Thornton Manuscripts

Alexander and Dindimus, King of the Brahmans. 77

saw na son And oute of the elude that hange abown than ther fell as it hadd bene grete fyrebrandes the whilk brynt many of thaire tenttis and of thaire luges. And onane Alexander offred 4 sacrafice till his goddes and bad his knyghtis put aide ryuen clathes wate bi-fore the fire, and he made his prayere. And also son the whedir wexe clere & faire.

¹ Fra thethin, puj remowed" and come titt a grete ryuere J^at offers sacri-

8 es called" Ganges & fare f)ay luged J^am). And as J'ay luked" his^gods ouer on the tobe?* syde, bay saw twa or thre men) walke up & and the

weather

downn) ]:»are. And Alexander baddT his men) spirre J^aiiO in pe becomes langage of Inde what Ipej ware. And lpa.j ansuered" & said". Thev come

12 'We are Bragmayns/ quo]) bay. Alexander hadd" grete desyre to the

. -r. , 1 Ganges, on

to speke wit pe Bragmayns. Bot lie my^te no^te wynn) ouer the other

Ipe water ; it was so depe & so brade Bot if it had bene in J)e ^ya<^ are

monethe of July and Auguste. And also it was futt of ypotaynes the Brah-

i6 & scorpyones and cocadrilles, out taken) in Ipe forsaid" monethes. They can-

And when) he saw pat he myghte on na wyse wynn) ouer he was because of

reite heuy. And belyfe he garte make a lyttitt bate of redis, & tiie danger,. . ,iiTft 1 T ^ 'J 11,1 ., -n ous beasts.

couerde it wit nowtte hydis & gerte pykk it wele bathe wet-m & He sends a

20 wit-owtten). And when) pe bate was made, he gert a knyght of ^^^^J^t

his gang in-to it, and gaffe hym a lettre wit hym for to here boat with a

* to Dindimws, pat was kyng of pe Bragmayns, of whilk le^^re Jjis *Leaf 32.

was be tenot^r. 1^!^*^,^.*^

' Dmdimus,

24 ^ ' Kyng of kynges and lorde of lorde^, Alexanc^er pe son) of king of the

godd" AmofD & of pe queue Olympias, vn-to Dindimz^s kyng Alex-°^^

of Bragmayns, ioy. Euer sen) we were comen) to ]?at age J)at ander's

we couthe discerne by-twix gud & itt we hafe desyred? soueraynly Dindimus,

28 for to hafe wysdomwe & konnyng, & for to putt away fra Bra^hmans

vs ignorance & vnconnynge. For as pe wise techynge of oure *h® reason

philosophres declares opynly. Eloquence wit owttefD witt & wis- strange

dom) dose ofte-sythes mare skathe J^an) gude. parefore we hafe ^nce^he^'

22 wele vnderstanden) by relacion) of dyuerse mefD, pat 5owr lyfe & fain would

. pxii 1 learn wis-

50wr maners are diuisea and diuerge Ira att oper men) ; so pat dom of

noper on) pe See ne on J^e lande ^e seke na helpe and pat ^e * ®°^'

^eme anoj^er man ere of doctryne J^an) we hafe lerende of oure

36 doctowrs. Whare-fore we pray 50W pat 50 witt certyfye vs bi

jowr le^^res of ^owr lyffe and ^owr maners and ^our doctryne. For

^ Four lines with capital i*' and small/ ' Four lines with capital K in red,

written in the margin beside. and small k in the margin beside.

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

104

The Ten Tribes of Israel.

carry off a knight and his horse. Alexander's knights fight manfully against them. They come to a great river and make boats to cross over. The people of the country send Alexander gifts.

wlilke smate kynghtes in þe vesageȝ reghte felly. Ƿay ware so strange þat ane of þam) wolde bere away an armed knyghte & his horse also, þan) kynge Alexander rade hedir & þedir amangeȝ his men) and comforthed þam) and badd' þam feghte 4 manly agaynes þam) wit speres and wit arowes. And so þay did. Bot þare was slayne of Alexander knyghtes ccviii.

¹ And fra þeine þay remowed' and come till a grete ryuer þe whilke was twenty furlange on brede fra þe ta banke to 8 þe toþer. And on þase bankes þare growed redis wonder grete and hye. Of þaee redes garte Alexander mak bates & anoynte þam) wit terre & talgh of besteȝ, And badd' his knyghtis row ouer þe water in þase bates. And þay did' soo. And when) þe 12 [pople] ² of þe cunntree herde tell of þe commynge of Alexander & his Oste, þay sent hym gyftes of swylk thyngeȝ als was in þaire cuntree, þat es at say Grete spoungeȝ bathe whitte & purpure & schelles of þe see so grete þat an of þam) walde 16 halde twa pekkes or three. Ƿay sent hym also wormes þat þay drew owte of þat ryuer grettere þan) a manes thee, and þay ware swetter of taste þan any fysche. Ƿay gaffe hym Cukstoles all rede þat ware of a wonderfull gretnesse. In þat ryuer ware 20 womans þat ware wonder faire & þay hade on) þam) mekill here þat rechedd doun) to thaire fete. Ƿir women), when þay saw any straunge men swymme in þat riuer, owþer þay drownned þam) in þe water, or etts pay walde lede þam) to þe redeȝ þat 24 growed' on) þe water bankes and garre þam) lye by þam) ay titt any lyfe was in þam). Ƿe Macedoynes persued þam) & tuke twa of þam) and broghte þam) till Alexander,* and þay ware als white as any snawe, and þay ware ten fote lange and þaire 28 teethe ware lyke dogge teethe.

They find women in that river who slay men. Two of them they capture. They come to Gog and

* Leaf 44 bk.

Magog, who are the ten tribes of Israel led out of their own land by a Persian king. They ask Alexander leave to come forth.

³ Efter this Alexander went and closed' in a maner of folkes þat are called" Gog & Magog, with-in þe hilleȝ of Caspy. Ƿis folkeȝ were of þe ten kyndeȝ of Israel, and þay ware leedd' owte 32 of þaire awenn) land" bi a kyng of Perse be-cause of þaire synneȝ and halden in thralledom). And þay asched Alexander leue for to wende furth of þat cuntree. And Alexander gert spirre þe cause of þaire thraldom), and he was encensed þat be-cause þay 36

1 Three lines with red capital A and small a in margin beside.

² MS. reads, And when þe of þe cunntree

(?þ[i] of, &c.).

³ Three lines with red capital E and small e in the margin beside.

Alexander and the Ten Tribes. The ocean. 105

hadd forsaken yaire goddez lawe, yat es at say, godd of Isrl, and wirchiped? Calues & oper Mawmettes, yare-fore yay ware ledd oute of yaire awenn laude & halden in thralldom, and yat 4 prophetes had pophiced be-fore yat yay sulde neuer come oute of thraldom bi-fore agayne ye day of dome. And yan Alexander ansuerde & said yat he sulde sperre yam In mare seurely. And yan he garte close att ye entreez wit stane & lyme & sand, Bot all yat he garte make on ye day was fordone on ye nyghte. And when Alexander saw yat mannes laboure myghte nozte stande in stede, he bi-soghte godd of Isrl yat if it ware his liste yat yay habade yare, yat he walde close pam in. And ye nexte nyghte 12 aftir ilk a cragge felle till oyer, and so yare may nathynge passe m nor owte. And yare-by it semez yat it es nozte goddez witt yat yay come oute. Neuer-ye-lesse abowte pe Ende of ye werlde bay satt breke oute and do mekitt schathe & slaa many 16 men.

¹ Fra yeine yay remowed & come to ye grete See Occeane. In yat See yay sawe ane Ile a littitt fra ye lande. And in yat Ile yay herde men speke grewe. And yan Alexander commanded 20 yat sum of his knyghts sulde do off yaire clathes and swyme ouer to ye ile. And yay did soo. And als sone als yay come in ye See yare come gret crabbes vp oute of ye water & pullede yam downne to ye grounde & drownned yam.

24 ² Thanne remowed yay fra thethyn and went ay endlande ye See syde to-warde ye solstice of wynter trauellande xl days ; and at ye laste yay come to a reede See, and yare yay lugede yam. Yare was faste by a Mountayne wonder hye, One 28 ye whilke Alexander went vp. And when he was abown on ye heghte yare-offe, hym thoghte yat he was nerre ye Firmament yan ye erthe ; yan he ymagned in his hert swilk a gynn how he myghte make * grippes bere hym vp in-to ye ayere. And 32 onane he come doune of ye Mountayne and garte come bi-fore hym his Maistre wrightes and comandid yam yat yay sulde g make hym a chayer and trelesse it wit barrez of Iren one ilk a syde so yat he myzte sauely sitt yare-in. And yan he gart . 36 brynge foure gripes and tye yam faste wit Iren cheynes vn-to ye chayere, and in ye ouermare party of ye chayere he gart putt

[Right margin] But he learns that they had forsaken the True God for idols, and therefore banished and imprisoned till Doomsday. Alexander says he shall bar them in more surely. God answers his prayers, and rocks fall down and shut them in until Doomsday, when they shall come forth to do great harm. They come to the sea and an isle near the shore. They hear men speak Greek there. Alexander´s messengers to the isle are killed by crabs. They travel along the *Leaf 45. seashore to the Red Sea. Alexander goes up a mountain. His master workers make him

1 Four lines with red capital F and ^ Three lines with red capital T and

small f in the margin beside. small capital T in margin.

& the sydes pare off ware of Topaghes & in ilkan of the grees ware sett dyuerse maneres of precyouse stanes. In the summyt of this trone thare was sett a ruby that schane on the nyghte as it hade 4 bene the Mone. In this trone also was thare sett on ilke a syde dyuerse ymages; on the whilke ware wretyn bathe in latyne & in grew* verses that contened all the nammes of the rewmes & cuntrees that Alexandere had conquered and ware sugetes un-till hym. 8 ¹ After this ⁴ Alexander gert make a coron of golde sett full of all maner of precyouse stanes, and gert wryte apon it a tytle in grew & in latyn : ' Ortus & occasus, Aquilo michi seruit & Auster.' That es at saye : ' Est & weste, Northe & southe dose 12 seruyce un-to me.' In the mene tyme whils Alexander was in babyloyne, a woman was delyuer of a knaue childe the whilke fra the heuede to the nauyll hadd schappe of man, & was borne dedd. And fra the nauyll downwardes it had lyknesse of dyuerse 16 bestes and was qwykke. This Monstre was taken & broghte till Alexander; and als son als he saw it he meruaylled gretly thare-off, and gart come bi-fore hym a philosopher that couthe of wiche-crafte, & aschede hym what it sygnyfyed. And when the 20 philosopher saw it, he syghede, & saye wepand sayde un-to hym : ' Sothely wirchipfull emperour,' quoth he, ' the tyme commes nere that thou sall passe oute of this werlde.' ' Telle me,' quoth Alexander, ' whareby thou knawes that.' And the philosophre 24 ansuerde & sayde : ' My lorde,' quoth he, ' the halfe of this Monstre that base the schappe of man & es dedd, betakens that thou sall passe out of this werlde in haste. And the tother party that hase the lyknes of dyuerse bestes & es on lyfe, betakynges the kynges 28 that sall come after the. Bot thare sall nane of tham be lyke un-to the, na mare than a beste es lyke un-till a man.' When Alexander herde this he was wonder heuy, and sare wepand he sayde on this wyse : ' OAllmyghty Iubiter,' quoth he, ' what 32 menes it that my dayes sall be so schortte ? Me thynke that it had bene semely that I had leffed langere for till haf endid thynges that are in my thoghte. Bot for als mekill als it es noghte plesande un-to the, I beseke the that thou resayffe me when 36 I sall passe hethen als thyn awen seruante.'

² In this mene tyme pare was in Macedoyne a lorde that highte

¹ Three lines with red capital A and small a in the margin beside.

² Four lines with red capital I and small i in margin beside.