(326)
¶ His freendës wolde han holde hym stillë there,
Line 2276
But thei nat myghte; he wolde alwey retourne;
To breke his oth, his goost was ay in fere;
He þoghte noght in his [his R, om. H.] contre soiourne.
Do qwat hem list, whether thei glade or mourne,
Vnto his foos as bliuë he hym dressith,
And knewe wel to be deed, the book witnéssith.
(327)
¶ He held [heled H, helde R.] it bette his oth for to obserue,
Line 2283
And dye in honur, as þat a knyght oghte, [sholde . . wolde . . be olde R.]
Than by periúrie his lif for to preserue;
Of suche vnknyghtly trikkës he nat roghte. [sholde . . wolde . . be olde R.]
I trowë now-a-dayës, thogh men soghte, [sholde . . wolde . . be olde R.]
Line 2287
His heir ful hard were in þis land to fynde;
Men list not so ferforth to trouthe hem bynde.
(328)
¶ Ȝit nat only to preyse is this Marcus
Line 2290
ffor trouthë, but eek, as it semeth me,
His renoun oghtë doubled ben, as þus—
Where as theschangë myghte han maad hym fre,
Qwit of his foos [fees (altered to foos) of R.] prisoun, gretter cheerte
Line 2294
He hadde of the profet vníuersel
Than of hym self: his deeth it preued wel.
Line 2296
(329)
¶ Amongës allë [alle R, al H.] þingës in a knyght, [¶ Nota de Alexandri iuramento.]
Line 2297
Trouthe is a þing that he ne lakkë may,
If his honur schal bere his heed vp right.
Valerie tellith how, wiþ greet array, [(R) De iura|mento regis Alexandri observato.]
Kyng Alisandre and his oost, on a day, [folio 42(40)b]
Line 2301
Meeued of ire and maléncolye,
Vn-to a citee dressid hym in hye,
Line 2303
