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

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206 ALEXANDER WEDS ROXANA. [Aslimole.
Tlie land is at
peace.
Alexatiiler agnii
mounts the Rilt
tlirone.
nnil bids Uoxana
tome to him,
wliom he weds,
and makes
empress.
The Persians call
liim a god ;
which he
alarmed.
at
[Fol. 59 6.]
; ; "
dri3tin ))i-selfe !
pe prouynce pijt is in pes & princes ere maked,
'
An^ aid derling^ of Darius was duke made of pers,
•
Request of pe rials • ane of liis riclie \Ticles. 3443
Oure emperoure, quen Jiis was endid erly • oil pe morne,
'With all pa, alyens him by & ancient • lordis,
He gase a-gayne to de-grece vp to pe gilt trone,
•
Dobbed in his diadenie & di3t as be-fore • ;
3447
As Dary demed, or he deid his dojtiV he comandes,
•
Mad Rosaii Jjs riche radly to apere,
•
Hire hede vn-helid was on hi3e & hild aH in • trissis,
Vra-by-clappid witJi a coronacle of costious stanes
'
As pe nianere of pat marche was • he wedd hire to wyfo,
And in pe sege vfitJi hiwi-selfe • to sitt he hir makzi^
Comands hire as a conquyres • of knyjt/s to be louted,
And all l^e pepill out of Persy • was passandly ioyed.
Jai gone agraytheii vp pSLive gods * on gilten segis, 3456
Sayed :
" pou. ert duke of ilk dome • &
j)an was he fraid in his flesche • bad, " feyne of y)ifr
wordis !
"
I am a coruptible kyng & of clay fourmed' • !
)an out onone to Aristotil & • to his awen modire 3460
He keeps an
eight-days' feast
in honour of
Roxana.
Of all his weris & his welth • he wrate alto-gedir^ ;
And a3t dales aH bedene • he dites in his pistiH,
For reuerence of Eosan • to reveH & halowe. 3463
Al be pe metire hot mene pus mekiH haue I ioyned
'
Forthi, lordis, be ^our leue • list 30W to suffire.
Now will I tary for a time & tempire my • wittis ;
And he pat sti3e to pe sternes • sti3tiH vs in heuei
(J^utntuiStiecimus
passus ^Uxandri.
I will now lell
you more about
Alexander.
Lordis, wiH 3e me lithe & * lestin a stonde, 3468
Now sail I kithe vs a carpe • of a kyng riche,
Of pe auntowrs of ser Alexa(fer • pat aire was of grcce,
How all pe werd at his will • he Avan or he deid.
'
MS. And.
* MS. derlingjs.