which being thrice vsed, is of power to expell the spirites, purifie the bloud, and ease the paine, or else he lyes, for he hath practised it long, but shall approue it neuer.

Another fort, get hot wiers, and with them they burne out the 4 worme that fo torments the greeued: these fellowes are fit to vifit curst wiues, and might by their practise doe a number of honest men ease, if they would miffe the tooth, and worme the tongue.

Others there are, that perfwade the pained, to hold their mouths 8 open ouer a basen of water by the fire fide, and to caft into the fire a handfull of henbane feede, the which naturally hath in euery feede a little worme; the feedes breaking in the fire, vse a kind of cracking, and out of them, it is hard among fo many, if no worme fly into the 12 water which wormes the deceiuers affirme to haue fallen from the teeth of the diseased. This rare fecret is much vsed, and not smally lyked. Sundry other could I set downe, practised by our bannerbearers, but all is foppery; for this I find to be the only remedy for 16 the tooth paine, either to haue patience, or to pull them out.

Well, no more for mee, least I bee thought to speake too largly for my felfe. I had thought to haue had a fling at the rat-catchers, who with their banners displayed, beare no small sway: what I haue to 20 faye to them they shall not yet heare, because I hope they will take warning by other mens harmes. Onely this I affirme, that as fome banner-bearers haue in their occupations much craft, the rat-catchers is nothing else but craft.

But stay Kind-hart, if thou make so long a Chorus betweene euery act, thy iefts will be as ftale as thy wit is weake. Therefore leauing thofe vagabonds to repent their villanyes, Ile bid adieu to maister Doctor, and fee who is our next speaker.

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lerce, if thy Carrier had beene as kinde to me as I expected, I could haue dispatched long fince my letters to thee: but it is here as in the world, Donum à dando

deriuatur: where there is nothing to giue, there is no

thing to be got. But hauing now found meanes to fend to thee, I 8 will certifie thee a little of my difquiet after death, of which I thinke thou either haft not heard or wilt not conceiue.

Hauing with humble penitence befought pardon for my infinite finnes, and paid the due to death; euen in my graue was I scarfe 12 layde, when Enuie (no fit companion for Art) fpit out her poyfon, to disturbe my reft. Aduerfus mortuos bellum fufcipere, inhumanum eft. There is no glory gained by breaking a deade mans fkull. Pafcitur in viuis liuor, poft fata quiefcit. Yet it appeares contrary in fome, 16 that inueighing against my workes, my pouertie, my life, my death, my burial, haue omitted nothing that may feeme malitious. For my Bookes, of what kind foeuer, I refer their commendation or difpraise to thofe that haue read them. Onely for my laft labours affirming, 20 my intent was to reproue vice, and lay open fuch villanies, as had beene very neceffary to be made knowne, wherof my Blacke Booke, if euer it fee light, can fufficiently witneffe.

But for my pouertie, mee thinkes wifedome would haue brideled 24 that inuectiue; for Cuiuis poteft accidere quod cuiquam poteft. The beginning of my difpraisers is knowne; of their end they are not sure. For my life, it was to none of them at any time hurtful: for my death, it was repentant: my buriall like a Chriftians.

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Alas that men fo haftily fhould run,

To write their own difpraife as they haue done.

For my reuenge, it fuffices, that euery halfe-eyd humanitian may account it, Inftar belluarum immaniffimarum fæuire in cadauer. For the iniurie offred thee, I know I need not bring oyle to thy fire. And albeit I would diffwade thee from more inuectiues against fuch thy 4 aduerfaries (for peace is nowe all my plea) yet I know thou wilt returne answere, that since thou receiuedst the first wrong, thou wilt not endure the laft.

My quiet Ghoft (vnquietly disturbed) had once intended thus to 8 haue exclaimd.

Pierce, more witleffe, than pennileffe; more idle, than thine aduerfaries ill imployde; what foolish innocence hath made thee (infant like) refiftleffe to beare what euer iniurie Enuie can impose?

I 2

Once thou commendedft immediate conceit, and gaueft no great praise to excellent works of twelue yeres labour: now, in the blooming of thy hopes, thou sufferest flaunder to nippe them ere they can bud: thereby approuing thy felfe to be of all other most flacke, beeing 16 in thine owne cause fo remiffe.

Colour can there be none found to shadowe thy fainting; but the longer thou deferst, the more greefe thou bringst to thy frends, and giueft the greater head to thy enemies.

What canft thou tell, if (as my felfe) thou shalt bee with death preuented and then how can it be but thou diest disgrac'd, seeing thou haft made no reply to their twofold Edition of Inuectiues?

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It may bee thou thinkft they will deale well with thee in death, 24 and fo thy shame in tollerating them will be short: forge not to thy self one such conceit, but make me thy prefident, and remember this olde adage: Leonem mortuum mordent Catuli.

Awake (fecure boy) reuenge thy wrongs, remember mine: thy 28 aduerfaries began the abuse, they continue it: if thou suffer it, let thy life be fhort in filence and obscuritie, and thy death hastie, hated, and miferable.

All this had I intended to write, but now I wil not giue way to 32 wrath, but returne it vnto the earth from whence I tooke it for with happie foules it hath no harbour.

Robert Greene.

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Had not my name beene Kind-hart, I would haue fworne this had beene fent to my felfe; for in my life I was not more pennileffe than at that inftant. But remembring the Author

of the Supplication, I laid it afide till I had
leyfure to feeke him and taking

vp the next, I found

written,

N

Tarleton wisheth continuall melancholy.

Ow Maifters, what fay you to a merrie knaue, that for this two years day hath not beene talkt of? Wil you giue 4 him leaue, if he can, to make ye laugh? What, all a mort? No merry countenance? Nay, then I fee hypocrifie hath the vpper hand, and her fpirit raignes in this profitable generation. Sith it is thus, Ile be a time-pleaser. Fie vppon follow- 8 ing plaies, the expence is wondrous; vpon players fpeeches, their wordes are full of wyles; vppon their geftures, that are altogether wanton. Is it not lamentable, that a man fhould fpende his two pence on them in an after-noone, heare couetoufnes amongst them 12 daily quipt at, being one of the commoneft occupations in the countrey; and in liuely gefture fee trecherie fet out, with which euery man now adaies vfeth to intrap his brother. Byr lady, this would be lookt into if these be the fruites of playing, tis time the practifers 16 were expeld.

:

Expeld (quoth you); that hath been pretily performd, to the no smal profit of the Bouling-allyes in Bedlam and other places, that were wont in the after-noones to be left empty, by the recourfe of good 20 fellows vnto that vnprofitable recreation of Stage-playing.

And it were not much amiffe, would they ioine with the Dicing houfes to make fute againe for their longer reftraint, though the fickneffe ceafe. Is not this well faide (my maifters) of an olde buttond 24 cappe, that hath moft part of his life liu'd vppon that against which hee inueighs: Yes, and worthily.

But I haue more to fay than this; Is it not greate fhame, that the