62

Alexander comforts his knights. His letter to Porus.

was not of power to withstand the virtue of men of India. And therefore, or any shame or mischief com to the; we counsel thee & commands thee, that in all the hast that thou may, thou turn home again to thine own land. For well thou knows, that, before Xerxes was king of Persia, the macedonians gave tribute to India. But, because that their land is barren & unprofitable, & nothings [per-in] pleasant to a king: the men of India set not thereby. For each a man, desires more a large land & a [plenteuous]: then a straight land & a [barayne]. And therefore, this the third turn, I commande thee that thou turn home to thine own land. And never, in thy life, covet to have Lordship that thou may not get.'

When this letter was come to Alexander, he [gerte] read it before all men. And when his knights had heard the tenor of this letter, they were troubled. And Alexander said unto them: 'My worshpful knights,' quoth he, 'let not your hearts be troubled nor afraid' for Porus letter. Have thee not in mind, with how great pride Darius wrote unto us diverse times. I say thou [sothely] that all the folk of these East parties has there hearts & their wits like unto the beasts that they duel withal, that is to say, Tigris, Pardes, & other wilde beasts, which full [selden] are slain of men, and therefore they trust all in their strength.' And when Alexander had said these words, he [garte] write a letter unto porus king of India whereof this was the tenor.

'King of kings and lord of lords, Alexander the son of god Amon & the queen Olympias, unto Porus we send. Thou has sharped our wits, & given us hardiness for to fight against thee, where thou says that macedonia is but a little land & barren of all things that guide us.

I

62 Alexander comfoHs his knights. His letter to Porus,

He advises was no^te of powere to agaynstande Ipe vertu of men) of Inde.
ba^ again ^^^ IpareioYC, 01" any schame or mischeffe com) to pe ; we con-
to Mace- sett the & commanded the, pat in att pe haste pat pou may, poM
Before to^^rne hame agayne to thyne awen) lande. Fore wele pou 4
tim^the knawes, pat, bi-fore 5erses was kynge of Perse, J^e macedoynes
Macedo- gaffe tribute tilt Inde. Bot, by-cause pat baire lande es

nians gave ° n 1 1 i • i i •u,

tribute to barayne & vnprontable, & na thynge^ per-m plesande tin a

the Indians ^J^g^ • f® ^®^ ^^ ^^^^ ^^^^ no5te pare-hj. For ilke a man), 8

recked desyres mare a large lande & a plenteuoits : psna. *a strayte lande

^ Leaf 24 g^ ^ barayne. And J^arefore, 5itt the thirde towrne, I comaunde

naught of ^^^® ^^^^ P^^ towrne hame to thyne awenfD lande. And new^r, in

Macedonia, ^\^[ jyf^^ couette to hafe Lordschipe f)are J^ou may nane gete.' 12
barren and ^ When) Jjis le^^re was comen) titt Alexander, he gerte rede it

be-fore att men). And when) his knyghtis hadd" herde J^e tenot^r

ander's of J^is lei^re, )?ay were trublede. And Alexander sayde vn-to J

S^ubied^at P^^' '^'^y wirchippfull knyghtis,' quop he, 'late no5te 502^16

the letter, hertis be trublede ne fered* for Porws lettre. Hafe 50 no^te in

mynde, wit how grete pride Darii^s wrate vn-titt vs dyuerse

He tells tymes 1 I say 50W sotheley pat all pe folke of thyse Este parties

Eastern ^Sise )?aire hertis & faire wittis lyke vn-to pe bestes pat paj 20

folks are duette wit-att, pat es at say, Tygres, Pardes, & oper wilde

beasts bestis, whilke futt selden) ere slaenn) of men), and J^are-fore J)ay

bS^intheir triste att in J>aire strengthe.' And when) Alexander hade said

strength. i}^[j. wordes, he garte writte a le^^re vn-to Porws kynge of Inde 24

whare-of this was the tenowr.
Alex- 2 ( Kyng of kynges and lorde of lordes, Alexander pe son) of

letter to godd? Amofi) & pe queue Olympias, vn-to Por«*s we sende. pou

Porus. jjg^gg scharpede oure wittes, & gyffen) vs hardynesse for to feghte 28

words have agaynes pe, whare pon says pat macedoyne es bot a littitt lande

the Greeks & barayne of att thyng pat gude es. And Inde, pon says, es

to win so
great and
fruitful a satt enforce vs to feghte wzt the at att oure myghte, for to con- 32

India as quere thi lande^ pat, pou sais, es so futt of reches. And, for

well as to

crush

large, & plenteuows of att gude5 & reches. And J^ar^-fore we

pon halde^ vs pouer, & of na reputacion), pare-iore we desire

Porus' for to ascende to pe heghte of thi majestie. And also pare pon

For Porus says, p8it nojte allanly vn-to men), bot also vn-to godde^ pon erte 36
is but a emperowr, I satt come to the, for to feght wit pe, as- wit an)

* Three lines with miniature W and ^ Eleven lines blank space without

small w written alongside in the margin. either miniature or small letter at side.