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 rome after was gouernyd / and virginea by hir fader slayne

GOuernyd after by other officers As is remembred in titus Lyuyus Callyd decembre of diuers cronicles Amonge which there was one appius A iuge vntrue proude and luxurious Which through the cite the story berith witness Behatyd was for his greate falsnesse

And onys it fyll as he best his loke Vpon amaide moost ••••ly faire of sight A fals desire within his herte he toke Hir to disuse ageyn all skyll and right And she was doughter to a worthy knight Full manly founde in his dedis all And virginius the Romayns dyd him call

Whoos goodly doughter the story doth v••lere Was after him for his noble fame Virginia callyd moost goodly and entere And for this cause she bare the same name But appius to greatly was to blame Which hath conspired through his greate falsnesse If that he might her beutye to oppresse

This iuge vntrue both in thought and dede Of lawe vnrightfull sought oute occasion Made a sargeaunt of his to procede Ageyn this maide to take an accion Cleymyd hir his seruaunt by fals collusion And this done was by appius of entent That he on her myght yeue a iugement

And by thys mene in his fals delite Thought he myght her beutye best disuse So to accomplisshe his flesshly appetite She beynge feble the accion to refuse Wh••rupon hir fader gan to muse Fully conceyued of Appius the manere In her defence wrought as ye shall here

Whan Appius had yeuyn his iugement Ageyn this mayde which afore him stode Hir manly fader moost knightly of entent Toke hir apart as he thought it good And with a knife shed hir hert blode Dempt it better to sle hir in clennesse Than the tyraunt hir beute shuld oppresse

Thus hole conseruyd was hir virginite And vndefoulyd was hir maidynhede For virginius to kepe hir honestye Sparyd no thinge to make hir sides blede But Appius for this horrible dede And Decemuyr through his vnhappy chaunce Had in that cite neuer after gouernaunce

As the story also maketh mencion Appius ashamyd of this dede Slough him silf fetre•• in preson Of a fals iuge lo here the fynall mede And tho tribuni in rome gan succede Tweyne right and wronge truly to discerne And romayn lawes iustly to gouerne

Men may here se as in a myrroure clere Estatis chaungyd for theyr greate offences And by sūme pore {per}sones singulere Princis put doun from their magnificences Which nat considre in their greate excellences Howe god ordeyneth his yerde many sundry wise The pore sum whi••e the pompous to chastise

Heron to shewe exaumple anone right Markyd in story for a notable thinge Pansanias of Grece a manly knight Of Macedonye slough Philip the kinge At a table where he was sittynge Atwene Alisaundre and Olympiades His wronge to auenge amyddes al pres

Eke Salmator a knight of lowe degre For wronges done in especiall Of manly force groundyd on equite Slough of cartage the prynce Hastruball Which brother was vnto duke Hanyball Beside a ryuere as they met in batayle Callyd metaure which renneth in Itaile

Wherfore ye princes if ye lyst long endure Be right well ware be ye neuer so stronge In youre lordshippis nat to moch assure Or surquedie the poraile to do wronge In your discrecion conceyuynge euer amonge Gretest drede is that may your state assaile Whan subieccion doth the people faile

Lenuoye

THis tragedie declareth in partye What myscheef foloweth of extorcion Eke of spousebrech and of auoutre By Tarquyn done through fals extorcion Vnto lucrece within rome toun Kynges exiled for such mysgouernaile And fals outrages done to the poraile

Eke appius of wilfull tirannye Ageyn virginya toke an accion Through a fals lust of froward lecherie Blent and ferderkyd his memory and reason Which was cheef cause and occasion Why the estate of dishōme dyd fayle Through fals outrage done to the porayle

Kynge philip lost cepture and regalie Of macedonye the famous region Vnwa••ly slayne amyd his chyualrye Sittynge at the table within his chheef dongeon And grettest cause of his fallynge doun Was whan fortune his pride dyd assaile For fals outrages done to the poraile

••u••e has••••uball whome bokys magnifie Vp to the heuyn for his high renoun ••hoos triumphes raught vp to the skye And had all cartage in his subieccion Yit was he slayne vnwaily by treson By a seruaunt so what it doth auayle Treson purposyd afore in the poraile

••oble princes your reason do applie Which ouer the people haue dominacōn So prudently to gouerne theym and guye ••••at loue and drede by true affeccion P••••se••ue their hertis from fals rebellyon ••••th to your highnesse no thinge may more preuayle Than true subieccion expert in poraile