6 Philo M. Buck, Jr. 



until they are "bathed in a Hving well." I take this to be a 

 covert allusion to the pathetic fate of Lord Guilford Dudley and 

 Lady Jane Grey. Dudley, through his father, Northumberland, 

 and his party, had aimed at setting up the claims of Lady Jane to 

 the throne of England as against those of Mary, Duessa, and on 

 the failure of the scheme the young couple met their fate on 

 the block. In the story Fradubio had dared to compare the beauty 

 of Fraelissa and Duessa, which won him the latter's enmity.^* 



The story now (Canto iii) turns back to the wanderings of 

 Una (True Religion), who now in many ways suggests the 

 character of Elizabeth. England has accepted Mary (Duessa) ; 

 and L^na (Elizabeth) is compelled to wander through the woods 

 in search of her natural protector. She is not, however, left un- 

 guarded. The Lion rushes forward at first to devour her, but see- 

 ing her beauty and innocence, he immediately becomes her devoted 

 follower. Clearly the Lion represents the common English people, 

 who guarded Elizabeth, as well as true religion, from the power 

 of Mary, which on several occasions was nearly roused to crush 

 her.^^ As she travels forward she meets Corceca (Blind Devotion 

 — ciii caecum est cor), and Abessa (Monastic Devotion), who are 

 kept in plenty by the thieving of Kirkrapine (Robber of the 

 Churches). The latter is slain by the Lion, an obvious allusion 

 to the abolishment of the monasteries. 



She now is met by the subtle Archimago disguised as the Red- 

 Cross Knight whom she welcomes with delight. Elizabeth was 

 constantly at this time surrounded by the most intricate deceit. 

 She was courted by Lord Thomas Seymour, brother of the Pro- 

 tector, Somerset, and who had married King Henry's widow, 

 Catherine Parr ; and it was only by her inimitable power of 

 adapting herself to all circumstances that she was able to escape 

 disgrace and death. Catholic agents and spies were constantly 

 around her. But Archimago is attacked by Sans Loy, who thinks 



" Canto ii. 37. 



"At this point Upton has a note. "Christian Truth was in a very un- 

 settled state during the reigns of King Henry the Eighth, and of Edward 

 the Sixth. But after their deaths, she was entirely in the will and power 

 of the Lawless Victor." He regards the lion as representing Henry VHI. 

 Vol. 2 p. 367. 



164 



