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 ...

¶Ar•• mutat naturam

By the ordynaunce set in their corage And ech man foloweth his condicion As of the stocke the frute hath the tariage Pylgrymes may go full ferm their passage But I dare saye howe ferre that euer they goo There but sūme tarrage of that they cam fro

Bochas maketh an introduccion In this chaptre of high noblesse That princis haue in their possession And by a maner laughynge doth expresse Howe for to set theym in greate sekernesse They haue seruauntis vpon theym abidynge And men of armes day and nyght awaytinge

That no man may entre but if he haue licence The frowarde portes stondinge at the gate Put men abak by sturdy violence It were full harde ayenst theym to debate Their wat•• his kept erly and also late And theym to assure on nyghtes whan they slepe The chaumberleyns their doris streitly kepe

Men assignyd their metis to assaye To tast their wynes lest there were treason Such mortall drede these lordes do affraye Soo is there surenesse meynt with suspecion Who fedyth him gladly that ferith him of poison But pore folke fraunchisyd from such drede Such as god theym sent with myrth they theym fede

But poetis that write tragedies Their compleynynge is all of high estatis Rehersinge euer the pitous Iu{per}dus Their sodeyn chaungys and their wofull fatis Their diuisions and theyr mortall debatis And euer conclude their dytees who so can rede High estatis stonde ay moost in drede

And grounde and rote of all this mortal trouble As Bochas writeth and berith witnesse Been these liers with their tunges double Theym self ay forsinge truthe to oppresse With whom flaterie is a cheef maystresse And worst of all to their dredfull sentence Is whan princis been hasty of credence

Hasty credence is rote of all errour A froward stepmoder of all good counseyll Grounde of greate hindringe a dredefull disseiuour Faire of face with a {per}lous taile Gladly concludynge with full greate disauaile Neyt neighboure vnto repentaunce To all that trust and haue in hir plesaunce

Lenuoye

Princis princessis concidre howe in euery age Folkes been deuers of their condicion To plye and tourne and chaunge in their corage Yit is there none to myn opinion So dredfull chaunge ne transmutacion As chaunge of princis to yeue Iugement Or hasty credence withoute auysement

It is well founde a passynge greate damage Knowen and expert in euery region Though a tale haue a faire visage It may include full greate decepcion Hid vnder suger galle and fell poison With a fressh face of double entendment Yit yeue no credence without auysement

Let folkes beware of their langage Kepe their tunges form oblocucion To hindre or hurte by no maner outrage Preserue their lippes from all detraccion From chaū{per}tie and contradiction For lest that fraude were founde in their entent Ne yeue no credence without auysement

Princis princessis of noble and high parage Which haue lordship and dominacion Voide theym aside that can flater and fage Fro tunges that haue a terrage of treason Stop your erys from their bitter soun Be circumspecte nat hasty but prudent And yeue no credence withoute auisement