The Faerie Queene · Chapter
Sonnet XVI explained
The poet addresses the most virtuous and beautiful Lady Carew, acknowledging that he cannot omit her from his work without incurring endless blame.
What happens
The poet addresses the most virtuous and beautiful Lady Carew, acknowledging that he cannot omit her from his work without incurring endless blame. He offers a humble tribute, recognizing that his simple verses cannot fully capture her glorious ornaments of heavenly grace and the tyranny she exercises over subdued hearts. He promises a more ample display of his good will when timely means permit.
Key passages
“Ne may I, without blot of endlesse blame, You, fairest Lady, leave out of this place; But with remembraunce of your gracious name, Wherewith that courtly garlond most ye grace And deck the world, adorne these verses base.”
I cannot, without the stain of eternal reproach, omit you, fairest Lady, from this work; instead, I will remember your gracious name, which adorns the courtly garland and beautifies the world, and thus embellish these humble verses.
The poet justifies including the lady in his poem, framing it as a necessary act to avoid disgrace.
“Not that these few lines can in them comprise Those glorious ornaments of hevenly grace, Wherewith ye triumph over feeble eyes, And in subdued harts do tyranyse;”
Not that these few lines can contain those glorious ornaments of heavenly grace with which you triumph over weak eyes and tyrannize over conquered hearts.
The poet acknowledges the inadequacy of his verse to capture the lady's divine beauty and power.
“For thereunto doth need a golden quill, And silver leaves, them rightly to devise; But to make humble present of good will: Which, whenas timely meanes it purchase may, In ampler wise it selfe will forth display.”
To properly describe them would require a golden pen and silver pages; but for now, I offer only a humble gift of good will, which, when timely means allow, will display itself more fully.
The poet promises a more elaborate tribute in the future, constrained by present limitations.