21

Darius's letter to Alexander.

write a letter and sent it till Alexander. And thare-wit he sent
hym a handball: & other certane lapey in scorne. And this is the
tenour of the lettre that he sent till hym.

4 'Darius, kyng of kynges, and lord of all erthely lordes euen
like vnto sonne schynande, wit the goddey of Perse, vntill
Alexander oure seruand we send. We hafe vnderstanden now
on late, whare-of we meruelle vs gretely, that thou ert so raysed

8 in pride and vayne glorye, that thou hase semblede togedir
a company of robbours and thefey oute of the weste parties, and
castey the for to com in-till oure partiey, supposynge thurgh
tham for to ouer-sett and constreyne the grete myghte & the

12 vertue of the percyens, whase strenghte thou may neuer sloken ne
ouercome, suppose thou gadirde & sembled togedir all the werlde.
For I do the wele to wiete thou myghte nerehand alsonne nommer
the sternes of heuen, as the folke of the empire of Perse. Oure

16 goddey also, by whaym all this werlde es gouerned & sus-
tened prayssey & commendey oure name passyng all other
nacyons. 'Bot noyte wit-standynge this; thou as a littill bisne &
a dwerghe, a halfe man & ortey of alle men, desyrand to ouer-

20 passe thi littillnesse, riyte as a mouse crepey oute of hir hole, so
thou ert cropen out of the lande of Sethym, wenynge wit a few
rebawdey to conquere & optene the landey of Perse brade & lange,
& to ryotte & playe the in thaym as myesse douse in the house

24 whare na cattes ere. Bot I that priualy hase aspied thi gatey,
when thou weney moste seurely for to stertle abowte, I sall sterte
apon the & take the; & so in wrechidnes sall thi dayes fouly
hafe an ende. 'A grete Foly thou dide for to take apon the

28 swylke a presumpcyon. It ware full faire to the, if thou myghte
bi oure lefe, wit oure beneuolence, ocupie all anely the rewme of
Macedoyne, yeldynge tharefore till vs yerely a certane tribute, if
all thou couetid noyte oure empire. Thare-fore it es gude that

32 Thou lefe thi fonned purposse, and wende hame agayne, and sett
the in thi moder knee. And lo, I sende the here a littill balle,
wit the whilke als a childe thou may play the. For thou ert bot
a childe. It es mare semely that thou vse childey gammey than

36 dedey of armes. * We knawe wele thi pouert and thi nede, and

Darius's letter to Alexander. 21

write a lettvQ and sent it till Alexander. And bare-wit he sent portrait

hym a handball: & o]>er certane lape^ m scorne. And f>i3 is )?e spises him

ienour of J^e k^^re f>at he sent till hym. short^sta-

"^ ^ ' Darii^s, kyng of kynges, and lord' of all erthely lordes euen) t^re.

like vnto sonne schynande, wit J^e godde3 of Perse, vntill ^rites^to

Alexander oure seruand? we send". We hafe vnderstanden) now Alexander,

telling him

on late, Avhare-of we meruelle vs gretely, pat you ert so raysea how he has

8 in pride and vayne glorye, \ai \o\x hase semblede togedir j^^^^a^^j of

a company of robbot^rs and thefe^ oute of be weste parties, and thieves and

r o D u 6 rs

caste5 )?e for to coin) in-till oure partie^, supposynge thurgH and that

f»am) for to ouer-sett and constreyne ]>e grete myghte & J)e ^^^er^o^er-

1 2 V(2rtue of J?e p^rcyens, whase stienghte J^ou may neuer sloken) ne come the

ouercome, suppose J'ou gadirde & sembled" togedir alt )?e werlde. persia.
For I do J)e wele to wiete J)ou myghte nerehand? alsonne nommer
\>e sternes of heuen), as J^e folke of J?e empire of Perse. Oure

i6 godde^ also^, "^^by whaym) all jjis werlde es gouerned' & sus- *Leaf7bk.
tened] praysse5 & commende^ oure name pasayng alt 6\)&r

nacyons. 'Bot no5te wit-standynge ]:>is; ]:)ou as a littitt bisne & jj +11 ai

a dwerghe, a halfe man) & orte^ of atte men), desyrand" to ouer- anderofhis

,.,.,,.,, . , , p 1 • 1 1 meanness and

20 passe pi littmnesse, ri^te as a mouse crepe3 oute 01 hir hole, so wretchedness

Jjou ert cropen) out of \)Q lande of Sethym), wenynge w^t a few y^^ wishes,

rebawde3 to conquere & optene ])q lande^ of Perse brade & lange, mouse crept

& to ryotte & playe the in thaym) as my^sse douse in ]:>e house when the cat

24 whare na cattes ere. Bot I bat prmaly hase.aspied" thi gates, is gone, ta

J ••■ "^ ■■■ 0:7' dispart him in

when) ]>o\\. wenej moste seurely for to stertle abowte, I salt sterte the broad

apoiD J»e & take J^e ; & so in wrechidnes salt thi dayes fouly gja. But Da-

hafe afD ende. * A grete Folv bou dide for to take apon) the ^^^^^ ^^^^^

° "^ -^ , , -^ pounce upon

28 swylke a presumpcyon. It ware full faire to J^e, if J^ou myghte him when

•I' ir*j. 1 1 •+4-11 r least awaited.

bi oure leie, w^t oure beneuolence, ocupie an anely be rewme of

J It were a great

Macedoyne, 5eldynge par^iore tin vs 3erely a certane tribute, if gift to leave

all: \>o\x couetid* nojte oure empire, pare-fore it es gude fat donia'alone

32 ^po\x lefe thi fonned" pttrposse, and wende hame agayne, and sett binder tribute.

the in thi moder knee. And lo, I sende the here a littitt balle, go home to his

wit f e whilke als a childe ]>o\x may play the. For fou ert bot He^g^nds Mm*

a childe. It es mare semely bat ]:>ou vse childe 3 gamme3 ban a play ball as

36 dede3 of armes. * We knawe wele thi pouert and thi nede, and ing him.

•«

' Four half lines and miniature D with written in large characters indistinctly
a king's head within. , . . Jajchyn ys att a Rio , , .

^ At bottom of leaf 7, first side, are