¶ Lenuoye.
THys tragedy of duke Eumenides
She weth of fortune ye great doublenes,
How worldly princes that ben recheles
With vnware chaunges fall into distresse:
And there may be no greater heuynesse
After prosperite, nor greater payne
Than aduersite which that is sodayne.
Greatest enuy where is greatest preace,
Greatest awayte where is most rychesse,
And greatest ease where is rest and peace,
Where most discorde most is heuynesse:
And of all sorow sorow fullest excesse,
Is thylke sorow y• dothe a man constrayne,
After prosperite with aduersite sodayne.
Princes in erthe of power peerles
Which excelled all other in noblesse,
Had in this worlde by cōquest most encrees,
As Alysander the story bereth wytnesse:
Remēbre the fyne of all theyr hye prowesse,
And the triūphes to which they dyd attayne,
After prosperite aduersite sodayne.
The strong enheritours which yt he out chees
Sixe & thirty, the nombre to expresse,
Whiche hadde possession of kyngdoms dout∣les,
Eche thyng obeying to their worthynesse,
Tyl fortune through her wunted doublenesse
Shewed her myght vnwarely to ordayne,
After prosperite aduersite sodayne.
Noble prynces to auoyde all disencrees
Amonge your selues discordes to represse,
Be nat enuyous, nor yrous causeles,
Worke nothyng of hasty wylfulnesse:
Let discretion be your gouerneresse,
For there must folow yf ye parte on twayne,
After prosperite aduersite sodayne.