73 Alexander and the Gymnosophists.

Alexander and the Gymnosophists. 73

herde thir wordes J^ay keste fra J?am) J»aire wapynej & thanked" ship Alex-
Alexander and wirchiped" him ri5te als he hadd? bene a godd". ^^^^ ^^ ^
Than kyng Alexander luged" hym J^are & his Oste wit hym, King Aiex-
4 & he command' to bery pe dede corse^ J?at ware slayne in J>e offers sacri-
Batett, and offred" saerafice titt his e'oddes. Also he garte ^^^ ^^^

. . buries

Entere Vorus Ipe kynge of Inde wirchipfully. Porvis wor-

^Fra thethyfD Alexander remowed'his Oste & come titt a cuntree K/ng^iex-

8 l^at was called? Oxidraces. The folkes of bat cuntree are wonder ander

. comes to

Symple meiD, and no^te prowde, & paj are called? Gumnosophiste. theGymno-

pay feghte neuer mare ne stryfes. pay ga alway naked", & stranffe^' *

citez ne townnez hafe f)ay nane, Bot duellez in luge^ & in people.

12 caues. When) pe kyng of ]?is folke herd? tett of Ipe commyng
of Alexander he wrate a le^^re, & sent v.n-titt hym whare-
offe this was the tenowr.

^ * ' The coruptible Gumnosophist vn-titt Alexander a man) wee * Leaf 30.

16 wryte. We here tett pat pou. comme^ to werre apon) vs, The letter

whare of we merueylle vs gretly. For wit vs salt pou. fynd king to

nathyng ]5at pou may spoyle vs offe. For we hafe na thyng elles teUhTg^him

amange5 vs, bot allanly whare with we may sustene oure wafutt ^® ^^^

20 bodys. What may pou J^an) take fra vs. Bot if pou come for win of
to feght wit vs, feghte on). For I late the wele witt, pat oure ^^'
symplenes witt we on na wyse lefe.' WhefD Alexander had redd

this lettre he sent ane ansuere agayne on) this wyse. * Paisably,' Alexander

24 quop he, ' witt we coin) to 50W and no violence do 50W.' And thSn^and^

ban) he wente in-to be cuntree whare bay duelled. And he comes

saw f)aifD ga naked & duelle in luges & in caues, & J^aire to them,

wyfes & f)aire childre away fra J^affD, walkand wit wilde beste^. them lead-

28 And he hadd grete marueytte, & asked pain) if f)ay hadd any ^^s tlie life
oper howse^. And J?ay ansuerde & said, * Nay. Bot in thir

holette^ duette we alwaye & in ]?ir caues.* And Alexander He admires

commendid gretely }>aire symplenesse, and bad J^ain) aske hyin) tlieir ways

32 whate-so J)ay walde. And paj ansuerd & sayde, ' Gyffe vs,' offers them

quop paj, ' vndedlynesse, so pat we mow no^te dye ; for oper rpj^^y ^^

reches couet we nane.' Quop AlexaTider, ' I am dedely my [^^ death-

X6SSI16SS*

selfe, how })afD may I giffe 50U vndedlyness 1 ' And when) f»ay They chide
herd hym say soo J^afD J^ay ansuerd & sayde on) this wyse. ambition ^^
' A, A, wreched man),' quop j^ay, ' whare to wende^ pou pus ^^^^^ *^6y

* Five lines with red capital F and small ^ Four lines with red capital T.

/written in the margin beside.