1600 - Breton, Nicholas - Pasquil's Pass

From International Robin Hood Bibliography
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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.[1]

Source notes

Grosart's note to this passage: " 'Clim of the Clough,'–celebrated in a well-known ballad and chap-book".[2]

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

Notes

Also see