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Make slow pursuit； or altogether balk
The prey wherein by nature they delight；
So surfeit…taking Tarquin fares this night：
His taste delicious； in digestion souring；
Devours his will； that lived by foul devouring。
O； deeper sin than bottomless conceit
Can comprehend in still imagination！
Drunken Desire must vomit his receipt；
Ere he can see his own abomination。
While Lust is in his pride； no exclamation
Can curb his heat or rein his rash desire；
Till； like a jade； Self…will himself doth tire。
And then with lank and lean discoloured cheek；
With heavy eye； knit brow； and strengthless pace；
Feeble Desire； all recreant； poor and meek；
Like to a bankrupt beggar wails his case：
The flesh being proud； Desire doth fight with Grace；
For there it revels； and when that decays
The guilty rebel for remission prays。
So fares it with this faultful lord of Rome；
Who this accomplishment so hotly chased；
For now against himself he sounds this doom；
That through the length of times he stands disgraced；
Besides； his soul's fair temple is defaced；
To whose weak ruins muster troops of cares；
To ask the spotted princess how she fares。
She says her subjects with foul insurrection
Have battered down her consecrated wall；
And by their mortal fault brought in subjection
Her immortality； and made her thrall
To living death and pain perpetual；
Which in her prescience she controlled still；
But her foresight could not forestall their will。
Ev'n in this thought through the dark night he stealeth；
A captive victor that hath lost in gain；
Bearing away the wound that nothing healeth；
The scar that will； despite of cure； remain；
Leaving his spoil perplexed in greater pain。
She bears the load of lust he left behind；
And he the burden of a guilty mind。
He like a thievish dog creeps sadly thence；
She like a wearied lamb lies panting there；
He scowls； and hates himself for his offence；
She； desperate； with her nails her flesh doth tear；
He faintly flies； sweating with guilty fear；
She stays； exclaiming on the direful night；
He runs； and chides his vanished； loathed delight。
He thence departs a heavy convertite；
She there remains a hopeless castaway；
He in his speed looks for the morning light；
She prays she never may behold the day。
'For day'； quoth she； 'night's scapes doth open lay；
And my true eyes have never practised how
To cloak offences with a cunning brow。
'They think not but that every eye can see
The same disgrace which they themselves behold；
And therefore would they still in darkness be；
To have their unseen sin remain untold；
For they their guilt with weeping will unfold；
And grave； like water that doth eat in steel；
Upon my cheeks what helpless shame I feel。'
Here she exclaims against repose and rest；
And bids her eyes hereafter still be blind。
She wakes her heart by beating on her breast；
And bids it leap from thence； where it may find
Some purer chest to close so pure a mind。
Frantic with grief thus breathes she forth her spite
Against the unseen secrecy of night：
'O comfort…killing Night； image of hell！
Dim register and notary of shame！
Black stage for tragedies and murders fell！
Vast sin…concealing chaos！ nurse of blame！
Blind muffled bawd！ dark harbour for defame！
Grim cave of death！ whisp'ring conspirator
With close…tongued treason and the ravisher！
'O hateful； vaporous and foggy Night！
Since thou art guilty of my cureless crime；
Muster thy mists to meet the eastern light；
Make war against proportioned course of time；
Or if thou wilt permit the sun to climb
His wonted height； yet ere he go to bed；
Knit poisonous clouds about his golden head。
'With rotten damps ravish the morning air；
Let their exhaled unwholesome breaths make sick
The life of purity； the supreme fair；
Ere he arrive his weary noon…tide prick；
And let thy musty vapours march so thick
That in their smoky ranks his smoth'red light
May set at noon and make perpetual night。
'Were Tarquin Night； as he is but Night's child；
The silver…shining queen he would distain；
Her twinkling handmaids too； by him defiled；
Through Night's black bosom should not peep again；
So should I have co…partners in my pain；
And fellowship in woe doth woe assuage；
As palmers' chat makes short their pilgrimage。
'Where now I have no one to blush with me；
To cross their arms and hang their heads with mine；
To mask their brows and hide their infamy；
But I alone alone sit and pine；
Seasoning the earth with show'rs of silver brine；
Mingling my talk with tears； my grief with groans；
Poor wasting monuments of lasting moans。
'O Night； thou furnace of foul…reeking smoke；
Let not the jealous Day behold that face
Which underneath thy black all…hiding cloak
Immodestly lies martyred with disgrace！
Keep still possession of thy gloomy place；
That all the faults which in thy reign are made
May likewise be sepulchred in thy shade！
'Make me not object to the tell…tale Day。
The light will show； charactered in my brow；
The story of sweet chastity's decay；
The impious breach of holy wedlock vow；
Yea； the illiterate； that know not how
To cipher what is writ in learned books；
Will quote my loathsome trespass in my looks。
'The nurse； to still her child； will tell my story；
And fright her crying babe with Tarquin's name；
The orator； to deck his oratory；
Will couple my reproach to Tarquin's shame；
Feast…finding minstrels； tuning my defame；
Will tie the hearers to attend each line；
How Tarquin wronged me； I Collatine
'Let my good name； that senseless reputation；
For Collatine's dear love be kept unspotted；
If that be made a theme for disputation；
The branches of another root are rotted；
And undeserved reproach to him allotted
That is as clear from this attaint of mine
As I ere this was pure to Collatine。
'O unseen shame！ invisible disgrace！
O unfelt sore！ crest…wounding； private scar！
Reproach is stamped in Collatinus' face；
And Tarquin's eye may read the mot afar；
〃How he in peace is wounded； not in war。
〃Alas； how many bear such shameful blows；
Which not themselves； but he that gives them knows！
'If； Collatine； thine honour lay in me；
From me by strong assault it is bereft。
My honey lost； and I； a drone…like bee；
Have no perfection of my summer left；
But robbed and ransacked by injurious theft。
In thy weak hive a wand'ring wasp hath crept；
And sucked the honey which thy chaste bee kept。
'Yet am I guilty of thy honour's wrack；
Yet for thy honour did I entertain him；
Coming from thee； I could not put him back；
For it had been dishonour to disdain him；
Besides； of weariness he did complain him；
And talked of virtue： O unlooked…for evil；
When virtue is profaned in such a devil！
'Why should the worm intrude the maiden bud？
Or hateful cuckoos hatch in sparrows' nests？
Or toads infect fair founts with venom mud？