Ox.  But you must mend, i’ faith; in faith you must[380].

LEI.  My lord, once more your subjects do submit,
Beseeching you to think how things have pass’d;
And let some comfort shine on us, your friends,
Through the bright splendour of your virtuous life.

KING.  I thank you all; and, Leicester, I protest,
I will be better than I yet have been.

BRUCE.  Of Windsor Castle here the keys I yield.

KING.  Thanks, Bruce:  forgive me, and I pray thee see
Thy mother and thy brother buried
                     [BRUCE offers to kiss MATILDA. 
In Windsor Castle church.  Do, kiss her cheek: 
Weep thou on that, on this side I will weep.

QUEEN.  Chaste virgin, thus I crown thee with these flowers.

KING.  Let us go on to Dunmow with this maid: 
Among the hallow’d nuns let her be laid. 
Unto her tomb a monthly pilgrimage
Doth King John vow, in penance for this wrong.

Go forward, maids; on with Matilda’s hearse,
And on her tomb see you engrave this verse.

“Within this marble monument doth lie
Matilda, martyr’d for her chastity.”

[Exeunt.

EPILOGUS.

Thus is Matilda’s story shown in act,
And rough-hewn out by an uncunning hand: 
Being of the most material points compact,
That with the certain’st state of truth do stand.

FINIS.

CONTENTION BETWEEN LIBERALITY AND PRODIGALITY.

EDITION

A Pleasant Comedie, shewing the contention betweene Liberalitie and Prodigalitie.  As it was playd before her Maiestie.  London Printed by Simon Stafford for George Vincent, and are to be sold at the signs of the Hand in hand in Wood-street over against S. Michaels Church. 1602. 4to.

The copy of this play in the Garrick collection appears to be the only one known, and from that source it is now for the first time reprinted.  Mr Collier (Hist Engl.  Dram.  Poetr., ii, 318) points out that there is internal evidence, from the allusion to the 43d year of Queen Elizabeth, that the production was performed before her Majesty in 1600; and it seems likely that it was a revival of a more ancient piece.  The writer just quoted remarks that a play, called “Prodigality,” was exhibited at Court in 1568 (ibid. note).  Philips, author of the “Theatrum Poetarum,” in assigning it to Greene, followed either some tradition of the time or his own whim; but he is not a trustworthy authority; and his article on Greene is assuredly as puerile and absurd a performance as could be imagined.

In the prologue, the writer refers to childish years, presumably his own, and perhaps the “Contention” was a youthful effort.  Moreover, from the (not very appropriate) introduction of Latin terms here and there, it is allowable to suspect that the author was preparing to graduate in arts, if he had not done so.