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

;
Dublin.] ALEXANDER SLAYS HIM. 37
That \)e holtez of ])g lieer wode • &
like atlieU to hys hors • liyes hyni belyue,
pe hillez slieueii. 776
•
Striden to stele-bowe startyn vpon lofte,
Had helnies vpon hedes ful hey & hynget vmby • Jjar shwyre
A shemerand sheld & • ])air shaftez hynten. 780
What of stampyng of stedes & strippyng* of baners,
•
AH demmyd f e dale & • fe duste risez.
With suche a bront & a broush pe bateH assembled,
•
As j)e erth & aH fe elementes * at anez had wrystyllyd. 784
Now ather stoure on ]>ar stedes • striken to-gedi'r,
Sprenten owt spakly • vfith speres in hand,
Erochen both basynettes & brouden sheldez,
•
Eeres in-to bright stele • bitand lancez, 788
Sone in-to sheue-and shidez • shaftez to-brislefi,
AH to-sprongen into -sprotes • sperez of cipriss,
Dryvez dowue docesperes • and dukez of blonkez,
Felles fey to fe fold • many fers knyghtes. 792
What doys me now J)is nicholas • bott nymmez hyni a sper,
Kest hym on jjis yong knyght • to gett hym a name
And alexander with an ofer ayers hym ayayns,
•
Eidyn grymly to-geder & grysly metyn. 796
•
So [sar] was J)e semble • [fir] Seges by-twene,
•
Jat aH to-wrasted |)ai wod & warpyd in-sonde*,
AH claters in clyftez clene • to fair fistez,
Jjai lefte nofer in faire [hand] • fe lenth of ^ ane Elne. 800 [FoI. 4 6.J
Jjan let fai no langer • bot laughtyn owt swerdes,
ATpir a brade blysnand brand • brade forth of shethez,
Hewen on heterly • hadon forow malys,
Fele starand stanes • striken of fair helmes. 804
Than alG-s.ander in ire hys arme vpp • lyftes,
Swith swynnges vp hys swerd & hys swaffe faches.
•
The nole of nicholas f e kyng he fra • [f e] nek partem,
That doiin he fel from hys fole • fynysliit for euer. 808
J3us was hym destinate fat day • as drijten hym shapyd,
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ivritten above tlit line in MS.