FOOTNOTES:
[1] He is mentioned by Webbe, in his "Discourse of English Poetrie," 1586, Sign. C 4, with other poets of that time, as Whetstone, Munday, Grange, Knight, Wilmot, Darrell, F.C. F.K., G.B., and others, whose names he could not remember.
[2] Robert Wilmot, A.M., was presented to the rectory of North Okenham, in Essex, the 28th of November 1582, by Gabriel Poyntz: and to the vicarage of Horndon on the Hill, in the same county, the 2d December 1585, by the Dean and Chapter of St Paul's.—Newcourt's "Repertorium." —Steevens.
[3] The same person, who was the author of "A Discourse of English Poetrie: together with the Authors judgment, touching the reformation of our English Verse." B.L. 4to, 1586. [This "Discourse" is reprinted in Haslewood'a "Ancient Critical Essays," 1811-15.]
[4] [An English translation was published in 1577.]
[5] These three sonnets following occur both in Lansdowne MS. (786) and Hargrave MS. (205), but the first was not included in the printed copy of 1591.
[6] Pheer signifies a husband, a friend, or a companion, and in all these senses it is used in our ancient writers. It here means a husband. So in Lyly's "Euphues," 1581, p. 29: "If he be young, he is the more fitter to be thy pheere. If he bee olde, the lyker to thine aged father." It occurs again in act ii. sc. 3, and act iv. sc. 3.
[7] Prevent, or forbid. So in "Euphues and his England," 1582, p. 40: "For never shall it be said that Iffida was false to Thirsus, though Thirsus be faithlesse (which the gods forefend) unto Iffida."
[8] Command. So in Lyly's "Euphues and his England," p. 78: "For this I sweare by her whose lightes canne never die, Vesta, and by her whose heasts are not to be broken, Diana," &c.
Again, in Shakespeare's "Tempest," act iii. sc. 1—