Specimen of Milton"s spelling, from the Cambridge autograph ma.n.u.script.
ON TIME
(Set on a clock case)
Fly envious Time till thou run out thy race call on the lazie leaden-stepping howres whose speed is but the heavie plummets pace & glut thy selfe wth what thy womb devoures Wch is no more then what is false & vaine & meerly mortall drosse so little is our losse so little is thy gaine for when as each thing bad thou hast entomb"d & last of all thy greedie selfe consum"d 10 then long Aeternity shall greet our blisse wth an individuall kisse and Joy shall overtake us as a flood when every thing yt is sincerely good & pfectly divine with Truth, & Peace, & Love shall ever shine about the supreme throne of him t" whose happy-making sight alone when once our heav"nly-guided soule shall clime then all this earthie grossnesse quit 20 attir"d wth starres wee shall for ever sit Triumphing over Death, & Chance, & thee O Time.