101

Queen Candace and Candeolus save Alexander. 101

the offe ? ' Alexander ansuerde & said': ' Forsothe ', quoþ
Alexander, ' resonably I am angry at my selfe bi-cause I hafe
na swerde here.´ Quoþ þe quene : ' I suppose þou hadd a
4 swerde, nowe, what walde do þare-wit ? ´Sothely,´ quoþ he,
´bi-cause I hafe wilfully betrayed ? my-selfe vn-to þe. First
I solde sla þe and þan, I dowte it noȝt, I sulde be slayne for þe.´
' Now for sothe,' quoþ scho, ' þis was wisely & manfully sayde.
8 Neu€r-þe-less be nathynge heuy. For as þou delyuerde my
son wyfe Candeolus oute of þe daungere of þe kyng of Bebrikes
Swaa sall I delyuer the oute of þe daungere of thyn enemys
þat þou base here. For I say þe in certayne, and it ware
12 knawen þat þou ware here vn-to my menȝee, onane þay walde
slaa þe by-cause þou slewe Porus þe kynge of Inde. For my
son wyfe Carator was his doughter.' And when scho had
said þis, Scho tuk Alexander bi þe hande & ledd' hym forthe
i6 in-till hir forchambire and said' vntill hir sones : 'My dere
sonnes,' quoþ scho, ' I pray ȝow late vs make þis knyghte of
Alexander gude chere, and schew hym all be humanytee þat
we can. For Alexander has schewed' vs grete frendchipe
20 and grete gudnesse.' And pan hir ȝongeste ansuerde & said':
' Moder,' * quoþ he, 'sothe it es þat he es a messangere of
Alexanders, & a knyghte of his, and þat he delyuerde my broþer
wyfe of þe handeȝ of þe kyneje of þe Bebrikes and broghte hym
24 & hir hame vn-till vs bathe safe & sownde. Neuer-þe-lesse my
wyfe constreyneȝ me for to do Antyochus to dede bi-cause of þe
dede of hir Fadir Porus, whilke Alexander slewe, So þat
Alexander may hafe sorow for his knyghte. Quoþ quene
28 Candace þan : ' Lefe son, what wirchip may we get þare-offe
if we slaa this knyghte þus traytourusly.' And þan Candeolus
sayde wit a grete Ire, ' þis knyghte,' quoþ he, ' saued me & my
wyfe & broghte vs hedir safe & sonde : And als saffe sall I hafe
32 hym, agayne till his lorde, or I sall be dede þarefore.' And
Carator ansuerde & saide : 'Broþer,' quoþ he, ' what says þou?
will þou þat aythere of vs here slaa oþer ? ' ' In gud faythe
boþer,' quoþ he, ' it es noȝte my will, ne my liste. Neuer-
36 þe-lease if it be thi liste, I am redy, rather þan þis knyghte be
dedde.' And when þe quene saw þat hir sonnes walde ayther
of þam slaa oþer, scho was wonder sary, and tuk Alexander on
syde, and saide vn-till hym preualy : ' A, a , kyng Alexander,'

[right margin] Alexander
is angry at
himself.
Had he but
a sword he
would slay
her and die
for it.
She commends
him, therefore
she
bids him
not fear,
for since
he helped
her son she
will deliver
him from
another
son who is
Porus' son-in-law.
She introduces
Alexander
as one of
his own
knights,
Antiochus.

* Leaf 43
Her younger
son
would slay
him for his
wife's sake,
to grieve
Alexander.

Candeolus
offers to defend
Alexander with
his own
life.

Candace
appeals to
Alexander
to save her
sons from