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

emely
;
;
76 ALEXANDER ENTERS TYRE, [Ashmole.
[Fol. 21 6.J
The Greeks are
bard pregsed.
The Greeks fight
very fiercely.
and destroy the
battlements of
Tyre.
Then Alexander
enters the breach,
slays Balaan,
and throws
him over the
wall.
[Fol. 25.]
The Greeks climb
up.
And fai wtty^-in on fe waH '
worthili wttA-stude,
Fersly defend! of & • fellid of his knyjtzV,
Thristis onir thikefald many threuyn berne[s], 1407
•
And douTz bakward! Jjam bare * in-to fe bracJ wattzr.
With fat oure wees yfithont
'
writhis fam vnfare,
"Went wode of Jjaire witt & wrekis fam swytfi
•
For na wounde ne na wathe wand • fai na langiV,
Bot aH wirk/5 him fe wa & wrake • at he cuthe. 1412
•
Sum braidis to \iar bowis fai schut,
Quethirs out quarels • quikly be-twene
Strykis vp of fe stoure • stanes of engynes,
})at fe bretage a-boue • brast aH in soundire, 1416
Girdis ouiV garettis • with gomes to fe erthe,
Tilt torettzi' donn ' toures on hepis,
Spedely vfith sprygaldis • spilt faire braynes,
•
Many mi3tfuH man marris on Jje wallis. 1420
& kutt douw before,
And be fe kirnells ware kast *
Be Jjrtt pe baisteH & Jie bur3e • ware bathe elike hi^e,
And all oure werke withont ]>e wallis • weterly semed*,
Jje sidis of pe cite * to se to o femes, 1424
Jan Alexawcer belyf ^ • on fam aH entris,
Bruschis in with a brand on bernes a hundreth,
*
Thrang* thur^e a thousand • fare thikest f ai were,
"Wynnes worthly ouer fe wallis • with-in to fe cite. 1428
\)e first modire son he mett • of ire man outhire,
"Was Balaan f
e bald berne • as f
e boke tellis,
And hbn he setti*' on a saute • & slo^e him belyue, 1431
And werpid him out onir f e waH • in-to f
e wild streme.
Sone as oure athils be-hind • sa3e far he entred,
His men & aH f e Messedones maynly *
ascendis,
And f ai of Grece gredely • girdis vp eftire,
Thringis vp on a thraw • thousand's many. 1436
Sum stepis vp on sties • to f
e stane wallis,
On ilka staffe of a staire^ • stike wald a cluster;
'
MS. bely, altered to belyf in lata- fiand.
* MS. repeats staire.