The Purple Island : Or: the Isle of Man [1 ed.] 9789004339767, 9789004328563

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Phineas Fletcher The Purple Island: Or, The Isle of Man

The Renaissance Society of America texts and studies series

Editor-in-Chief Ingrid De Smet (University of Warwick)

Editorial Board Anne Coldiron (Florida State University) Paul Grendler, Emeritus (University of Toronto) James Hankins (Harvard University) Craig Kallendorf (Texas a&m University) Gerhild Scholz-Williams (Washington University in St. Louis) Lía Schwartz Lerner (cuny Graduate Center)

volume 8

The titles published in this series are listed at brill.com/rsa

Phineas Fletcher The Purple Island: Or, The Isle of Man Edited by

Johnathan H. Pope

leiden | boston

Cover illustration: Anatomical figure of the veins from Helkiah Crooke’s Mikrokosmographia (1615), courtesy of the British Library. © The British Library Board, shelf mark 781.k.1. The Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available online at http://catalog.loc.gov LC record available at http://lccn.loc.gov/2017008774

Typeface for the Latin, Greek, and Cyrillic scripts: “Brill”. See and download: brill.com/brill-typeface. issn 2212-3091 isbn 978-90-04-32856-3 (hardback) isbn 978-90-04-33976-7 (e-book) Copyright 2017 by Koninklijke Brill nv, Leiden, The Netherlands. Koninklijke Brill nv incorporates the imprints Brill, Brill Hes & De Graaf, Brill Nijhoff, Brill Rodopi and Hotei Publishing. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, translated, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission from the publisher. Authorization to photocopy items for internal or personal use is granted by Koninklijke Brill nv provided that the appropriate fees are paid directly to The Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Suite 910, Danvers, ma 01923, usa. Fees are subject to change. This book is printed on acid-free paper and produced in a sustainable manner.

Contents Acknowledgments vii List of Illustrations ix Introduction 1

Phineas Fletcher The Purple Island: Or, The Isle of Man Dedication and Prefatory Poems Canto i

54

Canto ii

71

Canto iii

87

Canto iiii Canto v

45

98 109

Canto vi

129

Canto vii

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Canto viii

172

Canto ix

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Canto x

200

Canto xi

211

Canto xii

224

Francis Quarles, “To my deare friend, the spencer of this age” Index

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247

Acknowledgments I would like to begin by thanking Brill for having faith in this project, with particular thanks to Craig Kallendorf and Ingrid De Smet for their support at the earliest stages of publication, as well as to Ivo Romein and Erika Suffern for their patience with a text that poses many typographical challenges. Special thanks are also due to the rsa and to Joseph Bowling for his keen editorial eye. Thanks also to the anonymous reviewers whose suggestions and critiques helped make this edition much better than it would have been otherwise. This project began as part of my doctoral dissertation in a chapter that was supposed to draw connections between Francis Quarles and Phineas Fletcher. My supervisor, Mary Silcox, had the good sense to suggest cutting Fletcher from that chapter, which I reluctantly agreed to do. She was right: at that time, while I knew I wanted to work on Fletcher, I did not yet really know what I wanted to say about him or about The Purple Island. I thank Mary for her kind encouragement, her willingness to drop the axe on something that was not yet ready, and her generous support throughout my years at McMaster. The idea to attempt a critical edition of The Purple Island came a little later while I was working at Saint Francis Xavier University when my colleague, Paul Marquis, asked if I had ever thought about doing this kind of work. As soon as he asked, I realized that this was what I had been waiting to do with Fletcher, and the project snapped quickly into focus. Many thanks go to Paul for emboldening me to dive into a field of work that was quite daunting to a newly minted PhD. Thanks also to Cory Rushton for reading and commenting on early drafts of my proposals, and for many trips to the pub spent discussing zombies, science fiction, and superhero movies. I would also like to thank Ellen Crosby for her extremely keen eye when looking over my first crack at canto 2, and for helping ensure that I corrected typos rather than introduced them. Thanks also to the Research Office at Memorial University of Newfoundland (Grenfell Campus), namely Ivan Emke, Peter Davis, and Lan Ma. The generous funding provided by Grenfell enabled me to examine some of the extant copies of Fletcher’s poem, an opportunity that has strengthened the present edition immeasurably. The staff and librarians at the British Library and the Bodleian Library were incredibly helpful and always a pleasure to work with, even when they were confronted with my own ineptitude in using their catalogues and databases. Special thanks also to Carol King at Grenfell Campus for generously providing the translation of the Latin poem preceding Fletcher’s poem. Special thanks to Bonnie White for always being my first and most critical reader, and for enabling me to push past the many bouts of self-doubt that set

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in during my years spent working on this poem. Bonnie, without your support, prodding, and infectious respect for deadlines, I’d still be chipping away at this thing. A big thank you to my parents, Howard and Mary Pope, who have helped me in so many ways over the years that there are aren’t enough lines to list them all. Thanks also to William and Judy White for a great deal of support throughout the years. And finally, thanks to all those friends who let me vent about the trials and tribulations of academia and for knowing when to tell me to stop complaining, especially Yvonne Halliday, Jay Halliday, Olivia Halliday, Shaun Young, Ashley Tizzard, Trevor Gill, Kiah Buchanan, Steve Warren, Ellen Warren, Neil White, Karen Dearlove, and Sam Kalman. Jack: this one’s for you, buddy.

List of Illustrations 1

2 3

4 5

6

Figure surrounded by Scriptural passages from William Cowper’s The Anatomy of a Christian Man, 2nd edition (1613) courtesy of the British Library. © The British Library Board, shelf mark 4402.p.2. 16 Emblem 5.6 from Francis Quarles’ Emblemes (1635) courtesy of the British Library. © The British Library Board, shelf mark C.95.a.2(1). 27 Copperplate engraving dedicated to Edward Benlowes in Phineas Fletcher’s The Purple Island (1633) courtesy of the British Library. © The British Library Board, shelf mark g11463. 29 Coat of arms in Phineas Fletcher’s The Purple Island (1633) courtesy of the British Library. © The British Library Board, shelf mark g11463. 30 Copperplate engraving dedicated to Edward Benlowes in Phineas Fletcher’s The Purple Island (1633) courtesy of the British Library. © The British Library Board, shelf mark C.34.g.33. 31 Two pages of text from Phineas Fletcher’s The Purple Island (1633) courtesy of the British Library. © The British Library Board, shelf mark g11463. 38

Introduction Phineas Fletcher’s The Purple Island has confounded, offended, and irritated readers from nearly its initial publication in 1633 down to the present day. Writing in 1978, Frank Kastor characterized it as an absolute failure, but also as “one of the most unusual poems in English” (112). Modeled on the work of Edmund Spenser, The Purple Island is a peculiar—but rewarding—pastoral text divided into twelve cantos as the shepherd Thirsil recounts his story over the course of seven days. Fletcher’s work explicitly combines anatomical and devotional perspectives on the body, representing the body as a “purple island,” run through with streams of blood, and containing organ cities inhabited by the faculties of the body and governed by the pseudodivine Prince Intellect who is roughly analogous to the soul. Cantos 2 through 5 are accompanied by extensive anatomical marginalia that detail the operation of the part in question, such as the stomach or nerves; its humoral composition; and even some of the current anatomical controversies. In cantos 6 through 12, the island—particularly the brain city—becomes the battleground for a war waged between virtues and vices. In addition to representing the human body, the purple island is also analogous to England, whose Edenic Fall is brought about by the unnecessary and curious contact with the European continent, contact that leaves England to wallow in Hell’s “deathfull lake,” a fate from which it is saved by the Crucifixion (1.56). Thirsil’s goal, then, is to “sing this Island’s new recover’d seat” (1.60). Fletcher begins with the Fall and returns to it in canto 6. Whereas the narrative provided in canto 1 deals almost exclusively with the “island,” or body, itself—fallen corporeality—canto 6 discusses the effect of the Fall on the inhabitants of the island, or the inner self. Although friends and enemies alike now populate the purple island, this was not always the case. Prior to the Fall, the island was ruled by “Heroes” who “claim’d their birth from that eternal Light” and ruled according to the laws of God (6.7). But when the island was “plung’d in that dead hellish lake” at the Fall, these heroes abandoned the island and fled back to heaven. In their absence Rusht in a false, foul, fiend-like companie, And every fort, and every castle took; ........................... The goodly temples which those Heroes plac’t, By this foul rout were utterly defac’t, And all their fences strong, and all their bulwarks raz’d. 6.10

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In his anger, God was prepared to smite the now-rebellious island, but Mercy intervened and sent reinforcements under the command of Prince Intellect. The resulting conflict has thrown the island into a state of “civil strife” as the two factions struggle for control (6.20). Consequently, the poem deals with the fall of the whole self, internal and external, merging anatomical, religious, and geonational narratives. Fletcher combines detailed anatomical description with religious devotion in order to produce an allegorical epic that explores the body as the contested terrain on and over which virtues and vices battle. The successful culmination of the battle is achieved by the second coming of Christ (who is analogous to James i), who defeats the Dragon/Satan with a flaming sword before marrying Eclecta, the female personification of the true church. This marriage essentially brings about an end to time via the ascension to Heaven: “Their bridall bed is in that heav’nly hall, / Where all dayes are but one, and onely one is all” (12.76). Thirsil concludes his tale by imploring the “shepherd-swains” who listen, the reader included, to follow this heavenly couple (12.87). Consequently, salvation is made readily available in Fletcher’s epic. Fletcher’s opening canto invokes two ideas that we often see in both anatomical and devotional texts, that the body is a microcosm and that knowing thyself is a noble and valuable pursuit, one not limited to corporeal investigation, as evidenced by the later cantos’ emphasis on virtue and vice. With regards to the second belief, Thirsil stresses the importance of understanding the purple island, but emphasizes that it is often A place too seldome view’d, yet still in view; Neare as our selves, yet farthest from our care; Which we by leaving finde, by seeking lost; A forrain home, a strange, though native coast; Most obvious to all, yet most unknown to most. 1.34

Fletcher’s text is intended to address this paradox of the native foreignness of the body, emphasizing the alterity of that which is closest to us and our need to overcome it by learning about the body from a devotional perspective. In his telling of the Creation story, Thirsil notes that when God was almost done with his work, He cast to frame an Isle, the heart and head Of all his works, compos’d with curious art; Which like an Index briefly should impart The summe of all; the whole, yet of the whole a part. 1.43

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Humanity was then raised out of “purple dust” (1.44), a creation distinct from the animals due to the implanting of will and reason: Nor made he this like other Isles; but gave it Vigour, sense, reason, and a perfect motion, To move it self whither it self would have it, And know what falls within the verge of notion. 1.46

Fletcher’s choice of the island metaphor accentuates the idea of body as microcosm, or little world, drawing as it does on geographical and national separation and wholeness (island, England) made up of many separate but unified components (geographical features, society), but existing within a larger context, the geographical and political world with the monarch as its head.1 The island metaphor thus highlights the complexities of the part-whole relationship that is so important to many anatomical and religious discussions of the body and the self. In The Purple Island, knowing thyself is both personal and political, extending from the body to the body politic as one feeds into the other. In fact, Fletcher takes the idea to its logical extreme by using it as a reason not to engage in imperial expansion: “Let others trust the seas, dare death and hell, / Search either Inde, vaunt of their scarres and wounds,” sings Thirsil at the outset of the poem (1.26). He would rather pass his years “under some Kentish hill / Neare rowling Medway ’mong my shepherd peers” (1.28). He chastises those “Vain men … who plough the seas” to add “new worlds to th’ old” (1.36). Such men are engaged in an imperial project that is comparable to the stage, wherein the actors and scenes change continually with some men rising to power and others falling from it, some laughing and some weeping, “Till all put of[f] their robes, and stage and actours gone” (1.37). Fletcher here situates England within the narrative of personal salvation that guides the whole poem: colonial gains and losses

1 In contrast to most critics working on the poem, Mark Bayer has delved into the political allegory central to The Purple Island, suggesting that the poem challenges hierarchical Stuart political theory. Hierarchy is still present in the poem, but the rivers and streams of blood and nerves disperse political agency throughout the body and “focuses attention on the land itself as a source of nationalism” (Bayer 253). The sovereignty of the head and Price Intellect is still asserted, but so too is his reliance on other parts of the anatomy, as well as his own counselors, many of whom enjoy free will rather than subservience to the monarch, which stands in stark contrast to the more centralized authority of Intellect’s dragon enemy.

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are no more than distracting plots and scenes that contribute nothing to the salvation of either the individual or the nation. Instead, Fletcher promotes a form of “self-colonization” that stems from mastery over the body rather than vain and fruitless imperial expansion (Koepke 190). Or rather, expanding beyond the island before first controlling that island, this “forrain home,” is putting the cart before the horse (1.34). His concerns are decidedly domestic and his message clear: Yet this fair Isle, sited so nearely neare, That from our sides nor place nor time may sever; Though to your selves your selves are not more deare, Yet with strange carelesnesse you travell never: Thus while your selves and native homes forgetting, You search farre distant worlds with needlesse sweating, You never finde your selves; so lose ye more by getting. 1.38

Thus Thirsil promotes an inward-looking gaze that prioritizes self-knowledge, both corporeal and spiritual, above all else. As R.G. Baldwin notes, this is hardly a revolutionary assertion about the self, as the Platonic imploration to “know thyself” was taken up and touted by innumerable writers prior to Fletcher to the point that it was a conventional maxim by the seventeenth century (“Phineas Fletcher” 470). By employing this maxim in an allegorical context that links the self with body, island, and nation, however, Fletcher pushes that maxim to a logical extremity that idealizes an asocial, anchoritic body. Fletcher’s ideal England is isolationist, focused on internal, domestic issues rather than concerns beyond its shoreline. In addition to his comments about imperialism, Fletcher expresses a persistent anxiety about invasion, and when he does allude to contemporary events, it is frequently to applaud the repulsion of invasion, such as in Thirsil’s celebration of the defeat of the invasive Spanish Armada in 6.23. No mention, however, is made of any sort of positive interaction with the world beyond England’s shores, with other national bodies. At its best, then, England does not roam beyond its own borders through colonial pursuits, nor does it permit access to other nations looking to get in. The ideal body/self appears to operate in much the same way for Fletcher. In this allegory, his island does not come into necessary contact with other bodies, nor does it interact with them in any positive way. Knowing oneself ideally requires corporeal isolation similar to England’s national isolation—the body has enough problems of its own that it does not need to go looking for additional problems elsewhere by exposing itself to the persistent threat of other bodies. Significantly, when the

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battle takes place between virtue and vice, it is characterized as “civil strife” and “home dissension” (6.20). Self-knowledge, self-sufficiency, and purposeful isolation are prioritized. The perspective seems to be that England is at its best when it is looking to itself, the celebratory Protestant exceptionalism of Spenser. This is reinforced when Eclecta marries a version of Christ-James at the end of the poem, the culmination of the hard-fought victory. Indeed, siege proves to be the organizing metaphor of the whole poem. The cities/bodily regions are outfitted with defenses in order to guard against the persistent threat of both invasion and civil unrest as order and harmony are idealized. In general, the three regions of the body work together with “loving concord” and assist one another with “mutuall aid” (2.14). Each region accepts its place in the hierarchy of the body from head to belly. The cities of the lower region are fenced in by skin, fat, and muscle to protect them from “forrain enmitie” (2.15), with the outermost defense, the skin, guarded by “a watchman,” the sense of touch (2.16). The muscles of the thorax are its guards “both for defence, and respiration” (4.10). The heart is protected by “two severall walls” and “a wheyish moat” (4.16). Every part of Fletcher’s island body is defended by guards, watchmen, captains, and so forth whose express purpose is to prevent invasion. Fletcher gives us the impression that the purple island and its cities are, when functioning ideally, naturally impenetrable, leaving civil disorder as the primary threat to its health and stability. From Prince Intellect’s perspective, “most he fears his subjects’ wavering mindes. / This Tower then onely falls, when treason undermines” (6.38). The island’s geography is fascinating. Fletcher’s island is the human body, but it is also allegorized as England and displays Fletcher’s familiarity with London, Kent, and Cambridge, with particular attention paid to the waterways of England.2 However, analogies are also frequently drawn from classical sources and mythology. In canto 5, for example, there are numerous references to the features of the classical world, particularly those areas bordering the Aegean Sea, and the poet draws on Homer, Ovid, and others to clarify the geography of the body. As such, Fletcher continues the Renaissance project of tying England to a classical past, as the body’s geographical allegories are English, Greek, and Roman, with very little mention of the rest of Europe. While this is hardly surprising given Fletcher’s isolationist politico-corporeal ideals in the poem, it serves to make his point about the special status of England more insis-

2 It should be noted here that although Fletcher’s island metaphor logically refers to England and Scotland together (and perhaps alludes to James’ efforts to unify the island), the poet only makes reference to the places and geographical features of England.

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tent. Dealing with the ideal body, he finds similitude in the English landscape and classical geography and mythology, not in references to Europe. The ear canal is like the Meander River (5.38); the cheeks are like the Plains of Thessaly (5.53); mention is made of a river near Virgil’s birthplace (1.11) and to the features of the bay of Naples (1.13); the mythological Clashing Rocks between the Black Sea and Aegean Sea become metaphors for sex and procreation (3.29). Aside from such references to classical geography, Thirsil frequently mentions notable English rivers such as the Thames, Medway, and Cam, along with other features of the land. The point is clear: England and the classical world provide the best avenues for understanding the purple island. Once Thirsil is appointed a May lord and asked to sing in canto 1, he immediately goes about demonstrating his authority as a pastoral expert, situating The Purple Island in the context of Fletcher’s classical and contemporary forebears. He begins by complaining that there may be nothing left to sing about that has not already been done by the likes of Virgil and, more recently, Sannazaro and Du Bartas. The opening canto is brimming with references to Fletcher’s pastoral compatriots, but one name more than any other resurfaces repeatedly throughout the poem: Colin, that is, Edmund Spenser. Thirsil praises Spenser as a favorite of the Muses, and Fletcher’s esteem for Spenser is evident throughout The Purple Island (and, indeed, throughout the vast majority of Fletcher’s writing), which he makes explicit in canto 6 when Thirsil notes that he admires Virgil and “our home-bred Colin” above all others, and that to follow in the footsteps of one of these two “is all my pride’s aspiring” (6.5). In his poem, Fletcher employs a modified, seven-line Spenserian stanza (ababccc), consisting of—usually—six lines of iambic pentameter followed by a single line of iambic hexameter. The most obvious influence on Fletcher’s poem is the House of Alma episode in The Faerie Queene 2.9, in which Spenser’s knights traverse a similarly allegorical body (and which Fletcher references explicitly in 6.51). However, Fletcher’s debt to Spenser does not end there. As Abram Langdale and William Wells et al. have demonstrated, the poet makes dozens of references to Spenser’s poetry over the course of The Purple Island, references that cover all books of The Faerie Queene, Shepheardes Calender, “Colin Clouts Come Home Againe,” “Virgils Gnat,” and “Ruines of Time” (Langdale 218–220; Wells et al. 189–190). In total, there are approximately fifty allusions to Spenser’s poetry throughout Fletcher’s epic, in addition to about a half-dozen references to Colin. Certainly, other authors are alluded to in the poem, namely Sannazaro, Du Bartas, Ovid, Virgil, Ariosto, Tasso, Samuel Daniel, and Fletcher’s own brother, Giles. Spenser, however, overshadows them all, and he exerts a palpable influence on the poem at hand, which Fletcher is evidently happy to acknowledge.

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Where Fletcher arguably fails in his conscious imitation of Spenser’s allegorical epic is in the lack of narrative progression in The Purple Island. As dense as Spenser’s allegory is in The Faerie Queene, one of the simplest reasons for its success as a piece of writing is that Spenser gives his knights and their antagonists narrative purpose rather than purely burdening them with the weight of their allegorical significance. Likewise, it is through such narrative progression that the allegory becomes more nuanced as the reader follows, say, Redcrosse Knight’s relationship with Una and his conflict with Archimago and Duessa. The closest Fletcher comes to Spenser’s mastery of allegorical narrative comes in canto 11, when Parthenia (the embodiment of single chastity), Intellect’s prime champion and Fletcher’s version of Britomart, takes to the field to do battle. She first confronts Porneios, whom she defeats in a jousting match after her armor deflects his attempted phallic penetration. She sends him flying from his horse in one of the poem’s few comic moments: he had dreamed of flying the night before, only to see that dream come true in an unexpected way. Parthenia is then beset by a number of the Dragon’s warriors before being defeated by the cunning False Delight who, bearing the semblance of True Delight, strikes her down (she is eventually revived by Constancie). Parthenia is also the figure most often associated with the color purple, presumably as a consequence of her virginal loss at the hands of False Delight. Indeed, sexuality is at the core of The Purple Island, as it is one of the only aspects of the moral and physical self that is granted narrative status. In cantos 11 and 12, Parthenia is defeated and consigns herself to death, but her fellow knights rescue her and take her from the battlefield. At this point, she is treated with rue (traditionally used to induce a miscarriage) and nepenthe (the equivalent of an antidepressant) before she resumes the fight. The suggestion is that she has been impregnated as a result of her false, misleading delights, with the language of the poem heavily suggesting vaginal penetration and the loss of virginity (likely a consequence of rape; see 11.27–31). Her spirits are raised as a result of treating her potential pregnancy, ensuring that she will not carry a child, and as such she is permitted to resume the fight and remain as Intellect’s champion, with the approval of her fellow knights. The Purple Island has very few moments of such narrative progression, but the brief Parthenia episode is done effectively. By contrast, the majority of the remainder of the poem is characterized by narrative stagnation, with the exception of a few vignettes of action as the battle is waged in the latter half of the poem. Thirsil progresses systematically through the various parts and processes of the body in the first five cantos, but although the features of the body are frequently personified—such as the island’s “common Cook, Concoction” (2.33)—they are only given life as the embodiment of their ideal functioning.

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Concoction, for example, “ne’re sleeps, nor sleep desires” as he works day and night tending to the heat of his furnace so that he can feed the island each day (2.33). Although this cook’s responsibilities are detailed over subsequent stanzas, once that job description has been provided, we need hear nothing more about this laborer. Once Thirsil moves on to his spiritual anatomy, the personified virtues and vices that take to the field to do battle are likewise paraded before the reader and then, with a few exceptions, dispensed with. However, what seems a failure from one perspective proves to be an overwhelming success from another. In addition to imitating the Spenserian allegory, Fletcher is also explicitly imitating the anatomical textbook, a discourse characterized by an almost complete lack of narrative. At worst, The Purple Island has been characterized as a “whimsical and stupid poem” (Kennedy 496), and numerous critics have commented on the tediousness of reading the poem, including Kastor’s assertion that the poem is an “instructive but monumental failure” (115). There is another author whom Fletcher references almost as frequently as Spenser: himself. One of the defining characteristics of Fletcher’s work is his penchant for self-repetition, as he recycles lines and whole stanzas across numerous texts. The Purple Island contains passages that are identical or nearly identical to ones found in almost every other piece of writing that he produced. Building on the work done by Alexander Grosart and Frederick Boas, Langdale has provided the most comprehensive list of instances of Fletcher’s self-repetition to date, counting a total of 215 instances across the poet’s body of work (153, 211–215). Given that we do not, and cannot, know exactly when a particular poem was written, it is impossible to definitively identify where the repeated passages originated, a problem compounded by the fact that two decades passed between the authorship and publication of the majority of Fletcher’s writing. In the absence of any evidence to the contrary, I am inclined to accept Langdale’s postulation that Fletcher’s self-repetitions “were intentional labor-saving devices, and constitute transcription from an earlier poem for the purpose of decorating a later [one]” as he worked on numerous literary projects simultaneously (153). The authorship of The Purple Island coincided with a period of increasing interest in human anatomy, the knowledge of which had been undergoing significant revision since the publication of Andreas Vesalius’s De humani corporis fabrica libri septem (1543) in the previous century. Vesalius’s work pushed Europe into a new relationship with the human body, what Jonathan Sawday calls the “culture of dissection” (3). Although human dissections had certainly taken place in Europe prior to the mid-sixteenth century, Vesalius initiated a systemic and detailed approach to the bodily interior that weakened the cultural and religious taboos against cutting into and exploring the human

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body for purely intellectual reasons. This new phase of anatomical exploration also helped weaken the grip of Galenic anatomical theories that had reigned for well over a millennium. Vesalius’s work, and much of the work that follows him, is accompanied by detailed descriptions and images of bodies and parts, more recognizable to the twenty-first-century reader as scientific than the work of his medieval counterparts. Many critics who have taken an interest in The Purple Island have focused on the epic’s temporal position in the transition between old and new ways of thinking about the body, since the poem appeared at a time when a general theory of correspondences was giving way to scientific determinism. Thomas Healy characterizes the poem as an attempt to amalgamate contemporary anatomical perspectives with an outdated worldview, suggesting that Fletcher celebrates the instabilities inherent in such a project (343). Sawday similarly sees the poem as a transitional text between the pre-Cartesian harmony of body, soul, and world and the post-Cartesian othering of the body, “the very last gasp of the old mentality” (172).3 However, the pace of the demise of sacred anatomies has been overestimated, surviving as it did in English anatomical and devotional texts late into the seventeenth century. What Sawday sees as a last gasp in 1633 did, in fact, continue to draw breath well into the seventeenth century. At the outset of his A Systeme of Anatomy (1685), Samuel Collins (1618– 1710) describes man as “a composition of two Essential parts, Body and Soul, … which being wonderfully united in one Compound, do produce most different, rational, sensitive, and vegetative Faculties, and Operations, which speak the Omnipotent Power and Artifice of the All-wise Architect” (i). Collins’s work testifies to the endurance of Fletcher’s unified, analogical approach to the self well past the 1630s: he repeatedly emphasizes the interrelation between a healthy body and a healthy soul in a way that echoes the war between Prince Intellect and the Dragon’s minions on the battlefield of the corporeal self in Fletcher’s poem. In the early modern period, we can thus observe a gradual move away from medieval conceptions that both focused on the body as a microcosm that mirrored the world around it, maintaining humoral balance, and that also emphasized a distinction between the medical elite that dealt in abstract, philosophical notions of medicine and healing and the less respected manual labor of the surgeon. In fact, this movement was so gradual that many so-called medieval 3 Eric Langley has contributed to this discussion in his exploration of Fletcher’s integration of the anatomized eye into his poem, with a particular focus on the eyebeam motif, situating The Purple Island squarely within the realm of science and the evolution of the shifting facts about vision and the eye.

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ways of looking at the body persisted through to the seventeenth century, evident in The Purple Island’s humoralism. The early modern period witnessed an explosion of advancements in anatomical knowledge and saw the discovery and promotion of much of what would eventually become our contemporary knowledge about the body and its systems. Although much of this work was done outside of England by the likes of Vesalius, Fallopius, Eustachius, Colombo, Paré, and Fabricius, English anatomical work was published regularly throughout the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. With the exception of William Harvey’s work on the circulation of the blood, the majority of English anatomical publications largely reiterated the findings of their early modern Continental forebears and contemporaries. Regardless, their appearance in print reflects the growing interest in anatomical knowledge in England during the period: texts such as Thomas Vicary’s Anatomie of Mans Body (1577, reprint of a lost 1548 edition), John Banister’s The Historie of Man (1578), and—most notably for our purposes as a contemporary of Fletcher—Helkiah Crooke’s Mikrokosmographia (1615) ensured that English readers had access to the changing field of human anatomy. New, yes, but these texts were still grounded in analogical traditions that saw anatomy as the pursuit of divine truths and correspondences, which, for Fletcher, is the key to understanding his allegory. At the outset of his compendious textbook, Crooke carves out a privileged space for anatomy and its connection to the divine, noting in the preface to the first book that “all Arts are indeed originally from God,” and that the study of the body of man is the ultimate art because “the admirable structure, and accomplished perfection of the body, carrieth in it a representation of all the most glorious and perfect workes of God, as being an Epitome or compend of the whole creation, by which he is rather signified then expressed. And hence it is, that man is called a Microcosme or little worlde” (Crooke 2). This concept of signification versus expression—indirect observance versus direct observance—is key to the religious prioritization of anatomical work. Because we cannot witness or worship God directly in his presence, we must witness and worship him indirectly through his works on Earth, of which the body of man is the most perfect example, the epitome of creation. Crooke expands on this perspective by aligning the anatomist with Moses, the recipient of the Ten Commandments who also heard the voice of God (14). Like Moses, the anatomist cannot look directly on the face of God, but he can transmit the word of God that is written onto the body. Finally, Crooke modestly concludes that, When I compare Diuine things with Humane and in like maner Humane with Diuine, and with a through examination do diligentlie view the prop-

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erties of them both; I can finde no man so nere a kin to the mysticall Nature of God, as those which make good vse of that Oracle of Apollo, … Know thy Selfe. For seeing that admirable Architector and Maker of all things did make the bodie of man according to his owne Image, it cannot be but he which is well skilled in the Fabricke and Workemanshippe of himselfe, vnto him I say will the Nature of the Creatour and the Arche-tipe more plainely appeare, because hee which is well read in his owne body, shall see in all euen the least operations of his minde or actions of his bodie a liuely Impression and infallible markes of Diuinity. 646

Crooke clearly held his profession in high regard. In the opening canto of The Purple Island, Fletcher discusses creation and echoes the above sentiment: Now when the first week’s life was almost spent, And this world built, and richly furnishèd; To store heav’n’s courts, and steer earth’s regiment, He cast to frame an Isle, the heart and head Of all his works, compos’d with curious art; Which like an Index briefly should impart The summe of all; the whole, yet of the whole a part. 1.43

The contemplation and poetic dissection of this “index” is thus intended to bring the reader closer to God through an exploration of his most perfect creation. Fletcher makes no reference to Crooke by name in either the verse or marginalia of his poem, but the shared perspective on the body as a microcosm of the entirety of creation is a testament to the pervasiveness of the perspective in the culture more generally. A question that has often intrigued readers of The Purple Island is whether or not Fletcher himself had any firsthand experience with anatomical demonstrations, which has encouraged scholars to assess the accuracy and currency of his anatomical knowledge. On this matter, Langdale and Baldwin stand at two ends of the debate. Langdale, Fletcher’s most comprehensive and impressive biographer to date, argues that the poet possessed extensive, firsthand anatomical knowledge gleaned from the anatomical theater. Consequently, in Langdale’s estimation, “Nothing intervened between the cadaver and the poet” (208). He reads Fletcher as a devotee of his contemporary Renaissance anatomists, most notably William Harvey, who undoubtedly attended as many

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public anatomies as possible. For his part, Baldwin explicitly contradicts many of Langdale’s claims (and apparent errors) about Fletcher’s anatomical knowledge, arguing that the science of The Purple Island is conservative rather than revolutionary. “Fletcher,” writes Baldwin, “is in fact as conservative, practical, steady a voice as can be found in the seventeenth century. His work is a nearperfect handbook to the opinions of a period in the history of thought fast on the wane when he wrote” (“Phineas Fletcher” 468). Peter Mitchell questions whether or not Fletcher could have attended any more than a single anatomical demonstration, largely due to the fact that there is a record of only one anatomized body being buried, in 1601, while Fletcher attended King’s College (392– 393). Ultimately, the debate regarding the true extent of Fletcher’s anatomical knowledge and whether or not he attended anatomical demonstrations is one I leave to other scholars.4 For my own editorial purposes, engaging in these debates serves to further obscure rather than illuminate The Purple Island, and it detracts from the appreciation of the poem as poetry. I take Mitchell’s book as a cautionary tale; as impressive and admirable as Mitchell’s work is (it stands as the sole book-length study of The Purple Island, dealing almost exclusively with the anatomical cantos over the course of seven hundred pages), it collapses under its own weight as the author dissects Fletcher’s dissection in painstaking detail. Phineas Fletcher was clearly knowledgeable about early seventeenthcentury anatomical practice, as is evident in both the content and structure of his epic.

4 This has been a contentious issue among critics who have tried to determine whether Fletcher’s anatomy is conservative or cutting edge. Langdale suggests that Fletcher likely attended public anatomies at Gonville and Caius College while he was at Cambridge and that Fletcher’s work anticipates Harvey (205). The Cambridge connection leads Lana Cable to conclude that Fletcher’s anatomy is as accurate as would be available to an English medical student around 1610, but that it does not predict the circulation of the blood as Langdale suggests (138). Other critics such as Bayer and Langley generally endorse this perspective, although Bayer is more willing than most critics to suggest the presence of a “mechanistic system” at work in The Purple Island (Bayer 259; Langley 345). Others, such as Sawday and Healy, have suggested that Fletcher drew on a more conservative model, possibly derived from Vicary (Sawday 172; Healy 343). Mitchell exhaustively investigates Fletcher’s probable anatomical sources, concluding that the poet likely drew on Vesalius, Banister, and (possibly) Harvey’s early precirculation work for his descriptions of the body. Mitchell’s own argument is based on a detailed examination of what anatomical texts would have been available to Fletcher at King’s College and the likelihood that he attended anatomical lectures or demonstrations, noting that he could have been present at some of Harvey’s lectures between 1615 and 1621 in London, although this is impossible to determine with certainty (338).

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Regardless of whether or not Fletcher was as anatomically enlightened as Langdale or as conservative as Baldwin claims him to be, Fletcher’s reading and understanding of anatomy and dissection are irrefutable, an understanding that is built into the structure of The Purple Island. Temporally, Thirsil sings his song over the course of seven days, with some cantos occupying a whole day (cantos 5 and 6) but most spanning a morning or afternoon (1–4 and 7–12). This span of time serves a number of purposes. First, although the whole text covers a full week, the anatomical cantos (1–5) span just three days, which was the typical duration of a public anatomical demonstration during the period. Over those three days, the anatomist—without the benefit of refrigeration or other forms of corporeal preservation—would work his way through the corpse in a steady race against putrefaction and decay, beginning with those organs that deteriorated most quickly on the first day. From the perspective of the anatomical demonstration, Fletcher begins in the morning of the first day (canto 1) by offering a general lecture on the body as a whole and by outlining his dissective methodology before cutting into the flesh in the afternoon (canto 2), at which time he describes the lower region and its relevant parts and processes, with a particular focus on the stomach. During the morning of the second day (canto 3), the examination of the lower region continues, this time focused on the liver, gall bladder, spleen, kidneys, and genitalia. In the afternoon of the second day (canto 4), the demonstration moves on to the middle region, the chest, lungs, and heart. Finally, the entirety of the third day (canto 5) is devoted to the upper region, the head. Fletcher thus follows standard anatomical procedure by beginning with the stomach and intestines, those organs that begin to decay immediately upon death, and saving the head, brain, and sensory organs for last. The final four days of The Purple Island are dedicated to Fletcher’s spiritual, rather than corporeal, dissection. Second, in terms of Fletcher’s literary debts, the poet’s temporal structure follows the arrangement of Guillaume Du Bartas’s La Semaine (1578), which details the creation of the world and, like The Purple Island, combines religious and scientific discourses. Fletcher alludes to Du Bartas, the “French Muse” (1.14), at the outset of the poem when discussing his literary influences. Similarly, the one-week timeframe for Thirsil’s song is also intended to mimic the temporal span of Creation, but more than that, Fletcher is also expanding on the metaphor of the microcosm through his use of time. Just as the body is a microcosm of the world, the seven days of the poem encompass all of Christianized time, ranging from the narrative of Creation (“When that great Power, that All, … / … / Brought into act this undigested Ball” [1.39]) through to Judgment Day—replete with references to the Book of Revelations—in canto 12.

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The purple island, then, is the microcosmic embodiment of all things across all time. In this representation, Fletcher’s poem plays the role of both the anatomy textbook and the devotional manual, two types of writing that view the self, whether corporeal or spiritual, as general rather than individual. After all, the usefulness of an early modern anatomy textbook, or anatomical knowledge in general, is limited if the anatomist’s findings are restricted to a body rather than the body. Certainly, that does not mean that anatomists did not recognize difference—“It may fall out to be no new saying, that almost in all bodies, some varietie is to be sene,” writes Banister (B.ivr)—but anatomists wrote about an ideal bodily template (usually male) from which deviations existed, ensuring that their work was applicable to most bodies.5 Humoral theory, for example, relies heavily on an excess or lack of heat and an overabundance or shortage of a particular humor as causes for illness. To speak in terms of excess and lack implies an objective norm by which more or less can be judged. Likewise, Crooke emphasizes the importance of universals when he discusses the senses: “because in the deliuerie of the method of Arts we ought alwayes to procede from vniuersals and such as are better knowne vnto vs, vnto particulars, and that the faculty of sensation is as it were an vniuersall thing, as being dispersed through the whole Systeme and frame of the body, the order of Nature requireth that I treate of it in the first place” (647). Even when writing about something with as much variety as the senses, Crooke chooses to work from universals rather than, say, emphasizing the subjectivity of personal experience or preference. In fact, Crooke presents this methodology as the only way to proceed and undoubtedly believes that his readers will agree that one should follow the same progression from universals to particulars. A similar perspective is, of course, taken in devotional manuals. In 1613, the second edition of William Cowper’s The Anatomy of a Christian Man was published (the first appeared in 1611), one of Cowper’s many religious tracts. The author writes in response to hypocritical Christians, those people who maintain the outward appearance or performance of a Christian but who actually love sin. He encourages self-examination in the context of the word of God: “It were happy for these men, if they could learne in time to examine themselues according to that word, by which one day they will be iudged, for not euery one that saith Lord, Lord, will enter into the kingdom of God” (b2v).

5 Yvette Koepke discusses the anatomical “universal body” in relation to Fletcher’s treatment of the female body (183–187).

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In order to assist the reader, Cowper has culled scripture for relevant passages and compiled them in this text with commentary and explication. Like the anatomist, he prefers the universal over the specific: let vs studie to proue our new generation by our new manners, conforming our selues to the rule of a Christian conuersation. A patterne and example whereof I haue gathered out of holy Scripture … Compare thou thy selfe with this ensample; thy minde, thy will, thy affections, thy words, thy actions with these of the new man: where thou findest a conformitie, giue thankes to God for the beginning of the worke of his grace in thee: where not, pray to God further to quicken thee, that thou mayest grow in an holy similitude and conformitive with him. b3r–b4r

Conformity is a persistent theme in this passage, which emphasizes the need to bring the individual into compliance with the universal notion of the Christian man, one not entirely dissimilar to the ideal anatomical body. Certainly, the focus on conformity is tied into the Protestant emphasis on common prayer as well. As Ramie Targoff argues, “what emerges in the aftermath of the Reformation is less a triumphant embrace of the individual’s private and invisible self than a concerted effort to shape the otherwise uncontrollable and unreliable internal sphere through common acts of devotion” (6). She suggests that English Protestants believed that by bringing the external self into step with the universal self through common and public prayer and devotional gestures, the inner religious self would follow. Cowper’s efforts in The Anatomy of a Christian Man fit into this regulatory impulse as he dictates the act of conformity and its impact on dismantling the hypocritical self. In addition, Cowper’s call to “compare thou thy selfe with this ensample” is echoed by the comparative impulse of anatomies that, as we have seen, are meant in part as references to compare the individual with the universal. Both the anatomized body and the Christian man could be judged in relation to their textual counterparts as examples of the success or failure of conformity: by encouraging the examination of the inner self as well as providing the language for understanding that self with reference to an objective norm, both types of writing engage in a similar project. One of the most striking anatomical impulses of Cowper’s text, apart from the title, can be found in the image that precedes the treatise (Fig. 1). The image depicts a naked man (sans genitals) with his hands pressed together in prayer. Scriptural passages can be found in the marginalia of the pages as well as surrounding the body and even written directly onto the skin of

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Figure surrounded by Scriptural passages from William Cowper’s The Anatomy of a Christian Man, 2nd edition (1613) courtesy of the British Library © the british library board, shelf mark 4402.p.2

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the praying figure. Each body part is inscribed with a relevant passage. For example, “My armes are strengthened by the mightie God of Jacob. gen. 49.24” appears on the right shoulder and bicep (Cowper b5v–b7r). The passages adorning the absent genitals make reference to sin and the crucifixion of Christ. We can observe many striking similarities, and some differences, between this image and the anatomical images that accompany a text like Crooke’s Mikrokosmographia. In both instances, body parts are labeled and contextualized within a broader narrative of either Christianity or anatomy that relies on the authority of that narrative. The Greek and Latin names, for example, applied to the parts in Crooke’s images rely on the authority of his classical and contemporary predecessors as much as Cowper’s interpretation of the parts in his image relies on the authority of the Bible and the culture of scriptural commentary. Both figures are effectively swarmed and surrounded by the evidence of this narrative authority, not just in the explanation of the image itself, but also in the entire accompanying chapters of the text. Additionally, the figures in both texts are posed in contextually appropriate ways, with devotional prayer hands in Cowper and with a revelatory stance in Crooke that exposes the body in as much detail as possible. Both of these figures represent an idealized objective subject, one religious and one anatomical. Despite the fact that no reader could reasonably expect to see him- or herself perfectly represented in either image or text, both present an ideal from which all others are deviations or imperfect variants. Cowper insists on the need for the reader to conform to this model self as closely as possible, and a failure to conform runs the risk of inviting damnation. Similarly, Crooke construes deviation from the norm, such as “monsters” (i.e., the disfigured) or hermaphrodites, as abnormality and aberration (299). Fletcher’s poem and his approach to both the corporeal and spiritual self is strikingly similar. One of the great failings of critical and, likely, readerly approaches to the poem is the general refusal to look at the text as a single, unified whole. Instead, the anatomical cantos (2–5) are sectioned off from the spiritual cantos (6–12) and given a great deal more attention, especially in modern scholarship. Certainly, to many readers, the text seems to invite such division because once the anatomical cantos conclude at the end of canto 5, the detailed anatomy largely disappears from the poem as Fletcher moves on to the battle between Prince Intellect and the Dragon, i.e., the soul and Satan. This has led critics such as Kastor to conclude that the various parts of the poem “never coalesce,” with Kastor himself also emphasizing the discordant relationship between marginalia and poem and the demands it places on the reader, blaming the marginalia for The Purple Island’s “large-scale incomprehensibility”

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(114–116).6 Such criticisms are undoubtedly accurate because Fletcher goes to great lengths to explore the island body in painstaking detail only to leave those details behind once the Dragon begins his offensive. The body is seemingly abandoned once Fletcher begins his contemplation of the soul, and this can certainly be frustrating to readers who have endeavored to understand Fletcher’s anatomy in the first half of the poem. Critics who focus on the apparent lack of cohesion between the anatomical and spiritual cantos tend to ignore the fact that there is a similar lack of cohesion between any of the cantos and even within the cantos themselves, regardless of their relative position in the epic. When assessing the success or failure of The Purple Island—as so many critics want to do—we must remain attentive to Fletcher’s structural goals for the poem as a whole. The poem is modeled on the anatomy book and it mimics this structure throughout all of its cantos. Obviously, this is most evident in the first five cantos because of their content. Detailing the parts and processes of the body along with copious corresponding anatomical glosses, these cantos read like a versified rendition of Crooke’s Mikrokosmographia. Regardless, there is little crossover among these five cantos themselves, except where necessary; Thirsil does not return to, e.g., a discussion of any of the three regions of the body or of the various cities unless a specific process connects them. Koilia, the stomach, is first mentioned in canto 2, where its function is detailed. Koilia appears just once in canto 3 in order to indicate the location of Hepar, the liver, in relation to it. Koilia is mentioned a single time in canto 4 in order to describe the progression of food and drink down the esophagus, and it is mentioned once more in canto 5 in relation to the discussion of the senses, particularly Gustus, taste, which Thirsil describes as “Koilia’s Steward” (5.54). Aside from these explicit references to Koilia, only a few references are made to the stomach at all, and then only in Fletcher’s marginal notes. Fletcher devotes nearly twenty stanzas to Koilia in canto 2, but spares barely a word for it following these stanzas. Likewise, Hepar is described in detail in canto 3, but other references to it in cantos 2 and 4 simply establish a geographical/bodily point of reference in order to indicate the path and position of veins, arteries, and other organs. This pattern 6 Lana Cable is likewise interested in the relationship between marginalia and poem in her work on the philosophy of mind in The Purple Island, arguing that the anatomical prose achieves its intended purpose: the marginalia propose to make sense of the stanzas with empirical facts, but more importantly it is the poetry itself that is intended to make everything make sense (141–142). Thomas Healy sees a similarly cooperative relationship between the various components of the text (349). By contrast, Sawday views the relationship as a valiant but failed attempt at synthesis (178–179).

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is repeated for the numerous anatomical parts that Fletcher includes in his poem—once they are done, they’re done. Applying the logic of those critics who see disconnection between the anatomical cantos and the spiritual cantos, however, we would likely expect a greater number of references to the stomach throughout the first five cantos, given its prominence and importance within and relationship to the body as a whole. Fletcher’s cantos function like the chapters of an anatomy book, regardless of whether the discussion being had is physiological or spiritual. From an anatomical perspective, it is not surprising that Thirsil does not discuss the eyes when discussing the bones, or the spleen when discussing the teeth. Likewise, when he concludes his discussion of a particular virtue or vice, he typically abandons that virtue or vice. Renaissance anatomists from Vesalius onward wrote in much the same way because such divisions are a necessary element of the ideal functioning of the anatomy book. A reader turning to Vesalius, Banister, or Crooke for information about the stomach would be quickly frustrated by the textbook if that discussion was spread out across numerous books or chapters, limiting the practical usefulness of the text. Instead, anatomical texts are divided into books and chapters that are as distinct as possible, just as Fletcher’s cantos and stanzas are. Narrative cohesion or even progression is not the goal of the anatomist, and as such it is not Fletcher’s goal in The Purple Island. Instead, the anatomist’s objective is to dissect the body with words, holding up each part to the eye of the reader before moving on to the next stage of the dissection. He begins with a whole body and breaks it down into smaller and smaller parts until there is nothing left except understanding. Fletcher adopts a similar perspective, but his whole is more comprehensive than that of the typical anatomist of his time, focusing on the self rather than the body exclusively. (Although it should be noted that anatomists rarely ignored things such as the soul, virtues, and vices in their anatomies; Crooke begins his with a discussion of the soul.) That the final seven cantos seem separate from the first five is irrelevant. Within them, as within the anatomical cantos, are numerous divisions, separate descriptions of virtues and vices as if they were valves, veins, or ligaments in the body. Across the first five cantos, dozens of bodily parts and processes are discussed. Across the final seven cantos, dozens of spiritual parts and processes are discussed. Anatomical glosses are replaced with scriptural glosses, not unlike Cowper’s The Anatomy of a Christian Man; they might be smaller in size and of a seemingly different nature, but the exact same kinds of glosses are present in the final seven cantos. Anatomists themselves drew on the Bible when contemporary or classical anatomy did not provide the explanation they were looking for, or even when their findings could be used to engage with scriptural knowledge. What

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we see in The Purple Island, then, is continuation rather than change. The shift that takes place between canto 5 and canto 6 is no different from the shift that takes place between cantos 3 and 4, or between cantos 8 and 9. Thirsil is simply moving on to another region of the body, which, as was believed in his historical moment, was comprised of both the material and immaterial. Lana Cable argues that it is not the body that is abandoned in the final cantos but rather the belief that a purely empirical, anatomical inquiry can sufficiently interpret the moral and psychological self. While I largely agree with Cable, it is imperative that we keep in mind that early modern English anatomists did not purport to offer purely empiricist descriptions of the body such that they would need to be abandoned by the devotional poet. My own approach to the poem has been primarily influenced by the work of Yvette Koepke. Like Mitchell, Koepke rejects the notion that The Purple Island is “a bizarre transitional text caught between paradigms” (180), arguing instead in favor of a more unified reading of the two halves of the allegorical poem and emphasizing the inherent allegorical nature of anatomy itself. She focuses primarily on the representation of sex and the female body in order to challenge the objectivity of scientific discourse. As Koepke notes, the ideal body—the norm—that is established in The Purple Island is a male body, and the female body is represented as a deviation, defined by its participation in sexual acts and its colonization by the male body. However, it is the second half of the poem that resists a totalizing objectivist, scientific discourse and “demonstrates the absurdity of a decisive Cartesian split” (Koepke 197–198). In order to better understand Fletcher’s poem, it is imperative that we approach the text as a unified whole rather than as one fractured along a much more contemporary science-religion or science-literature divide.

Phineas Fletcher, 1582–1650 Although Phineas Fletcher never quite became the poet of his age that his writing suggests he aspired to be, the next incarnation of Edmund Spenser, he was connected to literary and political circles as a consequence of his family.7 He was born on 8 April 1582 to Giles Fletcher the Elder (ca. 1546–1611) and Joan Sheaffe (d. 1557?) in Cranbrook, Kent, the eldest son of a family that would

7 Abram Langdale has produced the most extensive biographical account of Phineas Fletcher to date. For a more detailed account of his life, see Langdale. See also the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography for the relevant entries on Fletcher’s friends, colleagues, and relatives.

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continue to grow throughout the 1580s and 1590s both in Cranbrook and in London (where the family moved once Giles became a member of Parliament for Winchelsea). The Fletchers were very much linked to the religious and political upheavals of the Tudor period. Phineas’s grandfather, Richard Fletcher (ca. 1523–1586), was a vicar and the patriarch of the Protestant, antipapist tradition within the family, likely due to his suffering during the Marian Persecutions. Richard is mentioned in John Foxe’s Book of Martyrs as a source for some of the narratives, particularly as having witnessed the martyrdom of Christopher Wade, a Kentish Protestant burned in 1555. Richard himself was deprived and imprisoned for his Protestant beliefs. The vicar’s eldest son (and Phineas’s uncle), Richard (1544/5–96), became a prominent figure in the Church of England. The younger Richard presided over the execution of Mary, Queen of Scots, in 1587 while he was the dean of Peterborough; at the execution he preached at length, publically calling for her rejection of Catholicism. Immediately following the indecorous beheading of Mary, Richard is remembered for shouting, “So perish all the Queen’s enemies!” Although his performance at the execution has been popularly remembered as bombastic and awkward, he became one of Queen Elizabeth’s favorites, quickly rising to the position of the queen’s chaplain, and in the eight years following the execution he was successively named bishop of Bristol, Worcester, and, lastly in 1595, London. Despite this impressive rise, Richard was a worldly bishop who died in 1596 in debt and disfavor, the latter in large part due to his marriage to Lady Mary Baker in 1595 against the queen’s advice, which led Elizabeth to suspend Richard from his position. The bishop’s son and Phineas’s cousin was none other than the celebrated Jacobean playwright John Fletcher (1579–1625), three years Phineas’s senior. John—along with the rest of his family—became Giles Fletcher the Elder’s responsibility following the death of the bishop, Giles’s brother, until such support became more difficult following Giles’s implication in the Essex Rebellion, discussed below. Giles Fletcher the Elder did not quite reach the same heights as his brother Richard, but he did achieve some small notoriety before his death in 1611. After relocating his family from Kent to London in the mid-1580s to join Parliament, Giles traveled widely as a diplomat, most notably to the court of Tsar Fyodor i in Russia in 1588, which led him to write Of the Russe Common Wealth (1591), one of the most detailed accounts of Russia in the early modern period. In addition to some other work of a similar nature, Giles also anonymously published Licia and the Rising to the Crown of Richard the Third (1593), which contained a sonnet sequence, a first-person narrative poem on the rise of Richard iii, and other short poems. Elements of this volume were likely written during his tenure at King’s College, Cambridge, in the 1560s and 1570s, although exactly how much is unclear. Phineas’s poetic account of his father’s time at Cambridge in “Eclog i”

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of Piscatorie Eclogs mentions Giles writing poetry, specifically the Richard iii poem, but no distinctive references are made to the sonnet sequence (stanza 10). If the sonnets were in fact written during these years along with the narrative poem, it is one of the earliest examples of an English sonnet sequence. Regardless, the influence of Giles’s literary aspirations on his sons is evident. Like his father, Giles the Elder was an antipapist, and he frequently sought the patronage of England’s elite, to varying degrees of success and controversy. He pledged fealty to the queen’s spymaster, Francis Walsingham, and after Walsingham’s death in 1590 Giles pursued—unsuccessfully—the patronage of William Cecil, Lord Burleigh. He did, however, succeed in finding a patron in Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex, in 1596. When the disgraced Richard Fletcher died that year, his considerable debts to the queen were passed on to his brother, hundreds of pounds that Giles could not afford to pay. Essex interceded with the queen on Giles’s behalf, however, and Elizabeth eventually released Giles from the former bishop of London’s debts. As far as Giles knew, he had succeeded in hitching his cart to the queen’s favorite horse by gaining Essex’s patronage in the mid-1590s. As the decade wore on, however, Giles’s support for Essex became increasingly problematic, first because of Essex’s disgrace in his Irish campaign in 1599 and second because of the failed Essex Rebellion that cost Robert Devereux his head in 1601. Giles Fletcher was imprisoned for his involvement with Essex, but he vehemently proclaimed his innocence in connection to the attempted rebellion and was eventually released from prison as a result of Sir Robert Cecil’s assistance, a man whose father had frequently turned a deaf ear to Giles throughout the 1590s. Despite the controversy surrounding Essex, it is evident that the Fletchers held him in high regard, an affection that is apparent in The Purple Island. In canto 3, Essex is described as the queen’s “deare Deer … / Whose death she all too late, too soon, too much, repented,” causing Elizabeth to die of an inconsolably broken heart (3.30). Essex is also mentioned in canto 1— “that great Hart, (whose honour’d head / Ah lies full low)”—as the savior of Edmund Spenser’s reputation (1.20). Essex reputedly paid for Spenser’s funeral in 1599, which Thirsil describes as an act that saved Spenser from lying “unwept, unburied, / Unblest, nor grac’t with any common rite” were it not for Essex’s heartfelt pity (1.20). The combination of the patronage granted to Phineas’s father in a time of need and the homage granted to Phineas’s favorite poet helps explain why Essex is represented as a great and honorable man, whose death is alluded to without reference to his treason. Fletcher is careful not to denigrate Elizabeth in the process, emphasizing her despair over the loss of Robert Devereux, the deer whose side she “unwilling rented” (3.30), comments that are followed by exuberant praise for the late queen.

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Although Phineas had numerous siblings, it was his younger brother, Giles (1585/6–1623), who had the most significant influence on his own writing. Like his father and brother, Giles the Younger fancied himself a poet (who counted Francis Bacon as his patron by 1617), known primarily for his Spenserian allegorical poem Christs Victorie and Triumph (1610), a poem that Phineas alludes to numerous times in the text and marginalia of The Purple Island. Indeed, the two brothers mention each other’s work, and it is a consequence of such a reference in Giles’s poem that enables us to reasonably estimate the date of the original composition of Phineas’s anatomical epic. At the conclusion of Christs Victorie, Giles praises “Young Thyrsilis” for crowning “Eclecta’s Hymen with ten thousand flow’rs / Of choicest praise” (4.49) and for singing about Eclecta’s “spousal bed” (4.50). These references to the conclusion of The Purple Island offer our clearest indication that Phineas had likely written a complete version of his poem by the time Christs Victorie was published in 1610, twenty-three years before Phineas’s poem was put into print. Just how close the version that Giles read or discussed was to the published 1633 version of The Purple Island is unknown (although we know Phineas continued to edit it), but the reference to the poem in Christs Victorie certainly gives credence to Phineas’s claim in his dedication that the volume contains the work “of my very unripe yeares, and almost childehood” that he has returned to in 1633 as he enters the “Winter” of his life in his early fifties (1). Phineas’s “unripe yeares” commenced shortly after he began his undergraduate degree at King’s College, Cambridge (where he became a fellow), in 1600, following his time at Eton College. Attendance at Cambridge was something of a Fletcher family tradition. He was joined at Cambridge by his brother Giles, who matriculated at Trinity College in 1601, and Giles the Elder had embarked on a career at King’s College in 1565 that lasted until 1581 (earning his ba, ma, and dcl along the way). In many ways, Phineas’s university career mirrored his father’s, covering a period of fifteen years and ending with a nearly complete break with the university before both father and son moved on to another phase in their respective lives, the father into civil service and the son into the church. Phineas earned his ba in 1604 and his ma in 1608, residing at King’s College on and off until 1615. Langdale has convincingly argued that the vast majority of Phineas’s writing, including The Purple Island, was composed between 1607 and 1612 (40, 51), and subsequent scholars have found little reason to challenge this claim. During this time Fletcher wrote most or all of Brittain’s Ida (an erotic epyllion erroneously attributed to Spenser when it was initially published in 1628; it originally bore the title Venus and Anchises in Fletcher’s manuscript), Locustae (a Latin epic dealing with the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, published in 1627), The Apollyonists (an English paraphrase of Locustae, pub-

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lished with the Latin in 1627), “Elisa” (an elegy on the occasion of Sir Anthony Irby’s death in 1610, which left behind the widow Elizabeth Irby, with whom Phineas was acquainted, published along with The Purple Island in 1633) and parts of both the Piscatorie Eclogs (a pastoral focused on fisher swains that deals with aspects of Fletcher’s family’s history, also published along with The Purple Island) and Poeticall Miscellanies (also published in the same volume), and Sylva Poetica (a collection of Latin poems, printed along with his edited version of his father’s Latin poem De literis antiquae Britanniae, published in 1633), in addition to The Purple Island. Fletcher’s play Sicelides was written in 1615 on the occasion of James i’s visit to Cambridge, although, to Fletcher’s horror, the king departed Cambridge on the morning of 11 March 1615, with the play performed later that day without the expected royal audience. Sicelides was later published in 1631. As his most intense period of writing wound down, Fletcher began to move toward a career in the church. He was ordained in 1611 and began spending an increasing amount of time away from Cambridge, although he would return to the university intermittently until 1615. Sometime in or around 1612, Phineas found the patron who would help guide the direction of the rest of his life, Sir Henry Willoughby (1579–1649), Baronet of Risley, Derbyshire, who took possession of Wood-Hall in Hilgay, Norfolk, around the time that Fletcher was ordained. When Phineas left Cambridge in 1615, he moved to Risley Hall and became a chaplain and schoolmaster in the small Derbyshire village that he would call home for the next six years. That same year, at the age of thirtythree or thirty-four, Phineas Fletcher married Elizabeth Vincent, with whom he would have eight children over the next two decades. When the rector of Hilgay—where Sir Willoughby owned the rights—died in 1621, Fletcher moved to Norfolk with his family to become the new rector, and they would remain there until his death in 1650. Although Phineas’s literary efforts were halted before he took up residence in Hilgay, he did write and publish two theological treatises while rector: The Way to Blessednes and Joy in Tribulation, both published in 1632. Additionally, he continued to cultivate his literary friendships while in Hilgay. Francis Quarles (1592–1644), an emblematist who attended Cambridge near the end of Fletcher’s tenure at the university, evidently maintained a friendship with Fletcher, contributing three dedicatory verses to The Purple Island and also appearing as the shepherd Thenot in the poem in canto 6. Critics have suggested that Fletcher probably met Quarles while at Cambridge as early as 1613 or before and that Quarles visited Fletcher frequently during the 1620s and encouraged his writing (Mitchell 170; Kastor 122). Although the second of the dedicatory poems, which compares the body to a house, was published earlier in Quarles’s own Divine Fancies (1632), the first poem, enti-

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tled “To the Ingenious Composer of This Pastorall, the spencer of this age,” addresses Fletcher and his anatomical epic directly. This poem adopts a friendly and, initially, playful tone. Quarles calls Fletcher a “sweet stranger” (line 1), and writes that if he himself had not been so lazy, the glory that will go to Fletcher would have been his own because their skill is at least equally matched. The second half of the poem, however, adopts a more serious tone, praising the quality and inevitable longevity that the epic will enjoy even if it is not fully appreciated contemporaneously: If (my ingenious Rivall) these dull times Should want the present strength to prize thy rhymes, The time-instructed children of the next Shall fill thy margent, and admire the text; Whose well read lines will teach them how to be The happie knowers of themselves and thee. “To the Ingenious Composer” lines 9–14

Quarles’s dedication thus combines friendly competition with earnest commendation. The third and final Quarles poem, entitled “To my deare friend, the spencer of this age,” again reiterates high praise for Fletcher. Additionally, Quarles alludes to Fletcher and, possibly, The Purple Island in his Emblemes (1635), his most famous work. In emblem 3.8, for example, the speaker expresses a desire for everlasting tears, saying, “Ah me! that ev’ry sliding veine that wanders / Through this vast Isle, did worke her wild Meanders / In brackish teares; instead of blood” (3.8). Such a description of veins crisscrossing a corporeal island seems indebted to Fletcher’s own discussion of the veins, arteries, and nerves in canto 2: Nor is there any part in all this land, But is a little Isle: for thousand brooks In azure chanels glide on silver sand; Their serpent windings, and deceiving crooks Circling about, and wat’ring all the plain. 2.9

Additionally, although Fletcher’s emblematic parade of virtues and vices in the later cantos of his epic undoubtedly owe much to the parade of vices in the House of Pride in The Faerie Queene, it is also reasonable to assume that Quarles’s work on emblems might have had some impact on Fletcher as he edited The Purple Island in Hilgay. A more definitive connection between the

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two poets is, however, evident. The pictura that accompanies Quarles’s emblem 5.6 depicts a figure sitting atop the world, a globe of England, inscribed with just four place names: London, Finchfield (Finchingfield), Roxwell, and Hilgay (Fig. 2). Quarles and Edward Benlowes (1602–1676), to whom both Emblemes and The Purple Island are dedicated, both held residences in Essex: Quarles in Roxwell, and Benlowes at Brent Hall, his family estate in Finchingfield. Both Roxwell and Hilgay were very small villages, so their inclusion in Quarles’s map of the world appears to unite these three friends as compatriots in their own little world. The publication of Fletcher’s work owes a great deal to the encouragement of Benlowes, which Fletcher testifies to in his dedication to the young man at the outset of The Purple Island. Benlowes attended St. John’s College, Cambridge, in the early 1620s, and it is possible that he encountered Fletcher’s work by reputation while at Cambridge just a few short years after Fletcher had written a play for the king at the university. Phineas claims that it was Benlowes’s desire that the poems “see more Day then their credit can well endure” that ultimately led to their publication (1). If we can take such adoration and encouragement at face value, then it possible that it was Benlowes’s prompting and probable financial assistance that contributed to the publication of so many of Fletcher’s decades-old manuscripts between 1627 and 1633. Benlowes was not simply a wealthy patron to the likes of Fletcher and Quarles, he was also a poet in his own right, the author of Theophila, or, Loves Sacrifice (1652). This lavishly illustrated poem testifies to Benlowes’s love of engravings. During his grand tour (1627–1630) he likely acquired the two Jesuit emblem books that he would later give to Quarles and that would serve as the foundation for the English emblematist’s own work. Evidently, Phineas was fortunate to acquire the friendship of such an encouraging and attentive patron, without whom the majority of his work might not have been printed. Fletcher also became friends with Izaak Walton (1594–1683) who, in The Compleat Angler (1653), mentions Fletcher and quotes seventeen lines from The Purple Island. Intriguingly, the lines Walton quotes from canto 12 are not the same as they appear in the 1633 edition of the poem, suggesting that he was working from a now-lost edition or manuscript of The Purple Island. These writers—Quarles, Benlowes, Walton, and others—continued to play a role in our poet’s life even after he had largely ceased his own literary pursuits. As Langdale observes, the “pent-up poetic intellect, which would have atrophied for want of employment in Fletcher’s daily work, evidently found release in such relationships” (86). Nevertheless, Phineas continued to devote private attention to his love of poetry and writing during his years in the church. His final publication, A Fathers Testament (1670), is a devotional manual interspersed with verses that appeared twenty

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Emblem 5.6 from Francis Quarles’ Emblemes (1635) courtesy of the British Library © the british library board, shelf mark c.95.a.2(1)

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years after his death. It was originally written for the “private Use only and Benefit of his own Children and Relations” (a3r), not for publication.

The Text The Purple Island was initially published under the initials “p.f.” by the printers to the University of Cambridge in 1633 and bound with Piscatorie Eclogs, Poeticall Miscellanies, and “Elisa,” with Quarles’s poem “To my deare friend, the spencer of this age” appearing on an unpaginated leaf following “Elisa.”8 These other poems bear a separate title page and new pagination, beginning about halfway through the volume. The first quarto edition was printed twice (stc 11082 and stc 11082.5), with the second printing from the same imprint on slightly larger paper and accompanied by up to three copperplate engravings in praise of Edward Benlowes that do not appear in the first. These engravings appear in different orders and combinations across the various copies of stc 11082.5, such that it would be impossible to determine which should be considered the definitive version. The first engraving (fig. 3) often appears on the verso of the leaf preceding the title page and depicts an emblematic sun shining down on Edward Benlowes’s name, which is anagrammatized beneath (“Sun-warde beloved”). A sunflower and a pansy emerge from vases reaching sunward, each flower entwined with scrolls offering more Latin and English anagrams for Benlowes’s name. The poem in this engraving elaborates on the anagrammatical play of the image. Variants of the placement of this engraving exist: for example, in one copy held at the British Library (shelf mark C.34.g.33), it appears much later in the volume, following the Piscatorie Eclogs title page. The second engraving (fig. 4), often appearing on the verso of the title page and immediately prior to Fletcher’s prose dedication to Benlowes, combines Fletcher’s and Benlowes’s arms. This engraving bears the inscription “Benevoli Conjunctio Animi maxima est Cognatio” in praise of the friendship

8 In some copies, the Quarles poem is missing but its absence is noted, suggesting that it has been lost from the present copy. For example, one copy held by the British Library (shelf mark 239 i 23) includes a handwritten copy of the poem following “Elisa,” and a copy at the Bodleian (shelf mark Douce f228) includes a handwritten note following “Elisa” regarding the absence of Quarles’s poem. Both of these copies are also bound with other texts: the British Library copy with Giles Fletcher’s poem Christs Victorie and Triumph (2nd edition, 1632), and Phineas Fletcher’s Locustae and its English translation (1627 for both); the Bodleian copy with Locustae and its translation. Each additional text includes a new title page and new pagination.

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Copperplate engraving dedicated to Edward Benlowes in Phineas Fletcher’s The Purple Island (1633) courtesy of the British Library © the british library board, shelf mark g11463

of the two men. Once again, variations of this engraving exist. In the aforementioned British Library copy, the arms appear in the same position in the text, but the image is printed upside down. Other versions include a handwritten Latin inscription. In his edition of Fletcher’s work, Frederick Boas includes a copy of the arms with the inscription “Benevolus—Esse suj voluit monumentu & pignus Amoris” from a copy privately owned in 1909 by Mr. F.T. Sabin. This copy also had Benlowes’s arms stamped on the cover in gold (Boas 2: vii n1).

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Coat of arms in Phineas Fletcher’s The Purple Island (1633) courtesy of the British Library © the british library board, shelf mark g11463

Additionally, Harold Jenkins describes another copy held at St. John’s College, Cambridge, in which the engraving bears an alternate handwritten inscription, “Benlowes—Esse suj voluit momentum, et pignus Amoris. 1633” (74). The third and final engraving (fig. 5), often omitted, appears well past The Purple Island section of the volume, after Piscatorie Eclogs and before Poeticall Miscellanies. The image depicts an emblematic sun, ship, coastline, and fruit-bearing tree, along with a Latin verse and more Benlowes anagrammatical play in praise of Fletcher’s patron. Until now, it is the presence or absence of the engravings and the quality of the paper that have been the sole distinguishing features between the two printings. This is largely true: both stc 11082 and stc 11082.5 print the same obvious typos, such as “humbe” instead of “humble” in 12.71, “Ectecta” instead of “Eclecta” in 11.8, and “snake,s” instead of “snakes,” in 7.54, among

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Copperplate engraving dedicated to Edward Benlowes in Phineas Fletcher’s The Purple Island (1633) courtesy of the British Library © the british library board, shelf mark c.34.g.33

others. There is, however, a single typographical difference between the two printings. In stc 11082, a name is spelled “Ecthros,” while in stc 11082.5 it is spelled “Echthros” (12.14). Certainly, one minor revision is hardly of monumental significance, but this stop-press correction does indicate that the texts of the two printings are not always identical. Nevertheless, this typographical difference is not a definitive indicator of whether the copy is a first or second issue.

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The Weston Library at the Bodleian, for example, possesses both a small paper (shelf mark Malone 305) and a large paper (shelf mark Douce f228) edition, both of which contain the “Echthros” spelling in 12.14, and neither of which contains the copperplate engravings. Thus the stop-press correction appears in copies that have heretofore been identified as either stc 11082 or stc 11082.5, with or without the engravings. As such, neither the size or quality of the paper nor the presence or absence of the engravings can be taken as objective indicators of the printing, nor is it indisputable which issue was printed first. However, the name “Ecthros” appears in 7.46 in both printings regardless of other factors pertaining to the paper or engravings. Consequently, I must conclude that any copy with the “Echthros” spelling in 12.14 comes from the first issue, corrected to “Ecthros” in the second issue, simply because a single stop-press correction that introduces rather than corrects a misspelling would be illogical. The only other possibility is that the spelling of the name in 7.46 is an overlooked typographical error, and that “Echthros” in 12.14 is a correction that appears in the second issue rather than the first (which, given the number of obvious and uncorrected errors that persist in both versions, cannot be discounted as a possibility). Additionally, various copies have been proclaimed as Fletcher’s presentation copy to Benlowes, particularly those bearing the handwritten Latin inscription beneath the combined Fletcher-Benlowes coat of arms, which Boas asserts is in Fletcher’s own hand (but which, incidentally, appears in variant form in at least two different copies of the volume, the Sabin copy consulted by Boas and one held at Cambridge, discussed above). Owing to an inscription of unknown date and origin that precedes the title page in one British Library copy (shelf mark C.34.g.33), that copy is “A presentation Copy to Ed. Benlowes Esq.” that includes “three Copper Plates relating to E B Esq.” While it is possible that any one of these might have been presented by Fletcher to his patron, another possibility has been proposed by Jenkins that has been ignored by Fletcher scholars: these copies, and others like them, were presented by Benlowes rather than to him (71–74). Benlowes himself owned a rolling press that he could have used to decorate some of the copies printed by the Cambridge printers for distribution among his friends. This would certainly help explain the wide variation between copies containing some, all, or none of the engravings with differing placements and even orientations, such as the upside down coat of arms in one British Library copy. Thus the rare possession of all three engravings in a single copy was to be seen as a “special privilege” extended from Benlowes to the recipient, a practice that Benlowes followed when he published his own poetry (Jenkins 71). Likewise, in contrast to Boas, Jenkins asserts that the handwriting of the Latin inscription is as likely to be Benlowes’s

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own as it is to be Fletchers’, noting as well that Benlowes included a similar inscription in presentation copies of Theophila (74–75n1).9 In the absence of definitive proof otherwise, I am inclined to agree with Jenkins. Why, then, does The Purple Island call for a new edition, when there exists little to no editorial controversy in the original 1633 printings? The answer lies in the publication history of the text and the editorial approaches taken to it beginning more than a century after its initial publication. One challenge posed by The Purple Island is that it describes a body that existed in early seventeenthcentury medical and anatomical discourse, a body that ceased to exist not long after Fletcher’s poem was originally published. Fletcher’s body is humoral in composition, its blood does not circulate, and nearly everything that happens in the body stems from a process of heat. A new and complete edition of the poem was not published again until 1783, in which the anonymous editor praises The Purple Island as a poem displaying a “great Fertility of Invention,” emphasizing the strength of its religious allegory in motivating his choice of text. The editor also notes that “many wished to see [the poem] reprinted,” but copies are “scarce, and seldom to be purchased at any Rate” (iv). He confronted Fletcher’s outdated anatomy by substantially and silently revising the poem.10 Indeed, it also becomes quickly evident that this editor found Fletcher’s whole poetic style in need of improvement as numerous words, punctuation marks, and phrasings are altered without indicating to the reader that such changes have been made. Even more substantive changes in this edition come during the discussion of anatomical parts and processes as the editor omits, alters, and adds notes in order to bring Fletcher’s anatomical theory up to date. Fletcher’s original note on the bones in the fifth stanza reads, “The foundation of the body is the bones. Bones are a similar part of the body, most dry, or cold; made by the vertue generative, through heat of the thicker portion of seed, which is most earthy and fat for the establishment and figure of the whole” (1633 2.5n). The same note in the 1783 edition, however, removes any discussion of the humoral composition of the bones and reads, in its entirety, “The foundation of the body is the bone, which is the hardest part, white, and void of sense” (1783 2.5n). Such alterations are inherently problematic, especially when we consider that the allegory being developed in the poem relies on a specific understanding of the body that is ingrained in the poem and explained by the notes. Ironically, if the 1783 editor’s intent was to clarify and modernize the anatomical perspective

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For further discussion of other variants of the 1633 first edition, see Mitchell, 479–480. Earl Wasserman has argued that the anonymous editor of the 1783 edition was, in fact, Moses Browne, based on similar editorial approaches taken to other texts.

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of the poem, he succeeds only in further muddying the waters; although he removes references in the notes to the bone being dry and cold, this description is still present in the stanza itself, as the speaker tells us that the “foundation” of the island is “cold and dry,” and “To marble turns in strongest congelation” (1783 2.5). The revised notes thus obscure rather than elucidate. The next complete edition of The Purple Island was published in 1793 as part of Robert Anderson’s fourteen-volume collection A Complete Edition of the Poets of Great Britain. In Anderson’s introduction to the poem—which incorporates, sometimes verbatim, the late Henry Headley’s comments on Fletcher and The Purple Island from Select Beauties of Ancient English Poetry (1787)—the editor laments that Fletcher has remained a relatively obscure and unknown poet, but that his “fame is not equal to his merit,” and his works deserve a larger audience. Anderson goes so far as to praise Fletcher as “superior to almost all his contemporaries in the unstudied flow of his versification,” the worthy predecessor to Milton (377). As with the 1783 editor, Anderson and Headley admire The Purple Island as a devotional poem, but express distaste for the opening cantos: “The first five cantos are almost entirely taken up with an explanation of the title; in the course of which the reader forgets the poet, and is sickened with the anatomist. Such minute attention to this part of his subject, was a material error in judgment” (378–379).11 Anderson also voices his immense frustration regarding the 1783 edition, denouncing the “many unwarrantable liberties” taken by that editor, asserting that the changes made are “defective” and “dangerous,” concluding that “Whoever … takes up this [1783] edition for the purpose of enjoying the poetry, making an extract, or a reference, can never be safe as to the authenticity of a single stanza” (377). However, despite his disapproval of the corrupted 1783 edition, Anderson retains some of its editorial changes in his own edition. Although the editor refrains from rewriting parts of the poem, he inserts or changes punctuation, changes capitalization, and alters spelling in accordance with the 1783 edition. The Purple Island was anthologized again in 1810 as part of Alexander Chalmers and Samuel Johnson’s twenty-one-volume series The Works of the English Poets, From Chaucer to Cowper. Curiously, in overviewing the publication history of Fletcher’s work, the editors note the problematic 1783 edition but make 11

These words and sentiments initially appeared in Headley’s biographical sketch of Fletcher in 1787. Since Anderson does not distinguish between his words and Headley’s in such instances, one assumes that Anderson either wholeheartedly agrees with Headley’s assessment or that this plagiarism represents an uncritical reproduction of ideas (Headley liii–liv). Anderson likewise reproduces Headley’s criticism of Fletcher’s overwrought pandering to James i in canto 12.

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no mention of Anderson’s edition. In their brief introduction to Fletcher, they, like Anderson, defer to Headley’s authority and insights, saying very little about the poet or text except to note that The Purple Island contains many “conceits which modern refinement does not easily tolerate,” although they praise Fletcher for his invention and influence on Milton (53–54). Although no mention is made of Anderson’s work, this edition offers an editorial approach that is nearly identical to the 1793 edition, suggesting that the editors did, in fact, use Anderson’s work as the basis for their own. The 1816 Burton and Briggs edition, edited by William Jaques, found more value in the 1783 edition than did Anderson, as Jaques amalgamates the 1633, 1783, and 1793 editions into a single, arguably messier, edition.12 Like Anderson, Jaques rejects some of the changes made in 1783 but makes changes of his own. In some cases, he returns to the 1633 edition’s punctuation and spelling, in others he follows Anderson’s example, and he occasionally makes minor changes to the wording of the poem, such as changing “gentle rising hill” to “gently rising hill” in 2.1.4. Jaques appears to have taken a similar approach to the 1783 editor in an effort to modernize the anatomical theory of the text. As noted above, Fletcher’s original note to 2.5 regarding the bones (and retained in the Anderson edition) reads: “The foundation of the body is the bones. Bones are a similar part of the body, most dry, or cold; made by the vertue generative, through heat of the thicker portion of seed, which is most earthy and fat for the establishment and figure of the whole.” The 1783 editor removed references to humoral composition, changing the note to, “The foundation of the body is the bone, which is the hardest part, white, and void of sense.” In 1816, Jaques further simplified the note, which becomes, “Namely, the Bones.” This editor also added new notes, often in the form of glosses explaining the etymology of specific words (particularly anatomical parts), clarifying biblical and classical allusions, and so forth. Another edition followed in 1831, this one edited by Robert Southey as part of an anthology of British poetry. Like editors before him, Southey comments on Fletcher as a largely forgotten poet, and he praises Anderson for rescuing Fletcher from neglect and helping preserve a poet who should serve as a model for “sentiment, language, and versification” for the present generation of writers. Southey also dismisses the “villainous edition” of 1783 and attempts a more faithful rendition of Fletcher’s poem, modernizing the spelling but leaving the poem and its notes largely intact 12

Jaques has very little to say about the attraction of The Purple Island: his introductory remarks largely reiterate Headley and Anderson, offering scant insight into the appeal of the text to himself. Jaques seems to be primarily interested in Fletcher as a transitional poet between Spenser and Milton.

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although, curiously, removing stanzic numbers, as Chalmers and Johnson had done (749). Although closer to the 1633 edition than previous editions had been, Southey’s clearly represents a lazier editorial effort in that he repeats mistakes made by Jaques while simultaneously making scant editorial comments of his own. The next complete edition of The Purple Island was published in 1869, edited by the scholarly editor Alexander Grosart, who praises Fletcher as “original and independent in choice of subject and treatment of it,” although admitting that the literary merit of the poem is “scanty” (9, 2). This edition was the most extensively annotated version of the poem that had appeared to this point, and thankfully offers a clear delineation between Fletcher’s original notes (f) and the notes added by Grosart himself (g). For the most part, Grosart makes minimal editorial interventions into the text of the poem (although he replaces all of Fletcher’s parentheses with hyphens and omits all italicization). Grosart’s edition represents the best editorial effort to date. He rejects many of the changes made by his predecessors, going so far as to point out particular words that other editors have misprinted or misspelled. In particular, he takes aim at Jaques for introducing typographical errors into the poem and at Southey for lazily reproducing those errors in his own edition, emphasizing that The Purple Island has previously been “most carelessly and un-critically re-printed” (20).13 Grosart refrains from making any dramatic changes to the original text, preferring to let his notes offer explanation and clarification (which he does often and expertly). However, he offers little to no clarification of the anatomical processes and parts that pose the greatest challenge to modern readers, and his explanations of Fletcher’s allusions leave much to be desired for the twentyfirst-century reader. Following Grosart’s edition of the poem, the next (and most recent) complete edition of the poem was prepared by Frederick Boas for Cambridge University Press in 1909.14 Although Boas’s edition has since become the standard

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Indeed, Grosart seems to have been motivated to provide a new edition of the Fletchers’ works in order to prevent the reproduction of careless editions that had become the source for excerpts from the poems. He begins his introduction to his Fletcher volumes by recounting some of the misprints introduced by his predecessors, necessitating his return to the original editions. Like Jaques, Grosart is interested in asserting Fletcher’s position between Spenser and Milton, devoting a great deal of attention to valorizing Fletcher as an equal to—rather than imitator of—Spenser’s skill in allegorical poetry. A facsimile edition (reproducing the Bodlein’s Douce f228) was produced by Da Capo Press in 1971, but as it includes no editorial apparatus, I have not included it in this overview of editions.

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text for scholars working on The Purple Island, it does very little to clarify or illuminate the poem. Indeed, Boas’s edition is essentially a facsimile transcription of the original 1633 edition, as, aside from his introductory remarks, Boas offers minimal editorial interventions into the text itself, only going so far as to correct the most obvious typos such as “snake,s” in 7.54. While Boas’s approach has provided Fletcher scholars in the past century with an edition that is faithful to the original, more interventions are needed in order to make The Purple Island accessible to contemporary readers. Beyond the anatomical details themselves, Fletcher’s numerous classical and biblical allusions no longer speak for themselves as they have with previous generations of scholars, and I have endeavored to clarify such references throughout the poem. Similarly, discursive notes have been provided to explain Fletcher’s many English geographical and cultural references, as well as his literary allusions. The Purple Island contains frequent allusions to Spenser’s Faerie Queene (as well as Spenser’s other poems), and I have offered a sampling of the more significant passages that Fletcher integrates into his own poem. However, since many of these allusions are slight, I have not indicated every possible borrowing from Spenser. For more comprehensive lists, see those prepared by Langdale and Wells et al. All of Fletcher’s original notes are indicated in the present edition with “pf” following the note. After careful consideration, I have decided to let Fletcher’s anatomy speak for itself whenever possible without providing an overabundance of explanatory notes. Although such notes would be useful to the specialist reader, I believe that too many of them would simply render the poem illegible as poetry by miring it in tedious prose. For his part, Fletcher provides his own prose notes that explain the human body in the way that he wants the reader to understand it, and I believe that the best way to come to terms with the operation of his corporeal allegory is to attempt to view it through the lens that the poet himself offers. My own edition is indebted to the work that Grosart sketched out in 1869. He makes a number of typographical interventions, some of which I have followed in the current edition and others which I have avoided. Grosart, for example, indicates accented syllables in order to clarify the metrical progression of the lines. He includes possessive apostrophes throughout for the sake of clarity and because there are clear precedents in the original edition (i.e., in canto 1, stanza 6 of the original, “Gemma’s grief” and “Cupids spite” are printed, even though the second example is also clearly possessive). I have similarly followed and expanded upon these metrical and possessive practices in the present edition (Grosart overlooked numerous instances of possessive nouns and accented syllables). Grosart, however, also makes frequent alterations to capitalization, italicization, and other aspects of Fletcher’s original punctuation, changes that

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figure 6a Two pages of text from Phineas Fletcher’s The Purple Island (1633) courtesy of the British Library © the british library board, shelf mark g11463

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I have not made myself so that the present volume remains as close to the original edition as is possible. Although I have tried to stay faithful to Fletcher’s original, some changes and modernizations were necessary in order to make the poem as readerly as possible. In the original edition, the poet’s notes appear crammed into the margins of the poem, which, on a page with numerous notes (fig. 6), can be visually confusing. Consequently, I have converted all of Fletcher’s marginalia to footnotes. Additionally, the notes in the original text are indicated by superscripted letters, all of which appear at the beginning of words or lines. I have converted the letters to now-standard Arabic numerals and have moved them to end of the relevant word or line, but kept them in the line in which they originally appeared. As mentioned previously, some minor typographical changes have been made. Any obvious typos have been corrected (indicated as such in the footnotes), and the long s (e.g., ſ) has been modernized. Finally, archaic or unfamiliar words have been glossed in the margin.

Complete Editions of The Purple Island, in Chronological Order Fletcher, Phineas. The Purple Island, or The Isle of Man. Together with Piscatorie Eclogs and Other Poeticall Miscellanies. Cambridge, 1633. stc #11082. Fletcher, Phineas. The Purple Island, or The Isle of Man. Together with Piscatorie Eclogs and Other Poeticall Miscellanies. Cambridge, 1633. stc #11082.5. Fletcher, Phineas. The Purple Island, or The Isle of Man. An Allegorical Poem. London: Frys and Couchman, 1783. Fletcher, Phineas. The Poetical Works of Phineas Fletcher. A Complete Edition of the Poets of Great Britain. Ed. Robert Anderson. Vol. 4. Edinburgh: Mundell and Sons, 1793. Fletcher, Phineas. The Purple Island. The Works of the English Poets, From Chaucer to Cowper. Ed. Alexander Chalmers and Samuel Johnson. Vol. 6. London: G. Whittingham, 1810. Fletcher, Phineas. The Purple Island, A Poem: By Phineas Fletcher. Ed. William Jaques. London, Burton and Briggs, 1816. Fletcher, Phineas. The Purple Island. Select Works of the British Poets, from Chaucer to Jonson. Ed. Robert Southey. London: Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown and Green, 1831. Fletcher, Phineas. The Poems of Phineas Fletcher. Vol. 4. Ed. Alexander B. Grosart. N.p., 1869. Fletcher, Phineas. Giles and Phineas Fletcher: Poetical Works. Vol. 2. Ed. Frederick Boas. Cambridge: Cambridge up, 1909. Fletcher, Phineas. The Purple Island, Or The Isle of Man. Cambridge, 1633. Facsimile Reprint. Amsterdam; New York: Da Capo Press, 1971.

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Bibliography, Pre-1700 Banister, John. The Historie of Man. London: John Daye, 1578. Collins, Samuel. A Systeme of Anatomy, Treating of the Body of Man, Beast, Birds, Fish, Insects, and Plants. London: Thomas Newcomb, 1685. Cowper, William. The Anatomy of a Christian Man. 2nd edition. London: h.l. for John Budge, 1613. Crooke, Helkiah. Mikrokosmographia: A Description of the Body of Man. London: William Iaggard, 1615. Fletcher, Phineas. A Fathers Testament. London, 1670. Quarles, Francis. Emblemes (1635) and Hieroglyphikes of the Life of Man (1638). Eds. Karl Josef Höltgen and John Horden. Hildesheim; Zürich; New York: Georg Olms Verlag, 1993. Vicary, Thomas. Anatomie of Mans Body. 1548. London: Henry Bamforde, 1577.

Bibliography and Further Reading, Post-1700 Allen, Don Cameron. “Symbolic Color in the Literature of the English Renaissance.” Philological Quarterly 25 (1936): 81–92. Baldwin, R.G. “Dubious Claims for the Anatomy in ‘The Purple Island.’” Notes and Queries 9 (1962): 377–378. Baldwin, R.G. “Phineas Fletcher: His Modern Readers and His Renaissance Ideas.” Philological Quarterly 40.4 (1961): 462–475. Bayer, Mark. “The Distribution of Political Agency in Phineas Fletcher’s Purple Island.” Criticism 44.3 (2002): 249–270. Bouchard, Gary. “Phineas Fletcher: The Piscatory Link between Spenserian and Miltonic Pastoral.” Studies in Philology 89.2 (1992): 232–243. Cable, Lana. “Such Nothing is Terrestriall: Philosophy of Mind on Phineas Fletcher’s Purple Island.” Journal of the History of Behavioral Sciences 19 (1983): 136–152. Healy, Thomas. “Sound Physic: Phineas Fletcher’s The Purple Island and the Poetry of Purgation.” Renaissance Studies 5.3 (1991): 341–352. Headley, Henry, ed. Select Beauties of Ancient English Poetry. Vol. 1. T. Cadell: London, 1787. Jenkins, Harold. Edward Benlowes (1602–1676): Biography of a Minor Poet. Cambridge: Harvard up, 1952. Kastor, Frank S. Giles and Phineas Fletcher. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1978. Kennedy, William Sloane. “Tennyson, and Other Debtors to Spenser’s ‘Faerie Queene.’” Poet Lore 10 (1898): 492–506. Koepke, Yvette. “Allegory as Historical and Theoretical Model of Scientific Medicine:

42

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Sex and the Making of the Modern Body in Phineas Fletcher’s The Purple Island.” Literature and Medicine 27.2 (2008): 175–203. Langdale, Abram Barnett. Phineas Fletcher: Man of Letters, Science and Divinity. 1937. New York: Octagon Books, 1968. Langley, Eric. “Anatomizing the Early-Modern Eye: A Literary Case-Study.” Renaissance Studies 20.3 (2006): 340–355. Mitchell, Peter. “The Purple Island” and Anatomy in Early Seventeenth-Century Literature, Philosophy, and Theology. Teaneck, nj: Fairleigh Dickinson University Press, 2007. O’Malley, C.D., and Edwin Clarke. “The Discovery of the Auditory Ossicles.” Bulletin of the History of Medicine (January 1961): 419–441. “A Poet’s Anatomy.” The British Medical Journal 1.3358 (1925): 890. Piepho, Lee. “The Latin and English Eclogues of Phineas Fletcher: Sannazaro’s Piscatoria among the Britons.” Studies in Philology 81.4 (1984): 461–472. Stewart, Bain Tate. “A Borrowing from Spenser by Phineas Fletcher.” Modern Language Notes 56.4 (1941): 273–274. Sawday, Jonathan. The Body Emblazoned: Dissection and the Human Body in Renaissance Culture. London: Routledge, 1995. Targoff, Ramie. Common Prayer: The Language of Public Devotion in Early Modern England. Chicago: u of Chicago p, 2001. Wasserman, Earl R. “Moses Browne and the 1783 Edition of Giles and Phineas Fletcher.” Modern Language Notes 56.4 (1941): 288–290. Wells, William, et al. “Spenser Allusions in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries, Part ii: 1625–1700.” Studies in Philology 68.5 (1972): 173–351.

Phineas Fletcher The Purple Island: Or, The Isle of Man

∵

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Dedication and Prefatory Poems

to my most worthy and learned friend, edward benlowes1 esquire. sir, as some Optick-glasses, if we look one way, increase the object; if the other, lessen the quantity: Such is an Eye that looks through Affection; It doubles any good, and extenuates what is amisse. Pardon me, Sir, for speaking plain truth; such is that eye whereby you have viewed these raw Essayes of my very unripe yeares, and almost childehood. How unseasonable are Blossomes in Autumne! (unlesse perhaps in this age, where are more flowers then fruit) I am entring upon my Winter, and yet these Blooms of my first Spring must now shew themselves to our ripe wits, which certainly will give them no other entertainment but derision. For my self, I cannot account that worthy of your Patronage, which comes forth so short of my Desires, thereby meriting no other light then the fire. But since you please to have them see more Day then their credit can well endure, marvel not if they flie under your Shadow, to cover them from the piercing eye of this very curious (yet more censorious) age. In letting them abroad I desire onely to testifie, how much I preferre your desires before mine own, and how much I owe to You more then any other: This if they witnesse for me, it is all their service I require. Sir, I leave them to your tuition, and entreat you to love him who will contend with you in nothing but to out-love you, and would be known to the world by no other Name, then Your true friend, p.f. Hilgay.2 May 1. 1633.

1 Edward Benlowes (1602–1676): Fletcher’s friend and patron who encouraged the publication of his poetry for many years after its initial authorship. Benlowes was also a patron of Francis Quarles, who contributed dedicatory verses for The Purple Island. Benlowes is the author of the long poem Theophila, or, Loves Sacrifice (1652). 2 Hilgay, Norfolk, where Fletcher resided from 1621 until his death in 1650.

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To the Readers. he that would learn Theologie, must first studie Autologie.3 The way to God is by our selves: It is a blinde and dirty way; it hath many windings, and is easie to be lost: This Poem will make thee understand that way; and therefore my desire is, that thou maist understand this Poem. Peruse it as thou should thy self, from thy first sheet to thy last. The first view, perchance, may runne thy judgement in debt; the second will promise payment; and the third will perform promise. Thou shalt finde here Philosophie, and Moralitie, two curious handmaids, dressing the King’s daughter, whose garments smell of Myrrhe and Cassia, and being wrought with needlework, and gold, shall make thee take pleasure in her beautie. Here are no blocks4 for the purblinde; no snares for the timerous; no dangers for the bold: I invite all sorts to be readers; and readers to be understanders; all understanders to be happie. Daniel Featly.5 d.d.6

3 Autologie: autology, the study of one’s self. 4 blocks: stumbling blocks. 5 Daniel Featly (1582–1645): the controversial Calvinist Dr. Daniel Fairclough, who was often called Featley, notable for his writings attacking Catholics, Jesuits, and transubstantiation. He was disciplined by James i for licensing Puritan books in 1625, but he also found himself at odds with Parliament during the Civil War before his death. 6 d.d.: Doctor of Divinity.

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on the excellent morall poem, entituled the isle of man. Lord! how my youth with this vain world hath err’d, Applauding theirs as th’ onely happy fate, Whom to some Empire bloud, choice, chance preferr’d, Or who of learned arts could wisely prate; Or travelling the world, had well conferr’d Men’s natures with the mysteries of state! But now thy wiser Muse hath taught me this, That these and most men else do aim at blisse; But these and most men else do take their aim amisse. Reigne o’re the world, not o’re this Isle of Man, Worse then a slave thou thine own slaves obey’st. Study all arts devis’d since time began, And not thy self, thou studiest not, but play’st. Out-travell wise Ulysses, (if you can) Yet misse this Isle, thou travell’st not, but stray’st. Let me (O Lord) but reigne o’re mine own heart, And master be of this self-knowing art, I’le dwell in th’ Isle of Man, ne’re travell forrain part. e. {benlovves.}7 {benevolus.}

7 Edward Benlowes. See note 1.

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INgeniose tuo ne libro supprime nomen; Ingenio Authorem deteget ille suo. Nempe verecundo memini te scribere vati, Quod pulchrè ingenio quadrat, amice, tuo. QUid tuas retegis nimis tegendo Noctiluca faces? pates latendo: Ipsa es sphaera tuae comésque stellae. Diem si repetas, die latebis. Non te nox tenebris tegit fovendo, Sed te nox tenebris fovendo prodit.

[Do not wittily hold back your name from your book; It discloses its author by its own genius. Of course I am mindful that you write to a modest poet What is nobly fitting, Friend, to your wit. Why, pray, do you reveal your flames by concealing too much In moonlight? You are exposed by hiding. You are the very sphere and attendant of your star. If you call back day, in day you will hide. By no means does dark night conceal you by embracing, But dark night by embracing brings you forth.]8

8 Translation provided by Carol King, Memorial University of Newfoundland (Grenfell Campus).

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to the learned authour, sonne and brother to two judicious Poets,9 himself the third, not second to either. GRave Father of this Muse, thou deem’st too light To wear thy name, ’cause of thy youthfull brain It seems a sportfull childe; resembling right Thy wittie childehood, not thy graver strain, Which now esteems these works of fancie vain. Let not thy childe, thee living, orphan be; Who when th’ art dead, will give a life to thee. How many barren wits would gladly own, How few o’ th’ pregnantest own such another! Thou Father art, yet blushest to be known; And though ’t may call the best of Muses Mother, Yet thy severer judgement would it smother. O judge not Thou, let Readers judge thy book: Such Catesa should rather please the Guest, then Cook. O but thou fear’st ’t will stain the reverend gown10 Thou wearest now; nay then fear not to show it: For were ’t a stain, ’t were nature’s, not thine own: For thou art Poet born; who know thee, know it: Thy brother, sire, thy very name’s a Poet. Thy very name will make these Poems take, These very Poems else thy name will make. w. benlowes.11 adelicacies 9

10 11

two judicious Poets: Giles Fletcher the Elder (ca. 1546–1611, Phineas’s father and author of Licia [1593]) and Giles Fletcher the Younger (1585/6–1623, Phineas’s brother and author of Christs Victorie, and Triumph [1610], which Phineas alludes to a number of times in The Purple Island). the reverend gown / Thou wearest now: Fletcher was ordained in 1611 and served as rector in Hilgay. W. Benlowes: presumably William Benlowes (d. 1633), Edward’s younger brother.

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to the ingenious composer of this pastorall, the spencer of this age. I Vow (sweet stranger) if my lazie quill Had not been disobedient to fulfill My quick desires, this glory which is thine, Had but the Muses pleased, had been mine. My Genius jumpt with thine; the very same Was our Foundation: in the very Frame Thy Genius jumpt with mine; it got the start In nothing, but Prioritie, and Art. If (my ingenious Rivall) these dull times Should want the present strength to prize thy rhymes, The time-instructed children of the next Shall fill thy margent, and admire the text; Whose well read lines will teach them how to be The happie knowers of themselves and thee. fran. quarles.12

12

Fran. Quarles: the emblematist Francis Quarles (1592–1644), who visited Fletcher at Hilgay during the 1620s and 1630s. Fletcher was ten years Quarles’s senior, hence Quarles’s joking in this poem that Fletcher’s genius got the jump on him by priority.

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to the unknown mr p.f. upon survay of his isle of man. REnownèd Authour, let it not seem strange A Merchant’s eye should thus thy Island range: It is a Merchant’s progresse to surround The earth, and seek out undiscover’d ground. What though my foot hath trod the fourefold shore? And eyes survaid their subdivided store? Yet rarer wonders in this Isle of thine I view’d this day, then in twice six yeares time. Justly didst thou, great Macedo,13 repine That thou could’st adde no other world to thine. He is not truely great, nor stout, who can Curb the great world, and not the lesser, Man. And thou14 whose name the Western world impos’d Upon it self, first by thy skill disclos’d; Yet is thy skill by this farre overcome, Who hath descri’d an unknown World at home: A World, which to search out, subdue, and till, Is the best object of man’s wit, strength, skill: A World, where all may dangerlesse obtain Without long travell, cheapest, greatest gain. lod. roberts.15

13 14 15

great Macedo: Alexander the Great. Americus. pf. Vespucius Americus, who lent his name to the Americas. Lod. Roberts: Lewis Roberts (1596–1641), a merchant, author, and friend of Izaak Walton. Roberts wrote primarily about commerce and warfare, but this poem is his first published work.

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on the most accurate poem, inscribed the purple island. Henceforth let wandring Delos16 cease to boast Herself the God of Learning’s dearest coast; And let that double-headed mountain hallow No more the honour’d name of great Apollo: And may the Pegasean spring, that uses To cheer the palats of the thirstie Muses, Drie up: and let this happie Isle of thine Preserve Apolloe’s harp; where every line Carries a Suada17 with ’t, and doth display The banners of heav’n-born Urania.18 Henceforth let all the world thy verse admire Before that Thracean Orpheus’ charming lyre: He but enchanted Beasts, but thy divine And higher aires bring Deities to this Isle of thine. a.c.19

16 17 18 19

Delos: Greek island and mythological birthplace of Apollo and Artemis. According to myth, Delos was a wandering rock until the deities were born. Suada: goddess of persuasion. Urania: muse of astronomy, but also adopted during the Renaissance as a muse of Christian poetry. a.c.: possibly the young poet Abraham Cowley (1618–1667), whose first poems, Poetical Blossoms (1633), were published the same year as The Purple Island. Cowley cited Spenser’s Faerie Queene—Fletcher’s primary inspiration for The Purple Island—as the source of his initial poetic inspiration.

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Man’s Bodie’s like a house: his greater bones Are the main timber; and the lesser ones Are smaller splints: his ribs are laths, daub’d o’re, Plaister’d with flesh, and bloud: his mouth’s the doore, His throat’s the narrow entrie, and his heart Is the great chamber, full of curious art: His midriffe is a large partition-wall ’Twixt the great chamber, and the spacious hall: His stomack is the kitchin, where the meat Is often but half sod, for want of heat: His splene’s a vessell nature does allot To take the skumme that rises from the pot: His lungs are like the bellows, that respire In ev’ry office, quickning ev’ry fire: His nose the chimney is, whereby are vented Such fumes as with the bellows are augmented: His bowels are the sink, whose part’s to drein All noisomea filth, and keep the kitchin clean: His eyes are crystall windows, cleare and bright; Let in the object, and let out the sight. And as the timber is or great, or small, Or strong, or weak, ’tis apt to stand, or fall: Yet is the likeliest building sometimes known To fall by obvious chances; overthrown Ofttimes by tempests, by the full-mouth’d blasts Of heav’n; sometimes by fire; sometimes it wastes Through unadvis’d neglect: put case20 the stuffe Were ruine-proofe, by nature strong enough To conquer time, and age; put case it should Ne’re know an end, alas our leases would. What hast thou then, proud flesh and bloud, to boast? Thy dayes are evil, at best; but few, at most; But sad, at merriest; and but weak, at strongest; Unsure, at surest; and but short, at longest. fran. quarles.21 anoxious 20 21

put case: suppose. See note 10 above. This poem was previously published in Quarles’s Divine Fancies (1632).

Canto i 11

THe warmer Sun the golden Bull outran, And with the Twins made haste to inne and play:2 Scatt’ring ten thousand flowres, he new began To paint the world, and piece the length’ning day: (The world more agèd by new youth’s accrewing) Ah wretched man this wretched world pursuing, Which still grows worse by age, & older by renewing!

23

The shepherd-boyes, who with the Muses dwell, Met in the plain their May-lords new to chuse, (For two they yearely chuse) to order well Their rurall sports, and yeare that next ensues: Now were they sat, where by the orchyard walls The learnèd Chame with stealing water crawls, And lowly down before that royall temple4 falls.

3

Among the rout they take two gentle swains, Whose sprouting youth did now but greenly bud: Well could they pipe and sing; but yet their strains Were onely known unto the silent wood: Their nearest bloud from self-same fountains flow, Their souls self-same in nearer love did grow: So seem’d two joyn’d in one, or one disjoyn’d in two.5

1 The narrative of the poem is told over the course of seven days. Canto 1 is told during the morning of the first day. 2 Astrological references to Taurus (“the golden Bull”) and Gemini (“the Twins”), establishing the pastoral May setting of the narrative frame. 3 Spenser, “Colin Clouts Come Home Again,” lines 1–9. 4 royall temple: a likely reference to King’s College at Cambridge, where Fletcher studied. The “learnèd Chame” refers to the River Cam that flows through Cambridge. 5 The choosing of two May-lords whose blood “from self-same fountains flow” seems to indicate both Phineas Fletcher (Thirsil) and his younger brother, Giles Fletcher, also a poet. Only Thirsil, however, is called on to sing by the other shepherds.

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4

Now when the shepherd-lads with common voice Their first consent had firmly ratifi’d, A gentle boy thus ’gan to wave their choice; Thirsil, (said he) though yet thy Muse untri’d Hath onely learn’d in private shades to feigne Soft sighs of love unto a looser strain, Or thy poore Thelgon’s6 wrong in mournfull verse to plain;a

5

Yet since the shepherd-swains do all consent To make thee lord of them, and of their art; And that choice lad (to give a full content) Hath joyn’d with thee in office, as in heart; Wake, wake thy long- (thy too long) sleeping Muse, And thank them with a song, as is the use: Such honour thus conferr’d thou mayst not well refuse. .

6

Sing what thou list, be it of Cupid’s spite, (Ah lovely spite, and spitefull lovlinesse!) Or Gemma’s grief,7 if sadder be thy sprite:b Begin, thou lovèd swain, with good successe. Ah, (said the bashfull boy) such wanton toyes A better minde and sacred vow destroyes, Since in a higher love I setled all my joyes.

7

New light new love, new love new life hath bred; A life that lives by love, and loves by light: A love to him, to whom all loves are wed; A light, to whom the Sunne is darkest night: Eye’s light, heart’s love, soul’s onely life he is: Life, soul, love, heart, light, eye, and all are his: He eye, light, heart, love, soul; he all my joy, & blisse.

acomplain

b spirit

6 Thelgon: Thelgon represents Fletcher’s own father, Giles the Elder, in another text, Piscatorie Eclogs. Fletcher here alludes to his father’s unceremonious departure from King’s College, which he discusses in that text. Although The Purple Island and Piscatorie Eclogs are bound together in the original printing in that order, Fletcher seems to imply here that he wrote the latter text first. 7 Gemma’s grief: Gemma was Dante’s wife, but Beatrice was the object of his affection.

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8

But if you deigne my ruder pipe to heare, (Rude pipe, unus’d, untun’d, unworthy hearing) These infantine beginnings gently bear, Whose best desert and hope must be your bearing. But you, O Muses, by soft Chamus8 sitting, (Your daintie songs unto his murmures fitting, Which bears the under-song unto your chearfull dittying;)

9

Tell me, ye Muses, what our father-ages Have left succeeding times to play upon: What now remains unthought on by those Sages, Where a new Muse may trie her pineon?a What lightning Heroes, like great Peleus’ heir,9 (Darting his beams through our hard-frozen aire) May stirre up gentle heat, and vertue’s wane repair?

10

Who knows not Jason? or bold Tiphys’10 hand, That durst unite what Nature’s self would part? He makes Isles continent, and all one land; O’re seas, as earth, he march’d with dangerous art: He rides the white-mouth’d waves, and scorneth all Those thousand deaths wide gaping for his fall: He death defies, fenc’d with a thin, low, wooden wall.

11

Who ha’s not often read Troye’s twice-sung fires, And the second time twice better sung?11 Who ha’s not heard th’ Arcadian shepherd’s quires, Which now have gladly chang’d their native tongue; And sitting by slow Mincius,12 sport their fill, With sweeter voice and never equall’d skill, Chaunting their amorous layes unto a Romane quill?

a wing 8 9 10 11 12

Chamus: the River Cam. Peleus: father of Achilles. Tiphys: pilot of the ship that took Jason to Colchis where Jason acquired the Golden Fleece. Troye’s twice-sung fires: Homer’s Iliad and Virgil’s Aeneid, with preference given here for the latter. Mincius: a river near Mantua, Virgil’s birthplace.

canto i

12

And thou,13 choice wit, Love’s scholar, and Love’s master, Art known to all, where Love himself is known: Whether thou bidd’st Ulysses hie him faster, Or dost thy fault and distant exile moan. Who ha’s not seen upon the mourning stage Dire Atreus’ feast,14 and wrong’d Medea’s rage,15 Marching in tragick state, and buskin’d equipage?

13

And now of late th’ Italian fisher-swain16 Sits on the shore to watch his trembling line; There teaches rocks and prouder seas to plaina By Nesis17 fair, and fairer Mergiline:18 While his thinne net, upon his oars twin’d, With wanton strife catches the Sunne, and winde, Which still do slip away, and still remain behinde.

14

And that French Muse’s19 eagle eye and wing Hath soar’d to heav’n, and there hath learn’d the art To frame Angelick strains, and canzons20 sing Too high and deep for every shallow heart. Ah blessèd soul! in those celestiall rayes, Which gave thee light these lower works to blaze, Thou sitt’st emparadis’d, and chaunt’st eternall layes.

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acomplain 13 14

15 16 17 18 19

20

thou: Ovid, author of a large volume of Latin love poetry. Ovid was exiled from Rome by Emperor Augustus. He writes about Ulysses’s journey in Metamorphoses, book 13. Atreus’ feast: in Greek mythology, Atreus takes revenge on his brother, Thyestes, by killing and cooking Thyestes’s sons and serving them to their father as a meal. The event is dramatized in Seneca’s play Thyestes. Medea’s rage: Medea is abandoned by her husband, Jason, and takes her revenge by killing their own children. Fletcher here may be referring to Euripides’s play Medea. Sannazar. pf. Jacopo Sannazaro, whose fifteenth-century pastoral poem Arcadia influenced the English pastoral poets of the sixteenth century. Nesis: Nisida, a small island in the bay of Naples. Mergiline: Mergellina, a small port and fishing village near Naples. Bartas[.] pf. Guillaume Du Bartas, the sixteenth-century poet whose work was influential in England. His La Semaine (1578) details the creation of the world. As in Fletcher’s present poem, La Semaine combines biblical accounts with contemporary scientific knowledge. canzons: canzones, Italian ballads.

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15

Thrice happy wits, which in your springing May (Warm’d with the Sunne of well-deservèd favours) Disclose your buds, and your fair blooms display, Perfume the aire with your rich fragrant savours! Nor may, nor ever shall those honour’d flowers Be spoil’d by summer’s heat, or winter’s showers; But last when eating time shal gnaw the proudest towers[.]

16

Happy, thrice happy times in silver age! When generous plants advanc’t their lofty crest; When honour stoopt to be learn’d wisdom’s page; When baser weeds starv’d in their frozen nest; When th’ highest flying Muse still highest climbes; And vertue’s rise keeps down all rising crimes. Happy, thrice happy age! happy, thrice happy times!

17

But wretched we, to whom these iron daies (Hard daies) afford nor matter, nor reward! Sings Maro?21 men deride high Maro’s layes; Their hearts with lead, with steel their sense is barr’d: Sing Linus,22 or his father, as he uses, Our Midas eares their well tun’d verse refuses. What cares an asse for arts? he brayes at sacred Muses.23

18

But if fond Bavius24 vent his clowted song, Or Maevius chaunt his thoughts in brothell charm; The witlesse vulgar, in a numerous throng, Like summer flies about their dunghills swarm: They sneer, they grinne. Like to his like will move. Yet never let them greater mischief prove Then this, Who hates not one, may he the other love.

21 22

Maro: Virgil. Linus: associated with dirge and lamentation. In Greek mythology, Linus is the son of Apollo and a Muse. Midas was punished with the ears of an ass by Apollo for his lack of appreciation for music and art. Bavius: Baevis, identified in Virgil’s Eclogues as the epitome of a bad poet, along with Maevius.

23 24

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19

Witnesse our Colin;25 whom though all the Graces, And all the Muses nurst; whose well taught song Parnassus’26 self, and Glorian27 embraces, And all the learn’d, and all the shepherds’ throng; Yet all his hopes were crost, all suits deni’d; Discourag’d, scorn’d, his writings vilifi’d: Poorly (poore man) he liv’d; poorly (poore man) he di’d.28

20

And had not that great Hart,29 (whose honour’d head Ah lies full low) piti’d thy wofull plight; There hadst thou lien unwept, unburied, Unblest, nor grac’t with any common rite: Yet shalt thou live, when thy great foe shall sink Beneath his mountain tombe, whose fame shall stink; And time his blacker name shall blurre with blackest ink.

21

O let th’ Iambick Muse30 revenge that wrong, Which cannot slumber in thy sheets of lead: Let thy abusèd honour crie as long As there be quills to write, or eyes to reade: On his rank name let thine own votes be turn’d, Oh may that man that hath the Muses scorn’d, Alive, nor dead, be ever of a Muse adorn’d!31

25 26

Spencer. pf. Parnassus: Parnassus is the mountain home of the Muses, often used in literature as a reference to the home of poetry. Here, Spenser is welcomed as an equal among the Muses. Glorian: Queen Elizabeth, who appears as Gloriana, the titular character in Spenser’s Faerie Queene. Spenser was driven from his home by Irish forces in 1598 during the Nine Years’ War (1594–1603). His home, Kilcolman Castle, was burned. According to Ben Jonson, he died in poverty the following year (which is highly unlikely), at which time the Earl of Essex paid for his funeral. that great Hart: the Earl of Essex. See previous note. Iambick Muse: Iambe, Greek goddess of scurrilous verse. A quotation from Spenser’s poem “The Ruins of Time,” lines 454–455. In Spenser’s poem, the lines refer to Lord Burghley, a powerful figure who sought to censor Spenser’s work. Fletcher here employs the quotation as a reference to Spenser’s detractors more generally.

27 28

29 30 31

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22

Oft therefore have I chid my tender Muse; Oft my chill breast beats off her fluttering wing: Yet when new spring her gentle rayes infuse, All storms are laid, I ’gin to chirp and sing: At length soft fires disperst in every vein, Yeeld open passage to the thronging train, And swelling numbers’ tide rolls like the surging main.

23

So where fair Thames, and crooked Isis’ sonne Payes tribute to his King, the mantling stream Encounter’d by the tides (now rushing on With equall force) of’s way doth doubtfull seem; At length the full-grown sea, and water’s King Chide the bold waves with hollow murmuring: Back flie the streams to shroud them in their mother spring.32

24

Yet thou sweet numerous Muse, why should’st thou droop That every vulgar eare thy musick scorns? Nor can they rise, nor thou so low canst stoop; No seed of heav’n takes root in mud or thorns. When owls or crows, imping their flaggy wing With thy stoln plumes, their notes through th’ ayer to fling; Oh shame! They howl & croke, while fond they strain to sing.

25

Enough for thee in heav’n to build thy nest; (Farre be dull thoughts of winning dunghill praise) Enough, if Kings enthrone thee in their breast, And crown their golden crowns with higher baies: Enough that those who weare the crown of Kings (Great Israel’s Princes) strike thy sweetest strings: Heav’n’s Dove when high’st he flies, flies with thy heav’nly wings.

32

This stanza refers to the Tideway portion of the Thames, which is subject to tidal rise and fall, colloquially believed to flow in two directions as a result. Fletcher here also refers to the River Thame and the Isis—as the Thames near Oxford was sometimes called—as the parents of the Thames.

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2633 Let others trust the seas, dare death and hell, Search either Inde, vaunt of their scarres and wounds; Let others their deare breath (nay silence) sell To fools, and (swoln, not rich) stretch out their bounds By spoiling those that live, and wronging dead; That they may drink in pearl, and couch their head In soft, but sleeplesse down; in rich, but restlesse bed. 27

Oh let them in their gold quaffe dropsies down; Oh let them surfetsa feast in silver bright: While sugar hires the taste the brain to drown, And bribes of sauce corrupt false appetite, His master’s rest, health, heart, life, soul to sell. Thus plentie, fulnesse, sicknesse, ring their knell: Death weds and beds them; first in grave, and then in hell.

28

But (ah!) let me under some Kentish hill Neare rowling Medway34 ’mong my shepherd peers, With fearlesse merrie-make, and piping still, Securely passe my few and slow-pac’d yeares: While yet the great Augustus of our nation35 Shuts up old Janus in this long cessation, Strength’ning our pleasing ease, and gives us sure vacation.

29

There may I, master of a little flock, Feed my poore lambes, and often change their fare: My lovely mate shall tend my sparing stock, And nurse my little ones with pleasing care; Whose love and look shall speak their father plain. Health be my feast, heav’n hope, content my gain: So in my little house my lesser heart shall reigne.

aoverfeed 33 34 35

From stanzas 26 through 33, Fletcher draws heavily on Spenser, “Virgils Gnat,” lines 89–152. Medway: the River Medway, in Kent. the great Augustus of our nation: James i.

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30

The beech shall yeeld a cool safe canopie, While down I sit, and chaunt to th’ echoing wood: Ah singing might I live, and singing die! So by fair Thames, or silver Medwaye’s floud, The dying swan, when yeares her temples pierce, In musick strains breathes out her life and verse; And chaunting her own dirge tides on her watry herse.

31

What shall I then need seek a patron out, Or beg a favour from a mistris’ eyes, To fence my song against the vulgar rout, Or shine upon me with her Geminies?36 What care I, if they praise my slender song? Or reck I, if they do me right, or wrong? A shepherd’s blisse nor stands nor falls to ev’ry tongue.

32

Great prince of shepherds,37 then thy heav’ns more high, Low as our earth, here serving, ruling there; Who taught’st our death to live, thy life to die; Who when we broke thy bonds, our bonds would’st bear; Who reignedst in thy heav’n, yet felt’st our hell; Who (God) bought’st man, whom man (though God) did sell; Who in our flesh, our graves, (and worse) our hearts would’st dwell:

33

Great Prince of shepherds, thou who late didst deigne To lodge thy self within this wretched breast,38 (Most wretched breast such guest to entertain, Yet oh most happy lodge in such a guest!) Thou first and last, inspire thy sacred skill; Guide thou my hand, grace thou my artlesse quill: So shall I first begin, so last shall end thy will.

36 37 38

her Geminies: her eyes. Great prince of shepherds: Christ. Likely a reference to Phineas Fletcher’s ordination in 1611. Although the conclusion of The Purple Island is referenced in Giles Fletcher’s Christs Victorie and Triumph (1610), references such as this one indicate that Phineas continued to work on the poem after 1610.

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34

Heark then, ah heark, you gentle shepheard-crue; An Isle I fain would sing, an Island fair; A place too seldome view’d, yet still in view; Neare as our selves, yet farthest from our care; Which we by leaving finde, by seeking lost; A forrain home, a strange, though native coast; Most obvious to all, yet most unknown to most:

35

Coëvalla with the world in her nativitie: Which though it now hath pass’d through many ages, And still retain’d a naturall proclivitie To ruine, compast with a thousand rages Of foe-men’s spite, which still this Island tosses; Yet ever grows more prosp’rous by her crosses; By with’ring springing fresh, and rich by often losses.

36

Vain men, too fondly wise, who plough the seas, With dangerous pains another earth to finde; Adding new worlds to th’ old, and scorning ease, The earth’s vast limits dayly more unbinde! The agèd world, though now it falling shows, And hastes to set, yet still in dying grows. Whole lives are spent to win, what one death’s houre must lose.

37

How like’s the world unto a tragick stage! Where every changing scene the actours change; Some subject crouch and fawn; some reigne and rage: And new strange plots brings scenes as new & strange, Till most are slain; the rest their parts have done: So here, some laugh and play; some weep and grone; Till all put of[f] their robes, and stage and actours gone.

acontemporaneous

63

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38

Yet this fair Isle, sited so nearely neare, That from our sides nor place nor time may sever; Though to your selves your selves are not more deare, Yet with strange carelesnesse you travell never: Thus while your selves and native home forgetting, You search farre distant worlds with needlesse sweating, You never finde your selves; so lose ye more by getting.

39

When that great Power, that All, farre more then all, (When now his fore-set time was fully come) Brought into act this undigested Ball, Which in himself till then had onely room; He labour’d not, nor suffer’d pain, or ill; But bid each kinde their severall places fill: He bid, and they obey’d; their action was his will.

4039 First stept the Light, and spread his chearfull rayes Through all the Chaos; darknesse headlong fell, Frighted with suddain beams, and new-born dayes; And plung’d her ougly head in deepest hell: Not that he meant to help his feeble sight To frame the rest, he made the day of night: All els but darknesse; he the true, the onely Light. 41

Fire, Water, Earth, and Aire (that fiercely strove) His soveraigne hand in strong alliance ti’d, Binding their deadly hate in constant love: So that great Wisdome temper’d all their pride, (Commanding strife and love should never cease) That by their peacefull fight, and fighting peace, The world might die to live, and lessen to increase.

39

Fletcher’s description of Creation echoes Ovid’s in Metamorphoses 1.1.

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42

Thus Earth’s cold arm cold Water friendly holds, But with his drie the other’s wet defies: Warm Aire with mutuall love hot Fire infolds; As moist, his dryth abhorres: drie Earth allies With Fire, but heats with cold new warres prepare: Yet Earth drencht Water proves, which boil’d turns Aire; Hot Aire makes Fire: condenst all change, and home repair.

43

Now when the first week’s life was almost spent, And this world built, and richly furnishèd; To store heav’n’s courts, and steer earth’s regiment, He cast to frame an Isle, the heart and head Of all his works, compos’d with curious art; Which like an Index briefly should impart The summe of all; the whole, yet of the whole a part.40

44

That Trine-one41 with himself in councell sits, And purple dust takes from the new-born earth; Part circular, and part triang’lar fits,42 Endows it largely at the unborn birth, Deputes his Favorite Vice-roy;43 doth invest With aptnesse thereunto, as seem’d him best; And lov’d it more then all, and more then all it blest.

40

Fletcher here employs the popular belief that the human body was created as a microcosm, a divine index of all of Creation, which serves as the foundational allegory for the whole of The Purple Island. Trine-one: three-in-one. That is, the Trinity. fq 2.9.22. his Favorite Vice-roy: Prince Intellect, the ruler of the island, whose war against the Dragon and its vices will comprise the latter half of the poem. Prince Intellect is largely synonymous with the soul.

41 42 43

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45

Then plac’t it in the calm pacificka seas, And bid nor waves, nor troublous windes offend it; Then peopled it with subjects apt to please So wise a Prince, made able to defend it Against all outward force, or inward spite; Him framing like himself, all shining bright; A little living Sunne, Sonne of the living Light.

46

Nor made he this like other Isles; but gave it Vigour, sense, reason, and a perfect motion, To move it self whither it self would have it, And know what falls within the verge of notion: No time might change it, but as ages went, So still return’d; still spending, never spent; More rising in their fall, more rich in detriment.

47

So once the Cradle44 of that double light, Whereof one rules the night, the other day, (Till sad Latona flying Juno’s spite, Her double burthen there did safely lay) Not rooted yet, in every sea was roving, With every wave, and every winde removing; But since to those fair Twins hath left her ever moving.

48

Look as a scholar, who doth closely gather Many large volumes in a narrow place; So that great Wisdome all this All together Confin’d into this Island’s little space; And being one, soon into two45 he fram’d it; And now made two, to one again reclaim’d it; The little Isle of Man, or Purple Island nam’d it.

a peaceful 44 45

Delos. pf. Latona gave birth to Apollo and Artemis in Delos after fleeing the wrath of Juno, Jupiter’s wife, following Juno’s discovery that her husband had impregnated Latona. being one, soon into two: Adam and Eve.

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49

Thrice happy was the world’s first infancie, Nor knowing yet, nor curious ill to know: Joy without grief, love without jealousie: None felt hard labour, or the sweating plough: The willing earth brought tribute to her King; Bacchus46 unborn lay hidden in the cling Of big-swoln grapes; their drink was every silver spring.

50

Of all the windes47 there was no difference: None knew mild Zephyres48 from cold Eurus’49 mouth; Nor Orithyia’s50 lover’s violence Distinguisht from the ever-dropping South: But either gentle West-winds reign’d alone, Or else no winde, or harmfull winde was none: But one winde was in all, and all the windes in one.

51

None knew the sea; (oh blessed ignorance!) None nam’d the stars, the North carre’s51 constant race, Taurus’52 bright horns, or Fishes’53 happy chance: Astraea54 yet chang’d not her name or place; Her ev’n-pois’d balance heav’n yet never tri’d: None sought new coasts, nor forrain lands descri’d; But in their own they liv’d, and in their own they di’d.

46 47

Bacchus: Greek god of wine. the windes: In Greek mythology, the Anemoi are wind gods, each associated with a specific wind direction. Zephyres: god of the west wind and the messenger of spring. Eurus: the east wind. Orithyia: in Greek mythology, Orithyia is loved by Boreas, the north wind, who, after failing to woo her, abducts and rapes Orithyia. North carre: the Big Dipper. Taurus: in astrology, the bull. Fishes: Pisces. Astraea: the celestial virgin, who became the constellation Virgo.

48 49 50 51 52 53 54

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52

But (ah!) what liveth long in happinesse? Grief, of an heavy nature, steddy lies, And cannot be remov’d for weightinesse; But joy, of lighter presence, eas’ly flies, And seldome comes, and soon away will goe: Some secret power here all things orders so, That for a sun-shine day follows an age of woe.

53

Witnesse this glorious Isle, which not content To be confin’d in bounds of happinesse, Would trie what e’re is in the continent; And seek out ill, and search for wretchednesse. Ah fond, to seek what then was in thy will! That needs no curious search; ’tis next us still. ’Tis grief to know of grief, and ill to know of ill.

54

That old slie Serpent, (slie, but spitefull more) Vext with the glory of this happy Isle, Allures it subt’ly from the peacefull shore, And with fair painted lies, & colour’d guile Drencht in dead seas;55 whose dark streams, full of fright, Emptie their sulphur waves in endlesse night; Where thousand deaths and hells torment the damnèd sprite.a

55

So when a fisher-swain by chance hath spi’d A big-grown Pike pursue the lesser frie, He sets a withy56 Labyrinth beside, And with fair baits allures his nimble eye; Which he invading with out-stretchèd finne, All suddainly is compast with the ginne,b Where there is no way out, but easie passage in.

a spirit 55 56

b trap Mare mortuum. pf. Latin. “Dead sea.” withy: withes are slender and flexible tree branches, used to build fish and animal traps.

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That deathfull lake hath these three properties; No turning path, or issue thence is found: The captive never dead, yet ever dies; It endlesse sinks, yet never comes to ground: Hell’s self is pictur’d in that brimstone wave; For what retiring from that hellish grave? Or who can end in death, where deaths no ending have?

57

For ever had this Isle in that foul ditch With curelesse grief and endlesse errour strai’d, Boyling in sulphur, and hot-bubbling pitch; Had not the King, whose laws he (fool) betrai’d, Unsnarl’d that chain, then from that lake secur’d; For which ten thousand tortures he endur’d: So hard was this lost Isle, so hard to be recur’d.

58

O thou deep well of life, wide stream of love, (More deep, more wide then widest deepest seas) Who dying Death to endlesse death didst prove, To work this wilfull-rebell Island’s ease; Thy love no time began, no time decaies; But still increaseth with decreasing daies: Where then may we begin, where may we end thy praise?

59

My callow wing, that newly left the nest, How can it make so high a towring flight? O depth without a depth! in humble breast With praises I admire so wondrous height. But thou, my57 sister Muse, mayst well go higher, And end thy flight; ne’re may thy pineonsa tire: Thereto may he his grace and gentle heat58 aspire.

69

awings 57 58

A book called Christs Victorie and Triumph. pf. An allegorical poem written by Giles Fletcher, Phineas’s brother, published in 1610. heat: possible typographical error—heart?

70 60

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Then let me end my easier taken storie, And sing this Island’s new recover’d seat. But see, the eye of noon, in brightest glorie, (Teaching great men) is ne’re so little great: Our panting flock retire into the glade; They crouch, and close to th’ earth their horns have laid: Vail we our scorchèd heads in that thick beeche’s shade.

Canto ii 11

DEclining Phoebus, as he larger grows, (Taxing proud folly) gentler waxeth still; Never lesse fierce, then when he greatest shows; When Thirsil on a gentle rising hill (Where all his flock he round might feeding view) Sits down, and circled with a lovely crue Of Nymphs & shepherd-boyes, thus ’gan his song renew:

2

Now was this Isle pull’d from that horrid main, Which bears the fearfull looks and name of death; And setled new with bloud and dreadfull pain, By him who twice had giv’n (once forfeit) breath: A baser state then what was first assign’d; Wherein (to curb the too aspiring minde) The better things were lost, the worst were left behinde.

1 Thirsil resumes his song in the afternoon of the first day by situating the isle, the body of man, in the context of the Fall and the introduction of death; in its fallen state, the body now experiences pain and has been reduced to a “baser state” than what it had previously enjoyed (2.2.5). The image of God in man was “raz’d” and original knowledge was lost, leaving man with imperfect knowledge (2.3.1). However, man has the potential to rise again, like the Phoenix. Helkiah Crooke begins his anatomical compendium Mikrokosmographia (1615)—which was first published around the time that Fletcher began working on The Purple Island—with a similar sentiment: “The first man (saith the Diuine story) saw all the Creatures, and gaue them names according to their Natures, but that Sun-shine was soone clouded, that Image defaced, that stampe battered by his fall. Afterwards, as a Marchant that had lost all his inheritance in one bottome, he was to begin the world anew, and to gather an estate or stocke of knowledge, by the trauell and industry of his soule and body; yet was not his soule Abrasa Tabula, a playned Table, there remained some Lineaments which the Scripture calleth The Lawe of Nature; not such as could exhibite any sufficient originall knowledge, but such as whereby, hauing gotten knowledge from without himselfe, might make him again acknowledge the darke and defaced foot steppes that remained in himselfe” (36).

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3

That glorious image of himself was raz’d; Ah! scarce the place of that best part we finde: And that bright Sun-like knowledge much defac’d, Onely some twinkling starres remain behinde: Then mortall made; yet as one fainting dies, Two other in its place succeeding rise; And drooping stock with branches fresh immortalize.

4

So that ’lone bird in fruitfull Arabie, When now her strength and waning life decaies, Upon some airie rock, or mountain high, In spicèd bed (fir’d by neare Phoebus’ rayes) Her self and all her crooked age consumes: Straight from the ashes and those rich perfumes A new-born Phoenix flies, & widow’d place resumes.

5

It grounded lies upon a sure foundation,2 Compact, and hard; whose matter (cold and drie) To marble turns in strongest congelation; Fram’d of fat earth, which fires together tie: Through all the Isle, and every part extent,a To give just form to every regiment; Imparting to each part due strength and stablishment.

6

Whose looser ends are glu’d with brother earth,3 Of nature like, and of a neare relation; Of self-same parents both, at self-same birth; That oft it self stands for a good foundation:4 Both these a third5 doth soulder fast, and binde; Softer then both, yet of the self-same kinde; All instruments of motion, in one league combin’d.

a extended 2 The foundation of the body is the bones. Bones are a similar part of the body, most dry, or cold; made by the vertue generative, through heat of the thicker portion of seed, which is most earthy and fat for the establishment and figure of the whole. pf. 3 A cartilage, or grisle, is of a middle nature betwixt bones, and ligaments or sinews, made of the same matter, and in the same manner as bones, for variety and safetie in motion. pf. 4 Some of these (even as bones) sustain and uphold some parts[.] pf. 5 Both these are knit with ligaments: A ligament or sinew is of nature between grisles, and

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7

Upon this base a curious work6 is rais’d, Like undivided brick, entire and one; Though soft, yet lasting, with just balance pais’d;a Distributed with due proportion: And that the rougher frame7 might lurk unseen, All fair is hung with coverings slight and thinne; Which partly hide it all, yet all is partly seen:

8

As when a virgin her snow-circled breast Displaying hides, and hiding sweet displaies; The greater segments cover’d, and the rest The vail transparent willingly betraies; Thus takes and gives, thus lends and borrows light: Lest eyes should surfetb with too greedy sight, Transparent lawns withhold, more to increase delight.

9

Nor is there any part in all this land,8 But is a little Isle: for thousand brooks In azure chanels glide on silver sand; Their serpent windings, and deceiving crooks Circling about, and wat’ring all the plain, Emptie themselves into th’ all-drinking main; And creeping forward slide, but never turn again.9

apoised

6 7 8 9

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b overfeed

nerves, framed of a tough and clammy portion of the seed, for knitting & holding the bones together, & fitting them for motion. pf. Upon the bones as the foundation, is built the flesh. Flesh is a similar part of the body, soft, ruddy, made of bloud indifferently dried, covered with the common membrane or skinne. pf. rougher frame: the bones. The whole body is as it were watered with great plenty of rivers, veins, arteries, and nerves. pf. Stanza 9 indicates that Fletcher was not yet aware of William Harvey’s discovery of the blood as circulating; here, the blood is dispersed throughout the body without embarking on a return journey. Although Harvey’s discoveries were first published in 1628, the public lectures and demonstrations that he conducted brought his ideas into the public sphere as early as the mid- to late 1610s.

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10

Three diff’ring streams from fountains different, Neither in nature nor in shape agreeing, (Yet each with other friendly ever went) Give to this Isle his fruitfulnesse and being: The first10 in single chanels skie-like blue, With luke-warm waters di’d in porphyr11 hue, Sprinkle this crimson Isle with purple-colour’d dew.

11

The next,12 though from the same springs first it rise, Yet passing through another great fountain, Doth lose his former name and qualities: Through many a dale it flows, and many a mountain; More firie light, and needfull more then all; And therefore fencèd with a double wall, All froths his yellow streams with many a sudding fall.

12

The last,13 in all things diff’ring from the other, Fall from an hill, and close together go, Embracing as they runne, each with his brother; Guarded with double trenches sure they flow: The coldest spring, yet nature best they have; And like the lactealla stones which heaven pave, Slide down to every part with their thick milky wave.

a milky 10

11 12

13

A vein is a vessell long, round, hollow, rising from the liver, appointed to contein, concoct, and distribute the bloud; It hath but one tunicle, and that thinne; the colour of this bloud is purple. pf. porphyr: porphyry, a purple-hued rock prized by the Romans for its color. An arterie is a vessell long, round, hollow, formed for conveyance of that more spritely bloud, which is elaborate in the heart. This bloud is frothy, yellowish, full of spirits, therefore compast with a double tunicle, that it might not exhale or sweat out by reason of the thinnesse[.] pf. A nerve is a spermaticall part rising from the brain and the pith of the back-bone, the outside skinne, the inside full of pith, carrying the animall spirits for sense and motion and therefore doubly skinned as the brain: none of them single, but runne in couples. pf. The animal spirits were believed to be responsible for sense and motion, dispersed throughout the body by nerves and blood. See note 15.

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13

These14 with a thousand streams through th’ Island roving, Bring tribute in; the first gives nourishment, Next life, last sense and arbitrarie moving: For when the Prince15 hath now his mandate sent, The nimble poasts quick down the river runne, And end their journey, though but now begunne; But now the mandate came, & now the mandate’s done.

14

The whole Isle, parted in three regiments,16 By three Metropolies is joyntly sway’d; Ord’ring in peace and warre their governments With loving concord, and with mutuall aid: The lowest hath the worst, but largest See; The middle lesse, of greater dignitie: The highest least, but holds the greatest soveraigntie.17

14

The veins convey nourishment from the liver, the arteries life and heat from the heart, the nerves sense and motion from the brain. The will commands, the nerve brings, and the part executes the mandate; all almost in an instant. pf. Prince Intellect, the ruler of the Purple Island, is roughly analogous to the mind and soul. By representing the Prince as the one in charge of the veins, arteries, and nerves, Fletcher is alluding to the perceived relationship between the brain/soul and the “animal spirits,” which were believed to be responsible for movement and sense and traveled with the blood and/or nerves to be dispersed throughout the body. Crooke writes that “the distance is not so great betweene the highest Heauen and the lowest Earth, as is the difference betwixt the Soule and the Bodye. It was therefore verie necessarie that a spirite should bee created, by wholse intermediate Nature, as it were by a strong though not indissoluble bonde the Diuine soule might bee tyed to the bodie of Earth” (173– 174). The whole body may be parted into three regions: the lowest, or belly; the middle, or breast; the highest, or head. In the lowest the liver is sovereigne, whose regiment is the widest, but meanest. In the middle the heart reignes, most necessarie. The brain obtains the highest place, and is as the least in compasse, so the greatest in dignitie. pf. Although Thirsil here describes the three regions of the body (belly/abdomen, breast, and head), the remainder of this canto focuses almost exclusively on the “lower region,” the belly, and the processes of ingestion, digestion, and excretion.

15

16

17

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15

Deep in a vale doth that first province lie, With many a citie grac’t, and fairly town’d, And for a fence from forrain enmitie, With five strong-builded walls18 encompast round; Which my rude pencil will in limminga stain; A work more curious, then which poets feigne Neptune and Phoebus built, and pullèd down again.19

16

The first of these20 is that round spreading fence, Which like a sea girtsb th’ Isle in every part; Of fairest building, quick and nimble sense, Of common matter fram’d with speciall art; Of middle temper, outwardest of all, To warn of every chance that may befall: The same a fence, and spie; a watchman, and a wall.

17

His native beautie is a lilie white,21 Which still some other colour’d stream infecteth; Least like it self, with divers stainings dight,c The inward disposition detecteth: If white, it argues wet; if purple, fire; If black, a heavie cheer, and fixt desire; Youthfull and blithe, if suited in a rosie tire.

a describing 18

19 20

21

b encircles

c adorn

The parts of the lower region are either the contained, or the containing: the containing either common or proper: the common are the skinne, the fleshie pannicle, and the fat: the proper are the muscles of the bellypeece, or the inner rimme of the belly. pf. Neptune and Phoebus are believed to have built the walls of Troy. The skinne is a membrane of all the rest the most large, and thick, formed of the mixture of seed and bloud; the covering, and ornament of parts that are under it: the temper moderate, the proper organ of outward touching (say Physicians.)[.] pf. The native colour of the skinne is white but (as Hippocrates) changed into the same colour which is brought by the humour predominant. Where melancholie abounds, it is swarthy; where flegme, it is white, and pale; where choler reignes, it is red, and firy; but in sanguine of a rosie colour[.] pf.

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18

It cover’d stands with silken flourishing,22 Which as it oft decaies, renews again, The other’s sense and beautie perfecting; Which els would feel, but with unusuall pain: Whose pleasing sweetnesse, and resplendent shine, Softning the wanton touch, and wandring ey’n, Doth oft the Prince himself with witch’ries undermine.23

19

The second24 rampiera of a softer matter, Cast up by th’ purple rivers’ overflowing: Whose airy wave, and swelling waters, fatter For want of heat congeal’d, and thicker growing, The wandring heat25 (which quiet ne’re subsisteth) Sends back again to what confine it listeth; And outward enemies by yeelding most resisteth.

20

The third26 more inward, firmer then the best, May seem at first but thinly built, and slight; But yet of more defence then all the rest; Of thick and stubborn substance, strongly dight.b These three (three common fences) round impilec This regiment, and all the other Isle; And saving inward friends, their outward foes beguile.

arampart 22

23

24 25 26

b adorn

c enclose

The skinne is covered with the cuticle, or flourishing of the skinne, it is the mean of touching, without which we feel, but with pain. It polisheth the skinne, which many times is changed, and (as it is with snakes) put off, and a new, and more amiable brought in. pf. Fletcher here alludes to the struggle between body and soul that will play out more explicitly in the final half of the epic. Here, the skin is represented as the entry point for physical pleasure that threatens to bewitch the soul. The fat cometh from the airy portion of the bloud; which when it flows to the membranes, by their weak heat (which Physicians account & call cold) grows thick, and close. pf. The fat increaseth inward heat by keeping it from outward parts, and defends the parts subject to it from bruises. pf. The fleshie pannicle is a membrane very thick, sinewy, woven in with little veins. pf.

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21

Beside these three, two more appropriate guards27 With constant watch compasse this government: The first eight companies in severall wards, (To each his station in this regiment) On each side foure, continuall watch observe, And under one great Captain joyntly serve; Two fore-right stand, two crosse, and foure obliquely swerve.

22

The other28 fram’d of common matter, all This lower region girtsa with strong defence; More long then round, with double-builded wall, Though single often seems to slighter sense; With many gates, whose strangest properties Protect this coast from all conspiracies; Admitting welcome friends, excluding enemies.

23

Between this fence’s double-wallèd sides,29 Foure slender brooks run creeping o’re the lea;b The first is call’d the Nurse, and rising slides From this low region’s Metropolie: Two from th’ Heart-citie bend their silent pace; The last from Urine-lake with waters base In th’ Allantoïd30 sea empties his flowing race.

a surrounds 27 28

29

30

b meadow

The proper parts infolding this lower region are two, the first the muscles of the bellypeece, which are eight[:] foure side-long, two right, and two crosse. pf. Peritonaeum (which we call the rimme of the belly) is a thinne membrane taking his name from compassing the bowels; round, but longer: every where double, yet so thinne, that it may seem but single. It hath many holes, that the veins, arteries, and other needfull vessels might have passage both in, & out. pf. The double tunicle of the rimme is plainly parted into a large space, that with a double wall it might fence the bladder, where the vessels of the navil are contained. These are foure: first, the nurse; which is a vein nourishing the infant in the wombe: 2, two arteries in which the infant breaths: the fourth, the Ourachos, a pipe whereby (while the childe is in the wombe) the urine is carried into the Allantoid, or rather Amnion; which is a membrane receiving the sweat and urine. pf. Allantoïd sea: the amniotic sac.

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canto ii

24

Down in a vale,31 where these two parted walls Differ from each with wide distending space, Into a lake the Urine-river falls, Which at the Nephros hill beginnes his race: Crooking his banks he often runs astray, Lest his ill streams might backward finde a way: Thereto, some say, was built a curious framèd bay.

25

The Urine-lake32 drinking his colour’d brook, By little swells, and fills his stretching sides: But when the stream the brink ’gins over-look, A sturdy groom empties the swelling tides; Sphincter some call; who if he loosèd be, Or stiffe with cold, out flows the senselesse sea, And rushing unawares covers the drownèd lea.a

26

From thence with blinder passage,33 (flying name) These noysomeb streams a secret pipe conveys; Which though we tearm the hidden parts of shame,34 Yet for the skill deserve no lesser praise Then they, to which we honour’d names impart. Oh powerfull Wisdome, with what wondrous art Mad’st thou the best, who thus hast fram’d the vilest part!

ameadow 31 32

33 34

b noxious

The passages carrying the urine from the kidneys to the bladder. Some affirm that in the passage stands a curious lid, or cover. pf. The bladder endeth in a neck of flesh, and is girded with a muscle which is called Sphincter: which holds in the urine lest it flow away without our permission. If this be loosened, or cold, the urine goes away from us of it self without any feeling. pf. Hence the urine is conveyed through the ordinary passages and cast out. pf. hidden parts of shame: the genitals.

80

the purple island

27

Six goodly Cities,35 built with suburbs round, Do fair adorn this lower region: The first Koilia,36 whose extreamest bound On this side border’d by the Splenion, On that by soveraigne Hepar’s large commands: The merry Diazome above it stands, To both these joyn’d in league & never failing bands.

28

The form37 (as when with breath our bag-pipes rise, And swell) round-wise, and long, yet long-wise more; Fram’d to the most capacious figure’s guise: For ’tis the Island’s garner; here its store Lies treasur’d up, which well prepar’d it sends By secret path that to th’ Arch-citie bends; Which making it more fit, to all the Isle dispends.

29

Farre hence at foot of rocky Cephal’s hills This Citie’s Steward38 dwells in vaulted stone; And twice a day Koilia’s store-house fills With certain rent, and due provision: Aloft he fitly dwells in archèd cave; Which to describe I better time shall have, When that fair mount I sing, & his white curdy wave.

30

At that cave’s mouth twice sixteen Porters39 stand, Receivers of the customarie rent; Of each side foure, (the formost of the band) Whose office to divide what in is sent: Straight other foure break it in peices small; And at each hand twice five, which grinding all, Fit it for convoy, and this citie’s Arsenall.

35

Beside the bladder there are six speciall parts contained in this lower region: the liver, stomack, with the guts; the gall, the splene, or milt; the kidneys, and parts for generation. pf. The stomack (or Koilia) is the first in order though not in dignitie. pf. Koilia, or the stomack is long & round, like a bag-pipe, made to receive and concoct the meat, and to perfect the Chyle or white juice, which riseth from the meat concocted. pf. Gustus, the taste, is the caterer or steward to the stomack, which hath his place in Cephal, that is, the head. pf. In either chap are sixteen teeth; foure cutters, two dog-teeth, or breakers, ten grinders. pf.

36 37 38 39

81

canto ii

31

From thence a Groom40 with wondrous volubilitiea Delivers all unto neare officers, Of nature like himself, and like agilitie; At each side foure, that are the governours To see the vict’als shipt at fittest tide; Which straight from thence with prosp’rous chanel slide, And in Koilia’s port with nimble oars glide.

32

The haven,41 fram’d with wondrous sense and art, Opens it self to all that entrance seek; Yet if ought back would turn, and thence depart, With thousand wrinkles shuts the ready creek: But when the rent is slack, it rages rife,b And mutines in it self with civil strife: Thereto a little groom42 egges it with sharpest knife.

3343 Below44 dwells in this Citie’s market-place The Island’s common Cook, Concoction; Common to all, therefore in middle space Is quarter’d fit in just proportion; Whence never from his labour he retires; No rest he asks, or better change requires: Both night and day he works, ne’re sleeps, nor sleep desires.

aability to speak 40

41 42 43 44

b frequently

The tongue with great agilitie delivers up the meat (well chewed) to the instruments of swallowing: eight mussels serving to this purpose which instantly send the meat through the Oesophagus or meat-pipe into the stomack. pf. The upper mouth of the stomack hath little veins, or strings circular, to shut in the meat, and keep it from returning. pf. Vas breve, or the short vessel, which sending in a melancholy humour, sharpens the appetite. pf. fq 2.9.31. In the bottome of the stomack (which is placed in the midst of the belly) is concoction perfected. pf.

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the purple island

34

The heat,45 which in his furnace ever fumeth, Is nothing like to our hot parching fire; Which all consuming, self at length consumeth; But moistning flames a gentle heat inspire, Which sure some in-born neighbour to him lendeth; And oft the bord’ring coast fit fuell sendeth, And oft the rising fume, which down again descendeth.

35

Like to a pot, where under hovering Divided flames, the iron sides entwining, Above is stopt with close-laid covering, Exhaling fumes to narrow straits confining; So doubling heat, his dutie doubly speedeth: Such is the fire Concoction’s vessel needeth, Who daily all the Isle with fit provision feedeth.

3646 There many a groom the busie Cook attends In under offices, and severall place: This gathers up the scumme, and thence it sends To be cast out; another liquoursa base, Another garbage, which the kitchin47 cloyes, And divers filth, whose sent the place annoyes, By divers secret waies in under-sinks convoyes.

a liquids 45

46 47

The concoction of meats in the stomack is perfected, as by an innate propertie, and speciall vertue, so also by the outward heat of parts adjoyning. For it is on every side compassed with hotter parts, which as fire to a caldron helps to seethe, and concoct; and the hot steams within it do not a little further digestion. pf. For stanzas 36–43, see fq 2.9.31–32. Crooke likewise describes the stomach as the “Kitchin of the body” (116) where food is concocted into chyle, separating out the waste. Chyle is then converted into blood while the waste is further refined by the other organs and eventually expelled from the body as excrement. Fletcher here also alludes to the House of Alma episode in Edmund Spenser’s The Faerie Queene, during which the knights are brought to “the kitchin rowme” where they bear witness to the process of concoction, digestion, and so forth (2.9.28.9). Crooke also comments on Spenser’s allegorical tour through the body at the outset of Mikrokosmographia.

canto ii

37

Therefore a second Port48 is sidelong fram’d, To let out what unsavorie there remains: There sits a needfull groom, the Porter nam’d, Which soon the full-grown kitchin cleanly drains By divers pipes, with hundred turnings giring; Lest that the food too speedily retiring, Should whet the appetite, still cloy’d, & still desiring.

38

So Erisicthon49 once fir’d (as men say) With hungry rage, fed never, ever feeding; Ten thousand dishes serv’d in every day, Yet in ten thousand, thousand dishes needing, In vain his daughter hundred shapes assum’d: A whole camp’s meat he in his gorge inhum’d; And all consum’d, his hunger yet was unconsum’d.

39

Such would the state of this whole Island be, If those pipes’ windings (passage quick delaying) Should not refrain too much edacitie,a With longer stay fierce appetite allaying. These pipes50 are seven-fold longer then the Isle, Yet all are folded in a little pile, Whereof three noble are, and thinne; three thick, & vile.

83

arapacity 48

49

50

The lower orifice, or mouth of the stomack, is not placed at the very bottome, but at the side, and is called the (Janitor or) Porter, as sending out the food now concocted through the entrails, which are knotty, and full of windings, lest the meat too suddenly passing through the body should make it too subject to appetite and greedinesse. pf. Erisicthon: Erysichthon of Thessaly. While cutting down trees, Erysichthon killed a dryad nymph. As punishment, Demeter placed Limos, the goddess of starvation and insatiable hunger, in Erysichthon’s stomach, and the more he ate, the hungrier he got. After selling all of his belonging, Erysichthon finally sold his daughter, Mestra, into slavery in order to buy food. Poseidon, Mestra’s former lover, then freed her and gave her the ability to shapeshift, thus enabling her to escape at will. Erysichthon used his daughter’s newfound gift in order to sell her into slavery over and over to buy food. Unable to satiate his hunger, Erysichthon eventually consumed the one thing that would work—himself. It is approved that the entrails dried, and blown, are seven times longer then the body: they are all one entire body, yet their differing substance hath distinguished them into the thinne, & thick: the thinne have the more noble office. pf.

84

the purple island

40

The first51 is narrow’st, and down-right doth look, Lest that his charge discharg’d might back retire; And by the way takes in a bitter brook, That when the chanel’s stopt with stifeling mire, Through th’ idle pipe with piercing waters soking, His tender sides with sharpest stream provoking, Thrusts out the muddy parts, & rids the miry choking.

41

The second52 lean and lank, still pill’d, and harri’d By mighty bord’rers oft his barns invading: Away his food and new-inn’d store is carri’d; Therefore an angry colour, never fading, Purples his cheek: the third53 for length exceeds, And down his stream in hundred turnings leads: These three most noble are, adorn’d with silken threads.

42

The formost54 of the base half blinde appeares; And where his broad way in an Istmosa ends, There he examines all his passengers, And those who ought not scape, he backward sends: The second55 Aeol’s court,56 where tempests raging Shut close within a cave the windes encaging, With earthquakes shakes the Island, thunders sad presaging.

a isthmus 51

52

53 54

55 56

The first is straight without any winding, that the chyle might not return; and most narrow, that it might not finde too hasty a passage. It takes in a little passage from the gall, which there purges his choler, to provoke the entrails (when they are slow) so cast out the excrements. This is called Duodenum (or twelve finger) from his length. pf. The second is called the lank or hungry gut, as being more emptie then the rest: for the liver being neare it sucks out his juice, or cream: it is know from the rest by the red colour. pf. The third called Ilion (or winding) from his many folds and turnings, is of all the longest. pf. The first of the baser is called blinde: at whose end is an appendant, where if any of the thinner chyle do chance to escape, it is stopt, and by the veins of the midriffe suckt out. pf. The second is Colon (or the tormenter) because of the winde there staying, & vexing the body. pf. Aeol: in Greek mythology, Aeolus is the ruler of the winds.

canto ii

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43

The last57 down-right falls to port Esquiline,58 More strait above, beneath still broader growing; Soon as the gate opes by the King’s assigne, Empties it self, farre thence the filth out-throwing: This gate endow’d with many properties, Yet for his office sight and naming flies; Therefore between two hills, in darkest valley lies.

44

To that Arch-citie of this government59 The three first pipes the ready feast convoy: The other three, in baser office spent, Fling out the dregs, which else the kitchin cloy. In every one60 the Hepar keeps his spies; Who if ought good with evil blended lies, Thence bring it back again to Hepar’s treasuries.

57

The last called Rectum, or straight, hath no windings, short, larger toward the end; that the excrement may more easily be ejected, and retained also upon occasion. pf. port Esquiline: the Porta Esquilina, or Esquiline Gate, was a gate in Rome’s Servian Wall through which bodies were transported to Esquiline Hill, Rome’s graveyard. It was also used as a sewer. Thus, while Fletcher’s employment of the gate metaphor in relation to the rectum suggests both entrance and exit, the allusion to the Esquiline Gate emphasizes the expulsion of “filth” as its primary function. This Esquiline Gate also appears in a similar context in Spenser’s House of Alma episode and provides an excellent example of the kind of allusions Fletcher makes to Spenser in his poem: “But all the liquor, which was fowle and wast, / Not good nor seruiceable else for ought, / They in another great round vessell plast, / Till by a conduit pipe it thence were brought: / And all the rest, that noyous was, and nought, / By secret wayes, that none might it espy, / Was close conuaid, and to the back-gate brought, / That cleped was Port Esquiline, whereby / It was auoided quite, and throwne out priuily.” (fq 2.9.32). The thinne entrails serve for the carrying, & through-concocting of the chyle: the thicker for the gathering, and containing the excrements. pf. They are all sprinkled with numberlesse little veins, that no part of the chyle might escape till all be brought to the liver. pf.

58

59 60

86 45

the purple island

Two severall covers fence these twice three pipes: The first61 from over-swimming takes his name, Like cobweb-lawn woven with hundred stripes: The second,62 strength’ned with a double frame, From forein enmitie the pipes maintains: Close by the Pancreas63 stands, who ne’re complains; Though prest by all his neighbours, he their state sustains.

4664 Next Hepar, chief of all these lower parts, One of the three, yet of the three the least. But see, the Sunne, like to undaunted hearts, Enlarges in his fall his ample breast: Now hie we home; the pearlèd dew ere long Will wet the mothers, and their tender young: To morrow with the day we may renew our song.

61 62 63 64

Epiploon (or Overswimmer) descends below the navill; and ascends above the highest entrails, of skinny substance all interlaced with fat. pf. The Mesenterium (or midst amongst the entrails, whence it takes the name) ties and knits the entrails together: it hath a double tunicle. pf. Pancreas (or All-flesh, for so it seems) is laid as a pillow under the stomack; and sustains the veins that are dispread from the gate-vein. pf. As the sun begins to set, Thirsil breaks off his song, planning to resume it on the following day.

Canto iii 11

THe Morning fresh, dappling her horse with roses, (Vext at the lingring shades, that long had left her In Tithon’s2 freezing arms) the light discloses; And chasing Night, of rule and heav’n bereft her: The Sunne with gentle beams his rage disguises, And like aspiring tyrants, temporises; Never to be endur’d, but when he falls, or rises.

2

Thirsil from withy3 prison, as he uses, Lets out his flock, and on an hill stood heeding Which bites the grasse, and which his meat refuses; So his glad eyes fed with their greedy feeding: Straight flock a shoal of Nymphs & shepherd-swains With all their lambes rang’d on the flowry plains; Then thus the boy began, crown’d with their circling trains.

3

You gentle shepherds, and you snowie sires, That sit around, my rugged rimes attending; How may I hope to quit your strong desires, In verse uncomb’d such wonders comprehending? Too well I know my rudenesse all unfit To frame this curious Isle, whose framing yet Was never throughly known to any humane wit.

4

Thou Shepherd-God,4 who onely know’st it right, And hid’st that art from all the world beside; Shed in my mistie breast thy sparkling light, And in this fogge my erring footsteps guide; Thou who first mad’st, and never wilt forsake it: Else how shall my weak hand dare undertake it, When thou thy self ask’st counsel of thy self to make it?

1 Canto 3 is sung during the morning of the second day. 2 Tithon: Tithonos, the lover of Eos (the dawn), was granted immortality but not eternal youth. 3 withy: made of “withes,” slender and flexible tree branches, used to build fish and animal traps. 4 Shepherd-God: the Christian God.

88

the purple island

5

Next to Koilia, and the right side stands, Fairly dispread in large dominion, Th’ Arch-citie Hepar,5 stretching her commands To all within this lower region; Fenc’t with sure barres, and strongest situation; So never fearing foreiner’s invasion: Hence are the walls slight, thinne;6 built but for sight & fashion.

6

To th’ Heart and to th’ Head-citie surely ti’d7 With firmest league, and mutuall reference: His liegersa there, theirs ever here abide, To take up strife, and casuall difference: Built all alike,8 seeming like rubies’ sheen, Of some peculiar matter; such I ween,b As over all the world may no where else be seen.

7

Much like a mount it easily ascendeth;9 The upper part’s all smooth as slipperie glasse: But on the lower many a cragge dependeth; Like to the hangings of some rockie masse: Here10 first the purple fountain making vent, By thousand rivers through the Isle dispent, Gives every part fit growth and daily nourishment.

a ambassadors 5 6 7 8 9 10

b think

Of all this lower region the Hepar, or liver, is the principall. The situation strong and safe, walled in by the ribs. pf. It is covered with one single tunicle; & that very thinne and slight. pf. The liver is tied to the heart by arteries, to the head by nerves, and to both by veins dispersed to both. pf. The liver consists of no ordinary flesh, but of a kinde proper to it self. pf. The liver’s upper part rises & swells gently; is very smooth, and even, the lower in the outside like to an hollow rock, rugged & craggy. pf. From it rise all the springs of bloud, which runnes in the veins. pf.

canto iii

89

8

In this fair town11 the Isle’s great Steward dwells; His porphyre12 house glitters in purple die; In purple clad himself: from hence he deals His store to all the Isle’s necessitie: And though the rent he daily duly pay, Yet doth his flowing substance ne’re decay; All day he rent receives, returns it all the day.

9

And like that golden starre, which cuts his way Through Saturn’s ice, and Mars his firy ball; Temp’ring their strife with his more kindely ray: So ‘tween the Splenion’s frost and th’ angry Gall The joviall Hepar sits; with great expence Cheering the Isle by his sweet influence; So slakes their envious rage and endlesse difference.

10

Within, some say, Love13 hath his habitation; Not Cupid’s self, but Cupid’s better brother: For Cupid’s self dwells with a lower nation, But this more sure, much chaster then the other; By whose command we either love our kinde, Or with most perfect love affect the minde; With such a diamond knot he often souls can binde.

11

The steward of the whole Isle is here fitly placed, because as all (that is brought in) is here fitted, and disposed, so from hence returned, and dispensed. pf. porphyre: porphyry, a purple-hued rock prized by the Romans for its color. Here Plato disposed the seat of love. And certainly though lust (which some perversly call love) be otherwhere seated, yet that affection whereby we wish, and do well to others, may seem better fitted in the liver, then in the heart, (where most do place it) because this moderate heat appeares more apt for this affection; and fires of the heart where (as a Salamander) anger lives, seem not so fit to entertain it. pf. In Timaeus, Plato suggests that the liver is the seat of chaste love, which Fletcher here agrees with because of the moderate heat of the liver. The more extreme heat of the heart, where some situate love, is better suited to passionate emotions such as anger. Cupid, erotic love, resides in the “lower nation” of the genitalia.

12 13

90

the purple island

11

Two purple streams14 here raise their boiling heads; The first and least in th’ hollow cavern breeding, His waves on divers neighbour grounds dispreads: The next fair river all the rest exceeding, Topping the hill, breaks forth in fierce evasion, And sheds abroad his Nile-like inundation; So gives to all the Isle their food and vegetation.

12

Yet these from other streams much different; For others, as they longer, broader grow; These as they runne in narrow banks impent,a Are then at least, when in the main they flow: Much like a tree, which all his roots so guides, That all the trunk his full body hides; Which straight his stemme to thousand branches subdivides.

13

Yet lest these streams might hap to be infected15 With other liquours in the well abounding; Before their flowing chanels are detected, Some lesser delfs,b the fountain’s bottome sounding, Suck out the baser streams, the springs annoying, An hundred pipes unto that end employing; Thence run to fitter place their noisomec load convoying.

a enclosed 14

15

b channels

c noxious

Hence rise the two great rivers of bloud, of which all the rest are lesser streams: The first is Porta, or the gate-vein, issuing from the hollow part and is shed toward the stomack, splene, guts, and the Epiploon. The second is Cava, the hollow vein, spreading his river over all the body. pf. The chyle, or juice of meats concocted in the stomack could not all be turned into sweet bloud by reason of the divers kindes of humours in it: Therefore there are three kinds of excrementall liquors suckt away by little vessels, and carried to their appointed places: one too light, and firey; an other too earthy; a third wheyish and watery. pf.

canto iii

91

14

Such is fair Hepar; which with great dissension16 Of all the rest pleads most antiquitie; But yet th’ Heart-citie with no lesse contention, And justest challenge, claims prioritie: But sure the Hepar was the elder bore; For that small river, call’d the Nurse, of yore Laid both’s foundation, yet Hepar built afore.

15

Three pois’nous liquours from this purple well Rise with the native streams; the first17 like fire, All flaming hot, red, furious, and fell, The spring of dire debate, and civile ire; Which wer’t not surely held with strong retention, Would stirre domestick strife, and fierce contention, And waste the weary Isle with never ceas’d dissension.

16

Therefore close by a little conduit stands, Choledochus,18 that drags this poison hence, And safely locks it up in prison bands; Thence gently drains it through a narrow fence; A needfull fence, attended with a guard, That watches in the straits all closely barr’d, Lest some might back escape, and break the prison ward.

16

Famous be the controversie between the Peripateticks, and Physicians: one holding the heart, the other the liver to be first. That the liver is first in time and making, is manifest; because the Nurse (the vein that feeds the infant yet in the wombe) empties it self upon the liver. pf. A “peripatetic” is an adherent of Aristotelian philosophy. Based on his observation of chick embryos, Aristotle believed that the heart was the first organ formed in the body. Galen believed that the liver developed prior to the heart, which Fletcher here agrees with. The first excrement drawn from the liver to the gall is cholerick, bitter, like flame in colour; which were it not removed, and kept in due place, would fill all the body with bitternesse, and gnawing. pf. Choledochus or the Gall, is a membranous substance, having but one, yet that a strong tunicle. It hath two passages, one drawing the humour from the liver, another conveying the overplus to the first gut, and so emptying the gall. And this fence hath a double gate to keep the liquour from returning. pf.

17

18

92

the purple island

17

The next19 ill stream the wholesome fount offending, All dreery black and frightfull, hence convay’d By divers drains unto the Splenion tending, The Splenion o’re against the Hepar laid, Built long, and square: some say that laughter here Keeps residence; but laughter fits not there, Where darknesse ever dwells, and melancholy fear.

18

And should these waies, stopt by ill accident,20 To th’ Hepar streams turn back their muddie humours; The cloudie Isle with hellish dreeriment Would soon be fill’d, and thousand fearfull rumours: Fear hides him here, lockt deep in earthy cell; Dark, dolefull, deadly-dull, a little hell; Where with him fright, despair, and thousand horrours dwell.

19

If this black town in over-growth increases,21 With too much strength his neighbours over-bearing; The Hepar daily, and whole Isle decreases, Like ghastly shade, or ashie ghost appearing: But when it pines, th’ Isle thrives; its curse, his blessing: So when a tyrant raves,22 his subjects pressing, His gaining is their losse, his treasure their distressing.

19

The second ill humour is earthy, and heavy, which is drawn from the liver by little vessels unto the splene, the native seat of melancholie, here some have placed laughter: but the splene seems rather the seat of malice and heavinesse. pf. If the splene should fail in this office, the whole body would be filled with melancholy fancies, and vain terrours. pf. Where the splene flourishes, all the body decayes, and withers; where the splene is kept down, the body flourishes. Hence Stratonicus merrily said, that in Crete dead men walked, because they were so splentive, and pale-coloured. pf. Stratonicus was a fourth-century Athenian musician remembered for his witticisms, including this wry observation of the people of Crete. Trajan compared the splene to his exchequer: because as his coffers being full drained his subjects’ purses, so the full splene makes the body saplesse. pf.

20 21

22

canto iii

20

The third bad water,23 bubbling from this fountain, Is wheyish cold, which with good liquours meint,a Is drawn into the double Nephros mountain; Which suck the best for growth, and nourishment: The worst,24 as through a little pap, distilling To divers pipes, the pale cold humour swilling, Runs down to th’ Urine-lake, his banks thrice daily filling.

21

These mountains differ but in situation;25 In form and matter like: the left is higher, Lest even height might slack their operation: Both like the Moon which now wants half her fire; Yet into two obtuser angles bended, Both strongly with a double wall defended; And both have walls of mudde before those walls extended.

22

The sixt and last town in this region, With largest stretcht precincts, and compasse wide, Is that, where Venus and her wanton sonne (Her wanton Cupid) will in youth reside: For though his arrows and his golden bow On other hills he frankly does bestow, Yet here he hides the fire with which each heart doth glow.

23

For that great Providence, their course foreseeing Too eas’ly led into the sea of death; After this first, gave them a second being, Which in their off-spring newly flourisheth: He therefore made the fire of generation To burn in Venus’ courts without cessation, Out of whose ashes comes another Island nation.

93

amixed 23 24 25

The watery humour with some good bloud (which is spent for the nourishment of those parts) is drawn by the kidneys. pf. The Ureters receive the water separated from the bloud, as distilled from little fleshie substances in the kidneys, like to teats. pf. The kidneys are both alike; the left somewhat higher: both have a double skinne, and both compassed with fat. pf.

94

the purple island

24

For from the first a fellow Isle he fram’d, (For what alone can live, or fruitfull be?) Arren the first, the second Thelu nam’d;26 Weaker the last, yet fairer much to see: Alike in all the rest, here disagreeing, Where Venus and her wanton27 have their being: For nothing is produc’t of two in all agreeing.

25

But though some few in these hid parts would see Their Maker’s glory, and their justest shame; Yet for the most would turn to luxurie, And what they should lament, would make their game: Flie then those parts, which best are undescri’d; Forbear, my maiden song, to blazon wide What th’ Isle and Nature’s self doth ever strive to hide.28

26

These two fair Isles distinct in their creation, Yet one extracted from the other’s side,29 Are oft made one by Love’s firm combination, And from this unitie are multipli’d: Strange may it seem; such their condition, That they are more dispread by union; And two are twenty made, by being made in one.

26 27 28

Arren and Thelu: Adam and Eve, male and female, respectively. her wanton: Cupid. In avoiding a discussion of the generative parts for the sake of decorum, Fletcher is following numerous precedents in anatomical textbooks. In Historie of Man (1578), John Banister does discuss the penis but refrains from discussing the vagina because “by liftyng up the vayle of Natures secretes, in womens shapes, I shall commit most indecencie agaynst the office of Decorum” (88v). Crooke discusses both the penis and vagina but, noting that this section could enflame men’s minds, he made the section separable “that he that listeth may separate this Booke from the rest and reserue it priuately vnto himselfe” (197). one extracted from the other’s side: a reference to Eve being made of Adam’s rib.

29

canto iii

95

2730 For from these two in Love’s delight agreeing, Another little Isle is soon proceeding; At first of unlike frame and matter being, In Venus’ temple takes it form and breeding; Till at full time the tedious prison flying, It breaks all letsa its ready way denying; And shakes the trembling Isle with often painfull dying. 28

So by the Bosphor straights in Euxine seas,31 Not farre from old Byzantum, closely stand Two neighbour Islands, call’d Symplegades,32 Which sometime seem but one combinèd land: For often meeting on the watrie plain, And parting oft, tost by the boist’rous main, They now are joyn’d in one, and now disjoyn’d again.

29

Here oft not Lust, but sweetest Chastitie, Coupled sometimes, and sometimes single, dwells; Now linkt with Love, to quench Lust’s tyrannie, Now Phoenix-like alone in narrow cells: Such Phoenix one, but one at once may be: In Albion’s hills thee, Basilissa,33 thee, Such onely have I seen, such shall I never see.

aobstructions 30 31 32

33

fq 4.10.37 ff. Euxine seas: the Black Sea. Symplegades: the Symplegades, or Clashing Rocks, stand at the narrow entrance to the Bosphorus Straight from the Black Sea. The Symplegades stand so close together that they can appear to be joined. According to Greek mythology, these rocks would crash together on any ship passing between them. They stopped moving after Jason and the Argonauts successfully passed between them. Basilissa: Greek for “queen,” a reference to Elizabeth I. Fletcher also uses “Basilissa” to refer to Elizabeth in Piscatorie Eclogues 1.11.

96

the purple island

30

What Nymph was this, (said fairest Rosaleen)34 Whom thou admirest thus above so many? She, while she was, (ah!) was the shepherd’s Queen; Sure such a shepherd’s Queen was never any: But (ah!) no joy her dying heart contented, Since she a deare Deer’s side unwilling rented; Whose death she all too late, too soon, too much, repented.35

31

Ah royall maid! why should’st thou thus lament thee? Thy little fault was too much beleeving: It is too much so much thou should’st repent thee; His joyous soul at rest desires no grieving. These words (vain words!) fond comforters did lend her; But (ah!) no words, no prayers might ever bend her To give an end to grief, till endlesse grief did end her.

32

But how should I those sorrows dare display? Or how limmea forth her vertue’s wonderment? She was (ay me! she was) the sweetest May That ever flowr’d in Albion’s regiment.36 Few eyes fall’n lights adore: yet fame shall keep Her name awake, when others silent sleep; While men have eares to heare, eyes to look back, and weep.

a describe 34

35

36

Rosaleen: Rosalind is Colin Clout’s love interest in Spenser’s Shepheardes Calender. In “April,” Hobbinoll sings a song that praises Elisa, the queen of the shepherds and a representation of Elizabeth i. The deer’s death is a reference to the 1601 execution of Robert Devereux, the Earl of Essex, ordered by the queen. Essex was a confidant of the queen. Elizabeth was rumored to have been remorseful for sending Essex to his death up until she herself died. Indeed, in the next stanza, Thirsil suggests that Elizabeth died of a broken heart. Undoubtedly, Fletcher’s praise for Essex stems in no small part from the earl’s position as Spenser’s benefactor at the end of the poet’s life, in addition to serving as a patron for Phineas’s father, Giles Fletcher. In “November” of Spenser’s Shepheardes Calender, Thenot refers to the dead Dido thusly: “The fayrest May she was that ever went, / Her like shee has not left behind I weene” (lines 39–40). Fletcher, along with numerous subsequent readers, interprets Dido as a reference to Elizabeth.

canto iii

97

33

And though the curres (which whelpt & nurst in Spain, Learn of fell Greyon37 to snarle and brawl) Have vow’d an strove her Virgin tombe to stain; And grinne, and fome, and rage, and yelp, and bawl: Yet shall our Cynthia’s high-triumphing light Deride their houling throats, and toothlesse spight; And sail through heav’n, while they sink down in endlesse night.

34

So is this Island’s lower region: Yet ah much better is it sure then so. But my poore reeds, like my condition, (Low is the shepherd’s state, my song as low) Marre what they make: but now in yonder shade Rest we, while Sunnes have longer shadows made: See how our panting flocks runne to the cooler glade.

37

Greyon: a monster from Greek mythology. Dante characterizes Greyon as the monster of fraud in Inferno. Here, Greyon instructs Elizabeth’s detractors on how to defame her after her death. However, as Cynthia, the moon, Elizabeth rises above their howling slander.

Canto iiii 11

THe shepherds in the shade their hunger feasted With simple cates,a such as the countrey yeelds; And while from scorching beams secure they rested, The Nymphs disperst along the woody fields, Pull’d from their stalks the blushing strawberries, Which lurk close shrouded from high looking-eyes; Shewing that sweetnesse oft both low and hidden lies.2

2

But when the day had his meridian runne Between his highest throne, and low declining; Thirsil again his forcèd task begunne, His wonted audience his sides entwining. The middle Province3 next this lower stands, Where th’ Isle’s Heart-city spreads his large cōmands, Leagu’d to the neighbour towns with sure and friendly bands.

3

Such as that starre,4 which sets his glorious chair In midst of heav’n, and to dead darknesse here Gives light and life; such is this citie fair: Their ends, place, office, state, so nearely neare, That those wise ancients from their natures’ sight, And likenesse, turn’d their names, and call’d aright The sunne the great world’s heart, the heart the lesse world’s light.5

a delicacies 1 Canto 4 is sung during the afternoon of the second day. 2 These lines recall similar lines in Fletcher’s play Sicelides spoken by Thalander, a fisher disguised as “Atyches”: “And vnderneath, the creeping violets show / That sweetnes oft delights to dwell below: / Vaulted aboue with thousand fragrant trees, / And vnder pa’ud with shamefast strawberries, / Which creeping lowe, doe sweetely blushing tell, / That fairest pleasantest fruits, doe humblest dwell” (1.3). As noted in the introduction, such self-repetition is characteristic of Fletcher’s writing. 3 middle Province: in this canto, Thirsil’s song focuses on the middle region of the body: the chest and organs such as the heart and lungs, as well as the neck. 4 that starre: the sun. 5 Fletcher here refers to the perceived astrological connection between the heart and the sun.

canto iiii

99

4

This middle coast6 to all the Isle dispends All heat and life: hence it another Guard (Beside those common to the first) defends; Built whole of massie stone, cold, drie, and hard: Which stretching round about his circling arms, Warrants these parts from all exteriour harms; Repelling angry force, securing all alar’ms.

5

But in the front two fair twin-bulwarks7 rise, In th’ Arren8 built for strength, and ornament; In Thelu9 of more use, and larger size; For hence the young Isle draws his nourishment: Here lurking Cupid hides his bended bow; Here milkie springs in sugred rivers flow; Which first gave th’ infant Isle to be, and then to grow.

6

For when the lesser Island10 (still increasing In Venus’ temple11) to some greatnesse swells, Now larger rooms and bigger spaces seizing, It stops the Hepar rivers; backward reels The stream, and to the hills bears up his flight, And in these founts (by some strange hidden might) Dies his fair rosie waves into a lily white.

6

The heart is the seat of heat, and life; therefore walled about with the ribs for more safety. pf. The breasts, or paps, are given to men for strength, and ornament; to women, for milk and nurserie also. pf. Arren: male. Thelu: female. When the infant grows big he so oppresseth the vessels of bloud, that partly through the readinesse of the passage, but especially by the providence of God, the bloud turns back to the breast, & there by an innate but wonderfull facultie is turned into milk. pf. Fletcher here endorses the belief that blood in the vessels running between the breasts and womb was transformed into milk in a nursing woman’s breasts (Crooke 156–158). Venus’ temple: the womb.

7 8 9 10

11

100

the purple island

7

So where fair Medway,12 down the Kentish dales To many towns her plenteous waters dealing, Lading her banks, into wide Thamis13 falls; The big-grown main with fomie billows swelling, Stops there the suddinga stream; her steddy race Staggers awhile, at length flies back apace, And to the parent fount returns its fearfull pace.

8

These two fair mounts are like two hemispheres,14 Endow’d with goodly gifts and qualities; Whose top two little purple hillocks15 reares, Most like the Poles in heaven’s Axletrees:16 And round about two circling altars gire,b In blushing red; the rest in snowy tire Like Thracian Haemus’17 looks, which ne’re feels Phoebus’ fire.

9

That mighty hand in these dissected wreathes, (Where moves our Sunne) his throne’s fair picture gives; The pattern breathlesse, but the picture breathes; His highest heav’n is dead, our low heav’n lives: Nor scorns that loftie one thus low to dwell; Here his best starres he sets, and glorious cell; And fills with saintly spirits, so turns to heav’n from hell.

a frothy 12 13

14 15 16

17

b revolve

Medway: River Medway in Kent. Thamis: the Thames, into which the Medway empties. Spenser personifies the Thames as Thamis in fq 4.9, in which the Thames marries his bride, the Medway. See also canto 1, n. 32. The breasts are in figure hemisphericall; whose tops are crowned with the teats, about which are reddish circles, called (Areolae, or) little altars. pf. purple hillocks: the nipples. heaven’s Axletrees: an imaginary line, or axle, around which the heavens were believed to revolve. In Fletcher’s playful metaphor, the nipple, areola, and breast comprise their own tiny universe. Thracian Haemus: the Thracian King Haemus was punished by the gods for his vanity by being transformed into the snow-capped mountain Haemus Mons.

canto iiii

10

About this Region round in compasse stands A Guard, both for defence, and respiration, Of sixtie foure,18 parted in severall bands; Half to let out the smokie exhalation, The other half to draw in fresher windes: Beside both these, a third of both their kindes, That lets both out, & in; which no enforcement bindes.

11

This third the merrie Diazome19 we call, A border-citie these two coasts removing; Which like a balk,a with his crosse-builded wall, Disparts the termsb of anger, and of loving; Keeps from th’ Heart-citie fuming kitchin fires, And to his neighbours gentle windes inspires; Loose when he sucks in aire, contract when he expires.20

12

The Diazome of severall matter’s fram’d:21 The first moist, soft; harder the next, and drier: His fashion like the fish a Raia22 nam’d; Fenc’d with two walls, one low, the other higher; By eight streams water’d; two from Hepar low, And from th’ Heart-town as many higher go; But two twice told down from the Cephal mountain flow.

aridge 18

19

20 21 22

101

b termination In the Thorax or breast, are sixty five muscles for respiration, or breathing, which is either free, or forced: the instruments of forced breathing are sixtie foure, whereof thirtie two distend, and as many contract it. pf. The instrument of the free breathing is the Diazome, or Diapragma, which we call the midriffe, as a wall parting the heart and liver: Plato affirms it a partition between the seats of desire, and anger: Aristotle, a barre to keep the noisome odour of the stomack from the heart. pf. The midriffe dilates it self when it draws in, contracts it self when it puffes out the aire. pf. The midriffe consists of two circles, one skinny, the other fleshie. It hath two tunicles, as many veins and arteries, and foure nerves. pf. Raia: the diaphragm looks like a ray fish.

102

the purple island

13

Here sportfull Laughter dwells,23 here ever sitting, Defies all lumpish griefs, and wrinkled care; And twentie merrie-mates’ mirth causes fitting, And smiles, which Laughter’s sonnes, yet infants are. But if this town be fir’d with burnings nigh, With selfsame flames high Cephal’s towers fry; Such is their feeling love, and loving sympathie.

14

This coast stands girta with a peculiar wall,24 The whole precinct, and every part defending: The chiefest Citie,25 and Imperiall, Is fair Kerdia, farre his bounds extending; Which full to know were knowledge infinite: How then should my rude pen this wonder write, Which thou, who onely mad’st it, onely know’st aright?

15

In middle of this middle Regiment Kerdia seated lies, the centre deem’d Of this whole Isle, and of this government: If not the chiefest this, yet needfull’st seem’d, Therfore obtain’d an equall distant seat, More fitly hence to shed his life and heat, And with his yellow streams the fruitfull Island wet.

a surrounded 23 24 25

Here most men have placed the seat of laughter: It hath much sympathie with the brain, so that if the midriffe be inflamed, present madnes ensues it. pf. Within, the Pleura (or skinne which clotheth the ribs on the inside) compasses this middle region. pf. The chiefest part of the middle region is the Heart, placed in the midst of this province, and of the whole body: fitly was it placed in the midst of all, as being of all the most needfull. pf.

103

canto iiii

16

Flankt with two severall walls26 (for more defence) Betwixt them ever flows a wheyish moat; In whose soft waves, and circling profluencea This Citie, like an Isle, might safely float: In motion still (a motion fixt, not roving) Most like to heav’n in his most constant moving: Hence most here plant the seat of sure and active loving.

17

Built of a substance like smooth porphyrie;27 His matter hid,28 and (like it self) unknown: Two rivers of his own; another by, That from the Hepar rises, like a crown, Infold the narrow part: for that great All This his works’ glory made pyramicall;b Then crown’d with triple wreath, & cloath’d in scarlet pall.

18

The Citie’s self in two partitions29 reft; That on the right, this on the other side: The right30 (made tributarie to the left) Brings in his pension at his certain tide, A pension of liquours strangely wrought; Which first by Hepar’s streams are hither brought, And here distill’d with art, beyond or words or thought.

asmooth flowing 26

27 28

29 30

b pyramidal

The Heart is immured partly by a membrane going round about it, (and thence receiving his name) and a peculiar tunicle; partly with an humour like whey or urine, as well to cool the heart, as to lighten the body. pf. porphyrie: porphyry, a purple-hued rock prized by the Romans for its color. The flesh of the heart is proper and peculiar to it self, not like other muscles; of a figure pyramicall. The point of the heart is (as with a diademe) girt with two arteries, and a vein, called the crowns. pf. Though the heart be an entire body, yet it is severed into two partitions, the right, and the left; of which the left is more excellent and noble. pf. The right receives into his hollownesse the bloud flowing from the liver, and concocts it. pf.

104

the purple island

19

The grosser waves of these life-streams31 (which here With much, yet much lesse labour is prepar’d) A doubtfull chanel doth to Pneumon32 bear: But to the left those labour’d extracts shar’d, As through a wall, with hidden passage slide;33 Where many secret gates (gates hardly spi’d) With safe convoy give passage to the other side.

20

At each hand of the left two streets34 stand by, Of severall stuffe, and severall working fram’d, With hundred crooks, and deep-wrought cavitie: Both like the eares in form, and so are nam’d. I’ th’ right hand street the tribute liquour sitteth: The left forc’t aire into his concave getteth; Which subtile wrought, & thinne, for future workmen fitteth.

21

The Citie’s left side,35 (by some hid direction) Of this thinne aire, and of that right side’s rent, (Compound together) makes a strange confection; And in one vessel both together meynt,a Stillsb them with equall never-quenchèd firing: Then in small streams (through all the Island wiring) Sends it to every part, both heat and life inspiring.

a mixes 31 32 33 34

35

b distills

This right side sends down to the lungs that part of this bloud which is lesse laboured, and thicker; but the thinner part it sweats through a fleshie partition into the left side. pf. Pneumon: the lungs. This fleshie partition severs the right side from the left; at first it seems thick, but if it be well viewed, we shall see it full of many pores, or passages. pf. Two skinny additions (from their likenesse called the ears) receive, the one the thicker bloud, (that called the right) the other (called the left) takes in the aire sent by the lungs. pf. The left side of the heart takes in this aire, and bloud; and concocting them both in his hollow bosome, sends them out by the great arterie into the whole body. pf.

canto iiii

22

In this Heart-citie foure main streams appeare;36 One from the Hepar, where the tribute landeth, Largely poures out his purple river here; At whose wide mouth a band of Tritons37 standeth, (Three Tritons stand) who with their three-forkt mace Drive on, and speed the river’s flowing race, But strongly stop the wave, if once it back repace.a

23

The second38 is that doubtfull chanel, lending Some of this tribute to the Pneumon nigh; Whose springs by carefull guards are watcht, that sending From thence the waters, all regresse denie: The third39 unlike to this, from Pneumon flowing, And his due ayer-tribute here bestowing, Is kept by gates and barres, which stop all backward going.

24

The last40 full spring out of this left side rises, Where three fair Nymphs, like Cynthia’s self appearing, Draw down the stream which all the Isle suffices; But stop back-waies, some ill revolture fearing. This river still it self to lesse dividing, At length with thousand little brooks runnes sliding, His fellow course along with Hepar chanels guiding.

105

areturn 36

37 38

39 40

In the heart are foure great vessels: the first is the hollow vein bringing in the bloud from the liver; at whose mouth stand three little folding doores, with three forks giving passage, but no return to the bloud. pf. Tritons: mermaid-like sea gods and goddesses who served as escorts. The second vessel is called the arterie-vein, which rising from the right side of the heart, carries down the bloud here prepared to the lungs for their nourishment. Here also is the like three folding doore, made like half-circles; giving passage from the heart, but not backward. pf. The third is called the Veiny arterie, rising from the left side, which hath two folds threeforked. pf. The fourth is the great arterie. This hath also a floudgate made of semicircular membranes, to give out load to the vitall spirits, and stop their regresse. pf.

106

the purple island

25

Within this Citie is the palace fram’d,41 Where life, and life’s companion, heat, abideth; And their attendants, passions untam’d: (Oft very hell in this strait room resideth) And did not neighbouring hills, cold aires inspiring, Allay their rage and mutinous conspiring, Heat all (it self and all) would burn with quenchlesse firing.

26

Yet that great Light, by whom all heaven shines With borrow’d beams, oft leaves his loftie skies, And to this lowly seat himself confines. Fall then again, proud heart, now fall to rise: Cease earth, ah cease, proud Babel earth, to swell: Heav’n blasts high towers; stoops to a low-rooft cell; First heav’n must dwell in man, then man in heav’n shall dwell.

27

Close to Kerdia Pneumon42 takes his seat, Built of a lighter frame, and spungie mold: Hence rise fresh aires to fanne Kerdia’s heat; Temp’ring those burning fumes with moderate cold: It self of largest size, distended wide, In divers streets and out-wayes multipli’d: Yet in one Corporation all are joyntly ti’d.

28

Fitly ’t is cloath’d with hangings thinne and light,43 Lest too much weight might hinder motion: His chiefest use to frame the voice aright; (The voice which publishes each hidden notion) And for that end a long pipe44 down descends, (Which here it self in many lesser spends) Untill low at the foot of Cephal mount it ends.

41 42

The Heart is the fountain of life and heat to the whole bodie, and the seat of passions. pf. The Pneumon (or lungs) is nearest the heart, whose flesh is light, and spongie, very large. It is the instrument of breathing, and speaking, divided into many parcels, yet all united into one bodie. pf. The Lungs are covered with a light & very thinne tunicle, lest it might be a hinderance to the motion. pf. The winde-pipe, which is framed partly of cartilage, or grisly matter, because the voice is perfected with hard & smooth things; (these cartilages are compassed like a ring) partly of skin, which tie the grisles together. pf.

43 44

canto iiii

107

29

This pipe was built for th’ aier’s safe purveiance, To fit each severall voice with perfect sound; Therefore of divers matter the conveiance Is finely fram’d; the first in circles round, In hundred circles bended, hard and drie, (For watrie softnesse is sound’s enemie) Not altogether close, yet meeting very nigh.

30

The second’s drith and hardnesse somewhat lesse, But smooth and pliable made for extending, Fills up the distant circle’s emptinesse; All in one bodie joyntly comprehending: The last45 most soft, which where the circle’s scanted Not fully met, supplies what they have wanted, Not hurting tender parts, which next to this are planted[.]

31

Upon the top there stands the pipe’s safe covering,46 Made for the voice’s better modulation: Above it foureteen carefull warders hovering, Which shut and open it at all occasion: The cover in foure parts it self dividing, Of substance hard, fit for the voice’s guiding; One still unmov’d (in Thelu double oft) residing.

32

Close by this pipe runnes that great chanel47 down, Which from high Cephal’s mount twice every day Brings to Koilia due provision: Straight at whose mouth a floud-gate stops the way,48 Made like an Ivie leaf, broad-angle-fashion; Of matter hard, fitting his operation, For swallowing soon to fall, and rise for inspiration.

45

And because the rings of the grisles do not wholly meet, this space is made up by muscles, that so the meat-pipe adjoyning might not be galled, or hurt. pf. The Larynx, or covering of the winde-pipe, is a grisly substance, parted into foure grisles of which the first is ever unmoved, and in women often double. pf. Adjoyning to it is the Oesophagus, or meat-pipe: coveying meats and drinks to the stomack. pf. At whose end is the Epiglottis, or cover of the throat, the principall instrument of tuning, and apting the voice: & therefore grisly, that it might sooner fall when we swallow, and rise when we breathe. pf.

46 47 48

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the purple island

33

But see, the smoak mounting in village nigh, With folded wreaths steals through the quiet aire; And mixt with duskie shades in Eastern skie, Begins the night, and warns us home repair: Bright Vesper now hath chang’d his name and place, And twinkles in the heav’n with doubtfull face: Home then my full-fed lambes; the night comes, home apace.49

49

Thirsil here offers an elegant transition out of his discussion of the lungs, breathing, and voice and into his recognition of the end of the day. The smoke he sees rising from the home fires of the nearby village recalls the “smokie exhalations” of the lungs noted in stanza 10.

Canto v 11

by this the old night’s head (grown hoary gray) Foretold that her approaching end was neare; And gladsome birth of young succeeding day Lent a new glory to our Hemispheare: The early swains salute the infant ray; Then drove the dammes to feed, the lambes to play: And Thirsil with night’s death revives his morning lay.

22

The highest region in this little Isle Is both the Island’s and Creatour’s glorie: Ah then, my creeping Muse, and rugged style, How dare you pencill out this wondrous storie? Oh thou that mad’st this goodly regiment, So heav’nly fair, of basest element, Make this inglorious verse thy glorie’s instrument.

3

So shall my flagging Muse to heav’n aspire, Where with thy self thy fellow-shepherd sits; And warm her pineonsa at that heav’nly fire; But (ah!) such height no earthly shepherd fits: Content we here low in this humble vale On slender reeds to sing a slender tale. A little boat will need as little sail and gale.

awings 1 Thirsil’s song in canto 5 occupies the entirety of the third day. Of all the cantos, canto 5 is the most heavily indebted to Du Bartas. 2 For stanzas 2–3, see fq 1.1.1.

110

the purple island

4

The third precinct,3 the best and chief of all, Though least in compasse, and of narrow space, Was therefore fram’d like heaven, sphericall, Of largest figure, and of loveliest grace: Though shap’d at first the least of all the three; Yet highest set in place, as in degree, And over all the rest bore rule and soveraigntie.

5

So of three parts fair Europe is the least, In which this earthly Ball was first divided; Yet stronger farre, and nobler then the rest, Where victorie and learnèd arts resided, And by the Greek and Romane monarchie Swaid both the rest; now prest by slaverie Of Mosco, and the big-swoln Turkish tyrannie.

6

Here all the senses dwell, and all the arts;4 Here learnèd Muses by their silver spring: The Citie5 sever’d in two divers parts, Within the walls, and Suburbs neighbouring; The Suburbs girta but with the common fence, Founded with wondrous skill, and great expence; And therefore beautie here keeps her chief residence.

7

And sure for ornament and buildings rare, Lovely aspect, and ravishing delight, Not all the Isle or world with this compare; But in the Thelu is the fairer sight: These Suburbs many call the Island’s face; Whose charming beautie, and bewitching grace Ofttimes the Prince himself enthralls in fetters base.

a surrounded 3 The head of these three regions is the least, but noblest in frame, and office: most like to heaven as well in site, being highest in this little world, as also in figure, being round. pf. 4 The Brain is the seat of the minde, and senses. pf. 5 The head is divided into the Citie, and Suburbs; the brain within the wall of the skull, and the face without. pf.

canto v

8

For as this Isle is a short summarie Of all that in this All is wide dispread; So th’ Island’s face is th’ Isle’s Epitome, Where ev’n the Prince’s thoughts are often read: For when that All had finisht every kinde, And all his works would in lesse volume binde, Fair on the face he wrote the Index of the minde.

9

Fair are the Suburbs; yet to clearer sight The Citie’s self more fair and excellent: A thick-grown wood, not pierc’d with any light, Yeelds it some fence, and much more ornament: The divers-colour’d trees6 and fresh aray Much grace the town, but most the Thelu gay: Yet all in winter turn to snow, and soon decay.

10

Like to some stately work, whose queint devices, And glitt’ring turrets with brave cunning dight,a The gazer’s eye still more and more entices Of th’ inner rooms to get a fuller sight; Whose beautie much more winnes his ravisht heart, That now he onely thinks the outward part To be a worthie cov’ring of so fair an art.

11

Foure severall walls, beside the common guard,7 For more defence the citie round embrace: The first thick, soft; the second drie and hard; As when soft earth before hard stone we place. The second all the Citie round enlaces, And like a rock with thicker sides embraces; For here the Prince his court & standing palace places.

111

aadorn 6 trees: hair. 7 Beside the common tunicles of the whole body, the brain is covered first with the bone of the skull, secondly with the Pericranium, or skin covering the skull, & thirdly with two inward skinnes. pf.

112

the purple island

12

The other two8 of matter thinne and light; And yet the first much harder then the other; Both cherish all the Citie: therefore right They call that th’ hard, and this the tender mother. The first9 with divers crooks and turnings wries,a Cutting the town in foure quaternities; But both joyn to resist invading enemies.

13

Next these, the buildings yeeld themselves to sight; The outward soft, and pale, like ashes look;10 The inward part’s more hard, and curdy white: Their matter both from th’ Isle’s first matter took; Nor cold, nor hot: heat’s needfull sleeps infest, Cold nummes the workmen; middle temper’s best; Which kindely warmth speeds work, & cool gives timely rest.

14

Within the centre11 (as a market place) Two caverns stand, made like the Moon half spent; Of speciall use, for in their hollow space All odours to their Judge themselves present: Here first are born the spirits animall,12 Whose matter, almost immateriall, Resembles heaven’s matter quintessentiall.

a twists 8 9 10 11 12

These two are called the hard, and tender mother. pf. The whole substance of the brain is divided into foure parts by divers folds of the inward skinne. pf. The outside of the brain is softer, and of ashie colour; the inward part white, and harder, framed of seed. pf. Almost in the midst of the brain are two hollow places, like half moons, of much use for preparing the spirits, emptying rheugme, receiving odours, &c. pf. spirits animall: the animal spirits, believed to be responsible for movement and sense, dispersed from the brain throughout the body via the nervous system (see stanzas 19–21), although some argued that the spirits were conveyed by the blood. Fletcher here addresses the paradox of the animal spirits, which were believed to be present but insubstantial, the most refined aspect of the human body that connected flesh and soul and allowed communication between the two.

113

canto v

15

Hard by, an hundred nimble workmen stand,13 These noble spirits readily preparing; Lab’ring to make them thinne, and fit to hand, With never ended work, and sleeplesse caring: Hereby two little hillocks joyntly rise,14 Where sit two Judges clad in seemly guise, That cite all odours here, as to their just assise.

16

Next these,15 a wall built all of saphires shining, As fair, more precious; hence it takes his name; By which the third cave lies,16 his sides combining To th’ other two, and from them hath his frame; (A meeting of those former cavities) Vaulted by three fair arches safe it lies,17 And no oppression fears, of falling tyrannies.

17

By this third cave the humid citie drains18 Base noisomea streams the milkie streets annoying; And through a wide-mouth’d tunnel duely strains, Unto a bibbingb substance down convoying; Which these foul dropping humours largely swills, Till all his swelling spunge he greedy fills, And then through other sinks by little soft distills.

anoxious 13

14 15 16 17 18

b intoxicating

Here is a knot of veins and arteries weaved together; by which the animall spirits are concocted, thinned and fitted for service: and close by are two little bunches like teats, the instruments of smelling. pf. two little hillocks: the nostrils. Next is that Septum Jucidum, or bright wall, severing these hollow caverns. pf. The third cavitie is nothing else but a meeting of the two former. pf. The nasal cavity. It lies under (corpus Cameratum or) the chamber-substance, with which three arches bears up the whole weight of the brain. pf. By the third cavitie are two passages; and at the end of the first is the (Infundibulum or) tunnell, under which is (Glans Pituitaria or) the Rheugm-kernell, as a spunge sucking the rheugms, & distilling them into the palate. pf.

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18

Between this and the fourth cave, lies a vale,19 (The fourth, the first in worth, in rank the last) Where two round hills shut in this pleasant dale, Through which the spirits thither safe are past; Those here refin’d their full perfection have;20 And therefore close by this fourth wondrous cave Rises that silver well,21 scatt’ring his milkie wave.

19

Not that bright spring, where fair Hermaphrodite Grew into one with wanton Salmacis,22 Nor that where Biblis23 dropt, too fondly light, Her tears and self, may dare compare with this; Which here beginning down a lake descends,24 Whose rockie chanel these fair streams defends, Till it the precious wave through all the Isle dispends.

20

Many fair rivers take their heads from either,25 (Both from the lake, and from the milkie well) Which still in loving chanels runne together, Each to his mate a neighbour parallel: Thus widely spread with friendly combination, They fling about their wondrous operation, And give to every part both motion and sensation.

19 20

The other passage reaches to the fourth cavitie, which yeelds a safe way for the spirits. pf. The fourth cavitie is most noble, where all the spirits are perfected. By it is the pith, or marrow, the fountain of these spirits. pf. silver well: Fletcher here is identifying the fount of the animal spirits. Salmacis: the “bright spring” is Salmacis Fountain, believed to effeminize those who drink its waters. The nymph, Salmacis, unsuccessfully attempted to rape Hermaphroditus as he swam. She called on the gods to keep Hermaphroditus with her, and the gods responded by merging Salmacis’s female body with Hermaphroditus’s male body. Biblis: Byblis fell in love with her twin brother, Caunus, who did not return her love. She was transformed into a spring because of her constant crying. This pith, or marrow, springing in the brain flows down through the back bone. pf. All the nerves imparting all sense and motion to the whole body have their root partly from the brain, and partly from the back bone. pf.

21 22

23 24 25

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21

This silver lake, first from th’ Head-citie springing,26 To that bright fount foure little chanels sends; Through which it thither plenteous water bringing, Straight all again to every place dispends: Such is th’ Head-citie, such the Prince’s Hall; Such, and much more, which strangely liberall, Though sense it never had, yet gives all sense to all.

22

Of other stuffe the Suburbs have their framing; May seem soft marble, spotted red and white: First stands an Arch,27 pale Cynthia’s brightnes shaming, The Citie’s forefront, cast in silver bright: At whose proud base are built two watching towers, Whence hate and love skirmish with equall powers; Whence smiling gladnesse shines, and sullen sorrow showers.

23

Here sits retir’d the silent reverence;28 And when the Prince, incens’d with anger’s fire, Thunders aloud, he darts his lightning hence; Here dusky-reddish clouds foretell his ire: Of nothing can this Isle more boast aright: A twin-born Sunne, a double seeing light; With much delight they see, are seen with much delight.

24

That Thracian shepherd29 call’d them Nature’s glasse; Yet then a glasse in this much worthier being: Blinde glasses represent some near-set face; But this a living glasse, both seen and seeing: Like heav’n in moving, like in heav’nly firing;30 Sweet heat and light, no burning flame inspiring: Yet (ah!) too oft we find they scorch with hot desiring.

26

The pith of the back bone springeth from the brain, whence by foure passages it is conveyed into the back; and there all foure joyn in one, and again are thence divided into divers others. pf. The first part of the face is the forehead, at whose base are the eyes. pf. The eyes are the index of the minde, discovering every affection. pf. Orpheus called the eyes the looking glasse of nature. pf. Plato affirmed them lighted up with heavenly fire not burning, but shining. pf.

27 28 29 30

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25

They mounted high, sit on a loftie hill; (For they the Prince’s best intelligence, And quickly warn of future good, or ill) Here stands the palace of noblest sense; Here Visus keeps,31 whose Court then crystall smoother, And clearer seems; he, though a younger brother, Yet farre more noble is,32 farre fairer then the other.

26

Six bands33 are set to stirre the moving tower: The first the proud band call’d, that lifts it higher; The next the humble band, that shoves it lower; The bibbinga third draws it together nigher; The fourth disdainfull, oft away is moving: The other two, helping the compasse roving, Are call’d the circling trains, & wanton bands of loving.

27

Above, two compasse groves,34 (Love’s bended bows) Which fence the towers from flouds of higher place: Before, a wall,35 deluding rushing foes, That shuts and opens in a moment’s space: The low part fixt, the higher quick descending; Upon whose tops spearmen their pikes intending, Watch there both night and day, the castle’s port defending.

28

Three divers lakes within these bulwarks lie,36 The noblest parts and instruments of sight: The first, receiving forms of bodies nigh, Conveys them to the next, and breaks the light, Dantingb his rash and forcible invasion; And with a clear and whitish inundation, Restrains the nimble spirits from their too-quick evasion.

a drinking 31 32 33 34 35 36

b daunting

Fletcher separates the sense from the organ responsible for that sense. Visus, or the sight, is the most noble above all the senses. pf. There are six muscles moving the eye, thus termed by Anatomists. pf. Above are the eyebrows keeping off the sweat that it fall not into the eyes. pf. The eyelids shutting the eye are two; the lower ever unmoved in man: and hairs keeping off dust, flies, &c. pf. There are three humours in the eye: the first the Watrie, breaking the too vehement light, and stopping the spirits from going out too fast. pf.

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29

In midst of both is plac’t the Crystall pond;37 Whose living water thick, and brightly shining, Like Saphires, or the sparkling Diamond, His inward beams with outward light combining, Alt’ring it self to every shape’s aspect, The divers forms doth further still direct, Till by the nimble poast th’ are brought to th’ Intellect.

30

The third,38 like molten glasse, all cleare and white: Both round embrace the noble Crystalline. Six inward walls39 fence in this Tower of sight: The first, most thick, doth all the frame inshrine, And girtsa the Castle with a close embrace, Save in the midst is left a circle’s space, Where light and hundred shapes flock out & in apace.

31

The second40 not so massie as the other, Yet thicker then the rest, and tougher fram’d, Takes his beginning from that harder mother: The outward part like horn, and thence is nam’d; Through whose translucent sides much light is born Into the Tower, and much kept out by th’ horn, Makes it a pleasant light, much like the ruddie morn.

32

The third,41 of softer mold, is like a grape, Which all entwines with his encircling side: In midst a window lets in every shape; Which with a thought is narrow made, or wide: His inmost side more black then starrelesse night; But outward part (how like an hypocrite!) As painted Iris looks, with various colours dight.b

asurrounds 37 38 39 40 41

b adorned

The second is the Crystalline, and most noble, seated and compast between the other two, and being altered by the entering shapes, is the chief instrument of sight. pf. The third from the likenesse is called the glassie humour. pf. There are six tunicles belonging to the eye: The first called the conjunctive, solid, thick, compassing [not] the whole eye, but onely the black window. pf. The second is Cornea or, hornie tunicle, transparent, and made of the hard mother. pf. The third is (Uvea or) grapie, made of the tender mother, thinne, and pervious by a little and round window: it is diversly coloured without, but exceedingly black within. pf.

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33

The fourth42 of finest work, more slight, and thinne, Then or Arachne, (which in silken twine With Pallas strove)43 or Pallas’ self could spinne: This round enwraps the fountain Crystalline. The next44 is made out of that milkie spring, That from the Cephal mount his waves doth fling, Like to a curious net his substance scattering.

34

His substance as the Head-spring, perfect white; Here thousand nimble spies are round dispread: The forms caught in this net, are brought to sight, And to his eye are livèly pourtrayed. The last45 the glassie wall (that round encasing The moat of glasse, is nam’d from that enlacing) The white & glassy wells parts with his strict embracing[.]

35

Thus then is fram’d the noble Visus’ bower; The outward light by th’ first wall’s circle sending His beams and hundred forms into the tower, The wall of horn, and that black gate transcending, Is lightned by the brightest Crystalline, And fully view’d in that white nettie shine, From thence with speedy haste is poasted to the minde.

36

Much as an one-ey’d room, hung all with night, (Onely that side, which adverse to his eye Gives but one narrow passage to the light, Is spread with some white shining tapestrie) An hundred shapes that through flit ayers stray, Shove boldly in, crouding that narrow way, And on that bright-fac’d wall obscurely dancing play.

42

The fourth is more thinne then any cobweb (and thence so called) immediately compassing the Crystalline humour. pf. Arachne and Pallas: Arachne was a talented weaver who claimed that her skill surpassed Athena (Pallas). After defeating Athena in a weaving competition, she was transformed into a spider as punishment. The fift, Reticularis, netty tunicle, framed of the substance of the brain: this diffuseth the visil spirits, and perceives the alteration of the Crystalline, and here is the mean of sight. pf. The sixt is called the glassie tunicle, clasping in the glassie humour. pf.

43

44

45

canto v

37

Two pair or rivers from the Head-spring flow46 To these two Towers: the first in their mid-race (The spies conveying) twisted joyntly go, Strength’ning each other with a firm embrace. The other pair these walking Towers are moving;47 At first but one, then in two chanels roving: And therefore both agree in standing, or removing.

38

Auditus,48 second of the Pemptarchie,49 Is next, not all so noble as his brother; Yet of more need, and more commoditie: His seat is plac’d somewhat below the other: Of each side of the mount a double cave; Both which a goodly Portall doth embrave,a And winding entrance, like Meander’s50 erring wave.

39

The Portall hard and drie,51 all hung around With silken, thinne, carnatian tapestrie: Whose open gate drags in each voice and sound, That through the shaken ayer passes by: The entrance winding; lest some violence Might fright the Judge with sudden influence, Or some unwelcome guest might vex the busie sense.

119

ainspire 46 47 48 49 50 51

The eye hath two nerves, the Optick or seeing nerve; and moving. The optick, separate in their root, in the midst of their progresse meet, and strengthen one the other. pf. The moving, rising from the same stemme, are at length severed; therefore as one moves, so moves the other. pf. Hearing is the second sense, lesse noble then the eyes, more needfull. pf. Pemptarchie: the five senses. Meander: the Meander River, which flows into the Aegean Sea, noted in antiquity for its winding path. The outward eare is of a grisly matter, covered with the common tunicle. It is framed with many crooks, lest the aire should enter too forcibly. pf.

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40

This cave’s first part fram’d with a steep ascent52 (For in foure parts ’tis fitly severèd) Makes th’ entrance hard, but easie the descent: Where stands a bracèd drumme, whose sounding head (Obliquely plac’d) strook by the circling aire, Gives instant warning of each sound’s repair, Which soon is thence convey’d unto the Judgement chair.

41

The drumme53 is made of substance hard and thinne; Which if some falling moisture chance to wet, The loudest sound is hardly heard within: But if it once grows thick, with stubborn leta It barres all passage to the inner room; No sounding voice unto his seat may come: The lazie sense still sleeps, unsummon’d with his drum.

42

This drumme divides the first and second part,54 In which three hearing instruments reside; Three instruments compact by wondrous art, With slender string knit to th’ drumme’s inner side: Their native temper being hard and drie, Fitting the sound with their firm qualitie, Continue still the same in age and infancie.

a obstruction 52 53 54

The inward eare consists of foure passages: the first is steepie, lest any thing should creep in. pf. If the Drum be wet with falling of rheugm, we are hard of hearing; but if it grow thick, we are irrecoverably deaf. pf. The Drumme parteth the first and second passage. To it are joyned three little bones, the instruments of hearing, which never grow, or decrease in childhood or age: they are all in the second passage. pf.

canto v

43

The first an Hammer call’d,55 whose out-grown sides Lie on the drumme; but with his swelling end Fixt in the hollow Stithe,a there fast abides: The Stithe’s short foot doth on the drumme depend, His longer in the Stirrup surely plac’t; The Stirrup’s sharp side by the Stithe embrac’t, But his broad base ti’d to a little window fast.

44

Two little windows ever open lie,56 The sound unto the cave’s third part convaying; And slender pipe, whose narrow cavitie Doth purge the in-born aire, that idle staying Would els corrupt, and still supplies the spending: The cave’s third part in twentie by-wayes bending, Is call’d the Labyrinth, in hundred crooks ascending.

45

Such whilomeb was that eye-deceiving frame, Which crafty Daedal with a cunning hand Built to empound the Cretan Prince’s shame:57 Such was that Woodstock cave, where Rosamand, Fair Rosamand, fled jealous Ellenore; Whom late a shepherd58 taught to weep so sore, That woods and hardest rocks her harder fate deplore.

aanvil 55 56 57 58

121

b formerly The first of these bones is called the Hammer, the second the Stithe, the third the Stirrup; all taking their names from their likenesse: all tied to the Drumme by a little string. pf. These are two small passages, admitting the sounds into the head, and cleansing the aire. pf. Daedalus built the Labyrinth to house the Minotaur, the bull-headed son of Pasiphae (the wife of King Minos). Whom late a shepherd: likely a reference to Samuel Daniel’s Complaint of Rosamund (1592).

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46

The third part with his narrow rockie straits Perfects the sound, and gives more sharp accenting; Then sends it to the fourth;59 where ready waits A nimble poast, who ne’re his haste relenting, Flings to the judgement-seat with speedy flight: There th’ equall Judge attending day and night, Receives the entring sounds, & doomsa each voice aright.

47

As when a stone, troubling the quiet waters, Prints in the angry stream a wrinkle round, Which soon another and another scatters, Till all the lake with circles now is crown’d: All so the aire struck with some violence nigh, Begets a world of circles in the skie; All which infected move with sounding qualitie.

48

These at Auditus’ palace soon arriving, Enter the gate, and strike the warning drumme; To those three instruments fit motion giving, Which every voice discern: then that third room Sharpens each sound, and quick conveys it thence; Till by the flying poast ‘tis hurri’d hence, And in an instant brought unto the judging sense.

49

This sense is made the Master of request, Prefers petitions to the Prince’s eare; Admits what best he likes, shuts out the rest; And sometimes cannot, sometimes will not heare: Ofttimes he lets in anger-stirring lies, Oft melts the Prince with with oylie flatteries. Ill mought he thrive, that loves his Master’s enemies!

a judges 59

The left passage is called the Cochlea, snail, or Periwincle; where the nerves of hearing plainly appeare. pf.

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50

’Twixt Visus’ double court a Tower stands, Plac’t in the Suburb’s centre; whose high top, And loftie raisèd ridge the rest commands: Low at his foot a double doore stands ope, Admitting passage to the aire’s ascending; And divers odours to the Citie sending, Revives the heavie town, his liberall sweets dispending.

51

This vaulted Tower’s half built of massie stone, The other half of stuffe lesse hard and drie, Fit for distending, or compression: The outward wall may seem all porphyrie.60 Olfactus61 dwells within this lofty fort; But in the citie is his chief resort, Where ’twixt two little hils he keeps his judging court.

52

By two great caves are plac’t these little hills,62 Most like the nipples of a virgin’s breast; By which the aire that th’ hollow Tower fills, Into the Citie passeth: with the rest The odours pressing in are here all staid; Till by the sense impartially weigh’d, Unto the common Judge they are with speed conveyd.

53

At each side of that Tower stand two fair plains,63 More fair then that which in rich Thessalie Was once frequented by the Muses’ trains: Here ever sits sweet-blushing Modestie; Here in two colours Beautie shining bright, Dressing her white with red, her red with white, With pleasing chain enthralls, & bindes loose wandring sight.

60 61 62

porphyrie: porphyry, a purple-hued rock prized by the Romans for its color. The sense of smelling. pf. These are those two little bunches like paps, or tears, spoken of [in] the 15[th] Stanz. of this Cant. pf. two fair plains: the Plain of Thessaly, near Mount Olympus and Mount Pierus.

63

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54

Below, a cave rooft with an heav’n-like plaister,64 And under strew’d with purple tapestrie, Where Gustus dwells, the Isle’s and Prince’s Taster, Koilia’s Steward, one of th’ Pemptarchie; Whom Tactus (so some say) got of his mother:65 For by their nearest likenesse one to th’ other, Tactus may eas’ly seem his father, and his brother.

55

Tactus66 the last, but yet the eldest brother; (Whose office meanest, yet of all the race The first and last, more needfull then the other) Hath his abode in none, yet every place: Through all the Isle distended is his dwelling; He rules the streams that from the Cephal swelling Runne all along the Isle, both sense & motion dealing.

56

With Gustus Lingua dwells, his pratling wife, Indu’d with strange and adverse qualities; The nurse of hate and love, of peace and strife, Mother of fairest truth, and foulest lies: Or best, or worst; no mean: made all of fire, Which sometimes hell, & sometimes heav’ns inspire; By whom oft Truth self speaks, oft that first murth’ring liar.

57

The idle Sunne stood still at her command, Breathing his firie steed in Gibeon:67 And pale-fac’d Cynthia at her word made stand, Resting her coach in vales of Aialon. Her voice oft open breaks the stubborn skies, And holds th’ Almightie’s hands with suppliant cries: Her voice tears open hell with horrid blasphemies.

64 65 66 67

Gustus, or the taste is in the palate, which in the Greek is called the heaven. pf. Taste is a kinde of touch, nor can it exist but by touching. pf. Tactus, or the sense of touching. pf. Joshua 10:12–13. “Then spake Joshua to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon. And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies.”

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58

Therefore that great Creatour, well foreseeing To what a monster she would soon be changing, (Though lovely once, perfect and glorious being) Curb’d her with iron bit,68 and held from ranging; And with strong bonds her looser steps enchaining, Bridled her course, too many words refraining, And doubled all his guards, bold libertie restraining.

5969 For close within he sets twice sixteen guarders,70 Whose hardned temper could not soon be mov’d: Without the gate he plac’d two other warders, To shut and ope the doore, as it behov’d: But such strange force hath her enchanting art, That she hath made her keepers of her part, And they to all her slightsa all furtherance impart. 60

Thus (with their help) by her the sacred Muses Refresh the Prince dull’d with much businesse; By her the Prince unto his Prince oft uses In heav’[n]ly throne from hell to finde accesse. She heav’n to earth in musick often brings, And earth to heaven: but oh how sweet she sings, When in rich grace’s key she tunes poor nature’s strings!

6171 Thus Orpheus wanne his lost Eurydice; Whom some deaf snake, that could no musick heare, Or some blinde neut, that could no beautie see, Thinking to kisse, kill’d with his forkèd spear: He, when his plaintsb on earth were vainly spent, Down to Avernus river72 boldly went, And charm’d the meager ghosts with mournfull blandishment. asleights 68 69 70 71 72

b complaints

The Tongue is held with a ligament, ordinarily called the bridle. pf. fq 2.9.26. The Tongue is guarded with thirtie two teeth, and with the lips; all which do not a little help the speech, and sweeten the voice. pf. For stanzas 61–68, see Spenser’s “Virgil’s Gnat,” lines 433–480. These stanzas follow Boethius and appear in Fletcher’s play Sicelides. Avernus river: the entrance to the Underworld.

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62

There what his mother, fair Calliope,73 From Phoebus’ harp and Muses’ spring had brought him, What sharpest grief for his Eurydice, And love redoubling grief had newly taught him, He lavisht out, and with his potent spell Bent all the rigorous powers of stubborn hell: He first brought pitie down with rigid ghosts to dwell.

63

Th’ amazèd shades came flocking round about, Nor car’d they now to passe the Stygian ford: All hell came running there, (an hideous rout) And dropt a silent tear for every word: The agèd Ferrieman74 shov’d out his boat; But that without his help did thither float; And having ta’ne him in, came dancing on the moat.

64

The hungry Tantal75 might have fill’d him now, And with large draughts swill’d in the standing pool: The fruit hung listning on the wondring bough, Forgetting hell’s command; but he (ah fool!) Forgot his starvèd taste, his eares to fill. Ixion’s turning wheel unmov’d stood still;76 But he was rapt as much with powerfull musick’s skill.

73 74

Calliope: muse of epic poetry. The agèd Ferrieman: Charon, the ferryman who carries the souls of the dead to the Underworld. Tantal: Tantalus, punished with eternal thirst and hunger, with nearby water and fruit receding from his grasp. Ixion: Ixion was bound to a burning, spinning wheel. It stopped briefly when Orpheus played his lyre in the Underworld.

75 76

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127

65

Tir’d Sisyphus77 sat on his resting stone, And hop’d at length his labour done for ever: The vulture feeding on his pleasing mone, Glutted with musick, scorn’d grown Tityus’78 liver: The Furies flung their snakie whips away, And molt in tears at his enchanting lay, No shrieches now were heard; all hell kept holy-day.

66

That treble Dog,79 whose voice ne’re quiet fears All that in endlesse night’s sad kingdome dwell, Stood pricking up his thrice two listning eares, With greedy joy drinking the sacred spell; And softly whining, piti’d much his wrongs; And now first silent at those dainty songs, Oft wisht himself more ears, & fewer mouths & tongues.

67

At length return’d with his Eurydice, But with this law, not to return his eyes, Till he was past the laws of Tartarie;80 (Alas! who gives love laws in miseries? Love is love’s law; love but to love is ti’d) Now when the dawns of neighbour day he spi’d, Ah wretch! Eurydice he saw, and lost, and di’d.

68

All so who strives from grave of hellish night To bring his dead soul to the joyfull skie; If when he comes in view of heav’nly light, He turns again to hell his yeelding eye, And longs to see what he had left; his sore Grows desp’rate, deeper, deadlier then afore: His helps and hopes much lesse, his crime & judgement more.

77

Sisyphus: Sisyphus was punished with having to forever roll a boulder up a hill only to watch it continually roll back down again. Tityus: Tityos was punished by having two vultures feed on his liver only to have it grow back every night. treble Dog: Cerberus, Hades’s three-headed watchdog. Tartarie: Tartarus, Hades’s dungeon of torment.

78 79 80

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69

But why do I enlarge my tedious song, And tire my flagging Muse with wearie flight? Ah! much I fear I hold you much too long. The outward parts be plain to every sight: But to describe the people of this Isle, And that great Prince, these reeds are all too vile: Some higher verse may fit, and some more loftie style.

70

See, Phlegon81 drenchèd in the hizzinga main, Allayes his thirst, and cools the flaming carre;b Vesper82 fair Cynthia ushers, and her train: See, th’ apishc earth hath lighted many a starre, Sparkling in dewie globes: all home invite: Home then my flocks, home shepherds, home; ’tis night: My song with day is done; my Muse is set with light.

71

By this the gentle boyes had framèd well A myrtle garland83 mixt with conqu’ring bay,84 From those fit match issu’d a pleasing smell, And all enamel’d it with roses85 gay; With which they crown their honour’d Thirsil’s head: Ah blessed shepherd-swain! ah happy meed!d While all his fellows chaunt on slender pipes of reed.

a hissing 81 82 83 84 85

b star

c imitative

d reward

Phlegon: one of Helios’—god of the sun—four horses. Vesper: the evening star. Fletcher departs from his usual practice here by giving the Roman name rather than the Greek name, Hesperus, likely for metrical coherence. Myrtle: symbolic of immortality and love. Bay: symbolic of victory and high status. Roses: Although roses were symbolic of love, they also symbolized virtue and reason.

Canto vi 11

THe houres had now unlockt the gate of day, With fair Aurora leaves her frosty bed, Hasting with youthfull Cephalus2 to play, Unmaskt her face, and rosie beauties spread: Tithonus’3 silver age was much despis’d. Ah! who in love that cruel law devis’d, That old love’s little worth, and new too highly priz’d?

24

The gentle shepherds on an hillock plac’d, (Whose shadie head a beechie garland crown’d) View’d all their flocks that on the pastures graz’d: Then down they sit, while Thenot5 ’gins the round; Thenot! was never fairer boy among The gentle lads, that in the Muses’ throng By Chamus’ yellow streams learn tune their pipe & song.

3

See, Thirsil, see the shepherds’ expectation; Why then, (ah!) why sitt’st thou so silent there? We long to know that Island’s happy nation: Oh! do not leave thy Isle unpeopled here. Tell us who brought, and whence these colonies; Who is their King, what foes, and what allies; What laws maintain their peace, what warres & victories.

1 2 3 4 5

Thirsil’s song in canto 6 occupies the entirety of the fourth day. Cephalus: one of the lovers of the dawn. Tithonus: another lover of the dawn. He was granted immortality but not eternal youth. fq 6.9.8. Thenot: another shepherd (and popular shepherd’s name). Langdale finds reason to believe that Thenot is the emblematist Francis Quarles (Langdale 46). Fletcher’s Poeticall Miscellanies includes the poem “To my beloved Thenot in answer of his verse,” in which the speakers says of Thenot “ne’re let him Colin call me” because “Colin’s high stile will shame me” (lines 10, 16). This is a probable reference to Quarles’s dedicatory verse prefixed to The Purple Island which addresses Fletcher as “the Spencer of this age.” Likewise, Thenot here sings on the banks of the River Cam near Cambridge, where Quarles matriculated in 1613.

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4

Thenot, my deare, that simple fisher-swain, Whose little boat in some small river strayes; Yet fondly lanches6 in the swelling main, Soon, yet too late, repents his foolish playes. How dare I then forsake my well-set bounds, Whose new-cut pipe as yet but harshly sounds? A narrow compasse best my ungrown Muse impounds.

57

Two shepherds most I love with just adoring; That Mantuan swain,8 who chang’d his slender reed To trumpet’s martiall voice, and warre’s loud roaring, From Corydon9 to Turnus10 derring-deed; And next our home-bred Colin’s11 sweetest firing; Their steps not following close, but farre admiring: To lackeya one of these is all my pride’s aspiring.

6

Then you my peers, whose quiet expectation Seemeth my backward tale would fain invite; Deigne gently heare this purple Island’s nation, A people never seen, yet still in sight; Our daily guests, and natives, yet unknown; Our servants born, but now commanders grown; Our friends, and enemies; aliens, yet still our own.

7

Not like those Heroes, who in better times12 This happy Island first inhabited In joy and peace; when no rebellious crimes That God-like nation yet dispeop’led: Those claim’d their birth from that eternal Light, Held th’ Isle, and rul’d it in their father’s right, And in their faces bore their parent’s image bright.

a follow 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

fondly lanches: foolishly launches. fq 4.2.34. Mantuan swain: Virgil. Corydon: a shepherd in Virgil’s Eclogues. Turnus: Aeneas’s antagonist in Virgil’s Aeneid. Colin: Spenser. better times: before the Fall.

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8

For when the Isle that main would fond forsake, In which at first it found a happy place, And deep was plung’d in that dead hellish lake; Back to their father flew this heav’nly race, And left the Isle forlorn, and desolate, That now with fear, and wishes all too late, Sought in that blackest wave to hide his blacker fate.

9

How shall a worm, on dust that crawls and feeds, Climbe to th’ empyreall court, where these states reign, And there take view of what heav’n’s self exceeds? The Sunne lesse starres, these lights the Sunne distain: Their beams divine, and beauties do excell What here on earth, in aire, or heav’n do dwell: Such never eye yet saw, such never tongue can tell.

10

Soon as these Saints the treach’rous Isle forsook, Rusht in a false, foul, fiend-like companie, And every fort, and every castle took; All to this rabble yeeld the soveraigntie: The goodly temples which those Heroes plac’t, By this foul rout were utterly defac’t, And all their fences strong, and all their bulwarks raz’d.

11

So where the neatest Badger most abides, Deep in the earth she frames her prettie cell, And into halls and closuletsa divides: But when the stinking fox with loathsome smell Infects her pleasant cave, the cleanly beast So hates her inmate and rank-smelling guest, That farre away she flies, and leaves her loathèd nest.

asmall closets

131

132 12

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But when those Graces (at their father’s throne Arriv’d) in heav’n’s high Court to Justice plain’d,a How they were wrong’d, and forcèd from their own, And what foul people in their dwellings reign’d; How th’ earth much waxt in ill, much wan’d in good, So full-ripe vice, how blasted vertue’s bud, Begging such vicious weeds might sink in vengefull floud:

1313 Forth stept the just Dicaea,14 full of rage; (The first-born daughter of th’ Almighty King) Ah sacred maid, thy kindled ire asswage; Who dare abide thy dreadfull thundering? Soon as her voice but Father onely spake, The faultlesse heav’ns, like leaves in Autumne, shake; And all that glorious throng with horrid palsies quake. 14

Heard you not late,15 with what loud trumpet sound Her breath awak’d her father’s sleeping ire? The heav’nly armies flam’d, earth shook; hean’v frown’d, And heav’n’s dread King call’d for his three-forkt fire. Heark how the powerfull words strike through the eare; The frighted sense shoots up the staring hair, And shakes the trembling soul with fright & shudd’ring fear.

15

So have I seen the earth strong windes detaining In prison close; they scorning to be under Her dull subjection, and her power disdaining, With horrid struglings tear their bonds in sunder: Mean while the wounded earth, that forc’d their stay, With terrour reels, the hils runne farre away; And frighted world fears hell breaks out upon the day.

a complained 13 14 15

fq 5.proem.10–11; 5.9.32. Dicaea: Dice, the goddess of justice, daughter of Zeus. See that sweet poem entituled Christs victorie and triumph. part. 1. stan. 18. pf. An error on Fletcher’s part. The reference here is to 1.40, not 1.18.

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16

But see how ’twixt her sister16 and her sire, Soft-hearted Mercy sweetly interposing, Settles her panting breast against his fire, Pleading for grace, and chains of death unloosing: Heark, from her lips the melting hony flowes; The striking Thunderer recals his blowes, And every armèd souldier down his weapon throwes.

17

So when the day, wrapt in a cloudie night, Puts out the Sunne, anon the rattling hail On earth poures down his shot with fell despight: His powder spent, the Sunne puts off his vail, And fair his flaming beauties now unsteeps; The plough-man from his bushes gladly peeps, And hidden traveller out of his covert creeps.

1817 Ah fairest maid, best essence of thy father, Equall unto thy never equall’d sire; How in low verse shall thy poore shepherd gather, What all the world can ne’re enough admire? When thy sweet eyes sparkle in chearfull light, The brightest day grows pale as leaden night, And heav’n’s bright burning eye loses his blinded sight. 19

Who then those sugred strains can understand, Which calm’d thy father, and our desp’rate fears; And charm’d the nimble lightning in his hand, That all unwares it dropt in melting tears? Then thou deare swain,18 thy heav’nly load unfraught; For she her self hath thee her speeches taught; So neare her heav’n they be, so farre from humane thought.

16 17 18

her sister: Eleos, goddess of mercy? She is not, however, Dice’s sister. fq 5.10.1. A book entituled Christs victorie and triumph. pf.

133

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20

But let my lighter skiffe return again Unto that little Isle which late it left, Nor dare to enter in that boundlesse main, Or tell the nation from this Island reft; But sing that civil strife, and home dissension ’Twixt two strong factions with like fierce contention; Where never peace is heard, nor ever peace’s mention.

21

For that foul rout, which from the Stygian brook (Where first they dwelt in midst of death and night) By force the left and emptie Island took, Claim hence full conquest, and possession’s right: But that fair band, which Mercie sent anew, The ashes of that first heroick crue, From their forefathers claim their right, & Island’s due.

22

In their fair look their parent’s grace appeares, Yet their renowned fires were much more glorious; For what decaies not with decaying yeares? All night, and all the day, with toil laborious, (In losse and conquest angrie) fresh they fight: Nor can the other cease or day or night, While th’ Isle is doubly rent with endlesse warre and fright.

23

As when the Britain and Iberian fleet With resolute and fearlesse expectation On trembling seas with equall fury meet,19 The shore resounds with diverse acclamation; Till now at length Spain’s firie Donsa ’gin shrink: Down with their ships, hope, life, and courage sink: Courage, life, hope, and ships the gaping surges drink.

a noblemen 19

The Spanish Armada of 1588.

canto vi

24

But who (alas!) shall teach my ruder breast The names and deeds of these heroick Kings? Or downy Muse,20 which now but left the nest, Mount from her bush to heav’n with new-born wings? Thou sacred maid, which from fair Palestine Through all the world hast spread thy brightest shine Kindle thy shepherd-swain with thy light flaming eyn.

25

Sacred Thespio, which in Sinaie’s grove First took’st thy being and immortall breath, And vaunt’st thy off-spring from the highest Jove, Yet deign’dst to dwell with mortalls here beneath, With vilest earth, and men more vile residing; Come holy Virgin in my bosome sliding, With thy glad Angel light my blindfold footsteps guiding.

26

And thou dread Spirit, which at first didst spread On those dark waters thy all-opening light; Thou who of late (of thy great bounty head) This nest of hellish fogges and Stygian night With thy bright orient Sunne hast fair renew’d, And with unwonted day hast it endu’d, Which late both day & thee, and most it self eschew’d:

27

Dread Spirit, do thou those severall bands unfold, Both which thou sent’st a needfull supplement To this lost Isle, and which with courage bold Hourely assail thy rightfull regiment; And with strong hand oppresse & keep them under: Raise now my humble vein to lofty thunder, That heav’n and earth may sound, resound thy praise’s wonder.

20

downy Muse: a possible reference to Queen Elizabeth.

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28

The Island’s Prince, of frame more then celestiall, Is rightly call’d th’ all-seeing Intellect; All glorious bright, such nothing is terrestriall; Whose Sun-like face, and most divine aspect No humane sight may ever hope descrie: For when himself on’s self reflects his eye, Dull and amaz’d he stands at so bright majestie.

29

Look as the Sunne, whose ray and searching light Here, there, and every where it self displayes, No nook or corner flies his piercing sight; Yet on himself when he reflects his rayes, Soon back he flings the too bold vent’ring gleam; Down to the earth the flames all broken stream: Such is this famous Prince, such his unpiercèd beam.

30

His strangest body is not bodily, But matter without matter; never fill’d, Nor filling; though within his compasse high All heav’n and earth, and all in both are held; Yet thousand thousand heav’ns he could contain, And still as empty as at first remain; And when he takes in most, readi’st to take again.

31

Though travelling all places, changing none: Bid him soar up to heav’n, and thence down throwing The centre search, and Dis’21 dark realm; he’s gone, Returns, arrives, before thou saw’st him going: And while his weary kingdome safely sleeps, All restlesse night he watch and warding keeps, Never his carefull head on resting pillow steeps.

21

Dis: Hades, god of the Underworld.

canto vi

32

In every quarter of this blessed Isle Himself both present is, and President; Nor once retires, (ah happy realm the while, That by no Officer’s lewd lavishment, With greedie lust, and wrong consumèd art!) He all in all, and all in every part, Does share to each his due, and equall dole impart.

33

He knows nor death, nor yeares, nor feeble age; But as his time, his strength and vigour grows: And when his kingdome by intestine rage Lies broke and wasted, open to his foes, And batter’d sconcea now flat and even lies; Sooner then thought to that great Judge he flies, Who weighs him just reward of good, or injuries.

34

For he the Judge’s Viceroy here is plac’t; Where if he live, as knowing he may die, He never dies, but with fresh pleasures grac’t, Bathes his crown’d head in soft eternitie; Where thousand joyes, and pleasures ever new, And blessings thicker then the morning dew, With endlesse sweets rain down on that immortall crue.

35

There golden starres set in the crystall snow; There daintie joyes laugh at white-headed caring: There day no night, delight no end shall know; Sweets without surfet,b fulnesse without sparing, And by its spending growing happinesse: There God himself in glorie’s lavishnesse Diffus’d in all, to all, is all full blessednesse.

ahead

b overfeeding

137

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36

But if he here neglect his Master’s law, And with those traitours ’gainst his Lord rebells; Down to the deeps ten thousand fiends him draw, Deeps, where night, death, despair and horrour dwells; And in worst ills, still worse expecting fears: Where fell despite for spite his bowels tears, And still increasing grief, and torment never wears.

37

Prayers there are idle, death is woo’d in vain; In midst of death poore wretches long to die: Night without day or rest, still doubling pain; Woes spending still, yet still their end lesse nigh: The soul there restlesse, helplesse, hopelesse lies; The body frying roars, and roaring fries: There’s life that never lives, there’s death that never dies.

38

Hence while unsetled here he fighting reignes, Shut in a Tower where thousand enemies Assault the fort, with wary care and pains He guards all entrance, and by divers spies Searches into his foes’ and friends’ designes: For most he fears his subjects’ wavering mindes. This Tower then onely falls, when treason undermines.

39

Therefore while yet he lurks in earthly tent, Disguis’d in worthlesse robes and poore attire, Trie we to view his glorie’s wonderment, And get a sight of what we so admire: For when away from this sad place he flies, And in the skies abides, more bright then skies, Too glorious is his sight for our dimme and mortall eyes.

139

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40

So curl’d-head Thetis,22 water’s fearèd Queen, But bound in cauls of sand, yeelds not to sight; And planets’ glorious King may best be seen, When some thinne cloud dimmes his too piercing light, And neither none, nor all his face discloses: For when his bright eye full our eye opposes, None gains his glorious sight, but his own sight he loses.

41

Within the Castle sit eight Counsellers, That help him in this tent to govern well: Each in his room a severall office bears; Three of his inmost private counsell deal In great affairs: five of lesse dignitie Have outward Courts, and in all actions prie, But still referre the dooma to Courts most fit and high.

42

Those five fair brethren23 which I sung of late, For their just number call’d the Pemptarchie; The other three, three pillars of the state: The first24 in midst of that high Tower doth lie, (The chiefest mansion of this glorious King) The Judge and Arbiter of every thing, Which those five brethrens’ poasts in to his office bring.

4325 Of middle yeares, and seemly personage, Father of laws, the rule of wrong and right; Fountain of judgement, therefore wondrous sage, Discreet, and wise, of quick and nimble sight: Not those seven Sages might him parallell, Nor he whom Pythian Maid26 did whilomeb tell To be the wisest man that then on earth did dwell.27

ajudgment 22 23 24 25 26 27

b formerly

Thetis: goddess of water and mother of Achilles. The five senses. pf. The common sense. pf. fq 2.9.48. Pythian Maid: prophetess of the Delphic Oracle. the wisest man: the Oracle proclaimed Socrates the wisest of all men.

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44

As Neptune’s cestern sucks in tribute tides (Yet never full) which every chanel brings, And thirstie drinks, and drinking thirstie bides; For by some hidden way back to the springs It sends the streams in erring conduits spread, Which with a circling dutie still are led; So ever feeding them, is by them ever fed:

45

Ev’n so the first of these three Counsellers Gives to the five the power of all-descrying; Which back to him with mutuall dutie bears All their informings, and the causes trying: For through strait waies the nimble Poast ascends Unto his hall; there up his message sends, Which to the next well scann’d he straightway recommends.

46

The next28 that in the Castle’s front is plac’t, Phantastes hight; his yeares are fresh and green, His visage old, his face too much defac’t With ashes pale, his eyes deep sunken been With often thoughts, and never slackt intention: Yet he the fount of speedy apprehension, Father of wit, the well of arts, and quick invention.

47

But in his private thoughts and busy brain Thousand thinne forms, and idle fancies flit; The three-shap’t Sphinx, and direfull Harpye’s train, Which in the world had never being yet: Oft dreams of fire and water, loose delight; And oft arrested by some ghastly sprite,a Nor can he think, nor speak, nor move for great affright.

a spirit 28

The fancie. pf.

141

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48

Phantastes from the first all shapes deriving, In new abilimentsa can quickly dight;b Of all materiall and grosse parts depriving, Fits them unto the noble Prince’s sight; Which soon as he hath view’d with searching eye, He straight commits them to his Treasurie, Which old Eumnestes29 keeps, Father of memorie.

49

Eumnestes old, who in his living screen (His mindefull breast) the rolls and records bears Of all the deeds, and men, which he hath seen, And keeps lockt up in faithfull Registers: Well he recalls Nimrod’s30 first tyrannie, And Babel’s pride daring the lofty skie; Well he recalls the earth’s twice-growing infancie.

50

Therefore his body weak, his eyes half blinde, But minde more fresh, and strong; (ah better fate!) And as his carcase, so his house declin’d; Yet were the walls of firm and able state: Onely on him a nimble Page attends, Who when for ought the aged Grandsire sends, With swift, yet backward steps, his helping aidance lends.

51

But let my song passe from these worthy Sages Unto this Island’s highest Soveraigne,31 And those hard warres which all the yeare he wages: For these three late a gentle shepherd-swain Most sweetly sung, as he before had seen In Alma’s house:32 his memorie yet green Lives in his well-tun’d songs, whose leaves immortall been.

aclothing 29

30 31 32

b dress

Eumenestes: memory. Refers to fq 2.9.58–60. Arthur, Guyon, and Palmer visit Eumenestes’s library, where the elder Eumenestes is attended on by the young boy Anamnestes, who embodies research. Nimrod: a king who rebelled against God. The understanding. pf. Alma’s house: an explicit reference to the House of Alma in Spenser’s fq 2.9.

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5233 Nor can I guesse, whether his Muse divine Or gives to those, or takes from them his grace; Therefore Eumnestes in his lasting shrine Hath justly him enroll’d in second place: Next to our Mantuan poet34 doth he rest; There shall our Colin live for ever blest, Spite of those thousand spites, which living him opprest.35 5336 The Prince his time in double office spends: For first those forms and fancies he admits, Which to his Court busie Phantastes sends, And for the easier discerning fits: For shedding round about his sparkling light, He cleares their duskie shades, and cloudy night, Producing like himself their shapes all shining bright. 54

As when the Sunne restores the glitt’ring day, The world late cloath’d in night’s black livery, Doth now a thousand colours fair display, And paints it self in choice varietie, Which late one colour hid, the eye deceiving; All so this Prince those shapes obscure receiving, With his suffusèd light makes ready to conceiving.

55

This first is call’d the Active Facultie, Which to an higher power the object leaves: That takes it in it self, and cunningly Changing it self, the object soon perceives: For straight it self in self same shape adorning, Becomes the same with quick & strange transforming; So is all things it self, to all it self conforming.

33 34 35 36

fq 2.9.55–58. Mantuan poet: Virgil. which living him opprest: see 1.19n28. fq 2.9.52.

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143

56

Thus when the eye through Visus’ jettie ports Lets in the wandring shapes, the crystall strange Quickly it self to every sort consorts, So is what e’re it sees by wondrous change: Thrice happy then, when on that mirrour bright37 He ever fastens his unmovèd sight, So is what there he views; divine, full, glorious light.

57

Soon as the Prince these forms hath clearely seen, Parting the false from true, the wrong from right, He straight presents them to his beauteous Queen, Whose Courts are lower, yet of equall might; Voletta38 fair, who with him lives, and reignes; Whom neither man, nor fiend, nor God constrains: Oft good, oft ill, oft both; yet ever free remains.

58

Not that great Soveraigne of the Fayrie land, Whom late our Colin hath eternizèd,39 (Though Graces decking her with plenteous hand, Themselves of grace have all unfurnishèd; Though in her breast the Vertue’s temple bare, The fairest temple of a guest so fair) Not that great Glorian’s self with this might e’re compare.

59

Her radiant beautie, daz’ling mortall eye, Strikes blinde the daring sense; her sparkling face Her husband’s self now cannot well descrie: With such strange brightnesse, such immortall grace, Hath that great parent in her cradle made, That Cynthia’s silver cheek would quickly fade, And light it self to her would seem a painted shade.

37

2. Cor. 3.18. pf. “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 3.18. The will. pf. that great Soveraigne: Queen Elizabeth. Fletcher here offers explicit praise for Spenser’s Faerie Queene.

38 39

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60

But (ah!) entic’t by her own worth and pride, She stain’d her beautie with most loathsome spot; Her Lord’s fixt law, and spouse’s light deni’d, So fill’d her spouse and self with leprous blot: And now all dark is their first morning ray. What verse might then their former light display, When yet their darkest night outshines the brightest day?

61

On her a royall damsell still attends, And faithfull Counseller, Synteresis:40 For though Voletta ever good intends, Yet by fair ills she oft deceivèd is; By ills so fairly drest with cunning slight,a That Vertue’s self they well may seem to sight, But that bright Vertue’s self oft seems not half so bright.

62

Therefore Synteresis of nimble sight, Oft helps her doubtfull hand, and erring eye; Els mought she ever stumbling in this night Fall down as deep as deepest Tartarie:41 Nay thence a sad-fair maid, Repentance, rears, And in her arms her fainting Lady bears, Washing her often strains with ever-falling tears.

63

Thereto she addes a water soveraigne, Of wondrous force, and skilfull composition: For first she pricks the heart in tender vein, Then from those precious drops, and deep contrition, With lips’ confession, and with pickled cries, Still’d in a broken spirit, sad vapours rise, Exhal’d by sacred fires, and drop through melting eyes.

a sleight 40 41

Conscience. pf. Tartarie: Tartarus, Hades’s dungeon of torment.

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64

These cordiall drops, these spirit-healing balms Cure all her sinfull bruises, cleare her eyes, Unlock her ears, recover fainting qualms: And now grown fresh and strong, she makes her rise, And glasse of unmaskt sinne she bright displaies, Whereby she sees, loathes, mends her former waies; So soon repairs her light, trebling her new-born raies.

65

But (ah!) why do we (simple as we been) With curious labour, dimme and vailed sight, Prie in the nature of this King and Queen, Groping in darknesse for so cleare a light? A light which once could not be thought or told, But now with blackest clouds is thick enroll’d, Prest down in captive chains, and pent in earthly mold.

66

Rather lament we this their wretched fate, (Ah wretched fate, and fatal wretchednesse!) Unlike those former dayes, and first estate, When he espous’d with melting happinesse To fair Voletta, both their lights conspiring, He saw what e’re was fit for her requiring, And she to his cleare sight would temper her desiring.

67

When both replenisht with celestiall light, All coming evils could foresee and flie; When both with clearest eye, and perfect sight Could every nature’s difference descrie: Whose pictures now they scarcely see with pain, Obscure and dark, like to those shadows vain, Which thinne and emptie glide along Avernus’ plain.42

42

Avernus: entrance to the Underworld.

145

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6843 The flowres that frighted with sharp winter’s dread, Retire into their mother Tellus’44 wombe, Yet in the Spring in troups new musterèd Peep out again from their unfrozen tombe: The early Violet will fresh arise, And spreading his flour’d purple to the skies, Boldly the little elf the winter’s spite defies. 69

The hedge green Sattin pinkt and cut arayes, The Heliotrope to cloth of gold aspires; In hundred-colour’d silks the Tulip playes, Th’ Imperiall flower his neck with pearl attires, The Lily high her silver Grogram45 reares, The Pansie her wrought Velvet garment bears; The red Rose Scarlet, and the Provence Damask wears.

70

How falls it then that such an heav’nly light, As this great King’s, should sink so wondrous low, That scarce he can suspect his former height? Can one eclipse so dark his shining brow, And steal away his beautie glittering fair? One onely blot so great a light empair, That never could he hope his waning to repair?

71

Ah! never could he hope once to repair So great a wane, should not that new-born Sun Adopt him both his brother and his heir; Who through base life, and death, and hell would run, To seat him in his lost, now surer cell. That he may mount to heav’n, he sunk to hell; That he might live, he di’d; that he might rise, he fell.

43 44 45

Stanzas 68–69: Spenser, Shepheardes Calender, “April,” lines 136–144. Tellus: the earth. Grogram: a coarse fabric often mixing silk and wool to make ribbons.

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72

A perfect Virgin breeds and bears a Sonne,46 Th’ immortall father of his mortall mother; Earth, heav’n, flesh, spirit, man, God, are met in one: His younger brother’s childe, his children’s brother, Eternitie, who yet was born and di’d; His own creatour, earth’s scorn, heaven’s pride; Who th’ deitie inflesht, and man’s flesh deifi’d.

73

Thou uncreated Sunne, heav’n’s glory bright, Whom we with knees and hearts low bent adore; At rising, perfect, and now falling, light; Ah what reward, what thanks shall we restore? Thou wretched wast, that we might happy be: Oh all the good we hope, and all we see, That we thee know and love, comes from thy love, and thee.

74

Receive, which we can onely back return, (Yet that we may return, thou first must give) A heart, which fain would smoke, which fain would burn In praise; for thee, to thee would onely live: And thou (who sat’st in night to give us day) Light and enflame us with thy glorious ray, That we may back reflect, and borrow’d light repay.

75

So we beholding with immortall eye The glorious picture of thy heav’nly face, In his first beautie and true Majestie, May shake from our dull souls these fetters base; And mounting up to that bright crystal sphere, Whence thou strik’st all the world with shudd’ring fear, May not be held by earth, nor hold vile earth so deare.

46

Giles Fletcher, Christs Victorie 1.1.

147

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76

Then should thy shepherd (poorest shepherd) sing A thousand Cantos47 in thy heav’nly praise, And rouze his flagging Muse, and flutt’ring wing, To chant thy wonders in immotall laies, (Which once thou wrought’st, when Nilus’ slimie shore, Or Jordan’s banks thy mighty hand adore) Thy judgements, & thy mercies; but thy mercies more.

77

But see, the stealing night with softly pace, To flie the Western Sunne, creeps up the East; Cold Hesper48 ’gins unmask his evening face, And calls the winking starres from drouzie rest: Home then my lambes; the falling drops eschew: To morrow shall ye feast in pastures new, And with the rising Sunne banquet on pearlèd dew.49

47 48 49

Cantos: originally “Canto’s” in the 1633 printing. Hesper: the evening star. A probable echo is found later in Milton’s pastoral elegy “Lycidas” (1637), which concludes with the following lines: “At last he rose, and twitched his Mantle blew, / To morrow to fresh woods, and Pastures new” (lines 192–193).

Canto vii 11

THe rising morn lifts up his orient head, And spangled heav’ns in golden robes invests; Thirsil up starting from his fearlesse bed, Where uselesse nights he safe and quiet rests, Unhous’d his bleating flock, and quickly thence Hasting to his expecting audience, Thus with sad verse began their grievèd mindes incense:

2

Fond man, that looks on earth for happinesse, And here long seeks what here is never found! For all our good we hold from heav’n by lease, With many forfeits and conditions bound; Nor can we pay the fine and rentage due: Though now but writ, and seal’d, and giv’n anew, Yet daily we it break, then daily must renew.

3

Why should’st thou here look for perpetuall good, At every losse against heav’n’s face repining? Do but behold where glorious Cities stood, With gilded tops, and silver turrets shining; There now the Hart fearlesse of greyhound feeds, And loving Pelican in safety breeds; There shrieching Satyres fill the people’s emptie steads.

1 Thirsil sings the content of canto 7 on the morning of the fifth day.

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42

Where is th’ Assyrian Lion’s3 golden hide, That all the East once graspt in lordly paw? Where that great Persian Beare,4 whose swelling pride The Lion’s self tore out with ravenous jaw? Or he which ’twixt a Lion, and a Pard,5 Through all the world with nimble pineonsa far’d, And to his greedy whelps his conquer’d kingdomes shar’d?6

5

Hardly the place of such antiquitie, Or note of these great monarchies we finde: Onely a fading verball memorie, And empty name in writ is left behinde: But when this second life, and glory fades, And sinks at length in time’s obscurer shades, A second fall succeeds, and double death invades.

6

That monstrous beast, which nurst in Tiber’s fenne, Did all the world with hideous shape affray; That fill’d with costly spoil his gaping denne, And trode down all the rest to dust and clay: His batt’ring horns pull’d out by civil hands, And iron teeth lie scatter’d on the sands; Backt, bridled by a Monk, with sev’n heads yokèd stands.7

a wings 2 3 4 5 6

Spenser, “Ruines of Time,” lines 64–77. Assyrian Lion: a reference to the once-powerful ancient Assyrian empire in the Near East. Persian Beare: the Persian empire, which displaced the Assyrian empire. Pard: a leopard. In lines 5–7, Fletcher refers to Alexander the Great’s imperial conquests. This stanza refers to some of the great fallen empires of history and also alludes to Daniel 7:1–23 in which Daniel has a prophetic dream about four beasts—winged lion, bear, winged leopard, and dragon—with each representing a kingdom. The first three have already fallen, with the dragon to be the most destructive of them all. This iron-toothed dragon appears in stanza 6 below. 7 The “monstrous beast” of this stanza refers to the Beast Out of the Sea in Revelation 13:1– 2: “And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion.” The beast is described as having “great iron teeth” in Daniel 7:7. Grosart identifies the Monk as Martin Luther and, therefore, the beast as Catholicism. See also the previous note.

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7

And that black Vulture,8 which with deathfull wing O’re-shadows half the earth, whose dismall sight Frighted the Muses from their native spring, Already stoops, and flagges with weary flight. Who then shall look for happines beneath; Where each new day proclaims chance, change, and death, And life it self’s as flit as is the aire we breathe?

8

Ne mought this Prince escape, though he as farre All these excells in worth and heav’nly grace, As brightest Phoebus does the dimmest starre: The deepest falls are from the highest place. There lies he now bruis’d with so sore a fall, To his base bonds, and loathsome prison thrall, Whom thousand foes besiege, fenc’d with frail yeelding wall.

9

Tell me, oh tell me then, thou holy Muse, Sacred Thespio, what the cause may be Of such despite, so many foemen use To persecute unpiti’d miserie: Or if these cankred foes (as most men say) So mighty be, that gird this wall of clay; What makes it hold so long, and threatned ruine stay?

10

When that great Lord his standing Court would build, The outward walls with gemmes and glorious lights, But inward rooms with nobler Courtiers fill’d; Pure, living flames, swift, mighty, blessed sprites:a But some his royall service (fools!) disdain; So down were flung: (oft blisse is double pain) In heav’n they scorn’d to serve, so now in hell they reigne.

aspirits 8 The Turk. pf.

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11

There turn’d to serpents, swoln with pride and hate, Their Prince a Dragon fell, who burst with spight To see this King’s and Queen’s yet happy state, Tempts them to lust and pride, prevails by slight:a To make them wise, and gods he undertakes. Thus while the snake they heare, they turn to snakes; To make them gods he boasts, but beasts, and devils makes.

12

But that great Lion9 who in Judah’s plains The awfull beasts holds down in due subjection, The Dragon’s craft, and base-got spoil disdains, And folds this captive Prince in his protection; Breaks ope the jayl, & brings the prisoners thence,10 Yet plac’t them in this castle’s weak defence, Where they might trust and seek an higher providence.

13

So now spread round about this little hold, With armies infinite encampèd lie Th’ enraged Dragon and his Serpents bold: And knowing well his time grows short and nigh, He swells with venom’d gore and poys’nous heat; His tail unfolded heav’n it self doth beat,11 And sweeps the mighty starres from their transcendent seat.

a sleight 9

10

11

Revel. 5.5. pf. “And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof” (Revelation 5:5). Luke 4.18. pf. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised” (Luke 4:18). Revel. 12.4. pf. “And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born” (Revelation 12:4).

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14

With him goes Caro,12 cursèd damme of sinne, Foul filthie damme of fouler progenie; Yet seems (skin-deep) most fair by witching gin To weaker sight; but to a purgèd eye Looks like (nay worse then) hell’s infernall hagges: Her empty breasts hang like lank hollow bagges, And Iris’ ulcer’d skin is patcht with leprous ragges.

15

Therefore her loathsome shape in steel arayd, All rust within, the outside polisht bright: And on her shield a Mermaid sung and play’d; Whose humane beauties ’lure the wandring sight, But slimy scales hid in their waters lie: She chants, she smiles, so draws the eare, the eye, And whom she winnes, she kills: the word, Heare, gaze, & die.

153

1613 And after march her fruitfull serpent frie, Whom she of divers lechers divers bore; Marshall’d in severall ranks their colours flie: Foure to Anagnus, foure this painted whore14 To loathsome Asebie brought forth to light; Twice foure got Adicus, a hatefull wight; But swoln Acrates two, born in one bed, and night.

12 13 14

The flesh. pf. fq 2.9.1. The fruits of the flesh are described Gal. 5.19, 20, 21. and may be ranked into foure companies, 1. of Unchastitie. 2. of Irreligion. 3. of Unrighteousnesse. 4. of Intemperance. pf. “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envying, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:19–21).

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17

Moechus15 the first, of blushlesse bold aspect; Yet with him Doubt and Fear still trembling go: Oft lookt he back, as if he did suspect Th’ approach of some unwisht, unwelcome foe: Behinde, fell Jealousie his steps observ’d, And sure Revenge, with dart that never swerv’d: Ten thousand griefs and plagues he felt, but more deserv’d.

18

His armour black as hell, or starlesse night; And in his shield he lively pourtray’d bare Mars fast impound in arms of Venus light, And ti’d as fast in Vulcan’s subtil snare: She feign’d to blush for shame now all too late; But his red colour seem’d to sparkle hate: Sweet are stoln waters, round about the margea he wrate.b

19

Porneius16 next him pac’t, a meager wight; Whose leaden eyes sunk deep in swimming head, And joylesse look, like some pale ashie spright, Seem’d as he now were dying, or now dead: And with him Wastefulnesse, that all expended, And Want, that still in theft and prison ended: A hundred foul diseases close at’s back attended.

20

His shining helm might seem a sparkling flame, Yet sooth nought was it but a foolish fire: And all his arms were of that burning frame, That flesh and bones were gnawn with hot desire: About his wrist his blazing shield did frie With sweltring hearts in flame of luxurie: His word, In fire I live, in fire I burn and die.

a margin 15 16

b wrote

Adulterie. Gal. 5.19. pf. See previous note. Fornication. pf.

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21

With him Acatharus17 in Tuscan guise; A thing, that neither man will owne, nor beast: Upon a boy he lean’d in wanton wise, On whose fair limbes his eyes still greedie feast; He sports, he toyes, kisses his shining face: Behinde, reproach and thousand devils pace; Before, bold Impudence, that cannot change her grace.

22

His armour seem’d to laugh with idle boyes, Which all about their wanton sportings playd; Al’s would himself help out their childish toyes, And like a boy lend them unmanly aid: In his broad targea the bird her wings dispread, Which trussing wafts the Trojan Ganymed:18 And round was writ, Like with his like is coupelèd.

155

2319 Aselges20 follow’d next, the boldest boy, That ever play’d in Venus’ wanton court: He little cares who notes his lavish joy; Broad were his jests, wilde his uncivil sport; His fashion too too fond, and loosly light: A long love-lock on his left shoulder plight, Like to a woman’s hair, well shew’d a woman’s sprite.b

ashield 17

18 19 20

b spirit

Sodomie. Rom. 1.26, 27. Levit. 10.15, 16. pf. “For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: and likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet” (Romans 1:26–27); “The heave shoulder and the wave breast shall they bring with the offerings made by fire of the fat, to wave it for a wave offering before the Lord; and it shall be thine, and thy sons’ with thee, by a statue for ever; as the Lord hath commanded. And Moses diligently sought the goat of the sin offering, and, behold, it was burnt: and he was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, the sons of Aaron which were left alive” (Leviticus 10:15–16). Ganymed: Ganymede, Trojan youth symbolic of homoeroticism. For stanzas 23–26, see fq 1.4.24–26. Lasciviousnesse. pf.

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24

Lust in strange nests this Cuckoe egge conceiv’d; Which nurst with surfets,a drest with fond disguises, In fancie’s school his breeding first receiv’d: So this brave spark to wilder flame arises; And now to court preferr’d, high blouds he fires, There blows up pride, vain mirths and loose desires; And heav’nly souls (oh grief!) with hellish flame inspires.

25

There oft to rivalls lends the gentle Dor,21 Oft takes (his mistresse by) the bitter Bob:22 There learns her each daie’s change of Gules,23 Verd,24 Or,25 (His sampler) if she pouts, her slave must sob: Her face his sphere, her hair his circling skie; Her love his heav’n, her sight eternitie: Of her he dreams, with her he lives, for her he’l die.

26

Upon his arm a tinsell scarf he wore, Forsooth his Madam’s favour, spangled fair: Light as himself, a fanne his helmet bore, With ribbons drest, begg’d from his Mistresse’ hair: On’s shield a wingèd boy all naked shin’d; His folded eyes willing and wilfull blinde: The word was wrought with gold, Such is a lover’s minde.

27

These foure, Anagnus and foul Caro’s sonnes, Who led a diff’rent, and disorder’d rout; Fancie, a lad that all in feathers wons,b And loose desire, and danger linkt with doubt; And thousand wanton thoughts still budding new: But lazie ease usher’d the idle crue; And lame disease shuts up their troops with torments due.

a overfeeding 21 22 23 24 25

b appears

Dor: Grosart defines “dor” as “To make a fool of a person, or pass a joke upon or outwit him.” Bob: Grosart defines “bob” as a jest or taunt; “give the bob” means to give the door or imposing on a person. Gules: Red. Verd: Green. Or: Gold.

157

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28

Next band by Asebie was boldly led, And his foure sonnes, begot in Stygiana night: First Idololatros,26 whose monstrous head Was like an ugly fiend, his flaming sight Like blazing starres; the rest all different: For to his shape some part each creature lent, But to the great Creatour all adversly bent.

29

Upon his breast a bloudie Crosse he scor’d, Which oft he worshipt; but the Christ that di’d Thereon, he seldome but in paint ador’d; Yet wood, stone, beasts, wealth, lusts, fiends deifi’d: He makes meer pageants of the saving Rock,27 Puppet-like trimming his Almightie stock: Which then, his god or he, which is the verierb block?

30

Of Giant shape, and strength thereto agreeing, Wherewith he whilomec all the world opprest; And yet the greater part his vassals being, Slumbring in ignorance, securely rest: A golden calf (himself more beast) he bore; Which brutes with dancings, gifts, and songs adore: Idols are lay-men’s books, he round had wrote in Ore.d

31

Next Pharmacus,28 of gashlye wilde aspect; Whom hell with seeming fear, and fiends obey: Full eas’ly would he know each past effect, And things to come with double guesse foresay, By slain beasts’ entrails, and fowls’ markèd flight: Thereto he tempests rais’d by many a spright, And charm’d the Sunne and Moon, & chang’d the day and night.

ahellish 26

27 28

b truer

c formerly

d gold

e ghastly

Idolatrie, either by worshipping the true God by false worship; as by images, against the second commandment: or giving away his worship to any thing that is not God, against the first. pf. Psal. 62.7. pf. “In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God” (Psalm 62:7). Witchcraft and curious arts. pf.

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3229 So when the South (dipping his sablest wings In humid Ocean) sweeps with’s dropping beard Th’ aire, earth, and seas; his lips’ loud thunderings And flashing eyes make all the world afeard: Light with dark clouds, waters with fires are met: The Sunne but now is rising, now is set; And findes west-shades in East, and seas in ayers wet. 33

By birth, and hand, he jugling fortunes tells; Oft brings from shades his grandsire’s damnèd ghost; Oft stoln goods forces out by wicked spells: His frightfull shield with thousand fiends embost, Which seem’d withouta a circle’s ring to play: In midst himself dampens the smiling day, And prints sad characters, which none may write, or say.

34

The third Haereticus,30 a wrangling carle,b Who in the way to heav’n would wilfull erre; And oft convicted, still would snatch and snarle: His Crambe oft repeats; all tongue, no eare. Him Obstinacie, Pride, and Scorn attended: On’s shield with Truth Errour disguis’d contended: His Motto this, Rather thus erre, then be amended.

35

Last marcht Hypocrisie, false form of grace, That vaunts the show of all, ha’s truth of none: A rotten heart he masks with painted face; Among the beasts a mule, ’mong bees a drone, ’Mong starres a meteor: all the world neglects him; Nor good, nor bad, nor heav’n, nor earth affects him: The earth for glaring forms, for bare forms heav’n rejects him.

a outside 29

30

b churl

This stanza is largely adapted from Fletcher’s own Apollyonists 2.40: “So when the South (dipping his sable wings / In humid seas) sweeps with his dropping beard / The ayer, earth, and Ocean, downe he flings / The laden trees, the Plowmans hopes new-eard / Swimme on the playne: his lippes loud thunderings, / And flashing eyes make all the world afeard: / Light with darke cloudes, waters with fires are met, / The Sunne but now is rising, now is set, / And finds West-shades in East, and seas in ayers wet.” Heresie. pf.

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36

His wanton heart he vails with dewy eyes; So oft the world, and oft himself deceives: His tongue his heart, his hands his tongue belies: In’s path (as snails) silver, but slime he leaves: He Babel’s glory is, but Sion’s taint; Religion’s blot, but Irreligion’s paint: A Saint abroad, at home a Fiend; and worst a Saint.

37

So tallow lights live glitt’ring, stinking die; Their gleams aggrate the sight, steams wound the smell: So Sodom apples31 please the ravisht eye, But sulphure taste proclaims their root’s in hell: So airy flames to heav’nly seem alli’d; But when their oyl is spent, they swiftly glide, And into jelly’d mire melt all their gilded pride.

38

So rushes green, smooth, full, are spungie light; So their ragg’d stones in velvet peaches gown: So rotten sticks seem starres in cheating night; So quagmires false their mire with emeralds crown: Such is Hypocrisie’s deceitfull frame; A stinking light, a sulphure fruit, false flame, Smooth rush, hard peach, sere wood, false mire, a voice, a name.

39

Such were his arms, false gold, true alchymie; Glitt’ring with glassie stones, and fine deceit: His sword a flatt’ring steel, which gull’d the eye, And pierc’t the heart with pride and self-conceit: On’s shield a tombe, where death had drest his bed With curious art, and crown’d his loathsome head With gold, & gems: his word, More gorgeous when dead.

31

Sodom apples: poisonous fruit. Something worthless that appears otherwise.

159

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40

Before them went their nurse, bold Ignorance; A loathsome monster, light, sight, ’mendment scorning: Born deaf and blinde, fitter to lead the dance To such a rout; her silver head’s adorning (Her dotage index) much she bragg’d, yet feign’d: For by false tallies many yeares she gain’d. Wise youth is honour’d age; fond’s age with dotage stain’d.

41

Her failing legges with erring footsteps reel’d; (Lame guide to blisse!) her daughters on each side Much pain’d themselves her stumbling feet to weeld; Both like their mother, dull and beetle-ey’d: The first Errour false, who multiplies Her num’rous race in endlesse progenies: For but one truth there is, ten thousand thousand lies.

42

Her brood o’re-spread her round with sinne and bloud, With envie, malice, mischiefs infinite; While she to see her self amazèd stood, So often got with childe and bigge with spite: Her off-spring flie about & spread their seed; Straight hate, pride, schisme, warres & seditions breed, Get up, grow ripe. How soon prospers the vicious weed!

43

The other Owl-ey’d Superstition, Deform’d, distorted, blinde in shining light; Yet styles her self holy Devotion, And so is call’d, and seems in shadie night: Fearfull, as is the hare, or hunted hinde; Her face and breast she oft with crosses sign’d: No custome would she break, or change her setled minde.

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44

If hare or snake her way, herself she crosses, And stops her ’mazed steps; sad fears affright her, When falling salt points out some fatall losses, Till Bacchus grapes with holy sprinkle quitea her: Her onely bible is an Erra Pater; Her antidote are hallow’d wax and water: I’ th’ dark all lights are sprites,b all noises chains that clatter.

45

With them marcht (sunk in deep securitie) Profanenesse, to be fear’d for never fearing; And by him, new-oaths-coyning Blasphemie, Who names not God, but in a curse, or swearing: And thousand other fiends in diverse fashion, Dispos’d in severall ward, and certain station: Under, Hell widely yawn’d; and over, flew Damnation.

46

Next Adicus32 his sonnes; first Ecthros33 flie, Whose prickt-up eares kept open house for lies; And sleering34 eyes still watch and wait to spie When to return still-living injuries: Fair weather smil’d upon his painted face, And eyes spoke peace, till he had time and place; Then poures down showers of rage, and streams of rancour base.

47

So when a sable cloud with swelling sail Comes swimming through calm skies, the silent aire (Which fierce windes sleep in Aeol’s rockie jayl) With spangled beams embroid’red, glitters fair; But soon ’gins lowr: straight clatt’ring hail is bred, Scatt’ring cold shot; light hides his golden head, And with untimely winter earth’s o’re-silverèd.

aquiet 32 33 34

161

b spirits Adicus: Unrighteousness. Hatred. pf. “Sleering” has been an issue of editorial debate in previous editions of the poem. Boas corrects to “[f]leering” (derisive), while Grosart chooses “sneering,” which he glosses as “contemptuous.” “Sleering,” however, is a sometimes-synonym for “mocking.”

162

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48

His arms well suit his minde, where smiling skies Breed thund’ring tempests: on his loftie crest Asleep the spotted Panther couching lies, And by sweet sentsa and skinne so quaintly drest, Draws on her prey: upon his shield he bears The dreadfull monster which great Nilus fears; (The weeping Crocadile) his word, I kill with tears.

49

With him Dissemblance went, his Paramour, Whose painted face might hardly be detected: Arms of offence he seld’ or never wore, Lest thence his close designes might be suspected; But clasping close his foe, as loth to part, He steals his dagger with false smiling art, And sheaths the trait’rous steel in his own master’s heart.

50

Two Jewish Captains, close themselves enlacing In love’s sweet twines, his target broad display’d; One th’ other’s beard with his left hand embracing, But in his right a shining sword he sway’d, Which unawares through th’ other’s ribs he smites; There lay the wretch without all buriall rites: His word, He deepest wounds, that in his fawning bites.

51

Eris35 the next, of sex unfit for warre: Her arms were bitter words from flaming tongue, Which never quiet, wrangle, fight, and jarre; Ne would she weigh report with right, or wrong: What once she held, that would she ever hold, And Non-obstantes force with courage bold: The last word must she have, or never leave to scold.

a scents 35

Variance. pf.

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52

She is the trumpet to this angrie train, And whets their furie with loud-railing spite: But when no open foes did more remain, Against themselves themselves she would incite. Her clacking mill, driv’n by her flowing gall, Could never stand, but chide, rail, bark, and bawl: Her shield no word could finde; her tongue engrost them all.

53

Zelos36 the third, whose spitefull emulation Could not endure a fellow in excelling; Yet slow in any vertue’s imitation, At easie rate that fair possession selling: Still as he went, he hidden sparkles blew, Till to a mighty flame they sudden grew, And like fierce lightning all in quick destruction drew.

54

Upon his shield lay that Tirinthian Swain,37 Sweltring in fierie gore and pois’nous flame; His wive’s sad gift venom’d with bloudie stain: Well could he bulls, snakes,38 hell, all monsters tame; Well could he heav’n support and prop alone; But by fell Jealousie soon overthrown, Without a foe, or sword: his motto, First, or none.

163

5539 Thumos40 the fourth, a dire, revengefull swain; Whose soul was made of flames, whose flesh of fire: Wrath in his heart, hate, rage and furie reigne; Fierce was his look, when clad in sparkling tire; But when dead palenesse in his cheek took seisure, And all the bloud in’s boyling heart did treasure, Then in his wilde revenge kept he nor mean, nor measure.

36 37 38 39 40

Emulation. pf. Tirynthian Swain: Hercules. The reference also appears in fq 6.12.35. Corrected typographical error. The original reads “snake,s” and appears in both of the 1633 editions. For stanzas 55–57, see fq 1.4.33–35. Wrath. pf.

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56

Look as when waters wall’d with brazen wreath Are sieg’d with crackling flames, their common foe; The angrie seas ’gin foam and hotly breathe, Then swell, rise, rave, and still more furious grow; Nor can be held, but forc’t with fires below, Tossing their waves, break out and all o’reflow: So boyl’d his rising bloud, and dasht his angry brow.

57

For in his face red heat, and ashie cold Strove which should paint revenge in proper colours: That, like consuming fire, most dreadfull roll’d; This, liker death, threatens all deadly dolours: His trembling hand a dagger still embrac’t, Which in his friend he rashly oft encas’t: His shield’s devise fresh bloud with foulest stain defac’t.

58

Next him Erithius,41 most unquiet swain, That all in law and fond contention spent; Not one was found in all this numerous train, With whom in any thing he would consent: His Will his Law, he weigh’d not wrong or right; Much scorn’d to bear, much more forgive a spight: Patience he th’ asse’s load, and coward’s Vertue hight.

59

His weapons all were fram’d of shining gold, Wherewith he subt’ly fought close under hand: Thus would he right from right by force withhold, Nor suits, nor friends, nor laws his slightsa withstand: Ah powerfull weapon! how dost thou bewitch Great, but base mindes, & spott’st with leprous itch, That never are in thought, nor ever can be rich!

a sleights 41

Strife. pf.

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60

Upon his belt (fastned with leather laces) Black boxes hung, sheaths of his paper-swords; Fill’d up with Writs, Sub-poenas,42 Triall-cases; This trespast him in cattel, that in words: Fit his device, and well his shield became, A Salamander drawn in lively frame: His word was this, I live, I breathe, I feed in flame.

61

Next after him marcht proud Dichostasis,43 That wont but in the factious court to dwell; But now to shepherd-swains close linkèd is; And taught them (fools!) to change their humble cell, And lowly weed for courts, and purple gay, To sit aloft, and States and Princes sway: A hook, no scepter needs our erring sheep to stay.

62

A Miter trebly crown’d th’ Impostour wore; For heav’n, earth, hell he claims with loftie pride. Not in his lips, but hands, two keyes he bore, Heav’n’s doores and hell’s to shut, and open wide: But late his keyes are marr’d, or broken quite: For hell he cannot shut, but opens light; Nor heav’n can ope, but shut; nor buyes, but sells by slight.a

63

Two heads, oft three, he in one body had, Nor with the body, nor themselves agreeing: What this commanded, th’ other soon forbad; As different in rule, as nature being: The body to them both, and neither prone, Was like a double-hearted dealer grown; Endeavouring to please both parties, pleasing none.

asleight 42 43

Sub-poenas: corrected typographical error. The original reads “Sub-poena’s.” Sedition or Schisme. pf.

165

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64

As when the powerfull winde and adverse tide Strive which should most command the subject main; The scornfull waves, swelling with angrie pride, Yeelding to neither, all their force disdain: Mean time the shaken vessel doubtfull playes, And on the stagg’ring billow trembling stayes, And would obey them both, and none of both obeyes.

65

A subtil craftsman fram’d him seemly arms, Forg’d in the shop of wrangling sophistrie; And wrought with curious arts, and mightie charms, Temper’d with lies, and false philosophie: Millions of heedlesse souls thus had he slain. His sev’n-fold targe a field of Gules44 did stain; In which two swords he bore: his word, Divide, and reigne.

6645 Envie the next, Envie with squinted eyes; Sick of a strange disease, his neighbour’s health: Best lives he then, when any better dies; Is never poore, but in another’s wealth: On best men’s harms and griefs he feeds his fill; Else his own maw doth eat with spitefull will. Ill must the temper be, where diet is so ill. 67

Each eye through divers opticks slily leers, Which both his sight, and object self belie; So greatest vertue as a mote appeares, And molehill faults to mountains multiplie. When needs he must, yet faintly, then he praises; Somewhat the deed, much more the means he raises: So marreth what he makes, & praising most dispraises.

44 45

field of Gules: a red background (as in heraldry). For stanzas 66–68, see fq 1.4.30–32 and 5.7.29–32.

canto vii

68

Upon his shield that cruell Herd-groom46 play’d, Fit instrument of Juno’s jealous spight; His hundred eyes stood fixèd on the maid; He pip’t, she sigh’d: his word, Her day my night. His missile weapon was a lying tongue, Which he farre off like swiftest lightning flung, That all the world with noise & foul blaspheming rung.

69

Last of this rout the savage Phonos47 went, Whom his dire mother nurst with humane bloud; And when more age and strength more fiercenesse lent, She taught him in a dark and desert wood With force and guile poore passengers to slay, And on their flesh his barking stomack stay, And with their wretched bloud his firy thirst allay.

70

So when the never-setled Scythian48 Removes his dwelling in an empty wain;a When now the Sunne hath half his journey ranne, His horse he blouds, and pricks a trembling vein, So from the wound quenches his thirstie heat: Yet worse, this fiend makes his own flesh his meat. Monster! the ravenous beare his kinde will never eat.

71

Ten thousand Furies on his steps awaited; Some fear’d his hardned soul with Stygianb brand: Some with black terrours his faint conscience baited, That wide he star’d, and starchèd hair did stand: The first-born man49 still in his minde he bore, Foully aray’d in guiltlesse brother’s gore, Which for revenge to heav’n from earth did loudly roar.

acart 46 47 48 49

b hellish that cruell Herd-groom: Argos, the 100-eyed giant who served the jealous Juno. Murder. pf. Scythian: an ancient nomadic people, reputedly barbaric. first-born man: Cain, who killed his brother, Abel.

167

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72

His arms offensive all, to spill, not spare; Swords, pistols, poisons, instruments of hell: A shield he wore (not that the wretch did care To save his flesh, oft he himself would quell) For shew, not use: on it a viper swilling The damme’s spilt gore, his emptie bowels filling With flesh that gave him life: his word, I live by killing.

73

And last his brutish sonnes Acrates sent, Whom Caro bore both in one birth and bed; Methos50 the first, whose panch his feet out-went, As if it usher’d his unsetled head: His soul quite sowcèda lay in grapie bloud; In all his parts the idle dropsie stood; Which, though alreadie drown’d, still thirsted for the floud.

74

This thing, nor man, nor beast, tunnes51 all his wealth In drink; his dayes, his yeares in liquour drenching: So quaffes he sicknesse down by quaffing health,b Firing his cheeks with quenching, strangely quenching His eyes with firing; dull and faint they roll’d: But nimble lips known things, and hid unfold; Belchings, oft-sips, large spits point the long tale he told.

75

His armour green might seem a fruitfull vine; The clusters prison’d in the close-set leaves, Yet oft between the bloudie grape did shine; And peeping forth, his jayler’s spite deceives: Among the boughs did swilling Bacchus52 ride, Whom wilde-grown Maenads53 bore, and every stride Bacche, Iö Bacche,54 loud with madding voice they cri’d.

a drunken 50 51 52 53 54

b i.e., toasting

Drunkennesse. pf. tunnes: stores in casks, as with alcohol. Bacchus: god of wine. Also known as Dionysus. Maenads: female followers of Dionysus. Bacche, Iö Bacche: a common ecstatic chant for the god’s followers.

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76

On’s shield the goatish Satyres dance around, (Their heads much lighter then their nimble heels) Silenus55 old, in wine (as ever) drown’d, Clos’d with the ring, in midst (though sitting) reels: Under his arm a bag-pipe swoln he held, (Yet wine-swoln cheeks the windie bag out-swell’d) So loudly pipes: his word, But full, no mirth I yeeld.

77

Insatiate sink, how with so generall stain Thy spur’d-out puddles court, town, fields entice! Ay me! the shepherds’ selves thee entertain, And to thy Curtian gulph56 do sacrifice: All drink to spue, and spue again to drink. Sowre swil-tub sinne, of all the rest the sink, How canst thou thus bewitch with thy abhorrèd stink?

78

The eye thou wrong’st with vomit’s reeking streams, The eare with belching; touch thou drown’st in wine; The taste thou surfet’st;a smell with spuing steams Thou woundest: foh! thou loathsome putrid swine, Still thou increasest thirst, when thirst thou slakest; The minde and will thou (wit’s bane) captive takest: Senseles thy hoggish filth, & sense thou senseles makest.

79

Thy fellow sinnes, and all the rest of vices With seeming good are fairly cloath’d to sight; Their feignèd sweet the bleare-ey’d will entices, Coz’ning the daz’led sense with borrow’d light: Thee neither true, nor yet false good commends; Profit nor pleasure on thy steps attends: Folly begins thy sinne, which still with madnesse ends.

169

aoverfeeds 55 56

Silenus: older companion to Dionysus. Part horse rather than part goat like the satyrs, Silenus is a noted lover of wine and often drunk. Curtian gulph: during a time of pestilence in the fourth century bc, an earthquake opened a chasm at the Roman Forum, believed to be a punishment from the gods. It could not be filled until the warrior Curtius rode into the chasm in an act of self-sacrifice, after which the gulf could be filled.

170

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8057 With Methos, Gluttonie, his gutling brother, Twinne parallels, drawn from the self-same line; So foully like was either to the other, And both most like a monstrous-panchèd swine: His life was either a continu’d feast, Whose surfetsa upon surfetsb him opprest; Or heavie sleep, that helps so great a load digest. 81

Mean time his soul, weigh’d down with muddie chains, Can neither work, nor move in captive bands; But dull’d in vaprous fogges, all carelesse reignes, Or rather serves strong appetite’s commands: That when he now was gorg’d with cramm’d-down store, And porter wanting room had shut the doore, The glutton sigh’d that he could gurmandizec no more.

82

His crane-like neck was long unlac’d; his breast, His gowtie limbes, like to a circle round, As broad as long; and for his spear in rest Oft with his staffe he beats the yeelding ground; Wherewith his hands did help his feet to bear, Els would they ill so huge a burthen stear: His clothes were all of leaves, no armour could he wear.

83

Onely a target light upon his arm He carelesse bore, on which old Gryll58 was drawn, Transform’d into a hog with cunning charm; In head, and paunch, and soul it self a brawn:d Half drown’d within, without, yet still did hunt In his deep trough for swill, as he was wont; Cas’d all in loathsome mire: no word; Gryll could but grunt.

a overfeeding 57 58

b overfeeding

c eat greedily

d pig

For stanzas 80–84, see fq 1.4.21–23 and 2.12.86–87. Gryll: the embodiment of base desires. In fq 2.12, Gryll is a man transformed into a hog by Acrasia.

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84

Him serv’d sweet-seeming lusts, self-pleasing lies; But bitter death flow’d from those sweets of sinne: And at the Rear of these in secret guise Crept Theeverie, and Detraction, neare akinne; No twinnes more like: they seem’d almost the same; One stole the goods, the other the good name: The latter lives in scorn, the former dies in shame.

85

Their boon companions in their joviall feasting Were new-shapt oaths, and damning perjuries: Their cates,a fit for their taste, profanest jesting, Sauc’d with the salt of hell, dire blasphemies. But till th’ ambitious Sunne, yet still aspiring, Allayes his flaming gold with gentler firing, We’l rest our wearie song in that thick grove’s retiring.

adelicacies

171

Canto viii 11

THe Sunne began to slack his bended bow, And more obliquely dart his milder ray; When cooler ayers gently ’gan to blow, And fanne the fields parcht with the scorching day: The shepherds to their wonted seats repair; Thirsil, refresht with this soft-breathing aire, Thus ’gan renew his task, and broken song repair:

2

What watchfull care must fence that weary state, Which deadly foes begirta with cruell siege; And frailest wall of glasse, and trait’rous gate Strive which should first yeeld up their wofull leige? By enemies assail’d, by friends betray’d; When others hurt, himself refuses aid: By weaknesse’ self his strength is foil’d and overlay’d.

3

How comes it then that in so neare decay We deadly sleep in deep securitie, When every houre is ready to betray Our lives to that still-watching enemie? Wake then thy soul that deadly slumbereth: For when thy foe hath seiz’d thy captive breath, Too late to wish past life, too late to wish for death.

4

Caro the Vantguard with the Dragon led, Cosmos2 the battell guides, with loud alarms; Cosmos, the first sonne to the Dragon red, Shining in seeming gold, and glitt’ring arms: Well might he seem a strong and gentle Knight, As e’re was clad in steel and armour bright; But was a recreant base, a foul, false, cheating sprite.

a surround 1 Canto 8 is sung during the afternoon of the fifth day. 2 The World or Mammon. pf.

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5

And as himself, such were his arms; appearing Bright burnisht gold, indeed base alchymie, Dimme beetle eyes, and greedy worldling’s blearing: His shield was drest in night’s sad liverie, Where man-like Apes a Gloworm compasse round, Glad that in wintrie night they fire had found; Busie they puffe & blow: the word, Mistake the ground.

6

Mistake points all his darts; his sunshines bright (Mistaken) light appeare, sad lightning prove: His clouds (mistook) seem lightnings, turn to light; His love true hatred is, his hatred love; His shop, a Pedler’s pack of apish fashion; His honours, pleasures, joyes are all vexation: His wages, glorious care, sweet surfets,a woo’d damnation.

7

His lib’rall favours, complementall arts; His high advancements, Alpine slipp’ry straits; His smiling glances, death’s most pleasing darts; And (what he vaunts) his gifts are gilded baits: Indeed he nothing is, yet all appeares. Haplesse earth’s happy fools, that know no tears! Who bathes in worldly joyes, swimmes in a world of fears.

83

Pure Essence, who hast made a stone descrie ’Twixt natures hid, and check that metal’s pride That dares aspire to gold’s high soveraigntie; Ah leave some touch-stone erring eyes to guide, And judge dissemblance; see by what devices Sinne with fair glosse our mole-ey’d sight entises, That vices vertues seem to most; and vertues, vices.

aoverfeedings 3 fq 6.10.26.

173

174 9

the purple island

Strip thou their meretricious seemlinesse, And tinfold glitt’ring bare to every sight, That we may loath their inward uglinesse; Or else uncloud the soul, whose shadie light Addes a fair lustre to false earthly blisse: Thine and their beauty differs but in this; Theirs what it is not, seems; thine seems not what it is.

104 Next to the Captain coward Deilos5 far’d; Him right before he as his shield projected, And following troops to back him as his guard; Yet both his shield and guard (faint heart) suspected: And sending often back his doubtfull eye, By fearing taught unthought of treacherie; So made him enemies, by fearing enmitie. 11

Still did he look for some ensuing crosse, Fearing such hap as never man befell: No mean he knows, but dreads each little losse (With tyrannie of fear distraught) as hell. His sense he dare not trust, (nor eyes, nor eares) And when no other cause of fright appeares, Himself he much suspects, and fears his causelesse fears.

12

Harnest with massie steel, for fence, not fight; His sword unseemly long he ready drew: At sudden shine of his own armour bright He started oft, and star’d with ghastly hue: He shrieks at every danger that appeares, Shaming the knightly arms he goodly bears: His word, Safer that all, then he that nothing fears.

4 For stanzas 10–12, see fq 3.10.12. 5 Fearfulnesse. pf.

175

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13

With him went Doubt, stagg’ring with steps unsure, That every way, and neither way enclin’d; And fond Distrust, whom nothing could secure; Suspicion lean, as if he never din’d: He keeps intelligence by thousand spies; Argus6 to him bequeath’d his hundred eyes: So waking still he sleeps, and sleeping wakefull lies.

14

Fond Deilos all, Tolmetes7 nothing fears; Just frights he laughs, all terrours counteth base; And when of danger, or sad news he heares, He meets the thund’ring fortune face to face: Yet oft in words he spends his boisterous threat; That his hot bloud, driv’n from the native seat, Leaves his faint coward heart8 empty of lively heat.

15

Himself (weak help!) was all his confidence; He scorns low ebs, but swimmes in highest rises: His limbes with arms or shield he would not fence; Such coward fashion (fool!) he much despises: Ev’n for his single sword the world seems scant; For hundred worlds his conqu’ring arm could dant:a Much would he boldly do, but much more boldly vant.

16

With him went self-admiring Arrogance, And Bragge, his deeds without an helper praising: Blinde Carelesnesse before would lead the dance; Fear stole behinde, those vaunts in balance peysing,b Which farre their deeds outweigh’d; their violence, ’Fore danger spent with lavish diffluence,c Was none, or weak in time of greatest exigence.

adaunt

b equalizing

c dissolving

6 Argus: mythological giant with one hundred eyes. 7 Overboldnesse, or foolhardinesse. pf. 8 The Philosopher rightly calls such θρασυδειλους Ethic. 3. cap. 7. not onely foolhardy, but fainthardy. pf. Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics 3.7, in which Aristotle distinguishes between true bravery and cowardice, and the pretense of courage.

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17

As when a fierie courser readie bent, Puts forth himself at first with swiftest pace; Till with too sudden flash his spirits spent, Alreadie fails now in the middle race: His hanging crest farre from his wonted pride, No longer now obeyes his angrie guide; Rivers of sweat and bloud flow from his gorèd side:

18

Thus ran the rash Tolmetes, never viewing The fearfull fiends that duly him attended; Destruction close his steps in poast pursuing, And certain ruine’s heavie weights depended Over his cursèd head, and smooth-fac’d guile, That with him oft would loosly play and smile; Till in his snare he lockt his feet with treach’rous wile.

19

Next marcht Asotus,9 carelesse-spending Swain; Who with a fork went spreading all around, Which his old sire with sweating toil and pain Long time was raking from his rackèd ground: In giving he observ’d nor form, nor matter, But best reward he got, that best could flatter;10 Thus what he thought to give, he did not give, but scatter.

20

Before aray’d in sumptuous braverie, Deckt court-like in the choice and newest guise; But all behinde like drudging slaverie, With ragged patches, rent, and barèd thighs: His shamefull parts, that shunne the hated light, Were naked left; (ah foul unhonest sight!) Yet neither could he see, nor feel his wretched plight.

9 10

Prodigalitie. pf. Arist. Eth. 4. pf. Nicomachean Ethics 4.1.

canto viii

21

His shield presents to life death’s latest rites, A sad black herse born up with sable swains; Which many idle grooms with hundred lights (Tapers, lamps, torches) usher through the plains To endlesse darknesse; while the Sunne’s bright brow With fierie beams quenches their smoaking tow, And wastes their idle cost: the word, Not need, but show.

22

A vagrant rout (a shoal of tatling daws) Strow him with vain-spent prayers, and idle layes; And flatt’rie to his sinne close curtains draws, Clawing his itching eare with tickling praise: Behinde, fond pitie much his fall lamented, And miserie, that former waste repented: The usurer for his goods, jayl for his bones indented.

23

His steward was his kinsman, Vain-expence, Who proudly strove in matters light to shew Heroick minde in braggard affluence; So lost his treasure, getting not in liew, But ostentation of a foolish pride; While women fond, and boyes stood gaping wide; But wise men all his waste and needlesse cost deride.

2411 Next Pleonectes12 went, his gold admiring, His servant’s drudge, slave to his basest slave; Never enough, and still too much desiring: His gold his god, yet in an iron grave Himself protects his god from noysomea rusting; Much fears to keep, much more to loose his lusting; Himself, and golden god, and every god mistrusting.

anoxious 11 12

For stanzas 24–29, see fq 1.4.27–29. Covetousnesse. pf.

177

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25

Age on his hairs the winter snow had spread; That silver badge his neare end plainly proves: Yet as to earth13 he nearer bowes his head, So loves it more; for Like his like still loves. Deep from the ground he digs his sweetest gain, And deep into the earth digs back with pain: From hell his gold he brings, and hoords in hell again.

26

His clothes all patcht with more then honest thrift, And clouted shoona were nail’d for fear of wasting; Fasting he prais’d, but sparing was his drift; And when he eats, his food is worse then fasting: Thus starves in store, thus doth in plentie pine, Thus wallowing on his god, his heap of Mine, He feeds his famisht soul with that deceiving shine.

2714 Oh hungrie metall, false deceitfull ray, Well laid’st thou dark, prest in th’ earth’s hidden wombe; Yet through our mother’s entrails cutting way, We dragge thy buried coarseb from hellish tombe: The merchant from his wife and home departs, Nor at the swelling ocean ever starts; While death & life a wall of thinne planks onely parts. 28

Who was it first, that from thy deepest cell, With so much costly toil and painfull sweat Durst rob thy palace, bord’ring next to hell? Well mayst thou come from that infernall seat; Thou all the world with hell-black deeps dost fill. Fond men, that with such pain do wooe your ill! Needlesse to send for grief, for he is next us still.

a shoes 13 14

b corpse

Arist. Eth. pf. Nicomachean Ethics 4.1. Spenser, “Colin Clouts Come Home Again,” lines 201–209 and fq 2.7.17.

179

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29

His arms were light, and cheap, as made to save His purse, not limbes; the money, not the man: Rather he dies, then spends: his helmet brave, An old brasse pot; breast-plate a dripping-pan: His spear a spit, a pot-lid broad his shield, Whose smokie plain a chalkt Impresaa fill’d, A bagge sure seal’d: his word, Much better sav’d, then spill’d.

30

By Pleonectus shamelesse Sparing went, Who whines and weeps to beg a longer day, Yet with a thundring voice claims tardie rent; Quick to receive, but hard and slow to pay: His care’s to lessen cost with cunning base; But when he’s forc’t beyond his bounded space, Loud would he crie, & howl, while others laugh apace.

31

Long after went Pusillus,15 weakest heart, Able to serve, and able to command, But thought himself unfit for either part; And now full loth, amidst the warlike band Was hither drawn by force from quiet cell: Lonenesse his heav’n, and bus’nesse was his hell. A weak distrustfull heart is vertue’s aguishb spell.

32

His goodly arms, eaten with shamefull rust, Bewray’d their master’s ease, and want of using; Such was his minde, tainted with idle must,c His goodly gifts with little use abusing: Upon his shield was drawn that noble Swain16 That loth to change his love and quiet reigne For glorious warlike deeds, did craftie madnesse feigne.

aemblematic figure 15 16

b sickly

c mold

Feeblemindednesse. pf. noble Swain: Odysseus, who feigned madness in order to avoid war.

180 33

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Finely the workman fram’d the toilsome plough Drawn with an ox and asse, unequall pair; While he with busie hand his salt did sow, And at the furrows end his dearest heir Did helplesse lie, and Greek lords watching still Observ’d his hand guided with carefull will:17 About was wrote, Who nothing doth, doth nothing ill.

3418 By him went Idlenesse, his lovèd friend, And Shame with both; with all, ragg’d Povertie: Behinde sure Punishment did close attend, Waiting a while fit opportunitie; And taking count of houres mispent in vain, And graces lent without returning gain, Pour’d on his guiltie corse late grief, & helplesse pain. 35

This dull cold earth with standing water froze; At ease he lies to coyn pretence for ease; His soul like Ahaz’ diall,19 while it goes Not forward, poasteth backward ten degrees: In’s couch he’s pliant wax for fiends to seal; He never sweats, but in his bed, or meal: He’d rather steal then work, and beg then strive to steal.

36

All opposite, though he his brother were, Was Chaunus,20 that too high himself esteem’d: All things he undertook, nor could he fear His power too weak, or boasted strength misdeem’d, With his own praise like windie bladder blown: His eyes too little, or too much his own; For known to all men weak,21 was to himself unknown.

17

In order to convince others of his madness, Odysseus yoked together animals of disproportionate stride in order to “plough” the field, which he sowed with salt rather than grain. Sensing a ruse, Palamedes placed Odysseus’s infant son in front of the plough, which Odysseus stopped in order to save his son, thus proving his sanity. fq 1.4.18. Ahaz’ diall: the shadow on the sundial of Ahaz moved back ten degrees as a sign from God that Hezekiah would be healed (Isaiah 38:8). Arrogancie. pf. The arrogant are more stupid. Arist. Ethic. 4. pf. Nicomachean Ethics 4.7.

18 19 20 21

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37

Fondly himself with praising he disprais’d, Vaunting his deeds and worth with idle breath; So raz’d himself, what he himself had rais’d: On’s shield a boy threatens high Phoebus’ death, Aiming his arrow at his purest light; But soon the thinne reed, fir’d with lightning bright, Fell idlely on the strond: his word, Yet high, and right.

38

Next brave Philotimus22 in poast did ride: Like rising ladders was his climbing minde; His high-flown thoughts had wings of courtly pride, Which by foul rise to greatest heights enclin’d; His heart aspiring swell’d untill it burst: But when he gain’d the top, with spite accurst Down would he fling the steps by which he clamb’red first.

39

His head’s a shop furnisht with looms of state: His brain the weaver, thoughts are shuttles light, With which in spite of heav’n he weaves his fate; Honour his web: thus works he day and night, Till fates cut off his threed; so heapeth sinnes And plagues, nor once enjoyes the place he winnes; But where his old race ends, there his new race begins.

40

Ah silly man, who dream’st that honour stands In ruling others, not thy self! thy slaves Serve thee, and thou thy slaves: in iron bands Thy servile spirit prest with wilde passions raves. Would’st thou live honour’d? clip ambition’s wing; To reason’s yoke thy furious passions bring: Thrice noble is the man, who of himself is King.

22

Ambition. pf.

181

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41

Upon his shield was fram’d that vent’rous lad,23 That durst assay the Sunne’s bright-flaming team; Spite of his feeble hands, the horses mad Fling down on burning earth the scorching beam; So made the flame in which himself was fir’d; The world the bonefire was, where he expir’d: His motto written thus, Yet had what he desir’d.

42

But Atimus,24 a carelesse idle swain, Though Glory off’red him her sweet embrace, And fair Occasion with little pain Reacht him her ivory hand, yet (lozela base!) Rather his way, and her fair self declin’d; Well did he thence prove his degenerous minde: Base were his restie thoughts, base was his dunghill kinde.

43

And now by force dragg’d from the monkish cell, (Where teeth he onely us’d, nor hands, nor brains, But in smooth streams swam down through ease to hell; His work to eat, drink, sleep, and purge his reins) He left his heart behinde him with his feast: His target with a flying dart was drest, Poasting unto his mark: the word, I move to rest.

44

Next Colax25 all his words with sugar spices; His servile tongue, base slave to greatnesse’ name, Runnes nimble descant on the plainest vices; He lets his tongue to sinne, takes rent of shame: He temp’ring lies, porter to th’ eare resides, Like Indian apple,26 which with painted sides, More dangerous within his lurking poyson hides.

a scoundrel 23

24 25 26

that vent’rous lad: Phaeton, son of Helios, who foolishly attempted to drive the chariot carrying the sun. He lost control of the team of horses, leaving a trail of destruction across the earth and resulting in his own death. Basenesse of minde. pf. Flatterie. pf. Indian apple: pomegranate.

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183

45

So Echo, to the voice her voice conforming, From hollow breast for one will two repay; So, like the rock it holds, it self transforming, That subtil fish hunts for her heedlesse prey: So crafty fowlers with their fair deceits Allure the hungrie bird; so fisher waits To bait himself with fish, his hook and fish with baits.

46

His art is but to hide, not heal a sore, To nourish pride, to strangle conscience; To drain the rich, his own drie pits to store, To spoil the precious soul, to please vile sense: A carrion crow he is, a gaping grave, The rich coat’s moth, the court’s bane, trencher’s slave; Sinne’s & hell’s winning baud, the devil’s fact’ring knave.

47

A mist he casts before his patron’s sight, That blackest vices never once appeare; But greater then it is, seems vertue’s light; His Lord’s displeasure is his onely fear: His clawing lies, tickling the senses frail To death, make open way where force would fail. Lesse hurts the lion’s paw, then foxe’s softest tail.

48

His arms with hundred tongues were poud’red gay, (The mint of lies) gilt, fil’d, the sense to please; His sword which in his mouth close sheathèd lay, Sharper then death, and fram’d to kill with ease. Ah cursed weapon, life with pleasure spilling! The Sardoin herb27 with many branches filling His shield, was his device: the word, I please in killing.

27

Sardoin herb: Herba Sardonia, a poisonous herb whose bitterness reputedly caused a convulsive grin.

184

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49

Base slave! how crawl’st thou from thy dunghill nest, Where thou wast hatcht by shame and beggerie, And pearchest in the learn’d and noble breast? Nobles of thee their courtship learn, of thee Arts learn new art their learning to adorn: (Ah wretched mindes!) He is not nobly born, Nor learn’d, that doth not thy ignoble learning scorn.

50

Close to him Pleasing went, with painted face, And Honour, by some hidden cunning made; Not Honour’s self, but Honour’s semblance base, For soon it vanisht like an emptie shade: Behinde, his parents duely him attend; With them he forcèd is his age to spend: Shame his beginning was, and shame must be his end.

51

Next follow’d Dyscolus,28 a froward wight; His lips all swoln, and eyebrows ever bent, With sootie locks, swart looks, and scouling sight, His face a tell-tale to his foul intent: He nothing lik’t, or prais’d; but reprehended What every one beside himself commended. Humours of tongues impostum’d, purg’d with shame, are mended.

52

His mouth a pois’nous quiver, where he hides Sharp venom’d arrows, which his bitter tongue With squibs, carps, jests, unto their object guides; Nor fears he gods on earth, or heav’n to wrong: Upon his shield was fairly drawn to sight A raging dog, foaming out wrath and spite: The word to his device, Impartiall all I bite.

28

Morositie. pf.

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53

Geloios29 next ensu’d, a merrie Greek, Whose life was laughter vain, and mirth misplac’t; His speeches broad, to shame the modest cheek; Ne car’d he whom, or when, or how disgrac’t. Salt round about he flung upon the sand; If in his way a friend or father stand, His father & his friend he spreads with carelesse hand.

54

His foul jests steep’d and drown’d in laughter vain, And rotten speech, (ah!) was not mirth, but madnesse: His armour crackling thorns all flaming stain With golden fires, (embleme of foppish gladnesse) Upon his shield two laughing fools you see, (In number he the third, first in degree) At which himself would laugh, and sleer:a his word, We three.

55

And after, Agrios,30 a sullen swain, All mirth that in himself and others hated; Dull, dead, and leaden was his cheerlesse vein: His weary sense he never recreated; And now he marcht as if he somewhat dream’d: All honest joy but madnesse he esteem’d, Refreshing’s idlenesse, but sport he folly deem’d.

56

In’s arms his minde the workman fit exprest, Which all with quenchèd lamps, but smoking yet, And foully stinking, were full queintly drest; To blinde, not light the eyes, to choke, not heat: Upon his shield an heap of fennie mire In flagges and turfs (with sunnes yet never drier) Did smoth’ring lie, not burn: his word, Smoke without fire.

185

amock 29

30

Mad laughter. Eccles. 2.2. pf. “I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity. I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?” (Ecclesiastes 2:1–2). Rusticitie, or feritie. pf.

186

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57

Last Impudence, whose never-changing face Knew but one colour; with some brasse-brow’d lie, And laughing loud she drowns her just disgrace: About her all the fiends in armies flie: Her feather’d beaver sidelong cockt, in guise Or roaring boyes; set look with fixèd eyes Out-looks all shamefac’t forms, all modestie defies.

58

And as her thoughts, so arms all black as hell: Her brasen shield two sable dogs adorn, Who each at other stare, and snarle, and swell: Beneath the word was set, All change I scorn. But if I all this rout and foul aray Should muster up, and place in battell ray,a Too long your selves & and flocks my tedious song would stay.

59

The agèd day growes dimme, and homeward calls: The parting Sunne (man’s state describing well) Falls when he rises, rises when he falls: So we by falling rose, by rising fell. The shadie cloud of night ’gins softly creep, And all out world with sable tincture steep: Home now ye shepherd-swains; home now my lovèd sheep.

a array

Canto ix 11

THe Bridegroom Sunne, who late the Earth had spous’d,2 Leaves his star-chamber; early in the East He shook his sparkling locks, head lively rouz’d, While Morn his couch with blushing roses drest; His shines the Earth soon latcht to gild her flowers: Phosphor3 his gold-fleec’t drove folds in their bowers, Which all the night had graz’d about th’ Olympick towers.

2

The cheerfull Lark, mounting from early bed, With sweet salutes awakes the drowsie light; The earth she left, and up to heav’n is fled; There chants her Maker’s praises out of sight: Earth seems a molehill, men but ants to be; Teaching proud men, that soar to high degree, The farther up they climbe, the lesse they seem, and see.

3

The shepherds met, and Thomalin4 began; Young Thomalin, whose notes and silver string Silence the rising Lark, and falling Swan: Come Thirsil, end thy lay, and cheerly sing: Hear’st how the Larks give welcome to the day, Temp’ring their sweetest notes unto thy lay? Up then, thou lovèd swain; why dost thou longer stay?

4

Well sett’st thou (friend) the Lark before mine eyes, Much easier to heare then imitate: Her wings lift up her notes to loftie skies; But me a leaden sleep, and earthly state Down to the centre ties with captive string: Well might I follow here her note and wing; Singing she loftie mounts: ah! mounting should I sing.

1 2 3 4

Canto 9 is sung on the morning of the sixth day. fq 1.5.2. Phosphor: the morning star. Thomalin: the name is shared by a shepherd in Spenser’s Shepheardes Calender. Langdale identifies Thomalin as John Tomkins, Fletcher’s admired friend at Cambridge, a persona that appears in a number of Fletcher’s poems (44).

188

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5

Oh thou dread King of that heroick band, Which by thy power beats back these hellish sprites,a Rescuing this State from death and base command; Tell me, (dread King) what are those warlike Knights? What force? what arms? where lies their strength’s increase, That though so few in number, never cease To keep this siegèd town ’gainst numbers numberlesse?

6

The first Commanders in this holy train, Leaders to all the rest, an ancient pair; Long since sure linkt in wedlock’s sweetest chain; His name Spiritto,5 she Urania6 fair: Fair had she been, and full of heav’nly grace, And he in youth a mightie warrier was, Both now more fair, & strong; which prov’d their heav’nly race.

7

His arms with flaming tongues all sparkled bright, Bright flaming tongues, in divers sections parted; His piercing sword, edg’d with their firy light, ’Twixt bones and marrow, soul and spirit disparted: Upon his shield was drawn a glorious Dove, ’Gainst whom the proudest Eagle dares not move; Glitt’ring in beams: his word, Conqu’ring by peace and love.

8

But she Amazon-like in azure arms, Silver’d with starres, and gilt with sunnie rayes, Her mighty Spouse in fight and fierce alarms Attends, and equals in these bloudie frayes; And on her shield an heav’nly globe (displaying The constellations’ lower bodies swaying, Sway’d by the higher) she bore: her word, I rule obeying.

a spirits 5 Spiritto: grace and, possibly, the Holy Ghost. 6 Heaven. pf.

canto ix

9

About them swarm’d their fruitfull progenie; An heav’nly off-spring of an heav’nly bed: Well mought you in their looks his stoutnesse see With her sweet graces lovely temperèd. Fit youth they seem’d to play in Prince’s hall, (But ah long since they thence were banisht all) Or shine in glitt’ring arms, when need fierce warre doth call.

10

The first in order (nor in worth the last) Is Knowledge, drawn from peace and Muse’s spring; Where shaded in fair Sinaie’s7 groves, his taste He feasts with words and works of heav’nly King; But now to bloudy field is fully bent: Yet still he seem’d to study as he went: His arms cut all in books; strong shield slight paper lent.

11

His glitt’ring armour shin’d like burning day, Garnisht with golden Sunnes, and radiant flowers; Which turn their bending heads to Phoebus’ ray, And when he falls, shut up their leavie bowers: Upon his shield the silver Moon did bend Her hornèd bow, and round her arrows spend: His word in silver wrote, I borrow what I lend.

128 All that he saw, all that he heard, were books, In which he read and learn’d his Maker’s will: Most on his word, but much on heav’n he looks, And thence admires with praise the workman’s skill. Close to him went still-musing Contemplation, That made good use of ills by meditation; So to him ill it self was good by strange mutation.

7 Sinaie: Mount Sinai, where Moses received and recorded the Ten Commandments. 8 fq 1.10.46–47.

189

190

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13

And Care, who never from his sides would part, Of knowledge oft the waies and means enquiring, To practise what he learnt from holy art; And oft with tears, and oft with sighs desiring Aid from that Soveraigne Guide, whose wayes so steep, Though fain he would, yet weak he could not keep: But when he could not go, yet forward would he creep.

14

Next Tapinus,9 whose sweet, though lowly grace All other higher then himself esteem’d; He in himself priz’d things as mean and base, Which yet in others great and glorious seem’d: All ill due debt, good undeserv’d he thought; His heart a low-rooft house, but sweetly wrought, Where God himself would dwell, though he it dearly bought.

15

Honour he shunnes, yet is the way unto him; As hell, he hates advancement wonne with bribes; But publick place and charge are forc’t to wooe him; He good to grace, ill to desert ascribes: Him (as his Lord) contents a lowly room, Whose first house was the blessed Virgin’s wombe, The next a cratch,a the third a crosse, the fourth a tombe.

16

So choicest drugs in meanest shrubs are found; So precious gold in deepest centre dwells: So sweetest violets trail on lowly ground; So richest pearls ly clos’d in vilest shells: So lowest dales we let at highest rates; So creeping strawberries yeeld daintiest cates.b The Highest highly love the low, the loftie hates.

a manger

b delicacies

9 Humilitie. pf.

canto ix

17

Upon his shield was drawn that Shepherd lad,10 Who with a sling threw down faint Israel’s fears; And in his hand his spoils, and trophies glad, The Monster’s sword and head, he bravely bears: Plain in his lovely face you might behold A blushing meeknesse met with courage bold: Little, not little worth, was fairly wrote in gold.

18

With him his kinsman both in birth and name, Obedience, taught by many bitter showers In humble bonds his passions proud to tame, And low submit unto the higher powers: But yet no servile yoke his forehead brands; For ti’d in such an holy service bands, In this obedience rules, and serving thus commands.

1911 By them went Fido,12 Marshal of the field: Weak was his mother, when she gave him day; And he at first a sick and weakly childe, As e’re with tears welcom’d the sunnie ray: Yet when more yeares afford more growth, & might, A champion stout he was, and puissant Knight, As ever came in field, or shone in armour bright. 20

So may we see a little lionet,a When newly whelpt, a weak and tender thing, Despis’d by every beast; but waxen great, When fuller times full strength and courage bring, The beasts all crouching low, their King adore, And dare not see what they contemn’d before: The trembling forrest quakes at his affrighting roar.

alion cub 10 11 12

Shepherd lad: David. For stanzas 19–24, see fq 1.10.12–13. Faith. pf.

191

192

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21

Mountains he flings in seas with mighty hand; Stops, and turns back the Sunne’s impetuous course; Nature breaks nature’s law at his command; No force of hell or heav’n withstands his force: Events to come yet many ages hence He present makes, by wondrous prescience; Proving the senses blinde, by being blinde to sense.

22

His sky-like arms, di’d all in blue and white, And set with golden starres that flamèd wide; His shield invisible to mortall sight, Yet he upon is easily descri’d The lively semblance of his dying Lord; Whose bleeding side with wicked steel was gor’d, Which to his fainting spirits new courage would afford.

23

Strange was the force of that enchanted shield, Which highest powers to it from heav’n impart; For who could bear it well, and rightly wield, It sav’d from sword, and spear, and poison’d dart: Well might he slip, but yet not wholly fall: No finall losse his courage might appall; Growing more sound by wounds, and rising by his fall.

24

So some have feign’d that Tellus’ giant sonne13 Drew many new-born lives from his dead mother; Another rose as soon as one was done, And twentie lost, yet still remain’d another: For when he fell, and kist the barren heath, His parent straight inspir’d successive breath; And though her self was dead, yet ransom’d him from death.

13

Tellus’ giant sonne: Antaeus, son of Gaia and Poseidon, whose strength and body were continually replenished as long as he remained in contact with his mother, the earth.

canto ix

25

With him his Nurse went, carefull Acoë;14 Whose hands first from his mother’s wombe did take him, And ever since have foster’d tenderly: She never might, she never would forsake him; And he her lov’d again with mutuall band: For by her needfull help he oft did stand, When else he soon would fail, and fall in foemen’s hand.

26

With both sweet Meditation ever pac’t, His Nurse’s daughter, and his Foster-sister: Deare as his soul he in his soul her plac’t, And oft embrac’t, and oft by stealth he kist her: For she had taught him by her silent talk To tread the safe, and dangerous wayes to balk; And brought his God with him, him with his God to walk.

27

Behinde him Penitence did sadly go, Whose cloudie dropping eyes were ever raining; Her swelling tears, which ev’n in ebbing flow, Furrow her cheek, the sinfull puddles draining: Much seem’d she in her pensive thought molested, And much the mocking world her soul infested; More she the hatefull world, and most her self detested.

28

She was the object of lewd men’s disgrace, The squint-ey’d, wrie-mouth’d scoffe of carnall hearts; Yet smiling heav’n delights to kisse her face, And with his bloud God bathes her painfull smarts: Affliction’s iron flail her soul had thrasht; Sharp Circumcision’s knife her heart had slasht; Yet was it angels’ wine, which in her eyes was masht.

14

Hearing. pf.

193

194 29

the purple island

With her a troop of mournfull grooms abiding, Help with their sullen blacks their Mistresse’ wo; Amendment still (but still his own faults) chiding, And Penance arm’d with smarting whips did go: Then sad Remorse came sighing all the way; Last Satisfaction, giving all away: Much surely did he owe, much more he would repay.

3015 Next went Elpinus,16 clad in skie-blue; And through his arms few starres did seem to peep, Which there the workman’s hand so finely drew, That rockt in clouds they softly seem’d to sleep: His rugged shield was like a rockie mold, On which an anchour bit with surest hold: I hold by being held, was written round in gold. 31

Nothing so cheerfull was his thoughtfull face, As was his brother Fido’s: Fear seem’d dwell Close by his heart; his colour chang’d apace, And went, and came, that sure all was not well: Therefore a comely Maid did oft sustain His fainting steps, and fleeting life maintain: Pollicita17 she hight, which ne’re could lie or feigne.

32

Next to Elpinus marcht his brother Love; Not that great Love which cloth’d his Godhead bright With rags of flesh, and now again above Hath drest his flesh in heav’n’s eternall light; Much lesse the brat of that false Cyprian dame,18 Begot by froth, and fire in bed of shame, And now burns idle hearts swelt’ring in lustfull flame:

15 16 17 18

For stanzas 30–31, see fq 1.10.14. Hope. pf. Promise. pf. The “dame” is Venus, and her “brat,” Cupid.

canto ix

195

33

But this from heav’n brings his imortall race, And nurst by Gratitude; whose carefull arms Long held, and hold him still in kinde embrace: But train’d to daily warres, and fierce alarms, He grew to wondrous strength, and beautie rare; Next that God-Love, from whom his off-springs are, No match in earth or heav’n may with this Love compare.

34

His Page, who from his side might never move, Remembrance, on him waits; in books reciting The famous passions of that highest Love, His burning zeal to greater flames exciting: Deep would he sigh, and seem empassion’d sore, And oft with tears his backward heart deplore, That loving all he could, he lov’d that Love no more.

35

Yet sure he truely lov’d, and honour’d deare That glorious name; for when, or where he spi’d Wrong’d, or in hellish speech blasphem’d did heare, Boldly the rash blasphemer he defi’d, And forc’t him eat the words he foully spake: But if for him he grief or death did take, That grief he counted joy, and death life for his sake.

36

His glitt’ring arms, drest all with firie hearts, Seem’d burn in chaste desire, and heav’nly flame: And on his shield kinde Jonathan19 imparts To his soul’s friend his robes, and princely name, And kingly throne, which mortals so adore: And round about was writ in golden ore, Well might he give him all, that gave his life before.

19

Jonathan: biblical exemplar of Platonic love as a result of his relationship with David.

196

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37

These led the Vantguard; and an hundred moe Fill’d up the emptie ranks with ord’red train: But first in middle ward did justly go In goodly arms a fresh and lovely Swain,20 Vaunting himself Love’s twin, but younger brother: Well mought it be; for ev’n in their very mother With pleasing errour oft mistook the one for th’ other.

38

As when fair Paris gave that golden ball,21 A thousand doubts ranne in his stagg’ring breast: All lik’d him well, fain would he give it all; Each better seems, and still the last seems best: Doubts ever new his reaching hand deferr’d; The more he looks, the more his judgement err’d: So she first this, then that, then none, then both preferr’d.

39

Like them, their armour seem’d full neare of kinne: In this they onely differ; th’ elder bent His higher soul to heav’n, the younger Twinne ’Mong mortals here his love and kindenesse spent; Teaching strange alchymie, to get a living By selling land, and to grow rich by giving; By emptying filling bags, so heav’n by earth atchieving.

40

About him troop the poore with num’rous trains, Whom he with tender care, and large expence, With kindest words, and succour entertains; Ne looks for thanks, or thinks of recompence: His wardrobe serves to cloath the naked side, And shamefull parts of barèd bodies hide; If other cloaths he lackt, his own he would divide.

20 21

lovely Swain: Charity? golden ball: the golden apple of discord, inscribed with “To the fairest” and dropped by the goddess Eris (Strife) at the wedding of Peleus and Thetis. It was argued over by Athena, Hera, and Aphrodite, with Paris finally giving it to Aphrodite, an act that contributed to the outbreak of the Trojan War.

197

canto ix

41

To rogues his gate was shut; but open lay, Kindely the weary traveller inviting: Oft therefore Angels, hid in mortall clay, And God himself in his free roofs delighting, Lowly to visit him would not disdain, And in his narrow cabin oft remain, Whom heav’n, & earth, & all the world cannot contain.

42

His table still was fill’d with wholesome meat, Not to provoke, but quiet appetite; And round about the hungry freely eat, With plenteous catesa cheering their feeble sprite:b Their earnest vows broke open heav’n’s wide doore, That not in vain sweet Plentie evermore With gracious eye looks down upon his blessèd store.

43

Behinde attend him in an uncouth wise A troop with little caps, and shavèd head; Such whilomec was infranchèd bondmen’s guise, New freed from cruell masters’ servile dread: These had he lately bought from captive chain; Hence they his triumph sing with joyfull strain, And on his head due praise and thousand blessings rain.

44

He was a father to the fatherlesse, To widows he suppli’d an husband’s care; Nor would he heap up woe to their distresse, Or by a Guardian’s name their state impair; But rescue them from strong oppressours’ might: Nor doth he weigh the great man’s heavie spight. Who fears the highest Judge, needs fear no mortall wight.

adelicacies

b spirit

c formerly

198

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45

Once every week he on his progresse went, The sick to visit, and those meager swains, Which all their weary life in darknesse spent, Clogg’d with cold iron, prest with heavy chains: He hoords not wealth for his loose heir to spend it, But with a willing hand doth well expend it. Good then is onely good, when to our God we lend it.

46

And when the dead by cruell tyrant’s spight Lie out to rav’nous birds and beasts expos’d, His yearnfull heart pitying that wretched sight, In seemly graves their weary flesh enclos’d, And strew’d with dainty flowers the lowly herse; Then all alone the last words did rehearse, Bidding them softly sleep in his sad sighing verse.

47

So once that royall Maid22 fierce Thebes beguil’d, Though wilfull Creon proudly did forbid her; Her brother, from his home and tombe exil’d, (While willing night in darknesse safely hid her) She lowly laid in earth’s all-covering shade: Her dainty hands (not us’d to such a trade) She with a mattock toils, and with a weary spade.

48

Yet feels she neither sweat, nor irksome pain, Till now his grave was fully finishèd; Then on his wounds her cloudly eyes ’gin rain, To wash the guilt painted in bloudy red: And falling down upon his gorèd side, With hundred varied plaintsa she often cri’d, Oh had I di’d for thee, or with thee might have di’d!

a complaints 22

Antigone, daughter of Oedipus, contrary to the edict of Creon, buries Polynices. pf. Sophocles, Antigone lines 320–350.

canto ix

49

Ay me! my ever wrong’d, and banisht brother, How can I fitly thy hard fate deplore, Or in my breast so just complainings smother? To thy sad chance what can be added more? Exile thy home, thy home a tombe thee gave: Oh no; such little room thou must not have, But for thy banisht bones I (wretch) must steal a grave.

50

But whither, wofull Maid, have thy complaints With fellow passion drawn my feeling mone? But thus this Love deals with those murd’red Saints; Weeps with the sad, and sighs with those that grone. But now in that beech grove we’l safely play, And in those shadows mock the boyling ray; Which yet increases more with the decreasing day.

199

Canto x 11

THe Shepherds to the woodie mount withdrew, Where th’ hillock seats, shades yeeld a canopie; Whose tops with violets di’d all in blue Might seem to make a little azure skie: And that round hill, which their weak heads maintain’d, A lesser Atlas seem’d, whose neck sustain’d The weight of all the heav’ns, which sore his shoulders pain’d.

2

And here and there sweet Primrose scattered, Spangling the blue, fit constellations make: Some broadly flaming their fair colours spread; Some other[s] winkt, as yet but half awake: Fit were they plac’t, and set in order due: Nature seem’d work by art, so lively true A little heav’n on earth in narrow space she drew.

3

Upon this earthly heav’n the shepherds play, The time beguiling, and the parching light; Till the declining Sunne, and elder day Abate their flaming heat, and youthfull might: The sheep had left the shades, to minde their meat; Then all returning to their former seat, Thirsil again began his wearie song repeat.

4

Great power of Love! with what commanding fire Dost thou enflame the world’s wide Regiment, And kindely heat in every heart inspire! Nothing is free from thy sweet government: Fish burn in seas; beasts, birds thy weapons prove; By thee dead elements and heavens move, Which void of sense it self, yet are not void of love.

1 Thirsil sings the content of canto 10 during the afternoon of the sixth day.

canto x

5

But those twinne Loves, which from thy seas of light To us on earth derive their lesser streams, Though in their force they shew thy wondrous might, On thee reflecting back their glorious beams, Yet here encountred with so mightie foe, Had need both arm’d and surely guarded go: But most thy help they need; do not thy help foreslow.

6

Next to the younger Love Irenus2 went, Whose frostie head proclaim’d his winter age: His spring in many battels had he spent, But now all weapons chang’d for counsell sage. His heavie sword (the witnesse of his might) Upon a loppèd tree he idlely pight;a There hid in quiet sheath, sleeps it in endlesse night.

7

Patience his shield had lent to ward his breast, Whose golden plain three Olive-branches dresse: The word in letters large was fair exprest, Thrice happie authour of a happie peace. Rich plenty yeelds him power, power stores his will; Will ends in works, good works his treasures fill: Earth’s slave, heav’n’s heir3 he is; as God, payes good for ill.

8

By him Andreos4 pac’t, of middle age, His minde as farre from rashnesse, as from fears; Hating base thoughts as much as desperate rage: The world’s loud thund’rings he unshaken heares; Nor will he death or life or seek or flie, Readie for both. He is as cowardly That longer fears to live, as he that fears to die.

201

aplaced 2 Peaceablenesse. pf. 3 Matth. 5.9. pf. “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God” (Matthew 5:9). 4 Fortitude. pf.

202

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9

Worst was his civil warre, where deadly fought He with himself, till Passion yeelds, or dies: All heart and hand, no tongue; not grimme, but stout: His flame had counsell in’t, his furie eyes; His rage well temper’d is: no fear can danta His reason; but cold bloud is valiant: Well may he strength in death, but never courage want.

10

But like a mighty rock, whose unmov’d sides The hostile sea assaults with furious wave, And ’gainst his head the boist’rous North-winde rides; Both fight, and storm, and swell, and roar, and rave; Hoarse surges drum, loud blasts their trumpets strain: Th’ heroick cliffe laughs at their frustrate pain: Waves scatter’d drop in tears, windes broken whining plain:b

11

Such was this Knight’s undantedc constancie; No mischief weakens his resolvèd minde: None fiercer to a stubborn enemie, But to the yeelding none more sweetly kinde. His shield an even-ballast ship embraves,5 Which dances light, while Neptune6 wildely raves: His word was this, I fear but heav’n, nor windes, nor waves.

12

And next, Macrothumus,7 whose quiet face No cloud of passion ever shadowèd; Nor could hot anger Reason’s rule displace, Purpling the scarlet cheek with firie red: Nor could revenge, clad in a deadly white, With hidden malice eat his vexèd sprite:d For ill he good repay’d, and love exchang’d for spite.

a daunt

b complain

c undaunted

d spirit

5 embraves: both to decorate and to inspire with bravery. 6 Neptune: god of the sea. 7 Long-suffering. pf.

203

canto x

13

Was never yet a more undanteda spirit; Yet most him deem’d a base and tim’rous swain: But he well weighing his own strength and merit, The greatest wrong could wisely entertain. Nothing resisted his commanding spear: Yeelding it self to him a winning were; And though he di’d, yet dead he rose a conquerer.

14

His naturall force beyond all nature stretchèd: Most strong he is, because he will be weak; And happie most, because he can be wretched. Then whole and sound, when he himself doth break; Rejoycing most when most he is tormented: In greatest discontents he rests contented: By conquering himself all conquests he prevented.

15

His rockie arms of massie adamant Safely could back rebutt the hardest blade: His skinne it self could any weapon dant,b Of such strange mold and temper was he made: Upon his shield a Palm-tree still increased, Though many weights his rising arms depressed: His word was, Rising most, by being most oppressed.

16

Next him Androphilus,8 whose sweetest minde ’Twixt mildenesse temper’d, and low courtesie, Could leave as soon to be, as not be kinde: Churlish despite ne’re lookt from his calm eye, Much lesse commanded in his gentle heart: To baser men fair looks he would impart; Nor could he cloak ill thoughts in complementall art.

aundaunted

b daunt

8 Gentlenesse, or courtesie. pf.

204

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17

His enemies knew not how to discommend him, All others dearely lov’d; fell ranc’rous Spite, And vile Detraction fain would reprehend him; And oft in vain his name they closely bite, As popular, and flatterer accusing: But he such slavish office much refusing, Can eas’ly quit his name from their false tongues’ abusing.

18

His arms were fram’d into a glitt’ring night, Whose sable gown with starres all spangled wide Affords the weary traveller cheerfull light, And to his home his erring footsteps guide: Upon his ancient shield the workman fine Had drawn the Sunne, whose eye did ne’re repine To look on good, and ill: his word, To all I shine.

19

Fair Vertue, where stay’st thou in poore exile, Leaving the Court from whence thou took’st thy name? While in thy place is stept Disdaining vile, And Flatterie, base sonne of Need and Shame; And with them surly Scorn, and hatefull Pride; Whose artificialla face false colours di’d, Which more display her shame, then loathsome foulnesse hide.

20

Late there thou livedst with a gentle Swain,9 (As gentle Swain as ever livèd there) Who lodg’d thee in his heart, and all thy train, Where hundred other Graces quarter’d were: But he (alas!) untimely dead and gone, Leaves us to rue his death, and thee to mone, That few were ever such, & now those few are none.

a artful 9 The identity of this swain is unclear. Fletcher does not give the reader much to go on, but it is possible that he is referring to Prince Henry, eldest son of James i, who died unexpectedly in November 1612 at the age of eighteen. Henry’s death was grieved by the nation, and his “untimely death” was lamented by numerous poets.

canto x

21

By him the stout Encrates10 boldly went, Assailèd oft by mightie enemies, Which all on him alone their spite misspent; For he whole armies single bold defies: With him nor might, nor cunning slightsa prevail; All force on him they trie, all forces fail: Yet still assail him fresh, yet vainly still assail.

22

His body full of vigour, full of health; His table feeds not lust, but strength, and need: Full stor’d with plenty, not by heaping wealth, But topping rank desires, which vain exceed: On’s shield an hand from heav’n an orchyard dressing, Pruning superfluous boughs the trees oppressing, So adding fruit: his word, By lessening increasing.

23

His setled minde was written in his face: For on his forehead cheerfull gravitie False joyes and apish vanities doth chase; And watchfull care did wake in either eye: His heritance he would not lavish sell, Nor yet his treasure hide by neighbouring hell: But well he ever spent, what he had gotten well.

24

A lovely pair of twins clos’d either side: Not those in heav’n, the flowrie Geminies, Are half so lovely bright; the one his Bride, Agnia11 chaste, was joyn’d in Hymen’s ties, And love, as pure as heav’n’s conjunction: Thus she was his, and he her flesh and bone: So were they two in sight, in truth entirely one.

asleights 10 11

Temperance. pf. Chastitie in the married. pf.

205

206

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25

Upon her archèd brow unarmèd Love Triumphing sat in peacefull victorie; And in her eyes thousand chaste Graces move, Checking vain thoughts with awfull majestie: Ten thousand moe her fairer breast contains; Where quiet meeknesse every ill restrains, And humbly subject spirit by willing service reignes.

26

Her skie-like arms glitter’d in golden beams, And brightly seem’d to flame with burning hearts: The scalding ray with his reflected streams Fire to their flames, but heav’nly fire, imparts: Upon her shield a pair of Turtles12 shone; A loving pair, still coupled, ne’re alone: Her word, Though one when two, yet either two, or none.

27

With her, her sister went, a warlike Maid, Parthenia,13 all in steel, and gilded arms; In needle’s stead a mighty spear she swayd, With which in bloudly fields and fierce alarms The boldest champion she down would bear, And like a thunderbolt wide passage tear, Flinging all to the earth with her enchanted spear.14

28

Her goodly armour seem’d a garden green, Where thousand spotlesse lilies freshly blew; And on her shield the ’lone bird might be seen, Th’ Arabian bird,15 shining in colours new: It self unto it self was onely mate; Ever the same, but new in newer date: And underneath was writ, Such is chaste single state.

12 13 14 15

pair of Turtles: turtledoves, symbolic of life-long love and union. Chastitie in the single. pf. Parthenia is likely intended to echo Spenser’s Britomart from fq, book 3. Arabian bird: the phoenix, which reproduces through self-regeneration rather than via copulation with another bird.

canto x

207

2916 Thus hid in arms, she seem’d a goodly Knight, And fit for any warlike exercise: But when she list lay down her armour bright, And back resume her peacefull Maiden’s guise; The fairest Maid she was, that ever yet Prison’d her locks within a golden net, Or let them waving hang, with roses fair beset. 3017 Choice Nymph, the crown of chaste Diana’s train, Thou beautie’s lilie, set in heav’nly earth; Thy fair’s unpattern’d all perfection’s stain:18 Sure heav’n with curious pencil, at thy birth, In thy rare face her own full picture drew: It is a strong verse here to write but true: Hyperboles in others are but half thy due. 31

Upon her forehead Love his trophies fits, A thousand spoils in silver arch displaying; And in the midst himself full proudly sits, Himself in awfull majestie araying: Upon her brows lies his bent Ebona bow, And ready shafts: deadly those weapons show; Yet sweet that death appear’d, lovely that deadly blow.

32

And at the foot of this celestiall frame Two radiant starres,19 then starres yet better being, Endu’d with living fire, and seeing flame; Yet with heav’n’s starres in this too neare agreeing; They timely warmth, themselves not warm, inspire; These kindle thousand hearts with hot desire, And burning all they see, feel in themselves no fire.

aebony 16 17 18 19

fq 3.2.4. For stanzas 30–38, see fq 2.3.22–25. Fletcher here reiterates the point raised in 5.8 that the face is like a microcosm of the whole body. Two radiant starres: her eyes.

208

the purple island

33

Ye matchlesse starres, (yet each the other’s match) Heav’n’s richest diamonds, set on Ammela white, From whose bright spheres all grace the Graces catch, And will not move but by your load-starres bright; How have you stoln, and stor’d your armourie With Love’s and death’s strong shafts, and from your skie Poure down thick showers of darts to force whole armies flie?

34

Above those Sunnes two Rainbows high aspire, Not in light shews, but sadderb liveries drest; Fair Iris20 seem’d to mourn in sable tire; Yet thus more sweet the greedie eye they feast: And but that wondrous face it well allow’d, Wondrous it seem’d, that two fair Rainbows show’d Above their sparkling Sunnes, without or rain, or cloud.

35

A bed of lilies flower upon her cheek, And in the midst was set a circling rose; Whose sweet aspect would force Narcissus21 seek New liveries, and fresher colours choose To deck his beauteous head in snowie tire; But all in vain: for who can hope t’ aspire To such a fair, which none attain, but all admire?

36

Her rubie lips lock up from gazing sight A troop of pearls, which march in goodly row: But when she deignes those precious bones undight,c Soon heav’nly notes from those divisions flow, And with rare musick charm the ravisht eares, Dantingd bold thoughts, but cheering modest fears: The spheres so onely sing, so onely charm the spheres.

a enamel 20 21

b sober

c removed

d daunting

Iris: messenger of the gods and the embodiment of the rainbow. Narcissus: mythological figure who fell in love with his own reflection.

canto x

209

3722 Her daintie breasts, like to an Aprill rose From green-silk fillets23 yet not all unbound, Began their little rising heads disclose, And fairly spread their silver circlets round: From those two bulwarks Love doth safely fight; Which swelling easily, may seem to sight To be enwombèd both of pleasure and delight. 38

Yet all these Starres which deck this beauteous skie, By force of th’ inward Sunne both shine and move: Thron’d in her heart sits Love’s high majestie; In highest majestie the highest Love. As when a taper shines in glassie frame, The sparkling crystall burns in glitt’ring flame: So does that brightest Love brighten this lovely dame.

3924 Thus, and much fairer, fair Parthenia Glist’ring in arms, her self presents to sight; As when th’ Amazon Queen, Hippolyta,25 With Theseus entred lists in single fight, With equall arms her mighty foe opposing; Till now her barèd head her face disclosing, Conquer’d the conquerour, & wana the fight by losing. 40

A thousand Knights woo’d her with busie pain, To thousand she her virgin grant deni’d; Although her deare-sought love to entertain They all their wit and all their strength appli’d: Yet in her heart Love close his scepter swayd, That to an heav’nly spouse her thoughts betraid, Where she a maiden wife might live, and wifely maid.

awon 22 23 24 25

fq 2.3.29. fillets: narrow strips of material or ribbon. fq 4.6.19–21. Hippolyta: Amazonian warrior queen who fought and was abducted by the Athenian, Theseus. Fletcher here suggests that she lost on purpose.

210

the purple island

41

Upon her steps a virgin Page attended, Fair Erythre,26 whose often-blushing face Sweetly her in-born shame-fac’t thoughts commended; The face’s change prov’d th’ heart’s unchangèd grace, Which she a shrine to puritie devotes: So when cleare ivorie vermeil27 fitly blots, By stains it fairer grows, and lovelier by its spots.

42

Her golden hair, her silver forehead high, Her teeth of solid, eyes of liquid pearl; But neck and breast no man might bare descrie, So sweetly modest was this bashfull girle: But that sweet paradise (ah!) could we see, On these white mountlets daintier apples be, Then those we bought so deare on Eden’s tempting tree.

43

These noble Knights this threatned fort defend; These, and a thousand more heroick Swains, That to this ’stressèd State their service lend, To free from force, and save from captive chains. But now too late the battell to recite; For Hesperus28 heav’n’s tapers ’gins to light, And warns each starre to wait upon their Mistres Night.

26 27 28

Modestie. pf. vermeil: a combination of precious metals used in making jewelry. Hesperus: the evening star.

Canto xi 11

THe early Morn lets out the peeping day, And strew’d his paths with golden Marygolds: The Moon grows wanne, and starres flie all away, Whom Lucifer locks up in wonted folds, Till light is quencht, and heav’n in seas hath flung The headlong day: to th’ hill the shepherds throng, And Thirsil now began to end his task and song.

2

Who now (alas!) shall teach my humble vein, That never yet durst peep from covert glade; But softly learnt for fear to sigh and plain,a And vent her griefs to silent myrtils’ shade? Who now shall teach to change my oaten quill For trumpet ’larms, or humble verses fill With gracefull majestie, and loftie rising skill?

3

Ah thou dread Spirit, shed thy holy fire, Thy holy flame into my frozen heart; Teach thou my creeping measures to aspire, And swell in bigger notes, and higher art: Teach my low Muse thy fierce alarums’ ring, And raise my soft strain to high thundering: Tune thou my loftie song; thy battels must I sing.

4

Such as thou wert within the sacred breast Of that thrice famous Poet-Shepherd-King;2 And taught’st his heart to frame his Canto’s best Of all that e’re thy glorious works did sing: Or as those holy Fishers once amongs Thou flamedst bright with sparkling parted tongues, And brought’st down heav’n to earth in those all-conqu’ring songs.

acomplain 1 Thirsil sings canto 11 on the morning of the seventh and final day. 2 Poet-Shepherd-King: David, the presumed author of the Psalms.

212

the purple island

5

These mighty Heroes fill’d with justest rage To be in narrow walls so closely pent, Glitt’ring in arms, and goodly equipage, Stood at the Castle’s gate, now ready bent To sally out, and meet the enemie: A hot disdain sparkled in every eye, Breathing out hatefull warre, and deadly enmitie.

6

Thither repairs the carefull Intellect, With his fair Spouse Voletta, heav’nly fair: With both, their daughter; whose divine aspect, Though now sad damps of sorrow much empair, Yet through those clouds did shine so glorious bright, That every eye did homage to the sight, Yeelding their captive hearts to that commanding light.

7

But who may hope to paint such majestie, Or shadow well such beautie, such a face, Such beauteous face, unseen to mortall eye? Whose powerfull looks, and more then mortall grace Love’s self hath lov’d, leaving his heav’nly throne, With amorous sighs, and many a lovely mone (Whom all the world would wooe) woo’d her his onely one.

8

Farre be that boldnesse from thy humble swain, Fairest Eclecta,3 to describe thy beautie, And with unable skill thy glory stain, Which ever he admires with humble dutie: But who to view such blaze of beautie longs, Go he to Sinah, th’ holy groves amongs; Where that wise Shepherd chants her in his Song of songs.

3 Eclecta: typographical error. “Ectecta” appears in the original.

213

canto xi

9

The Island’s King with sober countenance Aggratesa the Knights, who thus his right defended; And with grave speech, and comely amenanceb Himself, his State, his Spouse, to them commended: His lovely childe, that by him pensive stands, He last delivers to their valiant hands; And her to thank the Knights, her Champions, he commands.

10

The God-like Maid a while all silent stood, And down to th’ earth let fall her humble eyes; While modest thoughts shot up the flaming bloud, Which fir’d her scarlet cheek with rosie dies: But soon to quench the heart, that lordly reignes, From her fair eye a shower of crystall rains, Which with his silver streams o’re-runs the beauteous plains.

11

As when the Sunne in midst of summer’s heat Draws up thinne vapours with his potent ray, Forcing dull waters from their native seat; At length dimme clouds shadow the burning day: Till coldest aire, soon melted into showers, Upon the earth his welcome anger powres, And heav’n’s cleare forehead now wipes off her former lowres.c

12

At length a little lifting up her eyes, A renting sigh way for her sorrow brake, Which from her heart ’gan in her face to rise, And first in th’ eye, then in the lip thus spake; Ah gentle Knights, how many a simple maid, With justest grief and wrong so ill apaid, Give due reward for such your pains, and friendly aid?

aassembles

b courtesy

c glowers

214

the purple island

13

But if my Princely Spouse do not delay His timely presence in my greatest need, He will for me your friendly love repay, And well requite this your so gentle deed: Then let no fear your mighty hearts assail: His word’s himself; himself he cannot fail. Long may he stay, yet sure he comes, and must prevail.

14

By this the long-shut gate was open laid; Soon out they rush in order well arang’d: And fastning in their eyes that heav’nly Maid, How oft for fear her fairest colour chang’d! Her looks, her worth, her goodly grace, and state Comparing with her present wretched fate, Pitie whets just revenge, and love’s fire kindles hate.

15

Long at the gate the thoughtfull Intellect Staid with his fearfull Queen, and daughter fair; But when the Knights were past their dimme aspect, They follow them with vowes, and many a prayer: At last they climbe up to the Castle’s height; From which they view’d the deeds of every Knight, And markt the doubtfull end of this intestinea fight.

16

As when a youth, bound for the Belgick warre,4 Takes leave of friends upon the Kentish shore; Now are they parted, and he sail’d so farre, They see not now, and now are seen no more: Yet farre off viewing the white trembling sails, The tender mother soon plucks off her veils, And shaking them aloft, unto her sonne she hails.

a civil/domestic 4 Belgick warre: a probable reference to the Anglo-Spanish Wars, which brought English troops into the Netherlands.

canto xi

17

Mean time these Champions march in fit aray, Till both the armies now were come in sight: A while each other boldly viewing stay, With short delayes whetting fierce rage and spight. Sound now ye trumpets, sound alarums loud; Heark how their clamours whet their anger proud: See, yonder are they met it midst of dustie cloud.

18

So oft the South with civil enmitie Musters his watrie forces ’gainst the West; The rowling clouds come tumbling up the skie, In dark folds wrapping up their angry guest: At length the flame breaks from th’ imprisoning cold, With horrid noise tearing the limber mold; While down in liquid tears the broken vapours roll’d.

19

First did that warlike Maid5 her self advance; And riding from amidst her companie, About her helmet wav’d her mighty lance, Daring to fight the proudest enemie: Porneios soon his ready spear addrest, And kicking with his heel his hastie beast, Bent his sharp-headed lance against her dainty breast.

20

In vain the broken staffe sought entrance there, Where Love himself oft entrance sought in vain: But much unlike the Martial Virgin’s spear, Which low dismounts her foe on dustie plain, Broaching with bloudy point his breast before: Down from the wound trickled the bubbling gore, And bid pale death come in at that red gaping doore.

5 warlike Maid: Parthenia. See 10.27–40.

215

216

the purple island

21

There lies he cover’d now in lowly dust, And foully wallowing in clutter’da bloud, Breathing together out his life and lust, Which from his breast swamme in the steaming floud: In maids his joy; now by a maid defi’d, His life he lost, and all his former pride: With women would he live, now by a woman di’d.

22

Aselges,6 struck with such a heavie sight, Greedie to venge his brother’s sad decay, Spurr’d forth his flying steed with fell despight, And met the virgin in the middle way: His spear against her head he fiercely threw, Which to that face performing homage due, Kissing her helmet, thence in thousand shiversb flew.

23

The wanton boy had dreamt that latest night, That he had learnt the liquid aire dispart, And swimme along the heav’ns with pineonsc light; Now that fair maid taught him this nimble art: For from his saddle farre away she sent, Flying along the emptie element; That hardly yet he knew whither his course was bent.

24

The rest that saw with fear the ill successe Of single fight, durst not like fortune trie; But round beset her with their numerous presse: Before, beside, behinde they on her flie, And every part with coward odds assail: But she redoubling strokes as thick as hail, Drove farre their flying troops, & thresht with iron flail.

a clotted

b slivers

c wings

6 Aselges: Lasciviousness.

canto xi

25

As when a gentle greyhound set around With little curres, which dare his way molest, Snapping behinde; soon as the angrie hound Turning his course, hath caught the busiest, And shaking in his fangs hath welnigh slain; The rest fear’d with his crying, runne amain; And standing all aloof whine, houl, and bark in vain.

26

The subtil Dragon, that from farre did view The waste and spoil made by this maiden Knight, Fell to his wonted guile; for well he knew All force was vain against such wondrous might: A craftie swain well taught to cunning harms, Call’d false Delight, he chang’d with hellish charms; That true Delight he seem’d, the self-same shape and arms.

27

The watchfull’st sight no difference could descrie; The same his face, his voice, his gatea the same: Thereto his words he feign’d; and coming nigh The Maid, that fierce pursues her martiall game, He whets her wrath with many a guilefull word, Till she lesse carefull did fit time afford: Then up with both his hands he lifts his balefull sword.

28

You powerfull heav’ns! and thou their Governour! With what eyes can you view this dolefull sight? How can you see your fairest Conquerour So nigh her end by so unmanly slight?b The dreadfull weapon through the aire doth glide; But sure you turn’d the harmfull edge aside: Else must she there have fall’n, and by that traitour di’d.

agait

b sleight

217

218

the purple island

29

Yet in her side deep was the wound impight;a Her flowing life the shining armour stains: From that wide spring long rivers took their flight, With purple streams drowning the silver plains: Her cheerfull colour now grows wanne and pale, Which oft she strives with courage to recall, And rouze her fainting head, which down as oft would fall.

30

All so a Lilie, prest with heavie rain, Which fills her cup with showers up to the brinks; The wearie stalk no longer can sustain The head, but low beneath the burden sinks: Or as a virgin Rose her leaves displayes, Whom too hot scorching beams quite disarayes; Down flags her double ruffe,b and all her sweet decayes.

31

Th’ undantedc Maid, feeling her feet denie Their wonted dutie, to a tree retir’d; Whom all the rout pursue with deadly crie: As when a hunted Stag, now welnigh tir’d, Shor’d by an oak, ’gins with his head to play; The fearfull hounds dare not his horns assay, But running round about, with yelping voices bay.

32

And now perceiving all her strength was spent, Lifting to listning heav’n her trembling eyes, Thus whispring soft, her soul to heav’n she sent; Thou chastest Love, that rul’st the wandring skies, More pure then purest heavens by thee moved; If thine own love in me thou sure hast proved; If ever thou my self, my vows, my love hast loved.

a implanted

b ruffled collar

c undaunted

canto xi

33

Let not this Temple of thy spotlesse love Be with foul hand and beastly rage defil’d: But when my spirit shall his camp remove, And to his home return, too long exil’d; Do thou protect it from the ravenous spoil Of ranc’rous enemies, that hourely toil Thy humble votarie with loathsome spot to foil.7

34

With this few drops fell from her fainting eyes, To dew the fading roses of her cheek; That much high Love seem’d passion’d with those cries; Much more those streams his heart and patience break: Straight he the charge gives to a wingèd Swain, Quickly to step down to that bloudie plain, And aid her wearie arms, and rightfull cause maintain.

35

Soon stoops the speedie Herauld through the aire, Where chaste Agneia and Encrates fought: See, see, he cries, where your Parthenia fair, The flower of all your armie, hemm’d about With thousand enemies, now fainting stands, Readie to fall into their murdring hands: Hie ye, oh hie ye fast; the highest Love commands.

36

They casting round about their angrie eye, The wounded Virgin almost sinking spi’d: They prick their steeds, which straight like lightning flie: Their brother Continence runnes by their side; Fair Continence, that truely long before As his heart’s liege, this Ladie did adore: And now his faithfull love kindled his hate the more.

7 foil: soil?

219

220

the purple island

37

Encrates and his Spouse with flashing sword Assail the scatter’d troops, that headlong flie; While Continence8 a precious liquour pour’d Into the wound, and suppled tenderly: Then binding up the gaping orifice, Reviv’d the spirits, that now she ’gan to rise, And with new life confront her heartlesse enemies.

38

So have I often seen a purple flower Fainting through heat, hang down her drooping head; But soon refreshèd with a welcome shower, Begins again her lively beauties spread, And with new pride her silken leaves display; And while the Sunne doth now more gently play, Lay out her swelling bosome to the smiling day.

39

Now rush they all into the flying trains; Bloud fires their bloud, and slaughter kindles fight:9 The wretched vulgar on the purple plains Fall down as thick, as when a rustick wight From laden oaks the plenteous akorns poures, Or when the blubbring ayer sadly lowres, And melts his sullen brow, and weeps sweet April showers.

40

The greedy Dragon, that aloof did spie So ill successe of this renewèd fray; More vext with losse of certain victorie, Depriv’d of so assur’d and wishèd prey, Gnashed his iron teeth10 for grief and spite: The burning sparks leap from his flaming sight, And forth his smoking jawes steams out a smouldring night.

8

Continence: abstinence. Parthenia seems to be undergoing some sort of re-virginization here, suggesting that rape does not take away one’s status as a virgin. fight: Grosart suggests that “fight” is a typographical error and that “sight” is intended. iron teeth: the Dragon’s iron teeth are also referred to in the initial description of the creature in 7.6.

9 10

canto xi

41

Straight thither sends he in a fresh supply, The swelling band that drunken Methos led, And all the rout his brother Gluttonie Commands, in lawlesse bands disorderèd: So now they bold restore their broken fight, And fiercely turn again from shamefull flight; While both with former losse sharpen their raging spite.

42

Freshly these Knights assault these fresher bands, And with new battell all their strength renew: Down fell Geloios by Encrates’ hands; Agneia Moechus and Anagnus slew; And spying Methos fenc’t in’s iron vine, Pierc’t his swoln panch: there lies the grunting swine, And spues his liquid soul out in his purple wine.

43

As when a greedy lion, long unfed, Breaks in at length into the harmlesse folds; (So hungry rage commands) with fearfull dread He drags the sillya beasts: nothing controlls The victour proud; he spoils, devours, and tears: In vain the keeper calls his shepherd peers: Mean while the simple flock gaze on with silent fears:

44

Such was the slaughter these three Champions made; But most Encrates, whose unconquer’d hands Sent thousand foes down to th’ infernall shade, With uselesse limbes strewing the bloudie sands: Oft were they succourd fresh with new supplies, But fell as oft: the Dragon grown more wise By former losse, began another way devise.

ainnocent

221

222

the purple island

45

Soon to their aid the Cyprian band11 he sent, For easie skirmish clad in armour light: Their golden bowes in hand stood ready bent, And painted quivers (furnisht well for fight) Stuck full of shafts, whose heads foul poyson stains; Which dipt in Phlegethon12 by hellish swains, Bring thousand painfull deaths, and thousand deadly pains.

46

Thereto of substance strange, so thinne, and slight, And wrought by subtil hand so cunningly, That hardly were discern’d by weaker sight; Sooner the heart did feel, then eye could see: Farre off they stood, and flung their darts around, Raining whole clouds of arrows on the ground; So safely others hurt, and never wounded wound.

47

Much were the Knights encumbred with these foes; For well they saw, and felt their enemies: But when they back would turn the borrow’d blows, The light-foot troop away more swiftly flies, Then do their wingèd arrows through the winde: And in their course oft would they turn behinde, And with their glancing darts their hot pursuers blinde.

4813 As when by Russian Volgha’s14 frozen banks The false-back Tartars15 fear with cunning feigne, And poasting fast away in flying ranks, Oft backward turn, and from their bowes down rain Whole storms of darts; so do they flying fight: And what by force they lose, they winne by slight;a Conquerd by standing out, and conquerours by flight: a sleight 11 12 13 14 15

Cyprian band: Venus and her cohort. Phlegethon: a river of fire in Hades. fq 2.11.26 and 6.9.19–25. Volgha: the Volga River, the longest river in Europe, which flows through Russia. Tartars: Mongols and Tatars. Fletcher here alludes to Mongolian military tactics, specifically their infamous feints and deceits used to disguise the size of their force, feigning either strength or weakness as necessary. In the thirteenth century, the Mongols used the

canto xi

49

Such was the craft of this false Cyprian crue: Yet oft they seem’d to slack their fearfull pace, And yeeld themselves to foes that fast pursue; So would they deeper wound in nearer space: In such a fight he winnes, that fastest flies. Flie, flie, chaste Knights, such subtil enemies: The vanquisht cannot live, and conqu’rour surely dies.

50

The Knights opprest with wounds and travela past, Began retire, and now were neare to fainting: With that a wingèd Poast him speeded fast, The Generall with these heavy newes acquainting: He soon refresht their hearts that ’gan to tire. But let our weary Muse a while respire: Shade we our scorchèd heads from Phoebus’ parching fire.

223

apainful effort frozen Volga to invade Russia. Fletcher is also quite likely drawing on his father’s experiences in Russia, discussed in Giles Fletcher’s Of the Russe Common Wealth (1591), in which Giles frequently discusses sixteenth-century Russian conflicts with the Tatars.

Canto xii 11

THe shepherds guarded from the sparkling heat2 Of blazing aire, upon the flowrie banks, (Where various flowers damask the fragrant seat, And all the grove perfume) in wonted ranks Securely sit them down, and sweetly play: At length thus Thirsil ends his broken lay, Lest that the stealing night his later song might stay.

2

Thrice, oh thrice happie shepherd’s life and state, When Courts are happinesse’ unhappie pawns! His cottage low, and safely humble gate Shuts out proud fortune, with her scorns, and fawns: No fearèd treason breaks his quiet sleep: Singing all day, his flocks he learns to keep; Himself as innocent as are his simple sheep.

3

No Serian worms3 he knows, that with their threed Draw out their silken lives; nor silken pride: His lambes’ warm fleece well fits his little need, Not in that proud Sidonian tincture4 di’d: No emptie hopes, no courtly fears him fright; No begging wants his middle fortune bite: But sweet content exiles both miserie and spite.

4

In stead of musick and base flattering tongues, Which wait to first-salute my Lord’s uprise; The cheerfull lark wakes him with early songs, And birds’ sweet whistling notes unlock his eyes: In countrey playes is all the strife he uses, Or sing, or dance unto the rurall Muses; And but in musick’s sports, all difference refuses.

1 2 3 4

The final canto is sung on the afternoon of the seventh and final day. For stanzas 1–7, see fq 6.9.19–25. Serian worms: silkworms. Sidonian tincture: purple.

canto xii

5

His certain life, that never can deceive him, Is full of thousand sweets, and rich content: The smooth-leav’d beeches in the field receive him With coolest shades, till noon-tide’s rage is spent: His life is neither tost in boist’rous seas Of troublous world, nor lost in slothfull ease: Pleas’d & full blest he lives, when he his God can please.

6

His bed of wool yeelds safe and quiet sleeps, While by his side his faithfull spouse hath place: His little sonne into his bosome creeps, The lively picture of his father’s face: Never his humble house or state torment him; Lesse he could like, if lesse his God had sent him: And when he dies, green turfs with grassie tombe content him.5

76

The world’s great Light his lowly state hath blest, And left his heav’n to be a shepherd base:7 Thousand sweet songs he to his pipe addrest: Swift rivers stood; beasts, trees, stones ranne apace, And serpents flew to heare his softest strains: He fed his flock, where rolling Jordan reignes; There took our rags, gave us his robes, and bore our pains.

8

Then thou high Light, whom shepherds low adore, Teach me, oh do thou teach thy humble swain To raise my creeping song from earthly floor: Fill thou my empty breast with loftie strain; That singing of thy warres and dreadfull fight, My notes may thunder out thy conqu’ring might, And ’twixt the golden starres cut out her towring flight.

225

5 A snapshot of Thirsil’s idyllic home life. The final three lines of stanza 3 and the complete stanzas 5 and 6 are quoted in the second edition of Izaak Walton’s The Compleat Angler (1655). However, these lines are quoted with some minor variations from the 1633 published editions of Fletcher’s poem. As a friend of Fletcher’s, it is possible that Walton may have been working from an earlier manuscript version of The Purple Island that is now lost. 6 Fletcher here moves from a description of Thirsil to Jesus with little transition. 7 a shepherd base: Christ.

226

the purple island

9

The mightie Generall movèd with the news Of those foure famous Knights so neare decay, With hastie speed the conquering foe pursues; At last he spies where they were led away, Forc’t to obey the Victour’s proud commands: Soon did he rush into the middle bands, And cut the slavish cords from their captivèd hands.

10

And for the Knights were faint, he quickly sent To Penitence, whom Phoebus taught his art; Which she had eakt with long experiment: For many a soul, and many a wounded heart Had she restor’d, and brought to life again The broken spirit, with grief and horrour slain; That oft reviv’d, yet di’d as oft with smarting pain.

11

For she in severall baths their wounds did steep; The first of Rue8 which purg’d the foul infection, And cur’d the deepest wound, by wounding deep: Then would she make another strange confection, And mix it with Nepenthe9 soveraigne; Wherewith she quickly swag’d the rankling pain: Thus she the Knights recur’d, and washt from sinfull stain.

12

Mean time the fight now fiercer grows then ever: (For all his troops the Dragon hither drew) The two Twin-Loves, whom no place mought dissever, And Knowledge with his train begins anew To strike fresh summons up, and hot alarms: In midst great Fido, clad in sunne-like arms, With his unmatchèd force repairs all former harms.

8 Rue: an herb commonly used to induce miscarriage. 9 Nepenthe: a plant used as an antidepressant.

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13

So when the Sunne shines in bright Taurus’ head,10 Returning tempests all with winter fill; And still successive storms fresh musterèd The timely yeare in his first springings kill: And oft it breathes a while, then straight again Doubly powres out his spite in smoking rain: The countrey’s vows & hopes swimme on the drownèd plain.

14

The lovely Twinnes ride ’gainst the Cyprian bands, Chasing their troops now with no feignèd flight: Their broken shafts lie scatter’d on the sands, Themselves for fear quite vanisht out of sight: Against these conquerours Hypocrisie, And Cosmos’11 hated bands, with Ecthros12 flie, And all that rout do march, & bold the Twinnes defie.

15

Elpinus mightie enemies assail; But Doubt of all the other most infested; That oft his fainting courage ’gan to fail, More by his craft then ods of force molested: For oft the treachoura chang’d his weapon light, And sudden alter’d his first kinde of fight, And oft himself and shape transform’d with cunning slight.b

16

So that great river, with Alcides striving In Oeneus’ court for the Aetolian Maid,13 To divers shapes his fluent limbes contriving, From manly form in serpent’s frame he staid, Sweeping with speckled breast the dustie land; Then like a bull with horns did armèd stand: His hanging dewlap trail’d along the golden sand.

acheater 10 11 12

13

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b sleight

Indicative of spring weather. Astrologically, the sun enters Taurus in late April. Cosmos’: appears as “Cosmo’s” in the original, a probable typographical error. Ecthros: the only typographical difference between the two 1633 printings of the poem. stc 11082 uses “Ecthros” and 11082.5 uses “Echthros.” Boas uses “Ecthros,” while Grosart uses “Echthros.” “Ecthros,” however, appears in 7.46 with the same spelling in both 11082 and 11082.5. Aetolian Maid: Deianira, daughter of Oeneus, the Aetolian king. Hercules had to defeat the sea deity Achelous to win her hand in marriage.

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17

Such shapes and changing fashions much dismaid him, That oft he stagger’d with unwonted fright; And but his brother Fido oft did aid him, There had he fell in unacquainted fight: But he would still his wavering strength maintain, And chase that Monster through the sandie plain; Which from him fled apace, but oft return’d again.

18

Yet him more strong and cunning foes withstand, Whom he with greater skill and strength defi’d: Foul Ignorance, with all her owl-ey’d band; Oft-starting Fear, Distrust ne’re satisfi’d, And fond Suspect, and thousand other foes; Whom farre he drives with his unequall blows, And with his flaming sword their fainting armie mows.

19

As when bloud-guilty earth for vengeance cries, (If greatest things with lesse we may compare) The mighty Thunderer through the ayer flies, While snatching whirlwinds open waies prepare: Dark clouds spread out their sable curtains o’re him; And Angels on their flaming wings up bore him: Mean time the guilty heav’ns for fear flie fast before him.

2014 There while he on the winde’s proud pineonsa rides, Down with his fire some lofty mount he throwes, And fills the low vale with his ruin’d sides; Or on some church his three-forkt dart bestowes; (Which yet his sacred worship foul mistakes) Down falls the spire, the body fearfull quakes; Nor sure to fall, or stand, with doubtfull trembling shakes.

a wings 14

fq 4.6.14.

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21

With Fido Knowledge went, who order’d right His mighty hands: so now his scatter’d troops Make head again, filling their broken fight; While with new change the Dragon’s armie droops, And from the following victours headlong runne: Yet still the Dragon frustrates what is done; And eas’ly makes them lose what they so hardly wonne[.]

22

Out of his gorge a hellish smoke he drew, That all the field with foggie mist enwraps; As when Tiphoeus15 from his panch doth spew Black smothering flames, roll’d in loud thunder-claps: The pitchie vapours choke the shining ray, And bring dull night upon the smiling day; The wavering Aetna16 shakes, and fain would runne away.

23

Yet could his bat-ey’d legions eas’ly see In this dark Chaos; they the seed of night: But these not so, who night and darknesse flee; For they the sonnes of day, and joy in light: But Knowledge soon began a way devise, To bring again the day, and cleare their eyes: So open’d Fido’s shield, and golden veil unties.

2417 Of one pure diamond, celestiall fair, That heav’nly shield by cunning hand was made; Whose light divine, spred through the mistie aire, To brightest morn would turn the Western shade, And lightsome day beget before his time; Framed in heav’n without all earthly crime; Dipt in the firy Sunne, which burnt the baser slime.

15 16 17

Tiphoeus: Typhoeus, the largest and most fearsome creature in Greek mythology. Aetna: Mount Etna, the volcano under which Typhoeus was imprisoned by Zeus. fq 1.7.33.

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230 25

the purple island

As when from fennie moors the lumpish clouds With rising steams damp the bright morning’s face; At length the piercing Sunne his team unshrouds, And with his arrows th’ idle fogge doth chase: The broken mist lies melted all in tears: So this bright shield the stinking darknesse teares, And giving back the day, dissolves their former fears.

2618 Which when afarre the firie Dragon spies, His slightsa deluded with so little pain; To his last refuge now at length he flies: Long time his pois’nous gorge he seem’d to strain; At length with loathly sight he up doth spue From stinking panch a most deformèd crue, That heav’n it self did flie from their most ugly view. 2719 The first that crept from his detested maw, Was Hamartia,20 foul deformèd wight; More foul, deform’d, the Sunne yet never saw; Therefore she hates the all-betraying light: A woman seem’d she in her upper part; To which she could such lying glosse impart, That thousands she had slain with her deceiving art. 28

The rest (though hid) in serpent’s form arayd, With iron scales, like to a plaited mail: Over her back her knotty tail displaid, Along the empty aire did lofty sail: The end was pointed with a double sting, Which with such dreaded might she wont to fling, That nought could help the wound, but bloud of heav’nly King.

a sleights 18 19 20

fq 1.1.22. For stanzas 27–28, see fq 5.11.23–24. Sinne. pf.

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29

Of that first woman21 her the Dragon got, (The foulest bastard of so fair a mother) Whom when she saw so fil’d with monstrous spot, She cast her hidden shame and birth to smother; But she welnigha her mother’s self had slain: And all that dare her kindely entertain; So some parts of her damme, more of her sire remain.

30

Her viperous locks hung loose about her eares; Yet with a monstrous snake she them restrains, Which like a border on her head she wears: About her neck hang down long adder chains, In thousand knots, and wreaths infolded round; Which in her anger lightly she unbound, And darting farre away would sure and deadly wound.

31

Yet fair and lovely seems to fools’ dimme eyes; But hell more lovely, Pluto’s22 self more fair Appeares, when her true form true light descries: Her loathsome face, blancht skinne, and snakie hair, Her shapelesse shape, dead life, her carrion smell, The devil’s dung, the childe and damme of hell, Is chafferb fit for fools their precious souls to sell.

32

The second in this rank was black Despair, Bred in the dark wombe of eternall Night: His looks fast nail’d to Sinne, long sootie hair Fill’d up his lank cheeks with wide-staring fright: His leaden eyes, retir’d into his head, Light, heav’n, and earth, himself, and all things fled: A breathing coarsec he seem’d, wrapt up in living lead.

anearly 21 22

b barter

c corpse

first woman: Eve. Pluto: ruler of the Underworld.

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33

His bodie all was fram’d of earthly paste, And heavie mold; yet earth could not content him: Heav’n fast he flies, and heav’n fled him as fast; Though ’kin to hell, yet hell did much torment him: His very soul was nought but ghastly fright: With him went many a fiend, and ugly sprite,a Armèd with ropes and knives, all instruments of spite.

34

In stead of feathers, on his dangling crest A lucklesse Raven spread her blackest wings; And to her croaking throat gave never rest, But deathfull verses and sad dirges sings: His hellish arms were all with fiends embost, Who damnèd souls with endlesse torments roast, And thousand ways devise to vex the tortur’d ghost.

35

Two weapons sharp as death he ever bore; Strict Judgement, which from farre he deadly darts; Sinne at his side, a two edg’d sword, he wore, With which he soon appalls the stoutest hearts: Upon his shield Alecto23 with a wreath Of snakie whips the damn’d souls tortureth: And round about was wrote, Reward of sinne is death.

36

The last two brethren were farre different, Onely in common name of death agreeing; The first arm’d with a sithe still mowing went; Yet whom, and when he murder’d, never seeing; Born deaf, and blinde: nothing might stop his way: No prayers, no vows his keenest sithe could stay; Nor Beautie’s self his spite, nor Vertue’s self allay.

a spirit 23

Alecto: one of the three Furies, associated with unceasing anger.

canto xii

37

No state, no age, no sex may hope to move him; Down falls the young, and old, the boy, and maid: Nor begger can intreat, nor King reprove him; All are his slaves in’s cloth of flesh araid: The bride he snatches from the bridegroom’s arms, And horrour brings, in midst of love’s alarms: Too well we know his power by long experienc’t harms.

3824 A dead man’s skull suppli’d his helmet’s place, A bone his club, his armour sheets of lead: Some more, some lesse fear his all-frighting face; But most who sleep in downie pleasure’s bed: But who in life have daily learnt to die, And dead to this, live to a life more high; Sweetly in death they sleep, and slumbring quiet lie. 39

The second25 farre more foul in every part, Burnt with blue fire, and bubbling sulphure streams; Which creeping round about him, fill’d with smart His cursed limbes, that direly he blasphemes: Most strange it seems, that burning thus for ever, No rest, no time, no place these flames may sever: Yet death in thousand deaths without death dieth never.

40

Soon as these hellish monsters came in sight, The Sunne his eye in jettie vapours drown’d, Scar’d at such hell-hounds’ view; heav’n’s ’mazed light Sets in an early evening; earth astound, Bids dogs with houls give warning: at which sound The fearfull ayer starts, seas break their bound, And frighted fled away; no sands might them impound.

24 25

fq 2.11.22. The second: unnamed, possibly hell.

233

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41

The palsied troop first (like asps shaken) fare; Till now their heart, congeal’d in icie bloud, Candied the ghastly face; locks stand and stare: Thus charm’d, in ranks of stone they marshall’d stood: Their uselesse swords fell idlely on the plain, And now the triumph sounds in loftie strain; So conqu’ring Dragon bindes the Knights with slavish chain.

42

As when proud Phineus26 in his brother’s feast Fill’d all with tumult, and intestine broil; Wise Perseus, with such multitudes opprest, Before him bore the snakie Gorgon’s spoil: The vulgar rude stood all in marble chang’d, And in vain ranks and rockie order rang’d, Were now more quiet guests, from former rage estrang’d.

43

The fair Eclecta, who with grief had stood, Viewing th’ oft changes of this doubtfull fight, Saw now the field swimme in her Champions’ bloud, And from her heart, rent with deep passion, sigh’d; Limming true sorrow in sad silent art. Light grief floats on the tongue; but heavie smart Sinks down, and deeply lies in centre of the heart.

4427 What Daedal28 art such griefs can truely shew, Broke heart, seep sighs, thick sobs, & burning prayers, Baptizing ever[y] limbe in weeping dew? Whose swoln eyes, pickled up in brinie tears, Crystalline rocks, corall the lid appeares, Compast about with tides of grief and fears; Where grief stores fear with sighs, and fear stores grief with tears.

26

27 28

Phineus: once betrothed to Andromeda, Phineas burst in upon the wedding of Andromeda and Perseus with the severed head of Medusa (the gorgon), turning the wedding guests to stone. fq 4.10.45. Daedal: Daedalus, mythical artist and craftsman of great skill.

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45

At length sad Sorrow, mounted on the wings Of loud-breath’d sighs, his leaden weight uprears; And vents it self in softest whisperings, Follow’d with deadly grones, usher’d by tears: While her fair hands, and watrie shining eyes Were upward bent upon the mourning skies, Which seem’d with cloudie brow her grief to sympathize.

46

Long while the silent passion, wanting vent, Made flowing tears her words, and eyes her tongue; Till Faith, Experience, Hope assistance lent To shut both floud-gates up with patience strong: The streams well ebb’d, new hopes some comforts borrow From firmest truth; then glimpst the hopefull morrow: So spring some dawns of joy, so sets the night of sorrow.

47

Ah dearest Lord, my heart’s sole Soveraigne, Who sitt’st high mounted on thy burning throne; Heark from thy heav’ns, where thou dost safely reigne, Cloth’d with the golden Sunne, and silver Moon: Cast down a while thy sweet and gracious eye, And low avail that flaming Majestie, Deigning thy gentle sight on our sad miserie.

48

To thee, deare Lord, I lift this watrie eye, This eye which thou so oft in love hast prais’d;29 This eye with which thou wounded30 oft wouldst die; To thee (deare Lord) whose suppliant hands are rais’d: These to be lilies thou hast often told me; Which if but once again may ever hold thee, Will never let thee loose, will never more unfold thee.

29

Cant. 1.15. pf. “Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves’ eyes” (Canticles 1:15). Cant. 4.9. pf. “Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse; thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, with one chain of thy neck” (Canticles 4:9).

30

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49

Seest how thy foes despitefull trophies reare, Too confident in thy prolong’d delayes? Come then, oh quickly come, my dearest deare: When shall I see thee crown’d with conqu’ring bayes, And all thy foes trod down, and spred as clay? When shall I see thy face, and glorie’s ray? Too long thou stay’st, my Love; come Love, no longer stay.

50

Hast thou forgot thy former word and love, Or lockt thy sweetnesse up in fierce disdain? In vain didst thou those thousand mischiefs prove? Are all those griefs, thy birth, life, death in vain? Oh no; of ill thou onely dost repent thee, And in thy dainty mercies most content thee: Then why with stay so long so long dost thou torment me?

51

Reviving Cordiall of my dying sprite,a The best Elixar for soul’s drooping pain; Ah now unshade thy face, uncloud thy sight; See, every way’s a trap, each path’s a train: Hell’s troops my soul beleaguer; bow thine eares, And hear my cries pierce through my grones & fears: Sweet Spouse, see not my sinnes, but through my plaintsb and tears.

52

Let frailty favour, sorrow succour move; Anchour my life in thy calm streams of bloud: Be thou my rock, though I poore changeling rove, Tost up and down in waves of worldly floud: Whil’st I in vale of tears at anchour ride, Where windes of earthly thoughts my sails misguide, Harbour my fleshly barkc safe in thy wounded side.

a spirit

b complaints

c ship

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53

Take, take my contrite heart, thy sacrifice, Washt in her eyes that swimmes and sinks in woes: See, see, as seas with windes high working rise, So storm, so rage, so gape thy boasting foes. Deare Spouse, unlesse thy right hand even steers, Oh if thou anchour not these threatning fears; Thy ark will sail as deep in bloud, as now in tears.

54

With that a thundring noise seem’d shake the skie, As when with iron wheels through stonie plain A thousand chariots to the battell flie; Or when with boistrous rage the swelling main, Puft up with mighty windes, does hoarsly roar; And beating with his waves the trembling shore, His sandie girdle scorns, & breaks earth’s ramperda doore.

55

And straight an Angel31 full of heav’nly might, (Three several crowns32 circled his royall head) From Northern coast heaving his blazing light, Through all the earth his glorious beams dispread, And open laies the Beast’s and Dragon’s shame: For to this end th’ Almighty did him frame, And therefore from supplanting33 gave his ominous name[.]

237

areinforced 31

32 33

Our late most learned Soveraigne in his remonstrance and comment on the Apocal. pf. Fletcher refers here to James i’s “A Fruitful Meditation” (1588), which was expanded on in James’s Workes (1616), in which James discusses Revelation 20:7–10. Three several crowns: England, Scotland, and Ireland. Jacob, the “supplanter,” born holding his brother’s heel and who tricked Esau out of his inheritance, but who was also chosen by God for greatness. Later renamed “Israel,” he was the father of the twelve tribes of Israel. “Jacob” and “James” are names deriving from the same source.

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56

A silver trumpet oft he loudly blew, Frighting the guiltie earth with thundring knell; And oft proclaim’d, as through the world he flew, Babel, great Babel lies as low as hell: Let every Angel loud his trumpet sound, Her heav’n-exalted towers in dust are drown’d: Babel, proud Babel’s fall’n, and lies as low as ground.

57

The broken heav’ns dispart with fearfull noise, And from the breach out shoots a suddain light; Straight shrilling trumpets with loud sounding voice Give echoing summons to new bloudy fight: Well knew the Dragon that all-quelling blast, And soon perceiv’d that day must be his last; Which strook his frighted heart, & all his troops aghast.

58

Yet full of malice and of stubborn pride, Though oft had strove, and had been foild as oft, Boldly his death and certain fate defi’d: And mounted on his flaggie sails aloft, With boundlesse spite he long’d to try again A second losse, and new death; glad and fain To shew his pois’nous hate, though ever shew’d in vain.

5934 So up he rose upon his stretchèd sails, Fearlesse expecting his approaching death: So up he rose, that th’ ayer starts, and fails, And over-pressèd sinks his load beneath: So up he rose, as does a thunder-cloud, Which all the earth with shadows black does shroud: So up he rose, and through the weary ayer row’d.

34

fq 1.11.8–10, 18, 54.

canto xii

60

Now his Almighty foe farre off he spies; Whose Sun-like arms daz’d the eclipsèd day, Confounding with their beams lesse-glitt’ring skies, Firing the aire with more then heav’nly ray; Like thousand Sunnes in one: such is their light; A subject onely for immortall sprite,a Which never can be seen, but by immortall sight.

61

His threatning eyes shine like that dreadfull flame, With which the Thunderer arms his angry hand: Himself had fairly wrote his wondrous name, Which neither earth nor heav’n could understand: A hundred crowns, like towers, beset around His conqu’ring head: well may they there abound, When all his limbes and troops with gold are richly crown’d.

62

His armour all was dy’d in purple bloud; (In purple bloud of thousand rebell Kings) In vain their stubborn powers his arm withstood: Their proud necks chain’d he now in triumph brings, And breaks their spears, & cracks their traitour swords Upon whose arms and thigh, in golden words Was fairly writ, The king of Kings, & lord of Lords.

63

His snow-white steed was born of heav’nly kinde, Begot by Boreas35 on the Thracian hills; More strong and speedy then his parent Winde: And (which his foes with fear and horrour fills) Out from his mouth a two-edg’d sword he darts; Whose sharpest steel the bone and marrow parts, And with his keenest point unbreasts the naked hearts.

239

aspirit 35

Boreas: god of the north wind and father to twelve swift horses, whose traditional home was in Thrace.

240

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64

The Dragon, wounded with this flaming brand, They take, and in strong bonds and fetters tie: Short was the fight, nor could he long withstand Him, whose appearance is his victorie. So now he’s bound in adamantine chain; He storms, he roars, he yells for high disdain: His net is broke, the fowl go free, and fowler ta’ne.

65

Thence by a mighty Swain he soon was led Unto a thousand thousand torturings: His tail, whose folds were wont the starres to shed, Now stretcht at length, close to his belly clings: Soon as the pit he sees, he back retires, And battel new, but all in vain, respires:a So there he deeply lies, flaming in icie fires.

6636 As when Alcides from forc’t hell had drawn The three-head dog,37 and master’d all his pride; Basely the fiend did on his Victour fawn, With serpent tail clapping his hollow side: At length arriv’d upon the brink of light, He shuts the day out of his dullard sight, And swelling all in vain renews unhappie fight. 67

Soon at this sight the Knights revive again, As fresh as when the flowers from winter tombe (When now the Sunne brings back his nearer wain) Peep out again from their fresh mother’s wombe: The primrose lighted new, her flame displayes, And frights the neighbour hedge with firie rayes: And all the world renew their mirth & sportive playes.

a resumes 36 37

Spenser, “Virgils Gnat,” lines 345–352. The twelfth labour of Hercules was to kidnap Cerberus, the three-headed dog, from the Underworld. Hercules was wounded by Cerberus’s dragon tail in the process.

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6838 The Prince, who saw his long imprisonment Now end in never-ending libertie; To meet the Victour, from his castle went, And falling down, clasping his royall knee, Poures out deservèd thanks in gratefull praise: But him the heav’nly Saviour soon doth raise, And bids him spend in joy his never spending dayes. 69

The fair Eclecta, that with widowed brow Her absent Lord long mourn’d in sad aray, Now silken linnen39 cloth’d like frozen snow, Whose silver spanglets sparkle ’gainst the day: This shining robe her Lord himself had wrought, While he her love with hundred presents sought, And it with many a wound, & many a torment bought.

70

And thus arayd, her heav’nly beauties shin’d (Drawing their beams from his most glorious face) Like to a precious Jasper,40 pure refin’d; Which with a Crystall mixt, much mends his grace: The golden starres a garland fair did frame, To crown her locks; the Sunne lay hid for shame, And yeelded all his beams to her more glorious flame.

71

Ah who that flame can tell? ah who can see? Enough is me with silence to admire; While bolder joy, and humb[l]e majestie In either cheek had kindled gracefull fire: Long silent stood she, while her former fears And griefs ran all away in sliding tears; That like a watrie Sunne her gladsome face appeares.

38 39

For stanzas 68–70, see fq 1.12.5–8, 22. Revel. 19.8. pf. “And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints” (Revelation 19:8). Revel. 21.11. pf. “Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most previous, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal” (Revelation 21:11).

40

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72

At length when joyes had left her closer heart, To seat themselves upon her thankfull tongue; First in her eyes they sudden flashes dart, Then forth i’ th’ musick of her voice they throng; My Hope, my Love, my Joy, my Life, my Blisse, (Whom to enjoy is heav’n, but hell to misse) What are the world’s false joyes, what heav’n’s true joyes to this?

73

Ah dearest Lord! does my rapt soul behold thee? Am I awake? and sure I do not dream? Do these thrice blessed arms again infold thee? Too much delight makes true things feignèd seem. Thee, thee I see; thou, thou thus folded art: For deep thy stamp is printed in my heart, And thousand ne’re-felt joyes stream in each melting part.

74

Thus with glad sorrow did she sweetly plaina her, Upon his neck a welcome load depending; While he with equall joy did entertain her, Her self, her Champions, highly all commending: So all in triumph to his palace went, Whose work in narrow words may not be pent; For boundlesse thought is lesse then is that glorious tent.

75

There sweet delights, which know nor end, nor measure; No chance is there, nor eating times succeeding: No wastfull spending can empair their treasure; Pleasure full grown, yet ever freshly breeding: Fulnesse of sweets excludes not more receiving: The soul still big of joy, yet still conceiving; Beyond slow tongue’s report, beyond quick thought’s perceiving.

a complain

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243

76

There are they gone, there will they ever bide; Swimming in waves of joyes, and heav’nly loving:41 He still a Bridegroom, she a gladsome Bride; Their hearts in love, like spheres still constant moving: No change, no grief, no age can them befall: Their bridall bed is in that heav’nly hall, Where all dayes are but one, and onely one is all.

77

And as in state they thus in triumph ride, The boyes and damsels their just praises chaunt; The boyes the Bridegroom sing, the maids the Bride, While all the hills glad Hymens42 loudly vaunt: Heav’n’s winged shoals, greeting this glorious spring, Attune their higher notes, and Hymens sing: Each thought to passe, & each did passe thought’s loftiest wing.

78

Upon his lightning brow Love proudly sitting Flames out in power, shines out in majestie; There all his loftie spoils and trophies fitting, Displayes the marks of highest Deitie: There full of strength in lordly arms he stands, And every heart, and every soul commands: No heart, no soul his strength and lordly force withstands.

79

Upon her forehead thousand cheerfull Graces, Seated in thrones of spotlesse ivorie; There gentle Love his armèd hand unbraces, His bow unbent disclaims all tyrannie: There by his play a thousand souls beguiles, Perswading more by simple modest smiles, Then ever he could force by arms, or craftie wiles.

41

loving: a typographical error: “loves” appears in the original. It is possible, however, that “loves” is correct and that “moving” in l. 4 should read “moves.” Hymens: wedding songs.

42

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80

Upon her cheek doth Beautie’s self implant The freshest garden of her choicest flowers; On which if Envie might but glance ascant,a Her eyes would swell, and burst, and melt in showers: Thrice fairer both then ever fairest ey’d. Heav’n never such a Bridegroom yet descri’d; Nor ever earth so fair, so undefil’d a Bride.

81

Full of his Father shines his glorious face, As farre the Sunne surpassing in his light, As doth the Sunne the earth with flaming blaze: Sweet influence streams from his quickning sight: His beams from nought did all this All display; And when to lesse then nought they fell away, He soon restor’d again by his new orient ray.

82

All heav’n shines forth in her sweet face’s frame: Her seeing Starres (which we miscall bright eyes) More bright then is the morning’s brightest flame, More fruitfull then the May-time Geminies: These back restore the timely summer’s fire; Those springing thoughts in winter hearts inspire, Inspiriting dead souls, and quickning warm desire.

83

These two fair Sunnes in heav’nly sphere are plac’t, Where in the centre Joy triumphing sits: Thus in all high perfections fully grac’t, Her mid-day blisse no future night admits; But in the mirrours of her Spouse’s eyes Her fairest self she dresses; there where lies All sweets, a glorious beautie to emparadize.b

a disapprovingly

b imparadise

canto xii

84

His locks like ravens’ plumes, or shining jet, Fall down in curls along his ivory neck; Within their circlets hundred Graces set, And with love-knots their comely hangings deck: His mighty shoulders, like that Giant Swain,43 All heav’n and earth, and all in both sustain; Yet knows no wearinesse, nor feels oppressing pain.

85

Her amber hair, like to the sunnie ray, With gold enamels fair the silver white; There heav’nly loves their prettie sportings play, Firing their darts in that wide flaming light: Her daintie neck, spread with that silver mold, Where double beautie doth it self unfold, In th’ own fair silver shines, and fairer borrow’d gold.

86

His breast a rock of purest alabaster, Where Love’s self sailing shipwrackt often sitteth; Hers a twinne-rock, unknown, but to th’ ship-master; Which harbours him alone, all other splitteth. Where better could her love then here have nested? Or he his thoughts then here more sweetly seated? Then both their love & thoughts in each are ever rested.

87

Runne now you shepherd-swains; ah run you thither, Where this fair Bridegroom leads the blessed way: And haste you lovely maids, haste you together With this sweet Bride; while yet the sunne-shine day Guides your blinde steps, while yet loud summons call, That every wood & hill resounds withall, Come Hymen, Hymen come, drest in thy golden pall.

43

Giant Swain: Atlas.

245

246

the purple island

88

The sounding Echo back the musick flung, While heav’nly spheres unto the voices playd. But see, the day is ended with my song, And sporting bathes with that fair Ocean Maid:44 Stoop now thy wing, my Muse, now stoop thee low: Hence mayst thou freely play, and rest thee now; While here I hang my pipe upon the willow bough.

89

So up they rose, while all the shepherds’ throng With their loud pipes a countrey triumph blew, And led their Thirsil home with joyfull song: Mean time the lovely Nymphs with garlands new His locks in Bay and honour’d Palm-tree bound, With Lilies set, and Hyacinths around; And Lord of all the yeare, and their May-sportings crown’d. finis.

44

Ocean Maid: Clymene, an Oceanid, and the mother of Phaethon by Apollo (the sun). Clymene is also the goddess of fame.

Francis Quarles, “To my deare friend, the spencer of this age”

247

To my deare friend, the spencer of this age.1 Deare friend, no more a Stranger now: I lately past Thy curious Buildings; call’d; but then my haste Deny’d me a full draught; I did but taste. Thy Wine was rich and pleasing; did appeare No common grape: My haste could not forbeare A second sippe; I hung a Garland there: Past on my way; I lasht through thick and thinne, Dispatch’d my businesse, and return’d agen; I call’d the second time; unhors’d, went it: View’d every Room; each Room was beautifi’d With new Invention, carv’d on every side, To please the common and the curious ey’d: View’d every Office; every Office lay Like a rich Magazen; & did bewray Thy Treasure, op’ned with thy golden key: View’d every Orchyard; every Orchyard did Appeare a Paradise, whose fruits were hid (Perchance) with shadowing Leaves, but none forbid: View’d every Plot; spent some delightfull houres In every Garden, full of new-born flowers, Delicious banks, and delectable bowers.

1 In the 1633 printings, this poem appears at the very end of the volume on an unpaginated leaf following “Elisa” (the final poem in Piscatorie Eclog, and Other Poeticall Miscellanies, which is bound with The Purple Island). It is included here because Quarles refers to his dedicatory verses that precede The Purple Island, included at the outset of the present volume.

248

The Purple Island

Thus having stepp’d and travell’d every staire Within, and tasted every fruit that’s rare Without; I made thy house my thorough-fare. Then give me leave, rare Fletcher, (as before I left a Garland at thy Gates) once more To hang this Ivie at thy Postern-doore. francis quarles.

Index abortion 7 Aegean Sea 5–6, 119n50 allegory 2–8, 10, 20, 33, 37 anatomy changing understand of 8–10, 34–36 demonstrations 11–13 discourse 2–3, 8, 13–14, 17–20, 33 figures 17 religion and 3, 10–11, 14–15, 17, 19–20 universals/ideals in 14–17 Anderson, Robert 34–35 Ariosto, Ludovico 6 Aristotle 91n16, 101n19, 175n8, 176n10, 178n13, 180n21 Baldwin, R.G. 4, 11–13 Banister, John 10, 12n4, 14, 19, 94n28 Bayer, Mark 3n1, 12n4 Benlowes, Edward 26, 28–33, 45, 47 Benlowes, William 49 Black Sea 6, 95n31–32 Boas, Frederick 8, 29, 32, 36–37, 161n34, 227n12 body see anatomy Browne, Moses 33n10 Cable, Lana 12n4, 18n6, 20 Cam (river) 6, 54n4, 56n8, 129n5 Cambridge University 12, 21, 23–24, 26, 28, 30, 54n4, 129n5, 187n4 Cartesian philosophy 9, 20 Cecil, Robert 22 Cecil, William 22, 59n31 Chalmers, Alexander 34–36 civil war/disorder 2, 4–5 Clashing Rocks 6, 95n32 classical allusions 5–6, 17, 19, 35, 37 Collins, Samuel 9 Colombo, Realdo 10 colonialism 3–4, 20 Cowley, Abraham 52n19 Cowper, William 14–17, 19 Creation 2–3, 10–11, 13, 57n19, 64n39, 65n40 Crooke, Helkiah 10–11, 14, 17–19, 71n1, 75n15, 82n47, 94n28, 99n10

Daniel, Samuel 6, 121n58 Dante 55n7, 97n37 defence 5 Devereux, Robert (Earl of Essex) 21–22, 59n28–29, 96n35 devotional manuals/texts 2, 9, 14–17, 26 Du Bartas, Guillaume 6, 13, 57n19, 109n1 Elizabeth i 21–22, 59n27, 95n33, 96n34–36, 97n37, 135n20, 143n39 emblems 24–28, 30 Essex Rebellion 21–22, 96n35 Eustachius 10 Fabricius, Hieronymus 10 Fairclough, Daniel 46 Fallopius, Gabriel 10 Featly, Daniel see Fairclough, Daniel Fletcher, Giles (the Elder) 20–24, 49n9, 55n6, 96n35, 222n15 Fletcher, Giles (the Younger) 6, 23, 28n8, 49n9, 54n5, 62n38, 69n57, 132n15, 133n18, 147n46 Fletcher, John 21 Fletcher, Phineas A Fathers Testament 26, 28 anatomical knowledge 11–12 The Apollyonists 23, 158n29 Brittain’s Ida 23 education 11–12, 23–24, 54n4 “Elisa” 24, 28 family/personal history 20–28 Joy in Tribulation 24 Locustae 23 marriage 24 Piscatorie Eclogs 21–22, 24, 28, 30, 55n6 Poeticall Miscellanies 24, 28, 30, 129n5 publishing 23–26 The Purple Island authorship of 23–24 discursive structure 18–20 editorial history of 33–40 ideal body in 4–8, 20 marginalia 17–19, 23, 33, 40

250

index

meter 6 narrative progression/stagnation 7–8, 19 publication of 28–32 temporal structure 2, 13–14 unity of 17–20 religious career 24–28, 49n10, 62n38 self referencing/repetition 8, 158n29 Sicelides 24, 26, 98n2, 125n71 Sylva Poetica 24 The Way to Blessednes 24 Fletcher, Richard (grandfather) 21 Fletcher, Richard (uncle) 21–22 fortification see defence Frederick, Henry (Prince of Wales) 204n9

Langley, Eric 9n3, 12n4 London 5, 21–22, 26

geography 3, 5–6, 18, 37 Grosart, Alexander 8, 36–37, 150n7, 156n21– 22, 161n34, 220n9, 227n12

Quarles, Francis 247–248

Harvey, William 10–11, 12n4, 73n9 Headley, Henry 34–35 Healy, Thomas 9, 12n4, 18n6 hierarchy 3n1, 5 Hilgay 24–26, 45, 49n10, 50n12 Homer 5, 56n11 humors/humoralism 1, 9–10, 14, 33, 35 see also anatomy imperialism 3–4 see also colonialism invasion 4–5 Irby, Anthony 24 Irby, Elizabeth 24 isolationism 4–5 James i 2, 5, 24, 34n11, 46n5, 61n35, 204n9, 237n31 Jaques, William 35–36 Jenkins, Harold 30, 32–33 Johnson, Samuel 34–36 Kastor, Frank 1, 8, 17, 24 Kennedy, William 8 Kent (county) 3, 5, 20–21 King, Carol 48 Koepke, Yvette 4, 14n5, 20 Langdale, Abram 6, 8, 11–13, 20n7, 23, 26, 37, 129n5, 187n4

Meander (river) 6, 25, 119n50 Medway (river) 3, 6, 61n34, 100n12–13 microcosm 2–3, 9–11, 13–14, 65n40, 207n18 Milton, John 34–36, 148n49 Mitchell, Peter 12, 20, 24, 33n9 Ovid

5–6, 57n13, 64n39

Paré, Ambroise 10 pastoral 1, 6, 24 Plains of Thessaly 6, 123n63 Plato 4, 89n13, 101n19, 115n30 24–28, 45n1, 50, 53, 129n5,

rape 7, 220n8 religion anatomy and 3, 10–11, 14–15, 17, 19–20 discourse 14–15, 17 universals/conformity in 15, 17 Roberts, Lewis 51 Russia 21, 222n14–15 Sannazaro, Jacopo 6, 57n16 Sawday, Jonathan 8–9, 12n4, 18n6 sex/sexuality 6–7, 20 Sheaffe, Joan 20 siege 5 Socrates 139n27 soul 1, 9, 17–19, 65n43, 75n15, 77n23, 112n12 Southey, Robert 35–36 Spanish Armada 4, 134n19 Spenser, Edmund “Colin Clouts Come Home Againe” 6, 54n3, 178n14 Faerie Queene 6–7, 25, 37, 52n19, 81n43, 82n46, 82n47, 85n58, 95n30, 100n13, 109n2, 125n69, 129n5, 130n7, 132n13, 133n17, 139n25, 141n29, 141n32, 142n33, 142n36, 143n39, 153n13, 163n37, 163n39, 166n45, 170n57–58, 173n3, 174n4, 177n11, 180n18, 187n2, 189n8, 191n11, 194n15, 206n14, 207n16–17, 209n22, 209n24, 222n13, 224n2, 228n14, 229n17, 230n18– 19, 233n24, 234n27, 238n34, 241n38

251

index influence on Fletcher 1, 5–7, 20 relationship to Essex 22, 59n28 “Ruines of Time” 6, 59n31, 150n2 Shepheardes Calender 6, 96n34, 96n36, 146n43, 187n4 “Virgils Gnat” 6, 61n33, 125n71, 240n36 Targoff, Ramie 15 Tasso 6 Thames (river) 6, 60n32, 100n13 time 13–14 Tomkins, John 187n4

Vesalius, Andreas 8–10, 12n4, 19 Vicary, Thomas 10, 12n4 Vincent, Elizabeth 24 Virgil 6, 56n11–12, 58n21, 58n24, 130n8–10, 142n34 Walsingham, Francis 22 Walton, Izaak 26, 51n15, 225n5 Wasserman, Earl 33n10 Willoughby, Henry 24