otherwise may happely seem tedious and confused. So humbly craving the
continuance of your honourable favour towards me, and th' eternall
establishment of your happines, I humbly take leave.

Yours most humbly affectionate,

EDM. SPENSER.

23 Januarie, 1589.

[1] The letter served as an introduction to the first three books of the
_Faerie Queene_.

[2] An allusion to Sir Walter Raleigh's poem _Cynthia_.

* * * * *

_To the Right Noble and Valorous Knight_,

SIR WALTER RALEIGH,

_Lord Wardein of the Stanneryes, and Lieftenaunt of Cornewaile_,

To thee that art the sommers Nightingale,
Thy soveraigne Goddesses most deare delight,
Why doe I send this rustick Madrigale,
That may thy tunefull eare unseason quite?
Thou onely fit this argument to write
In whose high thoughts Pleasure hath built her bowre,
And dainty Love learnd sweetly to endite.