This Paradise I give thee, t it thine
To Till and keep, and of the Fruit to eate: [ 320 ]
Of every Tree that in the Garden growes
Eate freely with glad heart; fear here h:
But of the Tree whose operatis
Knowledg of good and ill, which I have set
The Pledge of thy Obediend thy Faith, [ 325 ]
Amid the Garden by the Tree of Life,
Remember what I warhee, shun to taste,
And shuter sequence: for know,
The day thou eatst thereof, my sole and
Tra, iably thou shalt dye; [ 330 ]
From that day mortal, and this happie State
Shalt loose, expelld from heo a World
Of woe and sorrow. Sternly he pronouncd
The rigid interdi, which resounds
Yet dreadful in mine eare, though in my choice [ 335 ]
Not to incur; but soon his cleer aspect
Returnd and gracious purpose thus renewd.
Not ohese fair bounds, but all the Earth
To thee and to thy Race I give; as Lords
Possess it, and all things that therein live, [ 340 ]
Or live in Sea, or Aire, Beast, Fish, and Fowle.
In signe whereof each Bird a behold
After thir kindes; I bring them to receave
From thee thir Names, and pay thee fealtie
With low subje; uand the same [ 345 ]
Of Fish within thir watry residence,
Not hither summond, sihey ot ge
Thir Element to draw the thinner Aire.
As thus he spake, each Bird a behold
Approag two and two, These c low [ 350 ]
With blandishment, each Bird stoopd on his wing.
I namd them, as they passd, and uood
Thir Nature, with suowledg God endud
My sudden apprehension: but in these
I found not what me thought I waill; [ 355 ]
And to the Heavnly vision thus presumd.