Context

Edmund Spenser was looking to secure a patronage from Queen Elizabeth and return from his work in Ireland as he wrote his poem dedicated to the queen.  Life in Ireland was not exactly what he had planned on after working for both the Bishop of Rocester and the Earl of Leicester, both of whom he met as a student at Pembroke Hall.  But the intrigue surrounding Elizabethan court life could always be difficult and stories suggest that a few courtiers were less than thrilled with Mr. Spenser and arranged for his initial posting to Ireland and the continued positions after that.  One thing is sure with Queen Elizabeth and her “men”, she played them all very well.  This was part of her ability to keep her throne for herself.  She was not Henry VIII’s daughter for nothing.

Life for England in 1590 was not terrible.  The country had recently defeated the Spanish Armada although the war with Spain had not ended. This was not just a defeat but a rout with less than ½ the ships returning to Spain and most of those in poor shape.  The War continued until about 1604 when the Catholic countries in Europe gave up on returning England to a Catholic monarchy and Elizabeth I passed away.  

Within his poem, the characters are taken from his real life friends and counter-parts, not just the Queen but most of the characters.  One can see the various knights and ladies played out within the kingdom for better or worse, especially as the second volume is published several years later.  The poems, once published would be read by those at court, often reading out loud to those who could not.  Also the merchant class, becoming richer as their businesses grew, had more access to books and education making a great audience for this type of poetry.  The appeal would be wide in most areas as the poetry is easy to read and even today not terribly difficult to understand on the surface.  The deeper meanings would take more study but that is less likely at the original publication time. 

Other happenings around the kingdom during the end of the 16^th century would include the early attempts to expand the Empire by settling the New World, the Queen’s dealings with Sir Francis Drake, Sir John Hawkins and Sir Walter Raleigh (who re-introduced Edmund Spenser to the Queen in 1589) and the piracy dealings the English were dealing with against the Spanish.  For Edmund, he had not yet met his wife in Ireland but it can be surmised that he had a “friend” or two in London to keep him company on his trips.  Or perhaps there was a girl he hoped to gain permission to marry if only he could be posted back to the court. 

William Ponsonby was not the only publisher at the time and one cannot be sure why he was selected by Edmund but once the relationship started, it continued until Edmund’s death in 1599.  Ponsonby published Edmund’s work along with the other works previously mentioned.