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

&
62 THE BISHOP OF JERUSALEM REFUSES AID. [AshmolC.
The bishop of
Jerusalem says
lie will never go
against Darius.
Alexander is
wrath, and vows
to teach them
better.
He sends men
out on the
'
foray of Gadirs.'
Meleager and
Sampson enter
[Fol. 21.]
the valley,
jjan jjaim^ of Persy to pay or to plese authere. 1180
•
pan takis Jje biscliop ]je breue & bu3es • to a chambre,
Eesayued it v/ith reue'ence & redis it^ ouiie,
•
Gase him Jou2 be degrece a-gayne • to fie sale,
Swiftly to Jje swiars & jjam his sware jeldis • : 1184
" Sirs, airis a gayfi to Alexander
•
ail |)us^ him tellis,
])at me was done many day • depely to swere,
I^euer Persy to paire ' to pas \v/t/t myne armes
In damaging of Darius durand his lyfe." 1188
•
Sone as fe wale kyng wist • he writhis hin vnfaire,
" Now be pat god," quod ]>g gome • " pat gatt me on
erthe,
I saH anes on f»e iewis • enioyne or I die, 1191
SaH ken fam quas comandment
faH."
*
to kcpe at Ipivii
^it for na torfar hin tid Tyre wald he no^t • lene,
Bot chese hii out a chiftane & charge[s] hi»i belyue,
•
A mody man, ser ]\Ieliag«' a maister of his • ^ oste,
To fande him furth with a flote of fyue hundreth
•
kni^tis;
A[nd] loynes him to losaphat • his iourmxy to^ take,
And aU pe pastours & J>e playnes • prestly to driue,
And bring in aH pe bestaiH • barayn & othire,
119G
pat he mi3t se on any syde * pe cite of Gadirs. 1200
)5an mouys he on, ser Meliager • J)is mi3tifuH prince
•
Wit^ a soume of sekir men & Sampson Jiaiu ledis,
A renke at in fa regions had' redyn oft sythis.
*
And knew pe costis & fe kitthis clene aH-to-gedire.
•
j5us 3ede Jjai furthe egirly & entirs pe vaile, 1205
•
And alike a prai fam apreued as pyne were to reken,
•
and take a great Bryngis furthe, sayd pQ boke • besti's out of nounbre,^
number of cattle.
And trottes oil toward Tyre with taite at • Jjaire hert/6\
Bot or ])ai meten ware a myle * Je meris wit/i-outen.
'
MS. \>a,\ein. ' Inserted at the end of the line. ' T\IS. {"
*
MS. hio. * MS. to to ;
with former to struck out.
* MS. mounbre.