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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    Not Peer Reviewed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.

    For some hard fauour'd Groome of thine, quoth he,
    Vnlesse thou yoke thy liking to my will
    Ile murther straight, and then ile slaughter thee,
    1635And sweare I found you where you did fulfill
    The lothsome act of Lust, and so did kill
    The lechors in their deed, this Act will be
    My Fame, and thy perpetuall infamy.

    With this I did begin to start and cry,
    1640And then against my heart he set his sword,
    Swearing, vnlesse I tooke all patiently,
    I should not liue to speake another word.
    So should my shame still rest vpon record,
    And neuer be forgot in mightie Roome
    1645 Th'adulterat death of LVCRECE, and her Groome.

    Mine enemy was strong, my poore selfe weake,
    (And farre the weaker with so strong a feare)
    My bloudie Iudge forbod my tongue to speake,
    No rightfull plea might plead for Iustice there.
    1650His scarlet Lust came euidence to sweare
    That my poore beautie had purloin'd his eyes,
    And when the Iudge is rob'd, the prisoner dies.
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