| | That at Cartage bereft her self her lyf | |
| | When that she saw the romayns wyn the toun | |
| | She took her childryn alle & skipped a doun | |
| 695 | In to the fyre and chaas rather to dye | |
| | Than ony Romayn did her vilonye | |
| | Hath not Lucrece slayn her self allas | |
| | At Rome for she oppressid was | |
| | Of Tarquyne for her thoughte it was a shame | |
| 700 | To lyue whan she had lost her name | |
| | The . vij . maydens of Millesses also | |
| | Haue sleyn hem self for verry drede and woo | |
| | Nather than the folk of Galele sholde hem oppresse | |
| | Mo than a thousand storyes y gesse | |
| 705 | Coude I telle as touching this matere | |
| | Whan Hellerada was sleyn his wyf so dere | |
| | Her self slough and leet her blood to glide | |
| | In hellaradas open woundis wyde | |
| | And sayde my body atte leste wey | |
| 710 | Ther shal no wight defoylle it yf I may | |
| | What shal I of hem mo ensamplis sayn | |
| | But so many haue hem self slayn | |
| | Wel rathir than they wolde defoulid be | |
| | I wol conclude that is the beste for me | |
| 715 | To sle my self than be defoulid thus | |
| | I wol be trewe vnto Arueragus | |
| | Or ellis sle my self in som manere | |
| | Right as dide demecions doughter dere | |
| | Be cause she ne wolde defouled be | |
| 720 | Of Ocedasus it is ful greet pite | |
