Page:Romance of the Rose (Ellis), volume 2.pdf/77

Rh Her spirit, but declared that she

Lived spotless in her chastity.

For though the body may endure

Befoulment forced, the soul is pure,

And never sin hath body shent,

When lacked thereto the heart’s consent.

But she, disdainful of her life

Through grief, snatched suddenly a knife

From out her bosom’s folds, then cried

To those who, weeping, stood beside

Her couch: Fair sirs, though nobly ye

Declare me innocent to be

In this foul deed which I deplore,

Lucrece forgives it not, nor more

Can lift her face to meet the shame

She suffers, though absolved from blame.

HEN through her heart, with anguish filled.

She drove the cruel steel and spilled

tier life blood, but her friends charged first.

To venge her on her foe accurst.

From this example, through all time.

It is that whoso such foul crime

Commits, is doomed the death to die.

Proud Tarquin and his family