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The PERSONS.

The attendant fpirit, afterwards in the habit of Thyrfis.

Comus with his crew.

The lady.

1 Brother.

2 Brother.

Sabrina the nymph.

The chief perfons who prefented, were,

The Lord Bracly.

Mr. Thomas Egerton his brother..

The Lady Alice Egerton.

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auha ni buory noissa yulgard barn bland vodylooning di Meron gaitulap art and prodV? The first Scene discovers a wild Wood.. Maw man gud ni

The attendant Spirit defcends or enters.

BEFORE the ftarry threshold of Jove's court, ut laut A.

My manfion is, where thofe immertal fhapes

Of bright aereal fpirits live infpher'd

In regions mild of calm and ferene air,
Above the fmoak and ftirr of this dim fpot,
Which men call earth, and with low-thoughted care
Confin'd, and pefter'd in this pin-fold here,

Strive to keep up a frail and feverish being,

feverish being, uneo

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Unmindful of the crown that
Virtue gives, ed
After this mortal change, to her true fervants
Amongst the enthron'd gods on fainted feats.
Yet fome there be that by due fteps afpire

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To lay their just hands on that golden keybody?
"That ope's the palace of eternity) bravewab kah
To fuch my errand is, and but for fuch, dar
I would not fail thefe pure ambrofial weeds,
With the rank vapours of this fin-worm mould

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But to my talk. Neptune
Neptune, befides the sway
Of ev'ry falt flood, and each ebbing ftream,
Took in by lot 'twixt high and neather Jove,
Imperial rule of all the fea-girt ifles, o adi
That like to rich and various gemms inlay

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The unadorned bofom of the deep,
Which he to grace his tributary gods
By courfe commits to feveral government,
And gives them leave to wear their faphire crowns,
And wield their little tridents; but this ifle,
The greatest and the best of all the main,
He quarters to his blue-hair'd deities,
And all this tract that fronts the falling fun
A noble peer of mickle truft and power
Has in his charge, with temper'd awe to guide
An old, and haughty nation proud in arms:
Where his fair off-spring nurs'd in princely lore,
Are coming to attend their father's ftate, od
And new-entrusted fceptre: but their way
Lies through the perplex'd paths of this drear wood,
The nodding horror of whofe fhady brows
Threats the forlorn and wandring paffenger;
And here their tender age might fuffer peril,
But that by quick command from favereign Jove
I was dispatcht for their defence and guard;
And liften why, for I will tell ye now
by fos heard in tale or fong,

What never yet

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From old or modern bard, in hall or bow'r.

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Bacchus, that firft from out the purple grape Crufht the sweet poyfon of mifufed wine, timu After the Tufcan mariners transform'd,

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Coafting the Tyrrhene thore, as the winds lifted,
On Circe's ifland fell; (who knows not Circe,
The daughter of the fun? whofe charmed
Whoever tafted foft his upright fhape,

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And downward fell into a groveling fwine)
This nymph that gazed upon his cluftring locks,
With ivy berries wreath'd, and his blithe youth,
Had by him, ere he parted thence, a fon
Much like?

his father, but his mother more,
Whom therefore the brought up and Comus pam'd,
Who ripe, and frolic of his full-grown age,
Roaving the Celtic and iberian fields,

-grown age,qa

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At last betakes him to this ominous wood,
And in thick shelter of black fhades imbowr'd,
Excells his mother at her mighty art,

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Off'ring to every weary traveller obolka goiwało 14 His orient liquor in a crystal glafs,

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To quench the drouth of Phoebus, which as they tafte
(For most do tafte through fond intemperate thirst)
Soon as the potion works, their human count'nance,
Th' exprefs refemblance of the gods, is chang'd.
Into fome brutish form of wolf, or bear, sin hel
Or ounce, or tiger, hog, or bearded goat,
All other parts remaining as they were; nuo vid
And they, fo perfect is their mifery,

Not once perceive their foul disfigurement,

(gona. But boast themselves more comely than before, 24 And all their friends and native home forget; To roll with pleasure in a sensual stie. Therefore when any favour'd of high Jove, Chances to pass through this adventrous glade, Swift as a fparkle of a glancing ftar oudsh I shoot from heav'n to give him fafe convoy, As now I do but first I must put off

Thefe my fky robes fpun out of Iris wooff,

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And take the weeds and likeness of a fwains of wox.

That to the fervice of this houfe belongs,

Who with his foft pipe, and fimooth dittied fong,
Well knows to ftill the wild winds when they roar,
And hush the waving woods, nor of lefs faith,
And in this office of his mountain watch,

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Likelieft, and nearest to the prefent aid in cand souv Of this occafion. But I hear the treaded din E Of hateful fteps, I must be viewlefs now. won ange Comus enters with a charming rod in one hand, his glafs in the other; with him a rout of monster's beaded like fundry forts of wild beasts, but otherwife like men and women, their apparel gliff'ring; they come in making a riotous and unruly noife, with torches in their hands.

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Comus. The ftar that bids the fhepherd fold, t Now the top of heav'n doth hold, topod bich at bra And the gilded car of day In tal 23 verlom sid doord

His glowing axle doth allay

In the steep Atlantic stream,

And the flop fun bis upward beamspo Shoots against the dusky pole, o

Pacing toward the other goal

Of his chamber in the cast.

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Mean while welcome joy, and feast, aliband snot omni

Midnight shout, and revelry,

Tipfy dance, and jollity.

Braid your locks with rofy twine,
Dropping odours, dropping wine.
Rigour now is gone to bed,
And advice with fcrupulous head;

Strict age, and fowre feverity,

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With their grave faws in flumber lien de bonn We that are of purer fire

Imitate the ftarry quire,

Who in their nightly watchful sphears, mod rood
Lead in fwift round the months and years. won tÅ
The founds and feas, with all their finny drove,
Now to the moon in wavering morrice move, be
And on the tawny fands and fhelves,

Trip the pert fairies and the dapper elves;

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By dimpled brook, and fountain brim, ez ezona je The wood nymphs deckt with daifies trim, and bad Their merry wakes and paftimes keep:

What hath night to do with fleep?

Night hath better sweets to prove,
Venus now wakes, and wak'ns love.
Come let us our rights begin,
'Tis only day-light that makes fin,
Which thefe dun fhades will ne'er report.

Hail goddess of nocturnal sport,

tidy albax

Dark vail'd Cotytto, t whom the fecret flame

Of midnight torches burns; myfterious dame,

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