320

How haft thou hunger then? Satan reply'd, Tell me if Food were now before thee fet, Would' thou not eat? Thereafter as I like The giver, answer'd Jefus. Why should that Cause thy refufal, faid the fubtle Fiend, Haft thou not right to all Created things, Owe not all Creatures by juft right to thee Duty and fervice, not to ftay till bid, But tender all their pow'r? nor mention I Meats by the Law unclean, or offer'd first To Idols, thofe young Daniel could refuse; Nor profer'd by an Enemy, though who Would fcruple that, with want oppreft? Behold 330 Nature afham'd, or better to express,

325

Troubl'd that thou should't hunger, hath purvey'd
From all the Elements her choiceft ftore

To treat thee as befeems, and as her Lord
With honour, only deign to fit and eat.

335

He fpake no dream, for as his words had end,

Our Saviour lifting up his eyes beheld

In ample space under the broadeft shade
A Table richly spred, in Regak mode,
With dishes pil'd, and meats of nobleft fort
And favour, Beasts of chase, or Fowl of game,
In Pastry-built, or from the fpit, or boil'd,
Gris-amber-fteam'd; all Fish from Sea or Shore,
Frefhet, or purling Brook, of shell or fin,
And exquifiteft name, for which was drain'd
Pontus and Lucrine Bay, and Afric Coaft.
Alas how fimple, to these Cates compar'd,

340

345

Was that crude Apple that diverted Eve!
And at a stately fide-board by the wine
That fragrant fmell diffus'd, in order food
Tall ftripling youths rich clad, of fairer hue
Than Ganymed or Hylas, diftant more
Under the Trees now tripp'd, now folemn stood
Nymphs of Diana's train, and Naiades

350

With fruits and flow'rs from Amalthea's horn, 355
And Ladies of th' Hefperides, that feem'd
Fairer than feign'd of old, or fabl'd fince
Of Fairy Damfels met in foreft wide

By Knights of Logres, or of Lyones,

Lancelot, or Pelleas, or Pellenore,

360

And all the while harmonious Airs were heard Of chiming ftrings, or charming pipes and winds Of gentlest gale Arabian odours fann'd

From their soft wings, and Flora's earliest smells. Such was the fplendor, and the Tempter now 365 His invitation earnestly renew'd.

What doubts the Son of God to fit and eat?
These are not fruits forbidden, no interdic
Defends the touching of these Viands pure,
Their taste no knowledge works at least of evil, 370
But life preferves, deftroys life's enemy,
Hunger, with fweet reftorative delight.

All these are Spirits of Air, and Woods, and Springs,
Thy gentle Minifters, who come to pay
Thee homage, and acknowledge thee their Lord: 375
What doubt'ft thou Son of God? fit down and eat.

Paradife Regain'd.

M

BOOK II.

Ean while the new-baptiz'd, who yet remain'd At Jordan with the Baptift, and had seen Him whom they heard fo late exprefly call'd Jefus Meffiah Son of God declar'd,

And on that high Authority had believ'd,

And with him talkt, and with him -lodg'd, I mean Andrew and Simon, famous after known,

With others though in Holy Writ not nam'd,
Now miffing him their Joy fo lately found,
So lately found, and fo abruptly gone,
Began to doubt, and doubted many days,
And as the days increas'd, increas'd their doubt:
Sometimes they thought he might be only fhewn,
And for a time caught up to God, as once
Mofes was in the Mount, and miffing long; .IS
And the great Thisbite who on fiery wheels
Rode up to Heav'n, yet once again to come.
Therefore as thofe young Prophets then with care

To whom thus Jesus tempʼrately reply'd: Said'st thou not that to all things I had right? And who with holds my pow'r that right to use? Shall I receive by gift what of my own, 380 When and where likes me beft, I can command I can at will, doubt not, as foon as thou, Command a Table in this Wilderness, And call fwift flights of Angels miniftrant Array'd in Glory on my Cup t'attend: Why shouldst thou then obtrude this diligence, In vain, where no acceptance it can find,. And with my hunger what haft thou to do? Thy pompous Delicacies I contemn,

385

And count thy fpecious gifts no gifts but guiles. 390
To whom thus answer'd Satan malecontent:

That I have also pow'r to give thou seest,
If of that pow'r I bring thee voluntary

What I might have bestow'd on whom I pleas'd, -
And rather opportunely in this place

Chofe to impart to thy apparent need,

Why shouldst thou not accept it? but I fee
What I can do or offer is fufpect;

395

401

Of these things others quickly will dispose
Whofe pains have earn'd the far fet spoil. With that
Both Table and Provifion vanish'd quite
With found of Harpies wings, and Talons heard;
Only th' importune Tempter ftill remain'd,
And with these words his Temptation purfu'd.

By hunger, that each other Creature tames, 465 Thou art not to be harm'd, therefore not mov'd;