The prose life of Alexander

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.

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Dlndimus" letter to Alexander. 79

nanne. Mete & drynke hafe we ynoghe, and oper mete seke we nane, bot pat pe erthe oure allere moder wit-owtten inannes labour brynges furthe. Wit swilke metis we filt oure wambes, whilke nuzes vs nozte, ne na harme dose. And zit of swilke metis we fill nojte oure bodis to full. For amangez vs it es an vn-semely thynge & an vn-leefutt to see a grete-belyed man. And pare-for ere we att oure lyfe tyin wit-owtten sekenesse & lyffez lang & alwaye are in gude hele titt oure lyffes ende. We vse neu«r-mare na medcyns ne sekes na helpe for be hele of *^®"^- They

'' ^ ' have no

oure bodys. At a terme of deede endes oure lyfes, for ane of vs sickness leues na langere )?an) an)-oJ?(?r, Bot efter pe order of pe birtlie of cines. They

la mafD, be terme of deede comes tiK ilke a man). Thare eome^ live the

•■ ■' nxed term

nane of vs at na fire for na calde, ne clathej comej pare nane of life.

apon) vs, Bot alway we ga naked". We fulfill neuer pe desyres ^o^Xe for of oure bodys. Thurgfi pacyence we suffree att thynge^. Att ^^l^. They

i6 oure inwarde enemys we slaa, So pat we drede nane enemys themselves, wtt-owtten). For ligbtlyer es a citee or a castette taken) pat es conquers^ ensegged" bathe w^t inwarde enemys & w^t-owtten), J^an) pat J^at pthers and es ensegged" allanly wit owtwarde enemys. Bot pou, emperour, quered by

ao feghtes agaynes owtwarde; enemys for [to] foster & nuresche thyn) ^iemS^ inwarde; enemys, pe whilke ere fendes of hette. We Bragmayns Therefore has slayne alt oure inwarde; enemys and pare^ore we drede nane Brahmins owtwarde enemys ne nane helpe sekes for to hafeagayne; J^afn)* * ^©^^ 33

24 noper be see ne be landl Bot we ere always sewre ynoghe, foes. They and lyffe; wit-owtten) any drede. Oure bodys we hitt wit ieaves\nd pe leues of trees and pe fruyte of pam) we ete. We ete mylke ^^^^ also and drynkes water of a gude ryuere or of swete welles. They wor-

a8 We wirchippe a godcr, and tilt hym alwaye we jelde lonynge;. god'a^d

We desire be life of be werlde bat es to come, and vs liste noste desire eter-

r \ I nallife.

liere pe pyng pat twrne; to na profett. We spekke no5te They love

mekilt, Bot when) we ere artede for to speke we say no;te bot ^peech^Sor

32 be sothe, and onane we halde vs stilt. Heches luffe we no5te. covetous' . . ness.

CouetiBe es a thynge pat may no^te be filled", pe whilke ofte- They are

sythe; brynge; a man) tilt a mescheuows ende. Wrethe ne might^and^

env.ie es pare nane amange; vs, ne nane of vs es strangere J)an) riches, and

36 ano]:>er. Of the pouert J?at we hafe we ere riche, for we hafe it weapons.

in comofD. We strife neuer mare, ne beres neuer wapen). We ^ave the

here peesse ilkan) titt oj^er of custom), no;te thurgh vertu. dooms, for

Domes hafe we nane amanges vs, for we do nane ilt, whare-fore m.

80

Dindimus letter to Alexander.

Neither need they mercy. They have no avarice, adultery, or lechery, and have therefore no penance or sudden death.

They are arrayed in no bright clothes.

They always keep to the same trades.

They use no baths.

They will make no other man serve them.

They have no houses nor vessels, but live in caves and crags. They sleep on the earth. * Leaf 33 bk. Their houses become their graves. They sail not the seas for trade.

They seek no eloquence but rather simplicity of speech. They have no philosophers, for such are liars and of unsteadfast speech. But in their schools they learn wisdom and righteousness.

They love not plays.

we schulde be called^vn-to dome. A law ])are es ]>ai es contrary til oure kynde. For we do na mercy, bi-cause we do no thyng whare-fore we sulde aske mercy. We do na Isibour pat p«rtene5 to couetise or auarice. We giffe no3te oure bodyse to lechorye, we do nane advowtrye, ne we do na synn) whare-fore vs sulde nede to do penance. AVe fynde na fawte in na thynge, For we alt does that ]?at righte es. We dye na sodeyne dede, For thurgti foule dedis we corupte no^te J»e ayere. We vse na clathes pat are littede of dyuerse coloures. Oure wiffes ne are nojte gayly arayed* for to plese vs. Ne wit J^am) we comon) no5te bi-cause of luste of lecherye, bot bi-cause of childre getynge. Our wyfPes sekes na noper clethynge, ]?afD pQ forluke of goddT base granted' Jjam). And whaa dare take apon) hym for to chaunge his wirkynge, an heghe syn) vs thynke it ware tilt any mafD for to presume to do it. Baththis vse we nane, ne warme wat^r to wasclie oure bodys wit att. pe Son) mynistres vs hete, and pe dewe of pe ayer ministre5 vs moyster & wete. We hafe na thoghte of na thynge, ne we schewe na lordechipe abownn) oper men) pat ere lyke vn-titt us. For a grete crueltee we halde it to constreyne a man) to serue vs, whayme kynde & pe forluke of godd' base made oure broJ>er als fre als we are. We brynne na stanes for to make lyme off and pare-wit to make vs bowses at duette in, and curiouse palasej : ne vessett make we nane. In caues or creuycej of cragges we duelle, whare thare comej na noyse of wyndes * ne whare vs thare drede na rayne. On pe erthe we slepe wit-owtten) any besyness^. Swilk how^ses we hafe; in pe whilke, whils we lyffe, we duette, and wliefD we dye, psij ere oure graues. We sayle no^te in pe see aboute na merchandyse, in J^e whilke J^ay suffre many p^ritts pat sayles pare'm & many m^ruaylles can) tett offe. The crafte of Eloquence & faire speche, lere we no^te for to polishe oure wordes ; Bot thurgh pe sympilnesse pat we hafe pat suffres vs no3te to lye, alt oure speche we speke. Scoles of philosophres haunt wee no3te, whase techechynge^ es alway discordand <fe na thynge certayne, ne stabitt diffines, bot for pe mare partye lyes. Bot f)a scoles we haunte in pe whilke we lere to lyffe vertuosly and also thynges pat teches vs for to do no wrange to no man). Bot aft^r verray rightwisnesse to helpe ilk man) at oure powere. Plays lufe we nane.

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Dindimus letter to Alexander. 81

Bot if vs liste hafe aii}^ disporte we take & redej }>e lyfes But they

&, pe dedis of oure Auncestres, and oure \)redicessours. And of the lives

if we fynde any thynge in f>am) )?at es cause of laugbtre and deeds

4 par-tit we wepe & makes dole. Neuer-]:>e-lesse we behalde forefathers

olper thynges of Ipe whilke oure hertis ere gladdide and grete if th^T^'

lykyng has, pat es at say, lieuen)-scliyne wit sternes w^t-owt ^® ^^y

nowm^r; pe son) faire & bryghte, of wliase bryghtnesse att laughter.

8 pe werlde takes Ij^gbte and hete. The see we se alwaye giaTin^the

of pw?'powr coloure, and when) tempestej ryse^ pare-ii^ it dis- brightness

truyes no^te pe land? pat es nere it, as it does in joure and its

partes. Bot he embrace5 it as his sister and gase aboute it. ^g wilAell

12 And in be se we see many dyue?*se kynde3 of Fisches, '^^?f^^^®'^

Delphines & porpase3 layke fam). We hafe lykyng also for their doe-

to bihalde faire feldes alouer floresched? wit flores of pe whilke Alexander

a swete reflaire enters in-titt oure noses, in be whilke has con-

... quered the

i6 a sensible saule base maste delite. Also we delit vs in faire world,

place^ of wodde^ & of swete welles whare we here swete ^^g g^^^^^ ^

sange^ of fewles. This customs hafe we al-way, pe whilke, & ^^^

poll walde halde nojte bot a while, we trowe J^ou suld thynke visages

2o ftam) ri^te hard". Blame no3te me, for att pat pon reqwerede ^^^ ^^^^

me be bi le^^res I send be wretyiD. Neuer-be-less, and it t^^

' I -J r ' hungry.

sulde no3t displese the, I walde tett pe a littitt of oure They offer

doctryne pe whilke makes oure lyfe to seme harde vn-to pe. children to

24 2ee hafe wz't-in a schorte while conquered" & made sugete Maumets.

vn-to ^our empire att Asy, Europe, & Affryke. As '^our selfe sows base ^ sayde * ^e make pe lighte of pe son) to faile, when) 56 .^®^^ 34-

seke pe t^rmes of his course thurgh werre. 3^ ^^^ ^^ manere between

28 of thynges^ pat come^ till hande. And jour vesages semej as J^^^^

je ware fastande & hungry. 3® slaa ^our childre makande more

sacrafice of J^am) to Mawmetes. }e sawe discorde bi-twix Ihe^gods

kynges and thase pat schulde be meke je stirre for to be ^^^?

32 prowde. ^e make men) to thynke ]:»at grete space of landes do ill deeds

suficej psi,m) nojte And so paj seke duellynge placej of heuen). ^^g f^^^ ' Also thurgh ^our goddes je do many ill dedis, as j^ay didd" *hat serve

J?am) selfe, Ensample of lubiter ^our godd" & of Proserpyna J^at The Greeks

36 36 wirchipe as a goddess^. For lubiter defouled? many mens ^^^ ^^^'

^ Scribblings at the bottom of leaf 33 ^ Scribe originally wrote ihi/nkes, but

bk. : — * P.', ' G.' below the P., then ' H. changed the k into a ^, thus thynges. Amen. Do For '.

82

The Brahmhis to Alexander. Their better ness.

quer other men,

They change their laws, and do but hold with fine speech, loving gold and silver and rich things. The Greeks live in gluttony and fall sick.

The wisdom of the Brahmins surpasses all that of the Greeks. They burn the bodies of the dead and do not give back to earth what earth has given forth. The Brahmins slay no beasts in the worship of God, neither do they have gold nor silver nor precious things in His service, since for none of these things does God hear man, but only for his good works. Prayer is the word and the word is God. Therefore are the Greeks fools, holding themselves * Leaf 34 bk. heavenly and thinking they communicate with God whilst they defile

wyfes, and Proserpyna made many men) to do advowtry wit hir. FuH: wreched' & futt hye fules ]:>ay ere, J^at swilke goddes wirchipes. ^qq witt no5te suffer men) lyfe in J^aire awenn) libertee bot makes J>am) ^owr thralles & '^our sugetes. 3^ deme no3te ri^twisly, ^e gerre jowr iuge^ change '^our lawes as 30W liete. 3^ say many thynge^ )?at sulde be donwe, bot 36 do J^am) no3te. 3c balde na man) wysse bot hym )?at base Eloquence of speche. 3® ^^.fe att 3oitr witt in 5owr tunge5, and att "pur wysdome es in '^our mouthe. 3® ^^^^ golde & silu^r & gaders J^am to-gedir and desyre3 to bafe grete howse5 ^ ^^^ ^^^ grete multitude of seruande5. 3® ^^^ ^ drynk to mekitt:, so ]?at oftymes 5ottr stomake thurgli grete repleccion) es greued" & many sekenesse J^aris-tburgli 56 fatt in, & so ofte sythes dyes before 30'wr tyme. 3^ wolde euer-mare halde 30wr reches and alt thynge^ Jjat 3e may gete. Bot att thynge5 at J?e laste leues 30W. pe wysdoin) allanly of ]?e Bragmayns passe3 att '^our witt & 30itr wysdom). For, & we wele coTisedere, J^e same moder \>ai broghte forthe stanes & trees, of j^e same was bathe oure bygynnyng & "^ours. 3® honowre 301*^ Sepultowrs curyousely wit golde & syluer, and in vessette made of precyouse stanes 36 putt J^e asse of 30t^r bodys, when) J^ay ere brynnedl And what may be werre J?an) for titt take )^e banes, ]?at f>e erthe sulde hafe, for to ga bryn) J>am), and no5te suffers \>q erthe resayffe his element \>Q whilke he broghte forthe.

'We sla na beste5 in J^e wirchipe of goddej. Nee temples make we nane, for to sett in ymage5 of golde or of siluere in })e name of false godde3, as 3e do ; ne awters of golde and of preciows stanes. 3^ ^^-fe swilke a lawe for to honoure '^our godde5 wit 50wr gudes for f)at f»ay salt here '^our prayers. Bot we vndirstande & wate wele ]>at noJ?er for golde ne silu^r ; ne for )?e blode of calues nor gayte ne schepe Godd" heres any man). Bot for gude werkes ]>e whilke Godd' lufes, and thurgh J>e wordes of denote prayere. Godd" witJ here a man) for J)e worde. For thurgti worde we ere lyke to Goddl For Godd* es worde,* and J^at worde made alt J^e werlde aud thurgh \>at worde att thynge3 base beyng, Mouyng & lyfe. That worde wirchipe wee and luffes & honowres. Godd' es a spirite. And he lufes na-thyng bot ]?at that es clene. Whare-fore we halde 30W fult grete foles, that wene5 50wr kynde be heuenly, and \>ai 50 hafe

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