ABSTRACT
In the ensuing cantos, Britomart will stand steadfast against all external threats—among them tempests, earthquakes, and volcano-like eruptions: she withstands a tempest to battle Marinel. Before Britomart attempts passage through Busirane's highly effective gate of flame, she sees her traveling companion Scudamore unable to pass through the gate himself, in spite of his passion to do so. The combination of effects is indeed marvelous—a meteorologically perfect storm to scare even the stoutest knights from Busirane's door. The spectacle he creates is by matter and motion like to a tempest, dragon, volcano, tidal wave, Titan, earthquake, plague, and what appears the end of the world itself, "as if it straight would lose/The worlds foundations". But Britomart is uniquely fashioned by this point in the narrative, and in response, Spenser tells us: the bold Britonesse was nought ydred, Though much e[n]mou'd, but stedfast still persevered.
