* * * * *
FOWRE HYMNES
MADE BY
EDM. SPENSER.
TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE AND MOST VERTUOUS LADIES,
THE LADIE MARGARET,
COUNTESSE OF CUMBERLAND;
AND THE LADIE MARIE*,
COUNTESSE OF WARWICK.
Having, in the greener times of my youth, composed these former two
Hymnes in the praise of love and beautie, and finding that the same too
much pleased those of like age and disposition, which, being too
vehemently carried with that kind of affection, do rather sucke out
poyson to their strong passion, then honey to their honest delight, I
was moved, by the one of you two most excellent Ladies, to call in the
same; but being unable so to do, by reason that many copies thereof were
formerly scattered abroad, I resolved at least to amend, and, by way of
retraction, to reforme them, making (instead of those two Hymnes of
earthly or naturall love and beautie) two others of heavenly and
celestiall; the which I doe dedicate ioyntly unto you two honorable
sisters, as to the most excellent and rare ornaments of all true love
and beautie, both in the one and the other kind; humbly beseeching you
to vouchsafe the patronage of them, and to accept this my humble
service, in lieu of the great graces and honourable favours which ye
dayly shew unto me, until such time as I may, by better meanes, yeeld
you some more notable testimonie of my thankfull mind and dutifull
devotion.
Pages:
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310