The Third and laſt | Part. | Written by the Author | Of The | First and Second Parts. | London, | Printed for Simon Miller, at the Sign of the Star | at the Weſt End of St. Pauls, 1678. was only published in one size, the octavo. We get an idea of the great interest the book created, when, after a lapse of so many years, this last part ran into a second edition in a twelvemonth.[*]
Mr. Pepys is our authority for the cost of the spurious book. He says, in his Diary on Christmas Day, 1662: "Hither come Mr. Battersby; and we falling into a discourse of a new book of drollery in verse, called Hudebras, I would needs go find it out, and met with it at the Temple: it cost 2s. 6d. But when I came to read it, it is so silly an abuse of the Presbyter Knight going to the warrs, that I am ashamed of it; and by and by, meeting at Mr. Townsend's at dinner, I sold it to him for 18d." He afterward tried to read the second part, so we learn from his notes dated November 28, 1663; but which issue he used we shall never know. He says:
"... To Paul's Church Yarde, and there looked upon the second part of Hudibras, which I buy not, but borrow to read, to see if he be as good as the first, which the world do cry so mightily up, though it hath not a good liking in me...."
Octavo.
Collation: Title; A-R, in eights.
[*] It should be noted that some copies of the volume have the record of the license and some have none.
JOHN MILTON
(1608-1674)
33. Paradiſe loft. | A | Poem | Written in | Ten Books | By John Milton. | Licenſed and Entred according | to Order. | London | Printed, and are to be ſold by Peter Parker | under Creed Church neer Aldgate; And by | Robert Boulter at the Turks Head in Biſhopſgate-ſtreet; | And Matthias Walker, under St. Dunſtons Church | in Fleet-ſtreet, 1667.