There was an old English tragedy on the subject of Hamlet which was in existence at least as early as the year 1589, in the representation of which an exclamation of the Ghost--"Hamlet, revenge!"--was a striking and well-remembered feature. This production is alluded to in some prefatory matter by Nash in the edition of Greene's _Menaphon_, issued in that year, here given: "I'le turne backe to my first text, of studies of delight, and talke a little in friendship with a few of our triuiall translators. It is a common practise now a daies amongst a sort of shifting companions that run through euery arte and thriue by none, to leaue the trade of _Nouerint_ whereto they were borne, and busie themselues with the indeuors of art, that could scarcelie latinize their necke-verse if they should haue neede; yet English _Seneca_ read by candle light yeeldes manie good sentences, as _Bloud is a beggar_, and so foorth: and if you intreate him faire in a frostie morning, he will afoord you whole _Hamlets_, I should say hand-fulls of tragical speeches." Another allusion occurs in Lodge's _Wits' Miserie_, "and though this fiend be begotten of his father's own blood, yet is he different from his nature; and were he not sure that jealousie could not make him a cuckold, he had long since published him for a bastard: you shall know him by this, he is a foule lubber, his tongue tipt with lying, his heart steeled against charity; he walks for the most part in black under color of gravity, and looks as pale as the visard of the ghost which cried so miserably at the theator like an oister-wife,' _Hamlet, revenge_'." Again, in Decker's _Satiromastix_, 1602: "_Asini_. 'Wod I were hang'd, if I can call you any names but Captaine and Tucca.' _Tuc._ 'No, fye'st, my name's _Hamlet, revenge_. Thou hast been at Parris Garden, hast not?' _Hor._ 'Yes, Captaine, I ha plaide Zulziman there'"; with which may be compared another passage in _Westward Hoe_, 1607--"I, but when light wives make heavy husbands, let these husbands play mad _Hamlet_ and crie, _revenge_." So, likewise, in Rowland's _Night Raven_, 1620, a scrivener, who has his cloak and hat stolen from him, exclaims, "I will not cry, _Hamlet, revenge_ my greeves." There is also reason to suppose that another passage in the old tragedy of _Hamlet_ is alluded to in Armin's _Nest of Ninnies_, 1608: "There are, as Hamlet sayes, things cald whips in store," a sentence which seems to have been well known and popular, for it is partially cited in the _Spanish Tragedie_, 1592, and in the _First Part of the Contention_, 1594.