The following transcription of Demorest's annotations was selected and transcribed by Casper College student and Archives staff member Grace MacPherson in January of 2024.

SONNET 65
General Notes
S[hakespeare] adapted his[orical] sources to makes comment on contemp[orary events]. So he adapts St. to apply to contemp. events—Cissex[?]
Darley is Henry Stewart
July 29, ’65 marriage of Mary [Stuart] and Darnley
St sounds in these 2 + code couplets
’66 – Parl. mts. Sphs[?] freely on q of succession (not for Q. Sc. but presumably for Cath. Grey [sister of Lady Jane Grey and potential successor to Elizabeth]). Q. reference to [illegible]. Paul Wentworth questioned her right to limit debts.
Line 14
Black ink: all of these are black stories in black ink

SONNET 66
General Notes
Essex is born into father’s debts
Treason à Dr. Lopez – poison plot 1594
Raleigh is Capt. of the Guard
March ’66 – Murder of Riccio
June – Birth of James (gossip—Riccio’s child)
Eliz is 66 in 1599
Essex was born in 66[;] James also
1566 Arthur Golding trans. Ovid’s Metamorpheses
Three preceding poems included “word,” “hand.” One (63) has “drained his blood,” “cruel knife,” “cut” and “these black lines” “still green”
64—has “defaced” “proud cast” “mortal rage” “This thought is as a death”
65-has “sad” “power” “rage” “plea” “wrackful” “bathing” “gates of steel” “spoil of beauty” “black ink”]]>

http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/

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