10
THE PARABLE OF THE TORCH.
any one to impart knowledge. To carpe of his konninge · & kenne hit til oþureFor þe wers is no weih · wis ȝif he seme,233 Þouȝ he finde oþur folk · folewen hi dedus.Take the case of a torch;
Its light is not lessened, though it lights others." Of a torche þat is tend · tak an en-sample;Þat þouy ludus of þe lem · lihtede an hundred,Hit scholde nouht lesen his liht · no þe latur brenne,236 While þe weke & þe waxe[1] · vn-wasteþ lasteþ.& so it farus bi folk[2] · þat fain is to teche;Hit wasteþ no wisdam · weihes to lere. For-þi busiliche, burn · we bidde þe nouþe240Wiþ-oute tariginge of time · tiþinge sende.To witen of þe wisdam · þat ȝe wiþ faren."Whan dereworþe dindimus · þe enditinge hurde244Dindimus reads the letter, Of alixandre askinge · as he write hadde,Oþir lettrus he let · of hur lif write,and sends an answer. & agyn to þe gome · goodliche he sente.As cof as hit come was · þere þe king dwelde,248In þis manere dide þe man · þe massage arede.
Its light is not lessened, though it lights others." Of a torche þat is tend · tak an en-sample;Þat þouy ludus of þe lem · lihtede an hundred,Hit scholde nouht lesen his liht · no þe latur brenne,236 While þe weke & þe waxe[1] · vn-wasteþ lasteþ.& so it farus bi folk[2] · þat fain is to teche;Hit wasteþ no wisdam · weihes to lere. For-þi busiliche, burn · we bidde þe nouþe240Wiþ-oute tariginge of time · tiþinge sende.To witen of þe wisdam · þat ȝe wiþ faren."Whan dereworþe dindimus · þe enditinge hurde244Dindimus reads the letter, Of alixandre askinge · as he write hadde,Oþir lettrus he let · of hur lif write,and sends an answer. & agyn to þe gome · goodliche he sente.As cof as hit come was · þere þe king dwelde,248In þis manere dide þe man · þe massage arede.
How king dindimus sente lettrus to king alixandre.[A picture. II.]
[Fol. 210, back] Þe dere king dindimus · þe doctour of wise,Þat lord of bragmanus lond · alosed is þare,"King Dindiums to Alexander, greeting. "To emperour alixandrre · egrest of princis,252Þat is grimmest igrowe · and grettest of kingus,Sendeþ letteres of lowe · & to þe lud writesMiche gretiþinge of grace · & grauntinge of ioie.—
quoque ex vestris manibus comprehendere bonitatem. Nec vestra sapientia in aliquo minuetur. Talis enim est solicitudo sapiente, qualis natura accense facule comprobatur; a qua cum plures facule ignem recipiant, nihilominus ipsa candet que facit alios coruscare.
Responsiua regis Bragmanorum missa Alexandro.
[D]Idimus Bragmanorum didascolus alexandro--Salutatem; per tuarum tenorem cognomovimus literarum, quod animus tuus cupit vera
