Dindimus to Alexander. Of the goodly ways of the Brahmins. 87

ȝour lyffng and ȝour maners commes mare of foundnesse þan
of wysdom. For sen ȝe are men ȝe schulde hafe þe vetuȝ of
a resonable creature, and þat hafe ȝe noghte.' When Dindimus
4 hadd redd þis lettre, onane he wrate anoþer to kyng Alexander
of þis tenour.
1 'Dyndimus, þe mayster of þe Bragmayns, vn-till Alender,
gretyng. We hafe vndirstand þe tenour of þi lettres & þus we
8 ansuere. We are noȝte lordeȝ of this werlde, as we sulde euermarae
lyffe þare in. But we ere pilgrymes in þis werlde, and when
dede commeȝ we wende till oþer habytacions. Oure Synneȝ
greueȝ vs noȝte, ne we duelle noȝte in þe tabernacles of
12 synners.2 We do na thyfe. And for þe conseynce þat we
haue, we gaa noȝte furthe in open. We say noȝte þat we ere
goddes, ne nane envy has vn-to þam. Godd þat made all þat
es in þis werlde, he ordeyned many diuerse thyngeȝ. For
16 warne dyuersitees ware of thyngȝe þe werlde myȝte noghte
stande. Godd gaffe man fre will, for to discerne all thyngeȝ
þat ere in þe werlde, and chese whilke hym lyste. Whare-fore
he þat leues þe ill & heseȝ þe gude, noȝte godd, but goddes
20 frende he may be called. Be cause þat we luffe contently,
and in quite & reste, ȝe sya þat we were goddeȝ, or elles
þat we hafe envy to goddeȝ. But this suspeccion þat ȝe
hafe of vs, perteneȝ to ȝow. For ȝe þat ere blawen full of
24 þe wynde of ride ȝe aray ȝour bodys wit gloryous clethyng,
and on ȝour fyngers, ȝe putt iowells of golde & precyous
stanes.
'Bot I pray ȝow, what profit does þis ȝow: Golde and siuer
28 saues noȝte a manes saule, ne susteneȝ noȝte mens bodys. Bot
we þat knawes þe verray profitt of golde, and þe kynd þare-
offe, when vs thirteȝ, & gase to þe ryuere for to take vs a
drynke, if we fynde golde in þe way, we trede apon it wit oure
32 fete. For golde noþer filleȝ vs when we hunger, ne slokens
our thirste & drynke water, it putteȝ away his thirste. Also if a
man hunger & ete mete, it does away his hunger. Bot and
36 golde ware of þe same kynde, als son als a man hadd it, þe vice
of Couetyse suld be slokynde in hym. Be þis cause es golde ill.

' Two lines with small red capital D and
small cursive d in the margin beside.

2 MS. synners with a contraction mark
over the y.

[In margins]
due either to
pride or
peevishness.
He deems the
Brahmins live
so through
folly.

Dindimus to
Alexander.

*Leaf 36 bk.

Man is not
lord of this
world, but a
pilgrim in it.
The virtue of
the Brahmins.

God made
things di-
verse so that
the world
might endure.

He gave man
free will to
choose of all
that which
him list. Not
they, but the
Greeks seem
envious of
the gods.

Gold and
silver save
none. They
despise it as
useless,
quenching
neither
hunger nor
thirst.

Neither does
it slack the
vice of
covetousness.

Dindionus to Alexander. Of the goodly ways of the Brahmins. 87

'^our lyffyng and '^our maners cowmes mare of foundnesse J^afi) due either to

of wysdoifD. For sen) 50 are men) ^e schulde hafe Ipe vertu^ of peevishness.

a resonable creatt^re, and f»at hafe ^e no5hte.' When Dindim2<s He deems the

4 hadd redd' f>is lettre, onane he wrate anoj^er to kyng Alexander go^th^ugh^^

of pis ienour. ^°^^y-

^ ' Dyndimw5, J^e mayst^r of J?e Bragmayus, vn-titt Alexander, Dindimus to
gretyng. We hafe vndirstand be ienour of bi letires & bus we
8 ansuere. We er no5te * lorde^ of this werlde, as we sulde euermare ®^ ^

lyffe pare in. But we ere pilgrymes in ]:)is werlde, and when) loS^of this

dede comme^ we wende titt oper habytacions. Oure Synne5 world, but a

greue5 vs no^te, ne we duelle no^te in pe tabernacles of r^j^g virtue of

12 synners.'^ We do na thyfte. And for pe conscjence pat we the Brahmms.

haue, we gaa no^te furthe in open). We say no5te f>at we ere ^.^ maAe

goddes, ne nane envy base vn-to J)am). Godd' pat made att pai verse so that

es in })is werlde, he ordeyned" many diuerse thyngej. For ^ight endure.

16 warne dyuersitees ware of thynge^ pe werld my^te noghte

stande. Godd" gaffe man) fre will, for to discerne of alt thynge^ He gave man

T 'n 1 1 TTTI r ^^®® 'Will to

pat ere i7i pe werld", and chese whilke nym lyste. Wnare-iore choose of all

he pat leues pe itt & chese^ pe gude, no^te godd", but goddes h^m list^^^ot

20 frende he may be called". Be-cause bat we lyffe contenently, they, but the

and in qmete & reste, ^e say pat we ere godde^, or elles envious of

pai we hafe envy to godde5. But this suspeccion) pai ^e ^^^^s^^s.

hafe of vs, pertenej to 50W. For je pai ere blawen) fuH of
24 pe wynde of pride ^e aray jowr bodys wit gloijous clefhyng,

and on ^our fyngers, ^e putt iowelts of golde & iprecjous

stanes.

* Bot I pray 50W, what profit does )?is 50W : Golde and silu^r Gold and

, ^ . . 1 1 -n i silver save

28 saues no5te a manes saule, ne sustene5 no^te mens bodys. Bot j^^j^g -jj^ey

we pai knawes J^e verray profitt of golde, and pe kynd" J?are- despise it as

ofie, when vs thriste^, & gase to pe ryuere for to take vs a quenching

drynke, if we fynde golde in pe way, we trede apon) it wit oure hunger nor

32 fete. For golde noj^^r fille^ vs when) we hunger, ne slokens ^^l^i^^st.
oure thriste, ne it hele5 no5te a man) Jjat es seke. If a man)
thriste & drynke water, it putte5 away his thriste. Also if a

man) hunger & ete mete, it does away his hunger. Bot and Neither does

36 golde ware of pe same kynde, als son) als a man) hadd' it, pe vice yice^of ^

of Couetyse suld be slokynde in hym. Be f>is cause es golde ill. covetousness.

^ Two lines with small red capital D and ^ MS. synners with a contraction mark

small cursive d in the margin beside. over the y.