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.

                                
                                  Quat tene & torfare may tide · & tent to þine ende.
                                
                                  Þare werraid neuir with vs na wee · þat wirschip achewid,
                                  Line 3730 
                                
                                  Þat he ne was heried in hast · or had a heȝe schame.
                                
                                  For ilka lered man of lyue · him so lethir haldis,
                                
                                  If he þat for distruccion doun · in-to þe depe fallis.
                                
                                  Bot oure werkis & of oure wonynge-stede · if ȝe wald knawe,
                                  Line 3734 
                                
                                  I sal declare ȝow þe cas · clene by þire writtis.
                                
                                  Oure inhabetting, ser, is in an Ilee · & amed as a sercle,
                                
                                  With rynand all aboute oure erd · an endles wattre.
                                
                                  And we ere of females at þe fewis · foure & xxti Mille, [I. e. thousand.] 
                                
                                  And twa hundreth þar-to · & all of tried ladis.
                                  Line 3739 
                                
                                  A preue planke is at a place · to pas & to entre,
                                
                                  Oure bernes bildis noȝt vs by · bot ouir þe bourne wyndis.
                                
                                  Bot ȝet be-ȝonde ilka ȝere · make we vs festis,
                                  Line 3742 
                                
                                  And thretti dais all be-dene · oure delitis hauntis.
                                
                                  If any consaue þar a knaf · þan kepis him his modire
                                
                                  Vij ȝere with-in oure-selfe · & sendis him his fadir.
                                
                                  And be scho lyuir of a lasse · scho lengis in oure burȝe,
                                
                                  And is oure thewis of oure thede · thryfandly enfourmed.
                                  Line 3747 
                                
                                  Quen we to feȝt with oure faes · fares out of wanes,
                                
                                  A hundreth thousand I hope we be · on horses enarmed,
                                
                                  Þa leues in oure lede · oure lithis to defend.
                                  Line 3750 
                                
                                  Quen we repaire with þe palme · þan prayses vs oure feris.
                                
                                  And, buske ȝe to oure bondsward · vs bataill to ȝeld,
                                
                                  Ȝet sall we maynly on þe marche · mete ȝow in [In the margin.]  armes. [folio 64b] 
                                
                                  To lithe vs all if þou limpes · na louyng þou gettis,
                                
                                  For þou wynnes noȝt bot wemen · þare-of na worde rysis.
                                
                                  Bot & god graunt vs þe gree · grete glorie haue we þan,
                                
                                  For þe athelist emperoure we wan · euen at oure will.
                                
                                  Be noȝt to sturten with þi sturte · to stryue vs a-gayn,
                                
                                  For many leres may þe limpe · slik as þou noȝt wenes!"

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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 215
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 24, 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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