A Hyve Fvll of Hunnye :: :: University of Virginia Library

Hōw God did Abram blesse, as hee with Lot did goe
Vnto the land of Canaan, this chapter here doth show.
How God did promise make, this Canaan to geeue
To righteous Abrā, & his sede, that after him should lyue,
Into Egypt also, how Abram iourney makes,
And how his wyfe he sister calles, & name of wife forsakes
And how for them God sent, vpon king Pharao
His heuie, great, & mightye plague, is here exprest ælso

1

And then the Lorde to Abram sayd,
depart thy kinred fro,
And get thee from thy fathers house,
to'th Land I wil thee shoe.

2

I wyll thee make a People great,
and mightie in the Land:
And wil thee blesse and make thy name,
so great on earth to stand:

3

That thou a blessing mayst be made,
and who so blesseth thee,
(Or shall thee curse, shalbe agayn
so blest or curst of mee.
For all the Nacions on the Earthe
in thee shall blessed bee.

4

And Abram went, as God him bad,
and Lot with him also,
He was iust seuentie fyue yeares old,
when Haran hee wente fro.

5

And Abram tooke his wyfe with him,
and Lot his brothers sonne,
And all the Goodes, which they had got.
and by their traueil wonne.

6

Also the Soules with him hee tooke,
which they begotten had
In Haran, vnto Canaan
they merye went and glad.

7

And when they were come to the land,
I told you earst before,
Abram to Sichem farther went
and to the Oake of More.

8

To Abram ther eche Lorde appeard,
and thus hee said to him,
Unto thy Seede I geeue this Land,
the which thou now art in.

[22]

9

With humble sprite did Abraham than,
an Aulter newlye make,
Unto the Lord that then appearde
for his great Goodnes sake.

10

Then Abraham departed thence,
and to a Mountayne went
Which stoode by East of Bethel fayre,
and there he pitcht his Tent.

11

This Bethel being on the West,
and Hai vpon the East,
To buyld an Aulter to the Lord
there Abram thought it best.

12

And when hee had his Aulter built,
and cald upon his name,
He Southward tooke his iourney thence,
and so did leaue the same.

13

And after this it happened
so great a Dearth to bee,
That into Egipt Abram went,
to rest in that countrye.

14

And ere hee came the Countrye in,
vnto his wife hee sayde,
Behold thou art a woman fayre,
and I am halfe afrayd,

15

That when th' Egiptians shall thee see,
and know thou art my wyfe,
They wyll by force take thee away
and reue me of my lyfe.

16

Therfore to them I pray thee saye
I am but Brother thyne:
So I for thee shall better fare,
and saue this lyfe of myne.

17

So soone as hee to Egipt came,
the Egiptians did espie,

The beautye of the Woman suche
as did entice the eye.

18

And so among themselues they sayd,
this woman sure is fayre:
And Pharaos Lordes that her beheld
to Pharao did repayre:

19

And of her beautie made report,
and Pharao did require
To haue her brought into his house,
according t'his desire

20

Shee thyther came, whom when hee sawe,
to Abram thus hee sayde,
My Frend is this thy wyfe or not?
or is she els thy Mayde?

21

O mighty Prince, sayd Abram then,
Shee is not wyfe to mee,
But shee a Mayd, my Sister is,
and yet from Bondage free.

22

Then Pharao tooke her vnto wyfe,
and did entreate her wel,
And cherisht Abram for her sake,
gaue him Sheepe, and Cattel.

23

And Oxen, Asses, Camels eke,
of either kinde great store,
Of men seruaunts, and maydes lykewise,
and what he would els more.

24

But God upon king Pharao
and on his house also,
Did send downe great and greuous plagues
til Sarai he let goe.

25

King Pharao then for Abram cald,
and thus to him sayd hee,
Why hast thou dealt thus craftely,
and doubled so with mee?

[23]

26

Wherfore didst thou not say to mee,
this woman was thy wyfe?
Why didst thou saye she was a mayd
and led a single lyfe?

27

For what intent shouldst thou tel mee,
shee was thy sister deare?
And caused mee to make her so
my louing wyfe and fere?

28

But now (behold) there is thy wyfe,
take her agayne to thee,
And so departe that I and myne
may from these plagues bee free.

29

And so be streightlye gaue in charge,
his men should safelye bring
Both him, his wife, and furniture,
with eu'rye other thing.