time iniurious that men think golde able to bannish vertue and Fame to bee lesse vallued then treasure Because I am poore what dooth Antweâ—pe thinke I meane to make sale of my chastititie and because extreamity hath bitten me by the heâ—le Do men thinke pelâ—e shall draw mée to become a wanton no I call him to witnes that knowes mine innocencie I hould mine honour as deare as my life and my constancy as pretious as the apple of mine eie and though as the wise man writ the dishonest woman saiâ—s what we are in the daâ—k and compast in wiâ—h the walsâ— feare not no man â—an â—spie vs yet the eie of the Lord sees al and he searcheth the heart and the rainâ—s and punisheth such offences in iustice Farre rather had I be openly blamed being innocent than haue a good report with a guiltie conscience for though I be wrongfully accused yet the Lord is able at all times to raise vp a Daniell that may cleare them that put their trust in him Pouertie wante extreamitie misfortune all seeme easie béeing tempered with content and patience but riches treasure prosperitie and wealth are odious béeing tainted with the staine of an adulterous name No Alexander wheresoeuer thou béest or whatsoeuer thy Fortune is or howe so euer thou hast wronged mee yet thy faults shall not make mee offend nor thy abuse draw mee to any preiudice But I will bee loyall Theodora the constant wife of Alexander for euer for in the booke of Wisdome this I read Wisedome Chapter 4. O how faire is a chast generation with vertue the memorial thereof is immortal for it is knowen with God men when it is present men take example therat and if it go away yet they desire it it is alwaies crowned and houlden in honor winneth the reward of the vniuersall battaile With this she ceast and fel to her spinning and Alexander he went his way to find out the olde man whome hee found solitarie in his houel As soone as he cast vp his eie and saw Alexander Oh my sonne Alexander quoth he what newes Alexander sate him downe and fetching a déepe sigh said father I haue sinned and wronged my wife with a false suspectâ— Now doe I find that she that loueth loyally may wel be crost with calamity but neuer iustly accused of inconstancie suspition may put in a false plea but proofe neuer maintained the action and with that he discourst from point to point how he had dealt with Theodora what proffers what answers and what she said in his absence The olde man at this was very glad and demaunded of him howe hee felt him selfe from his former franticke humour quight shaken off quoth Alexander and therefore now pul off your inchantment that I may returne to my former shape and home to my wife which hee did and after many good instructions glad that hee had recald him from his iealousie hee tooke his leaue of Alexander who trimming vp himselfe like a pilgrime departed towards Antwerpe and in the euening comming thither went to his Fathers house Assoone as hee came in and was espied they all ranne away as affraid of him But when with reuerence his Father saw him doe his duty heâ— entertained him with teares and demaunded of him how he farde Alexander said wel and sate downe by him and discourst to him at large all his fortunes his méeting with the olde man and what hadde happened still crying at euerie sentence how he had wrong'd his louing Theodora At this glad newes all his friends and kinsefolkes were sent for and there at a solempne supper the discourse of all was declared vnto them They reioysed at his happy metamorphosis and sorowed at the hard abuse they offered to Theodora But to make amends the next day there was a great â—eaâ—â— prouided and all the chiefe of Antwerpe bidden thither as guests Theodora was sent for her husband and she reconciled set into her former estate held in great estimation for her constancy and her husband euer after frée from all suspitious iealousie NOw Sir Geffrey Chawcer quoth Gower how like you this tale is it not more full of humanity then your vain and scurrulous inuention and yet affecteth as muche in the mind of the hearers are not graue sentences as forcible as wanton principles tush quoth Chawcer but these are not plesant they breed no delight youth wil not like of such a long circumstance Our English Gentlemen are of the mind of the Athenians that will sooner bee perswaded by a fable than an Oration and induced with a merrie tale when they will not be brought to any compasse with serious circumstances The more pittie quoth Gower that they should bee so fond as to be subiect to the delight of euery leud fancy when the true badge of a Gentleman is learning ioyned with vallour and vertue and therefore ought they to read of Martiall Discipline not of the slight of Venus and to talke of hard labours not to chat of foolish and effeminate amoures Aristotle read not to Alexander wanton Elegies but he instructed him in Morall precepts and taught how to gouerne like a King not how to court like a louer But now a daies our youthes desire to read amourous pamphlets rather then Philosophicall actions and couet like Epicures rather to passe the time in some pleasant fable then like Philosophers to spend the day in profitable Aphorismes but when the blacke Oxe hath trode on their foot and that age hales them on to olde yeares and the Palme trée as the Preacher saies waxeth white then will they repent those howers they haue spent in tossing ouer such fruitlesse papers Therefore Greene take this of me as thou hast written many fond workes so from hence forth attempt nothing but of worth let not thy pen stoope so low as vanity nor thy wit be so far abused to paint out any precepts of fancie but flie higher with the Hobbie soare against y e sun with the Eagle carry spices into thy nest with the Phenix doe nothing but worthie thy wit and thy learning Is not a Diamond as soone cut as a pebble a rose as soone planted as a weed a good booke as easilie pend as a wanton Pamphlet Then Green giue thy selfe to write either of humanitie and as Tullie did set downe thy mind de officiis or els of Morall vertue and so be a profitable instructer of manners doe as the Philosophers did seeke to bring youth to vertue with setting downe Ariomes of good liuing and doe not perswade young Gentlemen to folly by the acquainting themselues with thy idle workes I tell thée bookes are companions and friends and counsailors and therefore ought to bee ciuill honest and discréet least they corrupt with false doctrine rude manners and vicious liuing Or els penne some thing of naturall philosophie Diue down into the Aphorismes of the Philosophers and see what nature hath done and with thy pen paint that out to the
GREENES VISION Written at the instant of his death Conteyning a penitent passion for the folly of his Pen. Sero sed serio Imprinted at London for Thomas Newman and are to be sould at his shop in Fleetestreete in Saint Dunstons Churchyard To the right worshipfull and his especiall good friend M. Nicholas Sanders of Ewell Esquier T. Newman wisheth all felicitiâ— WERE I as able as I am willing Right Worshipfull to shewe my selfe thankful for your manie kindnesses extended vnto me some more accomplisht Dedication then this should haue offred it selfe to your iudiciall view at this instant It was one of the last workes of a wel known Author therefore I hope it will be more acceptable Manie haue published repentaunces vnder his name but none more vnfeigned then this being euerie word of his owne his own phrase his own method The experience of many vices brought forth this last vision of vertue I recommend it intirely to your worships euen ballancing censure None haue more insight then you into matters of wit All men of Art acknowledge you to bee an especiall Mecenas and supporter of learning in these her despised latter daies I am one that haue no interest in knowledge but the inseperate loue that I beare to them that professe it That attendant loue on good letters striues to honor you in whome Art is honoured I thinke not this pamphlet any way proportionable in woorth with your worshippes patronage but it is my desire to yeelde some encrease to your fame in anie thing that I shall imprint Thus wishing to your worshippe that felicitie and contentment which your owne best gouerned thoughtes doe aime at I most humblie take my leaue Your VVorships most bounden T. Newman To the Gentlemen Readers Health GEntlemen in a vision before my death I foresee that I am like to sustaine the shame of many follies of my youth when I am shrowded in my winding sheete O let not iniurious tongues triumph ouer a dead carcase Now I am sick and sorrow hath wholy seaâ—d on me vaine I haue beene let not other men shewe themselues vaine in reproching my vanitie I craue pardon of you all if I haue offended any of you with laciuious Pamphleâ—ing Many things I haue wrote to get money which I could otherwise wish to be supprest Pouertie is the father of innumerable infirmities in seeking to salue priuate wantes I haue made my selfe a publique laughing stock Hee that commeth in Print setteth himselfe vp as a common marke for euery one to shoote at I haue shotte at many abuses ouer sâ—oâ—â—e my selfe in describing of some where truth failed my inuention hath stood my friend God forgiue me all my misdeameanours now in the best lust of my yeares death I feare will depriue me of any further proceeding in securitie This booke hath many things which I would not haue written on my Tombe I write this last let it be my last will and testament Farewell if I liue you shall heare of me in deuinitie in the meane time accept the will for the deede and speake well of me when I am dead Yours dying Robert Greene. GREENES VISION After I was burdened with the penning of the Cobler of Canterbury I wared passing melancholy as grieuing that either I shold be wrong with enuy or wronged with suspition But wheÌ„ I entred into the consideratioÌ„ that slander spareth not Kinges I brookt it with the more patience thought that as the strongest gustes offend lesse the low shrubs than the tall Cedaâ—s 〈◊〉 the blemish of report would make a lesse scarre in a cottage than in a pallace yet I could not but conceit it hardly and so in a discontented humor I sat me down vpon my bed-side and began to cal to remembrance what fond and wanton lines had past my pen how I had bent my course to a wrong shore as beating my brains about such vanities as were little profitable â—owing my seâ—d in the sand and so reaping nothing but thornes and thistles As this I recounted ouer the follies that youth led me vnto I stept to my Standish that stâ—â—â— hard by and writ this Ode Greenes Ode of the vanitie of wanton writings THough Tytirus the Heards swaine Phillis loue-mate felt the paine That Cupid fiers in the eâ—e Till they loue or till they die Straigned ditties from his pipe VVith pleasant voyce and cunning stripâ—â— Telling in his song how faire Phillis eie-browes and hir haireâ— How hir face past all supposes For white Lillies for red Roses Though he sounded on the hils Such foâ—d passions as loue wils That all the Swaines that foulded by Flockt to heare his harmonie And vowed by Pan that Tytirus Did Poet-like his loues discusse That men might learne mickle good By the verdict of his mood Yet olde Menalcas ouer-ag'd That many winters there had wag'd Sitting by and hearing this Said their wordes were all amisse For quoth he such wanton laies Are not worthie to haue praiseâ— Iiggâ—s and ditties of fond loues Youth â—o mickle follie mooues And tould this old said saw to thee Which Coridon did learne to me Tis shame and sin for pregnant wits To spend their skill in wanton fits Martiall was a bonnie boy He writ loues griefe and loues ioy He tould what wanton lookes passes Twixt the Swaines and the lasses And mickle wonder did he write Of Womens loues and their spight But for the follies of his pen He was hated of most men For they could say t'was sin and shame For Schollers to endite such game Quaint was Ouid in his â—ime Chiefest Poet of his time What he could in wordes rehearse Ended in a pleasing verseâ— Apollo with his ay-greene baies Crownd his head to shew his praise And all the Muses did agree He should be theirs and none but he This Poet chaunted all of loue Of Cupids wings and Venus doueâ— Of faire Corima and her hew Of white and red and vaines blew How they loued and how they greed And how in fancy they did speed His Elegies were wanton all Telling of loues pleasings thrall And cause he would the Poet seeme That best of Venus lawes could deeme Strange precepts he did impart And writ three bookes of loues art There he taught how to woe What in loue men should doe How they might soonest winne Honest women vnto sinne Thus to tellen all the truth He infected Romes youth And with his bookes and verses brought That men in Rome nought els saught But how to tangle maid or wife With honors breach throgh wanton life The foolish sort did for his skill Praise the deepnesse of his quill And like to him said there was none Since died old Anacrâ—on But Romes Augustus worlds wonder Brookt not of this foolish blonder Nor likt he of this wanton verse That loues lawes did rehearse For well he saw and did espie Youth was sore impaird thereby And by experience he finds VVanton bookes infect the minds Which made him straight for reward Though the
it infamous for to be tainted with the blemish of fond fancy much more to pen down any precepts of affectioÌ„ if then Ethnik philosophers who knewe not God but by a naturall instinct of vertue sought so carefully to auoid such vanities only bent the sum of their wits to their countries profit theÌ„ how blamworthy are such as endeuour to shew their quicke capacities in such wanton woorkes as greatly preiudice the state of the commonwealth I grant ther is no weed so il but som wil gather no stone so crasd but some wil choose nor no book so fond but some wil fauor but Vox populi vox Dei the most the grauest wil account it vaine and scurrulous Therefore trust me Iohn Gowers opinion is thou hast applied thy wits ill hast sowed chaffe shalt reape no haruest But my maister Chaâ—cer brings in his workes for an instance that as his so thine shalbe famoused no it is not a promise to conclude vpon for men honor his mere for the antiquity of the verse the english prose than for any déepe loue to the matter for proofe marke how they weare out of vse Therfore let me tel thee thy books are baits that allure youth Syrens that sing sweetly and yet destroy with their notes faire flowers without smel and good phrases without any profite Without any profite quoth Chawcer and with that hee sâ—art vp with a frown no Gower I tell thée his labours as they be amorous so they be sententious and serue as well to suppresse vanity as they seem to import wantonnes Is there no meanes to cure sores but with Corasiues no helpe for vicers but sharpe implasters no salue against vice but sowr satyrâ—s Yes a pleasant vaine quips as niâ— the quicke as a graner inuecâ—â—ue and vnder a merry fable can Esope as wel tant folly as Hesiode correct manners in his Heroicks I tell thée this man hath ioyned pleasure with profite though his Bee hath a sting yet she makes sweet honny Hath he not discouered in his workes the follies of loue the sleights of fancy and lightnesse of youthâ— to be induced to such vanities and what more profit can there be to his countrey than manifest such open mischiefes as grew from the conceit of beauty deceit of women and all this hath he painted down in his pamphlets I grant quoth Gower the meaning is good but the method is bad for by aming at an inconuenience he bringeth in a mischiefe in séeking to sppresse fond loue the swéetnes of his discourse allures youth to loue like such as taking drink to cool their thirst feele the tast so pleasant that they drinke while they surfeit Ouid drewe not so many with his remedie of Loue from loue as his Ars Amandi bred amorous schollers nor hath Greenes Bookes weaned so many from vanity as they haue wedded from wantonnesse That is the reason quoth Chawcer that youth is more prone vnto euil than to good and with the Serpent sucke honny from the sweetest sirops and haue not Poets shadowed waightie precepts in slender Poems and in pleasant fancies vsed deepe perswations who bitte the Curtizans of his time and the follies of youth more than Horace and yet his Odes were wanton Who more inuaied against the manners of men than Martiall and yet his verse was lasciuious And had hee not better quoth Gower haue discouered his principles in some graue sort as Hesiode did or Pindaris than in such amorous wanton manner the lightnesse of the conceit cracks halfe the credite and the vanitie of the pen bréeds the lesse beleefe After Ouid had written his Art of Loue and set the youth on fire to imbrace fancy he could not reclaime them with Otâ—a si tollas periere cupidinis arcus The thoughts of young men are like Bauins which once set on fire will not out till they be ashes and therefore doe I infer that such Pamphlets doe rather preiudice than profite Tush quoth Chawcer all this is but a peremptorie selfe conceit in thine owne humour for I will shew thee for instance such sentences as may like the grauest please the wisest and instruct the youngest and wantonnest and they be these first of the disposition of women Sentences collected out of the Authours bookes Quid leuius bruto â—ulmen quid fulmine flamma Quid flamma mulier quid muhere nihil 1 BE not ouertaken with the beautie of women whose eies are fram'd by art to enamour and their hearts by nature to inchant 2 Women with their false teares know their due times and their sweete woordes pearce deeper than sharpe swordes 3 Womens faces are lures there beauties are baites their lookes nets their wordes charmes and all to bring men to ruine 4 A hard fauored woman that is renowmed for hir chastitie is more honorable than she that is famous for her beutie 5 She which houldeth in her eie most coynes hath oft in her heart most dishonesty 6 A woman may aptly bee compared to a Roase for as we cannot enioy the fragrant smell of the one without prickkles so wee cannot possesse the vertues of the other without some shrewish conditions 7 Though Women haue small force to ouercome men by reason yet haue they good fortune to vnder-mine men by policie 8 Womens paines are more pinching if they bee girded with a frumpe than if they be galled with a mischiefe 9 The ready way to fier a woman to desire is to crosse theÌ„ with disdaine 10 Some women haue their loues in their lookes which taken in with a gase is thrust out with a wincke 11 Womens eares are not theeir touchstones but their eies they see and make choyce and not heare and fancy 12 Women oft resemble in their loues the Apothecaries in their Art which choose the wéeds for their shops when they leaue the flowers in the field 13 Euerie looke that women lend is not loue nor euerie smile in their face is nâ—t a pricke in their bosome 14 Womens hearts are ful of hoales apt to receiue but not to reteine 15 The Clossets of womens thoughts are euer open the deapth of their heart hath a string that stretcheth to their tongues end 16 A woman is like Fortune standing vppon a Gloabe winged with the feathers of ficklenes 17 Womens heartes are the Exchequers where fancye yéelds vp hir accounts 18 Women be they chast be they curteous be they constant be they rich renowmed honestâ— wise yet haue they sufficient vanities to counteruaile thier vertues 19 Womens excellency is discouered in their constancie 20 As the glittering beames of the Sunne when it ariseth decketh the Heauens so the glittering beautie of a good wife adorneth the house How saiest thou Gower quoth Chawcer to these sentences are they not worthie graue eares and necessarye for young mindes is there no profit in these principles is there not flowers amongst weedes and sweete aphorismes hidden amongst effeminate amours Are not these worthie to eternize
and went to Trinitie hostell and there saw I hir with these eies sitting vppon a Schollers knee eating of a pound of Cherries Well Husband quoth Kate and how came you home againe I marrie quoth he their lyes the question I know well of my going thether and of my being there but of my returne why I remember nothing No I think so poore man quoth she for all this day hast thou beene a sick man and full of broken slumbers and strange dreames I will tell thee Sonne this disease is a mad bloud that lies in thy head which is growne from iealousie take heede of it for if it should continue but six dayes it would make thee starke mad for it was nothing but an idle and a iealious fancie that made thée thinke thou wert at Cambridge and sawest thy wife there and was I not then out of my bed quoth he no God helpe you quoth the Mother Then wife quoth he and he wept I aske both God and thee forgiuenesse and make a vowe if God graunt me health neuer héereafter to suspect thée thou shalt go whether thou wilt and keepe what companie thou wilt for a iealious minde is a second hell Thus was Tomkins brought from his suspition and his wife and hee reconcilde WHat saist thou quoth Chawcer to this tale is there any offence to be taken is it not a good inuectiue against iealousie Sauf vostre grace quoth Iohn Gower sir Geffrey your tale is two scurrulous and not worthie to trouble my graue eare such fantasticall toyes be in the Cobler of Canterbury and that bred the booke such discredit call you this a method to put downe any particular vice or rather a meanes generally to set vp vanitie this is the sore that creepes into the minde of youth and leaues not fretting till it be an incurable vlcer this is the rust that eateth the hardest Stéele and cannot be rubd off with the purest Oyle Mens mindes are apt to follies and prone to all such idle fancies and such bookes are Spurres to pricke them forwarde in their wickednesse where they neede sharpe bits to bridle in their wanton affections cannot the Phisition salue a maladie without vnder a poysonâ—d and pleasant strope he hide a medicinable potion when the operation of the one shall doo more preiudice then the vertue of the other can worke profit Shall I in such sharpe hookes lay aluring baites shall I séeke to drawe men from dancing with a Taâ—er to perswade men to peace with weapons or exhort men to vertuous actions with tales of wanton affections no Greene marke Iohn Gower wel thou hast write no booke well but thy Nunquam â—era est and that is indifferent Linsey Wolsey to be borne and to be praised and no more the rest haue swéete phrases but sower follies good precepts tempered amongst idle matter Eeles amongst Scorpions and Pearles strowed amongst pibbles beléeue not Sir Geffrey Chawcer in this marke but his madde tale to put downe Iealowsie I will tell a tale to the same effect and yet I hope neither so light of conceipt nor so full of scurrilitie Iohn Gowers tale against Iealousie IN the citie of Antwerpe there dwelled a gentleman of good Parentage called Alexander Vandermast who beeing indued with Lands and liuings such as were able to maintaine an honest port thought not with the Cedar to die fruitles nor to end his name with his life and therefore to haue a priuate friende with whome to communicate his thoughtes and issue to maintaine the fame of his house he thought to wed him self to some good wife with whose beauty he might delight his eie with whose vertues hee might content his mind At last looking about hee sawe manie faire and well featured but they had faults that bred his mislike Some thought to amend Nature with Art and with Apothecaries drugges to refine that which God had made perfect Such artificiall paintings he likt not as being the instances of pride Some had their eies full of Amours casting their lookes with such alluring glaunces that their verie immodestie appeared in their eie-lids those hee held too forwarde to the fist Some had delight to heare themselues chat and had more talke in their tongues than witte in their heads those he counted for Gosseps and let them slip taking thus a narrow view of the maides of Antwerpe At last he spied one amongst the rest who was faire modest silent and generallie indued with all vertues as highly commended through all the Cittie for her chastitie as she was praised for her beautie Upon her did Alexander cast his eie and so fixe his heart that he began entirely to affect her knowing what a pretious iewell he should haue if he got so vertuous a wife For hee had read in Iesus Syrache that happie is that mâ—n that hath a vertuous wife for the number of his dayes shalbe double A vertuous woman dooth make a ioyfull man and whether he be riche or poore he may alwaies haue a merrie heart A woman that is silent of toung shamefast in countenance sober in behauiour and honâ—st in condition adorned with vertuous qualities correspondent is like a goodly pleasant Flower deckt with the coullers of all the Flowers in the Field which shall be giuen for a good portion to such a one as feareth God These sayings made Alexander an earnest sutor to Theodora for so was the Maides name and so followed his purposed intent that not onely he obteyned the good will of the Maide but the consent of her parents so that in short time there was a mariage not onely concluded but fully consumated These two agréed together louingly and in such loyaltie that all Antwerpe talked of the affection of the one and the obedience of the other and the loue of both liuing in this concord the deuill that grudged at the sinceritie of Iob greeued at the mutuall amitie of these two and sought to set them at oddes which he attempted with the perniâ—ious fier of Ielousie a plague that offereth déepest wrong to the holy estate of marriage and setteth such mortall variance as hardly by any meanes can be pacified Where married couples agree together it is a great happinesse and a thing very acceptable in the sight of God but as in musick are many distords before there can bee framed a true Diapasin so in wedlock are many farres before there be established a perfect friendship Falling out there may be and wordes may growe betweene such swéete friends but Amantium irae amoris redinte gratia est 〈◊〉 whâ—re Ielousie â—nterâ— by stelthâ— from thence he cannot be thrust out by forcâ— This pestilent humor entred into the minde of Alexanderi â— for séeing he had the fayrest wife in all Antwarpe that many Maâ—chants resorted to his house he found that women are weake vessels and conceited a Iealious opinion without â—â—use thinking such as came to enter parle with him for traffike come rather for the beautie of