37

Darius consults his councillors. 37

ansuerJ, & saicT, ' Ipoii hase here,' quo]) he, ' gretly magnifiecf & ^^^^^^'^ ^^
cowmendicT Alexander, in that, J^at ])ou. sais he es mare feruent vises him
for to come in-to Perse, fan) we in-titt Ellada. And parefore ^^J^^men ^

4 if it be plesyng vn-to "^our maiestee, vse 50 {^e maners of in the van
Alexander^ and so satt [5e] wele & peysably welde ^cur empire ander does.
& conquere many oper rewmes. Alexander, wheiD he gase to
bataile and satt feghte, he lates [nane] of his prynce3 ne his

8 olper lorde5 gaa be-fore, & * hym selfe come by-hynde, bot

he gase bi-fore f>am) aHe, and so rise^ his wirchip) & his

name/

Quod" Daritis, ' wheper awe me to take sa ensample at Darius de-

12 Alexander, or Alexander at me/ A prynce ansuerde & saide, ,

' ^ '^ A prince

' Alexander,' quod' he, ' es a warr^r ^ man) & a wyse, & base tells him of
trespaste in na degree & Jiar^fore he duse manly by hym selfe of AJex-^^
att lpa,t he doe^. For he base taken Ipe fourme of Ipe lyonn)/ ander, and

16 ' "Whare-by knawes Ipon ]?at,' quolp Darius, * and he ansuerd", & *Leaf 14
saide, ' whate tyme,' quop he, ' Ipat I was sent to Macedoyne for
til aske tribute of kyng Philippe, I saw, bi his Figure & his him to
wise ansuere, f)at he schuld be a passyng man), bathe of witt, f^gnien^

20 & of doynges. Thare-fore, if it be plesyng vn-to 50W, I consett dous force
pat 5e sende titt alt J^e lande^ & cuntre^ J^at lange5 to jowr ander's
empire, )?at es to say to Parthy & Medy, Appollamy, Mesopo- f^Xhi^^
tamy, Ytaly, Bactri, and tilt alt pe remenant for paj ere

24 subietej vn-to 30W a hundreth : c. and fifty 1. of dyu^rse ^ folke.
To pe lordes of* all thire, I rede je sende comwandyng j^am), pat
f)ay come to 50W, in alt pe haste ]?at paj may, with alt pe mefD
fat fay may gett whilk ere able to ga to werre ^. And whefD

28 fay [ere] alt sembled' to gedir late vs beseke oure goddis of
helpe. And fan) Alexander M'hefD he see^ swilk a multitude
of folke agaynes hym, his hert salt faile hyin), and his mens
also. And owf er he salt for fere turne hame agayne tilt his

32 awen) cuntree, or etts submytt hym vn-to 50W/ And fan) The counsel
ansuerd' anof er prynce, & sayde, ' This es a gud conceit,' quop tended
he, ' bot it es no^te profitable. Wate f ou no^te wele fat a wolfe ^^* ^^^ ^^^

^ (fc is written in above the line in the and t/ substituted by the same scribe.
MS. by the same scribe. * of written and crossed out between

^ Perhaps the abbreviation is here really lordes and of.
a mere flourish, and we should read tvnrr, ^ tvcre at first written and changed to

though the contraction mark is well made. tverre by the scribe.

^ Jn MS. deverse was at first written,