35

Alexander and the Lacedemonians

us [whider-towarde] and been disobeyed to our majesty, we forgive thou all your guilt, and the grievance that thee have done us, so that [ze] be obeisant unto us, from this time forward. Come forth thou therefore & be merry, for of us thee shall have no grievance nor any disease because thee did after the conceit of Demosthenes.

When the Atheneans heard this letter read, they were right glad, and then Alexander & his Oste went from [thethyn] unto Lacedoyne. But the Lacedonians would [one] any ways obey unto Alexander, but said each of them to other, 'let us not be like the Atheneans,' quoth they, 'that dread the [menacing?] and the boast of Alexander but let us show our might and our strength and manly defend our city against him.' When they had said, they [spered] the gates of the city fast, and went manly to the walls. And a great number of them took them ships & went to the sea, a great navy, to fight with Alexander [as?] he come to land. And when Alexander saw this, he sent a letter to them saying on these ways.

Alexander the son of Philippe and of the queen Olympias unto the Lacedonians we send. We counsel thou, that your elders has left thou, thee keep hale & sound & in [sauetee and lyftez] not your [hende over hie] to the things that thee may not reach to. And if thee desire for to have joy of your strength, does [swa] that thee be worthy to have worship of us. Therefore we command thou, that thee turn again with your ships, and leave them, & go to land by your own free will; or [secretly?] I shall set fire in them & burn them. And if thee despise our commandment, blame not but yourself, if we [wreke] us on thou.

The Lacedonians read his letter, and when it was read, they were wonder [heuy]. Not [for-thi] they readied them to fight. But Alexander arrived in another coast, and come to the city [are] they [wiste] and [enveloped?] the city one each aside, and assailled it strangely & [dange] the Lacedonians of the walls & slew many of them & wounded many, and set fire in their ships & burnt them. The remnant of them that were left

Alexander and the Lacedemonians. 35

vs whider-towarde and bene disobeyande titt oure maiestee, we Neverthe-

forgiffe 50W alt 50W gilt, and J»e greuance J'at ^e hafe don vs, forgive

so fat 36 be obeyande vn-titl vs, fra J^is tyrae forwarde. Com- *{j^"^^^

4 forthes 50W \>areioYe & bee^ mery, for of vs ^e schall hafe na good for

greuaiice ne na disesse be-caiise ^e did' aft^r Ipe conceit of gj^ce they'

Demostynes/ followed

•^ ^ . Demos-

^ AVlien) Ipe Athenyenes herd? J^is lettve redd", l^ay ware ri5te thenes'
8 gladdl and ban) Alexander & his Oste went fra thethyn) vn-to

° ^ 1 'w, Alexander

Lacedoyne. Bot ])e Lacedouns walde one na wyse obey vn-tm goes thence

Alexander, bot said" ilkan) of ]?am) tilt o])er, ' latt vs no5te be '^onSl'^But

lykke )^e Athenj^enes,' quop J?ay, ' J^at drede pe manaschynge, they would

12 and ])e boste of Alexander bot late vs schewe oure my5te, and sTibmit to

oure strenghe and manly defend e * oure citee agayne^ hym/ * Leaf 13
When) ]?ay hadtf saide, ]^ay spered? J?e ^ates of "pe cetee faste, '

and went manly to pe walles. And a grete nowm^r of ]:»ani) despising

16 tuke ]?am) schippe^ & went to pe see, a grete nauy, to feghte Athenians

wit Alexander are he come to lande. And when) Alexander 'panned

the walls,

saw this, he sent a l^^^re to J^arn) sayand on this wyse. Yet others

^ ' Alexander pe son) of Philippe and of pe queue Olympias ^ em e

over-seas.

20 vn-to pe Lacedounes we sende. We conceit 50W, pat }^at, that ^^^ others
'^our elders base lefte 50W, 3e kepe hale & sound & in sauetee ^ meet him
and lyfte3 no3te ^our hende ou^r hie to pe thynge^ pat pe may ^^ ^ *
no^te reche to. And if 50 desire for to hafe ioy of '^our strenthe, of Aiex-

24 dose swa pat 56 be worthy to hafe wirchipe of vs. parefore th^^ace-
we comande ^ow, J^at 50 turne agayne w^t yur schippe^, and demonians
leue; J^ani), & gase to lande by ^our awenn) fre wilt ; or sekirly them re-
I salt sett fire in thafn) & brynne J^am). And if 5ee dispice oure J^J^^J^^

28 commandemerit, blarney na man) bot ^our selfe, if we wreke
vs one 3owe.'

* The Lacedounes redd? ]?is lettre, and when) it was redd", f)ay Alexander
ware wonder heuy. No^te for-thi )?ay redied j?am) to feghte. an^unfore-

92 Bot Alex«^c?er arryuecr in an ol^er coste, and come to be citee ^^^^ ^^^

•^ , "^ J _ ' -T and sur-

are f»ay wiste and vmbylapped" pe citee one ilke a syde, and rounds
assaillede it strangly & dange pe Lacedouns of pe walles & ^^'
slewe many of J^am) & wounded" many, and sett fyre in ]:)aire jr x. ,
36 schippej & brynt J^am). pe remanant of })am) pat ware lefte tiie city

1 Three lines space miniature W. another letter.

'^ Four half lines with miniature A. * Four lines space with miniature T.

^ MS. sauetee with u written over

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