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93
Then Alexander meets the warden of the holy trees. 93
a temple ałł of golde & of precious stanes, And bi-fore ρe dores ρare-offe ρare was a vyne of golde, berande grapes of charbuncles, of Rubyes, Dyamandeȝ, and many oρer maneres of [right margin: metal and stones]
4 ρrecyous stanes. Pan kyng Alexander & his prince^ went in-to He goes
Jje palace ; and fande J^are a man) liggand" in a bedd' of golde, and p^i^ce.^
couerd'wit a riche clathe of golde. And he was riste a mekitt He finds an
aged man man) and a faire, And his berde & his lieueo' ware als whitt there of
8 als any woHe ; and hywi semed? lyke a Bischoppe. Als son) als ^ppear^ ^ ^
Alexander & his pryncej saw J>is aide man) )3ay knelid' dounwe ance.
on Jjaire kneesse and saluste hym). And he ansuerd" & saide : and salutes
' Welcom) Alexander/ qwof) he, ' I tette the ]?ou salt see, f>at neuer T^'a^ed
1 2 flescly man) bi-fore this tyme sawe ; And bou salt here bat neuer i^an speaks
ertnly maiD herde are. And Alexander ansuertf & sayd?: ' Maste him he
blyssed? aide man),' quoth he, ' how base f>ou knawyng of me ? ' and he?r
' For so the,' ({uoth he, * bi-fore Noy flode couerde alt fe erthe, what never
1 6 knewe I bathe the, & thi dedis. I wate wele J^ou desyres for man did
to See fe haly tree^ of \>q SofD And \>e ^lone J?e whilke tellej g^all lia ^^
thynge^ J?«t ere to come.' ' 3^^ ^or sottie,' <\ud^ Alexander, his desire
' J?er es na-thynge J>at I desyre mare, ]?an) for to see f am).' the future.
2o And he was rijt gladd; pan) saide ]?e aide man) tilt hyw : ^ethehol"^
' And 50 be clene of flescly dede wit women), J?an) es it leefutt trees of the
to 50W to see ]:ain) and to entir in-to Jjat haly place })at es moon if
a sette of godd". And if 5e be no5te clene, it es no^te leefull ^^®^ ^^
24 to 30W.' ' yis, sir, sothely,' (\uo\> Alexander, ' we ere clene.' deeds.
pan) raise f)e aide man) vp of J>e bedd" J»at he lay in, and put off
said? vn-to }?am) : ' Putte3 offe ^owr rynge^,' qwoj? he, ' and 5oure ?7®^"^"
clathes, & '^our schone, and folowes me.' And J)ay dyd?* so. them.
28 And ban) AlQ^ander tuk w^t hym tholomews and Antiochits, Alexander, ^ "^ Ptolemy,
& folowed' fe aide mafD, and went thurgh J?e wodd? f»at and Anti-
was aboun) on) ]?e Mountayne closed" with man7^es hande^. j^^^the^ '
pe * treesse of \>at wodd? ware an hundreth .c. fote lange & * Lg^f 39
32 bye, and J>ay ware lyke lorers or Olyue treesse ; And out ^^•
of ]?ani) J»are ran) rykyles & fynne bawme. And as J^ay went through the
thurgh bat wodd" bay saw a tree wondere bye, in be whilke wood on the
i./Ti V, 1,-h 1,. mountain,
J^are satt a mekitt fewle. pat tree hadd" no])er )?are-on) lefes ne through
a5 fruyte. pe fewle J^at satt J?ard-ofD hadd" on) his hedd a creste ^eesthat
lyk till a pacokke, & his beeke also crested". Abowte his nekke, shed in-
he hadd* fethirs lyke golde. pe hynder of hym was lyk pwrpure ; balm.
^ The scribe first wrote cU and then changed the e into a y, making it into dyd.
94
94
Alexander speaks with the Holy Trees.
They see the Phoenix. They come to the holy trees of the sun and the moon. The old man tells him to look up and think and the Spirit of the Trees shall answer his thought. These trees were high. The leaves of the sun tree golden red, of the moon tree shining white. Alexander would sacrifice to these trees but may not. The sun tree speaks in Indian or Greek, the moon tree begins in Greek and ends in the language of India. He gets his answer. He shall win the world but never see home again.
* Leaf 40.
Twenty months
and the tayle was ownnded ouerthwert, wit a colour reede as rose & wit blewe. And his fethers ware riyte faire schynand. When Alexander saw this fewle he was gretely meruailled of the faired of hym; than saide the Alde man: ' Alexander,' quop 4 he, 'this ilke fewle that thou here seese es a fenix.' And than thay went forther thurgh the forsaid wodd, And come to thiese haly trees of the son & the mone that growed in myddes of the wodde. And than the alde man saide to Alexander : ' Luke vp,' 8 quoth he, ' to yone haly trees, and thynke in thi hert what preuatee so the liste, and thou sat hafe a trewe ansuere. Bot luke that thou speke na worde in opyn. And thare-by sat thou witt that it es a gude spiritt, that knawes thi thoghte.' Thir 12 twa trees were wonder hye. And the tree of the Son had leues lyk fyne golde, reed & faire schynande. And the tree of the mone had lefes whitt als syluer & faire schynande. And than walde Alexander hafe Offrede Sacrafyce to thir trees. Bot 16 the alde man walde noste suffre hym, bot said: ' It es noste leuefull,' quoth he, ' in this haly place, nowther to offre encense, ne to slaa na bestes, Bot to knele doun to the boles of thir trees & kysse tham & pray the son & the mone to giffe trew ansuers.' 20 And than Alexander spirred the alde man, in what langage the trees sulde giffe thaire answers. And the alde man ansuerd & said: ' The tree of the Son,' quoth he, ' answers owther all in the langage of Inde or ells of grewe. And the tree of the Mone 24 begynnes wit the langage of grewe & endes wit the langage of Inde.'
And as thay stode thus spekande, Sudaynly thare come a bryghte beme fra the weste that schane ouer all the wodde. And than Alexander kneled doun, and kyssede the trees an 28 thoght thus in his hert: 'Sall I conquere all the werlde, and efterwardes wit the victorye wende hame to Macedoyne till my moder Olympias, and my sisters? And * than the tree of the son ansuerd softly in the langage of Inde, And said thir verses: 32
'Tu dominatorwm orbis dommus simul et pater extas, Set patrum rignum¹ per tempora nulla videbis; '
that es at say, ' thou ert bathe lorde & fader of alle the werlde, Bot the Rewme of thy Fadyrs sakk thou neuer see wit thyn eghne.' 36 than bygan Alexander to thynke how lange he sulde lyffe,
¹Sic in MS.
95
Having heard the answers he weeps and goes back. 95
and whate dedd he sulde dye. And the tree of the Mone ansuerd by thir twa verses:
[right margin: shall he live and his friend shall poison him.]
'Anno completo viues & mensibus octo, De quo confidis mortis pocula dabit.' 4 That es at saye, 'A twluemonthe & aughte monethes sall thou lyffe. And than he that pou traistes on, sall giffe thee a drynke of dedd.' Than bi-gan Alexander to thynke in his hert on this wyse, 8 ' Tell me nòw, holy trèe, Wha he ès that sall sláa mèe.'
And than the tree of the son ansuerd by thir twa verses:
'Si tibi pandatur vir qui tua facta resoluet, Illum confrynges & sic mea carmina fallent.' 12 That es at say : ' And I schew the the manes name, that sall vndo thi dedis, thou will slaa hym, and so sall my prophycye fayle.' And than the forsaide ald man sayd till Alexander : ' Disese 16 na mare thir trees, quoth he, ' wit thyne askynges. Bot tourne we agayne, as we come hedir.' And than Alexander & his twa prynces wit hym tourned agayne wit the aide man. And ay as he went, he weped bitterly, bi-cause of his schorte tyme ; 2o his prynces also weped riste sare. Bot he commanded tham that thay schulde noste telle to na man of his Oste that that thay hadd herde & sene. And when thay ware comen to the forsaide Palace the alde [man] said vn-till Alexander : ' Torne bakke agayne,' 24 quoth he, 'for it es noste leefull to na man to passe forthire. If the liste wende toward the weste, thou sall noste trauelle full lange are thou come to the place, whare the liste to bee.' And when the alde man had said thir wordes, he went in-to the palace 28 and Alexander and his twa prynces went doun by the forsaide grees & come to the Oste.
[right margin: Did he but know the man's name, he would try to undo the prophecies. The old man bids him not incommode the trees. He goes away weeping. He commands his friends to tell no man. The old man bids him turn back and travel to the west.]
¹Apon the morne Alexamder & his Oste remowed theine & went agayneward fyftene days, And come agayne to the forsaid 32 playne & thare thay luged pam. And thare at the entree of tha twa forsaid ways, Alexander gart rayse vp twa pelers of Marble, and by-twixe tham he haude a table of golde, on the whilke was wretyn in the langage of grewe, hebrew, of latyne, and of Inde, 36 one this wyse : ' I, Alexander, Phillipp son of Macedoyne, [right margin: Alexander journeys fifteen days and then raises up two marble pillars, between them a table of ]
¹ Four lines with red capital A.
96
96
King Alexander ancl Queen Candace.
gold with letters in Greek, * Leaf 40 bk.
Hebrew, Latin, and Indian, telling of his great deeds and guiding aftercomers. Thence they go westwards towards Macedonia and come to the country of Prasiac. The men of the country bring him presents. There is in that country a city of precious stones ruled over by a widow queen and her sons. Alexander writes to Queen Candace sending presents, asking her to come that they may offer sacrifice together. Queen Candace writes to Alexander on his conquests, but proclaims that they may not
sett thir pelers here, after þe dedd' of Darius kyng of Perse and of Porus kynge of Inde. What man) so witt passe forþer late hym) * tourne one þe lefte hand. For wha so tourneʒ one þe riʒte hande he satt fynde many obstacleʒ & greuanceʒ þat 4 satt perauenture lett his agayne-commynge.'
1 Fra þeine þay remowed' thurgh þat playne and lefte þase strayte wayes, takand' þe way westeward' þe gayneste towarde Macedoyne. And at þe laste þay come till a cuntree þat highte 8 Prasiac, And þare þay luged' þam). And when) men) of þat cuntree herd' of þe commynge of Alexander, wit grete wirchipe þay broghte hym grete presanteʒ of swilk thyngeʒ as þay hadd' in þaire lande, þat es at say, skynnes of fischez lyke vn-to þe 12 skynnes of pardes, or of lyouns also, and lawmpray skynnes of sex cubites lange. In þat cuntree was a noble citee alt of precyous stanes made wit-owtten) tyme or sande, sett apon) an hilt. Of þe whilke citee, a wirchipfutt lady and a faire hadd' 16 þe lordechipe. þis lady was wedowe and scho hadd' three sones. The firste of þam) highte Candeolus, þe secand' Marcipius, And þe thirde hight Carator. To þis lady Alexander sent a lettre of þis tenour : 20
2 ' Alexander þe son) of godd' Amon) & of þe quene Olympias, kyng of kynges & lorde of lordes vn-to quene Candace of Meron) ioy & gretyng. We sende ʒow ane ymage of godd' Amon) att of fyne golde ; And þarefore comeʒ titt vs þat we may wende 24 togeder to þe Mountayne for to make sacrafyce þare to godd' Amon.' When) þe Qwene Candace hadd' redd' þis leittre, Scho sent hir embassatours titt kyng Alexander wit grete presanteʒ and with a lettre of this tenour : 28
3 ' Candace, quene of Meron), vn-titt Alexander, kyng of kyngeʒ, ioy. Wele we knawe þat ʒe hafe by reuelacion) of godd' Amon) þat ʒe schulde conquere Perse, Inde and Egipte, and subiecte vn-to ʒow att oþer nacions. And att þat ʒe hafe 32 done, noʒte allanly was graunted' bot also of att oþer goddeʒ. Titt vs þat base faire saules & bryghte it nedeʒ noghte to make sacrafyce to godd' Amon) in þe Mountaynes. Neuer-þe-lesse bicause we witt noʒte offende ʒowere maiestatee, we sende titt 36
1 Four lines with red capital F and small f in margin beside.
2 Four lines with red capital A and a beside.
3 Four lines with red capital C and c in the margin.
King Alexander and Queen Candace. The story of Candeolus. 97
Amon soure godd a Coron of golde and precyouse stanes, And ten chynes¹ of golde sett full of precious stanes. And vn-to sow we sende a hundrethe Besauntes of golde; And twa hundreth papeiayes closed in cages * of golde, c childer of Ethipes, cc apes, cccc Olyphantis, xxxiiii vnycornes, iij panters skynnes, of pardes & lyounes cccc, and we beseke sowre hye maiste that se will notyfye vn-till vs bi sour wirehipfull lettres, wheder se haue conquered alle be werlde and made it subiecte bezants,
vn-to 50W or no^te.' Amanges her embassatoitrs ]^at scbo sent children,
titt Alexander J^ow-e was a wonder crafty & a sutett payntoi/re. o^gg^range
And bym scbo cbarged? bat be' scbulde besely by-balde Alexander beasts.
, . . 11 • 1 • These gifts
12 & pitrtray bis fygure m a parcbemyn) skynfD and brynge it to hir. she sends
And so be did". Alexawc?er ressayued" Ipe forsaid" gyftes reuerently ^^o^g^J^o^^
and sent bir noble efyftes ae-avne wit bir embassatoz^rs. And portray
Alexander wben) f>ay come bame ])e payntoitr tuke bir Ipe fegure of Alexander on a parch-
16 purtrayed" as I saide be-fore. And wben) pe quene saw it, Scbo ^^^ ^^ ^^'
was ri^te gladde, for scbo desyred? gretly for to see bis fygure. was done.
^ After J^is ane of pe quene sonn^s J^at bigbt Candeokts went Candeolus
furtbe of J^e Citee wit bis wyfe and a fevve of bis men3€e for to f^e^g^^y ^
20 take be sporte. And onane be kyng of be Bebrikes, kuawyng with his
. wife and a
J?e fairehed? of Candeolws wyfe, come appon) )?ani) witb a grete few for
m-wltitude of mefD, and slew many of Candeolws men3ee and ^^^jfe
refte bym bis wyfe & went bis way. And j^an) Candeol2^s: and ^^^s know-
24 bis men) J^at ware lefte on lyfe went titt Alexander Oste for to wife's
be-seke bym of belpe agaynes pe kynge of Bebrikes. And pe comes^and
wacbes of pe oste tuke Candeolws & brogbte bym bi-fore reaves her
Tbolome-ws, j^at was pe secund' person) after Alexander. And deolus
28 Tbolomeits spirred" bym w^bat be was, & wbat be did" ]:>are. ^^^^^^d" ' I am,' quop be, ' quene Candaee son) and jpis day als I went is brought wit my wyfe & a p?'€uee men5ee for to take pe sporte, pe kynge He proof be Bebrikes come apon) vs wit a ejrete m-wltitude of men) and ^^^^J^^ ^^^
J ir & he IS and
32 base slayne many of my men^ee & refte me mj wyfe. And his errand. pare-fore I am comen) beder for to beseke my lord?, pe Emp^rcwr,
of belpe & socoure.' Wben Tbolomei^s bad berd? )?is onane Ptolemy
be garte take kepe of Candeoli^s & went titt Alex^nJer tentis ^^^ander
36 and wakkned" AlexaWer & talde bym & talde ilk a dele bat and
Candeol^^s bad talde bym. And wben) Alexawc?er badd? berde him.
^ Chenes first written ; but when the and joined it to the next letter, scribe had written e he wrote y over it ^ Four lines with red capital A.