II. But never let th' enfample of the bad As white feemes fayrer macht with blacke attone: Ne all are shamed by the fault of one : II. 2. for good, by paragone Of evill, may more notably be rad ;] It is a maxim in the schools that things are knowable by their contraries: eadem eft fcientia contrariorum. Whether Spenfer had Chaucer before him or Berni, I leave to the reader: The fentiment and expreffions agree: See Troil. and Creff. i. 638. 66 By his contrarie' is every thing declared "For how might ever sweetnesse have be know "That never was in forrow' or fome distress: "Provali appreffo per filofofia, "Che quando due contrari sono accosto, "Più fi conosce, che stando discosto : "Intender non protraffi ben, che fia "Bianco color, fe'l nero non gli e opposto, "Il foco, e l'acqua, e' piaceri, e le pene, E per dirlo in un tratto, il male e'l bene." UPTON. II. 4. with blacke attone:] The first edition reads attonce; but the fecond and folios, more agreeable to the rhyme, attone, that is, together, at once, at one. In Chaucer. this word is varioully written; atone, atoon, atenes, atones. UPTON. Of wicked sprightes did fall from happy blis; What wonder then if one, of women all, did mis? III. Then liften, Lordings, if ye lift to weet The cause why Satyrane and Paridell dwell, That has no fkill of court nor courtefie, Ne cares what men fay of him ill or well: For all his dayes he drownes in privitie, Yet has full large to live and spend at libertie. IV. "But all his mind is fet on mucky pelfe, II. 9. did mis?] Err. So, in F. Q. ii. iii. 40. "Cannot fo eafy mis." CHURCH. III. 1. Then liften, Lordings,] Chaucer often applies this introductory form in the Canterbury Tales. Thus too, the old poem of Sir Bevis of Southampton begins: "Liften, LORDINGES; and hold you ftill: "Of doutie men tell you I will." And Robert Brunne in the fame manner begins the Prologue to his Chronicle, ed. Hearn, vol. i. 96. "LORDINGES, that be now here, "If you will liften and lere, "All the ftory of Inglande." This address to the LORDINGES, requesting their filence and attention, is a manifest indication that these ancient pieces were originally fung to the harp, or recited before grand affemblies, upon folemn occafions. T. WARTON. III. 5. Therein &c.] This is the account given by the Squire of Dames. CHURCH. Ibid. a cancred crabbed Carle does dwell,] A cancred Carle is a Northern expreffion, and means an ill-natured old man. There is a familiar ballad in Scotland, commencing with "My Daddy is a cancred Carle." TODD. To hoord up heapes of evill-gotten masse, For which he others wrongs, and wreckes himfelfe: Yet is he lincked to a lovely Laffe, Whofe beauty doth her bounty far furpaffe; The which to him both far unequall yeares And alfo far unlike conditions has; For the does ioy to play emongst her peares, And to be free from hard reftraynt and gealous feares. V. "But he is old, and withered like hay, eye; IV. 3. For which he others wrongs, &c.] The poet feems to have had in his mind I. Sam. xxv. 3, 8, 9, &c. the character of the churlish Nabal, TODD. IV. 5. her bounty] So Spenfer's own editions, and the edition of 1751, read. The fenfe is, Whofe beauty is greater than her goodness. See the note on bounty, F. Q. iii. i. 49. The folios and Hughes read "his bounty," which entirely alters the fenfe. CHURCH. Mr. Upton prefers "his bounty" as the eafier reading; but he feems not to have attended to the meaning of the old word bounty; for he interprets the original reading by "her bounty either in the difpofal of her charms or of her money being ftinted by the watchfulness and covetoufnefs of her husband :" This is a very forced explanation. I conform therefore to the original reading. Tonfon's edition in 1758, as well as Mr. Upton, reads "his bounty." TODD. V. 5. his other blincked eye;] That is, his teft eye. See the note on F. Q. ii. iv. 4. UPTON. Ne fuffreth he refort of living wight But in close bowre her mewes from all mens Depriv'd of kindly ioy and naturall delight. VI. "Malbecco he, and Hellenore fhe hight; 66 to stay A womans will which is difpofd to go aftray. VI. 1. Malbecco he, and Hellenore fhe hight; Unfitly yokt together in one teeme.] His name is derived from male and becco, a cuckold or wittal; becco fignifies likewise a buck-goat, to which perhaps he alludes, C. x. ft. 47. "And like a goat, emongst the goats did ruth." So cabron in Spanish fignifies both a he-goat and a cuckold. Her name is derived from Helena: and both were unfitly yok'd in one teeme. Compare Hor. Od. I. xxxiii. "Sic vifum Veneri; cui placet impares Spenfer's Malbecco is pointedly alluded to by Niccols, in his VI. 4. "the old Malbeccoes of our age, "Who iuftly beare cornuted Vulcans badge." TODD. but he seeme] Unless he feeine. See the note on but, F. Q. iii. viii. 50. TODD. VII. "In vaine he feares that which he cannot fhonne : For who wotes not, that womans fubtiltyes Can guylen Argus, when the lift misdonne? It is not yron bandes, nor hundred eyes, Nor brafen walls, nor many wakefull spyes, That can withhold her wilfull-wandring feet ; But faft goodwill, with gentle courtesyes, And timely service to her pleasures meet, May her perhaps containe that else would algates fleet." VIII. "Then is he not more mad," fayd Paridell, "That hath himselfe unto fuch fervice fold, In dolefull thraldome all his dayes to dwell? For fure a foole I doe him firmely hold, That loves his fetters, though they were of gold. But why doe wee devife of others ill, Whyles thus we fuffer this fame Dotard old VII. 2. For who wotes not, that womans fubtiltyes Can guylen Argus, &c.] Ovid, Amor. III. iv. 19. "Centum fronte oculos, centum cervice gerebat "Argus; et hos unus fæpe fefellit Amor." And Horace, Carm. III. xvi. "Inclufam Danaën turris aënea, "Robuftæque fores, et vigilum canum "Triftes excubiæ munierant fatis, &c." JORTIN. VIII. 7. Whyles thus we fuffer &c.] The construction is, Whyles thus we fuffer this fame old Dotard, of his owne will, |