A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 7 by Various
page 55 of 669 (08%)
page 55 of 669 (08%)
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TANCRED _coming out of_ GISMUNDA'S _chamber with_
RENUCHIO _and_ JULIO, _upon whom she throweth her snake_.[69] TANCRED. Gods! are ye guides of justice and revenge? O thou great Thunderer! dost thou behold With watchful eyes the subtle 'scapes of men Harden'd in shame, sear'd up in the desire Of their own lusts? why then dost thou withhold The blast of thy revenge? why dost thou grant Such liberty, such lewd occasion To execute their shameless villainy? Thou, thou art cause of all this open wrong, Thou, that forbear'st thy vengeance all too long. If thou spare them, rain then upon my head The fulness of thy plagues with deadly ire, To reave this ruthful soul, who all too sore Burns in the wrathful torments of revenge. O earth, the mother of each living wight, Open thy womb, devour this wither'd corpse. And thou, O hell (if other hell there be Than that I feel), receive my soul to thee. O daughter, daughter (wherefore do I grace Her with so kind a name?) O thou fond girl, The shameful ruin of thy father's house, Is this my hoped joy? Is this the stay Must glad my grief-ful years that waste away? For life, which first thou didst receive from me, Ten thousand deaths shall I receive by thee. For all the joys I did repose in thee. |
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