Of a Cuckold that had a chaste Wife

WHen those Triumvers set that three mans song,
Which stablished in Rome a hellish Trinity,
That all the towne, and all the world did wrong,
Killing their friends, and kinne of their affinity,
By tripartite Indenture, parting Rome,
As if the world for them had wanted roome,
Plotyna wife of one of that same hundred,
Whom Anthony prescrib'd to lose their life,
For beauty much, for loue to be more wondred,
Su'd for his Spouse, and told she was his wife.
The Tyrant pleasant to see so faire a suter,
Doth kisse her, and imbrace her, and salute her.
Then makes, nay mocks, a loue too kinde, too cruell
She must, to saue her husband from proscription,
Grant him one night, her husbands chiefest Iewell:
And what he meant, he shewd by lewd description:
Vowing, except he might his pleasure haue,
No meanes would serue, her husbands life to saue.
Oh motion! louing thoughts, no thoughts, but thorn
Either he dies, whom she esteemes most dearely:
Or she her selfe subiect to thousand scornes.
Both feares doe touch a Noble Matron neerely.
Loe, yet an act, performed by this woman,
Worthy a woman, worthy more a Romane:
To show more then her selfe she lou'd her Spouse,
She yeelds her body to this execution.
Come, Tyrant, come, performe thy damned vowes,
Her single heart hath doubled thy pollution.
Thou pollute her? No, foole, thou art beguiled:
She in thy filthy lap lies vndefiled.
Honour of Matrons, of all wiues a mirror!
He sweare with thee, thy husband weares no horne:
Or if this act, conuince mine oath of error,
Twas a most precious one, an Vnicorne.
If ought I know by hearing or by reading,
This act Lucretias deed is farre exceeding.