Here bochas writeth ageyne the desires of people.
aFter this processe if ye list to lere
Like as Iohn Bochas maketh mencion
That wordly folke most souerenly desere
To haue in lordship greate axaltacion
And vp to clymbe in their intencion
Of worldly worship to the highest place
All erthely tresoure atonys to enbrace
The feruent flame of their gredy desires
In moch gaderynge findeth no suffisaunce
Their hungry etike kindeleth so the fires
Of auarice by longe contynuaunce
That their thrust with worldly habundaunce
On tantalus riuere abraideth euer in one
Drownyd in drinkinge and deme their partis none
There may no tresoure their dropsye well staunche
The more they drinke the more they thurst in dede
In tagus flodys the depper that they launche
The gretter drinesse doth in their brestys brede
The higher water an ebbe moost they drede
Fals indigence their herte hath so confounded
At the fullest sees they seme their barge is grounded
Thus euery man wolde to greate richesse atteyne
With suffisaunce but fewe holde theym content
Who moost haboundeth nowe rathest wyll cōpleyne
For lacke of gode alas howe they be blent
Where shal ther gadring where shal ther gode be spēt
Sum one parcas shall theym therof discharge
Whom they moost hate and spende it oute at large
Within a body full litell of stature
Corages growe vp to their magnificence
Which vp tascende do their besy cure
And in their clymbinge and transitorye ascence
Hauinge an hope of worldly apparence
Lyke as no thinge their puissaunce might trouble
No thinge aduertinge howe fortune is double
Sūme sette their ioye in conquest and in werrys
To enbrace all erth vnder their puissaunce
Lyke as they might reche aboue the sterrys
To bringe doun heuene vnto their obeysaunce
But if their power were weyed in balaunce
And counterweyed aright in their memorye
They shulde well finde that all is but veynglorye
What may auayle theym their fethirbeddys soft
Shetys of reynes longe large and wyde
Dyuers deuyses or clothes chaungyd oft
Or vicious meyne walkinge by their side
Voide of vertue ambicious in their pride
Which causeth princis by report of such fame
For their myslyuynge to haue an heuy name
And thus for lacke of vertuous diligence
Through fals luxure and Idelnesse
And vpon flaterers the outragious expence
Support of wronge oppressinge rightwisnesse
Where lesingmongers haue an interesse
Whom to susteyne whan princys do their cure
God wyll nat suffre that they shall longe endure
Office of princys is to support right
His swerde of knighthode fro wronge to redresse
The pore releuynge to oppresse theym nat with might
His olde seruauntes wele preuyd nat disdeyne
His hasty rigoure and his vengeaunce sodeyne
Let mercy tempre to dome or he procede
And god shall quyte him whan he hath moost nede