University of Virginia Library

Quhen Radagone, þe modere of King Dare,
Had hard of þis, hir hart was grevit sare,
And wald of na wise batall mare sould be,
For scho had knawin be hir divinitie
That Alexander was ordand be fortoun
Off all þis wardlit to haue domynatioun,
And till hir son ane epistill þan scho send,
In this maner, and maid it til him kend:

“Quene Radagone, the kyngis dochter of Ynde,
Emprise of Pers, with all þat appertynde,
Till Dare the emprioure, my dere son sueitt,
Salute, with grace and growing, I þe grete;
I haue hard tell quho þat þow purposis the
With Alexander in batall for to be:
It is nocht, I do the weill to witt;
I the require þow sett the nocht for it,
For þocht þow mocht allhale þe wardlit raly
In ane battall into þai cumpaney,
Thow sould na fortoun of na victore haue
Off him, na mare þan þow has of þe laif:
The goddis has him grantit victory,
Off all this wardlit to haue the seingȝorie.
The goddis will no more þat þai renge endure—
I traist þow has þame maid sum forfature.
Tharefore declyne a litill fra þ[i]ne hicht,
And pride the no more in þi strenth and micht—
For mekill pride and wane glore in ȝeutheid,
I drede me sare ane pure man he has maid.
Latt be all þis, and draw þe concordance:
Quhat skaith may it the to mak obedience
And hald of him? Þis will nocht lest all-wayis—
Percase þow may recover efter his dayis;
His werde mon ryn, and bettir is bow n[a] brek—
Sum will all tyne that wenys to wyn and wrek.
Latt be þai hicht sum thing, and law þai hart,
And trete with him, and be with him towart—
He is gentill, quha will [þ]am till him meik,
And richt creuell quhan men will on him seik;
He has ws done grete wourschip and honoure,
And but diffame ledis ws in all favoure.
Now fare-wele, son, and, for my benesoun,
Concorde with him, and be at vnyoun.
I drede me sare for drede of sum vengeance
Sall fall ws all for þai mysgovernance:
Thow has þai princis and lordis haldin at vnder—
Suppois þai left þe battall, war na wounder;
Thow makis vp law men of carlis kynd,
Sum never blyith blossum of ane wikkit kynd;
Thai gaddering of þai gold and þai riches
With covatyse garris þe be louit les;
Off lordis þow has maid desherising,
And rich[tw]is boundis brocht in governyng,
The quhilk I dout me þow sall rew full sare,
And lat repent the quhen þow may no mare.”
Bot King Dare to þis epistill tuke no sett,
Sayand of wyffis witt in war no rett,
And for þe batall ordand him in hy,
And all his powar gadderit halely,
Thinkand þat he sould wele revengeit be,
Or with his honoure in batall for to de.