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


¶So let thy thoughts low va
ssals to thy
state,
¶No more quoth he, by Heauen I will not heare thee.
¶Yeeld to my loue, if not inforced hate,
¶In
steed of loues coy tutch
shall rudelie teare thee.
670That done, de
spitefullie I meane to beare thee
¶_Vnto the ba
se bed of
some ra
scall groome,
¶_To be thy partner in this
shamefull doome.
¶This
said, he
sets his foote vppon the light,
¶For light and lu
st are deadlie enemies,
675Shame folded vp in blind concealing night,
¶VVhen mo
st vn
seene, then mo
st doth tyrannize.
¶The wolfe hath ceazd his pray, the poor lamb cries,
¶_Till with her own white fleece her voice controld,
¶_Intombes her outcrie in her lips
sweet fold.
680For with the nightlie linnen that
shee weares,
¶He pens her piteous clamors in her head,
¶Cooling his hot face in the cha
ste
st teares,
¶That euer mode
st eyes with
sorrow
shed.
¶O that prone lu
st
should
staine
so pure a bed,
685_The
spots whereof could weeping purifie,
¶_Her tears
should drop on them perpetuallie.
¶But
shee hath lo
st a dearer thing then life,
¶And he hath wonne what he would loo
se againe,
¶This forced league doth force a further
strife,
690This momentarie ioy breeds months of paine,
¶This hot de
sire conuerts to colde di
sdaine;
¶_Pure cha
stitie is rifled of her
store,
¶_And lu
st the theefe farre poorer then before.
¶Looke as the full-fed Hound, or gorged Hawke,
695Vnapt for tender
smell, or
speedie flight,
¶Make
slow pur
suite, or altogether bauk,
¶The praie wherein by nature they delight:
¶So
surfet-taking
TARQVIN fares this night:
¶_His ta
st delicious, in dige
stion
sowring,
700_Deuoures his will that liu'd by fowle deuouring.

