My voice thou oft hast heard, and hast not feard,
But still rejoyct, how is it now bee [ 120 ]
So dreadful to thee? that thou art naked, who
Hath told thee? hast thou eaten of the Tree
Whereof I gave thee charge thou shouldst ?
To whom thus Adam sore beset replid.
O Heavn! in evil strait this day I stand [ 125 ]
Before my Judge, either to undergoe
My self the total Crime, or to accuse
My other self, the partner of my life;
Whose failing, while her Faith to me remaines,
I should ceal, and not expose to blame [ 130 ]
By my plaint; but striecessitie
Subdues me, and calamitous straint
Least on my head both sin and punishment,
However insupportable, be all
Devolvd; though should I hold my peace, yet thou [ 135 ]
Wouldst easily detect what I ceale.
This Woman whom thou madst to be my help,
And gavst me as thy perfet gift, so good,
So fit, so acceptable, so Divine,
That from her hand I could suspeo ill, [ 140 ]
And what she did, whatever in it self,
Her doing seemd to justifie the deed;
Shee gave me of the Tree, and I did eate.
To whom the sovran Presehus replid.
Was shee thy God, that her thou didst obey [ 145 ]
Before his voice, or was shee made thy guide,
Superior, or but equal, that to her
Thou didst resighy Manhood, and the Place
Wherein God set thee above her made of thee,
And for thee, whose perfe farr excelld [ 150 ]
Hers in all real dignitie: Adornd
She was indeed, and lovely to attract
Thy Love, not thy Subje, and her Gifts
Were such as under Gover well seemd,
Unseemly to beare rule, which was thy part [ 155 ]
And person, hadst thou known thy self aright.
So having said, he thus to Eve in few:
Say Woman, what is this which thou hast done?