peculiar to itself. I have printed these various readings in Italics, and I have noted its peculiarities, fome of which are evidently the literal errors of the tranfcriber; in which cafes, I have ventured to substitute the right word, and to give the manuscript reading at the bottom of the page. By a few flight but necessary emendations the unintentional mistakes of the transcriber's "tired "pen" are rectified, while the unquestionable antiquity of the manufcript is carefully preferved. EDITOR,

P: 1.

12

A Maske

Represented before the right ble

ho: the Earle of Bridgewater

Lord president of Wales and the

ble

A Maske.

The firft fceane difcovers a wild wood, then a guardian Spiritt or demon defcendes or enters.

From the heavens nowe I flye,
and those happy clymes that lye
Where daye never fhutts his eye,
vp in the broad field of the fkye.
There I fuck the liquid ayre
all amidst the gardens fayre
of Hefperus, and his daughters three
that finge about the goulden tree.
there eternall fummer dwells,

and weft wyndes, with muskye winge,
about the Ćederne allyes flinge
Nard and Caffia's balmie fmells.
Iris there with humid bowe

waters the odorous bankes, that blowe
flowers of more mingled hew
then her purfled scarfe can fhew,
yellow, watchett, greene, and blew,
and drenches oft with Manna dew
Beds of Hyacinth and Rofes,
where many a cherub foft reposes.

Before the starrie threshold of Jove's courte
my Manfion is, where thofe immortall shapes
of bright aereall fpiritts live infpheard

in regions mylde of calme and terene ayre,
above the fmoake and stirr of this dim fpott,
which men call earth, and with low-thoughted care
confinde, and pestered in this pinfold heere,
ftrive to keep vp a fraile and fevourish beinge,
vnmindfull of the crowne that vertue gives,
after this mortall change, to her true fervants
amongst the enthroned gods on fainted feats.
yet fome there be, that with due stepps afpire
to laye their juft hands on that goulden keye,

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. 1, to 21. These lines form part of the Spirit's Epilogue in the other copies of COMUS, which have come to the knowledge of the public.

v. 4. In the other copies fields.

v. 8. The four lines which follow this verse, in the printed poem, are not in this manufcript. See Com. v. 984.

v. 17. &c. See the Cambridge manufcript, p. 161.

v. 32 In the other copies by,

that opes the pallace of Æternitie:

To fuch my errand is, and but for such,
I would not foile these pure ambrofiall weedes
with the ranke vapours of this fin-worne moulde.
but to my taske; Neptune befides the swaye
of everie falte flood, and each ebbinge ftreame,
tooke in by lott twixt high and neather Jove
imperial rule of all the fea-girt Ifles,

that like to rich and and various gems inlaye
the vnadorned bofom of the deepe;

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which he, to grace his tributarie Gods,

by courfe committs to feverall government,

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and gives them leave to weare their faphire crownes,
and weild their little tridents; but this Ifle,

**

the greatest and the best of all the Maine,
he quarters to his blew-haired deities;
and all this tract that fronts the falling funn
a noble Peere of mickle truft and power
has in his chardge, with tempered awe to guyde
an ould and haughty nacion proude in armes :
where his faire offspringe, nurft in princely lore,
are cominge to attend their father's state,
and newe-entrusted scepter, but their waye
lies through the perplext paths of this dreare wood,
the noddinge horror of whofe fhadie browes
threats the forlorne and wanderinge paffinger;
and heere their tender age might fuffer perill,
but that by quick commande from foveraigne Jove
I was dispatch't for their defence and guard;
and liften why, for I will tell you now
what never yet was heard in tale or fonge,
from old or moderne bard in hall or bowre.

Bacchus, that firft from out the purple grapes
crufht the sweete poyfon of mifvfed wyne,
after the Tufcane mariners' transform'd,
coaftinge the Tyrrhene fhore, as the winds lifted,
on Circe's Inland fell: (who knows not Circe
the daughter of the Sunn, whoes charmed cup
whoe ever tasted, loft his upright shape,
and downeward fell into a grovelinge Swyne?)
This nimphe that gazed vpon his cluftringe locks,
with Ivye berries wreath'd, and his blith youth,

had by him, ere he parted thence, a fonne
much like his father, but his mother more,

which therefore she brought up, and Comus nam'd:

v. 66. grape in the other copies. v. 68. In the manuscript manners v. 78. whom in the other copies.

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