Collections
1883–5. A. B. Grosart, The Complete Works of T. N. 6 vols. (Huth Library).
1904–10. R. B. McKerrow, The Works of T. N. 5 vols.
PLAYS
Summer’s Last Will and Testament. 1592
S. R. 1600, Oct. 28 (Harsnett). ‘A booke called Sommers last Will and testament presented by William Sommers.’ Burby and Walter Burre (Arber, iii. 175).
1600. A Pleasant Comedie, called Summers last will and Testament. Written by Thomas Nash. Simon Stafford for Walter Burre. [Induction, with Prologue and Epilogue.]
Edition in Dodsley3–4 (1825–74).—Dissertations: B. Nicholson, The Date of S. L. W. and T. (Athenaeum, 10 Jan. 1891); F. G. Fleay Queen Elizabeth, Croydon and the Drama (1898).
The play was intended for performance on the ‘tyle-stones’ and in the presence of a ‘Lord’, to whom there are several other references, in one of which he is ‘your Grace’ (ll. 17, 205, 208, 587, 795, 1897, 1925). There are also local references to ‘betweene this and Stretham’ (l. 202), to ‘Dubbers hill’ near Croydon (l. 621), to Croydon itself (ll. 1830, 1873), and to ‘forlorne’ Lambeth (l. 1879). The conclusion seems justified that ‘this lowe built house’ (l. 1884) was the palace of Archbishop Whitgift at Croydon.
There was a plague ‘in this latter end of summer’ (l. 80); which had been ‘brought in’ by the dog-days (l. 656), and had led to ‘want of terme’ and consequent ‘Cities harm’ in London (l. 1881). Summer accuses Sol of spiting Thames with a ‘naked channell’ (l. 545) and Sol lays it on the moon (l. 562):