had it suffic’d him to have known

  Good by it self, and Evil not at all.

  90

  He sorrows now, repents, and prayes contrite,

  My motions in him, longer then they move,

  His heart I know, how variable and vain

  Self-left.10 Least therefore his now bolder hand

  Reach also of the Tree of Life, and eat,

  95

  And live for ever, dream at least to live

  For ever, to remove him I decree,

  And send him from the Garden forth to Till

  The Ground whence he was taken, fitter soil.

  Michael, this my behest have thou in charge,

  100

  Take to thee from among the Cherubim

  Thy choice of flaming Warriours, least the Fiend

  Or in behalf of11 Man, or to invade

  Vacant possession som new trouble raise:

  Hast thee, and from the Paradise of God

  105

  Without remorse12 drive out the sinful Pair,

  From hallowd ground th’ unholie, and denounce

  To them and to thir Progenie from thence

  Perpetual banishment. Yet least they faint

  At the sad Sentence rigorously urg’d,

  110

  For I behold them soft’n’d and with tears

  Bewailing thir excess, all terror hide.

  If patiently thy bidding they obey,

  Dismiss them not disconsolate; reveal

  To Adam what shall come in future dayes,

  115

  As I shall thee enlighten, intermix

  My Cov’nant in the womans seed renewd;

  So send them forth, though sorrowing, yet in peace:

  And on the East side of the Garden place,

  Where entrance up from Eden easiest climbs,

  120

  Cherubic watch, and of a Sword the flame

  Wide waving, all approach farr off to fright,

  And guard all passage to the Tree of Life:

  Least Paradise a receptacle prove

  To Spirits foul, and all my Trees thir prey,

  125

  With whose stol’n Fruit Man once more to delude.

  He ceas’d; and th’ Archangelic Power prepar’d

  For swift descent, with him the Cohort bright

  Of watchful Cherubim; four faces each

  Had, like a double Janus, all thir shape

  130

  Spangl’d with eyes more numerous then those

  Of Argus, and more wakeful then to drouze,

  Charm’d with Arcadian Pipe, the Pastoral Reed

  Of Hermes, or his opiate Rod.13 Mean while

  To resalute the World with sacred Light

  135

  Leucothea14 wak’d, and with fresh dews imbalmd

  The Earth, when Adam and first Matron Eve

  Had ended now thir Orisons, and found

  Strength added from above, new hope to spring

  Out of despair, joy, but with fear yet linkt;

  140

  Which thus to Eve his welcome words renewd.

  Eve, easily may Faith admit, that all

  The good which we enjoy, from Heav’n descends;

  But that from us ought should ascend to Heav’n

  So prevalent as to concern the mind

  145

  Of God high-blest, or to incline his will,

  Hard to belief may seem; yet this will Prayer,

  Or one short sigh of human breath, up-borne

  Ev’n to the Seat of God. For since I saught

  By Prayer th’ offended Deitie to appease,

  150

  Kneel’d and before him humbl’d all my heart,

  Methought I saw him placable and mild,

  Bending his ear; perswasion in me grew

  That I was heard with favour; peace returnd

  Home to my brest, and to my memorie

  155

  His promise, that thy Seed shall bruise our Foe;

  Which then not minded in dismay, yet now

  Assures me that the bitterness of death

  Is past, and we shall live. Whence Hail to thee,

  Eve rightly call’d, Mother of all Mankind,15

  160

  Mother of all things living, since by thee

  Man is to live, and all things live for Man.

  To whom thus Eve with sad16 demeanour meek.

  Ill worthie I such title should belong

  To me transgressour, who for thee ordaind

  165

  A help, became thy snare; to mee reproach

  Rather belongs, distrust and all dispraise:

  But infinite in pardon was my Judge,

  That I who first brought Death on all, am grac’t

  The sourse of life; next favourable thou,

  170

  Who highly thus to entitle me voutsaf’st,

  Farr other name deserving. But the Field

  To labour calls us now with sweat impos’d,

  Though after sleepless Night; for see the Morn,

  All unconcern’d with our unrest, begins

  175

  Her rosie progress smiling; let us forth,

  I never from thy side henceforth to stray,

  Wherere our days work lies, though now enjoind

  Laborious, till day droop; while here we dwell,

  What can be toilsom in these pleasant Walks?

  180

  Here let us live, though in fall’n state, content.

  So spake, so wish’d much-humbl’d Eve, but Fate

  Subscrib’d not; Nature first gave Signs, imprest

  On Bird, Beast, Air, Air suddenly eclips’d17

  After short blush of Morn; nigh in her sight

  185

  The Bird of Jove,18 stoopt from his aerie tour,

  Two Birds of gayest plume before him drove:

  Down from a Hill the Beast that reigns in Woods,19

  First hunter then, pursu’d a gentle brace,

  Goodliest of all the Forrest, Hart and Hind;

  190

  Direct to th’ Eastern Gate was bent thir flight.

  Adam observ’d, and with his Eye the chase

  Pursuing, not unmov’d to Eve thus spake.

  O Eve, some furder change awaits us nigh,

  Which Heav’n by these mute signs in Nature shews

  195

  Forerunners of his purpose, or to warn

  Us haply too secure of our discharge

  From penaltie, because from death releast

  Some days; how long, and what till then our life,

  Who knows, or more then this, that we are dust,

  200

  And thither must return and be no more.

  Why else this double object in our sight

  Of flight pursu’d in th’ Air and ore the ground

  One way the self-same hour? why in the East

  Darkness ere Dayes mid-course, and Morning light

  205

  More orient in yon Western Cloud that draws

  O’re the blew Firmament a radiant white,

  And slow descends, with somthing heav’nly fraught.

  He err’d not, for by this the heav’nly Bands

  Down from a Skie of Jasper lighted now

  210

  In Paradise, and on a Hill made alt,20

  A glorious Apparition, had not doubt

  And carnal fear that day dimm’d Adams eye.

  Not that more glorious, when the Angels met

  Jacob in Mahanaim, where he saw

  215

  The field Pavilion’d with his Guardians bright;21

  Nor that which on the flaming Mount ap
peerd

  In Dothan, cover’d with a Camp of Fire,

  Against the Syrian King, who to surprize

  One man, Assassin-like had levied Warr,

  220

  Warr unproclam’d.22 The Princely Hierarch

  In thir bright stand, there left his Powers to seise

  Possession of the Garden; hee alone,

  To find where Adam shelterd, took his way,

  Not unperceav’d of Adam, who to Eve,

  225

  While the great Visitant approach’d, thus spake.

  Eve, now expect great tidings, which perhaps

  Of us will soon determin, or impose

  New Laws to be observ’d; for I descrie

  From yonder blazing Cloud that veils the Hill

  230

  One of the heav’nly Host, and by his Gate

  None of the meanest, some great Potentate

  Or of the Thrones above, such Majestie

  Invests him coming; yet not terrible,

  That I should fear, nor sociably mild,

  235

  As Raphael, that I should much confide,

  But solemn and sublime, whom not t’ offend,

  With reverence I must meet, and thou retire.

  He ended; and th’ Arch-Angel soon drew nigh,

  Not in his shape Celestial, but as Man

  240

  Clad to meet Man; over his lucid Armes

  A militarie Vest of purple flowd

  Livelier then Melibœan,23 or the grain

  Of Sarra, worn by Kings and Heroes old

  In time of Truce; Iris had dipt the wooff;

  245

  His starrie Helm unbuckl’d shew’d him prime

  In Manhood where Youth ended; by his side

  As in a glistering Zodiac24 hung the Sword,

  Satans dire dread, and in his hand the Spear.

  Adam bowd low, hee Kingly from his State

  250

  Inclin’d not, but his coming thus declar’d.

  Adam, Heav’ns high behest no Preface needs:

  Sufficient that thy Prayers are heard, and Death,

  Then due by sentence when thou didst transgress,

  Defeated of his seisure many dayes

  255

  Giv’n thee of Grace, wherein thou may’st repent,

  And one bad act with many deeds well done

  Mayst cover: well may then thy Lord appeas’d

  Redeem thee quite from Deaths rapacious claim;

  But longer in this Paradise to dwell

  260

  Permits not; to remove thee I am come,

  And send thee from the Garden forth to till

  The ground whence thou wast tak’n, fitter Soil.

  He added not, for Adam at the news

  Heart-strook with chilling gripe of sorrow stood,

  265

  That all his senses bound; Eve, who unseen

  Yet all had heard, with audible lament

  Discover’d25 soon the place of her retire.

  O unexpected stroke, worse then of Death!

  Must I thus leave thee Paradise? thus leave

  270

  Thee Native Soil, these happie Walks and Shades,

  Fit haunt of Gods? where I had hope to spend,

  Quiet though sad, the respit of that day

  That must be mortal to us both. O flowrs,

  That never will in other Climate grow,

  275

  My early visitation, and my last

  At Eev’n, which I bred up with tender hand

  From the first op’ning bud, and gave ye Names,

  Who now shall rear ye to the Sun, or rank26

  Your Tribes, and water from th’ ambrosial Fount?

  280

  Thee lastly nuptial Bowr, by mee adornd

  With what to sight or smell was sweet; from thee

  How shall I part, and whither wander down

  Into a lower World, to this obscure

  And wild, how shall we breath in other Air

  285

  Less pure, accustomd to immortal Fruits?

  Whom thus the Angel interrupted mild.

  Lament not Eve, but patiently resigne

  What justly thou hast lost; nor set thy heart,

  Thus over-fond, on that which is not thine;

  290

  Thy going is not lonely, with thee goes

  Thy Husband, him to follow thou art bound;

  Where he abides, think there thy native soil.

  Adam by this from the cold sudden damp

  Recovering, and his scatterd spirits returnd,

  295

  To Michael thus his humble words address’d.

  Celestial, whether among the Thrones, or nam’d

  Of them the Highest, for such of shape may seem

  Prince above Princes, gently hast thou tould

  Thy message, which might else in telling wound,

  300

  And in performing end us; what besides

  Of sorrow and dejection and despair

  Our frailtie can sustain, thy tidings bring,

  Departure from this happy place, our sweet

  Recess, and onely consolation left

  305

  Familiar to our eyes, all places else

  Inhospitable appeer and desolate,

  Nor knowing us nor known: and if by prayer

  Incessant I could hope to change the will

  Of him who all things can, I would not cease

  310

  To wearie him with my assiduous cries:

  But prayer against his absolute Decree

  No more avails then breath against the wind,

  Blown stifling back on him that breaths it forth:

  Therefore to his great bidding I submit.

  315

  This most afflicts me, that departing hence,

  As from his face I shall be hid, depriv’d

  His blessed count’nance; here I could frequent,

  With worship, place by place where he voutsaf’d

  Presence Divine, and to my Sons relate;

  320

  On this Mount he appeerd, under this Tree

  Stood visible, among these Pines his voice

  I heard, here with him at this Fountain talk’d:

  So many grateful Altars I would rear

  Of grassie Terf, and pile up every Stone

  325

  Of lustre from the brook, in memorie,

  Or monument to Ages, and thereon

  Offer sweet smelling Gumms and Fruits and Flowrs:

  In yonder nether World where shall I seek

  His bright appearances, or footstep trace?

  330

  For though I fled him angrie, yet recall’d

  To life prolong’d and promis’d Race, I now

  Gladly behold though but his utmost skirts

  Of glory, and farr off his steps adore.

  To whom thus Michael with regard benigne.

  335

  Adam, thou know’st Heav’n his, and all the Earth,

  Not this Rock onely; his Omnipresence fills

  Land, Sea, and Air, and every kind that lives,

  Fomented27 by his virtual28 power and warmd:

  All th’ Earth he gave thee to possess and rule,

  340

  No despicable gift; surmise not then

  His presence to these narrow bounds confin’d

  Of Paradise or Eden: this had been

  Perhaps thy Capital Seat, from whence had spred

  All generations, and had hither come

  345

  From all the ends of th’ Earth, to celebrate

  And reverence thee thir great Progenitor.

  But this præeminence thou hast lost, brought down

  To dwell on eeven ground now with thy Sons:

  Yet doubt not but in Vallie and in Plain

  350

  God is as here, and will be found alike

  Present, and of his presence many a
signe

  Still following thee, still compassing thee round

  With goodness and paternal Love, his Face

  Express, and of his steps the track Divine.

  355

  Which that thou mayst beleeve, and be confirmd

  Ere thou from hence depart, know I am sent

  To shew thee what shall come in future dayes

  To thee and to thy Ofspring; good with bad

  Expect to hear, supernal Grace contending

  360

  With sinfulness of Men; thereby to learn

  True patience, and to temper joy with fear

  And pious sorrow, equally enur’d

  By moderation either state to bear,

  Prosperous or adverse: so shalt thou lead

  365

  Safest thy life, and best prepar’d endure

  Thy mortal passage when it comes. Ascend

  This Hill; let Eve (for I have drencht her eyes)

  Here sleep below while thou to foresight wak’st,

  As once thou slepst, while Shee to life was formd.

  370

  To whom thus Adam gratefully repli’d.

  Ascend, I follow thee, safe Guide, the path

  Thou lead’st me, and to th’ hand of Heav’n submit,

  However chast’ning, to the evil turn

  My obvious breast, arming to overcom

  375

  By suffering, and earn rest from labour won,

  If so I may attain. So both ascend

  In the Visions of God: It was a Hill

  Of Paradise the highest, from whose top

  The Hemisphere of Earth in cleerest Ken

  380

  Stretcht out to amplest reach of prospect lay.

  Not higher that Hill nor wider looking round,

  Whereon for different cause the Tempter set

  Our second Adam29 in the Wilderness,

  To shew him all Earths Kingdoms and thir Glory.

  385

  His Eye might there command wherever stood

  City of old or modern Fame, the Seat

  Of mightiest Empire, from the destind Walls

  Of Cambalu, seat of Cathaian Can30

  And Samarchand by Oxus, Temirs Throne,31