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 amazias ī Iuda kinge for pride and presūp¦cion was venquesshed in batayle & after slayne

IN his study as bochas sat musynge With many vncouth soleyne fantasye To him apperyd many mighty ••inge And tofore all cam worthy amazie His sonne also that called was Iosie Of dauidis blode descendynge as I rede Eche after other in Iuda to succede

First amazias compleyned in fortune Causinge his greuous great aduersitees The traitouresse called in comune These kinges tweyne castinge from their sees Who•••• ouerturnynge from their dygnitees Vnware fallinge dredfull and terrible Been ceriously remembred in the byble

Their ende men may there rede and see Howe fortune their fates dyd entrete Wherfore teschewe and fle prolixite Of tedious thinge in this processe to lete And in substaunce to glene oute the grete Of their fallynge I purpose nat to spare Compendiously the causes to declare

This amazias hauynge gouernaunce By iust title of succession The ceptre of iuda with all the hole puissaunce Fu••l p••sibly in his possession Tyll that pryde and fals presumpcion Moost frowardly dyd his herte ••nbrace Which all atonys made him lose his grace

In herte he had amaner veyneglorye Bycause that god made him to preuaile In his ••onquest and to haue victorie A•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to venquyssh in bateyle Eke 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••anytis as he them dyd assaile Purposinge after if he might With Israelitis of pryde for to fight

Vnto kinge Ioas of israel he sent Him cōmaundynge to obey his hyddinge And be like subget as were in their entent His predecessours in all maner thinge Whilom to dauid the noble worthy kinge This was his sonde to Ioas plat and pleyne Which by a problem thus wrote to him ageyne

THe ougly thistle of the vales lowe Proudly presumynge aboue his degree To make his pride openly be knowe Sent his message to the Cedre tre That his sonne myght wedded be To his doughter all though in substaunce Atwene theym two was a greate discordaunce

But of the forest the bestes sauagyne In their corages had therof disdeyne All of assent fersly dyd enclyne The this••le leuys abrode vpon the pleyne That there was nouther leef nor prik seyne This was the problem which Ioas by wrytinge Sent in a pistle to amazie the kinge

BVt Iosephus in his orygynall The saide epis••le as he doth expresse Seith 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the vale howe the pouder small Of pride sent to the high Cypresse That his doughter of excellent fayrenesse Vnto his sonne pleynly to deseryue Myght be delyuered and hau•• hir to wyue

But a fell beest which beside stode Of cruell Ire and Indignacion With fete disdeynynge the pouder cast abrode High in the ayre aboute him enuyron The which ensample conceyued of reason Who that attempteth to clymbe high a loft With vnware chaunge his fall is full vnsoft

A twene the cedre of trees of roiall And a sharpe thisile is no conuenience Nor twene a cipresse estatly founde attall And lothsum pouder is a greate difference For royall blode shulde haue no assistence So be ioyned nor knyt in mariage With such as been brought forth of lowe p••g••

The cedre is strong•• and mighty of substa••nce In his vpgrowynge right as any lyne And though the thistle haue spottes of plesaunce He hath eke prickes sharpe as any spyne And both natures playnly to termyne The cedre of kynde who loke well aboute To no though thistle shulde his braunches lou••e

Halsom of odour is the faire cipresse As bokes tell and vertuous of kynde Dust and pouder playnly to expresse Troubleth the ayre and makith folkes blinde For which in spousayle conuenience to fynde Late estates of their birth honourable Voide all rascalye and wedde their semblable

〈◊〉〈◊〉 amazias wold nat be ware For no warnynge nor for no prophesie But styll in herte greate hatred bare Agayne kinge Ioas of malyce and enuye Into a feelde brought all his chiualrye Gadred theym out both nere and ferre Ayenst goddes wyll on him to gynne a werre

And kinge Ioas full like a worthy knight Into the feelde fast gan him spede And all the knightes of iuda anone right With smet of vengeaunce with a sodeyne drede To byd them fle god w••t it was no nede And amazias for al his great pryde Stode destitute and no man by his syde

With him was none lefte of al his meyne So god and Ioas ayenst him wrought Of Ierusalem entred the cite And amazie of force with him he brought And in the temple the tresoure out he sought Golde and siluer and holy theyr richesse And to Samarie home he gan him dresse

And amazias he lete oute of pryson After all this and suffryd him goo fre To his myscheef and his confusion And he was delyuered from his captyuyte For slayne he was in Lachi•• the cyte Amonge his frendes by symulacion His deth conspired vnder full fals treason