t all
flit > swift, quickly-moving

500 Do yet but flag and lowly learn to fly,

flag > droop
lowly > {In a low or base manner}

501 With bolder wing shall dare aloft to sty

sty > rise, soar

502 To the last praises of this Faery Queen;

last > (Speaking of that time when all 24 books of the poem will be
complete)

503 Then shall it make more famous memory

memory > memorial; historical record

504 Of your heroic parts, such as they been:

parts > abilities, qualities
been > [are; were]

505 Till then, vouchsafe your noble countenance

countenance > regard

506 To these first labours' needed furtherance.

furtherance > promotion; _also:_ improvement

507
508
509 To the right Honourable the Earle of
510 _Ormond and Ossory_.
511
512 REceiue most noble Lord a simple taste
513 Of the wilde fruit, which saluage soyl hath bred,
514 Which being through long wars left almost waste,
515 With brutish barbarisme is ouerspredd:
516 And in so faire a land, as may be redd,
517 Not one _Parnassus_, nor one _Helicone_
518 Left for sweete Muses to be harboured,
519 But where thy selfe hast thy braue mansione;
520 There in deede dwel faire Graces many one.
521 And gentle Nymphes, delights of learned wits,
522 And in thy person without Paragone
523 All goodly bountie and true honour sits,
524 Such therefore, as that wasted soyl doth yield,
525 Receiue dear Lord in worth, the fruit of barren field.
526
527
509 _To the Right Honourable the Earl of
510 Ormond and Ossory_

Ormond and Ossory > (Thomas Butler, 10th Earl of Ormond and Ossory,
1532-1614,; Lord Treasurer of Ireland)

511
512 Receive, most noble lord, a simple taste
513 Of the wild fruit which savage soil has bred,

savage > wild; savage
soil > (Of Ireland, where Spenser lived)

514 Which, being through long wars left almost waste,
515 With brutish barbarism is overspread:

barbarism > (See Spenser's _A View of the Present State of Ireland_)

516 And in so fair a land, as may be read,

read > seen

517 Not one Parnassus, nor one Helicon

Parnassus > (Mount Parnassus, chief seat of Apollo, god of song and
music, and leader of the Muses)
Helicon > (Mount Helicon, sa