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 Anastace was compelled to leue the Empyre to be a preste and lyue in pouerte.

AS he reherceth in his opynyon And therupon doth a grounde deuyse Cause and rote of their diuysion Toke originall of fals couetyse And ceriously he telleth here the guyse Into the church whan richesse broughtin pryde All perfeccion anone was set asyde

The poce staffe and potent of doctryne Whan it was chaungyd and list nat abyde In wylfull pouerte but gan anon declyne On stately pastures and hye hors to ryde Short heires were also layde asyde Turned to copes of purpyl and sanguyne Gownes of scarlet furryd with hermyn

Slendre fare of wyne and watre clere With abstynence of brede made of whete Chaungyd tho dayes to many fat dynere With confect drinke and ypoctas swete All sobrenesse dyd his boundes lete S••a••snesse of fode left his old estate With newe excesse gan wex delycat

Goos••ly lyuynge in the church appalled Caused grekes withdrawe them in sentence From the pope in petyrs place stallyd And list to him do none obedyence Fals auarice causyd this offence That the grekes dyd them silf dyuyde Fro the romayns for hir great pride

Thus couetyse and fals ambucion Dyd first greate harme in the spirituall Brought in discorde and dyuysion Amonge princes in their estate royall Who clymbeth highest moost {per}ilous is his fall Recorde I take of the forsayde Anastace By theodosie put out of his place

This theodosie dyd his besy payne On ••nastace such werre for to make That maugre him he dyd him so constreyne That he was fayne the empyre to forsake For fere and drede he dyd vpon him take The ordre of preest from the Imperiall see Content with lytyll lyued in pouerte