How rhymes such as "die" and "History" are being pronounced today?

Question

I just found, in some old book:

Whereby the Murther was detect, the two Earls prest to die.
This is the sum and whole effect, of this most pleasant History.

What is the common way to read aloud such old rhymes today (say in UK)? (eye-eye, ee-ee, eye-ee?)

@YosefBaskin Yes, it is an excerpt from the summary in rhymes of the story in the book. — John Donn, Commented Aug 4 at 17:26
Are you sure they rhymed then? What book was it? How old was it? There's a similar question already here where the answer was that the words didn't rhyme at the time it was written, they just looked that way (an eye rhyme or printer's rhyme). — Stuart F, Commented Aug 6 at 11:49
It's not common to alter the standard pronunciations of words to "force" a rhyme, except sometimes humorously. (Wicked: "And with an assist from me / to be who you'll be / instead of dreary who you were—are— / there's nothing that can stop you / from becoming popu-ler—lar!") — Andy Bonner, Commented Aug 6 at 20:07
@StuartF The book is "The right, pleasant, and variable trachical history of Fortunatus". — John Donn, Commented Aug 9 at 20:38

Kate Bunting · Accepted Answer · 2024-08-04 17:03:46Z

3

They don't rhyme today. When reading it aloud, you might humorously say 'histor-eye', or you might just use the modern pronunciation.

Compare the Christmas carol 'God rest you merry, gentlemen' which contains the verse:

The shepherds at those tidings

rejoiced much in mind,

and left their flocks a-feeding,

in tempest, storm, and wind.

Wind is usually pronounced in the modern way, despite the rhyme.

answered Aug 4 at 17:03

Kate Bunting

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