586 587 588 _To the right honourable the Lord of Buckhurst, one 589 of her Maiesties priuie Counsell_. 590 591 IN vain I thinke right honourable Lord, 592 By this rude rime to memorize thy name; 593 Whose learned Muse hath writ her owne record, 594 In golden verse, worthy immortal fame: 595 Thou much more fit (were leasure to the same) 596 Thy gracious Souerain praises to compile. 597 And her imperiall Maiestie to frame, 598 In loftie numbers and heroicke stile. 599 But sith thou maist not so, giue leaue a while 600 To baser wit his power therein to spend, 601 Whose grosse defaults thy daintie pen may file, 602 And vnaduised ouersights amend. 603 But euermore vouchsafe it to maintaine 604 Against vile Zoilus backbitings vaine. 605 588 _To the Right Honourable the Lord of Buckhurst, one Lord of Buckhurst > (Thomas Sackville, 1st Earl of Dorset and Baron Buckhurst, 1536-1608, an accomplished poet) 589 of her Majesty's Privy Council_ 590 591 In vain I think, right honourable lord, 592 By this rude rhyme to memorize your name; rude > {Unpolished, lacking in literary skill} memorize > commemorate 593 Whose learned Muse has written her own record, 594 In golden verse, worthy immortal fame: worthy > [worthy of] 595 You much more fit (were leisure to the same) You > [You are] were leisure to the same > [had you the leisure] 596 Your gracious sovereign's praises to compile. 597 And her imperial majesty to frame, 598 In lofty numbers and heroic style. numbers > metrical lines; _hence:_ verses style > style; literary composition 599 But sith you may not so, give leave a while sith > since may not so > [are prevented from doing so] 600 To baser wit his power therein to spend, baser > [a] baser wit > mind 601 Whose gross faults your dainty pen may file, dainty > {Of delicate taste; hence: discerning} file > polish 602 And unadvised oversights amend. 603 But evermore vouchsafe it to maintain maintain > defend 604 Against vile Zoilus' backbitings vain. Zoilus > (A spiteful critic; unkind literary criticism in general, named after Zoilus, 400?-320 BC, grammarian and commentator on Homer) vain > futile, foolish