 | The Tragedy of Tancred and Gismund |  |
Scæna. 2.
Lucrece commeth out of Gismunds Chamber solitary.Luc.
Pitie, that moueth euery gentle heart,
To rue their griefs, that be distrest in pain,
Inforceth me, to waile my neeces smart,
Whose tender brest, no long time may sustaine,
The restlesse toyle, that her vnquiet mind,
Hath causd her feeble bodie to indure,
But why it is, (alacke) I must not find,
Nor know the man, by whome I might procure
Her remedie, as I of dutie ought,
As to the law of kindship, doth belong,
With carefull heart, the secret meanes I sought,
Though small effect, is of my trauell sprong:
Full often as I durst, I haue assaid,
With humble words, the princes to require,
To name the man, which she hath so denaid,
That it abasht me, further to desire,
Or aske from whence, those cloudie thoughts proceed,
Whose stonie force: that smokie sighs forth send.
Is liuelie witnes, how that carefull dread,
And hot desire, within her doe contend.
Yet she denies, what she confest of yore,
And then conioynd me, to conceale the same:
She loued once, (she saith) but neuer more,
Nor euer will, her fancie thereto frame:
Though daily, I obserued in my brest,
What sharpe conflicts, disquiet her so sore,
But fearefull dreames present her euermore
Most hideous sights her quiet to molest.
That starting oft therwith she doth awake,
To muse vpon those fancies which torment
Her thoughtfull heart with horror, that doth make
Her cold chil sweat break foorth incontinent
From her weake lims: and while the quiet night
Geues others rest, she turning to and fro
Doth wish for day. But when the day brings light,
She keepes her bed, there to record her woe.
As soon as when she riseth flowing teares
Stream down her chekes, immixt with dedly grones
Whereby her inward sorow so appeares,
That as salt teares the cruell cause bemones.
In case she be constrained to abide
In preace of company, she scarcely may
Her trembling voice restraine it be not spied
From careful plaints her sorrowes to bewray.
By which restraint the force doth so increase,
When time and place geue liberty to plaine.
That as small streames from running neuer cease,
Til they returne into the seas againe:
So her laments we feare wil not amend,
Before they bring her Princely life to end.
To others talke when as she should attend,
Her heaped cares her sences so oppresse,
That what they speak, or wherto their words tende
She knowes not, as her answeres do expresse.
Her chiefe delight is stil to be alone,
Her pensiue thoughts within themselues debate,
But whereupon this restlesse life is growen,
I can no more but wish it as I may,
That he which knowes it would the same allay,
For which the Muses with my song shal pray.
After the song, which was by report very sweetely repeated of the Chorus, Lucrece departeth into Gismunds chamber, and Guiszhard commeth out of the Pallace with Iulio & Renuchio, gentlemen, to whom he turneth, and saith.
| The Tragedy of Tancred and Gismund | |