Caelia (or Celia) is a

Fairy Queen In folklore and literature, the Fairy Queen or Queen of the Fairies is a female ruler of the fairies, sometimes but not always paired with a king. Depending on the work, she may be named or unnamed; Titania and Mab are two frequently used name ...

Richard Johnson Richard or Dick Johnson may refer to: Academics * Dick Johnson (academic) (1929–2019), Australian academic * Richard C. Johnson (1930–2003), professor of electrical engineering * Richard A. Johnson, artist and professor at the University of ...

romance Romance (from Vulgar Latin , "in the Roman language", i.e., "Latin") may refer to: Common meanings * Romance (love), emotional attraction towards another person and the courtship behaviors undertaken to express the feelings * Romance languages, ...

Tom a Lincoln ''Tom a Lincoln'' is a romance by the English writer Richard Johnson, published in two parts in 1599 and 1607. The principal character, Tom, is a bastard son of King Arthur and a girl named Angelica. He is the father of two other important chara ...

''. Caelia is the ruler of an island called "Fairy Land," populated by women who have slain their warmongering men. She begs Tom and his companions to stay on the island so that it might be re-peopled. She eventually bears Tom's son, the

Faerie Knight ''Tom a Lincoln'' is a romance by the English writer Richard Johnson, published in two parts in 1599 and 1607. The principal character, Tom, is a bastard son of King Arthur and a girl named Angelica. He is the father of two other important char ...

, but later commits

suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and ...

by drowning herself when she thinks that Tom has abandoned her. She further appears in

Edmund Spenser Edmund Spenser (; 1552/1553 – 13 January 1599) was an English poet best known for '' The Faerie Queene'', an epic poem and fantastical allegory celebrating the Tudor dynasty and Elizabeth I. He is recognized as one of the premier craftsmen o ...

's ''

The Faerie Queene ''The Faerie Queene'' is an English epic poem by Edmund Spenser. Books IIII were first published in 1590, then republished in 1596 together with books IVVI. ''The Faerie Queene'' is notable for its form: at over 36,000 lines and over 4,000 sta ...

'' as the ruler of the House of Holiness where with the help of her three daughters she helps the

Redcrosse Knight ''The Faerie Queene'' is an English epic poem by Edmund Spenser. Books IIII were first published in 1590, then republished in 1596 together with books IVVI. ''The Faerie Queene'' is notable for its form: at over 36,000 lines and over 4,000 st ...

(the epic's protagonist) regain his strength and holiness to complete his quest. Caelia is described in Canto X of Book I. Her name refers to the Heavenly Spirit. She resides in the House of Holiness, which serves as the direct opposite of the House of Pride that appears earlier in the book. She is the mother of Faith, Hope, and Charity, otherwise known as Fidelia, Speranza, and Charissa.

See also