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

Lenuoye.
tHis tragedye yeueth vs a grete warnynge By clere exaumples of many folde reson Howe many a prince for their misleuynge And many rich roiall mighty toun Many a cyte and many a regyon Haue been euer sith full notable and famous For synne of princes that were lecherous

Page [unnumbered]

The chose of god dauid the worthy kinge Prophete of prophetes moost souereyn of renoun On Bersabe for a sodeyn lokinge To slee vrye caught occasion For which he suffryd greate punycion Chastised of god he and all his hous For cause only that he was lecherous
Greate repentaunce he had and greate sorowynge And made psalmys of greate contricion With wofull teerys and manyfolde wepinge To make a seth for his transgression yuynge to princis full clere direccion For to eschwe the flaterye odyous And the fals fraude of woman lecherous
Whe was there euer of science or cūnynge So renomed as was kinge Salamon Yit wymen made him through fals flateringe To foreyne goddis done oblacion Which clipsed his honoure and brought his fame doū That was in whilom moost vertuous Tyll he through wymen fyll to be lecherous
Is it nat eke remembryd by wrytinge Of israel howe the cheef champion Which goddis people had in his ledynge I mene the famous mighty stronge Sampson That through his force torent the lyon But dalida with terys plentuous His grace bereft him and made him lecherous
Sichem was slayne eke for the rauysshinge f yonge dyna as made is mencion His fader Emor brought to his endynge Lost his riches in that descencion And his kingdom brought to destruccion Loo here the ende of princes vicious Which theym dispose for to be lecherous
It is in erth one the moost {per}ilous thinge A prince to be of his condicion Effmynat his wittys elynynge By fals desires of flesshly mocion To put him silf vnder subieccion And thrall his reson tresour moost precious To the vnlefull lustys hatefull and lechorous
This is the sentence full pleynly in menynge Where wymen haue the domynacion To holde the reyne their hokys oute tastynge That censualite hath Iurisdiccion To entre on reson by fals intrusion Werre ageyne vertue moost contagious To be venquesshyd of lustys lecherous
It taketh fro men their cleernesse of seynge Causeth greate sekenesse and corrupcion And to all vertue it is gretest hindrynge Maketh men seme olde as by inspeccion Appallith their mynde and disposicion Shortith their daies thinge dredfull and pitous Whan they dispose theym to be lechyrous
Noble princes in your ymagenynge Conceyue of wymen the fals decepcion Namely of theym that loue but for wynnynge And labour ay for your possession Whoos sugred flatrye is fals collusion Lyke to Syrenes with vois melodious Enoynte youre erys to make you lecherous
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