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

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178 DARIUS HAS SCYTHE-ARMED CHARIOTS, [AshmolC.
He assemble!
2UO,000 men,
Twa hundreth thousand on a throin • aH of threuen
kn'i^tis, 3007
and encoui'f
them.
Caiiis him vp to a cliffe & comfurthis • his hostz'sj
" Sail neuzV pe Persyns pake
•
be pare to pe grekis,
And if Jjai ma ware be many
•
mayes nojt ^our hertis
[Foi. 52.] FuH many flees may feli • bot a fewe waspis."
And aH pe company clene • comendid! his wiitis. 3012
Darius and his
men come to the
river.
His host is
innumerable.
He has 10,000
chariots,
armed with
scytlie-blades.
B
En-ciustiecimug;
passus ^Uxa7idri
e J)is ser Dary was di3t whit his deve • erles,
Heuyd vp a huge ost & hast him • to ryde,
His ginge & aH his garysons • in glyssynand wedis, 3015
Gaes him on to granton & graithes '
fare his tentw.
His stoure Avas so stalworthe & store & strange • to
a-byde,
He had' of nieii out of mynde many * mayii hundreth,
\)at sike a si3t & a sowme^ • of seggis enarmed
"Was neut;* sene, I suppose ' sen pe sege of troy. 3020
\)e chiftayne had chariotis • chosen for pe nanes,
Ten thousand be tale ' tried for pe were.
And Jjai Avare sett afire side fuH * of sythe-bladis,
Kene keruand as knyfes & cursers fam drowe. 3024
•
je next day be pe none • new note ryses,
Aithire freke with his folke • in pe fild met^,
And bald hemes on bent • banars vnfaldis,
Put pennons on pollis • payntid of siluw-. 3028
Alexander mounts Ales.ande)- as belyue • is armed vp clene,
ucepiaus,
gounes hii to his blonke • pe best vndire heue^,
pat was pe blonk Bucifat
• as pe buke tellis,
A foole worth 2 fyfty of pe firste *
fat in pe flode
drouned. 3032
He spynnes him out a grete space • fra he[s] peris aH,
Couers him fuH clenly & • closed in his g«re.
'
The me abore the line.
* MS. w'dh, altered to worth in the margin.