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

36 NICHOLAS ATTACKS ALEXANDER. [Ashmole.
pe holtis & \)e haire heere^ • &
Ilk a hathm to hors • hijis him be-lyue,
Jje hillis scheuyn. 776
steeds stamp,
and dust rises.
[Fol. 14.]
Sliields are
broken.
Lances are
Eplintered.
Nicholas attacks
Alexander.
Their spears
break.
Tliey fight with
Bvvords.
Stridis i«to stele-bowe • sterh's apon loft,
Has a helme on his hede & honge on • his swyre
a schaft hentis. 780
A .schene schondirhand schild • &
Quat of stamping of stedis & • stering of bernes,
AH dymed fe dale & • ]>e dust ryses.
With slik a bront & a brusche ' \>e bataiH a-sembild,
As fe erth & aH fe el[e]ment/6' • at anes had wrestilcf.
Now aithire stoure on \>ar stedis • strikis to-gedire, 785
Spurnes out spakly • -wiih speris in hand,
Brek^s in-to blasons • bordren^ shildis,
Beiis in-to bri3t stele • bitand lances, 788
Sone in scheuerand schidis ' schaftis ere brosten,
Al to-spryng/s in sprotw^ speris of '
syris,
Dryfuys doune duchepe*s & doyk2s of par horses,
•
Fellis f;iy to pe fold • many fresch kny3tts. 792
Quat dose now Jiis Nichollas ' bot nymes him a spert-,
Kest him on pis jong knyjt • to couiri^ hiin a name ;
And Alexander with anothire • airis him agayne,
Girdis grymly to-gedire • greuosly vaetis. 796
Sa sare was pe semble • fire seggis be-twene,
pat al to-wraiste ]ai par wode & werpis * in-sondiri,
Al to-clatirs in-to cauels • clene to jjaire handis, 799
par left noufire in par hand • pe lengthe of an ellyn.
Jen littid fiai na langer • bot laschid out swerdis,
Aithire a blesynand brand* • brait out of schethe,
Hewis on hattzVly • had thurgh mailes,
]\Iany starand stanes • strike of J)aire helmes. 804
J3en Alexa}ider in ane ire • his arme vp-lift/5,
Alexander
cleaves
Nicholas' head.
Swythe swyngis out his swerde & his swayfe feches.
•
pe noH of Nicollas pe kyng he fra pe nebb partis,
•
pat dowi he feli fra his fole & fynyst for euir. 808
•
)3us was him destand ])at day as drijten had shapid',
•
'
7-ead haire wode.
MS. reijcats in sproti*.
* read broden.
Added in the margin.