2311611And now this pale Swan in her watrie nest,

1612Begins the sad Dirge of her certaine ending,

1613Few words (quoth shee) shall fit the trespasse best,

1614Where no excuse can giue the fault amending.

1615In me moe woes then words are now depending,

1616 And my laments would be drawn out too long,

1617 To tell them all with one poore tired tong.

2321618Then be this all the taske it hath to say,

1619Deare husband in the interest of thy bed

1620A stranger came, and on that pillow lay,

1621Where thou wast wont to rest thy wearie head,

1622And what wrong else may be imagined,

1623 By foule inforcement might be done to me,

1624 From that (alas) thy LVCRECE is not free.

2331625For in the dreadfull dead of darke midnight,

1626With shining Fauchion in my chamber came

1627A creeping creature with a flaming light,

1628And softly cried, awake thou Romaine Dame,

1629And entertaine my loue, else lasting shame

1630 On thee and thine this night I will inflict,

1631 If thou my loues desire do contradict.

2341632For some hard fauour'd Groome of thine, quoth he,

1633Vnlesse thou yoke thy liking to my will

1634Ile murther straight, and then ile slaughter thee,

1635And sweare I found you where you did fulfill

1636The lothsome act of Lust, and so did kill

1637 The lechors in their deed, this Act will be

1638 My Fame, and thy perpetuall infamy.

2351639With this I did begin to start and cry,

1640And then against my heart he set his sword,

1641Swearing, vnlesse I tooke all patiently,

1642I should not liue to speake another word.

1643So should my shame still rest vpon record,

1644 And neuer be forgot in mightie Roome

1645 Th'adulterat death of LVCRECE, and her Groome.