would have.

21. towered] towred MS. 1645, 1673

18. Sitting] seated MS. originally. 23. Juno] The мs. has Juno altered to Ceres. 24. had] MS. originally 26. Stage Direction. As they come] MS. originally appears] rises мs. originally. 27. through] 28. ye] you Ms. 40. ye where ye] you where

had As they offer to come. in Warton.

you Ms.

41. What shallow-searching Fame] those vertues w 44. am] have MS. originally.

dull Fame MS. originally.

45- Of

46. Above this line in the us

this] & charge of this Ms. originally.
are written the words live a thousand yeares.

expunged.

originally.

& altered to or.

my rancks, &.

47. With] in Ms. originally.

50. boughs] leaves MS. originally.

They were afterwards 49. and] or Ms. 52. Or] Ms. originally

59. Number...visit] MS. originally & number all 62. Hath lock'd up mortal sense] MS. originally hath chain'd mortalitie, first changed to hath lockt up mortall eyes and then to hath lockt up mortall sense. 66. turn] Ms. originally turning.

toward you towards MS.

91. you] yee MS.

81. je

87. warbled] warbling Keightley conj.

IOI. ye] you MS.

originally. Yet was afterwards expunged.

107. Yet Syrinx.] So Ms.

COMUS.

COMUS. This name was first affixed to the poem by Warton. A Masque &c. The Title both in the Trinity and Egerton мss. is simply ‘A maske.' The editions of 1645 and 1673 have the longer title as given here. In ed. 1637 is added Fon Michaelmas Night." The Persons, &c. First given in 1645: not in 1673. Stage Direction. The Trinity Ms. has, 'The first scene discovers a wild wood. A Guardian spirit, or Daemon.' In the Egerton Ms. it is 'The first sceane discovers a wild wood, then a guardian spiritt or demon descendes or enters.' In ed. 1645 it is ‘The first... Wood. The attendant Spirit descends or enters.' In the Egerton Ms. there is a Prologue of twenty lines taken from what is now the Epilogue. 4. After this line there stood originally in the Trinity Ms. the following: amidst th Hesperian gardens on whose bancks bedew'd wth nectar, & celestiall songs

æternall roses grow, & hyacinth

& fruits of golden rind, on whose faire tree

the scalie-harnest dragon ever keeps

his uninchanted eye, & round the verge

& sacred limits of this blisfull Isle

the jealous ocean that old river winds
his farre-extended armes till wth steepe fall

halfe his wast flood y° wide Atlantique fills & halfe the slow unfadom'd Stygian poole but soft I was not sent to court yo wonder wth distant worlds, & strange removed climes yet thence I come and oft fro thence behold the smoake & stirre of this dim, narrow spot. In the first of these lines on whose bancks' was changed to 'where the banks' and then restored. In the third line 'grow' was successively changed to 'yeeld,' 'blow,' and 'blosme,' and then restored. In line 5 'dragon' was originally watchfull dragons.' In line 6 'uninchanted' is substituted for 'never charmed.' In line 7 'blisfull' was originally 'happie,' and in line 8 'Stygian poole' was substituted for 'poole of styx.' After this the following lines were struck out:

I doubt me gentle mortalls these may seeme
strange distances to heare & unknowne climes.

7, 8. These lines were originally transposed, and between them was written beyond the written date of mortall change.

11. the enthroned gods] th' enthroned gods Fenton. The Gods enthron'd Warton. enthroned] enthron'd Trin. Ms. showing that it is to be read as a disyllable. 12. by] with Eg. Ms. 14. opes] shews Trin. Ms. originally.

line originally stood in the Trin. Ms.

but to my buisnesse now. Neptune whose sway.

18. The

20. Took in... Jove] Trin. MS., followed by edd. 1637, 1645, 1673, punctuates tooke in by lot twixt high, & neather Jove.

Keightley has, Took in by lot, 'twixt high and nether Jove.

Masson, Took in, by lot 'twixt high and nether Jove.

by] my 1637.

21. Originally in the Trin. MS.
the rule & title of each sea-girt Isle.

29. deities] 36. new

22. rich...inlay] Trin. Ms. had originally rich gemms inlay. 25. government] governments Tickell. 27. wield] 1713. weild MSS. 1637, 1645, 1673. 28. the main] his empire Trin. Ms. originally. dieties Trin. Ms. 34. Where] Whither Keightley conj. entrusted] Hyphened in ed. 1637. 39. passenger] 1695. Soveran 1645,

1695.

41. sovran] Newton.

37. drear] dread Warton. dear passinger Mss. 1637, 1645, 1673. 1673.

soveraigne MSS. 1637. 45. From] by Trin. Ms. 48. mariners] manners grovelinge Eg. Ms.

53. grovelling] groveling Trin. MS.

58. Whom] wch originally in both MSS., altered in Trin. Ms. to whome. and Comus named] and nam'd him Comus Trin. Ms. originally. 59. fullgrown] Hyphened by Keightley. 60. fields] feilds Trin. Ms. 62. shelter] covert Trin. Ms. originally. shades] shade Trin. Ms. 63. mighty] potent Trin. Ms. originally. 65. liquor] Milton began writing like but struck

it out.

66. drouth] drought Keightley. 67. fond] weake Trin. Ms. originally. 68. potion works] potions work Trin. Ms. originally. 69. of the gods] o' the gods Trin. Ms. which had originally of the gods. 72. as they were] as before Trin. Ms. originally. 73. is] in 163776. friends] friends; 1637. 79. advent rous] MSS. adventrous 1637, 1645, 1673. 80. the sparkle] a Sparkle Fenton. 81. convoy convey Fenton 83. sky robes] skie-robes Tickell. skye webs Eg. Ms. 86. smooth-dittied Hyphened in 1637, 1645. 90. Likeliest, and nearest] neerest & likliest Trin. Ms. originally, but marked for transposition. to the present aid] Trin. MS. originally had to give præsent aide. This was first altered to to the præsent chance and then aide was restored. 92. hateful] virgin Trin. Ms. originally. After this line both MSS. have 'Exit,' but in the Trin. Ms. this is altered to 'goes out.' Stage Direction. As in ed. 1637. In Eg. MS. 'a glass of liquor' is substituted for 'his glass'; 'like men & women bat headed like wild beasts' for 'headed...women.' In the Trin. Ms. it stands thus: 'Comus enters wth a charming rod & glasse of liquor with his rout all headed like some wild beasts thire garments some like mens & some like womens they come on in a wild & antick fashion.' For 'come on in' the MS. at first had 'begin' and for 'antick' 'humorous.' To this was added ‘intrant κωμάζοντες. 97. Atlantic] Tartessian Trin. Ms. originally. 99. dusky] northren Trin. Ms. originally, afterwards changed to dusky but restored. The Eg. Ms. also has Northerne, but the printed editions read dusky. 102. welcome joy] welcome, Joye Eg. MS. welcome Joy, 1637108. The Trinity MS. is torn here, and it is impossible to say what the reading originally was. Birch and others read it And quick Law with her scrupulous head, but this is certainly wrong. All that I am able to decipher is & nice followed by a word ending in -tom and then wth her. ever it may have been it is altered to what we have in the text. swift] with swift Trin. Ms. originally.

originally. 118. faeries] fayries Trin. Ms.

But what

114. in

117. tawny] yellow Trin. Ms. fairies Eg. Ms. 123. Night

hath] Night has MSS. 125. rites] Fenton. rights MSS. 129. to whom] Todd.

whome Eg. MS.

whom 1637, 1645, 1673.

131. art] at 1637. womb] woom 1645, 1673. spitts Trin. Ms. spits Tickell.

130. burns] burne Eg. Ms. woome 1637.

132. spes

133. From the Trin. Ms. it appears that

Milton began to write and makes a blot of nature, then and throws a bit en all the aire, and finally as in the text.

134. cloudy] polisht Trin. Ms.

originally. 135. Hecat'] Hecate Trin. Ms. altered to Hecat. 136. For this line Milton at first wrote & favour our close revelrie, altering the last word to jocondrie. This fits in with the rejected reading in the previous line. 137. Of] till Trin. Ms. originally. none] nought Trin. Ms. 139. on the Indian] Eg. Ms. on th' Indian Trin. Ms. 144. In] wth Trin. Ms. originally.

originally.

1645, 1673.

frolick Trin. Ms. originally.

fantastic]&

The Measure. Both MSS. add, ‘in a wild rude

145. feel] heare Trin. Ms. originally.

& wanton antick.'
this line the Trinity Ms. had originally

some virgin sure benighted in these woods
for so I can distinguish by myne art.

146. After

147. At the end of this line both MSS. have the stage-direction 'they all scatter.' 150. charms] traines Trin. MS. originally. mothers charmes Trin. Ms. originally.

originally.

151. wily trains] 154. dazzling] powder'd Trin. MS.

155. blear] At first sleight and then blind in Trin. Ms. 161. glozing] gloweinge Eg. Ms. 164. snares] nets Trin. Ms. originally.

156. lest] else Trin. Ms. originally. 163. Wind] Win Tickell.

167. thrift] In the margin of the Trin. Ms. is written in another hand thirst. In ed. 1673 this line is omitted and the two following lines are transposed. 169. In the Trin. Ms. Milton wrote

The Eg. Ms. has

& hearken, if I may, her buisnesse heere.

and hearken if I may her businesse heere.

The editions of 1637 and 1645 follow substantially Milton's Ms. The edition of 1673 follows ed. 1645 in the text but in the table of Errata this is altered to

And hearken, if I may her busines hear.

Tickell (after ed. 1713) adopted this reading and is followed by other editors. Both readings may be defended, and if the alteration was due to Milton himself, it was probably to avoid the repetition of here which occurs in the previous line. But the exceptionally careful punctuation shews that the Ms. contains his first thoughts. 170. mine] my MSS. 174. among] amoungst

Trin. MS.

restored.

175. When] First altered to that in the Trin. MS. and then granges] garners Trin. Ms. originally. 176. they praise] 181. mazes]

First altered to adore in the Trin. Ms. and then restored.

alleys Trin. Ms. originally.

arched Trin. Ms. originally. 1637, 1645, 1673. thicket side] left...wain] Omitted in Eg. Ms. chaire Trin. Ms. originally.

tangled] se'd 188-190. They

this] these Trin. Ms. originally.
185. said] sed Trin. Ms. s'ed Eg. Ms.
Hyphened by Keightley.

189. weed] weeds Trin. Ms. 190. wain]
191. came] Trin. Ms. 1637, 1645, 1673.

194. In

come Eg. Ms. 193. wandering] youthly Trin. Ms. originally. the Trinity MS. the line originally began to the soone parting light but these words are struck out and the present reading substituted. 195. stolen] stolne MSS. and ed. 1637. stole 1645, 1673. 195-225. Else...grove] Omitted in Eg. Ms. 199. due light] thire light Trin. Ms. originally. 200. traveller?] Travailer. 1637. 201. the] om. Trin. Ms. but the omission is marked. 203. perfect] Trin. Ms. 1637. perfet 1645, 1673. 208. that syllable men's names] that lure night wanderers Trin. Ms. originally. Milton has underlined these words as if they were to be restored. 214. hovering] flittering Trin. Ms. originally, and ed. 1637. 215. unblemish'd]

unspotted Trin. Ms. originally.

Trin. Ms. had

216. I see...believe] For this line

I see yee visibly, & while I see yee
this dusky hollow is a paradise

& heaven gates ore my head now I beleeve.
t' whom 1637, 1645, 1673.
223. sable] sables 1637.
hollowe Eg. MS.

219. guar

226. kall3]

227. farthest]

217. to whom] to' whome Trin. Ms. dian] cherub Trin. Ms. originally. hallow Trin. MS. 1637, 1645, 1673. fardest MSS. 1637. 228. venture] Eg. Ms. venter Trin. MS. 1637, 1645, 1673. 229. off] 1637, 1645, 1673. hence MSS. 231. shell] cell Trin. MS. (margin). 233. violet-embroider'd] violet-imbroider'd Trin. Ms. 1637. violett imbroderd Eg. MS. 241. of] to Eg. Ms. 243. give resounding grace} hold a counterpoint Trin. Ms. hould a Counterpointe Eg. Ms. 244. Stage Direction. In Trin. Ms. originally 'Comus enters,' altered to 'looks in and speaks' as in Eg. Ms.

250. empty-vaulted] Hyphened in 1637, 1645, 1673, but not in MSS. 252. it] 1645, 1673. she MSS. and 1637. 254-5. In the Trinity MS. these lines are added in the margin. 254. Amidst] sitting amidst Trin. Ms. originally. Naiades] Niades Eg. Ms. 255. potent] In the Trinity Ms. Milton first wrote potent then powerfull then myghty and then restored potent. 256. as] when Eg. Ms. 257-8. wept, and chid] would weepe and chide Trin. Ms. originally, then would werp chiding, and finally as in the text. 265. foreign] forreigne Eg. Ms. forreine Trin. MS. 1637. forren 1645, 1673. 266. certain] added above the line in Trin. Ms. 268. Dwell'st] liv'st Trin. MS. originally. 270. prosperous] prospering Trin. Ms. originally. prosperinge Eg. Ms. 276. answer] After this in Trin. Ms. the words to give me are repeated and struck out. 278. leavy] leafy 1705. 279. near-ushering] Hyphened in 1637, 1645, 1673. thire ushering hands Trin. MS. originally. 280. weary] wearied Trin. Ms. altered to wearie. turf] Tickell, terfe Mss. and 1637. terf 1645, 1673. 282. i the]ith Trin. MS. in the Eg. Ms. 288. lose] 1637. loose MSS. 1645, 1673. 291. Two such] such tow Trin. MS 294. saw them] saw 'em Trin. MS. sawe em Eg. Ms. 297. human, as they stood:] humaine as they stood Trin. Ms. humane as they stood, Eg. MS. humaine; as they stood, 1637. 300. colours] cooleness Eg. MS. 301. awestrook] Hyphened in Eg. Ms. 1637, 1645. 304. find them] find them out Trin. Ms. originally. 308. star-light] 1645, 1673. starre light Trin. MS 1637. starr light Eg. MS. 310. the sure guess] sure steerage Trin. Ms. originally. 312. wild] wide MSS. In Trin. MS. wild is written in the margin but not in Milton's hand. 313. bosky] Milton seems to have been doubtful about this word, for he wrote it three times and blotted it twice. 316. Or shroud within these limits] Milton first wrote whin these limits, adding shroudie in the margin as an epithet to limits. This he first altered to Or shrouded within these limits, and finally to what we have in the text.