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

;
218 THE CASTLE IN THE RIVER. [Ashmole.
Thre C 'Mille^ in tliede • of tlira men of armes.
All are in great Be HOW fai Avare SO ne3e tane
•
fat jjai for nede supposid,
Sui of Ms aweil vryil & sum on Iren • lickid, 3826
Jat it Avas sorowe any segge • fe si3t to be-liald !
Jan aires him on ser Alexander yvith angwiscliis & payne,
•
Ay folo3e furth by fe flunme ' at I first tald,
And at fe a3tand lioure • I ame, of fe day, 3830
Tiiey eome to a jjan conies bai»i to a castell • was closid in j^e borne.
castle in a river.
It was a mervalous mote made an of redis,
•
And foure forlange, I finde • j^e flode was o brede.
A fewe w/t/an fe forslet of folke pare • a-perid, 3834
'
Waiteand out at wyndows to wondire on his osiis.
Tiiemeninitwiu Sire Alexander bad his men aske • \>-dhn of ynde,
And frayne quare fai find mi3t any fresch Avat/r
•
[Foi. 66.] And fai ]jan hent in faire hed/s
•
&
hidd \>nm. belyue.
And he felly wM flane • flingzs at pe wallis, 3839
3it for na spell at he spirid • spek wald Jjai neuire.
And j^aii comandzs he his kni3t[/6'] • kenely to swyime,
Thirty-seven And fai aH bare, saue fe breke • -with brandt's in hand,
knights begin to
ooio
Bwim, Jan thring/s in on a throw thretty & seuyn. 3843
*
Als fast as fai pe forthing-dole had of • \>e flode past,
J2an girds fare vp fra fe ground & grymly • fai;^ Avoundis
but are drowned Of Seeles & of see-Cules a • SAA^yth grete nounbre,
by seals.
_
Dro3e fain donn in-to fe depe & drouned *
f am for euire.
Jjaii 3ede he fine ^v^th his erles- & egirly liim thrist/s • ;
Lebards lendis faii agaynes • Icons & beres ; 3849
Theannyisat- Dragous & dromondaris & * of pir derfe Tigirs
tacked by dragons
.
and tigers. J'ra morne to f
e mirke ni3t • aiz
f maynly assailed.
J5us ra3t he fra f
is reutr be many ru3e waies 3852
•
To it AA-as meten to f
e mere • to niyd-outV-vndorne.
ban come he streke oil a staunke • f
e store me tellis.
They find a pool "VVas neuzV na hony in na hyue • vndire heuen SAvettiV*.
A foure furelange or fyue • it Avas of fuH brede, 3856
Umby-thorned^ with a thike AA'od • thre mile a-boute,
' I.e. Three hundred thousand.
'
MS. el erles, but corrected. ' MS. Umhy-thonred.