[The texts of the Marprelate pamphlets have been edited by W. Pierce, The Marprelate Tracts (1911); some were reprinted earlier by E. Arber and in J. Petheram, Puritan Discipline Tracts (1842-60). The best accounts of this ribald controversy on Church government are E. Arber, An Introductory Sketch to the Martin Marprelate Controversy (1879); W. Pierce, Historical Introduction to the Marprelate Tracts (1908); J. D. Wilson, The Marprelate Controversy (1909, C. H. iii. 374), and Martin Marprelate and Shakespeare's Fluellen (1912); R. B. McKerrow, Works of Nashe, v (1910), 34, 184; G. Bonnard, La Controverse de Martin Marprelate (1916). It seems probable that Martin was a composite personality; Sir Roger Williams, John Penry, and Job Throckmorton may all have had a share in the pamphlets. The replies were inspired by Richard Bancroft, then Canon of Westminster and a member of the High Commission. It seems clear that both Lyly and Nashe took part in them, and Pappe with an Hatchet may reasonably be ascribed to Lyly. Nashe has often been regarded as Pasquil, but Mr. McKerrow does not think that any of the pamphlets can be supposed with any certainty to be his; he probably contributed to the lost plays. Of these Bonnard, 92, would distinguish five—(a) Martin anatomized, (b) the May Game of Martinism, (c) Martin carried to hell, as a vice, (d) Martin as cock, ape, and wolf, (e) Martin ravishing Divinity; but (b) seems to be referred to as a forthcoming pamphlet rather than as a play, and of the others (d) and (e) almost certainly, and possibly all four, were episodes in the same piece. F. Bacon in his Advertisement Touching the Controversies (Works, viii. 74), written in the summer of 1589, criticizes the episcopal policy of answering like by like, and 'this immodest and deformed manner of writing lately entertained, whereby matters of religion are handled in the style of the stage'.]
(a)
[From The Epistle to the Terrible Priests of the Confocation House (Oct.-Nov.
1588), 11, 19, reprinted by E. Arber (1880); also by J. Petheram
(1842) in Puritan Discipline Tracts (Martinist).]
Sohow, brother Bridges [John Bridges, Dean of Salisbury] . . . you
haue bin a worthy writer as they say of a long time, your first book
was a proper Enterlude, called Gammar Gurtons needle. But I think
that this trifle, which sheweth the author to haue had some witte
and inuention in him, was none of your doing: Because your bookes
seeme to proceede from the braynes of a woodcocke as hauing neyther
wit nor learning. . . . What if I should report abroad, that cleargie
men come vnto their promotions by Simonie? haue not you giuen
me iuste cause? I thinke Simonie be the bishops lacky. Tarleton
tooke him not long since in Don Iohn [Aylmer] of Londons cellor.
(b)
[From A Whip for an Ape: Or Martin displaied (Apr. 1589), 53, 133,
in Bond, Lyly, iii. 417 (Anti-Martinist).]
Now Tarleton's dead, the Consort lackes a vice:
For knaue and foole thou maist beare pricke and price.
And ye graue men that answer Martins mowes,
He mockes the more, and you in vaine loose times:
Leaue Apes to dogges to baite, their skins to crowes,
And let old Lanam lash him with his rimes.
