rightfull plea might plead for lustice there His scarlet Lust came euidence to sweare That my poore beautie had purloin'd his eyes And when the Iudge is rob'd the prisoner dies O teach me how to make mine owne excuse Or at the least this refuge let me finde Though my grosse bloud be staind with this abuse Immaculate and spotlesse is my mind That was not forc'd that neuer was inclind To accessarie yeeldings but still pure Doth in her poyson'd closet yet endure Lo heare the hopelesse Marchant of this losse VVith head declin'd and voice dam'd vp with wo VVith sad set eyes and wretched armes acrosse From lips new waxen pale begins to blow The griefe away that stops his answer so But wretched as he is he striues in vaine VVhat he breaths out his breath drinks vp again As through an Arch the violent roaring tide Outruns the eye that doth behold his hast Yet in the Edie boundeth in his pride Backe to the strait that forst him on so fast In rage sent out recald in rage being past Euen so his sighes his sorrowes make a saw To push griefe on and back the same grief draw VVhich speechlesse woe of his poore she attendeth And his vntimelie frenzie thus awaketh Deare Lord thy sorrow to my sorrow lendeth Another power no floud by raining slaketh My woe too sencible thy passion maketh More feeling painfull let it than suffice To drowne on woe one paire of weeping eyes And for my sake when I might charme thee so For shee that was thy LVCRECE now attend me Be sodainelie reuenged on my Foe Thine mine his own suppose thou dost defend me From what is past the helpe that thou shalt lend me Comes all too late yet let the Traytor die For sparing Iustice feeds iniquitie But ere I name him you faire Lords quoth shee Speaking to those that came with COLATINE Shall plight your Honourable faiths to me VVith swift pursuit to venge this wrong of mine For'tis a meritorious faire designe To chase iniustice with reuengefull armes Knights by their oaths should right poore Ladies harmes At this request with noble disposition Each present Lord began to promise aide As bound in Knighthood to her imposition Longing to heare the hatefull Foe bewraide But shee that yet her sad taske hath not said The protestation stops ô speake quoth shee How may this forced staine be wip'd from me VVhat is the qualitie of my offence Being constrayn'd with dreadfull circumstance May my pure mind with the fowle act dispence My low declined Honor to aduance May anie termes acquit me from this chance The poysoned fountaine cleares it selfe againe And why not I from this compelled staine VVith this they all at once began to saie Her bodies staine her mind vntainted cleares VVhile with a ioylesse smile shee turnes awaie The face that map which deepe impression beares Of hard misfortune caru'd it in with tears No no quoth shee no Dame hereafter liuing By my excuse shall claime excuses giuing Here with a sigh as if her heart would breake Shee throwes forth TARQVINS name he he she saies But more then he her poore tong could not speake Till after manie accents and delaies Vntimelie breathings sicke and short assaies Shee vtters this he he faire Lords t is he That guides this hand to giue this wound to me Euen here she sheathed in her harmlesse breast A harmfull knife that thence her soule vnsheathed That blow did baile it from the deepe vnrest Of that polluted prison where it breathed Her contrite sighes vnto the clouds bequeathed Her winged sprite through her woūds doth flie Liues lasting date from cancel'd destinie Stone still astonisht with this deadlie deed Stood COLATINE and all his Lordly crew Till LVCRECE Father that beholds her bleed Himselfe on her selfe-slaughtred bodie threw And from the purple fountaine BRVTVS drew The murdrous knife and as it left the place Her bloud in poore reuenge held it in chase And bubling from her brest it doth deuide In two slow riuers that the crimson bloud Circles her bodie in on euerie side VVho like a late sack't Iland vastlie stood Bare and vnpeopled in this fearfull flood Some of her bloud still pure and red remain'd And som look'd black that false TARQVIN stain'd About the mourning and congealed face Of that blacke bloud a watrie rigoll goes VVhich seemes to weep vpon the tainted place And euer since as pittying LVCRECE woes Corrupted bloud some waterie token showes And bloud vntainted still doth red abide Blushing at that which is so putrified Daughter deare daughter old LVCRETIVS cries That life was mine which thou hast here depriued If in the childe the fathers image lies VVhere shall I liue now LVCRECE is vnliued Thou wast not to this end from me deriued If children praedecease progenitours VVe are their ofspring and they none of ours Poore broken glasse I often did behold In thy sweet semblance my old age new borne But now that faire fresh mirror dim and old Shewes me a bare bon'd death by time out-worne O from thy cheekes my image thou hast torne And shiuerd all the beautie of my glasse That I no more can see what once I was O time cease thou thy course and last no longer If they surcease to be that should suruiue Shall rotten death make conquest of the stronger And leaue the foultring feeble soules aliue The old Bees die the young possesse their hiue Then liue sweet LVCRECE liue againe and see Thy father die and not thy father thee By this starts COLATINE as from a dreame And bids LVCRECIVS giue his sorrow place And than in key-cold LVCRECE bleeding streame He fals and bathes the pale feare in his face And counterfaits to die with her a space Till manly shame bids him possesse his breath And liue to be reuenged on her death The deepe vexation of his inward soule Hath seru'd a dumbe arrest vpon his tongue VVho mad that sorrow should his vse controll Or keepe him from heart-easing words so long Begins to talke but through his lips do throng VVeake words so thick come in his poor harts aid That no man could distinguish what he said Yet sometime TARQVIN was pronounced plaine But through his teeth as if the name he tore This windie tempest till it blow vp raine Held backe his sorrowes tide to make it more At last it raines and busie windes giue ore Then sonne and father weep with equall strife VVho shuld weep most for daughter or for wife The one doth call her his the other his Yet neither may possesse the claime they lay The father saies shee 's mine ô mine shee is Replies her husband do not take away My sorrowes interest let no mourner say He weepes for her for shee was onely mine And onelie must be wayl'd by COLATINE O quoth LVCRETIVS I did giue that life VVhich shee to earely and too late hath spil'd VVoe woe quoth COLATINE shee was my wife I owed her and t is mine that shee hath kil'd My daughter and my wife with clamors fild The disperst aire who holding LVCRECE life Answer'd their cries my daughter and my wife BRVTVS who pluck't the knife from LVCRECE side Seeing such emulation in their woe Began to cloath his wit in state and pride Burying in LVCRECE wound his follies show He with the Romains was esteemed so As seelie ieering idiots are with Kings For sportiue words and vttring foolish things But now he throwes that shallow habit by VVherein deepe pollicie did him disguise And arm'd his long hid wits aduise dlie To checke the teares in COLATINVS eies Thou wronged Lord of Rome quoth he arise Let my vnsounded selfe suppos'd a foole Now set thy long experienc't wit to schoole VVhy COLATINE is woe the cure for woe Do wounds helpe wounds or griefe helpe greeuous deeds Is it reuenge to giue thy selfe a blow For his fowle Act by whom thy faire wife bleeds Such childish humor from weake minds proceeds Thy wretched wife mistooke the matter so To slaie her selfe that should haue slaine her Foe Couragious Romaine do not steepe thy hart In such relenting dew of Lamentations But kneele with me and helpe to beare thy part To rowse our Romaine Gods with inuocations That they will suffer these abhominations Since Rome her self in thē doth stand disgraced By our strong arms frō forth her fair streets chaced Now by the Capitoll that we adore And by this chast bloud so vniustlie stained By heauens faire sun that breeds the fat earths store By all our countrey rights in Rome maintained And by chast LVCRECE soule that late complained Her wrongs to vs and by this bloudie knife VVe will reuenge the death of this true wife This sayd he strooke his hand vpon his breast And kist the fatall knife to end his vow And to his protestation vrg'd the rest VVho wondring at him did his words allow Then ioyntlie to the ground their knees they bow And that deepe vow which BRVTVS made before He doth againe repeat and that they swore VVhen they had sworne to this aduised doome They did conclude to beare dead LVCRECE thence To shew her bleeding bodie thorough Roome And so to publish TARQVINS fowle offence VVhich being done with speedie diligence The Romaines plausibly did giue consent To TARQVINS euerlasting banishment FINIS
LVCRECE LONDON Printed by Richard Field for Iohn Harrison and are to be sold at the signe of the white Greyhound in Paules Churh-yard 1594. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE HENRY VVriothesley Earle of Southhampton and Baron of Titchfield THE loue I dedicate to your Lordship is without end wherof this Pamphlet without beginning is but a superfluous Moity The warrant I haue of your Honourable disposition not the worth of my vntutord Lines makes it assured of acceptance VVhat I haue done is yours what I haue to doe is yours being part in all I haue deuoted yours VVere my worth greater my duety would shew greater meane time as it is it is bound to your Lordship To whom I wish long life still lengthned with all happinesse Your Lordships in all duety William Shakespeare THE ARGVMENT LVcius Tarquinius for his excessiue pride surnamed Superbus after hee had caused his owne father in law Seruius Tullius to be cruelly murdred and contrarie to the Romaine lawes and customes not requiring or staying for the peoples suffrages had possessed himselfe of the kingdome went accompanyed with his sonnes and other Noble men of Rome to besiege Ardea during which siege the principall men of the Army meeting one euening at the Tent of Sextus Tarquinius the Kings sonne in their discourses after supper euery one commended the vertues of his owne wife among whom Colatinus extolled the incomparable chastity of his wife Lucretia In that pleasant humor they all posted to Rome and intending by theyr secret and sodaine arriuall to make triall of that which euery one had before auouched onely Colatinus finds his wife though it were late in the night spinning amongest her maides the other Ladies were all found dauncing and reuelling or in seuerall disports whereupon the Noble men yeelded Colatinus the victory and his wife the Fame At that time Sextus Tarquinius being ensflamed with Lucrece beauty yet smoothering his passions for the present departed with the rest backe to the Campe from whence he shortly after priuily withdrew himselfe and was according to his estate royally entertayned and lodged by Lucrece at Colatium The same night he tretcherouslie stealeth into her Chamber violently rauisht her and early in the morning speedeth away Lucrece in this lamentable plight hastily dispatcheth Messengers one to Rome for her father another to the Campe for Colatine They came the one accompanyed with Iunius Brutus the other with Publius Valerius and finding Lucrece attired in mourning habite demanded the cause of her sorrow Shee first taking an oath of them for her reuenge reuealed the Actor and whole maner of his dealing and withall sodainely stabbed her selfe Which done with one consent they all vowed to roote out the whole hated family of the Tarquins and bearing the dead body to Rome Brutus acquainted the people with the doer and manner of the vile deede with a bitter inuectiue against the tyranny of the King wherewith the people were so moued that with one consent and a general acclamation the Tarquins were all exiled and the state gouernment changed from Kings to Consuls THE RAPE OF LVCRECE FROM the besieged Ardea all in post Borne by the trustlesse wings of false desire Lust-breathed TARQVIN leaues the Roman host And to Colatium beares the lightlesse fire VVhich in pale embers hid lurkes to aspire And girdle with embracing flames the wast Of COLATINES fair loue LVCRECE the chast Hap'ly that name of chast vnhap'ly set This batelesse edge on his keene appetite VVhen COLATINE vnwisely did not let To praise the cleare vnmatched red and white VVhich triumpht in that skie of his delight VVhere mortal stars as bright as heauēs Beauties VVith pure aspects did him peculiar dueties For he the night before in Tarquins Tent Vnlockt the treasure of his happie state VVhat priselesse wealth the heauens had him lent In the possession of his beauteous mate Reckning his fortune at such high proud rate That Kings might be espowsed to more fame But King nor Peere to such a peerelesse dame O happinesse enioy'd but of a few And if possest as soone decayed and done As is the mornings siluer melting dew Against the golden splendour of the Sunne An expir'd date canceld ere well begunne Honour and Beautie in the owners armes Are weakelie fortrest from a world of harmes Beautie it selfe doth of it selfe perswade The eies of men without an Orator VVhat needeth then Apologies be made To set forth that which is so singuler Or why is Colatine the publisher Of that rich iewell he should keepe vnknown From theeuish eares because it is his owne Perchance his bost of Lucrece Sou'raigntie Suggested this proud issue of a King For by our eares our hearts oft taynted be Perchance that enuie of so rich a thing Brauing compare disdainefully did sting His high picht thoughts that meaner men should vant That golden hap which their superiors want But some vntimelie thought did instigate His all too timelesse speede if none of those His honor his affaires his friends his state Neglected all with swift intent he goes To quench the coale which in his liuer glowes O rash false heate wrapt in repentant cold Thy hastie spring still blasts and nere growes old VVhen at Colatia this false Lord arriued VVell was he welcom'd by the Romaine dame VVithin whose face Beautie and Vertue striued VVhich of them both should vnder prop her fame VVhē Vertue brag'd Beautie wold blush for shame VVhen Beautie bosted blushes in despight Vertue would staine that ore with siluer white But Beautie in that white entituled From Venus doues doth challenge that faire field Then Vertue claimes from Beautie Beauties red VVhich Vertue gaue the golden age to guild Their siluer cheekes and cald it then their shield Teaching them thus to vse it in the fight VVhē shame assaild the red should fēce the white This Herauldry in LVCRECE face was seene Argued by Beauties red and Vertues white Of eithers colour was the other Queene Prouing from worlds minority their right Yet their ambition makes them still to fight The soueraignty of either being so great That oft they interchange ech others seat This silent warre of Lillies and of Roses VVhich TARQVIN vew'd in her faire faces field In their pure rankes his traytor eye encloses VVhere least betweene them both it should be kild The coward captiue vanquished doth yeeld To those two Armies that would let him goe Rather then triumph in so false a foe Now thinkes he that her husbands shallow tongue The niggard prodigall that praisde her so In that high taske hath done her Beauty wrong VVhich farre exceedes his barren skill to show Therefore that praise which COLATINE doth owe Inchaunted TARQVIN aunswers with surmise In silent wonder of still gazing eyes This earthly sainct adored by this deuill Little suspecteth the false worshipper For vnstaind thoughts do seldom dream on euill Birds neuer lim'd no secret bushes feare So guiltlesse shee securely giues good cheare And reuerend welcome to her princely guest VVhose
inward ill no outward harme exprest For that he colourd with his high estate Hiding base sin in pleats of Maiestie That nothing in him seemd inordinate Saue sometime too much wonder of his eye VVhich hauing all all could not satisfie But poorly rich so wanteth in his store That cloy'd with much he pineth still for more But she that neuer cop't with straunger eies Could picke no meaning from their parling lookes Nor read the subtle shining secrecies VVrit in the glassie margents of such bookes Shee toucht no vnknown baits nor feard no hooks Nor could shee moralize his wanton sight More then his eies were opend to the light He stories to her eares her husbands fame VVonne in the fields of fruitfull Italie And decks with praises Colatines high name Made glorious by his manlie chiualrie VVith bruised armes and wreathes of victorie Her ioie with heaued-vp hand she doth expresse And wordlesse so greetes heauen for his successe Far from the purpose of his comming thither He makes excuses for his being there No clowdie show of stormie blustring wether Doth yet in his faire welkin once appeare Till sable Night mother of dread and feare Vppon the world dim darknesse doth displaie And in her vaultie prison stowes the daie For then is Tarquine brought vnto his bed Intending wearinesse with heauie sprite For after supper long he questioned VVith modest Lucrece and wore out the night Now leaden slumber with liues strength doth fight And euerie one to rest themselues betake Saue theeues and cares and troubled minds that wake As one of which doth Tarquin lie reuoluing The sundrie dangers of his wils obtaining Yet euer to obtaine his will resoluing Though weake-built hopes perswade him to abstaining Dispaire to gaine doth traffique oft for gaining And when great treasure is the meede proposed Though death be adiūct ther 's no death supposed Those that much couet are with gaine so fond That what they haue not that which they possesse They scatter and vnloose it from their bond And so by hoping more they haue but lesse Or gaining more the profite of excesse Is but to surfet and such griefes sustaine That they proue bāckrout in this poore rich gain The ayme of all is but to nourse the life VVith honor wealth and ease in wainyng age And in this ayme there is such thwarting strife That one for all or all for one we gage As life for honour in fell battailes rage Honor for wealth and oft that wealth doth cost The death of all and altogether lost So that in ventring ill we leaue to be The things we are for that which we expect And this ambitious foule infirmitie In hauing much torments vs with defect Of that we haue so then we doe neglect The thing we haue and all for want of wit Make something nothing by augmenting it Such hazard now must doting TARQVIN make Pawning his honor to obtaine his lust And for himselfe himselfe he must forsake Then where is truth if there be no selfe-trust VVhen shall he thinke to find a stranger iust VVhen he himselfe himselfe confounds betraies To sclandrous tongues wretched hateful daies Now stole vppon the time the dead of night VVhen heauie sleeep had closd vp mortall eyes No comfortable starre did lend his light No noise but Owles wolues death-boding cries Now serues the season that they may surprise The sillie Lambes pure thoughts are dead still VVhile Lust and Murder wakes to staine and kill And now this lustfull Lord leapt from his bed Throwing his mantle rudely ore his arme Is madly tost betweene desire and dred Th' one sweetely flatters th' other feareth harme But honest feare bewicht with lustes foule charme Doth too too oft betake him to retire Beaten away by brainesicke rude desire His Faulchon on a flint he softly smiteth That from the could stone sparkes of fire doe flie VVhereat a waxen torch forthwith he lighteth VVhich must be lodestarre to his lustfull eye And to the flame thus speakes aduisedlie As from this cold flint I enforst this fire So LVCRECE must I force to my desire Here pale with feare he doth premeditate The daungers of his lothsome enterprise And in his inward mind he doth debate VVhat following sorrow may on this arise Then looking scornfully he doth despise His naked armour of still slaughtered lust And iustly thus controlls his thoughts vniust Faire torch burne out thy light and lend it not To darken her whose light excelleth thine And die vnhallowed thoughts before you blot VVith your vncleannesse that which is deuine Offer pure incense to so pure a shrine Let faire humanitie abhor the deede That spots stains loues modest snow-white weed O shame to knighthood and to shining Armes O foule dishonor to my houshoulds graue O impious act including all foule harmes A martiall man to be soft fancies slaue True valour still a true respect should haue Then my digression is so vile so base That it will liue engrauen in my face Yea though I die the scandale will suruiue And be an eie-sore in my golden coate Some lothsome dash the Herrald will contriue To cipher me how fondlie I did dote That my posteritie sham'd with the note Shall curse my bones and hold it for no sinne To wish that I their father had not beene VVhat win I if I gaine the thing I seeke A dreame a breath a froth of fleeting ioy VVho buies a minutes mirth to waile a weeke Or sels eternitie to get a toy For one sweete grape who will the vine destroy Or what fond begger but to touch the crowne VVould with the scepter straight be strokē down If COLATINVS dreame of my intent VVill he not wake and in a desp'rate rage Post hither this vile purpose to preuent This siege that hath ingirt his marriage This blur to youth this sorrow to the sage This dying vertue this suruiuing shame VVhose crime will beare an euer-during blame O what excuse can my inuention make VVhen thou shalt charge me with so blacke a deed VVil not my tongue be mute my fraile ioints shake Mine eies forgo their light my false hart bleede The guilt beeing great the feare doth still exceede And extreme feare can neither fight nor flie But cowardlike with trembling terror die Had COLATINVS kild my sonne or sire Or laine in ambush to betray my life Or were he not my deare friend this desire Might haue excuse to worke vppon his wife As in reuenge or quittall of such strife But as he is my kinsman my deare friend The shame and fault finds no excuse nor end Shamefull it is I if the fact be knowne Hatefull it is there is no hate in louing He beg her loue but she is not her owne The worst is but deniall and reproouing My will is strong past reasons weake remoouing VVho feares a sentence or an old mans saw Shall by a painted cloth be kept in awe Thus gracelesse holds he disputation Tweene frozen conscience and hot burning