I haven't heard of the Ormond connection but I'd like to learn
more... what is the source? E. Boyle and Spenser shared a weak family link
in the Spencers of Althorp; perhaps he married his Lady Di after all; cf.
the Variorum Minor Poems Vol II Appendix VIII for this and many other
tidbits on "Spenser's Marriages." Included is a discussion of the unlikely
possibility that Boyle was married to a Tristram Peace who, sadly, died and
allowed Spenser to peacefully move in. This makes a difference in terms of
possible biographical connections with the word "Peace" in the *Amoretti*
(cf. "Rich" in Sidney's A+S). Pauline Henley, *Spenser in Ireland*, has
good info on Boyle on p. 78ff. and in Ch. VIII, "The Poet's Descendants."
See also Judson Ch. 15, "Elizabeth Boyle" (NB: Judson's bio is still on
sale, $41 w/shipping, at the Johns Hopkins Press). Henley speculates that
EB lived in London when Spenser met her, which perhaps makes the Amoretti
an effort to sell EB on Ireland and the "table... so richly spredd" there;
by contrast, biting envy lingers w/ Elizabeth in London.
For the tourist-minded, EB later married Captain Robert Tynte and
their castle/tower house still stands in downtown Youghal, with appropriate
plaque regarding EB.
Does anybody yet know for certain if S-EB were married in Cork? If
so, and Mr. Lyon married them, etc., would it be possible for the
Epithalamion events to have begun at Kilcolman, traveled to Cork (entry in
Stanzas 7-8), and then back again (leaving town stanza 14, arriving
Kilcolman approx. 3hrs. later, by stanza 17)? If memory serves me (from
sources), Sir Walter Raleigh made a hazardous journey (partly through
by-ways, probably) from Spenser's neighborhood to Cork in one night; and by
daylight Spenser is able to make it home that evening, as related in the
poem. Roughly following the 24hr-24stanza schema, then the poem would
indicate that a journey by coach from Cork to Kilcolman is about 3 hours
long. Would this have been possible? Given Henley's frontispiece road-map,
a journey from Youghal would be almost twice as far... possible in three
hours?
If a three-four hour journey to Cork, that would help explain the
reference to the Nymphs of Mulla (aka the Awbeg river) in stanza four,
since the Cork-Limerick road (in all likelihood the thoroughfare taken; cf.
map in Henley) crosses the Awbeg at Buttevant, SW of Kilcolman. Ergo,
Spenser left his home sometime around 4 in the morning, crossed the Awbeg
at that time in his "silver coche" like that of Pheobus and Aurora (Sp and
EB?)(76); or, more likely, since the nymphs are mentioned before the coach
begins to "clyme," they indeed came "heere" (71) to Kilcolman, ca. four in
the morning, where his love did "lie" (65) on a bank and fuss with her
early morning hair in the still waters (the nymphs graciously providing
their own faces, from below, as her reflection)? Spenser and Bride then
proceeded on to Cork, entering at the east gate (Cork had gates on an E-W
axis) with the already-climbed sun, ca. 9 pm?
Or was it easier to travel north, to Limerick?
This idea of two-way ticket would perhaps complement the cyclical
patterns that appear in the numerology of the poem, and the travel cycle of
Colin Clouts Come Home Againe.
[Am I missing something? Has someone discussed this?]
--Tom H.
>ELizabeth Boyle was his wife. If my memory also
>serves me, she was a cousin to the Earl of Ormond and,
>of course, the mother to his three children.
>Unfortunately, this is the extent my knowledge about,
>so if anyone knows more, please let us all know. A
>curious side note/observation: It is interesting that
>the three most important women, his mother, wife and
>queen had the same name: Elizabeth.
>--- Bethany Matheny <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>> This is my first posting to the list, so I hope I'm
>> doing this
>> correctly. :)
>> I have been looking online and in a few books for
>> information on Spenser's
>> relationship with Elizabeth Boyle. There is a great
>> deal of conflict among
>> the critics I've read recently as to exactly how
>> biographical the
>> _Amoretti_ is, and I've been trying to find out
>> exactly how I feel about
>> that. *smile* If anyone knows of any books with this
>> kind of biographical
>> information, or any other sources that might be
>> helpful, I would appreciate
>> it greatly!
>> I'm looking forward to being part of the list. :)
>> Bethany Matheny
>
>
>=====
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