_Sextus Tarquinius rauished Lucrece. And she bewayling the losse of her
chastitie, killed her selfe._
Great preparation was made by the Romaines, against a people called
Rutuli, who had a citie named Ardea, excelling in wealth and riches
which was the cause that the Romaine king, being exhausted and quite
voyde of money, by reason of his sumptuous buildinges, made warres vppon
that countrie. In the time of the siege of that citie the yonge Romaine
gentlemen banqueted one another, amonges whom there was one called
Collatinus Tarquinius, the sonne of Egerius. And by chaunce they entred
in communication of their wiues, euery one praysing his seueral spouse.
At length the talke began to grow hot, whereupon Collatinus said, that
words were vaine. For within few houres it might be tried, how much his
wife Lucretia did excel the rest, wherefore (quoth he) if there be any
liuelihod in you, let us take our horse, to proue which of oure wiues
doth surmount. Wheruppon they roode to Rome in post. At their comming
they found the kinges doughters, sportinge themselues with sondrye
pastimes: From thence they went to the house of Collatinus, where they
founde Lucrece, not as the other before named, spending time in idlenes,
but late in the night occupied and busie amonges her maydes in the
middes of her house spinning of woll. The victory and prayse wherof was
giuen to Lucretia, who when she saw her husband, gentlie and louinglie
intertained him, and curteouslye badde the Tarquinians welcome.
Immediately Sextus Tarquinius the sonne of Tarquinias Superbus, (that
time the Romaine king) was incensed wyth a libidious desire, to
construpate and defloure Lucrece. When the yonge gentlemen had bestowed
that night pleasantly with their wiues, they retourned to the Campe. Not
long after Sextus Tarquinius with one man retourned to Collatia vnknowen
to Collatinus, and ignorant to Lucrece and the rest of her houshold, for
what purpose he came. Who being well intertayned, after supper was
conueighed to his chamber. Tarquinius burninge with the loue of Lucrece,
after he perceiued the housholde to be at reste, and all thinges in
quiet, with his naked sworde in his hande, wente to Lucrece being a
sleepe, and keeping her downe with his lefte hande, saide: “Holde thy
peace Lucrece, I am Sextus Tarquinius, my sworde is in my hand, if thou
crie, I will kill thee.” The gentlewoman sore afrayed, being newely
awaked oute of her sleepe, and seeing iminent death, could not tell what
to do. Then Tarquinius confessed his loue, and began to intreate her,
and therewithall vsed sundry minacing wordes, by all meanes attempting
to make her quiet: when he saw her obstinate, and that she woulde not
yelde to his request, notwithstanding his cruell threates, he added
shameful and villanous speach, saying: That he would kill her, and when
she was slaine, he woulde also kill his slaue, and place him by her,
that it might be reported howe she was slaine, being taken in adulterie.
She vanquished with his terrible and infamous threate, his fleshlye and
licentious enterprice, ouercame the puritie of her chaste and honest
hart, which done he departed. Then Lucrece sent a post to Rome to her
father, and an other to Ardea to her husbande, requiringe them that they
would make speede to come vnto her, with certaine of their trustie
frendes, for that a cruell facte was chaunced. Then Sp. Lucretius with
P. Valerius the sonne of Volesius, and Collatinus with L. Iunius Brutus,
made hast to Lucrece: where they founde her sitting, very pensife and
sadde, in her chamber. So sone as she sawe them she began pitiously to
weepe. Then her husband asked her, whether all thinges were well, vnto
whom she sayde these wordes.
“No dere husbande, for what can be well or safe vnto a woman, when she
hath lost her chastitie? Alas Collatine, the steppesof an other man, be
now fixed in thy bed. But it is my bodye onely that is violated, my
minde God knoweth is giltles, whereof my death shalbe witnesse. But if
you be men giue me your handes and trouth, that the adulterer may not
escape vnreuenged. It is Sextus Tarquinius whoe being an enemie, in
steede of a frende, the other night came vnto mee, armed with his sword
in his hand, and by violence caried away from me (the Goddes know) a
woful ioy.” Then euery one of them gaue her their faith, and comforted
the pensife and languishing lady, imputing the offence to the authour
and doer of the same, affirming that her bodye was polluted, and not her
minde, and where consent was not, there the crime was absente. Whereunto
shee added: “I praye you consider with your selues, what punishmente is
due for the malefactour. As for my part, though I cleare my selfe of the
offence, my body shall feele the punishment: for no vnchast or ill
woman, shall hereafter impute no dishonest act to Lucrece.” Then she
drewe out a knife, which she had hidden secretely, vnder her kirtle, and
stabbed her selfe to the harte. Which done, she fell downe grouelinge
vppon her wound and died. Whereupon her father and husband made great
lamentation, and as they were bewayling the death of Lucrece, Brutus
plucked the knife oute of the wound, which gushed out with aboundance of
bloude, and holding it vp said: “I sweare by the chast bloud of this
body here dead, and I take you the immortall Gods to witnes, that I will
driue and extirpate oute of this Citie, both L. Tarquinius Superbus, and
his wicked wife, with all the race of his children and progenie, so that
none of them, ne yet any others shall raigne anye longer in Rome.” Then
hee deliuered the knife to Collatinus. Lucretius and Valerius, who
marueyled at the strangenesse of his words: and from whence he should
conceiue that determination. They all swore that othe. And followed
Brutus, as their captaine, in his conceiued purpose. The body of Lucrece
was brought into the market place, where the people wondred at the
vilenesse of that facte, euery man complayning vppon the mischiefe of
that facinorous rape, committed by Tarquinius. Whervpon Brutus perswaded
the Romaynes, that they should cease from teares and other childishe
lamentacions, and to take weapons in their handes, to shew themselues
like men.
Then the lustiest and most desperate persons within the citie, made
themselues prest and readie, to attempte any enterprise: and after a
garrison was placed and bestowed at Collatia, diligent watche and ward
was kept at the gates of the Citie, to the intent the kinge should haue
no aduertisement of that sturre. The rest of the souldiours followed
Brutus to Rome.
When he was come thither, the armed multitude did beate a marueilous
feare throughout the whole Citie: but yet because they sawe the
chiefeste personages goe before, they thought that the same enterprise
was taken in vaine. Wherefore the people out of all places of the citie,
ranne into the market place. Where Brutus complained of the abhominable
Rape of Lucrece, committed by Sextus Tarquinius. And thereunto he added
the pride and insolent behauiour of the king, the miserie and drudgerie
of the people, and howe they, which in time paste were victours and
Conquerours, were made of men of warre, Artificers, and Labourers. He
remembred also the infamous murder of Seruius Tullius their late kinge.
These and such like he called to the peoples remembraunce, whereby they
abrogated and deposed Tarquinius, banishing him, his wife, and children.
Then he leuied an armie of chosen and piked men, and marched to the
Campe at Ardea, committing the gouernemente of the Citie to Lucretius,
who before was by the king appointed Lieutenant. Tullia in the time of
this hurlie burlie, fledde from her house, all the people cursing and
crying vengeaunce vpon her. Newes brought into the campe of these
euentes, the king with great feare retourned to Rome, to represse those
tumultes, and Brutus hearinge of his approche, marched another waye,
because hee woulde not meete him. When Tarquinius was come to Rome, the
gates were shutte against him, and he himselfe commaunded to auoide into
exile. The campe receiued Brutus with great ioye and triumphe, for that
he had deliuered the citie of such a tyraunte. Then Tarquinius with his
children fledde to Cære, a Citie of the Hetrurians. And as Sextus
Tarquinius was going, he was slaine by those that premeditated
reuengemente, of olde murder and iniuries by him done to their
predecessours. This L. Tarquinius Superbus raigned XXV yeares. The
raigne of the kinges from the first foundation of the citie continued
CCxliiii. yeares. After which gouernmente two Consuls were appointed,
for the order and administration of the Citie. And for that yeare
L. Iunius Brutus, and L. Tarquinius, Collatinus.