Of perfect love did sow, that last forth brought The fruite of ioy and blisse, though long time dearely bought. 46 Thus Calidore continu'd there long time XLVI. 1, 2. -Pastorella in this episode is Frances Walsingham, daughter of Sir Francis Walsingham, whom Sir Philip Sidney, who is Calidore, married. Sir Francis Walsingham appears as Melibo in another of Spenser's poems, The Ruins of Time. The character here given to the old shepherd is exactly suitable to Sir Francis, who, for all his great employments, died (6th April, 1590) so poor that his friends had to bury him privately in the night, to prevent his body being seized by his creditors. This daughter and only child, two or three years after Sidney's death, became the wife of the Earl of Essex, Elizabeth's celebrated favorite, who was thought in marrying her to descend below his rank. Accordingly, she is here represented as of an apparently humble condition, though, as we shall find, it is afterwards made to appear that she is really of high descent. This is the poet's way of hinting that, as the daughter of Walsingham, although he was only a simple knight, she was a match for any nobleman. Her name, Pastorella, carries an obvious allusion to the Arcadia. CRAIK's Spenser and his Poetry, Vol. III. p. 74. C. CANTO X. Candore sees the Graces daunce The whiles his Pastorell is led 1 WHO now does follow the foule Blatant Beast, With grace from her, whose love his heart hath sore engrieved. 2 That from henceforth he meanes no more to sew 1 Sew, follow. 2 Set his rest, make his abode (a metaphor from primero). 8 I. e. never arriving at his desired object. 1 3 Ne certes mote he greatly blamed be Of such false blisse, as there is set for stales 1 4 For what hath all that goodly glorious gaze That never more they should endure the shew 8 To which what can compare?) can it compare, The which, as commeth now by course, I will declare. 5 One day, as he did raunge the fields abroad, 1 Stales, lures. 2 Daze, dazzle. 3 Compare, compete with. 4 Troad, tread. 5 Pill, rob. 6 It was an hill plaste in an open plaine, That round about was bordered with a wood Of matchlesse hight, that seem'd th' earth to disdaine; In which all trees of honour stately stood, 7 And at the foote thereof a gentle flud 8 And on the top thereof a spacious plaine Did spred itselfe, to serve to all delight, Either to daunce, when they to daunce would faine,2 3 Or else to course-about their bases light; Ne ought there wanted, which for pleasure might Desired be, or thence to banish bale *: So pleasauntly the hill with equall hight 1 Boure, lodge. 2 Faine, desire. 8 I. e. races (from the game of prison-base). 4 Bale, sorrow. Did seeme to overlooke the lowly vale; Therefore it rightly cleeped1 was Mount Acidale. 9 They say that Venus, when she did dispose She in regard hereof refusde and thought unfit. 10 Unto this place when as the Elfin Knight 11 He durst not enter into th' open greene, 1 Cleeped, called. IX. 6. 2 Hight, high. Cytheron.] The similarity of the names Cythera and Citharon led our old poets into the mistake of supposing this mountain to be a favorite haunt of Venus. C. |