Scottish Text Society publications > Old series > Poems of Alexander Montgomerie

NOTES TO THE CHERRIE AND THE SLAE. 339
158. Icarus. See Gower, ‘ Confessio Amantis’ (IV., 1. 1035 ff.),
where the legend is recounted at length.
175. Phaeton. Gower, ‘Confessio Amantis’ (IV., 1. 979 ff.).
249. Dido. Chaucer includes the story of Dido in his ‘Legend
of Good Women.’ Cf. also ‘Hous of Fame’ (11. 140-382); ‘Boke
of the Duchesse’ (11. 731-734); ‘Parliament of Foulis’ (1. 289);
Gower, ‘Confessio Amantis’ (IV., 11. 77-146); Lydgate’s ‘Falls
of Princes’ (II., 1. 13); ‘Complaint of the Black Knight’ (1.
375)-
343 ff. Daphne and Apollo. Cf. Lydgate, ‘The Temple of Glas’
(11. 111-115)—
“ I saw; hov Phebus with an arow of gold
Iwoundid was, {mrujoute in his side,
Only bi envie of J>e god Cupide,
And hou fat Daphne vnto a laurer tre
Iturned was, when she did fle.”
See also Lydgate’s ‘Reson and Sensuallyte’ (11. 2466-2486); Gower,
‘Confessio Amantis’ (I., 1. 336, III., 1. 1684 ff.); Chaucer, ‘ Knightes
Tale’fll. 1204-1206); ‘Troilus’(III., 1. 726-728).
429 ff. Atropus and Clotho. The Fates are often alluded to in the
romantic allegories. Cf. Chaucer, ‘Troilus,’ iv., 1208. Atropos
figures in Lydgate’s ‘Assembly of Gods,’ and is assigned an important
place in the action, being identified with Death. References also are
found in ‘The Story of Thebes’ (ff. 359 d, 374, &c.); ‘Reson and
Sensuallyte’ (f. 219 a); ‘Life of Our Lady’ (f. g5 b), where all three
Fates are mentioned—Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos; ‘Temple of
Glas’ (11. 782-783); Lyndsay, ‘Experience and ane Courteour,’ ‘Tyll
Atrops cut the fatell threid’ (1. 373, Laing); ‘ Papyngo,’ ‘ Sen Atropus
consumit haith my glorie’ (1. 231).
§ 2. Allegorical Figures.—The ‘debate’ (concerning the poet’s
enterprise to pull the Cherrie), which is opened at stanza 27 by Dread,
Danger, and Despare, on the one hand, and Courage and Hope on
the other, and continued from stanza 44 to the end with the help of
Experience, Reason, Wit, Skill, Will, and Wisdom, belongs to the
same romantic allegorical tradition. Montgomerie invents no new
figures, and pursues a thoroughly conventional method in the develop¬
ment of his allegory. In the ‘ Romance of the Rose’ Daunger is the
‘cherl’ that lies in wait, with Wikked-Tonge and Shame, to intercept
adventurous lovers attracted by the beauty of the Rose (11. 3016 ff.).
As in ‘ The Cherrie and the Slae,’ Reasoun figures among the counsel¬
lors of the lover to warn him of the perils of his quest (11. 3189 ff.).
Cf. also the long discussion between Reasoun and the lover (11. 4629 ff.).
Drede, also (11. 3958 ff.), and Hope (11. 4435 ff.) appear in the Romance.
The lover in Gower’s ‘Confessio’ (Bk. III., 1158 ff.) describes a con¬
test in his heart between Wit, ‘with Resoun in compaignie,’ on one
side, and Will, ‘which hath Hope of his acord,’ on the other. Lyd-