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

How Isaac, that promisde was,
is heere of Sara borne.
How Hagar wyth yonge Ismaell,
in Banishment doth morne.
And how the Angell of the Lorde
vnto poore Hagar cam,
And of the Cou'naunt made betweene
the Kynge, and Abraham.

1

As God before had promised,
as hee to Sodome went,
Sarah to see in his returne:
so ere the time were spent,

2

Shee knewe her selfe to bee with child,
and bare a goodly Sonne,
Accordinge to th' appoincted time,
that God did say, was done.
Thus in his olde Age Abraham,
a Father was become.

3

And Abraham did call the name
of him that Sara bare
Isack: and then this Abraham
with diligence and care,

4

Dyd Circumcise his little Sonne
when hee was eight Dayes olde,
As God before commaunded had
in order howe hee shoulde.

5

An hundreth yeares was hee of age
when Isaac was borne:
But Sara sayd, nowe God hath made
mee to bee laught to scorne:

6

Who would haue sayd to Abraham,
that Sara sucke should geue?
For in his Age, I haue him borne
a Sonne: Longe may hee liue.

7

The Childe did growe, and Weyned was,
and then as was the guise,
Uppon that Day, hee made a Feast
in very solemne wise.

8

Then Sara sawe, how Hagars Sonne
that was th' Egiptian Mayde,
Became a scornefull mockinge Ladde:
to Abraham shee sayd.

9

This Bondmayde see thou put away,
and eke her Sonne also:
Hee shall not ioyne with Isaac
my Sonne, as Heyre I troe.

10

This sayinge greeued Abraham,
and nipt him at the heart:
Because from Ismaell his Sonne
hee loth was to depart.

11

But God thus spake to Abraham,
greue not hereat at all.
For Ismaell, nor Bondmayde thine.
for Isaac Ile call.

12

Heare Saras voyce, and do therein
as shee hath sayd to thee:
For as I sayd, in Isaac
thy Seede shall called bee.

13

Also the Sonne of thy Bondmayde.
because hee's of thy Seede:

[43]

I promise the, I wil hym make
A Nacion great in deede,

14

So Abraham rose earely vp,
and did him ready make,
And eke prepar'de for Ismael
and this pore Hagars sake,

15

Breade, and wyth water Bottel filde
and to her gaue it there,
Setting the same her shoulders on,
and Lad also to beare.

16

And thus away was Hagar sent
who wandred vp and downe
In wildernes of Berseba,
far of from Cote or Towne.

17

In time she had the water spente,
that in the Bottell was
Her Sonne through want was like to dye,
a woful mothers case.

18

She cast the Lad under a Bushe,
and went on th' other side,
And sat her downe, a Boweshot of,
sayinge, whatere betide,

19

I will not see the death of him,
and therewith all shee wepte,
And wronge her handes with greuous grones,
continuall mone shee kept.

20

But God did heare the cryinge voyce
of this her Lad or Childe,
And out of Heauen Gods Angell spake
with woordes to Hagar milde.

21

What ayleth thee, bee not afraide,
stand vp therefore, and rise.
For God hath heard thy only Sonne,
where as hee lies, and cries.

22

Arise therefore, the Lad lift vp,
and take him by the hand:
I will of him a People make,
and mighty for to stande:

23

And God her Eyes did open so,
as shee a Well did see:
With water did her Bottel fyll.
and therewythal dyd shee
Giue Drynke vnto her Louing Chylde,
that erste nye deade was hee.

24

And so, God styll was wyth the Lad,
In Wyldernes be dwelt,
He grewe apace, an Archer was,
and Bowe and Arrowes felt.

25

And when he grew an hable man,
and for a woman fitte,
His Mother out of Egipt Land,
a wyfe there did him git.

26

And at that tyme it chaunced so
Abimelech the kynge
And Phicoll, his chyefe Captayne spake
to Abraham, saying.

37

God is wyth thee, in al thou doest,
and therfore sweare to me.
Euen by the name of lyuing God,
Which hath donne much for thee,

28

That thou wilt do to mee no hurte,
nor to my Chyldren deare:
Nor yet to Chylders Chyldren myne,
I say thus shalt thou sweare,

29

To deale with mee and Country myne,
Where thou a straunger wast,

[44]

As I haue shew'ne my selfe to thee
in kindnesse that is past:
I will so sweare, sayd Abraham,
and tooke such Oth at last.

30

Ere this the Seruauntes of the Kinge
by force had tane away
A Well, that Abraham had Digg'de,
and therefore did hee say,

31

With some rebuke vnto the Kinge,
thy Seruauntes beinge stronge,
Haue tane away by violence
my Well, and donne mee wronge.

32

The Kinge thus sayd, I knowe not who
hath done this thinge to thee:
Also agayne vnto this Daye
thou neuer tolde it mee,
Yet neither heard I of the same,
it shall amended bee.

33

And Abraham gaue to the Kinge
of Sheepe, and Oxen faire,
And both of them together made
a Bond of Frendship there.

34

And seuen Ewe Lambes did Abraham
alone together set:
What meane these Lambes, then sayde the Kinge
alone that's hyther set?

35

These seuen Ewe Lambes, sayd Abraham,
thou shalt take at my hand,
That they may witnesse vnto mee,
the Well, to vnderstande

36

Was Digde by mee: and to this Daye
thus Called is the place
Berseba, for because that there
they Sworne together was.

37

And then the Kinge and Phicol both
rose vp and turnde agayne
Unto the Lande of Philistims
whereof he King did raygne.

38

And Abraham did plant a Groue,
wherein he digde a Wel,
That he therein the name of God
(th' almighty Lord to tel)

39

Continually did cald vpon
with perfect fayth and stronge,
And in the land of Philistims
remained very longe.