What is "compasse"

Usage examples of "compasse".

In retiring being in the midst of a low quagmire, and minding them more than my steps, I stept fast into the quagmire, and also the Indian in drawing me forth: thus surprised, I resolved to trie their mercies, my armes I caste from me, till which none durst approch me: being ceazed on me, they drew me out and led me to the King, I presented him with a compasse diall, describing by my best meanes the use thereof, whereat he so amazedly admired, as he suffered me to proceed in a discourse of the roundnes of the earth, the course of the sunne, moone, starres and plannets, with kinde speeches and bread he requited me, conducting me where the canow lay and John Robinson slaine, with 20 or 30 arrowes in him.

Long time they thus together traueiled,Till weary of their way, they came at last,Where grew two goodly trees, that faire did spredTheir armes abroad, with gray mosse ouercast,And their greene leaues trembling with euery blast,Made a calme shadow far in compasse round:The fearefull Shepheard often there aghastVnder them neuer sat, ne wont there soundHis mery oaten pipe, but shund th'vnlucky ground.

Thus hauing past all perill, I was comeWithin the compasse of that Islands space.

He had three sonnes, all three like fathers sonnes,Like treacherous, like full of fraud and guile,Of all that on this earthly compasse wonnes:The eldest of the which was slaine erewhileBy Artegall, through his owne guilty wile.

And in his hand an huge long staffe he held,Whose top was arm'd with many an yron hooke,Fit to catch hold of all that he could weld,Or in the compasse of his clouches tooke.

No way he found to compasse his desire,But to corrupt Molanna, this her maid,Her to discouer for some secret hire:So, her with flattering words he first assaid.

First shee had a great abundance of haire, dispersed and scattered about her neck, on the crowne of her head she bare many garlands enterlaced with floures, in the middle of her forehead was a compasse in fashion of a glasse, or resembling the light of the Moone, in one of her hands she bare serpents, in the other, blades of corne, her vestiment was of fine silke yeelding divers colours, sometime yellow, sometime rosie, sometime flamy, and sometime (which troubled my spirit sore) darke and obscure, covered with a blacke robe in manner of a shield, and pleated in most subtill fashion at the skirts of her garments, the welts appeared comely, whereas here and there the starres glimpsed, and in the middle of them was placed the Moone, which shone like a flame of fire, round about the robe was a coronet or garland made with flowers and fruits.

One God, one faythe, one compasse of the see, one lande and countrie, one tungue in speakynge, one maner and trade in lyvynge, lyke courage and stomake in war, lyke quicknesse of witte to learning, hath made Englande and Scotlande bathe one.