Ofee, Conftantia! my short race is run; "See how my blood the thirsty ground doth dye; "But live thou happier than thy love hath done, "And when I'm dead, think fometime upon me! "More my short time permits me not to tell, "For now death feizeth me; my dear, farewell!"

As foon as he had spoke these words, life fled
From his pierc'd body, whilft Conftantia, she
Kiffes his cheeks, that lose their lively red,
And become pale and wan; and now each eye,
Which was fo bright, is like, when life was
done,

A ftar that 's fall'n, or an eclipfed fun.

Thither Philocrates was driven by fate, And faw his friend lie bleeding on the earth; Near his pale corpfe his weeping fifter fate, Her eyes fhed tears, her heart to fighs gave birth. "Philocrates when he faw this, did cry, "Friend, I'll revenge, or bear thee company!

Just Jove hath fent me to revenge his fate; Nay, ftay,ifardo, think not Heaven in jeft: " 'Tis vain pe flight can fecure thy ftate." Then thruft his fword into the villain s breast. "Here," faid Philocrates, "thy life I fend "A facrifice, t' appease my flaughter'd friend." But, as he fell," Take this reward,” said he, "For thy new victory." With that he flung His darted rapier at his enemy,

Which hit his head, and in his brain-pan hung. With that he falls, but, lifting up his eyes, "Farewell, Conftantia!" that word faid, he dies.

What shall fhe do? She to her brother runs, His cold and lifeless body does embrace; She calls to him that cannot hear her moans, And with her kiffes warms his clammy face. "My dear Philocrates!" fhe, weeping, cries, Speak to thy fifter!" but no voice replies. Then running to her Love, with many a tear, Thus her mind's fervent paflion she expreft; * O ftay, bleft foul, ftay but a little here, "And take me with you to a lafting rest. "Then to Elyfium's manfions both shall fly, "Be married there, and never more to die."

PYRAMUS AND THISBE.

WHEN Babylon's high walls erected were

By mighty Ninus' wife, two houses join'd. One Thibe liv'd in, Pyramus the fair In th' other: earth ne'er boafted fuch a pair The very fenfelefs walls themselves combin'd, And in grew one, juft like their master's mind. Thisbe all other women did excel,

The Queen of Love lefs lovely was than fhe:
And Pyramus more sweet than tongue can tell;
Nature grew proud in framing them so well.

But Venus, envying they fo fair fhould be,
Bids her fon Cupid fhew his crucity.
The all-fubduing God his bow doth bend,
Whets and prepares his moft remorfelefs dart,
Which he unfeen unto their hearts did fend,
And fo was Love the caufe of Beauty's end.

But could he fee, he had not wrought their fmart;

For pity fure would have o'ercome his heart,

Like as a bird, which in a net is ta'en,
By ftruggling more entangles in the gin;
So they, who in Love's labyrinth remain,
With striving never can a freedom gain.

The way to enter 's broad; but, being in,
No art, no labour, can an exit win.

Thefe lovers, though their parents did reprove Their fires, and watch'd their deeds with jealoufy;

Though in thefe ftorms no comfort could remove The various doubts and fears that cool hot love,

Though he nor her's, nor the his face could fee,

Yet this could not abolish Love's decree;

For age had crack'd the wall which did them part;

This the unanimate couple foon did spy,
And here their inward forrows did impart,
Unlading the fad burthen of their heart.

Though Love be blind, this fhews he can defcry

A way to leffen his own mifery.

Oft to the friendly cranny they refort,
And feed themselves with the celestial air
Of odoriferous breath; no other fport
They could enjoy; yet think the time but fhort,
And wish that it again renewed were,

To fuck each other's breath for ever there.

"And long'd-for, yet untafted, joy kills all. "What though our cruel parents angry be? "What though our friends, alas! are too unkind?

"Time, that now offers, quickly may deny, "And foon hold back fit opportunity.

"Who lets flip Fortune, her fhall never find "Occafion, once pafs'd by, is bald behind." She foon agreed to that which he requir'd, For little wooing needs, where both confent What he fo long had pleaded, fhe defir'd: Which Venus fecing, with blind Chance confpir'd,

And many a charming accent to her fent,

That she (at laft) would fruftrate their intent. Thus Beauty is by Beauty's means undone, Striving to close thofe eyes that make her bright; Just like the moon, which fecks t' eclipfe the fun, Whence all her splendor, all her beams, do come: So fhe, who fetcheth luftre from their fight, Doth purpose to destroy their glorious light. Unto the mulberry-tree fair Thisbe came; Where having rested long, at last she 'gan Against her Pyramus for to exclaim, While various thoughts tnrmoil her troubled brain :

And, imitating thus the filver fwan,

A little while before her death, she fang:

HERE doubtful thoughts broke off her pleasant fong,

And for her lover's ftay fent many a figh;
Her Pyramus, the thought, did tarry long,
And that his abfence did her too much wrong.
Then, betwixt longing hope and jealousy,
She fears, yet 's loth to tax, his loyalty.
Sometimes the thinks that he hath her forfaken'
Sometimes, that danger hath befallen him :
She fears that he another Love hath taken;
Which, being but imagin'd, foon doth waken
Numberless thoughts, which on her heart did
fling

Fears, that her future fate too truly fing.

WHILE the thus mufing fate, ran from the wood
An angry lion to the crystal springs,
Near to that place; who coming from his food,
His chaps were all befmear'd with crimson blood:
Swifter than thought, fweet Thisbe strait begins
To fly from him; fear gave her swallows' wings.
A's fhe avoids the lion, her defire

Bids her to stay, left Pyramus fhould come,
And be devour'd by the ftern lion's ire,
So the for ever burn in unquench'd fire:

But fear expels all reafons; fhe doth run Into a dark fome cave, ne'er feen by fun. With hafte fhe let her loofer mantle fall: Which, when th' enraged lion did espy, With bloody teeth he tore in pieces fmall; While Thisbe ran, and look'd not back at all; For, could the fenfeless beast her face descry, It had not done her fuch an injury. The night half wafted, Pyramus did come; Who, seeing printed in the yielding fand The lion's paw, and by the fountain fome Of Thibe's garment, forrow ftruck him dumb: Juft like a marble ftatue did he stand, Cut by fome skilful graver's artful hand. Recovering breath, at Fate he did exclaim, Washing with tears the torn and bloody weed: "I may," faid he," myself for her death blame; "Therefore my blood shall wash away that shame : "Since she is dead, whose beauty doth exceed "All that frail man can either hear or read." This fpoke, he drew his fatal fword, and said, "Receive my crimson blood, as a due debt "Unto thy conftant love, to which 'tis paid: " I ftrait will meet thee in the pleasant shade "Of cool Elysium; where we, being met, “Shall taste those joys that here we could not "get."

Then through his breast thrusting his fword, life hies
From him, and he makes hafte to feek his Fair :
And as upon the colour'd ground he lies,
His blood had dropt upon the mulberries;
With which th' unfpotted berries stained were,
And ever fince with red they colour'd are.
At laft fair Thisbe left the den, for fear
Of difappointing Pyramus, fince the

Was bound by promife for to meet him there';
But when the faw the berries changed were
VOL. II.

From white to black, fhe knew not certainly It was the place where they agreed to be. With what delight from the dark cave fhe came, Thinking to tell how the efcap'd the beat! But, when the faw her Pyramus lic flain, Ah! how perplex'd did her fad foul remain! She tears her golden hair, and beats her breaft, And every fign of raging grief expreft. She blames all powerful Jove; and ftrives to take His bleeding body from the n oiften'd ground. She kiffes his pale face, till the doth make It red with kiffing, and then feeks to wake His parting foul with mournful words; his wound

Washes with tears, that her sweet speech confound.

But afterwards, recovering breath, faid fhe, "Alas! what chance hath parted thee and I? "O tell what evil hath befall'n to thee, "That of thy death I may a partner be;

"Tell Thibe what hath caus'd this tragedy!" He, he..ing Thifbe's name, lifts up his eye; And on his Love he rais'd his dying head; Where, ftriving long for breath, at laft, faid he, "O Thifbe, I am hafting to the dead, "And cannot heal that wound my fear hath bred; "Farewell, fweet Thisbe! we muft parted be, "For angry Death will force me foon from

"thee."

Life did from him, he from his mistress, part,
Leaving his Love to languifh here in woe.
What fhall the do?. How fhall fhe eafe her heart?
Or with what language speak her inward smart?
Ufurping Paffion Reafon doth o'er flow,
She vows that with her Pyramus she'll go ;
Then takes the fword wherewith her Love was
flain,

With Pyramus's crimson blood warm ftill;
And faid, "Oh ftay, bleft foul, awhile refrain,
"That we may go together, and remain

"In endless joys, and never fear the ill "Of grudging friends!"-Then the herself did kill.

To tell what grief their parents did fuftain, Were more than my rude quill can overcome ; Much did they weep and grieve, but all in vain, For weeping calls not back the dead again.

Both in one grave were laid, when life was done;

And these few words were writ upon the tomb.