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

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196 LET EACH MAN LOOK TO HIS END. [Ashmole.
Pride blinded me.
If a man be
cast down,
he shall be
exalted.
Let man
acknowledge his
Let not pride
puff thee up.
Look to thine
end.
My life is like i
cob-web, soon
blown away.
I, who yesterday
ruled all the
world, am now
driven down to
dust.
Bury me with
the princes of
Persia.
So grete I grew of my gods & gold • in my cofirs, 3280
pat kindly gods creatoure • I kend no3t my-selfe,
Bot for his felo3e & his fere faithly me leued,
*
)5us prosperite & pride • so purely me blyndid,
I couthe nojt se fra my sege • to fe soile vndire, 3284
pat at me failed fan to fynd • fast at myn ejen.
Be J)e myrrowr now of meknes • I may a myle knawe,
If any hathiU be so hard! • with vnhapp woundid,
So at he hopis him no helpe • of fa he3e fadirt;, 3288
|3an liftis oure lord him on-loft • his langoi^r he breggis,
In-hanses him in hand-quile & heues him to welthis
•
So heje, fat he for vn-hele • sejes no3t his dri3ten.
Lat fan him knaAv his creatour • in kindling of ioy, 3292
pat he fat lawene has a lede may • lyft, if him thinke,
And he fat bring/s him on-loft
•
breten aH to poudire.
J5i saule, son, in-to snrquiteTj • lat seke neuire fe
hi3hare,
For gre fe graunf ere^ of g0(J & no3t2 • of fi grete
strenthis.
329 G
If all f e limp as f e list loke • to fine ende,
For die f
e bose, quen aH is done & ay • f
i day scort/s.
IT Me fink 3 my lyfe as to fe lenjth • is like to f
is werk^,
pat f
is coppis opon keH-wyse * knytt in f
e W03es, 3300
With f e lest winde of f e werd • fat f e werd touches,
pe note anentis ilk ane & aH • to no3t worthis.
Lo ! so f
e quele of qwistsumnes my qualite has changid
•
I, fat was 3ustirday so 3ape & 3emed aH • f e werld, 3304
To day am dreuyii aU to dust • to dolour & paynes.
Has no3t o maistri so meche • as mi3t of my-selfe.
My dere son," quod Darjus " ' it drawes nere f e tyme
My banes, on my benyson • bery with f
i hand, 3308
With f
e proued princes out of Pers * • & witli f e proude
grekis,
And f
e maistMings of Messedoyne ' je me to mold bring.
Head
Added in the margin.
* MS. Ferers.
MS. Me ymk me.