LITMIR.BIZ

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And plunge us in the Flames? or from above

       Should intermitted vengeance Arme again

       His red right hand to plague us? what if all

       Her stores were op’n’d, and this Firmament

       Of Hell should spout her Cataracts of Fire,

       Impendent horrors, threatning hideous fall

       One day upon our heads; while we perhaps

       Designing or exhorting glorious Warr,

       Caught in a fierie Tempest shall be hurl’d

       Each on his rock transfixt, the sport and prey

       Of racking whirlwinds, or for ever sunk

       Under yon boyling Ocean, wrapt in Chains;

       There to converse with everlasting groans,

       Unrespited, unpitied, unrepreevd,

       Ages of hopeless end; this would be worse.

       Warr therefore, open or conceal’d, alike

       My voice disswades; for what can force or guile

       With him, or who deceive his mind, whose eye

       Views all things at one view? he from heav’ns highth

       All these our motions vain, sees and derides;

       Not more Almighty to resist our might

       Then wise to frustrate all our plots and wiles.

       Shall we then live thus vile, the race of Heav’n

       Thus trampl’d, thus expell’d to suffer here

       Chains & these Torments? better these then worse

       By my advice; since fate inevitable

       Subdues us, and Omnipotent Decree,

       The Victors will. To suffer, as to doe,

       Our strength is equal, nor the Law unjust

       That so ordains: this was at first resolv’d,

       If we were wise, against so great a foe

       Contending, and so doubtful what might fall.

       I laugh, when those who at the Spear are bold

       And vent’rous, if that fail them, shrink and fear

       What yet they know must follow, to endure

       Exile, or ignominy, or bonds, or pain,

       The sentence of thir Conquerour: This is now

       Our doom; which if we can sustain and bear,

       Our Supream Foe in time may much remit

       His anger, and perhaps thus farr remov’d

       Not mind us not offending, satisfi’d

       With what is punish’t; whence these raging fires

       Will slack’n, if his breath stir not thir flames.

       Our purer essence then will overcome

       Thir noxious vapour, or enur’d not feel,

       Or chang’d at length, and to the place conformd

       In temper and in nature, will receive

       Familiar the fierce heat, and void of pain;

       This horror will grow milde, this darkness light,

       Besides what hope the never-ending flight

       Of future days may bring, what chance, what change

       Worth waiting, since our present lot appeers

       For happy though but ill, for ill not worst,

       If we procure not to our selves more woe.

      Thus Belial with words cloath’d in reasons garb Counsel’d ignoble ease, and peaceful sloath, Not peace: and after him thus Mammon spake.

      Either to disinthrone the King of Heav’n

       We warr, if warr be best, or to regain

       Our own right lost: him to unthrone we then

       May hope, when everlasting Fate shall yeild

       To fickle Chance, and Chaos judge the strife: The former vain to hope argues as vain The latter: for what place can be for us Within Heav’ns bound, unless Heav’ns Lord supream We overpower? Suppose he should relent And publish Grace to all, on promise made Of new Subjection; with what eyes could we Stand in his presence humble, and receive Strict Laws impos’d, to celebrate his Throne With warbl’d Hymns, and to his Godhead sing Forc’t Halleluiah’s; while he Lordly sits Our envied Sovran, and his Altar breathes Ambrosial Odours and Ambrosial Flowers, Our servile offerings. This must be our task In Heav’n, this our delight; how wearisom Eternity so spent in worship paid To whom we hate. Let us not then pursue By force impossible, by leave obtain’d Unacceptable, though in Heav’n, our state Of splendid vassalage, but rather seek Our own good from our selves, and from our own Live to our selves, though in this vast recess, Free, and to none accountable, preferring Hard liberty before the easie yoke Of servile Pomp. Our greatness will appear Then most conspicuous, when great things of small, Useful of hurtful, prosperous of adverse We can create, and in what place so e’re Thrive under evil, and work ease out of pain Through labour and endurance. This deep world Of darkness do we dread? How oft amidst Thick clouds and dark doth Heav’ns all-ruling Sire Choose to reside, his Glory unobscur’d, And with the Majesty of darkness round Covers his Throne; from whence deep thunders roar Must’ring thir rage, and Heav’n resembles Hell? As he our Darkness, cannot we his Light Imitate when we please? This Desart soile Wants not her hidden lustre, Gemms and Gold; Nor want we skill or art, from whence to raise Magnificence; and what can Heav’n shew more? Our torments also may in length of time Become our Elements, these piercing Fires As soft as now severe, our temper chang’d Into their temper; which must needs remove The sensible of pain. All things invite To peaceful Counsels, and the settl’d State Of order, how in safety best we may Compose our present evils, with regard Of what we are and where, dismissing quite All thoughts of Warr: ye have what I advise.

      He scarce had finisht, when such murmur filld

       Th’ Assembly, as when hollow Rocks retain

       The sound of blustring winds, which all night long

       Had rous’d the Sea, now with hoarse cadence lull

       Sea-faring men orewatcht, whose Bark by chance

       Or Pinnace anchors in a craggy Bay

       After the Tempest: Such applause was heard

       As Mammon ended, and his Sentence pleas’d, Advising peace: for such another Field They dreaded worse then Hell: so much the fear Of Thunder and the Sword of Michael Wrought still within them; and no less desire To found this nether Empire, which might rise By pollicy, and long process of time, In emulation opposite to Heav’n. Which when Beelzebub perceiv’d, then whom, Satan except, none higher sat, with grave Aspect he rose, and in his rising seem’d A Pillar of State; deep on his Front engraven Deliberation sat and publick care; And Princely counsel in his face yet shon, Majestick though in ruin: sage he stood With Atlantean shoulders fit to bear The weight of mightiest Monarchies; his look Drew audience and attention still as Night Or Summers Noon-tide air, while thus he spake.

      Thrones and imperial Powers, off-spring of heav’n,

       Ethereal Vertues; or these Titles now

       Must we renounce, and changing stile be call’d

       Princes of Hell? for so the popular vote

       Inclines, here to continue, and build up here

       A growing Empire; doubtless; while we dream,

       And know not that the King of Heav’n hath doom’d

       This place our dungeon, not our safe retreat

       Beyond his Potent arm, to live exempt

      

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