r
205 vnderstanding to the wel-head of the History, that from
206 thence gathering the whole intention of the conceit, ye may
207 as in a handfull gripe al the discourse, which otherwise may
208 happily seeme tedious and confused. So humbly crauing the
209 continuaunce of your honorable fauour towards me, and
210 th'eternall establishment of your happines, I humbly take leaue.
211 23. Ianuary. 1589._
212
213 Yours most humbly affectionate.
214 Ed. Spenser.
215
47
48 A
49 letter of the author's, expounding his
50 whole intention in the course of this work: which,
51 +for+ that it gives great light to the reader, for

for > [in]

52 the better understanding is hereto
53 annexed.
54
55 _To the Right Noble and Valorous Sir Walter
56 Raleigh, Knight, Lord Warden of the Stannaries, and

Raleigh > (1552-1618, poet, scholar, soldier, explorer, statesman, and
a favourite of Queen Elizabeth, who granted him, in 1584, a patent
for the exploration and settlement of the Americas. Later he fell
from her good graces, and after many hardships and adventures was
beheaded by James I. Probably an exact contemporary of Spenser.
He had a huge estate near Spenser's in southern Ireland, and under
his auspices _FQ_ was published and dedicated to Elizabeth)
Stannaries > (The districts comprising the tin mines in Devon and
Cornwall, under the jurisdiction of the Stannary courts)

57 Her Majesty's Lieutenant of the County of Corn-
58 wall._
59
60 Sir, Knowing how doubtfully all allegories may be

doubtfully > ambiguously

61 construed, and this book of mine, which I have entitled _The
62 Faery Queen_, being a continued allegory, or dark conceit, I

dark > concealed, veiled
conceit > conception

63 have thought good, as well for avoiding jealous opinions and

good > [it good]
as well > both

64 misconstructions, as also for your better light in reading

as also > [and]

65 thereof, (being so by you commanded), to discover to you

discover to > tell, reveal to

66 the general intention and meaning, which in the whole