53

The slaying of Darius. 58

\ettve comjTiej to 50W, ^e haste 50W titt vs in aft )?at 56 may.

For wite 5e wele for certayne, that rijte als he done tilt

vs, so he p2*rpose hym in tyme commynge for to do to ^owe.'

4 *In the men tyme, certane mefD of Dari-ws went fra hym

& come titt Alexander, & talde hym, J:)at Daiiws pwrposede Alexander

hym for to feghte wit hym eftesones, and had sent titt Vovus, thff^^^^

kyng: of Inde, for to come in grete haste, for to helpe hym. through
■^ * . ^ . treachery

8 WhefD AXeyiander herd f)is, be-lyfe he remowed" his Oste to marches

ward" Dariws, thynkand in his herte \>ai he wolde on na wyse Darius

take apon) hym ]?e name of Emp^roi^r be-fore he hadd* wonfD

Darii(s and his rewme one werre. And when Dariws herde

13 of )?e commyng of AX^yiander , he dredd" hym gretly & J)e

p^rcyenes also. Bot J? are was two prynce^ of Dariws, of \>e Two nobles
whilke }?e tane highte Bisso & )?e id^er Ariobarsantes, thir conspire to
twa when) f»air '^ herd" of J^e comyng of Alexawc^er, co^ispyred' fjf^^j;"^

16 to-gedir for to slaa J?aire lord' Dari^ts, supposyng for titt hafe may have
a grete thanke of Alexa9^c?er, and a gret reward' for fiaire dede. Alexander.
And ayther of J>am) ware sworne titt o^per. And than) thay
went to J?e kynges palace, and come intitt his chamber wit

20 draweii) swerdes in J^aire hande^, and fand Dariws bi hym
ane. And when) Dariws saw that, he trowed' wele \>ai fay
wolde sla hyin), And said vn-to ]?am) : ' Dere frende5, hedir Darius see-
to warde^ hafe I called 50W my s^ruawnd^^, bot now I call 50W Jj"|g ^^

24 my lordes. "What ayles 50W at me ]>ai 56 witt sla me ? Haes ^lercy, and

ior©u©AJ.s

Kle^ander cheriste )?e macedoynes mare pan) I hafe done 50W ? the future
Hafe I no^te sorow & disese ynoghe of enemyse wit-owtten) ? of^ex^°^
Bot if 56 co?ispire agaynes me for to sla me wit owttefD gilt, ander. But

28 I say for sothe, & 56 sla me * thus preuelye, And AXeyiander him.
may gete 50W, he witt take mare cruett vengeance one 30W, then) * Leaf 20
on any theues. For sothely it es na comforthe ne lykyng titt
ane Emperoi^r to fynd an ofer Emp^rowr mwrthered'wit his awen)

32 men).' Bot fay were na-thynge stirrede to petee, ne tendernesse,
ne mercy, thurgh his worde^, Bot went titt hym and wit grete
cruelnesse smate hym, & al-to magle hym, and went faste f aire
waye, & lefte hym for dede.

36 ^ And when) Alexawc?er herd' tett fat Darii^s was slayne he hearing of

^ Five lines space with a capital I. take here, aa the two spellings x&ry /aire

^ MS. />air for /ay, just as on leaf 34, and /air on leaves 34, 54.
1.23. Cf. Icelandic /et>. There is no mis- ' Four lines with red capital A.