Great preparation was made by the Romaines, against a people called Rutuli, who had a citie named Ardea, excelling in wealth and riches which was the cause that the Romaine king, being exhausted and quite voyde of money, by reason of his sumptuous buildinges, made warres vppon that countrie. In the time of the siege of that citie the yonge Romaine gentlemen banqueted one another, amonges whom there was one called Collatinus Tarquinius, the sonne of Egerius. And by chaunce they entred in communication of their wiues, euery one praysing his seueral spouse. At length the talke began to grow hot, whereupon Collatinus said, that words were vaine. For within few houres it might be tried, how much his wife Lucretia did excel the rest, wherefore (quoth he) if there be any liuelihod in you, let us take our horse, to proue which of oure wiues doth surmount. Wheruppon they roode to Rome in post. At their comming they found the kinges doughters, sportinge themselues with sondrye pastimes: From thence they went to the house of Collatinus, where they founde Lucrece, not as the other before named, spending time in idlenes, but late in the night occupied and busie amonges her maydes in the middes of her house spinning of woll. The victory and prayse wherof was giuen to Lucretia, who when she saw her husband, gentlie and louinglie intertained him, and curteouslye badde the Tarquinians welcome. Immediately Sextus Tarquinius the sonne of Tarquinias Superbus, (that time the Romaine king) was incensed wyth a libidious desire, to construpate and defloure Lucrece. When the yonge gentlemen had bestowed that night pleasantly with their wiues, they retourned to the Campe. Not long after Sextus Tarquinius with one man retourned to Collatia vnknowen to Collatinus, and ignorant to Lucrece and the rest of her houshold, for what purpose he came. Who being well intertayned, after supper was conueighed to his chamber. Tarquinius burninge with the loue of Lucrece, after he perceiued the housholde to be at reste, and all thinges in quiet, with his naked sworde in his hande, wente to Lucrece being a sleepe, and keeping her downe with his lefte hande, saide: “Holde thy peace Lucrece, I am Sextus Tarquinius, my sworde is in my hand, if thou crie, I will kill thee.” The gentlewoman sore afrayed, being newely awaked oute of her sleepe, and seeing iminent death, could not tell what to do. Then Tarquinius confessed his loue, and began to intreate her, and therewithall vsed sundry minacing wordes, by all meanes attempting to make her quiet: when he saw her obstinate, and that she woulde not yelde to his request, notwithstanding his cruell threates, he added shameful and villanous speach, saying: That he would kill her, and when she was slaine, he woulde also kill his slaue, and place him by her, that it might be reported howe she was slaine, being taken in adulterie. She vanquished with his terrible and infamous threate, his fleshlye and licentious enterprice, ouercame the puritie of her chaste and honest hart, which done he departed. Then Lucrece sent a post to Rome to her father, and an other to Ardea to her husbande, requiringe them that they would make speede to come vnto her, with certaine of their trustie frendes, for that a cruell facte was chaunced. Then Sp. Lucretius with P. Valerius the sonne of Volesius, and Collatinus with L. Iunius Brutus, made hast to Lucrece: where they founde her sitting, very pensife and sadde, in her chamber. So sone as she sawe them she began pitiously to weepe. Then her husband asked her, whether all thinges were well, vnto whom she sayde these wordes.
“No dere husbande, for what can be well or safe vnto a woman, when she hath lost her chastitie? Alas Collatine, the steppesof an other man, be now fixed in thy bed. But it is my bodye onely that is violated, my minde God knoweth is giltles, whereof my death shalbe witnesse. But if you be men giue me your handes and trouth, that the adulterer may not escape vnreuenged. It is Sextus Tarquinius whoe being an enemie, in steede of a frende, the other night came vnto mee, armed with his sword in his hand, and by violence caried away from me (the Goddes know) a woful ioy.” Then euery one of them gaue her their faith, and comforted the pensife and languishing lady, imputing the offence to the authour and doer of the same, affirming that her bodye was polluted, and not her minde, and where consent was not, there the crime was absente. Whereunto shee added: “I praye you consider with your selues, what punishmente is due for the malefactour. As for my part, though I cleare my selfe of the offence, my body shall feele the punishment: for no vnchast or ill woman, shall hereafter impute no dishonest act to Lucrece.” Then she drewe out a knife, which she had hidden secretely, vnder her kirtle, and stabbed her selfe to the harte. Which done, she fell downe grouelinge vppon her wound and died. Whereupon her father and husband made great lamentation, and as they were bewayling the death of Lucrece, Brutus plucked the knife oute of the wound, which gushed out with aboundance of bloude, and holding it vp said: “I sweare by the chast bloud of this body here dead, and I take you the immortall Gods to witnes, that I will driue and extirpate oute of this Citie, both L. Tarquinius Superbus, and his wicked wife, with all the race of his children and progenie, so that none of them, ne yet any others shall raigne anye longer in Rome.” Then hee deliuered the knife to Collatinus. Lucretius and Valerius, who marueyled at the strangenesse of his words: and from whence he should conceiue that determination. They all swore that othe. And followed Brutus, as their captaine, in his conceiued purpose. The body of Lucrece was brought into the market place, where the people wondred at the vilenesse of that facte, euery man complayning vppon the mischiefe of that facinorous rape, committed by Tarquinius. Whervpon Brutus perswaded the Romaynes, that they should cease from teares and other childishe lamentacions, and to take weapons in their handes, to shew themselues like men.
Then the lustiest and most desperate persons within the citie, made themselues prest and readie, to attempte any enterprise: and after a garrison was placed and bestowed at Collatia, diligent watche and ward was kept at the gates of the Citie, to the intent the kinge should haue no aduertisement of that sturre. The rest of the souldiours followed Brutus to Rome.
When he was come thither, the armed multitude did beate a marueilous feare throughout the whole Citie: but yet because they sawe the chiefeste personages goe before, they thought that the same enterprise was taken in vaine. Wherefore the people out of all places of the citie, ranne into the market place. Where Brutus complained of the abhominable Rape of Lucrece, committed by Sextus Tarquinius. And thereunto he added the pride and insolent behauiour of the king, the miserie and drudgerie of the people, and howe they, which in time paste were victours and Conquerours, were made of men of warre, Artificers, and Labourers. He remembred also the infamous murder of Seruius Tullius their late kinge. These and such like he called to the peoples remembraunce, whereby they abrogated and deposed Tarquinius, banishing him, his wife, and children. Then he leuied an armie of chosen and piked men, and marched to the Campe at Ardea, committing the gouernemente of the Citie to Lucretius, who before was by the king appointed Lieutenant. Tullia in the time of this hurlie burlie, fledde from her house, all the people cursing and crying vengeaunce vpon her. Newes brought into the campe of these euentes, the king with great feare retourned to Rome, to represse those tumultes, and Brutus hearinge of his approche, marched another waye, because hee woulde not meete him. When Tarquinius was come to Rome, the gates were shutte against him, and he himselfe commaunded to auoide into exile. The campe receiued Brutus with great ioye and triumphe, for that he had deliuered the citie of such a tyraunte. Then Tarquinius with his children fledde to Cære, a Citie of the Hetrurians. And as Sextus Tarquinius was going, he was slaine by those that premeditated reuengemente, of olde murder and iniuries by him done to their predecessours. This L. Tarquinius Superbus raigned XXV yeares. The raigne of the kinges from the first foundation of the citie continued CCxliiii. yeares. After which gouernmente two Consuls were appointed, for the order and administration of the Citie. And for that yeare L. Iunius Brutus, and L. Tarquinius, Collatinus.
[ THE THIRD NOUELL.]
The siege of Rome by Porsenna, and the valiaunt deliuerie thereof by Mutius Scœuola, with his stoute aunswere vnto the kinge.
When P. Valerius and T. Lucretius were created Consuls, Porsenna kinge of Hetruria, vppon the instigation of the banished Tarquinians, came before the citie with a huge armie. The brute wherof did wonderfully appall the Senate: for the like occasion of terrour, neuer before that time chaunced to the Romaines, who did not onely feare their enemies, but also their owne subiects, suspecting lest they should be forced to retaine the kinges againe. All which afterwards, were through the wisedome and discretion of the fathers quietlye appeased, and the citie reduced to such vnitie and courage, as all sorts of people despised the name of king. When the enemies were approched, the rurall people abandoning their colonies, fled for rescue into the citie. The citie was diuided into garrisons: some kept the walles, and some the waye ouer Tiber, which was thought very safe and able to be defended. Althoughe the wodden bridge made ouer the Riuer, had almost been an open way for the enemies entrie, whereof Horacius Cocles, as fortune serued that day, had the charge. Who so manfully behaued himselfe, as after he had broken vp and burned the bridge, and done other notable exploites, he defended that passage with such valiance, that the defence therof seemed miraculous, to the great astonishment of the enemies. In fine Porsenna seing that he coulde litle preuaile in the assault, retourned to the Campe, determining neuerthelesse to continue his siege. At which time one Caius Mutius, a yonge gentleman of Rome, purposed to aduenture some notable enterprise: saying to the Senators these wordes: “I determine to passe the Riuer, and enter if I can, into the campe of the enemies, not to fetch spoile, or to reuenge mutuall iniuries, but to hazard greater matters, if the Gods be assistant vnto me.” The senate vnderstanding the effect of his indeuour, allowed his deuise. And then hauinge a sword vnder his garment, went forth. When he was come into the throng, he conueighed himselfe as nere the kinges pauilion as he could. It chaunced that he was paying wages that day to his souldiours, by whom his Secretarie did sit in such apparell, almost as the king himselfe did weare. Mutius being afraide to demaunde which of them was the king, lest he should bewray himselfe, sodainly killed the Secretarie in steede of the king, and as he was making waye with his bloudie sworde to escape, he was apprehended and brought before the king, and with maruailous stoutnesse and audacitie, spake these wordes: “I am a citizen of Rome, and my name is Mutius, and beinge an enemy, I woulde faine haue killed mine enemie. For which attempt I esteeme no more to die, then I cared to commit the murder. It is naturally giuen to the Romaines, both valiantly to do and stoutly to suffer. And not I alone haue conspired thy death, but a greate nomber of vs, haue promised the like, and hope to prosecute semblable prayse and glorie: wherfore if this beginninge do not please thee, make thy selfe ready euerye houre to expect like perill, and to fight for thy selfe. And make accompt, that euery day euen at the dore of thine owne lodging, thy enemye armed doth waite for thee: we alone yong gentlemen of the Citie do stand at defiance, and pronounce vppon thee this kinde of battaile. Feare no armies or other hostilitie, for with thee alone, and with euerye one of vs these warres shalbe tryed.” The king astonied with that bold and desperate enterprise, fell into a great rage and furie, commaundinge Mutius presentlye to be consumed with fyre, vnlesse he would out of hand tell him the order of the purposed and deuised treason. “Behold O king (quoth hee) how litle they care for theyr bodies, that do aspire and seeke for fame and glorie.” And then he thrust his right hand into the fire, and rosted the same in the flame, like one that had been out of his wits. The king amazed wyth the straungnes of the fact, stepped downe from the seate, and caused him to be taken from the fire, saying: “Away, frend (quoth the king) thou hast killed thy selfe, and aduentured hostilitie vppon thy selfe rather then against mee. Surely I would thincke mine estate happie, if like valiaunce were to be found wythin the boundes of my countrye. Wherfore by law of Armes I set the at libertie to go whither thou list.” Whereunto Mutius for acquiting that desert, aunswered: “For as much as thou hast thus honourably delt with me, I wil for recompence of this benefite, saye thus muche vnto thee, whych by threates thou shouldest neuer haue gotten at my handes. Three hundred of vs that be yonge noble men of Rome, haue conspired thy death, euen by the like attempt. It was my lot to come first, the reste when fortune shall giue opportunitie, euerye one in his tourne will giue the aduenture.” Whereupon he was dismissed, and afterwards was called Scæuola, for the losse of his right hande. Then peace was offered to the Romaynes, who vpon conditions that the enemies garrisons should be withdrawen from Ianiculum, and that the country wonne of the Veientines, should be restored againe, gaue hostages. Amonges whom there was a gentlewoman called Cloelia deliuered into the handes of the Hetrurians, who deceyuinge her keepers, conueighed herselfe and the other pledges from their enemies, and swimming ouer the riuer of Tiber, arriued at Rome in safetye, which being redemaunded by Porsenna, were sent backe againe. The king driuen into a wonderfull admiration for the desperate and manly enterprises, done by the Romaine Nation, retourned the maiden home againe to Rome. In whose honour the Romaines erected an Image on horse backe, placed at the vpper ende of the streate called Sacra via. And so peace was concluded betweene Porsenna and the Romaynes.