Dindimus to Alexander. Of the goodly ways of the Brahmins. 87

Dindionus to Alexander. Of the goodly ways of the Brahmins. 87

'^our lyffyng and '^our maners cowmes mare of foundnesse J^afi) due either to

of wysdoifD. For sen) 50 are men) ^e schulde hafe Ipe vertu^ of peevishness.

a resonable creatt^re, and f»at hafe ^e no5hte.' When Dindim2<s He deems the

4 hadd redd' f>is lettre, onane he wrate anoj^er to kyng Alexander go^th^ugh^^

of pis ienour. ^°^^y-

^ ' Dyndimw5, J^e mayst^r of J?e Bragmayus, vn-titt Alexander, Dindimus to
gretyng. We hafe vndirstand be ienour of bi letires & bus we
8 ansuere. We er no5te * lorde^ of this werlde, as we sulde euermare ®^ ^

lyffe pare in. But we ere pilgrymes in ]:)is werlde, and when) loS^of this

dede comme^ we wende titt oper habytacions. Oure Synne5 world, but a

greue5 vs no^te, ne we duelle no^te in pe tabernacles of r^j^g virtue of

12 synners.'^ We do na thyfte. And for pe conscjence pat we the Brahmms.

haue, we gaa no^te furthe in open). We say no5te f>at we ere ^.^ maAe

goddes, ne nane envy base vn-to J)am). Godd' pat made att pai verse so that

es in })is werlde, he ordeyned" many diuerse thyngej. For ^ight endure.

16 warne dyuersitees ware of thynge^ pe werld my^te noghte

stande. Godd" gaffe man) fre will, for to discerne of alt thynge^ He gave man

T 'n 1 1 TTTI r ^^®® 'Will to

pat ere i7i pe werld", and chese whilke nym lyste. Wnare-iore choose of all

he pat leues pe itt & chese^ pe gude, no^te godd", but goddes h^m list^^^ot

20 frende he may be called". Be-cause bat we lyffe contenently, they, but the

and in qmete & reste, ^e say pat we ere godde^, or elles envious of

pai we hafe envy to godde5. But this suspeccion) pai ^e ^^^^s^^s.

hafe of vs, pertenej to 50W. For je pai ere blawen) fuH of
24 pe wynde of pride ^e aray jowr bodys wit gloijous clefhyng,

and on ^our fyngers, ^e putt iowelts of golde & iprecjous

stanes.

* Bot I pray 50W, what profit does )?is 50W : Golde and silu^r Gold and

, ^ . . 1 1 -n i silver save

28 saues no5te a manes saule, ne sustene5 no^te mens bodys. Bot j^^j^g -jj^ey

we pai knawes J^e verray profitt of golde, and pe kynd" J?are- despise it as

ofie, when vs thriste^, & gase to pe ryuere for to take vs a quenching

drynke, if we fynde golde in pe way, we trede apon) it wit oure hunger nor

32 fete. For golde noj^^r fille^ vs when) we hunger, ne slokens ^^l^i^^st.
oure thriste, ne it hele5 no5te a man) Jjat es seke. If a man)
thriste & drynke water, it putte5 away his thriste. Also if a

man) hunger & ete mete, it does away his hunger. Bot and Neither does

36 golde ware of pe same kynde, als son) als a man) hadd' it, pe vice yice^of ^

of Couetyse suld be slokynde in hym. Be f>is cause es golde ill. covetousness.

^ Two lines with small red capital D and ^ MS. synners with a contraction mark

small cursive d in the margin beside. over the y.