605 606 607 _To the right honourable Sir Fr. Walsingham knight, 608 principall Secretary to her Maiesty, and of her 609 honourable priuy Counsell_. 610 611 THat Mantuane Poetes incompared spirit, 612 Whose girland now is set in highest place, 613 Had not _Mec{oe}nas_ for his worthy merit, 614 It first aduaunst to great _Augustus_ grace, 615 Might long perhaps haue lien in silence bace, 616 Ne bene so much admir'd of later age. 617 This lowly Muse, that learns like steps to trace, 618 Flies for like aide vnto your Patronage; 619 That are the great _Mecenas_ of this age, 620 As wel to al that ciuil artes professe 621 As those that are inspird with Martial rage, 622 And craues protection of her feeblenesse: 623 Which if ye yield, perhaps ye may her rayse 624 In bigger tunes to sound your liuing prayse. 625 E. S. 626 606 607 _To the Right Honourable Sir Francis Walsingham, Knight, Francis Walsingham > (1530?-1590, appointed Principal Secretary in 1573; with Essex and Lord Burghley, one of the triumvirate which effectively governed England on the Queen's behalf) 608 Principal Secretary to her Majesty, and of her 609 honourable Privy Council_. 610 611 That Mantuan poet's incompared spirit, Mantuan poet > (Virgil, 70-19 BC, who was born near Maro, in Mantua, northern Italy) incompared > unmatched (SUS) 612 Whose garland now is set in highest place, 613 Had not Maecenas for his worthy merit Maecenas > (Gaius Cilnius Maecenas, 73?-8 BC, a Roman statesman, patron of Virgil and Horace. He brought Virgil to the attention of Augustus Caesar) 614 It first advanced to great Augustus' grace, 615 Might long perhaps have lain in silence base, 616 Nor been so much admired of later age. of > by [a] 617 This lowly Muse, that learns like steps to trace, like > similar 618 Flies for like aid to your patronage; 619 (That are the great Maecenas of this age, That are > [You who are] 620 As well to all that civil arts profess As well > Both 621 As those that are inspired with martial rage), As > [And to]