May-Game of Martinism, The

Nashe, Thomas (1589)

Historical Records

Nashe, Martins Months Minde (1589)

The passage commencing alongside the marginal note, "The true manner of old Martins death" reads:

After that old Martin, hauing taken a most desperate cause in hand, as the troubling of the State, and ouerthrowe of the Church, (both which attempts at once, Alexander the Copper Smith, that did Paule so much harme, would neuer haue aduentured; nor Herostratus, that burned Dianas temple, by many degrees came neere vnto) and being therfore (and well worthie) sundrie waies verie curst|lie handled; as first drie beaten, then whipt that made him winse, then wormd and launced, that he tooke verie grieuouslie, to be made a Maygame vpon the Stage , and so bangd, both with prose and rime on euerie side, as he knewe not which way to turne himselfe, and at length cleane Marde: the griefe whereof vext him out of all crie; and that if he were taken, it was to be feared he should be made a Bishop (of the fields) which name he neuer loued, and to weare a tippet, that he euer detested: but especiallie being drawne so drie (so as he could say no more,) in conclus. wherby his radicall moisture began to faile him, and his vitall powers in such sort to decaie, as he saw that he could not long continue; but especiallie, that his labours being so great, tooke none effect, but was termed, by some a Vice, by some a Viper, by some a Scismatique, by some a Traitor; and that euerie stage Plaier made a iest of him...

Nashe, Martins Months Minde, sigs.E3^v-E4^r; emphasis in bold added.

NB. A note in the margin along "to be made a Maygame" reads: "The Theater."

Theatrical Provenance

Children of Paul's, at the Theatre? (unacted?)

Probable Genre(s)

Comedy.

Possible Narrative and Dramatic Sources or Analogues

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References to the Play

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Critical Commentary

Not in Harbage.

Wiggins 836 notes that Nashe's account of Martin's death uses the term "Maygame" but that the account was published too early (in August) to be a description of the play and is more likely the inspiration for the play's title. (It is curious, though, that the context, "made a Maygame vpon the Stage", sounds intuitively more like a reference to the play than an inspiration, as does the past-tense reference to every stage player having "made a iest of him").

For What It's Worth

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Works Cited

Nashe, Thomas. Martins months minde that is, a certaine report, and true description of the death, and funeralls, of olde Martin Marreprelate, the great makebate of England, and father of the factious. Contayning the cause of his death, the manner of his buriall, and the right copies both of his will, and of such epitaphs, as by sundrie his dearest friends, and other of his well willers, were framed for him. London, 1589. STC (2nd ed.) / 17452.

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