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 ...

The auctour ageyne couetous people

NAture that is content with a litell thinge The wyse ware the circumspect goddesse Which vnder god in heuyn aboue regnynge The worlde to gouerne is called thempresse Moder of richessis the first founderesse Which serched oute by hir arti••eris The straunge tresours hid in the myneris

This noble lady this princesse moost famous Knowynge of man the vncouth condicions Sawe by experience richessis were noious In him teclipse the disposicions And conuey his inclynacions By a wronge way vertue to set asyde Howe couetous was a full perilous gyde

For auaryce is to all vertues contrarye The gredy worme the serpent vnstauncheable Man to be traisshe with promyses debonayre At pryme face sote and a greable Taught him of nature by craft moost deceyuable Through subtyll serchinge as it were for the nonys First oute of erthe to delue precious stonys

Of rich myners they serch oute the entrayles To fynde oute metals for worldly auauntages Contryued shippes with their brode sayles By diuers sees to make their passages And couetise ordeyned first viages Caused princes to ride in londes ferre Eche ageyne other for to gynne awerre

Of auarice gan first these robberies Awaite of brigantys and al extort pillages Murdre slaughter and couert briberyes Of olde contryued furious fell damages Wrought and enchened in all maner ages Nowe in these dayes let set it at a preef Fals couetyse caused all such myscheef

She was first rote of fals extorcion To spoyle the temple moder of rauyne And sterer vp of oppression To take by force this was hir doctrine And as myn auctour doth pleynly determine And concludeth in full pitous wise Rote of all euyll is fals couetise

She is eke norice of tontek and of strife Mastresse of murdre and wilfull violence Made men to i••parte body gode and lif Caused discencyon and disobedience Grutchinge of comons withdraught of reuerenc•• By rigorous constreynt sodeyne rebellions Rumour in realmes vnware subuersions

This frowarde dragon full of Idropsie Whoos fretynge etik there may no plente fede To staunche his thurste there is no remedye The more he drynketh the more he hath ay nede And the more tresoure the more he stant in drede With Cantalus though he swymme in the flodys In mygdas well pleyneth for lak of godes

This worme eke causeth that men in their riches Haue drede of theuys a night in their walkynge And they here on cofre bed or presse Cat rat or mous or any worme meuynge He weneth anone within him silf demynge That there were come with greate apparayle Sum vncouth pelour his tresoure to assayle

The wofull soule stondeth euer in drede And ay abydeth in laboure and trauayle And of the godes which he doth possede Falleth in despayre le••t they wolde him fayle Twene hope and drede there is such batayle Through entermynynge eche other to confounde To be moost gredy whan they moost habou••de

The next wey he knewe no better rede To his desire than pleynly to ordeyne That of cartage the senatours were dede Than were he lykly his purpos to atteyne For to be crowned lorde and souereyne So taccomplyssh his lust in all thinge And in cartage to regne as lorde and kinge

For if the Senate were vtterly destroyed He shulde finde no maner resistence Wherby his purpos shulde be enclosed Nor da••e say nay to his magnificence For in the poraile there was no diffence And at this feest he cast him to procede All his entent to conclude in dede

His officers he made to be sworne To helpe destroye falsly by poyson The senatours of whom I spake to forne And that their vitayle and deyntes in foyson And eke their wynes for short conclusion Shulde with venym be intoxicate Through all the palys and spare none estate

These officers had a conscience For to accomplissh so horrible a thinge And secrely vnder greate prouidence To the Senate therof they gaue warnynge And whan they knewe this mortall compassinge Of duke haynoun to shewe all affray They put in prudence the weddynge in delay

Wherof this duke gan haue suspeccion And this mater fill in a maner drede Thought he wolde by sum collusion Ag••yne cartage more mortally procede And gan call to helpe him at his nede Of mountayne a kinge of greate renoun With him by force to fall vp on the toun

Made him promys to his auauntage For to make fre distribucion Of the richesses tresours and pyllages Which that he might finde in the toun For vtter fyne of his entencion Was to destroy of wylfull cruelte The famous cartage the mighty stronge cyte

Of all the thrallys in the toun dwellinge And suche as were borne of lowe lynage To strength his party this was his werkinge He made theym all by mortall fell outrage Within the mighty castell of cartage To kepe theym cloos of malyce and enuye Ageyne the cite him silf to fortefie

But all for nought the mighty senatours Therof ware and of high prudence Geyne his malice and all his fals robbours They made theym stronge and thrugh their {pro}uidence In especiall to ordeyne a diffence First on their party to let the comynge Of Mauritayne the stronge cruell kinge

And of assent they list nat delay But rose atonys by greate ordenaunce Their fals duke to venquessh and outraye Him and his cherles they broute to vttraunce Fyll vpon him with a greate puissaunce And fynally procedinge of resoun This was his dome by auys of all the toun

First of this duke as it is remembred He was despoiled his doublet eke vnlaced Ioynt fro ioynt hewyn and dismembred And from his hede oute his iyen araced And right as he had afore compaced To haue destroied his owne mighty toun As ye haue herde he receyued the guerdoun

Lenuoye.

THis tragedye doth pitously copleyne And maketh a maner lamentacion Of these mighty rich princes tweyne Slayne in cartage as made is mencion Causles the toun saue by thoccasion That pestilence in his frowarde viage Slough all his people that were borne in cartage

Fortune also gan frowardly disdeyne Ageyne this rich mighty duke haynoun Whan of malice gan mortally ordeyne The Senatours to murdre of his toun At his fest by craft of fals poyson As ye haue herde reherced his outrage He was ageywarde dismembred in car••age

Who doth vengeaunce vengeaunce shall atteyne In high estate withoute excepcion And who of pite vengeaunce doth restreyne He shall of mercy receyue the guerdon For right requireth of trouth and reson Cruell princes shall haue for theyr wage Deth like this duke dismembred in Cartage

Noble princes do youre best peyne For to preserue fro rebellion The comon people which stonde in no certeyne With euery wynde turnynge vpsodoun After fortune they chaunge affeccion Turnynge their hertys with trist or glad visage Lyke as the people dyd whilom in Cartage