[Sidenote: [TALE OF NECTANABUS.]] The hihe creatour of thinges, Which is the king of alle kinges, 1790 [Sidenote: Hic narrat exemplum super eodem, qualiter Nectanabus ab Egipto[873] in Macedoniam fugitiuus,[874] Olimpiadem Philippi Regis ibidem tunc absentis vxorem arte magica decipiens, cum ipsa concubuit, magnumque ex ea Alexandrum sortilegus genuit: qui natus, postea cum ad erudiendum sub custodia Nectanabi commendatus fuisset, ipsum Nectanabum patrem suum ab altitudine cuiusdam turris in fossam profundam proiciens interfecit. Et sic sortilegus ex[875] suo sortilegio infortunii sortem sortitus est.] Ful many a wonder worldes chance Let slyden under his suffrance; Ther wot noman the cause why, Bot he the which is almyhty. And that was proved whilom thus, Whan that the king Nectanabus, Which hadde Egipte forto lede,-- Bot for he sih tofor the dede Thurgh magique of his Sorcerie, Wherof he couthe a gret partie, 1800 [Sidenote: =P. iii. 62=] Hise enemys to him comende, Fro whom he mihte him noght defende, Out of his oghne lond he fledde; And in the wise as he him dredde It fell, for al his wicchecraft, So that Egipte him was beraft, And he desguised fledde aweie Be schipe, and hield the rihte weie To Macedoine, wher that he Aryveth ate chief Cite. 1810 Thre yomen of his chambre there Al only forto serve him were, The whiche he trusteth wonder wel, For thei were trewe as eny stiel; And hapneth that thei with him ladde[876] Part of the beste good he hadde. Thei take logginge in the toun[877] After the disposicion Wher as him thoghte best to duelle: He axeth thanne and herde telle 1820 Hou that the king was oute go Upon a werre he hadde tho; But in that Cite thanne was The queene, which Olimpias Was hote, and with sollempnete The feste of hir nativite, As it befell, was thanne holde; And for hire list to be beholde[878] And preised of the poeple aboute, Sche schop hir forto riden oute 1830 [Sidenote: =P. iii. 63=] At after mete al openly. Anon were alle men redy, And that was in the monthe of Maii, This lusti queene in good arrai Was set upon a Mule whyt: To sen it was a gret delit The joie that the cite made; With freisshe thinges and with glade The noble toun was al behonged, And every wiht was sore alonged 1840 To se this lusti ladi ryde. Ther was gret merthe on alle syde; Wher as sche passeth be the strete, Ther was ful many a tymber bete And many a maide carolende: And thus thurghout the toun pleiende This queene unto a pleine rod,[879]