Selected quad for the lemma: death_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A43912
|
The history of Tarquin and Lucretia Licensed Decemb. 26. 1668. Roger L'Estrange.
|
|
1669
(1669)
|
Wing H2141; ESTC R217001
|
11,176
|
32
|
poor spirit 't is to be undrest And at the will of man to play the Beast And ever after must remain their slave If any comfort in their lives will have And for a moments folly must endure A whole Life's shame and always be impure These are the words which she to Tarquin spoke Which did him not appease but more provoke For the more chast and vertuous was she The greater mind to rifle her had he But when she saw she could not him subdue She turn'd about and to her chamber flew But as the swift foot Greyhound breaks the Air And runs with speed when that he sees the Hare So follow'd Tarquin and broke in before That she had time to shut the Chamber door He quickly shew'd how ill he had been bred For presently he laid her on the Bed And there contemplated the lovely make Of all her dainty Limbs His eyes did take The greatest pleasure that the Earth could give To any mortal in this world and live She had such Beauty dwelt in ev'ry part Beyond discription of the Pen or Art He was in heat before but now in flame Longing for to enjoy this curious frame His heart and blood and soul was now confounded Torrents of Love on all sides him surrounded Oh Gods quoth he why do you mortals tempt Yet by your Laws from pleasures them exempt He was resolved now to ransack all That men do chastity or beauty call And bless himself upon this sweet composure Thinking he ne're should have the like enclosure Wherefore he speeded to make use of time This Lady being in her chiefest Prime And without fear unto those parts made way Which as affecting make her fly or stay But then she vow'd that if he left her breath Before she 'd yeild she 'd surely be his death And there Conjur'd him not to touch her more Yet like a Supliant did him there implore With that he fell down on his bended knees Begging to grant him those felicity's Told her his Passion and his mighty flame An hundred Alters should burn to her name And all the honour in the world should be A Sacrifice unto her memory But she a thousand thousand tears let fall And said this day should be her funeral Before this wrong that she would undetgoe And humbly pray'd this thing he would not doe Pity said she use not this cruelty This is the worst of inhumanity But nothing would his humour now withstand He laid her body at his sole command And rufled all her Garments very rudely That he might view her loveliness more lewdly Nothing would keep him back for he was bent To ravish her if she would not consent And then he told her plain that since she could Not grant him his desires he force her would And after kill her and her Negro too And lay him by her side and all should know That he enjoy'd you and that I was there And kill'd you both as in the act you were This dreadful Story in her mind she mus'd She 's loth to yeild yet loth to be abus'd But what with fear at last his wrath and thunder He forc'd her purest chastity asunder And between Will ye Nill ye did enjoy His hot desires and after went his way But she did rave like one that was stark mad Nothing could ease her heart it was so sad O Fool said she was I to suffer this Better that I had dy'd than done amiss For then I 'd left the world pure innocent Now I must kill my self for discontent I lost my honour honour to enjoy My body now polluted I 'le destroy Yet why should I consent I did not give Which makes the sin however I 'le not live Unhappy womens beauty and their fears That draw them in such plunges and such snares I 'le never live a minute longer sure Since nothing now my honour can secure I hate to see the light or else mankind No comfort in my life at all I find My guilt so startles me the world will say Lucretia like the rest loves private play O fatal day oh horrid accident That robs me thus of honour and content Tell me ye Higher-powers what course to take That I may yet my life but happy make What fond word did I say oâ— there 's no Power Can ever ever what I lost restore Then take me death my Shrowd my Tomb prepare My burden'd soul shall straight possess the Air I 'le sacrifice my self for to appease The angry Gods and give my spirits ease With that she set a dagger to her breast And sent her soul unto eternal rest Her Women gave such shreeks to see her fall Quickly resounded in the high-roof'd Hall Piercing the ears of all within the place Which made then flock and thunder up apace Where oh Misfortune they their Lady found Near to deaths borders by her own hands wound Just as this Hurry was in agitation Comes Collatine with many men of fashion Who dream'd some ill had hapned to his Wife Which made him post away as for his life For no man ever lov'd a woman better And she was never unto him a debter He came up to the house and in at door But none did fee yet heard them cry and rear At last one bolder than the rest came down That told the news at which his breath was gone But he recovering himself at last Up stairs he went to see what there had past And found the story true to his great grief And could not see a way to get relief He wrung his hands invok'd made horrid wishes Then gave her fainting limbs ten thousand kisses He call'd Lucretia loud just by her side She answer'd I am thine alone then dy'd And so now past all hope she did depart Which last adieu was like to break his heart No Doctors means or art was left unsought But all experiments did come to nought Her countenance chang'd at last and she grew cold As he her body in his arms did hold Friends then perswaded him to come away And would not let him in her chamber stay Poor Collatine did rave and tore his hair And with his dismal mones did pierce the Air At last some little comfort eas'd his breath Vowing revenge for his Lucretia's death Quoth he she was constant to me all her life None was more loving or a better Wife And at the last from me she would not stray Though Tarquin fain would had her quite away But she vow'd to him she would die before That ere she 'd goe from out her husbands door Who hearts deceitful have vain light or lewd I 'de let them drive amongst the multitude I would not be their Jayler for this know Where freedom wo'nt oblige nothing will do Whose Mistress cleaves to him he 's bound t' adore But he is mad strives for anothers Whore Like unto Marcus Cassiadoâ—e the great Who had a Wife both light was and a cheat Who rob'd her Husband and concealed lay While she with Damasus had private play Yet Marcus fought his Rival but was kill'd Whose Wife had then her end when 's blood was spill'd So pious Marcus weltred on the ground Whilst his base Wife did dress the others wound O cruel wretch was 't not enough to do To leave him but thus persecute him too What horrid treacheries was founded here Hell gave her counsel and her course did steer What stony heart can now from tears refrain To think that mortals should such crimes retain The barbarous Nations round about us here Never so savage or so rude appear Honour Love Laws Religion Gratiude Are lost and buried in a heart so lewd But dear Lucretia thou didst love me so Greater affection none could ever shew Hadst thou inconstant been or false to me I 'd never be concern'd or fight for thee I 'd let thee pine and sink in thy own shame But now I 'm bound to vindicate thy name O all ye Gods in the celestial state If Justice is not with you out of date As 't is on Earth your powers I do invoke To help me at this plunge your holy book I yeild to and your hard'st decrees obey Your Alters still shall flame I 'le all dues pay If this be suffer'd who can live at rest None will be found to keep an honest breast Marriage esteem'd was always for if that Be once profan'd farewel the sacred knot Of all society then farewel Laws Ruine attends upon so bad a cause Nature it self in Love commands Propriety Else no good off-springs would be or society No care of Child or how to manage Land But every one would grasp what comes to hand All Children would be Bastards Men Deceivers No Government Religion or Believers All hold propriety a thing most dear But nothing ever like a Wife so near With that he paus'd but could not grief asswage But plots the founding of a tragick age Strange Sceans are laid confusions quickly flow Brutus the Rebel closes with him too And helpt the broyl quoth he we 're void of fear All this whole Province for you will appear Collatia is already up in Arms And vow to keep you from all future harms I 'le lead the forces and maintain the day Command me as your slave I will obey Now nought but quarrels gave their hearts contentment These humours in their breasts had such resentment Armes at all points nothing will them debar They'd Peace so long that they are mad for War Both sides make ready now the battle comes Which gives to many unexpected Tombs How thick the Hills were spred with lookers on While some for victory to the Templerun What shreiks are heard sometimes then Trumpet sounds Whet up their courage and their foesconfounds Here bodies mangled are what direful slaughters What cries of mournful Widows Wives and Daughters To tell of all the furies heats enragements Raunges of Battle and the fierce Engagements Who lead the Wings of Horse up who the Foot Which side gave ground and which the best stood too 't Requires a Volume and besides black night Now summons both the Armies to retreat So here I 'le leave and do as the Romances Lead up your thoughts with many pretty fancies Then leave you in a Cloud and never close For then your mind would have too much repose But then 't is best when thoughts still farther bend For there the pleasure never hath an End FINIS