The xlvjti Chapitre.
LVERES, THE VEREY ledare and teacher of the Romaynes chastyte, and the moste holy example of the auncyente wyffes, she was the doughter of Lucyus Spuryus, a man hyghly extemyde in honoure emonge the Romaynes, and geuyne to wife to Tarquynus Collatynus. Harde to tell, whether in fayre beautie of body or in swete speche emonge all other matrones she oughte more to be praysed or commendyde. Now it was so that Tarquynus, the Kynge of Romaynes, surnamede the prowde Tarquyne, hade layde seege vnto a towne callede Ardea, not verey farr frome Rome. Ande it chauncyde that, lyinge at the seage, the Kynge hauynge with hym at supper dyuers of the noble yonge men of hys courte, emonge the other Collatyne was oone, and as they had well eaten and dronken, well warmyde with wyne, that they fell in commynynge of their wyfes; and as eche oone of theym sett furthe hys oune the best he coulde, they fell in pacte that they shulde leepe on theyr horses and so preuyly goo to Rome, to se what theyr wyfes dyd in theyr absence, and which of theym was moste honestly occupyede. Now the yonge men comen to Rome, and fyndynge theyr wyfes makynge goode cheere, and sportynge and reuelynge, emonge the other, the goode Lucres was founde in hyr house, poorely and sadly appayrelde, spywnynge on the rocke. Wherfore, by the iudgemente of all the reste, she was extemyd to be the moste worthy to be praysede. Now Collatyne, hyr husbond, callynge all the yonge men vnto hys house, emonge the other, Sextus Collatynus, the Kynges son was oone, whiche caste on Lucres a dyshoneste loue and with an vngracyouse mynde determynede, either by fayre meanes or by force, to fulfyll with hyr hys pleasure. Nor it was not many days after but the madnes more and more mouede hym therto, but that, preuely stealynge frome hys fathers campe, in the nyghte he came to Collatyns house, and ther the blody prynce was honestly receyuyde of Lucres. Tarquyne, that ment all otherwyse then the chaste lady dyd, when he perceyuyde that all the housholde were at quyete, he entrede the chambre of Lucres with hys sworde nakyde in hys hande, shewynge to hyr what he was and threttnynge to sley hyr, yf eyther she made any noyse, or if she agaynesayde to fullfyll hys pleasure. And, all thoughe that he perceyuyde that Lucres resystyde hym and lytle fearede to dye, he aduysede hym, as he was wrestlynge with hyr, of a greate whyle, and he sayde to hyr: ‘If thow thus withstande me, I shall sley a churle and lay hym in thy bedde and reporte that for the loue I hade to Collatyw, fyndynge the enbrasyde in hys armes, that I slewe youe be the.’ The poore Lucres, vppon thyes wordes quakynge all in dreede, pawsede and, fearynge that so greate an infamye myght cum therof, if so she shulde be slayne, agaynste hyr wyll offrede to hym hyr chaste body. And thus, when the fowlle, vicyouse prynce had satisfyede hys desyre, thynkynge that he had escappyde as vyctour, he wentt hys way, leuyng the sayde Lucres a bedde. The day comen, all bewepte with teares, Lucres called to hyr hyr father and hyr husbonde, and Brutus, verey nyghe a kynne to hyr husbonde, with the reste of hyr kynsfolkes, declarynge to theym with a sorowfull and pale, bewepte face what the nyght before Sextus had doone to hyr. And albeit that they dyd what they coulde to conforte hyr, seynge hyr lamentable sorowe, yet she, that was determynede by deathe to shew hyr innocency, drew owte a sharp knyfe which she had hyd vndre hyr gowne, saynge: ‘If I do cleere myselfe of myne offense, yet the infamye shall neuer be wypyde away, and therfore, ther shall neuer noone vnchaste women lyue to take example by Lucres’, and so saynge, smote the knyfe into hyr innocente stomake, and fallynge downe vppon hyr blody, wounded breste, afore the face of hyr father and hyr husbonde and hyr freandes exspyrede. Hyr swete beautie, the more gratiouse it was, the more infortunate was it to hyr. But hyr chastite can neuer be to muche commendyde and praysede. And all though the fowlle acte of Sextus was after well reuengyde, yet this was not all, but for thys acte of Lucres, Rome, that was in boundage before, by hyr obteynede for euer fredome and lyberty.