But to make humble prefent of good will: E. S. To all the gratious and beautifull Ladies in the Court." Of all the fairest Maides to have the vew. A fairer crew yet no where could I fee Then that brave court doth to mine eie prefent; That the worlds pride feemes gathered there to bee. Of each a part I ftole by cunning thefte: Forgive it me, faire Dames, fith leffe ye have not lefte. E. S. b Ladies in the Court.] This Sonnet, as well as the preceding, was not reprinted in the later impreffions of the Faery Queene; for what reafon, is, we believe, nowhere stated. C. Am now enforft, a farre unfitter For trumpets fterne to chaunge And fing of Knights and Ladies gentle deeds; To blazon broade emongst her learned throng: Fierce warres and faithful loves fhall moralize my fong. 2. Helpe then, O holy virgin! chiefe of nyne," O holy virgin! chiefe of nyne.] This invocation is addreffed to Clio. So, in vii. vii. 1," Thou greater Mufe." See too F. Q. iii. iii. 4, and vii. vi. 37. CHURCH. b thine everlasting feryne.] An efcritoir, or defk, from the Latin fcri The antique rolles, which there lye hidden still, Sought through the world, and fuffered fo much ill, That I must rue his undeferved wrong: O, helpe thou my weake wit, and sharpen my dull tong! 3. And thou, most dreaded impe of highest Jove, After his murdrous fpoyles and bloudie rage allayd. 4. And with them eke, O Goddeffe heavenly bright! Great Ladie of the greatest Ifle, whofe light Like Phoebus lampe throughout the world doth shine, And raise my thoughtes, too humble and too vile, The which to heare vouchsafe, O dearest dread, a while! nium. "Scryn, a fhrine; anciently a cheft or cofer:" Verstegan. UPTON. Spenfer uses the word again in B. ii. C. 9, ft. 56. C. e with you bring triumphant Mart.] So the Italians, Marte, the god of war; and fo too our poets: Fairfax, "Taff." ii. 89. "Thou proud despiser of inconstant Marte." Chaucer, "Kn. Tale," v. 2023. Nought was forgett the infortune of Mart." And Lydgate, " Of the Troj. War,” B. ii. "For aye of Mart doubtous is the cure." UPTON. d into my feeble eyne.] In the first edit. the text is "into mine feeble eyne," an obvious error, corrected in fubfequent impreffions. C. plaine, Ycladd in mightie armes and filver Wherein old dints of deepe woundes did remaine, The cruell markes of many a bloody fielde; Ycladd in mightie armes and filver fhielde.] Hardyng, from Nennius, fays in his Chronicle, printed in 1543, that, when Jofeph of Arimathea converted Arviragus, he -gave hym then a fhilde of filver white, "A croffe endlong and overtwart full perfecte: "For a common figne eche manne to know his nacion "Saint Georges armes." CHURCH. b Full jolly knight.] Handfome: Fr. joli. Cotgrave's tranflation of joli minutely paints a hero of romance, viz. "gay, trim, fine, gallant, neat, handfome, feat, well-fashioned, minion, compt, polite." TODD. |