Spenser's original text of _The Faerie Queene_ is here described as "Spenser's Text" and is in the public domain. The biography by John W. Hales has passed out of copyright and was published by Messrs Macmillan. Copyright in all other parts of this edition, including editorial treatment of Spenser's Text, is reserved. You may not sell the whole or any part of this edition in any form whatsoever, nor may you supply it as an inducement to any party to purchase any product. Except for private study, you may not alter the text in any way. WARRANTY This edition is supplied as is. No warranty of any description is given in relation to the edition. Time and care have gone into its preparation, but no guarantee of accuracy is implied or made. In such a large work, despite the stringent and repeated manual and electronic checking that has been carried out, some errors are bound to have slipped through. Please tell me about any that you find. All readers' emendations will be gratefully acknowledged in future releases. -- Jonathan Barnes jonathan.barnes[at]conexil.co.uk 20 August 2004 Main components: Editor's Introduction Abbreviations Used List of Proper Nouns Table of Contents of Volume I Introductory Matter Books I-III Printer's Contractions Bibliography Biographical Material The start of each of these is marked with the string "=>" => THE FAERIE QUEENE Editor's Introduction Acknowledgements Purpose of the edition The text of the poem The form of the poem The numbering system How the Glossary works The Textual Appendix Suggestions for new readers ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS No endeavour of this kind would be possible without the work of previous editors and critics, and I offer thanks to all who have advanced our understanding of Spenser and his work. In particular the scholarship of Professor A. C. Hamilton has provided much enlightenment: his commentary (see Bibliography) is required reading for those who would explore the secret meanings of _The Faerie Queene_. To the compilers and publishers of the monumental _Oxford English Dictionary_ I am deeply indebted. I wish also to acknowledge the assistance of the staff of the British Library, who kindly allowed me to consult copies of the original editions. PURPOSE OF THE EDITION