66
The Amazons.
and their
manners.
They are in
an island
girdled
round by a
river. The
men dwell
on the
other side
of the river.
How they
breed their
kind.
* Leaf 26
bk.
How they
ride to war.
Their hus-
bands
honour
them at
their re-
turn. They
will fight
Alexander,
who will
get no
honour
through
victory over
women, but
rather if he
be over-
thrown, to
the women
shall it be
great
honour, to
him great
shame.
Alexander
laughs and
sends them
another
letter, tell-
ing them
that he has
conquered
three parts
of the
world and
never been
withstood.
present le^^res, 'pat oure hafcitacioS) es in ane He, pat es clofcede
abowte wit a grete reuer pat noper base bygynnynge nor
endynwge. Bot on a syde we hafe a strayte entree. And the
nowm^r of women) pat duelle5 per-in es ccxiiiiJ^ pat ere no3te
filed wit men). For oure husbande5 duelle5 no5te amange3 vs
ne no noper mafi), Bot on ])e toper syde of pe reuer. And ilke
a 5ere we make a solempne leste in the wirchipe of lubiter
XXX days. And J>afD we go titt oure husbandes, and duellej
wit J?am) oper xxx dayes & base oure luste and oure disporte
* to-gedir as kynde askes. And if any of vs co?isayfe & here
a childe if it be a male pQ modere kepis it seuen) 5ere and
than) sende^ it to pe fadere. And if scho here a mayden)
childe J^e moder balde^ it wit hir & teche} it oure maners.
When) we goo to werre agayne 5oure enemys we ere c"^ rydand?
one horse wele armede. And sum) of vs base bowes & arowes,
and sum) speres, and oper diuerse wapyne. And pe lemanent
kepe^ oure He. And whefD.we come wit the victorye oure
husbande^ does vs grete wirchipe. And pare-fore if pou come
agaynes vs we late the witt pat we will feghte wit the at aft
oure my^te. And if it happen) pat po\i hafe pe victory of vs,
wirchipe satt it nane be to the bi- cause pon base discomfit
women). And if we discomfit the, it saft be an heghe wirchippe
titt vs, J^at we may discomfit so wirchipfutt an emperowr ; and
to the it sail be a bye reproue. Where-fore we sygnifie vn-to
J^e by oure le^^res pat pou. come no^te agaynes vs for sekerly
pare may grete dysese come pare-o&e, pat perauentwre po\i
knawe^ no3te now ofife at J^is tjmme.'
AVhen) Alexander hadd? redd? ph \ettre, he began) to lawghe.
And onane he garte writte srnoper lettre, and sent it to
Talyfride, whare-offe pe tenour was this.
^ ' Alexander kyng of kynges and of lorde^, the son) of godd'
Amon) & J^e qwene Olympias, to Talyfride quene of Amazon)
and pe oper ladys of pe same rewme : ioy. We late 50 w weite
psit thre parties of pe werlde, pat es to say, Asye, Affric, &
Europe we hafe co?2quered' and made subiects vn-tift vs, & j^are
was neuer nane of ]:>am) pat myjte agaynstande oure powere.
And if we now suld no5te be of powere, to feghte with ^owe
it ware ane heghe scharae titt us. Neuer-J'e-lesse for als mekift
^ Thirteen lines blank space for a miniature.
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EN