112 The will of Alexander. The earthquake.

112

The will of Alexander. The earthquake.

the Egyp-
tian priest
of his mau-
soleum.
Ptolemy
is the
governor.
If Roxana
bear a man
child he ,
shall be
Emperor ;
* Leaf 48.
if a girl
they shall
choose
their own.
He appor-
tions his
domains.

The earth-
quake.

The Mace-
donians
come
armed and
demand to
see their
Emperor.

He prays
his knights
bear him
before
them.

He praises
them.
They speak
with him
and pray

& entered', j~ besandes of golde. Also I will that Tholomeus that
es kepare of oure body be your Gouernour, And forgetis noghte
my laste will, Bot lates my testament be alway bi-fore your
eghne so that it be fulfilled & noghte forgetyn. My will es 4
also that if Rosan my wyfe be delyuer of a knafe childe that he be
your Emperour and gyffes hym what name so yow liste, and
if scho be delyuer of a mayden childe, than es it my will that the
Macedoynes chese tham a kynge, and that my wyfe be lady of * all 8
my mobles. Also I will that Tholomeus be kyng of Egipt, and
that he tak till his wyfe Cleopatra, that my Fader wedded sumtyme
here bi-fore, and that he be lorde & prynce ouer all the
lordes of the Este euen un-to Bactrian. Also I will that my 12
brother Arrideus be kynge of the Pelopones, also that Cleopater
be kyng of Perse, Mellagere kyng of Ethopy, And Anthiochus be
kyng un-to the landes of Gog & magoge, Arestes kynge of Inde,
Lissymacus lorde of Seleuce, Lythamon kyng of hungary, Caulus 16
kyng of Ermony, Illicus kyng of Dalmace. Symeon my Notary,
will I, be Kyng of Capadoce & Pamphily, Cassander & Iobas be
lordes un-to the Ryuer that es called Soll, Antipater thaire Fader
be kyng of Cicile.' When this testament was in wrytynge 20
bi-fore Alexander Sodeynly thare come a thonnere & a leuennynge
& ane erthedoun righte a hedcus, so that all babyloyne qwoke
thare-wit. And than thorowte all Babyloyne the noyse rase that
Alexander was dede. And than all the Macedoynes rasse hallely 24
and come armed to the Palace, and cryed on the prynces & said
un-to tham : ' Sothely,' quoth thay, ' but if ye onane schewe us oure
Emperour we sall slaa yow ilk ane.' And when kyng Alexander
herde swilke noyse he askede whate it ment, and the prynces 28
ansuerde & sayde : ' The Macedoynes,' quoth thay, 'are comen armede
hedir before the gates, & says sekerly bot if thay see gow thay sall
slaa us alle are thay passe hethine.' And when Alexander herde
this, he badd his knyghtis that thay scholde take hym up, and bere 32
hym in-to the consistorye. And thay did soo. And than he garte
open the Palace gates that the Macedoynes myghte come by-fore
hym. And than kyng Alexander be-gan to comend tham of
thaire strenth & thaire grete doghtynes, and charged tham that 36
thay scholde be in pesse & reste ilkane wit other. Than the
Macedoynes, sare wepande, sayde un-till Alexander : ' A, A,
wirchipfull,' quoth thay, ' ordayne & telle us are ye passe