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

portrait
and he de-
spises him
for his
short sta-
ture.
Darius
writes to
Alexander,
telling him
how he has
heard of
his band of
theives and
robbers,
and that
they could
never over-
come the
power of
Persia.

*Leaf 7 bk.

He tells Alex-
ander of his
meanness and
wretchedness
who wishes,
like some
mouse crept
out of her hole
when the cat
is gone, to
dispart him in
the broad
lands of Per-
sia. But Da-
rius shall
pounce upon
him when
least awaited

It were a great
gift to leave
him Mace-
donia alone,
under tribute.
He had better
go home to his
mother's knee.
He sends him
a play ball as
more beseem-
ing him.

Darius's letter to Alexander.

Write a letter and sent it to Alexander. And therewith he sent
him a [handball:] & other certain [lapey] in scorn. And this is the
tenor of the letter that he sent to him.

4 Darius, king of kings, and lord of all earthly lords even
like unto sunshine, with the gods of Persia, until
Alexander our servant we send. We have understand now
on late, whereof we marvel us greatly, that thou art so raised.

8 In pride and vain glory, that thou has assembled together
a company of robbers and thieves out of the west parties, and
[castey] therefore to come into our party, supposing [through]
them for to overset and constrain the great might & the

12 Virtue of the Persians, whose strength thou may never [ sloken ] nor overcome, suppose thou gathered & assembled together all the world.
For [ I do the wele to wiete thou myghte nerehand alsonne nommer] the sternness of heaven, as the folk of the empire of Persia. Our

16 gods also, by whom all this world is governed & sus-
tained praise & commend our name passing all other
nations. 'But not withstanding this; thou as a little [bisne &
a dwerghe], a half man & ortey of all men, desiring to over-

20 pass thy littleness, right as a mouse crept out of her hole, so
thou art creeping out of the land of Sethym, [winning with a few
rebawdey] to conquer & open the land of Persia broad & long,
& to riot & play them in [thaym] as mice do in the house

24 where no cats are. But I that [priualy hase aspied] thy gates,
when thou went most securely for to startle about, I shall start
upon them & take them; & so in wretchedness shall thy days fully
have an end. A great Folly thou did for to take upon the

28 [swylke] a presumption. It were full [faire to them], if thou might
be our [lefe], with our benevolence, occupy all only the [room of
Macedoyne], yielding therefore till [vs yearly a certain tribute, if
all thou coveted [noyte] our empire. Therefore it is good that

32 Thou left thy found purpose, and went home again, and set
thee in thy mother's knee. And lo, I send the here a little ball,
[wit the whilke als a child thou may play the.] For thou art but
a child. It is more seemly that thou use childish games than

36 deeds of arms. 'We know well thy [pouert] and thy need, and

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

portrait
and he de-
spises him
for his
short sta-
ture.
Darius
writes to
Alexander,
telling him
how he has
heard of
his band of
theives and
robbers,
and that
they could
never over-
come the
power of
Persia.

*Leaf 7 bk.

He tells Alex-
ander of his
meanness and
wretchedness
who wishes,
like some
mouse crept
out of her hole
when the cat
is gone, to
dispart him in
the broad
lands of Per-
sia. But Da-
rius shall
pounce upon
him when
least awaited

It were a great
gift to leave
him Mace-
donia alone,
under tribute.
He had better
go home to his
mother's knee.
He sends him
a play ball as
more beseem-
ing him.