University of Virginia Library

Als hastily as þai herd of in þe haly cite,
And bodword to þe bischop broȝt of his come,
For Alexander aȝe almast he euen deis,
For he had nite him a nerand noȝt bot o new time.
And now him þinke in his þoȝt him thurt noȝt haue carid
In all his mast mystir nad he þat man faylid,
When he for socure to þe cite sent him his lettir;
And he soyned him be his sorement þat sare him for-thinkis.
“For me had leuer,” quod þe lede “be lethirely forsworn̄
On̄ as many halidoms as opens & speris,
Þan̄ anys haue greuyd þat gome or warned him his erand!
Þat euer I warned him his will wa is me þat stonde!”
Þus was Iaudes of ioy & iolite depryued;
And all þe iewis of ierusalem he Ioyntly a-sembles.
He said, “Alexander is at hand & will vs all cumbre,
And we ere dredles vndone bot driȝten vs help.”
Þan bedis þe bischop̄ all þe burȝe barnes & othire,
Athils of all age eldire & ȝongire,
Comandis to ilka creatour to crie þurȝe þe stretis,
To thre dais on̄ a thrawe be threpild to-gedire,
Ilk a frek & ilka fante to fast & to pray,
To ocupy þar oures & orisons & offire in̄ þar temple,
And call vp with a clene voice to þe kyng of heuyn̄,
To kepe þam, at þis conquiroure encumbrid þaim neuir.
Now seȝen þai to þar Sinagogis all þe cite ouire,
Ilka bodi þar bedis þat in þe burȝe lengis,
Putt þam to prayris & penaunce enduris,
Þe vengance of þis victoure to voide if þai miȝt.
Þe niȝt eftir þe note as tellis me þe writtis,
Quen all þe cite was on-slepe & sacrifis endid,
In ane abite of þe aire ane Aungell aperis
To Iaudas of ierusalem & him with ioy gretis:
“I bringe þe bodword of blis ser bischop̄,” he said,
“With salutis of solas I am sent fra þe trone,
Fra þe maister of man̄ þe miȝtfull fadere,
Þat bedis þe noȝt be a-baist he has þi bone herd;
And I amonest þe to-morne as I am enIoyned,
Þat þou as radly as þou rise aray all þe cite,
Þe stretis & in all stedis stoutly & faire,
Þat it be onest all ouire & open̄ vp þe ȝatis.
Lett þan̄ þe pupill ilka poll apareld be clene,
And al manere of men in mylk-quyte clathis.
And pas, þou & þi prelatis & prestis of þe temple,
Raueste all on̄ a raw as ȝoure rewill askis.
And quen þis conquirour comes caire him agaynes;
For he mon̄ ride þus & regne ouire all þe ronde werde
Be lordschip in ilka lede in-to his laste days,
And þen be diȝt to þe deth of driȝtins ire.”

Sone þe derke ouire-drafe & þe day springis,
Oure bischop bounes him of bed & buskis on his wedis,
And þen iogis all þe iewis & generall callis,
A-vaies þaim his vision̄ how þe voice bedis;
Þan consals him þe clergy clene all-to-gedire,
And all þe cite asentis sarazens & oþir,
To buwne furth with all þe burȝe & buske þam̄ belyue,
As him was said in his slepe þis souerayn̄ to mete.
Þan rynnes he furth in a rase & arais all þe cite,
Braidis ouire with bawdkyns all þe brade stretis,
With tars & with tafeta þar he trede sulde,
For þe erth to slike ane Emperoure ware ouire feble.
He plyes ouire þe pauement with pallen webis,
Mas on hiȝt ouire his hede for hete of þe son̄e,
Sylours of sendale to sele ouire þe gatis,
And sammes þaim on̄ aithire side with silken rapis,
And þen he caggis vp on cordis as curteyns it were,
Euen as þe esyngis ȝede ouire be þe costes,
All þe wawis with-oute in webis of ynde,
Of briȝt blasand blewe browden̄ with sternes.
Þus atired he þe toune & titely þar-eftir
On ilka way wid open werped he þe ȝatis;
And qua so lukis fra with-out & with-in haldis,
It semyd as þe cite to se ane of þe seuyn̄ heuyns.
Now passis furth þis prelate with prestis of þe temple,
Reueschid him rially & þat in riche wedis,
With erst & abite vndire all as I am in-fourmede,
Fulle of bridis & of bestis of bise & of purpre;
And þat was garnest full gay with golden skirtis,
Store starand stanes strekilland all ouire,
Saudid full of safirs & oþire sere gemmes,
And poudird with perry was perrour & othire.
And sithen he castis on̄ a Cape of kastand hewes,
With riche rabies of gold railed bi þe hemmes,
A vestoure to vise on̄ of violet floures,
Wroȝt full of wodwose & oþer wild bestis;
And þan him hiȝtild his hede & had on a Mitre,
Was forgid all of fyne gold & fret full of perrils,
Stiȝt staffull of stanes þat straȝt out bemes,
As it ware shemerand shaftis of þe shire son̄.
Doctours & diuinours & othire dere maistris,
Iustis of iewry & iogis of þe lawe,
Ware tired all in tonacles of tarrayn̄ webbis;
Þai were bret-full of bees all þe body ouire,
And oþer clientis & clerkis as to þe kirke fallis,
Ware all samen of a soyte in surples of raynes,
Þat slike a siȝt, I supose was neuer sene eftire,
So parailed a procession̄ a person a-gaynes.
Now bowis furth þe bischop at þe burȝe ȝatis,
With prestis & with prelatis a pake out of nombre;
And all þe cite in sorte felowis him eftir,
Quirris furth all in quite of qualite as aungels;
Maistirs, marchands, & Maire mynistris & othire,
Worthi wedous & wenchis & wyues of þe cite;
Be ilka barne in þe burgh as blaȝt ere þaire wedis
As any snyppand snawe þat in þe snape liȝtis.
Þar passis þe procession̄ a piple be-forne,
Of childire all in chalk quyte chosen out a hundreth,
With bellis & with baners & blasand torchis,
Instrumentis & ymagis with-in of þe Mynstire;
Sum with sensours & so[m] with silueryn cheynes,
Quare-of þe reke aromatike rase to þe welken;
Sum with of þe saynt-ware many sere thingis,
With tablis & topoures & tretice of þe lawe;
Sum bolstirs of burnet en-brouden with perill,
Bare before þe bischop his buke on to lig;
Sum candilstickis of clere gold & of clene siluer,
With releckis full rially þe richest on þe auutere.
Þus seyis all þe semle þe cite with-oute,
Vn-to a stonen stede streȝt on þe temple,
Scopulus, by sum skill þe scripture it callis,
And þare þe come of þe kynge þis couent abidis.
Sone Alexander with ane ost of many athille dukis,
Come prekand toward þe place with princes & erlis,
Sees slike a multitude of men in milke-quite clathis,
And ilk seg in a soyte at selly him thinkis.
Þan fyndis he in þis oþire flote fanons and stolis,
Practisirs & prematis & prestis of þe lawe,
Of dialiticus & decre doctours of aythir,
Bathe chambirlayn & chaplayne in chalk-quite wedis.
And as he waytis in a wra þan was he ware sone
Of þe maister of þat meneyhe in-myddis þe puple,
Þat was þe bald bischop a-bofe alle þ[e] iewis,
Was graþid in a garment of gold & of pu[r]pree.
And þan he heues vp his eȝe be-haldis on his myter,
Be-fore he saȝe of fyne gold forgid a plate,
Þar-in grauen þe grettest of all gods names,
Þis title, Tetragramaton for so þe text tellis.
With þat comandis þe kyng his knyȝtis ouire ilkane,
Bathe beron̄ & bachelere & bald men of armes,
Na nere þat place to aproche a payn̄ of þar lyuys,
Bot all to hald þam̄ be-hynd heraud & othire.
Þan airis he furth all him ane to þis athill meneȝe,
Bowis him doun of his blonke þe bischop be-forne,
And kneland on̄ þe cald erth he knockis on̄ his brest,
And reuerencez þis haly name at he seis wreten̄.
Þan þe iewis of ierusalem Iustis & othire,
Lordis & ladis & be þe litill childere,
Enclynes þam to þe conquirour & him on̄ kneis gretis,
Kest vp a kene crie & carpis þir wordis.
“Ay moȝt he lefe, ay moȝt he lefe” quod ilka man twyse,
“Alexander, þe athill aire vndire þe heuyn̄,
Ay moȝt he lefe, ay moȝt he lefe þe lege Emperoure,
Þe wildire of all þe werde & worthist on̄ erthe,
Ay moȝt he lef, ay moȝt he leue” quod loude all at anys,
“Ouircomere clene of ilka coste & ouircomyn neuir,
Þe gretest & þe gloriosest þat euir god formed,
Erle or Emperoure & any erdly prince.”
Þare was comen with him kyngis as þe clause tellis,
Seneiours out of Sireland was to him-selfe ȝolden̄,
And þai meruailed þam mekill as þe buke tellis,
When þai it herd so be-heryd & held it in wondire.
Þan Permeon̄, a proude kniȝt a prince of his oste,
Aires to sir Alexander & askis at him swythe,
Syn him adoured all men eldire & ȝongir,
Qui he obeschid so lawe & bende þe bischop̄ of iewis?
“Nay,” quod þe comly kynge & þe knyȝt swaris,
“Nouthire haylsid I him ne hildid him nouthire,
Bot it was gode at I grete þe gouernoure of all,
Of quam in þe abite & þe armes he was all clethid.
For in þe marche of Messedone me mynes on a tyme,
Þat slike a segg in my slepe me sodanly aperid,
Euyn in slike a similitude & þis same wedis,
For all þe werd as þis wee wendis now atired.
And þen I mused in my mynde how at I myȝt wyn̄
Anothire anell of þe erth þat Aysy we call it,
And me thret to be thra & for na þing turne,
Bot tire me titely þarto & tristly to wende.
And syne saȝe I na segg þat sa was arayd;
And sekirly yone semys þe same to se to within̄,
Þe same gode at I in my slepe saȝe in my days;
And now I hope me, þurȝe þe helpe of þe haly fadire,
Of quam þe hered haly name is ȝondire on̄ hiȝe wreten,
To do with Darius or I dyi how so me dere thinke,
And þe pride of all þe Persens purely distroy.
And ȝit I sothely supose quat so my sale hopis,
Þat sall fall apon fold slik fyaunce I haue
In þe grace of grete god at gyes all þe sternes,
Þat it sall be in my will & on̄ na way faile.”
Now tas þe bischop̄ þe berne & to þe burȝe wendis,
With sange & solempnite him to þe cite ledis,
He was resayued, as I rede with reuerence & Ioye,
As he ware duke of ilk douth & dreuyn doun fra heuen.
Þan gas he furth with his gingis to godis awen temple,
Þat of sir Salamon þe sage sett was & foundid,
And þare he lythis of þare lare as þe law wald;
He offird in þat oratori & honourd oure lorde.
And Iaudas of ierusalem & all þe iewis eftir
Bringis out a brade buke & to þe berne reches,
Was plant full of prophasys playnely all ouire,
Of þe doctrine of Daniell & of his dere sawis.
Þe lord lokis on þe lyne & on̄ a lefe fyndis
How þe gomes out of grece suld with þaire grete miȝtis
Þe pupill out of Persye purely distroy;
And þat he hopis sall be he & hertly he ioyes.
Þan partis he to þa prelatis many proude giftis,
Was nane sa pore in þat place bot he his purse fillis,
Geues þam̄ garsons of gold & of gud stanes,
Rife riches enoȝe robies & perles,
Besands to þe bischop̄ he bed out of nounbre,
Reches him of rede gold ransons many,
Tas him to his tresory talent him to shewe,
Bad him wale quat he wald & wild him þe toþir.
Ȝit bedis he him, þe bald kyng as þe buke tellis:
“Sire, quat þou will in þis werd to wild & to haue,
Noȝt bot aske it at Alexander quat þou will apon reson̄,
And I sall grant, or I ga with a gud will.”
Þan bowis doun þe bischop & him a bone askis,
“Sire, þis I depely disire durst I it neuyn̄,
Þat it be leuefull vs oure lare & oure law vse,
As oure fadirs has folowid forwith þis tyme;
As of ȝoure grete gudnes at ȝe grant wald
To lat vs sitt be safe bot for þis seuyn wyntir,
But tribute or trouag quils þe terme lastis,
Þan were we halden all þe hepe to hiȝe þe for euir.
And ȝit I will, be ȝoure leue a worde & na mare,
Þat þe men of Medi man, be ȝoure leue,
Lang all in oure lawe lely to-gedire,
And þai of Babilon̄ bathe & bede I na nothire.”
Quod Alexander belyue “all þis I graunt,
And els any othire thing aske & be serued.”
“Nay, now na mare,” quod þe man & mekly him thankid,
“Bot ay þi lordschip̄ & þi loue quils my lyfe dures.”
Now kastis þis conquirour to caire fra þe cite,
And mas to bide in þe burȝe a berne of his awyn,
A messagere to myn on quat men̄ of him said,
Ane Ardromacius, a gome as þe buke tellis.
Þan bowis to þe bischop̄ his benyson to fang,
Takis lufly his leue & lendis on̄ forthere.
To Sere cites þar be-syde he soȝt with his hostis,
And þai frendly & faire frely resayued him.
Þan of þe Siriens summe in þe same tyme
Folow fra þe fell kyng as fals men suld,
Did þam to sir Darius & depely þam playnt,
Quat erroure of þis Emperoure & euill þai suffird.
And he þam faire vndir-fong & fraynes þam ȝerne,
Askis þam̄ of sir Alexander all at he cuthe,
Bathe of his statoure & his strenth if he ware store ben,
His qualite, his quantite he quirys all-to-gedire;
And þai in parchement him payntid his person him shewid,
Ane amlaȝe, ane asaleny ane ape of all othire,
A wirling, a wayryngle a wawil-eȝid shrewe,
Þe cait[if]este creatour þat cried was euire.
And þan, as he lenes & lokis on his fourme,
His litillaike & his licknes he laythly dispiced,
And thre thingis of his thede he þoȝt him sa feble,
He dressis to him in dedeyne & in dispite sendis:
First a ball, says þe buke þe barne with to play,
A herne-pan̄ es of a berne of brend gold yeuen,
For hottre & for hething a Hatt made of twyggis;
Sayd þat was benere him to bere þan a briȝt helme.
Slike presandis out of Persy he to þe prince sendis,
His brefe with a brade sele & biddis hum ga swythe.
And qua sa will has to wete howe it worthis eftir,
Now sall I neuen vs here next þe note of his lettir.