[49:5] Bolton in Haslewood, ii. 249.

CHAPTER III.

SPENSER IN IRELAND.

[1580.]

In the first week of October, 1579, Spenser was at Leicester House,
expecting "next week" to be despatched on Leicester's service to France.
Whether he was sent or not, we do not know. Gabriel Harvey, writing at
the end of the month, wagers that "for all his saying, he will not be
gone over sea, neither this week nor the next." In one of the AEglogues
(September) there are some lines which suggest, but do not necessarily
imply, the experience of an eye-witness of the state of religion in a
Roman Catholic country. But we can have nothing but conjecture whether
at this time or any other Spenser was on the Continent. The _Shepherd's
Calendar_ was entered at Stationers' Hall, December 5, 1579. In April,
1580, as we know from one of his letters to Harvey, he was at
Westminster. He speaks of the _Shepherd's Calendar_ as published; he is
contemplating the publication of other pieces, and then "he will in hand
forthwith with his _Fairie Queene_," of which he had sent Harvey a
specimen. He speaks especially of his _Dreams_ as a considerable work.

I take best my _Dreams_ should come forth alone, being grown
by means of the Gloss (running continually in manner of a
Paraphrase) full as great as my _Calendar_. Therein be some
things excellently, and many things wittily discoursed of E.
K., and the pictures so singularly set forth and portrayed, as
if Michael Angelo were there, he could (I think) nor amend the
best, nor reprehend the worst. I know you would like them
passing well.

It is remarkable that of a book so spoken of, as of the _Nine Comedies_,
not a trace, as far as appears, is to be found. He goes on to speak with
much satisfaction of another composition, which was probably
incorporated, like the _Epithalamion Thamesis_, in his later work.

Of my _Stemmata Dudleiana_, and specially of the sundry
Apostrophes therein, addressed you know to whom, much more
advisement he had, than so lightly to send them abroad: now
list, trust me (though I do never very well) yet, in mine own
fancy, I never did better. _Veruntamen te sequor solum:
nunquam vero assequar._

He is plainly not dissatisfied with his success, and is looking forward
to more. But no one in those days could live by poetry. Even scholars,
in spite of university endowments, did not hope to live by th