66

The Amazons.

present letters, that our habitation is in an Isle, that is closed about with a great river that neither has beginning nor ending. But on a side we have a strait entry. And the number of women that duels therein is ccsiiii[?] that are not filled with men. For our husbands duels not amongst us nor no other man, But on the tother side of the river. And each a there we make a solemn feast in the worship of Jupiter xxx days And then we go to our husbands, and duels with them other xxx days & has our lust and our [disporte] together as kind asks. And if any of us concieve and bear a child if it be a male the mother keeps it seven year and then sends it to the father. And if she bear a maiden child the mother holds it with her & teaches it our manners. When we go to war against our enemies we are [come?] riding one horse well armed. And some of us has bows & arrows, and som spears, and other diverse weapons. And the remnant keeps our [Ile]. And when we come with the victory our husbands does us great worship. And therefore if thou come against us we let the [witt] that we will fight with thee at all our might. And if it happen that thou have the victory of us, worship shall it none be to thee because thou has discomfit[ted] women. And if we discomfit thee, it shall be an high worship to us, that we may discomfit so worshipful an emperor; and to thee it shall be a high reprove. Wherefore we signify unto thee by our letters that thou come not against us for [sekerly] there may great disease come thereof, that peraventure thou knows not now off at this time.'

When Alexander had read this letter, he began to laugh. And anon he [began to?] write another letter, and sent it to Talifride, whereof the tenor was this.

'Alexander king of kings and of lords, the son of god Amon & the queen Olympias, to Talifride queen of Amazon and the other ladies of the world, that is to say, Asia, Africa, & Europe we have conquered and made subjects unto us, & there was never none of them that might withstand our power. And if we now should not be of power, to fight with thou it were an high shame to us. Nevertheless for as much

66

The Amazons.

and their
manners.
They are in
an island
girdled
round by a
river. The
men dwell
on the
other side
of the river.
How they
breed their
kind.

* Leaf 26
bk.

How they
ride to war.

Their hus-
bands
honour
them at
their re-
turn. They
will fight
Alexander,
who will
get no
honour
through
victory over
women, but
rather if he
be over-
thrown, to
the women
shall it be
great
honour, to
him great
shame.
Alexander
laughs and
sends them
another
letter, tell-
ing them
that he has
conquered
three parts
of the
world and
never been
withstood.

present le^^res, 'pat oure hafcitacioS) es in ane He, pat es clofcede
abowte wit a grete reuer pat noper base bygynnynge nor
endynwge. Bot on a syde we hafe a strayte entree. And the
nowm^r of women) pat duelle5 per-in es ccxiiiiJ^ pat ere no3te
filed wit men). For oure husbande5 duelle5 no5te amange3 vs
ne no noper mafi), Bot on ])e toper syde of pe reuer. And ilke
a 5ere we make a solempne leste in the wirchipe of lubiter
XXX days. And J>afD we go titt oure husbandes, and duellej
wit J?am) oper xxx dayes & base oure luste and oure disporte
* to-gedir as kynde askes. And if any of vs co?isayfe & here
a childe if it be a male pQ modere kepis it seuen) 5ere and
than) sende^ it to pe fadere. And if scho here a mayden)
childe J^e moder balde^ it wit hir & teche} it oure maners.
When) we goo to werre agayne 5oure enemys we ere c"^ rydand?
one horse wele armede. And sum) of vs base bowes & arowes,
and sum) speres, and oper diuerse wapyne. And pe lemanent
kepe^ oure He. And whefD.we come wit the victorye oure
husbande^ does vs grete wirchipe. And pare-fore if pou come
agaynes vs we late the witt pat we will feghte wit the at aft
oure my^te. And if it happen) pat po\i hafe pe victory of vs,
wirchipe satt it nane be to the bi- cause pon base discomfit
women). And if we discomfit the, it saft be an heghe wirchippe
titt vs, J^at we may discomfit so wirchipfutt an emperowr ; and
to the it sail be a bye reproue. Where-fore we sygnifie vn-to
J^e by oure le^^res pat pou. come no^te agaynes vs for sekerly
pare may grete dysese come pare-o&e, pat perauentwre po\i
knawe^ no3te now ofife at J^is tjmme.'

AVhen) Alexander hadd? redd? ph \ettre, he began) to lawghe.
And onane he garte writte srnoper lettre, and sent it to
Talyfride, whare-offe pe tenour was this.

^ ' Alexander kyng of kynges and of lorde^, the son) of godd'
Amon) & J^e qwene Olympias, to Talyfride quene of Amazon)
and pe oper ladys of pe same rewme : ioy. We late 50 w weite
psit thre parties of pe werlde, pat es to say, Asye, Affric, &
Europe we hafe co?2quered' and made subiects vn-tift vs, & j^are
was neuer nane of ]:>am) pat myjte agaynstande oure powere.
And if we now suld no5te be of powere, to feghte with ^owe
it ware ane heghe scharae titt us. Neuer-J'e-lesse for als mekift
^ Thirteen lines blank space for a miniature.

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