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


¶The pre
sident whereof in
LVCRECE view,
¶A
ssail'd by night with circum
stances
strong
¶Of pre
sent death, and
shame that might in
sue.
¶By that her death to do her husband wrong,
1265Such danger to re
si
stance did belong:
¶_That dying feare through all her bodie
spred,
¶_And who cannot abu
se a bodie dead?
¶By this milde patience bid faire
LVCRECE speake,
¶To the poore counterfaite of her complayning,
1270My girle, quoth
shee, on what occa
sion breake
¶Tho
se tears frō thee, that downe thy cheeks are raig
(ning?
¶If thou do
st weepe for griefe of my
su
staining:
¶_Know gentle wench it
small auailes my mood,
¶_If tears could help, mine own would do me good.
1275But tell me girle, when went (and there
shee
staide,
¶Till after a deepe grone)
TARQVIN from hence,
¶Madame ere I was vp (repli'd the maide,)
¶The more to blame my
sluggard negligence.
¶Yet with the fault I thus farre can di
spence:
1280_My
selfe was
stirring ere the breake of day,
¶_And ere I ro
se was
TARQVIN gone away.
¶But Lady, if your maide may be
so bold,
¶Shee would reque
st to know your heauine
sse:
¶(O peace quoth
LVCRECE) if it
should be told,
1285The repetition cannot make it le
sse:
¶For more it is, then I can well expre
sse,
¶_And that deepe torture may be cal'd a Hell,
¶_VVhen more is felt then one hath power to tell.
¶Go get mee hither paper, inke, and pen,
1290Yet
saue that labour, for I haue them heare,
¶(
VVhat
should I
say) one of my husbands men
¶Bid thou be readie, by and by, to beare
¶A letter to my Lord, my Loue, my Deare,
¶_Bid him with
speede prepare to carrie it,
1295_The cau
se craues ha
st, and it will
soone be writ.

