408 And to these ydle rymes lend litle space,
409 Which for their titles sake may find more grace.
410
389
390
391 DEDICATORY SONNETS
392
393 _To the Right Honourable Sir Christopher Hatton,

Right > Very
Sir Christopher Hatton > (1540-91; principal minister of Elizabeth's
government)

394 Lord High Chancellor of England, etc._
395
396 Those prudent heads, that with their counsels wise
397 Whilom the pillars of the earth did sustain,

Whilom > Formerly

398 And taught ambitious Rome to tyrannize,
399 And in the neck of all the world to reign,

in the neck > on top

400 Oft from those grave affairs were wont abstain,

wont > accustomed to, given to

401 With the sweet lady Muses to play:
402 So Ennius the elder African,

Ennius > (Quintus Ennius, 239-170 BC, Roman poet)
the elder African > (Scipio Africanus, 237-183 BC, Roman general in
Second Punic War)

403 So Maro oft did Caesar's cares allay.

Maro > (Publius Vergilius Maro [Virgil], 70-19 BC, author of the
_Aeneid_)
Caesar > (Augustus Caesar, 63 BC-14 AD, Emperor of Rome)

404 So you, great lord, that with your counsel sway

sway > influence

405 The burden of this kingdom mightily,

burden > fate, destiny

406 With like delights sometimes may eke delay

eke > also
delay > mitigate, assuage; _hence:_ soothe

407 The rugged brow of careful policy:

careful > {Full of cares; prudent}
policy > statesmanship

408 And to these idle rhymes lend little space,

idle > empty; vain, trifling

409 Which, for their title's sake, may find more grace.
410
411
412 _To the right honourable the Lo. Burleigh Lo. high
413 Threasurer of England_.
414
415 TO you right noble Lord, whose carefull brest
416 To menage of most graue affaires is bent,
417 And on whose mightie shoulders most doth rest
418 The burdein of this kingdomes gouernement,
419 As the wide compasse of the firmament,
420 On _Atlas_ mighty shoulders is vpstayd;
421 Vnfitly I these ydle rimes present,
422 The labor of lost time, and wit vnstayd:
423 Yet if their deeper sence be inly wayd,
424 And the dim vele, with which from comune vew
425 Their fairer parts are hid, aside be layd.
426 Perhaps not vaine