be the day wherein I was born and haplesse be the brests that gaue me sucke Why did God create me to bee a vessell of wrath Why did hee breath life into me thus to make me a lost sheepe Oh I feele a hell already in my conscience the number of my sinnes do muster before my eies the poore mens plaints that I haue wronged cries out in mine eares and saith Robin Greene thou art damnd nay the iustice of God tels mee I cannot bee saued Now I do remember though too late that I haue read in the Scriptures how neither adulterers swearers theeues nor murderers shall inherite the kingdome of heauen What hope then can I haue of any grace when giuen ouer from all grace I exceeded all other in these kinde of sinnes If thus vppon earth and aliue I feele a hell oh what a thing is that hell where my soule shall euerlastingly liue in torments I am taught by the scripture to pray but to whom shoulde I pray to him that I haue blasphemed to him that I haue contemned and despised whose name I haue taken in vaine No no I am in a hell Oh that my last gaspe were come that I might be with Iudas or Cain for their place is better than mine or that I might haue power with these hands to vnlose my soule from this wretched carcasse that hath imprisoned so many wicked villainies within it Oh I haue sinned not against the Father nor against the Sonne but against the holy Ghost for I presumed vpon grace and when the spirit of God cried in my mind thoght and said drunkennes is a vice whoredome is a vice I carelesly in contempt resisted this motion and as it were in a brauery committed these sinnes with greedines Oh now I shall crie with Diues to haue one drop of water for my tongue but shall not be heard I haue sinned against my owne soule and therefore shalbe cast into vtter darknesse and further I shall not come till I haue paid the vttermost farthing which I shal neuer be able to satisfie O happy are you that feele the sparks of Gods fauour in your hearts happy are you that haue hope in the passion of Christ happy are you that beleue that God died for you happy are you that can pray Oh why doth not God shew the like mercie vnto mee The reason is because in all my life I neuer did any good I alwaies gloried in sinne and despised them that imbraced vertue God is iust and cannot pardon my offences and therefore I would I were out of this earthly hell so I were in that second hell that my soule might suffer tormentes for now I am vexed both in soule and bodie In this despairing humor searching further into the said Booke of Resolution I found a place that greatly did comfort mee laid before me the promises of Gods mercie shewing mee that although the Iustice of God was great to punish sinners yet his mercie did exceede his works and though my faults were as red as skarlet yet washt with his bloud they shoulde bee made as white as snow therein was laid before mine eyes that Dauid who was called a man after his owne heart did both commit adultery and sealde it with murther yet when hee did repent God heard him and admited him to his fauour Therin was laid before me the obstinate sinne of Peter that not onely denied his Maister Christ but also forswore himselfe yet so soone as hee shed tears and did hartily repent him his offences were pardoned Therein was laid open the theefe that had liued licentiously and had scarse in all his life done one good deed and yet hee was saued by hope in the mercies of God Therein was also laide open how the seueritie of the Law was mittigated with the sweet and comfortable promises of the Gospell insomuch that I began to be somewhat pacified a little quieted in mind taking great ioy and comfort in the pithie perswasions and promises of Gods mercie alleadged in that Booke And yet I was not presently resolued in my conscience that God would deale so fauorably with me for that stil the multitude of my sinnes presented me with his Iustice and would therefore reason thus with my selfe Why those men before mentioned were elected and predestinated to be chosen vessels of Gods glory therfore though they did fal yet they rose againe did shew it in time with some other fruits of their election But contrariwise I the most wicked of all men was euen brought vp from my swadling clouts in wickednes my infancy was sin my riper age increast in wickednes I tooke no pleasure but in ill neither was my minde sette vpon any thing but vpon the spoyle then seeing all my life was lead in lewdnes and I neuer but once felt any remorse of conscience how can God pardon mee that repent rather for feare than for loue Yet calling vnto mind the words of Esay that at what time soeuer a sinner doth repent him from the bottome of his heart the Lord would wipe away all his wickednes out of his remembrance Thus beeing at a battaile betweene the spirite and the flesh I beggane to feele a greater comfort in my mind so that I did teares confesse and acknowledge that although I was a most miserable sinner yet the anguish that Christ suffered on the Crosse was able to purge and cleanse me from all my offences so that taking hold with faith vpon the promises of the Gospell I waxed strong in spirite and became able to resist and withstand all the desperate attempts that Sathan had giuen before to my weake and feéble conscience When thus I had consideratly thought on the wretchednes of my life and therewithall looked into the vncertainty of death I thought good to write a short discourse of my the same which I haue ioyned to this treatise containing as followeth The life and death of Robert Greene Maister of Artes. I Neede not make long discourse of my parentes who for their grauitie and honest life is well knowne and esteemed amongst their neighbors namely in the Cittie of Norwitch where I was bred and borne But as out of one selfe same clod of clay there sprouts both stinking weeds and delightfull flowers so from honest parentes often grow most dishonest children for my Father had care to haue mee in my Non-age brought vp at schoole that I might through the studie of good letters grow to be a frend to my self a profitable member to the common-welth and a comfort to him in his age But as early pricks the tree that will proue a thorne so euen in my first yeares I began to followe the filthines of mine owne desires and neyther to listen to the wholesome aduertisements of my parentes nor bee rulde by the carefull correction of my Maister For being at the Uniuersitie of Cambridge I light amongst wags as lewd as my selfe with whome I consumed the flower of
The Repentance of Robert Greene Maister of Artes. Wherein by himselfe is laid open his loose life with the manner of his death AT LONDON Printed for Cutbert Burbie and are to be sold at the middle shop in the Poultry vnder Saint Mildreds Church 1592. The Printer to the Gentlemen Readers GEntlemen I know you ar not vnacquainted with the death of Robert Greene whose pen in his life time pleased you as well on the Stage as in the Stationers shops And to speake truth although his loose life was odious to God and offensiue to men yet forasmuch as at his last end he found it most grieuous to himselfe as appeareth by this his repentant discourse I doubt not but he shall for the same deserue fauour both of God and men And considering Gentlemen that Venus hath her charmes to inchaunt that Fancie is a Sorceresse bewitching the Senses and follie the onely enemie to all vertuous actions And forasmuch as the purest glasse is the most brickle the finest Lawne the soonest staind the highest Oake most subiect to the wind and the quickest wit the more easily woone to folly I doubt not but you will with regarde forget his follies and like to the Bee gather hony out of the good counsels of him who was wise learned and polliticke had not his lasciuious life withdrawen him from those studies which had been far more profitable to him For herein appeareth that he was a man giuen ouer to the lust of his owne heart forsaking all godlines one that daily delighted in all manner of wickednes Since other therefore haue forerun him in the like faults and haue been forgiuen both of God and men I trust hee shall bee the better accepted that by the working of Gods holy spirit returnes with such a resolued Repentance being a thing acceptable both to God and men To conclude forasmuch as I found this discourse very passionate and of woonderfull effect to withdraw the wicked from their vngodly waies I thoght good to publish the same and the rather for that by his repentance they may as in a glasse see their owne follie and thereby in time resolue that it is better to die repentant than to liue dishonest Yours C.B. To all the wanton youths of England Robert Greene wisheth reformation of wilfulnes WHen I consider kinde Cuntrimen that youth is like to the spring time of mans age readie in the bloome to be nipped with euerie misfortune and that a yong man is like to a tender plant apt to be wrested by nurture either to good or euill as his friendes like good Gardeners shall with care indeuour his education seeing in the prime of our yeares vice is most ready to creepe in and that want of experience committeth sundrie wanton desires I thoght good to lay before you a president of such preiudiciall inconueniences which at the first seeming sweete vnto youth at the last growe into fruits of bitter repentance For a yong man led on by selfe will hauing the raines of libertie in his owne hand foreseeth not the ruth of follie but aimeth at present pleasures for he giues himselfe vp to delight and thinketh euerie thing good honest lawfull and vertuous that fitteth for the content of his lasciuious humour hee foreseeth not that such as clime hastely fall sodainely that Bees haue stings as well as honie that vices haue ill endes as well as sweete beginnings and whereof growes this heedles life but of selfe conceit thinking the good counsell of age is dotage that the aduice of friends proceeds of enuie and not of loue that when their fathers correct them for their faults they hate them whereas when the blacke Oxe hath trod on their feete and the Crowes foote is seene in their eies then toucht with the feeling of their owne follie they sigh out had I wist when repentance commeth too late Or like as waxe is ready to receiue euerie newe fourme that is stamped into it so is youth apt to admit of euery vice that is obiected vnto it and in young yeares wanton desires is cheefely predominate especiallie the two Ringleaders of all other mischiefes namely pride and whoredome these are the Syrens that with their inchanting melodies drawe them on to vtter confusion for after a young man hath suckt in that sinne of pride hee groweth into contempt and as he increaseth prowde in his attyre so he is scornfull in his lookes and disdaines the wholsome admonition of his honest freends whose aduice he supposeth to be doone of malice and therefore esteemeth his owne waies best and had rather hazard his life than to loose an intch of his credit Pride is like to fier that will die and goe out if it bee not maintained with fewell and yet lay on neuer so bigge logges it consumes them all to ashes so pride craues maintenance or els it will fade and had a young man neuer so great reuenues pride at last will reduce it to begger you for it is such a sinne as once got into the boane it will step into the flesh he that once ietteth in his brauerie if he haue no meanes to maintaine it it will leaue no bad course of life vnattempted but hee will haue corners to vphold his follie Heereof growes coossenages thefts murthers and a thousand other pettie mischiefes and causes many proper persons to bee trust vp at the gallowes purchasing thereby infamy to themselues and hart breaking sorrow to their friends and parents for euer Companion to this vice is lust and lecherie which is the viper whose venome is incurable and the onely sinne that in this life leadeth vnto shame and after death vnto hell fire for he that giueth himselfe ouer to harlots selleth his soule to destruction and maketh his bodie subiect to all incurable diseases These two vices do not onlie waste a mans substance but also consumeth his bodie and soule and maketh him attempt to do any mischiefe for his maintenance therein If happely the young man hath any grace and is loth to take any vnlawfull wayes the ordinary course of his copesmates is straight to call him coward and cast him out of their fauour or els by svveete persvvasions and flattering vvordes make him forsake God and all good meanes of life vvhatsoeuer this is the manner life and course of such as vvill not listen to the graue aduice of their parents but seeke therby to bring their graie haires vvith greefe vnto theyr graues This ensuing discourse gentle Reader dooth lay open the graceles endeuours of my selfe vvho although I vvere for a long time giuen ouer to the lust of my ovvn hart yet in the end Gods grace did so fauourablie worke in me that I trust heerein thou shalt perceiue my true and vnfained repentance Accept it in good part and if it may profit anie I haue my desire Farewell R. G. The Repentance of Robert Greene Maister of Arts. AS there is no steele so stiffe but the stamp will pierce no flint
my youth who drew mee to trauell into Italy and Spaine in which places I sawe and practizde such villaime as is abhominable to declare Thus by their counsaile I sought to furnish my selfe with coine which I procured by cunning sleights from my Father and my friends and my Mother pampered me so long and secretly helped mee to the oyle of Angels that I grew thereby proue to all mischiefe so that beeing then conuersant with notable Braggarts boon companions and ordinary spend-thrifts that practized sundry superficiall studies I became as a Sien grafted into the same stocke whereby I did absolutely participate of their nature and qualities At my return into England I ruffeled out in my silks in the habit of Malcontent and seemed so discontent that no place would please me to abide in nor no vocation cause mee to stay my selfe in but after I had by degrees proceeded Maister of Arts I left the Uniuersitie and away to London where after I had continued some short time driuen my self out of credit with sundry of my frends I became an Author of Playes and a pennier of Loue Pamphlets so that I soone grew famous in that qualitie that who for that trade growne so ordinary about London as Robin Greene. Yong yet in yeares though olde in wickednes I began to resolue that there was nothing bad that was profitable whereupon I grew so rooted in all mischiefe that I had as great a delight in wickednesse as sundrie hath in godlinesse and as much felicitie I tooke in villainy as others had in honestie Thus was the libertie I got in my youth the cause of my licentious liuing in my age and beeing the first steppe to hell I find it now the first let from heauen But I would wish all my natiue Countrymen that reade this my repentaunce First to feare God in their whole life which I neuer did Secondly to obey their Parents and to listen vnto the wholesome counsaile of their Elders so shall their dayes be multiplied vppon them heere on earth and inherite the crowne of glorie in the kingdome of heauen I exhort them also to leaue the company of lewd and ill liuers for conuersing with such Copes-mates drawes them into sundry dangerous inconueniences nor lette them haunt the company of harlots whose throates are as smooth as oyle but their feet lead the steps vnto death and destruction for they like Syrens with their sweete inchaunting notes soothed me vp in all kind of vngodlines Oh take heede of Harlots I wish you the vnbridled youth of England for they are the Basiliskes that kill with their eyes they are the Syrens that allure with their sweete lookes and they leade their fauorers vnto their destruction as a sheepe is lead vnto the slaughter From whordome I grew to drunkennes from drunkennes to swearing and blasphemiug the name of God hereof grew quarrels frayes and continual controuersies which are now as wormes in my conscience gnawing incessantly And did I not through hearty repentance take hold of Gods mercies euen these detestable sinnes woulde drench me downe into the damnable pit of destruction for Stipendium peccati mors Oh knowe good Countrymen that the horrible sins and intollerable blasphemie I haue vsed against the Maiestie of God is a blocke in my conscience and that so heauy that there were no way with me but desperation if the hope of Christs death and passion did not helpe to ease mee of so intollerable and heauie a burthen I haue long with the deafe Adder stopt mine eares against the voice of Gods Ministers yea my heart was hardened with Pharao against all the motions that the spirit of God did at any time worke in my mind to turn me from my detestable kind of liuing Yet let me confesse a trueth that euen once and yet but once I felt a feare and horrour in my conscience then the terrour of Gods iudgementes did manifestly teach me that my life was had that by sinne I deserued damnation and that such was the greatnes of my sinne that I deserued no redemption And this inward motion I receiued in Saint Andrews Church in the Cittie of Norwich at a Lecture or Sermon then preached by a godly learned man whose doctrine and the maner of whose teaching I liked wonderfull well yea in my conscience such was his singlenes of hart and zeale in his doctrine that hee might haue conuerted the most monster of the world Well at that time whosoeuer was worst I knewe my selfe as bad as he for being new come from Italy where I learned all the villanies vnder the heauens I was drownd in pride whoredome was my daily exercise and gluttony with drunkennes was my onely delight At this Sermon the terrour of Gods iudgementes did manifestly teach me that my exercises were damnable and that I should bee wipte out of the booke of life if I did not speedily repent my loosenes of life and reforme my misdemeanors At this Sermon the said learned man who doubtles was the child of God did beate downe sinne in such pithie and perswasiue manner that I began to call vnto mind the daunger of my soule and the preiudice that at length would befall mee for those grosse sinnes which with greedines I daily committed in so much as sighing I said in my selfe Lord haue mercie vpon mee and send me grace to amend and become a new man But this good motion lasted not long in mee for no sooner had I met with my copesmates but seeing me in such a solemne humour they demaunded the cause of my sadnes to whom when I had discouered that I sorrowed for my wickednesse of life and that the Preachers wordes had taken a deepe impression in my conscience they fell vpon me in ieasting manner calling me Puritane and Presizian and wished I might haue a Pulpit with such other scoffing tearmes that by their foolish perswasion the good and wholesome lesson I had learned went quite out of my remembrance so that I fel againe with the Dog to my olde vomit and put my wicked life in practise and that so throughly as euer I did before Thus although God sent his holy spirit to call mee and though I heard him yet I regarded it no longer than the present time when sodainly forsaking it I went forward obstinately in my misse Neuerthelesse soone after I married a Gentlemans daughter of good account with whom I liued for a while but forasmuch as she would perswade me from my wilfull wickednes after I had a child by her I cast her off hauing spent vp the marriage money which I obtained by her Then left I her at six or seuen who went into Lincolneshire and I to London where in short space I fell into fauor with such as were of honorable and good calling But heere note that though I knew how to get a friend yet I had not the gift or reason how to keepe a friend for hee that was my dearest friend I would bee
sure so to behaue my selfe towards him that he shoulde euer after professe to bee my vtter enemie or else vowe neuer after to come in my company Thus my misdemeanors too many to bee recited caused the most part of those so much to despise me that in the end I became friendles except it were in a fewe Alehouses who commonly for my inordinate expences would make much of me vntil I were on the score far more than euer I meant to pay by twenty nobles thick After I had wholy betaken me to the penning of plaies which was my continuall exercise I was so far from calling vpon God that I sildome thought on God but tooke such delight in swearing and blaspheming the name of God that none could thinke otherwise of mee than that I was the child of perdition These vanities and other trifling Pamphlets I penned of Loue and vaine fantasies was my chiefest stay of liuing and for those my vaine discourses I was beloued of the more vainer sort of people who beeing my continuall companions came still to my lodging and there would continue quaffing carowsing and surfeting with me all the day long But I thanke God that hee put it in my head to lay open the most horrible coosenages of the common Conny-catchers Cooseners and Crosse-biters which I haue indifferently handled in those my seuerall discourses already imprinted And my trust is that those discourses will doe great good and bee very beneficiall to the Common-wealth of England But oh my deare Wife whose company and sight I haue refrained these sixe yeares I aske God and thee forgiuenesse for so greatly wronging thee of whome I seldome or neuer thought vntill now Pardon mee I pray thee where soeuer thou art and God forgiue mee all my offences And now to you all that liue and reuell in such wickednesse as I haue done to you I write and in Gods name wish you to looke to your selues and to reforme your selues for the safegard of your owne soules dissemble not with God but seeke grace at his handes hee hath promist it and he will performe it God doth sundry times deferre his puishment vnto those that runne a wicked race but Quod defertur non aufertur that which is deferde is not quittanst a day of reckoning will come when the Lord will say Come giue account of thy Stewardship What God determineth man cannot preuent he that binds two sinnes together cannot go vnpunisht in the one so long the Pot goeth to the Pit that at last it comes broken home Therefore all my good friends hope not in money nor in friends in fauors in kindred they are all vncertaine and they are furthest off when men thinke them most nigh Oh were I now to begin the flower of my youth were I now in the prime of my yeares how far would I bee from my former follyes what a reformed course of life would I take but it is too late onely now the comfortable mercies of the Lord is left me to hope in It is bootlesse for me to make any long discourse to such as are gracelesse as I haue beene all wholesome warninges are odious vnto them for they with the spider sucke poison out of the most pretious flowers to such as God hath in his secrete councell elected fewe words will suffize But howsoeuer my life hath beene let my repentant ende be a generall example to all the youth in England to obey their parentes to flie whoredome drunkennes swearing blaspheming contempt of the word and such greéuous and grosse sinnes least they bring their parents heads with sorrow to their graues and least with mee they be a blemish to their kindred and to their posteritie for euer Thus may you see how God hath secrete to himselfe the times of calling and when hee will haue them into his vineyard some hee calles in the morning some at noone and some in the euening and yet hath the last his wages aswell as the first For as his iudgementes are inscrutable so are his mercies incomprehensible And therefore let all men learne these two lessons not to despaire because God may worke in them through his spirit at the last houre nor to presume least God giue them ouer for their presumption and deny them repentance and so they die impenitent which finalis impenitentia is a manifest sinne against the holy Ghost To this doth that golden sentence of S. Augustine allude which hee speaketh of the theefe hanging on the Crosse. There was saith hee one theefe saued and no more therefore presume not and there was one saued and therefore despaire not And to conclude take these caueats hereafter following Certaine Cauiats sent by Robert Greene to a frend of his as a farewell written with his owne hande 1 THe feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisdome therfore serue God least he suffer thee to be lead into temptation 2 Despise neither his worde nor his Minister for her that heareth not can haue no faith without faith no man can be saued 3 Obey thy Prince for he that lifteth his hande against the Lords anointed shall be like vnto a withered plant 4 Despise not the counsaile of thy Father nor the wholesome admonition of thy mother for he that listeneth not to their lessons shall be cut off in his youth 5 Spend the prime of thy yeares in vertue so dost thou lay an earnest pennie of honorable age 6 Flie the sweetnes of the grape for a man that is giuen to much wine shall neuer be rich 7 Take not the name of God in vaine for then thou shalt not bee guiltlesse nor shall the curse of God come neare thy house 8 A man that delights in harlots shall heape sinne vpon his soule he shall be an open shame in the streets and his place shall not be knowne 9 He that robbeth from his neighbour purchaseth discredit to himselfe and his kindred and he shall not go to his graue with honor 10 Who medleth with pitch shall be defiled and he that eateth the bread of Robbers fatneth himselfe against the day of vengeance 11 Giue not thy youth ouer to the Deuill neyther vow the dregs of thy olde age vnto God for a repentant mind commeth from God 12 Remember thy end and thou shalt neuer doe amisse and let the law of the Lord be a lanthorne to thy feete so shall thy pathes bee aright and thou die with honour Robert Greene. The manner of the death and last end of Robert Greene Maister of Artes. AFter that he had pend the former discourse then lying sore sicke of a surfet which hee had taken with drinking hee continued most patient and penitent yea he did with teares forsake the world renounced swearing and desired forgiuenes of God and the worlde for all his offences so that during all the time of his sicknesse which was about a moneths space hee was neuer heard to sweare raue or blaspheme the name of God as he was accustomed