B. i. c. x. f. xii.

The eldeft

Like funny beames threwe from her crystall face, That could have daz'd the rash beholders fight; And round about her head did shine like heavens light.

That could have daz'd, i. e. That WHICH, &c.

THAT put for that which occurs in other places, and may mislead a reader not acquainted with Spenfer's manner.

Thus again,

THAT erft him goodly arm'd, now most of all him harm'd.

1. 11. 27.

THAT one did reach, the other pusht away.
THAT one did make, the other mard againe.

4. I 29.

He should not have omitted WHICH in the last verse of the text, and WHICH round about her, &c.

And in the following.

To think gold THAT is brass.

6. Introd. 5.

This was a common fault of his age; and our liturgy affords a fimilar inftance of it. "To do always that

"is righteous in thy fight."

B. i. c. x. f. xliii.

Had charge the tender orphanes of the dead,
And widows ayde,

That is, widows ro ayde.

Ne durft THEY approche him nigh, &c.

B. ii. c. ii. f. xxxviii.

As gentle hind, whofe fides with cruell steele
Through lanced, forth her bleeding life doth raine,
Whiles the fad pang approching the doth feele,
Brayes out her latest breath.

SHE fhould have been inferted before brayes out, &c.

B. ii. c. ii. f. xvii.

Sterne melancholy did his courage pass,

And was (for terror more) all arm'd in fhining brass.

He means, and HE was for, &c.

B. ii. c. iv. f. ix.

And eke that hag with many a bitter threat
Still cald upon to kill him in the place.

That

That is, fill called upon HIM to, &c.

B. v. c. iii. f. xiii.

Which when he had perform'd, then backe againe
To Bragadocchio did his fhield restore.

To Bragadocchio He did, &c.

B. i. c. iii. f. v.

Soon as the royal virgin he did spy,
With gaping mouth at her ran greedily.

That is, HE ran, &c.

B. i. c. i. f. iv.

Seemed in heart fome hidden care she had,

For IT feemed, &c.

The imperfonal SEEM was often ufed without IT. As in Januarie.

May Seeme he lov'd.

In Februarie.

Seemeth thy flocks thy counsel can.

In May.

Seemed fhe faw in her youngling's face
The old lineaments of his father's grace.
VOL. II.

с

MESEEMETH

MESEEMETH is also used in the fame manner. Thus.

Mefeemed by my side a royall maid

Her daintie limbes full foftly down did lay.

1. 9. 13.

Thus alfo, at a mafque, in which Henry VIII. came difguifed, with twelve masquers, noblemen of the court, to surprise cardinal Wolfey, while he was fitting at a banquet; the cardinal suspecting there was fome great perfonage among them, fays, " Mefeemeth "there fhould be a nobleman among them, who is "more meete to occupie this place and feate than "I am, &c." And afterwards, fixing on one of the masquers whom he supposes to be the king, "Me"feemes the gentleman with the black beard should "be even hee, &c*."

The fame omiffion occurs before other imperfonals.
Now faid the lady draweth toward night. 1. 1. 32.

Stowe's Annals, ed. 1614. fol. 504, 505. "When it pleased the "king, for his recreation, to repaire to the cardinal's house, [Whitehall]

66

as he did divers times in the yeere, there wanted no preparations or "furniture. Banquets were fett forth, with maskes and mummeries, "in fo gorgeous a fort, and coftlie manner, that it was an heaven to "behold. There wanted no dames, or damofels, meete or apte to "daunce with the maskers, or to garnish the place for the time. Then "was there all kinde of muficke and harmony, with fine voices, both "of men and children." Ibid.

So

So again,

So eafy was to quench his flamed mind.

B. i. c. i. f. x,

Farthest from end, then when they nearest ween.

Themselves is omitted, the proper accusative to ween.
Unless he gave it THEM for then.

B. i. c. x. f. lxii.

As for loofe loves are vaine, and vanish into nought. As for loofe loves THEY are vaine, &c.

In these lines,

Was underneath enveloped with gold,
Whose gliftring glofs DARKNED with filthy duft.

2. 8. 4.

fays Dr. Jortin, DARKNED is put for was darkned; and among other inftances of Spenfer's elleipfes, produces the following, in the Tears of the Mufes.

And all the fifters rent their golden hairs,
And their fair faces with falt humour feep.

2.8.4.

freep for did fteep. Of this fort there is an elleipfis in these lines of Milton's EPITAPH on the Marchioness of Winchester.

C &

Her