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The Rape of Lucrece.
She prays she never may behold the day,
For day, quoth she, night-scapes doth open lay:
And my true eyes have never practised how
To cloak offences with a cunning brow.
For day, quoth she, night-scapes doth open lay:
And my true eyes have never practised how
To cloak offences with a cunning brow.
They think not but that every eye can see
The same disgrace which they themselves behold:
And therefore would they still in darknesse lie,
To have their unseen sin remain untold:
For they their guilt with weeping will unfold,
And grave, like water that doth eate in steel,
Upon my cheeks what helplesse shame I feel.
The same disgrace which they themselves behold:
And therefore would they still in darknesse lie,
To have their unseen sin remain untold:
For they their guilt with weeping will unfold,
And grave, like water that doth eate in steel,
Upon my cheeks what helplesse shame I feel.
8.Lucrece thus abused, complains of her misery. Here she exclaims against repose and rest,
And bids her eyes hereafter still be blind:
She wakes her heart by beating on her brest,
And bids it leap from thence where it may finde
Some purer chest, to close so pure a minde.
Frantick with grief thus breaths she forth her spight,
Against the unseen secrecy of night.
And bids her eyes hereafter still be blind:
She wakes her heart by beating on her brest,
And bids it leap from thence where it may finde
Some purer chest, to close so pure a minde.
Frantick with grief thus breaths she forth her spight,
Against the unseen secrecy of night.
O comfort-killing night, image of Hell,
Dim register and notary of shame,
Black stage for tragedies and murthers fell,
Vast sinne-concealing Chaos, nurse of blame,
Blind muffled bawde, dark harbor of defame!
Grim cave of death, whispring conspirator,
With close-tongued treason, and the ravisher!
Dim register and notary of shame,
Black stage for tragedies and murthers fell,
Vast sinne-concealing Chaos, nurse of blame,
Blind muffled bawde, dark harbor of defame!
Grim cave of death, whispring conspirator,
With close-tongued treason, and the ravisher!
