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

'
162
ALEXANDER SENDS FOR SKINS AND FURS.
[Aslimole.
to l)i9 princes,
peers,
e;irl3>
knights.andlorJs.
S^nd skins
of beasts to
Alexaiuiriu,
and send the furs
on to tlie
Euphrates on
camels."
Nnstanda a duke
of Darius,
" Nostanda
to liis lord.
wiites.
It errieves me to
Two of our chief
princes liave
perished in battle.
I
scarce escaped.
jjus send I to my satraparis my • princes & my dukes,
My pers out of ^ siphagoyne • salut/** & grace,
Of |)e sele of Surry my seggis & myfa • erles, 27GO
My knijtis out of Capados & • all my kid lordis,
})e ledis out of Laudace & • all J)e landis out-by.
I comantJ 30W on jje clere faitlie • |;at 36 my croune a^e,
)3at belyue to Alysaundire • fat is myn awen cite, 2764
j)at ilkane of 30W send be yowr-selfe • of sere slayu bcstw,
Of fresch & of fyne wro3t • fellis a thousand,
Sum grayne to be ne])ire gloues • graythid to my kni3< /.-•,
Sum pured! pelloure depurid • to put in oure wedis, 2768
Lat kest ]jam apoii camels • pat in jjat kith lengis.
And aires with J)ai« to Eufrateu • ]jis erand haues in
myndf."
•
))an was a man, as me mynes in fie morne-qwile,
Was of ser Daris a duke • Jje derfe Emperoure, 2772
Ane Jjflt Nostanda was namecJ & • a noble prince,
pat certified his souerane * \iir sa3es in a pistiH :
IT " Sire Dari, duke of ilk a douth & dri3ten • jji-selfe,
j)e grete gtorius god ' graythid in Jji^ trone, 2776
Nostanday, to ^our nobilnes • \>at ay my nek bowis.
With seruage to 3our senwrie • my-selfe I comancK
It semed no3t 30ure seruand • sire, vndistreyned
Vn-to 30ur mekill maieste • Jjis mater to write, 2780
Bot I am depely distressid • J)is dede for to wirke.
And made Jjis myscheffe to myn • malegrefe my chekis.
For wete it wele 3owr worthines • fat of our wale^ princes
Twa of fe tethiest ere tint • & termync of lyue, 2784
J3at lost was now fe last day • a litiH fra Tygre,
In batail apon bent filif in-bland vfith fe grekis.
•
pare was I gird to fe gron(J & greuously wounditJ,
•
Vnnethe it cheuyd me fat chance* • to chape to fe fli3t^;
And ofire many of oure men • mi3tfutt' kni3tw, 2789
'
MS. oft.
faes crossed throvgh.
'
)3i ' blotted in MS.
* MS. can chance ;
can struck out,
* MS. fil3t.