A Handful of Pleasant Delights/A new Sonet of Pyramus and Thisbie
A new Sonet of Pyramus and Thisbie.
To the, Downe right Squier.
Ou Dames (I say) that climbe the mount
of Helicon,
Come on with me, and giue account,
what hath been don:
Come tell the chaunce ye Muses all,
and dolefull newes,
Which on these Louers did befall,
which I accuse.
In Babilon not long agone,
a noble Prince did dwell:
whose daughter bright dimd ech ones sight,
so farre she did excel.
¶An other Lord of high renowne,
who had a sonne:
And dwelling there within the towne,
great loue begunne:
Pyramus this noble Knight,
I tel you true:
Who with the loue of Thisbie bright,
did cares renue:
It came to passe, their secrets was,
beknowne vnto them both:
And then in minde, they place do finde,
where they their loue vnclothe.
¶This loue they vse long tract of time,
till it befell:
At last they promised to meet at prime,
by Minus well:
Where they might louingly imbrace,
in loues delight:
That he might see his Thisbies face,
and she his sight:
In ioyful case, she approcht the place,
where she her Pyramus
Had thought to viewd, but was renewd,
to them most dolorous.
¶Thus while she staies for Pyramus,
there did proceed:
Out of the wood a Lion fierce,
made Thisbie dreed:
And as in haste she fled awaie,
her Mantle fine:
The Lion tare in stead of praie,
till that the time
That Pyramus proceeded thus,
and see how lion tare
The Mantle this of Thisbie his,
he desperately doth fare.
¶For why he thought the lion had,
faire Thisbie slaine.
And then the beast with his bright blade,
he slew certaine:
Then made he mone and said alas,
(O wretched wight)
Now art thou in a woful case
for Thisbie bright:
Oh Gods aboue, my faithfull loue
shal neuer faile this need:
For this my breath by fatall death,
shal weaue Atropos threed.
¶Then from his sheathe he drew his blade,
and to his hart
He thrust the point, and life did vade,
with painfull smart:
Then Thisbie she from cabin came
with pleasure great,
And to the well apase she ran,
there for to treat:
And to discusse, to Pyramus
of al her former feares.
And when slaine she, found him truly,
she shed foorth bitter teares.
¶When sorrow great that she had made,
she took in hand
The bloudie knife, to end her life,
by fatall hand.
You Ladies all, peruse and see,
the faithfulnesse,
How these two Louers did agree,
to die in distresse:
You Muses vaile, and do not faile,
but still do you lament:
These louers twaine, who with such paine,
did die so well content.
Finis.