1. vowed: devoted

1. syte: E.K.

3. what wants me: 'what do I lack'

8. attemper: bring into harmony

12. ytost: disturbed; agitated

18. Forsake the soyle: E.K.

19. me: for me

19. those hilles: E.K.

19. harbrough: both harbor and arbor

19. nis: E.K.

20. witche: wych elm

21. the dales: E.K.

23. night Rauens: E.K.

24. eluish: spiteful; mischievous

24. gastly: causing terror, ghastly

24. flee: fly

25. frendly Faeries: E.K.

27. Heydeguyes: E.K.

27. trimly trodden traces: ‘Lightly measured dance steps’

34. lincks: chains

35. peeres: E.K.

39. wexen old aboue: ‘become frayed on the surface’

43. Queene apples: E.K.

45. gaudy: fine; ornate; showy

45. comen: common, habitual

46. rype: mature

53. spring: E.K.

55. Frame to: fashion according to

57. Calliope: E.K.

64. outgoe: surpass

65. conne no skill: have no understanding

68. For sith . . . stroue: E.K.

74. passe: surpass

75. sittes not, followe: ‘is not proper to pursue’.

76. where falls hem best: ‘where it is best for them to be’; 'where the best befalls them'.

79. me: for me

79. paint out: depict graphically

80. poore: pour

81. Tityrus: E.K.

82. make: compose

84. loue ytake: taken by love

90. O why: E.K.

91. passing: surpassing; short-lived

95. learne: teach

97. discurtesee: E.K.

100. poynt . . . wight: E.K.

102. Menalcas: E.K.

103. vnderfong: E.K.

110. fere: mate (suggesting wife)

119. forsloe: hinder

120. trace: follow

14. for . . . preferment: ‘To secure a better position’.

26. religiously: persistently, faithfully

29. shauelings: tonsured monks

30. nousell: foster

33. packed pelfe: bundled-up wealth or booty

33. Massepenie: Monetary offering made at Mass.

34. distraicte: divided

38. frowarde: perverse

63. staffe: line, stanza

65. Clarion: shrill-sounding trumpet

68. partiall affection: favoritism