dolefull case Where walkes no wight but I alone in drewsie desart place And there I empt my laden hart that sweld in fretting mone My sighes and playnts and panges I tell vnto my selfe alone What shall I say doo aske mee once why all these sorowes bee â–ª I answere true O foe or freend they all are made for thee Once knit the lynck that loue may last then shal my dollors ceasâ— It lyes in thee and wilt thou not the yeelding wight release O would to God it lay in mée to cure such gréefe of thine Thou shouldst not long be voyd of helpe if t were in power of mine But I would run range in stormes a thousand miles in payne Not fearing foyle of freends to haue my couÌ„tenance whole agayn And wilt thou then all mercylesse more longer torment mee In drawing backe sith my good helpe is only whole in thée Then send mée close y hewing knife my wider wound to stratch And thou shalt see by wofull gréefe of life a cleane dispatch When thou shalt say and prooue it true my hart entirely lou'd Which lost the life for countnance swéet froÌ„ whoÌ„ hée neuer mou'd Write then vpon my wofull Tombe these verses grauen aboue Heere lyes the hart his truth to trie that lost his life in loue Loe saue or spill thou mayst mee now thou sitst in iudgment hie Where I poore man at Bar doo stand and lowd for life doo cry Thou wilt not bée so mercylesse to slea a louing hart â–ª Small prayse it is to conquer him that durst no where to start Thou hast the sword that cut the wound of my vnholâ—en payne Thou canst and art the only helpe to heale the same agayne Then heale the hart that loues theé well vntill the day hée dye And firmely fast thy loue on him that 's true continually In thée my wealth in thee my woe in thée too saue or spill In thee mee lyfe in thee my death doth rest to worke thy will. Let vertue myxt with pitty great and louing mercy saue Him who without thy salue so sicke that hee must yeeld to graue O salue thou then my secret sore sith health in thee dooth stay And grauÌ„t with speed my iust request whose want works my decay Then shal I blesse the pleasaÌ„t place where once I tooke thy gloue And thanke the God who giues thée grace to grauÌ„t me loue for loue FINIS ¶ A louing Epistle written by Ruphilus a yonge Gentilman to his best beloued Lady Elriza as followeth TWice hath my quaking hand withdrawen this pen away And twice againe it gladly would before I dare béewray The secret shrined thoughts that in my hart do dwell That neuer wight as yet hath wist nor I desire to tell But as the smoothered cole doth wast and still consume And outwardly doth geue no heate of burnyng blaze or fume So hath my hidden harmes béen harbred in my corpce Till faintyng limmes and life and all had welnigh lost his force Yet stand I halfe in doubt whiche of these two to choose To hide my harmes still to my hurt or els this thraldome loose I will lay feare aside and so my tale beginne Who neuer durst assaile his foe did neuer conquest win Lo here my cause of care to thée vnfolde I will Help thou Minerua graunt I pray some of thy learned skill Help all you Muses nine my wofull Pen to write So stuffe my verse with pleasant wordes as she may haue delight With héedyng eares to reade my gréeif and great vnrest Some wordes of plaint may moue perhaps to pitty my request Oft haue I hard complaint how Cupid beares a sway In brittle youth and would commaund and how they did obay When I with skorning eares did all their talke dispise But well I see the blinded boy in lurking den hée lies To catch the careles sorte awayting with his Darte Hée threw at mée when I vnwares was wounded to the harte To speake and pray for helpe now loue hath mée constrainde And makes mée yéeld to serue the sorte that lately I disdainde Sith beggars haue no choyce nor néede had euer law The subiecte Oxe doth like his yoke when hée is driuen to draw That Ruphilus this wrote thou wonder wilt I know Cause neuer erst in louinge vearse my labor I bestowe Well woful loue is mine and wéeping lines I wright And doubtfull wordes with driery chéere beséemes a careful wight O thou Elrisa fayre the beuty of thine eyes Hath bred such bale within my drest and cau'sde such strife to ryse As I can not forget vntill deuouring death Shal leaue to mee a senceles goast and rid my longer breath Or at the least that thou doo graunt mée some releefe To ease the gréedy gripes I féele and end my great mischéefe As due to mee by right I can no mercy craue Thou hast the power to graunt mée life refuse not for to saue Put to thy helping hand to salue the wounded sore Though thou refuse it for my sake yet make thine honour more Too cruell were the facte if thou shouldst séeke to kill Thy faythful fréend that loues thee so and doth demaund no ill Thy heauenly shape I saw thy passing bewty bright Enforst mée to assay the bayt where now my bane I bight I nought repent my loue nor yet forthinke my facte The Gods I know were all agreed and secretly compacte To frame a worke of prayse to show their power deuine By good aduice this on the earth aboue the rest to shine Whose perfecte shape is such as Cupid feares his fall And euery wight that hath her séene I say not one but all With one consent they cry lo here dame Venus ayer Not Danae nor shée dame Lede was euer halfe so faire Though Princes sue for grace and ech one do thee woo Mislyke not this my meane estate wherwith I can nought doo As highest seates wee sée be subiect to most winde So base and poore estates we know be hateful to the minde The happy meane is mine which I do haply holde Thy honor is to yéeld for loue and not for heape of golde If euer thou hast felte the bitter panges that stinges A louers brâ—st or knowest the â—ares that Cupid on vs flinges Then pitty my request and wayle my wofull case Whose life to death with hasty whéeles doo toumble on apace Uouchsafe to â—ase the paine that loue on mée doth whelme Let not thy freend to shipwracke go sith thou doost hold his helme Who yeelâ—eth all hée hath as subiect to thy will If thou commaund hée doth obey and all thy heastes fulfill But if thou call to minde when I did part thee fro What was the cause of my exile and why I did forgo The happy life I held and lost there with thy sight Well mayst thou wayle thy want of troth rue thy great vnright If thou be found to fayle thy vow that thou hast sworne Or that one iot of my good will out of thy
minde be worne Or if my absence long to thy disgrace hath wrought mée Or hindering tales of my back fréends vnto such state hath brought mée I can and will accurse the cause of my ill spéede But well I hope my feare is more then is the thing indéede Yet blame mée not though I doo stand somewhat in feare The cause is great of my exile which hardly I do beare Who hath a sternles ship amidst the trustles Seaes Full gréedely desires the porte where hée may ride at ease Thy bewty bids mee trust vnto thy promise past My absence longe and not to speake doth make mee doubt as fast For as the sommers sonne doth make eche thing to spring Euen so the frosen winters blast as deadly doth them wring Unsuer thus I liue in dreade I wot not why Yet was there neuer day so bright but there be cloudes in sky Who hath of puer Golde a running streame or flud And is restraind for comming nigh this treasure great and good Hee must abide a time till Fortune graunt him grace That hee haue power by force to win his riche desired place I neede not thus to doo nor yet so much mistrust I know no time can change thy minde or make thée bée vniust No more then water soft can stir a stedfast rocke Or seely flyes vpon their backes can beare away a blocke Eche beast on earth wée sée that liuing breath doth draw Bée faythfull found vnto their mates and keepes of loue the law My wretched life to ease when I doo seke to turne Thy bewty bright doth kindle mee in greater flame to burne No day no night nor time that geues mee mirth or rest Awake asleape and at my meales thou doost torment my brest Though weary lothsome lyfe in care and wo haue clad mee Remembrance of thy heauenly face giues cause again to glad mée Thus Ioyfull thoughtes a while doth lessen much my payne But after calme and â—ayer tides the stormes do come agayne And I in cares doo flame to thinke of my exile That I am barred from thy sight I curse and ban the while Would God I had the craft a Laborinth to frame And also had a Mynotaure inclosed in thesame And that our enemies all might therin take some paine Till Dedales line I did them bringe to helpe them out againe Then should my sorowes seace and drowne my deepe dispaire Then should my life be blest with Ioyes and raisde aboue the ayre â–ª But as the mazed birde for feare dare skantly fly When hee hath scapte the Falcons foote euen so I know should I Scarse able be to speake or any word to say Least Argus wayting ielous eyes might haply mée bewray But oh Elrisa mine why doo I stir such war Within my selfe to thinke of this and yet thy loue so far Why rather should not I giue vp the life I haue And yeeld my weary wretched corps vnto the gaping grau If I hopte not that thou with faith didst binde thy life This hand of mine with bloody sworde should stint my cruel strife â–ª No length of lingring time no distance can remooue The fayth that I haue haue vowed to thée nor alter once my loue Beleeue this to bee true that streames shall soner turne Or frosen Ice to fier coales on blasing flame to burne Then I will seke to change or alter once my minde All plagues I pray may fall on me if I be found vnkinde Or if I meane to swarue while I haue liuing breath God graunt my end then may be such as Agamemnons death I wish thy life no harme but yet I woulde thou knew The wofull ende that Cressed made because shee was vntrue These angry gods or men asonder that doo set vs Shal neuer pearce our mindes in twaine nor eke to loue can let vs As well they may deuide the fier from the flame And euery beast that now is wilde as soone shal be made tame Let not this pistle long my sute with thee deface Who pleadeth for his life thou knowest at large must tel his case And all these wordes I write to one effect do tende I am all thine and not mine owne and herewithal to ende I pray thee to regarde thy health and my request And that my loue doo neuer fleet out of thy secret brest FINIS ¶ NARSETVS a wofull youth in his exile writeth to Rosana his beloued mistresse to assure her of his faithfull constancie requiring the like of her TO stay thy musinge minde hee did this pistle frame That holds the deere loues thee most Narsetus is his name Would God thy frend had brought the health that here he sendes I should haue seene my lacking ioy and heale that hart that rendes And redy is eche hower to sunder still in twaine Saue now this pistle that I write doth lessen wel my paine And helpes mee to vpholde a lingring lothsome life Awaiting still the blisfull hower when death shall stinte the strife What dooth it mee preuaile to haue king Cresus wealth Or who doth ioy in golden Giues imprisoned with his health I sweare by Ioue to thee whose godhead is aye iust These wordes I write are not vntrue then do mee not mist rust Thy selfe shal be the iudge and if thou list to vewe The bared bones the hollow lookes the pale and ledy hew The stealing strides I draw the wo and dreadfull feares The boyling brest with bitter brine the eyes be sprent with teares The skant and hungry meales the seldome slepe I take The dainty dames that others ioy â—o iest to mee do make These hated hatefull harmes when I them feele to greeue mee Remembrance of thy beuty bright doth straight again releeue mee And then I cal to minde thy shape and cumly grace Thy heauenly hew thy sugred words thy sweet entising face The pleasant passed sportes that spent the day to ende The lothsom lookes that liked not to leue so soone thy freend Sith froward fortune hath my Mystresse thus bereâ—t mee Perforce I yéeld and am content to like the lot is left mée If Pyramus were sad when hée found Thisby slayne If Cresseds craft and falsing fayth did Troylus turne to payne Eneas traytor false oh treason that hée did With bloody woundes and murdering sword Quéene Didos lyfe hath riâ— If these haue won by death and end of pyning payne And I aliue with torments great in dying deathes remaine The sound of instruments or musicke 's pleasant noyce Or riches rule or proude estate doth cause mée to reioyce Or Venus damsels deere do please mée euen as well As dying bodies ioy to here for them a passing bell The greefes that gripe my hart and dayly do mée slay It lessen would much of the smart if thou vouchsafe to say God graunt his weary life and sorrowes to asswage God yeeld him health and happy dayes with honor in his age These wordes would win my life dispaired now to death Thou should but saue that is thine
morning light here present eft to bée To this full fayne would Pyramus replyed haue agayne But part as néede inforst they must as they did ordayne Ere mornings dawne they doo arise straight repayre they then Unto the fore appoynted place Pyrame thus began MYne entyer soule what prison dollours What hard distresse and rare deuysed woes Of mée thine owne thy captiue Pyramus Haue so sought this life from boddy to vnlose Hard were to tell the tenth that haue it strained With thought hereof great wonders mée amaze How my poore lyfe the halfe may haue sustayned O Thisbie mine owne whom it only stayes And at whose will the fates doo lend mée breath Yet may I not the fatall stroke eschew Ne scape the dinte of fast pursuing death Onles your bounty present mercy shew And this I trust there may no ielous thought Haue any place within my Thisbies brest To cause her déeme I am or may be caught With loue but hers wheron my life doth rest No bée assured for yours I onely taste Yours was the first and shall bée first and last Why my most swéet quoth Thisbie then agayne I doubt not I but know ye are all true Or how may cause of your vndoubted payne With her be hyd who hourely as it grew None other felt but euen what yée haue had Yet thinke not swéet I taste your gréefes alone Or make estéeme as yée of mée haue made But ten times more if that more wo begone Might euer bee a wretched maydens brest Where neuer yet one iot of ioy might rest Well then my ioy quoth Pyrame since yée please With so greater loue to guerdon my good will Safe am I now but great were mine ease If more at full I might my fancy fill With nearer sight of your most pleasant face Or if I might your dayntie fingers straine Or as I woont your body once embrace What say I ease nay heauen then were my gayne Howbeit in vayne in vayne ay mée I waste Both worde and winde woes mée alas therfore For neuer shall my hart O Thisbie taste So great an hap nor neuer shall wée more In folded armes as woont were to bewray Eche others state ne neuer get the grace Of any ioy vnlesse wée doo assay To finde some meane for other méeting place Beholde alas this wicked cruell wall Whose cursed scyte denayeth vs perfect sight Much more the hap of other ease at all What if I should by force as well one might And yet deserues it batter flat to ground And open so an issue large to make Yet feare I sore this sooner will redownde To our reproche if it I vndertake As glad I would then vs to helpe or ayde Swéet hart quoth shee wherwith shée stopt his tale This standes full yll to purpose to be made And time it askes too long for to preuayle Without suspect to flat or batter euen Naythlesse yée this or what ye can deuise For our repayre by thought that may be driuen Say but the meane I will none otherwise Yée Thisbie mine in sooth and say you so â–ª Quoth Pyramus well then I doo you know Where King Minus lyes buried long ago Whose auncient Tombe aboue doth ouergrow A Mulbery with braunches making shade Of pleasant show the place right large about There if yée please when slepe hath ouerlade And with his might the Cittie seas'de throughout At the same Well whose siluer streames then runne And softe as silke conserue the tender gréene With hue so fresh as springtied spent and dunne No winters wéede hath power to bée séene Without suspect or feare of foule report There goddesse mine wee salfely may resort TO this shee said what shée best thought and oft and oft agayne Was talke renued but yet at last for ease of euery payne And death to eschue by other meane who will them not forsake At Minus Tombe euen the same night they do their méeting make And so depart but fore God wot that day doth them offend And though but short his long abode the feare will neuer end And sooner doth not cloake of night alofte his shadow cast But Thisbie mindefull of her loue and promis lately past Of fresh new loue far fiercer flames that erst her hart opprest Shée féelth the force and this alas deuorced stil from rest Shée passeth forth in carefull watch till time haue shapen so That sâ—epe with sweet soft stealing steps his customd vsage do And when shée séeth both house and all drownd therin fast déepe With fearful pace trimbling hand shée forwards gins to creepe Shee gaines the doore out goeth she then neyther far ne neare Appeareth wyght saue Phebe fayre with gladsom seeming cheare Sole Thisbie ioyfull of this guyde doth ay I trust it bee Good lucke thy presence doth import and bring at last to mee More hardyer then before shee did prouoke her foote to hast No obiect giues her cause of let till shee the towne haue past And when shee seeth the pleasant fields in safetie to haue gayned Then ioy therof all dread deuoures which erst her only payned What wil ye more th' appointed place at length she doth attayne Till Fortune please her loue to send there minding to remayne And whiles shee doth the fouÌ„tayn cleare with thoughtful hope behold And euery let her loue may stay vnto her selfe vnfolde A dreadfull Lyon downe desendes from Mountaine huge therby With thundring pace whose sodain sight wheÌ„ Thisbie can espy No maruel was though terror then straungenes of the sight Within a simple maydens brest all counsayle put to flight Howbeit though counsayle fayld yet feare so did that place possesse That as the tender brest whose age no feare did yet oppresse Now seeth his foe with rauening Iaw him ready to receaue Sets winges vnto his littell legs himselfe poore foole to saue Euen so this Mayd her enemy flees vnto a hollow trée For succor flyes whose ruthful mone did succor not denye But close her keepes The Liones fearce that in the Mountayne wilde Deuoured had new slaughtred beastes empty belly filde With moossell all embrude with blood drawes to the cristal Well Hee dranke and in his backe returne this fatall hap befell Amid this way a kercheife white which frighted Thisbie had Let fall by chaunce as feare and haste vnto the tree her lad This Lion findes and with his mouth yet smoaking all in gore â–ª And armid pawes it staynes with blood and all in sunder tore That doone away hee windes as fier of Hell or Vulcans thunder Blew in his tayle or as his corps it seas â–ª d to teare a sunder Now Pyramus who could not earst the wrathfull house forgo Hath past the towne and as hee drew the Fountayn neare vnto The cloth hee spies which when alas all stained so hee saw In sunder tore the ground about full traste with Lyons paw The Siluer streames with strekes of blood besprent and troubled new And there again that cursed trace the woful