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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                    Syr Dere Darius on dese · þe digne Emperour, [Epistola darij.] 
                    Line 1720 
                  
                    The kyng withowt comparison · of kyngez all oþer,
                  
                    Of al lordes þe Lord · þat leues in erthe, [folio 17a] 
                  
                    Predecessour of princez · & peir to þe Son,
                  
                    The souerane syre of my sole · þat sittis in myne trone,
                  
                    In fange with my faire god · þat I affye maste,
                    Line 1725 
                  
                    To Alexander, þat of all · so augerdly hym letes,
                  
                    Oure seget & our siruant [MS. souerent siruant; the former word expuncted.]  · þus our-selfe writtez.
                  
                    For it is wayfed vs to wete · þou haues wikedly,
                    Line 1728 
                  
                    Thrugh enmyte & enuye · Elacion of pride,
                  
                    Be vanyte & vaynglory · þat in þi vaynes kyndeles,
                  
                    Purvayd þe pletours · oure partez to ryde.
                  
                    For þou hase sampned, als men sayn · a sellich nowmbre
                  
                    Off wrechez & of wyrlyngez · out of þe west ende,
                    Line 1733 
                  
                    Off laddez & of losyngers · & of lityll thefez,
                  
                    Siche sary sorowez as þi-self · to seke vs agayns,
                  
                    And wenys to weld at þi wille · þat worthez full late,
                  
                    The prouince & þe principalite · of perse le graunt.
                    Line 1737 
                  
                    Bot þou ert fere all to faynte · oure force to withstonde;
                  
                    Þof [MS. Of.]  þou hade gederit [it written above the line.]  all þe gomez · þat euer god formede,
                  
                    So, man, ryfe is owr reme · þat þou may wele lekyn
                  
                    Þe sture strenth of owr stoure · to þe sternez of heuen;
                  
                    And sike a neker als þi selfe · ane noght of all oþer,
                  
                    Is bot [MS. bod.]  a maddyng to mell · with mare þen þi-selue.
                  
                    For-þi is better vnbende · & of þi brathe leue,
                    Line 1744 
                  
                    . . . . .
                  
                    For mare menske is a man · to meke hym be tyme,
                  
                    Than after made to be meke · mawgre hys chekys.
                  
                    For all þe graciouse goddes · & goddesse on erth,
                    Line 1748 
                  
                    . . . . .
                  
                    Praysez ay þe persens · passyng all oþer,

                    Line 1750

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                    Line 1750 
                  
                    And for þe oddest of ilke one oste · honours owr name.
                  
                    And slyke a dwynyng · a drawgh of þi-seluen,
                    Line 1752 
                  
                    A grob, a grig out of grece · ane erth-growen sorow,
                  
                    Wyll couett ȝitte as a kyng · with catyffez litell,
                  
                    To couer & to combre all þe kyngez · vnder þe Cape of heuen!
                  
                    Right as a flaw of fell snaw · fallen wer fro þe drifte,
                    Line 1756 
                  
                    Of a wistus wondyn wagh · with þe wynd blayn,
                  
                    So with a flote of fresons · folowand thi heles,
                  
                    Thu sekys fraward sychim · þi-selue with euell haille,
                  
                    And Leues as a losell · owr land for to entre, [folio 17b] 
                    Line 1760 
                  
                    And make þi lepys & þi lakez · & qwat þou list ellys,
                  
                    As ratons or ronke myce · in a rowme chaumbre,
                  
                    About on beddes or in bernez · þar baddez er nane.
                  
                    Bott I haue willyly wayted · þi wilez & þi castez,
                    Line 1764 
                  
                    And when þou hopys all-þir eldest · to haue at þou likez,
                  
                    I sall þe sett on a sawte · & slaye þe with my handez,
                    Line 1766 
                  
                    And so sall, fole, for þi folez · be fenyshit on dawes.
                    Line 1766* 
                  
                    For þi pompe & þi pride · þi purpasse avyse, [MS. to avyse; but to is better omitted.] 
                    Line 1767 
                  
                    For yf þou shote ouer-sheet · þou shendes þi flayne.
                    Line 1767* 
                  
                    Turne [MS. To me wrongly.]  þe, trechour, be tyme · þat þou no treson hable,
                    Line 1768 
                  
                    And [drawe] agayn to þi den · vnder þi dame wengez.
                  
                    Se qwat I sende þe, son · þi-selfe with to layke,
                  
                    A hatt here & a hand-balle · & a herne-panne; [MS. payne, corrected to panne.] 
                  
                    Slike presantes [MS. presandez presantes.]  to play with · as pertenys þe to haue.
                    Line 1772 
                  
                    For ay a childe most hym chose · vnto childer gammez;
                  
                    For mister & for michefe · vneth may þou forth
                  
                    Þine awne catef cors · to cloth & to fede,
                  
                    And ȝit supposes as A sott · to sesyn owr Landez,
                    Line 1776 
                  
                    And Darius to drepe · & dryve owt of hys [lys, corrected to hys.]  kythes!
                  
                    Bot be þe grace & þe goode · þat god gafe my fader,
                  
                    So ryfe is þe rede gold · oure regions within,
                  
                    At who so had it on a hepe · holy to-gedre, [MS. to gredre.] 

                    Line 1780

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                    Line 1780 
                  
                    It wald hym lett, as I leue · þe light of þe Son!
                  
                    For-þi bid I þe badly · vppon payn of þi eghen, [MS. eughen.] 
                  
                    And on þe plight & payn · & perle þat folows,
                  
                    All þi vanyte to voyde · & þi vayn pryde,
                    Line 1784 
                  
                    And mefe ayayn to masydon · or ony mare falle.
                  
                    For, be þe sawle of my sire · bot yf þou sone turne,
                  
                    I sall send þe suche a sume · of segges enarmed,
                    Line 1787 
                  
                    Þat noght as philip faunt · þou sall fare with þi-seluen,
                  
                    Bot as a prince reproued · sall be pynyd to dede."
                  
                    Als sone as euer hys sondesmen · to þis syre commyn,
                  
                    Thai present hym playnly · & þat pistill hym rechys,
                  
                    And alexander als byliue · before hys atell [So in MS.]  princez,
                    Line 1792 
                  
                    And to þe host euen ouer · it opynly declares. [folio 18a] 
                  
                    And when þe knyghtez · of þis clause vnderstonde,
                  
                    Than wer þai felly [MS. fellyd.]  affrayed · of hys fell sawes;
                  
                    And als sone as hym-selfe se · hys seges ameyved,
                    Line 1796 
                  
                    In beldyng of hys bachelers · he breues þees wordes:
                  
                    "What now? my worthy weryours · so wight & so noble,
                  
                    My bernes & my barotours · þe best vnder heuen;
                  
                    Lett neuer it be broght on brade · for vmbrayd of shame,
                    Line 1800 
                  
                    Yhe dout for þe dityng · of darius pistell.
                  
                    I sett you an ensaumple · ye se it euerilke day,
                  
                    In thorpus & in mony thede · þare ye þorow ryden, [MS. dyden.] 
                  
                    . . . . .
                    Line 1804 
                  
                    For yf he bremely bays · he bitez neuer helder.
                  
                    Bot in some way, I suppose wele · þat soght is hys lettre,
                  
                    Þair as he tellez which tunne [MS. tyme.]  · of tresour he hase.
                  
                    For-þi vs [bus] to be big · & batele hym ȝelde,
                    Line 1808 
                  
                    Þe grete garison of gold · sall geder vp owr hertes."
                  
                    With þat commandez þe kyng · hys knyghtez belyfe,
                  
                    Þare Domesmen þat from darius come · with þe derfe lettrez,
                  
                    Þat þai suld titely þaim take · & be toȝe nekez,
                    Line 1812 
                  
                    For þair souerend sake · þaim send to þe galouse.

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                    Þen wer þees messyngers amaced · as mervell wer ellez,
                  
                    With carfull chere · to þe conquerour þai saydyn:
                  
                    "Alas! what lake lyes in vs · lord, be your lefe,
                    Line 1816 
                  
                    Thus causles for owr kyng · encombred to worthe?"
                  
                    "The sawez of your soueren" · sayd þe kyng þen,
                  
                    "Nedes me now to seche notes · as I neuer attelytt,
                  
                    That he hase sent to my-seluen · noght as he awght;
                    Line 1820 
                  
                    Lo! 'lityll thefe' in iche line · hys lettre me calles."
                  
                    . . . . .
                  
                    "Þis doyngez sir darius · indited you hym-seluen,
                  
                    For he knew noght your knyghthode · ne your kyd strenthez;
                    Line 1824 
                  
                    Ne wist noght of yowr worthiness · & wrote all þe balder.
                  
                    Bot ȝe wald graunt vs to go · & gyfe vs owr lyfez,
                  
                    Than suld we bremely your blysse · vnto þe berne shewe."
                  
                    Þan lete þe Lord þaim alon · & lathys þaim to hys feste,
                  
                    Takes þaim with hym to hys tent · & makez þaim at ease.
                  
                    Sone as þees sandesmen in sale · wer sett at þe table, [folio 18b] 
                  
                    "Sir alexander, atell kyng" · quod all with a stevyn,
                  
                    "Comand with vs to care · knyghtez a thowsand,
                    Line 1832 
                  
                    And we sall surely owr syre · you send in þair handez."
                  
                    "Ȝa, make ȝe blysse," quod þe kynge · "blyth mote ȝe worthe,
                  
                    For þe lachynge of your Lorde · sall noght a lede weynde."
                  
                    Bot to Darius on þat oþer day · indited he a pistell,
                    Line 1836 
                  
                    A lettre clenly enclosyt · þat consaued þees wordes.
                  
                    "I, alexander, ayr · & eldeste childe bothe [Epistola.] 
                  
                    Of kyng philip þe ferse · þe fender of grece,
                  
                    And als of olimphades · þat honorable ladye,
                    Line 1840 
                  
                    To þe, sir Darius, on dese · þus dite I my lettre.
                  
                    Þou prince of all persens · þat apperys to þe son,
                  
                    The conquerour of ilke coste · callyd of þi-seluen,
                  
                    With all þi graciouse goddes · grathed in þi trone,
                    Line 1844 
                  
                    All þus I send þow to say · vnder my sealle wrytten.
                  
                    Sir, yf we se þe sothe · surely me thynke,

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                    Our facultez or faire feys · owr fermez & owre goldes,
                  
                    We may noght chalynge þaim ne clame · ne calle þaim our awne,
                    Line 1848 
                  
                    Bot all I deme as dett · vnto a day borowed.
                  
                    For yff we ryde on þi reme · & on þi renke settyn
                  
                    Off þe whele of forton & þe whene · þat whistely chaungez,
                  
                    Of[t] passe we in-to pouerte · fro plente of godez,
                    Line 1852 
                  
                    Fro mirthe into murnyng · fro murnyng into Ioy.
                  
                    For now vs vantes in a whirre · as þe whele chaungez;
                  
                    When we supposye in howre-selfe · to sitte all-þar heldest,
                  
                    Þen fonndez doun dame forton · to þe flode-ȝates,
                    Line 1856 
                  
                    Drawez vp þe dame-borde · & drenchez vs for euer.
                  
                    For-þi a wye þat hase witte · of þe whele sofre,
                  
                    So [MS. So doys he so sodandly; of which doys he is subpuncted.]  sodandly in hys souerente · to sett neron [So in MS.; for neuer on.]  hys hope
                  
                    For pride of no prosperite · ne prise at hym folowez,
                    Line 1860 
                  
                    To olle ay on hys vnderlinges · for ouerlayke a while.
                  
                    For ony ceyle vnder heven · a sot I hym halde,
                  
                    Þat ay hase dene & dispyte · of dedes of lityll,
                  
                    Syon oft þe haslokst her · is heuen to þe sternes,
                    Line 1864 
                  
                    And he þat [MS. þ, with ht above the line.]  grethest was of goddez · gird all to-geder.
                  
                    For-þi a depe disHonor · yhe do to your Name, [folio 19a] 
                  
                    Ane Emperour þat on þis erth · is euen to your-seluen,
                  
                    To me so lityll & so lawe · such lettres to wayfe,
                    Line 1868 
                  
                    And presentes owt of perse · bot for a pure hethinge.
                  
                    For þou inheretes all þis werld · & euens vnto þe sun,
                  
                    And calles þe kyng of ilke kyth · vnder þe cape of heuen,
                  
                    And þarto sittes as þou says · in sege as an angell,
                    Line 1872 
                  
                    To-gedre with þi grett goddez · on a gilt trone.
                  
                    . . . . .
                  
                    . . . . .
                  
                    . . . . .
                    Line 1876 
                  
                    . . . . .
                  
                    I knaw I am corruptible · & caire þow agayns,
                  
                    Als a dedlich duk · to do my batell;

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                    Bot if þou þe victour availe · no vaunt sall þar rise,
                    Line 1880 
                  
                    No lose, bot of a lityll thef · enlympyd you to combre.
                  
                    Bot chaunce it me, þat I am childe · þe cheuer to worth,
                  
                    So þat if be [be, written above the line.]  gefyn me þe gre · grete glory is my awne.
                  
                    For þan sall springe vp þe speche · & sprede owt of mynde,
                    Line 1884 
                  
                    How at I haue Conquired a king · þe kyddest of þe werld.
                  
                    Bot one tale ȝe me tald · I trowe be no fable,
                  
                    Of þe refuse of rede gold · your regions within,
                  
                    Which plente is in perse · of perle & of ellys,
                    Line 1888 
                  
                    Þe some of siluer & of siche · & of sere stones,
                  
                    þar-with owr willes er replete · & our wittes sharped,
                  
                    And baldit vs with þi besaundez · þe batell to byd,
                  
                    Made vs coragiouse & kene · þi clere gold to wynne,
                    Line 1892 
                  
                    And put away our pouerte · yhe pledyn vs to hald.
                  
                    Bot as tochand þe trufels · þat ȝe to me send,
                  
                    Þe herne-payn, þe hand-balle · þe hat made of twygges,
                  
                    Þair hase þou prophecied apert · & playnly vs schewed,
                  
                    And fair enformed vs before · þat falle sall after.
                    Line 1897 
                  
                    For be þe bale, sir, I breue · all þe brode werld,
                  
                    The erth þat to myne empire · entirely is ȝholden.
                    Line 1899 
                  
                    And be þe hatte, þat is holys [Read holow.]  · & before þe heued [MS. heuend; but see l. 1902.]  boȝet,
                  
                    I Constrew þat iche kyng · sall incline to my-seluen.
                  
                    Þan hope I, be þe harnepanne · þat þe heued Couers,
                  
                    Ouercommer to be callyd · & ouercomyn neuer.
                  
                    Now þe gretest vnder god · gyfes me truage,
                    Line 1904 
                  
                    With all þar dignitez be-dene · þat deuised I Haue."
                  
                    THys brefe he biddez þaim Bere · & besaundes þaim reches; [folio 19b] 
                  
                    And aftyr armes hys oste · & ayres on forther.
                  
                    Sir darius for þis detes · nere dyes for sorow,
                    Line 1908 
                  
                    And to two þe derrest of hys dukes · ditez he þis pistell:
                  
                    "I, Coroundest kyng · of kyngez all oþer, [Epistola.] 
                  
                    To þe, sir Priamus, a prince · of þe gretest perse,
                  
                    And also to þe, sir antigon · myne awne athell dukes,

                    Line 1912

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                    Line 1912 
                  
                    The soueranest of my senory · my satrapers halden,
                  
                    Se here I send þou my sealle · with salutes of Ioy.
                  
                    For alexander the kynge · as I am informed,
                  
                    Is entred with owr enmys · ane endles nowmbre,
                    Line 1916 
                  
                    In þe anglez of asy · & hase þaim all stroyde,
                  
                    For-þi on life & on lymez · my legemen I charge
                  
                    To pristly þou apperale · & passe hym agayns,
                  
                    With all þe hatellys & þe herez · & þe hye maisters
                    Line 1920 
                  
                    Þat ȝe may assemble on þai sydez · saugeours & oþer.
                  
                    Chesse þou forth chiftanez · & me þis childe takes,
                  
                    Laches me þis losynger · & ledes me hym heder,
                  
                    And [I] sall hym skelp with a scourge · & þen in skyre purpure
                    Line 1924 
                  
                    A syde slauyn hym insew · & send hym hys modre;
                  
                    For now he prokes for pride · & p[ro]prely wodez,
                  
                    For-þi he must be bett · as a barne falles.
                  
                    Bot it aught noght suche brolle · in none armez of werez,
                    Line 1928 
                  
                    Bot at þe bulez as a brode · or with a bale to play."
                  
                    Þire princez, when þis pistell · was putt þaim in hand,
                  
                    Þai departyd þe prowde sealle · þe printe þai honour,
                  
                    And vnlappyd lightly þe leffe · & þe lines redyn,
                    Line 1932 
                  
                    And þus agaynward · þ[a]i grathed hym one oþer.
                  
                    "To þe kyng to acount [MS. acoaunt. The MS. has a tag to the final letter of acoaunt.]  · of all kyngez on erth, [Epistola.] 
                  
                    Sir Dary with þi dere goddez · dressyd in trone,
                  
                    Gouernour [MS. Geuernour.]  of ilke grome · & god all þi-seluen,
                    Line 1936 
                  
                    Þi satrapers, þi senyowrs · with seruyce obidiens:
                  
                    Sir, wetes it your worthynes · & wenys no langer,
                  
                    Þat þis childe with hys chiftanys · ȝe charge vs to take,
                  
                    He hase riden all your regions · & raymet owr landez,
                    Line 1940 
                  
                    Desperset all our prouince · & purely distroyde.
                  
                    And we þen liften vp a lite · & rydyn hym ayayns,
                  
                    Ferd forth with a folke · & hym in þe feld metyn; [folio 20a] 

                    Line 1943

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                    Line 1943 
                  
                    Bot sone wer bidden þaim þe bake · & besely echapyn
                    Line 1944 
                  
                    Owt of handez to þe swerde · mony of owr athelles.
                  
                    And we now haly all þe hepe · þat ȝe your helpe callyn,
                  
                    Vnto your mykle mageste · we mekely besekyn,
                  
                    Þat vs your lege & your lele men · it liked ȝou to forther,
                    Line 1948 
                  
                    For owr worship is weynd · & wasted is owr remes."
                  
                    And als radely as þe ryche kyng · had red ouer þe pistell,
                  
                    Be þat mefys in a messynger · & manyly hym tellys,
                  
                    Þat alexander was at hand · & hed an hoste loget
                    Line 1952 
                  
                    Vppon þe streme of streuma · þat straughit þorow þe land.
                  
                    Þen sir dary for þoe dedes · was deply agrevyd,
                  
                    Callys hys counsell · a clause he inditez,
                  
                    Makez a breue in a brayde · & in a breth sendes,
                    Line 1956 
                  
                    To alexander als belyue · & all þus hym gretes.
                  
                    "I, Sir Dary þe digne · & derfe Emperour, [Epistola darij.] 
                  
                    The king of kyngez am called · & conquerour bath,
                  
                    Of all Lordes Lord · lowsed þorow þe werld,
                    Line 1960 
                  
                    And one of þe souerenest syres · vndir þe seuen sternes,
                  
                    To þe, my siruand, I send · & sothly I knaw,
                  
                    And wete þou wele all þe werld · worshippys my name.
                  
                    For all þe gracieux goddez · þat þe ground viseten,
                    Line 1964 
                  
                    All er vndir my obedience · dredles I telle.
                  
                    How durst þou be so bald · for blode in þi heued,
                  
                    To mefe þus ouer þees montannez · & þes mony waters
                  
                    With syke a soume for to seke · a sawt vs to ȝelde,
                    Line 1968 
                  
                    Or ony maistre to make · my mageste ayayns?
                  
                    For wele wyde wer þi wele · wete þou none other,
                  
                    Both þi glory & grace · þi gladnesse in erth,
                    Line 1971 
                  
                    Might þou þe marche of masidon · mayntene þi-seluen,
                  
                    And gouern þine awen grund · agayns owr wyll.

Page 113

                  
                    For-þi it wer better vnbenden · or þou bale suffre,
                  
                    Remefe agayn to þi realm · or þou sall it rewe.
                  
                    For certan, yf my senory · & my-selue ne wer,
                    Line 1976 
                  
                    All þe werld might albido [Read a wido.]  · wele þen be called.
                  
                    For-þi turne þe be-tyme · or ony tene worth,
                  
                    Or þe hate of my hert · on þi heued kyndle.
                  
                    Lend Agayn to þi Land · Will I Leue gefe þe, [folio 20b] 
                    Line 1980 
                  
                    Lest þou mete with my malicoly · þi might be to lityll.
                  
                    For-þi to ken þe to knawe · my kyngdome her-after,
                  
                    Both my glory & my grace · & my grete strenth,
                  
                    Lo, her a glofe full of granes · I grath þe to rekyn,
                    Line 1984 
                  
                    Off þe chefest of [MS. oft.]  chessebollez · chosyn for þe nonest.
                  
                    For and þou may soume þees sedes · seurly þou leue,
                  
                    Thu may acount [MS. acoaunt; see l. 1993.]  all owr knyghtez · & owr kyd ostez;
                  
                    And yf þou thynkes þaim to tell · þen tydez þe none oþer,
                  
                    To mefe agayn to masidon · & mell þe no forther.
                    Line 1989 
                  
                    Fyne, fole, of þi fare · and fange to þi kythes;
                  
                    For as þis sede þat I send · vnsoumed is euer,
                  
                    So ben we of all [Here follows ben we of all fo, crossed through.]  frekes · & folkez vnnowmyrd,
                    Line 1992 
                  
                    Or ony weght to acount · vnder þe clere welkyn."
                  
                    Now ayres forth þees messyngers · & to alexander wendyn,
                  
                    Vnto þe streme of struma · streght with þis lettres,
                  
                    And þaim redes on a rase he · & rechez to þe sedes,
                    Line 1996 
                  
                    Castes þaim vnder his tothe · & talkys þees wordes:
                  
                    "Here I see," quod þis sire · "be þir selue cornes,
                  
                    Þat þe peple out of perse · er passandly mony,
                  
                    Bot þaim semys to be softe · as þees sedis preuez;
                    Line 2000 
                  
                    And þen how fele be all þe flote · it forcez bot lityll."
                  
                    Be þat was men of masidon · fro hys moder commyn,
                  
                    And þat semely was seke · & semyd to die;
                  
                    And he þe woest of þe werld · wald for hir to visytt,
                    Line 2004 
                  
                    Bot ȝit to Darius or he diȝt · he ditez suche a pistyll.

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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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Dublin

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