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  • Title: Lucrece (Quarto, 1594)
  • Editor: Hardy M. Cook

    • ISBN: 978-1-55058-411-0

    Copyright Hardy M. Cook. This text may be freely used for educational, non-profit purposes; for all other uses contact the Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editor: Hardy M. Cook
    Not Peer Reviewed

    Lucrece (Quarto, 1594)

    THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

    When wilt thou be the humble suppliants friend
    And bring him where his suit may be obtained?
    When wilt thou sort an howre great strifes to end?
    900Or free that soule which wretchednes hath chained?
    Giue phisicke to the sicke, ease to the pained?
    The poore, lame, blind, hault, creepe, cry out for (thee,
    But they nere meet with oportunitie.

    The patient dies while the Phisitian sleepes,
    905The Orphane pines while the oppressor feedes.
    Iustice is feasting while the widow weepes.
    Aduise is sporting while infection breeds.
    Thou graunt'st no time for charitable deeds.
    Wrath, enuy, treason, rape, and murthers rages,
    910 Thy heinous houres wait on them as their Pages.

    When Trueth and Vertue haue to do with thee,
    A thousand crosses keepe them from thy aide:
    They buie thy helpe, but sinne nere giues a fee,
    He gratis comes, and thou art well apaide,
    915As well to heare, as graunt what he hath saide.
    My COLATINE would else haue come to me,
    When TARQVIN did, but he was staied by thee.
    Guilty
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