The Faerie Queene

by Edmund Spenser

  32 9 diseased: ill and uncomfortable.

  33 7 vnused: unaccustomed. 38 9 formerly: first.

  40 2 Turpine: Latin: turpls, ‘base’. 42 3 bord: table.

  42 6 Blandina: Latin: btandus, ‘tempting’.

  4.3 2 reclame: recant.

  44 1 for why: because.

  44 3 aby: endure.

  48 5 auoure: answer.

  49 Calepine’s apparently cowardly behaviour in hiding behind Serena is discussed by Cheney, Spenser’s Image of Nature, pp. 208–9and Tonkin, Spenser’s Courteous Pastoral, pp. 57-8.

  CANTO 4

  1 3 ground-hold: anchor.

  1 4 fisher barke: fishing boat

  2 2 saluage man: such savage men are common in sixteenth-century literature. See Richard Bernheimer, Wild Men in the Middle Ages,

  Cambridge, Mass., 1952.

  2 3 shright: shriek.

  4 7 bents: reeds.

  4 9 leare: learning.

  5 3 infest: hostile.

  5 8 areare: backward.

  6 7 griple: tenacious, obstinate.

  9 5 vtmost cast: extreme situation.

  9 9 rankling: festering.

  10 2 lozell: scoundrel.

  10 4 pretended: presented, intended.

  11 3 rude: uncivilized, primitive.

  11 9 empeach: hinder.

  12 4 after: according to.

  12 9 staunched: stopped up, blocked.

  14 3 gests: gestures, behaviour.

  14 5 vnsowed: unsewn.

  14 7 bad: probably used here in the sense of ‘inadequate’, because he did not provide them with meat or cultivated food. 16 8–9The nature of Serena’s wound, inflicted by the Blatant Beast, becomes clearer in VI.5.28 and 6.8-9. 18 1 scrike: shriek.

  18 8 ouerpast: gone beyond.

  19 1 Well… want: i.e., it was fortunate that he lacked his armour and weapons.

  19 2 empeach: hinder. 19 8 iesses: jesses, leather straps bound to the feet of falcons, to which the leash was attached. When falcons were released, they ordinarily flew with the bells and jesses on their legs. 19 8 let: hinder.

  22 3 closd: came together.

  23 5 ray: soil.

  23 7 sweathbands: swaddling-clothes.

  24 4 entertainer take.

  25 8 offend: bother.

  26 3 plaine champion: open plain.

  27 9 repent: be sad.

  29 3 Matilda is the nurse and teacher of Rinaldo (GL 1.55). Matilda is also the name of the woman who replaces Virgil as Dante’s guide (Purgatorio 28-33).

  29 4 Bruin: a common name for the brown bear. Sir Bruin receives as heir the baby stolen by a bear.

  29 6 A cormorant is a large sea-bird, notorious for its appetite, whence the name was used to describe greedy or rapacious people.

  30 1 seiz’d: in possession of.

  30 2 in his fee: according to his right of possession as conqueror.

  32 4 swinke: work.

  32 5 forthinke: plan ahead.

  34 5 priefe: trial, test.

  34 7–9i.e., in troubled times the best remedy is good advice, which I cannot well put into words; yet as I mean well, take no offence.

  35 5 enchace: engrave.

  37 2 geason: extraordinary.

  37 3 tryde: proven.

  377 liuerey and seisin: legal phrase indicating that a sign of possession (some kind of token) has been received.

  38 7 thewes: manners.

  38 8–9Spenser apparently intended to include the ‘famous knight’ in some unwritten book of The Faerie Queene. The fact that Matilda was the person who raised the hero Rinaldo in GL suggests that this foundling-knight was to have been a major figure.

  40 7 lig: lie. embost: wrapped.

  CANTO 5

  1–2See headnote.

  2 9 The parentage of the savage man is never revealed. 5 3 imbrew: stain.

  8 7 curats: cuirass, armour for the top part of the body. 10 2 furniture: equipment.

  12 Timias and Arthur part in IV.7.47. Timias regains the favour of Belphoebe in IV.8.1-18.

  12 7 beard: affront.

  13 Despetto, Decetto and Defetto are Spenser’s invented Italianate names for despite, deceit and defect (Williams, Flower on a Lowly Stalk, p. 67). Child (Var., p. 207) names them malice, deceit, and detraction.

  15 5 defame: disgrace, defamation.

  19 2 bay ted: harassed (see note to II.8.42.1).

  19 7 chauffe: rage.

  22 3 hye: hasten.

  22 5 ouerset: oppressed.

  23 9 weft: wafted, carried.

  24 1 tyne: sorrow.

  24 4 affect: affection.

  25 7 hylding: base, worthless.

  27 7 traine: snare.

  27 9 in band: in bondage.

  28 8 done to pine: made to suffer.

  32 7 purpose: conversation.

  32 9 did them torment: i.e., that did them torment

  35 3 roode: crucifix.

  3J 6 streight: strict.

  35 7 howres: the prayers, or offices, assigned to be read at the canonical hours. bed: bid, offer.

  37 1 fame: report (Latin: Jama).

  37 9 assoyle: absolve, release. It was not uncommon for old knights in romances to turn from martial heroism to seclusion and prayer.

  38 4 turne: service, use.

  40 8 frame: direct, move.

  CANTO 6

  Arg. 3 He: Arthur. 1 5 leaches: physician’s.

  1 8 Podalyrhu: son of Aesculapius, the son of Apollo, famed for his healing powers (II. 2.732, 11.832; Ovid, An amatoria 2.735; Natalis Comes, 4.11).

  2 6 Howbe: howbeit

  3 1 scene: versed, practised.

  3 5 went: course, passage.

  4 5 baies: i.e., a garland of bay leaves traditionally given to die winner of a contest.

  4 9 cf. King Lear 5.3.0.

  5 6 disdplinde: controlled, restrained, but also subjected to the discipline of rod or whip to bring the flesh under the control of the reason.

  5 7 reede. advice, counsel, but also the physical instrument of discipline (see preceding note).

  7–8The hermit advises Serena and Timias to restrain their passions since one can do little more than avoid the occasions that lead malice and slander to flourish. See stanza 14.

  8 9 bane: destruction.

  9 7 strene: strain, race.

  9 8 Stygian den: the underworld, region of the river Styx.

  9 9 Echidna: a monster, half woman, half snake, the mother of Cerberus.

  See note to canto 1.7-8. bookes: i.e., Hesiod’s Theogony, 295-305.

  11 5 obscurity: darkness.

  11 7 According to Hesiod, Echidna and Typhaon were the parents of a number of beasts, including Geryon’s dog Orthrus and his dragon (aee V.10.10, V.11.23, VI.1.7–8and notes).

  16 8 iade: an inferior horse.

  17 4 The story of Mirabella and Disdain is told in canto 7.27 ff.

  17 5 lite: befell.

  17 9 See canto 3.27 S.

  18 3 ywroken: avenged.

  18 4 demesne: treatment.

  20 3 let: permission, hesitation.

  20 5 him fayning to embase: i.e., pretending to be much less imposing than he actually was.

  21 2 auaunt: depart.

  21 3 deare aby: suffer severely.

  24 4 sped: fared.

  25 9 yeomen: servants.

  26 7 heedinesse: attention.

  28 4 prease: crowd.

  30 8 thwart: transversely, sideways.

  30 9 braynepan: head.

  34 cf. Pinnabello’s custom (OF 22.48).

  36 6 sith that: because.

  38 9 layd about: struck vigorously.

  41 7 infest: hostile.

  42 3 trayned: snared.

  CANTO 7

  Arg. 1 baffuld: disgraced as a perjured knight. 3 ff See OF 22.53 ff. 3 1 tract: traced, followed.

  5 6 offred meed: Sir Enias (named in VI.8.4.3) and his nameless companion are not only breaking the rules of chivalry (which required assistance without payment; cf. VI.1.46-7); the
y are debasing themselves to the status of hired assassins.

  6 4 tyde: period of time.

  6 8 portance: bearing.

  7 8–9The reference is either to a meteor or to lightning.

  8 6 beuer: faceguard of helmet.

  8 8 vitall: necessary for life, life-sustaining.

  9 1 cast: couple.

  9 2 Herneshaw: young heron.

  9 9 souse: swooping down at a bird in flight.

  14 2 lore: left.

  16 2 bootie: i.e., Arthur’s corpse.

  16 5 which halfe it ought: i.e., which owed half of it to me.

  17 6 trading: following.

  23 4 All were: even if it were.

  25 7 deaded: stupefied.

  26 9 bannerall: banderole, small pennant or ornamental banner.

  27 3 baffuld: disgraced (see V.3.37).

  27 7 Ladie free: the noble or gentle Mirabella, who first appeared in VI.6.KS- 17. It has been suggested that Mirabella (Italian: mirabile, ‘admirable, marvellous’; mirari, ‘to gaze at’, bella ‘beautiful’) represents the haughty pride of the sonnet lady who scorns the lover’s pains.

  29 2 fere: companion.

  29 3 ment: intended.

  32 7 As in Chaucer’s Parlement of Foules the God of Love holds court on St Valentine’s Day.

  33 7 doubting: fearing.

  35 4 Capias: Latin: ‘you may take’; a written authorization to make an arrest.

  35 8 Portamore: Italian: portare, ‘to carry,’ antore, ‘love’.

  36 1 attacht: seized.

  39 9 doole: grief.

  40 7 tyreling: weary.

  40 9 stead: a period of time.

  41 6 old Gyants: Titans. See III.7.47 and note.

  43 3–4Iacket… checklaton: Ciclaton, defined by Spenser, View of the Present State of Ireland (Var., p. 225): “The quilted leather jack[et] is old english: For it was the proper weed of the horseman, as you may read in Chaucer, when he describeth Sir Thopas’s apparel, and armour, as he went to fight against the gyant, in his robe of checklaton, which is that kind of gilded leather with which they use to embroider their irish jackets’ (‘Tale of Sir Thopas’, 734).

  43 6 Mores of Malaber: Malabar is in India. The word Moors was sometimes used to refer to all non-Christian nations.

  47 9 Turmagant and Mahound: oaths used by infidel warriors (see n.8.30).

  CANTO 8

  3 1 Squire: Timias.

  4 4 Sir Enias: see VI.7.4 ff.

  6 9 acquite: free. assoile: absolve.

  9 9 supplyde: supplemented. paide the vsury: i.e., struck extra hard.

  10 3 middle fall: in mid-stroke.

  10 4 brondyron: sword.

  12 1 hynde: labourer, servant.

  12 4 buxome: yielding, obedient.

  13 4 blist: brandished.

  13 7 neare: nearly.

  14 1 enured: accustomed, familiar.

  16 7 geare: apparatus (i.e., his knee).

  19 2 stayd: hesitated.

  20 6 sude: pursued.

  22 1 winged God: Cupid.

  22 6 vnmeete array: unsuitable clothing.

  25 1 Infant: Arthur.

  25 3 auale: go down (i.e., be humbled).

  25 8 feare: fere, partner.

  27 6 Squire: Timias.

  27 8 admire: marvelled, wondered.

  28 2 th’other Knight: Sir Enias.

  28 4 kight: a bird of prey.

  29 3 done to dye: killed.

  29 9 lose: loose, i.e., free.

  30 7 Arthure: This is Arthur’s last appearance in the poem.

  31 Serena flees when Timias is captured by Disdain and Scorn, 7.50.

  31 5 inferd: brought upon.

  32 5 doubt: fear.

  33 Calepine was separated from Serena when he pursued the bear carrying off the baby, 4.17 ff.

  33 3 tine: unhappiness.

  33 6 Turtle: turtle-dove.

  33 7 tride: united, joined.

  34 6 Morpheus: god of sleep.

  35 See VI.10.39.

  35 3 rode: raid.

  36 1 order: custom.

  36 5 course of kynde: laws of nature.

  38 1 The best aduizement was of bad: i.e., the best advice was bad.

  38 3 battill: grow fat.

  39 This stanza parodies the blazon, or poetic catalogue of a lady’s particular physical beauties. See Epithalamion, 148-84, or Sidney’s song at the end of Old Arcadia 3.

  40 9 embrew: stain.

  42–3In these stanzas, with their echoes of the Song of Songs, Spenser continues the blazon begun in stanza 39.

  44 8 fayned: fashioned.

  45 4 net: clean (cf. III.12.20.1).

  45 s whet: sharpened.

  48 9 launch: pierce, cut

  49 6 hew: slaughter.

  51 9 At this point Calepine and Serena leave the narrative. Spenser’s promise to finish their tale is in the manner of Ariosto, but, unlike Ariosto, Spenser never provides the promised conclusion. See OF 11.67 ff.

  CANTO 9

  1 1 iolly swayne: farm labourer or shepherd.

  1 4 coulter: blade of a plough.

  1 9 Calidores immortal! name: Calidore has not been mentioned since

  3.26. He was then in pursuit of the Blatant Beast

  2 3 Sewing: pursuing.

  3 5 forslackt: neglected.

  3 6 coursed: followed.

  3 9 scorsed: chased.

  4 2 Heardes: shepherds. neat: cattle.

  4 4 Layes: lays, songs.

  4 8 cots: little cottages.

  5 2 sort: group.

  5 4 broomes: shrubs, the broom plant.

  6 7 After his rusticke wise: i.e., in his rustic, or country, way.

  7 1 nothing nice: not fastidious.

  7 4 homely what: simple food. clowne: rustic.

  8 5 rout: crowd.

  9 9 Pastorella: her name means shepherdess (Latin: pastor, ‘shepherd’); she is revealed to be of noble birth (VI.12.14-22).

  10 5 Condon: a conventional shepherd name in the pastoral tradition. See

  Virgil, Eclogue 2.

  11 3 meane: mien, demeanour, bearing.

  11 5 a Princes Paragone: a prince’s equal. 11 7 blynd boy: Cupid.

  11 9 the bird… stands: Maclean suggests the lark caught in a net while staring in fascination at the hawk held by the fowler.

  12 7 fell: befell.

  14 9 accompted: accounted, considered.

  15 4 seuerall: separate.

  16 1 Melibae: Greek: ‘honey-toned’. This is a conventional pastoral name.

  Cf. Virgil, Eclogue 1.

  17 2 Beldame: wife.

  19–25The contrast of courtly and country life described in these stanzas is a convention of pastoral literature. Spenser is imitating specifically GL 7.8-13.

  22 2 forgiue: give up.

  23 3 practise: scheme, devise stratagems. 23 4 conuay: steal.

  26 2 attent: attentive.

  27 5 retyre: retirement.

  28 9 pitch: height.

  29–30Meliboe’s advice is the traditional Christian precept about earthly fortune: one must use what God has given us and not look for more. Man’s content of mind rests in his acceptance of this principle, which was defined crucially for the Middle Ages and Renaissance by St Augustine in his distinction between the use and enjoyment of the goods of this world. Cf. De doctrina cristiana 1.27 ff.

  29 4 diffuse: disperse.

  30 9 fortunize: make fortunate.

  31 4 barcke: boat, i.e., myself. The image of man as a storm-besieged boat was common in classical and later literature and especially favoured by Augustine and Boethius. 3a 2 chargerull: burdensome. chaunge: i.e., change in your mode of life.

  32 5–9Calidore’s offer of money to Meliboe shows that he has not under- stood the ‘courtesy’ of the pastoral world in which he now finds himself. See note to 10.24.7-9, E.K.’s gloss.

  32 9 driue: thrust.

  33 2 mould: dross.

  33 9 rudeness: rusticity and simplicity.

  34 4
bane: destruction.

  35 1–2cf. Chaucer, ‘The Knight’s Tale’ 2321 ff.

  35 7 Colitis: Colin Clout, Spenser’s pseudonym throughout his work.

  Cf. Shepheardes Calender, Colin Clouts Come Home Again and VI. 10. The name was used earlier by John Skelton, Colin Clout (1523?) and Clement Marot, Complaincte de ma Dame Loyse de Savoye (1531).

  36 7–9The Phrygian Paris is Paris, son of Priam of Troy, who precipitated the destruction of Troy by his error in choosing Venus as the recipient of the golden apple of discord (see note to III.9.36.3-4). Paris abandoned Oenone to accept Helen, the wife of Menelaus. No brook Plexippus (Greek: ‘driver of horses’) has been identified in ancient or later literature. Var., p. 243, suggests a connection with Pegasus and Hippo-crene.

  39 7 houre: i.e., fortune.

  39 9 iarre: contention.

  42 4 trimly trace: dance gracefully.

  44 2 stiffe pight: sturdily built.

  CANTO 10

  1 3 Vnmyndfull of his vow and high beheast: Spenser seems to be saying that Calidore’s sojourn in the pastoral world recalls Odysseus’ stay with Circe (Od. 10), Aeneas’ with Dido (Aen. 4), Ruggiero’s with Alcina (OF 6-8), and Rinaldo’s with Armida (GL 16); cf. Calypso (Od. 5). Calidore’s predecessors were entrapped by lust and temporarily drawn into realms of sensual enjoyment and diverted from their quests. While Calidore puts aside for a time his promise to capture the Blatant Beast, he is not mired in a world of lust and spiritual torpor. Calidore’s stay in the pastoral world may seem a ‘truancy’, but one should keep in mind both the philosophy expressed in the discussion between Meliboe and Calidore in the preceding canto and Spenser’s characteristic irony in beginning his cantos.

  2 1 sew: pursue.

  2 9 sayling alwaies on the port: i.e., never resuming his quest.

  3 8 stales: lures.

  4 9 by course: i.e., in the progress of the narrative.

  5 3 troad: tread, path.

  5 9 pill: plunder, pillage.

  6 8 towre: perch.

  7 5 drowne: drench.

  7 8 noysome: harmful.

  7 9 cf. Shepheardes Calender, ‘Aprill’ 36; ‘June’ 8.

  8 4 course about their bases light: play at game of prisoner’s base. See m.11.5.5 and V.8.5.4-5.

  8 9–9Mount Acidale, Acidalia being an epithet for Venus (Greek:’ without care’), is contrasted with Cytheron, the mountain where Venus showed herself in royal splendour. Spenser confused the name Cytheron with Cythera (see III.6.29). The distinction between Acidale and Cytheron-Cythera was probably meant to figure the distinction between Cali-dore’s ‘truancy’ in the pastoral world and his royally appointed task of catching the Blatant Beast

  10 3 on hight: aloud.

  10 5 cf. refrain in Epithalamion: “that all the woods shall answer and theyr eccho ring,’ etc.