Confession and Redemptive Forgetting in Spenser’s Legend of Holiness: Memories of Sin, Memories of Salvation

Abstract

In his letter to Spenser, “A Pleasant and Pitthy Familiar discourse, of the Earthquake in Aprill last” (1580), Gabriel Harvey makes an unexpected allusion to John the Baptist’s command to “[r]epent: for the kingdome of heauen is at hand” (Matt. 3: 2). Discussing the possible causes of earthquakes, Harvey dismisses those who hastily ascribe divine causes to natural disasters as ignorant and uneducated. According to Harvey, this presumptuous belief is grounded

only vpon these two weake and deceitfull groundes, Credulitie and Ignoraunce: if so be inwardly (not onely in Externall shewe, after an Hypocriticall and Pharisaicall manner) it certainly doo vs good for our reformation, and amendment, and seeme to preache vnto vs, Pœnitentiam agite (as in some respect euery suche straunge and rare Accident may seeme:) how Ordinarie, and Naturall so euer the Cause shall appeare otherwise to the best learned. (617–18)