Here begynnethe the boke calledde Iohn bochas descriuinge the falle of princis princessis [and] other nobles tra[n]slated i[n]to englissh by Iohn ludgate mo[n]ke of the monastery of seint edmu[n]des Bury ...

Howe philyp la Bele kynge of fraunce was slayn with a wyld bore and of his thre sonnes and their weddynge.

wHan bochas had wretyn of pacyence And cōmended the vertue of suffraunce Philyp la Bele cam to his presence Fift of y^e name crowned kynge of fraūce Gan compleyn his vnhappy chaunce And on fortune of custome that can vary Which was to him cruell aduersarye

Wounded he was with a greuous sore Gan his compleynt to bochas determyne Howe he was slayne with a wylde bore In a foreste which called was compyne Tolde howe he was sclaundred and all his lyue. Ones in Flaundres with many a worthy knight Venquesshyd of flemmynges and felly put to flight

Procedynge ferther gan touch of his lynage Howe in his tyme he had sonnes thre Lowes philip and Charles yonge of age The fourth Robert also a doughter had he Called Isabell right excellente of beute The seide roberte the storye is well kougth Which that dyed in his tendre youth

To this story who lyst haue good rewarde The circumstaunce wysely to descerne His doughter Isabell was wedded to Edwarde Carneruan the boke so doth vs lerne This yonge philyp weddyd in Nauerne The kinges doughter a statly maryage Callyd Iane while she was tendre of age

The same philyp after crowned kynge Of Nauerne his fadre of assente Fyue sonnes he had lyuynge Of which fyue as in sentement Thre in noumbre be right pertynente The matere who so list to loke And the processe of the same boke

The eldest sonne callyd was lowys To whom his fadre gaue possession Of Nauerne by cause that he was wys For to gouerne that noble region Philip his brother for his high renoun Was afterwarde by iuste enheritaunce And rightfull tytle crowned kynge of Fraunce

The thryd brother was by title of right Made Erle of march and named was Charles Eche of them in the pepleys sight Were famous holde and passynge of great prys And for they were right manly and right wys Philip and Charles toke in tendre age The Erles doughter of burgoyne in mariage

But as the story reherceth in certeyn To their noblesse fortune had enuye And by a manere of malyce and disdeyn Brought in processe vpon the partye Of their two wyues frowarde auoutrye Causynge the deth of these wyues thre Whan they moost floured in their felicite

After these thre princys glorious Tofore bochas to shewe their entente A mighty duke notable and famous Cam to compleyn Charles of Tarent Which in his tyme to florence went To make pees in his royall estate Twene G••erffe and Gemellyus stondinge at debate

The sayde Charles borne of the blode of fraunce A manly knight the story doth dyuyse By whoos vnhappy fatall frowarde chaunce In the werres twene florence and pyse On horsbak sittinge on knightly wyse Hurt with an arowe full lowe doun to grounde Wherby he caught his laste fatall wounde

A man of armes beynge a soudyoure With the Pysanes were it wronge or right Of fals dysdeyne that day dyd his besy laboure To trede on charles in the peples sight Whan he lay gruffe wherfore he was made knight By their capteyn for a manere pride Which gouerned the Sybelynes side

And in his stody with full heuy chere Whyle Iohn bochas bode styll on his sete To him apperyd and gan approch nere Daunte of florence the laureat peote With his dytes and rethoryques swete Demure of loke fulfylled with pacience With a visage notable of reuerence

Whan Bochas sawe him vpon his fete he stode And to mete him he toke his pas full right With great reuerence aualed cappe and hode To him seyde with humble chere and sight O clerest sonne / o very sothfast light Of oure cyte which callyd is florence Laude vnto the honoure and reuerence

Thou haste enlumyned Itayle and Lumbardys With laureat ditees in thy flourynge dayes Grounde and gynnynge of prudent polecye Monge florentynes suffredest great affrayes As golde pured prouyd at all assayes In trouth madyst mekely thy silf stronge For comon profyte to suffre peyn and wron••e

O noble poete touchinge this matere Howe florentynes to the were vnkynde I wyll remembre and wryte with gode chere Thy pytous exile and put here in mynde Nay quod Daunt here stante one behynde Duke of Athenys turne towarde him thy style His vncouth story breuy to compyle

And if thou list do me this plesaunce To descryue his knightly excellence I wyll thou put his lyf in remembraunce Howe he oppressyd by myghty violence This famous cyte callyd florence By which storye pleynly thou shalt se Which were frendes and foos to the cite

And which were able to be excused If the trouth be clerly apperceyued And which were worthy to be refused By whom the cite full falsly was desceyued The circumstaunce notably conceyued To rekne in ordre by euery syde Which shulde be chaced and which shulde abyde