Page:The Shepheardes Calender - Spenser (1579).djvu/84



to Virgile.Infelix o semper ouis pecus.

A mazer) So also do Theocritus and Virgile feigne pledges of their strife.

Enchased) engrauen. Such pretie descriptions euery where vseth Theocritus, to bring in his Idyllia. For which speciall cause indede he by that name termeth his Æglogues: for Idyllion in Greke signifieth the shape or picture of any thyng, wherof his booke is ful. And not, as I haue heard some fondly guesse, that they be called not Idyllia, but Hædilia, of the Goteheards in them.

Entrailed) wrought betwene.

Haruest Queene) The manner of country folke in haruest tyme.

Pousse.) Pease.

It fell vpon) Perigot maketh hys song in prayse of his loue, to whō Willy answereth euery vnder verse. By Perigot who is meant, I can not vprightly say: but if it be, who is supposed, his love deserueth no lesse prayse, then he giueth her.

Greete) weeping and complaint.

Chaplet) a kind of Garlond lyke a crowne.

Leuen) Lightning.

Cynthia) was sayd to be the Moone.

Gryde) perced.

But if) not vnlesse.

Squint eye) partiall iudgement.

Ech haue) so saith Virgile. So by enterchaunge of gyfts Cuddie pleaseth both partes.

Doome) iudgement.

Dempt) fordeemed, iudged.

Wite the witelesse) blame the blamelesse.

The shepherd of Ida) was sayd to be Paris.

Beauties Queene) Venus, to whome Paris adiudged the goldden Apple, as the pryce of her beautie.

The meaning hereof is very ambiguous: for Perigot by his poesie claming the cōquest, & Willye not yeelding, Cuddie the arbiter of theyr cause, and Patron of his own, semeth to chalenge it, as his dew, saying, that he, is happy which can, so abruptly ending but hee meaneth eyther him, that can win the beste, or moderate him selfe being best, and leaue of with the best.