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A gorgious Gallery, of gallant Inuentions

Garnished and decked with diuers dayntie deuises, right delicate and delightfull, to recreate eche modest minde withall. First framed and fashioned in sundrie formes, by diuers worthy workemen of late dayes: and now, ioyned together and builded up: By T. P. [i.e. Thomas Procter]

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Thus praying fast, ful fraught with cares, I leaue this wofull man,
And turne I will to greater greefe, then minde immagin can:
But who now shall them writ since wit, denayeth the some to thinke,
Confusedly in Thisbies brest, that flow aboue the brinke?
Not, I for though of mine owne store, I want no woes to write,
Yet lacke I termes and cunning both, them aptly to recite.
For Cūnings clyffe I neuer clombe, nor dranke of Science spring
Ne slept vpon the happy hill, frō whence Dame Rhetorique rings.
And therfore all, I doo omit, and wholy them resigne,
To iudgment of such wofull Dames, as in like case hath bin.
This will I tel how Thisbie thus, opprest with dollors all,
Doth finde none ease but day and night, her Pyramus to call:
For lost is slepe and banisht is, all gladsome lightes delight,
In short of case and euery helpe, eche meane shee hath in spight:
In langor long, this life shee led, till hap as fortune pleased,
To further fates that fast ensue, with her own thought her eased:
For this shee thinkes, what distance may, or mansions bee between
Or where now stands so cruell wall, to part them as is seene
O feeble wit forduld with woe, awake thy wandering thought,
Seeke out, thou shalt assured finde, shall bring thy cares to nought.


With this some hope, nay, as it were a new reuiued minde,
Did promis straight her pensiue hart, immediate helpe to finde:
And forth she steres, wt swifted pace, ech place she seeks throughout
No stay may let her hasty foote, till all be vewed about.
Wherby at length from all the rest, a wall aloofe that lyes,
And cornerwise did buyldings part, with ioyful eye shee spyes:
And scarcely then her pearcing looke, one blinke therof had got,
But that firme hope of good successe, within her fancy shot:
Then fast her eye shee roules about, and fast shee seekes to see,
If any meane may there bee found, her comfort for to bee:
And as her carefull looke shee cast, and euery part aright
Had vewed wel, a litle rifte appeared to her fight,
Which (as it seemed) through the wall, the course the issue had:
Wherwith shee sayd (O happy wall) mayst thou so blist be made,
That yet sometimes within thy bandes, my dere hart Pyramus:
Thou doost possesse if hap so worke, I will assay thee thus.
And from about the heauenly shape, her midle did present
Shee did vnlose heer girdle riche, and pendent therof hent.
And with her fingers long and small, on tipto so shee wrought,
That through the wall to open sight, she hath the pendant brought
That doone shee stayes, and to the wall she closely layes her eare,
To vnderstand if any wight, on th' other side yet were:
And whiles to harken thus shee stands, a wonderous thing behold
Poore Pyramus in Venus Church, that all his minde had tolde.
Performed his vowes and prayers eke, now ended all and dun,
Doth to his Chamber fast returne, with hart right wo begun:
Euen to the same where Thisbie stayd, to see if fortune please,
To smooth her browes and her distresse, with any helpe to ease:
Hee as his woonted vsage was, the Chamber once within,
Lockes fast the doore with fresh complaynts, new sorrow to begin.
But euen lo as his backe hee turned vnto the closed dore,
Aglimpse of light the pendant gaue, his visage iust before:
Let in his face, with speedy pace, and as hee nearer drew,
With wel contented minde forthwith, his Thisbies signe he knew
And when his trembling hand for ioy, the same receyued had,
And hee ten hundreth times it kist, then thus to it hee sayd.