CONTENTS. PAGE 3 THE SECOND BOOK OF THE FAERIE QUEENE, CONTAINING THE LEGEND SPENSER'S POETICAL WORKS. A LETTER OF THE AUTHOR'S, EXPOUNDING HIS WHOLE INTENTION IN THE COURSE OF THIS WORK; WHICH, FOR THAT IT GIVETH GREAT LIGHT TO THE READER, FOR THE BETTER UNDERSTANDING HEREUNTO ANNEXED. IS TO THE RIGHT NOBLE AND VALOROUS SIR WALTER RALEIGH, knight, LO. WARDEN OF THE STANNERIES AND HER MAJESTY'S LIEUTENANT OF THE COUNTY OF CORNWALL. SIR, Knowing how doubtfully all allegories may be construed, and this book of mine, which I have entituled "The Faery Queene," being a continued allegory, or dark Conceit, I have thought good as well for avoiding of jealous opinions and misconstructions, as also for your better light in reading thereof, (being so by you commanded,) to discover unto you the general intention and meaning, which in the whole course thereof I have fashioned, without expressing of any particular purposes, or by-accidents, therein occasioned. The general end therefore of all the book is to fashion a gentleman or noble person in virtuous and gentle discipline: which for that I conceived should be most plausible and pleasing, being coloured with an historical fiction, the which the most part of men delight to read, rather for variety of matter than for profit of the ensample, I chose the |