at Stowmarket, in Suffolk, after his return from Hamburgh. See Milton's Latin letter to him, poem, &c.
P. xxvi. ships from Troy] See Milton's Hist, of England, and the old Chroniclers; Britain was called the island of the Giants.
P. xxvii. fabling fancy] These and the following lines are merely rude sketches of some of the favourite and familiar subjects of books of chivalry and old romances,which (it is well known) formed one branch of Milton's study in his youth.
P. xxvii. Armoric King] Amadis de Gaul.
P. xxviii. tables] The old game of 'tables' is supposed to be draughts, or backgammon, I forget which of the two.
P. xxix. the enchanted wood] Alluding to Milton's Comus, a poem showing at once his classical taste and romantic studies. The five years of study which Milton passed at his father's house in Buckinghamshire, laid the massive foundation of his immense and well arranged learning; and fed his youthful genius with the richest and most select stores of poetry. Italy certainly beheld with astonishment, but without envy, the accomplished scholar and poet, from whose lips she heard the language of Tiber and Arno, as musically and correctly as from her own.
