his melting sweetnesse rauished,
8 And with the wonder of her beames bright,
My senses lulled are in slomber of delight.

2 Your > Thy _1590_
2 you > thou _1590_

1 But if in living colours and right hue

hue > appearance

2 Yourself you covet to see pictured,
3 What can it do more lively, or more true,

lively > {Livelily; in a lifelike manner}
true > accurately

4 Than that sweet verse, with nectar sprinkled,
5 In which a gracious servant pictured

a gracious servant > (Sir Walter Raleigh, 1552-1618, poet, soldier,
explorer, scholar, statesman, and a favourite of Queen Elizabeth.
He had a huge estate near Spenser's in southern Ireland, and
under his auspices the _FQ_ was published and dedicated to the
sovereign)

6 His Cynthia, his heaven's fairest light?

Cynthia > (Raleigh's poem in praise of Queen Elizabeth is called
_The Ocean's Love to Cynthia_; of this, only one book has
survived. See I:118-24)

7 That with his melting sweetness ravished,

That > [So that]

8 And with the wonder of her beams bright,

her beams > (Cynthia is an aspect of Diana, goddess of the moon)
bright > bright; beautiful

9 My senses lulled are in slumber of delight.

300.5

But let that same delitious Poet lend
2 A little leaue vnto a rusticke Muse
To sing his mistresse prayse, and let him mend,
4 If ought amis her liking may abuse:
Ne let his fairest _Cynthia_ refuse,
6 In mirrours more then one her selfe to see,
But either _Gloriana_ let her chuse,
8 Or in _Belph{oe}be_ fashioned to bee:
In th'one her rule, in th'other her rare chastitee.

1 But let that same delicious poet lend
2 A little leave to a rustic Muse

Muse > (Here the word is used metonymically to mean "poet")

3 To sing his mistress' praise, and let him mend,

mend > [mend my verses]

4 If aught amiss her liking may abuse:

abuse > violate; _hence:_ offend

5 Nor let his fairest Cynthia refuse
6 In mirrors more than one herself to see,

mirror > mirror; _also:_ reflection [of perfection] _and hence_
paragon of beauty

7 But either Gloriana let her choose,

Gloriana > (The Faery Queen)

8 Or in Belphoebe fashioned to be:
9 In the one her rule, in the other her rare chastity.

CANTO I

_Guyon encountreth Britomart,
2 faire Florimell is chaced:
Duessaes traines and +Malecastaes+
4 champions are defaced._

3 _Malecastaes_ > _Mat