353 So Spenser now, to his immortal praise, 354 Has won the laurel quite from all his feres. laurel > {Crown of laurel leaves for supreme poet or victor} feres > companions, peers 355 What though his task exceed a human wit, What though > Inasmuch as wit > mind; wit 356 He is excused, sith Sidney thought it fit. sith > since 357 _W. L._ W. L. > (Not identifiable) 358 359 360 _TO looke vpon a worke of rare deuise 361 The which a workman setteth out to view, 362 And not to yield it the deserued prise, 363 That vnto such a workmanship is dew. 364 Doth either proue the iudgement to be naught 365 Or els doth shew a mind with enuy fraught. 366 367 To labour to commend a peece of worke, 368 Which no man goes about to discommend, 369 Would raise a iealous doubt that there did lurke, 370 Some secret doubt, whereto the prayse did tend. 371 For when men know the goodnes of the wyne, 372 T'is needlesse for the hoast to haue a sygne. 373 374 Thus then to shew my iudgement to be such 375 As can discerne of colours blacke, and white, 376 As alls to free my minde from enuies tuch, 377 That neuer giues to any man his right, 378 I here pronounce this workmanship is such, 379 As that no pen can set it forth too much. 380 381 And thus I hang a garland at the dore, 382 Not for to shew the goodnes of the ware: 383 But such hath beene the custome heretofore, 384 And customes very hardly broken are. 385 And when your tast shall tell you this is trew, 386 Then looke you giue your hoast his vtmost dew._ 387 Ignoto. 388 359 360 To look upon a work of rare device, device > make, devising 361 Which a workman sets out to view, view > [be viewed; the view of others] 362 And not to yield it the deserved price price > prize; praise; price (all three words have common ancestor) 363 That to such a workmanship is due, 364 Does either prove the judgement to be naught 365 Or else does show a mind with envy fraught. fraught > filled 366 367 To labour to commend a piece of work, 368 Which no man goes about to discommend, discommend > disparage 369 Would raise a jealous doubt that there did lurk 370 Some secret doubt whereto the praise did tend. 371 For when men know the goodness of the wine, 372 'Tis needless for the host to have a sign. sign > (In a largely illiterate age, inns were identified by a painted sign depicting, for example, a boar's head or crossed keys, and from this the inn took its name) 373 374 Thus then to show my judgement to be such 375 As can discern of colours black and white, 376 As als to free my mind from envy's touch, als > also