427 Such as they be, vouchsafe them to receive, 428 And wipe their faults out of your censure grave. 429 _E. S._ 430 431 432 _To the right Honourable the Earle of Oxenford_, 433 Lord high Chamberlayne of England. &c. 434 435 REceiue most Noble Lord in gentle gree, 436 The vnripe fruit of an vnready wit: 437 Which by thy countenaunce doth craue to bee 438 Defended from foule Enuies poisnous bit. 439 Which so to doe may thee right well besit, 440 Sith th'antique glory of thine auncestry 441 Vnder a shady vele is therein writ, 442 And eke thine owne long liuing memory, 443 Succeeding them in true nobility: 444 And also for the loue, which thou doest beare 445 To th'_Heliconian_ ymps, and they to thee, 446 They vnto thee, and thou to them most deare: 447 Deare as thou art vnto thy selfe, so loue 448 That loues and honours thee, as doth behoue. 449 431 432 _To the Right Honourable the Earl of Oxford, Oxford > (Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford, 1550-1604, Burghley's son-in-law; poet and literary patron) 433 Lord High Chamberlain of England, etc._ 434 435 Receive, most noble lord, in gentle gree, gentle > noble; courteous; gentle gree > favour, goodwill 436 The unripe fruit of an unready wit: wit > mind, intelligence 437 Which by your countenance does crave to be 438 Defended from foul Envy's poisonous bit. bit > {Bite, the action of biting} 439 Which so to do may you right well besit, right > very besit > become, befit 440 Sith the antique glory of your ancestry Sith > Since antique > ancient 441 Under a shady veil is therein written, 442 And eke your own long living memory, eke > also 443 Succeeding them in true nobility: 444 And also for the love which you do bear 445 To the Heliconian imps, and they to you, Heliconian imps > (Mount Helicon is the abode of the Muses; imps = offspring; hence: poets) 446 They to you, and you to them most dear: 447 Dear as you are to yourself, so love 448 That loves and honours you, as does behove. That > [He who]