26

26

Darius writes again to Alexander.

Alexander
telling him
to retire
before his
vengeance
fall upon
him.

* Leaf 9 bk.

He sends
him also a
token of
the num-
ber of his
own people.

Darius is praised & commended. Our gods also have it
written in their books. How then darest you be so bold,
for to pass so many waters, and seas, Mountains & crags,
for to war against our royal majesty. A great warship 4
me think it were to be, if you might measure ours, has
in possession the kingdom of Macedonia all only, without
more. Therefore thee has better amend thee of thy misdeeds, then
we take swift work upon thee, that other men take pains there- 8
by, then all the earth without our lordship, may be called
widow. Torn again therefore, we consign thee, into thine
own country, and our wrath and our wreak fall upon
thee. Nevertheless, that our worships & our great nobles 13
be somewhat known to thee, we send thee a molefull of
cheeseball seeds, in tokening thereof. Look if thou may
number & tell all their cheeseball seeds, & if thou do that
then may the folk of our host be numbered. And if thou 16
may not do that our folk may not be numbered. Therefore
turn home again into thy country and leave thy folly
that thou hast begun, and take no more upon thyself a
presumption, for I tell thee we have men of arms without 20
number.

When the Messengers of Darius come tell Alexander, they
took him the letter and the molefull of cheeseball seeds.
Alexander the great read the letter. And then he put 24
his hand in the mole, and took of the cheeseball seeds & put
in his mouth, & chewed it, & said, I see well ', quoth he, 'that
he hath many men, but they are just soft as these seeds are'.
In the meantime there came a Messenger tell Alexander from 28
Macedonia and told him that his Mother Olympia was great
sick. And [when] Alexander heard this, he was wonder heavy.
Nevertheless, he wrote unto Darius a letter, that spoke
on this way. 32

'Alexander the son of Philippe & of queen Olympia unto
Darius king of Persia, we send. We do thee well to write
that we have heard certain things, which greets us against
our will so that we now set sail. But know thou not that we 36
for fear or doubt of thy pride and thy vain glory turn home
again now till our own country, But all only for to visit.
Four lines space with miniature W. Three lines space.

They bring
Alexander
the letter.
But he
finds
another
meaning
for the
tokens.
He hears of
the heavy
sickness of
his mother.

down by
the news
he writes a
letter to
Darius.
He tells
him that
for other
reasons he
is forced
unwilling-
ly to re-
turn, but
bids him
not put it

26

Darius writes again to Alexander.

Alexander
telling him
to retire
before his
vengeance
fall upon
him.

* Leaf 9 bk.

He sends
him also a
token of
the num-
ber of his
own people.

Darius es praysecT & comwendedl Oure godde^ also base it
wreten) in thaire bukes. How than) durste Ipou be so balde,
for to passe so many waters, and see^, Mountaynes & cragge^,
for to werraye agaynes oure royatte maiestee. A grete wircbip) 4
me thynke it * ware to Ipe, if pou myghte mawgre oures, hafe
in possessioufD pe kyngdome of Macedoyne att anely, wit-owtten
mare. Thare-fore the es better amend" Ipe of thi mysededis, fan
we take swilke wreke appofD the, 'pat oper men) take bisne pare- 8
by, sen) atte J^e erthe wit-owtten oure lordchipe, may be callede
wedowe. Torne agayne pare-iore, we consaile pe, in-io thyn)
awenn) cuntree, are oure wrethe and oure wreke fatte apon)
pe. Neuer-|:e-lesse, pat oure wirchippe & oure grete noblaye 13
be sumwhate knawen) to pe, we sende the a malefutt of
chesebotte sede, in takennyng pare-oi. Luke if pou may
nombir & tette alt J^ir chesseboHe sede^, & if pon do ]?att
J>an) may pe folke of oure oste be nowmerdl And if ]?ou 16
may no3te do J^at oure folke may no^te be nowmerd?. pare-
for tu7-nee bame agayne in-to J)i cuntree and lefe Jji foly
]:>at pou. base bygun), and take na mare apofD pe swilke a
presumpcion, for I tett pe we haffe men) of armes wit-oute 20
nowmmere '.

^WhefD pe Messangers of Dariws come titt Alexander, J)ay
tuk hym pe lettre and pe malefutt of chessebotle sede^.
Alexander J^an) gerte rede pe letter. And sythen) he putt 24
his hand" in pe male, and tuke of pe chessebotte sede5 & putt
in his mouthe, & chewed' it, & said", ' I see wele ', quop he, ' ])at
he base many men), bot f>ay are rijte softe as this sede^ are '.
In pe mene tyme pare come a Messanger tilt Alexander fra 28
Altho' cast Macedoyne : and talde hym J)at his Moder Olympias was grefe
seke. And [when] Alexander herd" J^is, he was wonder heuy.
Neuer pe lesse, he wrate vn to Dari^ts a le^^re, fat spakke
on) this wyse. 32

' ^ Alexander pe son) of Philippe & of qwene Olympias vn-to
Dariws kynge of Perse, we sende. We do pe wele to wiete
fat we hafe herde certane tythynge^, whilke gers vs agayne^
oure will: do fat we now satt saye. Bot trow f ou no5te fat we 36
for fere or dowte of thi pWde and f i vayne glorye turne hame
agayne now titt oure awenn) cuntre, Bot att anely for to vesett
^ Four lines space with miniature W. ^ Three lines space.

They bring
Alexander
the letter.
But he
finds
another
meaning
for the
tokens.
He hears of
the heavy
sickness of
his mother.

down by
the news
he writes a
letter to
Darius.
He tells
him that
for other
reasons he
is forced
unwilling-
ly to re-
turn, but
bids him
not put it