'It shall suspect where is no cause of fear; And most deceiving when it seems most just; 'It shall be cause of war and dire events, Sith in his prime death doth my love destroy By this the boy that by her side lay kill'd Resembling well his pale cheeks and the blood Which in round drops upon their whiteness stood. She bows her head, the new-sprung flower to smell, Comparing it to her Adonis' breath; And says, within her bosom it shall dwell, She crops the stalk, and in the breach appears Green-dropping sap, which she compares to tears. 'Poor flower,' quoth she, 'this was thy father's guiseSweet issue of a more sweet-smelling sire For every little grief to wet his eyes: To grow unto himself was his desire, And so 'tis thine; but know, it is as good 'Here was thy father's bed, here in my breast; My throbbing heart shall rock thee day and night : Wherein I will not kiss my sweet love's flower.' Thus weary of the world, away she hies, Holding their course to Paphos, where their queen To the RIGHT HONOURABLE HENRY WRIOTHESLEY, Earle of Southampton, and Baron of Titchfield. THE loue I dedicate to your Lordship is without end: whereof 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. What I have done is yours, what I haue to doe is yours, being part in all I haue, deuoted yours. Were 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 ARGUMENT. In LUCIUS TARQUINIUS, for his excessive pride surnamed Superbus, after he had caused his own father-in-law Servius Tullius to be cruelly murdered, and, contrary to the Roman laws and customs, not requiring or staying for the people's suffrages, had possessed himself of the kingdom, went, accompanied with his sons and other noblemen of Rome, to besiege Ardea. During which siege the principal men of the army meeting one evening at the tent of Sextus Tarquinius, the king's son, in their discourses after supper every one commended the virtues of his own wife; among whom Collatinus extolled the incomparable chastity of his wife Lucretia. that pleasant humour they all posted to Rome; and intending, by their secret and sudden arrival, to make trial of that which every one had before avouched, only Collatinus finds his wife, though it were late in the night, spinning amongst her maids: the other ladies were all found dancing and revelling, or in several disports. Whereupon the noblemen yielded Collatinus the victory, and his wife the fame. At that time Sextus Tarquinius being inflamed with Lucrece' beauty, yet smothering his passions for the present, departed with the rest back to the camp; from whence he shortly after privily withdrew himself, and was, according to his estate, royally entertained and lodged by Lucrece at Collatium. The same night he treacherously stealeth into her chamber, violently ravished 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 camp for Collatine. They came, the one accompanied with Junius Brutus, the other with Publius Valerius; and finding Lucrece attired in mourning habit, demanded the cause of her sorrow. She, first taking an oath of them for her revenge, revcaled the actor and whole manner of his dealing, and withal suddenly stabbed herself. Which done, with one consent they all vowed to root 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 deed, with a bitter invective against the tyranny of the king: wherewith the people were so moved, that with one consent and a general acclamation the Tarquins were all exiled, and the state government changed from kings to consuls. FROM the besieged Ardea all in post, Borne by the trustless wings of false desire, And girdle with embracing flames the waist Haply that name of 'chaste' unhappily set To praise the clear unmatched red and white Where mortal stars, as bright as heaven's beauties, For he the night before, in Tarquin's tent, That kings might be espoused to more fame, O happiness enjoy'd but of a few! Honour and beauty, in the owner's arms, Beauty itself doth of itself persuade Of that rich jewel he should keep unknown His high-pitch'd thoughts, that meaner men should vaunt But some untimely thought did instigate O rash-false heat, wrapp'd in repentant cold, When at Collatium this false lord arrived, Virtue would stain that o'er with silver white. But beauty, in that white intituled, From Venus' doves doth challenge that fair field: Their silver cheeks, and call'd it then their shield; When shame assail'd, the red should fence the white. This heraldry in Lucrece' face was seen, This silent war of lilies and of roses, Which Tarquin view'd in her fair face's field, To those two armies, that would let him go Now thinks he that her husband's shallow tongue, This earthly saint, adored by this devil, And reverend welcome to her princely guest, For that he colour'd with his high estate, But, poorly rich, so wanteth in his store, That, cloy'd with much, he pineth still for more. But she, that never coped with stranger eyes, Writ in the glassy margents of such books: More than his eyes were open'd to the light. He stories to her ears her husband's fame, And decks with praises Collatine's high name, With bruised arms and wreaths of victory : Her joy with heaved-up hand she doth express, |