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Spenser, Everard Digby, and the Renaissance Art of Swimming

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 November 2018

Michael West
Michael West*
Affiliation:
Higganum, Connecticut
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Extract

In Book v of The Faërie Queene Spenser describes a curious combat between Artegall and Pollente. Both contestants precipitate themselves into the river from a booby-trapped bridge, where Pollente, 'who that use well knew / To fight in water, great advantage had' (v.ii.13. 5-6); 'which oddes when as Sir Artegall espide, / He saw no way but close with him in haste' (v.ii.14.1-2). Gripping his opponent's iron collar and choking him is the tactic he elects, with this result.

So Artegall at length him forst forsake

His horses backe, for dread of being drownd,

And to his handy swimming him betake.

Eftsoones him selfe he from his hold unbownd,

And then no ods at all in him he fownd:

For Artegall in swimming skilfull was,

And durst the depth of any water sownd.

So ought each knight, that use of perill has,

In swimming be expert, through waters force to pas. (v.ii.16)

Type
Research Article
Information
Renaissance Quarterly , Volume 26 , Issue 1 , Spring 1973 , pp. 11 - 22
Copyright
Copyright © Renaissance Society of America 1973

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References

1 I cite Spenser from the Variorum Works, ed. Edwin Greenlaw et al. (Baltimore, 1932-49).

2 For Spenser's substantial ignorance of the subject see Allan H. Gilbert, ‘Spenserian Armor,’ PMLA, 67 (1942), 981-987.

3 Ruth Kelso, The Doctrine of the English Gentleman in the Sixteenth Century, University of Illinois Studies in Language and Literature, No. 14 (Urbana, 111., 1929), p. 149. But she cites only Spenser and Elyot in support of swimming.

4 Thomas, Ralph, Swimming: With Lists of Books … History, Bibliography (London, 1904), p. 52 Google Scholar; see p. 14 for further evidence of how much it was depreciated in the sixteenth century.

5 De Re Militari (Lugduni Batavorum, 1592), i.x. The accompanying commentary by Godescalcus Stewechius stresses the importance of Vegetius’ advice.

6 Fovre Bookes, sig. A5. Cp. Flave Vegece Rene … dufait de guerre: etfleur de cheualerie [tr. Nicolas Volkier de Bar-le-Duc] (Paris, 1536); Vier Bücher der Ritterschafft (Augsburg, 1529).

7 The Gouernour, introd. Foster Watson, Everyman's Library, No. 227 (London, 1907; rpt. 1937), p. 75 (i.xvii).

8 Utopia, tr. Ralph Robinson, ed. George Sampson (London, 1910), p. 164. On More's indebtedness to the continental tradition at this point, see Edward Surtz, S.J. and J. H. Hexter, eds., The Complete Works, iv (New Haven, 1965), 511, n. 212/28.

9 Wiley, W. L., The Gentleman of Renaissance France (Cambridge, Mass., 1954), p. 152 CrossRefGoogle Scholar; for a reproduction see fig. 11 post p. 162.

10 See Ryan, Lawrence V., Roger Ascham (Stanford, Cal., 1963), p. 52 Google Scholar. On Wynman's treatise see Thomas, pp. 165-168.

11 Brailsford, Dennis, Sport and Society: Elizabeth to Anne (London, 1969), p. 43.Google Scholar

12 Brailsford, p. 41; see also pp. 18, 23, 43-51.

13 Positions, ed. Robert Hebert Quick (London, 1888), pp. 95-96 (ch. xxiii).

14 See Brailsford, esp. pp. 175-177.

15 Middleton, Christofer, tr., A Short Introduction for to Learne to Swimme: Gathered out of Master Digbies Booke of the Art of Swimming (London, 1595)Google Scholar, sig. A4V.

16 Vs. 737; this point is raised by the Variorum editors ad F.Q. v.ii.16.

17 For details of Digby's life see DNB s.v.

18 Rene Graziani, ‘Verses by E. K.,’ N&Q, 16 (1969), 21.

19 So Moore Smith, G. C., ed., Gabriel Harvey's Marginalia (Stratford-Upon Avon, 1913), P. 58 Google Scholar. Judson, Alexander C., The Life of Edmund Spenser (Baltimore, 1945)Google Scholar, supplies pertinent details about Kirke but is perhaps overly cautious in claiming that ‘we have no reason to suppose that he played any role in Spenser's life after the Calender period’ (p. 40).

20 See Franklin B. Williams, Jr., ‘Spenser, Shakespeare, and Zachary Jones,’ SQ, 19 (1968), 205-212.

21 Tr. Middleton, sig. A3.1 rely on the appreciative account of Digby's work and farreaching influence in Thomas, pp. 51-52, 172-185, et passim.

22 See Virginia F. Stern, ‘The Biblioteca of Gabriel Harvey,’ Ren Q, 25 (1972), 39-41, 10-11.

23 For further discussion of these illustrations and others see Thomas, pp. 145-146, 168-177.

24 Hale, John R., The Art of War and Renaissance England, Folger Booklets on Tudor and Stuart Civilization (Washington, 1961), p. 48 Google Scholar.