253 Of all who speak our English tongue, but those of your device.
device > devising
254 255 W. R.
W. R. > (Walter Raleigh, 1552-1618, poet, soldier, explorer, scholar, statesman, and a favourite of Queen Elizabeth, who granted him, in 1584, a patent for the exploration and settlement of the Americas. Later he fell from her good graces, and after many hardships and adventures was beheaded by James I. Probably an exact contemporary of Spenser. He had a huge estate near Spenser's in southern Ireland, and under his auspices FQ was published, and dedicated to Elizabeth)
256 257 258 To the learned Shepheard. 259 260 _COllyn I see by thy new taken taske, 261 some sacred fury hath enricht thy braynes, 262 That leades thy muse in haughtie verse to maske, 263 and loath the layes that longs to lowly swaynes. 264 That lifts thy notes from Shepheardes vnto kings, 265 So like the liuely Larke that mounting sings. 266 267 Thy louely Rosolinde seemes now forlorne, 268 and all thy gentle flockes forgotten quight, 269 Thy chaunged hart now holdes thy pypes in scorne, 270 those prety pypes that did thy mates delight. 271 Those trustie mates, that loued thee so well, 272 Whom thou gau'st mirth: as they gaue thee the bell. 273 274 Yet as thou earst with thy sweete roundelayes, 275 didst stirre to glee our laddes in homely bowers: 276 So moughtst thou now in these refyned layes, 277 delight the dainty eares of higher powers. 278 And so mought they in their deepe skanning skill 279 Alow and grace our Collyns flowing quill. 280 281 And fare befall that Faerie Queene of thine, 282 in whose faire eyes loue linckt with vertue sits: 283 Enfusing by those bewties fiers deuyne, 284 such high conceites into thy humble wits, 285 As raised hath poore pastors oaten reede, 286 From rusticke tunes, to chaunt heroique deedes. 287 288 So mought thy Redcrosse knight with happy hand 289 victorious be in that faire Ilands right: 290 Which thou doest vayle in Type of Faery land 291 Elyzas blessed field, that Albion hight. 292 That shieldes her friendes, and warres her mightie foes, 293 Yet still with people, peace, and plentie flowes. 294 295 But (iolly Shepheard) though with pleasing style, 296 thou feast the humour of the Courtly traine: 297 Let not conceipt thy setled sence beguile, 298 ne daunted be through enuy or disdaine. 299 Subiect thy dome to her Empyring spright, 300 From whence thy Muse, and all the world takes light._ 301 Hobynoll. 257 258 To the learned shepherd
shepherd > (Spenser's The Shepheardes Calender, a work of pastoral poetry, was published in 1579)
259 260 Colin, I see by your new-taken task,
Colin > (Colin Clout, principal voice in SC; in 1595 Spenser
published Colin Clouts Come Home Again, dated 27 December 1591)
261 some sacred fury has enriched your brains,
fury > frenzy