Thornton Manuscripts

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The prose life of Alexander

Alexander on the worthlessness of Brahmin austerity. 85
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Alexander on the worthlessness of Brahmin austerity. 85

are in helle, pay duelle in the ȝow, wreches, þat swilke *Leaf 35 bk. a mysbileue haldes; whare-fore after þis lyfe, ȝe mon suffere Woe to the Greeks. paynes wit-owtten nomer.' When Alexander hadd redd þis Alexander is angry at 4 lettre, he was wonder wrathe, be-cause of iniury of his goddȝ. this letter, and Neuer-þe-less, be-lyfe he gart write anoþer agayne of this replies to Dindimus.

¹ 'Kyng of kynges, and lorde of lordeȝ, Alexander þe son of

8 godd Amon and of þe quene Olympias, to Dindimus, kyng If it be as Dindimus of þe Bragmayns, gretyng. If all be fun trew amanges says, then truly the ȝow þat þou hase sent wretyn in thy lettres, pan allanly ȝe Brahmins only are are gude men in þis werlde; for as þou says ȝe do nan ill. good. Yet the 12 Bot wit þou wele² for cerayne, þat þis maner of lyffyng Brahmins do this commeȝ noȝte of vertu bot of custom. All thyngeȝ þat we do, through custom, ȝe saye es synn. And all þe crafteȝ, þat ere amangeȝ vs on þe eschewing all civiliza16 customs þat man-kynde hedir-towarde hase hadd & vsed. tion, and envy of Owther ȝe schew bi ȝour wordeȝ, þat ȝe are goddeȝ, or ells till the gods. Their spargoddes ȝe hafe envy. And þare-fore ȝe say, as ȝe say, I may noȝt ingness and virtues write to ȝow all þe order of ȝour lyffyng. Bot als mekill þare-offe come from their 20 als I may vnderstande at this tyme, I sall write vn-to ȝow. poverty and the Ȝee

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86 Alexander on the foolishness of Brahmin austerity
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86 Alexander on the foolishness of Brahmin austerity

do no ill, [] pouert & wrechidnes riȝte as ȝe do. Ȝe say also þat ȝour wyfes since their [] defect [] vseȝ na prowde aray for to plese þaire husbandeȝ, and þe cause *Leaf 36 [] hinders [] es for þay hafe na noþer* thyng for till araye þam wit.¹ Also ȝe them. [] Their chas- [] say ȝe do nane advoetries ne fornycacions. And þat es na tity is due [] to want of [] meruaile! For-whi, how sulde, þat hafe luste to lechery þat food. [] But the [] etes noȝte. Luste of lechery es noȝte comonly, bot yf it come Brahmins [] live as mere [] of hete of þe leuer of ells of habudance of mete & drynke.

poverty and wretchedness right as ye do. Ye say also that your wives use no proud array to please their husbands, and the cause is that they have no other thing [to use] until their wit.¹ Also ye say ye do no adultries nor fornications. And that is not a marvel! For why; how should ye that have a lust for lechery that eats naught? Lust for lechery is not commonplace, but it comes from the heat of the beloved meat and drink.

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88 Alexander to the Brahmins. The pillars he raises.
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88 Alexander to the Brahmins. The pillars he raises.

[NOTE: I was doing translation and transcription on the same page; I'm coming back to this]

[In margin] The more one has the more one desires. The Greeks worship wicked men, being themselves wicked, offering up beasts to their idols. Thus do they, who shall die, honour themselves.

* Leaf 37. Alexander to Dindimus. The Brahmins live as they do because they do not mingle with other men, but are shut off from them. They suffer even as those who lie in prison. He holds them as wretched fools, and could he but do it would march towards them with an army to make them leave their miserable life and become warriors.

For ay þe mare þat a man hase þare-offe, þe mare he couetes. Wikkede men are wyrchippede amangeȝ ȝow. For comonly a man luffes hym þat es luke till hym selfen. Ȝe say þat godd takes nane hede till dedly thynges. And neuer-þe-lesse ȝe bygge 4 temples, and makes autres in þam, and settis vp mawmettes abownn þam, and grete delyte hase when bestes ere offerde, & in þam, and at ȝour name es noysede, þis was done to þi fader, to thyn Eldfader, & till all thi progenytours. And þe 8 same also es highte on-to þe. Wit swilke wirchipes þay ere rewarded, þat knawes noȝte þam selfe dedly.' When Alexander hadd redd þis lettre onane he sente anoþer agayne and that was of this tenour þe whilk þat folowes.1 12 2 * ' Alexander, þe son of godd Amon & þe quene Olympias kybng of kyngȝ & lorde of lordeȝ, vn-to Dyndymus kynge of þe Bagmayns we sende. For als mekill als ȝour duellynge es in þat partye of þe werlde fra þe begyngynge, whare na strangers 16 may com to ȝow, bot if it be riȝte fewe, ne ȝe may noȝte passe forte of ȝour cuntree, but als swa say ȝe, are parred in, and na ferrer may passe; þarefore ȝe magnyfye ȝour manere of lyffynge and supposeȝ þat ȝe are blyssed be-cause þat ȝe er so sered in 20 þat if ȝe walde neuer so gladly passe furthe for to lere þe customes þat oþer men vseȝ,

--- ȝe may noȝte; and nyll-ȝe will-ȝe, ȝow by-houeȝ nedis suffere þat caytefftee þat ȝe lyffe in. Wharefore it semeȝ bi ȝour techynge, that þay þat liggeȝ in presonn

For the more that a man thereof has, the greater he feels greed. Wicked men are worshipped among you, for commonly a man loves he that reminds him of himself. You say that god takes no heed towards deadly things. And nevertheless, you build temples and make alters in them, and set up monuments above them, and feel great delight when beasts are offered in them, and as your name is [said?], this was done to the father, your grandfather, and all the children. And the same also is [true of you?]. With such worships they are rewarded, that does not know themselves deadly. When Alexander had read this letter, he at once sent another again and that was of this tenor the following. Alexander, the son of god Amon and the queen Olympias, king of kings and lord of lords, we send to Dindymus, king of the Brahmins. For as great as it is, your dwelling has been in a part of the world from the beginning where no strangers may come to you, but if there are right few, neither of you may leave the fort of your country, but also you say, [you are] shut in [possible MS], and you cannot go far; therefore you magnify your manner of living and assume that you are blessed because you are so seperated [from society] in that you'd gladly never go far, for you may not learn the customs that other men use;

1 The second vowel of folowes is often written so small as to render it uncertain whether it is an o or e.

2 Four lines with red capital A.

3 fou written in MS. before fule and scratched out. This word fon or fou was complete and not a half-written word, as the MS. shows.

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Then Alexander meets the warden of the holy trees. 93

a temple ałł of golde & of precious stanes, And bi-fore ρe dores ρare-offe ρare was a vyne of golde, berande grapes of charbuncles, of Rubyes, Dyamandeȝ, and many oρer maneres of [right margin: metal and stones]

4 ρrecyous stanes. Pan kyng Alexander & his prince^ went in-to He goes

Jje palace ; and fande J^are a man) liggand" in a bedd' of golde, and p^i^ce.^

couerd'wit a riche clathe of golde. And he was riste a mekitt He finds an

aged man man) and a faire, And his berde & his lieueo' ware als whitt there of

8 als any woHe ; and hywi semed? lyke a Bischoppe. Als son) als ^ppear^ ^ ^

Alexander & his pryncej saw J>is aide man) )3ay knelid' dounwe ance.

on Jjaire kneesse and saluste hym). And he ansuerd" & saide : and salutes

' Welcom) Alexander/ qwof) he, ' I tette the ]?ou salt see, f>at neuer T^'a^ed

1 2 flescly man) bi-fore this tyme sawe ; And bou salt here bat neuer i^an speaks

ertnly maiD herde are. And Alexander ansuertf & sayd?: ' Maste him he

blyssed? aide man),' quoth he, ' how base f>ou knawyng of me ? ' and he?r

' For so the,' ({uoth he, * bi-fore Noy flode couerde alt fe erthe, what never

1 6 knewe I bathe the, & thi dedis. I wate wele J^ou desyres for man did

to See fe haly tree^ of \>q SofD And \>e ^lone J?e whilke tellej g^all lia ^^

thynge^ J?«t ere to come.' ' 3^^ ^or sottie,' <\ud^ Alexander, his desire

' J?er es na-thynge J>at I desyre mare, ]?an) for to see f am).' the future.

2o And he was rijt gladd; pan) saide ]?e aide man) tilt hyw : ^ethehol"^

' And 50 be clene of flescly dede wit women), J?an) es it leefutt trees of the

to 50W to see ]:ain) and to entir in-to Jjat haly place })at es moon if

a sette of godd". And if 5e be no5te clene, it es no^te leefull ^^®^ ^^

24 to 30W.' ' yis, sir, sothely,' (\uo\> Alexander, ' we ere clene.' deeds.

pan) raise f)e aide man) vp of J>e bedd" J»at he lay in, and put off

said? vn-to }?am) : ' Putte3 offe ^owr rynge^,' qwoj? he, ' and 5oure ?7®^"^"

clathes, & '^our schone, and folowes me.' And J)ay dyd?* so. them.

28 And ban) AlQ^ander tuk w^t hym tholomews and Antiochits, Alexander, ^ "^ Ptolemy,

& folowed' fe aide mafD, and went thurgh J?e wodd? f»at and Anti-

was aboun) on) ]?e Mountayne closed" with man7^es hande^. j^^^the^ '

pe * treesse of \>at wodd? ware an hundreth .c. fote lange & * Lg^f 39

32 bye, and J>ay ware lyke lorers or Olyue treesse ; And out ^^•

of ]?ani) J»are ran) rykyles & fynne bawme. And as J^ay went through the

thurgh bat wodd" bay saw a tree wondere bye, in be whilke wood on the

i./Ti V, 1,-h 1,. mountain,

J^are satt a mekitt fewle. pat tree hadd" no])er )?are-on) lefes ne through

a5 fruyte. pe fewle J^at satt J?ard-ofD hadd" on) his hedd a creste ^eesthat

lyk till a pacokke, & his beeke also crested". Abowte his nekke, shed in-

he hadd* fethirs lyke golde. pe hynder of hym was lyk pwrpure ; balm.

^ The scribe first wrote cU and then changed the e into a y, making it into dyd.

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King Alexander and Queen Candace. The story of Candeolus.
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King Alexander and Queen Candace. The story of Candeolus.

King Alexander and Queen Candaee. The story of Candeolus. 97

Amon soure godd a Coron of golde and precyouse stanes, And ten chynes¹ of golde sett full of precious stanes. And vn-to sow we sende a hundrethe Besauntes of golde; And twa 4 hundreth papeiayes closed in cages * of golde, c childer of Ethipes, cc apes, cccc Olyphantis, xxxiiii vnycornes, iij panters skynnes, of pardes & lyounes cccc, and we beseke sowre hye maiste that se will notyfye vn-till vs bi sour wirehipfull lettres, 8 wheder se baue conquered? alte ]>e werlde and made it subiecte bezants,

vn-to 50W or no^te.' Araangej ber embassatoitrs ]^at scbo sent children,

titt Alexander J^ow-e was a wonder crafty & a sutett payntoi/re. o^gg^range

And bym scbo cbarged? bat be' scbulde besely by-balde Alexander beasts.

, . . 11 • 1 • These gifts

12 & pitrtray bis fygure m a parcbemyn) skynfD and brynge it to hir. she sends

And so be did". Alexawc?er ressayued" Ipe forsaid" gyftes reuerently ^^o^g^J^o^^

and sent bir noble efyftes ae-avne wit bir embassatoz^rs. And portray

Alexander wben) f>ay come bame ])e payntoitr tuke bir Ipe fegure of Alexander on a parch-

16 purtrayed" as I saide be-fore. And wben) pe quene saw it, Scbo ^^^ ^^ ^^'

was ri^te gladde, for scbo desyred? gretly for to see bis fygure. was done.

^ After J^is ane of pe quene sonn^s J^at bigbt Candeokts went Candeolus

furtbe of J^e Citee wit bis wyfe and a fevve of bis men3€e for to f^e^g^^y ^

20 take be sporte. And onane be kyng of be Bebrikes, kuawyng with his

. wife and a

J?e fairehed? of Candeolws wyfe, come appon) )?ani) witb a grete few for

m-wltitude of mefD, and slew many of Candeolws men3ee and ^^^jfe

refte bym bis wyfe & went bis way. And j^an) Candeol2^s: and ^^^s know-

24 bis men) J^at ware lefte on lyfe went titt Alexander Oste for to wife's

be-seke bym of belpe agaynes pe kynge of Bebrikes. And pe comes^and

wacbes of pe oste tuke Candeolws & brogbte bym bi-fore reaves her

Tbolome-ws, j^at was pe secund' person) after Alexander. And deolus

28 Tbolomeits spirred" bym w^bat be was, & wbat be did" ]:>are. ^^^^^^d" ' I am,' quop be, ' quene Candaee son) and jpis day als I went is brought wit my wyfe & a p?'€uee men5ee for to take pe sporte, pe kynge He proof be Bebrikes come apon) vs wit a ejrete m-wltitude of men) and ^^^^J^^ ^^^

J ir & he IS and

32 base slayne many of my men^ee & refte me mj wyfe. And his errand. pare-fore I am comen) beder for to beseke my lord?, pe Emp^rcwr,

of belpe & socoure.' Wben Tbolomei^s bad berd? )?is onane Ptolemy

be garte take kepe of Candeoli^s & went titt Alex^nJer tentis ^^^ander

36 and wakkned" AlexaWer & talde bym & talde ilk a dele bat and

Candeol^^s bad talde bym. And wben) Alexawc?er badd? berde him.

^ Chenes first written ; but when the and joined it to the next letter, scribe had written e he wrote y over it ^ Four lines with red capital A.

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liis tale he badcT liym gange agayne titt his tent and do a corouiD oil) his hede and putt apon) hyiiD ]?e kyngej clothynge, * and sett hyni in the kyngej trone & say vn-to Candeolus pat he was kyng Alexander. ' And bidd an of thi men),' 4. quop he, ' feche vn-to f)e Antyochus, And late hym bryng me to J)e insteeddr of Antyochus, and whefi) I come bi-for thee telle me bi-fore Candeoh^s* aH ]:>at he talde the. And aske me consett, als I ware Antyochus, what es beste to do in fat mater/ 8 Tholomews went and didd? alt als Alexander badd' hym. And he asched' Alexander in stedd" of Antyochus be-fore Candeolus what was beste to do. And Alexander ansuerd" & sayde on lierand? Candeolws: '' Wirchipfutt 'Emperour,' quo]) he, ' if it be 12 plesynge to '^our maiestee I wilt go wit Candeolus J?is same nyghte to Ipe kynge of J?e Bebrikes, and comande hym one ^our byhalue j^at he ^elde Candeolt«5 his wyfe agayne. And if he wilt no^te do soo, I satt late hym, witt J^at ^e salt sende a grete 16 powere to his Citee & bryne it vp stikke & stourre.' When Candeolws hadd' herde hym say J^us, he knelyd? vn-titt hym & said? : ' A a, wirchipfutt Antyochus,' qudp he, ' wele walde it seme pe for to be a kyng for pe liye witt and pe manhede J^at es 20 in the.' Than) kyng Alexander tuke wit hym a grete powere and went apon) Ipe same nyghte wit C-dndeolus vn-to J^e Citee, whare fe kyng of J^e Bebrikes lay. And whan) J^ay come to Ipe citee, pe waytes cryed? apon) J)ain), and askede what f)ay ware. 24 And Alexander ansuerd'& sayd': * Candeolz^s,' quop he, 'es here wit ane Oste of mefD, and pe cause of his commynge es to be restorede agayne of his wyfe pe wliilke ^our kynge raueste away fro hym) }?is same day. And my lord? kyng Alexander com- 28 mande3 50W pat 30 delyuer hir anone, or sewrely we salt brynne this citee & ^our selfe are we passe hethyn).' And when) ])e men) of pe citee herde this, J^ay ware ferde ynoghe ^ and onane went to pe kynge^ palace & brakke vp pe ^ates, & tuke Candeolws 32 wyfe & delyuerd? hir titt hir lorde. pan) Candeolws kneled" doun) till Alexander & saide vn-titt hyr/i : ' A a, my dere frende,' quop he, 'wirchipfult Antyochws, Blyssed mot pou be for )?is grete gudnes pat pou. base schewed? mee. And I beseke the nowe pat 36

^ The scribe has written Antyochus instead of Candeolus, then scratched it out, and written Candeolus again.

2 The scribe has first written ynghe and inserted the above.

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99

Alexander and Queen Candace. 99

thou will vouche-saffe for to wende with me vn-to my moder quene Candace, that scho may rewarde the for this that thou hase done for me.' And when Alexander herde this he was riyte gladde. For he had gretely desyrede for to see quene Candace & hir citee also. And than he sayd: 'Goo we,' quoth he, 'to the emperour and asche hym leue.' And thay did soo; and when he had leue, he went wit Candeolus. And as thay went to-gedir thay come till heghe mountaynes that reched vp to the clowdes and apon tham thare growed trees of a wonderfull heghte lyke * vn-to cedres that bare appills of Inde riyte grete, Of the whilk Alexander wonnderde hym gretly. Thay saw also thare vynes growe wit wondere grete bobbis of grapes; for a man myyte vnnethey bere an of tham. Thare ware also trees that bare nuttey als grete als gourddey. And thare ware also many apes. Fra theine thay went & come to the citee of quene Candace.

And when) Candace herd tett pat hir son) Candeolus and They come to

his wyfe ware comande and ware safe & sounde, And at i^ountams

•^ 'that reach

a messangere of kyng Alexarider come wit pam), scho was np to the sky,

T , T , T , -1-1 1 • 11 with wondrous

wonder gladde; and onane scho arayed? hir ryally as a tall trees and

20 quene suld be, and sett apofD hir hedde a croun) futt ryche vmeswith

-^ -^ "^ great bunches

att of golde sett fult of pr^cyouse stanes, and went furthe of grapes and

wit hir lordes to J^e ^ates of hir palace, for to mete hir son) gourds and

Candeok^s and Alexander messanser. This quene was a won- ^lany apes

^ '■ ^ were there.

24 derefaire lady & a semely; And when) Alexander saw hir, hjm They come to

thoghte als he hade sene his moder Olympias. Hir palace was comes arrayed

wonder ryatle & pr^cyouse and att be ruffe bar^-of schane wit *^ ^^^t them

■'-' as a queen.

golde & precyouse stanes. Than) quene Candace tuke Alexander she is of

28 bi J^e hande, And ledd hym vp tilt hir chambir, whare ]?are f^Ther palace

ware beddes arayed? wit pe fyneste clathes of golde J?at myghte ^^ ^^ch,

be getyfi); And pat chambir was of golde & precyous stanes, to her privy

pe whilke are called Onychyns & pe burde; & pe bynkes of l£''^onderfu?

32 euour & Smaragde5 & Amatistes. pe Pelers of pe Palace ware works of art. alt of Marble, And ]:>ar ware grauen) in psiufi cartes of werre, pat semed" to mannes sighte as psij hadd' bene rynnand"; And Ob^phauntes tredand" men) vnder faire fete. Vndernethe J>at 36 Palace rane a water wonder swete, & clere as any cristatte.

1 The scribe first wrote ' a?i heghe', but />e cedres. On leaf 42 it continues li/ke then scratched out the an. vn-to cedres.

2

On leaf 41 we have the words lyke to

7—2

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The prophecies. Strange beasts. 103

in a transynge. And þan þe godɗ said vn-to hym : ' Haile, Alexander,' quoþ he. And Alexander ansuerde & said': 'Lorde,' quoþ he, ´what art þou ?' 'I am,' quoþ he, ' Sensonchosis 4 pat gouerneȝ þe kyngdom of þe werlde and þat hase made men sugettes vn-to the. And þou have bigged þiselfe many ryaỻe citeeȝ. Bot temple walde þou nane make in þe wirchiippe of me.' And Alexander ansuerd & saiɗ : 'Lorde,' quoþ he, ' & þou 8 wiỻ graunt me þat I saỻ wit prosperitee come in-to Macedoyne I saỻ ordeyne the a temple þare saỻ noȝte be swilke anoþer in aỻ þe werlde.' And he ansuerd agayne & saide: 'For spthe,' quoþ hee, Macedoyne saỻ þou neuer see wit thyn 12 eghne.

sugett^s vn-to the. And |?ou hafe higgeJ ]:>iselfe many ryatle andcr's

citee^. Bot temple walde po\i nane make in pe wirchippe of of him.

me.' And Alexander ansuerd' & saidT : ' Lorde,' quop he, ' & pou shears to^

8 wilt graunt me Jjat I salt wit prosperitee come in-to Macedoyne ^^^^^ ^^^.

I satt ordeyne the a temple pare salt no5te be swilke anoj^er Macedonia.

in alt pQ werlde/ And he ansuerd" agayne & saide : 'For teifghimhe

sotlie,' quop hee, ' Macedoyne satt pan ueuer see w^t thyn) ^^^}^ never 12 eghne. Neuer-J^e-lesse walke Innermare & luke what pou. see^.

Alexander J^an) went forthirmare & saw anoJ»^r myrke clowde Alexander

and saw a godd'sitt in a trone lyke a kynge, and Alexander faid f^^^ ^^'^

vn-titt hym : ' Lorde,' quop he, ' what art ton V '1 am,' quop he, *^e cave

^ / and sees a

10 'J^e begynnynge of an godde^ and Serapis es my name. I sawe god en-

the in pe lande of liby & nowe I see pe here.' 'Serapis,' theXrV''

quob Alexander, ' I beseke be telte me wha it es bat salt sla Serapis,

^ ' ' , ^ , -• who fore-

me.' Quod Serapis : * I talde pe bi-fore, J?at and pe cause tells him

2o of a manes dede ware knawen) vn-tilt hym, he solde dy for ^^ ^^^ jj

sorowe. pou hase bygged a gloric2*s citee agaynes pe whilke be buried.

many emperoiers satt fighte. pare-in salt thi graue be made

and pare-in satt pou be beriedl' And )?an) Alexander come oute

24 of J^e caue, and tuke his leue at Candeolus and went tilt his Oste.

* One be morne he reniowed' his Oste And come titt a valay ^^ *^^ ,

' ■ .... morrow he

l^at was futt of grete ^ serpentes pe whilk hade in )?aire heuedis removes

Grete smaragde^. Thir serpente5 * lyffede alt wit gyngere and * Leaf 44.

28 pepir ]?at growede in pe valay e. And ilke a 5ere J?ay feghte to- and^c'omes

gedir and many of f)am) slae^ oper. Off pe forsaid Smaragdes *o ^ valley

tuk Alexander sum) wit hym of pe gretteste J»at he couthe serpents.

L. They see

S^^^' ^ other

32 ^Fra beine bay remowed^ife come in-tilt a place in be whilke strange

1 IT .-n o 1 beasts and

pare ware beste^ Jjat hade one like a fote twa clees as swyne griffons

hase, and J^ase clees ware three fote brade wzt pe whilke f)ay Xjex-^**^^

smate AXexander knyghtes. pay had also heuedes lyke swyne ander's

36 & tayles lyke lyouns. \>are ware also amange^ ]?am) grypes J^e They could

^ Three lines with red capital O and written, small o in the margin. ^ Three lines with red capital IF and

^ MS. 'se^'pe' crossed out and * serpentes ' smaliyin the marscin beside.

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