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 ...

Of kynge arthur and his conq••estys and of the commodytees of Englonde and he was destroyed by his cosyn mordrede.

wAs euer prince might him silf assure Of fortune the fauoure to restreyne Lyke his desyre his grace to recure To abyde stable and stonde at certeyne Amonge all other rekne arthure of Breteyne Which in his tyme was holde of euery wight The wysest prince and the beste knight

To whom bochas gan his style dresse In this chaptre to remembre blyue His greate conquest and his high noblesse With singulere dedys that he wrought his lyue And firste he gy••neth breuely to descryue The sight of breteyne and of that cuntre Which is enclosed with a large se

Set ferre westwarde as ye shall vndrestonde Hauynge in spayne set in the opposyte Of a small angle callyd Inglonde Fraunce aboute him d••scriuynge thus his sight With many a ryuere plesaunt and delyte Bot he bathes and welles there be founde Dyuerse mynes of metalles full habounde

Aboute which renneth the occian Right plentuous of all maner of vitayle The name of which at brutus first began London hath shyppes by the se to sayle Bachus at wynchestre greatly doth auayle Worcetre 〈◊〉〈◊〉 frutes haboundeth at the full Herfo•• ••ith bestys Catiswolde with wull

Bath h•••• bathes holsom for medecyne Yorke mighty tymbre for greate auauntage Cornwell myners in to myne Salesburye bestys full sauage Whete mylke hony plente for euery age Kent and cantyrburye hath great commodyte Of sundry fisshes there takyn in the se

Bochas reherceth there is eke in breteyne Founde of get a full precious stone Blacke of coloure and vertuous in certeyne For sekenes many more than one Poudre of which wyll discure anone If it be dronke though it be secre Of maydnehede broke chastyte

There been of peerles founde in muskyll shelles 〈…〉〈…〉 that haue moost whitnesse

〈…〉〈…〉

I••••onde Gaule norweye scotlonde and fraunce As martys sone to the werrys mete Wrought by counseyle and by ordynaunce Of prudent merlyn called his prophete And as I finde he lete make a sete Amonge his brytons moost famous and notable Thrugh all the worlde called the rounde table

Moost worthy knightes proued of their honde ••haosen oute by arthur this ordre was begonne Their famous noblesse thrugh euery cristen londe Shone by reporte as doth the mydday sonne To famuos palayes the renoun is vp ronne ••tatutes set by vertuous ordenaunce Vnder profession of marcyall gouernaunce

The first statute in the regestre founde Fro which they shulde nat declyne of right 〈◊〉〈◊〉 full assuraunce of othe and custome bounde Ay to be armyd in plate forged bright Excepte a space to rest them on the night 〈◊〉〈◊〉 auenture and their tyme spende ••••••••••full quarell to sustene and diffende

The ••ebler partye if he had right To their power manly to supporte 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that they were requeryd of any right 〈◊〉〈◊〉 disconsolate to bere vp and conforte 〈…〉〈…〉 Woūdyd peple that languyssh and endure Which pro republica manly spent their blode The statute bounde to do such folkes gode

To put theym silf neuer in auenture But for maters that were iuste and trewe Afore prouyded that they stode sure The grounde well knowe were it of olde or newe And after that the mater whan they knewe To procede knightly and nat fayne As right requerid their quarell to darreyne

A clerke there was to cronycle their dedes By purceuauntes made to him reporte Of their exployte and their gode spedes Rad and songe to folke gaue great conforte These famous knightes makynge their resort At high festes eueryche took his sete Lyke to their estate as was to them mete

One was wylde called the see perilous As Sank Ryall doth pleynly determyne None to entre but the moost vertuous Of god prouyded to be a pure virgyne Borne of dissente to accomplyssh and to fyne He alone as cheef and souereyne All auentures of wales and Breteyne

〈…〉〈…〉 As a bright sonne set myd the sterres 〈◊〉〈◊〉 stode arthur notable and glorious Lyke f••essh febus cast his light aferres In pees lyke Argus moste marciall in werres As Ector hardy lyke vlixes tretable Callyd amonge cristen kinge moste honorable

His royall court he dyd so ordeyne Thrugh ech cuntre so ferre sprad out the light Who that euer cam thydre to compleyne By wronge oppressed and requyred of right In his diffence he shulde fynde a knight To him assigned fynally to entende By marciall dome his quarell to diffende

If it fell so that any straunge knight Sought auentures and thydre cam fro ferre To do armys his request made of right His chalenge sene were it of pees or werre Was accept to the court cam nerre Lyke as he cam with manyor alone They were delyuered forsake was neuer none

There was the scole of marcyall doctryne For yonge knightes to lerne all the gyse In tendre age to lerne full disciplyne On hors and fote by notable exercise Thinge take in youth doth helpe in many wise And ydlenesse in grene yeres gonne Of all vertues clypsith the clere son

Wydowes maydyns oppressyd folke also Of extort wronges wrought by tyrannye In that cuntre what nacion cam therto Receyued were there lyst no man denye Of their complayntes founde redy remedye Made no delay but forth anon right Theym to diffende assignyd was a knight

Eke by their ordre they bounde were of trouth By assuraunce and by oth sworne In their emprises let for no slouth Pleynly to tell howe they haue theym born Their auenture of thynges done beforne Right as it fyll spare in no manere To tell ech thinge vnto their registrere

Thinge openly don or thinge that was secre Of auenture as bytwene tweyne Or any quarell take of volunte Truely reporte and platly nat to feyne Them to be sworne the statute dyd ordeyne Nat conseled of worshyp nor of shame To be regestryd reporte the silf same

And to conclude the statute hath vs leryd Euery quarell groundyd on honestye In that court what knight was requeryd In the diffence of trouth and equite Falshede excluded and duplycite Shall ay be redy to sustene that partye His lyf his bodye to put in Iupartye

Thus in bretayn shone the clere light Of chyualrye and of hye prowesse Which thrugh the world shad his bemys bright Well of worshyp condute of all nobles Imperiall courte all wronges to represse Hede springe of honoure of largesse cheef sisterne Myrroure of manhode of noblesse the lanterne

¶Yit was there seyne neuer so bryght a sonne The somerys day in the mydday spere So fresshly shyne but sūme skyes donne Might percas curtayne his bemys clere Oft it fayleth whan fortune maketh best chere And falsly smyleth in hir double wede Folke seyn expert than is she moost to drede

Thus whan the name of the worthy kinge Was ferthest sprad by reporte of memorye In euery realme his nobles moost shynynge All his emprises concludinge on victorye This double goddesse enuyed at his glorye And cast menys by sūme maner trayne To clypse the light of knyghthode in bretayne

Thus while arthure stode moost honorable In his estate flouringe in his age Amonge his knightes of the round table Hyest of prynces on fortunes stage The Romayns sent to him for truage Gan make a cleyme frowarde and outragious Takynge their tytle of Cesar Iulius

The same tyme this mighty kynge arthur Conquered had Gaule and also fraunce Outrayed Frolle lyke a coqueroure Brought parys vndre obeysaunce Toke them to grace and with his ordynaunce Gate all Aungoy / Angorys / and Gascoyne Peytowe / Nauerne / Barry / and burgoyne

Cesyd nat but dyd his besy payne 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 Gate all the londe of peyters and toureyne Their cytees yolde to him they dyd homage To be rebell they founde none auauntage Soiourned in fraunce as seith the cronyclere Helde possession the space of nyne yere

Helde a feest full solempne at parys All the cuntrees which he gate in fraunce Lyke a prince full prudent and wys Which had of fredom full royall suffisaunce Of all his conquest the cuntrees in substaunce For his princis and barons so prouyded Lyke their desertes he hath them dyuyded

To his Senescall that callyd was kay Aungoyne and mayne he gaue all the partye To his butler was made no delaye Called bedwere he gaue Normandye To a baron nye cosyn of allye A manly knight which named was berell Gaue the duchye of burgoyne euerydell

Thus he departyd lordshippes of that londe There he thought was moost expedient Sūme he reserued in his owne honde Ageyn to bretayne retourned of entente Sent out writtes helde a greate {per}lement After which he made a feest anone In the cuntre called glowmorgon

At a great cite called carlion As is remembryd by writynges Cam many a prince and many a fressh baron In noumbre I fynde that there were x kynges Redy to obey arthur in al thynges Present also as was wele sene There of erles rekened full thrittene

All the knightes of the round table Feste of pentecoste as fest principall Many estates famous and honorable Of princes barons born of the blode royall Were present there and in especiall All that were by othe and promyse bounde To brotherhede of the table rounde

And i•• fell so while that kinge arthure As apperteyned sat in his estate There cam xii sent doun by great loboure Of olde men chosen of the Senat Sad of their port demure and tem•••••••••• R••••hely 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of ••oke and of visage Gray heryd sempt of right great age

First cūnyngly as they ought it due Cause of their comynge and pleynly what it ment First of assente the kynge they dyd salue Next after that they tolde who them sent And their lettres mekely they present Concludinge thus to speke in breef langage Howe the romayns axe of him truage

Customed of olde sith goon many a day Whan that Cesar conqueryd first breteyn The kinge requeringe to make theym no delay Arthur abode list no thynge to seyn But all the court gan at them disdeyn The proude bretons of cruell hasty blode Wold haue theym slayn euene there they stode

Nay quod arthur to all his offycers Within oure courte they shall haue no damage They entryd been and come as massengers And men also greatly fall in age Lete make there with a glad visage Toke his counsayle with such as were moste wyse With this answere sayde in curteys wyse

¶Youre lettres red and playnly vnderstonde The tenure hole remembryd in this place Touchynge the charge that ye haue take on honde To yeue answere reherced in short space By worde and writinge ye greatly me manace Howe ye purpose with many stronge batayle Passe the mountaynes me felly for to assayle

It nedith nat such conquest to alledge Ageyn Brytons of none olde truage Of youre cūmynge doun youre way I shal abrydge With goddes grace short your passage Make you no delay but with my baronage Passe the se without longe taryinge To mete romaynes at their doun comynge

This was the answere youe to the messangers At their departynge bare with theym greate riches He bad also vnto his officers Ageyn to rome anon they gan them dres Playnly reportynge the plenteous larges Of worthy arthure considred all thinges Of cristendom he passyd all other kinges

Arth•• 〈…〉〈…〉 Of marciall prowes to lucius they tolde And howe that he all other dyd excelle In chiualrye with whom they were witholde The chosy•• knightes both yonge and olde In all europe who can consydre aright Of all nobles the torches be there light

He cast him nat to paye no truage Sayd of the romayns he helde no londe Which •••• diffende he wyll make his passage Of youre cleymes to breke atwo the bonde And knightly preue with his honde Ye haue no tytle ye nor youre cite Ageyn the breton•• which euer haue stonde fre

With 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the kingdoms subget to rome toun Kynges princes abo••e the hye mountayns With lucyus they be d••scendyd doun To mete bretons vpon the large playnes Arthures comynge greatly he disdeynes Bycause he had playnly to discryue In multytude of peple such fyue

At southhampton arthur toke the se With all his knightes of the rounde table Behinde he left to gouerne the cuntre His cosyn mordrede vntrusty and vnstable And at a preef fals and disceyuable To whom arthur of trust toke all his londe The crowne except which he kept in his honde

Fro Southampton Arthur gan to sayle With all the worthy lordes of bretayne At barflue fonde gode aryuayle He and his princys their passage dyd ordeyne Thurgh Normandye / Fraūce / and eke burgoyne Vp to a cite called augustence Where he first fonde of lucius the presence

So large a feeld nor such a multitude Of men of armys assemblyd in a pleyne Vpon a day shortly to conclude Togydre assemblyd afore was neuer seyne Lucyus had on his partye certeyne Estwarde the worlde all the chyualrie Brought by the mountayns dounward germanye

Their wardys set in eche a great batayle With their capteyne to gouerne and to guye Arthur with bretons the romayns dyd assayle Fond•• many ••••ca••yus vpon that partye Th•• 〈…〉〈…〉 A•• he of arthur the prowes doth descryue He slough that day of sarazyns kynges fyue

The great slaughter the effusion of blo That was that day on outher partye Eche ageyne other that furious were and wode Lyke for the felde as fortune list prouyde That if I shulde longe theron abyde To write the deth the slaughter and the manere Touchinge the feeld were tedious to here

To conclude and l••ue the surplusage In that batayle dede was many a knight The consull Lucyus slayne in that rage The proude Romayns by force put to flyght Of gentylnes arthur anon right Lete the body of lucius be caried Ageyn to rome it was no lenger taryed

The worthy princys and lordes that were dede And manly knightes abydynge with arthur Lyke a kynge solempnely toke hede That they were buryed by dyligent loboure And in this while lyke a fals traitoure His cosyn mordrede dyd his besy peyne To take from him the kingdom of breteyn

So as the story playnly maketh mynde Mordrede falsly to his auauntage Entretyd them that were left behynde ••ndre coloure of fraudolent langage Gaue them great fredom and they dyd him homage That by his fals conspyracion Brought all bretayn in to rebellion

By faire behestis and many frendly signe Drough the peple to him in sondry wyse Shewyd him outwarde goodly and benygne Gaue lybertees and many great fraunchyse To make bretons their souereyn lorde despise And puruyaunce he gan make blyue To kepe the portes he shulde nat aryue

Whan kynge arthur had knowlegynge Of this fals treson and all the purueaunce That mordrede made he like a manly man & kinge Left burgoyne and all the londe of fraunce Cast on mordrede for to do vengeaunce Toke the se with great apparaile Cast at Sandwitch to make his arryuayle

Mordrede was redy with knightys a great noumbre 〈…〉〈…〉 ••he playn In purpos fully arthur to encombre At which arryuayle slayne was Gaweyne Cosyn to arthur a noble knight certeyne Eke Agnysell was slayn on the stronde Kynge of Scottys or he cam to londe

Maugre mordrede arthur dyd arryue The grounde recured lyke a manly knight For fere of whom anon after blyue The seyd mordrede toke him to the flight Toward london toke his wey right The gates shet and kept was the cite Ageyn mordrede he might haue none entre

In all hast to Cornwayle he fled The swerde of arthur he durst nat abyde Lest he shulde lay his lyf to wed Yit for him silf thus he gan prouyde With multitude gadred on his side Put lif and deth that day on auenture That day to dye or the feeld recure

In fortune there may be no certayn Vpon whos whele all bro••lenes is founded Mordrede that day in the felde was slayn And noble arthur to the deth was wounded By the which the feeld of bretons was confounde Of so greate slaughter and good knightes lo ••n Vpon a day men haue nat sene beforn

After the batayle arthur for a while To staunch his woundes and hurtys to recure Borne in a letre cam to an Ile Called aualon and there of auenture As the sayd gaufryde recordeth by scripture Howe kinge arthur floure of chyualrye F•••• with his knightes and lyueth yit in fairye

Thus of bretayn translated was the sonne Vp to the riche sterry bright dongeon Astronomers well reherce konne Called arthures constellocyon Where he syt crouned in the heuenly mancion Amyd the paleys of stones cristallyne Tolde amonge cristen of the worthy nyne

This erroure abydeth yit amonge britons Which founded is vpon the prophesye Of olde marlyn lyke their opynyon He as a kinge is crownyd in fairie With s••••••tr•• and swerde and with his regalye Shall resorte as lorde and soueraygne Out of fayre and regne in bretayne

And repayre ageyne the rounde table By prophesye of merlyn set the date Amonge princys kynge incomperable His sete ageyn to carlyon to translate The par••••as sustern sponne so his fate His Epitaphie recordeth so certeyn Here lyeth kynge arthur that shall regne ageyn

Vnto bochas I wyll retourne ageyn Afore reherced parcell of his prowesse Theron to abyde me list nomore soiourne But to remembre the great vnkyndnesse The conspiracion the treson the falsnesse Done to kinge arthure by his cosyn mordrede Make a Lenuoy that men all may it rede

Lenuoye.

THis tragedye of arthur here folowynge Byd princes all beware of fals treson For in all erth is none so {per}ilous thinge As trust of feyth where is decepcion Hyd vndre curteyn of fals collusion For which men shulde I holde the counsayle gode Beware aforne euer of vnkynde blode

The worlde diuers fortune ay chaungeable In euery cuntre and euery region In a strayte nede fewe frendes abydynge Longe abstynence causeth dissencion And if princes by fals dyuysion Nigh of allye shewe two faces in an hode Late men beware euer of vnkynde blode

Who was more hardy of princes here regnynge Or more famous of marcyall renoun Than whilom was his enmyes outraynge Arthur cheef sonne of brutus albyon But for all that the disposycion Of fate and fortune moost furious and wode Causyd his destruction by vnkinde blode

What more contrarious to nature in shewynge Than fayre pretence double of entencion Great allyaunces frowardly werkinge Hid vndre floures a serpent cast poison Bright siluer scalyd damageth the dragon Ech worme some partye tar••ageth of his brode And what more {per}ilous ••han vnkynde blode

Noble princys on arthur remembrynge Deme the day of phebus goynge doun All is nat golde that is clere shynynge Afore prouyded of youre inwarde reson Fals vndermynynge and supplantacion Remembrynge aye with arthur howe it stode By conspyracion of vnkynde blode