At will the manlieft, refoluteft breast,

As the magnetic hardest iron draws.

Women, when nothing else, beguil'd the heart
Of wifeft Solomon, and made him build,
And made him bow to the Gods of his wives.
To whom quick answer Satan thus return'd;
Belial, in much uneven fcale thou weigh'ft
All others by thy felf; because of old

175

180

Thou thy felf doat'dft on woman kind, admiring 175
Their fhape, their colour, and attractive grace,
None are, thou think'ft, but taken with fuch toys.
Before the Flood thou with thy lufty crew
Falfe titled Sons of God, roaming the earth
Caft wanton eyes on the daughters of men,
And coupled with them, and begot a race.
Have we not feen, or by relation heard,
In Courts and Regal chambers how thou lurk'dft,
In wood or grove by moffie fountain fide,
In valley or green meadow to way-lay
Some Beauty rare, Calisto Clymene,

Daphne, or Semele, Antiopa,

Or Amymone, Syrinx, many more

185

Too long, then lay'dft thy fcapes on names ador'd,

Apollo, Neptune, Jupiter or Pan,

190

Satyr, or Fawn, or Silvan? But thefe haunts

Delight not all, among the Sons of men,

Of beauty and her lures, eafily fcorn'd

How many have with a fmile made fmall account

All her affaults, on worthier things intent?
Remember that Pellean Conqueror,
A youth, how all the beauties of the east
He flightly view'd, and flightly overpass'd;
How he firnam'd of Africa difmifs'd
In his prime youth the fair Iberian maid.
For Solomon, he liv'd at eafe, and full

195

200

Of honour, wealth, high fare, aim'd not beyond

Higher defign than to enjoy his ftate;

Thence to the bait of Women lay expos'd.

B 2

But

205

210

215

But he whom we attempt is wiser far
Than Solomon, of more exalted mind
Made and fet wholly on th' accomplishment
Of greatest things; what Woman will you find,
Though of this age the wonder and the fame,
On whom his leifure will vouchsafe an eye
Of fond defire? or should she confident,
As fitting Queen ador'd on beauty's throne,
Defcend with all her winning charms begirt
T'enamour, as the zone of Venus once
Wrought that effect on Jove, fo fables tell,
How would one look from his majestick brow,
Seated as on the top of virtue's hill,
Discount'nance her defpis'd, and put to rout
All her array; her female pride deject, -
Or turn to rev'rent awe? for beauty ftands
In th' admiration only of weak minds
Led captive; ceafe t'admire, and all her plumes
Fall flat and fhrink into a trivial toy,
At ev'ry fudden flighting quite abasht:
Therefore with manlier objects we must try
His conftancy, with fuch as have more fhew
Of worth, of honour, glory, and popular praife;
Rocks whereon greateft men have often wreck'd;
Or that which only feems to fatisfie
Lawful defires of nature, not beyond;
And now I know he hungers where no food
Is to be found, in the wild wilderness;

220

225

230

The reft commit to me, I fhall let pafs

No advantage, and his ftrength as oft aflay.

234

He ceas'd, and heard their grant in loud acclaim:

Then forthwith to him takes a chofen band

Of Spirits likeft to himself in guile,

To be at hand, and at his beck appear,

If cause were to unfold fome active fcene
Of various perfons each to know his part;
Then to the defart takes with these his flight;
Where still from hade to fhade the Son of God

240

After