1600 - Breton, Nicholas - Pasquil's Pass

Allusion to Adam Bell
Date	1600
Author	Breton, Nicholas
Title	Pasquils Passe, and passeth not
Mentions	Clim of the Clough

By Henrik Thiil Nielsen, 2014-07-23. Revised by Henrik Thiil Nielsen, 2022-05-17.

Allusion

He that will passe into a Clownes conceit,
Let him take heed he know a clouted shooe,
Lest him be cousoned with a close deceit:
When seely Fooles know not what Knaues can do,
With, Yea, and Nay, to bring an Ideot to:
     But if he kindly know Clim of the Clough,
     Then let him passe, he shall doe well enough.

Source notes

Grosart's note to this passage: " 'Clim of the Clough,'–celebrated in a well-known ballad and chap-book".

IRHB comments

F.P. Wilson, annotating an allusion to Clim of the Clough in Thomas Nashe's Pierce Penniless, noted with regard to this passage that "[...] it would appear that 'Clim of the Clough' had some other sense, but the passage is very obscure. Can this have been the nickname of some contemporary clown, or possibly fire-eater?"

Editions

• Breton, Nicholas. Pasquils Passe, and Passeth Not. Set Downe in Three Pees. His Passe, Precession, and Prognostication (London, 1600). Not seen.
• Breton, Nicholas; Grosart, Alexander B., ed. The Works in Verse and Prose of Nicholas Breton (Chertsey Worthies' Library) (St George's, Blackburn, Lancashire, 1879); (items separately paginated).

Notes

Also see

• Allusions to Adam Bell
• 1600 - Breton, Nicholas - Pasquil's Mistress (1)
• 1600 - Breton, Nicholas - Pasquil's Mistress (2)
• 1605 - Breton, Nicholas - Poste with Mad Packet of Letters (pt 2) (1)
• 1605 - Breton, Nicholas - Poste with Mad Packet of Letters (pt 2) (2)
• 1605 - Breton, Nicholas - Poste with Mad Packet of Letters (pt 2) (3)
• 1605 - Breton, Nicholas - Poste with Mad Packet of Letters (pt 2) (4)

Adam Bell