And to his faithful champion hath in place
Bore witness gloriously; whence Gaza mourns
And all that band them to resist
His uncontrollable intent:
His servants he, with new acquist
Of true experience from this great event,
With peace and consolation hath dismiss'd,
And calm of mind, all passion spent.

1755

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6

1755 acquist] Heath's Chron, of Civil Wars, fol. p. 402, • his unjust acquists.' Todd.

Note] It was the custom of the scholars who lived in the age just previous to that of Milton, and who possessed a coinmand of poetical language, to form dramas in Latin verse from scripture Histories. Besides the two volumes of the • Dramata Sacra;' there is the ‘Abramus' of Th. Beza, the • Parabata Vinctus' of Thuanus, the Christus Patiens,' the

Sophom-paneas,' and the 'Adamus Exsul,' of Grotius, the * Jephthas,' and · Baptistes' of Buchanan, the • Herodes Infanticida' of Dan. Heinsius. These I have read, probably there are others with which I am not acquainted ; there are also many Italian Dramas formed on the sacred history, and our old mysteries. The Greek translation of this play by G.H. Glasse, has been pronounced to be a work constructed with such precision, and expressed with such elegance, as never appeared in Europe since the revival of learning.' Parr's Letters, i. p. 637.

COMUS, A MASK.

L'RESENTED AT LUDLOW CASTLE. TIE PERSONS.

The attendant Spirit, afterwards in the habit of THYRSIS.
COMUs with his crew,
The LADY.
First BROTHER.
Second BROTHER.
SABRINA the Nymph.

The chief persons who presented were
The Lord BRACKLEY.
Mr. THOMAS EGERTON, his brother.
The Lady ALICE EGErron.

5

BEFORE the starry threshold of Jove's court
My mansion is, where those immortal shapes
Of bright aerial spirits live inspher'd
In regions mild of calm and serene air,
Above the smoke and stir of this dim spot,
Which men call Earth, and with low-thoughted care
Confin'd, and pester'd in this pinfold here,
Strive to keep up a frail and feverish being,
Unmindful of the crown that virtue gives,
After this mortal change, to her true servants, 10

1

* The Attendant Spirit] The Spirit is called ' Dæmon' in the Cambridge MS. Warton.

starry] "Who calls Minerva from the starry court.' Sharpe's Noble Stranger, p. 48. In that high starry court.' Marino's Sl. of the Innocents, p. 130; and Cupid's Whirligig, p. 1. (1611.)

• And thus with winges, and bowe came I

Newly from Jove's high courte in skie.' pester'd] Crowded. Ital. Pesta, a crowd. v. Hall's Sat. b. iv, s. 7. • Todd.

7

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