96

96

King Alexander ancl Queen Candace.

gold with
letters in
Greek,
* Leaf 40
bk.

Hebrew,
Latin, and
Indian,
telling of
his great
deeds and
guiding
after-
comers.
Thence
they go
westwards
towards
Macedonia
and come
to the
country of
Prasiac.
The men
of the
country
bring him
presents.
There is
in that
country a
city of
precious
stones
ruled over
by a widow
queen and
her sons.
Alexander
writes to
Queen
Candace
sending
presents,
asking her
to come
that they
may offer
sacrifice
together.
Queen
Candace
writes to
Alexander
on his con-
quests, but
proclaims
that they
may not

sett thir pelers here, after þe dedd' of Darius kyng of Perse
and of Porus kynge of Inde. What man) so witt passe forþer
late hym) * tourne one þe lefte hand. For wha so tourneʒ one
þe riʒte hande he satt fynde many obstacleʒ & greuanceʒ þat 4
satt perauenture lett his agayne-commynge.'

1 Fra þeine þay remowed' thurgh þat playne and lefte þase
strayte wayes, takand' þe way westeward' þe gayneste towarde
Macedoyne. And at þe laste þay come till a cuntree þat highte 8
Prasiac, And þare þay luged' þam). And when) men) of þat
cuntree herd' of þe commynge of Alexander, wit grete wirchipe
þay broghte hym grete presanteʒ of swilk thyngeʒ as þay hadd'
in þaire lande, þat es at say, skynnes of fischez lyke vn-to þe 12
skynnes of pardes, or of lyouns also, and lawmpray skynnes of
sex cubites lange. In þat cuntree was a noble citee alt of
precyous stanes made wit-owtten) tyme or sande, sett apon) an
hilt. Of þe whilke citee, a wirchipfutt lady and a faire hadd' 16
þe lordechipe. þis lady was wedowe and scho hadd' three
sones. The firste of þam) highte Candeolus, þe secand' Mar-
cipius, And þe thirde hight Carator. To þis lady Alexander
sent a lettre of þis tenour : 20

2 ' Alexander þe son) of godd' Amon) & of þe quene Olympias,
kyng of kynges & lorde of lordes vn-to quene Candace of Meron)
ioy & gretyng. We sende ʒow ane ymage of godd' Amon) att
of fyne golde ; And þarefore comeʒ titt vs þat we may wende 24
togeder to þe Mountayne for to make sacrafyce þare to godd'
Amon.' When) þe Qwene Candace hadd' redd' þis leittre, Scho
sent hir embassatours titt kyng Alexander wit grete presanteʒ
and with a lettre of this tenour : 28

3 ' Candace, quene of Meron), vn-titt Alexander, kyng of
kyngeʒ, ioy. Wele we knawe þat ʒe hafe by reuelacion) of
godd' Amon) þat ʒe schulde conquere Perse, Inde and Egipte,
and subiecte vn-to ʒow att oþer nacions. And att þat ʒe hafe 32
done, noʒte allanly was graunted' bot also of att oþer goddeʒ.
Titt vs þat base faire saules & bryghte it nedeʒ noghte to make
sacrafyce to godd' Amon) in þe Mountaynes. Neuer-þe-lesse
bicause we witt noʒte offende ʒowere maiestatee, we sende titt 36

1 Four lines with red capital F and small f in margin beside.

2 Four lines with red capital A and a beside.

3 Four lines with red capital C and c in the margin.

96

Kiiig Alexander ancl Queen Candace.

gold with
letters in
Greek,
* Leaf 40
bk.

Hebrew,
Latin, and
Indian,
telling of
his great
deeds and
guiding
after-
comers.
Thence
they go
westwards
towards
Macedonia
and come
to the
country of
Prasiac.
The men
of the
country
bring him
presents.
There is
in that
covTntry a
city of
precious
stones
ruled over
by a widow
queen and
her sons.
Alexander
writes to
Queen
Candace
sending
presents,
asking her
to come
that they
may offer
sacrifice
together.
Queen
Candace
writes to
Alexander
on his con-
quests, but
proclaims
that they
may not

sett tliir pelers here, after ]>e dedcT of Darius kyng of Perse
and of VoYiis kynge of Inde. What man) so witt passe for]>er
late hyfn) * iourne one f>e lefte hand. For wha so tourney one
Ipe ri^te hande he salt fynde many obstacle^ & greuance^ J?at 4
salt perauentttre lett his agayne-commynge.'

^ Fra J^eine fay remowed' thurgh )?at playne and lefte f>ase
strayte wayes, takand' Ipe way westeward' pe gayneste towarde
Macedoyne. And at pe laste J>ay come till a cuntree fat highte g
Prasiac, And fare fay luged" f aiii). And when) meii) of fat
cuntree herd'' of fe commynge of Alexander, wit grete wirchipe
fay broghte hym grete pr^sante5 of swilk thyngej as fay hadd"
in faire lande, fat es at say, sk^/nnes of fischez lyke vn-to fe 12
skynnes of pardes, or of lyouns also, and lawmpray skynnes of
sex cubites lange. In fat cuntree was a noble citee alt of
precyous stanes made wit-owtten) tyme or sande, sett apon) an
hilt. Of fe whilke citee, a wirchipfult lady and a faire hadd? 16
fe lordechipe. pis lady was wedowe and scho hadd' three
son^s. The firste of fain) highte Candeolits, f e secand* Mar-
ciipius, And f e thirde hight Carator. To f is lady Alexander
sent a lettre of f is tenoi^r : 20

^ ' Alexander f e son) of godd' Amon) & of f e quene Olympias,
kyng of kynges & lorde of lordes vn-to quene Candace of Meron)
ioy & gretyng. We sende 50W ane ymage of godd? Amon) alt
of fyne golde ; And f arefore come^ titt vs fat we may wende 34
togeder to f e Mountayne for to make sacrafyce fare to godd?
Amon.' When) f e Qwene Candace hadd" redd' f is lei^^re, Scho
sent hir embassatoztrs tilt kyng Alexander wit grete presante;
and with a le^^re of this tenowr : 28

^ ' Candace, quene of Meron), vn-tilt Alexander, kyng of
kynge^, ioy. Wele we knawe fat ^e hafe by reuelaciofi) of
godd" Amon) fat 5e schukle conquere Perse, Inde and Egipte,
and subiecte vn-to 50 w alt ofer nacions. And alt fat ^e hafe 32
done, no^te allanly was graunted? bot also of att of^r godde^.
Tilt vs fat base faire saules & bryghte it nede5 noghte to make
sacrafyce to godd" Amon) in f e Mountaynes. Neuer-f e-lesse
bicause we wilt nojte offende 50 were maiestatee, we sende tilt 36

^ Four lines with red capital jPand small
/ in margin beside.

2 Four lines with red capital A and

a beside.
^ Four lines with red capital C and c in

the margin.