56

Darius dies. His burial.

thou not how our life may be likened to the work of Eranes, that so subtly makes their webs? But also as a little blast of wind puffs upon them, they break, & fall to the ground. Behold & see how glorius I was yesterday & how wretched I am today, & how low I am brought. I was lorde [nerehande] of all the world, & now I have no power of mine own self. Now I beseech thee, son, that thou will vury me with thy benign hands. And suffer for to come to my [exequise] both the Macedonians and the persians. And from this time forward, the empire of Macedonia & the empire persia be both one. Have recommend unto the my Mother Rodogon, & treat her worshipfully as thine own Mother. And I beseech thee also, that thou be Merciful to my wife. And if it be agreeable to thee, take Roxan my daughter to thy wife. For seemly it is, that thee be joined together that [er] coming of so worshipful progenitors, For thou of king Philippe, and she of king Darius. And of thou two may a worshipful & a noble fruit spring.' And right as he has said these words he swelt in Alexander's arms. King Alexander, then after the custom was for to bury emperors, [gert] array Darius's body as royally as he could. And with all the solemnity and worship that might be done, he helped himself for to [bere the bere, sre weapond], and [gert] the Macedonians & the Persians go before the [bere]. The persians also wept [wonder faste,] not only for the death of Darius, but for pity of their hearts, that they saw Alexander wept so entirely. And when Darius was buried Alexander went again to the palace.

And on the morn Alexander went and set him in a throne all of gold & precious stones, the which Cyrus sometime [gert] * make that was king of Persia. And the Macedonians and the Persians set upon his head a crown that was Darius's, the which was so precious, that men knew none like it in the land. For all the palace shone through the brightness of the precious stones, that were set therein. And the throne was all of gold, & of precious stones, & of the siege was [vii] seven cubits high from the ground, and a [grece of seven greez] was made

56

Darius asks
burial of
Alexander,
and that
both
peoples
should
come there-
to. And
wills there-
to that both
empires be
one. He
bids him be
merciful to
his widow,
and take
his daugh-
ter Roxana
to wife. He
dies.

Alexander
buries
Darius in
royal state.
He bears
the bier
himself.
The Mace-
donians
and the
Persians go
before it.
Alexander
seats him-
self on the

* Leaf 22.

throne of
Cyrus, and
is crowned
with the
crown of
Darius.

The throne
of seven
steps with
its mystic
meanings
inwrought.

Darius dies. His burial,

)?ou no^te how oure lyffe may be lykkenecT to f>e werke of Eranes,
)?at so sotelly makes jjaire webbes 1 Bot alson) als a little blasts
of wynde puffes apori) f)am), f)ay breke, & falles to grownde. Be-
halde & see how gloriws I was ^isterday & how wrechede I am)
to-day, & how law I am broghte. I was lorde nerehande of
all Ipe werlde, & now I hafe na power of myiD awen) selfe.
Now I be-seke the, son), J>at pou. witt bery me wit thy
benynge handes. And suffre for to come to myn) exequise bathe
Ipe Macedoynes and Ipe persyenes. And fra this tyme forwarder,
)?e empire of Macedoyne & Ipe empire of perse be bathe ane.
Haffe recomend' vn-to the my Moder Rodogon), & trete hir
wirchipfully as thyn) awenn) Moder. And I be-seke ]?e also,
f)at ])ou be Mercyable to my wyfe. And if ^ it be lykynge to pe,
take Rosan) my dogheter to thi wyfe. For semely it es, p&t je
be ioynede to-geder J^at er comefi) of so wirchipfult progenitowrs,
For povL of kyng Philippe, and scho of kyng Dsnius. And of
50W twa may a wirchipfutt & a noble fruyte sprynge.' And
ri5te as he had saide thir worde^ he swelt in Alexander armes.
Kyng Alexander, J^an), after pe custom) was for to bery
emperowrs, gert araye Dariws body als ryally as he couthe.
And wit att J^e solempnyte and wirchipe J?at myghte be done,
he helped hym selfe for to here pe here, sare wepande, and
gert pe Macedoynes & pe Percyenes gaa bi-fore pe here. The
p^rsyenes also weped" wonder faste, no^te allanly for pe dede
of Davius, bot for petee of J?aire hertis, pat ]?ay saw Alexander
wepe so enterely. And whefD Dariws was beried' Alexander
went agayne to pe palace.

^ And one pe morne Alexander went and sett hjm in a trone
alt of golde & pr^cyotts stanes, the whilke Cyrus sumtyme gert
* make pat was kynge of Perse. And the Macedoynes and pe
Persyenes sett apofi) his hede a coroune pat was Dariws, pe
whilke was so precious, J?at men) knewe nane like it in na lande.
For all pe palace schane thurgh bryghtness of pe precyous
stanes, ]?at were sett pare-in. And pe trone was all of golde,
& of precious stanes, & of pe sege pare-o&e was vii seuen) ^ cubetej
heghe fra pe grounde, and a grece of seuen) gree5 was made

i

12

16

20

24

28

32

36

* it written in above by the scribe.

• Two lines space with miniature A.

' 'vii * occurs at the end of one line, and * seven ' at the beginning of the next.