I PROPOSE in this chapter to take up the threads of the Faerie Queene, which I left incomplete in Chapter III., and, in the light of the intervening chapters, to endeavour to make good certain views there expressed as to the personal element in the poem. I said that the Redcrosse Knight and Sir Guyon were, in my opinion, both intended to represent the author at successive stages of his development. This view rests largely on the impression left on my mind by the whole trend of the poem and other studies with which this book deals. But there is also an indication of the truth of it given in the poem by the author himself, in a device by which the one character is (purposely, as I think) confused with the other. I have drawn attention to other examples of such devices in Spenser's works, adopted for purposes of mystification or duplication of the characters; a very striking one occurs in the Glasse of Governement (see Chapter VIII.). The Faerie Queene is, on the author's own statement, an allegory,' and an allegory is a writing which is intended to convey a meaning which, for purposes of secrecy, instruction, and so forth, the author has reasons for not

1 "Being a continued Allegory, or darke conceit "-Introductory Epistle to Sir Walter Ralegh. It seems probable that there was another paper in existence of a more explicit character, for the following entries occur in Drummond's "Notes of Ben Jonson's Conversations":

"Spenser's stanzaes pleased him not, nor his matter; the meaning of which Allegorie he had delivered in papers to Sir Walter Raughlie."

"That in that paper S. W. Raughly had of the Allegories of the Fayrie Queen, by the Blating Beast the Puritans were understood, by the false Duessa the Q. of Scots."

expressing en clair. At the same time, in reading this poem, it is necessary to exercise discrimination in applying the allegory to contemporary facts and persons, owing to the author's practice—partly intentional, with a view to concealment, partly perhaps unintentional, owing to his discursive habit-of using the same character to represent more than one person, and also of using several characters to represent the same person under different aspects.

The device by which Sir Guyon is identified with the Redcrosse knight is not easily recognised unless the poem is read with close attention, but it becomes apparent when the several incidents are brought together. At the end of Book I. the Redcrosse knight, having slain the Dragon and been wedded to Una, remembers that he is pledged to return to "Cleopolis" and the service of the "Faery Queene":"the which he shortly did, and Una left to mourn." At the opening of Book II. (the legend of Sir Guyon) Archimago is found lying in wait for the Redcrosse knight. In the meantime Sir Guyon passes, and Archimago persuades him to go to the rescue of Duessa, whom, he says, the Redcrosse knight has outraged. Guyon complies, encounters the Redcrosse knight, and, recognising the cross, shakes hands: "So beene they both at one," etc. (Canto i. 29). Guyon salutes the knight on his achievement, and the latter wishes success to Guyon, "whose pageant next ensewes (33).

Book II. iii.-Braggadochio (with Trompart) on Guyon's horse, which he has stolen, meets Archimago, who supposes him

a person meet

Of his revenge to make the instrument;

For since the Redcrosse knight he erst did weet
To been with Guyon knitt in one consent,

The ill, which earst to him, he now to Guyon ment.

(11.)

Book III. i.-Guyon, riding with Prince Arthur, encounters, and is overthrown by, Britomart. They are reconciled and ride on together. They are then separated

by an adventure. Britomart goes on alone (19) and comes to Castle Joyous, where she finds a knight, whose name is not given, beset by six others (intended to represent adherents of Mary, Queen of Scots 1). He turns out apparently (though it is not directly stated) to be the Redcrosse knight (42). A disturbance takes place during the night, and the Redcrosse knight (63) comes to the rescue of Britomart, and the two leave the castle together before dawn (67).

Canto ii. The metrical summary begins :

The Redcrosse knight to Britomart
describeth Artegall.

But in stanza 4 Britomart is "traveiling with Guyon." She asks him about Arthegal, whose face she has seen in the magic mirror, and the conversation ends as follows:

All which the Redcrosse knight to point aredd.

(16.)

Canto iii. describes the previous interview of Britomart and the nurse Glaucè with Merlin, and the last stanza, which refers to their quest for Arthegal, is as follows:

Ne rested they, till to that Faery lond
They came, as Merlin them directed late:

Where, meeting with this Redcrosse knight she fond

Of diverse thinges discourses to dilate,

But most of Arthegall and his estate.

At last their wayes so fell, that they mote part :

Then each to other, well affectionate,

Friendship professed with unfained hart.

The Redcrosse knight diverst, but forth rode Britomart.

In Canto iv. occurs the last allusion to the Redcrosse knight, where Britomart, having "through speaches with the Redcrosse knight" learned about Arthegal

A friendly league of love perpetual

She with him bound, and Congé tooke withall:

1 The "Lady of Delight" is evidently intended for Mary, Queen of Scots.

Then he forth on his journey did proceede,

To seeke adventures which mote him befall,
And win him worship through his warlike deed,

Which alwaies of his paines he made the chiefest meed.
(4.)

Guyon reappears once again in V. iii. 29 sq. for the purpose of recovering his stolen horse from Braggadochio.

Of course it is an easy way out of it to attribute the confusion in III. ii. to carelessness, as in the similar transposition in the Glasse of Governement, but having regard to the previous incidents quoted, to the careful writing in the earlier portions of the poem, and to other instances of similar practice by the writer to which I have alluded, I think such an explanation as unsatisfactory in the one case as in the other. My belief is that there is a considerable interval between Books I. and II., that Book I. belongs to 1579, and represents the author as he was at that period, at the age of eighteen, and that Book II., which is different in tone, was probably composed two or three years later, and is similarly a piece of self-expression in maturer manhood and consequently under a different form. But the two characters belong to the same individuality, and this is indicated accordingly.

The character of Prince Arthur, which will now be considered, points also to this solution. No satisfactory explanation of this character in the allegory has, so far, been suggested. It has been supposed that, in places, he represents the Earl of Leicester, and that, otherwise, he is a sort of deus ex machina. But this does not do justice, as regards the "particular," " to the elaboration of description which is bestowed on him, and is otherwise incompatible, in certain aspects, with the facts. It will be observed that this personality is more remote and more idealised than any of the others, and that legendary colour is used to the full to enhance the conception, which

2

1 The Faerie Queene is alluded to in the Harvey-Immerito correspondence published in 1580, which is described as belonging to "April last." See Spenser's Works, "Globe" edition, p. 708.

2 See remarks on this subject in Chapter III.

is thus incompletely satisfied by Leicester, who, as the Queen's favourite, is represented, in more mundane features, under the person of “Arthegal" in its original intention. I think there is also no doubt that an allusion to Leicester, in his relations with the Queen, is contained in the description of the "Lyon" (which here has a heraldic significance) and Una in the metrical summary for Book I. iii., where—

Forsaken Truth long seekes her love,

and makes the Lyon mylde.

The allusion, in the "particular," is to the violence and rapacity of Dudley's nature, and the power of the Queen over him. Thus, in the canto (st. 5)——

It fortuned, out of the thickest wood
A ramping Lyon rushed suddenly,
Hunting full greedy after salvage blood.
Soone as the royall virgin he did spy,

With gaping mouth at her ran greedily,

but his nature is subdued when he approaches her. Compare with this the sarcastic reference to Leicester (as to which there can be no question) in Mother Hubberds Tale:

Marie, (said he) the highest now in grace

Be the wilde beasts, that swiftest are in chace;
For in their speedie course and nimble flight
The Lyon now doth take the most delight;
But chieflie joyes on foote them to beholde,
Enchaste with chaine and circulet of golde :
So wilde a beast so tame ytaught to bee,
And buxome to his bands, is joy to see;
So well his golden Circlet him beseemeth.

There is, however, an unmistakable allusion to Leicester under the person of Prince Arthur in the scene in Book I. ix., where he relates to Una and the Redcrosse knight his vision of the Fairy Queen. The passage is one of such interest that I quote it in full:

"Dear Dame," (quoth he) "you sleeping sparkes awake, Which, troubled once, into huge flames will grow ;

Ne ever will their fervent fury slake,

Till living moysture into smoke do flow,