The Life and Complete Works in Prose and Verse of Robert Greene

THE HUTH LIBRARY. LIFE AND WORKS OF ROBERT GREENE, M.A. VOL. VIII. GREENES NEUER TOO LATE. AND FRANCESCOS FORTUNES. 1590. What man does good, but he consumes thereby But thou wert loved for good, held high, given show ; Poor virtue loathed for good, obscured, held low : Do good, be pined, be deedless good, disgraced ; Unless we feed on men, we let them fast. Yet Hero with these thoughts her torch did spend : When bees make wax, Nature doth not intend It should be made a torch ; but we, that know The proper virtue of it, make it so. And when 'tis made, we light it : nor did Nature Propose one life to maids ; but each such creature Makes by her soul the best of her true state, Which without love is rude, disconsolate. And wants love's fire to make it mild and bright, Till when, maids are but torches wanting light. Thus 'gainst our grief, not cause of grief, we fight. The right of nought is gleaned, but to delight. Marlowe, Hero and Leander (Cunningham's edn. of Works, 1870, p. 224). ELIZABETHAN- JACOBEAN B ®,© JK S Yerse anb Prose LAR G E LY Trorn^ t7iy6 ZzbrayTj of ^^•-#^^ fe?i<&z/-<4i'2;€^c.^-%^:i<?i2ii4S«;Si^^ cy/a^ o/n^ '^y>.L-y.^^^t.z.€lc--7^^. 6^ FOR PRIVATE CIRCULATION ONLY Cfte ûtb JLifirarg. THE Life and Complete Works IN PROSE AND VERSE OF ROBERT GREENE, M.A. CAMBRIDGE AND OXFORD. IN TWELVE VOLUMES. FOR THE FIRST TIME COLLECTED AND EDITED, WITH NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS, ETC., BY THE REV, ALEXANDER B. GROSART, LL.D. (Edin.), F.S,A., St. George's, Blackburn, Lancashire. VOL. VIII.—PBOSE. GREENES NEUER TOO LATE. AND FRANCESCOS FORTUNES. IS90. PRINTED FOR PRIVATE CIRCULATION ONLY, 1881—83, 50 Copies.1 f^;/r Printed by Hasell, Watson^ and Viney^ London and Ayiesbnry CONTENTS, PAGE I Greenes Neuer Too Late "" Francescos Fortunes . 230 Notes and Illustrations, etc. ORDEALS. Faith owns the rude magnificence of thought, Wherewith those venturous ages, in the dearth Of homage due to law, as umpire brought The Hand of Heaven to show the right on earth. And so for God's interposition pined. That they, in weal or woe, were quick to find Footprints of marvel. Better to make sure Of earth in Heaven, by training love and awe To supernatural heights, than so to draw Our Heaven within the maze of life obscure. Vet oh ! how far beneath both moods are we, Who from our place of exile fain would strike As an intrusive Presence we dislike. The sweet forebodings of eternity ! F, W. Faber, D.D. (Poems, 1857, p. 526). y^yîr^/o^SfL JXlyîr:f%if^jrJ%SeL JtiyOvC'*yO>ri«'îft Jn.i'o\/tr*yov/0% XVII. GREENES NEUER TOO LATE. 1590. NOTE. The exemplar of " Greenes Neuer too late," including the second part of "Francescos Fortunes ", from which our text has been taken, is a very fine one. Apparently the original edition (of 1590) was kept standing as set up and impressions continuously issued as required, and still bearing the date of 1 590. Of three copies examined by me two seemed much more worn in the type than that transcribed, which is in the British Museum. —G. GREENES Neuer too late. Or, A Powder of Experience: Sent to all youthfull Gentlemen ; to roote out the infeftious follies, that ouer-reaching conceits fojier in the Jpring time of their youth. Decyphering in a true Englifti hi- ftorie, thoje 'particular vanities that with their froftie vapours nip the bloffoms of eue- rie rife braine,from atteining to his in- tended perfedion. As pleafant, as profitable, being a right pumice ftone, apt to race out idlenejfe with delight, and foUie with admonition. Rob. Greene in artibus Magijier. Omne tulit punctum. LONDON Printed by Thomas Orwin for N. L, and lohn Busbie. 1590. To the right WorfhipfuU Tho- mas Burnaby Efquire, Robert Greene wiflieth encreafe of al hono- rable vertues. [Vch (right WorfhipfuU) as coueted to decke the Temple of Delphos, adorned the fhrine eyther with greene bayes, or curious inftruments, becaufe Apollo did as well patronize Muficke as Poetrie. When the Troyans fought to pacific the wrath of Pallas : the peoples prefents were books and launces, to fignifie her deitie, as well defended by letters as armes. And they which defired to be in the fauor of Alexander, brought him either wife Philofophers or hardy Souldiours : for hee fought counfellors like Ariftotle, and captaines like Perdycas. Seeing then how giftes are the more gratefuUie accepted, by how much the more they fit the humor of the party to whome they are prefented : defirous a long time to gratifie ; 6 THE EPISTLE DEDICATORIE. your Worfhip with fomething that might fignifie, how in al bounden duetie I haue for fundry fauors bin affedted to your Worihip, and finding my ability to be vnfit to prefent you with any thing of woorth at laft I refolued fo farre to prefume as to trouble your Worihip wyth/the patronage of this Pamphlet, knowing you are fuch a Macenas of learning, that you will as foone vouch with Augujius a few verfes, giuen by a poor Greeke as of the Arabian Courfer, prefented by 'Tytinius. The Booke is little, yet drawen from a large principle, Nunquam /era efi ad boms mores via : wherin I haue difcouered {o artificially the fraudulent efFefts of Venus trumperies and fo plainly as in a platforme, laid open the pre- iudiciall pleafures of loue, that Gentlemen may fee, that as the Diamond is beauteous to the fight, and yet deadly poyfon to the ftomacke, that as the Bacan leafe containeth both the Antidote, and the Aconi- ton, fo loue (vnlefTe only grounded vpon vertue) breedeth more difparagement to the credit than content to the fancy. If then (right WorfliipfuU) out of this confufed Chaos Gentlemen ihall gather any principles, whereby to diredl their adtions, and that from rafli and refolute mainteners of Venus herefies they become reformed champions to defend Vejiaes philofophies. Then all the profit and plea- fure that ftiall redound to them by this Pamphlet fhall be attributed to your Worihip, as to the man. THE EPISTLE DEDICATORIE. 7 by whofe meanes this Nunquamfera came to light. Hoping therfore your Worfhip wil with a fauorable infight enter more into the mind of the giuer than the woorth of the gift, I commit your Worihip vnto the Almightie. Tour Worjhi-ps humbly to commaund, Rob. Greene. / : To the Gentlemen Readers. \Vch GentlemS as had their eares filld with the harmony of Orpheus harf, could not abide tK arjh mujick of Hiparchions pipe yet the Theflalians wouldallowe the poore fidler licenfe to frolick it among Jhepheards. Though no pictures could goe for currant with Alexander, but fuch as paft through Apelles penjill, yet poore men had their houfes fhadowed with Phidias courfe colours. Entiius was called a Poet as well as Virgil, aWVukan with his polt foote frijkt with Venus as well as Mars. Gentlemen, if I prefume to prefent you as hethertoo I haue done with friuolous toyes ; yet for that Iftretch my firings as hie as I can ; ifyou praife me not with Orpheus, hijfe me not out with Hipparchion: if I paint not with Apelles, yetforape not out my fhadowes with difgrace ; if I Jiirre my flumpes with Vulcan, though it bee lamely done, yet thinke it is a daunce fo if my Nunquam fera eft pleafe not ; yet I pray you pajfe it ouer with patience, and fay tis a booke. So hoping Ijhall finde you as euer I haue done, I end. Robert Greene. / : : A Madrigale to wanton Louers. YOu that by AlcidaIions_/?/a(?r brookes Sit andjigh out the paffions ofyour hues, That on your Goddejfe beauties feede your lookes. And pamper vp Jweete Venus wanton Doues, That/eeke to Jit by Cwpidisjcorching fire. And dally in the fountaines of dejire. You that accompt no heauen like Y&n.\xsfpheare, 1'hat thinke each dimple in your Mifi^rejfe chin Earths paradice, that deeme her golden haire Trejfes of blijfe wherein to wander in : Thatfigh and court fuppliant all to proue, Cupid is God, and theres no heauen but Loue. Comefee the worke that Greene hathflilie wrought, Take but his Nunquam fera in your view As in a myrrour there is deeply taught The wanton vices of prowdfancies crew There is depainted by moft curious art. How loiie and follie iumpe in euery part. lo A MADRIGALS. 'There may you fee re-pentance all in blacke. Scourging the forward pajjions offond youth. Howfading pleqfures end in difmall wracke. How louers ioyes are tempred all with ruth, Sith then his Nunquam fera yeeldesfuch gaines, Reade it, and thanke the Author for his paines. Ralph Sidley. / : , TToXaKL Kau KrjTTopo? av7)p jLiaXa Kcupia eiTre. / F Homce/atyres merit mickle praife. For tauntingfuch as Hud in Paphos lie. If wife Propertius was in elder dayes Laureatfor figuring out fond Venus wile If Rome applauded Quids pleajing verfe, "That did thejalues that medicine hue rehearfe. Then Englijh Gentles ftoope and gather bayes. Make coronets of ¥\or?ies proudeft flowers. As gifts for Greene, for he muft haue the praife. And tafte the deawes that high ParnafTus fhowers- As hauing leapt beyond olde Horace ftraine. In taunting louers for their fruitlejfe paine His Nunquam fera more conceits combines, 'Than wanton Quid in his art did paint. And fharperfatyres are within his lines. Than MartialTook^ prowd Venus to attaint. Reade then his art, and all his actions proue. There is no follie like to foolifh hue.

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