The wars of Alexander: an alliterative romance translated chiefly from the Historia Alexandri Magni de preliis. Re-edited from ms. Ashmole 44, in the Bodleian library, Oxford, and ms. D.4.12, in the library of Trinity college, Dublin: by the Rev. Walter W. Skeat.

                                
                                  Lest sho flechett or faylett · with fyfe score ankers.
                                  Line 1372 
                                
                                  When he hed tight vp þis trame · & þis teld reryd,
                                
                                  It hed of bradnes aboue · to breue owt of mesour;
                                
                                  And to hede by hoge þing · hegher it semyd
                                
                                  Than was [þe walles], as þe writte says · of þe wale tourez.
                                
                                  Þan alexander all [his ane] · a-none he ascendez,
                                  Line 1377 
                                
                                  Closed all in clere stele · & in clene platez,
                                
                                  And monyshit iche moderson · manly & swythe,
                                
                                  Þat all be bowne at a brade · þe burght to asayle.
                                  Line 1380 
                                
                                  All þe hoste [Better oste.]  euen ouer · opynly he comandes
                                
                                  Ȝarly all to be arraed · and redy to fight;
                                
                                  And when þat þai see þat hym-selfe · þe cite was entird,
                                
                                  Wynnen vpp vppo [Sic.]  þe walle · ilke wy hym after.
                                  Line 1384 
                                
                                  Now tynkyll vp taburnes · þat all þe towne ringes,
                                
                                  Sterne stevyn vpon stroke · straked trompettes,
                                
                                  Blew bemes of brace · bernes assembled,
                                
                                  Sought to on ilk syde · & a saute ȝeldyn,
                                  Line 1388 
                                
                                  To prese to with paves · a peple withowte;
                                
                                  Archers with arowes · of atter enuenmonyd [Read enuenomyd.] 
                                
                                  Shoton vp sharply · at salkez on þe wallez,
                                
                                  Lashe at þaim on-lofte · in mony lowd showte,
                                  Line 1392 
                                
                                  And þai ȝopely ayayn · ȝeldyn þaim swythe,
                                
                                  Bekeryng forth of þe burgh · bald men many, [folio 12b] 
                                
                                  Kenely þai kepe · with castyng of stanes,
                                
                                  Dryves dartez at owr dukez · deply þaim wounden.
                                  Line 1396 
                                
                                  Than passyd vp of princez · pristly enarmed,
                                
                                  Into þe bastell abowne · bremely ascenden,
                                
                                  Some with launcez on-lofte · & some with long swerdez,
                                
                                  With ax & with awblester · & alken wapens.
                                  Line 1400 
                                
                                  And alexander ay elik · awgerdly feghtez,
                                
                                  Now a shafte, now a shelde, · now a swerde hentez,
                                
                                  Now a sparth, now a spere · & sped so hys mightez,
                                
                                  Þat it wald tere ony tong · hys tournays to reken.

                                  Line 1404

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Title: The wars of Alexander: an alliterative romance translated chiefly from the Historia Alexandri Magni de preliis. Re-edited from ms. Ashmole 44, in the Bodleian library, Oxford, and ms. D.4.12, in the library of Trinity college, Dublin: by the Rev. Walter W. Skeat.
Canvas: Page 75
Publication: London,: Pub. for the Early English text society, by N. Trübner & co.,; 1886.
Subject terms: Alexander, -- the Great, -- 356-323 B.C. -- Romances.

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Collection: Corpus of Middle English Prose and Verse
Link to this Item: https://name.umdl.umich.edu/apa1967.0001.001
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Full citation: "The wars of Alexander: an alliterative romance translated chiefly from the Historia Alexandri Magni de preliis. Re-edited from ms. Ashmole 44, in the Bodleian library, Oxford, and ms. D.4.12, in the library of Trinity college, Dublin: by the Rev. Walter W. Skeat." In the digital collection Corpus of Middle English Prose and Verse. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/apa1967.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed May 9, 2025.

The wars of Alexander: an alliterative romance translated chiefly from the Historia Alexandri Magni de preliis. Re-edited from ms. Ashmole 44, in the Bodleian library, Oxford, and ms. D.4.12, in the library of Trinity college, Dublin: by the Rev. Walter W. Skeat.

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