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 kinge hostilius worshippynge fals goddys was consumpte with fiery leuene

ANd while bochas gan muse in this matere Considred first all worldly thinge must faile With wepynge ••yen there dyd appere Princis that whilom were famous in Itayle Which gan there fall full pitously bewaile For more contrarye was their fallinge lowe That they tofore had no myscheef knowe

For more vncouth is thilke aduersite Namely to princes whan it is sodeyn Which euer haue lyued in pros{per}ite Hauynge on fortune no mater to compleyne Than of a wretch that lyueth ay in payne Of custum causeth conceyued the sentence Of Ioy and sorowe a full greate difference

Of Ioye passyd the newe remembraunce Whan folke been fall from their felilicite In treble wise it doth theym greate greuaunce The vnware turne from their tranquilite The vnsure trust and mutabilite In worldly power which that they haue founde Vnto their hertis yeueth a greuous wounde

But a wretch which in wretchidnesse Hath euer lyued and neuer was partable Of no welfare nor of wylfulnesse Nor neuer founde fortune fauourable His sorowe his myscheef been so customable That of his paynes longe contynuance Doth to his greuys a maner allegaunce

But to princes which sat so high aloft A sodeyne fall is moost contrarious And their descendynge wele the more vnsoft In their tryumphes that thy were glorious Recorde I take of kinge hostilius Which in rome from his roiall stall Whan he sat crowned moost sodenly is fall

It is remembred of olde and nat of newe Of all rome that he was lorde and sire The first of kinges that weryd purpyl hewe And of that cyte gouerned the empire Had of fortune all that him list desire Tyll that he fyll in all his regalye Into a frowarde dedly maladye

And of his paynes to finde allegaunce To the temples he went on pylgrymage His offringe made with deuout obeysaunce Wherby sumdell his paynes dyd aswage And he was restoryd of corage Felt him silf that he dyd amende To comon profite ageyn he gan entende

Vpon Talbanys regnynge in his glorye To greate auaile of rome the cyte Through his knighthode he had a greate victorye After the which by full greate cruelte He beraft theym fraunchise and lyberte And made theym after through his high renoun To be to rome vnder subiection

After his conquest the story doth deuyse In his noblesse full statly and roiall He gan make a riche sacrifise To queme and please for a memoriall After the rightes Cerymonyall To Iubiter by full greate reuerence Afore his auters with fires and encence

But for that he in his inwarde entent By circumstaunces of his oblacion Was recheles founde and also neglygent By some frowarde fals affeccion The goddys caught an indignacion And sodenly descendynge from the heuene He was consumpte with a firy leuene

His fals goddys might him nat auaile Iupiter Saturnus nor venus Let all cristen defye such rascaile For to oure feith they be contrarious And amonge goddys a thinge moost outraious Is whan that princes blent in their folye List erthly thinges falsly deifie

For vnto god is hatefull and odible A withdrawynge of his reuerence To magnifye thinges corruptible With vndue honoure with fals concupiscence Wherfore ye princes be ware of high prudence Lest god vnwarly punyssh your noblesse Make you in erth no fals god nor goddesse