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 ...

Here bochas writeth in part ayenst such as can nat be content with suffisaunce but vsurpe to hygh dig¦nitees

HEre Iohn bochas calleth to memorye The straunge Salaire the famous guerdoū Of theym that gate by conquest and victorie Honoure and triumphe within rome toū Howe it was vsed he maketh mencion Ceriously reherceth the manere Which I shall write if ye list to here

A vise was take first of estatis thre Of men of armys which that were present That sawe in dede the magnanymyte Of him that shall haue it by iugement Of the clergye they must haue eke assent And of the Senat and people moost notable By preef soughtoute that he were founde able

This prince also outher the capteyne Which shall the triumphe receyue of very right Within a charefull richely beseyne He shalbe set of golde boornyd bryght Fret with stonys which shall yeue a light As phebus doth in his mydday spere That no derkenesse aboute him shall appere

This heuenly chare shall for more delite To shewe thencres of his knightly glorye Be led and drawe with foure stedys white Through the cite in tokyn of his victorye And he shall haue for a singuler memorye In his right hande a palme of golde full shene And on his hede a crowne of laurer grene

He shall eke haue aboue all his armure Poudryd with palmys a cote of purpyll rede In his lefthande his quarels for to assure A standard rounde declaringe his manhode And all aboue set vpon the hede The princes armys full rich of apparayle In whoos quarell he accomplisshed in batayle

And of custum the seyde standerd shall Be richely depent with rede coloure And so this knight this man moost marciall Shall be conueyed lyke a conqueroure And yit for more encres of his honoure Vpon their fete his prysoners euerichon Take by his manhode aboute his chare shall gone

The moost worthy fast by his syde All the remenaunt after on him lokynge Echon of the poetys which in the toun abide Shall on him waite at his home comynge Dytees deuise and of his conquest singe And straunge mynstrellys to be also recorde Their instrumentis shall touche at a corde

All of entent to yeue him more corage To the capitoyle so he shalbe brought And list of pryde he fall in none outrage Nor surquedye within his owne thought The moost wretch shall of the toun be sought Which of custum shall haue a staf on honde And in the chare behinde his backe vp stonde

Gnotos Eolitos in Greke he shulde seyne Which in oure tunge pleynly doth expresse Knowe thy silf remembrynge in certeyne Vpon fortunys frowarde doublenesse On whom thou trust may be no sekyrnesse And who that douteth where that it be thus Lat him remembre the ende of maulius

What auailed his triumphes or his byes Crownys of golde and peerlyd fressh tunycles His high prowe or all his chyualryes Synguler feightinge or marciall {per}ticles Newly remembryd or red i••olde cronicles Peise his merites and see ••••••we at the last Howe into tybre their champyon they cast

To his excuse auayled neueradell Fauour of comons carectis of his woundys Nor to the goddys his lamentable appel Nor remembraunce of their fraunchised boundys Teritories nor wynnynge of the groundys Which that he wan with spendynge of his blode All knyt in one to him to stede they stode

Here ye may se howe fortune sodenly Cleernesse of fame can chaunge to derkenesse Glorye to reproche worship to vylanye And ioy passyd to mortall heuynesse Swetnesse of sauoure into bitternesse And sobirnesse into furious rage And olde fraunchise to thraldom and saruage

For there was neither request nor prayere That auayled to his delyueraunce In cheynes fetryd dedly of loke and chere Abode the sentence of his fynall gouernaunce Pale of face with tremblynge countenaunce Whan he alas gan mortally approche Of Terpeya to the hidous roche

Of Terpeya this roche bare the name After a lady as made is mencion Called tarpeya which fyll in greate diffame Bycause she was assentyd to treson To haue brought enmyes into rome toū Wherof conuyet hir story is well knowe Vnder that roch she was Idolue lowe

This roche also was called Carmentoun After a woman of greate auctorite Callyd carmentys which through hir high renoun The capitoyle made in that cite And she fonde lettris first of oure abc And cūnynge had amonge hir werkis all Declare afore thinge that shulde befall

And on this harde sturdy roche of stone Fro the capitoyle marchus was cast doun Other fauoure nor frendship fonde he none For all his batayles fought for the toun The comons hertys were turned vp so doun Whoos loue is lyke preuyd at assaye A bla••e of fire nowe bright nowe awaye

The comon people may hote and crye fast As their hertis stedfast were and stable But at a nede their promys wyl nat last Of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 corages they be so remeuable To folowe reson gerissh and vntretable Lightly declynynge and is full greate ruth After opinions and no thinge after truth

This mallius was of his trust deceyued Whoos lust vnlefull was departyd on tweyne First whan of pride he wolde haue be receyued To high estate which he might nat atteyne Where through the Senate gan at him disdeyne And the comons ay fals at such a nede Lest him in myscheef and toke of him none hede

Lenuoye

IN this tragedye men maye beholde and see The perilous damages of fals ambicion Of theym that be nat content with their degre But wolde vp clymbe lyke their opinion To hye estate by vsurpacion Which nat considre the sentence of scripture In a gode mene men lengst may endure

Who that vsurpeth to higher dignite Than apperteyneth to his condicion In royall chayres for to make his se And hath no title of lyne nor reson Through frowarde pryde full oft he is put doun For lak he seeth nat euery creature In a gode mene lengest may endure

Whan dedalus taught his sonne fle He had him first of hye discrecion Fro phebus hete kepe his wynges fre And fro Neptunus colde congelacion Menynge herby for short conclusion That who that list with Ioye his state assure In a gode mene he lengest shall endure

Remembre the manhode and magnanymyte Of marchus maulius which by presumpcion Wolde haue gouerned ••ome the cite Maugre the Senate ruled that mighty toun Which turnyd after to his confusion For he sawe nat such was his auenture In a good mene men lengest may endure

Sūme in their grettest high pros{per}ite Of frowarde corage and furious mocion In their greate wele by fals duplicite Haue a maner straunge condicion Nat to be content with plente nor foyson By a fals etike which of their nature In a gode mene ne can nat longe endure

But in this erth grettest felicite In hertys ese richest possession With suffisaunce content for to be Of worldly trouble teschewe thoccasion Meuynge no quarels causinge no discencion Nor cleyme no thinge which harde is to recure Sith in a good mene men lengest may endure

Princes remembre in your moost mageste Enuye of clymbinge causeth deuision Be of accorde trust in no comonte Which at a poynt is but decepcion And specially fle symulacion Ye may in marchus se a pleyne figure Which for ambicion might no while endure