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.

                                
                                  Þai made as mery melody · & musik þai sanng
                                
                                  As in þe moneths of Mai · or mydsomere euyn!
                                
                                  Þare fand he vessale of value · to vyse out of nombre,
                                
                                  Gurds & Goblets · of gold althire-finest,
                                  Line 3701 
                                
                                  Coupis all of cristall · & oþire clere gemmes;
                                
                                  Þai fande bot a fewe dele · forged of siluir.
                                
                                  Þan rade he fra þa regions · & remewid his hostis;
                                
                                  To þe ȝatis of Caspy he come · & sett doun his tentis,
                                
                                  A lande, as þe buke tellis · a large & a noble,
                                  Line 3706 
                                
                                  All sauand bot serpentis · & oþire sere bestis.
                                
                                  To þe mode qwene of Amazoyne · þan makis him þis pistill.
                                
                                  "I, þat þe kyng am of kyngs · & kiddist of lordis,
                                
                                  Alexander, athil child · of Amon oure driȝtin,
                                  Line 3710 
                                
                                  To Calistride þe conquirese · comfurth & ioye!
                                
                                  Oure weris & oure wirschips · & of oure wale notis,
                                
                                  How we [MS. h we.]  haue done ser Dary · & drepid his kniȝtis,
                                
                                  Couerd all his kyngdoms · & conquirid his landis,
                                
                                  I leue it to ȝour ladyschip · þis lange noȝt vnknawen.
                                
                                  With Porrus in þe playn fild · proued haue my strenthis,
                                  Line 3716 
                                
                                  And oþire fele, þat ware to faynt · oure force to with|stand.
                                
                                  For-þi ȝour landis, if ȝow list · to leuire fra oure handis,
                                
                                  Tas tite vn-to ȝour tresory · & trebute vs pays."
                                  Line 3719 
                                
                                  Þan writis agayne þe wale quene · & on þis wyse spekis:
                                
                                  "I, Calistride, þe conquirese · þat kepis all þis endis,
                                
                                  With þe mery mai[d]ons [MS. maīos.]  of Amazoyne · þe miȝtist in erthe,
                                  Line 3722 
                                
                                  And othire birdis ebland · þe biggist in erthe, [folio 64a] 
                                
                                  To þe modi kyng of Messedone · message of blisse.
                                
                                  Ȝoure saule sa full of sapient · sedis & floures,
                                
                                  Þat all þe present is apert · puttis þou in mynde,
                                  Line 3726 
                                
                                  And has of cases þat ere to come · a knawlage in dole.
                                
                                  For-þi oure soile or þou seke · vmse þe be tyme,

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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 214
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 June 23, 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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