8
ALEXNADER'S FIRST LETTER.
A wel-langaged lud · let þe king sone
172 Aspien ful spedliche · bi speche of þe lande,
He asks who they are. In what kyþ wer þei kid · of of what hit called were.
& ho were lord of hur land · & ledere of alle.
They say they are Brahmans, and their king is Dindimus. "We were in bragmanie bred" · saide þe burn þanne,
"& dindimus þe dere king · our demere is holde."
177"Sertus," saide alixandre · "þi sawe me quemus,
Me haþ longe to ȝoour land · liked to wende;
Wiþ ȝou to carpe in þis kiþ · couaited y ȝorne;
180 For miche ludus of ȝour lif · listned ich haue."
Alexander gives the stranger a letter, for Dindimus. Þanne let þe lordliche king · lettres endite,
& þere-on settus his sel · & sithen hem takus
To þe burn on his bot · & bad him in haste
184 To þe king of hur kiþ · carien his sonde.
Þanne whitli þe weiht · ouur þe watur sterus.
And þe lettrus to his lord · ledus ful sone.
As sone as his king say · þat sonde him yprofred,
188He hit lacchus of þe lud · & lokus þer-inne;
Contents of the letter. & ȝif ȝe Ludus haue list · þe lettrus to knowe,
Tendeþ how þis tale is titeled þer-inne.
"Alexander, "Þe kidde king alixandre · þat couþ is in erþe,
192Þat name haþ of noblete · & neuere man dradde,
son of Ammon, Þat grete god amon · in graciouce timus
Bi-gat on olimpias · þe onurable quene.
greets king Dindimus. Dindimus þe dere king · doþ for to grete.
196Þat lord of bragmanus lond · & ledere is holde,
& in þis same wise saiþ & sendeþ him gon,
& til alle þat arn · aftur him þare.—
199We have often heard of you. We han, ludus, of ȝour lif · listned ful ofte,
You never plough, Þat michil ben ȝour manerus · fram oþur men varied.
For ȝe non erthe ne eren[1] · þat erne ȝou miȝhte
Fode for to fare wiþ · as oþur fok[2] vsen.
172 Aspien ful spedliche · bi speche of þe lande,
He asks who they are. In what kyþ wer þei kid · of of what hit called were.
& ho were lord of hur land · & ledere of alle.
They say they are Brahmans, and their king is Dindimus. "We were in bragmanie bred" · saide þe burn þanne,
"& dindimus þe dere king · our demere is holde."
177"Sertus," saide alixandre · "þi sawe me quemus,
Me haþ longe to ȝoour land · liked to wende;
Wiþ ȝou to carpe in þis kiþ · couaited y ȝorne;
180 For miche ludus of ȝour lif · listned ich haue."
Alexander gives the stranger a letter, for Dindimus. Þanne let þe lordliche king · lettres endite,
& þere-on settus his sel · & sithen hem takus
To þe burn on his bot · & bad him in haste
184 To þe king of hur kiþ · carien his sonde.
Þanne whitli þe weiht · ouur þe watur sterus.
And þe lettrus to his lord · ledus ful sone.
As sone as his king say · þat sonde him yprofred,
188He hit lacchus of þe lud · & lokus þer-inne;
Contents of the letter. & ȝif ȝe Ludus haue list · þe lettrus to knowe,
Tendeþ how þis tale is titeled þer-inne.
"Alexander, "Þe kidde king alixandre · þat couþ is in erþe,
192Þat name haþ of noblete · & neuere man dradde,
son of Ammon, Þat grete god amon · in graciouce timus
Bi-gat on olimpias · þe onurable quene.
greets king Dindimus. Dindimus þe dere king · doþ for to grete.
196Þat lord of bragmanus lond · & ledere is holde,
& in þis same wise saiþ & sendeþ him gon,
& til alle þat arn · aftur him þare.—
199We have often heard of you. We han, ludus, of ȝour lif · listned ful ofte,
You never plough, Þat michil ben ȝour manerus · fram oþur men varied.
For ȝe non erthe ne eren[1] · þat erne ȝou miȝhte
Fode for to fare wiþ · as oþur fok[2] vsen.
de coriis animalium vt per ipsum fluuium transirent. Factum est, et intrauit in eam vnus miles, cui dedit alexander literas, vt portaret eas didimo regi Bragmanorum, continentes ita:--
[R]Ex regum et dominus dominantium Alexander filius dei
