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

Ashmole.] death of Bucephalus. 273
Jjan driues he ])etliiii v,'iih his dukis • in-to desert landiV, He comes to a.
great desert.
Is rijt betwene fe recde sec & Arrabie costis, 5564
•
A wilsom -vvast & a wild! & wons • full of neddirs,
And ))ai ware hedously hoge & horned • as Tupis.
]jai turrcd doui of his tulkis & with par tyndis ' slo^e ;
Bot Jie dre3est deele of \)a.vn died of ' his dnkis liandis.
])an past he to a-nopir place & • pijt doui his tent/5, He fights against
"""'"'*
And fand a bataiii of besti's • as breme as pe first. 5570 beasts."
Jai ware of Hgour & of fourme * as fendis of hell,
Vfith heuy hedis & hoge • as horses it -were.
And j'ai ware tacchid fuH of tethe • as tyndis ere of Some are like
harows,
And feH flaimes as of fire • flo^e fra faire mouth es.
A selly sowmo of his seggis was slaue or he wist,
And he ]>a,n hert/s his here • biddis, " hewis on, my
childLre;"
557G
And ferly ferd of his fulke Avas in *
fe fill strangild.
Bot aH J)e di-e.3e of Ipa deuels • fai drenchid or ]jai past,
fiends.
ban fondis he furtli with his folke • in-to a fild entris, He comes to »
plain.
.
lengis for a quile.
And par he logis wi\h his lordis • &
For slike a feH infirmite was in his hors bundefi,
•
Bucifalon pe bald stede pat he for bale • dies. 5582 Bucephalus dies.
\)e berne blischis on his blonke & se3es his breth • faile,
Sighis selcuthly sare ' & sadli he wepis,
For he had standen hi)i in stede • in stouris fuH hard,
"Won hi»i wirschip in were • fra many wathe saued.
/.-PI
Said, " fare wele, my faire foole pon * failid me neuire !
J3e kynge to fis carioii he • castis his ejen, Alexander
laments over him.
SaH now J)i flesch here be freten • with fowHs & with
wormes, 5589
"
•
jjat has so dojtyly done nay, drijtin for-bede !
Jjaii bilds he bare a borynes * bis beste in-to ligg, »nci builds* i.im a
cosily
r\f
tomb.
1
Of schene schemerand gold • as it a schrine ware,
A tombe as a tabernacle • Sc tildis vp a cite 5593 [Foi. 96 6.]
In reuerence of fat riche stede & eUir him • it callis.
J)aa ridis he to a Reucre • a ruyde & a hogo, "reatTverT*
ALEXANDER.
T