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

34 ALEXANDER CHALLENGES NICHOLAS. [Ashmole.
He spits in
Alexander's face.
Alexander controls
Uia anger.
'Qnen he had spokin so, for spyte • he spitU's in his face,
Dispises him despetously • dispersons him foule.
" Hent ))e fare," quod fe hatiti^ • " as fe to haue^ semes,
Cure, for J)i kene carpe chache nowe • a schame !" 748
}3an went him furthe Alexander & ' his ande takis,
Lete a-swage or he sware • pe swelme of his angirs,
Be-se3is hin how he say wol(J • or he his sa3e jeld, 751
And turnes him pen to fe tulke • & talkis fire wordis :
" For ])on has nojtid me now • Ificollas," he sayd,
[Fol. 13 6.]
Tliey appoint
a day for
fighting.
Alexander
gathers a host.
Both annies are
very numerous.
Tlic clarions
resound.
by his selfe pite,
I swere fe, be my syre saule & •
And be )e worthe wombe • of my wale mod re
\)at I was geten in of gode & graithely consayuecf, 756
'
Jjou seis me, lede, or 03t lange • in pi lande armed.
And ofire recoiiyre me f>i rewme • or reche vp fe
girditl."
\)An set fai fam slike a day • to semble & to fi3t, 759
And par-io tuke vp faire trouthis • & twyned esondre.^
\)en 3ode him furthe ))i[s] 3ong man * ^apeli & swythe
In-to fe marche of Messedone & manly a-semblis
*
Of saudiowrs & sekir men • a soume out of nounbre,
j)at was Ipe baldest & fe best breueyd • in armes. 764
He parrails him a proude ost • of princes & ofire,
Fark/s to ser 'Philip & fangis his leue,
'
And fan Bocifilas his blonke he bremely • ascendis.
And bounes on with his bataitt out • at fe brade ^aiis.
j)e same day at Avas sett* • fe sembling of bathe, 769
Aithire with a firs flote • in fe fild metis.
pe nounbre of ser Nicollas • it noyes me to reken,
And Alexander was ane oste • of augird many. 772
With fat fai tuke vp faire trompes * a-pon fe twa
sidis,
Braidis banars a-brade • buskis to mete.
So kinlid f e clarons • fat aH f e cliffe rynges,
'
So in MS.
'
MS. hame, with first stroke of m suhp^mcfed.
'
MS. to semble & to (131, struch through, n-lth k twyned
*
esondre above. Added in the margin.