he must carrie the purse, to defray their charges, and then hee may be sure to serue himselfe. . . . Methought Vetus Comœdia beganne to pricke him at London in the right vaine, when shee brought foorth Diuinitie wyth a scratcht face, holding of her hart as if she were sicke, because Martin would haue forced her, but myssing of his purpose, he left the print of his nayles vppon her cheekes, and poysoned her with a vomit which he ministred vnto her, to make her cast vppe her dignities and promotions. . . . Who commeth yonder Marforius, can you tell me? Marforius. By her gate and her Garland I knowe her well, it is Vetus Comœdia. She hath been so long in the Country, that she is somewhat altred: this is she that called in a counsell of Phisitians about Martin, and found by the sharpnes of his humour, when they had opened the vaine that feedes his head, that hee would spit out his lunges within one yeere. . . . Pasquil. I haue a tale to tell her in her eare, of the slye practise that was vsed in restraining of her.
(i)
[From Pappe with an Hatchet (1589, end of Oct.) in Bond, Lyly, iii. 408
(Anti-Martinist).]
Sed heus tu, dic sodes, will they not bee discouraged for the common
players? Would these Comedies might be allowed to be plaid that
are pend, and then I am sure he would be decyphered, and so perhaps
discouraged.
He shall not bee brought in as whilom he was, and yet verie well, with a cocks combe, an apes face, a wolfs bellie, cats clawes, &c. but in a cap'de cloake, and all the best apparell he ware the highest day in the yeare. . . .
. . . Would it not bee a fine Tragedie, when Mardocheus shall play a Bishoppe in a Play, and Martin Hamman, and that he that seekes to pull downe those that are set in authoritie aboue him, should be hoysted vpon a tree aboue all other. [In margin] If it be shewed at Paules, it will cost you foure pence: at the Theater two pence: at Sainct Thomas a Watrings nothing.
(k)
[From G. Harvey, An Advertisement for Papp-Hatchett (1589, Nov. 5),
printed with Pierces Supererogation (1593) and in Grosart, Harvey, ii. 131,
213 (Philo-Martinist).]
Had I bene Martin . . . it should haue beene one of my May-games,
or August triumphes, to haue driuen Officials, Commissaries, Arch-*deacons,
Deanes, Chauncellors, Suffraganes, Bishops and Archbishops,
(so Martin would have florished at the least) to entertaine such an
odd, light-headded fellow for their defence; a professed iester, a Hick-*scorner,
a scoff-maister, a playmunger, an Interluder; once the foile
of Oxford, now the stale of London, and ever the Apesclogge of the
presse, Cum Priuilegio perennitatis. . . . I am threatened with a Bable,
and Martin menaced with a Comedie: . . . All you, that tender the
preseruation of your good names, were best to please Pap-hatchet,
and fee Euphues betimes, for feare lesse he be mooued, or some One
