The wars of Alexander: an alliterative romance translated chiefly ...

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138 THE ATHENIANS bO HOMAGE, [Ashmole.
commend
Demosthenes,
and send a crown
to Alexaadw.
[Fol. il «.]
Tlie Athenian
messen
arrive.
And clene aH fe clergy • comensure & othire, 2392
)3is diuinoMr Domestyne bedene '
pai comendid,
A-cordis paim to his consaile & kendly *
it prased.
Jjan amed J)ai to ser Alexander onane • for to send!
A croune att of clere gold ' clustrid with gemmes, 2396
Of fyfty ponde with pe payse * as pe prose ^ tellis,
Jjis tresoure tire ))ai him to & * tribute him hetes.
Now eve pe sandismen^ • sett on Ipaire horsis,
A lentiH man Jjat loweH enioyned was • to kepe, 2400
\}at w&a full sekirly & s6ft aH * in silke falden
Bot clerkis to pe conquiroMr • caired with ])&b7i many.
)pan movis furth pe raessagere • of mylis^ bot fewe,
pat fai nere li3t as belyue* • at Jie 'kyngis tent/;, 2404
Knelid doun befor fe kjiig & hiw pe eroime • rechid!,
And jerely tribute him to geue ^apely him • hetis.
Alexander tlianks
them.
He learns about
jEschylus and
Demosthenes.
gretly fam J^ankis,
Jjan takis fe gudman pe gifte & •
And vndirstandis in a stound how • it stude dene, 2408
Of J)e eging" of Eschilus pat • ertid his feris,
pat J)ai wit/t-sitt suld his sa3es & serue no3t '
his pistitt.
pe dities of Domestiane • so did he bathe,
pat comaundid & his^ comandmentzV • to kepo in att
•wyse, 2412
A letter.
" Alexander to
the men of
Athens.
I do not attempt -
to enter Athens
forcibly.
3it neuire-])e-lattz> to pa, ledis • a lettiV he foM-med',
In presidine with his awen^ prince
wordis :
IT " I, kyng 'Philip son pe fers • &
* reportand pa
his faire ladis,
Honoured Olimpades • pat I obesche maste, 2416
I kepe neuire king to be callidi ' ne cache me pat name,
TiH att pe barbarine blude * a-bovve to pe grekis.
I etift nemr Athenes with armes * for to entre, 2419
Bot 30W to question enquere & qwete with my • witt/s.'^
I purpose ay out of repreue • 30ure persons to leue,
And 3e pe contrari clene ' 30ure concience it opence.
'
MS. pr