 | Tarquin banished |  |
TARQUIN BANISHED:
OR, THE REVVARD Of Lust.
Quicquid boni cum discretione feceris, virtus est; quicquid sine discretione gesseris, vitium est: virtus enim indiscreta pro vitio deputatur.
1
Tis seldome known that good effects attend
Upon bad causes; Tarquin, to befriend
His own desires, contaminates his will,
And blasts that vertue, which before did fill
The ears of Rome, and made it to proclame
The future hopes of his encreasing name.
Upon bad causes; Tarquin, to befriend
His own desires, contaminates his will,
And blasts that vertue, which before did fill
The ears of Rome, and made it to proclame
The future hopes of his encreasing name.
May we not judge him wise that loves to spend
Ere he begins, some thoughts upon the end
Of his designe, had Pha'ton done the same
He had not turn'd the world into a flame.
Ere he begins, some thoughts upon the end
Of his designe, had Pha'ton done the same
He had not turn'd the world into a flame.
The acts of Catiline, were noble deeds
Compar'd to this, this horrid act exceeds
Horror it self; Oh what obdurate breast
Can read this story, and not be opprest,
If ever mischief practis'd to excell
It was in this, this Master-piece of Hell.
Compar'd to this, this horrid act exceeds
Horror it self; Oh what obdurate breast
Can read this story, and not be opprest,
If ever mischief practis'd to excell
It was in this, this Master-piece of Hell.
2
Had chast Lucretia follow'd the advice
Of lustfull Tarquin, what a lavish price
Had she layd out for sin, and yet the shame
Had been far greater, and her death the same
If not much worse, for had she not reveal'd it,
T'had prov'd her death to think she had conceal'd it.
Of lustfull Tarquin, what a lavish price
Had she layd out for sin, and yet the shame
Had been far greater, and her death the same
If not much worse, for had she not reveal'd it,
T'had prov'd her death to think she had conceal'd it.
Ah poor Lucretia! what a fatall guest
Didst thou receive, how was thy roof unblest
And thou mistook, how sadly did it prove
Thy table fed a Serpent, not a Dove:
It was thy face, Lucretia, that was spread
With lavish beauty, and there Tarquin fed.
Didst thou receive, how was thy roof unblest
And thou mistook, how sadly did it prove
Thy table fed a Serpent, not a Dove:
It was thy face, Lucretia, that was spread
With lavish beauty, and there Tarquin fed.
'Twas not to take repose, he made such speed,
Nor was't the arrant of his minde to feed
Upon such Cates, his eye had chose a dish
Which pleas'd him, and awhile he fed by wish:
And then by force, Lucretia, thou didst finde
The raging stomach of his lustfull minde.
Nor was't the arrant of his minde to feed
Upon such Cates, his eye had chose a dish
Which pleas'd him, and awhile he fed by wish:
And then by force, Lucretia, thou didst finde
The raging stomach of his lustfull minde.
But ah! the sad effect records the crime,
Unparalleld in any Age, or time;
For weeping Lucrece had no other shield
Than virtue, which deny'd her heart to yield:
And this all can be deduc'd from hence
That virtue was opprest by violence.
Unparalleld in any Age, or time;
For weeping Lucrece had no other shield
Than virtue, which deny'd her heart to yield:
And this all can be deduc'd from hence
That virtue was opprest by violence.
3
But at the last, when violence had gain'd
The upper-hand, vile Tarquin was constrain'd
To flie, and leave Lucretia to lament,
Though not conceal her wofull banishment:
Judge Ladies her distresse, poor heart, her grief
Inclin'd her more to death, than to relief.
The upper-hand, vile Tarquin was constrain'd
To flie, and leave Lucretia to lament,
Though not conceal her wofull banishment:
Judge Ladies her distresse, poor heart, her grief
Inclin'd her more to death, than to relief.
She wisht to see her Lord, yet knew not how
To look upon him with a stedfast brow;
But when she thought on his abused bed,
Ah then! ah then! her much dejected head:
Outstream'd a fountain, nothing could prevent
The nimble current of her discontent.
To look upon him with a stedfast brow;
But when she thought on his abused bed,
Ah then! ah then! her much dejected head:
Outstream'd a fountain, nothing could prevent
The nimble current of her discontent.
At last he comes, and with a fearfull hast
In his expatiated arms imbrac'd
His Lucrece, who being tutor'd by here fears,
Spoke all in sighs, and answer'd him in tears:
Whilst gazing Colatine with raging speed,
Stampt out these words, I will revenge the deed.
In his expatiated arms imbrac'd
His Lucrece, who being tutor'd by here fears,
Spoke all in sighs, and answer'd him in tears:
Whilst gazing Colatine with raging speed,
Stampt out these words, I will revenge the deed.
So out he runs, but hark, a groan recalls
His hasty feet, for his Lucretia's fall,
Wounded by her own hand, whilst he in vain,
Lifts up her corps, and layes it down again:
At last poor soul, she mov'd her dying head
And cry'd revenge, for thy Lucretia's dead.
His hasty feet, for his Lucretia's fall,
Wounded by her own hand, whilst he in vain,
Lifts up her corps, and layes it down again:
At last poor soul, she mov'd her dying head
And cry'd revenge, for thy Lucretia's dead.
4
Ah! who can grieve with Collatine, whose grief
Admits no equall, but transcends belief,
He now is fled, and ransacks all about,
Contrives and plots to finde young Tarquin out;
At last arriving where the Army stay'd,
The colours of his grief he thus display'd.
Admits no equall, but transcends belief,
He now is fled, and ransacks all about,
Contrives and plots to finde young Tarquin out;
At last arriving where the Army stay'd,
The colours of his grief he thus display'd.
Dear friends, the liberality of my speech
Is humbly free, and fluent to beseech
Your joynt assistance, to revenge a wrong
Whose intricacy neither pen, nor tongue
Is able to expresse: Alas! and I
Can only shaddow forth my misery.
Is humbly free, and fluent to beseech
Your joynt assistance, to revenge a wrong
Whose intricacy neither pen, nor tongue
Is able to expresse: Alas! and I
Can only shaddow forth my misery.
My dear Lucretia, In whose brest did lie
My life, is fled unto eternity:
She's dead my Lords, and ah! if that were all
In time I might endevour to recall
My grief, she is (my Lords) I speak what's true,
Ravish'd by death, nay, and by Tarquin too.
My life, is fled unto eternity:
She's dead my Lords, and ah! if that were all
In time I might endevour to recall
My grief, she is (my Lords) I speak what's true,
Ravish'd by death, nay, and by Tarquin too.
And if a worser fate than this can be,
He swear there is no grief, no misery;
But to be short dear friends, I cannot now
Dispose of so much time, as to utter how:
But the last sound of my Lucretia's breath
Was this, Revenge my rape, condole my death.
He swear there is no grief, no misery;
But to be short dear friends, I cannot now
Dispose of so much time, as to utter how:
But the last sound of my Lucretia's breath
Was this, Revenge my rape, condole my death.
5
The frightned aire had hardly cool'd his words,
Before the Nobles with their soon-drawn swords
Vow'd a compleat revenge, and to effect
Their vow'd designs, they suffer'd no neglect
To harbour in their breasts, but with a speed
Wing'd with affection they perform'd the deed.
Before the Nobles with their soon-drawn swords
Vow'd a compleat revenge, and to effect
Their vow'd designs, they suffer'd no neglect
To harbour in their breasts, but with a speed
Wing'd with affection they perform'd the deed.
If I should lavish time, and here relate
Their sev'rall battels, and their sev'rall fate,
I might perplex my Reader with a story
Of this mans ruine, and of that mans glory:
But at my period. I should only say,
Tarquins bad cause, not valour lost the day.
Their sev'rall battels, and their sev'rall fate,
I might perplex my Reader with a story
Of this mans ruine, and of that mans glory:
But at my period. I should only say,
Tarquins bad cause, not valour lost the day.
But let me say that in this fatall cloud
Of ruine, Tarquins father that did croud
Into the arms of danger to maintain
His sons vile cause, deservedly was slain:
And when young Tarquin heard his fathers fall,
He grew more desperate, lost himself and all.
Of ruine, Tarquins father that did croud
Into the arms of danger to maintain
His sons vile cause, deservedly was slain:
And when young Tarquin heard his fathers fall,
He grew more desperate, lost himself and all.
Thus captive to his foes, his sullen breast
Swell'd more with malice, than it seem'd opprest;
For like a base Usurper, having thrust
Himself in power, his actions must be just:
Nay, though the sword decline him, yet would he
Make all Authentick by obduracie.
Swell'd more with malice, than it seem'd opprest;
For like a base Usurper, having thrust
Himself in power, his actions must be just:
Nay, though the sword decline him, yet would he
Make all Authentick by obduracie.
6
A brazen conscience findes a brazen face,
Tarquin, because he knew his foul disgrace
Could not receive addition, grew so bold,
So peremptory, that what others told
To him in grief, he in disdain, reply'd,
Lucretia's rape, is Tarquins onely pride.
Tarquin, because he knew his foul disgrace
Could not receive addition, grew so bold,
So peremptory, that what others told
To him in grief, he in disdain, reply'd,
Lucretia's rape, is Tarquins onely pride.
Since she is dead, the thing that grieves me most
Is this, to think my spirits cannot boast
Of more enjoyments; but Ile cease to crave,
For I am well content with what I have;
And if I die, I charge thee grief, forbear,
I am a Roman, and I scorn to fear.
Is this, to think my spirits cannot boast
Of more enjoyments; but Ile cease to crave,
For I am well content with what I have;
And if I die, I charge thee grief, forbear,
I am a Roman, and I scorn to fear.
Oh how Ile vex my foes! for when as I
Am brought to death, they shall not know I die;
Ile steal into a slumber, none shall say
They saw me die, although perhaps they may
Report they saw me dead; and Rome shall crie,
Tarquin hath taught us how to scorn, and die.
Am brought to death, they shall not know I die;
Ile steal into a slumber, none shall say
They saw me die, although perhaps they may
Report they saw me dead; and Rome shall crie,
Tarquin hath taught us how to scorn, and die.
Well then, where's their revenge? for I am sure
A Roman spirit never can endure
To triumph ore a corps; when smiling death
Shall put a period to my yielding breath;
What then? Alas! they only can concur
In this one sense, he dy'd a Ravisher.
A Roman spirit never can endure
To triumph ore a corps; when smiling death
Shall put a period to my yielding breath;
What then? Alas! they only can concur
In this one sense, he dy'd a Ravisher.
7
Thus, thus insentiate Tarquin seems to show
More raging courage, than repentant woe;
His inconsiderate thoughts think all things good,
And slightly wade through poor Lucretia's blood:
Go forward Reader, and thou'lt quickly finde
An alter'd Tarquin, and a changed minde.
More raging courage, than repentant woe;
His inconsiderate thoughts think all things good,
And slightly wade through poor Lucretia's blood:
Go forward Reader, and thou'lt quickly finde
An alter'd Tarquin, and a changed minde.
The Consuls after serious debate
Concerning Tarquin, did agree, his fate
Should not be speedy death, but should be sent
Into a sad and lasting banishment,
That so his more deliberate thoughts might finde
A way to call his villany to minde.
Concerning Tarquin, did agree, his fate
Should not be speedy death, but should be sent
Into a sad and lasting banishment,
That so his more deliberate thoughts might finde
A way to call his villany to minde.
This news arriving unto Tarquins ears,
He soon begins to argue with his fears:
Must I be sent, cryes he, into a place
Of no society, and there imbrace
Perpetual woe? Oh! how could Hell contrive
So great a plague to keep me still alive?
He soon begins to argue with his fears:
Must I be sent, cryes he, into a place
Of no society, and there imbrace
Perpetual woe? Oh! how could Hell contrive
So great a plague to keep me still alive?
What shall I doe in this extreme abysse
Of woe and torments? Death had been a blisse
Beyond expression; Ah! must wretched I
Be so accurst t'offend, and yet not die?
Oh most prodigious fate! vile Ixions wheel
Had been a paradise to what I feel.
Of woe and torments? Death had been a blisse
Beyond expression; Ah! must wretched I
Be so accurst t'offend, and yet not die?
Oh most prodigious fate! vile Ixions wheel
Had been a paradise to what I feel.
8
Methinks I feel a sudden fire that burns
My very soul, my former comfort turns
To present woe; methinks I grow, and swell
Into larger Continent, sure Hell
Hath chang'd his mansion, and intends to make
My troubled Tenement his fiery lake.
My very soul, my former comfort turns
To present woe; methinks I grow, and swell
Into larger Continent, sure Hell
Hath chang'd his mansion, and intends to make
My troubled Tenement his fiery lake.
Since so it is, Ile labour to prevent
Their swelling laughter with a forc'd content.
Ile hide my sorrows from their gazing eyes,
Ile seem to slight their malice, and despise
Their scornful mocks, but yet my heart will tell
My heart, that all within me, is not well.
Their swelling laughter with a forc'd content.
Ile hide my sorrows from their gazing eyes,
Ile seem to slight their malice, and despise
Their scornful mocks, but yet my heart will tell
My heart, that all within me, is not well.
But stay, shall I forget my self, was I not born
A noble Roman, and shall I not scorn
Their impositions; shall I now relent
And prove a willing slave to discontent?
Fie Tarquin, fie; but hark, I hear the summe
Of my destruction, now my foes are come.
A noble Roman, and shall I not scorn
Their impositions; shall I now relent
And prove a willing slave to discontent?
Fie Tarquin, fie; but hark, I hear the summe
Of my destruction, now my foes are come.
Courage my heart, be bold, and let them finde,
Thou hast an Army in thy strength'ned minde,
And if a pressing sigh should chance to fly
Out of the prison of thy minde, deny
It to be thine, so shall thy prying eyes
See thou disown'st their lavish tyrannies.
Thou hast an Army in thy strength'ned minde,
And if a pressing sigh should chance to fly
Out of the prison of thy minde, deny
It to be thine, so shall thy prying eyes
See thou disown'st their lavish tyrannies.
9
Even as the boysterous Ocean, if deny'd
A present passage for her swelling tyde
Swells and looks big, and with insulting waves
Assaults th' immoving shore which stoutly stave
Its fury off; but if it proudly swell
Above the banks, 'tis time to bid farewell.
A present passage for her swelling tyde
Swells and looks big, and with insulting waves
Assaults th' immoving shore which stoutly stave
Its fury off; but if it proudly swell
Above the banks, 'tis time to bid farewell.
Even so our Tarquins passion, for a time
Found opposition, but at last did clime
Above his strength, and when it was too late,
He soon deplor'd his miserable state,
And being cast into a remote place,
He thus bewails his lamentable case.
Found opposition, but at last did clime
Above his strength, and when it was too late,
He soon deplor'd his miserable state,
And being cast into a remote place,
He thus bewails his lamentable case.
Ah! what a sad Companion is a heart,
Burthen'd with guilt; Alas! I can impart
No comfort to my self, all things declare
My ruine, that's attended with despair:
Methinks I have a still continued flood
Before my eyes, of chast Lucretia's blood.
Burthen'd with guilt; Alas! I can impart
No comfort to my self, all things declare
My ruine, that's attended with despair:
Methinks I have a still continued flood
Before my eyes, of chast Lucretia's blood.
Nor is my eye disturbed, but my ear
Is grown of late accustomed to hear
Strange dialects, methinks Lucretia cryes,
Revenge, revenge my wofull injuries:
And thus my eyes, my ears sadly portend
A present woe, a miserable end.
Is grown of late accustomed to hear
Strange dialects, methinks Lucretia cryes,
Revenge, revenge my wofull injuries:
And thus my eyes, my ears sadly portend
A present woe, a miserable end.
10
Thus in a sad discourse vile Tarquin goes
He knows not where, being usher'd by his woes;
At last arriving at a shadie grove,
Close by a wanton stream he sadly strove
To mitigate his sorrow, but his fire
Encreas'd above the reach of his desire.
He knows not where, being usher'd by his woes;
At last arriving at a shadie grove,
Close by a wanton stream he sadly strove
To mitigate his sorrow, but his fire
Encreas'd above the reach of his desire.
I am enflam'd, he cryes, could I devise
A way to quench my sorrows with my eyes;
My eye enflam'd my heart, my heart combin'd
With my affections to corrupt my minde;
Thus minde, thus heart, obey'd a lustful call;
Thus lust procur'd my hate, and hate my fall.
A way to quench my sorrows with my eyes;
My eye enflam'd my heart, my heart combin'd
With my affections to corrupt my minde;
Thus minde, thus heart, obey'd a lustful call;
Thus lust procur'd my hate, and hate my fall.
Oh! how these silent fishes seem to sport,
And revel in their cool aquarian Court!
Oh! how they bathe themselves in their own flood,
Whilst I am parboyl'd in a sea of blood!
Lucretia, ah Lucretia! thou didst finde
A raped body, I a raped minde.
And revel in their cool aquarian Court!
Oh! how they bathe themselves in their own flood,
Whilst I am parboyl'd in a sea of blood!
Lucretia, ah Lucretia! thou didst finde
A raped body, I a raped minde.
At last the Sylvane Choristers begun
Their warbling notes to the departing Sun,
Which Tarquin hearing with a deep-fetch'd groan
cry'd, How more than happy's every one
Of these care-wanting creatures! they are free
From the rude hand of griping tyrannie.
Their warbling notes to the departing Sun,
Which Tarquin hearing with a deep-fetch'd groan
cry'd, How more than happy's every one
Of these care-wanting creatures! they are free
From the rude hand of griping tyrannie.
11
And now deploring Philomel begins
Her sad, and melancholy notes, and spins
Her tedious notes unto the smallest thred
As if she meant to strike poor Tarquin dead;
For he no sooner heard her, but he cries,
Sweet Philomel forbear thy tyrannies.
Her sad, and melancholy notes, and spins
Her tedious notes unto the smallest thred
As if she meant to strike poor Tarquin dead;
For he no sooner heard her, but he cries,
Sweet Philomel forbear thy tyrannies.
Tell me thou woful wretch, doe not deny
Who was most villain Tereus, or I;
Was it not he did perpetrate thy rape,
And made thee wish thy self into this shape?
Since which sad time having banisht all delight,
Thy sham'd-fac'd sorrows shroud themselves it night
Who was most villain Tereus, or I;
Was it not he did perpetrate thy rape,
And made thee wish thy self into this shape?
Since which sad time having banisht all delight,
Thy sham'd-fac'd sorrows shroud themselves it night
Let me conjure thee Philomel to cease
Thy high strain'd notes, for they doe much encrease
My raging grief; and now, ah now! I finde
Horrour in sweetnesse, why art thou unkinde,
And wilt not cease? thou shalt not ring my knell,
For Ile be gon, so Philomel, farewell.
Thy high strain'd notes, for they doe much encrease
My raging grief; and now, ah now! I finde
Horrour in sweetnesse, why art thou unkinde,
And wilt not cease? thou shalt not ring my knell,
For Ile be gon, so Philomel, farewell.
Away goes Tarquin, Philomel pursues;
The more he flyes, she more and more renewes
Her ecchoing notes, he swears, she chants and rears
Her shriller accents to his tortur'd ears,
Enrag'd he cryes, the Gods did doe thee wrong
To take thy womans shape, yet leave her tongue.
The more he flyes, she more and more renewes
Her ecchoing notes, he swears, she chants and rears
Her shriller accents to his tortur'd ears,
Enrag'd he cryes, the Gods did doe thee wrong
To take thy womans shape, yet leave her tongue.
12
Will not entreaties move thee? wilt thou still
Send arrowes to my soul, and be thus shrill?
Peace witch thou tempt'st my patience, every note
Derived from the Magick of thy throat
Strikes me to death, but ah, I will not hear;
For if thou find'st a tongue, Ile want an ear.
Send arrowes to my soul, and be thus shrill?
Peace witch thou tempt'st my patience, every note
Derived from the Magick of thy throat
Strikes me to death, but ah, I will not hear;
For if thou find'st a tongue, Ile want an ear.
With that he stops his ears, but all in vaine,
His fancy turnes all Philomels, and straine
Far higher notes; so he, at length let fly
The portalls of his eares, and by and by
More then a flock of Nightingalls, being met,
They thus contriv'd to pay Lucretia's debt.
His fancy turnes all Philomels, and straine
Far higher notes; so he, at length let fly
The portalls of his eares, and by and by
More then a flock of Nightingalls, being met,
They thus contriv'd to pay Lucretia's debt.
First, they encampe about his eares, and send
A party out of notes, which recommend
Themselves unto him, whil'st affrightn'd he
Decayes, and reels into an extasie.
Then they assault him with full bodied notes
Discharged from the Engins of their throats.
A party out of notes, which recommend
Themselves unto him, whil'st affrightn'd he
Decayes, and reels into an extasie.
Then they assault him with full bodied notes
Discharged from the Engins of their throats.
But Tarquin, not encourag'd to abide
So hot a Charge, falls down, and falling dy'd.
Which they perceiving presently arise
And flockt about him, and pickt out his eyes;
From which sad story we may well infer,
That Philomel abhors a Ravisher.
So hot a Charge, falls down, and falling dy'd.
Which they perceiving presently arise
And flockt about him, and pickt out his eyes;
From which sad story we may well infer,
That Philomel abhors a Ravisher.
FINIS.
| Tarquin banished | |