The Song of the Angels, At the Fall of Lucifer

SON of the Morning, First-born of the Light,
The once bright Phospher of the Day Divine,
How art Thou hurld into eternal Night,
And hid in Flames, who didst with Glory shine!
The bold Usurper of th' Almighty's Crown,
Proud Lucifer, to Hell is thrown,
And sing'd the Heav'ns, as he from thence fell headlong down.

"Above the Heav'ns, he said, I will ascend
"And there above the Stars exalt my Throne,
"My Conquests in the North I will extend,
"And God a parted Rule shall have, or none:
"Above the heights ne're reacht before I'll flie,
"And equal made with the Most High,
"Or gain an honourable Fall, or Victory.

Scarce said, a pointed Thunderbolt was sent
From th' Hand Divine, which pierc'd him to the heart.
In vain he sought the Vengeance to prevent,
And to Almighty Strength oppos'd his Art.
But down he sank, and down the Monster fell,
The stroke, nor bore, nor could repel,
And exil'd once the Heav'ns, the next descent was Hell.

Hell from beneath to meet him rais'd its Head,
"And now no longer shall we empty be,
"Since Thou art come, the pale Abyssus said,
Look! How we dress our Flames to welcome Thee!
And all with Flames they Circled him around,
With Flames their Princes Temples bound,
An Heav'n of Flames they made him, strewd with Flames the Ground.

Rejoyce, O Heav'ns, for your Oppressor's ceast,
And tho e're long there shall from Earth ascend,
An unknown Race, which shall disturb your rest;
Rejoyce, and their Triumphant Arms attend,
For when by these you shall invaded be,
With Tears, and Importunity,
Thus to be Conquer'd is to gain the Victory.

Son of the Morning, First-born of the Light,
The once bright Phospher of the Day Divine,
How art Thou hurld into eternal Night,
And hid in Flames, who didst with Glory shine:
The bold Usurper of th' Almighty's Crown,
Proud Lucifer to Hell is thrown,
And sing'd the Heav'ns, as he from thence fell headlong down.

The Envoy
SONG, that long since wert finished,
And for another Place design'd,
Than what Thou here dost find,
In a long Work, and long since promised;
Say that (the Piles Foundations laid)
The 'unwary Builder all his Charge has lost;
For till begun
As a Wise Man should first have done,
He did not, as was fit, sit down;
Throughly the Ground had not survey'd
His Friends, or Strength had tri'd, or reckned up the cost.