The Faerie Queene

by Edmund Spenser

  41 2 infants: Arthur’s; an infant is a youth of noble birth.

  43 1 sonne of Theseus: Hippoliytus. He rejected the advances of his stepmother, Phaedra, who in anger accused him to his father of having tried to seduce her (Met. 15.500 ff). See also Boccaccio, Gen. 10.50.

  46 4 mayden messengere: Samient. See stanzas 16 ff.

  47 1 Ino: driven mad by the jealous Juno, Ino drowned both herself and her infant son Melicerta. They were changed into the sea gods Leucothoe and Palaemon (Met. 4.416-542).

  47 3 Medea: revengeful daughter of the king of Colchis and wife of Jason (Met. 7.1 ff).

  47 $ madding mother: Agave. She joined the female worshippers of Bacchus (Maenades) in tearing her son Pentheus apart (Met.3.72s ff)

  48 5 enfelon’d: made mad.

  49 7 scath: harm.

  49 9 surname: i.c, Adicia, injustice.

  CANTO 9

  1 4 mell: meddle. 3 2 late delight: i.e., his palace. 3 5 Damzell: Samient. 5–19Malengin’s name is derived from the Old French: malengin ,from the Latin: malum, ‘evil’, ingenium, ‘natural ability’. The argument to this canto calls him ‘Guyle’. His cave is like the den of Cacus (Am. 8.190; Ovid, Fasti 1.555-6). His net (stanzas 11, 14.) is like that of Caligorante (OP 15.44). His transformations (stanzas 17-19) are modelled on those of Proteus (Od. 4.399 ff, Virgil, Georgics 4.440 ff and Met. 8.731-7). See also III.8.39-41. Gough (Var., p. 233) suggests that he represents the guile of the Irish rebels who rejected British rule. 7 9 will one foot: i.e., will go one foot, hent: taken.

  10 3 boot: booty, plunder.

  12 6 Sardonian: i.e., sardonic. Upton (Var., p. 235) points out that herbs in Sardinia caused the mouth to be contorted into an expression ‘between grinning and laughing. Hence when a person feigns a laugh, or laughs with his lips only… he is said to laugh a Sardonian laugh.’

  14 1 intentiue: attentive.

  14 5 mew: den.

  16 8 courst: chased.

  17 6 wand: branch.

  18 3 slights: sleights, tricks.

  18 7 incontinent: immediately.

  19 3 might and maine: power, force.

  20 7 debonayre: French: de bonne aire, ‘of good disposition’. free: noble.

  21 6 tarras: terraces.

  22 9 scath: harm.

  25 1 Scriene: a screen separating the large hall of sixteenth-century great houses from the screens passage, which led to the kitchen.

  26 4 BON FONS: good fountain, i.e., poetic praise. The change of the spelling from BONFONSto Malfont would not have troubled an Elizabethan reader trained in Latin (fons,fontis). Spenser is saying that the poet has not praised but slandered, and he will make slander the central vice of Book VI.

  27 9 Lyons and with Flourdelice: the insignia on the royal arms of England (the lion) and France (the fleur-de-lis). The two were combined in 1340 as a sign- of King Edward Ill’s claim to the French crown and were dissociated again in 1802 at the peace of Amiens.

  28–32Spenser’s description of Mercilla is an allegorical representation of Elizabeth I as dispenser of mercy and emphasizes the theological sanctions of her power with angels upholding her ‘ cloth of state’, and the Litae (Greek: ‘prayers’), who were begotten by Jove on Themis, Greek goddess of justice. The offspring of Jove and Themis in classical literature (Hesiod, Theogony 901-2) were the hours (Horae), Dice (justice), Eunomia (good government) and Eirene (peace). To these classical figures Spenser adds Temperance and Reverence. Reverence is an attribute of justice brought into the tradition by Guillaume de Conches and Alanus de Insulis (see Tuve, Allegorical Imagery, p. 68).

  29 9 kesars: caesars, rulers.

  33 7 quich: quetch, move, stir.

  33 9 royne: growl. The lion became the symbol of the power of England during the reign of Henry I, whom Geoffrey of Monmouth called ‘the Lion of Justice’.

  34 5 boone: prayer.

  34 7 stoupe: act of condescension, a term taken from falconry.

  35 2 brim: horizon? 35 4 adaw: daunt.

  35 9 entertake: entertain.

  36 4 indifferent: impartial.

  37 7 scand: examined.

  38–50These stanzas are Spenser’s depiction of the trial of Mary Queen of Scots in 1586. She is called Duessa to link her to the villainess of Book I, a fact that did not escape Mary’s son, James VI of Scotland (later James I of England), who asked that Spenser be punished for slandering the Queen (For., p. 244). Mary Stuart became queen of Scotland when she was one week old (1542), on the death of her father James V, who was the son of the Earl of Angus and Margaret Tudor, elder sister of Henry VIII, thus making Mary a possible heir to the throne of England. Mary’s mother, Mary of Lorraine, came from the powerful Guise family. She was the sister of Francois I, king of France, and at his death in 1547 her brothers, the Due de Guise and the Cardinal of Lorraine, were virtual rulers of France during the minority of Henri II. The Guise family may be allegorized in Guizor (V.6.33). Mary was sent to Paris to be reared at the French court and in 1558 was married to her French cousin Francois, thus becoming the Queen of France at the age of sixteen. Francois died in 1560, and Mary returned to Scotland, now controlled by the Protestant faction led by John Knox since the death of Mary of Lorraine in the same year. Mary returned to a country unprepared for her militant espousal of Roman Catholicism. She married Henry Stewart, Lord Darnley, in 1565, to whom she bore James VI. Her affair with the Earl of Bothwell and the assassination of her husband forced her to flee Scotland in 1568. She was kept under house arrest by Elizabeth from this time, until her constant attempts to return to her own throne and to gain the throne of England forced Elizabeth to try, convict, and execute her in 1587. Her execution was a blow to the theory of monarchy. The monarch was above the law, and Mary was not only a queen but a foreign queen. Elizabeth’s decision to bring Mary to trial established a precedent that would claim the head of a later king, Charles I, Mary’s grandson (1649), and undermine the theory of absolute monarchy. Mary was for the Elizabethans an ambiguous figure: either malevolent threat or princely martyr. For the conflicting opinions about Mary see James E. Phillips, Images of a Queen: Mary Stuart m Sixteenth~Century Literature (Berkeley, 1964).

  39 4 Zele: Spenser may have in mind Lord Burleigh, who led the prosecution of Mary with considerable zeal.

  39 6 enured: committed,

  41 3 Bhmdamour and Paridell: Bkndamour first appears in IV. 1.32.4 and Paridell in IH.8.45.6. Here they refer to the Earls of Northumberland and Arundcl, who were probably involved in a plot to assassinate Queen Elizabeth in 1583.

  43 1 fact: deed.

  44 1 appose: examine.

  45 5 Daunger: see III.12.11.1 and IV. 10.17.1.

  45 6 forren powre: The foreign powers were France, of which Mary was once queen, and the Papacy, to which Mary always maintained her allegiance.

  48 8 Adulterie: Mary’s affairs with David Ricdo, whose murder had been instigated by Lord Darnley, and with the Earl of Bothwell, who was presumably responsible for Darnley’s murder.

  SO Spenser has often been accused of trying to vindicate Elizabeth’s sentence on Mary for merely political reasons, or of rewriting history, but the crux is ‘let’ in line s, which means ‘prevent, hinder’. It should not be read as ‘allow’, which is the meaning of’let’ in line 6. Spenser’s pun on ‘let’ fits what we know of Elizabeth’s attitude toward the execution of her cousin.

  CANTO 10

  1 1 Clarkes: clerks, scholars. deuicefull: ingenious. 1 4 extreate: extraction.

  3 6 Armericke: Armoricke (Breton) or American. 3 7 Molucas: the Spice Islands, near New Guinea.

  6 2 Springals: young men, probably the two provinces Zeeland and

  Holland.

  7 Belgce: The Beige episode (10.7-11.35) treats the oppression of the Low Countries by Spain. Beige’s seventeen ‘sonnes’ are the seventeen provinces which comprised the Low Countries. In 1580 five of the provinces threw off their allegiance to Philip II (see stanza 8.1-2) and in 1584 offered Elizabeth the sovereignty, which sh
e refused. In 158s she sent Leicester and an army of seven thousand to aid the provinces. Although the expedition arrived too late to save the besieged city of Antwerp, the provinces were overjoyed with Leicester, to whom they offered the governorship, which he accepted. His acceptance infuriated Elizabeth, who recalled him. When he returned to the Low Countries, the effect of British intervention had been dissipated, although some victories against Spanish oppression had been achieved. Most notable was the battle of Zutphen, in which Sir Philip Sidney was mortally wounded. Spenser models some details of this episode on Orlando’s rescue of Olimpia in Holland (OF 9.17 ff)-

  7 8–9Niobe, the mother of seven sons and seven daughters, boasted of her fecundity in contempt of the two children of Latona: Apollo and Diana, who to avenge their mother’s honour killed the fourteen children and had Niobe changed into a weeping rock (Met. 6.146 ff). 8–10fell Tyrant: Gerioneo, with his triple body, represents Philip II’s power, which controlled Spain, Portugal and the Low Countries. The name is derived from Geryon, a monster mentioned in Am. 7.662 and Natalis Comes, 7.1. For other references see Var., p. 250. Milton, following Spenser, makes the association of Geryon with Spain (PL 11.410-11). As one of his twelve labours Hercules had to steal Geryon’s cattle, guarded by his herdsman Eurytion and the two-headed dog Orthrus, whose parentage Spenser derived from Hesiod, Theogony, 306–9or Silius Italicus, 13.845. Spenser makes Echidna the mother of the Blatant Beast (VI.6.9.0).

  8 1 tortious: harmful.

  9 8 kyne: cows, cattle. 11 3 Alcides: Hercules.

  13 7 -9 Probably the Inquisition, introduced by Charles V to the Low Countries. The Idole is the Roman Catholic observance of Christianity, the mode of worship in Spain.

  15 9 for his former feat: i.e., because of his rescue of Samient from the

  Souldan (V. 8).

  16 4 fare: progress.

  16 5 purple: bright (Latin: purpureus, ‘bright’).

  16 6 Indian fount: i.e., the east, whence the sun rises.

  16 9 care and count: important consideration.

  17 Arthur’s separation from Arthegall is characteristic of Spenser’s use of Arthur in the action of the poem. In Book II Arthur and Guyon take on separate tasks in cantos 10-12, providing another structural parallel between Books II and V.

  21 5 trauell: travail.

  23 4 cities sackt: the Duke of Alva, Philip II’s governor, had ordered any city that would not support a garrison of Spanish troops to be sacked and every inhabitant killed (1572). See Gough, p. 297. 23 5 Raced: razed. 23 7 ewftes: lizards. 23 8 hostry: lodging, shelter. 25 1 Citiefarrevp land: probably the besieged Antwerp that Leicester came too late to rescue. According to Gough, Antwerp was the richest dty in

  Europe at the time. 25 6 Shut vp her hauen: the Duke of Alva built a bridge across the Scheldt river to keep supplies from Antwerp.

  25 8 in her necke: i.e., on the river Scheldt, which was Antwerp’s access to trade. a Castle: the Duke of Alva had built a citadel in Antwerp in 1567 to support Spanish domination.

  26 9 recure: remedy.

  27 2 inquisition: suppression. The word bears some of the weight of the

  Roman Catholic Inquisition, the heresy-hunting court introduced into die Low Countries by Charles V and enforced by his son Philip II. In 1568 the Inquisition condemned to death all the inhabitants except for a few, specifically named,

  27 9 Idole: see note to 13.7-9.

  28 The description of Gerioneo’s chapel and altar is Spenser’s depiction of the Roman Catholic Mass, in which the central part of the liturgy is still called the ‘sacrifice’ (1.6), the memorial re-enactment of Christ’s Last Supper (Matthew 26.26-8). Protestants regarded the re-enactment as a symbolic memorial, while Roman Catholics saw it as an actual renewal of Christ’s sacrifice, the wine and bread becoming the body and blood of Christ. The theological point was a primary source of dissension among Protestants and Catholics, who sacrificed both flesh and blood in support of one side or the other of the controversy.

  28 9 agrize: horrify.

  30 2 Seneschall: steward, the Duke of Alva.

  32 7 empight: might penetrate.

  33 3 haberieon: coat of mail.

  34 4 middle race: middle of the course, 34 S enchace: hunt.

  34 6 Culuerings: large cannons. bat trie: bombardment.

  35 8 mother deare: i.e., the earth.

  36 6 ouerhent: overtook.

  37 2 sperre: bolt.

  37 s Posterne: rear door.

  37 9 skreene: screen, separating the hall of great houses from the screens passage, which led to the kitchen.

  38 7 lore: left. .

  39 8 cherished: entertained kindly. 39 9 balefull: full of pain or suffering.

  CANTO 11

  4 2 Sparre: bolt. 8 8 childe: knight. 8 9 mall: knock down.

  10 2 buckled to his geare: i.e., ready for the encounter. 10 7 th’Adamantine shield: Arthur’s diamond shield (cf. I.7.33-6; V.8.37-8). 12 3 band: swore. 12 7 chaufe: chafe. 14 3 for the nonce: for the purpose. 16–17This stanza is an allegory of Leicester’s acceptance of the governorship of the five provinces, an act that angered Elizabeth. See note to V.10.7.

  Spenser makes Arthur’s acceptance of his honours more decorous than Leicester’s historical response. See J. £. Neale, Queen Elizabeth I, pp. 292-3.

  16 7 impes: children. 19 2 Idole: the Inquisition. See note to 10.27.2. The ruthless measures enforced by the Inquisition are compared to blood sacrifices to the heathen gods; see Leviticus 18.21; Psalms 106.37-8; 2 Kings 23.10; Jeremiah 32.35.

  20 2 -24 monster: Spenser states that Geryon had a dragon born of Typhaon and Echidna. Spenser follows closely the description of the sphinx in Natalis Comes, 9.18.

  20 5 kend: knew.

  23 5 Echidna: see V.10.10.8 and VI.6.9-12.

  25 2 Monster: the sphinx, whose riddle Oedipus, the “Unban Knight’, guessed. A wrong answer to the Inquisition meant almost certain death.

  25 3 fatall progeny: Oedipus and his children brought disaster to Thebes. His sons Eteocles and Polyneices killed each other; his daughter Antigone was imprisoned for burying Polyneices.

  27 5 hend: hold.

  29 3 bulke: hull.

  32 4 Lenta: a marsh near Argos, home of the Hydra, killed by Hercules as one of his twelve labours (Met. 9.69). Stygian lake: the river Styx in Hades.

  32 5 awhaped: amazed.

  34 3 in ray: in a row, in order.

  34 7 vulgar: common people.

  36 4 franchisement: deliverance.

  37–8Sir Sergis is probably Sir Henry Sidney, father of Sir Philip and a friend of Leicester. He was Elizabeth’s Lord Deputy in Ireland until 1578. His warnings about papal instigations to make the Irish rebel went unheeded. In 1580 Elizabeth dispatched Lord Grey de Wilton, to whom Spenser was secretary, to handle the growing rebellion.

  39 3 saluage Hands: Ireland.

  41 Arthegall’s apology for his delay may refer to Elizabeth’s vacillation) about sending aid to Ireland.

  43–65The episode of Sir Burbon is a retelling of recent French history. Burbon figures Henri de Navarre, head of the house of Bourbon. In 1589 Henri was designated king of France by Henri III, the last of the Valois kings. Navarre was of the Protestant persuasion, but altercations about his Protestantism and the long delay in crowning him led him in 1593 to embrace Roman Catholicism with his famous remark: ‘Paris vaut bien me messe’ (Paris is well worth a Mass). He was crowned in 1594.

  44 6 rakehell: scoundrelly.

  45 4 large dispence: great liberality (Old French: despense, ‘spending1). 47 6 recule: recoil.

  49 6 Flottrdetis: France, whose emblem is the fleur-de-lis.

  51 1 troupe of villains: the Roman Catholic populace of France, tie1 rakehell bands’ of stanza 44.

  52 Burbon’s abandonment of his shield represents Henri de Navarre’s submission to Roman Catholicism.

  53 2 Redcross’s knighting of Burbon refers to Henri’s baptism and upbringing as a Protestant.

  53 4 endosse: insc
ribe.

  54 4 scutchin: shield.

  55 6 stile: title.

  56 4 terme: terms.

  57 6 wyte: blame.

  58 5 glayues: clubs.

  58 7 Boreas: the north wind.

  61 5 ff The lady’s reluctance to accept Burbon probably indicates some of the resentment Henri caused by renouncing his religion.

  61 7 meed: some editors emend to hyre for the sake of rhyme.

  62 9 Phebus lampe: the sun.

  64 9 apayd: pleased.

  65 9 terme: the ten days before Irena is put to death. See stanzas 39-40.

  CANTO 12

  Arg. 1–2These lines apply to the action of the preceding canto, stanzas

  43-65-

  1 1 Imitation of Aen. 3.56 ff. 1 3 that deuilsbindes:cf. James 2.19: “Thou believest that there is one God: thou doest well; the devils also believe, and tremble.’

  3 Arthegall’s task of rescuing Irena was assigned him by Gloriana in V.1.3, 4, 13.

  4 6 with the coast did fall: nautical term; i.e., reached the coast 6 1 old knight: Sir Sergis of canto 11, stanzas 37 ff.

  6 7 reare: direct

  8 9 single fight: the common practice of deciding an issue not by general slaughter but by the victory of one knight over another. Cf. Prince Hal’s offer to Hotspur in Shakespeare’s 1 Henry IV, 5.1.83 ff.

  9 1 reclayme: call back, a term from falconry. 10 3 he: Grantorto.

  10 4 him once to entertaine: i.e., to offer hospitality to ArthegalL 10 7 did so well him paine: i.e., took such great pains. 13 Rose: imitated from OF 32.108 and GL 20.129. Cf. also IV.12.34 and VI.2.35.

  13 9 farre day: late in the day.

  14 Grantorto is armed like an Irish gailogias, or foot soldier, whom Spenser describes in his View of the Present State of Ireland: ‘in a long shirt of mayle down to the calfe of his legg with a long brode axe in his hand’.

  14 4 deadly feare: fear of death.

  15 8 gerne: bare his teeth, snarl.

  16 1 listes: area appointed for single combat.

  18 8 vereth his mainsheat: i.e., loosens one end of the mainsail to reduce die pressure of the wind. 23 2 Chrysaor: Arthegall’s sword; but see V.5.21.

  23 3 souse: blow.

  27 1 Lord Grey de Wilton, who had broken the force of die rebellious Htz