Lucrece (Quarto, 1594)
Author: William ShakespeareEditor: Hardy M. CookNot Peer Reviewed


¶But as the earth doth weepe the Sun being
set,
¶Each flowre moi
stned like a melting eye:
¶Euen
so the maid with
swelling drops gan wet
¶Her circled eien infor
st, by
simpathie
1230Of tho
se faire Suns
set in her mi
stre
sse skie,
¶_VVho in a
salt wau'd Ocean quench their light,
¶_VVhich makes the maid weep like the dewy night.
¶A prettie while the
se prettie creatures
stand,
¶Like Iuorie conduits corall ce
sterns filling:
1235One iu
stlie weepes, the other takes in hand
¶No cau
se, but companie of her drops
spilling.
¶Their gentle
sex to weepe are often willing,
¶_Greeuing them
selues to ge
sse at others
smarts,
¶_And thē they drown their eies, or break their harts.
1240For men haue marble, women waxen mindes,
¶And therefore are they form'd as marble will,
¶The weake oppre
st, th'impre
ssion of
strange kindes
¶Is form'd in them by force, by fraud, or skill.
¶Then call them not the Authors of their ill,
1245_No more then waxe
shall be accounted euill,
¶_VVherein is
stampt the
semblance of a Deuill.
¶Their
smoothne
sse; like a goodly champaine plaine,
¶Laies open all the little wormes that creepe,
¶In men as in a rough-growne groue remaine.
1250Caue-keeping euils that ob
scurely
sleepe.
¶Through chri
stall wals ech little mote will peepe,
¶_Though mē cā couer crimes with bold
stern looks,
¶_Poore womens faces are their owne faults books.
¶No man inueigh again
st the withered flowre,
1255But chide rough winter that the flowre hath kild,
¶Not that deuour'd, but that which doth deuour
¶Is worthie blame, ô let it not be hild
¶Poore womens faults, that they are
so fulfild
¶_VVith mens abu
ses, tho
se proud Lords to blame,
1260_Make weak-made womē tenants to their
shame.

