Thomas Nash

“ Further, Southampton, who had joined Essex in his rebellion, had been tried and convicted with his friend, and though the Queen spared his life, he was not released from the Tower until the ascension of James I. It is not unlikely, therefore, that a copy of Nash's manuscript made for Lord Essex passed, on the execution [page xiii] of the latter, with other papers and documents, into the official custody of the Lord Keeper, to be subsequently unearthed by his successor, Petyt, who, with a taste for the "curious," had it copied for his own edification. ”

“ It is curious to note that while Shakspeare and Nash both promise "graver work" and "better lines," they alike select amatory themes for their first offerings. The promise in Shakspeare's case was redeemed by the dedication to Southampton of "The Rape of Lucreece," while it may be assumed, as aforesaid, that Nash followed suit with "The Unfortunate Traveller."
Nash, however, for some cause or other failed to retain the Earl's interest; "indeed," says Mr. Sidney Lee, "he did not retain the favour of any patron long." ”

“ Again, as evidence that Nash had addressed himself to Southampton prior to his dedication of "The Unfortunate Traveller," we glean from his promise ("Terrors of the Night") "to embroyder the rich store of his eternal renoune" in "some longer Tractate."
e At the same time it must be stated that the scandal of the controversy between Nash and Harvey became so notorious that in 1599 it was ordered by authority "that all Nashes books and Dr. Harvey's books be taken wheresoever they may be found and that none of the said books be ever printed hereafter" (COOPER, Athenæ Cant. ii. 306) . ”

“ In the most unlikely quarters a quarry may yet be found from which the social historian may obtain a valuable sidelight on manners and customs, the philologist a new lection or gloss, or the antiquary a solution to some, as yet, unsolved problem. ”

“ Nash writes in 1593,c "the full spring of the Earl's liberality." Record is also made of a visit paid by him to Lord Southampton and Sir George Carey, while the former was Governor, and the latter Captain-General, of the Isle of Wight.
From internal evidence it would seem that this poem was called forth by the Earl's bounty to its author. "My [page ix] muse devorst from deeper (the Rawl. MS. reads deepest) care, presents thee with a wanton elegie;" and further on, the dedication promises "better lines" which should "ere long" be penned in "honour" of his noble patron. ”

“ When Harvey denounced him for "emulating Aretino's licentiousness" he admitted that poverty had occasionally forced him to prostitute his pen "in hope of gain" by penning "amorous Villanellos and Quipasses for new-fangled galiards and newer Fantisticos." ”

“ Does this refer to "The Unfortunate Traveller; or, The Life of Jack Wilton," generally regarded as Nash's most ambitious work, and which he dedicated to Lord Southampton in 1593? If so, and there is no evidence to gainsay the conclusion, we can fix the date of the present poem as, at all events, prior to 17th September of that year, when "The Unfortunate Traveller" was entered on the Stationers' Register.d This would make Nash contemporaneous, if not prior to, Shakspeare in offering a tribute to the merits of the young patron (Southampton at that time was barely twenty years old) of the Muses. ”

“ NOTES a Henry Wriothesley, the Earl of Southampton, and Baron of Titchfield. The dedication is absent in the Rawlinson text: cf. variorum reading in line 13.
1 Matchles, machles.
2 the red rose euer bare, that euer red rose bare.
3 devorst from deeper care, diuert from deepest care. Nash was notoriously impecunious all through his life, and probably reference is here made to some bounty received at the hands of Lord Southampton (see Introduction) . What patronage meant at times is gleaned from Florio's dedication of The Worlde of Wordes in 1598 to the same nobleman. ”

“ In the main, however, the Inner Temple version will be found consistent with its particular dedication, whilst the Rawlinson variations appear due to an attempt, signally unsuccessful, to adapt the poem for general use.
For the rest I have faithfully adhered to the original in the basic text, and in the variorum readings, except in one particular. The Rawlinson MS. is altogether guiltless of punctuation, while the Petyt copy has been carelessly "stopped" by the scribe: I have therefore given modern punctuation.
J.S.F.
FOOTNOTES a See page x. ”

“ I yeald! Oh death, rock me, I come! I come! sweete death, rocke mee.
202 entombed, intombe me.
203 my deare, my dearest saint, my deare, and dearest she.
204 For, from us yett, thy spirit maie, from us two (yett) this pleasure must.
205 Untill, Vntill; channels, Chambers.
206 Without their source, Withould themselues; imprisoned, newe prisoned.
207 will we, we will; com too, come soe.
209 whilst, whilest; speake, speke; is fleeting, in stealing.
210 fleshie, earthly.
213 but an houre, but one houre; an houre is, one houre is ”

“ She shutts hir eyes°, and waggles with her tongue:
"Oh, who is able to abstaine so long?°"
"I com! I com! sweete lyning be° thy leaue:"
100Softlie my fingers up theis curtaine heaue°,
And make me happie, stealing by degreese°.
First bare hir leggs, then creepe up to hir kneese°;
From thence ascend unto her mannely° thigh—
104 (A pox on lingring when I am so° nighe!) .
Smock, climbe° a-pace, that I maie see my ioyes;
Oh heauen and paradize are all° but toyes
Compar'd with this sight I now° behould,
108Which well might keepe a man from being olde. ”

“ As might enflame the icie limmes° of age,
172And make pale death his seignedrie to aswage;°
To stand and gaze upon her orient lamps°,
Where Cupid all his chiefest ioyes encamps°,
[page 15]
And sitts, and playes with euery atomie°
176That in hir Sunne-beames swarme aboundantlie.
Thus gazing, and thus striuing, we perseuer°:
But what so firme that maie continue euer?°
"Oh not so fast," my rauisht Mistriss cryes°,
180"Leaste my content, that on° thy life relyes,
Be brought too-soone from his delightfull seate°,
And me unwares of hoped bliss defeate°. ”

“ Rowe also tells a story of Lord Southampton's munificence to Shakspeare. It is said that he gave the poet £1,000 (equal to £12,000 now-a-days) to complete a special purchase. Whether this story be true or not, it is certain that Lord Southampton was a most liberal patron of letters.
4 Presents thee with, Presentes you with.
5 "Ne" = Nor, A.S.; unchastitie, inchastitye.
6 painting, paynting; things, thinges; hidden are, hidden be.
7 & 8 In Rawl. MS. these lines are transposed. Since all men act, sith most men marke; speache declare, speech descrie; Onlie, only; varietie, varyetye. ”

“ I paie our hostess scott and lott at moste°,
308And looke as leane and lank as anie° ghoste;
What can° be added more to my renowne?
She lyeth breathlesse; I am taken doune;°
The waves doe swell, the tydes climbe or'e the banks;°
312Judge, gentlemen! if I deserue not thanks?°
And so, good night! ”

“ It appears also, from other intimations, that there were great festivities there, and much good eating, at Whitsun ales, and other times."—Nares.
13 Where to, the contrie franklins, Whether our Country Franklins.
14 Jhon and Jone com, John and Joane come.
15 Euen, Even; hallowes, Hallowes; Saint, Sainct.
16 doeth, doth; louers, lovers; those, omitted in Rawlinson. ”

“ OR THE MERIE BALLAD OF NASH HIS DILDO [BY THOMAS NASH]
[From MSS. Copies in the
Inner Temple (Petyt MS. 538, Vol. 43,
f. viii., 295 b, circa 1680) and Bodleian
(Rawl. MS. Poet 216, leaves 96-106,
circa 1610-20) Libraries]
Edited by JOHN S. FARMER
LONDON
[PRIVATELY PRINTED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY]
MDCCCXCIX
INTRODUCTION.
Nash's "CHOISE OF VALENTINES" has apparently come down to us only in manuscript form. It is extremely doubtful (Oldys notwithstandinga) , whether the poem was ever before accorded the dignity of print. ”

“ Perhaps (earlier) Henry Price owned the book." The volume contains besides an English transcript of Ovid's "Arte Amandis" and some amatory poems.g The date of the Petyt text may be about.... It is written in a miscellaneous, folio, commonplace-book, and in the catalogue it is described as "an obscene poem, entitled 'The Choosing of Valentines,' by Thomas Nash. ”