that he gave the poet £1,000 (equal to £12,000 now-a-days) to complete
a special purchase. Whether this story be true or not, it is certain
that Lord Southampton was a most liberal patron of letters.

4 _Presents thee with_, Presentes you with.

5 "Ne" = Nor, A.S.; _unchastitie_, inchastitye.

6 _painting_, paynting; _things_, thinges; _hidden are_, hidden be.

7 & 8 In Rawl. MS. these lines are transposed. _Since all men act_,
sith most men marke; _speache declare_, speech descrie; _Onlie_, only;
_varietie_, varyetye.

9 _Complants and praises euery one_, Complayntes & prayses every man.

10 _passion out_, passion forth; _their pangu's_, there loue; _statlie
rimes_, statly rime.

11 _pleasures none_, pleasure non; _euer write_, e're indite.

12 _theis latter times_, this latter time.

13 _Deare Lord_, deare loue. A significant reading in view of the
absence of the dedication in the Rawl. MS. "_Accept ... in gentle
gree_," to take kindly.

14 _And better lynes ere long_, And better farr, ere long (_see_
Introduction).