and how his dublet, and hose, and sworde were sold for three shillings: and beside the charges of his winding sheete, which was foure shillinges; and the charges of his buriall yesterday in the New-churchyard neere Bedlam, which was six shillinges and foure pence; how deeply hee was indebted to her poore husbande: as appeered by hys owne bonde of tenne poundes: which the good woman kindly shewed me and beseeched me to read the writting beneath: which was a letter to his abandoned wife, in the behalfe of his gentle host: not so short as persuasible in the beginning, and pittifull in the ending.

Doll,

I charge thee by the loue of our youth, and by my soules rest, that thou wilte see this man paide: for if hee and his wife had not succoured me, I had died in the streetes.

Robert Greene."

I add also one of the Sonnets.

SONNET V.

The learned should lovingly affect the learned.

I am not to instruct where I may learne,
But where I may persuasively exhort,
Nor over dissolute, nor over sterne,

A curteous honesty I would extort.

Good loathes to damage or upbraid the good,
Gentle how lovely to the gentle wight.

Whe

Who seeith not how every blooming budd
Imiteth on every flower fairely dyght,
And biddeth foule illfavordnesse godnight
Would Alcrits embleme or some scarlet whood,
Could teach the pregnant sonnes of shiny light,
To interbrace cach other with delight.
Fine Mercury conducts a dainty band,
Of charites and muses hand in hand.

The intimate connection and familiar correspondence between Gabriel Harvey and our Poet Spenser, has been represented in detail by my friend Mr. Todd, in his edition of Spenser's works.

The only accounts of him to be found are in Wood's Fasti Oxonienses, p. 128, and Berkenhout.

He was a very distinguished writer in his time, and author of various works, more or less popular.

Beside the work above described, which is an article of more particular value and curiosity, the British Museum possesses the following by this Author:

1. "CICERONIANUS."

2. "GRATULATIONES VALDINENSES." 3. "SMITHUS SIVE MUSARUM LACRYMÆ PRO T. SMITH."

4. "THREE PROPER AND WITTIE FAMILIAR LETTERS, lately passed betweene Two Universitie Men, touching the Earthquake in April last, and our English refourmed versifying.

With

With the Preface of a Well wisher to them both.

1580."

5. "TWO OTHER VERY COMMENDABLE LETTERS, both touching the foresaid Artificiall Versifying, and certain other particulars more lately delivered out to the Printer. 1580."

6. "A NEW LETTER OF NOTABLE CONTENTS. With a strange Sonet, entituled Gorgon, or the Wonderful Jewe. 1591."

7. "PIERCES SUPEREROGATION: Or a new prayse of the old Asse.

A Preparative, and certain larger Discourses, entituled Nashes S. Fame.

1593."

ROXBURGH

ROXBURGH COLLECTION.

AMONG a great many very rare and curious articles of literature in the Roxburgh Collection, the following have more particularly attracted my attention, and by the kindness of Mr. G. Nicol I am enabled to describe them.

I begin with the rare Dramatic pieces, and first with one which is known to be unique, and which has particularly attracted the curiosity and attention of collectors. This is called

"COMMON CONDYCIONS."

I cannot, perhaps, do better than transcribe the note of Mr. Steevens which appears in this copy.

"Of this dramatic piece, no copy, except the following mutilated one, has hitherto been discovered.

The first mention of it occurs in the books of the Stationers Company, where July 26, 1576, John Hunter enters, "A new and pleasant Comedie or Plaie, after the manner of Common Condycions."

The original entry of it was, perhaps, earlier than any register at Stationers' Hall now remaining. See the Prolegomena to Reed's Shakspeare, 1785, vol. 1. p. 281.

We

We meet with it next in Kirkman's Printed Catalogue of Plays, 1671, under the title of Common Conditions.

Again in Langbaine's republication of do. with amendments. 1680.

Again in Langbaine's new Catalogue. 1688. Again in his Account of English Dramatic Poets, 1691, where he calls it a "Comedy I never saw."

Again in the Theatrical Records of that measureles and bungling Lyar, William Rufus Chetwood, 1756, Article XLIX, with a pretended date to it, at least a century too late, viz. 1676. Perhaps the blockhead thought the piece was a political one, and had some reference at some period or other to the Condition of the Commons of England.

From hence it found its way into Baker's Companion to the Playhouse, 1764, and was afterwards described with accuracy in the additions and corrections of the second volume of Mr. Reed's republication of the same work, 1782, p. 436.

See also Egerton's Theatrical Remembrancer, 1788, p. 32.

The following copy of Common Conditions was purchased at the sale of the late Dr. Wright's books, 1787, see his catalogue, p. 51, for 51. 5s.

G. S."..