He rov'd at her, and told his fecret care; For all that art he learned had of yore: Ne was the ignoraunt of that leud lore, But in his eye his meaning wifely redd, And with the like him aunfwerd evermore: Shee fent at him one fyrie dart, whose hedd Empoifned was with privy luft and gealous dredd. XXIX. He from that deadly throw made no defence, But to the wound his weake heart opened wyde: The wicked engine through falfe influence Paft through his eies, and fecretly did glyde Into his heart, which it did forely gryde. XXIX. 4. Paft through his eics, &c.] Compare this paffage with Chaucer's Cupid, Rom. R. 1723. "He took an arrow full fharpely whet, "Ard, in his bowe when it was fett, "That through mine eye unto mine hert "The takell fmote, and deep it went." The thought of the heart being wounded through the eye; occurs again, ib. 1778. Thus alfo Palamon speaks, after he had feen Emely, Kn. Tale, v. 1098. "But I was hurt right now through mine eie "Into mine hert -" The thought likewife occurs again in Spenfer's Hymne in Honour of Beautie, and in the first Hymne on the fame fubject. Butler has founded a pleasant image on this thought, Hud. P. ii. C. i. "Love is a burglarer, a felon, "That at the windore-eye doth steal in "Steals out agaiu a nearer way." T. WARTON. But nothing new to him was that fame paine, The powre thereof, and lov'd fo oft in vaine, That thing of courfe he counted, love to entertaine. XXX. Thenceforth to her he fought to intimate His inward griefe, by meanes to him well Now Bacchus fruit out of the filver plate XXX. 3. Now Bacchus fruit out of the filver plate He on the table dafht, as overthrowne, &c.] The Earl of Westmorland's noted character for making love to all women, is ftrongly drawn in the stanza just above: Spenfer has followed common report and hiftory in this his Sir Paridel throughout. But let us not omit to explain what may appear intricate. Now Bacchus fruit &c. Thefe verfes hint at (but not defcribe with exactnefs) the sport, which the ancients had to guess at their miftrefs's love, called Cottabus. Paridel behaves to Helleuore, juft as his ancestor Paris did to Helena, and makes love in the fame manner. See Ovid, Epift. xvii. 75. "Illa quoque adpofitâ quæ nunc facis, improbe, mensâ, "Quamvis experiar diffimulare, noto. "Cum modo me fpectas oculis, lafcive, protervis, "Quos vix inftantes lumina noftra ferunt, "Et modo fufpiras, modo pocula proxima nobis 66 Sumis; quaque bibi, tu quoque parte bibis. "Ah! quoties digitis, quoties ego tecta notavi "Signa fupercilio pene loquente dari! "Orbe quoque in menfæ legi fub nomine noftro, 66 Quod deducta mero litera fecit, Amo." UPTON. Which well the redd out of the learned line: A facrament prophane in miftery of wine. XXXI. And, whenfo of his hand the pledge the raught, The guilty cup fhe fained to mistake, And in her lap did shed her idle draught, Shewing defire her inward flame to flake. By fuch close fignes they fecret way did make Unto their wils, and one eies watch escape: Two eies him needeth, for to watch and wake, Who lovers will deceive. Thus was the ape, By their faire handling, put into Malbeccoes cape. XXXII. Now, when of meats and drinks they had their fill, Purpose was moved by that gentle Dame XXX. 9. A facrament prophane in miftery of wine.] Wine being used in a facred ceremony, as an outward fign or fymbol containing a divine mystery: Sir Paridel here abuses wine prophanely, as a fign or fymbol of his unlawful love. Compare Ovid, Amor. ii. 17. UPTON. XXXI. 8. Thus was the ape, By their faire handling, put into Malbeccocs cape.] Every one that has read Chaucer, knows that this phrafe is borrowed from him: but whence came the proverb? that every one does not know. Fools ufed formerly to carry apes on their shoulders; and to put the ape upon a man was a phrafe equivalent to make a fool of him. See Chaucer, ed. Urr. p. 128. "This cuffed chanon put in his hood an ape." UPTON. And every one his Kindred and his Name. Abounded, being glad of fo fitte tide Him to commend to her, thus fpake, of al well eide: XXXIII. "Troy, that art now nought but an idle name, And in thine ashes buried low doft lie, Though whilome far much greater then thy fame, Before that angry Gods and cruell skie What boots it boaft thy glorious defcent, And fetch from heven thy great genealogie, Sith all thy worthie prayfes being blent Their ofspring hath embaste, and later glory fhent ! XXXIV. "Moft famous Worthy of the world, by whome That warre was kindled which did Troy inflame, And ftately towres of Ilion whilóme Brought unto balefull ruine, was by name of al well eide:] This is XXXII. 9. from Virgil, En. ii. 1. "Intentique ora tenebant." UPTON. Who, through great proweffe and bold hardineffe, From Lacedaemon fetcht the fayreft Dame That ever Greece did boast, or Knight poffeffe, Whom Venus to him gave for meed of worthi 66 neffe ; XXXV. Fayre Helene, flowre of beautie excellent, Whofe fruitleffe lives were under furrow fowne, And Xanthus fandy bankes with blood all over flowne ! XXXVI. "From him my linage I derive aright, Who long before the ten yeares fiege of Troy, XXXV. 5. Which they far off beheld from Trojan toures, And faw the fieldes of fair Scamander strowne &c.] 'Tis well known, from Homer, that the Trojan ladies beheld the battles from the towers of Troy; and 'tis as well known, from Homer, that Scamander and Xanthus are only different names for the fame river. The two famous rivers of Troy were Scamander and Simois; fo that it might probably be owing to fome blotted copy that Xanthus in the last verfe in this ftanza is printed inftead of Simois. UPTON. |