To Rome's great Emperor, whofe wide domain
In ample Territory, wealth and pow'r,
Civility of manners, Arts, and Arms,
And long Renown thou justly may'st prefer
Before the Parthian; these two Thrones except,
The reft are barb'rous, and fcarce worth the fight,
Shar'd among petty Kings too far remov'd;
These having fhewn thee, I have shewn thee all
The Kingdoms of the World, and all their glory.
This Emp❜ror hath no Son, and now is old,
Old and lafcivious, and from Rome retir'd
To Caprea an Ifland fmall but strong
On the Campanian fhore, with purpose there
His horrid lufts in private to enjoy,
Committing to a wicked Favourite
All publick cares, and yet of him fufpicious,
Hated of all, and hating; with what ease
Indu'd with Regal Virtues as thou art,
Appearing and beginning noble deeds,
Might'ft thou expel this monster from his Throne
Now made a ftye, and in his place ascending
A victor, people free from fervile yoke?
And with my help thou may'ft; to me the pow'r
Is giv❜n, and by that right I give it thee.
Aim therefore at no less than all the world,
Aim at the higheft, without the highest attain'd
Will be for thee no fitting, or not long
On David's Throne, be prophefy'd what will.
To whom the Son of God unmov'd reply'd.
Nor doth this grandeur and majestick show
Of luxury, though call'd magnificence,
More than of Arms before, allure mine eye,
Much less my mind; though thou should'st add to tell
Their sumptuous gluttonies, and gorgeous feafts
On Cittron tables or Atlantic ftone,
(For I have alfo heard, perhaps have read)
Their wines of Setia, Cales, and Falerne,
Chios and Creet, and how they quaff in Gold,
Crystal and Myrrhine cups imbofs'd with Gems
And ftuds of Pearl, to me fhould'st tell who thirst
And hunger ftill: then Embaffies thou fhew'ft
From Nations far and nigh; what honour that,
But tedious waste of time to fit and hear
So many hollow compliments and lies,
Outlandish flatteries? then proceed'st to talk
Of th' Emperor, how eafily fubdu'd,
How gloriously, I fhall, thou fay'st, expel
A brutish monfter: what if I withal
Expel a Devil who first made him fuch?
Let his tormenter Confcience find him out,
For him I was not fent, nor yet to free
That People victor once, now vile and base,
Defervedly made vaffal, who once juft,
Frugal, and mild, and temp'rate, conquer'd well,
But govern ill the Nations under yoke,
Peeling their Provinces, exhausted all
By luft and rapine; firft ambitious grown
Of triumph, that insulting vanity;
Then cruel, by their sports to blood enur'd
Of fighting beasts, and men to beasts expos'd,
Luxurious by their wealth, and greedier still,
And from the daily Scene effeminate.
What wife and valiant Man would feek to free
These thus degen'rate, by themselves enflav'd,
Or could of inward flaves make outward free?
Know therefore when my feafon comes to fit
On David's Throne, it fhall be like a tree,
Spreading and overshad'wing all the Earth,
Or as a Stone that shall to pieces dash
All Monarchies befides throughout the World,
And of my Kingdom there shall be no end;
Means there fhall be to this, but what the means,
Is not for thee to know, nor me to tell.
To whom the Tempter impudent reply'd.
I fee all offers made by me how flight.
Thou valu❜ft, because offer'd, and reject'ft:
Nothing will please the difficult and nice,
Or nothing more than ftill to contradict:
On th❜other fide know alfo thou, that I
On what I offer fet as high eftcem,
Nor what I part with mean to give for naught;)
All these which in a moment thou behold'st,
The Kingdoms of the World to thee I give;
For giv'n to me, I give to whom I please,
No trifle; yet with this reserve, not elfe,
On this condition, if thou wilt fall down,
And worship me as thy fuperior Lord,
Easily done, and hold them all of me;
For what can lefs fo great a gift deserve?
Whom thus our Saviour answer'd with difdain.
I never lik'd thy talk, thy offers lefs,
Now both abhor, fince thou haft dar'd to utter
Th'abominable terms, impious condition;
But I endure the time, till which expir'd,
Thou haft permiffion on me. It is written
The first of all Commandments, Thou shalt worship
The Lord thy God, and only him shalt serve;
And dar'st thou to the Son of God propound
To worship thee accurft, now more accurft
For this attempt bolder than that on Eve,
And more blafphemous? which expect to rue.
The Kingdoms of the World to thee were giv❜n,
Permitted rather, and by thee ufurp'd,
Other donation none thou canst produce:
If giv'n, by whom but by the King of Kings,
God over all Supreme? if giv'n to thee,
By thee how fairly is the Giver now
Repaid? But gratitude in thee is loft
Long fince. Wert thou fo void of fear or shame,
As offer them to me the Son of God,
To me my own, on fuch abhorred pact,
That I fall down and worship thee as God?
Get thee behind me, plain thou now appear'st
That Evil one, Satan for ever damn'd,
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