Page:Paradise lost - a poem in ten books (IA paradiselostpoem00milt 0).pdf/9



Ourteous Reader, There was no Argument at firt intended to the Book, but for the atisfaction of many that have deired it, I have procur'd it, and withall a reaon of that which tumbled many others, why the Poem Rimes not.

He firt Book propoes firt in brief the whole Subject, Mans diobedience, and the los thereupon of Paradie wherein he was plac't: Then touches the prime caue of his fall, the Serpent, or rather Satan in the Serpent; who revolting from God, and drawing to his ide many Legions of Angels, was by the command of God driven out of Heaven with all his Crew into the great Deep. Which action pat over, the Poem hats into the midt of things, preenting Satan with his Angels now fallen into Hell, decrib'd here, not in the Center (for Heaven and Earth may be uppos'd as yet not made, certainly not yet accurt) but in a place of utter darknee, fithit call'd Chaos: Here Satan with his Angels lying on the burning Lake, thundertruck and atoniht, after a certain pace recovers, as from confuion, calls up Rh