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

68 BALAAN DESTROYS THE SIEGE-WORKS [Ashmole.
Alexander rallies
Bome men round
him, and leaves
Tyre.
He lamenti the
loss of Sampson.
[Fol. 22 b.-\
J3e morth of all fe Messedone[s] & oi pe many '
grekis,
Eekens him par resons pat reuthe was • to here, 1280
With pai fe semely kyng chacches • his bernes,
Sembhs iiim a huge soume & • fra pe sege wendis,
j)e toure of Tire & pe toune • fitly he leues,
And loynes him to losaphat • fuH ioyles he rydes. 1284
Ay he grett^ as he gase • for grefe of his 'kny^tis,
Ay he pleynys as he passes • pe pite of his erlis,
Ay he wepis as he wendis • for his wale princes,
And soueraynly for Sampson • he sorowis ay elike. 1288
"When he was tane fraward ^ Tyre • toward pe vaile,
Jpe werke at he wro3t had! • fat water whyt-in,
]pat he had! sett in Jje see • pe cite wtt/t-out,
Jar-in he lefte had! a lede ' pe loge for to kepe. 1292
Sir Balaan of
Tyre assails
Alexander's siegeworks.
Bot pan ser Balaan, a heme • at in pe bur3e lengis,
Ane of Jje teranda of Tyre • atyres him^ belyue,
Buskes him in breneis • vfith big men of armes, 1295
With traumes & with tribochet/s pe * tild to asaile.
He bekirs out at pe bild • w/t/an pe burje-wallis.
And J)ai without in pe werke • wi3tly defendis,
and breaks them
down.
Schot scharply betwene • schomes ' of dartis ;
Weris Avondirly wele* * werpis out stanes. 1300
Bot Balaa[n] in pe barmeken • sa bitterly fijtis,
AH to-combirs )»am clene * with cast of engynes.
Sone pe top of pe toure • he tiltis in-to Jje w&tir,
And aH pe tulkis in pe tilcJ • he term ens o lyue ; 1304
And |)an in hatis & in bargis • he bownes hhn swyth,
He destroys To pe bothu/ra of pe baistelt he buskis *
hii w/t/t-out,
Alexander's
towers, and Bretens doun aH pe bild & •
throws them into
the sea. Drenches hire in pe hije see & drawis • hire on hepis.
pe bernys quellis, 1307
Quen it was smeten in smaH • with pe smert wajes,
Ilka gobet his gate • glidis fra othire.
pus'' pe strenth ilk stike^ ' was in a stounde wasteiJ,
^
MS. toward altered to fmward.
*
MS. here inserts h, but it is struck out. ^ Read schoures.
* Added in the margin. * \j\is, was.
MS.
® MS. stilk stike ; but stilk is struck out.