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 ...

Lenuoye

THis tragedye yeueth in euidence To whom men shall their coūseil out discure For recheles tunges for lacke of prudence Haue do greate harme to many a creature Whan harme is done full harde it is to recure Beware by sampson your counseyll well to kepe That dalida compleyne crye and wepe

Whilom sampson for manhode and prudence Israell had in gouernaunce and cure Dauntyd lions through his magnificence Made on a thousande a disconfiture

Full in any one haue clene been all their lyue Vndefoulyd kept their virginite And sūme coude ageyn all vices stryue Theym to conserue in {per}fight chastite Deuoyde of chaunge and mutabilite Though sūme other haue therageyn trespacid The laude of theym is nat therwith diffacid

And who euer of malice list accuse Thise sely wymen touchinge variaunce Lette theym remembre and in their wittes muse Men be nat ay stable in their constaunce In this worlde there is no {per}seueraunce Chaunge is ay founde in men and wymen both On outher {per}tye be they neuer so wroth

No man shulde the vertuous atwite In stede of him that dyd the trespace Nor for a theef a trewe man endite Nor for the gylty an Innocent manace Good and wickyd abyde in euery place Their price / their lak / late theym be reseruyd To outher {per}tye as they haue deseruyd

Though Iohn bochas in his opinion Agayn wymen list a processe make They that been good of condion Shulde ayenst no maner quarell take But lightly passe and their sleues shake For ageyn good he no thinge made Who can conceyue theffecte of this balade