[From Anti-Martinus, sive Monitio cuiusdam Londinensis, ad Adolescentes utriusque Academiae, signed A. L. (1589; S. R. 3 July 1589), 59 (Anti-Martinist).]
Libros autem Martini qui legit, nihil aliud reperiet, quam perpetuatum
conuitium; sic autem vibratum, vt facile videas ad huiusmodi
scurrilitates conquirendas, totam eius vitam theatris illis Londinensibus,
& leuissimis scenis, vel scurrarum & nepotum circulis insidiatam.
(d)
[From Theses Martinianae, or Martin Junior (c. 22 July 1589), sig. D ij
(Martinist).]
'There bee that affirme the rimers and stage-players to haue cleane
putte you out of countenaunce . . . the stage-players, poore rogues,
are not so much to be blamed, if being stage-players, that is plaine
rogues (saue onely for their liueries) they in the action of dealing
against Maister Martin, have gotten them many thousande eie witnesses,
of their wittelesse and pittifull conceites.' The writer condoles
with those who 'for one poor penny' play 'ignominious fools for an
hour or two together'. Martin may 'contemn such kennel-rakers
and scullions as have sold themselves' to be laughed at as 'a company
of disguised asses'.
(e)
[From Martins Months Minde (Aug. 1589), in Grosart, Nashe, i. 164,
166, 175, 177, 180, 189 (Anti-Martinist).]
To the Reader. 'Roscius pleades in the Senate house; Asses play
vpon harpes; the Stage is brought into the Church; and vices make
plaies of Churche matters. . . . These Iigges and Rimes, haue nipt
the father [Martin] in the head & kild him cleane, seeing that hee is
ouertaken in his owne foolerie. And this hath made the yong youthes
his sonnes, to chafe and fret aboue measure, especiallie with the
Plaiers, (their betters in all respects, both in wit, and honestie) whom
sauing their liueries (for indeede they are hir Maiesties men, and
these not so much as hir good subiects) they call Rogues, for playing
their enterludes, and Asses for trauelling all daie for a pennie [in
margin, Martin the vice condemneth the Plaiers, Eigulus, sigulum]. . . .
A true report of the death and buriall of Martin Marprelate.. . . Martin
. . . being . . . sundrie waies verie curstlie handled; as . . . wormd
and launced, that he tooke verie grieuouslie, to be made a Maygame
vpon the Stage [in margin, The Theater] . . . as he saw that . . . euerie
stage Plaier made a iest of him . . . fell into a feauer. . . . Martin, . . .
calling his sonnes . . . said . . . I perceiue that euerie stage plaier, if
he play the foole but two houres together, hath somewhat for his
labour: and I . . . nothing. . . . [The common people are] now wearie
of our state mirth, that for a penie, may haue farre better by oddes
at the Theater and Curtaine, and any blind playing house euerie
day. . . . In lept I . . . with . . . twittle tattles; that indeede I had
learned in Alehouses, and at the Theater of Lanam and his fellowes.*
