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