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The plays & poems of Robert Greene

Edited with introductions and notes by J. Churton Collins
Greene, Robert (1558?-1592)

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A MAIDENS DREAME
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POEMS FROM THE NOVELS.
 I. 
I VERSES AGAINST THE GENTLEWOMEN OF SICILLIA.
 II. 
II ARBASTO'S SONG.
 III. 
III DORALICIA'S SONG.
 IV. 
IV THE DESCRIPTION OF SILVESTROS LADIE.
 V. 
V LACENAS RIDDLE.
 VI. 
VI VERSES VNDER A PICTVRE OF FORTVNE.
 VII. 
VII A SONNET.
 VIII. 
VIII BARMENISSAS SONG.
 IX. 
IX TEMPORA MVTANTVR, ET NOS MVTAMVR IN ILLIS.
 X. 
X VERSES WRITTEN VNDER THE PROTRAITVRE OF VENVS.
 XI. 
XI VERSES VNDER A PEACOCKE POVRTRAIED IN HER LEFT HAND.
 XII. 
XII VERSES VNDER A CARVING OF MERCVRY THROWING FEATHERS INTO THE WINDE.
 XIII. 
XIII VERSES VNDER A CARVING OF CVPID BLOWING BLADDERS IN THE AYRE.
 XIV. 
XIV VERSES ON TWO TABLES HVNG BESIDE AN EFFIGY ON A TOMBE.
 XV. 
XV MADRIGALL.
 XVI. 
XVI BRADAMANT'S MADRIGALE.
 XVII. 
XVII MELISSA'S DITTYE.
 XVIII. 
XVIII PRINCE'S SONNET.
 XIX. 
XIX SONNET OF OLDE MAN (A CALDEE) IN ANSWER.
 XX. 
XX SONNET.
 XXI. 
XXI SONNET.
 XXII. 
XXII BELLARIA'S EPITAPH.
 XXIII. 
XXIII Dorastus (in Loue-passion) writes these lines in Praise of his louing and best-beloued Fawnia.
 XXIV. 
XXIV APOLLO'S ORACLE (DOOME).
 XXV. 
XXV MENAPHON'S SONG.
 XXVI. 
XXVI SEPHESTIAS SONG TO HER CHILDE.
 XXVII. 
XXVII MENAPHONS ROVNDELAY.
 XXVIII. 
XXVIII DORON'S DESCRIPTION OF SAMELA.
 XXIX. 
XXIX DORONS IIGGE.
 XXX. 
XXX MELICERTVS MADRIGALE.
 XXXI. 
XXXI MENAPHON'S SONG IN HIS BEDDE.
 XXXII. 
XXXII MENAPHON'S DITTIE.
 XXXIII. 
XXXIII MENAPHONS ECLOGVE.
 XXXIV. 
XXXIV MELICERTVS ECLOGVE.
 XXXV. 
XXXV DORONS ECLOGVE IOYND WITH CARMELAS.
 XXXVI. 
XXXVI SONETTO.
 XXXVII. 
XXXVII MELICERTVS DESCRIPTION OF HIS MISTRES.
 XXXVIII. 
XXXVIII VERSES FROM CICERONIS AMOR.
 XL. 
XL SONNET OR DITTIE.
 XLI. 
XLI RVNDELAY.
 XLII. 
XLII LENTVLVS DESCRIPTION OF TERENTIA IN LATIN.
 XLIII. 
XLIII THE SHEEPHEARDS ODE.
 XLIV. 
XLIV ORPHEVS SONG.
 XLV. 
XLV THE SONG OF ARION.
 XLVI. 
XLVI SONNET.
 XLVII. 
XLVII THE DESCRIPTION OF THE SHEPHEARD AND HIS WIFE.
 XLVIII. 
XLVIII THE SHEPHEARDS WIVES SONG.
 XLIX. 
XLIX HEXAMETRA ALEXIS IN LAVDEM ROSAMVNDAE.
 L. 
L HEXAMETRA ROSAMVNDAE IN DOLOREM AMISSI ALEXIS.
 LI. 
LI PHILADORS ODE THAT HE LEFT WITH THE DESPAIRING LOVER
 LII. 
LII THE SONG OF A COVNTRY SWAINE AT THE RETVRNE OF PHILADOR.
 LIII. 
LIII FROM NEVER TOO LATE.
 LIV. 
LIV The Palmers Ode.
 LV. 
LV THE HERMITES EXORDIVM.
 LVI. 
LVI ISABELLS ODE.
 LVII. 
LVII FRANCESCOS ODE.
 LVIII. 
LVIII CANZONE.
 LIX. 
LIX INFIDAS SONG.
 LX. 
LX FRANCESCOES ROVNDELAY.
 LXI. 
LXI THE PENITENT PALMERS ODE.
 LXII. 
LXII ISABELS SONNET THAT SHE MADE IN PRISON.
 LXIII. 
LXIII FRANCESCOES SONNET, MADE IN THE PRIME OF HIS PENAVNCE.
 LXIV. 
LXIV FRANCESCOS SONNET CALD HIS PARTING BLOW.
 LXV. 
LXV EVRYMACHVS FANCIE IN THE PRIME OF HIS AFFECTION.
 LXVI. 
LXVI RADAGONS SONNET.
 LXVII. 
LXVII EVRIMACHVS IN LAVDEM MIRIMIDÆ HIS MOTTO.
 LXVIII. 
LXVIII RADAGON IN DIANAM.
 LXIX. 
LXIX MVLLIDORS MADRIGALE.
 LXX. 
LXX THE PALMER'S VERSES.
 LXXII. 
LXXII MAESIA'S SONG.
 LXXIII. 
LXXIII LINES TRANSLATED FROM GVAZZO.
 LXXIV. 
LXXIV FROM DANTE.
 LXXV. 
LXXV PHILOMELAS ODE THAT SHEE SVNG IN HER ARBOVR.
 LXXVI. 
LXXVI PHILOMELAES SECOND OADE.
 LXXVII. 
LXXVII LVLESIO'S SONNET.
 LXXVIII. 
LXXVIII POEME IN ANSWER.
 LXXIX. 
LXXIX AN ODE.
 LXXX. 
LXXX FAMILIAS SONG.
 LXXXI. 
LXXXI AGAINST ENTICING CVRTIZANS.
 LXXXII. 
LXXXII VERSES
 LXXXIII. 
LXXXIII A CONCEITED FABLE OF THE OLDE COMEDIAN AESOP.
 LXXXIV. 
LXXXIV GREENES ODE, OF THE VANITIE OF WANTON WRITINGS.
 LXXXV. 
LXXXV THE DESCRIPTION OF SIR GEFFERY CHAWCER.
 LXXXVI. 
LXXXVI THE DESCRIPTION OF IOHN GOWER.
 LXXXVII. 
LXXXVII THEODORAS SONG.
 LXXXVIII. 
LXXXVIII THE DESCRIPTION OF SALOMON.

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242

XII
VERSES VNDER A CARVING OF MERCVRY THROWING FEATHERS INTO THE WINDE.

The richest gift the wealthy heauen affords,
The pearle of price sent from immortall Ioue,
The shape wherein we most resemble gods,
The fire Prometheus stole from lofty skies:
This gift, this pearle, this shape, this fire is it,
Which makes vs men bold by the name of wit.
By wit we search diuine aspect aboue,
By wit we learne what secrets science yeelds,
By wit we speake, by wit the mind is rul'd,
By wit we gouerne all our actions:
Wit is the Load-starre of each humane thought,
Wit is the toole, by which all things are wrought.
The brightest Iacynth hot becommeth darke,
Of little steeme is Crystall being crackt,
Fine heads that can conceit no good, but ill,
Forge oft that breedeth ruine to themselues:
Ripe wits abus'd that build on bad desire,
Do burne themselues like flyes within the fire.
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