University of Virginia Library

“I Alexander, þe aire & eldest childe hatten̄
Of kyng Philip þe fers þat fest am̄ in̄ grece,
And of þe quene Olimpades þe oddest vnder heuen,
To all ȝow of Athenes þus etill I my saȝes.
Fra þat my fadere was fey & farne out o lyue,
And I was sett in his sege with septour to regne,
Sethen went I with my werriours in-to þe west endes,
And ay with-out any armes þaim all at anys ȝolden,
All Europe to myn̄ enpire enterely þaim geuyn̄,
Euyn to þe Occiane out of ald Rome.
Qua þat vs rekinly resayues na riddour þai tholid,
And all at othire wais wroȝt we wast þam̄ for euire.
And now fra þe marche of Messedone I meued opon late
Þurȝe þe anglis here of Afle with myne athill dukis,
And so þe Thebies þam tiȝt þe toun to defende,
And I þar pompe & þaire pride to poudire declined.
To ȝow now write I on̄ þis wise þat, wald ȝe me send
Ten fyne Philisofours to fand with my wittes,
Ȝoure burȝes ne ȝour briȝt bees bidd I þan̄ nothire,
Bot at ȝe knaw me for kyng & call me ȝour lord.
For & ȝe nyk now to myn̄ empire ȝour nekis for to bowe,
Þan bos ȝow bigger to be þen all my bald princes,
Or laite anothire ladis-man̄ a-losed mare of strenth
Þan I my-selfe or my seggis be þe seuent dele.”
Þire athils of Atenes þir augard clerkis
Þan reuerenst þai þe riche seele & red ouer þe pistill,
Syne kest vp a crie with a kene voice at anys,
Sum̄ in comending of his carpe & on̄ clene it spitid.
A Filisphire þan on̄ first before þe folke risis,
Ane Eschilus in erde & ernstly he spekis,
Þe douth & all diuinours be-dene he comaundis,
Þat þai suld corde be na cas vn-to þe kingis hestis.
With þat all samen on a sopp̄ semblis þe pupill,
A doctour, ane Domystyne þai derely beseke
To consaile þaim als in̄ þe cause & ken þam þe best.
And he rekinly rase & rekyns þire wordis:
“I be-seke ȝow now, my citiȝens if þat ȝe safe vouche,
Bot sobirly a sete quile my saȝes for to here.
Sirs, if ȝe fele ȝow so fers his force to with-stand,
Aires agaynes him with armes admitts noȝt his saȝes.
And if ȝe fynde ȝe be to faynt fulfillis his will,
Vn-to his mekill maieste mekely ȝow bowe.
For Sexes in sum time surmountid all kyngis,
Ȝit liȝt he law at þe last for all his lethire prid.
Bot Alexander with his armee in alkin rewmys
Has happend ȝit ai hedire-to þe herre of his faes;
Vnnombirable ere þe notis to neuen of his weres,
And ȝit betid neuir þe time þat euire tuke he schame.
Ware noȝt þe tulkis out of Tire þe tidiest on̄ erth,
Þe kiddest kniȝtis to a-count vnder þe cape of heuen,
Quat bathe for corage & kene & connyng in armes?
Loke quare it profet þam̄ a peese all þaire proud strenth.
Was noȝt þe Thebes þar-to þe threyest of othire,
Þe worthiest wees of þe werd & of witt clerest,
Fra þat þaire cites ware sett þe sotelest of weres?
Quat seruyd all þai sapient or sleȝt of batall?
Of Poliponenses þe pupill with þis prince foȝten̄,
And þat þam̄ lethirly con like by þe lattir ende,
For þar þe kyng of þaire kythe was killid doun & heded,
His renkis raymed all þe route & all þe rewme ȝolden.
Wate ȝe noȝt wele þurȝe all þe werd how wirdis with him cheues?
Hase he noȝt cites butt saute sesyd out of nounbre?
And for Strasagirs þe strang he of his strenth priued,
Ȝe meue al þus malicoly his maieste a-gayne.
Þare do ȝe noȝt ȝour deuire þat dare I wele proue,
It was þe gilt all of þe gome & noȝt of þe gud lord.
Ne had he trispast him to I take it on̄ my trouthe,
Had neuire his cite ne his soile be sesid fra him nouthire.
For þe auaunt ser Alexander is all þe werd famyd
For ane of þe curtast kyng þat euir croune werid,
And wete ȝe wele at slik a we at is wyse halden̄,
He wald neuire suprise no sege vndir heuen̄.”
With þat all of Atenenys þis aunceant maistir,
And clene all þe clergy comensure & othire,
Þis diuinour Domestyne bedene þai comendid,
A-cordis þaim to his consaile & kendly it prased.
Þan amed þai to ser Alexander onane for to send
A croune all of clere gold clustrid with gemmes,
Of fyfty ponde with þe payse as þe prose tellis,
Þis tresoure tire þai him to & tribute him hetes.
Now ere þe sandismen sett on̄ þaire horsis,
A Ientill man þat Iowell enioyned was to kepe,
Þat was full sekirly & soft all in silke falden̄;
Bot clerkis to þe conquirour caired with þaim many.
Þan movis furth þe messagere of mylis bot fewe,
Þat þai nere liȝt as belyue at þe kyngis tentis,
Knelid doun befor þe kyng & him þe croune rechid,
And ȝerely tribute him to geue ȝapely him hetis.
Þan takis þe gudman þe gifte & gretly þam̄ þankis,
And vndirstandis in a stound how it stude clene,
Of þe eging of Eschilus þat ertid his feris,
Þat þai with-sitt suld his saȝes & serue noȝt his pistill.
Þe dities of Domestiane so did he bathe,
Þat comaundid & his comandmentis to kepe in all wyse,
Ȝit neuire-þe-lattir to þa ledis a lettir he fourmed,
In presidine with his awen prince reportand þa wordis:

“I, kyng Philip son̄ þe fers & his faire ladis,
Honoured Olimpades þat I obesche maste,
I kepe neuire king to be callid ne cache me þat name,
Till all þe barbarine blude a-bowe to þe grekis.
I etill neuir Athenes with armes for to entre,
Bot ȝow to question̄ enquere & qwete with my wittis.
I purpose ay out of repreue ȝoure persons to leue,
And ȝe þe contrari clene ȝoure concience it opence.
Bot quilk as first of ȝow foundis a fote vs agayne,
Sall neuir deuoide my dedeyne ne my derfe ire.
And ȝe at wickid ere within̄ ay wickidly ȝe thinke;
For as þe grayne is in þe grape growis þe frutis.
Þe Tebies tulkid vs with tene a-tired þam̄ in armes,
Ȝit rad for all þaire rebelte resayued þai þaire medis.
And for Strasagera þe stoute ȝe stithli me blamed,
Þare as he gilt me agayns & I him gradid haue,
I wrate to ȝow at me to wayue be ten̄ wyse clerkis;
Ȝe kest out comaundmentis ȝe knew noȝt my strenth.
I miȝt a-coupe of þat cause if I it kythe wald;
Bot I for-geue ȝow all þe gilt & greues me na mare.
For-þi bees glad now, all þe gingis ȝe sall na gref haue,
Þe diuinour domestyne for ȝe his domes held.”
Fra þai consayued had þe clause & construed þe lettir,
Þai ware þe meriest modirsons on morne miȝt ryse.

Now fonndis furth þe fell kyng & flittis with his ostes,
Lendis him to Lacedoyne a litill fra þe cite,
With-out þe burȝe on̄ a banke he bildis his tentis,
And þare him-selfe with a somme in a sege le[n]gis.
Þe ledis out of Lacedone belyue þam asemble,
Said, “bow we neuir to his bode for bale apon erth,
Ne lat vs neuir be sa lethire at we like worthe
To þam of Ateynes it is oure opyn schame;
For þai ware baist of his bost bredid for noȝt;
Bot be we kniȝtly & kene oure corage to schew.”
With þat þai ȝarkid to þe ȝatis & ȝode to þe wallis,
Sum in Iopons, sum in Iesserantis sum Ioyned all in platis.
A grayne of þe grete see þaim aboute glidis;
For-þi buskis þam̄ þe burgh a bataill with-out,
Preses furth at posternes in-to þe porte wyndis,
Schalkis scott in-to shipis all in shire mailes;
Archars with arows with attrid barbis,
Gais þam in-to galays & grathis þam be-forne.
Bowes bernes in-to bargis with basinettis on̄ heued,
Sparrethis spetous to spend & speris in handis,
Þai crosse ouir toward þe kyng as kyndmen suld,
With as feyle on̄ þe flode as foȝten with-in.
Þe lord him lokis on̄ þe ledis & a litill smyles,
And sent twa vndir his seele þir saȝes in a pistill.

“I, Philip son̄ þe fell kyng as I first sayd,
And als of Olimpades I anely ȝow rede,
Þat þe end of ȝoure eldirs enterely ȝe be-hald,
And roomes noȝt at þe ray[n]bowe þat reche ȝe ne may,
And þe powere of þe Persens so truly ȝe traist.
Lat se now, getis ȝow a name & naytis ȝour stre[n]the;
Bot bowis first fra ȝour bargis & blythly þaim wayfe,
For, fest I all on a fire þe foly is ȝoure awen̄.”
Ledis out of Lacedone quen þai þe lettir redd,
Were drery, bot for all þe dole þa diȝt þaim to fiȝt.
With þat þe kyng & his kniȝtis vm-clappis þe cite,
Settis all þe gailis on gledis & girdis doun þe wallis;
Þe citiȝens & seriantis at vne-slayne ware
Bowis þam to þis baratour bodis & lyuys.
“Ȝe knaw wele,” quod þe conquirour “my comyng was esye;
Bot for ȝe fangid me noȝt faire fired is ȝour schippis,
Ȝour burȝe is bretind & ȝour bernes I bed ȝow my-selfe,
Ȝe suld noȝt stody ne stem̄ þe sternes for to handill.
For he þat steppis on a stee quen̄ þe staues failis,
Þan fautis him festing to his fete & fall him be-houes;
So, riȝt as Sexis was slayn̄ sum time with ȝour eldirs,
So ettild ȝe ser Alexander bot þare ȝoure ame failes.”
Quen he þis saȝe had þam said þe cite he þam grauntid,
Fondis furth with his folke þar fraunches þam̄ leues.
Þis souerayn̄ with his seggis þurȝe Sycile he wyndis,
Þoȝt to ride & to rayme þe regions of barbres.
Þan was ser Darius dred & sembled derf ostis,
His kniȝtis, his consaill & carpis þire wordis,
Said: “lo! my seris, now may se ȝour-selfe with ȝour eȝen̄,
How Alexander in his armes all-way encreses,
In valour & in victori & vertues so noble;
Þare as I thret him as a thefe thedis to dispoyle,
Now werrays he full worthily as wiȝt man suld,
Constreynes with his contenance kniȝtis to him bow.
Þe mare I spek him dispite & in my speche hindire,
Þe hiȝere I here him enhansed & hersude his name.
A ball & a hern̄epan̄ I to þe barne sent,
For burde & for bobance þe bab with to play.
Him þat I countid bot a knaue may now be cald maistir;
For quare he fondis on fold dame fortune him foloȝe[s].
For-þi vs haue bos in hert þe hele of oure pupill,
And for na pompe ne na pride his person dispice,
For his lose, for all his litillaike is loued þurȝe þe werd.
And þe mare I myn oure maieste þe mare it abatis,
Þe grace of þe grete god I ges, will him help,
Of prise þe hiȝe prouynce vn-to þis prince leues.
Quen we hope althire-hiȝest to hery him with armes,
Þan am I redd all oure rewme be reft vs for euire.”
Sone as ser Dary till his dukis deuysid had þir wordis,
Þan answars him ane Oriathire ane of his awen brethire,
“Þou has þis gome out of grece so gretly e[n]hansid,
Þat we Elanda suld leue & he þis landis entre.
Bot wald ȝour maieste þe maners of þis man sewe,
Ȝe miȝt ȝoure rewme haue in̄ ryst & othire rewmes wyn̄.
For Alexander all-ways or any of his erles,
Naytis him-selfe in ilke nede & so his name rysis.”
“Quat sall I take of him̄ my temes tittire þan he myne?”
“Sire, on my perell,” quod a prince “he passes all othire;
Þe wee wirkis all be witt he worthis þe bettir;
For-þi of þe lion̄, as I leue laȝt is his birthe.”
“Quat knawis þou þat?” quod þe kyng & þen þe kniȝt swaris:
“Sire, I was sent on a sand my-sell on̄ a time,
To Philip his fadere to feche oure trouage;
Þare had I siȝt of þe segg his sapient I herde.
For-þi plese it to ȝour person ȝoure princes a-sembles,
Of Mede of Mesopotane þe men of Itaile,
Þe pupill of Appolomados þe panthis folke,
And ma þat houes to ȝour hest a hundreth & fifti.
Lat vs gedire þus oure gomes oure gods will vs help;
And quen he sesse vs sike a sowme sare will he drede.
Ȝa, bot a wolfe, quod a wee will were many flokkis,
And so þe grace of þe grekis ouire-gos þe barbers.”
Be þis ser Ph[ilip] son̄ þe fers of feȝtand folk
Had semblid ane vn̄sene sowme as þe buke sais,
Twa C. Mille in thede all of threuen kniȝtis.
Ridis furth in̄ aray removis his tentis;
And thought to loge þar & rest & ease hym þat nyght.
Vn-to a watere he wendis as þe buke tellis,
Þat with þa marchesmen Mocian̄ was hatten̄;
It was clerire þan cristall & cole as a chill;
Þare-in couet oure kyng his cors for to bathe.
With þat þan wan of his wede & weschid him all ouire,
Quare-þurȝe he hent slike a harme at hatirly him greued.
Þis chele eftir chaufing enchafis so his hernes,
Þat he was fallen in a feuire or he first wend.
Þan mourned all þe Messedons as meruaill ware ellis.
Þai saȝe him so to be seke said ilkane to othire:
“Be þis disese to ser Darie & his dukis knawen̄,
He sall vs sett on̄ a-saute & surely en[c]ounbre.”
If þai were sary & so na selly me thingke,
For ay þe hele of þe hede helpis all þe menbris.
Þan callis to him þe conquirour a clerke of his awen̄,
Ane Philip, his fesisiane his fare to behald;
Of al manere of medcyne man þat maste couthe,
A ȝonge berdles barne as þe buke tellis,
Said: “lat liȝtly my lord for in a litill stonde
My-self with a serop̄ sall saue ȝow be-lyue.”
Þan permeon̄ þe proude a prince of his ost,
Þat held þe erth of Ermonye & enmyte hadd
Vn-to þis clerke of þe kyngis & be no cause els
Bot for þe lede was loued & with þe lord chereschest;
Þan ames he to ser Alexander on ane slike a pistill:
“Kepis ȝow,” quod he, “conquirour & caches noȝt his drenke;
For Darius eftir his deth his doȝter has him hiȝt,
And ȝow to sla be som̄ sleȝt to sese him his landis.”
Ȝit was þe berne noȝt a bene baist of his wordis,
He asurid him so sadly þe serep he takis,
Þe licor in his awen looue þe lettir in þe tothire,
And in-to Phili[pi]s face fast he behaldis.
He bad him dred neuire a dele & it drink swyth,
And þan þe pistill of þe prince he put him in hand.
Þe leche lokid ouire þe lynes “my lording,” he said,
“I am noȝt gilty of þis gile be all þe grete gods!”
As fast was he fysche-hale & Philip̄ he callis,
Halsis him full hertly & of his hele thankis,
Said, “wele knew þou my kynd lufe þi concience,
First suposid I of þi serop syne sesid þe þe lettir.
“Mi louely lord, be ȝour leue lattes him a-pere,
Þe tulk at sike a trayne has touchid to my-selfe.”
Þan eftir ser Permes his prince prestly he sendis,
And þare þe trechoure was tane & for his trayne hedid.
Þan̄ mouys he furth with his men̄ & Medy he wynnys
Enterly to his empire & Ermonye þe mare.
Till a dissert þan he drafe was dry & na watere,
Þurȝe Adriac till Eufraten & ames þare his tentis,
And mas a brig ouire þe bourne of Barges with cheynes;
Comandis his kniȝtis ouire to caire & þar þai vncachid hertis.
Þai saȝe þe streme so stife it stonaid þam all,
For ferd þe festing suld faile & þai in þe flode droune.
Þan mas he laddis ouire to lend & lokars of bestis,
And monestis þam ilk modire-son̄ him maynly to tell.
Ȝit was his baratours a-baist & þen þe berne writhis,
Fandis him first on be-fore & all foloȝes eftir.
Þan passid þare out of Paradese twa proude Flummes,
Þurȝe Medy & Messopotane þai move, as I fynd,
And so to Babilon̄ þai bowe ane is þe bourne of Tygre,
Þe tothire is Eufrates full euen & rynnes so to Sylus.
Þan cutis þe kyng in to þe cablis & to his kniȝtis sais:
“Lo! þof vs fall now to flee we may na ferryre wend;
Þare I rede,” quod þe kyng “oure bakis neuir to turne,
And if we did, with-outen dome to die all at anes;
For he þat folowid has ai þe floure & he at fled neuire.
Bees liȝt & laches ȝow a lose it is a lord gamen.
For I make a-vow at Messedone we sall na mare see,
Till all þe barbres vs bow þan̄ may we blith turne.”