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.

                                
                                  Meuand of þis marras · oure men to assaill,
                                
                                  With backis, as þe buke sais · biggir & hardere
                                
                                  Þan ony comon cogill-stane · or cocatryse scales. [folio 67a] 
                                  Line 3895 
                                
                                  Quen kniȝtis of oure conquirours · kest at þam lances,
                                
                                  Was nane so wele-stelid poynt · at þam perse miȝte.
                                
                                  Bot gomes with þaire greues in twa · in þe gledis spurned,
                                
                                  And all at left ware o lyue · in-to þe [MS. to, with in and þe in the margin.]  loȝe entirs.
                                  Line 3899 
                                
                                  Be þai had fyneschid þis fiȝt · was ferre in with euyn,
                                
                                  Foure houres full farne · & þe fifte [MS. fiȝte, altered to fifte.]  neghes.
                                
                                  And leons quyte as lylly · lent þam agayn,
                                
                                  Of bodis biggire þan bules · berand vnfaire.
                                  Line 3903 
                                
                                  Oure kniȝtis at þe first come [Ms. cl come.]  · clenly þaim sloȝe,
                                
                                  Alto bretind þaim on bent · & broȝt þaim on fliȝt.
                                
                                  Wild berys in [In the margin.]  þe wast · fra þe wodd comes,
                                
                                  With ilka tenefull tothe · as tyndis of [MS. l of.]  harowis,
                                  Line 3907 
                                
                                  A cubete lenth, sais þe clause · cald was þe lest.
                                
                                  Þai seke out be sundres · sexti to-gedire,
                                
                                  With wild men of þe wast · & women e-bland,
                                
                                  With sex handis, & soo · sett out of kynd.
                                  Line 3911 
                                
                                  Þai held in hettirly · & hurtis of his kniȝtis;
                                
                                  And þai with brandis & bowis · bremely þaim woundis,
                                
                                  Sloȝe of þa sauagyus · a sowme out of nombre,
                                
                                  And many scopid into þe scoghe · without scath mare.
                                
                                  Sire Alexander & his ost · angwisch enduris,
                                  Line 3916 
                                
                                  Was waik, as na wondre was · & wery for-foȝten.
                                
                                  And þam he bedis at a braide · to beet vp þe stank,
                                
                                  With-out his ost ouir all · horrible fires.
                                  Line 3919 
                                
                                  Þan come a beste of a busche · with a blak heued,
                                
                                  Mad & merkid as a Meere · þe mast of þe werd,
                                
                                  Fere fersere þan an olifant · as we find written,
                                
                                  Stayrand on to þe staunke [Here follows to þe stank, struck out.]  · þe stour to asaill. [folio 67b] 
                                  Line 3923 
                                
                                  Þis breme best bare · as [MS. as as.]  þe buke tellis,
                                
                                  Before forne in þe fronte · thre fell tyndis,

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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 220
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
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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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