# Sonnet XI explained — The Faerie Queene

> Chapter companion for The Faerie Queene by Edmund Spenser.

## What happens

The poet addresses the right honourable Lord of Buckhurst, acknowledging that his own rude rhyme cannot adequately memorialize the Lord's name, whose learned Muse has already written her own record in golden verse. He suggests the Lord is more fit to praise the Sovereign, but asks him to allow baser wit to spend its power, with the hope that the Lord's daintier pen may file and amend the poet's gross defaults and unadvised oversights, and to maintain the work against vain backbitings.

## Key lines

> In vain I thinke, right honourable Lord, By this rude ryme to memorize thy name, Whose learned Muse hath writ her owne record In golden verse, worthy immortal fame

I believe it is futile, right honourable Lord, to try to immortalize your name with this rough poem, since your own learned Muse has already recorded it in golden verse deserving of eternal fame.

_The poet humbly acknowledges the Lord's superior poetic accomplishments._

> Thou much more fit (were leasure to the same) Thy gracious Soverains praises to compile, And her imperiall Majestic to frame In loftie numbers and heroicke stile.

You are much more suited, if you had the leisure, to compose praises for your gracious Sovereign and to depict her imperial Majesty in lofty numbers and heroic style.

_The poet suggests the Lord should be the one to praise the Queen._

> But, sith thou maist not so, give leave a while To baser wit his power therein to spend, Whose grosse defaults thy daintie pen may file, And unadvised oversights amend.

But since you cannot do that, allow a lesser wit to spend his power on it, whose gross faults your refined pen may smooth over and correct any unadvised mistakes.

_The poet asks for permission to write, hoping the Lord will correct his errors._

> But evermore vouchsafe it to maintaine Against vile Zoilus backbitings vaine.

But always deign to defend it against the vile and vain backbitings of Zoilus.

_The poet requests the Lord's protection against critics._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_faerie_queene_se/chapters/sonnet-xi
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- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_faerie_queene_se/chapters