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

;
Ashmole.] the great wealth of ixdia. 213
First fand lie bare of fyne gold • a foure liundretli postis, He finds 4oo
'With crafti coronals & clene coruei of • f e same. 3665
Be-twene pe pelers was pi3t with precious leuys,
•
pillars of gold,
,
Gilden wynes Vfith in-apis
•'
^
of gracious stanes.
°
and golden vines,
with grapes '^
_
of
Sum "were of cristaH clere • clustrid to-gedire ; 3668 pearu
Sum made ware^ of Margarits • fe mast of fe werd ;
Sum was smeth smaragdyns & * op'vce smaH gemmes, and other gems.
And new nychomet^'s nemellus endentid,
•
\)at ware as semely • quen fai ware samen, 3672
And all pargestz's of plate • as pure as fe noble.
})e Messedons in f»am merkid • with faire mekill brandis,
And fe thinnest was a nynclie tbicke quen • fai ware The thinnest
plate of gold on
Jjurje persed ;
3675 the walls was an
And J)o ware strenkild w/t7i stanes • as sterne o pe beuyfi,
'With charbokl[e]s on fe champ & with chefe • pe7'les.
Smeten was smaragdans • in-to f e smeth werkis,
.
And athill amytists als • in aungels licknes Tiiere were
;
amethysts,
Of Euor & of Olifants was ordand • fe jatis, 3680 gates of ivory,
With barrers of ane Ebyn-tree bonden with cheynes. " and bars of ebony.
j)e Ebyii, as fe buke sais • brin will neui'r,
And growis in fe lies of ynde • as Isodry tellis.
J3e solers was of Sypirs * all of a soyte makid ; 3684 The chambers
. , „ , . ,
And ttymolacres m pe sale was • sett vp-on trones
AH of glittw-and gold • as gomes it were, There were
were of cypress.
Discheualer with chaplets • of changand hewes
And ilka tulke a tabernacle • tildid Avas ouire, 3688
And pat was g-auez aH grayd of gilden • platis,
riamband all in filozir & • fewlis en-blanchid*, Also birds,
Mekely merkid & made • '
of aH manere of kyndis ;
And J»a ware proudly depaynt pe pennes & pe wingis, • '" '
Of all colowrs to a-counte • as pai ere cled here ; 3693
Of fethirhame & aH fare • as feetely enjoyned,
As fai ware shapen o pe scheH • to schew to oure e3en.
Bet was all of brent gold • pe billis & pe chauyls, 3696
And, quen as Porrz^s con plese • in prcsens of lordis,
thrones of gold.
[Foi.ess.]
witfc biUaof gon,
'
MS. wade w: but corrected.