72
The combat of Poms and Alexander.
have con-
quered.
The armies
of Porus
and Alex-
ander are
arrayed
against
each other.
The In-
dians fall
heavily.
iPorus
challenges
Alexander
to single
combat.
The king-
ship of the
nations to
abide by
the out-
come.
For Porus
being a
great man
scorned
Alexander.
* Leaf 29
bk.
Porus hits
Alexander
on the
head.
Alexander
slays Porus
by a trick.
The In-
dians fight
on for their
dead king.
Alexander
chides
them for
fighting
when their
leader is
dead.
Alexander
bespeaks
them peace
and surety.
They are
right glad
and wor-
AXtxander lepped apon) his horse Buktiphalas and went bifore
his Oste & f>an) j^ay trumpede up & ]?e batetts joyned" samen),
& faghte to-gedir ri5te sare. Bot ]pe Indienes felt thikfalde
in J)e batett as corne dose in J)e felde be-fore \>e sythe.
^And when) Vqyus saw that, he went and stode bi-fore att
his men), and cryed" vn-titt Alexander, & saide on this wyse :
' It sitte5 no5te tilt an emperowr,' (\uo]) he, ' to lose his men)
J)us in vayne. Bot it sitte; tilt hym for to determyne his
cause with his awenn) hande^. And ])areioYQ late thi folke
stand stilt on J>e ta syde, & myn) on fe id^er & late the &
me feghte to gedir hand" for handl And if it happen) J>at J^ou
ouer-come me, my folke & I salt be subiecte5 vn-to \>q. And la
if I ouer come the, than) thou & thi folke^ be subiecte^ vn-to
me/ Thir worde^ said Voyus di spy sand" Alexander, bi-cause
J)at he was a man) of littilt stat2tre. For he was bot three
cubites hye, & Porws was fyfe cubetes hye & mare. And ])are- 16
fore he traysted" hym alt in strenghe of his body, no^te
knawande J>e vertu & J?e hardnes J>at was hidd* in Alexander.
*And than bathe pe ostes stode stilt ant lete Ipe twa
kynge^ feghte samefi), Toyus gaffe Alexander a grete str[a]ke 20
on) J^e hede, & was \n poynte to hafe felled' hym). And then)
FoYus knyghtes sett vp a grete Schowte. And Foyus towrned'
hym to ]?aifi)-warde for to reproue )?am) for J?aire schowttyng.
And Alexander went tilt hym manfully & tuke his swerd" in 24
bathe his hande^ & lete flye at hym & hitt hym fullbott one
J^e heued? & slew hym. And when) pe Indienes saw that J^ay
bi-gan scharply for to fighte wit Alexander & his oste. Vn-
to whayme Alexander spake & sayde : ' Wrechis,' quo]) he, 28
' wharto feghte 56 sen) ^our kynge es dede. Wate ^e nojte wele
that thare na gouernour es pe folke are sparpled' be-lyfe als
schepe pat ere wet-owtten) ane hirde.' pe Indienes ansuerd? &
saide : ' Vs es leuer,' quop pay, 'fighte manfully, and dye in the 32
felde, f)an) for to see J^e dissolacion) of oure folke, and oure lande
be distroyed'& wasted".' ' Leues '^our feghtynge,' quop Alexander,
' & wende3 hame to ^owr howsej pesaybly & seurely. For I swere
50W bi oure godde^, if 5ee witt do so, 50 salt hafe no harme, ne 36
^our lande salt no^te be distroyed" ne spoyled', bicause pat je hafe
foghten so manfully for ^our kynge.' And when) pe Indienes
^ Robert Louson is scribbled here in the right-hand margin.
EN