1590: the 1590 quarto edition (Books I-III) 1596: the 1596 quarto edition (Books I-VI) 1609: the 1609 folio edition (Books I-VII) FE: the corrigenda (Faults Escaped in the Print) which accompany 1590 (Books I-III) In the Textual Appendix, all original text is shown in "roman" type, except where it occurs in italic type in the sources. All editorial comment in the Textual Appendix is shown in "italic" type. Examples (a) Departures from the text of 1596 Elfe > Elfe, _1596_ The lection from 1590 and 1609 is to be preferred, since 1596 (with an extraneous comma) appears to be in error. sawe > saw _1596, 1609_ The lection from 1590 is to be preferred. there > their _1590, 1596_ The lection from 1609 is to be preferred. that > _omitted from 1596_ The word has been supplied from the lection of 1590 and 1609. who > _omitted from 1596 and 1609_ The word has been supplied from 1590. has > _omitted from 1590 and 1596_ The word has been supplied from 1609. wite > wote _1590 etc.; this correction is generally agreed_. All three editions contain a blatant error, which has been corrected by editorial conjecture. those > these _1590 etc.: FE_ All three editions are in error and the word has been supplied from FE. Harrow > Horrow _1590, 1596: FE_ The error occurs in 1590 and 1596, and was corrected in 1609 from FE. (b) Variants on the text of 1596 in her sight > to her might _1590_ The variant occurs in 1590, but not in 1596 or 1609. traile > trayle _1609_ The variant occurs in 1609, but not in 1590 or 1596. fair > fayre, _1590_; Faire _1609_ These two variants occur in 1590 and 1609, so that the word in question is different in all three editions. hand > hond _sugg. Morris_ Morris (see Bibliography) suggested this alternative to the given text. So that any reader will be able to start anywhere and understand any stanza immediately, I have glossed even the common archaisms throughout (e.g. "gan", "eftsoons", "wont"). Occasionally, however, as with "squire", or "palmer", or "foster", when repetitious glossing would be locally irritating, I have glossed the word once or twice only at the beginning of each canto. Thus it is possible that you will alight somewhere and find an unknown word unglossed. If this should happen, you will almost certainly be able to find the word glossed in at least one other place earlier in the canto. Or, if it is does not seem to be glossed at all, you will find it in any competent concise English dictionary. SUGGESTIONS FOR NEW READERS Readers who are new to _The Faerie Queene_ and who are working without the help of a teacher may be daunted by its sheer size. Such readers are invited to sample some of the poem before deciding to embark on a detailed reading.