73 Alexander and the Gymnosophists.

Alexander and the Gymnosophists. 73

herde thir wordes they keste fra tham thaire wapynes & thanked
Alexander and wirchiped him rigte als he hadd bene a godd.
Thn kyng Alexander luged ym tare & his Oste wit hym,
& he command to bery the dede corses tat ware slayne in the
Batell, and offred sacrafice till his goddes. Also he garte
Entere Porus the kynge of Inde wirchipfully.
Fra thethyn Alexander removed his Oste & come till a cuntree
that was called Oxidraces. Te folkes of that cuntree are wonder
Symple men, and not prowde, & tat are called Gumnosophiste.
That feghte neuer mare ne stryfes. Thay ga alway naked, &
cites ne townes hafe that nane, Bot duelles in luges & in
caves. When the kyng of this folke herd tell of the commyng
of Alexander he wrate a lettre, & sent un-till hym whare-
offe this was the tenour.
2* 'The coruptible Gumnosophist un-till Alexander a man wee
wryte. We here tell that thou commes to werre apon us,
whare of we mervylle us gretly. For wit us sall thou fynd
Nathyng that thou may spoyle us offe. For we have na thyng elles
amanges us, bot allany whare with we may sustene our wafull
bodys. Wat may thon than take fra us. Bot if thon come for
to feght with us, feght on. For I late the wele witt, that oure
symplenes will we on na wyse lefe.' When Alexander had redd
this lettre he sent ane ansuere gayne on this wyse. 'Paisably,'
quoth he, 'will we com t sow and no violence do sow.' And
than he wente in-to the cuntree ware thay duelled. And he
saw tham ga naked & duelle in luges & in caves, & thaire
wyfes & thaire childre away fra tham, walkand wit wilde bestes.
And he hadd rete varveylle, & asked tham if that hadd any
oper howses. And that ansuerde & said, 'Nay. Bot in thir
holettes duelle we always & in thir caves' And Alexander
commendid gretely thaire symplenesse, and bad tham aske hym
whate-so that walde. And that ansuerd & sayde, 'Gyfe us,'
quoth thay, 'undedlynesse, so that we mow note dye; for other
reches couet we nane.' Quoth Alexander, 'I am dedely my
selfe, how thn may I ive you undedlyness?' And when thay
herd ym say soo than they ansuerd & sayde on this wyse.
'A, A, wreched man,' quoth thay, 'whare to wendes thou thus

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.