30

30

Alexander destroys the Theheans.

send him
help. But
they, re-
fusing,
shut their
gates.

Alexander
jeers at
them.

He sends
lour thou-
sand arch-
ers to shoot
down the
watches on
the wall,
two hun-
dred

miners to
mine the
walls, a
hundred to
burn down
the gates,
and four
hundred
engineers
to batter
the walls
in. Him-
self with
the rest lay
by to help
them when
necessary.

The story of
Cicesterus
and His-
mon.

* Leaf 1 1
bk.

Alexander
refuses
mercy to
the city,
and rases
it to the
earth.
Clitoma-
rus, one
of the
citizens,
fares away
with the
conque-
rors.

The The-
beans ask

vs in suppoellyiig of vs.' And when) pe Thebeans herd' thir worde5,
J?ay spere J Ipe 3ates of ])e citee, for to agayne-stande Alexander,
and went to J>e walle^, and cried' lowde J'at Alexander myghte
here : ' Alexander,' quo]) J?ay, * bot if [f>ou] gaa hethyn) fra vs, we 4
salt do the a velany, & thi knyghtis also.' When Alexander
herde this, he smyled'& saide : * ^e Thebeeiis,' quop he, * fat ere so
mekiti: prayseJ & commended' of strenghe, Spere ^e ^our 5ates
& saise ^e witt feghte wit me ; Ipare es na doghety man) of arme5 8
J^at couete3 for to haue wirchip) and loos ; J^at wilt close hym)
witin walles, bot fightes wit his enemys manly in Ipe felde.'
When) he hadd' saide thir worde3, he bad J^at foure thowsandej
archers sulde gaa abowte J?e citee wit f)aire bowes, & lay apoiD 12
}?am) wit arowes f)at stode apofi) Ipe walle3. And he bad two
hundreth men) of armes ga to J^e walles, and myne )?am) doune,
and a Imndrethe he bad take fyrebrandej, & gaa to Ipe jates
& brynwe p&mi. And he ordeynde dper foure hundreth men), 16
for to bett doun) Ipe walles wit Sewes of werre, Engynes and
Gonnes & olper maner of Instrumente3 of werre. And hym selfe,
and Ipe remenant of 'pe oste lay nere J^am) to socour psM when)
J>ay hadd' nede. And belyfe fra ]:>ay hadd* gyffen) assawte to pe 20
citee, pe 3ates ware brynt, & mekitt folke was slayne wztin
pe citee, Sum) w^t arowes, sum) wit stanes of Engynes ; pe Fire
also by-gan) for to sett in house3 wit-in pe citee, & rayse a grete
lowe. In pe Oste of Alexander was, f>e same tyme, a man) pe 24
whilke highte Cicesterus, a grete enemy to pe citee. He, when)
he sawe pe citee bryne, made righte mery.* Bot a man) of the
citee pat highte HismofD, when) he saw his cuntree ]?usgates
be distruyed, come and felie one knees be-fore Alexander, and 28
bigan) for to synge a sange of Musyke & of murnyge wit an
Instrument of Musike, Supposyng pare-hj for to drawe Alexan-
ders herte to Mercy, & styrre hym to hafe rewthe on J^e citee.
Alexander be-helde hym, & sayde : * Maister,' quop he, * whare- 32
to synge3 pon me J^is sange V ' A A lorde,' quop Hismon, ' to luke
jife I my3te styrre J^i herte to hafe mercy ofD pe citee.' And
J^an) Alexander was wonder wrathe, and bad dynge pe walles
of pe cetee doufD to pe harde erthe. And when) pa.j had so done 36
pa,j remoued? & went j^aire way, and ane of pe worthieste men)
of pe citee, pe whilke hyghte Clitomarus, went wit )?ain) in
company. Bot pe Thebeens pat ware lefte aftire pe birnynge