63

The battle ivith Porus' army.

heathen man full of Pomp & pride and vain glory, & not as with a god. For all the world may not withstand the wrath of a god. Therefore, [sen the elementis of this aere,] that is to say Thunners, [leuenyngez] and water, may not bear the indignation of gods, how should then mortal men [mowe] withstand their wrathe? And therefore I let the [wele witte] that thy found proud speech troubles me not nor moves me never a [dele].

When Porus had this letter, he was wonder wrath & assembled a great Army of men, and a great multitude of Elephants with the which the men of India are wont for to fight, and went against Alexander. This Army of Porus was right great & strange, for their war there in xiiij, carts of war and viijc Elephants, and each Elephant had a [toure] of three upon his back, & in each a [toure] xxx men. There were also other fighting men on horse and on foot without number. And when the Macedonians and the persians saw the great multitude both of men & of Elephants, they were feared, & greatly [stonayde]. Nevertheless, both the parties ordained them to battle and arrayed their battles. Alexander on his side and Porus on his side. And Alexander leapt upon his horse Bucephalus & [prikkede] before all his men, and commanded, that the Macedonians & the persians should first begin to fight. And so they did; & himself with the greeks, and the macedonians stood on the other side, ready to succor them when [myster ware]. And for the Elephants also, Alexander [gert] make such an ordinance. He [gerst] make xxiiij images of brass, and [gert] fill them full of dry wood. And he [gerte] make also carts of iron, for to bear their images before the Elephants and when the Armies came near together he [gert] set fire in the wood that was in the images. And when the Elephants saw their images, they [wende] that they had been men and shot out their groins, as they were [wount] for to do for till have worried them. And also through the great heat, they were burned and then they [gaffe] back, & fled for dread to burn their groynes. And therefore the men that were [abown] in the [toures] might not win to for to fight. And when Porus saw that he was right

The battle ivith Poms' arviy. 63

haythen) man) futt of Pompe & pride and vayne glory, & no^te heathen

as wit a goddl For alt Ipe werlde may no^te ^ agaynstand' J^e pride."^

wrethe of a godd". per-fore, seiD Ipe elementis of this aere, )?at ^

4 es at say Tlmuners, leueiiynge^ and wate?*, may no^te bere pe him with

indygnacion of godde^, how schulde )?an) dedely men) mowe of the gods.

agaynstande f>aire wrethe 1 And pare-fore I late the * wele * Leaf 25.
witte pat J)i founde proudde speche trubblej me no5te ne moue5
8 me neuer a dele.'

^ When) VoYus hadd" this le^^re, he was wondere wrathe & Porus is

assemblede a grete Oste of men), and a grete multitude of the letter

01yphan?ites wit be whilke be men) of Inde ere wount for to ^^^

1 2 feghte, and went agaynes Alexander. This Oste of Forus was great army

ri5te grete & strange, for pare ware per in xiiij. cartes of were ^ephants

and viijc 01iphan7^te5, and ilk an Olyphante^hadd" a toure of tree its

apon) his bakke, & in ilke a toure xxx mefD. pare ware also and array.

16 oper feghting men) on horse and on fote wit-owtew nowm^r.

And when) be Macedoynes and be persyenes sawe be grete Alex-

ander's

multitude bathe of men) & of Olyphauwte^, paj were fered", & allies are

gretely stonayde. Neu^r pe lesse, bathe pe -partjes ordayned" startled by

20 bain) to batetl, and arayed" faire batelts, Alexander on his syde, ance of the

and Forus on his syde. And Alexander lepe vp-on) his horse and the

Buktiphalas & prikkede bi-fore att his men), and comandedl ^^^^^^^
ir r '5 army.

pat pe Medoynes & pe persyenes sulde firste begynn) to feghte.

24 And so fay did'; & hym selfe wit pe grekes, and pe macedoynes

stode on pe toper syde, redy to succour ]:ain) whefD myste;* ware.

And for pe 01yphau9^te5 also, Alexander gert make suylke afD Alex-

ordynance. He gert make xxiiij ymage^ of brasse, and gert fitt devi?e^for

28 baifD full of dry wodde. And he fferte make also cartes of yren), ^^^^:

^ . ^ J ' coming the

for to bere thir ymage; before pe 01yphau?^te5 and when) pe elephants.

Oste; came nere to-gedir he gert sett fyre in pe woddT f>at was in

pe ymages. And when) pe Olyphau^ite; saw J^ir ymages, pay

32 wende pat fay hadd' bene meii) and schott owte faire groynes,
as fay were wount for to do for tilt hafe weryed fain). And
alsone thurgh f e grete bete, fay were brynned" and than) thay
gaffe bakke, & fledd? for drede to brynwe f ayre groynes. And

36 fare-fore f e men) fat were abown) in f e toures myghte no5te
wyn) to for to feghte. And when) Porws saw that he was reghte

^ a^at/?2S<ar?c? written in the margin,with a ^ Four lines space with red capital W^.

mark of insertion over against it in the text. Small tv in margin next it.

k,