Peter Zenner wrote:
> How do we know that Robert Sidney was Piers and John Dowland
> was Cuddie? Robert Sidney had some poems in his day book but
> is there any evidence that he actually wrote those poems?
>
> And why do you suggest that Cuddye is Dyer?
The simple answer is that we know none of these things. Dowland set many
"anonymous" verses - and who could tell whether any are his own? Robert
Sidney's verses may not be his (and I doubt that there would have been much
of a rush to claim them). Though, if any of the text of SC had turned up in
one of Spenser's day books, I suspect that the question "Spenser author of
SC?" would hardly arise!
Before coming to the other questions, though, perhaps I may be allowed a few
general observations. I'll probably arrive at the conclusion that Spenser
was not the author of SC. Or, anyway, not the sole author. Should, then,
further discussion go off-list?
It seems to me that there are, at least, three people involved - Immerito,
E.K., and whoever did the woodcuts (for the woodcuts, like the glosse, are
not always as simple as they may appear).
As I said, I read of the "Sooth of byrdes" and wonder what the patterns of
birds in the woodcuts should be telling me?
Anyway, in "October" we have Cuddie and Cuddye (in the first edition one
entry is missing, replaced later as Cuddie). Moreover we find Pierce,
Piers, Pires, and, Percy and Percie in the text. These go through all the
editions, into the first folio, without correction.
So, I've always wondered if these were intended to be different people - and
if so, who?
Don't ask why, but "Cuddye" makes me think of Dyer - so I wondered whether
the ending of the names would offer a clue. Thus Pires might be Edmund
Spenser, and Piers, Robert Sidney.
But Cuddie is more a musician than a poet, or am I wrong? E.K. points
clearly to the musical connection - also to Plato, Pythagoras, and Orpheus.
He points us towards Greek music - he re-echos the connection between
tragedy and Dionysus - which we may already have picked up by the
introduction (to our language) of "enthousiasmos" - though still in Greek.
At the same time, the woodcut leads us to an academy (which looks like
Florence to me). Not Ficino's academy - but the Camerata, where the
resurrection of Greek music was being attempted.
It looks as if Cuddie is the one who must go there. In reality, it was
Dowland.
By the way, since Barnfield keeps cropping up, does anyone know which Knight
loved both Dowland and Spenser?
Andy
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