AN ELIZABETHAN MAN OF LETTERS: THOMAS NASHE DEFENDS ROBERT GREENE’S MEMORY AGAINST GABRIEL HARVEY.
Source.—Thomas Nashe: Strange Newes, 1592. Edited by R. B. McKerrow, 1904.
In short tearmes, thus I demur upon thy long Kentish-tayld declaration against Greene.
He inherited more vertues than vices: a jolly long red peake,[89] like the spire of a steeple, he cherisht continually without cutting, whereat a man might hang a jewell, it was so sharpe and pendant.... Debt and deadly sinne, who is not subject to? With any notorious crime I never knew him tainted.... A good fellowe he was, and would have drunk with thee for more angels than the Lord thou libeldst on gave thee in Christ’s College.... In a night and a day would he have yarkt up a pamphlet as well as in seaven yeare, and glad was that printer that might be so blest to pay him deare for the very dregs of his wit.
He made no account of winning credite by his workes, ... his only care was to have a spel in his purse to conjure up a good cuppe of wine with at all times.
For the lowsie circumstance of his poverty before his death, and sending that miserable writte to his wife, it cannot be but thou lyest, learned Gabriell.
I and one of my fellowes, Will. Monox (Hast thou never heard of him and his great dagger?) were in company with him a month before he died, at that fatall banquet of Rhenish wine and pickled herring (if thou wilt needs have it so), and the inventory of his apparrell came to more than three shillings....
BILLING AND SONS, LTD., PRINTERS, GUILDFORD, ENGLAND
FOOTNOTES:
[1] Left blank in the original.