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The Tragedy of Locrine (Third Folio, 1664)
93
The Tragedy of Locrine.
1303Would God he had arriv'd upon the shore
1304Where Poliphemus and the Cyclops dwell,
1305Or where the bloody Anthropomphagie
1306With greedy jawes devoures the wandring wights,
1307Enter the Ghost of Albanact.
1312With apparitions fearfull to behold?
1313Ghost. Revenge, revenge for blood.
1315But dire revenge, nothing but Humber's fall,
1316Because he conquered you in Albany.
1317Now by my soule, Humber would be condemn'd
1318To Tantals hunger, or Ixions Wheele,
1319Or to the vulture of Promotheus,
1320Rather then that this murther were undone.
1322Through all the Rivers of foule Erebus,
1323Through burning sulphur of the Limbo-lake,
1324To allay the burning fury of that heat,
1326Exeunt.
1328Actus Quartus. Scena Prima.
1329Enter Atey as before. Then Omphale Daughter
1330to the King of Lydia, having a Club in her hand,
1331and a Lyous skin on her back, Hercules following
1332with a distaffe. Then let Omphale turn about, and
1333taking off her Pantofle, strike Hercules on the head,
1334then let them depart, Atey remaining, saying;
1335Quem non Argolici mandata severa Tyranni,
1336Non potuit Juno vincere, vicit amor.
1337Stout Hercules the mirrour of the world,
1338Son to Alcmena and great Jupiter,
1341Yielded his valiant heart to Omphale,
1342A fearfull woman void of manly strength,
1343She took the Club, and wore the Lyons skin.
1344He took the Wheele, and maidenly gan spin
1345So martiall Locrine cheer'd with victory,
1346Falleth in love with Humber's Concubine,
1348His Unckle Corineius stormes at this,
1349And forceth Locrine for his grace to sue,
Exit.
1351Scena Secunda.
1352Enter Locrine, Camber, Corineius, Assarachus, Thra-
1353simachus, and the Souldiers.
1354Loc. Thus from the fury of Bellona's broiles,
1355With sound of Drumme and Trumpets melody,
1356The Britain King returns triumphantly,
1358Doe equallize the grasse in multitude,
1363For thy deceits and crafty treacheries,
1364For all thy guiles, and damned stratagems,
1367Thy trampling Coursers rul'd with foaming bits?
1369Thy valiant Captains, and thy noble Peers?
1372Or as the Ploughman with his piercing share
1373Renteth the bowels of the fertile fields,
1374And rippeth up the roots with Razors keen.
1375So Locrine with his mighty curtle-axe,
1376Hath cropped off the heads of all thy Hunnes,
1377So Locrine's Peers have daunted all thy Peeres,
1380And die for murdring valiant Albanact.
1383If the brave Nation of the Troglodites,
1384If all the Cole-black AEthiopians,
1385If all the forces of the Amazons,
1386If all the hoasts of the Barbarian lands,
1387Should dare to enter this our little world,
1388Soon should they rue their overbold attempts,
1389That after us our progeny may say,
1393For mighty Jove, the supream King of heaven,
1394That guides the concourse of the Meteors,
1395And rules the motion of the azure skie,
1396Fights alwayes for the Britains safety.
1398That draweth near to our pavillion.
1399Enter the Souldiers leading in Estrild.
1401Doth sway the Regall Scepter in his hand:
1402And thinks no chance can ever throw him down,
1404 Let him behold poor Estrild in this plight,
1405The perfect platform of a troubled wight.
1406Once was I guarded with mavortiall bands,
1407Compact with Princes of the noble blood,
1408Now am I faln into my foemens hands,
And
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