Her mistress she doth give demure good-morrow, Why her two suns were cloud-eclipsed so, But as the earth doth weep, the sun being set, Who in a salt-wav'd ocean quench their light, A pretty while these pretty creatures stand, Grieving themselves to guess at others' smarts, And then they drown their eyes, or break their hearts. For men have marble, women waxen minds, No more than wax shall be accounted evil, Wherein is stamp'd the semblance of a devil. Their smoothness, like a goodly champaign plain, Through crystal walls each little mote will peep: looks, Poor women's faces are their own faults' books. No man inveigh against the wither'd flower, kill'd! Not that devour'd, but that which doth devour, With men's abuses! those proud lords, to blame, The precedent whereof in Lucrece view, That dying fear through all her body spread; 53 hild] i. e. held-so spelt for the sake of the rhyme By this, mild patience bid fair Lucrece speak To the poor counterfeit of her complaining: "My girl," quoth she, "on what occasion break "Those tears from thee, that down thy cheeks are raining? "If thou doest weep for grief of my sustaining, "Know, gentle wench, it small avails my mood: "If tears could help, mine own would do me good. But tell me, girl, when went "—(and there she stay'd Till after a deep groan) "Tarquin from hence?" "Madam, ere I was up," replied the maid, "The more to blame my sluggard negligence: "Yet with the fault I thus far can dispense; "Myself was stirring ere the break of day, 'And, ere I rose, was Tarquin gone away. 66 "But, lady, if your maid may be so bold, "She would request to know your heaviness." "O peace!" quoth Lucrece; "if it should be told, "The repetition cannot make it less; For more it is than I can well express: "And that deep torture may be call'd a hell, "When more is felt than one hath power to tell. "Go, get me hither paper, ink, and pen— "Yet save that labour, for I have them here. "What should I say?-One of my husband's men "Bid thou be ready, by and by, to bear "A letter to my lord, my love, my dear; "Bid him with speed prepare to carry it: "The cause craves haste, and it will soon be writ.” Her maid is gone, and she prepares to write, Throng her inventions, which shall go before. At last she thus begins: "Thou worthy lord "Of that unworthy wife that greeteth thee, "Health to thy person! next vouchsafe to afford "(If ever, love, thy Lucrece thou wilt see,) "Some present speed to come and visit me: "So I commend me from our house in grief; "My woes are tedious, though my words are brief." Here folds she up the tenor of her woe, Lest he should hold it her own gross abuse, excuse. Besides, the life and feeling of her passion fashion Of her disgrace, the better so to clear her [her. From that suspicion which the world might bear To shun this blot, she would not blot the letter With words, till action might become them better. To see sad sights moves more than hear them told; Deep sounds make lesser noise than shallow fords, [words. And sorrow ebbs, being blown with wind of Her letter now is seal'd, and on it writ, Speed more than speed but dull and slow she deems; Extremity still urgeth such extremes. The homely villein court'sies to her low; And blushing on her, with a steadfast eye 87 villein] i. e. slave. |