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.

                                
                                  And large was his odd lome · þe lenthe of a ȝerde.
                                
                                  With þat comands oure kyng · his kniȝtis him to  [In the margin.]  take,
                                
                                  And þai a-saillid him sone · bot he na segge dredis,
                                
                                  For nouthire fondis he to flee · ne na fens made,
                                  Line 4753 
                                
                                  Bot stude & stared as a stott · & stirred he na forthire.
                                
                                  Þan callis to him þe conquirour · a comly mayden,
                                
                                  Bad hire be broȝt be-fore þe best · & bare to be nakid.
                                
                                  And he be-held on þat hend · & hissis as a neddire,
                                
                                  He wald haue strangild hire streȝt · ne had stiffe men bene;
                                  Line 4758 
                                
                                  He wald haue schowid on þat schene · had noȝt men halden,
                                
                                  And to þe prince pauelion · prestly him lede.
                                
                                  Quen he had ferlied his fill · on his foule schapp,
                                
                                  He gers þaim bynde him at a braid · & brent him to poudire.
                                  Line 4762 
                                
                                  Þen rade he fra þat reuir · & remowid his ost
                                
                                  In-till a brade bent fild · & bildid vp his tentis.
                                
                                  Þare fande he lindis on þat lande · þe [MS. a þe, but corrected.]  lenthe of a spere,
                                
                                  And þai ware frett full of frute · þe fairest of þe werde.
                                
                                  It ware to tere any tong to tell · of þa trees kinde,
                                  Line 4767 
                                
                                  For þai wald sett with þe son · & with þe son rise.
                                
                                  Fra morewane to þe mydday · merely þai spring,
                                
                                  And þan discende þai doun · as þe day passis.
                                
                                  Lo, þis was a wondirfull werk · bot gods awen will,
                                
                                  Þat þai suld wax soo & wane · within a wale time.
                                
                                  For, fra it droȝe to þe derke · ay till it dawid eftir,
                                
                                  It was bot vacant & voide · as vanite it were. [folio 82b] 
                                  Line 4774 
                                
                                  Þe kyng in his caban · with his kniȝtis he ligis,
                                
                                  Tutand out of his tents · & þe trees waitis.
                                
                                  A bad a berne of a bobb · bring him a nappill;
                                
                                  Þan bowis furth a bachelere · his bedinge to fill;
                                  Line 4778 
                                
                                  And he was sodanly sesid · & slane with a sprete.
                                
                                  With þat enverrouns all þe vale · a voice fra þe heuen,
                                
                                  Said, "qua so fangis o þis frute · bees fey in a stounde!"

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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 247
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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