Figure descriptions
The illustrated poem title appears in hand-drawn lettering. To the left of the poem
title, there is a portrait of Edmund
Spenser contained within an decorated circular border. Spenser is depicted from the
shoulders up. There is an ornamental crest at
the right side of the border. At the left side of the border, a series of curled ribbons
and a small banner are wrapped around a
sceptre. The banner is decorated with floral ornaments, and it reads “EDMUND SPENSER”.
A three-leaf clover is contained within a
small, circular ornament below the sceptre. A feather quill lies in front of the portrait.
At the center of the illustration, above
the poem title, Kilcolman Castle stands atop a grassy hill. A flag flies from one
of the towers and there are trees in the distance.
At the right side of the illustration, above the poem title, there is a second, smaller
portrait. A frowning woman in ornate dress
with a ruff collar is contained within a plain, circular border. There is a crown
and decorative ribbons below the portrait, as well
as the name “ELIZABETH”, which is preceded and followed by middle dots. 1/4 page.
A man, identified in the poem caption as Walter Raleigh, stands in front of Kilcolman
castle on horse back. An armed man and a
boy stand beside Raleigh and appear to engage in conversation. Raleigh is elaborately
dressed with a feather hat and a ruffle
collar; he carries a sword at his side and gestures toward the castle door. Edmund
Spenser stands at the castle door and gestures
back toward Raleigh. A boy stands behind Spenser. There is a second horse entering
the castle behind Raleigh. The background
features the castle façade, including stones, windows, and decorative lamps. 1/2-page
illustration contained within a single-ruled
border.
Two men, Walter Raleigh and Edmund Spenser, stand in front of an illuminated table
in the dark. Spenser holds a feather quill.
Both men wear ruffled collars. There are candles, papers, a jug, and a cup on the
table. Both men turn their heads and look toward an
apparition on the other side of the room. It is a shrunken, ghostly figure with its
arms outstretched. Fabric hangs loosely from its
arms. The figure is identified in the poem caption as “the last of the Desmond Countesses”.
1/2-page illustration contained within a
single-ruled border.
A crowned woman with a long, elaborately decorated dress walks outside on a terrace.
She hold her left hand out in front of
her and uses a fan with her right hand. A small monkey wears a collar and plays with
a cylindrical object in the foreground. A
peacock walks the terrace in front of the woman. There is a large rectangular pillar
to the woman’s right, which is decorated with a
carving of a winged horse. The terrace is surrounded by flowering trees, and there
is a castle in the distance. 1/4-page
illustration contained within a single-ruled border.
Tailpiece featuring a long sword suspended in darkness. 1/16 page.
