20
HE REPROVES ALEXANDER.
Boþe oure reule & our riht · þat we þe rede holde.
508Ȝif þou our lif wole alowe · & oure lawe vse,
Hit schal þe profite, prince · whan þi[1] pres faileþ.
Hit is noht long in[2] us, lud · þei hit loþ seme,
For y haue sent þe my sonde · as þou þei-self bade.
512Be not angry But be þou nouht, bolde king · balful no tened,
Þat þou miht trystli trye · þe treweste lawe.
For we schulle minnge þe, man · swiche maner lorus.
Þat þou miht lihtliche, lud · þe beste lawe kenne.
516Whan þou hit wisliche wost · wilne hit in herte,
Men thy life. & lowe þi lordschipe · & þi lif mende.
Asie & aufrik · & europ þe grete
Þou has lowed to þe, lud · in a litil while.
520Thou prevented the sun from shining by thine armies. Þe lem of þe sonne-liht · þou lettest to schine,
So brem bringest þou þi men · alle in bryht armus;
& þe guldene ger · þat þi gomus vsen
Wiþ þe blasinge ble · blenden þe sonne.
524Þou hast robbed wiþ þi rout · ij. riche strondus,
Thou last robbed two streams of gold. Þere þe grauel of þe ground · was of gold ore.
Þat on was called erenus · & þat oþur large
Þe peple callede paccolus · þat þou pore madest;
528So fale folewen þe folk · to fonde þi heste,
Thine armies drink up the Nile. Þat with hure drinkinke drawht · whan þei drie þirsten,
Ȝe maken stinte of his strem · a stronde ful huge,
531Þat nilus þe noble flod · namned is wide.
So miche holdest þou þe, man · of miht & of strenke,
Þat þou might ouur oxian · wiþ þin ost saile.
So wis wenst þou þe be · þat þou by wit mihtest
508Ȝif þou our lif wole alowe · & oure lawe vse,
Hit schal þe profite, prince · whan þi[1] pres faileþ.
Hit is noht long in[2] us, lud · þei hit loþ seme,
For y haue sent þe my sonde · as þou þei-self bade.
512Be not angry But be þou nouht, bolde king · balful no tened,
Þat þou miht trystli trye · þe treweste lawe.
For we schulle minnge þe, man · swiche maner lorus.
Þat þou miht lihtliche, lud · þe beste lawe kenne.
516Whan þou hit wisliche wost · wilne hit in herte,
Men thy life. & lowe þi lordschipe · & þi lif mende.
Asie & aufrik · & europ þe grete
Þou has lowed to þe, lud · in a litil while.
520Thou prevented the sun from shining by thine armies. Þe lem of þe sonne-liht · þou lettest to schine,
So brem bringest þou þi men · alle in bryht armus;
& þe guldene ger · þat þi gomus vsen
Wiþ þe blasinge ble · blenden þe sonne.
524Þou hast robbed wiþ þi rout · ij. riche strondus,
Thou last robbed two streams of gold. Þere þe grauel of þe ground · was of gold ore.
Þat on was called erenus · & þat oþur large
Þe peple callede paccolus · þat þou pore madest;
528So fale folewen þe folk · to fonde þi heste,
Thine armies drink up the Nile. Þat with hure drinkinke drawht · whan þei drie þirsten,
Ȝe maken stinte of his strem · a stronde ful huge,
531Þat nilus þe noble flod · namned is wide.
So miche holdest þou þe, man · of miht & of strenke,
Þat þou might ouur oxian · wiþ þin ost saile.
So wis wenst þou þe be · þat þou by wit mihtest
auium audimus cantilenas. Istas siquidem naturas et consuetudines obtinemus, quas si tenere volueris, tibi vident asperum et amarum. Si autem eas obtinere nolueris et imitari, nobis aliam imponere non valebis, quia secundum tenorem tue epistole actus nostros et doctrinam tibi per presentem mittimus. Uolomus autem tibi de tua natura paululum enarrare, quia vita tua nobus dura esse videtur. Tu asyam Affricam et Europam paruo tempore te dicis concludere. Tu lumen solis facis deficere dum cursus sui terminos armatorum rabie postulas. tu pactoli et herimi fluuios splendentes auro arentes et absque colore et pauperes reddidisti. Tu bibendo nilum fluuium minuisti;
