Richard Harvey

Richard Harvey (* 1560; † 1630) was a younger brother of Gabriel Harvey. He also studied at Cambridge and was a follower of the teachings of Pierre de la Ramée. In 1583, he caused a stir with An Astrological Discourse, because he predicted apocalyptic weather phenomena for 8 May of that year on the basis of a planetary constellation. When these did not occur, Harvey was exposed to ridicule. In 1586 he became vicar of the parish of Chislehurst, which included Scadbury, the family seat of Thomas Walsingham. In 1590, with Plain Percival, the Peace-Maker and A Theologicall Discovrse of the Lamb of God and his enemies, he interfered in the Martin Marprelate controversy by attacking the writers who hired themselves out as anti-Martinists. This caused a literary dispute between Richard’s brother Gabriel and Thomas Nashe that lasted for years.

Since Marlowe is known to have stayed in Scadbury, it is not unlikely that he knew Richard Harvey. In any case, according to Nashes Have With You To Saffron-Walden, Or, Gabriell Harveys hunt is up (1596), he did not have a high opinion of him.

"This is that Dick, of whom Kit Marloe was wont to ſay, that he was an aſſe, good for nothing but to preach of the Iron Age :"¹