The Franklin's Tale
Folio 168v
20 of 24 folios
Vnto þe Dyanes temple goþ sche anon rigħt
Hente þe ymage with hire armes tuo
Fro which ymage wolde sche neuere go
685
No wigħt migħt of hit hir armes race
Til sche was slayn in þe selue place /
Now seþyns þat maydens hadde such despit /
To ben defouled wiþ mannes foul delyt
Wel augħt a wyf raþer hirself to sle /
690
Þan ben defouled as þenkeþ me
Þat schal I sayn of hasdrubaldes wyf
That at kartage byraft hir self hir lyf
For whan sche sawħ þat Romayns wan þe toun
Sche took hir children aƚƚ and swept a doun
695
In to þe fuyr and ches raþer to dye
Þan eny Romeyn did hir vilanye
Haþ nouȝt lucres y slayn hir self allas
At Rome þere sche oppressed was
Of Tarquyn for hir þougħt it was a schame /
700
To lyue whan þat sche had lost hire name /
The viij. maydens of Milesye also
Han slayn hem self for drede and for wo
Raþir þan folke of gaule scholde hem oppersse
Mo þen a þousend stories as I gesse /
705
Couþe I now telle as touchinge þis matere
Whan habradas was slayn his wyf so dere
Hire self slough and let hir blood to glyde
In habradas woundes brode and wyde /
And seyde my body at þe leste way
710
Þer schal no wigħt defoule it if þat I may
What schulde I mo ensamples her of sayn
Siþþen þat so many han hemselue slayn
Wel raþer þan þey wolde defouled be
I wol conclude what is best for me
Oþir raþer sle my self in som manere
As Demonicious doughter dere
By cause þat sche nolde not defouled be /