The Political Allegory in "The Faerie Qiieene" 25 



great odds. His conflict with Britomart would correspond with 

 the episode mentioned in the beginning of the Colin Clout's Come 

 Home Again, which forced him to retire to his Irish estates, 

 1588-9. Then Raleigh's imperiousness of temper corresponds 

 exactly with Marinell's. Raleigh was brusque even to rudeness 

 even with his superiors ; and it was this that raised him as much 

 as anything else in the eyes of Elizabeth. Finally, the name 

 ]\Iarinell is almost an anagram of Raleigh as it was then pro- 

 nounced. 



It was appropriate to drop the story thus in the third book, 

 with ]Marinell wounded and Florimel separated from him, for 

 Spenser could not forsee Raleigh's subsequent rise in popularity 

 with the Queen. The story of the union of Florimel and ^larinell 

 is postponed until Book IV, Canto xi, but there the allegory is 

 altered slightly. 



In the meanwhile Arthur pursues the flying Florimel as 

 Leicester pursues his suit of the Queen. Night comes down and 

 he is forced to give over the cjuest. 



"But gentle Sleepe envyde him any rest; 

 Instead thereof sad sorrow and disdaine 

 Of his hard hap did vexe his noble brest. 

 And thousand fancies bett his jdle brayne 

 With their light wings, the sights of semblants vaine: 

 Oft did he wish that Lady faire mote bee 

 His Faery Queene, for whom he did complaine ; 

 Or that his Faery Queene were such as shee : 

 And ever hasty Night be blamed bitterhe :" 



In Canto v, after a long search, he meets her dwarf, Dony, 

 who reports who she is. She is " royally clad," and " a fayrer 

 wight did never sunne behold." She is " the bountiest virgin and 

 most debonaire." She loves Marinell, but he is too much taken 

 up with his knightly duties to pay court to any lady. At this 

 time Raleigh was busy in Ireland. Undoubtedly this was written 

 after the Earl of Leicester had died, and when Raleigh had 

 climbed into the place of favor formerly occupied by the Earl. 



The story now turns to the adventures of Timias, who gives 

 us another view of Spenser's patron, Sir Walter Raleigh. The 



183 



