iumph and rejoyce and talke as prophanely of the Bible
as of Bevis of Hampton. I heare say there are mathematicians abroad that
will proove men before Adam; and they are harboured in high places, who
will maintayne to the death that there are no divells."[285]

Scenes of light comedy abound in Nash; they are especially numerous in
his "Lenten Stuff,"[286] a queer little book, his last work, and one
which he seems to have written _con amore_. Never was he in better
humour than when, the year before his death, he betook himself to
singing "the praise of the red herring," Monsieur Herring, Solyman
Herring, Sacrapant Herring, Red Herring of Red Herring hall, Pater
Patriae, as he is fond of calling him, inventing on each page a new title
for his hero. There is no event in ancient or modern history where he
does not discover that "Caesarean Charlemaine Herring" has had a part to
play; no person of however mean or exalted rank who has not had to deal
with "Gentleman Jacke Herring." The fishes made him their king, and the
Pope made him a saint. The first time he appeared at the Pope's court
was a great event in Christendom. An English sailor had sold him for
three hundred ducats to the purveyor of the papal kitchen, and
"delivered him the king of fishes, teaching hym to geremumble it, sauce
it, and dresse it, and so sent him away a glad man. All the Pope's
cookes in their white sleeves and linnen aprons met him middle way to
entertaine and receyve the king of fishes, and together by the eares
they went, who shoulde first handle him or touch him. But the clarke of
the kitchin appeased that strife, and would admit none but him selfe to
have the scorching and carbonadoing of it, and he kissed his hands
thrice, and made as many _humblessos_ before he woulde finger it; and,
such obeysances performed, he drest it as he was enjoyned, kneeling on
his knes, and mumbling twenty _Ave Maryes_ to hymselfe, in the
sacrifizing of it on the coales, that his diligent service in the
broyling and combustion of it, both to his kingship and to his
fatherhood might not seeme unmeritorious."[287]

However careful Thomas Nash had been to act according to the views
attributed to Dr. Andrew Borde concerning the cultivation of mirth as a
preservative of health, he reached what this authority calls "the mirth
of heaven," with much more rapidity than might have been expected. His
mirth diet was obviously adulterated and mingled with wrath and sorrow.
He h