By Cuthbert Cony-catcher,' 1592, 4to (Brit. Mus.) The writer contends that since there is knavery in all trades Greene might have let the poor conny-catchers' alone and flown at higher game. Greene is himself charged with cheating: 'Aske the Queen's Players if you sold them not Orlando Furioso for twenty nobles, and when they were in the country sold the same play to the Lord Admirals men for as much more. Was not this plaine Conny-catching, R. G.?' Nevertheless it is not improbable that Greene wrote this 'Defence, or at least was privy to the publication. He would certainly have had no objection to let it be known that he had gulled the players. The whole series of connycatching pamphlets (some of which are adorned with curious woodcuts) is full of interest. Greene had brushed against disreputable characters, but much of his information could have been got from Harman's 'Caveat' and other sources. Nor need we accept the view that his sole object in publishing these books was to benefit society and atone for his unprincipled life. As a matter of fact, some of the pamphlets are by no means edifying; they amused the public, and that was enough. Samuel Rowlands and Dekker went over the ground again a few years later. 'Questions concerning Coniehood and the nature of the Conie,' n. d., 4to, 'Mihil Mumchance,' n. d., 4to, and other anonymous conny-catching' tracts have been uncritically assigned to Greene.

(27) Philomela. The Lady Fitzwaters Nightingale. . . . Sero sed serio. Il vostro Malignare non Giova Nulla,' 1592, 4to (Bodleian), licensed 1 July, an Italian story of jealousy, was dedicated to Lady Fitzwater; and Greene states that, in christening it in her ladyship's name, he followed the example of Abraham Fraunce [q.v.], 'who titled the lamentations of Aminta vnder the name of the Countesse of Pembrookes Iuie Church.' 'Philomela' was written (he tells us) before he had made his vow not to print any more 'wanton pamphlets.' He wished the romance to be published anonymously, but yielded to the publisher's earnest entreaty. Later editions were published in 1615, 1631, and n. d. (28) 'A Qvip for an Vpstart Courtier: or, a quaint dispute between Veluet-breeches and Cloth-breeches. Wherein is plainely set downe the disorders in all Estates and Trades,' 4to, licensed 20 July 1592, appears to have passed through three editions in that year. In its original form the tract contained a satirical notice of Gabriel Harvey and his brothers; but none of the extant copies has the libellous passage, though a certain ropemaker (Harvey's father

was a ropemaker) is introduced. Richard Harvey, Gabriel's younger brother, in a Theological Discourse of the Lamb of God,' had spoken disrespectfully of 'piperly makeplaies and make-bates.' Thereupon Greene being chief agent of the companie (for hee writ more than four other) tooke occasion to canuaze him a little in his Cloth-breeches and Veluet-breeches; and because by some probable collections hee gest the elder brothers hand was in it he coupled them both in one yoake, and to fulfill the proverbe Tria sunt omnia, thrust in the third brother who made a perfect parriall [pair royal] of pamphleters. About some seauen or eight lines it was' (NASHE, Strange Newes, 1592). Gabriel Harvey declares (Fovre Letters) that Greene cancelled the obnoxious passage from fear of legal proceedings. According to Nashe, who ridicules Harvey's statement, a certain doctor of physic (consulted by Greene in his sickness) read the book and laughed over the 'three brothers legend,' but begged Greene to omit the passage altogether, or tone it down, for one of the brothers 'was proceeded in the same facultie of phisicke hee profest, and willinglie hee would have none of that excellent calling ill spoken off.' Greene cancelled or altered the passage; but some copies containing the offensive matter appear to have got abroad. The pamphlet contrasts the pride and uncharitableness of present times with the simplicity and hospitality of the past, denouncing upstart gentlemen who maintain themselves in luxury by depressing their poor tenants. It was dedicated to Thomas Barnaby, who is praised as a father of the poor and supporter of ancient hospitality. Greene was very largely indebted to a poem by F. T. (not Francis Thynne) entitled The Debate between Pride and Lowliness.' The Quip' was reprinted in 1606, 1615, 1620, 1625, and 1635. A Dutch translation was published at the Hague in 1601, and later editions appeared; the pamphlet was also translated into French. This was the latest work issued in Greene's lifetime.

6

The first of his posthumous tracts: (29) 'Greens Groatsworth of Wit, bought with a Million of Repentance.... Written before his death, and published at his dying request. Fælicem fuisse infaustum,' 4to, was licensed 20 Sept. 1592; but the earliest extant edition is dated 1596 (Huth). It was reprinted in 1600, 1616, 1617, 1620, 1621, 1629, 1637, n.d. Henry Chettle, who edited this tract from Greene's original manuscript, tells us in the preface to Kind Harts Dreame' (licensed December 1592) that he toned down a passage (unquestionably relating to Marlowe) in the notorious letter 'To those gentlemen

his quondam acquaintance,' but that he added nothing of his own. 'I protest,' he writes, 'it was all Greenes, not mine, nor Maister Nashes, as some uniustly haue affirmed.' In the Private Epistle to the Printer,' prefixed to 'Pierce Pennilesse' (issued at the close of 1592), Nashe indignantly repudiates all connection with the 'Groatsworth of Wit.' There is, indeed, not the slightest ground for suspecting the authenticity of the tract. It narrates the adventures of a young man, Roberto, who, deserting his wife, makes the acquaintance of some strolling players, becomes 'famoused for an arch-playmaking poet,' continually shifts his lodging, and bilks his hostesses; consorts with the most abandoned characters, and ruins his health by sensual indulgence. Towards the end of the tract Greene interrupts Roberto's moralising: 'Heere, gentlemen, breake I off Roberto's speech, whose life in most part agreeing with mine, found the selfe punishment as I haue done.' Greene is not to be identified with Roberto in every detail. For instance, Roberto is represented as the son of an old usurer called Gorinius,' who is described in the most unflattering terms; whereas Greene's father is praised in The Repentance' for his honest life. Having narrated the story of Roberto, Greene takes his farewell of the 'deceiving world' in an impressive copy of verses, and adds a string of maxims. He then delivers an address 'to those gentlemen his quondam acquaintance that spend their wits in making plaies,' in which, after uttering a solemn warning to Marlowe, 'Young Juuenall' (probably Nashe, not Lodge), and Peele, he assailed with invective the 'vpstart crow, Shakespeare. The pamphlet closes with a pathetic letter written to his wife, found with this booke after his death. A second posthumous pamphlet, (30) The Repentance of Robert Greene, Maister of Artes. Wherein by himselfe is laid open his loose life with the manner of his death,' 4to (Bodleian), licensed 6 Oct. 1592, and published in the same year, gives a brief account, seemingly drawn from his own papers, of Greene's dissolute courses. But it was probably edited,' and the passage in which he thanks God for having put it into his head to write the pamphlets on conny-catching' has a sus picious look, as though it were introduced in order to advertise those pamphlets. Appended is an account of Greene's last sickness, with a copy, somewhat differing from the version printed by Gabriel Harvey, of the last letter to his wife; also a prayer that he composed shortly before his death. Another posthumous work is (31) Greenes Vision. Written at the instant of his death. Con

teyning a penitent passion for the folly of his Pen. Sero sed serio' (1592), 4to (Brit. Mus.) The publisher, Thomas Newman, in the dedicatory epistle to Nicholas Sanders, declares that every word of this tract is (ireene's own. We have Chettle's authority for the fact that Greene left at his death many papers, which fell into the hands of booksellers. The 'Vision' may have been put together from some of these papers; but it certainly was not written in his last illness. It begins by declaring that The Cobler of Canterbury' (an anonymous tract published in 1590) had been wrongly attributed to Greene, much to his annoyance; yet this 'Vision is to some extent modelled on 'The Cobler.' Chaucer and Grower are supposed to appear to Greene in a dream, and to hold a discussion about his writings, Chaucer commending and moral Gower condemning them. In the end Solomon presents himself and counsels the study of divinity.

Greene's dramatic work is not so interesting as his pamphlets. Only five undoubted plays (all posthumously published) have come down, and their chronological order cannot be accurately fixed. (32) The Historie of Orlando Furioso. As it was plaid before the Queenes Maiestie,' 1594, 4to (2nd edit. 1599; both editions are in Brit. Mus.), founded on an episode in the twenty-third book of Ariosto's poem, is mentioned in Henslowe's 'Diary' as having been acted 21 Feb. 1591-2 by Lord Strange's men; but the date of its original production is unknown. It is a poor play, with a very corrupt text. In Dulwich College is preserved a transcript made for Edward Alleyn of a portion of Orlando's part; it differs considerably from the printed text. (33) A Looking Glass for London and England. Made by Thomas Lodge, gentleman, and Robert Greene. In Artibus Magister," 1594,4to (Brit. Mus.), reprinted in 1598, 1602, and 1617, is mentioned in IIenslowe's Diary under date March 1591-2. This is a didactic play on the subject of Jonah and the Ninevites, with comical matter intermixed. Mr. F. Locker-Lampson has an undated edition containing some early manuscript annotations. When Lodge left England with C'avendish (in August 1591) he handed the manuscript of his Euphues Shadow' to Greene, who issued it in 1592 with a dedicatory epistle to Lord Fitzwater, and an address to the gentlemen readers. (34) 'The Honorable Historie of frier Bacon and frier Bongay. As it was plaid by her Maiesties seruants,' 1594, 4to (Devonshire House), reprinted in 1599, 1630, 1655, was founded on the prose tract (of which no early edition is known), The Famous History of Friar

Bacon.' Greene may have chosen this subject from the popularity of Marlowe's Faustus.' Lord Strange's men gave a performance of Friar Bacon' 19 Feb. 1591-2 (HENSLOWE, Diary, ed. Collier, p. 20); but we do not know when the play was first produced. Middleton wrote a prologue and epilogue on the occasion of its revival at court in December 1602. There is less rant and pedantry (though there is too much of both) in Friar Bacon' than we usually find in Greene's plays, and the love-story is not without tenderness. (35) 'The Scottish Historie of James the fourth, slaine at Floddon. Entermixed with a pleasant Comedie, presented by Oboram, King of Fayeries,' 1598, 4to (Brit. Mus.); licensed for publication 14 May 1594, and probably published in that year, is not founded on a Scotch chronicle, but on the first story of the third decade of Cinthio's collection of tales (P. A. Daniel, Athenæum, 8 Oct. 1881). Greene's 'Oberon' bears little resemblance to his namesake in the romance of 'Huon of Burdeux,' and certainly gave no hints to Shakespeare for A Midsummer Night's Dream.' (36) 'The Comicall Historie of Alphonsus, King of Aragon. As it hath bene sundrie times Acted,' 1599, 4to (Devonshire House), a dreary imitation of 'Tamburlaine,' is the crudest of Greene's plays. From Venus's last speech we learn that there was to be a second part. (37) ‘A pleasant conceyted Comedie of George a Greene, the Pinner of Wakefield. As it was sundry times acted by the Seruants of the right Honourable the Earle of Sussex,' 1599, 4to, licensed for publication 1 April 1595, has been ascribed to Greene on the authority of a manuscript note on the titlepage of a copy belonging to the Duke of Devonshire: Writt by... a minister who ac[ted] the piners p' in it himself. Teste W. Shakespeare]. Ed. Iuby saith that ys play was made by Ro. Greene. Assuming that these memoranda are genuine, we need not accept Dyce's view that they prove Greene to have been a minister. The second note seems to contradict rather than to confirm the first. Shakespeare supposed that the play was written by a minister; on the other hand, Edward Juby, the actor, declared that Greene was the author. The old History of Georgea-Green' (of which only late editions are known) supplied the playwright with his materials. Some skill is shown in the drawing of the character of the Pinner; and the homely pictures of English country life are infinitely superior to Greene's ambitious tragic scenes. (38) An anonymous play, 'The First Part of the Tragicall Raigne of Selimus. . . . As it was playd by the Queenes Maiesties Players,' 1594, 4to, has been plausibly assigned to

Greene. Robert Allott, in England's Parnassus,' 1600, gives two extracts from it, ascribing both to Greene. Langbaine and others claim it for Thomas Goffe [q. v., who was about two years old when the first edition was published. It is highly probable that Greene had some share in the authorship of the original 'Henry VI' plays.

Greene's fame rests chiefly on the poetry that is scattered through his romances. The romances themselves are frequently insipid; but in some of his numerous songs and eclogues he attained perfection. His plays are interesting to students of dramatic history, but have slender literary value.

A lost ballad, Youthe seinge all his wais so troublesome, abandoning virtue and leanyng to vyce, Recalleth his former follies, with an inward Repentaunce,' was entered in the Stationers' Books 20 March 1580-1, as ‘by Greene.' He may also be the 'R. G.' whose 'Exhortation and fruitful Admonition to Vertuous Parentes, and Modest Matrones,' 1584, 8vo, is mentioned in Andrew Maunsell's Catalogue of English printed Bookes,' 1595. A Paire of Turtle Doves; or, the Tragicall History of Bellora and Fidelio,' 1606, 4to, has been attributed to Greene on internal evidence, and Steevens was under the impression that he had seen an edition of this romance in which Greene's name was either printed in the title' or 'at least written on it in an ancient hand' (Biblioth. IIeber. pt. iv. p. 130). Samuel Rowlands in his preface to "Tis Merrie when Gossips Meete,' 1602, testifies to Greene's popularity, but Ben Jonson in Every Man out of his Ilumour,' 1600, ii. 1, hints that he was a writer from whom one could steal without fear of detection.

Alexander Dyce collected Greene's plays and poems in 1831, 2 vols. 8vo, with an account of the author and a list of his works. A revised edition of The Dramatic and Poetical Works of Robert Greene and George Peele' was issued in 1858, 1 vol. Dr. Grosart edited 'The Complete Works of Robert Greene,' 15 vols., 8vo, 1881-6, in the Huth Library' series. Vol. i. contains a translation by Mr. Brayley Hodgetts (from the Russian) of Professor Nicholas Storojenko's able sketch of Greene's life and works.

School of Shakspere, ii. 339, &c.; F. G. Fleay's [Memoirs by Dyce and Storojenko; Simpson's Chronicle History of the Life and Work of William Shakespeare; Cooper's Athenæ Cantabr.; Works of Thomas Nashe; Works of Gabriel Harvey; M. Jusserand's English Novel in the Time of Shakespeare (Engl. transl.), 1890; British Museum and Bodleian Catalogues; Bibliotheca Heberiana, pt. iv.; Bibliotheca

He

GREENE, ROBERT (1678 P-1730), philosopher, the son of Robert Greene, a mercer of Tamworth, Staffordshire, by his wife Mary Pretty of Fazeley, was born about 1678. His father, who according to the son was a repository of all the Christian virtues, died while Greene was a boy, and it was through the generosity of his uncle, John Pretty, rector of Farley, Hampshire, that he was sent to Clare Hall, Cambridge. graduated B.A. 1689, and M.A. 1703. He became a fellow and tutor of his college and took orders. In 1711 he published A Demonstration of the Truth and Divinity of the Christian Religion,' and in the following year The Principles of Natural Philosophy, in which is shown the insufficiency of the present systems to give us any just account of that science.' The latter work was ridiculed and parodied in 'A Taste of Philosophical Fanaticism... by a gentleman of the University of Gratz. Greene, while taking an active part in college and parochial work, was convinced that the whole field of knowledge was his proper province, and devoted many years' leisure to the production of his next work, a large folio volume of 980 pages, entitled 'The Principles of the Philosophy of the Expansive and Contractive Forces, or an Enquiry into the Principles of the Modern Philosophy, that is, into the several chief Rational Sciences which are extant,' 1727. In the preface Greene, after being at some pains to prove himself a whig, declared his intention of proposing a philosophy, English, Cantabrigian, and Clarensian, which he ventured to call the 'Greenian,' because his name was 'not much worse in the letters which belonged to it than those of Galileo and Descartes.' The book is a monument of ill-digested and misapplied learning. In 1727 (reene served as proctor at Cambridge, and in the next year he proceeded D.D. He died at Birmingham 16 Aug. 1730, and was buried at All Saints, Cambridge, where he had for three years officiated. In his will he named eight executors, five being heads of Cambridge colleges, and directed that his body should be dissected and the skeleton hung up in the library of King's College; monuments to his memory were to be placed in the chapels of Clare and King's colleges, in St. Mary's Church, and at Tamworth, for each of which he supplied a long and extravagant description of himself; finally, Clare Hall was to publish his posthumous works, and on condition of observing

this and his other directions was to receive his estate, failing which it was to go to St. John's, Trinity, and Jesus colleges, and on refusal of each to Sidney Sussex. None of his wishes were complied with, and it was stated by a relative of Greene (Gent. Mag. 1783, ii. 657) that his effects remained with Sidney Sussex, but that college preserves no record of having received the benefactions.

[Cole's Athenæ Cantabr. MS.; Luard's Grad. Cantabr.; Gent. Mag. 1783 ii. 657 (where a copy of his will is given), 1791 ii. 725; prefaces to Greene's Works.]

A. V. GREENFIELD, JOIIN. [See GROEN

VELT.]

GREENFIELD, WILLIAM OF (d. 1315), archbishop of York and chancellor, was of good family and a kinsman of Archbishop Walter Giffard [q. v.] of York, and of Bishop Godfrey Giffard [q. v. of Worcester. The statement that he was born in Cornwall (FULLER, Worthies, ed. 1811, i. 212) is probably due to a confusion of him with the Grenvilles. A more probable conjecture connects him with a hamlet which bears his name in Lincolnshire (RAINE, Fasti Eboracenses, p. 361). He was educated at Oxford, and in 1269 Archbishop Giffard ordered his bailiff at Churchdown, near Gloucester, 'to pay to Roger the miller of Oxford twenty shillings, for our kinsman William of Greenfield while he is studying there, because it would be difficult for us to send the money to him on account of the perils of the ways' (ib. p. 311, from 'Reg. Giffard). Greenfield also studied at Paris (RAINE, Papers from Northern Registers, p. 193). He became a doctor of civil and canon law (TRIVET, Annales, p. 404, Engl. Hist. Soc.) He was made by Archbishop Giffard prebendary of Southwell in 1269, and in 1272 exchanged that preferment for a prebend of Ripon. Before 1287 he was prebendary of York. He was in 1299 prebendary of St. Paul's and dean of Chichester, parson of Blockley between 1291 and 1294, rector of Stratford-on-Avon in 1294, and also chancellor of the diocese of Durham (RAINE, p. 362). His stall at Ripon was for a time sequestrated, on account of non-residence, for he was mainly busied on affairs of state as a clerk and counsellor of Edward I (Fœdera, i. 741). In 1290 he was one of a legation of three sent to Rome to treat about the grant to Edward of the crusading tenth. In 1291 he was, with Henry of Lacy, earl of Lincoln, sent to Tarascon, to be present at the treaty made between Charles king of Sicily and Alfonso of Aragon (ib. i. 744). Next year he was present during the great inquest on the Scottish succession at Norham (ib. i. 767).