Spenser's English Rivers. loi 



laniion, the lost Epithalamion Thainesis, and canto xi of the 

 Fourth Book. These works should be regarded not as isolated 

 works, but as specimens of a type not uncommon in their time. 

 Of these I may mention three. 



(i) In 1897 there appeared in the AthencEum^^ a number of 

 communications, notably from the hands of Wickham Flower, 

 John W. Hales, and Robert Case, on the relation of Vallans' 

 poem, The Two Swans, first published in 1590, to Spenser's Pro- 

 thalamion. The discussion, unnecessarily prolonged, leaves it 

 probable that Spenser knew Vallans' poem, and that he echoes 

 it in at least one line of the Prothalamion (121). Viewed some- 

 what more inclusively, it becomes clear that such passages as the 

 eleventh canto of the Fourth Book and the Prothalamion are but 

 examples — preeminent of course — of certain types of poems not 

 uncommon in their time. I here give brief resumes of several 

 which could not have been unknown to Spenser. 



Vallans' Tale of Tzvo Swans, not now found in its first edition, 

 may be read in Thomas Hearne's edition of Leland's Itinerary, 

 Oxford, 1769, vol. 5, pp. v-xx. A full antiquarian commentary 

 is included. The poem is written in English blank verse, and 

 contains 266 lines. 



It opens with a description of the spring. Venus in Hertford- 

 shire sends Cupid to bring two choice cygnets from Cayster. 

 These she releases, and wins from Jove a promise that they shall 

 increase and prosper. At length as king and queen of a large 

 progeny, they begin their progress through their realm, with a 

 train of forty swans. They visit the course of the River Lea, 

 and traverse its tributaries — the Beane, the Rib, the Ash, the 

 Stort, and others. Then they turn their course down stream, 

 and pass various famous places, such as Theobalds, Ware, Strat- 

 ford-at-Bowe. At length they reach the mouth of the Lea, 

 where they are received by flocks of swans : 



After a noyse in signe of passing joy, 



A Swanne of Thames invites the King and Queene 



Upon a day prefixt, to see and celebrate 



The marriage of two Rivers of great name. 



Which granted, everie one departes his way, 



The King and Queene againe into their Lee. 



"Vol. of Jan. to June, pp. 378-80; 415-16; 446-7; 480-1; 510; 544; 

 577-8. 



