Alexander on the worthlessness of Brahmin austerity. 85

are in helle, þay 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
lettre, he was wonder wrathe, be-cause of iniury of his goddeȝ. this letter,
and
Neuer-þe-less, be-lyfe he gart write anoþer agayne of this replies to Dindimus.

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

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
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 civiliza-
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 spar-
goddes 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 poorness of
Ȝee say ȝe vse noȝte for to till þe erthe, ne sawe na corne, ne

plante na vynes, ne sett na treesm na to make na faire howseȝ.

And ȝe cause here-of as it wele semes es for ȝe hafe na Irerd,

whare-of ȝe myghte make ȝow tuyles for to wirke with-alle.

And þare-fore ȝow by-houes nedes ett herbes & lede an harde

lyfe, ryȝte as besteȝ. For ȝe may now þer gette brede ne fleshe

ne fysche. Does noȝt wolfes ord þe same wyse, þe whilke, wherd

þe erthe? And ware lesull or lykande to ȝow to come till

oure cuntree, we sulde lere na wisdom of ȝoure nede. And þare-

fore late ȝour hunger habyde at hame in ȝour awenn cuntree.

Ƿat mard es noȝte mekills at commend, þat alwayes lyffes in

disesse. Bot and men schulde be commendid þat are

oppressed wit disesse, þan sulde blynd men, leprouse men,

& oþer swilke ouer all oþer be commendid ; þe blynde, for he

sees noȝt at desyre ; þe pouer, for he hase noȝte at do. And we

walde make oure duellynge in ȝour cuntree we sulde suffere