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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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LXXIX
AN ODE.

What is loue once disgraced?
But a wanton thought ill placed,
314

Which doth blemish whom it payneth,
And dishonours whom it daineth,
Seene in higher powers most,
Though some fooles doe fondly bost,
That who so is high of kin,
Sanctifies his louers sinne.
Ioue could not hide Ios scape,
Nor conceale Calistos rape.
Both did fault, and both were framed,
Light of loues, whom lust had shamed.
Let not women trust to men,
They can flatter now and then.
And tell them many wanton tales,
Which doe breed their after bales.
Sinne in kings, is sinne wee see,
And greater sinne, cause great of gree.
Maius peccatum, this I reed,
If he be high that doth the deed.
Mars for all his Deity,
Could not Venus dignifie,
But Vulcan trapt her, and her blame
Was punisht with an open shame.
All the gods laught them to scorne,
For dubbing Vulcan with the horne.
Whereon may a woman bost,
If her chastity be lost.
Shame awaitt'h vpon her face,
Blushing cheekes and foule disgrace,
Report will blab, this is she
That with her lust wins infamy,
If lusting loue be so disgrac't,
Die before you liue vnchast:
For better die with honest fame,
Then lead a wanton life with shame.
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