re god pes, that alle weys hath dured
amonge us. And whan Kyng Alisandre had rad theise lettres, he thoughte that
he scholde do gret synne, for to trouble hem: and thanne he sente hem
surteez, that thei scholde not ben aferd of him, and that thei scholde
kepen hire gode maneres and hire gode pees, as thei hadden used before of
custom; and so he let hem allone.

Another yle there is, that men clepen Oxidrate; and another yle, that men
clepen Gynosophe, where there is also gode folk, and fulle of gode feythe:
and thei holden for the most partye the gode condiciouns and customs and
gode maneres, as men of the contree above seyd: but thei gon alle naked. In
to that yle entred Kyng Alisandre, to see the manere. And when he saughe
hire gret feythe and hire trouthe, that was amonges hem, he seyde that he
wolde not greven hem: and bad hem aske of him, what that they wolde have of
hym, ricchesse or ony thing elles; and thei scholde have it with gode
wille. And thei answerden, that he was riche y now, that hadde mete and
drynke to susteyne the body with. For the ricchesse of this world, that is
transitorie, is not worthe: but zif it were in his power to make hem
immortalle, there of wolde thei preyen him, and thanken him. And Alisandre
answerde hem, that it was not in his powere to don it, because he was
mortelle, as thei were. And thanne thei asked him, whi he was so proud and
so fierce and so besy, for to putten alle the world undre his subieccioun,
righte as thou were a god; and hast no terme of this lif, neither day ne
hour; and wylnest to have alle the world at thi commandement, that schalle
leve the with outen fayle, or thou leve it. And righte as it hathe ben to
other men before the, right so it schalle ben to othere aftre the: and from
hens schal thou bere no thyng; but as thou were born naked, righte so alle
naked schalle thi body ben turned in to erthe, that thou were made of.
Wherfore thou scholdest thenke and impresse it in thi mynde, that nothing
is immortalle, but only God, that made alle thing. Be the whiche answere,
Alisandre was gretly astoneyed and abayst; and alle confuse departe from
hem. And alle be it that theyse folk han not the articles of oure feythe,
as wee han, natheles for hire gode feythe naturelle, and for hire gode
entent, I trowe fulle, that God lovethe hem, and that God take hire servyse
to gree, right as he did of Job, that was a Paynem, and held him for his
trewe servaunt. And therfore alle be it