THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

Thus he replies, the colour in thy face,
That euen for anger makes the Lilly pale,
And the red rose blush at her owne disgrace,
Shall plead for me and tell my louing tale.
Under that colour am I come to scale
Thy neuer conquered Fort, the fault is thine,
For those thine eyes betray thee vnto mine.

Thus I forestall thee, if thou meane to chide,
Thy beauty hath enfin'd thee to this night,
Where thou with patience muſt my will abide,
My will that markes thee for my earths delight,
Which I to conquer ſought with all my might.
But as reproofe and reaſon beat it dead,
By thy bright beautitie was it newlie bred.

I see what croſſes my attempt will bring,
I know what thornes the growing rose defends,
I thinke the honie garded with a ſting,
All this before-hand counſell comprehends.
But Vill is deafe, and hears no heedfull friends,
Onely he hath an eye to gaze on Beautie,
And dotes on what he looks, gainſt law or duety.

I

THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

I haue debated euen in my ſoule,
What wrong, what ſhame, what ſorrow I ſhal breed,
But nothing can affections courſe controull,
Or ſtop the headlong ſurie of his ſpeed.
I know repentant teares inſewe the deed,
Reproch, diſdaine, and deadly enmity,
Yet ſtriume I to embrace mine infamy.

This ſaid, hee ſhakes aloft his Romaine blade,
Which like a Faulcon towring in the skies,
Cowcheth the fowle below with his wings ſha de,
Whoſe crooked beake threats, if he mount he dies.
So vnder his infulting Fauchion lies
Harmeleſſe LVCRETIA marking what he tels,
With trembling ſeare: as fowl hear Faulcós bels.

LVCRECE, quoth he, this night I muſt enioy thee,
If thou deny, then force muſt worke my way :
For in thy bed I purpose to deftroie thee.
That done, ſome worthleſſe ſlaue of thine ile ſlay.
To kill thine Honour with thy liues decaie.
And in thy dead armes do I meane to place him,
Swearing I ſlue him seeing thee imbrace him.

E

THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

So thy furuiuing husband shall remaine
The cornefull marke of euerie open eye,
Thy kinsmen hang their heads at this diſdaine,
Thy iſſue blur'd with nameleſſe baſtardie;
And thou the author of their obloquie,
Shalt haue thy treſpasse cited vp in rimes,
And ſung by children in ſucceeding times.

But if thou yeeld, I reſt thy ſecret friend,
The fault vnknowne, is as a thought vnacted,
“A little harme done to a great good end,
For lawfull pollicie remaines enacted.
“The poyſonous ſimple ſometime is compaſt
In a pure compound; being ſo applied,
His venome in effect is purified.

Then for thy husband and thy childrens ſake,
Tender my ſuite, bequeath not to their lot
The ſhame that from them no deuife can take,
The blemiſh that will neuer be forgot:
V Vorſe then a ſlauiſh wipe, or birth howrs blot,
For markes diſcried in mens natiuitie,
Are natures ſaultes, not their owne infamie.

Here

THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

Here with a Cockeatrice dead killing eye,
He rowſeth vp himſelfe, and makes a paſſe,
V Vhile ſhee the picture of pure pictie,
Like a white Hinde vnder the grypes ſharpe clawes,
Pleades in a wilderneſſe where are no lawes,
To the rough beaſt, that knowes no gentle right,
Nor ought obayes but his fowle appetite.

But when a black fac'd clowd the world doth thret,
In his dim miſt th'aspiring mountaines hiding:
From earths dark-womb, ſome gentle guſt doth get,
V Vhich blow theſe pitchie vapours fro their biding:
Hindring their preſent fall by this deuiding.
So his vnhalowed haſt her words delayes,
And moodie PLVTO winks while Orpheus playes.

Yet fowle night-waking Cat he doth but dallie,
V Vhile in his hold-faſt foot the weak mouse pāteth,
Her ſad behauiour feedes his vulture follie,
A ſwallowing gulſe that euen in plentie wanteth.
His eare her prayers admits, but his heart granteth
No penetrable entrance to her playning,
“Tears harden luſt though marble were with ray-

E 2

(ning.)

## THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

Her pittie-pleading eyes are sadlie fixed
In the remorſeleſſe wrinckles of his face.
Her modest eloquence with ſighes is mixed,
VWhich to her Oratorie addes more grace.
Shee puts the period often from his place,
And midſt the ſentence so her accent breakes,
That twife ſhe doth begin ere once ſhe ſpeakes.

She coniures him by high Almightie loue,
By knighthood, gentrie, and ſweete friendſhips oth,
By her vntimely teares, her husbands loue,
By holie humaine law, and common troth,
By Heauen and Earth, and all the power of both:
That to his borrowed bed he make retire,
And ſtoope to Honor, not to fowle desire.

Quoth ſhee, reward not Hospitalitie,
VWith ſuch black payment, as thou haſt pretended,
Mudde not the fountaine that gaue drinke to thee,
Mar not the thing that cannot be amended.
End thy ill ayme, before thy ſhoote be ended.
He is no wood-man that doth bend his bow,
To ſtrike a poore vnſeasonable Doe.

My

## THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

My husband is thy friend, for his ſake ſpare me,
Thy ſelfe art mightie, for thine own ſake leaue me:
My ſelfe a weakling, do not then infnare me.
Thou look'ſt not like decept, do not deceiue me.
My ſighes like whirlewindes labor hence to heaue
If euer man were mou'd with womās mones, (thee)
Be moued with my teares, my ſighes, my grones.

All which together like a troubled Ocean,
Beat at thy rockie, and wracke-threatening heart,
To ſoften it with their continuall motion:
For ſtones diffolu'd to water do conduert.
O if no harder then a ſtone thou art,
Melt at my teares and be compassionate,
Soft pittie enters at an iron gate.

In TAR QVINS likeneſſe I did entertaine thee,
Haſt thou put on his ſhape, to do him ſhame?
To all the Hoſt of Heauen I complaine me.
Thou wrongſt his honor, wouſt his princely name:
Thou art not what thou ſeem'ſt, and if the ſame,
Thou ſeem'ſt not what thou art, a God, a King;
For kings like Gods ſhould gouerne euery thing.

E 3

## THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

How will thy shame be feeded in thine age
VWhen thus thy vices bud before thy spring ?
If in thy hope thou darst do such outrage,
VWhat darst thou not when once thou art a King ?
O be remembred, no outragious thing
From vassall actors can be wipt away,
Then Kings miſdeedes cannot be hid in clay.

This deede will make thee only lou'd for feare,
But happie Monarchs ſtill are feard for loue:
VWith fowle offendors thou perſorce muſt beare,
VWhen they in thee the like offences proue;
If but for feare of this, thy will remoue.

For Princes are the glaſſe, the ſchoole, the booke,
VWhere ſubieſts eies do learn, do read, do looke.

And wilt thou be the ſchoole where luſt ſhall learne?
Mußt he in thee read leaſures of ſuch ſhame ?
VVilt thou be glaſſe wherein it ſhall diſcerne
Authoritie for ſinne, warrant for blame?
To priuilege diſhonor in thy name.

Thou backſt reproch against long-living lawd,
And mak't faire reputation but a bawd.

Haſt

## THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

Haſt thou commaund ? by him that gaue it thee
From a pure heart commaund thy rebell will :
Draw not thy ſword to gard iniquitie,
For it was lent thee all that broode to kill.
Thy Princelie office how canſt thou fulfill ?
VWhen patternd by thy fault fowle ſin may ſay,
He learnd to ſin, and thou didſt teach the way.

Thinke but how vile a ſpectacle it were,
To view thy preſent trefpaſſe in another :
Mens faults do ſeldome to themſelues appeale,
Their own transſgressions partiallie they ſmother,
This guilt would ſeem death-worthie in thy brother.
O how are they wrapt in with infamies,
That frō their own miſdeeds askaunce their eyes?

To thee, to thee, my heau'd vp hands appeale,
Not to ſeducing luſt thy rafh relier:
I ſue for exil'd maiefties repeale,
Let him returne, and flattring thoughts retire.
His true reſpect will prifon falſe defire,
And wipe the dim miſt from thy doting eien,
That thou ſhalt ſee thy ſtate, and pittie mine.

## THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

Haue done, quoth he, my vncontrolled tide
Turne not, but wels the higher by this let.
Small lightes are soone blown out, huge fires abide,
And with the winde in greater furie set:
The petty streames that paie a dailie det
To their salt soueraigne with their fresh fals haft,
Add to his flowe, but alter not his salt.

Thou art, quoth shee, a sea, a soueraigne King,
And loe there fals into thy boundlesse flood,
Blacke luft, dilhonor, shame, miſ-gouerning,
VWho seeke to ſtaine the Ocean of thy blood.
If all theſe pettie ils ſhall change thy good,
Thy sea within a puddels wombe is herſed,
And not the puddle in thy sea diſperſed.

So ſhall theſe ſlaues be King, and thou their ſlaue,
Thou noblie bafe, they bafelie dignified:
Thou their faire life, and they thy fowler graue:
Thou lothed in their ſhame, they in thy pride,
The leſſer thing ſhould not the greater hide.
The Cedar ſtoopes not to the bafe ſhrubs ſoote,
But low-ſhrubs wither at the Cedars roote.

So

## THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

So let thy thoughts low vassals to thy ſtate,
No more quoth he, by Heauen I will not heare thee.
Yeeld to my loue, if not inforced hate,
In ſteed of loues coy tutch ſhall rudelie teare thee.
That done, deſpitefullie I meane to beare thee
Vnto the bafe bed of ſome rafcall groome,
To be thy partner in this ſhamefull doome.

This ſaid, he ſets his foote vppon the light,
For light and luft are deadlie enemies,
Shame folded vp in blind concealing night,
VWhen moſt vnſene, then moſt doth tyrannize.
The wolſe hath ceazd his pray, the poor lamb cries,
Till with her own white ſleece her voice controld,
Intombes her outcrie in her lips ſweet fold.

For with the nightlie linnen that ſhee weares,
He pens her piteous clamors in her head,
Cooling his hot face in the chaſteſt teares,
That euer moded eyes with ſorrow ſhed.
O that prone luſt ſhould ſtaine ſo pure a bed,
The ſpots whereof could weeping purifie,
Her tears ſhould drop on them perpetuallie.

F

## THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

But shee hath loft a dearer thing then life,
And he hath wonne what he would loose againe,
This forced league doth force a further strife,
This momentarie ioy breeds months of paine,
This hot desire conduerts to colde disdaine;
Pure chaftitie is rifled of her itore,
And luft the theefe farre poorer then before.

Looke as the full-fed Hound, or gorged Hawke,
Vnapt for tender smell, or speedie flight,
Make flow pur Suite, or altogether bauk,
The praie wherein by nature they delight:
So surfet-taking TAR QYIN fares this night:
His taft delicious, in digestion lowring,
Deoures his will that liu'd by fowle deuouring.

O deeper sinne then bottomlesse conceit
Can comprehend in still imagination!
Drunken Desire muft vomite his receipt
Ere he can see his owne abhomination.
VWhile Luft is in his pride no exclamation
Can curbe his heat, or reine his rath desire,
Till like a Iade, self-will him selfe doth tire.

And

## THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

And then with lanke, and leane discolour'd cheeke,
VWith heauie eye, knit-brow, and strengthlesse pace,
Feeble desire all recreant, poore and meeke,
Like to a bankrout begger wailes his cace :
The flesh being proud, Desire doth fight with grace;
For there it reuels, and when that decaies,
The guiltie rebell for remission praires.

So fares it with this fault-full Lord of Rome,
VWho this accomplishment so hotly chafed,
For now against himselfe he founds this doome,
That through the length of times he stands disgraced:
Besides his foules faire temple is defaced,
To whose weake ruines must the troops of cares,
To aske the spotted Princeſſe how the fares.

Shee ſayes her ſubieſts with fowle inſurrection,
Haue batterd downe her confecrated wall,
And by their mortall fault brought in ſubieſtion
Her immortalitie, and made her thrall,
To liuing death and payne perpetuall.
VWhich in her preſcience ſhee controlled still,
But her ſoresight could not foreſt all their will.

F 2

## THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

Eu'n in this thought through the dark-night he fteac-
A captive victor that hath loft in gaine,
(LEth,
Bearing away the wound that nothing healeth,
The scarre that will dispight of Cure remaine,
Leauing his spoile perplext in greater paine.
Shee beares the lode of luft he left behinde,
And he the burthen of a guiltie minde.

Hee like a theeuish dog creeps fadly thence,
Shee like a wearied Lambe lies panting there,
He fcowles and hates himfelfe for his offence,
Shee defperat with her nailes her flefh doth teare.
He faintly flies sweating with guiltie feare;
Shee ſtaies exclayming on the direfull night,
He runnes and chides his vanifht loth'd delight.

He thence departs a heauy conuertite,
Shee there remaines a hopeleſſe caſt-away,
He in his ſpeed lookes for the morning light:
Shee prayes ſhee neuer may behold the day.
For daie, quoth ſhee, nights ſcapes doth open lay,
And my true eyes haue neuer practiz'd how
To cloake offences with a cunning brow.

They

## THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

They thinke not but that euerie eye can ſee,
The fame diſgrace which they themſelues behold:
And therefore would they ſtill in darkeneſſe be,
To haue their vnſeene ſinne remaine vntold.
For they their guilt with weeping will vnfold,
And graue like water that doth eate in ſteele,
Vppon my cheeks, what helpeleſſe ſhame I ſeele.

Here ſhee exclaimes againſt repoſe and reſt,
And bids her eyes hereafter ſtill be blinde,
Shee wakes her heart by beating on her breſt,
And bids it leape from thence, where it maie finde
Some purer cheſt, to cloſe ſo pure a minde.
Franticke with griefe thus breathes ſhee forth her
Againſt the vnſeene ſecrecie of night. (Spite,

O comfort-killing night, image of Hell,
Dim register, and notarie of ſhame;
Blacke ſtage for tragedies, and murthers ſell,
Vaſt ſin-concealing Chaos, nourſe of blame.
Blinde muffled bawd, darke harber for defame,
Grim caue of death, whifpring conſpirator,
VWith cloſe-tong'd treason & the rauilher.

F 3

THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

O hatefull, vaporous, and foggy night,
Since thou art guilty of my cureleſſe crime:
Muſter thy miſts to meete the Eaſterne light,
Make war againſt proportion'd courſe of time.
Or if thou wilt permit the Sunne to clime
His wonted height, yet ere he go to bed,
Knit poyſonous clouds about his golden head.

VWith rotten damps rauiſh the morning aire,
Let their exhald vnholdſome breaths make ſicke
The life of puritie, the ſupreme faire,
Ere he arriue his wearie noone-tide pricke,
And let thy muſtie vapours march ſo thicke,
That in their ſmoakie rankes, his ſmoothred light
May ſet at noone, and make perpetuall night.

VVere TARQVIN night, as he is but nights child,
The ſiluer ſhining Queene he would diſtaine;
Her twinckling handmaids to (by him deſil'd)
Through nights black boſom ſhuld not peep again.
So ſhould I haue copartners in my paine,
And fellowship in woe doth woe aſſwage,
As Palmers chat makes ſhort their pilgrimage.

VVhere

THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

VWhere now I haue no one to bluſh with me,
To croſſe their armes & hang their heads with mine,
To maske their browes and hide their infamie,
But I alone, alone muſt ſit and pine,
Seafoning the earth with ſhowres of ſiluer brine;
Mingling my talk with tears, my greeſ with grones,
Poore waſting monuments of laſting mones.

O night thou furnace of fowle reeking ſmoke!
Let not he ievalous daie behold that face,
V Vhich vnderneath thy blacke all-hiding cloke
Immodeſtly lies martird with diſgrace.
Keepe ſtill poſſeſſion of thy gloomy place,
That all the faults which in thy raigne are made,
May likewife be ſepulcherd in thy ſhade.

Make me not obieſt to the tell-tale day,
The light will ſhow charaſterd in my brow,
The ſtorie of ſweete chaſtities decay,
The impious breach of holy wedlocke vowe.
Yea the illiterate that know not how
To cipher what is writ in learned bookes,
V Will cote my lothſome treſpasse in my lookes.

## THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

The nature to still her child will tell my story,
And fright her crying babe with TARQVINS name.
The Orator to decke his oratorie,
VWill couple my reproch to TARQVINS thame.
Feast-finding minstrels tuning my defame,
VWill tie the hearers to attend each line,
How TARQVIN wronged me, I COLATINE.

Let my good name, that fenceleffe reputation,
For COLATINES deare loue be kept vnspotted:
If that be made a theame for disputation,
The branches of another roote are rotted;
And vndeferu'd reproch to him alotted,
That is as cleare from this attaint of mine,
As I ere this was pure to COLATINE.

O vnseene thame, inuible diſgrace,
O vnfelt ſore, creſt-wounding priuat ſcarre!
Reproch is ſtampt in COLATINVS face,
And TARQVINS eye maie read the mot a farre,
"How he in peace is wounded not in warre.
"Alas how manie beare ſuch thamefull blowes,
VWhich not theſelues but he that giues the knowes.

If

## THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

If COLATINE, thine honor laie in me,
From me by ſtrong affault it is bereft:
My Honnie loft, and I a Drone-like Bee,
Haue no perſection of my ſommer left,
But rob'd and ranſak't by iniurious theft.
In thy weake Hiue a wandring waſpe hath crept,
And ſuck't the Honnie which thy chaſt Bee kept.

Yet am I guiltie of thy Honors wracke,
Yet for thy Honor did I entertaine him,
Comming from thee I could not put him backe:
For it had beene diſhonor to diſdaine him,
Befides of wearineſſe he did complaine him,
And talk't of Vertue (O vnlook't for euill,)
VWhen Vertue is prophan'd in ſuch a Deuill.

VWhy ſhould the worme intrude the maiden bud?
Or hatefull Kuckcowes hatch in Sparrows nefts?
Or Todes inſect faire founts with venome mud?
Or tyrant follie lurke in gentle brefts?
Or Kings be breakers of their owne beheſtes?
"But no perſection is ſo abſolute,
That ſome impuritie doth not pollute.

G

## THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

The aged man that coffers vp his gold,
Is plagu'd with cramps, and gouts, and painefull fits,
And scarce hath eyes his treasure to behold,
But like still pining TANTALVS he fits,
And vſeleſſe barnes the harueſt of his wits:
Hauing no other pleafure of his gaine,
But torment that it cannot cure his paine.

So then he hath it when he cannot vſe it,
And leaues it to be maſtred by his yong:
VWho in their pride do p[re]ſently abuſe it,
Their father was too weake, and they too ſtrong
To hold their curſed-bleſſed Fortune long.
"The ſweets we w[il]h for, turne to lothed ſowrs,
"Euen in the moment that we call them ours.

Vnruly blaſts wait on the tender ſpring,
Vnholſome weeds take roote with precious flowrs,
The Adder hiffes where the ſweete birds ſing,
VWhat Vertue breedes Iniquity deuours:
VVe haue no good that we can ſay is ours,
But ill annexed opportunity
Or kils his life, or eſſe his quality.

O

## THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

O opportunity thy guilt is great,
Tis thou that execut the traytors treaſon:
Thou fets the wolſe where he the lambe may get,
VWho euer plots the ſinne thou poinſt the ſeason.
Tis thou that ſpurnſt at right, at law, at reaſon,
And in thy ſhadie Cell where none may ſpie him,
Sits ſin to ceaze the ſoules that wander by him.

Thou makeſt the veſtall violate her oath,
Thou bloweſt the fire when temperance is thawd,
Thou ſmotherſt honeftie, thou murthreſt troth,
Thou fowle abbettor, thou notorious bawd,
Thou planteſt ſcandall, and diſplaceſt lawd.
Thou rauither, thou traytor, thou falſe theſe,
Thy honie turnes to gall, thy ioy to greeſe.

Thy ſecret pleafure turnes to open ſhame,
Thy priuate feaſting to a publicke ſaſt,
Thy ſmoothing titles to a ragged name,
Thy ſugred tongue to bitter wormwood ſaſt,
Thy violent vanities can neuer laſt.
How comes it then, vile opportunity
Being so bad, ſuch numbers ſeeke for thee?

G 2

## THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

When wilt thou be the humble supplicants friend?
And bring him where his suit may be obtained?
When wilt thou sort an howre great strifes to end?
Or free that soule which wretchednes hath chained?
Giue phisicke to the sicke, eafe to the pained?
The poore, lame, blind, hault, creepe, cry out for
But they nere meet with opportunitie. (thee,

The patient dies while the Philistian sleepes,
The Orphane pines while the oppressor feedes.
Iustice is feasting while the widow weepes.
Aduife is sporting while infection breeds.
Thou graunt it no time for charitable deeds.
VWrath, enuy, treason, rape, and murthers rages,
Thy heinous houres wait on them as their Pages.

When Trueth and Vertue haue to do with thee,
A thousand croffes keepe them from thy aide:
They buie thy helpe, but finne nere giues a fee,
He gratis comes, and thou art well apaide,
As well to heare, as graunt what he hath faide.
My COLATINE would elfe haue come to me,
When TAR QVIN did, but he was ftaied by thee.
Guilty

## THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

Guilty art of murther, and of theft,
Guilty of periurie, and subornation,
Guilty of treason, forgerie, and shift,
Guilty of incest that abhomination,
An acceffarie by thine inclination.
To all finnes paft and all that are to come,
From the creation to the generall doome.

Misshapen time, copefmate of vgly night,
Swift subtle poft, carrier of grieflie care,
Eater of youth, falfe ſlaue to falſe delight:
Baſe watch of woes, ſins packhorſe, vertues ſnare.
Thou nourſt all, and murthreſt all that are.
O heare me then, iniurious shifting time,
Be guiltie of my death ſince of my crime.

Why hath thy ſeruant opportunity
Betraide the howres thou gauſt me to repole?
Canceld my fortunes, and inchained me
To endleſſe date of neuer-ending woes?
Times office is to fine the hate of ſocs,
To eate vp errours by opinion bred,
Not ſpend the dowrie of a lawfull bed.

G 3

THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

Times glorie is to calme contending Kings,
To vnmaske fallhood, and bring truth to light,
To ftampe the fale of time in aged things,
To wake the morne, and Centinell the night,
To wrong the wronger till he render right,
To ruinate proud buildings with thy howres,
And ſmeare with duſt their glitring golden towrs.

To fill with worme-holes ſtately monuments,
To feede obliuion with decay of things,
Toblot old bookes, and alter their contents,
To plucke the quils from auncient rauens wings,
To drie the old oakes ſappe, and cheriſh ſprings:
To ſpoile Antiquities of hammerd ſteele,
And turne the giddy round of Fortunes wheele.

To ſhew the beldame daughters of her daughter,
To make the child a man, the man a childe,
To ſlay the tygre that doth liue by ſlaughter,
To tame the Vnicorne, and Lion wild,
To mocke the ſubtle in themſelues beguild,
To cheare the Plowman with increaſefull crops,
And waſt huge ſtones with little water drops.

VVhy

THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

VVhy work'dt thou miſchieſe in thy Pilgrimage,
Vnleſſe thou could'dt returne to make amends?
One poore retyring minute in an age
VWould purchase thee a thouſand thouſand friends,
Lending him wit that to bad detters lends, (backe,
O this dread night, would'dt thou one howr come
I could preuent this ſtorme, and ſhun thy wracke.

Thou ceaſeleſſe lackie to Eternitie,
VWith ſome miſchance croſſe TARQVIN in his flight.
Deuife extreames beyond extremitie,
To make him curſe this curſed crimefull night:
Let gaſtly ſhadowes his lewd eyes affright,
And the dire thought of his committed euill,
Shape euery buſh a hideous ſhapeleſſe deuill.

Difturbe his howres of reſt with reſtleſſe trances,
Aſſict him in his bed with bedred grones,
Let there bechaunce him pitifull miſchances,
To make him mone, but pitie not his mones:
Stone him with hardned hearts harder then ſtones,
And let milde women to him loose their mildneſſe,
VVilder to him then Tygers in their wildneſſe.

THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

Let him haue time to teare his curled haire,
Let him haue time againſt him ſelfe to raue,
Let him haue time of times helpe to diſpaire,
Let him haue time to liue a lothed ſlaue,
Let him haue time a beggers orts to craue,
And time to ſee one that by almes doth liue,
Diſdaine to him diſdained ſcraps to giue.

Let him haue time to ſee his friends his foes,
And merrie fooles to mocke at him reſort:
Let him haue time to marke how flow time goes
In time of ſorrow, and how ſwift and ſhort
His time offollie, and his time of ſport.
And euer let his vnrecalling crime
Haue time to waile th'abusing of his time.

O time thou tutor both to good and bad,
Teach me to curse him that thou taught'st this ill:
At his owne ſhadow let the theefe runne mad,
Himſelfe, himſelfe ſeeke euerie howre to kill,
Such wretched hāds ſuch wretched blood ſhuld ſpill.
For who ſo bafe would ſuch an office haue,
As ſclandrous deaths-man to ſo bafe a ſlaue.

The

THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

The baſer is he comming from a King,
To ſhame his hope with deedes degenerate,
The mightier man the mightier is the thing
That makes him honord, or begets him hate:
For greatest ſcandall waits on greatest ſtate.
The Moone being clouded, preſently is miſt,
But little ſtars may hide them when they lift.

The Crow may bath his coaleblacke wings in mire,
And vnperceau'd ſlie with the filth away,
But if the like the ſnow-white Swan deſire,
The ſtaine vppon his ſiluer Downe will ſtay.
Poore grooms are ſightles night, kings glorious day,
Gnats are vnnoted where toere they ſlie,
But Eagles gaz'd vppon with euerie eye.

Out idle wordes, ſeruants to ſhallow fooles,
Vnprofitable ſounds, weake arbitrators,
Bufſe your ſelues in skill contending ſchooles,
Debate where ley ſure ſerues with dull debators:
To trembling Clients be you mediators,
For me, I force not argument a ſtraw,
Since that my caſe is paſt the helpe of law.

H

THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

In vaine I raile at oportunitie,
At time, at TARQVIN, and ynchearfull night,
In vaine I cauill with mine infamie,
In vaine I spurne at my confirm'd despight,
This helpelesse smoake of words doth me no right:
The remedie indeede to do me good,
Is to let forth my fowle defiled blood.

Poore hand why quierest thou at this decree ?
Honor thy selfe to rid me of this shame,
For if I die, my Honor liues in thee,
But if I liue thou liu'st in my defame;
Since thou couldst not defend thy loyall Dame,
And waft affeard to scratch her wicked Fo,
Kill both thy selfe, and her for yeelding so.

This said, from her betombled couch thee starteth,
To finde some desp'rat Instrument of death,
But this no slaughter houſe no toole imparteth,
To make more vent for paſſage of her breath,
VWhich thronging through her lips so vanilheth,
As smoake from ÆTNA, that in aire confumes,
Or that which from diſcharged Cannon fumes.

In

THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

In vaine (quoth shee) I liue, and seeke in vaine
Some happie meane to end a hapleſſe life.
I fear'd by TARQVINS Fauchion to be ſtaine,
Yet for the ſelfe fame puſpote seeke a knife;
But when I fear'd I was a loyall wife,
So am I now, ô no that cannot be,
Of that true tipe hath TARQVIN rifled me.

O that is gone for which I sought to liue,
And therefore now I need not feare to die,
To cleare this ſpot by death (at least) I giue
A badge of Fame to ſclanders liuerie,
A dying life, to liuing infamie :

Poore helpeſſe helpe, the treaſure ſtolne away,
To burne the guiltieſſe casket where it lay.

VVell well deare COLATINE, thou ſhalt not know
The stained taſt of violated troth :
I will not wrong thy true affection so,
To flatter thee with an infringed oath:
This baſtard graſſe ſhall neuer come to growth,
He ſhall not boast who did thy ſtocke pollute,
That thou art doting father of his fruite.

H 2

## THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

Nor shall he smile at thee in secret thought,
Nor laugh with his companions at thy state,
But thou shall know thy intrest was not bought
Bafely with gold, but stolne from foorth thy gate.
For me I am the mistresse of my fate,
And with my trempasse neuer will dispence,
Till life to death acquit my forst offence.

I will not poyson thee with my attaint,
Nor fold my fault in cleanly coin'd excuses,
My fable ground of sinne I will not paint,
To hide the truth of this false nights abuses.
My tongue shall vtter all, mine eyes like fluces,
As from a mountaine spring that feeds a dale,
Shal guish pure flreams to purge my impure tale.

By this lamenting Philomele had ended
The well-tun'd warble of her nightly sorrow,
And solemnne night with flow fad gate defcended
To ouglie Hell, when loe the blushing morrow
Lends light to all faire eyes that light will borrow.
But cloudie LVCRECE fhames her selfe to see,
And therefore still in night would cloiftred be.
Reuealing

## THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

Reuealing day through euery crannie spies,
And seems to point her out where she fits weeping,
To whom shee fobbing speaks, ô eye of eyes, (ping,
Why pryft thou through my window? leaue thy pee-
Mock with thy tickling beams, eies that are sleeping;
Brand not my forehead with thy percing light,
For day hath nought to do what's done by night.

Thus cauils shee with euerie thing shee sees,
True griefe is fond and teftie as a childe,
VWho wayward once, his mood with naught agrees,
Old woes, not infant forrowes beare them milde,
Continuance tames the one, the other wilde,
Like an vnpractiz'd swimmer plunging still,
VWith too much labour drowns for want of skill.

So shee deepe drenched in a Sea of care,
Holds disputation with each thing shee vewes,
And to her selfe all forrow doth compare,
No obieſt but her passions ſtrength renewes :
And as one ſhiftes another ſtraight in fewes,
Somtime her griefe is dumbe and hath no words,
Sometime tis mad and too much talke affords.

H 3

THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

The little birds that tune their mornings ioy,
Make her mones mad, with their sweet melodie,
"For mirth doth search the bottome of annoy,
"Sad soules are flaine in merrie companie,
"Griefe best is pleaf'd with griefes societie;
"True sorrow then is feelinglie suffiz'd,
"When with like semblance it is sympathiz'd.

"Tis double death to drowne in ken of thore,
"He ten times pines, that pines beholding food,
"To see the falue doth make the wound ake more:
"Great griefe greeues moft at that wold do it good;
"Deepc woes rowle forward like a gentle flood,
VWho being ftopt, the boüding banks oreflowe,
Griefe dallied with, nor law, nor limit knowe.

You mocking Birds (quoth he) your tunes intombe
VWithin your hollow swelling feathered breafts,
And in my hearing be you mute and duimbe,
My reſtleſſe diſcord loues no ſtops nor reſts:
"A woefull Hoſſeſſe brookes not merrie gueſts.
Rallish your nimble notes to pleafing cares,
"Difſtres likes düps whê time is kept with teares.

Come

THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

Come Philomele that ſing it of rauilhment,
Make thy sad groue in my dilheueld heare,
As the danke earth weepes at thy languilhment:
So I at each sad ſtraine, will ſtraine a teare,
And with deepe grones the Diapason beare:
For burthen-wife ile hum on TARQVIN still,
While thou on TERREV'S deſcants better skill.

And whiles againſt a thorne thou bear it thy part,
To keepe thy ſharpe woes waking, wretched I
To imitate thee well, againſt my heart
VWill fixe a ſharpe knife to affright mine eye,
VWho if it winke ſhall thereon fall and die.
These meanes as frets vpon an inſtrument,
Shal tune our heart-ltrings to true languilhment.

And for poore bird thou ſing it not in the day,
As ſhaming anie eye ſhould thee behold:
Some darke deepe desert ſeated from the way,
That knowes not parching heat, nor freezing cold
VWill wee find out; and there we will unfold
To creatures ſtern, sad tunes to change their kinds,
Since me proue beaſts, let beaſts bear gëtle minds.

## THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

As the poor frighted Deare that stands at gaze,
V Vildly determining which way to flie,
Or one incompaft with a winding maze,
That cannot tread the way out readilie:
So with her selfe is shee in mutinie,
To liue or die which of the twaine were better,
VVhen life is fham'd and death reproches detter.

To kill my selfe, quoth shee, alacke what were it,
But with my body my poore foules pollution?
They that loose halfe with greater patience beare it,
Then they whose whole is fwalowed in confusion.
That mother tries a mercileſſe conclusion,
VWho hauing two ſweet babes, when death takes
VVill ſlay the other, and be nurſe to none. (one,

My bodie or my ſoule which was the dearer?
VWhen the one pure, the other made deuine,
VWhoſe loue of eyther to my ſelfe was nearer?
VWhen both were kept for Heauen and COLATINE:
Ay me, the Barke pild from the loftie Pine,
His leaues will wither, and his ſap decay,
So muſt my ſoule her barke being pild away.

Her

## THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

Her houſe is ſackt, her quiet interrupted,
Her manſion batterd by the enemie,
Her ſacred temple ſpotted, ſpoild, corrupted,
Groſſlie ingirt with daring inſamie.
Then let it not be cald impietie,
If in this blemiſht fort I make ſome hole,
Through which I may conuay this troubled ſoule.

Yet die I will not, till my COLATINE.
Haue heard the cauſe of my vntimelie death,
That he may vow in that ſad houre of mine,
Reuenge on him that made me ſtop my breath,
My ſtained bloud to TAR QYIN ile bequeath,
VWhich by him tainted, ſhall for him be ſpent,
And as his due writ in my teſtament.

My Honor ile bequeath vnto the knife.
That wounds my bodie ſo diſhonored,
Tis Honor to depriue diſhonour'd life,
The one will liue, the other being dead.
So of ſhames aſhes ſhall my Fame be bred,
For in my death I murther ſhame ſull ſcorne,
My ſhame ſo dead, mine honor is new borne.

I

THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

Deare Lord of that deare iewell I haue loft,
VWhat legacie shall I bequeath to thee:
My resolution loue shall be thy boft,
By whose example thou reueng'd mayst be.
How TARQVIN muſt be vs'd, read it in me,
My ſelfe thy friend will kill my ſelfe thy ſo,
And for my ſake ſerue thou false TARQVIN ſo.

This briefe abridgement of my will I make,
My ſoule and bodie to the skies and ground:
My resolution Husband doe thou take,
Mine Honor be the knifes that makes my wound,
My ſhame be his that did my Fame confound;
And all my Fame that liues disburſed be,
To thoſe that liue and thinke no ſhame of me.

Thou COLATINE ſhalt ouerſee this will,
How was I ouerſene that thou ſhalt ſee it?
My bloud ſhall wath the ſclander of mine ill,
My liues ſoule deed my lifes faire end ſhall free it.
Faint not faint heart, but ſtoutlie ſay to be it,
Yeeld to my hand, my hand ſhall conquer thee,
Thou dead, both die, and both ſhall victors be.

This

THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

This plot of death when ſadlie ſhee had layd,
And wip't the brinifh pearle from her bright eies,
VWith vntun'd tongue ſhee hoarſlie cals her mayd,
VWhoſe ſwift obedience to her miſtreſſe hies.
"For fleet-wing'd duetie with thoghts feathers flies,
Poore LVCRECE cheeks vnto her maid ſeem ſo,
As winter meads when ſun doth melt their ſnow.

Her miſtreſſe ſhee doth giue demure good morrow,
VWithoft flowt flow-tongue, true marke of modelſtie,
And forts a ſad looke to her Ladies ſorrow,
(For why her face wore ſorrowes liuerie.)
But durſt not aske of her audaciouslie,
VWhy her two ſuns were clowd eccliplſed ſo,
Nor why her faire cheeks ouer-waſht with woe.

But as the earth doth weepe the Sun being ſet,
Each flowre moiſtned like a melting eye:
Euen ſo the maid with ſwelling drops gan wet
Her circled eien inſorſt, by ſimpathie
Of thoſe faire Suns ſet in her miſtreſſe skie,
VWho in a ſalt wau'd Ocean quench their light,
VWhich makes the maid weep like the dewy night.

I 2

## THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

A prettie while these prettie creatures stand,
Like Iuorie conduits corall cesterns filling:
One iustlie weepes, the other takes in hand
No cause, but companie of her drops spilling.
Their gentle sex to weepe are often willing,
Greeuing themselues to geffle at others smarts,
And the they drown their eies, or break their harts.

For men haue marble, women waxen mindes,
And therefore are they form'd as marble will,
The weake oppreft, th'impression of a strange kindes
Is form'd in them by force, by fraud, or skill.
Then call them not the Authors of their ill,
No more then waxe shall be accounted euill,
VWherein is ftampt the ſemblance of a Deuill.

Their smoothneſſe, like a goodly champaine plaine,
Laies open all the little wormes that creepe,
In men as in a rough-growne groue remaine.
Caue keeping euils that obscurely sleepe.
Through chriſtall wals ech little more will peepe,
Though meca couer crimes with bold ſtern looks,
Poore women's faces are their owne faults books.

No

## THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

No man ineough againſt the withered flowre,
But chide rough winter that the flowre hath kild,
Not that deuour'd, but that which doth deuour
Is worthie blame, ô let it not be hild
Poore women's faults, that they are so fulſild
VWith mens abus'es, those proud Lords to blame,
Make weak-made womē tenants to their ſhame.

The preſident whereof in LVCRECE view,
Affaileth by night with circumſtances ſtrong
Of preſent death, and ſhame that might inſue.
By that her death to do her husband wrong,
Such danger to reſistance did belong:
That dying ſeare through all her bodie ſpred,
And who cannot abuſe a bodie dead ?

By this milde patience bid faire LVCRECE ſpeake,
To the poore counterfaite of her complayning,
My girle, quoth ſhee, on what occafion breake
Thofe tears frō thee, that downe thy cheeks are raig-
If thou doſt weepe for griefe of my ſuſtaining: (ning?
Know gentle wench it ſmall auailes my mood,
If tears could help, mine own would do me good.

I 3

## THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

But tell me girle, when went (and there shee staide,
Till after a deepe grone) TARQVIN from hence,
Madame ere I was vp (repli'd the maide,)
The more to blame my fluggard negligence.
Yet with the fault I thus farre can diſpence :
My selfe was stirring ere the breake of day,
And ere I roſe was TARQVIN gone away.

But Lady, if your maide may be so bold,
Shee would requeſt to know your heauineſſe:
(Of peace quoth LVCRECE) if it should be told,
The repetition cannot make it leſſe:
For more it is, then I can well expreſſe,
And that deepe torture may be cal'd a Hell,
VVhen more is felt then one hath power to tell.

Go get mee hither paper, inke, and pen,
Yet ſaue that labour, for I haue them heare,
(VVhat ſhould I ſay) one of my husbands men
Bid thou be readie, by and by, to beare
A letter to my Lord, my Loue, my Deare,
Bid him with ſpeede prepare to carrie it,
The cauſe cranes haſt, and it will ſoone be writ.

Her

## THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

Her maide is gone, and ſhee prepares to write,
Firſt houering ore the paper with her quill :
Conceipt and griefe an eager combat fight,
VWhat wit ſets downe is blotted ſtraight with will.
This is too curious good, this blunt and ill,
Much like a preſſe of people at a dore,
Throng her inuentions which ſhall go before.

At last ſhee thus begins: thou worthie Lord,
Of that vnworthie wife that greeteth thee,
Health to thy perſon, next, vouchſaſe t'afford
(If euer loue, thy LVCRECE thou wilt ſee,)
Some preſent ſpeed, to come and viſite me:
So I commend me, from our houſe in griefe,
My woes are tedious, though my words are briefe.

Here folds ſhee vp the tenure of her woe,
Her certaine ſorrow writ vncertainely,
By this ſhort Cedule COLATINE may know
Her griefe, but not her griefe's true quality,
Shee dares not thereof make diſcouery,
Left he ſhould hold it her own groſſe abuse,
Ere ſhe with bloud had ſtain'd her ſtain'd excuse.

## THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

Besides the life and feeling of her passion,
Shee hoards to spend, when he is by to heare her,
When fights, & grones, & tears may grace the falshiO
Of her disgrace, the better so to cleare her
From that fuspiciO which the world might bear her.
To this blot, shee would not blot the letter
With words, till action might becom the better.

To see sad fights, moues more then heare them told,
For then the eye interpretes to the eare
The heauie motion that it doth behold,
When euerie part, a part of woe doth beare.
Tis but a part of sorrow that we heare,
Deep-founds make leffer noife the shallow foords,
And sorrow ebs, being blown with wind of words.

Her letter now is seal'd, and on it writ
At ARDEA to my Lord with more then haſt,
The Post attends, and shee deliuer's it,
Charging the sowr-fac'd groome, to high as faſt
As lagging fowles before the Northerne blaſt,
Speed more then ſpeed, but dul & flow the deems,
Extremity ſtill vrgeth ſuch extremes.

The

## THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

The homelie villaine curfies to her low,
And blushing on her with a ſtedfaſt eye,
Receaes the scroll without or yea or no,
And forth with baſhfull innocence doth hie.
But they whose guilt within their bosomes lie,
Imagine euerie eye beholds their blame,
For LVCRECE thought, he bluſht to see her ſhame.

When feelie Groome (God wor) it was defect
Of ſpirite, life, and bold audacitie,
Such harmleſſe creatures haue a true respect
To talke in deeds, while others ſaucilie
Promife more ſpeed, but do it leyſurelie.
Euen so this patterne of the worne-out age,
Pawn'd honest looks, but laid no words to gage.

His kindled duetie kindled her miftruſt,
That two red fires in both their faces blazed,
Shee thought he bluſht, as knowing TARQVINS luſt,
And blushing with him, wistlie on him gazed,
Her earneſt eye did make him more amazed.
The more ſhée saw the bloud his cheeks replenish,
The more ſhe thought he ſpied in her ſom blemish.

K

THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

But long shee thinkes till he returne againe,
And yet the dutious vassall scarce is gone,
The wearie time shee cannot entertaine,
For now tis stale to sigh, to weepe, and grone,
So woe hath wearied woe, mone tired mone,
That shee her plaints a little while doth stay,
Pawling for means to mourne some newer way.

At last shee cals to mind where hangs a peece
Of skilfull painting, made for PRIAMS Troy,
Before the which is drawn the power of Greece,
For HELENS rape, the Cittie to destroy,
Threatning cloud-kissing ILLION with annoy,
VWhich the conceipted Painter drew so prowd,
As Heauen (it seem'd) to kisse the turrets bow'd.

A thousand lamentable objects there,
In score of Nature, Art gaue liueleffe life,
Many a dry drop seem'd a weeping teare,
Shed for the slaughtred husband by the wife.
The red bloud reek'd to the Painters strife,
And dying eyes gleem'd forth their ashie lights,
Like dying coales burnt out in tedious nights.

There

THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

There might you see the labouring Pyoner
Begrim'd with sweat, and smeared all with duft,
And from the towres of Troy, there would appeare
The verie eyes of men through loop-holes thruft,
Gazing vppon the Greekes with little luft,
Such sweet obseruance in this worke was had,
That one might see that farre of eyes looke sad.

In great commaunders, Grace, and Maiestie,
You might behold triumphing in their faces,
In youth quick-bearing and dexteritie,
And here and there the Painter interlaces
Pale cowards marching on with trembling paces.
VWhich hartleffe peafaunts did so well resemble,
That one would swear he saw them quake & tréble.

In AIX and VLYSSES, û what Art
Of Phisiognomy might one behold!
The face of eyther cypher'd eythers heart,
Their face, their manners most expreſſie told,
In AIX eyes blunt rage and rigour rold;
But the mild glance that ſlie VLYSSES lent,
Shewed deepe regard and smiling government.

K 2

## THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

There pleading might you see graue NESTOR stand,
As'twere incouraging the Greekes to fight,
Making such sober action with his hand,
That it beguild attention, charm'd the fight,
In speech it seemd his beard, all siluer white,
Vag'd vp and downe, and from his lips did flie,
Thin winding breath which purl'd vp to the skie.

About him were a preſſe of gaping faces,
VWhich seem'd to ſwallow vp his found aduice,
All ioyntlie liftning, but with ſeverall graces,
As if some Marmaide did their eares intice,
Some high, some low, the Painter was so nice.
The ſcalpes of manie almost hid behind,
To iump vp higher seem'd to mocke the mind.

Here one mans hand leand on anothers head,
His nose being shadowed by his neighbours care,
Here one being throng'd, bears back all boln, & red,
Another smotherd, ſeemes to pelt and ſweare,
And in their rage such ſignes of rage they beare,
As but for loſſe of NESTOR's golden words,
It seem'd they would debate with angrie ſwords.

For

## THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

For much imaginarie worke was there,
Concept deceitfull, so compact so kinde,
That for ACHILLES image ſtood his ſpeare
Grip't in an Armed hand, himſelfe behind
VWas left vnſeene, ſaue to the eye of mind,
A hand, a foote, a face, a leg, a head
Stood for the whole to be imagined.

And from the wals of ſtrong befieged TROY, (field,
VWhen their braue hope, bold HECTOR march'd to
Stood manie Troian mothers ſharing ioy,
To ſee their youthfull ſons bright weapons wield,
And to their hope they ſuch odde action yeeld,
That through their light ioy ſeemed to appeare,
(Like bright things ſtaind) a kind of heauie ſeare.

And from the ſtrond of DARDAN where they fought,
To SIMOIS reedie bankes the red bloud ran,
VWhoſe waues to imitate the battaile ſought
VWith ſwelling ridges, and their rankes began
To breake vppon the galled shore, and than
Retire againe, till meeting greater rankes
They ioine, & ſhoot their fome at SIMOIS bancks.

K 3

## THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

To this well painted piece is LVCRECE come,
To find a face where all distresse is field,
Manie shee sees, where cares haue carued some,
But none where all distresse and dolor dweld,
Till shee dispayring HECVBA beheld,
Staring on PRIAMS wounds with her old eyes,
V which bleeding vnder PIRRHVS proud foot lies.

In her the Painter had anathomiz'd
Times ruine, beauties wracke, and grim cares raign,
Her cheeks with chops and wrincles were difguiz'd,
Of what shee was, no semblance did remaine:
Her blew bloud chang'd to blacke in cuerie vaine,
V Vanting the spring, that those shrunke pipes had
Shew'd life imprisonment'd in a bodie dead. (fed,

On this sad shadow LVCRECE spends her eyes,
And shapes her sorrow to the Beldames woes,
V Who nothing wants to answer her but cries,
And bitter words to ban her cruell Foes.
The Painter was no God to lend her those,
And therefore LVCRECE swears he did her wrong,
To giue her so much griefe, and not a tong.

Poore

## THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

Poore Instrument (quoth shee) without a found,
Ile tune thy woes with my lamenting tongue,
And drop sweet Balme in PRIAMS painted wound,
And raile on PIRRHVS that hath done him wrong;
And with my tears quench Troy that burns so long;
And with my knife scratch out the angrie eyes,
Of all the Greekes that are thine enemies.

Shew me the trumpet that began this fur,
That with my nailes her beautie I may teare:
Thy heat of luft fond PARIS did incur,
This lode of wrath, that burning Troy doth beare;
Thy eye kindled the fire that burneth here,
And here in Troy for trespass of thine eye,
The Sire, the Sonne, the Dame and daughter die.

VVhy should the priuate pleasure of some one
Become the publicke plague of manie moe?
Let Sonne alone committed, light alone
Vppon his head that hath transgressed so.
Let guiltlesse Soules be freed from guilty woe,
For ones offence why should so many fall?
To plague a priuate Sonne in generall.

## THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

Lo here weeps HECVBA, here PRIAM dies,
Here manly HECTOR faints, here TROYLVS founds;
Here friend by friend in bloudie channel lies:
And friend to friend giues vnaduised wounds,
And one mans luft these manie liues confounds.
Had doting PRIAM checkt his fons desire,
TROY had bin bright with Fame, & not with fire.

Here feelingly she weeps TROYES painted woes,
For sorrow, like a heauie hanging Bell,
Once set on ringing, with his own waight goes,
Then little strength rings out the dolefull knell,
SO LVCRECE set a worke, sad tales doth tell
To pencel'd penſuenes, & colour'd sorrow, (row,
She lends them words, & she their looks doth bor-

Shee throwes her eyes about the painting round,
And who shee finds forlorne, shee doth lament:
At laſt shee sees a wretched image bound,
That piteous lookes, to Phrygian theapheards lent,
His face though full of cares, yet ſhew'd content,
Onward to TROY with the blunt ſwains he goes,
So mild that patience ſeem'd to ſcorne his woes.

In

## THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

In him the Painter labour'd with his skill
To hide decept, and giue the harmleſſe ſhow
An humble gate, calme looks, eyes wayling ſtill,
A brow vnbent that ſeem'd to welcome wo,
Cheeks neither red, nor pale, but mingled ſo,
That bluſhing red, no guiltie inſtance gaue,
Nor aſhie pale, the ſeare that falſe hearts haue.

But like a conſtant and conſuited Deuill,
He entertain'd a ſhow, ſo ſeeming iuſt,
And therein ſo enſconct his ſecret euill,
That Icalouſe it ſelſe could not miſtruſt,
Falſe creeping Craft, and Periurie ſhould thruſt
Into ſo bright a daie, ſuch blackfac'd ſtorms,
Or blot with Hell-born ſin ſuch Saint-like ſforms.

The well-skil'd workman this milde Image drew
For periur'd SINON, whoſe inchaunting ſtorie
The credulous old PRIAM after ſlew.
VVhoſe words like wild fire burnt the ſhining glorie
Ofrich-built ILLION, that the skies were ſorie,
And little ſtars ſhot from their fixed places,
VVhe their glas ſel, wherein they view'd their faces.

L

THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

This picture shee aduisedly peruf'd,
And chid the Painter for his wondrous skill:
Saying, some shape in SINONS was abuf'd,
So faire a forme lodg'd not a mind so ill,
And still on him shee gaz'd, and gazing still,
Such signes of truth in his plaine face shee spied,
That shee concludes, the Picture was belied.

It cannot be (quoth she) that so much guile,
(Shee would haue said) can lurke in such a looke:
But TARQVINS shape, came in her mind the while,
And from her tongue, can lurk, from cannot, tooke
It cannot be, shee in that fence forfooke,
And turn'd it thus, it cannot be I find,
But such a face should beare a wicked mind.

For euen as subtill SINON here is painted,
So sober fad, so wearie, and so milde,
(As if with griefe or trauaile he had fainted)
To me came TARQVIN armed to beguild
VWith outward honestie, but yet defild
VWith inward vice, as PRIAM him did cherish:
So did I TARQVIN, so my Troy did perish.

Looke

THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

Looke looke how liftning PRIAM wets his eyes,
To see thoſe borrowed teares that SINON ſheeds,
PRIAM why art thou old, and yet not wife?
For euerie teare he fals a Troian bleeds:
His eye drops fire, no water thence proceeds,
Thoſe round clear pearls of his that moue thy pitty,
Are bals of quenchleſſe fire to burne thy City.

Such Deuils ſteale effects from lightleſſe Hell,
For SINON in his fire doth quake with cold,
And in that cold hot burning fire doth dwell,
These contraries ſuch vnitie do hold,
Only to flatter fooles, and make them bold,
So PRIAM struſt falſe SINON teares doth flatter,
That he finds means to burne his Troy with water.

Here all inrag'd such paſſion her affailes,
That patience is quite beaten from her breaſt,
Shee tears the ſenceleſſe SINON with her nailes,
Comparing him to that vnhappie gueſt,
VWhoſe deede hath made her ſelfe, her ſelfe deteſt,
At laſt shee smilingly with this giues ore,
Foole fool, quoth she, his wounds wil not be ſore.

L 2

THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

Thus ebs and flowes the currant of her sorrow,
And time doth wearie time with her complayning,
Shee looks for night, & then shee longs for morrow,
And both shee thinks too long with her remayning.
Short time seems long, in borrowes sharp suftayning,
Though wo be heauie, yet it selfdome sleepes,
And they that watch, see time, how flow it creeps.

VVhich all this time hath ouerflipt her thought,
That shee with painted Images hath spent,
Being from the feeling of her own griefe brought,
By deepe furmife of others detriment,
Loofing her woes in shews of discontent:
It eafeth some, though none it euer cured,
To thinke their dolour others haue endured.

But now the mindfull Meffenger come backe,
Brings home his Lord and other companie,
VVho finds his LVCRECE clad in mourning black,
And round about her teare-diftained eye
Blew circles stream'd, like Rain-bows in the skie.
These watergalls in her dim Element,
Foretell new ftormes to those alreadie spent.

VVhich

THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

VVhich when her fad beholding husband faw,
Amazedlie in her fad face he ftares:
Her eyes though fod in tears look'd red and raw,
Her liuelie colour kil'd with deadlie cares,
He hath no power to aske her how shee fares,
Both ftood like old acquaintance in a trance,
Met far from home, wondring ech others chance.

At laft he takes her by the bloudleſſe hand,
And thus begins: what vncouth ill euent
Hath thee befalne, that thou doſt trembling ſtand?
Sweet loue what ſpite hath thy faire colour ſpent?
VVhy art thou thus attir'd in diſcontent?
Vnmaske deare deare, this moodie heauineſſe,
And tell thy griefe, that we may giue redreſſe.

Three times with ſighes shee giues her ſorrow fire,
Ere once shee can diſcharge one word of woe:
At length addreſt to anſwer his deſire,
Shee modelflie prepares, to let them know
Her Honor is tane prisoner by the Foe,
VVhile COLATINE and his conſorted Lords,
VVith ſad attention long to heare her words.

L 3

## THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

And now this pale Swan in her watrie neft,
Begins the sad Dirge of her certaine ending,
Few words (quoth shee) shall fit the trefpasse beft,
VWhere no excuse can giue the fault amending.
In me moe woes then words are now depending,
And my laments would be drawn out too long,
To tell them all with one poore tired tong.

Then be this all the taske it hath to say,
Deare husband in the interest of thy bed
A stranger came, and on that pillow lay,
VWhere thou waft wont to rest thy wearie head,
And what wrong else may be imagined,
By foule inforcement might be done to me,
From that (alas) thy LVCRECE is not free.

For in the dreadfull dead of darke midnight,
VWith shining Fauchion in my chamber came
A creeping creature with a flaming light,
And softly cried, awake thou Romaine Dame,
And entertaine my loue, else lafting fhame
On thee and thine this night I will inflict,
If thou my loues defire do contradict.

For

## THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

For some hard fauour'd Groome of thine, quoth he,
Vnleſſe thou yoke thy liking to my will
Ile murther ſtraight, and then ile ſlaughter thee,
And ſweare I found you where you did fulfill
The lothſome act of Luſt, and ſo did kill
The lechors in their deed, this Act will be
My Fame, and thy perpetuall infamy.

VWith this I did begin to ſtart and cry,
And then againſt my heart he fet his ſword,
Swearing, vnleſſe I tooke all patiently,
I should not liue to ſpeake another word.
So ſhould my ſhame ſtill reſt vpon record,
And neuer be forgot in mightie Roome
Th'adulterat death of LVCRECE, and her Groome.

Mine enemy was ſtrong, my poore ſelfe weake,
(And farre the weaker with ſo ſtrong a feare)
My bloudie Iudge forbod my tongue to ſpeake,
No rightfull plea might plead for Iuſtice 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.

## THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

O teach me how to make mine owne excuse,
Or (at the least) this refuge let me finde,
Though my grossle bloud be staind with this abusle,
Immaculate, and spotlesse is my mind,
That was not forc'd, that neuer was inclind
To acceffarie yeeldings, but still pure
Doth in her poyfon'd closet yet endure.

Lo heare the hopelesse Marchant of this loffe,
VWith head declin'd, and voice dam'd vp with wo,
VWith sad set eyes and wretched armes acroffe,
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,
VWhat 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 ſaſt :
In rage ſent out, recald in rage being paſt,
Euen ſo his ſighes, his ſorrowes make a ſaw,
To puſh griefe on, and backe the fame grief draw.

VVhich

## THE RAPE OF OLVCRECE.

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 ſloud 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,
VWith ſwift purſuit to venge this wrong of mine,
For'tis a meritorious faire deſigne,
To chafe iniuſtice with reuenge ſull armes,
Knights by their oaths ſhould right poore Ladies

M

(harmes.)

THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

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?

V What is the quality of my offence
Being constrayn'd with dreadfull circumstance?
May my pure mind with the fowle a& 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?

V With this they all at once began to faie,
Her bodies staine, her mind vntainted cleares,
V While 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

THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

Here with a sigh as if her heart would breake,
Shee throwes forth TARQVINS name: he he, the faies,
But more then he, her poore tong could not speake,
Till after manie accents and delaies,
Vntimelie breathings, ficke and short affaies,
Shee ytters this, he he faire Lords, tis he
That guides this hand to giue this wound to me.

Euen here she heathed in her harmleffe breast
A harmfull knife, that thence her soule vnheathed,
That blow did baile it from the deepe vnreft
Of that polluted prison, where it breathed:
Her contrite sighes vnto the clouds be queathed
Her winged fprite, & through her words doth flie
Lies lafting date, from cancel'd deſtinie.

Stone still, aftonifht with this deadlie deed,
Stood COLATINE, and all his Lordly crew,
Till LVCRECE Father that beholds her bleed,
Himſelfe, on her ſelfe-flaughtred 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 chafe.

M 2

THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

And bubling from her breast, it doth deuide
In two slow riuers, that the crimson bloud
Circles her bodie in on euerie side,
Who like a late fack't land vaftlie 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,
VWhere 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 haft here deprimed,
If in the childe the fathers image lies,
VWhere shall I liue now LVCRECE is vnliued?
Thou waft not to this end from me deriued.
If children prædeceafe progenitours,
VWhere are their offspring and they none of ours.

Poore

THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

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 thiuerd 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 ſuruive :
Shall rotten death make conquelt 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 then 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.

M 3

## THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

The deepe vexation of his inward soule,
Hath seru'd a dumbe arrest vpon his tongue,
VWho mad that sorrow should his vse controll,
Or keepe him from heart-eafing 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 bufie windes giue ore,
Then ſonne and father weep with equall ſtrife,
VWho 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,

## THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

O, quoth LVCRETIVS, I did giue that life
VWhich ſhee to carely and too late hath spil'd.
VVoce woe, quoth COLATINE, ſhee was my wife,
I lowed her, and tis mine that ſhee hath kil'd.
My daughter and my wife with clamors ſild
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 ſooliſh things.

But now he throwes that ſhallow habit by,
VWherein deepe pollicie did him diſguſe,
And arm'd his long hid wits aduisedlie,
To cheeke the teares in COLATINVS eies.
Thou wronged Lord of Rome, quoth he, arife,
Let my vnſounded ſelfe ſuppoſ'd a foole,
Now ſet thy long experienc't wit to schoole.

## THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

VWhy COLATINE, is woe the cure for woe?
Do wounds helpe wounds, or griefe helpe greeuous
Is it reuenge to giue thy selfe a blow,
(deeds? 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 the 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

## THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

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,
VWho 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 ſwere.

VWhen 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 TAR QVINS fowle offence;
VVhich being done, with ſpeedie diligence,
The Romaines plaſibly did giue consent,
To TAR QVINS euerlaſting baniſhment.

N
FINIS.