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The emperour did make this queene his wife,

Which bred in Rome debate and deadlie strife;

The moore, with her two sonnes did growe soe proud,

That none like them in Rome might bee allowd.

The moore soe pleas'd this new-made empress' eie,

That she consented to him secretlye

For to abuse her husbands marriage bed,

And soe in time a blackamore she bred.

Then she, whose thoughts to murder were inclinde,

Consented with the moore of bloody minde

Against myselfe, my kin, and all my friendes,

In cruell sort to bring them to their endes.

Soe when in age I thought to live in peace,

Both care and griefe began then to increase:

Amongst my sonnes I had one daughter bright,

Which joy'd, and pleased best my aged sight:

My deare Lavinia was betrothed than

To Cesars sonne, a young and noble man:

Who in a hunting by the emperours wife

And her two sonnes, bereaved was of life.

He being slaine, was cast in cruel wise,

Into a darksome den from light of skies:

The cruell moore did come that way as then

With my three sonnes, who fell into the den.

The moore then fetcht the emperour with speed,

For to accuse them of that murderous deed;

And when my sonnes within the den were found,

In wrongfull prison they were cast and bound.

But nowe, behold! what wounded most my mind,

The empresses two sonnes of savage kind

My daughter ravished without remorse,

And took away her honour, quite perforce.