Arthur | Page 9

And [th]e tydyng_e_ to alle men
told, 200
Whas sentence, yf y ne lye,
Was after [th]_a_t y can aspye:

Litera Lucii [P] Luci_u_s [th]e grete Emperour
im_p_er_at_oris. To hys Enemy Arthour:--
204
W e woundere[th] of [th]i wodeness
And also of [th]y Madnesse!
How darst [th]ow any wyse

saying, that to A[gh]enst the Emper_o_ur [th]_u_s aryse, 208 have
invaded And ryde on Remes on eche wey,
France, etc., and And
make kynge[gh] to [th]e obey?
made kings, [Th]u art wood on [th]e
Nolle!
Arthur must be [Th]u hast scley owre cosyn frolle; 212 mad in
his noll; [Th]u schalt be taw[gh]t at a schort day [Fol. 44,
for to make such_e_ aray.
col. 1.]
Oure cosyn Iulius cesar
So m me tyme conquered [th]ar;
216

that he must pay To Rome [th]u owest hys trybut;
his tribute, We
charge[th] [th]e to paye vs hyt.
Thy pryde we woll_e_ alaye
[Th]at makest so gret aray:
220
We co_m_mande[th] [th]e on haste
To paye owre trybut faste;
[Th]u hast scley frolle in
frau_n_ce
[Th]at hadde vnder vs [th]ere_
gou_er_nau_nce, 224
And wy[th]holdest oure tribute
[th]erto:
[Th]u schalt be taw[gh]t [th]u hast
mysdo:
We co_m_mande[th] [th]e in haste
soone
and come to [Th]at [th]u come to vs at Rome
228

Rome to be To vnder_fang our_e_ ordynau_nce
punished for For
[th]y dysobediau_n_ce;
his disobedience. As [th]u wold nat leze [th]y
lyf,
Fulfylle [th]ys wy_t_houte stryff." 232
[Arthur's Answer to Lucius.]
The Britons When [th]is lettre was open & rad;
purpose to kill [Th]e
bretoun_s & all_e_ men wer_e mad, the messengers, And wolde [th]e
messager scle:--
but Arthur "Nay," seyd Arthour, "per de, 236 forbids
it, That were a[gh]enst alle kynde,