VIRGINIA. O father mine, refrain no whit your sharped knife to take From gilded[212] sheath my shame to end, and body dead to make. Let not the shameless bloody judge defile my virgin’s life; Do take my head, and send it him upon your bloody knife: Bid him imbrue his bloody hands in guiltless blood of me: I virgin die, he lecher lives; he was my end, you see. No more delays--lo, kiss me first, then stretch your strongest arm: Do rid my woe, increase my joy, do ease your child of harm. VIRGINIUS. O weary wits of woe or wealth, O feeble aged man, How can thy arm give such a blow! thy death I wish thee then! But sith that shame with endless trump will sound, if case thy joy By[213] means of false Judge Appius be, myself will thee destroy. Forgive me, babe, this bloody deed, and meekly take thy end. [_Here let him proffer a blow_. VIRGINIA. The gods forgive thee, father dear! farewell, thy blow do bend. Yet stay a while, O father dear, for flesh to death is frail: Let first my wimple bind my eyes, and then thy blow assail. Now, father, work thy will on me, that life I may enjoy. [_Here tie a handkercher about her eyes, and then strike off her head._ Now stretch thy hand, Virginius, that loth would flesh destroy. O cruel hands, O[214] bloody knife, O man, what hast thou done? Thy daughter dear and only heir her vital end hath won. Come, fatal blade, make like despatch: come, Atropos: come, aid![215] Strike home, thou careless arm, with speed; of death be not afraid. _Here entereth_ COMFORT. O noble knight, Virginius, do stay, be not dismay’d: I, curing Comfort, present am, your dolor [for] to aid. VIRGINIUS. Sith joy is gone, sith life is dead, What comfort can there be? No more! there is but deep despair, And deadly death to me. COMFORT. No more, Sir Knight, but take the head, and wend a while with me: It shall be sent to court, for that Judge Appius may it see. In recompense of lecher’s lust this present let him have, And stay your corpse for certain space in coping from the grave: So shall you see the end of him and all his whole concent.[216] This will be comfort to your heart: Virginius, be content. VIRGINIUS. Of truth, even so, for comfort else I know right well is none, Wherefore I do consent with you: come on, let us be gone. But messenger myself will be, myself will give the gift. Come on, good Comfort, wend we then; there is no other shift. [_Exeunt._ _Here entereth_ JUDGE APPIUS. Well, hap as hap can, hap or no, In hazard it is, but let that go. I will, what so happen, pursue on still: Why, none there is living can let me my will. I will have Virginia; I will her deflow’r, Else rigorous sword her heart shall devour.