19 The Bishop of the Jews' dream.

The Bishop of the Jews' dream.

after, when the Bishop had made his sacrifice, and was lying in prayers, he fell [to slumbering?] and an Angel appeared unto him and said, 'Be not afraid,' quoth he, ' but swythe gere araye honestly all the streets of (the) city, and cast open the gates, and warn all the folk that they array them in white clothing, and thyself & all the priests [reuestey] thou solemnly, and to-morne arely wendey further of the city against Alexander in procession. For him [by-houey] reign & be lord of all the world. But at the last the wrath of god shall fall upon him.' When the bishop wakened of his sleep, he called to him the jewes and told them his revelation, and bade them do all as the Angel had showed him. And they did so. For they arrayed the streets of the city and clad them in white clothing, and the bishop & the priests [reueste] them, and both they and all the folk went further of the city to a place where the temple & all the city may be seen. And there they have bade the coming of Alexander. And when Alexander come near this foresaid place, and saw before him such a multitude of folk, clad all in white, and the priests arrayed solemnly in rich vestments, and the bishop also in his pontificals and a mitre on his head, and thereupon a plate of gold, whereon was written the name of great god Tetragramaton, he commanded all his men that they should hold them behind him, and abide till he come to them. And he lighted off his horse, and went by him on to the jewes, And knelt down to the earth and worshipped the high name of god, that he saw there written upon the bishop's head. And then all the jews knelt down & [saluste] Alexander and cried all with a voice: 'live, live,' quoth they, ' great Alexander, live, live the greatest Emperor of the world, live he that shall overcome all men and not be overcome. Prince most glorious and most worthy of all the princes that reign upon earth.' When the kings of Surrey saw this, they had great wonder thereof. And a prince of Alexanders, that [highte] Parmenon, said unto Alexander: ' My lord the Emperor,' quoth he, ' we marvel it greatly that thou, whom all men worship and [lowtey,] worship here the bishop of the Jewes.' And Alexander answered, ' I worship not him,' this quoth he, 'But God whose state he presents. For when I was in Macedoyne, and [unbethought?] me, on what

The Bishop of the Jews' dream.

after, when the Bischoppe hadd made his sacrafice, and was of the
lyand in prayers, he fell on slomeryng and ane Angelle appered
vn-till hym and sayd, 'Be nowte ferd,' quoth he, ' bot swythe

4 gere araye honestly all the stretis of (the) citee, and caste open
the yates, and warne all the folke that thay aray tham in whitte
clethynge, and thi-selfe & alle the prestis reuestey yow solerapnely,
and to-morne arely wendey furthe of the citee agaynes Alexander

8 in processioun. For hym by-houey regne & be lorde of alle
the werlde. Bot at the laste the wrethe of godd sall falle apon
hym.' When the bischoppe wakened of his slepe, he called till
hym the iewes and talde tham his reuelacion, and bad tham do

12 all als the Angelle hade schewed hym. And thay did so. For
thay arayed the stretey of the cetee and cledde tham in whitte
clethynge, and the bischope & the prestis reueste tham, and
bathe thay and alle the folke went furthe of the citee till a place

16 whare the temple & all the citee may be seen. And thare thay
habade the comynge of Alexander. And when Alexander come
nere this foresaid place, and sawe be-for hym swilke a multitude
of folke, cledd alle in whitte, and the prestey; arayed solempnely

20 in riche vestymentis, and the byschope also in his pontyfycales
and a mytir one his heued, and thare-apon a plate of golde,
whare-one was wretyn the name of grete godd Tetragramaton, he
commaunded all his men that thay schulde halde tham) by-hynd

24 hym, and habyde till he com to tham. And he lighte off his
horse, and went bi hym ane to the iewes, And knelid down to
the erthe and wirchippede the hye name of godd, that he saw
thare wretyn apon the bischopes heued. And than alle the iewes

28 knelid doun & saluste Alexander and cried all wit a voyce:
'lyff lyffe,' quoth thay, ' grete Alexander, lyffe, lyffe the gretteste
Emperour of the werlde, lyffe he that sall ouer-com all men and
noyte be ouercomen. Prynce maste gloryous and maste worthy

32 of all the princey that regney apon erthe.' When the kyngey of
Surry saw this, thay hadd grete wonder thare-off. And a prynce
of Alexanders, that highte Parmenon, said vn-till Alexander:
' Mi lorde the Emperour,' quoth he, ' we mervelle vs gretely that

36 thou, wham all men wirchippey and lowtey, wirchippey here the
bischope of the Iewes.' And Alexander ansuered, ' I wirchipe
noyte hym,' this quoth he, 'Bot Godd whase state he presentey.
For when I was in Macedoyne, and vmbithoghte me, on what