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

188 DARIUS ASKS PORUS HELP.
[Aslmiole.
" Darius to
Porus.
Come and help
[Fol. 54 6,]
To ])e honoryd here out of ynde ' Jius orJans a pistiH.
" j)ai Jje sceptOure & ])e soile • sesid am of Persy,
To 'Pomis vndire my p-esent plesance & • ioy.
First wrate I to ^oitr worthines • ^it write I \)e same,
•
To help vs at fire hathiH men Jjat haue^ wald my
regne, 3164
And, be je sure, fe same way • is to joztr-self ettild.
For he pat werrais vs with pe wildare '
of grece,
wode as a lyofi,3167
For Alexander is
Is wrawid & wrathfuH of wiH • &
wroth as a lion.
It is better for me
to die tlian
to live in sorrow.
I promise ten
sliillings to a
well-armed
soldier, five (o
foot-soldier.
Tou sliall have
the spoil."
Alexander is
informed of this,
And if I sande men & sazmera • seggis out of nombre,
And cokke witJi pe conquiroz^r • tiH I be cald drepid,
3it me is better on jje bent • in bataile be slayne,
J3an se pe lose of my ledis & ay * leue in sorowe.
For-J)i 3oure lordschip as legeman • I lawly be-seke,
As I pat am in angwisch myne askyng to • fiH ; 3173
Ten schilling of my trew gold • a man pat is armed,
And fyue to a fote-man • failhely I hete.
3it sail I ordane to -^our ane quare-euire oure *
ost liggis,
A ix score of new geere * of nurtrid maydens. 3177
Bucifalon pe bald stede saH * bathe be oure awefi,
And pe amies of Alexander • & all fe pilage."
H Now flees parfra, pe felt kynge • a fone of his kni^tes,
To Alexancer beliue • & aH jjus him tald, 3181
How pat ser Dary with his dukis * eft drissfe him to
fi^t,
and prepares to
attack Darius
again.
Darius is
frightened.
Two of his own
knights lay a
plot tu kill him.
Had prayd efttr powere • to 'Poivus of ynde.
J;an ordans him fis honorable • wz't/t his ost Qitis, 3184
Agayn pe Persyns king him ordans • to ride,
For pe name of an Emperoure ne wald he neuire fange,
•
Or fen pat souerayne ware slayne • or 3ild him his regne.^
Sone as pe kyng of pat kith * of his come herys, 3188
)5an was he ferly a-fri3t & • his folke bathe.
Than kest f
am twa of his kni^tts him causeles • to spiH,
' };at haue in the margin. * MS. rege, altered to regne.