50

The letter of Darius to Alexander.

known unto the wretched man, what should fall to him afterward, he should have little thought of the time present, but on the time to come should his thoughts be. In a [poynte] of a day it falls, that the meek is raised up to the clouds, and the [prowde] is put to naught.' And when he had said these words, he raised up, & sat & wrote a letter unto Alexander, saying on these ways.

'To his lord Alexander, king of Macedonia, Darius, king of Persia, greeting & Joy. We have well understood by that that we have heard of thou and seen, that thee have in thou great wisdom & a high wit; so that not only thee know things that are present or past, but also things that are for to come, and therefore all things, that thee do: thee do it without any lack or reprieve. Nevertheless have in mind that right as we were, so were thee begotten & borne of a fleshly woman. And therefore raise not your heart to hie because of your prowess & your doubty deeds, so that forgets your last end. For oftimes, we see that the later end of a man discords with the first. It suffices to a warrior for to get the victory of his enemies, [those?] all he show not all the malice that he may. Remember thou of the worshipful king Xerxes our progenitor, that many victories gotten & [schane] in all prosperities, Before he raised he hear in pride [passand mesure]. All the worship that he had won before, he lost in Ellada, therefore remember thou, that all the worships & the victories that thee have gotten by the foresight of godd

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ye got this victory. To us then who beseech grant your mercy. Yield us our mother, our sons, and wife, and we will render unto you the treasures we have in Aydem and Susa and Batram, the which our fathers hoarded and hid in earthen cellars. And we will give you the kingship of the Medes and Persians, that thus ye may have and keep what victory Jove the almighty hath granted you.'

The letter of Darius to Alexander.

knawefD vn-to J)e wreched maii), what schulde falle tift hym
after-wardej, he schulde hafe littitt thoghte of f)e tyme presentt,
bot one J?e tyme to come solde his tho^te be. In a poynte of a
daye it falles, Jjat ]>q meke es raysede vp to J^e clowdde3, and Jjc 4
prowde es putt to no3te.' And whefD he hade saide thir wordes,
he rase vp, & satt & wrate a k^re vn-till Alexander, sayande
on this wyese.

^ ' Tilt his lorde Alexander, kyng of Macedoyne, Dariws, kyng 8
of Perse, gretyng & Joy. We hafe wele vndirstanden by )?at
that we hafe herde of ^owe and sene, J^at ^e hafe in ^ow grete
wysedom) & a hye witt : so ]>at no5te allanly 5e knawe
thynges ])at are present or passede, bot also thynge3 ]?at ere 12
for to come, and f)are-fore alt thynge^, J>at je doo : ^e do it
wtt -owtefD any lakke or repreue. Neuer-J)e-lesse hafe^ in
mynde })at ri^te as wee ware, so ware 56 geten) & borne of a
fleschly womafD. And ^are fore rayse no^te "^our herte to hye 16
bi-cause of 50wr prowesche & ^our doghty dedis, so fat 5e
forgete '^our laste ende. For ofte tymes we see \>9.i fe lattere
end of a man) discordes wet J)e firste. It suffice5 titt a wer-
ryonre for to gete J>e victorye of his enemys, |5ofe att he 20
schewe nojte atte fe malice f)at he may. Kemembre 30W of J^e
wirchipfutt kyng ^erses oure progenytowr, f>at many victoryes
gatt & schane in alte prosperiteez. Be-fore he raysed' his hert
in pride passande mesure. Alte \>q wirchippe J?at he hadd 24
wonn) be-fore, he loste in Ellada, Ipare-fore remembre 50W, fat
alt J>e wirchipes & pe victoryes fat je hafe geten) by fe
forluke of '^godd'

ye got this victory. To us then who beseech grant your 28
mercy. Yield us our mother, our sons, and wife, and we will
render unto you the treasures we have in Aydem and Susa
and Batram, the which our fathers hoarded and hid in earthen
cellars. And we will give you the kingship of the Medes and 32
Persians, that thus ye may have and keep what victory Jove
the all-mighty hath granted you.'

I

^ Four lines space with decorated minia-
ture T.

2 ' by j)e forluke of godcT ' is written at
the bottom of leaf 18 bk. Between this
leaf and what is now numbered leaf 20

a whole leaf is missing ; and we are plunged
into the middle of quite a different letter
of Darius on leaf 20, which is addressed
to Porus.