Spenser's English Rivers. 87 



tributary of the Ure, the Nidd, and the Wharf. The poet 

 observes no order in naming them. As for 'still' Ure, Camden 

 speaks of 'Ure, which now [in its lower parts] is called Ouse, 

 flowing with a gentle streame from the North part Southward' 

 (p. 701). 'Swift Werfe' so appears in Camden, who calls it 

 'This Wherf or Wharf, in the English Saxons language Guerf. 

 ... If a man should thinke the name to be w*rested from the 

 word Gner, which in British signifieth Swift and Violent, verily, 

 the nature of that river concurreth with his opinion ; For he 

 runneth with a swift and speedy streame, making a great noise 

 as hee goeth, as if he were froward, stubborne, and angry* 

 (Yorkshire, pp. 696-7). Camden complains of its dangers, 

 especially in summer, which he learned at his peril when his 

 horse once nearly lost his footing in the swift current. 'High' 

 Swale he describes as 'magno aquarum assultu influentem' 

 (1590, Richmondshire, p. 595), and says: 'Swale rusheth rather 

 than runneth as I have said with fooming waters, meeting here 

 and there with rockes, whereby his streame is interrupted and 

 broken' (1610, Richmondshire, p. 730). The other epithets — of 

 the Nidd and the Skell — may easily have been inferred by 

 Spenser from the nature of the country through which the 

 streams are described as flowing. Their courses are in each 

 instance traced by Harrison. 



In stanza 38 the poet continues the story about king Humber, 

 to the effect that Locrinus, son of Brutus, avenged the death of 

 the six knights, and drove him into the river, where he was 

 drowned ; whence its name, as well as its stormy character. A 

 part of this story of the Humber is in Hclinshed (i. 156-7) : 

 'Certes it is a noble arme of the sea, and although it be properlie 

 to be called Ouze or Ocellus, . . . yet are we contented to call 

 it Humber of Humbrus or Umar, a king of the Scithians, who 

 invaded this He in the time of Locrinus, thinking to make him- 

 selfe monarch of the same. But as God hath from time to time 

 singularlie provided for the benefit of Britaine, so in this busi- 

 nesse it came to passe, that Humber was put to flight, his men 

 slaine : and furthermore, whilest he attempted to save himself e 

 by hasting to his ships (such was the prease of his nobilitie that 

 followed him into his owne vessell, and the rage of weather which 

 hastened on his fatall daie) that both he and they were drowned 

 togither in that arme. And this is the onelie cause wherefore it 



