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.

                                
                                  Haue we no cures of courte · ne na cointe [MS. comite; but indistinct.]  sewes, [The former e in sewes is above the line.]  [AlexDind page 13] 
                                
                                  Swanes ne na swete thing · to swell oure wames.
                                  Line 4276 
                                
                                  All superfluyte of soule · & surfet vs wlattis,
                                
                                  To pegge vs as a peny hoge · þat praysis noȝt oure laȝes.
                                
                                  Forþi failis vs all infirmit[e]s · of ffeuyre & of ells,
                                
                                  Ne for na febill at we fele · na fysyke vs nedis.
                                  Line 4280 
                                
                                  Vs mistris neuire na medcyne · for malidy on erthe,
                                
                                  Bot ay as fresche & as fere · a[s] fisch quen he plays.
                                
                                  Oure lord has lemett vs elike · þe lenthe of oure days,
                                
                                  For þar leues na lede in oure lande · langire þan othire.
                                
                                  If he be sexti ȝere of sowme [The me added above the line.]  · þat a segge lastis,
                                  Line 4285 
                                
                                  His successoure has bot þe same · & þan þe saule ȝeldis.
                                
                                  We chaufe vs at na Chymmneys · for chelis of wintir,
                                
                                  Ne comes na clathis on oure corps · for na cald wyndis.
                                
                                  We bede noȝt to blemysch oure blode · with bodely dissires.
                                  Line 4289 
                                
                                  Perseuerance of pacience · & pes we reserue; [AlexDind page 14] 
                                
                                  Oure inward enmys ilkane · we inwardly drepis,
                                
                                  Þat is to say, all þe syn · at solp may þe saule,
                                  Line 4292 
                                
                                  As surfet, surquidry, & slawth · þe seuyn all bedene;
                                
                                  So þat oure werraours without · vs worthis noȝt at drede.
                                
                                  For wele sonere is a cite · sesid, or a castell,
                                  Line 4295 
                                
                                  Þat segid is on bath sidis [MS. sidid, alt. to sidis.]  · [than] þat segid [MS. gegid, alt. to segid.]  is with-out.
                                
                                  And þou wirkis bot on þa witerward · & worthis þaim ouire,
                                
                                  And suffirs so within þi flesche · þe faes of þe saule.
                                
                                  And we sitt all-way so sure · be sand & be wattir,
                                
                                  Þat na supowell vndire son · seke we vs neuire, [folio 74b] 
                                  Line 4300 
                                
                                  Ne schroude to scheld with oure schap · bot þe schire banes,
                                
                                  And with þe braunches of þe bowis · þat beris vs oure fodis.
                                
                                  Haue we na deliteable drinke · of diuerse wynes,

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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 232
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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