HE QUESTIONS THE BRHAMANS.
9
On se saile ȝe nouht · in sesoun of ȝere,
204nor fish. For to fihche on þe fom · of finde any praie.
But litil leue we þat · lud, i þe warne,
Is this true? For-þi bi-seche y þe, seg · ȝif it soþ were,
207Send me tyþinge[1] tid · & tel me þe soþe,
Þat y may witen of ȝour werk · & of ȝour wonus alle.
If so I never heard of a more wonderful people. For ȝif men saiþ bi ȝow soþ · þe sawe þat y hirde,
Of more meruailouse men · miȝhte i nouht kenne.
Ȝif wisdam or wit · in ȝour werk finde,
212Þat god aloweþ ȝour lif · & likeþ your dedes,
Y schal ȝour costomus, king · couaite to holde,
& fonde for bi[2] miȝht · ȝour fare to sinke.[3]
For fram þe ȝouþe of my ȝer · ȝerned ich haue
216Of wide werkus to wite · & wisdam lere;
We were taught that no people are so holy that they can blame us We weren tauht in oure time · & tendide lorus,
Of oure doctourus dere · demed for wise,
Þat non haþel vndur heuene · so holi is founde,
220Þat mihte a-legge any lak · our lif to reproue.
But for y, ludus, of ȝoure lif · swich a los hurde,
Þat we discorden of dede · don ȝou to knowe
224 Þe best lorus of lif · & lawus of wise,
Tell me your customs. And we ȝou praien, sire prince · prestly me sende
Alle þe lorus of your lif · in lettres a-seled;
And y bi-hote ȝou her · vnharmed to leue.
228 For more may hit, in cas · ȝou menske þan greue;
It cannot harm. Whan may hit greuen a man · þat mich good knowiþ
204nor fish. For to fihche on þe fom · of finde any praie.
But litil leue we þat · lud, i þe warne,
Is this true? For-þi bi-seche y þe, seg · ȝif it soþ were,
207Send me tyþinge[1] tid · & tel me þe soþe,
Þat y may witen of ȝour werk · & of ȝour wonus alle.
If so I never heard of a more wonderful people. For ȝif men saiþ bi ȝow soþ · þe sawe þat y hirde,
Of more meruailouse men · miȝhte i nouht kenne.
Ȝif wisdam or wit · in ȝour werk finde,
212Þat god aloweþ ȝour lif · & likeþ your dedes,
Y schal ȝour costomus, king · couaite to holde,
& fonde for bi[2] miȝht · ȝour fare to sinke.[3]
For fram þe ȝouþe of my ȝer · ȝerned ich haue
216Of wide werkus to wite · & wisdam lere;
We were taught that no people are so holy that they can blame us We weren tauht in oure time · & tendide lorus,
Of oure doctourus dere · demed for wise,
Þat non haþel vndur heuene · so holi is founde,
220Þat mihte a-legge any lak · our lif to reproue.
But for y, ludus, of ȝoure lif · swich a los hurde,
Þat we discorden of dede · don ȝou to knowe
224 Þe best lorus of lif · & lawus of wise,
Tell me your customs. And we ȝou praien, sire prince · prestly me sende
Alle þe lorus of your lif · in lettres a-seled;
And y bi-hote ȝou her · vnharmed to leue.
228 For more may hit, in cas · ȝou menske þan greue;
It cannot harm. Whan may hit greuen a man · þat mich good knowiþ
Amonis et regine Olimpie Didimo regi Bragmanorum gaudium. Postquam ad tantam etatem peruenimus quod inter bonum et malum potuimus discernere qualitatercunque, desiderauimus repellere ignorantiam et replere sapientia mentem nostram; quia, vt nostrorum philozophorum doctrina declarat, 'Eloquentia sine spaientia nocere valet potius quam prodesse.' Hic est quod ad aures nostras relatione plurium peruenit quod mores vestri a ceterorum nostrorum moribus sunt diuisi ita, quod nec in terra nec in mari aliquod auxilium requiratis; Aliam doctrinam quam a nostris doctoribus didicimus obseruantes. Quapropter attentius deprecamur quodque uniuersam doctrinam vestram et sapientiam nobis in vestris literis intimetis. Poterimus
