whom he has just delivered; marries their daughter, but is soon obliged to leave her, on account of fulfilling a former vow. It may be moreover observed, that the circumstance of each of Spenser's twelve knights departing from one place by a different way, to perform a different adventure, exactly resembles that of the seven knights entering upon their several expeditions, in the well-known romance, entitled the Seven Champions of Christendom. In fact, these miraculous books were highly fashionable, and chivalry, which was the subject of them, was still practised and admired, in the age of Queen Elizabeth*. Among others, there is one romance which Spenser seems more particularly to have made use of. It is entitled, "Morte Arthur, The * See Hollinshead's Chronicles, vol. ii. p. 1315. Lyf of Kyng Arthur, of the noble Knyghtes of the round table, and in thende the dolo⚫rous deth of them all."-This was translated into English from the French, by one Sir Thomas Maleory, knight, and printed by W. Caxton, 1484* From this fabulous history our author has borrowed many of his names, viz. Sir Tristram, Placidas, Pelleas, Pellenore, Percivall, and others. As to Sir Tristram, he has copied from this book the circumstances of his birth and education with much exactness. Spenser informs us, that Sir Tristram was born in Cornwall, &c. And Tristram is my name, the only heire And afterwards. -6. 2. 28. -The contrie wherein I was bred The which the fertile Lionesse is hight. St. 30. * This Book has been reprinted twice or thrice. The last edition is dated 1634. These particulars are drawn from the romance above-mentioned." There was a knight Meliodas [Meliogras], and he was lord and king of the country of Lyones—and he wedded King Marke's sister, of Cornewale." The issue of which marriage, as we are afterwards told, was Sir Tristram*. Mention is then made in our romance, of Sir Tristram's banishment from Lyones into a distant country, by the advice, and under the conduct, of a wise and learned counsellor named Governale. A circumstance alluded to by Spenser in these verses. So taking counsel of a wise man red, She was by him adviz'd, to send me quight The which the fertile Lionesse is height. 6.2.30. Sir Tristram's education is thus described below. St. 31. * Book ii. chap. i. All which my dayes I have not lewdly spent, Have trained bene with many noble feres In gentle thewes, and such like semely leres ; Of all that raungeth in the forest greene, Of which none is to me unknown that e'er was seene. Ne is there hawke that mantleth her on pearch All this is agreeable to what is related in the romance. After mention being made of Tristram's having learned the language of France, courtly behaviour, and skill in chivalry, we read the following passage-" As he growed in might and strength, he laboured ever in hunting and hawking; so that we never read of no gentleman, more, that so used himselfe therein.-And he began good measures of blowing of blasts of venery [hunting] and chase, and of all manner of vermeins; and all these terms have we yet of hawking and hunting, and therefore the booke of venery, of hawking and hunting, is called The Book of Sir Tristram*."-And in another place King Arthur thus addresses Sir Tristram" For of all manner of hunting thou bearest the prise; and of all measures of blowing thou art the beginner; and of all the termes of hunting and hawking ye are the beginnert." In Tuberville's treatise of Falconrie, &c. Sir Tristram is often introduced as the patron of field-sports. A huntsman thus speaks→→→→ Before the King I come report to make, Then hush and peace for noble Tristram's sake ‡. And in another place *Book ii. chap. 3. Edit. 4to. 1611. p. 96. + B. ii. c. 91. |