78

78 The Brahmans and Alexander.

perauenture we may take thare of sum gud Ensample, and jour

Since by wysdome & '^our gudnesse neuer be J>e lesse. For it es na harme

othe?man *^^ ^ msifi} tliurgli liis gudnes to make anoj^^r mafi) gude as he es.

goodness The whilk I may proue bi this simylitud" — I supposso a mafi) hadd' 4

one loses no . 11 • .

goodness m his hand" a lyght candilt, many olper canditts may be lyghted"

He^makes a f^^^ ^^' ^ '^^ ^^®^ na-thynge of his lyghte. And rijte so it es of Ipe
compari- gudnesse of a man). For many men) may take gude ensaraple of
hym & his gudnesse be na thynge enmenuste parehy. AVhere- 8
fore jitt eft-sons we p/'ay jow }>at wit-owtten) any taryinge
or delay, je schowe vs ])e maners of ^our lyffyng.' Than kyng
Dindimw5 resaffed' ph lettre wirchipfully and wrate anoj^^r
agayne of this teno'i^r. 1 2

Dindimus' ^ ' Dyndimws maist^r of j^e Bragmayns vn-to kyng Alexander
Alexander. ^^7 ^ gretynge. We hafe wele vndirstanden) by pe tenowr
of thi lettves, J>at Ipoa desyres gretly for to hafe v^rray connynge
Wisdom and perfitt wysdom) ; Ipe whilke are mekitt better ]:>an) any 16
bought kyngdom) ; for j^ay may neuer be boghte wit na pryce, whare-

with no fore I comend' pe gretly, knawyng J^at J>ou arte a wyse man).
* Leaf ^2 -^^^ ^^® Emperowr wzt-owtten) * wisdom), es noghte lorde of
l>k' his subiectis, Bot his sugettis ere lordes of hym. 50 wrate 20

mends^wis- vntitt VS, praying vs for to schewe jowe oure maners of lyffynge,
domin [\]^q ^ poynte efter olper, ])e whilke we halde inpossible for
as an Em- to doo. For oure maner of lyfiynge es futt ferre dyuerse fra
TlSr ways B^^^s. For no]:>€r we wurchipe ]>e goddes ]?at je wirchipe, 24
are other j^e ledis be Ivfe bat se lede. And if I writte 5owe oughte

than those i J i J y o

of the of oure maner of lyffyng, 50 may hafe na sauoure ]mre in,

TheVreeks ^^^"Cause je are besily ocupied' wit dedis of armes. 'Neu.er-lpe-

shall have lesse ]:>at je say nojte pat I layne oure lyfe fra 50W for envy, Als 28

because of mekitt as comej to my mynde at Ipis tyme I salt writt vnto 50W

{miner- ofoureman.«.

The Brah- ^ ' We Bragmayns ledej a symple lyfe & a clene and pe wir-

a^s^ ^le c^ipy^g ^^ many goddes we eschu. We do na synnes ne 32

life and v\'e witt hafe na mare J^an) resofi) of kynde asches. Alt thyngej

worship of we suffer & f>at, say we, es necessary & ynoghe, pat es nojte

Thev'cS*^^ ouermekilt. We tiHe na lande, ne eryes, ne sawes, ne jokes noJ>er

not till ox ne horse in plughe ne in carte. Ne iiett caste we nane in be 36
nor fish. i /. 1 t^t i f ^

They trust see, for to take fysche ; JNe nunttynge ne lewlynge vse we

* Four lines with capital D in red, and ^ Three lines with red capital W, and

small d in margin beside. small w in margin.

I