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


¶VVhich all this time hath ouer
slipt her thought,
¶That
shee with painted Images hath
spent,
¶Being from the feeling of her own griefe brought,
¶By deepe
surmi
se of others detriment,
1580Loo
sing her woes in
shews of di
scontent:
¶_It ea
seth
some, though none it euer cured,
¶_To thinke their dolour others haue endured.
¶But now the mindfull Me
ssenger come backe,
¶Brings home his Lord and other companie,
1585VVho finds his
LVCRECE clad in mourning black,
¶And round about her teare-di
stained eye
¶Blew circles
stream'd, like Rain-bows in the skie.
¶_The
se watergalls in her dim Element,
¶_Foretell new
stormes to tho
se alreadie
spent.
1590VVhich when her
sad beholding husband
saw,
¶Amazedlie in her
sad face he
stares:
¶Her eyes though
sod in tears look'd red and raw,
¶Her liuelie colour kil'd with deadlie cares,
¶He hath no power to aske her how
shee fares,
1595_Both
stood like old acquaintance in a trance,
¶_Met far from home, wondring ech others chance.
¶At la
st he takes her by the bloudle
sse hand,
¶And thus begins: what vncouth ill euent
¶Hath thee befalne, that thou do
st trembling
stand?
1600Sweet loue what
spite hath thy faire colour
spent?
¶VVhy art thou thus attir'd in di
scontent?
¶_Vnmaske deare deare, this moodie heauine
sse,
¶_And tell thy griefe, that we may giue redre
sse.
¶Three times with
sighes
shee giues her
sorrow fire,
1605Ere once
shee can di
scharge one word of woe:
¶At length addre
st to an
swer his de
sire,
¶Shee mode
stlie prepares, to let them know
¶Her Honor is tane pri
soner by the Foe,
¶_VVhile
COLATINE and his con
sorted Lords,
1610_VVith
sad attention long to heare her words.

