ing compared to that bright Star) There the Legions kept their Watch, while the Chiefs fat in Council, follicitous what Accident might intercept the Return of their fent Emperor; for fo when he departed he gave Command, and they obíerved it: As when the TARTAR retires from his Foe the RUSSIAN (s) by ASTRACAN (t), over the fnowy Plains; or the SoPHY (u) of PERSIA, retiring from the TURKS, leaves all wafte beyond the Realm ALADULE (x), Rr 2

in his Retreat to TAURIS (y), or CASBIN (z): So thefe, the Hoft lately banished from Heaven, left the outermoft Parts of Hell deferted many a dark League, being reduced in careful Watch round their Metropolis, and now in hourly Expectation of their great Ådventurer, from the Search of foreign Worlds. He paffed through the Midft of them unmarked, appearing only as an inferior Angel of War of the lowest Order; and from the Door of the PANDEMONIUM invifibly afcended his high Throne, which was placed in Regal Luftre at the upper End, under a Canopy of State moft richly woven, He fat down a-while, and looked round about him, he himself keeping unfeen: At laft, as from a Cloud appeared his fhining Head and Shape, bright like a Star: (or brighter; being clad with that permiffive Glory or falfe Glitter, that was left him fince his Fall.) The Throng of Infernal

the Turks, from Aladules, the laft King of it, whom Selymus I. flew, A. D. 1516. and subject ed it to their Empire ever fince. It was called Turcomania, in the Year 844. When a great Flood of bloody Tatars or Turks paffed over the Caspian Mountains and fettled there.

(1) Tauris, and Tebris; Perf. Some call it Ecbatana: because it was founded out of the Ruins of that ancient City (as old as Babylon, and called Alhmeha, Efd. vi. 2. founded by Arphaxad, A. D. 786) Tebris belonged to the Turks till Shah Abas King of Perfia retook it. A. D. 1603. It is one of the richest Cities of Perfia, and of the greatest Trade in Afia. There is a Medresha or Academy in it; a vast Number of Armenian Chriftians, and their Patriarch's Seat.

(z) Casbin, Cafwin, or Kar. win: A large and beautiful City of Perfia, and formerly of Parthia fituate in a delight ul Plain; 6 Miles in Circumference; in the Province of Ayrach, between the Caspian Sea and Ipaban. Some take Casbin for Taurus the Ecbatara of Media, but it is 65 German Miles from Tauris. Here the Perfian Monarchs refided after the Lofs of Tauris, till Shah Abbas removed to If pahan; fince then it has declined, but there they are all inau> gurated till. The Inhabitants are Muhammedans, except fome Chriftians and Jews, that are confiderable Merchants. There is alfo a Madrefa or Academy tor Perfian Learning.

Spirits,

Spirits, all amazed at fuch a fudden Blaze, turned their Eyes that Way, beholding him they were wifhing to fee; and their Acclamations were loud and many, The great Peers that were fitting in Council, rufhed out from their dark Divan (a), and with like congratulating Joy approached him; who, making a Motion with his Hand, made Silence, and with these Words gained Attention:

;

THRONES, DOMINATIONS, PRINCEDOMS, VIRTUES, and POWERS! for fuch I declare ye now and call ye, not only in Right, but in actual Poffeffion; feeing I am returned fuccefsful beyond Hope, to lead ye forth out of this infernal, abominable Pit, accursed Place, the Houfe of Woe, the Dungeon of our great Tyrant! Now ye fhall poffefs as Lords a fpacious World, little inferior to our native Heaven, atchieved by me with Hardship and great Peril. It would be long to tell what I have done; what I have fuffered with what Pain I made my Voyage through the waft, unbounded, and deep Abyss of horrible Confufion over which, now, a broad Way is paved by SIN and DEATH, to facilitate your glorious March: But I laboured through my untrodden Path, plunged in the Midft of Darknefs and wild CHAOS, who fiercely oppofed my strange Journey with clamorous Uproar, declaring that Fate was against me: Afterwards how I found the new created World, which Fame in Heaven had long foretold; a wonderful Fabrick! of absolute Perfection! and therein found MAN, placed in a PARADISE, made happy by our Banishment. Him I have feduced by Fraud to disobey his CREATOR; and (what may increase your Wonder the more) only with an Apple. He, at that offended, ('tis a Subject well worth laughing at) hath given up both his beloved MAN, and all his World, a Prey to SIN and DEATH,

(a) Divan: The most folemn Council among the Turks is called fo.

DEATH, and confequently to us, without our Hazard, Labour, or Contention; to range in, and to dwell in, and to rule over MAN, juft as he fhould have reigned over all other Things. It is true, he has judged me too, or rather not me, but the brute Serpent, in whofe Shape I deceived MAN; that Part that belongs to me is Enmity, which he fays he will put between me and MANKIND; I am to bruife his Heel, and his Seed (but he does not say when) fhall bruife my Head. Who would not purchase a whole World with a Bruise or Pain much more grievous? And now you have heard the Account of my Performance; what remains speak ye, who are all Gods, but that ye mount up, and inftantly enter into full Blifs?

HAVING faid this, he ftood a-while, expecting that high Applaufe and an univerfal Shout would fill his Ear; when, on the contrary, he hears on all Sides, from Tongues without Number, a difmal and univerfal Hils, the Sound of Publick Contempt! He wondered at it, but he had not Leifure to do fo long, now wondering much more at himfelf: He felt his Vifage drawn fharp; his Arms clung to his Ribs; his Legs twining round each other, 'till no longer fupported by them, he fell down with Reluctance, a monftrous Serpent prone upon his Belly; his Reluctance was vain, for now a greater Power ruled him, and punished him in the Shape he finned, according to the Sentence that was paffed on him. He would have fpoke, but instead of that returned Hifs for Hiss, with forked Tongue to forked Tongue; for now they were all alike transformed to Serpents, as having been all acceffary to the bold Evil which he had committed: The Din of hiffing was very dreadful all through the Hall, that was now fwarming thick with compleat

Mon

Monsters, Head and Tail; Scorpion, and Afp (b), CERASTES (c) the horned Serpent, dumb ELLOPS (d), and dreadful DIPAS (e), and all Kinds of Serpents: Such prodigious Numbers as never were seen in OPHIUSA (f), or other Place more infefted with them: But ftill SATAN amidst them was the largest of all, being now grown a Dragon, larger than that the Sun was feigned to have engendered in the PYTHIAN Vale on Slime, and was called huge PyTHON; and he feemed ftill to retain his Power above the rest. They all followed him rushing forth to the open Field, where the reft of that revolted Rout that were fallen from Heaven stood in their Station, drawn up in Array, exalted in their Expectation when they

(b) Afp; Lat. from the Gr. Poifon; or not extending; because they lay round commonly. A very venomous Serpent, whofe Poifon kills fpeedily. It is fmall like a Land Snake, but of a broader Back, having red and inflamed Eyes, hard and dry Scales. Some are above a Foot and half long; others three, four and fix Feet. The fhortest kill fooneft. They abound in Africa, kill inftantly and without any Remedy. See Ads xxviii. 6. And even in Britain their Bite is mortal, but not fo ípeedy; but in Egypt they are tame and abide in the Houses..

(c) Cerafles; Gr. i. e. Horned. q. The horned Serpent: For it hath four pair of Horns, others fay only two.

(d) Ellops; Gr. i. e. Without a Voice. A dumb and filent Serpent, that gives no Notice of his Approach, as others do by Hiffing, Rattles, &c. So no Creature can avoid it.

(e) Dipfas; Lat. Gr. i. e. Thirst. And also Caufan; Gr. i. e. Burning A Serpent with a great Neck and black Back, leis than a Viper, and more venomous and quicker in killing. It is in Lybia, Syria, and other hot Regions. The Poison of it is vaftly hot, dries up the Blood, and infects every Creature which it ftings, with a most vehement Heat and Thirst, unquenchable and incurable, whereof they die quickly.

(f) Ophiufa; Gr. and Colubraria, Lat. i. e. The Serpentine Island; because it is much infefted with Serpents, of which there are three most remarkable, viz. Two in the Mediterranean Sea, and one in the Propontis, near Conftantinople, which the Inhabitants quitted for Fear of thefe Vermin. Some fay Cyprus was one of the two.

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