68

The unwholesome river.

So it fell that a knight of Macedonia that [hyzte zephilus] found water standing in a hollow stone, that was gathered thereof the dew of the heaven, the which this forsaid knight pt in his basinette, & brought it to Alexander for to drink. And Alexander said unto him, 'I suppose,' quothe he, 'that I drink this water, shall the Madeconians & the persians be anything refreshed thereby, or I shall have all the refreshing by myself.' And he answered, & said, 'Thou all one lord,' quoth he, 'shall be comforted thereby.' Quoth Alexander then, 'And if thee shall all perish [trowes] though that it should be likened to me, for to leave in sorrow & disease saying the dead of the Macedonians & the persiand?' And . . .

68 The unwholesome river.

A Mace- So it fette f>at a knyghte of Macedoyne fat hy^te ^ephilus

knight fancT water standynge in an holle stane, fat was gadird" fare of

finds water j^^ dewe of f e heuefi), the whilke f is forsaide knyghte putt in

and brings his Bacenett, & bro^the it tilt Klexander for to drynke. And 4

ander in " AXQxander saide un-tilt hym, * I suppose/ (]uo]> he, * fat I drynke

his helmet, j^jg water, satt f e Macedoynes & f e persyenes be any thynge

refuses it refreschede f areby, or I salt hafe att f e refreschyng be my selfe.'

alone of all ^^^ ^^ ansuerd, & saide, 'pou alt ane lorde,' qi^of he, ' sail be 8

s^ ^^£^^^" cowforthed f areby.' Qitof Alexanc?er fan), 'And" * if 5e ^ satt att

*Leaf27bk. P^^ische trowes f ou fat it solde be lykand? to mee, for to lyfe

casts it in sorowe & disese seynge f e dedd of f e Macedoynes & f e

th^^ ^i^^ persyenes? ' And be-lyue he garte helte downn) fe water on fe 12

and goes erthe be-fore alt his men). And when) his knyghtis saw that,

that all iiis fay were hugely comforthede fare-by ri^te als IlkafD of fam)

followers hadd' dronken) a grete draue^hte of water, and ban) went furthe
are com- & o » r

forted as f aire waye. And on) f e morne, fay come tilt a reuere whase 16

they had bankes was growand" fult of grete redys & fay ware als hye as

drunken pyne-treese ; 5a, for f e maste partie of xi" fote lange. Than

Onthemor- badd? [he] that fay drawe of f e water and brynge to f e Oste.

come to a ^^t alt fat dranke f are-offe it keste fain) in-tilt a flux, and slewe 20

river with ^ errete hepe of bam. For bat water was wonder scharpe, and
reeds on ^ ^ _ ••• -i ^ •• ^

its banks als bittire als any mekilt gyrse. Bot fan) was Alexawc^er gretly

pine-trees, disessedd" & alt his Oste no^te allanly of f ain)-selfe, bot also for

"^f^+h ^^^^^ faire horsey & f aire bestej fat fay ledd' wit fain) f e whilke bi-gan) 24

water; for to faile for thryste. Alexander haddTwit hyw a thowsande

many of 01yphante3 fat bare his golde, And foure hundreth cartes of werre

them with g^j^j jm & cc wayne5. He hadd? also in his Oste qcqP- horse

Alexander men) and muyles & camelles w^towten) nowmer, fat bare faire 28

disliressed vetails, and of er thynge^ fat was necessarye to f e Oste ; also

not only for oxefD and kye, schepe and swyne. wit-owtefD nowmer, be whilke

his knights . J ' i J ^ J r

but also for perischt for defaute of drynke. Sum) of AlexawJer knyghtes

beasts^of" lykked" Iren), Sum) dranke oyle, & sum ware at so grete meschefe 32
burden V)at fay dranke baire awen) stalynge. And thare was so grete

that bear '^ pit «, i. 1 -ii

their nabundance 01 nedders & of er venymows bestee3, fat fam by-

the?ocks ^ houed? nede3 trauelie armed", and fat was a grete nuy to fam &

and herds an) heghe disese. pan) was Alexander wonder ^ sorye & namely 36

with them, for f e disese fat his' Oste suffrede. ,

^ On first side of leaf 27 ^e sail is ^ MS. undoubtedly reads worder, but

written, but on the second side^e schal. one must substitute wonder.

I