Edmund Spenser (1552-1599)

Edmund was the eldest son of John Spenser, a Lancastrian gentleman by birth who had become a journeyman of the Merchant Taylors' Company. Spencer attended the recently-founded Merchant Taylors' School and then went to Pembroke Hall in Cambridge. While still at university he wrote verses in the style of Petrarch and Du Bellay, and these were published in van der Noodt's "Theatre for Worldlings". On leaving Cambridge, Spenser became secretary to John Young, the bishop of Rochester. In 1579 he obtained a place in the Earl of Leicester's household where he made friends with the Earl's nephew, Philip Sidney. He wrote the Shepheardes Calender at this time. The following year he began work on The Faerie Queene though he published none of it until 1589 when he entrusted the first three books to his London publisher, Ponsonby. He also married his first wife, Machabyas Chylde, at about this time. In 1580 Spenser was appointed secretary to Lord Grey of Wilton and attended him on his trip to Ireland. Spenser returned to settle in Ireland in 1591 and wrote Colin Clouts in this year. He became a landowner and returned to London only to supervise the publication of his poetry. He married again to Elizabeth Boyle in 1594 and his poems Amoretti and Epithalamion celebrate the wooing and marriage.

During a local insurrection in 1598, Spenser's home Kilcoman Castle was burnt and Spenser had to flee to Cork along with his wife and children. It is feared that some of his work was lost during this fire. Spenser died in London, in some distress

HOW SAM GREW!

Sam Jordan liked basketball. Every afternoon he went to the basketball court. Sometimes Sam played with his friend, Janet. Sometimes he played alone.

Sam wanted to play for the school basketball team but the basketball coach said, "You should not play basketball. You're too small. Basketball players must be tall."

Sam was very sad. 'I want to be the best basketball player in the world,' he told Janet. 'But basketball players must be tall. I'm too short.''Don't worry, you'll grow!' said Janet. 'But I want to be tall now,'said Sam. The next afternoon a teacher came to the basketball court when Sam and Janet were playing basketball.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Becker" said Sam and Janet.

"Good afternoon. Do you want some basketball magazines?" asked Mr. Becker.

'Yes, but whose magazines are they?' asked Sam. They were Mr. Smile's magazines" said Mr. Becker. 'Mr. Smile was a science teacher at this school but he died ten years ago.' Mr. Becker took Sam and Janet to a room. It was full of dust. He showed Sam and Janet Mr. Smile's cupboard. There were some old boxes inside.There were science books and magazines in one of the boxes. 'You can have everything. Nobody wants them" said Mr. Becker.
Sam and Janet looked at the basketball magazines and the science books. They were very old. Sam saw some bottles under the magazines and books. He looked at one of the bottles. The label said: GROWING MEDICINE - DO NOT DRINK.

'I want to grow tall ... I'll drink this medicine!' thought Sam. He picked up the bottle and said, 'I'm going to drink this medicine,' Janet pointed to the label and said, 'You mustn't drink it, Sam.' But Sam did not listen to Janet. He put the bottle back into the box and took the box home. That night Sam drank some of the growing medicine. The next morning he was taller!"Good morning, Mum" said Sam.

Mrs. Jordan dropped her cup. 'Sam, what has happened?' she asked.Sam smiled and said, 'Nothing.'"You've grown. Now you're as tall as me" said Mrs. Jordan.

Sam went to school. The other children were very surprised. They said, 'Yesterday Sam was small. Today he's the tallest boy in his class.'

After school Sam went to play basketball. Janet came to the basketball court. 'Did you drink the medicine?' Janet asked.

"Yes, I did" said Sam. 'Look, I've grown! And now I'm going to be a basketball star!'That night Sam drank some more of the growing medicine. The next morning he could not move his legs. He called his mother.

Mrs. Jordan came into Sam's bedroom. She looked at Sam and screamed.

'Sam, what has happened? Why are you so tall? You're longer than your bed!'

Now Sam was taller than his mother. He was as tall as his father!

That afternoon the basketball coach said to Sam, Today we're going to play against Sunshine Primary School. We need a tall player. Now you're the tallest boy in the school. You can play for the school team.''Hooray!' said Sam.

So Sam played basketball with the other players in the team after school.

Soon it was the basketball match. The two teams were on the basketball court. Sam was the tallest player!

Sam played very well. He scored many points. His team won the match and everybody cheered!

After the match Sam said to Janet, 'Now I'm the tallest boy in the school and I'm the best basketball player.'

That evening Sam threw the bottle of growing medicine away. "I don't need it any more" he thought.

The next morning Sam saw himself in the mirror. 'Oh, no!' he screamed. I didn't drink the medicine last night, but this morning I'm taller! I don't want to grow any more.

Sam went to school. Now Sam was taller than all the teachers.

That afternoon there was another basketball match. Sam went to the basketball court. But the coach said, 'You can't play for the school team, Sam. You're too tall.'

Sam sat down. He looked around. All the boys and girls were laughing at him. Sam wanted to cry.

Janet came and sat beside Sam. "Don't be sad" she said.

"I can't play basketball" said Sam. 'I'm too tall. Everyone is laughing at me!'

'Did you drink the growing medicine yesterday?' asked Janet.

"No, I didnSam grew taller every day. He could not go to school. One day a doctor came to see him but the doctor said to Mrs. Jordan, 'I'm sorry! I can't help him.'

Sam's flat was on the third floor of a tall building. A few days later Sam was too tall to go through the door of the building. He had to stand outside the building. His mother handed him his food out of the kitchen window. At night Sam slept in the garden.

Many people came to see Sam. Newspaper reporters, radio reporters and television reporters all came. They pointed microphones and cameras at Sam. 'What is it like up there, Sam?' they asked.

One day Janet came to see Sam's mother. Mrs. Jordan was very worried. 'Janet, why is Sam growing so fast?' she asked.

Janet told Mrs. Jordan about Mr. Smile, the box and the growing medicine.

' I threw it away" said Sam. 'What can I do? I want to stop growing.'

"Sam wanted to be tall" said Janet. 'He wanted to be a basketball star so he drank some of the growing medicine.'

"We must help him. Let's find Mr. Smile's box" said Mrs. Jordan.

They went to Sam's bedroom and found the box under Sam' bed. There were some magazines inside the box. Mrs. Jordan found some bottles under the magazines. The label on one of the bottles said: DRINK THIS MEDICINE TO GET SMALLER.

Mrs. Jordan picked up the bottle and said, 'Sam must drink this medicine.'

'But how can we give it to him?' Janet asked. 'He is now taller than the building.'

Outside the building there were fire engines, firemen and firewomen. Janet and Mrs. Jordan went outside to talk to one of the firemen. Mrs.Jordan asked him, 'Can I please borrow your megaphone?' The fireman gave her the megaphone.

Mrs. Jordan and Janet ran upstairs to the roof of the building. The fireman followed them. Mrs. Jordan used the megaphone to talk to Sam.'Can you put your hand down, Sam?' asked Mrs. Jordan. 'We want to give you this bottle of medicine.'

Sam put his hand down but he could not reach the bottle of medicine. He was too tall! "I'll throw this bottle of medicine up to you, but you must catch it. We have only one bottle" said the fireman.

"Drink the medicine and you'll become smaller" said Janet.

The fireman threw the bottle of medicine into the air. Sam caught it in his right hand. Mrs. Jordan, Janet, the fireman and all the people in the street cheered.Quickly, Sam opened the bottle and drank the medicine.

Two minutes later, Sam began to get smaller. Soon his head was below the roof of the building. After two hours, he was small again.

'Why did you drink the growing medicine, Sam?' Mrs. Jordan asked.

"I wanted to be a basketball star" said Sam. 'Basketball stars must be tall.'

'Perhaps you should play football!' said Janet. 'You can be a goalkeeper.'

'A goalkeeper?' said Sam.

"Yes" said Janet. 'You caught the bottle of medicine. You're very good at catching things. You can catch footballs, too.'

So Sam became the goalkeeper of the school football team. And he never wanted to be tall again

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