The Faerie Queene (114 page)

57 1
Nestor: see note to 48.4. Nestor was said to have lived for three genera- tions.

57 2
Mathusalem: reputed to have lived 969 years.

58 3
fet: fetch.

59 6
tnoniments: monuments, in the sense of'records'. 59 8 Regiments: kingdoms.

Canto 10

This canto is devoted to the matter contained in the two books read by Arthur and Guyon in Alma's castle. Spenser is following the tradition of Virgil and Ariosto of giving praise to their patrons by relating their ancestry as an epic catalogue. Arthur reads the chronicle history of Britain (stanzas 5-68); Guyon, the history of Faeryland (stanzas 70-76). Spenser derived much of his history of Britain from the twelfth-century Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britatmiae, supplemented by Elizabethan chroniclers such as Hardyng, Grafton, Stow and Holinshed. The most complete treatment of this material is Carrie Anna Harper, The Sources of the British Chronicle History in Spenser's Faerie Queene, Bryn Mawr, 1910, and its summary in Var., pp. 449-53, 301-34. Spenser's history follows the general outline of the chroniclers' division of British history. Spenser begins with Albion (6) and the native Giants, who marry the daughters of Diocletian (7-8) and reign until the arrival of Aeneas' descendant, Brutus, who establishes a new Troy in Britain (9-36). His line is succeeded by Mulmutius Dunwallo, who reunites the kingdom (37-46), until the invasion of Julius Caesar establishes Roman control (47-63). The uprising of the Saxon heptarchy under Hengist and his descendants leads to a long period of conflict between the Saxons and the Romans, culminating in the reign of Uther Pendragon, Arthur's father (64-8). The history is continued in III.3.22–50in the prophecy of Merlin about the progeny of Britomart and Arthegall, leading to the establishment of the Tudors and the reign of Elizabeth I. For readings of this history see Harry Berger, jr. Allegorical Temper, pp. 89-114, and Roche, Kindly Flame, pp. 43-4. The history of Faeryland is Spenser's invention, which is discussed in Roche, pp. 34-42.

1 8
Soueraigne: Queen Elizabeth I.

3 1
of Mœonian quill: i.e., of Homer. Maeonia was thought to have been his home.

3 2
rote: a musical instrument like a violin. OED cites this line.

3 3–4
Ossa hill: a mountain in Thessaly where the giants attempted to capture Mt Olympus. They were defeated by Jove at Phlegra.

3 7
learned daughters: the Muses.

3 9
blazon: proclaim, praise.

5 5 Island then: the traditional idea that Britain was once connected to the

Continent (We now know that Britain was joined to the Continent until the retreat of the ice sheets caused the sea level to rise at the end of the last ice age.) paysd: balanced.

5 9
Celticke mayn-land: France.

6 7
Albion: Latin: albus, ‘white', so named because of the white chalk cliffs of England,

7 5
fen: marsh.

8 3
some assot: make some seem foolish.

8 3
ff monstrous error: Hardyng tells the story of the thirty daughters of Diocletian, who murdered their husbands by their father's orders on their marriage night. He then denies that these are the hapless ladies who come to Britain and mate with the giants. Instead, he says, the giants' ladies were the fifty daughters of Danaus, the Danaids. Some say that the large number of daughters, whosoever they might be, were so desirous of husbands that they coupled with devils and brought forth giants.

8 6
comparting: associating with.

9 6
Brutus: the legendary first king of Britain and descendant of Aeneas. 9 7 Assaracs: legendary founder of Troy, son of Tros.

9 8
fatall error: i.e., ‘rated wandering', imitated from Aen. 1.2.

10 3
fone: foes.

10 7
Hogh: Hoe cliff at Plymouth.

10 8
Goëmot: Gogmagot (Goëmot), a giant, was defeated by Corineus, one of Brute's generals, and thrown from the cliff at Hoe.

11 2
Debon: legendary founder of Devonshire. See also IU.9.50. 11 3 eight lugs: about 1300 feet.

11 3–9
Coulin …. Canutus: the stories told in this stanza are unknown from any other authority. Holinshed tells that Hercules killed Albion.

12 1
meed: reward. 12 4 gest: deed.

12 8
hyre: reward.

12 9
inquire: call.

13–14
Brute's three sons: Locrine (for whom England is called Logres), Albanact (for whom Scotland is called Albania), and Camber (to whom the land beyond the river Severn was given, modem Wales).

13 3
eschewd: avoided.

14 5
depart: separate.

15 2
affray: frighten. 15 S Noyes: Noah's.

15 9
head… make: gain advantage over them. munifience: fortification. 17 4 appease: calm.

17 6
The adultery of Locrine with Estrild and Locrine's defeat by his wife,

Gwendolen, the daughter of Corineus, is told in the chronicles. Sabrina, the child of Locrine's adultery, appears in Milton's Coma, 824 ff

18 9
ouerhent: overtook, seized.

20 2
vnmeet… sway: i.e., too young to assume leadership, ao 4 stay: support

21 3–4
Memprise… ManiU:
Mempricius and Manlius, sons of Madan. 21 4 consorted: allied.

21 6
Ebranck:
son of Mempricius.

21 8
Henault:
a region in the Low Countries.

22 7
germans: brothers.

23 2
second
Brute:
Brutus Greenshield, son of Ebranck; see 24.7.

23 3
semblance: resemblance.

24 1
Scaldis:
the river Schelde.

Hania:
Hainaut.

24 2
Estham bruges:
marshes in Hainaut.

24 4
No sources have been found for Elversham and DelL

24 5
Henalois:
men of Hainaut.

24 6
Brunchildis:
Prince of Hainaut.

24 7
vermeil: red.

24 8
Scuith guiridh:
Welsh: ‘green shield'.

24 9
y Scuith gogh:
Welsh: ‘red shield'.

25 3
Cairleill… Cairleon:
Carlisle (city of Leill) and Chester. 25 7 preace: crowd.

25 9
mollifide: softened.

26 2
Cairbadon:
Bath.

26 4
quicke Brimston: sulphur waters at Bath.

27–34
Spenser's story of Lear is derived primarily from Geofirey, II.11-

27 4
seed: progeny.

28 s
behoou'd: was appropriate.

28 6
wanting colours faire: lacking rhetorical ornamentation.

29 2
Cambria:
Wales.

29 5
Celtica:
Gaul, France.

30 3
regiment: kingship. 30 6 repayrd: went.

30 9
abated: slackened.

31 8
leau'd: raised, levied.

31 9
bereau'd: deprived.

32 2
eld: old age. 32 3 wild: willed.

32 4
weld: govern.

33 2–3
Cundah… Morgan:
nephews of Cordelia, Lear's daughter.

34 1
his dead roome did supply: i.e., filled his position on his death.

34 6
Gorbogud:
Gorboduc, subject of first English tragedy, by Thomas Sackville.

34 8
Arraught: took.

37 1
man of matchlesse might: Mulmutius Dunwallo.

37 2
wit: ability, intelligence.

37 6
loose: not unified.

38 2
Logris:
England.

38
4
Albanie:
Scotland, nominate: named.

38 s
Cambry:
Wales.

39 6
Numa:
Numa Pompilius was the second king of Rome and a parallel to the British law-giver Mulmutius Dunwallo.

39 8
pollicie: prudence, political wisdom, statecraft.

40 4
periured oth: i.e., they broke a treaty.

40 7
loth: unwilling.

41 3
Easterland: modern Norway. See stanza 63.

41 4
foy: homage.

42 5
layes: laws. 42 7
Fayes:
fairies.

42 8
Aegerie:
the prophetic teacher of Numa of 39.6.

43 3
Morindus:
The details of Spenser's narrative are corroborated but not elaborated by the chroniclers, who tell that Morindus was devoured by a sea-monster. 43 8
Morands:
a Gallic people. 4S 3 reseized: reinstated, restored to the throne.

45 7
successe: succession.

46 4
resedifye: rebuild.

46 5
Troynouant:
‘new Troy', London.

46 6
gate: Ludgate, i.e., the gate of London, named after Lud.

46 8
aright: properly, or ‘of right'.

47 1
Erne: uncle.

47 8
blazed: praised.

48 2
renforst: forced back.

48 9
foyle: defeat.

49 s
sword: Caesar's sword is reputed to have been buried with Nennius.

49 6
tributarie: subject, tribute-paying.

50 2
What time: when, i.e., Cymbeline reigned at the time Christ was born to redeem man from Adam's sin. 10 7 ditty: poem, treatise.

50 8
warrayd: made war upon.

51 7
draught: plot.

52 8
Forwasted: destroyed, laid waste. gent: gentle, noble.

53 4
first receiued Christianitie: i.e., became the first Christian king of

Britain. 53 5 Euangely: the Gospel.

53 7
Ioseph of Arimathy:
Joseph of Arimathea (see Matthew 27.37 ff and

Mark 15.43). La
^ter
legends state that he caught Christ's blood in the chalice used at the Last Supper (the Holy Grail) and carried it to Glastonbury, the legendary seat of King Arthur.

54 6
Bunduca:
Boadicea, woman warrior who fought against the Romans.

Her victory at the Severn has not been traced to any source. 54 8 streight: directly, immediately. 54 9 enclose: trap.

55 i
tride: undertook.

55 4
Paulinus:
a Roman general who bribed Bunduca's captains to desert.

55 6
Host: forces, army.

56 2
Semiramis:
queen of Nineveh. See note to I.5.50.3.

56 4
Hysiphil'
.
.. Thomiris:
Hypsipyle ruled Lemnos until the Argonauts came. Thomyris was the queen of Massagetae and killed Cyrus.

57 5
tirannize: i.e., claim the kingship (not necessarily with negative connotations).

58 5
Coyll:
old King Cole.

58 7
first crownd Soueraine: i.e., was the first acknowledged king since

Lucius. 58 8 passed prime: former primacy or political glory.

58 9
Coyll did not, as Spenser says, give his name to Colchester.

59 2
Constantius established his power in Britain in
AD
296. 59 6 thewes: virtues.

59 9
kyes: songs.

60 1
Constantine, Emperor of both Britain and Rome, AD 306-37.

60 4
roome: office.

61 4
wan: diminished.

61 8
Kcts: originally Pythians who settled in Northern Britain.

61 9
with easie hand: with no difficulty.

62 1
war-hable: ready or able for war.

63 2
Easterlings: the northern nations (Norway and Denmark). 63 4 bordragings: hostile incursions, border wars.

63 5
Scatterlings: vagabonds. 63 7 pyonings: excavations.

63 8
mightie mound: the ‘Picts' wall', running between the Forth and the

Clyde.

64
4 gathering to feare: i.e., growing fearful. 64 5
Armorkk:
Armorica, Brittany.

64 6
for: because of. annoyes: annoyances. 64 7 straunge: foreign. reare: raise, gather.

64 8
hoyes: small ships.

65 2
approu'd: proven. 65 4 iarre: war.

65 pass="poem-line">
enforst: forced. aband: abandon.

66 7
bord: table, feast.

66 9
Stonheng:
Hengist's treachery was supposed to have taken place at

Stonehenge, the neolithic stone structure on Salisbury Plain.

67 4
detaine: hold.

68 2 Spenser ends the chronicle abruptly with Uther Pendragon, the father of Arthur. Arthur is unaware of his parentage at this point in the poem. 68 3 full point: period, end-stop. Cesure: caesura, pause.

68
5
attend: remain.

68 8
empeach: prevent.

70
S
Prometheus was punished for stealing fire from the gods and giving it to men. According to Ovid Prometheus also made the first man
(Met.
1.82). See also Olga Raggio,
JWC1
21, 1958, pp. 44-62.

70 9
riued: ripped apart.

71 1
Elfe:
quick, alive.

71 4 gardins
of Adonis:
see III.6.29 ff

72 7
Elfinan:
this might be Lud (see stanza 46.6).

74 6
materiall: to the point.

75 1
Elficleos:
usually identified as Henry VII.

75 8
Oberon:
usually identified as Henry VIII, who married his brother's widow (see line 9).