O gently come into my feeble brest, 2 Come gently, but not with that mighty rage, Wherewith the martiall troupes thou doest infest, 4 And harts of great Hero{e"}s doest enrage, That nought their kindled courage may +aswage,+ 6 Soone as thy dreadfull trompe begins to +sownd;+ The God of warre with his fiers equipage 8 Thou doest awake, sleepe neuer he so sownd, And +scared+ nations doest with horrour sterne astownd. 5 aswage, > asswage; _1609_ 6 sownd; > sound, _1609_ 9 scared > feared _1590 etc.: FE_ 1 O gently come into my feeble breast, 2 Come gently, but not with that mighty rage 3 Wherewith the martial troops you do infest, Wherewith > With which infest > harass, molest, infest; (catachr.) infect, inspire 4 And hearts of great heroes do enrage, enrage > inspire 5 That naught their kindled courage may assuage; That > [So that] naught > nothing at all 6 Soon as your dreadful trump begins to sound, Soon > [As soon] trump > trumpet; trumpet note 7 The god of war with his fierce equipage 8 You do awake, sleep never he so sound, 9 And scared nations do with horror stern astound. stern > stern; fierce, cruel astound > stupefy 111.7 Faire Goddesse lay that furious fit aside, 2 Till I of warres and bloudy _Mars_ do sing, And Briton fields with Sarazin bloud bedyde, 4 Twixt that great faery Queene and Paynim king, That with their horrour heauen and earth did ring, 6 A worke of labour long, and endlesse prayse: But now a while let downe that haughtie string, 8 And to my tunes thy second tenor rayse, That I this man of God his godly armes may blaze. 1 Fair goddess, lay that furious fit aside, fit > mood, humour; _or:_ strain of music 2 Till I of wars and bloody Mars do sing, Till > (Perhaps a reference to the mooted twelve-book work on the public virtues; see I:92-4) 3 And Briton fields with Saracen blood bedyed, Briton > British Saracen > {Arab, Moslem; pagan; here = Spanish} bedyed > dyed on all sides, thoroughly dyed; _the prefix is also an intensive, hence:_ soaked 4 'Twixt that great Faery Queen and paynim king, paynim > pagan, heathen king > (Philip II of Spain) 5 That with their horror heaven and earth did ring, ring > cause to resound (cf. line 7); _or, perhaps:_ encircle, encompass 6 A work of labour long, and endless praise: praise > {Praising, the process of praising: the work is that of praising rather than being worthy of praise, as the modern sense implies} 7 But now awhile let down that haughty string, let down > loosen haughty > high; _hence:_ high-pitched; _also:_ haughty, arrogant 8 And to my tunes your second tenor raise, second tenor > {The next bell to the tenor bell; hence: lesser music} 9 That I this man of God his godly arms may blaze. That > [So that] his > (Obsolete genitive form; cf. 105.5:8) arms > {Deeds of arms} blaze > proclaim (as with a trumpet); blazon forth; portray 111.8