ABSTRACT
The most widely accepted identification of E.K. is as Edward Kirke (1553-1613) of Pembroke Hall and then Caius College, Cambridge. The identification with Spenser himself, or with Harvey, is now discountenanced. More recently, Paul McLane (in Spenser's Shepheardes Calender [Notre Dame, 1961]) has proposed for consideration the poet and friend of Sidney, Fulke Greville (1554 1628). That suggestion has at least the merit of being interesting, since something is known of Fulke Greville, and nothing of Edward Kirke (though see René Graziani, 'Verses by E.K.', N&Q, CCXIV [1969], 21). E.K. was also engaged to write a gloss on the Dreames (see No. 2a).
