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

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194
DARIUS KISSES ALEXANDER'S HAND, [Ashmole.
Darius kisses
Alexander's
Ah! Alexander
All turns at last
to corruption.
[Fol. 56.]
God made man
unstable,
Had He given
men prosperity
only,
none would
acknowledge His
power.
Ilyndely hildis him vp & • his hand kyssis,
j)e brest & fe bare necke & breues • fire wordis : 3251
IT "A! Alexa7ide7', athiH son" & angrily granys,
•
"pe depe distruccion of ^our dome • has many day
bene^ knawyn,
j)at aH pe welth of pe werld • worth is at Je lasf
To cayrayne & corupcjon * clene aH-to-gedire.
])e warnes of pi wale gode • fat wist aH before, 3256
And fully feld att pe fare pat faH suld on • erthe
On J)is maner made he man * |)ur3e his mijt first,
Suld nojt be fou in hi7i fast ne ferme ne • stable,
Bot houande here a hand-qwile & hingand in payse,
•
Now in leueH, now on-loft now on lawe * vndire. 32G1
AH werdly ping, I-wis • fur^e pe wiH of oure lord,
In-to pe contrare clene • is at a clamp turned.
For had he worjt^ ay to wees • welth & na nothire,
So grete had bene vayn glorie ' glotony & pride, 3265
Suld nane haue gessid pat grace • come of god, bot of
]jaii-selfe
So fra pe makare o mold • suld many man haue erryd.
So feyle had bene pe frelett/s folo3and oure kynd, 3268
•
We should all We had bene drawen aH bedene • in-to disspaire clene,
And of pe godness of god no3t a grew^ • traisted.
For-Jji he wald of his wiH * his werkis to be changand,
pat, quen a hathiH ware ouire hije • in happ & in
welthe, 3272
God's will is that j)at he knew nojt his creatowr • bi-cause of his pride,
pride should
in
iiave a fall,
•
i i i i
In-to pe dike of debonerte droune bud him nede,
•
J3is was his AviH at it worthid wene pon na ' nothire,
Je gome his god at for-gatt • for any grace here, 3276
His welth to wite all a-way & wickidnes *
apere.
To ken pe caytefe to knaw qua caused him on • first.
This has now hap- j)e Same ensampiH of my-selfe noAv • is betid, po\x sees ;
peiied to myself,
'
In the margin. ' For wrojt.
' Here follons st, standing alone.