42

Darius again defeated; treachery and trouble.

citee, and won it on war. And in the chief place thereof he set his throne. And all their other cities that wer about it, he [warned?] them of war, & put them under his subjection. In this [ilke] city of Bactrian, he found treasure without number, and also is mother, and his wife.

And in the meantime, while Alexander lay at Bactrian: there come a prince of Darius oste unto Alexander, & said unto him, 'Worshipful emperor,' quoth he, 'I have a long time been a knight of Darius, and done him great service; and [zitt] to this day I had never [na] rewarded him. And therefore it if like unto thou majesty; take me ten thousand of your men of arms; and I [hete zow,] for to bring to your hand king Darius, & the most part of his oste.' And when Alexander had heard this, he said unto him. 'Friend,' quoth he, 'I thank thee muh of thy fair promise. Nevertheless, I let thee [wite] my men will not believe that thou will fight against thine own people.' In the meantime a Prince of Darius oste sent unto him a letter, of which this was the tenor.

'To Darius, great king of kings, his lords which he has ordained chieftains under him Sends meek service. Oftimes before this have we written to your majesty, and now again we write unto thou, & [latez zow wite] that the macedonians & king Alexander, as would lions are entered our lands, and all our strengths, as a wild [raueschande] beast he has destroyed: & our knights slain. And oppressed we are with so great tribulations, that we [may] not longer suffer his [mawgree], ne his malice bear. Wherefore, meekly we beseek your benign majesty, that thee will draw to your mind our meek service, and such succor vouchsafe to send us, that we put off and withstand the violence & the malice of our foresaid enemies.' When Darius had read this letter, anon he [gert] writ a letter to king Alexander, saying on this ways.

'Darius, king of Persia and king of kings, unto my servant Alexander, I say. Now [late pare es commen till our eres thyngez: that thou went to even thy little head till our high magnificence. But [Sen] it is impossible till a [heuy asse], with

42

Darius again defeated; treachery and trouble.

trian,
taking
great trea-
sure to-
gether with
Darius'
mother and
•wife.

A Persian
prince
offers to
betray
Darius to
Alexander
if he will
grant him
ten thou-
sand
knights.
Alex-
ander's
answer.

Letter of
one of
Darius'
princes to
Darius be-
seeching
help.

*Leaf 17.

Darius to
Alexander,
reproach-
ing his vain
ambitions,
thanking

citee, and wanne it on werre. And in f)e clieffe place J?ar«-of he
sett bis trone. And aft Ipir oper cite^ )?at were abowte it, be
wanii) j^am) werre, & putt Jjarn) vnder bis s?*bieccion). In pis
ilke citee of Bactrian), be fande tresowr wtt-owtten) nowmer, and 4
also bis moder, and bis wyfe.

^ And in pe mene tyme, wbils AlexamZer lay at Batran : pare
come a prynce of Davius oste vn-titt Alexaiider, & said vn-tiK
byin), * Wircbipfult emi^erour,' quop be, * I bafe a lang tyme bene 8
a knygbt of Darius, and done bym grete seruyce ; and 5itt to
tbis day I bad neuer na reward^ of bym. And pare-fore if it
like vn-to ^owre maieste ; take me tefD tbowsande of ^our men)
of armes ; and I bete 50W, for to brynge to ^our bande kyng 13
Darius, & pe maste parte of bis oste.' And wben) Alexander
bad berde J^is, be said vn-titt byw. ' Frende,' quop be, ' I tbanke
J^e mekitt of tbi faire promys. Neuer pe lesse, I late pe wite my
men) witt no^te beleue j^at pou. witt fegbte agaynes tbyn) owenn) 16
peple.' In pe mene tyme a Prynce of Darius oste sent vn-till
bym a letter, of wbilk J>is was pe tenowr.

^ 'To Darius, grete kyng of kynges, bis lordes wbilke be * base
ordeyned cbeftaynes vnder hjm Sende^ meke seruyce. Oftymes 20
be-fore tbis bafe we wreten) to ^our maieste, and now agayne we
writte vn-to 30W, & late5 50W wite J?at J^e macedoynes & kyng
Alexander, as wode lyouns ere enterde* oure lande^, and alt
oure strentbes, as a wilde rauescbande beste be base destruyed : 24
& oure knygbtes slayne. And oppressed we are wit so grete
tribulacionns, J'at we [may] na lengare suffre bis mawgree, ne
his malece here. Wbare-fore, mekly we be-seke jottr benyngne
maiestee, }?at je witt drawe to 5oure mynde oure meke seruyce, 28
and swilke socoure vouch saflfe to send" vs, J^at we put off and
agaynestande pe violence & J^e malice of oure fore-said enemys.'
WhefD Darius bad redde pis lettre, on ane be gert writte a lettir
to kyng Alexander, sayand on j^is wyse. ^2

* ' Daryus kyng of Perse and kyng of kynge^, vn-to my seruande
Alexander, I say. Now late pare es commef^ tilt oure eres
tytbynge^ : Jjat pou wene5 to euefD tbi littilbede tilt oure begbe
magnificence. Bot Sen) it es inpossible tilt a beuy asse, wzt 36

^ Three lines with miniature A and
knight's head within.

2 Three lines space with miniature T.

3 MS. repeats * he ' twice.
* Three lines space with miniature D
and a man's head within, much faded.