ALEXANDER REPLIES AGAIN
31
816Beign annoyed he sends a letter back. But nouþeles anon riht · anied in his herte,Sone sente he again · his sel & his letterus.Wiþ-oute tariynge tid · þis tiþingus comeTod dindimus þe dere king · þat þe dite radde.Hear it! Now liþus, ȝe þat listene wele · þe lettrus to þe ende,821For þus redely þe rink · a-radde þe sonde.
How alixandre sente answere to dindimus by letter.[A picture. VI.]
"Alexander, "Þe aþel king alixandre · of armus alosed,Þat noble is & name-kouþ · & neuere man dradde,824son of Ammon, Þat grete god amon · in graciouse timusBy-gat on olimpias · þe onorable quene,to Dindimus, greeting Ful derely to dindimus · enditeþ his sonde,827& his sawe to the seg · saiþ in þis wise.—If all is ture, ye are very good men. Ȝif alle þe lorus þat þou, lud · in lettrus me sentestBen trewe to be trowen on · & trysty to leue,Þanne by ye sykur[1] to be saf · for sake of ȝoure werkus.For ȝe ben burnus of lif · best vp-on erþe,832[Fol. 214] Ȝif ȝe nouht wirche but wel · in þis word here;Hit comeþ ȝou bi custum · so clanly to libbe.WHy deem ye that we sin? Whi deme þanne þat we don · ne dede vp-on erþeBut sinne þat is sorwful · oure soule to spille?836Whi seye ȝe seggus also · þat sinne ȝe holdenAny werkus to wirche · of wordliche craftus?Why blame the works of man? Whi be ȝe, ludus, so lef · to lakke þe werkus
valde propter deorum inuriam, et continuo scripsit ei hoc modo.
Responsio Alexandri ad regem Bragmanorum
[R]Ex regum et dominus dominantium Alexander filius dei Hamonis et regine olimpie dindimo salutem. Si omnia in vobis reperiuntur que nobis vestris literis intimasti, soli potestis homines nuncupari, qui, vt dicitis, nulla facinora perpetratis. Sed pro certo sciatis quod huiusmodi vitam non ex virtute sed ex consuetudine obtinentis, quia secundum consuetudinum aut dicitis vos deos esse aut inuidia mouemini
- ↑ MS. 'sylur'
