Specimens of English literature from the 'Ploughmans crede' to the ...

XXVIII. (a) EDMUND SPENSER. 471XXVIII.EDMUND SPENSER.(A) The Shepheardes Calender.NoKember^^gloga. This odd spelling of eclogue gave rise to a curiously wrongetymology. Kirke, who wrote the Arguments and Glosses to theShepheardes Calender, derived the word from the Greek ai^ (gen.01705), a goat, as though they were goatherd's tales; though he admitsthat few Goteheards have to doe ' herein.' See the Generall Argument,prefixed by Kirke to Spenser's work.Argument. Written by Kirke, who seems to have appreciated theeclogue as he ought. By Marot is meant Clement Marot, born 1495,died 1544. For a notice of him and his w'orks, see Besant's EarlyFrench Poetry, ch. xii., and the lately published biography by ProfessorMorley, who shows that the whole of this eclogue is founded upon thatof Marot on the death of Louise of Savoy, Queen-regent of France,mother of Francis I, who died September 29, 15 31.Colin is Spenser ; Thenot, probably Sir Philip Sydney, at w hose house,at Penshurst, this eclogue is said to have been written. The metre of thiseclogue should be noticed. The first eight lines make a perfect stanza.In 11. 9-52 we have eleven stanzas of four lines each, in which eachstanza begins with the rime with which the preceding one terminates ;so that the stanzas are thus linked together throughout. In 11. 53-202we have fifteen exquisitely constructed stanzas of ten lines each. At theend is a simple stanza of six lines.Line 9.Nis, is not.Merimahe, merrymaking ;a coined word.13. Wellied, shortened ; the true meaning is withered; cf. Gcx. wellen,to wither, decay. Spenser's Old English is exceedingly incorrect.15. Laye, clearly used for a stall; but there is apparently no otherinstance of it. Elsewhere in Spenser it means a lea, o. field, as in 1. 1 SSbelow. In Old English, a lay-stall is a place to deposit filth ;henceSpenser takes the liberty of using laye as a place of deposit.16. Literally, And taken up his abode in the Fishes* basket.' Spenser'makes the very singular mistake of connecting November with the signof Pisces, instead of with that of Sagittarius. See Nares, s. v. Haske.21. 'But if thou by all means please to undertake light virelays,' &c.