[267] "Histrio-mastix," 1633, 4to, p. 215. Coryat reports on hearsay (1608) that women had already appeared at that date on the English stage; but he is careful to note that he had never personally witnessed this extraordinary phenomenon; and he adds that he was greatly astonished to see in Italy women perform their parts in a play "with as good a grace, action and gesture and whatsoever convenient for a player as ever I saw any masculine actor" ("Crudities," London, 1776, vol. ii. p. 16).
[268] "Strange newes of the intercepting certaine letters," 1592, "Works," vol ii. p. 267.
[269] "Lenten Stuffe," vol. v. pp. 226, 244, 216.
[270] "Works," vol. v. p. 231.
[271] Preface to "Christ's teares," edition of 1594, "Works," vol. iv. p. 6.
[272] Prefatory letter to Greene's "Menaphon."
[273] "Anatomie of Absurditie," 1589, "Works," vol. i. p. 37.
[274] "The unfortunate Traveller, or the Life of Jack Wilton," 1594, "Works," vol. v.
[275] In these cases, Nash, or rather his hero (for Nash does not himself make use of this language which he in no way admired, but only puts it into the mouth of his self-confident good-for-nothing as the finishing touch to his portrait), adopts Lyly's style entirely, alliteration and all: "The sparrow for his lecherie liveth but a yeere, he for his trecherie was turned on the toe."
[276] "Works," vol. v. pp. 15 et seq.