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

Rahell, and Lea both
in Barrennesse do ly ue:
Both geue their maydes their Husbands til
and they hym Children gyue.
Lea geues Mandragore
to Rahell wyth good wyl,
That Iacob myght wyth Lea lye,
that Nyght her mynde to fill.
How Laban Rych is made
for this same Iacobs sake,
And Iacob Rich is made also,
and so his leaue doth take.

1

When Rahell saw, the Iacob by
no Childe as yet could beare:
Shee at her Sister enuy had,
and sayd to Iacob there:

2

Geue children vnto me also,
else presently I dye.
Then Iacob angry was with her,
and sayd a GOD am I?

3

Or in Gods steed? which hath withheld
of Children fruict from thee?
Behold, sayth shee, there is my Mayde
go in to her, and shee

4

Shal Children beare vpon my Lappe,
and I the same will take
And as my owne, vpon my Knee
will dandle for thy sake.

5

So thus her handmaide did shee geue,
her husbandes Wyfe to bee:
By whom this Maide conceiued was,
and forth a Sonne brought shee:
Sayd Rahell then, God hath me heard
and sentence geuen with mee:

6

For why, the Lord hath heard my voyce,
I well perceiue the same:
And hath mee geuen a goodly Boye,
and Dan shee cal'de his name.

7

Agayne Bilha conceiued was,
and bare another Sonne:
Sayd Rahel, now by wrestlinge thus
I haue the maistery won

8

And got of Lea Sister mine,
the Godly victorie:
So named shee her second Sonne,
and cal'de him Naphtalie,

9

When Lea sawe shee bearinge left,
more Children could not haue:
Shee Silpha cooke, her Mayde that was
and to hir husband gaue:
Soe Iacob tooke her vnto wyfe
and shee brought him a Lad,

10

Sayd Lea now a Company comes
and so did cal hym Gad.

21

Againe this Silpha (Leas mayd)
another sonne him bare:
Ah blest am I, said Lea then
for Daughters al that are

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Will blesse me now and so that sonne
shee called him Assar.

12

Now Ruben Iacobs eldest sonne,
and first of Lea borne
Went forth in Dayes of wheat Haruest
when shocked was the Corne.

13

And found by chaunce Mandragoras,
in field as he did goe:
Which is an herbe, whose roote men say,
the shape of man doth showe.

14

To Lea did he giue the same,
that then his Mother was:
Said Rahel, Sister giue me of
thy Sonnes Mandragoras.

15

I'st not enoughe, sayd Lea then:
that thou my husband haue?
But would my Sonnes Mandragoras
away likewyse to craue?

16

If that thy Sonnes Mandragoras
thou wylt gyue vnto me:
I am content that Iacob shal
this Night goe sleepe wyth thee.

17

So Lea gaue Mandragoras
and Rahel was content:
At euen as Iacob homeward came,
to meete him Lea went,

18

And sayd: come vnto mee sweete hart,
this Night I haue the bought:
Wyth my swete Sonnes Mandragoras
which neuer cost me ought.

19

And so that Night wyth her he slept
and God did Lea heare:
She did conceyue and so by him
her fift Sonne did she beare.

20

Sayd she, God hath rewarded mee
because my Mayde I gaue,
And Isachar shee cald her Sonne
for so shee would him haue.

21

And Lea yet conceiu'de agayne
and brought the sixt Sonne foorth:
God hath mee now endude (shee sayd)
with Dowrye much in worth.

22

Now wil my husband dwel with mee
to feede my ioyes vpon:
Because sixe Sonnes I haue him borne
and cald him Zabulon.

23

A Daughter yet she after bare
and Dina was her name:
And God remembred Rahel too,
and did her keepe from blame.

24

He heard her voyce, and frutefull made
a Mother for to bee,
So when shee was deliu'red of
a goodly Boy to see:

25

The Lord hath taken my rebuke
now cleane away, sayth she,
And Ioseph named shee her Sonne
and sayd, Lorde geeue to mee
Another Sonne to play withall
if so thy pleasure bee.

26

So soone as Rahel, had brought forth
young Ioseph, Iacobs Sonne:
To Laban, Iacob went and sayd,
thou knowest what I haue dōne.

27

I haue thee serued Fourtene yeares
truly, vnto this daye:
Geeue mee my Wyues and Children now
that I may goe my waye.

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28

Unto my Countrye whence I came,
and where my father dwelles:
I pray thee send me safe from hence
I aske thee nothing elles.

29

To whome thus Laban aunswered:
if I haue fauour found
Before thyne eyes, or in thy sight,
let mee to this bee bound.

30

To geeue thee what thou shalt require
thy choise whereof to make:
For why, I know the lyuing Lord
hath blest mee for thy sake.

31

Thou knowste (sayd Iacob) vnto him
my seruice done to thee
And in what sort thy cattel was,
and haue bene vnder mee.

32

Before I came thy Heardes were small
but now encreased mich,
The Lord hath blest thee for my sake
and thus hath made thee rych.

33

But when shall I prouision make,
for housholde mine also?
Sayd hee, what shall I geeue thee then
before thou hence do goe?

34

Thou shalt (sayd Iacob) geeue mee nought
saue this thing doe for mee:
And then wyll I come backe agayne,
and Sheepe keepe vnder thee.

35

I wyl this day goe to thy Sheepe,
and separation make,
And those that after flecked be,
for my rewarde I'le take,

36

And all the blacke amonge the Lambes
and such as colours haue,

Among the Kyddes, that spotted bee
is all that I do craue,

37

So shal my righteousnesse declare
to morow this for mee,
When I shall come for my rewarde
before the face of thee.

38

And euery one among the Goates
that is not speckled tho,
And blacke among the Sheepe lykewise,
as I to thee do show:

39

Let that bee theft vnto my charge
to aunswere ere I goe.
Go too, go too, sayd Laban than,
would God it might bee so
According to thy Saying now
or as thy hart doth know.

40

And Laban out the same day tooke
al Goates that colours had,
And all the blacke among the Shepe
as well the good as bad.

41

And made his Sonnes the Heardes of them
and three dayes iourney set
Betwene himselfe, and Iacob thus:
and Iacob did not let

42

To take the charge of all the rest
of Labans other Sheepe
That of one colour did appeare,
and did them safely keepe.

43

And Iacob tooke of Popler greene,
of Hasell Roddes also,
And Chestnut trees, and pyld the Rynde
and made the whyte to show:

44

And put these Roddes before the Sheepe
in Trough or watring place:

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To th' end they might conceiue thereby
the roddes before their face:

45

Thus when they water came to drinke,
they were conceiued streight,
And brought foorth Lambes that spotted were,
vy reason of this sleight.

46

And Iacob then did part these Lambes
that were bespotted so,
And turnde the faces of the Flocke
that Labans was to know,

47

Towardes these Lambes of partie hue
and to all colours blacke
That was among this Labans Flocke
but yet hee did keepe backe

48

His Flockes of Sheepe that spotted were,
and by themselues did keepe,
So that no tyme hee suffered theim
to bee with Labans Sheepe:

49

In Ramming tyme of stronger Sheepe
Iacob his Roddes did lay
In Gutters when they came to drinke,
whereon their eyes might stay

50

And so conceiue, and Lambes foorth bring
that flecked were to see:
But in the Ramming time of yeare
when Sheepe most feeble bee,

51

He did forbeare his Rodds to lay,
where by the stronger Sheepe
Were Iacobs al: the weaker sort
were Labans for to keepe.

52

Thus Iacob grew exceeding rich,
and had a mightie stocke
Of Seruauntes eke and Camels too
and Asses in his Flocke.