1461016Out idle wordes,
seruants to
shallow fooles,
1017Vnpro
fitable
sounds, weake arbitrators,
1018Bu
sie your
selues in skill contending
schooles,
1019Debate where ley
sure
serues with dull debators:
1020To trembling Clients be you mediators,
1021 For me, I force not argument a
straw,
1022 Since that my ca
se is pa
st the helpe of law.
1471023In vaine I raile at oportunitie,
1024At time, at
TARQVIN, and vnchearfull night,
1025In vaine I cauill with mine infamie,
1026In vaine I
spurne at my con
firm'd de
spight,
1027This helple
sse
smoake of words doth me no right:
1028 The remedie indeede to do me good,
1029 Is to let forth my fowle de
filed blood.
1481030Poore hand why quiuer
st thou at this decree?
1031Honor thy
selfe to rid me of this
shame,
1032For if I die, my Honor liues in thee,
1033But if I liue thou liu'
st in my defame;
1034Since thou could
st not defend thy loyall Dame,
1035 And wa
st a
ffeard to
scratch her wicked Fo,
1036 Kill both thy
selfe, and her for yeelding
so.
1491037This
said, from her betombled couch
shee
starteth,
1038To
finde
some de
sp'rat In
strument of death,
1039But this no
slaughter hou
se no toole imparteth,
1040To make more vent for pa
ssage of her breath,
1041Which thronging through her lips
so vani
sheth,
1042 As
smoake from
AETNA, that in aire con
sumes,
1043 Or that which from di
scharged Cannon fumes.
1501044In vaine (quoth
shee) I liue, and
seeke in vaine
1045Some happie meane to end a haple
sse life.
1046I fear'd by
TARQVINS Fauchion to be
slaine,
1047Yet for the
selfe
same purpo
se
seeke a knife;
1048But when I fear'd I was a loyall wife,
1049 So am I now, ô no that cannot be,
1050 Of that true tipe hath
TARQVIN ri
fled me.