"This passeth yeer by yeer, and day by day, Til it fel oones in a morwe of May

175

Er it was day, as sche was wont to do,
Sche was arisen, and al redy dight;
For May wole have no sloggardye a nyght.
The sesoun priketh every gentil herte
And maketh him out of his sleepe sterte,

185

And seith, 'Arys, and do thin observance.""

That he nys clad, and redy for to ryde

With hont and horn, and houndes him byside.

820

For in his hontyng hath he such delyt,

That it is al his joye and appetyt

To been himself the grete hertes bane,

For after Mars he serveth now Dyane."

"Duk Theseus, and al his companye, Is comen hom to Athenes his cité, With alle blys and gret solempnité."

1835

-ne how the Grekes pleye
The wake-pleyes, kepe I nat to seye;
Who wrastleth best naked, with oyle enoynt,
Ne who that bar him best in no disjoynt.
I wol not telle eek how that they ben goon
Hoom til Athenes whan the pley is doon."

2095

APPENDIX IV

THE STORY OF PYRAMUS AND THISBE IN GOLDING'S TRANSLATION OF "OVID."

WITHIN the towne (of whose huge walles so monstrous high and thicke

The fame is giuen Semyramis for making them of bricke)
Dwelt hard together two yong folke in houses ioyned so nere
That vnder all one roofe well nie both twaine conueyed were.
The name of him was Pyramus, and Thisbe calde was she. 5
So faire a man in all the East was none aliue as he,
Nor nere a woman maide nor wife in beautie like to hir.
This neighbrod bred acquaintance first, this neyghbrod first
did stirre

The secret sparkes, this neighbrod first an entrance in did showe

For loue to come to that to which it afterward did

growe.

IO

And if that right had taken place they had bene man and wife, But still their Parents went about to let which (for their life) They could not let. For both their heartes with equall flame did burne.

No man was priuie to their thoughts. And for to serue their

turne

In steade of talke they vsed signes, the closelier they

supprest

The fire of loue, the fiercer still it raged in their brest.

15

The wall that parted house from house had riuen therein a crany

Which shronke at making of the wall, this fault not markt

of any

Of many hundred yeares before (what doth not loue espie.) These louers first of all found out, and made a way whereby

20

To talke togither secretly, and through the same did goe Their louing whisprings verie light and safely to and fro. Now as a toneside Pyramus and Thisbe on the tother Stoode often drawing one of them the pleasant breath from other

O thou enuious wall (they sayd) why letst thou louers thus ?

What matter were it if that thou permitted both of vs

25

In armes eche other to embrace? Or if thou thinke that this Were ouermuch, yet mightest thou at least make roume to

kisse.

And yet thou shalt not find vs churles: we think our selues in det

30

For this same piece of courtesie, in vouching safe to let
Our sayings to our friendly eares thus freely come and goe,
Thus hauing where they stoode in vaine complayned of their

woe,

When night drew nere, they bade adew and eche gaue kisses

sweete

Vnto the parget on their side, the which did neuer meete. Next morning with hir cherefull light had driuen the starres

aside

35

And Phebus with his burning beames the dewie grasse had dride.

These louers at their wonted place by foreappointment

met.

Where after much complaint and mone they couenanted to get

Away from such as watched them, and in the Euening late To steale out of their fathers house and eke the Citie gate. 40 And to thentent that in the fieldes they strayde not vp and downe

They did agree at Ninus Tumb to meete without the towne,

And tarie vnderneath a tree that by the same did grow

Which was a faire high Mulberie with fruite as white as

snow,

Hard by a cool and trickling spring. This bargaine pleasde

them both

45

And so daylight (which to their thought away but slowly goth)

Did in the Ocean fall to rest, and night from thence doth rise.

Assoone as darkenesse once was come, straight Thisbe did deuise

A shift to wind hir out of doores, that none that were within Perceyued hir: And muffling hir with clothes about hir chin,

50

That no man might discerne hir face, to Ninus Tumb she

came

Vnto the tree, and sat her downe there vnderneath the same. Loue made hir bold. But see the chance, there comes besmerde with blood,

About the chappes a Lionesse all foming from the wood From slaughter lately made of Kine to staunch hir bloudie

thurst

55

With water of the foresaid spring. Whome Thisbe spying furst

A farre by moonelight, therevpon with fearfull steppes gan flie,

And in a darke and yrksome caue did hide hirselfe thereby. And as she fled away for hast she let hir mantle fall

The whych for feare she left behind not looking backe at all.

бо

Now when the cruell Lionesse hir thurst had stanched well,

In going to the Wood she found the slender weed that fell From Thisbe, which with bloudie teeth in pieces she did

teare

The night was somewhat further spent ere Pyramus came there

Who seeing in the suttle sande the print of Lions paw,

65

Waxt pale for feare. But when also the bloudie cloke he

saw

All rent and torne, one night (he sayd) shall louers two con

founde,

Of which long life deserued she of all that liue on ground.