The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 11.0745  Monday, 10 April 2000.

From:           John Savage <
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Date:           Sunday, 9 Apr 2000 17:59:00 -0400
Subject:        Snuff Sed

Tom Reedy claims that Shakespeare does indeed mention tobacco.  "In 1.3
of 1H4 Hotspur complains of a snuff-taking messenger: '...And twixt his
finger and his thumb he held a pouncet-box, which ever and anon he gave
his nose and took't away again; who therewith angry, when it next came
there, took it in snuff.'"

But he is not a "snuff-taking messenger," and the word "snuff" in the
passage doesn't refer to tobacco.