475 Which of their praises have left you the heir; 476 To you this humble present I prepare, 477 For love of virtue and of martial praise, 478 To which though nobly you inclined are, 479 As goodly well you showed in late assays,
late assays > recent assaults (a reference to the Portugal expedition of 1589, designed to liberate Portugal from the Spanish)
480 Yet brave example of long passed days,
brave > [a, this] splendid
481 In which true honour you may fashioned see, 482 To like desire of honour may you raise,
like > [a] similar
483 And fill your mind with magnanimity.
magnanimity > greatness of spirit
484 Receive it, lord, therefore, as it was meant: 485 For honour of your name and high descent. 486 E. S. 487 488 489 To the most honourable and excellent Lo. the Earle 490 of Essex. Great Maister of the Horse to her Highnesse, 491 and knight of the Noble order of the Garter. &c. 492 493 MAgnificke Lord, whose vertues excellent 494 Doe merit a most famous Poets witt, 495 To be thy liuing praises instrument, 496 Yet doe not sdeigne, to let thy name be writt 497 In this base Poeme, for thee far vnfitt. 498 Nought is thy worth disparaged thereby, 499 But when my Muse, whose fethers nothing flitt 500 Doe yet but flagg, and lowly learne to fly 501 With bolder wing shall dare alofte to sty 502 To the last praises of this Faery Queene, 503 Then shall it make more famous memory 504 Of thine Heroicke parts, such as they beene: 505 Till then vouchsafe thy noble countenaunce, 506 To these first labours needed furtheraunce. 507 508 488 489 _To the Most Honourable and Excellent Lord, the Earl 490 of Essex. Great Master of the Horse to Her Highness,
Essex > (Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, 1566-1601, Leicester's stepson and, in her old age, Elizabeth's favourite)