vnbridled time Olde Age is lothd with folly ouer grown Yonge yeres dispisde cut of in sprowting prime Experience learne let elder lyues thee lead In lyuely yeres thy fickle steps to guide Least vnawares such vncoth paths thou tread Which filthy be thought pleasant to be eyde In calmest Seas the deepest Whorepooles bee In greenest Grasse the lurking Adder lyes With eger sting the sugerest sap wee see Smooth wordes deceiue learne therfore to bee wise FINIS Inuidus alterius rebus macrescit opimis THe greedy man whose hart with hate doth swell Because hee sees his neyghbors good estate Liues vncontent with what might serue him well And eftsoones seemes to blame sufficient fate This grudging gluton glut with goulden gayne To serue his vse although hee hath enough Repines at that which others get with payne So that himselfe therby hee doth abuse Hee thinkes that much which passeth by his claw And findes a fault for it through luckles hap Although the matter valueth scarce a straw Hee deemes it small of gaine that giues no sap Hee thinkes his store shall serue his senâ—lesse corse Or that no death at all hee deemes there bee Els would hee to his conscience haue remorse And seeke to liue content with his degree For what auayles to horde vp heapes of drosse Or seeke to please vnsaciate fond desire Considering that t is subiect vnto losse And wee therby yll got deserues Hell fire From which O Lord conduct vs with thy hand And giue vs grace to liue vnto thy prayse Preserue our Queene his subiects and her land And graunt in peace shee raigne here Nestors dayes FINIS The reward of Whoredome by the fall of Helen FRom Limbo Lake where dismall féendes do lye Where Pluto raignes perpend Helenas cry Where firy flames where pittious howlings bee Where bodyes burne from thence giue eare to mee I am Helena shée for whose vilde filthy fact The stately Towers of Troy the hauty Grecians sacte High Troy whose pompe throughout the world did sound In Cinders low through mee was layd on ground Kinge Priamus through mée did end his life And Troians all almost I was the cause of strife I am that Dame whose beauty passing braue Dame Venus praysde the golden Pome to haue Whose feature forste Sir Paris boyling brest To leaue his land and seeke to be my guest That trull which tost the surging Seas a maine From Grecian shoare to Troy vnto my paine That flurt whose gallant sproutinge prime Through vilde abuse â–ª was scorcht ere auncient time I vertue shund I lothd a modest mynde I wayd not fame my beauty made mee blinde Each braue delight my masking minde allurde My fancy déemed my beauties gloze assurde Such worthy fame did sound of Helens hue Although my déedes reapt shame and guerdon due In gorgious plumes I maskt puft vp with pride In braue delights I liu'd my fancy was my guide But fie of filth your world is all but vayne Your pomp consumes your deeds shall guerdon gaine See here by mee whose beauty might haue boast For splendant hue throughout each forrain coast But what preuayles to vaunt of beauties glose Or brag of pride wheron dishonor growes If I had vsde my gifts in vertues lore And modest liud my prayse had bin the more Where now too late I lothe my life lewd spent And wish I had with vertue bin content FINIS T. P. A Louers lyfe THe tedious toyle the cares which Louers taste The troubled thoughts which moues their mindes to feare The pinching pangs the dole which seemes to waste Their lothsome life déepe plungd in gulfes of care Would mooue ech shun such snares of vayne delight Which irksome be though pleasant to the sight The minde full fraught with care enioyes no ease A boyling brest desires vnlawfull lust The hart would haue what best the minde doth please And fancy craues the thing which is vniust Beside eche frown which eftsoones moues them déeme They abiect are if sad their Louers séeme Or if occasion shun their vsuall sight Not seene they thinke themselues vnminded bée And then in dumps as mazd they leaue delight And yéeld to greefe till one eche others see So that with feare their mindes are alwayes fraught That liue in loue experience some hath taught Eche lowring frown from mirth doth moue the minde One iesting worde procures a thousand woes So that lyke gréefe or more through sight they finde Then absence sure such cares fro fancy flowes Such goring gripes such heapes of hideous harmes Such sorowing sobs from daunted louers swarmes Rosamond a spowsed Dame her husbands death procurde For speaking but a worde in iest Itrascus too full thyrty yeares indurde The panges of loue within his boyling brest So that in gréefe they harbor still their mindes are cloyd with care They diue in dole they plunge in payne liue in cruell feare And diuers moe as Axeres whose beauty passing faire So Iphis hart and boyling brest allurde That for her sake hée liude in extreame care And cruell gréefe while breathing breath indurde But at the length disdayne vpon a trée Hée honge himselfe where shâ—e his corps might sée FINIS ¶ A Louer approuing his Lady vnkinde Is forsed vnwilling to vtter his minde Willow willow willow singe all of gréene willow Sing all of gréene willow shall bée my Garland MY loue what mislyking in mée do you finde Sing all of gréene willow That on such a soddayn you alter your minde Sing willow willow willow What cause doth compell you so fickle to bée Willow willow willow willow In hart which you plighted most loyall to mée Willow willow willow willow I faythfully fixed my fayth to remayne Sing all of gréene willow In hope I as constant should finde you agayne Sing willow willow willow But periurde as Iason you faythlesse I finde Which makes mee vnwilling to vtter my minde Willow willow willow singe all of gréene willow Sing all of greene willow shall bee my Garland Your beauty braue decked with showes gallant gay Sing all of greene willow Allured my fancy I could not say nay Sing willow willow willow Your phrases fine philed did force mée agrée Willow willow willow willow In hope as you promis'd you loyall would bée Willow willow willow willow But now you be frisking you list not abide Sing all of greene willow Your vow most vnconstant and faythlesse is tride Sing willow willow willow Your wordes are vncertayne not trusty you stand Which makes mée to weare the willow Garland Willow willow willow sing all of greene willow Sing all of gréene willow shall bée my Garland Hath Light of loue luld you so softe in her lap Sing all of gréene willow Hath fancy prouokte you did loue you intrap Sing willow willow willow That now you be flurting and will not abide Willow willow willow willow To mée which most trusty in time should haue tride Willow willow willow willow Is modest demeanure thus turnd to vntrust Sing all of greene willow Are
own while I haue liuing breath What heapes of haples hopes on me shall chance to fall So thou doo liue in blisfull state no force for mée at all Amid my greatest greefe the greatest care I haue Is how to wish and will thée good and most thy honor saue Bee faythfull found therfore bée constant true and iust If thou betray thy louing fréend whom hensforth shall I trust When shal I speake with thee when shal I thee imbrace When will the gods appease their wrath when shal I haue sutch grace Hath Ioue forgotten dame Lede for loue and how hee prayed her Transformed like a swan at length the séely soule hee trayde her When faire fresh Danae was closed vp in tower Did hee not raine himselfe a drop amidst the golden shower And fell into her lap from top of chimney hiâ— The great delight of his long loue hee did attaine thereby What cruell gods be these what trespasse haue I doone That I am banisht thus from thee what conquest haue they woon I know their power deuine can for a while remooue mee But whilsâ—e I liue and after death my soule shall likewise loue thée Not Alcumena shee for whom the treble night Was shaped first can well compare with thee for bewty bright Not Troylus sister too whom cruell Pirrhus slew Nor shee the price of ten yeres wars whom yet the Grekes do rew Nor shee Penelope whose chastnes wan her fame Can match with thee Rosina chaste I see her blush for shame The childe of mighty Ioue that bred within his braine Shall yeeld the palme of filed speche to thee that doth her staine And euery wight on earth that liuing breath do draw Lo here your queene sent from aboue to kepe you all in awe But nowe I fine my talke I finde my wits to dull There liueth none that can set forth thy vertues at the ful Yet this I dare well say and dare it to auowe The Gods do feare Rosinas shape and bewty doth alowe In Tantalus toyle I liue and want that most I would With wishing vowes I speake I pray yet lacke the thing I should I sée that I do want I reach it runnes mée fro I haue and lacke that I loue most and lothest to forgo But oh Rosanna dere since time of my exile How hast thou done and doost thou liue how hast thou spent the while How standeth health with thée and art thou glad of chere God graunt those happy restful dayes increase may still each yere If any gréefe or care do vex thy wofull hart Then God I pray to giue thée ease and swagement of thy smart Yet this I doo desire that thou be found to abide A freend euen such as shal mislike with sodaine change to slide If pleasure now thou hast to spend the dreiry day Read then this pistle of my hande to driue the time away If all thy freendes aliue would from thy frendship swarue A thousand deathes I do desire in wretched state to starue If I amongst the rest should alter so my minde Or thou shouldest charge I promise brake or els am found vnkinde Though Argus ielus eyes that daily on vs tend Forbid vs meat and speech also or message for to send A time will come to passe and thinke it not to long That thou and I shall ioyne in ioy and wreake vs of our wrong Which time I would abide though time too long doth try mee In hope againe when time shal serue thou wilt not then deny mee Thus hope doth mee vpholde for hope of after blisse And lose therby my present ioy in hoping still for this I doo commend to thee my life and all I haue Commaund them both as thee best likes to lose or els to saue I am no more mine owne but thine to vse at will Thesame is thine without desert if thou mee seke to kill Bee glad thou litle quere my mystresse shall thee see Fall flat to ground before her face and at her feet doo lie Waste not to rise againe nor doo her not withstand If of her bounty shee vouchsafe to rayse thee with her hand Say thy maister sent thee and humbly for mée greete her Thou knowest my selfe doth wish full ofte to be in place to meete her If any worde in this hath scapte and doo her greeue A pardon craue vpon thy knee and pray her to forgeue A giltles hand it wrote thou mayst be bolde to tell No minde of malice did mee moue her self doth know it well Thou canst and I deserue make glad my wofull sprite I craue no answer to thy payne nor force thee for to write It should suffise if thou voutchsafe to reade the same This pistle then if thou mislyke condemne it to the flame But now there néedes no more I will this pistle ende Estéeme Narsetus alwayes well that is thy faythfull fréend FINIS The Louer forsaken writeth to his Lady a desperate Farwell EUen hée that whilome was thy faithful fréend most iust That thrise thrée yéeres hath spent past reposing all his trust In thy bewayling words that séemed sugar swéet The selfsame man vnwillingly doth with these lines thée greet I can not speake with thee and speaking is but paine To speake and pray and not to speede too fruitles were the gayne Inforste therfore I write and now vnfolde my minde I loue and like as earst I did I am not yet declinde Though time that trieth all hath turnde the loue you ought No changing time could alter mee or wrest awry my thought And sure I doo mislyke that wemen choose to change Ungratefull folkes I do detest as monsters foule and strange Sith first I did you know I neuer spake the thing That did intend you to beguile or might repentance bring Thrise hath my pen falne downe vpon this paper pale And scantly can my hart consent to write to thee this tale Least hasty Iudgmentes might misdeeme my giltles minde To charge that malice moues my spéech or some new frend to finde The gods I vouch to ayd who knowes the troth I ment To swarue or fleet from that I vowed was neuer my intent But as the Courser fearce by pearcing spur doth run So thy desertes enforce mée now to see this worke begun Would God I had no cause to leaue that I did loue Or lothe the thing that likt mee so nor this mishap to proue But sith no thing in earth in one estate can bide Why striue I then against the streame or toyle against the tide And haue you now forgot how many yéeres I sought To get your grace with whot good will how dearly I it bought There is no one aliue that nature euer made That hath such giftes of vertues race and such vntroth doth shade If fayth might haue bin found within a womans brest I did beleeue within thy hart shee chose her place to rest Unskilful though I bee and cannot best deserne Where craft for troth doth preace in place yet am
this to bee true that now too true I proue But litle troth in womens breast and fleeting in their loue God graunt each wight on earth that serues with faythfull minde A better hap and that hee may a truer Mystrisse finde FINIS The Louer in distresse exclaymeth agaynst Fortune HOw can the criple get in running race the game Or hee in fight defend himselfe whose armes are broken lame How can th' imprisoned man whofe legs be wrapt in chaynes Thinke this his life a pleasant time who knoweth nothing but paines So how can I reioyse that haue no pleasant thing That may reuiue my doulfull sprits or cause mee for to singe My legs be lame to goe mine armes cannot embrace My hart is sore mine eyes bée blinde for lacke of Fortunes grace All this is Fortunes fault that keepes these sences so Shée may aduaunce them if shée list and rid them of this wo. It is her cruell will alwayes on mee to lower To kepe froÌ„ mée her pleasant giftes to make mée know her power Alas alas fiâ— Fortune fâ—e why art thou so vnkinde To mée that fayne would bée thy sonne and euer in thy minde Now doo I thée beséech with pleasures mée to frayght To temper this my wofull life or els to kill mée strayght FINIS An other complaint on Fortune IN doubtful dreading thoughts as I gan call to minde This world and eke the pleasures al that Adams children finde A place of pleasant hew appeared to my thought Where I might sée the wonderous works which nature for vs wrought All things of any price approched to my sight And still me thought that each man had that was his most delight The riche man hath his ioy his riches to imbrace So hath the huntesman his desire to haue the Hart in chace And other haue their sporte to sée the Falcon flee And some also in Princes court in fauor for to bée The warring Knight at will an horse doth run his race And eke the louer in his armes his Lady doth embrace When that I sée eche man enioy his whole delite Saue I alas poore cursed man whom Fortune doth so spite I fall straight to the ground amazed with much griefe With blouddy strokes vpon my brest I striue to rid my lief And thus I thinke how can fayre pictures those delight Whom nature from their tender age defrauded of their sight FINIS ¶ The louer beeing newly cought in Cupids snares complayneth on the Gods of loue and compareth his greefe as followeth THe hugie heape of cares that in this world I finde The sodayne sighes that sore molest my hart The foolish fansies that still run in my minde Makes mée to lay all ioy and myrth apart Lamenting still the causes of my smart But oh alas the more I wéepe and wayle The more my gréefe to mée séemes to preuayle The more I seeke my pinchinge panges to swage By diuers wayes such as I thinke be best The more it frets the more it gins to rage So that my senceles head can take no rest Ah seely wretch what doth thee thus mollest Or what doth thus perturbe thy restlesse braynes And from thy harte all worldly ioye detaynes Alas what this should bee I can not tell My youthfull yeares can skill of no such change But if some vgly shape of fury fell Or wicked wight that in this world doth range Hath witched mee with this disease so strange Or Cupid with his force of cruell dart Hath stricken mee and wounded thus my hart Hath Cupid then sutch power on mortall wightes And strikes the blinded boy his dart so sure That no man can auoyd his subtill sâ—ightes Nor ought agaynst his fury may indure Hath Venus force men thus for to allure And why then doth shée not her sonne commaund To shoote alike and strike with equall hand Is this the guise of powers that raigne aboue Us séely soules in snares thus for to trap And care they not to yéeld vs death for loue Ioy they in woes our corses for to trap And passe they not what vnto vs doth hap Can Gods aboue to man beare any hate Or doo they mocke and iest at our estate Ah foolish foole what fancy rules thy head Or what doth cause thée now this talke to moue What fury fell doth thée poore wretch now lead To rayle on all the Gods doth it behooue Sith it is only Cupid God of loue That guiltlesse shee with stroke of goulden shafte Hath wounded thus and thee of ioyes berafte Euen as the slender Barke that long is tost By surging waues cast vp from deepest seas And Saylars still in daunger to be lost Doo hale and pull in hope to take their ease When stormy fluds begin once to appease Euen so fare I beeing in Cupids power In hope at last to see that happy hower Wherin I shall my wished ioyes obtayne And placed bee within her gentill hart Then shall I take my sorrowes all for gayne When I haue her that causeth now my smart Then farewell Cupid with thy cruell darte And welcome shee that pearst mee with her sight Shee is my Ioy shee is my hartes delight FINIS The Louer extolleth aswell the rare vertues of his Lady beloued as also her incomparable beautie DEsire hath driuen from mée my will Or Cupids blase hath bleard mine eyes Knowledge mee fayles my sight is yll If kinde or cunning could deuise Nature to paynt in better plight To set her forth with red and white Or if men had Apelles arte Who could her mend in any parte Her face declares where fauor growes And telles vs heere is Beauties grace Her eyes hath power to binde and lose Her countenance may fréendes embrace Her cheekes be decte with bloud full fayre Her collour cleare as is the ayre Her haire her hand her foote also Hath wonne the praise where euer shée go Her lookes doo séeme to speake alone When that her lips remooue no whit Her inwarde vertues may be knowen By vsinge of her sober wit. Her iestures also cumly are My tongue lackes skill them to declare The rest of her that are vnnamed In perfect shapes are lyuely framed Now though that kinde hath set her forthe And natures workes shée hath possest Théese goodly giftes are litle worth If pitty dwelt not in her brest Oh God forbid such flowring youth Should bée mislyked for lacke of ruth For I with other might say then Lo this is shée that killeth men FINIS ¶ The Louers farewell at his departure perswadeth his beloued to constancie in his absence THough Fortune cannot fauor According to my will The proofe of my behauor Shall bée to loue you still Entending not to chaunge Whiles that my life doth last But still in loue to raunge Till youth and age be past Though I bée far you fro Yet in my fantacie I loue you and no mo Thinke this assuredly Your owne both true and iuste Alwayes you shall mée finde Wherfore of right you must Haue mée
likewise in minde And doo not mée forsake Though I doo tarry longe But take mée for your make I will not chaunge my songe Though absence now a while Do part vs thus in twayne Thinke neither craft nor gyle For I will come agayne The same man that I went. Both in my woorde and déede Though some men doo relent And grudge that I should spéed But if you doo remayne And do not fro mée starte My hart you doo attayne Till death vs two depart And thus farewell adew And play an honest parte And chaunge mée for no new Séeing that you haue my hart FINIS A propper Dittie To the tune of lusty Gallant THe glyttering showes of Floras dames Delightes not so my carefull minde Ne gathering of the fragrant flames That ofte in Floras Nimphes I finde Ne all the noates of Birdes so shryl Mellodiously in woods that singe Whose solemne Quâ—res the skyes doth fill With noate on noate that heauenly ringe The â—riâ—king Fish in streames that springe And sporte them on the riuers side The Hound the Hauke and euery thinge Wherin my ioyes did once abide Doth nothinge els but bréede my wo Sith that I want which I desier And death is eke become my fo Denying that I most requier But if that Fortunes fréendly grace Would graunt mine eyes to take the vew Of her whose porte and amorous face My senses all doth so subdew That raunging too and fro to gayne The pray that most delighteth mee At last I finde that bréedes me payne Shee flyes so fast it will not bee Then in my selfe with lingering thoughts A sodayne strife begins to gro I then doo wish such Birdes at noughts That from their louers flyeth so At last I see the Fowlars gin Prepared for this Birde and mée Then wisht I lo his hed therin So that my birde and I were frée FINIS ¶ The Louer perswadeth his beloued to beware the deceites and allurements of strange suters BE stedfast to thine owne As hée is vnto thée Regard not men vn knowen But loue thine owne truly For oft deceyts are sowen By them that vnknowen bée Wherfore cast of the rest And thine own loue thou best For though that their false suite Séeme pleasant in thine eare Thou knowst oft times ill fruit A pleasant trée doth beare If thou chaunce to repute A rotten Apple cleare Better to loue thine owne And forsake men vnknowne Thou doost well vnderstand These wordes not spoken seilde More suer a birde in hand Then twenty in the feild Thou knowest thine owne sure band And how that it hath helde Then chaunge it for no new But loue him that is trew If suters doo thee moue Or dayly to thée write Yet graunt to them no loue Their paynes for too requite But thinke it doth behooue Thée alwayes to doo right TheÌ„ must thou loue thine own And forsake men vnknowne This counsayle I thée giue As farforth as I can As I that whiles I liue Wilbée thine onely man. For sure it would mee gréene To see thée out of frame Or chaunge at any time Thine owne not to bee thine Thus written by thine owne To thee with all his harte Disiringe the vnknowen Of thee may haue no part For if sutch chaunge bee sowen No doubt thou killest my hart Wherfore I say beware Alwayes the vnknown snare FINIS ¶ The Lady beloued exclaymeth of the great vntruth of her louer WOuld god I had neuer séen the teares of thy false eyne Or els my eares ful deaf had bin That herd those words of thine Then should I not haue knowne Nor chosen to my part So many euils in one To kill my poore true hart As now in thée I finde Who bidst mee from thée go As false and full vnkinde Alas why doost thou so Was neuer man so false of othe To none as thou to mee Was neuer womaÌ„ of more troth Then I haue ben to thee And thou to leaue mee so And canst no iust cause tell But wilt thou spill with wo The hart that loues thee wel Mee thinkes that for my part I may speake in the same I say me thinkes thou art Euen very mâ—tch to blame Pardy it is but litle praise To thee that art a man To finde so many crafty wayes To fraude a poore woman At whom all women smile To see so fonde on thee And men although they wayle To see how thou vsest mee To lure mee to thy fist To ease thy feigned payne And euer when thou list To cast mee of agayne The wretched hound that spendes his dayes And serueth after kinde The Horse that tredeth y beaten ways As nature doth him binde In age yet findes releefe Of them that did him wo Who in their great mischeefe Disdayne not them to know Thus they for wo and smart Had ease vnto their paine But I for my true â—art Get nought but greefe agayne The weary and long night doth make mee dreame of thee And still me thinks with sight I see thee here with mee And then with open armes I strayne my pillow softe And as I close mine armes mee thinkes I kisse thee ofte But when at last I wake And finde mée mockte with dremes Alas with moone I make My teares run down like streames All they that here this same Wyll spit at thy false deede And bid fie on thy cursed name And on thy false seede That shewest so to the eye And bearest so false an hew And makest all women cry Lo how ye men be vntrew But yet to excuse thée now To them that would thee spot I le say it was not thou It was mine owne poore lot FINIS ¶ The Louer declareth his paynfull plight for his beloued sake SInce néedes ye will mee singe giue eare vnto the voyce Of mée pore man your bond seruant that knoweth not to reioyce Consider wel my care my paine and my vnrest Which thou with force of Cupids Dart hast grafted in my brest Heale and withdraw from mee the venim of that Darte Haue pitty and release this wo that doth consume my hart The greatnes of my greefe doth bid mee seeke release I seeke to finde to ease my payne yet doth my care encrease I cease not to beholde that doth augment my payne I sée my selfe I seeke my wo yet can I not refrayne That should my wo release doth most encrease the same The colde that should acquench the heat doth most enrage the flame My pleasure is my payne my game is most my greefe My cheefe delite doth worke my wo my hart is my releefe Sutch haps doth hap to them that happeth so to loue And hap most harde so fast to binde that nothing can remooue For when the harme is fixed and rooted in the hart No tongue can tell nor pen may write how greuous is the smart I haue thought loue but play vntill I felte the sore But now I felte a thousand greefes I neuer felt before To tell what paynes I bide if that I
which to late Compels vs to complayne The boast of Beauties brags And gloze of louing lookes Seduce mens mindes as fishes are Intic'd with bayted hookes Who simply thinking too Obtayne the pleasant pray Doth snatch at it and witlesse so Deuoures her owne decay Euen like the mindes of men Allurde with beauties bayt To heapes of harmes to carking care Are brought by such decaite Lothus by proofe it proou'd Perforce I needes must say That beauty vnto ruinous end Is as a pleasant way FINIS T.P. T. P. his Farewell vnto his faythfull and approoued freend F. S. FArewell my fréend whom fortune forste to fly I greeuâ— to here the lucklesse hap thou hast But what preuayles if so it helpe might I I would be prest therof be bold thou maste Yet sith time past may not be calde agayne Content thy selfe let reason thee perswade And hope for ease to counteruayle thy payne Thou art not first that hath a trespasse made Mourne not to much but rather ioy because God hath cut of thy will ere greater crime Wherby thou might the more incur the lawes And beare worse Brutes seduc'd by wicked prime Take héede my woordes let teach thée to be wise And learne thee shun that leades thy minde to ill Least béeing warnd when as experience tries Thou waylst to late the woes of wicked will. FINIS T. P. The History of Pyramus and Thisbie truely translated IN Babilon a stately seate of high and mighty Kinges Whose famous voice of ancient rule through all the world yet ringes Two great estates did whilom dwell and places ioyned so As but one wall eche princely place deuided other fro These Nobles two two children had for whom Dame Nature sought The déepest of her secret skill or shée their byrth had wrought For as their yeares in one agréed and beauty equall shone In bounty and lyke vertues all so were they there all one And as it pleased Nature then the one a sonne to frame So did the glad olde Father like him Pyramus to name Th' other a maide the mother would that shée then Thisbie hight With no smal blisse of parents al who came to ioy the sight I ouerslip what sodaine frights how often feare there was And what the care each creature had ere they did ouerpas What paynes ensue what the stormes in pearced harts that dwel And therfore know what babe mother whose chast subtil braÌ„d No earthly hart ne when they lust no God hath yet withstand Ere seuen yeres these infants harts they haue with loue opprest Though litle know their tender age what causeth their vnrest Yet they poore fooles vntaught to loue or how to lesse their payne With well contented mindes receiue and prime of loue sustayne No pastime can they elswhere finde but twayn themselues alone For other playfeares sport God wot with them is reckend none Ioy were to here their prety wordes and swéet mamtam to sée And how all day they passe the time till darknes dimmes the skye But then the heauy cheare they make when forst is their farwell Declares such gréefe as none would thinke in so yong brests could dwell Ye looke how long that any let doth kepe them two a sunder Their mourning harts no ioy may glad that heuens the passeth vnder And when agayn they efte repayre and ioyfull méeting make Yet know they not the cause therof ne why their sorowes slake With sight they feede their fancies then and more it still deâ—â—re Ye more they haue nor want they finde of sight they so require And thus in tender impe spronge vp this loue vpstarteth still For more their yeres much more the flame that doth their fancies fill And where before their infants age gaue no suspect at all Now needefull is with weary eye to watchfull minde they call Their whole estate it to guide in such wise orderly As of their secret swéete desires ill tongues no light espy And so they did but hard God wot are flames of fire to hide Much more to cause a louers hart within it bounds to finde For neither colde their mindes consent so quench of loue the rage Nor they at yeres the least twise seuen their passions so aswage But that to Thisbes Mothers eares some spark therof were blowen Let Mothers iudg her pacience now til shée the whole haue knoweÌ„ And so by wily wayes shée wrought to her no litle care That forth shée found their whole deuise and how they were in snare Great is her gréefe though smal the cause if other cause ne were For why a meeter match then they might hap no other where But now tween Fathers though the cause mine Auctor nothing els Such inward rancor risen is and so it daily swels As hope of fréendship to be had is none alas the while Ne any loueday to be made their mallice to begyle Wherfore straight charge straight giuen is with fathers frowning chere That message worde ne token els what euer that it were Should froÌ„ their foe to Thisbee passe Pyramus fréends likewise No lesse expresse commaundement doo for their sonne deuise And yet not thus content alas eche Father doth ordayne A secret watch and bounde a point wherin they shall remayne Sight is forbid restrained are wordes for scalde is all deuise That should their poore afflicted mindes reioyce in any wise Though pyning loue gaue cause before of many carefull yll Yet dayly sithe amended all at least well pleased them still But now what depth of deepe distresse may they indrowned bee That now in dayes twise twenty tolde eche other once shall see Curst is their face so cry they ofte and happy death they call Come death come wished death at once and rid vs life and all And where before Dame Kinde her selfe did wonder to beholde Her highe bequests within their shape Dame Beauty did vnfold Now doth shee maruel much and say how faded is that red And how is spent that white so pure it wont to ouerspred For now late lusty Piramus more fresh then flower in May As one forlorne with constant minde doth seeke his ending day Since Thisbe mine is lost sayth hee I haue no more to lose Wherfore make speed thou happy hand these eyes of mine shall close Abasid is his princely port cast of his regall weede Forsaken are assemblies all and lothed the foming steed No ioy may pearce his pensiue mynde vnlesse a wofull brest May ioyed bee with swarmes of care in haples hart that rest And thus poore Piramus distrest of humaine succor all Deuoyd to Venus Temple goes and prostrate downe doth fal And there of her with hart I korue and sore tormented mindes Thus askes hee ayd and of his woes the Fardell thus vnbindes O Great Goddesse of whose immortal fire Uertue in Erbe might neuer quench the flame Ne mortall sence yet to such skill aspire As for loues hurt a medecine once to name With what deare price my carefull pyned ghost Hath tried