Page:The Shepheardes Calender - Spenser (1579).djvu/74





A Goteheard] By Gotes in scrypture be represented the wicked and reprobate, whose pastour also must needes be such.

Banck) is the seate of honor.

Straying heard] which wander out of the waye of truth.

Als] for also.

Clymbe] spoken of Ambition.

Great clymbers] according to Seneneca his verse, Decidunt celsa grauiore lapsus.

Mickle] much.

The sonne] A reason, why he refuseth to dwell on Mountaines, because there is no shelter against the scortching sunne. according to the time of the yeare, whiche is the whotest moneth of all.

The Cupp and Diademe] Be two signes in the Firmament, through which the sonne maketh his course in the moneth of Iuly.

Lion] Thys is Poetically spoken, as if the Sunne did hunt a Lion with one Dogge. The meaning whereof is, that in Iuly the sonne is in Leo At which tyme the Dogge starre, which is called Syrius or Canicula reigneth, with immoderate heate causing Pestilence, drougth, and many diseases.

Ouerture] an open place. The word is borrowed of the French, & vsed in good writers

To holden chatt) to talke and prate.

A loorde] was wont among the old Britons to signifie a Lorde. And therefore the Danes, that long time vsurped theyr Tyrannie here in Brytanie, were called for more dread and dignitie, Lurdanes. s. Lord Danes. At which time it is sayd, that the insolencie and pryde of that nation was so outragious in thys Realme, that if it fortuned a Briton to be going ouer a bridge, and sawe the Dane set foote vpon the same, he muste retorne back, till the Dane were cleane ouer, or els abyde the pryce of his displeasure, which was no lesse, then present death. But being afterwarde expelled that name of Lurdane became so odious vnto the people, whom they had long oppressed, that euen at this daye they vse for more reproche, to call the Quartane ague the Feuer Lurdane.

Recks much of thy swinck) counts much of thy paynes.

Weetelesse] not vnderstoode.