eathers, that, with his
_Tygres heart wrapt in a players hyde_, supposes hee is as well able
to bombast out a blanke-verse as the best of you; and, beeing an
absolute Johannes-fac-totum, is in his owne conceit the onely
Shake-scene in a countrey. Oh, that I might intreat your rare wittes
to bee imployed in more profitable courses, and let these apes
imitate your past excellence, and never more acquaynte them with your
admyred inventions! I knowe the best husband of you all will never
proove an usurer, and the kindest of them all will never proove a
kinde nurse; yet, whilst you may, seeke you better maisters; for it
is pitty men of such rare wits should bee subject to the pleasures of
such rude groomes.

"In this I might insert two more[24] that both have writte against
these buckram gentlemen; but let their owne worke serve to witnesse
against their owne wickednesse, if they persever to maintaine any
more such peasants. For other new comers, I leave them to the mercie
of those painted monsters, who, I doubt not, will drive the
best-minded to despise them; for the rest, it skills not though they
make a jeast at them...."

It is now accepted by critics that these allusions of Greene's were
directed against Shakespeare, and that the line "Tygres heart wrapt in a
players hyde" refers to Shakespeare's revision of _The True Tragedy of
Richard, Duke of York_, a play in the original composition of which
Greene evidently had some hand. It has not before been suggested,
however, that this play was performed by the Earl of Pembroke's company,
under Shakespeare's management, in 1592. It was evidently the publicity
given Marlowe's and Shakespeare's revision by the stage revival of the
play by Pembroke's company at this time that called forth Greene's
attack. This brings us to the end of the year 1592 in outlining
chronologically the evidences of the antagonism of the scholars to
Shakespeare.

In June 1593 George Peele shows animus against Shakespeare by echoing
Greene's phrases in the introduction to _The Honour of the Garter_. In
these verses, in complimenting several noblemen and "gentlemen poets,"
such as Sidney, Spenser, Harrington, Fraunce, Campion, and others, he
refers also to

"ordinary grooms,
With trivial humours to pastime the world,
That favour Pan and Phoebus both alike."

This appears to be a reflection of Greene's "rud