[9] ‘On the ordinary interpretation,’ I say; for an attempt has recently been made (_Mod. Lang. Rev._ 1908) to prove that the lady of the _Amoretti_ and the ‘countrey lasse’ of _F. Q._ VI was not Elizabeth Boyle, but Lady Elizabeth Carey. [10] The occurrence of feminine endings makes it very unlikely that this was among the _Pageaunts_ mentioned by E. K. The greater part of the _Mutabilitie_ cantos was certainly written in Ireland, probably in 1597-8. [11] The scene of the dialogue on the _Present State of Ireland_ is laid in England; so that, unless this is a mere literary device, the tract must have been written, or at least begun, during this visit in 1596. [12] No such authority, I think, belongs to the ‘Second Folio’, though it sometimes corrects printer’s errors. In the Critical Appendix I have cited some of its characteristic variants in support of this view. BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE. Of the copies collated for this edition, three are in the Bodleian, viz.:-- (1) Malone 615, Books I-III, 1590. (2) Malone 616, Books IV-VI, 1596. (3) 4^o Art. Seld. S. 22, Books I-VI, 1596 (collated for Books I-III). For 1609 I have used (4) a copy belonging to Mr. Charles Cannan. The following copies, though not collated _verbatim_, have been examined for variants:-- (5) Malone 7, 1609 } (6) M. 4. 5 Art. { Books I-III, 1611 } { Books IV-VII, 1612 } in the Bodleian. (7) Douce S. 817 { Books I-III, 1609 } { Books IV-VII, 1613 } (8) G. 11535, 6 { Books I-III, 1590 } { Books IV-VI, 1596 } (9) C. 12. h. 17, 18 { Books I-III, 1590 } { Books IV-VI, 1596 } (10) 686 g. 21, 22, 1596 } (11) G. 11537, 1596 } in the British Museum. (12) C. 57. f. 6, 1609 } (13) 78 g. 13 { Books I-III, 1609 } { Books IV-VII, 1613 } (14) 79 h. 23 { Books I-III, 1611 } { Books IV-VII, 1613 } The bibliographical note on Spenser in the _Dictionary of National Biography_ appears to ignore 4^o Art. Seld. S. 22.