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 ...

A chaptre descryuinge howe princes beynge hedeys of their comontees shulde haue noble chyualrie true Iuges their comontye to gouerne &c.

wHat erthely thynge is more deceyuable Than of princes the pompe & veinglorye Which wene stond in their estatis stable As they the world had cōquerid by victory And sodenly be put out of memory Their fame cloudyd alas and their noblesse With a derke shadowe of foryetfulnesse

Wherof cometh the famous clere shynynge Of emperours in their consistories Or wherof cometh their laude in reportinge Saue that clerkes haue writen their histories Or where nowe conquestys transitories Or their triumphes where shulde men theym fynde Nadde writers their prowesse put in mynde

Reken vp all and first the worthy nyne In high nobles whiche hadde neuer peers The ma•••••• actis which cleerly dyd shyne Their fame vpborne aboue all the nyne sterrys With loude sownys of famous clarioneris Their glorious palmes if they be well preysid By lowe labours of comons was first reised

Make a lykenesse of these greate ymages Coriously corue out by entaile Hede / armes / body and their fresshe visages Without / fete or legges may nat vaile To stonde vpright for nedys they must faile And semblably subiectis in comontees Reise vp the noblesse of princes in their sees

As hede and membres in ymagys been one stone Outher one stok by cumpas vndeuyded And be proporcion their feturys euerichon Set in true ordre as nature hath prouydyd So that all errours through craft by circumcided The hede highest by custum as men knowe The body amyd the fete beneth lowe

Mighty princes for their high renoun As moost worthy shall occupye the hede With wit memorye and iyen of reason To kepe their membres fro mischeef and drede Like their degrees take of theym good hede With clere forsight of a prudent thought Their fete preserue they erre nought

There must be handes and armys of diffence Which shall the ymage manly kepe and giue From all assautis of foreyn violence Which shall be named nobleste of chiualrie Their true office iustly to magnyfie Susteyne the churche and make theym self stronge To se that wydowes and maidens haue no wronge

Prudent iuges as it is skyll and right To punysshe wronge and surfetys to redresse In this ymage shall ocupie the sight For loue or hate by dome of rightwisnesse For frende or fo his iugementis dresse So egally the lawes to susteyne In their werkes that none errour be seyn

Amyd this ymage there is a body set An aggregate of people and degrees By {per}fyte pees and vnyte yknet By thestates that gouerne comontees As meires / prouostes / and burgeis in citees Marchauntis olso which seke sundry londys With other craftis which lyue by their hondis.

And as a body which stant in helthe Felith no greef of no frowarde humours So euery comon contynueth in greate helth Which is demenyd with prudent gouernours That can appese debatis and errours The people kepe from all contrauersie Causynge the welfare to encreace and multiplie

This body must haue a soule of life To quike the membres with goostly mocions Which shalbe made of folke contemplatif The church cōmyttyd to their possessions Which by their holy conuersacions And good exaumple shulde as sterrys shyne By grace and vertue the people enliunyne

Vpon the light of theyr condicions Of this body dependith the welfare For in their techinge and pridicacions They shulde trouth to high and lowe declare And in their office for no drede ne spare Vices correcte like as they are holde Sith they been herdys of cristes folde

Folowynge vpon of entent full clene Laborers as ye haue harde deuysed Shall this body bere vp and susteyne As feete and legges which may nat be despised For true laboure is Iustly auctorisied And nere the plough vpholden by traueile Of kinges princes farwell all gouernaile

Thus first if princes gouerned by by right And knighthode suffre the people to haue no wronge And trouth in iuges shewe oute his light And forth in citees with loue he drawe a longe And holy church in vertue be made stronge And in his labour the plough ne feyne nought Than by proporcion this ymage is well wrought

This mater hole for to exemplifie Kynge Roboam for a fals oppression And for his wilfull frowarde tyrannye Lost a greate {per}tye of his region Wherfore lete princes considre of reson God set the people for lordes auauntage And to be oppressyd with seruage

Vpon sūme princes bochas doth compleyne Such as haue a custome and manere Ageyn their subgettes vngoodly to disdeyne And of pride to shewe theym frowarde chere Counseyleth theym to remembre and lere As this chaptre dothe fynally diuyse First oute of lordship all laboure dyd arise