Edmund Spenser speaks directly to the letters that spell "Elizabeth," finding in that name a deep well of personal joy. He traces three different Elizabeths who shaped his life, each bringing a distinct gift. The first is his mother, who gave him life itself. The second is Queen Elizabeth, the powerful sovereign who granted him honor and wealth. The third is his beloved, Elizabeth Boyle, who elevated his soul and inspired him to sing her praises. The poem overflows with gratitude, not just for these women, but for the repeated name that ties them together like a charm. There’s a tender, almost incantatory mood here—the speaker marvels at his own good fortune and transforms a proper noun into a kind of blessing. Wishing the three Elizabeths to live forever, he fuses personal affection, political loyalty, and romantic devotion into a single, luminous act of celebration.
Amoretti LXXIV: Most Happy Letters — Summary
Most happy letters, fram'd by skilful trade, With which that happy name was first design'd: The which three times thrice happy hath me made, With gifts of body, fortune, and of mind. The first my being to me gave by kind, From mother's womb deriv'd by due descent, The second is my sovereign Queen most kind, That honour and large richesse to me lent. The third my love, my life's last ornament, By whom my spirit out of dust was raised: To speak her praise and glory excellent, Of all alive most worthy to be praised. Ye three Elizabeths for ever live, That three such graces did unto me give.