THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.
2371653O teach me how to make mine owne excu
se,
1654Or (at the lea
st) this refuge let me
finde,
1655Though my gro
sse bloud be
staind with this abu
se,
1656Immaculate, and
spotle
sse is my mind,
1657That was not forc'd, that neuer was inclind
1658 To acce
ssarie yeeldings, but
still pure
1659 Doth in her poy
son'd clo
set yet endure.
2381660Lo heare the hopele
sse Marchant of this lo
sse,
1661With head declin'd, and voice dam'd vp with wo,
1662With
sad
set eyes and wretched armes acro
sse,
1663From lips new waxen pale, begins to blow
1664The griefe away, that
stops his an
swer
so.
1665 But wretched as he is he
striues in vaine,
1666 What he breaths out, his breath drinks vp again.
2391667As through an Arch, the violent roaring tide,
1668Outruns the eye that doth behold his ha
st:
1669Yet in the Edie boundeth in his pride,
1670Backe to the
strait that for
st him on
so fa
st:
1671In rage
sent out, recald in rage being pa
st,
1672 Euen
so his
sighes, his
sorrowes make a
saw,
1673 To pu
sh griefe on, and back the
same grief draw.
Which