Poetical blossomes by A.C.

THE TRAGICALL HISTORIE OF PYRAMVS and THISBE.

WHere Babilons high Walls erected were By mighty NINVS wife; two houses 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪ One THISBE liv'd in, PIRAMVS the fai•••• In th'other: Earth ne're boasted such a pai••e The very sencelesse walls themselves combin'd And grew in one; Iust like their Masters minde.

THISBE all other women did excell, The Queene of Love, lesse lovely was then shee. And PIRAMVS more sweet then tongue can tell, Nature grew proud in framing them so well. But VENVS enuying they so faire should bee, Bids her sonne CVPID shew his crueltie.

The all-subduing God his bow did bend, And doth prepare his most remorsl••sse dart, Which he vnseene vnto theyr hearts did send And so was Loue the cause of Be••uties end. But could he see, he had not wrought theyr smart For pitie sure, would haue o'recome his heart.

Like as a bird within a net is taine, By strugling more entangles in the ginne, So they who in loues Laborinth remaine, With striuing neuer can a freedome gaine. The way to enter's broad, but being in No art, no labour, can an exit win.

These Louers though theyr parents did reproue Theyr fires, and watch'd theyr deedes with iealousie, Though in these stormes no comfort could remoue The various doubts, and feares that coole hot loue. Though he nor hers, nor she his face could see, Yet this did not abolish loues decree.

For age had crackd the wall which did them part▪ This the vnanimate couple soone did spie, And heere their inward sorrowes did impart, Vnlading the sad burden of theyr heart. Though loue be blind, this shewes he can discrie A way to lessen his owne misery.

Oft to the friendly cranny they resort, And feede themselues with the coelestiall ayre, Of odoriferous breath; no other sport They could enioy, yet thinke the time but short. And wish that it againe renewed were To sucke each others breath for euer there.

Sometimes they did exclaime against theyr fate, And sometimes they accus'd imperiall IOVE, Sometimes repent theyr flames, but all too late▪ The arrow could not be recald, theyr state Ordained was, by IVPITER aboue, And CVPID had appointed they should loue.

They curst the wall which did theyr kisses part, And to the stones theyr dolorous words they sent, As if they saw the sorrow of theyr heart, And by theyr teares could vnderstand theyr smart: But it was hard, and knew not what they ment, Nor with theyr siths (alas) would it relent.

This in effect they sayd; Curs'd wall, O why Wilt thou our bodies seuer, whose true loue Breakes thorow all thy flinty cruelty: For both our soules so closely ioyned lie, That nought but angry death can them remoue, And though he part them yet they'l meete aboue.

Abortive teares from their faire eyes straight flow'd And dimm'd the lovely splendor of their sight, Which seem'd like TITAN, whilst some watry Cloud O'respreads his face, and his bright beames doth shrowd. Till VESPER chas'd away the conquered light, And forceth them (though loath) to bid Good-night.

But e're AVRORA, Vsher to the Day, Began with welcome lustre to appeare, The Lovers rise, and at that crannie they Thus to each other, their thoughts open lay: With many a Sith, many a speaking Teare, Whose griefe the pitying Morning blusht to heare.

Deare love (quoth PIRAMVS) how long shall wee Like fairest Flowers, not gathered in their Prime, Wast precious youth, and let advantage flee, Till wee bewayle (at last) our Crueltie Vpon our selves, for Beauty though it shine Like Day, will quickly find an Evening time.

Therefore (sweet THISBE) let vs meet this night At NINVS Tombe, without the City wall, Vnder the Mulberie-tree, with Berries white Abounding, there t'inioy our wish'd delight. For mounting Love stopp'd in his course doth fall, And long'd for yet vntested Ioy kills all.

What though our cruell parents angry bee? What though our friends (alas) are too vnkind? Time now propitious, may anon deny, And soone hold backe, fit oportunity. Who lets slip Fortune, her shall never find. Occasion once pass'd by, is bald behind.

She soone agreed to that which he requir'd, For little Wooing needs where both consent, What he so long had pleaded she desir'd, Which VENVS seeing, with blind Chance conspir'd, And many a charming accent to her sent, That she (at last) would frustrate their intent.

Thus Beauty is by beauties meanes vndone, Striuing to close these eyes that make her bright; Iust like the Moone, which seekes t'eclipse the Sun Whence all her splendor, all her beames, doe come: So she, who fetcheth lustre from theyr sight Doth purpose to destroy theyr glorious light.

Vnto the Mulberie-tree, Sweet THISBE came, Where hauing rested long (at last) she gan, Against her PIRAMVS for to exclaime, Whilst various thoughts turmoile her troubled braine. And imitating thus the sylver Swan, A little while before her Death shee sang.

THE SONG.

Come Love, why stayest thou? The night Will vanish, e're wee taste delight: The Moone obscures her selfe from sight Thou absent, whose Eyes give her light.

Come quickly Deare, bee briefe as time, Or wee by Morne shall bee o're tane: Loves Ioy's thine owne as well as mine, Spend not therefore, time in vaine.

Heere doubtfull thoughts broke off her pleasant Song Against her loue; for staying she gan crie, Her PIRAMVS shee thought did tarry long, And that his absence did her too much wrong. Then betwixt longing hope, and Iealousie, She feares, yet's loth, to tax his loyaltie.

Sometimes shee thinkes, that he hath her forsaken, Sometimes that danger hath befallen to him; Shee feares that he another loue hath taken, Which being but imagin'd, soone doth waken: Numberlesse thoughts, which on her heart doe fling Feares, that her future fate too truely sing.

Whilst shee thus musing sate, ranne from the wood An angry Lyon, to the cristall Springs; Nere to that place, who comming from his food, His chaps were all besmear'd with crimson bloud. Swifter then thought, Sweet THISBE straight begins To flye from him, feare gaue her Swallowes wings.

As she auoids the Lion, her desire Bids her to stay, lest PIRAMVS should come, And be deuour'd by the sterne Lions ire, So shee for euer burne in vnquench'd fire. But feare expells all reasons shee doth run Into a darksome Cave, neere seene by Sun.

With hast-shee let her looser Mantle fall, Which when th' enraged Lion did espie, With bloody teeth, he tore't in peices small, Whilst THISBE ran and look'd not backe at all. For could the sencelesse beast, her face discrie It had not done her such an iniury.

The night halfe wasted, PIRAMVS did come, Who seeing printed in the subtil sand The Lions paw, and by the fountaine some Of THISBES garment, sorrow strooke him dumbe: Iust like a marble statue did hee stand, Cut by some skilfull grauers, cunning hand.

Recovering breath, 'gainst Fate he gan t'exclayme, Washing with teares the torne and bloudy weed. I may sayd hee, my selfe for her death blame; Therefore my bloud shall wash away that shame. Since shee is dead, whose Beauty doth exceed All that fraile man, can eyther heare or reade.

This speaking, he his sharpe Sword drew, and sayd; Receive thou my red bloud, as a due debt Vnto thy constant Love, to which 'tis payd. I straight will meete thee in the pleasant shade Of coole Elysium, where wee being met, Shall taste the Ioyes, that heere wee could not yet.

Then thorow his brest thrusting his sword: life hies From him, and he makes hast to seeke his faire. And as vpon the crimsend ground hee lies, His blood spirt'd vp vpon the Mulberries: With which th'vnspotted berries stained were, And ever since with Red they coloured are.

At last, came THISBE from the den for feare Of disappointing PYRAMVS, being she Was bound by promise, for to meete him there, But when she saw the berries changed were. From white to blacke, she knew not certainely It was the place where they agreed to be.

With what delight from the darke caue she came Thinking to tell how she escap'd the beast; But when she saw her PIRAMVS lie slaine, In what perplexity she did remaine. She teares her Golden haire, and beates her brest, All signes of raging sorrow she exprest.

She cries 'gainst mighty IOVE, and then doth take His bleeding body from the moist'ned ground. She kisses his pale face till she doth make It red with kissing, and then seekes to wake His parting soule with mournfull words, and's wound Washeth with teares which her sweet speech confound.

But afterwards recouering breath, quoth shee, (Alas) what chance hath parted thee and I. O tell what euill, hath befallen to thee; That of thy Death I may a Partner bee. Tell THISBE, what hath caus'd this Tragedie. He hearing THISBE'S name, lift vp his eye.

And on his Love he rais'd his dying head, Where striving long for breath (at last) sayd hee, O THISBE, I am hasting to the dead, And cannot heale that Wound my feare hath bred. Farewell, sweet THISBE, wee must parted bee, For angry Death will force mee goe from Thee.

Life did from him, hee from his Mistris part, Leaving his Love to languish heere in woe. What shall shee doe? How shall she ease her heart? Or with what language speake her inward smart? Vsurping passion, reason doth o'reflow, Shee sweares, that with her PYRAMVS shee'l goe.

Then takes the Sword, wherewith her Love was slayne With PYRAMVS his crimson bloud warme still. And sayd, Oh stay (blest Soule) that so wee twaine May goe together where wee shall remaine In endlesse Ioyes, and never feare the ill Of grudging Friends: Then she her selfe did kill.

To tell what griefe theyr Parents did sustaine, Were more then my rude Quill can overcome. Many a teare they spent but all in vaine, For weeping calls not backe the Dead againe. They both were layed in one Grave, life done, And these few words were writ vpon the Tombe.

Epitaph.

VNderneath this Marble stone, Lye two Beauties ioyn'd in one.

Two whose Loves Death could not sever, For both liv'd, both dy'd together.

Two whose Soules, being too divine For earth, in their owne Spheare now shine.

Who have left their loves to Fame, And their earth, to earth againe.

FINIS.