The Rape Of Lucrece
contributor: Eric Lease Morgan (Infomotions, Inc.)
creator: Shakespeare, William
date: 0000-00-00
extent: 87531
format: text/plain
language: en
publisher: Unknown. (Ask Eric.)
rights: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/GPL/2.0/
source: rapeoflucrece.Z
subject: eyes
subject: lucrece
subject: love
subject: dedicate
subject: lordship
subject: shakespeare
subject: william
subject: rape
subject: english
subject: literature
type: text
local mirror: shakespeare-rape-61.txt
concordance: http://infomotions.com/alex/cgi-bin/concordance.pl
plain html: shakespeare-rape-61.htm
sort title: Rape Of Lucrece, The
full text: THE RAPE OF LUCRECE TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE HENRY WRIOTHESLY, Earl of Southampton, and Baron of Tichfield. The love I dedicate to your lordship is without end; whereof this pamphlet, without beginning, is but a superfluous moiety. The warrant I have of your honourable disposition, not the worth of my untutored lines, makes it assured of acceptance. What I have done is yours; what I have to do is yours; being part in all I have, devoted yours. Were my worth greater, my duty would show greater; meantime, as it is, it is bound to your lordship, to whom I wish long life, still lengthened with all happiness. Your lordship's in all duty, WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE. THE RAPE OF LUCRECE THE ARGUMENT Lucius Tarquinius, for his excessive pride surnamed Superbus, after he had caused his own father-in-law Servius Tullius to be cruelly murdered, and, contrary to the Roman laws and customs, not requiring or staying for the people's suffrages, had possessed himself of the kingdom, went, accompanied with his sons and other noblemen of Rome, to besiege Ardea. During which siege the principal men of the army meeting one evening at the tent of Sextus Tarquinius, the king's son, in their discourses after supper every one commended the virtues of his own wife: among whom Collatinus extolled the incomparable chastity of his wife Lucretia. In that pleasant humour they posted to Rome; and intending, by their secret and sudden arrival, to make trial of that which every one had before avouched, only Collatinus finds his wife, though it were late in the night, spinning amongst her maids: the other ladies were all found dancing and revelling, or in several disports. Whereupon the noblemen yielded Collatinus the victory, and his wife the fame. At that time Sextus Tarquinius being inflamed with Lucrece' beauty, yet smothering his passions for the present, departed with the rest back to the camp; from whence he shortly after privily withdrew himself, and was, according to his estate, royally entertained …