; cast in the shade

302.2

But by record of antique times I find,
2 That women wont in warres to beare most sway,
And to all great exploits them selues inclind:
4 Of which they still the girlond bore away,
Till enuious Men fearing their rules decay,
6 Gan coyne streight lawes to curb their liberty;
Yet sith they warlike armes haue layd +away,+
8 They haue exceld in artes and pollicy,
That now we foolish men that prayse gin eke t'enuy.

7 away, > away: _1596_

1 But, by record of antique times, I find

antique > ancient

2 That women wont in wars to bear most sway,

wont > were accustomed
sway > influence; momentum, power

3 And to all great exploits themselves inclined:
4 Of which they still the garland bore away,

Of > By; from
still > ever, continually

5 Till envious men, fearing their rule's decay,
6 Gan coin strait laws to curb their liberty;

Gan > Did
strait > strict

7 Yet sith they warlike arms have laid away,

sith > since

8 They have excelled in arts and policy,

policy > statecraft; sagacity, shrewdness

9 That now we foolish men that praise begin eke to envy.

That > [So that]
praise > virtue, merit, praiseworthiness
eke > also
envy > begrudge, resent

302.3

Of warlike puissaunce in ages spent,
2 Be thou faire _Britomart_, whose prayse I write,
But of all wisedome be thou precedent,
4 O soueraigne Queene, whose prayse I would endite,
Endite I would as dewtie doth excite;
6 But ah my rimes too rude and rugged arre,
When in so high an obiect they do lite,
8 And striuing, fit to make, I feare do marre:
Thy selfe thy prayses tell, and make them knowen farre.

1 Of warlike puissance in ages spent,

puissance > power, strength
spent > passed, gone by

2 Be you, fair Britomart, whose praise I write;

Be > [Are]

3 But of all wisdom be you precedent,

be > [are]
precedent > [the] model, exemplar; example (i.e. Britomart is the
precedent of ancient puissance and Elizabeth the precedent of all
wisdom)

4 O sovereign queen, whose praise I would indite,
5 Indite I would as duty does excite;

excite > incite, stir up; _hence:_ move

6 But ah my rhymes too rude and rugged are,

rude > rough, clumsy, simple; uneducated
rugged > coarse, unrefined

7 When in so high an object they do light,

light > shine, give light, _hence:_ have their poetic existence;
_o