Of all chaste Birds, the _Phoenix_ doth excel; Of all strong Beasts, the _Lion_ bears the Bell: Of all sweet Flowers, the Rose doth sweetest smell; Of all fair Maids, my _Rosalind_ is fairest. Of all pure Metals, _Gold_ is only purest; Of all high Trees, the _Pine_ hath highest Crest; Of all soft _Sweets_, I like my Mistress best: Of all chaste Thoughts my Mistress Thoughts are rarest. Of all proud Birds, the _Eagle_ pleaseth _Jove_, Of pretty Fowls, kind _Venus_ likes the _Dove_: Of Trees, _Minerva_ doth the _Olive_ love, Of all sweet Nymphs, I honour _Rosalinde_, Of all her Gifts, her _Wisdom_ pleaseth most: Of all her Graces, _Virtue_ she doth boast; For all the Gifts, my Life and Joy is lost, If _Rosalinde_ prove cruel and unkind. * * * * * _ROBERT GREENE_. _Robert Greene_ (that great Friend to the _Printers_ by his many Impressions of numerous Books) was by Birth a Gentleman, and sent to study in the University of _Cambridge_; where he proceeded Master of Art therein. He had in his time sipped of the Fountain of _Hellicon_, but drank deeper Draughts of Sack, that _Helliconian_ Liquor, whereby he beggar'd his Purse to enrich his Fancy; writing much against Viciousness, but too vicious in his Life. He had to his Wife a Virtuous Gentlewoman, whom yet he forsook, and betook himself to a high course of Living; to maintain which, he made his Pen mercenary, making his Name very famous for several Books which he wrote, very much taking in his time, and in indifferent repute amongst the vulgar at this present; of which, those that I have seen, are as followeth) Euphues _his Censure to_ Philautus; Tullies _Love_, _Philomela_, _The Lady_ Fitz-waters _Nightingale_, _A Quip for an upstart Courtier_, _the History of_ Dorastus _and_ Fawnia, Green's _never too late_, first and second Part; Green's _Arcadia_, Green _his Farewell to Folly_, Greene's _Groats-worth of Wit, &c._ He was also an Associate with Dr. _Lodge_ in writing of several Comedies; namely, _The Laws of Nature_; _Lady Alimony_; _Liberality and Prodigality_; and a Masque called _Luminalia_; besides which, he wrote alone the Comedies of _Fryer Bacon_, and _fair Emme_. But notwithstanding by these his Writings he got much Money, yet was it not sufficient to maintain his Prodigality, but that before his death he fell into extream Poverty, when his Friends, (like Leaves to Trees in the Summer of Prosperity) fell from him in his Winter of Adversity: of which he was very sensible, and heartily repented of his ill passed Life, especially of the wrongs he had done to his Wife; which he declared in a Letter written to her, and found with his Book of _A Groatsworth of Wit_, after his Death, containing these Words;