GorgeousGallery sig. Niiiir

[sig. Niiiir]

The History of Pyramus and Thisbie
truely translated. +

I N 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: (5) These Nobles two, two children had, for whom Dame Nature ||(sought, The deepest of her secret skill, or shee their byrth had wrought: For as their yeares in one agreed, 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, (10) So did the glad olde Father like him Pyramus to name: Th’other a maide, the mother would that shee 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: (15) What paynes ensue, & what the stormes in pearced harts that dwel, +And therfore know, what babe & mother + whose chast, & subtil brand 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, (20) 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 sweet mamtam + to see, (25) 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 greefe as none would thinke, in so yong brests could ||(dwell: Ye looke how long, that any let, doth kepe them two a sunder, T
heir mourning harts no ioy may glad, the heuens that passeth vnder
(30) And when agayn, they efte repayre, and ioyfull meeting make, Yet know they not the cause therof, ne why their sorowes slake.