Honour hath left and freedom, but let them
Find courage to lay hold on this occasion;
To himself and father's house eternal fame;
And, which is best and happiest yet, all this
With God not parted from him, as was fear'd,
But favouring and assisting to the end.
Nothing is here for tears, nothing to wail

1715

1720

1725

Or knock the breast, no weakness, no contempt,
Dispraise, or blame, nothing but well and fair,
And what may quiet us in a death so noble.
Let us go find the body where it lies
Soak'd in his enemies' blood, and from the stream
With lavers pure and cleansing herbs wash off
The clotted gore. I with what speed the while,
(Gaza is not in plight to say us nay,)
Will send for all my kindred, all my

friends,

To fetch him hence, and solemnly attend
With silent obsequy and funeral train

1730

1735

Home to his father's house: there will I build him
A monument, and plant it round with shade
Of laurel ever green, and branching palm,
With all his trophies hung, and acts inroll'd
In copious legend, or sweet lyric song.
Thither shall all the valiant youth resort,
And from his memory inflame their breasts
To matchless valour and adventures high:
The virgins also shall on feastful days

1733 Home] See Par. Reg. iv. 638.

'Home to his mother's house private return'd.' 1740 high] Hawes's Past. of Pleasure, 1554. ch. xxxii. 'Right high aduentures unto you shall fall.' Todd.

1740

Visit his tomb with flowers, only bewailing
His lot unfortunate in nuptial choice,
From whence captivity and loss of eyes.
CHOR. All is best, though we oft doubt,
What th' unsearchable dispose

Of highest wisdom brings about,
And ever best found in the close.

Oft he seems to hide his face,

But unexpectedly returns,

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

1745

1750

1755

Of true experience from this great event,
With peace and consolation hath dismiss'd,
And calm of mind, all passion spent.

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 command 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.

PRESENTED AT LUDLOW CASTLE.

THE 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 BRACKLY.

Mr. THOMAS EGERTON, his brother.

The Lady ALICE EGERTON.

COMUS, A MASK.

THE FIRST SCENE DISCOVERS A WILD WOOD.

The Attendant SPIRIT descends or enters.*

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,

5

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,
Amongst the enthron'd Gods on sainted seats.

10

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

1 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.'

7 pester'd] Crowded. Ital. Pesta, a crowd. v. Hall's Sat. b. iv. 8. 7. Todd.