The Apology and Elogy of LVCRECIA.

LVcrecia complains in these verses of her rigorous usage, and of the charge laid against her, to the dishonor of her Memory. I have seen this charge, and the sentence annext to it in the Books of the City of God: I have been present sometimes at the de∣clamations which one of the highest and strongest Vertues of her Sex is wont to make against her: And I confess, that if she be judged by the Christian Rule, and the Laws of the Gospel, she will be hardly able to justifie her Innocence. The most favourable will be at least of S. Austins opinion, and conclude with him, that she neither merited the death she gave her self, if she were innocent in her dishonour; nor the praises she received, if she were guilty of it.

Nevertheless, were she withdrawn from this severe Tribunal, where no Heathen Vertue appears, which is not in danger to be condemned: were she to be judged by the Law of her own Country, and by the Religion of her time, she will be found one of the chastest Women of her Age, and one of the most couragious of her Country: Noble and Vertuous Philo∣sophy, which so often accuseth her, will absolve her of her disaster, and be reconciled to her; and every one will confess that her sin is less ascribable to her own fault, then to the imperfection of the Law, which had ill di∣rected her, and to the scandals of that Religion which had given her but bad presidents.

In effect, the Law of that Country was then but specious and superfi∣cial; the Moral was only applyed to plaister over the exteriour, to imitate the countenance and gestures of Vertue, to make fair masks and hand∣som delusions: It touched not upon corrupted intentions, it had no Rule for inordinate desires; and in case depraved passions came not so far as to ill effects, yet it abandoned them to their own sense, and permitted their hearts to enjoy a liberty more then popular: It allowed them an unpu∣nishable and unrestrained freedom. As for the Religion of the Romans, which erected Courtisans into Goddesses, and sacrificed to Adulterers, it was not to be expected that it should produce Virgins and chaste Women. Therein Lucrecia, even ravished Lucrecia was better then the Gods of Rome. It was not the love of pleasure, nor the fear of death which induced her to sin, but the love of Honour, and the excessive fear she had to lose it: and if she were not endowed with the resolution of Susa••s, who sunk neither under death nor infamy, it suffices to say in her excuse, that she knew not the God of Susanna: And the miracle would have been too great, it a Hea∣then Woman had equalled one of the highest Vertues amongst the Faith∣ful, without the Law, and the Graces, which made them so.

Let us not forbear then to commend Lucrecia, she is worthy of our praises. Ancient Rome, which hath been the Nurse of sublime natural ver∣tues, & of great Pagan Heroes, hath brought forth nothing more high and great, nothing more gallant and couragious, then Lucrecia. This great City Page  8 was the Exterminatrix of insolent Kings, and the Mother of the Common-wealth: And to bring into the World this famous Maid, who ought to have commanded so many Nations, she opened her own bosom, and procured to her self a remarkable and violent death. Therein she was more glorious and worthy of esteem then the Mother of the first Caesar, whose belly was 〈◊〉 up to make way for the Usurper, whom she bore in her womb. The outragious Villain who offered violence to her Honour, did not dishonor her: Honour stuck close to Vertue, and Vertue cannot be torn out of the heart, it must fall of it self. Being unable with her single hands to resist armed Force, she repelled it with her minde; and her soul raised it self as much as it could, not to be stained with the impurity which defiled her body. Besides, she was willing to cleanse it with her blood: and the zeal of her Modesty was so great, as she punished upon her self the unclean∣ness which another had committed.