Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 7.djvu/151

 s. vii. F. 23, 1901.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

143

to it, and it is a word that occurs but rarely

in poets of Spenser's time :

Ne thenceforth his approved skill, to ward

Or strike, or hurtle rownd in warlike gyre, &c.

Book II. canto v. stanza viii. "To hurtle rownd in warlike gyre" is to skirmish wheeling round the foe, trying to strike him with advantage (vide Upton). Also see Book III. canto i. stanza xxiii.

" Hurtle " and " gyre " are used in the same connexion in ' Selimus ' : These are the hands which Aga once did use To toss the spear, and in a warlike gyre To hurtle my sharp sword about my head.

'Selimus,' 11. 1489-91.

To "come hurtling in" means to come in with a rush, in a threatening manner : Who, all enrag'd with smart and frantick yre, Came hurtling in full fiers, and forst the Knight

retyre. Book I. canto viii. stanza xvii.

Here the Polonian, he comes hurtling in Under the conduct of some foreign prince, To fight in honour of his crucifix !

' Selimus,' 11. 544-46.

Tomb-black :

To decke his herce, and trap his tomb-black steed. Book II. canto viii. stanza xvi. And who are these covered in tomb-black hearse ?

To celebrate his tomb-black mortuary.

1 Selimus,' 11. 1265 and 2007.

The rare word " troiiked " occurs twice in Spenser's first three books, and Todd derives it from the Latin truncatus, maimed or mangled (see Spenser's works, 'Faerie Queene,' Book II. canto v. stanza iv., Rout- ledge). But it was from the following un- noted passage that the author of * Selimus ' adopted his word :

He smott off his left arme, which like a block Did fall to ground, depriv'd of native might ; Large streames of blood out of the truncked stock Forth gushed, like fresh-water streame from riven

rocke. Book I. canto viii. stanza x.

Witness, the earth, that sucked up my blood, Streaming in rivers from my tronked arms !

' Selimus,' 11. 1484-85.

Mr. Daniel has called my attention to the fact that in the following passage the late Dr. Grosart's edition of 'Selimus' prints " array " for " warray," and he cites as his authority for the correction, not only a quota- tion made from the play by Capell, who writes " warray," but the passage from Spenser which I will adduce : But after Ninus, warlike Belus' son, The earth with unknown armour did array. Then first the sacred name of King begun.

' Selimus,' 11. 323-25.

And, them long time before, great Nimrod was, That first the world with sword and fire warrayd ; And after him old Ninus, &c.

Book I. canto v. stanza xlviii.

Note that the play wright uses sacred in the sense of cursed. The same meaning is attached to the word in one or two cases in Spenser.

Now for a few parallel passages in Spenser and ' Selimus ' that are not repeated or nearly related to passages in the acknowledged work of Marlowe :

Now hath the sunne with his lamp-burning light Walkt round about the world.

Book II. canto ix. stanza vii. Twice fifteen times hath fair Latona's son Walked about the world with his great light.

' Selimus,' 11. 41-2.

Deepe written in my heart with yron pen.

Book I. canto viii. stanza xliv. Which nature hath inscribed with golden pen, Deep in the hearts of honourable men.

' Selimus,' 11. 218-19.

As when a wearie traveller, that strayes By muddy shore of broad seven-mouthed Nile, Unweeting of the perillous wandring wayes, Doth meete a cruell craftie crocodile Which, in false grief hyding his harmefull guile, Doth weepe full sore, and sheddeth tender tears, &c.

Book I. canto v. stanza xviii. Even as the great Egyptian crocodile Wanting his prey, with artificial tears And feigned plaints, his subtle tongue doth file, 'T [ate] entrap the silly wandering traveller, &c.

'Selimus,' 11. 448-55.

And make his carkas as the outcast dong.

Book II. canto viii. stanza xxviii. Shall make thy carcase as the outcast dung.

' Selimus? 1. 672. Thou, most auncient grandmother of all,

Which wast begot in Dsemogorgons hall.

Book I. canto v. stanza xxii. Black Demogorgon, grandfather of Night, Send out thy furies from thy fiery hall.

'Selimus,' 11. 1319-20.

hatefull hellish Snake ! what Furie furst Brought thee from balefull house of Proserpine, &c.

Book III. canto xi. stanza i. hateful hellish snake of Tartary, That feedest on the soul of noblest men, &c.

' Selimus,' 11. 1909-14.

As gentle shepherd in sweet eventide,

A cloud of cumbrous gnattes doe him molest, &c. Book I. canto i. stanza xxiii.

And like a shepherd, 'mongst a swarm of gnats, &c. 'Selimus,' 11. 2477-78.

As he had traveild many a sommers day Through boyling sands of Arabic and lynde, &c.

Book I. canto vi. stanza xxxv. Now as the weary wand'ring traveller That hath his steps guided through many lands, Through boiling soil of Africa and Ind, &c.

'Selimus,' 11. 2523-25.

Thus far I have proved that both 'Locrine' and 'Selimus' were acquainted with Spenser's ' Ruines of Rome,' that both copied the poem, though not in the same manner, 'Locrine' filching from Spenser in the most barefaced