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

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112 THE TOKEN OP THE GLOVE FULL OF SEEDS. [Ashmole.
For-|)i ware hettir vnLynde • or Jjou bale suffirc,
before my hate
kindles apon thy
bead.
Remowe agayne to pi rewme * &
rew of ]ji -werk*.
For certayne, uyf my seniourie ne ' I my-selfe nouthire,
AH: \>e werd my3t a Avedowe wele • pafi be calliiP. 1977
For-fi tume fe be-time • or any tene worthe,
Or at fe hate of my hert • a-poii pi hede kindiH,
Lend agayii to fi lande noAve quen • ])on leue hauys,
As a token,
I send thee my
glove, full of
seeds.
If thou canst
count them, then
count my men.
They are nnmber-
The messengers
bring tlie letter
and the seeds.
[Fol. 34 6.]
Alexander bites
the seeds, and
says,
" They may oe
many, but they
are soft."*
)5at I mete pe in my malicoly my meth be • to littitt".
•
For-])i to keii Tpe to knaw my kyndnes here-eft//-, 1982
Bath my grace & my glori • &
my grete strenthe,
Loo here a gloue fuH: of graynes • I graythe ]>e to take,
Of jje chesses of a chesboH • chosen for pe nanys. 1985
For may ])oii sowme me ])ue sedis • surely Jjou trowe,
\)on mi3t a-count aH oure knijtz'^ & oure kyd • ostis
And fou truches pa\m to teH • jjen tidis \iq na no])/r,
Dot move a-gayn to Messedone & meve^ * J)e na forthir..
Fyne, fole, of pi fare & fange * to J)i kythis ;
1990
For J^is sede I J)e send vnsowmyd bees neuire.
•
So ere we of all folke folke * to be nombrid,
Or any wee to a-counte ' vndire fe clere sternys." 1993
Now aires furth his athiH men
'
to A\e.yiander wend/«,
Yn-to fe strerae of struma • stre3t with fa lettiVs,
And he fam redis in a rese & reches • to^ ]je sedis,
Tastis \am vndire his tuthe & ' talkis ])ir wordis : 1997
" Here I se,"