Repent, repent, or presentlie
To hell ye must discend.

What is there, in this world, of worth,
That we should prize it soe?
Life is but trouble from our birth,
The wise do say and know.

Our lives, then, let us mend with speed,
Or we shall suerly rue
The end of everie hainous deede,
In life that shall insue.

_Finis. Ign._

FOOTNOTES:

[677] In the Introduction I have expressed my opinion that this ballad
is a forgery.

[678] We are to suppose an allusion to Robert Greene.

[679] The anagram of Marlowe.

No. II.

In a copy of _Hero and Leander_ Collier found, together with other
questionable matter, the following MS. notes:--"Feb. 10, 1640. Mr. [two
words follow in cipher], that Marloe was an atheist, and wrot a booke
against [two words in cipher,] how that it was all one man's making, and
would have printed it, but it would not be suffred to be printed. Hee
was a rare scholar, and made excellent verses in Latine. He died aged
about 30."--"Marloe was an acquaintance of Mr. [a name follows in
cipher] of Douer, whom hee made become an atheist; so that he was faine
to make a recantation vppon this text, 'The foole hath said in his heart
there is no God.'"--"This [the name in cipher] learned all Marloe by
heart."--"Marloe was stabd with a dagger and dyed swearing."

No. III.

A NOTE[680]

CONTAYNINGE THE OPINION OF ONE CHRISTOFER MARYLE, CONCERNYNGE HIS
DAMNABLE OPINIONS AND JUDGMENT OF RELYGION AND SCORNE OF GODS WORDE.

FROM MS. HARL. 6853, FOL. 320.

That the Indians and many Authors of Antiquitei have assuredly written
of aboue 16 thowsande yeers agone, wher Adam is proved to have leyved
within 6 thowsande yeers.

_He affirmeth_[681] That Moyses was but a Juggler, and that one Heriots
can do more then hee.

That Moyses made the Jewes to travell fortie yeers in the wildernes
(which iorny might have ben don in lesse then one yeer) er they came to
the promised lande, to the intente that those whoe wer privei to most of
his subtileteis might perish, and so an everlastinge supersticion
remayne in the hartes of the people.

That the firste beginnynge of Religion was only to keep men in awe.

That it was an easye matter for Moyses, beinge brought up in all the
artes of the Egiptians, to abvse the Jewes, being a rvde and grosse
people.

* * * * * * * * * *
* * *[682]

That he [Christ] wa