636Perchance his bo
st of Lucrece Sou'raigntie,
37Sugge
sted this proud i
ssue of a King:
38For by our eares our hearts oft taynted be:
39Perchance that enuie of
so rich a thing
40Brauing compare, di
sdainefully did
sting
41 His high picht thoughts that meaner men
should (vant,
42 That golden hap which their
superiors want.
743But
some vntimelie thought did in
stigate,
44His all too timele
sse
speede if none of tho
se,
45His honor, his a
ffaires, his friends, his
state,
46Negle
cted all, with
swift intent he goes,
47To quench the coale which in his liuer glowes.
48 O ra
sh fal
se heate, wrapt in repentant cold,
49 Thy ha
stie
spring
still bla
sts and nere growes old.
850When at Colatia this fal
se Lord arriued,
51Well was he welcom'd by the Romaine dame,
52Within who
se face Beautie and Vertue
striued,
53Which of them both
should vnderprop her fame.
54Whē Vertue brag'd, Beautie wold blu
sh for
shame,
55 When Beautie bo
sted blu
shes, in de
spight
56 Vertue would
staine that ore with
siluer white.
957But Beautie in that white entituled,
58From Venus doues doth challenge that faire
field,
59Then Vertue claimes from Beautie, Beauties red,
60Which Vertue gaue the golden age, to guild
61Their
siluer cheekes, and cald it then their
shield,
62 Teaching them thus to v
se it in the
fight,
63 Whē
shame a
ssaild, the red
should fēce the white.
1064This Herauldry in
LVCRECE face was
seene,
65Argued by Beauties red and Vertues white,
66Of eithers colour was the other Queene:
67Prouing from worlds minority their right,
68Yet their ambition makes them
still to
fight:
69 The
soueraignty of either being
so great,
70 That oft they interchange ech others
seat.