 | Octavia (1581) |  |
THE FOVRTH SCEANE.
Nero.
Ah
, ah, our captaines sloe dispatching coyle,
And our long suffring yre in such a broyle,
That streames of bloud yet do not quēch their rage
Which thei against our propre person wage
And that all Rome, with corses strewd about,
Those cruell villaines bloud, doth not sweat out.
And our long suffring yre in such a broyle,
That streames of bloud yet do not quēch their rage
Which thei against our propre person wage
And that all Rome, with corses strewd about,
Those cruell villaines bloud, doth not sweat out.
But deedes already done, with death to pay
A small thing t'is, a greater slaughtrous day
The peoples cursed crime, and eke that dame,
Whom I did aye suspect, deserues the same.
In whome, to yelde those peasaunts would me make:
At last she shall, with life our sorow slake,
And with hir bodies bloud shall quench our yre.
Then, shall their houses fall by force of fyre:
What burning both, and buildings fayre decay,
What beggerly want, and wayling hunger may
Those villaines shal be sure, to haue ech day.
A small thing t'is, a greater slaughtrous day
The peoples cursed crime, and eke that dame,
Whom I did aye suspect, deserues the same.
In whome, to yelde those peasaunts would me make:
At last she shall, with life our sorow slake,
And with hir bodies bloud shall quench our yre.
Then, shall their houses fall by force of fyre:
What burning both, and buildings fayre decay,
What beggerly want, and wayling hunger may
Those villaines shal be sure, to haue ech day.
Ah, Prouender pricks that vile rebellious race
Ne can they once our fauour well embrace,
Nor be content, with peace in quiet state,
But broyling raumpe about with troubled gate.
Hereon with boldnesse straight, hereon they flie,
With harebraind rashnesse hedlong by and by.
Ne can they once our fauour well embrace,
Nor be content, with peace in quiet state,
184
Hereon with boldnesse straight, hereon they flie,
With harebraind rashnesse hedlong by and by.
Well, they must tamed be with heauy stroke,
And downe be kept with peise of weighty yoke:
That they, with like attempt, do not arise,
Nor once cast vp their deadly peasaunts eyes,
Against our louing spouses golden lookes:
First punish them sure, then feare shal be their bookes,
To teache them, at their Princes beck t'obay
But see at hand, whom fayth, and vertue rare,
Lieuetenant chiefe of camps, appointed thare.
And downe be kept with peise of weighty yoke:
That they, with like attempt, do not arise,
Nor once cast vp their deadly peasaunts eyes,
Against our louing spouses golden lookes:
First punish them sure, then feare shal be their bookes,
To teache them, at their Princes beck t'obay
But see at hand, whom fayth, and vertue rare,
Lieuetenant chiefe of camps, appointed thare.
| Octavia (1581) | |