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The Rape of Lucrece.
And what wrong else may be imagined
By foule inforcement might be done to me,
From that (alas) thy Lucrece is not free.
By foule inforcement might be done to me,
From that (alas) thy Lucrece is not free.
For in the dreadful dead of dark midnight,
With shining Fauchion in my chamber came
A creeping creature with a flaming light,
And softly cry'd, awake thou Roman Dame,
And entertain my love, else lasting shame
On thee and thine this night I will inflict,
If thou my loves desire doe contradict.
With shining Fauchion in my chamber came
A creeping creature with a flaming light,
And softly cry'd, awake thou Roman Dame,
And entertain my love, else lasting shame
On thee and thine this night I will inflict,
If thou my loves desire doe contradict.
For some hard favour'd groom of thine, quoth he,
Unlesse thou yoke thy liking to my will,
I'le murther straight, and then I'le slaughter thee,
And sweare I found you where you did fulfil
The loathsome act of Lust, and so did kill
The Lechers in their deed, this act will be
My fame, and thy perpetual infamy.
Unlesse thou yoke thy liking to my will,
I'le murther straight, and then I'le slaughter thee,
And sweare I found you where you did fulfil
The loathsome act of Lust, and so did kill
The Lechers in their deed, this act will be
My fame, and thy perpetual infamy.
With this I did begin to start and cry,
And then against my heart he sets his sword,
Swearing, unlesse I tooke all patiently,
I should not live to speak another word.
So should my shame still rest upon record,
And never be forgot in mighty Rome,
Th' adulterate death of Lucrece and her groom.
And then against my heart he sets his sword,
Swearing, unlesse I tooke all patiently,
I should not live to speak another word.
So should my shame still rest upon record,
And never be forgot in mighty Rome,
Th' adulterate death of Lucrece and her groom.
Mine enemy was strong, my poor self weak,
(And farre the weaker with so strong a fear)
(And farre the weaker with so strong a fear)
My
