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

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16 WONDERS SEEN AT THE FEAST. [Ashmole.
he sits beside the
queen.
appears in a
[Fol. 9.]
dragon's form.
With maisterlingis of Messadone
•
noble[s].
many ofire
pns as he sat in his sete • softly by his qwene,
In schene schemerand schroude aH of schire • stanes,
He kest vp his contenance & kny3tly he • lokes, 484
And gladis gudly his gestis as his degre • walcf.
)3an Anec[t]anab«5 on-ane in • alj^ire-mast ioy
•
Did on him his dragon-hame drafe thurje fe sale,
AV/tA slike a rowste & rerid pe romance • it wittnes,
\)at nere had hemes for fat here bene bro3t out • of
Witt. 489
goes to the queen,
and salutes her.
Philip recognises
the dragon.
Soon after befell
another prodigy.
He was sa hatter & sa hoge • quera he fe haH entirct,
Lete sa lathely a late • &
\)at aH ]3e fest was a-ferd! • &
sa loude crie(J,
o))ire folke bathe. 492
To pe chefe chaiare of pe qwene • he chese him be-lyue,
And laide as hendly as a hunde • his hede in hire arme,
•
Qepin kyssis he hire clene mouthe enclynes hire lawe,
And braydis furth w{t7i a brym here out at pe brade
•
3at^s. 496
Jjen sayd Philip to his fere & • aH: his fre gestis,
" 3one selfe dragon forsothe • I sa3e with myne e3en ;
Qtien I was stad in pe stoure • he strenthid aH myne
oste, 499
And par pe floure in pe filde • I fangid jjur3e him selfe."
Ano|ire ferly par fell • -within fewe days,
\)e king was sett in his sale " witli septer in han(J
A bird comes.
who lays an egg
ill
Pliilip's lap.
The egg falls,
and breaks ; a
serpent comes
uiil, and soon
dies.
}5en come par-in a litiH bricJ • in-to his arme £036,
And par hurkils & hydis as scho were hand-tame • ;
504
Fast scho flekirs about his fete & • fle3tirs aboute.
And par it nestild in a noke • as it a nest were,
Qwili scho had layd in his lape • a lititi tyne egg,
And ))an scho fangis hire fli3t ' & flo3e away swyth.
•
])\s egg, or Jje kyng wyst to pe erth fallis, 509
Brak, & so it wele burde & brast • aH; e-soundir
•
J:an wendis far-out a litiH worm wald it eft enter.
•
And or scho hit in hire hede a hard deth suffirs. 512