I don't think we do know anything specific about the patronage
connections that led to Spenser's appointment.
The story about Mother Hubberds Tale is plausible and has been around
for a long time, but although it's not so frequently mentioned in
connection with Ireland, there's enough in the Shepheards Calendar to
have offended Burghley and Elizabeth too several times over.
That's assuming the appointment to have been a clear career-detour,
which is also more than we know.
David Lee Miller
Department of English
University of South Carolina
Columbia, SC 29208
803 777-4256 (office)
803 777-4256 (fax)
803 466-3947 (cell)
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