1600 28 Augusti Andrew Wise William Aspley Entered for their copies under the hands of the wardens two books, the one called Much Ado about Nothing, the other the second part of the History of King Henry the IIIIth, with the humors of Sir John Falstaff, written by Master Shakespere.
XXIX. SHAKESPEARE’S FAME EXTENDS TO CAMBRIDGE (1600).
Allusions in the First Part of The Return from Parnassus, a student comedy, representing undergraduate life at Cambridge.
We shall have nothing but pure Shakspeare and shreds of poetry that he hath gathered at the theatres. (Ll. 1009 f.)
Mark, Romeo and Juliet! O monstrous theft! (L. 1015.)
Gullio, an affected poetaster, recites six lines of Venus and Adonis, and Ingenioso remarks: Sweet Mr. Shakspeare! (Ll. 1018–24.)
Gullio asks Ingenioso to write a poem for him—
Ingen. My pen is your bounden vassal to command. But what vein would it please you to have them in?
Gull. Not in a vain vein (pretty, i’ faith!): make me them in two or three divers veins—in Chaucer’s, Gower’s, and Spenser’s and Mr. Shakspeare’s. Marry, I think I shall entertain those verses which run like these:
Even as the sun with purple colour’d face
Had ta’en his last leave on the weeping morn, &c.[1] O sweet Mr. Shakspeare! I’le have his picture in my study at the court. (LI. 1048–55.)
- ↑ Opening lines of Venus and Adonis, slightly misquoted.
