ess

3 Tempered with grace, and goodly modesty,
4 That seemed those two virtues strove to find

That > [That it]

5 The higher place in her heroic mind:
6 So striving each did other more augment,

other > [the other]

7 And both increased the praise of womankind,

praise > virtue; praiseworthiness

8 And both increased her beauty excellent;

excellent > supreme

9 So all did make in her a perfect complement.

complement > consummation, completeness

CANTO VI

_The birth of faire Belph{oe}be and
2 Of Amoret is told.
The Gardins of Adonis fraught
4 With pleasures manifold._

1 The birth of fair Belphoebe and
2 Of Amoret is told.

Amoret > "Little Love" (from the Italian _amoretto_)

3 The Gardens of Adonis, fraught

fraught > filled

4 With pleasures manifold.

306.1

WEll may I weene, faire Ladies, all this while
2 Ye wonder, how this noble Damozell
So great perfections did in her compile,
4 Sith that in saluage forests she did dwell,
So farre from court and royall Citadell,
6 The great schoolmistresse of all curtesy:
Seemeth that such wild woods should far expell
8 All ciuill vsage and gentility,
And gentle sprite deforme with rude rusticity.

1 Well may I ween, fair ladies, all this while

ween > surmise

2 You wonder how this noble damsel

wonder > wonder; marvel

3 So great perfections did in herself compile,

So > Such
compile > heap together; compose (e.g. a sonnet)

4 Sith in savage forests she did dwell,

Sith > Since
savage > wild, uncivilized

5 So far from court and royal citadel,
6 The great schoolmistress of all courtesy:
7 Seems that such wild woods should far expel

Seems > [It seems]

8 All civil usage and gentility,
9 And gentle spirit deform with rude rusticity.

gentle > noble
deform > disfigure; render hideous
rude > clumsy, barbaric

306.2

But to this faire _Belph{oe}be_ in her berth
2 The heauens so fauourable were and free,
Looking with myld aspect vpon the earth,
4 In th'_Horoscope_ of her natiuitee,
That all the gifts of grace and chastitee
6 On her they poured forth of plenteous horne;
_Ioue_ laught on _Venus_ from his soueraigne see,
8 And _Ph{oe}bus_ with faire beames did her adorne,
And all the _Graces_ rockt her cradle being borne.

1 But to this fair Belphoebe in her birth
2 The heavens s