But the small birds in their wide boughs embowring,
Chaunted their sundry tunes with sweet concent*.

Probably in the Epithalamion, where Spenser is speaking of many birds singing together,

So goodly all agree with sweet consent,

Instead of consent, we should read concentf. Milton uses the word in his poem, at a Solemn Music,

That undisturbed song of pure concent

Aye sung before the fapphire-colourd' throne. As it has been restored instead of content, upon the best authority, in the late very useful edition of Milton's poetical works.

Our author has concent in the Hymne in Honour of Beautie.

For love is a celestial harmonie
Of likewise harts composd of starres concent.

Almost in the same sense, confent should be read concent in this passage of Jonson.

When lookd the yeare at best

So like a feast ?

Or were affaires in tune,
By all the sphears consent, so in the heat of June * ?

B. iv. c. ii. s. xlv.

As she sate carelesse by a cryftall flood,
Combing her golden locks, as feemd her good :
And unawares upon

her laying holde.

Thus Dulcippa is forcibly carried away by the knight of the two heads. “ So sitting down upon a

green banke under the shaddow of a myrtle tree, " the pulled a golden cawl from her head, wherein “ her hair was wrapped, and taking out from her 6 crystalline breast an ivory comb, she began to « combe her hair, &c +." Milton's image of Ligea, in Comus, was drawn, and improved, from some romantic description of this kind.

By faire Ligea's golden combe,
Wherewith she sits on diamond rocks
Sleeking her soft alluring locks.

B. iv. c. vii. f. vii.

Is this the faith?

* Epithalamien on Mr, Weston, &cco

4 Seven Champ. b. 2. c. 16.

The

The secret history of this allegory, is evidently the disgrace of Sir Walter Raleigh, for a criminal amour with one of queen Elizabeth's maids of honour. The lady was brought to bed in the court, and Sir Walter was dismissed. The queen's anger on this occafion was extremely natural. Nothing more strongly characterises the predominant tendency of the queen's mind than the account given by Sir Robert Naunton, of the first appearance and reception of the young lord Mountjoy at court.

" He was then much about twenty yeares of age, brown haired, of a sweet face, and of a most neate composure, tall in his person. The queene was then at White-hall, and at dinner, whither he came to see the fashion of the court; and the queene had foone found him out, and with a kind of affected favour, asked her carver what he was: He answered he knew him not; insomuch that an enquiry was made from one to another, who he might be; 'till at length it was told the queene, he was brother to the lord William Mountjoy. This enquirie, with the eye of her majestie fixed upon him, as she was wont to doe, and to daunt men she knew not, stirred the blood of the young gentleman, insomuch as his colour went and came, which the queene observing, called unto him, and gave him her hand to kisse, encouraging him with gracious words and new lookes: and A a 2

fo

so diverting her speech to the lords and ladyes, the said that she no sooner observed him, but she knew there was in him some noble blood, with some other expressions of pitty towards his house; and then againe demanding his name, she said, faile you not to come to the court, &c *.»

Was it the Queen or the Woman who thus offered her hand to be kissed, and who thus excited and enjoyed the struggles of bashfulness, in this beautiful and unexperienced youth? I might add, that this triumph over modesty does not discover much delicacy or sensibility.

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

Speaking of mankind,

That every howre they knocke at deathes gate. This recalls to my memory a beautiful image of Sackvill, in his Induction to the Mirror of Magistrates, concerning the figure of OLD AGE.

His withred fift ftill knocking at death's dore.

Which perhaps is not more expressive than Chaucer's representation of ELDE, or old age. After telling us that Distress, Sickness, &c. always abide in her court, and are her senators, he adds,

# Fragmenta Regalia. Quo. 1641. pag. 36. MOUNTJOY.

The

The day and night her to torment
With cruell deth they her present ;
And tellen her erlich and late,

That Deth stondeth armed at her gate. Death's door was a common phrase in approved authors, and occurs in our translation of the psalmis.

They were even hard at death's door *." curs again, 1. 8. 27. 1. 10. 27.

It oc

B. iv. c. iii. s. iii.

These warlike champions all in armour-shine.

Shine is likewise used as a substantive in Harrington's Ariosto,

The shine of armour bright f. And in the psalms. “ His lightenings gave SHINE 66 unto the world 1."

In Milton's Comus we read SHEEN as a substantive, which, as I remember, was generally used as an adjective in our antient poets.

But far above, in spangled sheen.

And in the Ode on Christ's Nativity,