hiâ— wife then for any other trade of Marchandize in so much that hee pind her vp in her Chamber and kept himselfe the Key not content with this sitting one day in a great dumpâ— he fell into this meditation Alexander Vandermast his iealious meditation with himselfe THou hast married thy selfe Alexander to a Woman and therefore to a thing light and inconstant whose heart is like to feathers blowne abroad with euery winde whose thoughts aime at euery new obiect thou mightst Vandermast haue foreséene this for thou hast red that Armins of Carthage being earnestly perswaded to marry answered I dare not for if I chance vpon one that is wise shee will be wilfull if wealthie then wanton if poore then peeâ—ish if beautifull then proude if deformed then loathsome and the least of these is able to kill a thousand men Why Alexander did thou not eschew this foreseeing this and knowing them to bee such euils why didst thou loade thy selfe with such a heauie burden oh howe art thou changed what motion hath madded thee with this conceit thou wert woont to say that they were Heauens wealth and earths miracles adorned with the singularitie of proportion to shrowd the excellencie of all perfection as farre excéeding men in vertues as they excell them in beauties resembling Angels in qualities as they are like to Godâ— in perfecâ—neâ—â—â—ing purer in minde then in moulde and yet made of the puritie of man iust they are as giuing loue hir due constant as houlding loyaltie more pretious then life as hardly to be drawne from vnited affection as the Salamanders from the Caâ—ernes of Etna Oh Alexander I would they were so then wert thou as happy as now thou art miserable but no doubt their hearts are made of Iet that draw vp fancie in a minute and let it slip in a moment and their thoughts so fickle that they couet to feede on euery new obiect they sâ—eke to marrie that the husband may couer their faults and like Atheists they count all pardoned that is doone with secrecie She riseth vp saith the Wise man and wipeth her mouth as though shee had made no offence No doubt there be such as thou dooest decipher but torment not thy selfe with Iealousie lâ—t not thy hart suspect what neither thy eye sées by proofe nor thine eares heere by reporte Theodora is vertuous and chaste honour dwels in hir thoughts and modestie in her eyes shee treades vpon the Tortuse and kéepes her house and strayes not abroad with euery wanton giglet She layes not out the tramels of hir hayre to allure mens lookes nor is she wanton in her eye lids she seekes not to companie with strangers nor takes delight in much prattle but as Susanna was to Ioachim and Lucretia to Collatine so is Theodora to Alexander She is like to the vertuous Woman which Salomon sets out in the Prouerbes who eates not her bread with idlenesse shee is vp earlie and late labouring gladlie with her hands she occupies Wooll and Flaxe layes hould vpon the Distaffe and puts hir fingers to the Spindle such a one Alexander is thy Theodora whome Antwarpe admires for hir vertues and thou maist loue for her perfection Such she seemes indeedâ— but women are subtillâ— shewing themselues to disdaine that which they most desire and vnder the maske of a pure life shadowe a thousand deceitfull vanitiesâ— She is faire and many eyes awaite vpon her beautie and women are weake creatures some women I see many Marchants flocke to my house and amongst them all perhaps she will like one tush for all her shew of constancie and vertuous perfection I will not trust her nor beléeue her for women are subtile to allure and slipperie to deceiue hauing their hearts made of waxe ready to receiue euery impression and with this he starte vp and wentâ— to looke if his wiues Chamber doore were safe locâ—t and so went about his businesse but so discontent in his thoughts as all the world might espie his gréefe by his passions Theodora saw all this and perceiued the folly of her husband and brookt it with great patience for that she knew her selfe free from al intended suspition coueting with her forcible effects of dâ—tie to race out the cankred rust of Iealousie that bred such secret and silent iarres betwixt her and her Alexander pind vp thus as a haâ—k in a mew to solace her she had recourse to her book aiming in all her Orizons for grace that her actions might be directed and the course of her life so leaueld that no blemish might taint the brightnes of her credit otherwhile for recreation she would take her Lute in her hand and sing this Ditie Theodoras Song SEcret alone and silent in my bed When follies of my youth doe touch my thought And reason tels me that all flesh is sinne And all is vaine that so by man is wrought Hearts sighes Eies teares With sorrow throb when in my mind I see All that man doth is foolish vanitie When pride presents the state of honors pompe And seekes to set aspiring mindes on fire When wanton Loue brings beauty for a bait To scortch the eie with ouer hot desire Hearts sighes Eies teares VVith sorrow throb when in my mind I see That pride and loue are extreame vanitie Oh Loue that ere I loued yet loue is chast My fancie likâ— none but my husbands face But when I thinke I loued none but him Nor would my thought giue any other gracâ— Harts sighes Eyes teares With sorrow throb when in my minde I see The purest loue is toucht with Iealousie Alas mine eye had neuer wanton lookes A modest blush did euer taint my Cheekes If then suspition with a faulse conceipt The ruine of my fame and honour seekes Harts sighes Eyes teares Must needs throb sorrows when my mind doth see Chaste thoughts are blamd with causelesse iealousie My husbands will was ere to me a lawe To please his fancie is my whole delight Then if he thinkes whatsoeuer I do is bad And with suspition chastitie requight Harts sighes Eyes teares Must needs throb sorrows when my minde dooth see Dutie and loue are quit with iealousie No deeper hell can fret a womans minde Then to be tainted with a false suspect Then if my constant thoughts be ouercrost When pratling fond can yeeld no true detect Harts sighes Eyes teares Must needs throb sorrows when my minde doth see Duty and loue are quit with iealousie Seeke I to please he thinkes I flatter then Obedience is a couer for my fault When thus he deemes I treade my shoo awrie And going right he still suspects I halt Harts sighes Eyes teares Must needs throb sorrows when my minde doth see Dutie and loue are quit with iealousie No salue I haue to cure this restlesse soare But sighes to God to change his iealious minde Then shall I praise him in applauding himns And when the want of this mistrust I finde Harts sighes Eyes teares Shall cease and Lord
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
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
censure seemed hard To bannish Ouid quite from Rome This was great Augustus doome For quoth he Poets quils Ought not for to teach men ils For learning is a thing of prise To shew precepts to make men wise And neere the Muses sacred place Dwels the virtuous minded graces Tis shame and sinne then for good wits To shew their skill in wanton fits This Augustus did reply And as he said so think I. AFter I had written this Ode a déepe insight of my follies did pearce into the center of my thoughtes that I felt a passionat remorse discouering such perticuler vanities as I had soothed vp withall my forepassed humors I began to consider that that Astrea that virtue that metaphisicall influence which maketh one man differ from an other in excellence béeing I meane come from the heavens was a thing infested into man from God the abuse whereof I found to be as preiudicial as the right vser thereof was profitable that it ought to be imployed to wit in painting out a goddesse but in setting out the praises of God not in discouering of beauty but in discouering of vertues not in laying out the platformes of loue nor in telling the déepe passions of fancy but in perswading men to honest honorable actions which are the steps that lead to the true and perfect felicity the serpent is then therefore an odious creature for that he sucketh poyson from that Odorifferous flower from whence the painefull Bee gathers her sweete Honnie And that Lapidarie is holden a man woorthlesse in the worlde that will wrest the secret operation of the Diamond to a deadly Aconiton And such schollers deserue much blame as out of that pretious fountaine of learning will fetch a pernitious water of vanitie the trees that growe in Indea haue rough banks but they yéeld pretious gummes and the stones in Sicillia haue a duskie couller but being cut they are a orient as the sunne so the outward phrase is not to be measured by pleasing the eare but the inward matter by profiting the mind the puffing glorie of the loftie stile shadowing wanton conceipts is like to the skin of a serpent that contriues impoysoned flesh or to a panther that hath a beautiful hide but a beastly paunch for as the flowers of Egipt please the eye but infest the stomach and the water of the riuer Orume cooleth the hand but killeth the heart so bookes that contriue scurilitie may for a while breed a pleasing conceit and a merrie passion but for euery dram of mirth they leaue behinde them in the readers mind a Tunfull of infecting mischiefs like to the Scorpion that flatters with his head and stings with his taile These premisses driue me into a maze especially when I considered that wee were borne to profit our countrie not onely to pleasure our selves then the discommodities that grew from my vaine pamphlets began to muster in my sight then I cald to minde how many idle fancies I had made to passe the Presse how I had pestred Gentlemens eyes and mindes with the infection of many fond passions rather infecting them with the allurements of some inchanted Aconiton then tempered their thought with any honest Antidote which consideration entered thus farre into my conscience Greenes trouble of minde FAther of mercie whose gratious fauour is more pliant to pardon then wee to become penitent who are more willing to shadowe the contrite heart with remission then we to offer our selues with hartie repentance I heere in the humbleness of heart proâ—â—raâ—e my selfe before the throne of thy maiestie vphoulden with mercy and loue as one blushing at the blemish of my vile and detestable offences wherewith I haue purchased the burthen of thy wrath being so heauie a load that the shoulders of my poore diseased conscience being ready to sinke vnder so heauie a weight destitute of any meane to support the same or to cure the passion of such a maladie but by the salue that growes from the death of thy bitter passion who camst into the world not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance When I doe great Physition of our déepest misdéeds but glaunce mine â—ye at the obiect of my sinne and Sicco pede passe them ouer as faults of course and follies of youth yet I am pierced with so sharpe a passion that I cannot conceale the greef of my conscience but it bursteth foorth in sighes and groanes insomuch that I thinke life an enemie to my weale and I wish the beginning of my dayes had béene the hower of my departure But when with a strict insight I say Redde rationem villicationis and take a straight accompt what the déedes of my youth haue beene how full of vanitie and fond conceited fancies oh then what a fearefull terror dooth torture my minde what a dungeon of dollours lyes open to swallow me As the Scorpion stings deadly and the Uipers bites mortally so dooth the worme of my conscience grype without ceasing And yet O Lord a deeper miserie for when with a foreséeing consideration I looke into the time to come wherein the secret coniecture of my faults and offences shall be manifested and laide to my charge and that I know Stipendâ—um peccati mors Oh then whether shall I flie from thy presence shall I take the wings of the morning and absent my selfe can the hideous mountaines hide me can wealth redéeme sinne can beautie counteruaile my faults or the whole world counterpoyse the ballance of mine offences oh no and therefore am I at my wits end wishing for death and the end of my miserable dayes and yet then the remembrance of hell and the torments thereof driue me to wish the contrarie But when I couet long life and to see more dayes then this imagination wrings me I thinke as I was conceiued in sinne and from my birth inclined to ill so the sequell of my dayes will growe a Malo in penis and the longer the woorse the more yeares the more offences for the life of man is as the Panther the longer he liues the more spots hee hath in his skinne and the Onix the longer it is kept the more stroakes it hath So our nature is so corrupt that we renew not our bill with the Eagle but growe blacker and blacker with the Halciones When I ruminate on these premisses then I loath the length of more dayes fearing least the aptnesse of my corrupt flesh through the rebellion thereof against the spirit heape greater plagues vpon my poore soule What shall I doe then Lord thus distrest on euery syde hauing no hope of comfort left me but feare and dispaire If I séeke to man I know the strength of Sampson the pollicie of Achitophell the wisdome of Salomon to bee vaine in this respect for all haue synned and are within the compasse of my miserable condition being payned with this maladie to whome shall I flie for medicine euen to the swéete Phisytian of all sycklie soules to
obiection first Antwerpe hath made hazard of your credit and though without cause yet they haue calde your name in question and infamie is such a déepe coloure that it will hardlie be raced out with obliuion to take you from such vipers as cease not to sting you with the enuie of their tongues I will carrie you from the reach of them all and the greatest wonder lastest but nine dayes nor will the talke of your departure continue any longer tearmes for the offence why it is loue and that shadowes wanton scapes what is doone closely is halfe pardoned and affections that are mainteyned with loyaitie are but slender faults let not feare of a little fame tie you still to such extremity Misery is a malady that ought to haue no respect of medecine and where necessitie dooth bréede a soare foolish is that patient if hee makes doubt to accept of any salue What Theodora your husband is Lunatick neuer to be hoped for nor had againe in his right wits then vouchsafe a friend who if no other maske will serue will shadowe all faultes with gould Theodora could scarce stay the bearing of such a long discourse knowing it was preiuditiall to a womans credit to listen to such prattle alluding to the French prouerbe Le ville que parle le femme qui S'esconte L'ane se gaigne l'aulâ—e S'effonte Wherevpon she puld her hand from his and with a modest blush made him answer I cannot deny sir but I haue found Fortune my foe yet to counteruaile her malice I haue had Patience my friend and what the world hath obieded with suspition I haue answered with innocency for my present misery as I brooke it with content so I hope to finde the heauens more fauourable and for my husbands follies I counte his present iealousie counteruailde with his former loues and hope that God will chaunge his opinions into better censures and make him conceit of me as fauourable as now hee thinkes hardlie In the meane time sir your aime is farre beyond the marke and your compasse directed by a wrong starre for though I be pinched with wante and toucht with that sting that forceth many to attempt vnlawfull actions yet had I rather sit with Cornelia and satisfie my hunger with handes labours then frolick it with Lamia and buy repentance with delicates no Sir thinke not that all the pouertie in the world can hale me from the thought of mine ould honour or any shower of misfortune driue me from the seate of vertue better liue in lowe content then in high infamie and more pretious is want with honestie then wealth with discredit Therefore sir I thanke you for your proffer but I am no traffike for such a chapman but reporte this wheresoeuer you come that I would scorne a crowne in respect of constancie and vould the participation of a kingdom light in value of my chastity I tell you sir though I be a woman yet the loue that I bear and the dutie that I owe to my husband howsoeuer he hath wrongd mee makes me so resolute that neyther extremitie shall diswade me from affecting him nor any proffer of riches perswade to fancie any other And wheras you obiect that my credit is already crasde in Antwerpe I denie not but I am suspected and of most wrongde with hard reproches yet carying a cleere conscience I haue this hope that seeing Temporis filia veritas Time and my good behauiour shall wipe out the blemish of such causelesse infamie and then shall I shew my self to mine owne honour and theyr discredit And whereas you say that Louers faults are slender offences I answer that there can be no greater staine to a woman then to be toucht with losse of her good name especially being confirmed and ratified by proofe for that being lost she hath no more whereon to boste and that made Lucretia let out a pure soule from a defiled body Then good Sir you knowe my minde my pouertie is my content mine honor my wealth and mine innocencie the onely thing that is left to quiet my conscience therefore as your Marte was little your market being doone the doore is open and you may go when you please Alexander hearing this was highly contented yet thought to giue one assault more and houlding hir fasâ— by the wrest returnde hir a replie thus Tush Mistresse Theodora women must be coye and séeme at the first to disdaine that which after they desire els might they be thought very light that would come at euery lure I haue béene a Huntsman and will not at the first default giue ouer the chace therefore aduise your selfe better take time when you will giue me an answer aske counsaile of your pillowe I can tell you gould is a goodly thing and there is not a warmer coatâ— then wealth what such faults are checkt with a smyle not controulde with a frowne and men smother vp Louers offences with fauour Be not peremptorie for in that you shall discouer rather folly then any aduised wisdome such as haue diseases and refuse remedie are worthie still to bide in the paine and they who are ouer the shooes in wante are worthie the Staffe and the Wallet if they will not any way reach at wealth Consider therefore with your selfe and to morrow this time I will come craue an answere Theodora hauing her face full of choller pluckt away her arme sate her downe to her Wheele and then reason'd thus roughly with him Sir neuer take any longer daies where the partie is vnwilling to set no further date nor giue any more attemptes where the Castle is impregnable Know your sute is in vain and your words breathed into the wind and to bee short take it as you please I hould your golde in scorne and your selfe vnlesse you were more honest in disdaine If you be so passionate that you must needs haue a Paramour go seeke suche Lettice where they grow for heere is none for your lips you shall not finde heere a Danae that will bee drawne in with a shower of golde but rather a Diana whome Venus and al her frownes could neuer affright Therefore take this for a finall answer if you come any more you shall find your welcome as bad as may be and for want of entertainment you shall doe your account at the doore and so Sir if you be a Gentleman be gone This cheared so the hart of Alexander that in that very momeÌ„t he left to be iealous conceiued such a new loue towards Theodora that hee could scarce abstaine from imbracing her but yet he bridled his affection seeing he could doe no good tooke his leaue verie courteouslie Hee was no sooner out of doore but Theodora rose and shut it Alexander subtilly stole vnder the window to heare what shee would say and according to his expectation hee heard her say thus to her Landes-Ladie Oh quoth she and she fetcht a déepe sigh How doth Fortune frowne and how is the
hateth her is the louer of death If then my Sonne Wisedome be so pretious howe hast thou mispent thy youth that hast haunted after foolishnesse and beaten thy braines about idle fancies and yet art now resoluing to continue in vanitie I tell thée I haue sought out to finde what is perfect vnder the Sonne and I haue found nothing but wisdome without blemish Learning hath many braunches and teacheth her Schollers many strange things and yet my Sonne when thou hast waded the depth of hir knowledge and sought into the secret of her bosome thou shalt finde all thy labours to be vexation of minde and vanitie Canst thou number and extract as the cunning Arithmetician or with Geometrie measure the ground and leuell out the plaines by the excellencie of thine arte Canst thou reach vnto the heauens with thy knowledge and tell the course of the Starres setting downe their aspects oppositiues times and sextiles and discourse of the influence of euery Star canst thou with musick please thine eare and with the meladie of hir Cordes make thy heart merrie Canst thou tell the secrets of Philosophie and like a cunning naturalist discouer the hidden aphorismes of arte and set out the nature and operation of all things wel my sonne say thou canst write of all these things yet when thou dooest with a carefull insight enter into the consideration what the end of all is thou shalt finde the studie of them to bee vtter vexation of minde and vanitie and the fame that growes from such labours to vanish awaye like smoake or a vapour tossed with the winde If then all be follie séeke Wisdome and shée will teach thee the feare of the Lord. Therefore my Sonne follow my counsell from hencefoorth as thou hast made a vowe to leaue effeminate fancies and to proclaime thy selfe an open enemie to loue so abiure all other studies séeing Omnia sub coelo vanitas and onely giue thy selfe to Theologie be a Deuine my Sonne for her documents are seueritie and her foode is the bread of life hir principles came from Heauen and hir wordes came from aboue so shalt thou make amends for the follyes of thy youth and as thou hast seduced youth by thy wanton Pamphlets so shalt thou instruct them by thy godlie laboures Diuinitie whie it is a studie that farre surpasseth all the seuen liberall sciences and the least sparke that it doth lighten is more bright then all their fading glories it comprehendeth the lawe of the Lorde and by it shalt thou knowe what the depth of his will is Theologie is mother of all knowledge for from it commeth health of the soule and through it thou shalt win men vnto heauen Then my Sonne leaue all other vaine studies and applye thy selfe to féede vpon that heauenly Manna whose taste shall comforte thy heart and drinke of those waters which shall spring in thée a well of life and so shalt thou recouer thy fame that thou hast lost and be accompted of amongst the Elders of the Cittie Couet not to blinde thy selfe with the illusions that other artes present vnto thée for so shalt thou haue the portion of the foole and the end of thy labours shall be vanitie for all knowledge except it is meere follie and there is no wisdome but the knowledge of the law of the Lord. Therefore be not wise in thine owne conceit for he that will not héere instruction shall feele the smart of the rodde Deuinitie I tell thee i◠the true wisdome◠and vpon hir right hand is long life and vpon hir left hand is riches and honour her wayes are pleasant and her pathes are peaceable she is a trée of life to them that lay hould vppon her and blessed are they that kéepe her fast The first point of wisdome is that thou be willing to obtaine wisdome and when thou hast got her shee will make thée a gratious head and garnishe thy temples with a Crowne of glorie if then my Sonne all knowledge all sciences all artes all learning except Theologie be méere foolishnesse and vanitie leaue the quiddities of Lodgick and aphorismes of Philosophie and applye thy wits onely to diuinitie Hould not these precepts light that I haue giuen thée nor disdayne not my counsaile for I that speake to thée am Salomon And this he spake with such a maiestie that the terrour of his countenance afrighted me and I started and awoake and found my selfe in a dreame yet Gentlemen when I entered into the consideration of the vision and called to minde not onely the counsaile of Gower but the perswasions of Salomon a sodaine feare tainted euery limme and I felt a horror in my conscience for the follyes of my Penne wherevpon as in my dreame so awooke I resolued peremptorilie to leaue all thoughts of loue and to applye my wits as néere as I could to séeke after wisdome so highly commended by Salomon but howsoeuer the direction of my studies shall be limited me as you had the blossomes of my wanton fancies so you shall haue the fruites of my better laboures Rob. Greene. FINIS Imprinted at London for Thomas Newman and are to be sould at his shop in Fleetestreete in Saint Dunstons Churchyard