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

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126 THE THEBANS DEFEND THEIR CITY. [Ashmole.
Alexander says, Said, " je of Tebet ere tried
•
be tethiest on erth,
"YeThebans
boast to be brave.
.
^^ i, , . .
Of atl J)e seggis vnder SOU pat • titi3ens natt
Mast liije je ere hersidf & • lierid of ^oure strenthe. 2200
And nowe sa 3ape men as 30 • )e 3atis hase stolcen,
And me & pe pruddest of my princes • proferne vs werrc ;
And at 30 so wiH, I-wis ' wondire me thinke, 2203
For pus walcJ neii^r at 36 wro3t ' jje wirscip of armes.
It contraries knijtliede • 30 knaw Avele 30«;--selfe,
yet ye shut yonr- To any wi3t "werriours • ill wallis jsam to close,
selves up behind
t^ i ^ ^ o ^
•
walls." For he pat kid' is & kene couett2A' a name,
WiH fe3t fersely in CM his famen agayns." 2208
)an Alexander be-liue • aH a-boute pe cite,
^lakis foure thousand! • with flanes & bo wis,
He orders a grand Biddls bam to bend vp brathlv with arowis
' -^ f J
assault,
To vvonde pe wees wzt/t-in Jiat on Jje wallis houys. 2212
And twa thousand be tale he • titely comaundis,
Of wele buskid berns • in brenys & platis,
AH J)e sidis of pe cite • pat sechus had biggid.
And Amjihion, an atliiH kempe • onane to distruy. 221
and bids his men A full thousand he faugid • to fire be foure jat/s,
fire the city.
And thre thousand of thra men
•
to thraw with engynes.
Him-selfe of slingis & slike • a-semblis a me[n]3e, 2219
To heede & help of his hyne • if any harme lympid,
Now ere his seggis aU sett & pe saute ne3is,
•
Were wakens be-twene werbild' in trompis
•
The attack begins. Oure pepiH wiih payns • pressis to w/t7;out,
Halis vp hemp cordis • hurled out arowis ;
2224
[Foi. sa i.] Othire athils of armos • Albast*^ bendis,
Quirys out quarrels • quappid thur3e mayles.
The Greeks Suw With guznes of Jjc grekis • girdis vp stanes,
of g°iuis. To tene pe Tebis folke pat on pe touris • fejtjA- ; 2228
Sum braide ouir pe barrers • in blasand wede,
The city in fired. And faire fest on a fire • all pe foure 3atis ;