The wars of Alexander: an alliterative romance translated chiefly ...

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Dublin.] HE BUILDS NEW SIEGE-WORKS. 73
Than niwrnes aft fe masidons & felly wer trublett,
•
And alexander was also • awgerdly grevyde,
So wer fai twrblett of fe towne • qwon fai far til'l
myssyd,
That of fe takyng of tire • tristed fai no lenger. 1344
And so hyni-selfe in hys slepo • fe same nyght after,
Hym toght ^ he had in hys hand • a held of a wyne,
A growen grope of a gripe • a grett & a rype, 1347
j)e whilke he flonge of fe floure • & witli hys fete
trede*"
And when he brokyn hed fe bery • als pe hern semys,
j)ar flowe owt of fresh wynne • flodez enowe ;
So largly & so delavy • of liquor hym thynkez,
Of ane raysyn to ryn • ])at was a gret wondre. 1352
J)e kynge callez a clerke • kenely on fe morne,
Als radly as euer he rose ' to rachen hym hys SAvevyn.
" Sir, beys dred neue- a dele " • ])e devino2^r hym sayde,
" I vndertake it on my trewth • tyre is )ji nawne; 1356
For Jje bery Jjat fou brake • fat is pe burgh euen,
That shat be sesyd fe ful sone & * to fi-seluen jolden, [FoU 12.J
For ])on saH eft in ernest • enter fe waller,
And feH hir vnder fote wi't/an a few days." 1360
•
Now Compas kenely fe kyng & • castes in hys mynd
How he couth in ony case • come to fe cyte,
Devynez deply on days
dropes mony willes,
If he couht seke ony sleght • pat hym serue wald ; 1364
And makes to sett in pe see • right in pe same place,
Jjair as pe tild pat he bild • bigget was frist.
To stabill vp a strenth • att of store schippe^,
Hoger by pe halfe dele & hyer • fen patoper; 1368
And fat he feghys & fermes * so fast^ to fe waU,
So negh fat vnneth a nedyH
•
myght narowly bytwene.
And band hir, as f
e boke says • bigly to-ged^r,
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Sic in MS.