The Faerie Queene

by Edmund Spenser

  Spenser’s Book of Justice deals specifically with historical events of Spenser’s time. Arthegall, the knight of justice, has been identified with Lord Grey de Wilton, Elizabeth’s deputy in Ireland, to whom Spenser was secretary (see notes to Dedicatory Sonnets). He has also been identified with Sir Philip Sidney. Much critical controversy could have been spared us if readers had recognized that an allegorical reading can include both historical figures, for each was dedicated to the Protestant cause. Arthegall’s task is to rescue Irena, whose name derives from the Greek, eirene, ‘peace’, and Iema, the ancient Gaelic name for the island. Spenser calls himself’Irenius’ in A View of the Present State of Ireland (published posthumously in 1633), the tract expounding his thoughts on the solution to the ‘Irish problem’. Ireland, since it maintained its allegiance to the Church of Rome in spite of being annexed to Protestant England, became the target for subversive attacks on British Protestantism. (England still had ties with the Pope and with Philip II of Spain, who had been married (1554-8) to Mary Tudor, Elizabeth I’s sister and predecessor on the English throne.) The crisis between the Catholic and Protestant powers in Ireland during Spenser’s long residence in the country became for him a focus on the problems of establishing justice.

  The great enemy of Irena is Grantorto (Italian: gran, ‘great’, torto, ‘wrong1), Spenser’s representation of injustice against the rights of individuals and nations; he is associated with the oppressive powers of Catholicism, in the figures of the Pope and Philip of Spain. Tort is a legal term. In the sixteenth century it meant that recourse which a person had under civil law for damages done to him or to his property. At that time it still carried with it something of its original meaning, which was to give civil redress to a person against whom a felony had been committed. The law of tort was introduced into England after the Norman Conquest, purposely to aid the plaintiff to compensation for his losses. The allegorical significance of Grantorto’s name, with its legal connotations, is that he has besieged Irena to the point at which she must have recourse to justice. Grantorto’s actions are a breach of the duty imposed by the laws of God and nature. Grantorto is not being treated as a simple religious or nationalistic breach of duty. Spenser’s point is that his oppression of Irena contravenes the very laws of nature and of nature’s God, a view of Spanish or Papal oppression fundamental to Spenser’s understanding of Britain’s position in the moral and political struggles of the sixteenth century.

  Britain was surrounded in the 1580s by Roman Catholic power: Ireland (a prey to Catholic Spain), Scotland (nominally ruled by the Catholic Mary Stuart until 1587), the Low Countries (under Spanish domination), France (constantly changing from Protestant to Catholic allegiance), and Spain (almost a natural enemy because of its Catholicism and because of the importation of gold and other treasure from the New World). Much of the political history of the 1580s is allegorized in the later cantos of this book: the trial of Mary Stuart (canto 9), the problem of Spanish domination of the Low Countries (cantos 10-11), and the recusancy of Henri de Navarre (canto 12), all of which deal with the basic problem of Roman Catholic oppression. Mary Stuart, Queen of Scotland and widow of the King of France, was a claimant to the English throne by virtue of being the granddaughter of Henry VIII’s sister. Mary’s allegiance to the Roman Church and her closeness to the English throne made her a principal threat to Elizabeth I, who had Mary imprisoned in England from 1568 to 1587. She was tried, convicted, and beheaded in 1587. For a full account of the propaganda surrounding Mary see James E. Phillips, Images of a Queen (Berkeley, 1964). The Low Countries, composed of seventeen provinces (Beige and her seventeen sons), mainly Protestant in sympathy, were under the oppressive domination of Catholic Spain. Henri III, last of the Valois kings of France, named Henri de Navarre his successor, but Navarre’s Protestant sympathies forestalled his coronation until 1594, when he submitted to Rome: ‘Paris vaut bien une messe’ (Paris is well worth a Mass).

  These historical events are part of the allegory of Book V. Arthegall, who first appears to Britomart as an image in a magic mirror (III.2.17 ff) and is destined to marry her and sire the line leading to Elizabeth I (III.3.26 ff), only now has his story told. He has been educated by Astraea, goddess of justice, who fled the world’s corruption and became the constellation Virgo (Met. 1.149–50and Fasti 1.249-53). Astraea was a name commonly used to praise Elizabeth I (see Frances Yates, JWCI 10, 1947, 27-82). Astraea’s instruction of Arthegall has classical precedent in that Jupiter taught Minos, the judge of Hades, and Egeria taught Numa, king of Rome (Upton, Vat., p. 163).

  The relationship between Arthegall and Britomart is that between justice and equity (V.7.3). Spenser is following the traditional division of the virtue of justice into three parts: justice, equity, and mercy (or clemency). ‘… Justice is the absolute, measure-for-measure equation of exact reward and punishment according to the letter of the law… Equity is the talcing into account of the individual circumstances in each case, and… Mercy or Clemency is the human and divine impulse to forgive’ (James E. Phillips, HLQ 33, 1970,103-20).

  PROEM

  This proem, Spenser’s fullest statement about the decay of the world, is derived ultimately from Ovid’s conception of the four ages of the world: the golden, the silver, the brazen, and the iron (Met. 1.89 ff), to which Spenser adds ‘a stonie one’, the age in which he lived. As evidence he cites the decline of virtue in man (3-4), the shift in the positions of the signs of the zodiac (5-6) and of the planets (7-8). To this decay he opposes Saturn’s age of gold (9), Saturn’s present malevolence because of the change in the world (cf. II.9.52; III. 11.43; and ‘Mutabilitie Cantos’, VII.52.7), and the possibility of restoring the golden age through Elizabeth I (the ‘Dread Souerayne Goddesse’ of 11).

  17 is… square: i.e., is no longer following its original and proper course in the heavens.

  2 7 Pyrrha and Deucalione: the only survivors of a world-devastating flood, the classical counterpart of Noah’s flood; they re-populated the earth by throwing stones over their shoulders, from which grew living shapes that became men (Met. 1.313-415).

  2 9 degendered: degenerated.

  3 8 for most meed outhyred: i.e., hired out for the greatest price.

  5–8Spenser describes in these stanzas the movement of the planets and constellations from their prescribed places in the Ptolemaic universe. In the time of Hipparchus (second century bc) the vernal equinox (the point at which die sun crosses the equator in the spring) coincided with the appearance of the constellation Aries (the sign of the ram). By Spenser’s time the equinox almost coincided with the preceding sign of the zodiac, Pisces; thus Spenser, following the Ptolemaic theory of the universe, can say that the signs’ are wandred much’. For a fuller discussion of this point see Fowler, Spenser and the Numbers of Time, pp. 192 ff.

  5 6 Ram: the zodiacal sign for Aries (Latin: ‘ram’).

  5 7 Phrixus and Helle: see note to III.11.30.5.

  5 9 Bull: the zodiacal sign for Taurus (Latin: ‘bull’).

  Europa: see note to III.11.30.6.

  6 2 twinnes of Ioue: the Gemini, the zodiacal sign following Taurus. The rape of Leda by Jove in the shape of a swan produced the twins Castor and Pollux.

  6 3 Crab: the zodiacal sign for Cancer (Latin: ‘crab’). 6 4 Nemcean lions groue: Leo (Latin: ‘lion’), sign of the zodiac following

  Cancer. As one of his twelve labours Hercules killed the Nemean lion (Mrf. 9.197).

  7 I lampe of light: the sun, the principal planet of the Ptolemaic universe, has also shifted position. Spenser is not being scientifically precise; for the niceties of the sun’s decline see Fowler, Spenser and the Numbers of Time, p. 194.

  7 8 thirtie minutes: half a degree of the sun’s path.

  Southerne lake: the southern seas below the equator.

  8 2 Star-read: knowledge of the stars.

  8 8–9During Spenser’s time it was still believed that stellar orbits were circular. The eccentricity of the orbits of Mars and Sat
urn, the greatest of all the planets, was therefore a puzzle. Spenser connects the aberrant orbits with the movement away from the age of Saturn both morally and temporally. See also notes to ‘Mutabilitie Cantos’, VII.7.50-53.

  9 1 Satumes ancient raigne: i.e., the golden age. 11 1 Goddesse: Elizabeth I.

  11 a place: some editors emend to stead for the sake of rhyme.

  11 9 Artegall: see III.2.8.9 and note. In V Arthegall is the knight of Justice and may signify Arthur, Lord Grey de Wilton, who became Lord Lieutenant of Ireland in 1580 and to whom Spenser was secretary.

  CANTO 1

  1 8 sient: obsolete form of’scion’, stalk or shoot.

  2 1 Bacchus: or Dionysus, also called Liber, god of wine, but also known as conqueror of the eastern world (Met. 4.20 ff, 620 ff). Natalis Comes, 5.13, writes that Bacchus was deified because he was a champion of law and order. See Ovid, Fasti 3.713 ff for attributes of Bacchus as a god.

  2 6 Hercules: this is the first of many references to Hercules in Book V. Horace (Odes 3.3) links Bacchus and Hercules as defenders of justice. See Aptekar, Icons of Justice, pp. 153-214.

  3 3 Reference is made to the separation of Britomart and Arthegall in IV.6.42-6.

  7 3 equitie: see Headnote and V.7.2-3.

  8 7 heast: command.

  8 8 wreakfull: vengeful, retributive.

  8 9 steely brand: Arthegall’s sword, which is traditionally an attribute of justice. Its name, Chrysaor (Greek: ‘golden sword”), is derived from Il. 5.509,, where it is used as the name of the sword by which Jove defeated the rebellious Titans (see m.7.47 and note). See also Henley (Var., p. 164). The indestructible sword has also a tradition in the romances, e.g. Ruggiero’s sword in OP 30.58-63.

  10 2 Adamant: Greek: ‘unconquerable’; diamond, crystal. See the descrip- tion of Arthur’s shield in I.7.33–5and notes.

  11 8 sixt in her degree: Virgo is the sign of the zodiac assigned to August, in the Roman calendar the sixth month (Latin: sextilis).

  12 6 Talus: Talus the iron man figures the execution of the Law in its strictest form, the lex Talkmis, the old law of justice untempered by mercy. Spenser may also have had in mind the Cretan judge Talos, a man of bronze (Plato, Minos, 320c; Apollodorus, Biblhtheca 1.9,26; Apollo- nius Rhodius, Argonautka 4.1638-88). Talus’ iron flail is probably derived from the common Old Testament image of threshing as judgement of the Lord. See 1 Chronicles 21.15 ff and 2 Samuel 24.18 ff. Also, Amos 1.3:’… they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron’ and Micah 4.13: ‘Arise, and thresh, O daughter Zion, for I will make thine horn iron, and I will make thy hooves brass, and thou shalt break in pieces many people …’

  13 8 tyne: sorrow.

  16 4 embrew: stain (Old French: emhreuver, ‘to moisten,).

  20 7 Sanglier: French: ‘wild boar’ from sang, ‘blood’.

  22 1 recure: recover.

  23 9 owne proper good: i.e., bis property.

  25 2 Sacrament: the oath of purgation, i.e., an oath that would clear one of a charge.

  25 9 listrall: attentive.

  26–8Spenser bases this episode on the judgement of Solomon (1 Kings 3.16-27).

  26 7 twelue moneths day: twelve-month period.

  28 3 reaued: took away violently.

  29 9 rated: scolded.

  CANTO 2

  2 8 Florimell: Florimell last appeared in IV.12.33-5.

  3 1 Dotty: the dwarf is introduced in III.5.3 but is not named until this stanza.

  3 3 scattred scarfe: see ffl.7.19 ff.

  4 ff Spenser bases this episode on the story of Rodomonte’s bridge in OF 29.33 ff- A similar story is told in Malory, 6.10. 4 2 strond: shore; see III.4.29. 43 let: prevent. 6 6 groomeofeuillgui2e:i.e.,youngmanofevilbehaviour,butseenoteto V.6.33.

  6 8 pols and pils: taxes and robs.

  7 1 Pollente: Italian: ‘powerful,, but with a pun on poll, i.e., tax. 7 s vnderfong: deceive.

  9 9 Munera: Latin: mums, ‘gift’; probably used in the special sense of ‘bribes’.

  10 2 golden hands and siluer feete: see Deuteronomy 7.25.

  11 5 scull all raw. See V.2.6.7.

  11 8 hire: i.e., the ‘passage money, of line 6.

  12 ff The fight recalls that of Rodomonte and Brandimarte in OF 31.67 ff.

  Britomart fights on this bridge in V.6.36-40. 12 7 vnblest: cursed or unwounded (French: blesser, ‘wound’).

  14 2 close with him: i.e., come near him. 14 5 straint: strain. wesand: windpipe, brast: broke.

  15 2 champian: open country, plain.

  17 1 euent: outcome.

  18 7 band: cursed.

  19 1 Lee: the English river Lee (see IV.11.29.7).

  19 7–9In the story of Pollente and Munera Spenser emphasizes the misuses of political power, represented by Pollente’s extortion.

  20 8 inuent: discover (Latin: invenire).

  23 3 goodly meede: Lady Munera tries to distract Talus with gold. This attempted bribery and the language in which it is described recall Lady Meed from Piers Plowman 2.31.

  24 2 layd on load: dealt heavy blows.

  25 3 limehound: bloodhound. winde: pursue by scent.

  25 9 seemelesse: unseemly.

  26 7 trye: tried, choice (French: trier, ‘to choose,).

  27 6 mucky pelfe: filthy lucre, money.

  27 8 by hooke and crooke: the origin of this proverbial expression is not clear. See Vox., p. 174.

  27 9 cf. Deuteronomy 9.21: ‘And I took your sin, I mean the calf which ye had made, and burned him with fire, and stamped him and ground him small, even unto very dust: and I cast the dust thereof into the river, that descended out of the Mount.’ See also Exodus 32.20.

  28 1 raced: razed.

  29 7 resort: crowd.

  29 8 coasted: approached (Old French: costeier).

  30 3 pake of ballance: scales.

  30 6 i.e., if he could find anything to put in the balance against the world.

  32 1 For why: because.

  33 2 leasings: lies.

  33 7 peoples traine: assembly of people.

  33 8 sdeignfull: disdainful.

  34–6Arthegall’s rebuttal is based on the Ptolemaic view of the universe, in which the heavens are immutable. But see V.Proem.5-6.

  34 4 pitch: elevation, proper height. 34 7 poyse: weight (Old French: pois).

  34 9 so much is more then iust to trow: i.e., to do so much as you attempt must be considered more than just, that is, unjust.

  35 cf. Job 28.23-5: ‘But God understandeth the way thereof, and he know- em the place thereof. For he beholdeth the ends of the world, and seeth all that is under heaven, To make the weight of the winds, and to weigh the waters by measure., Abo Isaiah 40.12: ‘Who hath measured the waters in his fist and counted heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure? and weighed the mountains in a weight, and the hills in a balance?’ Spenser may have been familiar with the Apocryphal Wisdom 11.17: ‘… but thou hast ordered all things in measure, number and weight’; (AV, Wisdom 11.20).

  36 S in pound: in a scale (Latin: pondus, ‘weight,).

  37 1 Elfe: knight 37 8 surceast: stopped.

  40 5 vade: fade, decay.

  41–3The stanzas are a tissue of Biblical paraphrase, beautifully stating the rebuttal to the Giant’s claims’. Essentially the argument is that of the voice in the whirlwind, Job 37-9: all that we have is from the Lord, and therefore we must accept whatever he metes out to us.

  41 1–2cf. 1 Samuel 2.6-7: ‘The Lord killeth and maketh alive: bringeth down to the grave and raiseth up. The Lord maketh poor and maketh rich: bringeth low, and exalteth.’ See also Daniel 4.3a. 41 5 cf. Proverbs 8.15-16: ‘By me, Kings reign, and princes decree justice. By me princes rule and the nobles, and all the judges of the earth.’

  41 7 cf. Psalm 75.7: ‘But God is the judge: he maketh low and he maketh high.. See also 1 Samuel 2.6-7, quoted above, and Job 1.21.

  42 5–43a cf. 2 Esdras 4.2,5,10-11,13 ff:

  Thine heart hath taken too much u
pon it in this world, and thou thinkest to comprehend the ways of the highest… Weigh me the weight of the fire, ormeasure me the blast of the wind, or call me again the day that is past.. . Thine own things, and such as are grown up with thee, canst thou not know: How should thy vessel then be able to comprehend the way of the Highest?… I came to a forest in the plain where the trees held a counsel, And said, Come, let us go fight against the sea, that it may give place to us, and that we may make us more woods. Likewise the floods of the sea took counsel and said, Come, let us go up and fight against the trees of the wood, that we may get another country for us. But the purpose of the wood was vain: for the fire came and consumed it. Likewise also the purpose of the floods of the sea; for the sand stood up and stopped them.

  See also Romans 11.33.

  43 2 cf. Job 28.25: ‘To make the weight of the winds, and to weigh the waters by measure.’

  44 9 winged words: an allusion to II. 1.201. 46 7 peise: weigh (French: peser).

  46 8 swat: sweated. chauf’d: chafed, grew angry.

  47 4 wroken: avenged.

  48–9The Giant’s aversion to the mean and predilection for extremes indicate his moral foolishness. Gough (Var., p. 180) is pertinent:

  This stanza and the following allude somewhat obscurely to the Aristotelian theory of virtue as a mean between two extremes, which are contrary vices. It follows from this theory that right and wrong (a virtue and a vice) are incommensurable. The same is the case with truth and falsehood. There are no degrees of truth… but there are infinite degrees of falsehood on both sides of truth. The problem is therefore to weigh one falsehood or one wrong against another, e.g., cowardice against fbolhardiness.

  49 4 eeke: increase.

  49 s misleeke: dislike. The demagoguery of the Giant deceives the populace and, in fact, resembles the offence of Pollente: both figures are tyrannical, even though one pretends to be in favour of democracy.

  51 Spenser’s portrayal of the Giant and his effect on the common people is the typical sixteenth-century view of democracy. For Spenser the Giant’s opinions are ‘unbalanced’. They are trying to realign conventional ideas in logically impossible ways.