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.

                                
                                  Of scence & of othire salue · as sechis out of wellis, [folio 86a] 
                                
                                  Þat rase neuire of Aromitike · sike rekils in erth.
                                
                                  Þai fande a ferly faire tre · quare-on na frute groued,
                                
                                  Was void of all hire verdure · & vacant of leues,
                                
                                  A hundreth fote & a halfe · it had of leȝt large,
                                  Line 4980 
                                
                                  With-outen bark ouþir bast · full of bare pirnes.
                                
                                  þar bade a brid on a boghe · a-bofe in þe topp,
                                
                                  Was of a port of a paa · with sike a proude crest,
                                
                                  With bathe þe chekis & þe chauyls · as a chykin brid,
                                
                                  And all gilden [MS. wing lidin gilden; with wing lidin struck through.]  was hire gorg · with golden fethirs,
                                
                                  All hire hames be-hind · was hewid as a purpure.
                                
                                  And all þe body & þe brest · & on þe bely vndire
                                
                                  Was finely florischt & faire · with frekild pennys,
                                  Line 4988 
                                
                                  Of gold graynes & of goules · full of gray mascles.
                                
                                  Þan waitis on hire þe wale kyng · & wondire him thinke,
                                
                                  Was in þe figure of hire fourme · noȝt ferlid a littill.
                                
                                  "Quat loke ȝe?" quod þe ladisman · "do lendis on [In the margin.]  forthire,
                                  Line 4992 
                                
                                  Ȝone is a fereles foule · a Fenix we calle."
                                
                                  Þan [MS. þam.]  bowe þa forthe all ebland · & to þire treis comes,
                                
                                  Þe plants of þe proud son · & of þe pale mone.
                                
                                  "Behalds now," quod þis hare man · "to þir haly bowis,
                                
                                  And quat þou will of þaim to wete · wis in þi saghe.
                                
                                  Appose þaim all in preuate · bot make na playn wordis,
                                
                                  And þou may swythe haue a sware · at swike sall þe neuire.
                                
                                  Þan may þou gesse in þi gast · it is a gude sprete
                                  Line 5000 
                                
                                  Þat sends þe sike asouerance [MS. asouerante.]  · & sees to þi thoȝtis."
                                
                                  Þire boles was, as þe boke sayes · borly & hiȝe,
                                
                                  Þe lind of þe liȝt son · louely clethid,
                                  Line 5003 
                                
                                  With feylour as of fine gold · þat ferly faire lemes, [folio 86b] 
                                
                                  Þat oþir loken ouire with leues · as it ware liȝt siluir.
                                
                                  Þan Alexander at þis athill · askis a demande,
                                
                                  "In quatkyn manir of lede · sall me þir treis sware?"

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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 254
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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