☞ The .xi. chapter.
❧ Howe Nabyn hauynge no tytle but by ticannye, toke on hym to be kyng of Macedoyne and was slayne.
NExte came Nabyn ful pytously we∣pynge
Tofore Jhon Bochas, whyche by tirannye
Of Macedoyne toke on hym to be kynge,
Hauynge no tytle saue tytle of robbery,
Onely by force hym selfe to magnify:
Which with stronge hande toke ful possession
For to be crowned in thylke region.
This Macedoyne as by olde writynges
Whylome was had in ful great reuerence,
Bycause onely it floured in two thynges,
Both in knighthode & souerayne Sapience,
Mars there by manhode Pallas by prudēce:
And whyle these two had gouerna••ce,
Or al welfare they had suffisaunce.
And whyle noblesse of these thynges twayne
That is to say the floure of hye clergy
The hye renome mooste famous & souerayne
Of marciall prowesse and of chiualry
Gouerned that land by new policy,
Than stode that kingdome auctours reherce kōne,
Amonge the Grekes lyke an heauenly sonne.
But at the last eclypsed was the lyght
B••th of knighthode and Philosophy,
Whan couetise gan enter agayne righte
For to vsurpe vpon the regaly
By intrusion of false tyranny,
And by extorte force made their entrynges
Hauyng no title there to reygne as kynges.
This was chefe cause for short conclusion
That the noblesse of Grece was brought baas,
And Macedoyne brought to confusion
By couetyse that set them in such caas:
Thereby theyr knighthod translated was
And their polycy, in Cronicles ye may se
Out of Grece into Rome the citye.
And among other by clere remembraunce
Of suche tyrauntes by ordre rehersyng,
Nabyn was one that had gouernaunce
In Macedoyne, & was there crowned kyng,
Without title there falsly reignynge:
And for his frowarde contagious cruelte
He was behated of Rome the citye.
The Romayns sent a mighty Consulere
Tytus Flāminius of their werres gyde,
To Macedoyne, he gan to aproch nere
Towarde Argos where Nabyn dyd abyde,
Of entent for to abate hys pryde:
But while Nabyn stode hiest in estate,
Of Grece hys lieges with him were at debate
A Duke yealled Philopomenes
With the people that dwelled in Grece lande,
To stryue wt Nabyn put hym selfe in prees.
Discomfyted him fightynge hande for hande▪
And at great mischefe ye shall vnderstande,
Alexamenes a knyght of that countre,
Slewe thys Nabyn the Cronycleye may se.