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 Ieronimus kinge of Ciracuse was slayne / •• howe Scipio affrican that laboured for comon we¦le of romayns was exiled by them & so dyed

AFter the deth of this antiochus There cam a prince to bochas compleynyng Which that was called Ieronimus Of Cyracuse whilom lorde and kinge Which of his liegis he nothinge trespassynge Slayne was with his thre susters dere Of hatrede myn auctour writeth here

Cyracusanis had a condicion Through chaunges newe ay to be vnstable Of wilfull malice voide of all reson On their kinges for to be vengeable They louyd nat to haue them {per}durable But euerye yere of custom this is trewe Them to gouerne to haue a prince newe

And for their chaunges and their vncouthe stryues With variaunce of their condicions Bycause no frute is found in their lyues Nor in their stories nor in their successions I wyll passe ouer and speke of Scipions And first to write of the worthy man Called in his tyme scipio affrican

A famous knight in all nacions For his conquest shortly to conclude Which had brought full many regions More by wysdom than by multitude To obeye the romayns but for ingratitude Which that he fonde in theym as I rede Howe he wrought to tell I wyll procede

It is remembred of his worthynesse While that he was flouring in yonge age Howe rome was made lady and maistresse Of many a londe to their auauntage And specialy all affrike and Cartage By his prowesse as made is mencion Were brought of romaynes vnder subiection

But they agen••warde were to him vnkinde By accusacions found out by their falsnesse Seyde ageyne him as it is put in mynde By recorde of many fals witnessis That he shulde haue besiled the richessis Of Cartage and affryk the cuntre Which apperteyned to rome the cyte

But ageynwarde this noble affrican Proudly gaue answere to his accusours He neuer withhelde fro tyme that he began Toward him silf noport of their tresours Saue as the manere is of conquerours For to conserue his worship and his name Almoste was profyte to the touns fame

This is to mene playnly and nat tarye He neuer accrochyd tresour nere nor ferre Towarde him silf but that was necessarye For their worship to mayntene with their werre And yit that tyme he was their lodesterie To encrece their boundys and fully his delyte Was all hole set to the comon profyte

He toke none hede of all the surplusage Of their tresours nor their great richesse The name reserued of affrik and cartage To his knighthode and his hye noblesse But their malicious expert vnkindnesse Was in cause breuely to compyle His body fro them perpetually to exile

Caste him neuer within rome toun After that day amonge them to be seyne Vnkindnesse gaue him occasion To absente his persone and of hye disdeyn To exile him silf and neuer to cūme ageyn But for tabyde in a small village Callyd Lynterne whan he was fall in age

And for men shulde mynde vpon him haue By a manere of indignacion An Epitaphre he set vpon his graue Which sayde thus to theym of rome toun O peple vnkynde vnkynde ageyn reson My funerall asshes nor my bones dede In thy wallys thou shalt neuer possede

In thyn vnkynde frowarde teritorye My bonys shal nat reste nor abyde But thyn vnkindnesse to put in memorye To remembraunce shalbe red full wyde Of these letters graue on euery syde By reporte only of this small scripture Which here is set vpon my sepulture

Lo here the cause by breef descripcion Set on my graue for a memoriall Why that my bonys out of rome toun Be buried here lowe vnder this wall In exil holde my feest funerall Vnkyndnesse me droue oute of that cyte That wrought so moch for the comonte