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

How Abraham his Seruaunte makes
to sweare ere thing be done,
And sendes him foorth a wyfe to seeke
for Isaac his sonne.
He sought, and brought Rebecca home,
as God appointed had,
VVhom Isaac tooke vnto wyfe,
whereof they all were glad.

1

And Abraham was verye olde,
wel stept in yeares and dayes,
And in all thinges had God him blest
by diuers sundrye wayes.

2

He sayd his eldest seruant to,
which chiefest rule did beare,
Come, put thy hand vnder my Thighe
for I wyl make thee sweare

3

Euen vnto God of Heauen and Earth,
before whose face I stand,
That thou perfourme this solemne Oth
by putting to thy hand:

4

That is thou shalt not take a wyfe,
to Isaac my Sonne,
Of daughters of the Cananites
among the which I wonne.

5

But shalt vnto my natiue soyle
among my kynred goe,
And there a wyfe thou shalt prepare
for Isaac to know.

6

But Sir, sayd hee, what if that shee
wyl not agree thereto,
And come with mee into this Land,
Shall I this thing then doe?

7

As bring thy Sonne into the Land
out which thou camest fro?
Beware of that, sayd Abraham,
by Oth I charge thee no.
That thou not thyther bring my Sonne
where now thy selfe doest goe.

8

For why the God of Heauen which from
my fathers house mee tooke,
And from the Land where I was borne
and that which vndertooke

9

T'appeare to me, and sweare to me,
and sayd, vnto thy Seede
Wyll I this Land to them and theirs,
for euer geeue in deede,

10

I say that God shal send with thee
his Angel now from hence,
That thou maist choose and take a wyfe
vnto my sonne from thence.

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11

But if the woman do refuse,
and for to come seeme loth,
Then let her rest, and thou art free
from daunger of this Oth.

12

But yet this thing aboue the rest,
I charge thee vpon payne,
That thou my sweete Sonne Isahack,
not thyther bring agayne.

13

And so the Seruaunt put his hand,
vnder his maysters Thye,

14

And sware to him concerning this,
himselfe faythful to trye.
And tooke with him of Camels ten,
of other Goodes great store,
The choise and best of al that were
his Maysters goodes before.

15

Unto Mesopotamia
by traueil great hee got,
Unto the Cittie of Nahor,
that Uncle was to Lot.

16

And there without the Citty gate,
a Well he did espie,
He made his Camels on the ground,
along thereby to lye:

17

It was in th' Euening when he came
at setting of the Sunne,
Such tyme as Women to the Well
for water thyther come.

18

The seruaunt then of Abraham,
hard by the Wel him staid:
And lifting vy his eyes to Heauen,
to God in Hart thus prayd:

19

Thou mightie God of Maister mine,
from whom I hyther came,

This Day me speede and Mercy showe,
vpon thyne Abraham.

20

For (loe) I stand the Well hard by
where Maides wyl Water fet,
And Daughters of the City here,
there Pitchers downe wil set.

21

The Damsell now to whom I say,
bowe downe thy Pitcher here,
And let me drinke some of the Springe,
and Water that is cleere.

22

Yf shee say, Drynke, and I wyl geue
thy Camelles Drinke also:
The same is shee thou hast ordaynde,
For Isaac to know.

23

And thereby shall I vnderstand
thy mercy great in showe,
Upon my maister Abraham,
thou largely doste bestowe.

24

And ere he had thus made an ende,
behold it came to passe.
Rebecca oute for Water came,
that Bethuelles Daughter was

25

Sonne vnto Melcha Nahors wyfe,
brother to Abraham.
Her Pytcher on her shoulder set,
thus to the Well she came,

26

Exceding fayre the Damsel was,
to see or looke vpon,
A Mayd also and free from man,
for knowne she was of none.

27

Then downe she went vnto the Well,
and did her Pitcher fill,
Came vp agayne, and homeward went,
shee thought not to stand still.

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28

The Seruaunt then vnto her ranne,
and thus to her did say:
Of this thy Pitcher let me suppe
some water I the pray.

29

Drynke sir, she sayd, and therewythall
a while so did shee staye,
And hasted downe vppon her Arme,
her Pitcher for to laye:

30

And gaue him drinke, and after sayd,
I will before I goe
More Water drawe, that Camelles thine
may drinke enough also.

31

Into a Trough that stoode thereby
her Pitcher emptied shee:
And Ran agayne vnto the Well,
with speede such as might be,

32

And Water drewe for Camels al,
and to the trough it brought,
The fellowe (sure) great wonder had
at her within his thought.

33

But held his peace, and silent was,
to wit, where God or no
Had made his Iourney prosperous,
that hee about did goe.

34

And as the Camels left to drinke,
hee tooke an Eareringe forth
Of halfe a Sykle weight in Golde
the value somewhat worth.

35

Two Golden Bracelettes for her handes,
of Sikles tenne in weight.
All these vnto the Mayde he gaue,
and shee receiu'de them streight.

36

Whose Daughter then (sayd hee) art thou?
I pray thee do mee tell:

And is there roume for vs to Lodge
in House where you do dwell?

37

I am (sayd shee) the Childe begot
of Bethuell by name:
And hee the Sonne of Nahor was,
and Milcha bare the same.

38

Hee hearinge this, the Eareringe tooke
and put it on her Face,
And eke the Goulden Bracelettes both
about her armes did brace:

39

His body bow'de, and worshipped
the God of Heauen, and sayde:
God of my Maister Abraham
be blessed for this Mayde:

40

For thou with Mercy, and with Truth
hast delt with Maister myne,
That I vnto his Brothers House
am brought by Mercy thine.

41

The Damsell to her Mothers house
apace did homeward runne,
And told to al that were therein
eche thinge both sayd and donne.

42

And Laban that her Brother was
so sone as he had seene
The Eareringes, and the Bracelettes on
hir armes, the same betwene

43

(And heard the wordes his sister spake)
thus sayd the man to she,
He then ranne out vnto the man,
And by the Wel stode he,

44

And all his Camelles heard him by
the Wel side round about
Come in, saide Laban, blest of God
wherfore stand'st thou without?

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45

I haue the house prepard and drest,
and roume enough for these
Thy Camelles all prouided haue,
wherein to take their ease:

46

And then the man into the house
came in with gladsome thought:
Hys Camels there vnbridle did,
and Laban, Litter brought

47

And Prouender for Camelles his,
and Water sweete and trimme
To washe his Feete, and Feete of those
that thither came with him:

48

And set before him, and the men,
of good, and holsome Meate:
Quoth he, I will my errande say,
before that I do eate.

49

Say on my frende, sayd Bethuell
the Father of the Mayde:
What ere it bee, thou welcome art:
therefore bee not afraide.

50

I am (sayd hee) to Abraham
a seruaunt as you see:
And God hath blest my Maister so
with Richesse great that bee:

51

That Measure may not measure them,
hee is become so great,
God hath him geeuen, of Siluer, Gold,
of Oxen, Sheepe, and Neate,

52

Of Men Seruauntes, and Maydens, and
of Camelles, in such sort:
And Asses eke, the Herdes whereof
I can them not reporte.

53

Sara my Maisters Wyfe that was
when shee was very olde,

Bare him a Sonne, a goodly youth,
of corage stoute and bolde.

54

On whom my mayster hath bestowde
his goodes and Cattel al
His Syluer, Gold, and other thinges
likewyse possesse hee shal.

55

My Mayster now is growne in Yeares
and therfore made me sweare
Because I chiefe am in his House,
and all the rule do beare:

56

Thou shalt not take for Isaac
a wyfe: marke what I tell
Of Daughters of the Cananites,
here in whose Land I dwel:

57

But thou vnto my Fathers House
and Kynred shalt repare:
And take a Wyfe vnto my Sonne
where myne owne Kynfolks are.

58

Sayd I vnto my Mayster tho,
what if it happen so
The Wyfe that I would haue for him,
refuse wyth me to goe?

59

Sayd he, the Lord before whose face
I stand and walke in sight,
Wil send his Angel in the Waye
and guyde thy course aright:

60

And prosper shal thy iourney so
as thou a Wyfe shalt haue
For my sweet Sonne, of Kinred myne,
according as I craue.

61

So when thou com'st my Kinred to,
from curse then art thou free:
If they denye a Wyfe to gyue
eke Gyltlesse shalt thou be.

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62

And so this day vnto the Wel
I came, and there I stayde,
And in my hart, O Mighty God
of Abraham, I sayd,

63

If it be so, this Iourney myne
thou prosperous wilt make:
Behold I stand the Wel hard by:
where Maydes wil Water take,

64

And when a Uirgin shal forth come,
and draw of Water clere
And then I say, Damsel I pray,
geue me of Water here,

65

Out of thy Pitcher for to drynke:
and she then say to me,
Drynke thou, and I wil also draw
For Camels these with thee.

66

That same is she, that shalbe Wyfe
vnto my maysters Sonne,
And whom thou God appoynted hast
before this thing begonne.

97

And yet ere I an end had made
of speaking in myne Hart:
Behold Rebecca then came forth
of Water to haue part,

68

And on her Shoulder as she came
a Pitcher did she beare,
So went she downe into the Well
and drawed water there.

69

Sayd I, I pray thee, geue me Drinke
thou honest gentle mayd:
With hast she toke hyr Pitcher downe
and bade me Drinke: and sayde,

70

When thou hast Dronke, I wil goe downe
and Water draw also

And giue thy Camels for to drinke
before that I do goe.

71

I dranke, and she more Water drew,
and to my Camels brought
Then for to know whose child she was
I gently her besought.

72

My Fathers name is Bethuell
and Nahors Sonne: sayd shee,
Whom Milcha brought forth vnto hym,
and Grandsire is to me.

73

I put the Earinge on hir face
and Bracelets on her hand
My selfe did bow and worship God,
in place where I did stand:

74

And blessed God of Abraham,
which had me thither brought,
To take my maisters Brothers child
vnto his Sonne vnsought.

75

Now also if that thou wil deale
truly with Maister myne,
And that his Sonne may haue to Wyfe
Rebecca Daughter thyne,

76

Tel me: if not, that I may tourne
the left Hand for to goe:
Or if I shall: the right hand take:
my Maister this to show.

77

Sayd Laban then and Bethuel,
this saying doth proceede.
Euen from the Lord of Heauen and Earth,
by whom it was decreed

78

We therfore can of good ne bad
say any thynge to thee:
But as it pleaseth God to do,
his wil fulfilled bee.

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80

Beholde Rebecca is in sight,
take her and goe thy way:
That she may Wyfe be vnto hym
as God hath sayd this day.

81

And when the Seruaunt heard these wordes
he flat fel on the ground,
And worshipt God from whom al grace
and Mercy doth abounde.

82

And in a while the Seruaunt rose
and from his Cariage fet
Rych Iewels Coucht in Siluer fine,
in Gold eke likewyse set:

83

And to Rebecca did them geue
with Raiment rich in show,
To Laban and to mother hers,
ryche gyftes he gaue also.

84

So sat they downe to Eate and Drinke,
both he, and they lykewyse
With him that came: the Nyght ore past
in Morning did aryse

85

And when the seruaunt ready was:
let me depart (sayd hee)
Unto my Maister Abraham
that loketh longe for me.

86

Her Mother and her Brother deare
vnto the Man thus spake:
I praye thee, let the Damsel byde
a whyle and mery make,

87

And if it be, but Ten Dayes space:
with thee then shal she goe:
Sayd he, I pray thee hynder not
me in my Iorney foe:

88

Behold the Lord hath prosperd wel
my Iourney in ech thing,

Send me away to Maister myne,
this happy newes to bring.

89

We wil (sayd they) the Damsel call
and at hir Mouth enquire,
Whether or no to goe or byde
she rather doth desire.

90

And they Rebecca called foorth
and said, wilt thou or no
Goe wyth this Man? I wil (sayd she)
and ready am to goe.

91

So then they let Rebecca passe,
her nurse, and Abrams man.
And eke those Men that then were there
and with him thyther cam.

92

And then Rebecca blessed they,
and thus to her dyd say,
Now into thousand thousands growe,
and God thee guyd alway.
And that thy Seede the Enmies gates,
possesse for euer maye.

93

This done, forthwith Rebecca rose
her Damselles eke also,
Upon the Camells were they set,
and wyth this man did goe.

94

And so the Seruaunt toke the charge
Rebecca safe to cary,
They toke theyr leaue, away they went,
and would no lenger tary.

95

Now from the way of Hagars Well,
God lyues and seeth me,
Came Isaac: for in the South
that tyme there dwelled he.

96

And in the Euening as he went
into the fieldes to pray.

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His Eies lift vp the Camels saw
there comming in the way.

97

Rebecca lifted vp her Eyes
when Isaac she spyde
She lighted doune her Camel free,
and so a whyle did bide.

98

And then vnto the seruaunt said,
do you this same man know,
That in the field approcheth vs?
say therto, yea or noe?

99

It is my Maister, then sayd he,
I put you out of doubt:
She quickly then her Mantle tooke,
and wrapt herselfe aboute:

100

To Isaack there told he all
what hapned as he went:
Then Isaac this Maiden brought
into his mothers Tent.

101

He toke, Rebecca loued her,
and she became his Wife.
And comfort so receiued he,
after his Mothers lyfe.