Now, from this and the preceding circumstances, the inference
appears inevitable that, at or about the time of the composition of
this Sixth Eclogue, the Rosalinde therein celebrated was married, or
engaged to be married, to the person denounced as Menalcas.

Whether the ante-nuptial course of Rose Daniel corresponded with the
faithlessness ascribed to Rosalinda we confess we have no
documentary evidence to show: but this much is certain, that Rose
was married to an intimate friend of her brother's; and, from the
characteristics recorded of him by Spenser, we shall presently prove
that that friend, the husband of Rosalinde, is no other than the
treacherous rival denounced as Menalcas in the "Shepherd's Calendar."
Who, then, is Menalcas?

Amongst the distinguished friends of Samuel Daniel was a man of much
celebrity in his day,--the redoubted, or, as he chose to call himself,
the "Resolute" John Florio (Shakspeare's _Holofernes_). This
gentleman, an Italian by descent, was born in London in the same year
with Spenser, and was a class-fellow with Daniel at Oxford. He was
the author of many works, well received by the public,--as his
"First Fruits," "Second Fruits," "Garden of Recreation," and so forth;
also, of an excellent Italian and English dictionary, styled
"A World of Words,"--the basis of all Anglo-Italian dictionaries
since published. He was a good French scholar, as is proved by his
translation of Montaigne; and wrote some verses, highly prized by
Elizabeth and her successor, James I. Indeed, his general learning
and accomplishments recommended him to both courts; and, on the
accession of James, he was appointed classical tutor to Prince Henry,
and reader of French and Italian to the Royal Consort, Anne of
Denmark; he was also a Gentleman of the Privy Chamber, and Clerk of
the Closet to his Majesty; and, finally, it was chiefly through his
influence that Samuel Daniel was appointed Gentleman Extraordinary
and Groom of the Privy Chamber to Queen Anne.

Long prior to this prosperous estate, however, his skill as a
linguist had recommended him to the patronage and intimacy of many
of the chief nobility of Elizabeth's court; and at an early period
of his life, we find him engaged, as was his friend Daniel, as tutor
to some of the most illustrious families,--such as Pembroke, Dudley,
Essex, Southampton, etc.; [4] all which, together with his friendship
for Daniel, must needs have brought him into the acquaintance