Wonderous beasts. 71.

nettis & slewe many of tham. And on this wyse Alexander & his
Oste was gretly disesed. Than comanded Alexander that thay
schuld make many fyres wit-owtten the Oste aboute the stanke.
After this thare come apon tham a wondere grete beste, grettere
& strangere than an Olyphaunt, and he hadde in his frunte
three lange hornes. And he was schapen lyke a horse & he
was all blakke. And this beste was called in the langage of Inde
"Anddontrucion'. And or he went to the water at drynke, he
assailled the Oste. Bot Alexander went here & thare amange the
oste & comforthed tham. This ilke beste slewe of his knyghtes
xxviij and bare donne lij and at the laste it felle in the nettis and
was slayne. after this thare come oute of the rede a grete multi-
tude of mys als grete als foxes, and ete up the dede bodys. Thare
was na qwike thynge, that they bate that ne also son it dyed.

nettis & slewe many of tham. And on this wyse Alexander & his
Oste was gretly disesed. Than comanded Alexander that thay
schuld make many fyres wit-owtten the Oste aboute the stanke.
After this thare come apon tham a wondere grete beste, grettere
& strangere than an Olyphaunt, and he hadde in his frunte
three lange hornes. And he was schapen lyke a horse & he
was all blakke. And this beste was called in the langage of Inde
"Anddontrucion'. And or he went to the water at drynke, he
assailled the Oste. Bot Alexander went here & thare amange the
oste & comforthed" J>aiTii. This ilke beste slewe of his knyghtes comes a

xxviij and bare donne lij and at pe laste it fette in Ipe nettis and ^^g^st

13 was slayne. After Ipis pare come oute of pe rede^ a grete m^dti- greater

tude of mys5 als grete als foxes, and ete up pe dede bodys. pare elephant.

was na qwike thynge^, J^at J?ay bate ]?at ne also son) it dyedl -'Alexander

Bot harme did' f>ay nane *to J^e oste. pan) come J)are flyande * Leaf 29.

16 amangej f?am) bakkes, grettere J^am) wilde dowfes, and J^aire rallies

tethe ware lyke men)-tethe. And ]?ay didd' men) mekitt disese it slays*

and hurte many men). Of sum) ]?ay bate offe pe nese ; of sum ^^""^' ^^*

pe eres. In j^e morneny^^ge arely pare come many fewlis als slain.

30 grete as wlturs, reed' of colour, and J^aire fete & J)aire bekes big as foxes

att blakke. Bot J^ay didd" na disese to pe oste, bot went to ^g* J^ *^^

pe stanke-syde & drewe fisches & ele^ oute of pe water, & bodies.

, , — ^ Whatso-

ete pam). ever they

34 ^ phafD lefte Alexander J)ir perilous place5, and come w^t his ^^f^ *^^°®

Oste, in-to pe cuntree of Bactricen), pe whilke was full of Then come

golde & oper reches. And pe mefD of pe cuntree resayfed* hym greater

benyngly & wirchipfully and gaffe hym and his Oste grete giftes. *^^^ "^^^^

38 And fare he habade xx^i dayes. Jn p&i cuntree f^ay sawe They

trees fat, in-stedde of leues, bare wotte; pe whilke folke5 of Bactria

pe cuntree gaderd? & made clathe far^-offe. pe knyghtes of where they

Alexanc?«r wex wonder balde & strange of hert because of ceived.

33 pe victoryes fay hadd? wonnen) of f e wilde bestej before bea^ring^ "

neuenned. ^,®®^'

^ Fra thethyn, Alexander remowed? his Oste and come to f e knights

place whare Porws lay wtt fe folke fat he hadd" assembled, courage be-

36 And one fe morne bathe Alexander and Porws tuke faire cause of the

. All strange

grounde & arayed? faire batens for to feghte. And than) beasts they

^ Four lines with red ornate capital p, ' Four lines space with red capital S and

but small t scribbled in the margin beside. small s written in the margin beside.