Or in Franciscan think to pass disguis'd;
They pass the Planets seven, and pass the fixt,
And that Chrystalline Sphere whose ballance weighs
The Trepidation talkt, and that first-mov’d:
And now Saint Peter at Heav'ns Wicket seems
To wait them with his Keys, and now at foot

Of Heav'ns afcent they lift their Feet, when loe
A violent cross wind from either Coast
Blows them transverse ten thousand Leagues awry
Into the devious Air; then might ye fee
Cowles, Hoods and Habits, with their wearers toft
And flutter'd into Rags, then Reliques, Beads,
Indulgences, Difpenfes, Pardons, Bulls,
The fport of Winds: All thefe upwhirl'd aloft
Fly o'er the backside of the World far off
Into a Limbo large and broad, fince call'd

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The Paradife of Fools, to few unknown
Long after, now unpeopled, and untrod.

All this dark Globe the Fiend found as he pass'd,
And long he wander'd, till at last a gleame
Of dawning light turn'd thither-ward in hafte
His travell'd steps. Far diftant he defcries
Afcending by Degrees magnificent
Up to the wall of Heav'n a Structure high,
At top whereof, but far more rich, appear'd
The work as of a Kingly Palace Gate

With Frontispiece of Diamond and Gold
Imbellisht: thick with sparkling orient Gems
The Portal fhone, inimitable on Earth

505

By Model, or by fhading Pencil drawn.

The Stairs were fuch as whereon Jacob saw
Angels ascending and descending, bands
Of Guardians bright, when he from Efau fed
To Pandan-Aram in the field of Luz,

510:

Dreaming by night under the open Sky,
And waking cry'd, This is the Gate of Heav'n:
Each Stair myfteriously was meant, nor stood

SIS

320

There always, but drawn up to Heav'n fometimes
Viewless, and underneath a bright Sea flow'd
Of Jafper, or of liquid Pearl, whereon
Who after came from Earth, fayling arriv'd,
Wafted by Angels, or flew o'er the Lake
Rapt in a Chariot drawn by fiery Steeds.
The Stairs were then let down, whether to dare
The Fiend by easie afcent, or aggravate
His fad exclufion from the doors of Blifs.
Direct against which open'd from beneath,
Juft o'er the blissful feat of Paradife,

A paffage down to th' Earth, a paffage wide;

Wider by far than that of after-times

525

Over Mount Sion, and, (though that were large,) $30

Over the Promis'd Land to God fo dear,

By which, to visit oft thofe happy Tribes,

On high behefts his Angels to and fro

Pafs'd frequent, and his eye with choice regard,
From Paneas the Fount of Jordan's floud

To Beerfaba, where the Holy Land

535

Borders on Egypt and the Arabian shore;

So wide the opening feem'd, were bounds were fet
To darkness, fuch as bound the Ocean wave.
Satan from hence, now on the lower ftair
That scaled by steps of Gold to Heav'n Gate
Looks down with wonder at the fudden view
Of all this World at once. As when a Scout
Through dark and defart ways with peril gone
All night; at laft by break of chearful dawne
Obtains the brow of fome high-climbing Hill,
Which to his Eyé difcovers unaware
The goodly profpect of fome foreign Land
First seen, or fome renown'd Metropolis,
With gliftering Spires and Pinnacles adorn'd
Which now the rifing Sun gilds with his Beams.
Such wonder feiz'd, though after Heaven feen,
The Spirit maligne, but much more Envy seiz'd

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At

At fight of all this World beheld fo fair.
Round he furveys, and well might, where he stood
So high above the circling Canopie

Of Night's extended shade; from Eastern Point
Of Libra to the fleecie Star that bears
Andromeda far off Atlantic Seas

Beyond th' Horizon. Then from Pole to Pole
He views in breadth, and without longer paufe
Down right into the World's first Region throws
His flight precipitant, and wind's with eafe
Through the pure marble Air his oblique way
Amongst innumerable Stars, that shone
Stars diftant, but nigh hand feem'd other Worlds;
Or other Worlds they feem'd, or happy Ifles,
Like thofe Hefperian Gardens, fam'd of old,
Fortunate Fields, and Groves, and floury Vales,
Thrice happy ifles, but who dwelt happy there
He ftay'd not to enquire: Above them all
The golden Sun in fplendor likeft Heav'n
Allur'd his eye: Thither his courfe he bends

Through the calm Firmament ; but up or down,
By center, or eccentric, hard to tell,

Or Longitude, where the great Luminary,
Aloof the vulgar Constellations thick,
That from his Lordly eye keep distance due,
Difpenfes light from far; they as they move

Their starry Dance in numbers that compute

580

Days, months and years, towards his all-cheating Lamp

Turn fwift their various motions, or are turn'd

By his Magnetic beam that gently warms
The Universe, and to each inward part
With gentle penetration, though unfeen,
Shoots invifible virtue even to the Deep;
So wond'roufly was fet his Station bright.
There lands the Fiend, a fpot like which perhaps
Aftronomer in the Sun's lucent Orb
Through his glaz'd Optick Tube yet never faw.

F 2

100

The

The place he found beyond expreffion bright,
Compar'd with aught on Earth, Metal, or Stone;
Not all parts like, but all alike inform'd
With radiant Light, as glowing Iron with Fire;
If metal, part feem'd Gold, part Silver clear;
If Stone, Carbuncle moft or Chryfolite,
Rubie or Topaz, to the Twelve that shone
In Aaron's Breft-plate, and a stone besides
Imagin'd rather oft than elsewhere feen;
That ftone, or like to that which here below
Philofophers in vain so long have fought,
In vain, though by their powerful Art they bind
Volatil Hermes, and call up unbound

In various fhapes old Protems from the Sea,
Drain'd through a Limbec to his Native form.
What wonder then if fields and regions here
Breathe forth Elixir pure, and Rivers run
Potable Gold, when with one virtuous touch
Th' Arch-chimic Sun, fo far from us remote,
Produces with Terreftrial Humour mixt
Here in the dark fo many precious things,
Of colour glorious and effect fo rare?
Here matter new to gaze the Devil met
Undazled, far and wide his eye commands,
For fight no obftacle found here, nor shade,
But all Sun-fhine, as when his Beams at Noon
Culminate from th' Equator, as they now
Shot upward ftill direct, whence no way round
Shadow from body opaque can fall, and the Air,
No where fo clear, sharpen'd his visual ray

595

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605

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To objects diftant far; whereby he foon

Saw within kenn a glorious Angel ftand,

The fame whom John faw alfo in the Sun.

His back was turn'd, but not his brightness hid;

Of beaming funnie Raies, a golden Tiar

625

Circled his Head, nor lefs his Locks behind

Illuftrious on his Shoulders fledge with wings

Lay

Lay waving round; on fome great charge employ'd
He feem'd, or fixt in cogitation deep.
Glad was the Spirit impure, as now in hope
To find who might direct his wand'ring flight
To Paradife, the happy Seat of Man,
His journies end and our beginning woe."
But firft he cafts to change his proper shape,
Which else might work him danger or delay:
And now a ftripling Cherube he appears,"
Not of the Prime, yet fuch as in his face
Youth fmil'd Celestial, and to every Limb
Sutable grace diffus'd; fo well he feign'd.
Under a Coronet his flowing hair

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In curles on either cheek plaid: wings he wore

Of many a colour'd plume sprinkl'd with Gold :

His Habit fit for speed fuccinct and held
Before his decent steps a Silver wand.

645

He drew not nigh unheard; the Angel bright,
Ere he drew nigh, his radiant vifage turn'd,
Admonisht by his ear, and strait was known
Th' Arch-Angel Uriel, one of the sev'n
Who in God's prefence, near'ft to his Throne,
Stand ready to command, and are his Eyes

650

That run thro' all the Heav'ns, or down to th' Earth

Bear his fwift errands over moist and dry,

O'er Sea and Land: him Satan thus accofts.

Uriel, for thou of those fev'n Spirits that ftand

In fight of God's high Throne, gloriously bright,

The firft are wont his great authentic will

656

Interpreter through highest Heav'n to bring,
Where all his Sons thy Embaffie attend;
And here art likelieft by fupream decree
Like honour to obtain, and as his Eye
To vifit oft this new Creation round:
Unfpeakable defire to fee, and know

All these his wondrous works, but chiefly Man,

F 3

660

His