2 By _Ph{oe}bus_ doome, the wisest thought aliue,
Might be compar'd to +these+ by many parts:
4 Nor that sage _Pylian_ syre, which did suruiue
Three ages, such as mortall men contriue,
6 By whose aduise old _Priams_ cittie fell,
With these in praise of pollicies mote striue.
8 These three in these three roomes did sundry dwell,
And counselled faire _Alma_, how to gouerne well.

3 these > this _1590_

1 Not he whom Greece, the nurse of all good arts,
2 By Phoebus' doom the wisest thought alive,

Phoebus > (Apollo's oracle at Delphi judged Socrates the wisest man
alive)
doom > judgement, opinion

3 Might be compared to these by many parts:

parts > times [over]

4 Nor that sage Pylian sire (who did survive

Pylian > (Nestor, son of the king of Pylus; the oldest and wisest of
the Greek heroes who overthrew Troy)
sire > elder

5 Three ages, such as mortal men contrive,

Three ages > (Nestor had already counselled two generations of
Greeks before he came to advise Agamemnon (_Iliad_ 1.247-52))
contrive > wear down (of time); _hence:_ live through

6 By whose advice old Priam's city fell),

By > [And by]
Priam > (The last king of Troy)

7 With these in praise of policies might strive.

praise > praiseworthiness

8 These three in these three rooms did sundry dwell,

sundry > separately

9 And counselled fair Alma how to govern well.

209.49

The first of them could things to come foresee:
2 The next could of things present best aduize;
The third things past could keepe in memoree,
4 So that no time, nor +reason+ could arize,
But that the same could one of these comprize.
6 For thy the first did in the forepart sit,
That nought mote hinder his quicke preiudize:
8 He had a sharpe foresight, and working wit,
That neuer idle was, ne once +could+ rest a whit.

4 reason > season _corr. Drayton, per Collier (cf. 209.38:2)_
9 could > would _1590_

1 The first of them could things to come foresee:
2 The next could of things present best advise;
3 The third things past could keep in memory,
4 So that no time, nor reason could arise,
5 But that the same could one of these comprise.

comprise > comprehend

6 For-thy the first did in the fore-part sit,

For-thy > For this reason, therefore

7 That naught might hinder his quick prejudice:

That > [So that]
prejudice > anticipation

8 He had