But beauty, in that white intituled.
From Venus' doves doth challenge that fair field:
Then virtue claims from beauty beauty's red.
Which virtue g;.ve the golden age. to gild
Their silver cheeks, and call'd it then their shield;
Teaching them thus* to use it in the fight,-—
When shame assail'd, the red should fence the white.

This heraldry in Lucrece' face was seen,
Argu'd by beauty s red, and virtue's white:
Of either's colour was the other queen.
Proving from world's minority their right:
Yet their ambition makes them still to fight j
The sovereignty of either being so great.
That oft they interchange eath other's seat.

ii.

This silent war of lilies and of roses.
Which Tarquin view'd in her fair face's field.
In their pure ranks his traitor eye encloses;
Where, lest between them both it should be kfll'd.
The coward captive vanquished doth yield

To those two armies tliat would let him go,

Rather than triumph in so false a foe.

12.

Now thinks he that her husband's shallow tongue
(The niggard prodigal that prais'd her so)
In that nigh task hath done tier beauty wrong,
Which far exceeds his barren skill to show:
Therefore that praise which CoTlatine doth owe,

Enchanted Tarquin answers with surmise,

In silent wonder of still-gazing eyes.

This earthly saint, adored by this devil,

Little suspecteth the false worshipper;

For unstain'd thoughts do seldom dream on evil;

Birds never lini'd no secret bushes fear:

So guiltless she securely gives good cheer
And reverend welcome to her princely guest,
Those inward ill no outward harm express'd:

For that he colour'd with his high estate.

Hiding base sin in plaits of majesty;

That nothing in him seem'd inordinate,

Jive sometime loo much wonder of his eye,

Which, having all, all could not satisfy;
But, poorly rich, so wanteth in his store,
That, cloy d with much, he pineth still for more.

But she, that never cop'd with stranger eyes.
Could pick no meaning from their parting looks.
Nor read the subtle-shining secrecies
Writ in the glasiy margents of such books:
She touch'*! no unknown l>aits, nor fear'd no hooks',
Nor could she moralize his wanton sight,
More than his eyes were open'd to the light

TtS.

He stories to her ears her husband's fame.

Won in the fields of fruitful Italy;

And decks with praises Collatine's high name.

Made glorious by his manly chivalry.

With bruised arms .ind wreaths of victory:

Her joy with heav'd-up hand she doth express,
And, wordless, so greets heaven fur his success.

17

Far from the purpose of his coming thither,
He makes excuses for his being there:
No cloudy show of stormy blustering weather
Doth yet in this fair welkin once appear;
Till sable Night, mother of Dread and Fear,
Upon the world dim darkness doth display,
And in her vaulty prison stows the day.
I. ■ . - 1&

For then is Tarquin brought unto his bed.

Intending weariness with heavy spright;

For, after supper, long he questioned

With modest I.ncrece, and wore out the night r

Now leaden slumber with life's strength doth fight;

And every one to rest themselves betake, Jwake.

Save thieves and cares, and troubled minds that

As one of which doth Tarquin lie revolving

The sundry dangers of his will's obtaining;

Yet ever to obtain his will resolving.

Though weak-built hopespersuade him to abstaining:

Despair to gain doth traffic oft for gaining;

And when great treasure is the meed propos'd.

Though death be adjunct, there's no death suppos'd.

r 20. Those that much covet are with gain so fond. That what they have not, that which th^y possess. They scatter and unloose it from their bond. And so, by hoping more, they have but less; Or. gaining more, the profit of excess Is out to surfeit, and such griefs sustain. That they prove bankrupt in this poor-rich gain.

The aim of all is but to nurse the life

With honour, wealth, and ease, in v

And in this aim there is such thw

That one for ail, or all for one we g

As life for honour in fell battles' rage:

Honour for wealth; and oft that wealth doth cost The death of all, and all together lost.

22.

So that, in venturing ill, we leave to be
The things we are, for that which we expect;
And this ambitious foul infirmity.
In having much, torments us with "defect
Of that we have: so then we do neglect
The thing we have; and, all for want of wit,
Make something nothing, by augmenting it,

»?•

Such hazard now must doting Tarquin make,

Pawning his honour to obtain his lust;

And for himself himself he must forsake:

Then where is truth if there be no self-trust?

When shall he think to find a stranger just.
When he himself himself confounds, "betrays
To slanderous tongues, and wretched hateful days*

:*4-

Now stole upon the rime the dead of night.
When heavy sleep had clos'd up mortal eyes:
No comfortable star did lend his light.
No noise but owls' and wolves' death-boding cries;
Now serves the season that they may surprise
The silly Iambs: pure thoughts are dead and still,
While lust and murder wake to stain and kilL

25.

And now this lustful lord leap'd from his bed,
Throwing his mantle rudely o'er his arm;
Is madly toss'd between desire and dread;
Th' one sweetly flatters, th' other feareth harm;
But honest fear, bewitch'd with lust's foul charm,

Doth too too offhetake him to retire.

Beaten away by brain-sick rude desire.

26.

His falchion on a flint he softly smiteth.
That from the cold stone sparks of fire do fly;
Whereat a waxen torch forthwith he lightetb,
Which must be lode-star to his lustful eye;
And to the name thus speaks advisedly:
"A*i from this cold flint I enfore'd this fire.
So Lucrece must I force to my desire."

29.

"O shame to knighthood and to shining arras 1
O foul dishonour to my household's grave I
O impious act, including all foul banns I
A martial mart to be soft fancy's slavj!
True valour still a true respect should have;
Then my digression is so vile, so base.
That it will live engraven in ray face.

30

"Yea, though I die, the scandal will survive,
And be an eyesore in my golden coat; „
Some loathsome dash the herald will contrive.
To cipher me how fondly I did dole.
That my posterity sham d with the note.
Shall curse my bones, and hold it for no sin
To wish that I their father had not beeu.

"What win I, if I gain the thing I seek?

A dream, a breath, a froth of fleeting joy.

"Who buys a minute's mirth to wall a week!

Or sells eternity to get a toy?

For one sweet grape who will the vine destroy?
Or what fond beggar, but to touch the crown.
Would with the sceptre straight be struckea down

"If Collatinus dream of my intent.
Will he not wake, and in a desperate rage
Post hither, this vile purpose lo prevent? ■
This siege that hath engirt his marriage.
This blur lo youth, this sorrow to the sage,
This dying virtue, this surviving shame.
Whose crime will bear an ever-during blame I

33

"O what excuse can mv invention make.
When thou shalt charge me with so black a deed?
Will not my tongue be mute, my frail joints shake.
Mine eyes forego their light, my false heart bleed?
The guilt being great, the fear doth still exceed:
And extreme fear can neither fight nor fly.
But, coward-like, with trembling terror die.

34

"Had Collatinus kill'd my son or sire.
Or lain in ambush to betray my life.
Or were he not my dear friend, this desire
Might have excuse to work upon his wife,
As 111 revenge or quittal of such strife:
But as he is my kinsman, my dear friend.
The shame and fault finds no excuse nor end.

35.

"Shameful it is:—ay, if the fact be known:
Hateful it is ;—there is no hate in loving:
I'll beg her love ;—but she is not her own:
The worst is but denial, ami reproving:
My wilt is strong, past reason's weak removing.
Who fears a sentence, or an old man's saw.
Shall by a painted cloth be kept in awe."
36.

Thus, graceless, holds he disputation
'Tween frozen conscience and hot-burning wiD,
And with good thoughts makes dispensation.
Urging the worser sense for vantage still;
Which in a moment doth confound and kill
All pure effects, and doth so far proceed,
That what is vile shows like a virtuous deed.

V

Quoth he "She took me kindly by the hand,
And gaz'd for tidings in my eager eyes.
Fearing some hard news from the warlike band.
Where her beloved Collatinus lies,
O how her fear did make her colour rise I
First red as roses that on lawn we lay.
Then white as lawn, the roses took away,
33.

"And how her hand, in my hand being lock'd,
Forc'd it to tremble with her loyal fear 1
Which struck her sad, and then it faster rock'd,
Until her husband's welfare she did hear;
Whereat she smiled with so sweet a cheer.
That had Narcissus seen her as she stood.
Self-love had never drown'd him in the flood.

'Why hunt I, then, for colour or excuses?
All orators arc dumb when beauty pleadeth
Poor wretches have remorse In poor abuses:
Love thrives not in the heart that shadows dreadetht
Affection is my captain, and he leadeth;
And when his gaudy banner is display d.
The coward fights, and will not be dismay'd.
40.

Then, childish fear, avaunt! debating, diel
. lesnect and reason, wait on wrinkled age I
My neart shall never countermand mine eye:
Sail pause and deep regard beseem ihe sage:
My part is youth, and beats these from the stage:

Desire my pilot is, beauty my prize ,

Then who fears sinking where such treasure lies?"

4i

As corn o'ergrown by weeds, so heedful fear

Is almost chok'd by unresisted lust.
Away he steals with open listening ear,
Full of foul hope, and lull of fond mistrust;
Both which, as servitors to the unjust,

So cross him with their opposite persuasion.

That now he vows a league, and now invasion.

42.

Within his thought her heavenly image sits,

And in the selfsame seat sits Collatine:

That eye winch looks on Iter confounds his wits;

That eye which him beholds, as more divine,

Unto a view yj false will not incline;
But with a pure appeal seeks to the heart
Which, once corrupted, takes the worser part;

And therein heartens up his servile powers.
Who, Aatter'd by (heir leader s jocund show,
Stuff up his lust, as minutes till up hours:
And as their captain; so their pride doth grew,
Paying more slavish tribute than they owe.
By reprobate desire thus madly led.
The Roman lord uiarchcth to Lucrece' bed.

The locks between her chamber and his will,
Each one by him enfore'd, retires his ward;
But, as they open, they all rate his ill.
Which drives the creeping thief to some regard:
The threshold grates the door to have him heard;

Night-wind'nng weesels shriek to see him there;

They fright him, yet he still pursues his fear.

45

As each unwilling portal yields him way.
Through little vents and crannies of the place
The wind wars with his torch, to make him stay.
And blows the smoke of it into his face,
Extinguishing his conduct in this case:
But his hot heart, which fond desire doth scorch,
Puffs forth another wind that fires the torch:
46.

And being lighted, by the light he spies
Lucretia's glove, wherein her needle sticks:
He takes it from the rushes where it lies.
And griping it, the neeld his finger pricks;
As who should say, this glove to wanton tricks

Is not inur'd; return again in haste;

Thou see st our mistress' ornaments are chaste.

47

But ^11 these poor forbidings could not stay him;

He in the worst sense construes their denial:

The doors, the wind, the glove that did delay fcim,

He takes for accidental things of trial;

Or as those bars which stop the hourly dial.
Who with a lingering stay his course doth let,
Till every minute pays the hour his debt.
48.

"So, Fo," quoth he. "these lets attend the time,
Like little frosts that sometime threat the spring.
To add a more rejoicing to the prime.
And give the snea;ied birds more ^ause to sing,
Pain pays the income of each precious thing;
Huge rocks, high winds, strong pirates, shelves and
sands,

The merchant fears, ere rich at home he lands."

Now is he come unto the chamber door.
That shuts him from the heaven of his thought.
Which with a yielding latch, :ind with no more,
Hath barr'Auim from the blessed thing he sought
So from himself impiety hath wrought.
That for his prey to pray he doih begin.
As if the heaven should countenance his sin.

50.

But in the midst of his vinfruitful prayer,
Having solicited the eternal power,
That his foul thoughts might compass his fair fair,
And they would stand auspicious to the hour,
Even there he starts:—quoth he, "I must deflower;

The powers to whom I pray abhor this fact, How can they, then, assist me in the act?

"Then love and fortune be my gods, my guide 1

My will is back'd with resolution:

Thoughts are but dreams til! their effects be tried;

The blackest sin is clear'd with absolution:

Against love's fire fear's frost hath dissolution.
The eye of heaven is out, and misty night
Covers the shame that follows sweet delight."

5*

This said, his guilty hand pluck'd up the latch,
And with his. knee the door he opens wide:
The dove bleeps fast th.it this night-owl will catch:
Thus treason works ere traitors ne espied.
Who sees the lurking serpent, steps aside;

But she. sound sleeping, fearing no such thing,
Lies at the mercy of his mortal sting.

Into the chamber wickedly he stalks.
And ga/eth on her yet unstained bed.
The curtains being close, about he walks.
Rolling his greedy eyeballs in his head:
By their high treason ii his heart misled;

Which giv«h the watchword to his hand full soon,
To draw the cloud that hides the silver

Look, as the fair and fiery-pointed sun,
Rushing from forth a cloud, bereaves our sight;
Even to, the curtain drawn, his eyes begun
To wink, beine blinded with a greater light:
Whether it is that she reflects so bright.

That dazzleth them, or else some shame supposed;

But blind they are, and keep themselves enclosed.

55

O. had they in that darksome prison died I
Then had they seen the period of their ill;
Then Collatine again, by Lucrece' side.
In his clear bed might have reposed still:
But they must ope, this blessed league to kill;
And ho]y-thonghted laicrece to their sight
Must sell her joy, her life, her world s delight

56

Her lily hand her rosy cheek lies under.
Cozening the pillow of a lawful kiss:
Who. therefore angry, seems to part in sunder,
Swelling on cither side to want his bliss .
Between whose hills her head entombed is:
Where, like a virtuous monument, she lies.
To be admir'd of lewd unhallow'd eyes.

57

Without the bed her other fair hand was.
On the green coverlet! whose perfect white
Show'd like an April daisy on the grass.
With pearlv sweat, resembling dew of night.
Her eyes, like marigolds, had sheath'd their light,
And canopied in darkness sweetly lay.
Till they might open to adorn the day.

58.

Her hair, like golden threads, play'd with her breath

O modest wantons! wanton modestv 1
Show ing life's triumph in the map of death,
And death's dim look in life's mortality:
Each in her sleep themselves so beautify.

As if between them twain there were no strife.
But that life liv'U in death, and death in life.

59

Her breasts, like ivory globes circled with btad

A pair of maiden worlds unconquered.

Save of their lord no bearing yoke they knew,

And him by oath they truly Tionou red.

These worlds in Tarquin new ambition bred;
Who, like a foul usurper, went about
From this fair throne to heave the owner out,

60.

What could he see but mightily he notedt
What did he note but strongly he desir'd t
What he beheld, on that he firmly doted.
And in his will his wilful eye he tir'd.
With more than admiration he admir'd
Her azure veins, her alabaster skin.
Her coral lips, her snow-white dimpled chin.

61.

As the grim Hon fawneth o'er his prey,

Sharp hunger by the conquest satisfied,

So o er this sleeping soul doth Ta:quin stay,

His rage of lust by gazing qualified J

Slack'd. not suppress'd , for standing by her side,
His eye, which late this mutiny restrains.
Unto a greater uproar tempts his veins:

62.

And they, like straggling slaves for pillage fighting,
Obdurate vassals, fell exploits effecting,
In bloody death and ravishment delighting.
Nor children's tears, nor mothers* groans respecting.
Swell in their pride, the onset still expecting:
Anon his beating heart, alarum striking.
Gives the hot charge, and bids them do their liking,

63

His drumming heart cheers up his burning eye,
His eye commends the leading to his hand;
His hand, as proud of such a dignity.
Smoking with pride, march'd on to make his stand
On her bare breast, the heart of all her land;
Whose ranks of blue veins, as bis hand did scale,
Left their round turrets destitute and pale.
64.

They, mustering to the quiet cabinet
Where their dear governess and lady lies,
Do tell her she is dreadfully beset.
And fright her with confusion of their cries:
She. much ama2*d, breaks oj>e her lock'd-up eyes,
Who, peeping forth this tumult to behold,
Are by his flaming torch dimm'd and controll'd.
65.

Imagine her as one in dead of night
From forth dull sleep by dreadful fancy waking.
That thinks she hatb beheld some ghastly sprite,
Whose grim aspect sets everv joint a-shaking;
What terror 'tis! but she. in worser taking.
From sleep disturbed, needfully doth view
The sight which makes supposed terror true.
66.

Wrnpp'd and confounded in a thousand fears.
Like to a ncw-kill'd bird she trembling lies;
She ilares not look; yet, winking, there appears
Quick-shifting antics, ugly in her eyes:
Such shadows are the weak brain's forgeries;
Who. angry that the eyes fly from their lights,
In darkness daunts them with more dreadful sighq
67.

His hand, that yet remains upon her breast,
(Rude ram, to batter such an ivory wall I)
May feel her heart (poor citizen :), distress'd
Wounding itself to death, rise up and fall.
Beating her bulk, that his hand shakes withaL
This moves in him more rage, and lesser pity.
To make the breach, and enter this sweet city,
68.

First, like a trumpet, doth his tongue begin

To sound a parley to his heartless foe;

Who o'er the white sheet peers her whiter chin.

The reason of this rash alarm to know,

Which he by dumb demeanour soeks to show;
But she with vehci"'ntTray«;ri urgcth still
Under what colour he coiniuits this Ffl.

Thus he replies: "The colour in thy face
(That even for anger makes the lity pale.
And ihe red rose blush at her own disgrace)
Shall plead for me, and tell my loving tale:
Under that colour am I come to scale
Thy never-conquer'd fort: the fault is thine.
For those thine eyes betray thee unto mine.

70.

"Thus I forestall thee, if thou mean to chid*:
Thy beauty hath ensnar'd thee to this night.
Where th»u with patience must my will abide;
My will that marks thee for my earth's delight.
Which I to conquer sought with all my might:
But as reproof and reason beat it dead,
By thy bright beauty was it newly bred.

71.

** I see what crosses my attempt will bring:
I know what thorns the growing rose defends
J think the honey guarded with a sting;
Ail this, beforehand, counsel comprehends:
But will is tleaf, and hears no heedful friends;
Only he hath an eye to gaze on beauty.
And dotes on what he looks, 'gainst law or duty.
72.

"I have debated, even in my soul.

What wrong, what shame, what sorrow I shall breed

But nothing can affection's course control,

Or stop the headlong fury of his speed.

I know repentant tears ensue the deed.

Reproach, disdain, and deadly enmity;

Yet strive I to embrace mine infamy.

This said, he shakes aloft his Roman blade,
Which, like a falcon towering in the skies,
Coucheth the fowl below with his wing's shade.
Whose crooked beak threats if he mount he dies i
So under his insulting falchion lies

Harmless Luc ret ia, marking what he tells
With trembling fear, as fowl hear falcon's bells.

74

"Lucrece," quoth he, "this night I must enjoy thee:

If thou deny, then force must work my way,

For in thy bed I purpose to destroy thee:

That done, some worthless slave of thine I'll slay,

To kill thine honour with thy life's decay;

And in thy dead arms do I mean to place him.
Swearing I slew hhn, seeing thee embrace him.

75

*' So thy surviving husband shall remain

The scornful mark of every open eye;

Thy kinsmen hang their heads at this disdain,

Thy issue blurr'd with nameless bastardy:

And thou, the author of their obloquy.

Shalt have thy trespass cited up in rhymes,
And sung by children in succeeding times.
76.

"But if thou yield, I rest thy secret friend:
The fault unknown is as a thought unacted;
A little harm, done to a great good end.
For lawful policy remains enacted.
The poisonous simple sometimes is compacted

In a pure compound; being so applied.

His venom in effect is purified.

77

"Then, for thy husband and thy children's sake,
Tender my suit: bequeath not to their lot
The shame that from them no device can take,
The blemish that will never be forgot;
Worse than a slavish wipe, or birth-hour's blot:
For marks descried in men's nativity
Are nature's faults, not their own infamy."
78.

Here with a cockatrice' dead-killing eye
He rouseth up himself, and makes a pause;
While she, the picture of pure piety,
I .ike a white hind under the grype's sharp claws,
Meads in a wilderness, where are no laws,
To the rough beast that knows no gentle right,
Nor aught obeys but his foul appetite.

But when a black-fac'd cloud the world doth threat
In his dim mist the aspiring mountains hiding.
From earth s dark womb some gentle gust doth get.
Which blows these pitchy vapours from their biding,
Hindering their present fall by this dividing ,
So his unhallow'd haste her words delays.
And moody Pluto winks while Orpheus plays.

Yet, foul night-waking cat. he doth but dally,
While in his holdfast foot the weak mouse panteth:
Her sad behaviour feeds his vulture folly,
A swallowing gulf that even in plenty wanteth:
His ear her prayers admits, but his heart granteth
No penetrable entrance to her plaining:
Tears harden lust, though marble wear with raining.
81.

Her pity-pleading eyes are sadly fix'd
jln the remorseless wrinkles of his face; _
Her modest eloquence with sighs is mix'd,
Which te her oratory adds more grace.
She puts the period often from his place.

And midst the sentence so her accent breaks,
That twice she doth begin ere once she speaks.
82.

She conjures him by high almighty Jove.

By knighthood, gentry, and sweet friendship's oath.

By her untimely tears, her husband -, love.

By holy human law, and common troth.

By heaven and earth, and all the power of both.
That to his borrow d bed he make retire,
And stoop to honour, not to foul desire.

Qunth she. "Reward not hospitality
With such black payment as thou hast pretended;
Mud not the fountain that gave drink to thee;
Mar not the thing that cannot be amended;
End thy ill aim. before thy shoot be ended:

He is no woodman that doth bend his bow

To strike a poor unseasonable doe.

84.

"My husband is thy friend.—for his sake spare me;
Thyself art mighty,—for thine own sake leave me;
Myself a weakling,—do not. then, ensnare me;
Thou look'st not like deceit,—do not deceive me.
My sighs, like whirlwinds, labour hence to heavo
thee;

If ever man were mov'd with woman's moans
Be moved with my tears, my sighs, my groans.

85.

"All which together, like a troubled ocean,
Beat at thy rocky and wreck-threatening heart,
To soften it with their continual motion;
For stones dissolv e!, to water do convert.
O, if no harder than a stone thou art,

Melt at my tears, and be compassionate I

Soft pity enters at an iron gate.

86.

In Tarquin's likeness I did entertain thee: Hast thou put on his shape to do him shaineT To all the host of heaven I complain me. Thou wrong'st his honour, wound st 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 govern everything. 87.

"How will thy shame be seeded in thine age, When thus thy vices bud before thy spring!

n thy hope thou darst do such outrage.
What dar'st thou not when ooce thou art a king!
O be remember'd, no outrageous thing
From vassal actors can be wip'd away;
Then kings' misdeeds cannot be hid in clay.
88.

This deed will make thee only lov'd for fear:
But happy monarchs still are fear'd for love:
With foul offenders thou perforce must bear.
When they in thee the like offences prove:
If but for fear of this, thy will remove;
For princes, are the glass, the school, the book.
Where subjects' eyes do learn, do read, do look.