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

merred
;
;
Dublin.] AND SLATS SIR BALAAN. 77
And J)ai wz'tAin on fe watt wightly withstondyn,
•
Derfley defenden of & • fellez of hys hemes,
Thraste ouer thikefald mony * thrifen knyghtez,
And doun bakeward J>ai bare • into fe brade water. 1408
"With fat oure wyes wztAowte • wrathen Jjaim vnfaire,
Went ne wode owt of pai' witte • & wrekes faim swyth
For no wa ne no wound waned '
fai no langer,
Bot aH wirkyd faim wa • & wrake at fai couth. 1412
Som braden to |)air bowes • & bremely shotyn,
Whirres owt quarels • whikly betwene
Strike vp of ]je stoure • stanes & ^ engynes,
\)ai fe britage abofe ' brast aH in sender, 1416
Girdes ouer garrates • wit/i gomes ^ to fe erth.
Typed torrettes doune • towxes on hepes,
Spedely with springaltez • spilten fair hemes.
•
Many mightyfuft man on fe walles. 1420
And be fe kernels wer kesf & cut • ' doun before,
Be jjrtt ]e basteH & Jje burgh was bath • elike hye.
And aH owre fe werke wzt/iowt witterly semyd,
•
The sydes of fe cite * to se to on fernesse, 1424
Than alexander als belyue • on faim aH entres.
Brushes in ^yith a brannde • on hemes an hundreth,
Thrang forow a thousand • jiar as fai thikest wer,
Wynnes wightly ouer fe waH within • to fe cite. 1428
The frist moderson fat he mett
•
or other man other, [Foi. is.]
Was balaan fe bald heme * as fe buke tellez.
And hym he settes on a sawte & slogh hym • belyfe,
And wappyd* hym ouer fe walles • in-to fe wild stremes.
When fair hatels byhynde saw • far heued entre, 1433
Hys men & aH f
e masydons manly asceuden,
•
And f
ai of grece gredely • girdes vp after,
Thronge vp on a thraw • thousandez mony. 1436
Some spettyn ^ vp on styes
•
to f
e stane walles,
On ilke stafFe on a stare • steke wald a clostre :
8c written above the line ; read oi. * MS. cunes wrongly.
' MS. owt. * Read warp3'd. * Read steppyn.