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  • Title: The Tragedy of Locrine (Third Folio, 1664)

  • Copyright Digital Renaissance Editions. This text may be freely used for educational, non-profit purposes; for all other uses contact the Editor.
    Authors: Anonymous, William Shakespeare
    Not Peer Reviewed

    The Tragedy of Locrine (Third Folio, 1664)

    Scena Quarta.
    Enter Locrine alone.
    Loc. Seven yeares hath aged Corineus liv'd
    To Locrine's grief, and fair Estrilda's woe,
    1650And seven yeares more he hopeth yet to live;
    Oh supreme Jove, annihilate this thought.
    Should he enjoy the ayres fruition?
    Should he enjoy the benefit of life?
    Should he contemplate the radiant sun,
    1655That makes my life equall to dreadfull death?
    Venus convey this monster fro the earth,
    That disobeyeth thus thy sacred hests.
    Cupid convey this monster to dark hell,
    That disannulls thy mothers sugred lawes.
    1660Mars with thy target all beset with flames,
    With murthering blade bereave him of his life,
    That hindreth Locrine in his sweetest joyes.
    And yet for all his diligent aspect,
    His wrathfull eyes piercing like Linces eyes,
    1665Well have I overmatcht his subtiltie.
    Nigh Deucolitum by the pleasant Lee,
    Where brackish Thamis slides with silver streams,
    Making a breach into the grassie downes,
    A curious arch of costly marble fraught,
    1670Hath Locrine framed underneath the ground,
    The walls whereof, garnisht with diamonds,
    With ophirs, rubies, glistering emeralds,
    And interlac't with sun-bright carbuncles,
    Lightens the room with artificial day,
    1675And from the Lee with water-flowing pipes
    The moisture is deriv'd into this arch,
    Where I have plac'd fair Estrild secretly;
    Thither eftsoons accompanied with my page,
    I covertly visit my hearts desire,
    1680Without suspition of the meanest eye,
    For love aboundeth still with policie:
    And thither still means Locrine to repair,
    Till Atropos cut off mine uncle's life.Exit.