﻿PLAGIARlS^r AMOXG ELIZAljETlTAX PAMPHLETEEIJS 153 



Blacke Bookers Messenger" is not diffieult to explain. It would 

 have been very ill-advised, for a little further on be lifts about two 

 bundred lines verbatim — except for oeeasioual cbanges or correc- 

 tions — from the same work. Nor is this remarka))le pilferiug all 

 he owes to ''The Blacke Booke. " To have called attention to so 

 important a source would have l)een iucompatil)le with the method 

 used in yarking up ' ' G-reenes Ghost. 



In one or two subsequent paragraphs Rowlands undertakes to 

 suggest abuses and "grosse sinnes" with which the writer of the 

 conny catching pamphlets might with more profit have concerned 

 himself. These suggestions are interesting, interesting because they 

 constitute a boiled down version of "The Defence of Conny catch- 

 ing" (1592), a pamphlet attributed to Greene but probably not of 

 his authorship. Dr. Grosart's opinion that "it is against, not by 

 Greene" has point. Besides the tract has little beyond its clever- 

 ness to indicate his able workmanship. To show the sinularity in 

 subject matter, I shall give the topics suggested by l)oth Rowlands 

 and "The Defence." It must be remembered that in the latter 

 these subjects are treated in detail and often illustrated by stories. 



Greenes Ghost: 



(1) extortion, (2) usurers. (3) 

 bakers' use of short weights, (4) 

 adulteration of wines and beer, (5) 

 ale-wives' use of short pots and 

 cans, (6) false oaths. (7) pride. 

 (8) swearing-, (9) folly of young 

 IXrople, (10) advice to house-holders. 

 (11) putting of powder into ale to 

 give it strength. (12) extravagance 

 in dress. 



The Defence: 



(1) extorting of pelf. (2) usurers. 

 (3) millers" use uf short weights 

 and false hoppers. (4) ale-wives' 

 use of short p-4s and cans: their 

 false scoring. ( r. i cliaiulU'rs' use of 

 short weights. ( » j ) trirlvs of hostlers 

 and eostermongers. ( 7 i adulteration 

 of wine. ( 8 i tricks of butchers and 

 drapers, lawyers. (10) cusening 

 braggarts. ( 11 ) Greene's sale of 

 (JrUiiiclo Fiirioso tu two companies. 

 (12) evading payment of ale house 

 scores. 



When reading these lists of proposed stibjects oue cmu almost 

 ijear Corporal Fize of "Martin ]\Iark-air' giving his fatherly advi e 

 to the Bellman of London: "Mee thinkes it should have been/ 

 your part rather to have tolde of domesticall affaires aixl Iimum'^ioM 



"Of course Grosart afterwards chauged his miud and admitted, as (■vrr\ (juc 

 else must, the possibility of Oroene's having liad a part in tlie prodiiction uf TIk 

 Defence. Storujenko svcmcd sun' tliat it was not Oreono's. Incidentally Storojcnko 

 overstates the truth in saying iliat The l)ef( itec '"is full of furious abuse of the 

 exposer" of conny catching. His statement early in the essay (I, ?,o \ that it is "a 

 naively-sly pampltlet" hits the truth exactly. 



