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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    Not Peer Reviewed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 Quinta.
    Enter the Ghost of Corineus, with thunder & lightning.
    1950Ghost. Behold, the circuit of the azure sky
    Throws forth sad throbs, and grievous suspirs,
    Prejudicating Locrine's overthrow:
    The fire casteth forth sharp darts of flames,
    The great foundation of the triple world
    1955Trembleth and quaketh with a mighty noise,
    Presaging bloudy massacres at hand.
    The wandring birds that flutter in the dark,
    When hellish night in cloudie chariot seated,
    Casteth her mists on shadie Tellus face,
    1960With sable mantles covering all the earth,
    Now flies abroad amid the cheerfull day,
    Foretelling some unwonted misery.
    The snarling curres of darkned Tartarus,
    Sent from Avernus ponds by Radamanth,
    1965With howling ditties pester every wood;
    The watrie Ladies and the lightfoot Fawns,
    And all the rabble of the woodie Nymphs,
    All trembling hide themselves in shadie groves,
    And shrowd themselves in hideous hollow pits.
    1970The boysterous Boreas thundreth forth revenge:
    The stonie rocks cry out on sharp revenge:
    The thornie bush pronounceth dire revenge.
    Sound the alarme.
    Now Corineus stay and see revenge,
    1975 And feed thy soul with Locrine's overthrow,
    Behold they come, the Trumpets call them forth:
    The roaring drumms summon the souldiers.
    Loe where their army glistereth on the plains.
    Throw forth thy lightning, mighty Jupiter,
    1980And pour thy plagues on cursed Locrine's head.
    Stand aside.
    Enter Locrine, Estrild, Assaracus, Habren and their
    souldiers at one door, Thrasimachus, Guendoline, Ma-
    dan and their followers at another.
    1985Loc. What is the Tygre started from his cave?
    Is Guendoline come from Cornubia,
    That thus she braveth Locrine to the teeth?
    And hast thou found thine armour, pretty boy,
    Accompanied with these thy stragling mates?
    1990Believe me but this enterprise was bold,
    And well deserveth commendation.
    Guen. I Locrine, trairerous Locrine, we are come,
    With full pretence to seek thine overthrow:
    What have I done that thou should'st scorn me thus?
    1995What have I said that thou should'st me reject?
    Have I been disobedient to thy words?
    Have I bewray'd thy arcane secrecie?
    Have I dishonoured thy marriage bed
    With filthy crimes, or with lascivious lusts?
    2000Nay it is thou that hast dishonoured it,
    Thy filthy mind orecome with filthy lusts,
    Yieldeth unto affections filthy darts.
    Unkind, thou wrong'st thy first and truest feer,
    Unkind, thou wrong'st thy best and dearest friend;
    2005Unkind, thou scorn'st all skilfull Brutus lawes,
    Forgetting father, uncle, and thy self.
    Estr. Believe me Locrine, but the girle is wise,
    And well would seem to make a vestal Nun,
    How finely frames she her oration.
    2010Thra. Locrine we came not here to fight with words,
    Words that can never win the victory,
    But for you are so merry in your frumps,
    Unsheath your swords, and trie it out by force,
    That we may see who hath the better hand.
    2015Locr. Think'st thou to dare me, bold Thrasimacus?
    Think'st thou to fear me with thy taunting braves,
    Or do we seem too weak to cope with thee?
    Soon shall I shew thee my fine cutting blade,
    And with my sword, the messenger of death,
    2020Seal thee an acquittance for thy bold attempts.Exeunt.
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