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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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[section]
  
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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XLVIII
THE SHEPHEARDS WIVES SONG.

Ah what is loue? It is a pretty thing,
As sweet vnto a shepheard as a king,
And sweeter too:
For kings haue cares that waite vpon a Crowne,
And cares can make the sweetest loue to frowne:
Ah then, ah then,
If countrie loues such sweet desires do gaine,
What Lady would not loue a Shepheard Swaine?
His flockes are foulded, he comes home at night,
As merry as a king in his delight,
And merrier too:
For kings bethinke them what the state require,
Where Shepheards carelesse Carroll by the fire.
Ah then, ah then,
If country loues such sweet desires gaine,
What Lady would not loue a Shepheard Swaine.
He kisseth first, then sits as blyth to eate
His creame and curds, as doth the king his meate;
And blyther too:
For kings haue often feares when they do sup,
Where Shepheards dread no poyson in their cup.
Ah then, ah then,
If country loues such sweet desires gaine,
What Lady would not loue a Shepheard Swaine.
To bed he goes, as wanton then I weene,
As is a king in dalliance with a Queene;
More wanton too:
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For kings haue many griefes affects to moue,
Where Shepheards haue no greater grief then loue:
Ah then, ah then,
If countrie loues such sweet desires gaine,
What Lady would not loue a Shepheard Swaine.
Vpon his couch of straw he sleeps as sound,
As doth the king vpon his bed of downe,
More sounder too:
For cares cause kings full oft their sleepe to spill,
Where weary Shepheards lye and snort their fill:
Ah then, ah then,
If country loues such sweet desires gaine,
What Lady would not loue a Shepheard Swaine.
Thus with his wife he spends the yeare as blyth,
As doth the king at euery tyde or syth;
And blyther too:
For kings haue warres and broyles to take in hand,
Where Shepheards laugh, and loue vpon the land.
Ah then, ah then,
If Countrie loues such sweet desires gaine,
What Lady would not loue a Shepheard Swaine?
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