30

Alexander destroys the Theheans.

us in suppoellyiig of us.' And when the Thebeans heard their words,
they [spered] the gates of the city, for to withstand Alexander, and went to the walls and cried loud that Alexander might hear: 'Alexander,' quoth they, 'but if thou go [hethyn] from us, we shall do thee a villainy and thy knights also,' When Alexander heard this, he smiled & said,: 'The Thebeans,' quoth he, 'that are so much praised & commended of strength, [Spere] ye your gates & say ye will fight with me; there is no doubty man of arms that couldst for to have worship and lose; that will close him whthin walls, but fights with his enemies manly in the field.' When he had said their words, he bade that four thousands archers should go aboute the city with their bows & lay upon them with arrows that stood upon the walls. And he bade two hundred men of arms go to the walls, and [myne] them down, and a hundred he bade take firebrands, & go to the gates & burn them. And he ordained other four hendred men, for to [bett] down the walls with [Sewes] of war, Engines and Guns & other manner of Instruments of war. And himself, and the remnant of the oste lay near them to succor them when they had need. And [belyfe] from they had given assault to the city, the gates were burnt, & much folk was slain within the city, Some with arrows, some with [stanes] of Engines; the Fire also began for to set in houses within the city, & raise a great [lowe]. In the Oste of Alexander was, the same time, a man the [whilke highte] Cisterus, a great enemy to the city. He, when he saw the city burn, made right merry. But a man of the city that [highte] Hismon, when he saw his country [pusgates] be destroyed, come and fell on knees before Alexander, and began for to sing a song of music & of mourning with an Instrument of Music, Supposing thereby for to draw Alexander's heart to Mercy, & stir him to have [rewthe] on the city. Alexander beheld him, & said: 'Maister,' quoth he 'whereto sings thou me this song?' 'A A lord,' quoth Hismon, 'to look [zife] I might stir thy heart to have mercy on the city.' And then Alexander was wonder wrath, and bade [dynge] the walls of the city down to the hard earth. And when they had so done they removed & went their way, and one of the worthiest men of the city, the [whilke hyghte] Clitomarus, went with them in company. But the Thebeans that were left after the burning

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