SECT. II.

Of Spenfer's Imitations from old Romances.

Although Spenfer formed his FAERIE QUEENE

upon the fanciful plan of Aricfto, yet it muft be confeffed, that the adventures of his knights are a more exact and immediate copy of those which we meet with in old romances, or books of chivalry, than of those which form the Orlando Furiofo. Ariofto's knights exhibit surprising examples of their prowefs, and atchieve many heroic actions. But our author's knights are more profeffedly engaged in revenging injuries, and doing juftice to the diftreffed ; which was the proper bufinefs, and ultimate end of the antient knight-errantry. And thus though many of Spenfer's incidents are to be found in Ariofto, fuch as that of blowing a horn, at the found of which the gates of a caftle fly open, of the vanishing of an enchanted palace or garden after fome knight has deftroyed the enchanter, and the like; yet these are not more peculiarly the property of Ariofto, than they are common to all ancient romances in general. Spenfer's first book is, indeed, a regular and precife imitation of fuch a series of action as we frequently find in books of chivalry. For inftance; A king's daughter

VOL. I.

D

applies

applies to a knight, that he would relieve her father and mother, who are closely confined to their castle, upon account of a vast and terrible dragon, that had rayaged their country, and perpetually laid wait to destroy them. The knight sets forward with the lady, encounters a monster in the way, is plotted against by an enchanter, and after furmounting a variety of difficulties and obftacles, arrives at the country which is the scene of the dragon's devastation, kills him, and is presented to the king and queen, whom he has juft delivered; marries their daughter, but is foon obliged to leave her, on account of fulfilling a former vow.

It may be moreover obferved, that the circumftance of each of Spenser's twelve nights, departing from one place, by a different way, to perform a different adventure, exactly resembles that of the seven knights entering upon their several expeditions, in the well-known romance, entitled the Seven Champions of Christendom. In fact, these miraculous books were highly fashionable, and chivalry, which was the fubject of them, was ftill practifed and admired, in the age of queen Elizabeth *.

* See Hollinfhead's Chronicles, vol. iii. p. 1315.

Among

Among others, there is one romance which Spenfer seems more particularly to have made ufe of. It is entitled, MORTE ARTHUR, The Lyf of Kyng Arthur, of the noble Knyghtes of the round table, and in thende the dolorous deth of them all. This was tranflated into English from the French, by one Sir Thomas Maleory, Knight, and printed by W. Caxton, 1484*. From this fabulous hiftory our author has borrowed many of his names, viz. Sir Triftram, Placidas, Pelleas, Pellenore, Percivall, and others. As to Sir Triftram, he has copied from this book the circumftances of his birth and education with much exactnefs. Spenser informs us that Sir Triftram was born in Cornwall, &c.

And Triftram is my name, the only heire
Of good king Meliogras, which did raigne
In Cornewaile.
6. 2. 28.

And afterwards.

The countrie wherein I was bred

The which the fertile Lioneffe is hight. St. 30.

These particulars are drawn from the romance abovementioned. "There was a knight Meliodas [Meliogras], and he was lord and king of the country of Lyones—and he wedded king Markes

* This Book has been reprinted twice or thrice. The laft Edition is dated 1634.

D2

"fifter

fifter of Cornewale." The iffue of which marriage, as we are afterwards told, was Sir Triftram †. Mention is then made in our romance, of Sir Triftram's banishment from Lyones into a distant country, by the advice, and under the conduct, of a wife and learned counsellor named Governale. A circumstance alluded to by Spenfer in these verses.

So taking counsel of a wife man red,

She was by him adviz'd, to fend me quight.

Out of the countrie, wherein I was bred,

The which the fertile Lionesse is hight. 6. 2. 30.

Sir Triftram's education is thus described below. St. 31.

All which my dayes I have not lewdly spent,
Nor fpilt the bloffom of my tender yeares

In ydleffe, but as was convenient,
Have trained bene with many noble feres

In gentle thewes, and fuch like femely leres ;
'Mongft which my moft delight has always beene
To hunt the favage chace among my peres

Of all that raungeth in the foreft greene,

Of which none is to me unknown that e'er was seene,

XXXII.

Ne is there hawke that mantleth her on pearch
Whether high-tow'ring, or accoafting lowe,

But I the measure of her flight do search,
And all her pray, and all her dyet knowe.

All this is agreeable to what is related in the romance. After mention being made of Triftram's having learned the language of France, courtly behaviour, and skill in chivalry, we read the following paffage. "As he growed in might and ftrength, he laboured "ever in hunting and hawking; fo that we never read "of no gentleman, more, that fo ufed himfelfe ❝ therein.—And he began good measures of blowing "of blafts of venery [hunting] and chase, and of all

manner of vermeins; and all these termes have we 66 yet of hawking and hunting, and therefore the booke ❝ of venery, of hawking and hunting, is called THE "BOOK OF SIR TRISTRAM*." And in another place King Arthur thus addreffes Sir Triftram. "For of "all manner of hunting thou beareft the prise; and of "all measures of blowing thou art the beginner; and "of all the termes of hunting and hawking ye are "the beginner t.

In Tuberville's treatise of Falconrie, &c. Sir Triftram is often introduced as the patron of field-fports. A huntsman thus fpeaks,

Before the King I come report to make,

Then hushe and peace for noble TRISTRAM's fake ‡.

*Book ii. chap. 3. + B. H. c. 91.

Edit. 4to. 1611. p. 96.
And