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 ...

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Title
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 ...
Author
Boccaccio, Giovanni, 1313-1375.
Publication
[London :: Printed by Richard Pynson,
1494 (27 Jan.)]
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Subject terms
Kings and rulers -- Poetry -- Early works to 1800.
Link to this Item
http://name.umdl.umich.edu/A16251.0001.001
Cite this Item
"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 ..." In the digital collection Early English Books Online. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A16251.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed June 16, 2024.

Pages

Here Bochas maketh an exclamacion vpon the deth of Alcibiades

O Fatall sustren which span the lyues threde So shorte a terme why dyd ye determyne To suffre him brenne amonge the coles rede Ye were to hasty to breke and vntwyne His web of knighthode yt thrugh the world dyd shyne And cast of noblesse his bemys oute so clere Alas that euer he fyll in your daungere
Oute on Stix and on attrapos That haue of malyce slayne so good a knight Oute on you thre that kepe youre silf so clos Doughter I called of the derke night And thou leū that queyntest eke the light Of alcibiades myrroure and lanterne To speke in knighthode howe men shulde thē goūne
Ye sle the worthy and wretchis ye do spare Torcites lyueth hector is slayne in dede Youre funeral smokis maketh realmes nowe so bare To race vp Cedrys their braunches may nat sprede Ye palle the laurer ye make the firses sede Full lytell thanke in kingdoms ye deserue Caytifs to fostre and do the worthy sterue
Alcibiades is passed in to fate Light of knighthode light clipsyd in the shade The paras susterne to sone set his date Of his high noblesse to make the laurer fade Lacedomonois of his deth were glade Funerall fire his body hath diffred For high prowesse his soule stellefied
Lenuoye
ALas this tragedye doth myn herte blede My penne quaketh of ruth and of pyte In my wrytynge whan that I take hede To see the straunge feerfull diuersite Of all worldly vnsure felicite Howe from their sees shortly to comprehende Frowarde fortune doth princes doun descende
Alcibiades of corage and of manhede As is reherced in bokes ye may se Of gentylnesse and of goodlihede Of semelynesse of fredom of bountye Of high prudence and magnanymyte Was moost famous as auctours him cōmende Yit from his sete fortune made him descende

Page [unnumbered]

All the people bothe of perce and meede Whyle he gouerned Athenys the cite Stode in his daungere and gan his swerde to drede And all that were rebell to his cuntre He chastysed them in their moost cruelte But whan his fame gan highest vp to ascende Doun from her whele fortune made him descende
Murdre and treson with prudens frendlihede Outwarde faire chere couert Iniquite Plesaunce in spech and vnder that falshede Hony shedoute sharpe tayled lyke a bee Songe of Sirenes to drowne men in the see In one combyned their malice can extende To cause princes doun from their sees descende
Noble princes that se so moch and rede Remembringe storyes of antiquite Afore prou••••nge that treson nat procede Be aye moost dredefull in high pros{per}ite Let others fallynge a myrrour to you be The turne of fortune all auctours reprehende Where who syt hyghest is rediest to descende
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