A vassal's power is no inheritance: It stands free and apart.
This power is then No boon, if power it may be called.
Thy place Maintain: or hast thou then forgot thy charge? Thy place, as Stadtholder, to thee was given That in thy wisdom thou mightst keep all things In peace and order here. And dost thou now. The perjured chief of blind conspirators. Put on this coat of mail to fight thy God? 350
Necessity and self-defence compelled These arms; nor wished we to engage with God. Reason would speak, even though our arms were dumb. We fight in Freedom's cause, denied this bliss?
No bliss is glorious, where in one realm The embattled squadrons of the state must fight Against their peers. Most pitiful it is, When brothers of the selfsame order must, At last, even by their brothers be o'ercome. Oh! Stadtholder, for our sake, and for fear 360 Of God and of His threatened punishment, Send hence thy gathered legions, send them hence. Oh! melt, I pray, beneath my prayers. I hear, 'Tis terrible! the chains a-forging now, That thee shall drag, when vanquished and bound, In triumph through the skies. And hark! I hear A din, and see the hosts of Michael draw With nearing tread. 'Tis time, yea, 'tis high time, Thou cease this mad attempt.
Lucifer: What profits it Even though unto the utmost I repent 370 Here is no hope of grace.
But I assure Thee mercy; for I now appoint myself Thy mediator up above and as Thy hostage there.
My star to plunge in shame And darkness: yea, to see my enemies Defiant on my throne?
O Lucifer, Beware! I see the lake of brimstone down Below, with opened mouth, gape horribly. Shalt thou, the fairest far of all things ever By God created, henceforth serve as food 380 For the devouring bowels of Hell's abyss-- Flames never satisfied nor quenched? May God Forbid! Oh! oh! yield to our prayers. Receive This branch of peace: we offer thee God's grace.
What creature else so wretched is as I? On the one side flicker feeble rays of hope, While on the other yawns a flaming horror. A triumph is most dubious; defeat Most hard to shun. In such uncertainty, God and His banner to oppose?--the first 390 To be a standard to unfurl 'gainst God, His trump celestial and revealed command? --Of rebels thus to make myself the chief, And 'gainst the law of Heaven another law To oppose?--to fall into the dreadful curse Of a most base ingratitude?--to wound The mercy, love, and majesty of Him, The Father bountiful, source of all good That e'er was given or may yet be received? How have I erred so far from duty's path? 400 I have abjured my Maker: how can I Before that Light disguise my blasphemy And wickedness? Retreat availeth not. Nay, I have gone too far. What remedy? What best to do amid this hopelessness? The time brooks no delay. One moment's time Is not enough, if time it may be called, This brevity 'twixt bliss and endless doom. But 'tis too late. No cleansing for my stain Is here. All hope is past. What remedy? 410 Hark I there I hear God's trumpet blow without,