The Brahmins to Alexander. Greek errors. 83

communicacion with Godd, And neuer-þe-less files ȝour kynde

wit advowtries & fornicacions & seruyce of Mawmettis & false

goddis, and many oþer wikkede dedi : ilke a day þis ȝe do.

4 Ƿis ȝe luffe, and þarefore when ȝe ere dede ye sall suffere tour-

mentis wit-owtten nowmer. Ȝe wene þat Godd will be mercyable

vn-to ȝow bi-cause þat ȝe offre hym blode & flesse of dyuerse

besteȝ. Bot we on þe contrarye wyse luffeȝ clennesse bathe of

8 Body & of saule, so þat we mowe hafe after þis lyfe ioy þat

neuer sall hafe ende.

' Ȝee serue noȝte a God þat regneȝ in heuen, Bot ȝe do seruyce

to many false goddis. For als so many membris, als ȝe hafe on

12 ȝowr bodys, als many goddis ȝe wirchipe & serues. For ȝe calle

a man þe lesse werlde, and riȝte as a man here hase many

lymmes, so ȝe say þare are many goddes in heuen. Ȝe say luno

es godd of þe hert, bi-cause he was wonder angry; and Mars ȝe

16 say es godd of þe breste, bi-cause he was prynce of Batells.

Mercury ȝe calle godd of þe tung, bi-cause he was wonder

euloquent in spekyng. Hercules ȝe trowe be godd of þe armes,

Bi-cause he did twelfe passande dedes of armes. Ȝee trowe

20 Bacus be godd of þe throtte, for he fande firste drounkynnesse.

Couetise, ȝe say, es godd of þe lyuer, for he was þe firste lechoure

þat euer was. And ȝe say þat he hase in his hande a byrnand

fyrebrande whare-wit he styrres þe luste of lechery. Cereris

24 ȝe calle godd of þe wambe, bi-cause scho was þe firste Fynder

of wheete. And Venus, be-cause scho was moder of lechery, ȝe

say scho es godd of þe preuee membres of man & woman.

Mynerus, bi-cause scho was fynder of many werkes, ȝe say

28 wisdome risteȝ in her, and þare-fore ȝe call hir godd of þe heued.

And on þis wyse all þe body of man ȝe deuyde in goddes,

& na party þareoffe ȝe lefe in ȝour awen powere. Ne ȝe trowe

noȝte that a godd þat es in heuen made ȝour bodys of noghte.

32 False goddes ȝe wirchipe þat sall brynge ȝow to thralledome

& schame & schenchipe, and to thaym ȝe make sacrafice &

tribute payes. Vn-to Mars ȝe offere a Bare. To Bacus ȝe

offere a gayte; To Iune a pacoke; To Iubiter a Bulle; To

36 Appollo *a swane¹; To Venus a doufe; To Mynerua ane

owle; To Cereris floure; To Mercury hony. And Hercules ȝe

onowren wit floures & grene braunches of treesseȝ. Ƿe temple

[Typed in margin]
their own
kind with
foul sins
and
idolatry.
When they
die they
shall suffer
endless
pain and
their slain
beasts avail
them
nought.

The Greeks
serve not
one God
but many.
They have
for every
human
member
a god.

The ac-
count of all
the Greek
gods and
their evil
doings.

Thus they
give all
their body
over to
numberless
gods, not
worship-
ping the
oneCreator,
but rather
false gods
that bring
them into
* Leaf 35-
thraldom.
The sacri-
fices
[End margin]

[Footnote]
1 Bottom of leaf 34 swanne, top of leaf 35 swane.
[End footnote]

6—2

communication with God, and never-the-less fills your kind with adultry and fornications and service of Mawmettis and false gods, and many other wicked deeds: [that a day?] this ye do. Wise ye praise, and therefore when ye are dead shall suffer torments outside [?]. Ye doubt that God will be mercyable onto you because that ye offer him blood and flesh of diverse beasts. But we on the contrary wise praise cleanness bath of body and soul, so that we now have after this life joy that never shall have end.
Ye serve not a God that reigns in heaven, but ye do service to many false gods. For all so many members, all ye have on your bodies, all many gods ye worship and serve. For ye call a man the [lesser?] world, and right as a man here has many [?], so ye say there are many gods in heaven. Ye say Juno is god of the heart, because he was wonder angry; and Mars ye say is god of the breast, because he was prince of battles. Mercury ye call god of the tounge, because he was wonder eloquent in speaking. Hercules ye trust be god of the arms, because he did twelve past deeds of arms. Ye trust Bacus be god of the [trot? throat?], for he find first drunkenness. Couetise, ye say, is god of the liar, for he was the first lecher that ever was. And ye say that he has in his hand a [burning?] firebrandwith which he stirs the lust of lechery. Cereris ye call god of the womb, because she was the first finder of wheat. And Venus, because she was mother of lechery, ye say is god of the [perverse?] members of man and woman. Mynerus, because she was finder of many works, ye say wisdom rests in her, and therefore ye call her god of the [herd?]. And on this wise all the body of many [divide?] in gods, and nay party thereof ye leave in your own power. No ye trust not that a god that is in heaven made your bodies of nothing. False gods ye worship that shall bring you to slavery and shame and sinship, and to them ye make sacrafice and tribute pay. Onto Mars ye offer a bear. To Bacus ye offer a [goat?]; To Juno a peacock; to Jupiter a bull; to Apollo a swane; to Venus a dove; to Minerva an owl; to Cereris flour; to Mercury honey. And Hercules ye honor with flowers and green branches of trees. We temple

[Typed in margin]
their own kind with foul sins and adultry. When they die they shall suffer endless pain and their slain beasts avail them nought.
The Greeks serve not one God but many. They have for every human member a god.
The account of all the Greek gods and their evil doings.
Thus they give all their body over to numberless gods, not worshipping the one Creator, but rather false gods that bring them into *Leaf 35 slavery. The sacrifices
[End margin]

¹ Bottom of leaf 34 swanne, top of leaf 35 swane.

6—2

communicacion with Godd, And neuer-þe-less files ȝour kynde

wit advowtries & fornicacions & seruyce of Mawmettis & false

goddis, and many oþer wikkede dedi : ilke a day þis ȝe do.

4 Ƿis ȝe luffe, and þarefore when ȝe ere dede ye sall suffere tour-

mentis wit-owtten nowmer. Ȝe wene þat Godd will be mercyable

vn-to ȝow bi-cause þat ȝe offre hym blode & flesse of dyuerse

besteȝ. Bot we on þe contrarye wyse luffeȝ clennesse bathe of

8 Body & of saule, so þat we mowe hafe after þis lyfe ioy þat

neuer sall hafe ende.

' Ȝee serue noȝte a God þat regneȝ in heuen, Bot ȝe do seruyce

to many false goddis. For als so many membris, als ȝe hafe on

12 ȝowr bodys, als many goddis ȝe wirchipe & serues. For ȝe calle

a man þe lesse werlde, and riȝte as a man here hase many

lymmes, so ȝe say þare are many goddes in heuen. Ȝe say luno

es godd of þe hert, bi-cause he was wonder angry; and Mars ȝe

16 say es godd of þe breste, bi-cause he was prynce of Batells.

Mercury ȝe calle godd of þe tung, bi-cause he was wonder

euloquent in spekyng. Hercules ȝe trowe be godd of þe armes,

Bi-cause he did twelfe passande dedes of armes. Ȝee trowe

20 Bacus be godd of þe throtte, for he fande firste drounkynnesse.

Couetise, ȝe say, es godd of þe lyuer, for he was þe firste lechoure

þat euer was. And ȝe say þat he hase in his hande a byrnand

fyrebrande whare-wit he styrres þe luste of lechery. Cereris

24 ȝe calle godd of þe wambe, bi-cause scho was þe firste Fynder

of wheete. And Venus, be-cause scho was moder of lechery, ȝe

say scho es godd of þe preuee membres of man & woman.

Mynerus, bi-cause scho was fynder of many werkes, ȝe say

28 wisdome risteȝ in her, and þare-fore ȝe call hir godd of þe heued.

And on þis wyse all þe body of man ȝe deuyde in goddes,

& na party þareoffe ȝe lefe in ȝour awen powere. Ne ȝe trowe

noȝte that a godd þat es in heuen made ȝour bodys of noghte.

32 False goddes ȝe wirchipe þat sall brynge ȝow to thralledome

& schame & schenchipe, and to thaym ȝe make sacrafice &

tribute payes. Vn-to Mars ȝe offere a Bare. To Bacus ȝe

offere a gayte; To Iune a pacoke; To Iubiter a Bulle; To

36 Appollo *a swane¹; To Venus a doufe; To Mynerua ane

owle; To Cereris floure; To Mercury hony. And Hercules ȝe

onowren wit floures & grene braunches of treesseȝ. Ƿe temple

[Typed in margin]
their own
kind with
foul sins
and
idolatry.
When they
die they
shall suffer
endless
pain and
their slain
beasts avail
them
nought.

The Greeks
serve not
one God
but many.
They have
for every
human
member
a god.

The ac-
count of all
the Greek
gods and
their evil
doings.

Thus they
give all
their body
over to
numberless
gods, not
worship-
ping the
oneCreator,
but rather
false gods
that bring
them into
* Leaf 35-
thraldom.
The sacri-
fices
[End margin]

[Footnote]
1 Bottom of leaf 34 swanne, top of leaf 35 swane.
[End footnote]

6—2