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

The rauishing of Dina fayre,
that Iacobs daughter was,
By Sichem Hamors sonne and Heyre
who sought to bring to passe
To haue this Dina to his wyfe,
and so was borne in hand
By brethren hers, who tooke the lyfe
of Males all, in the Land.

1

Whylst Iacob there inhabited,
in Salem t'vnderstand,
His daughter Dina went to see
the daughters of the Land.

2

When Sichem Hamors sonne her saw
who Lord was of that Soyle
Within his brest her beautie bred
of Lust such burning broyle,

3

That hee by force this mayden tooke,
her person did abuse,
His hart on Dina was so layd
hee had no power to chuse.

4

He spake her fayre, and loued her,
as deare as his owne lyfe,
And to his father Hamor sayd,
get mee this mayd to wyfe.

5

Iacob this knew, but held his prace
til hee his Sonnes might see:
For they were keeping Beastes in field.
as t'was their wont to bee.

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6

And Hamor Sichems Father came
and vnto Iacob went
To common of his Sonnes request,
was nothing els hee ment.

7

But when the Sonnes of Iacob came
whose Sister Dina was,
And heard by Sichems likinge Iewd
what thing was come to passe:

8

It greeu'd them much, and wroth they were,
hee had such folly wrought
In Israel: which thing in deede
no man to do so ought.

9

And Hamor vnto Iacob sayd
the Soule of this my Sonne
Doth long for Dina Daughter yours
in maryed state to wonne.

10

Geeue her to wyfe, and ioyne with vs,
your Daughters geeue also,
And take our Daughters vnto you,
wee may together grow.

11

So shall wee then together dwell
the Land for you shalbee,
Therein to doe as best you like,
and haue possession free.

12

Then Sichem to her Father sayd
and Brethren hers likewise,
Uouchsafe this fauour I may fynde
and Grace before your eyes.

13

And what soeuer you appoint
that playnly wil I geeue:
Demaund large Gyftes and Dowry both,
it shall no whyt me greeue

14

Yea I wyl geeue according that
which you shall say to mee:

So that the Damsel you do geeue
my spoused wyfe to bee,

15

Then Iacobs Sonnes sayd vnto them:
wee cannot do this thinge,
To geeue her one vncircumcis'd,
should shame vpon vs bring.

16

Deceitfullye did Iacobs Sonnes
to Sichem vse wordes mylde,
Because their Sister Dina hee
thus Lewdly had defilde.

17

In this wee wil consent, sayd they,
if thou wilt bee as wee,
Let all the males among you borne
then Circumcised bee.

18

So will wee geeue you, daughters ours
and yours wee'le take also,
And wee will rest, and dwell with you,
and so one people growe.

19

But if you will refuse to doe
as you haue heard vs say,
Wee wil our Daughter take againe
and so depart away.
These woordes did please them very well,
to which they sayd not nay.

20

This Youngman would no time defer
this thing to doe among,
His Lust on Dina was so set
he thought ech time too long.

21

Of all that were in Hamors house,
none might compared bee
To Sichem for of all the rest
best thought vpon was bee:

22

Then Hamor and Sichem his Sonne
vnto the Cittie went,

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And so before the gate thereof
declared their entent

23

And sayd vnto the Citizens
touching Iacobs request,
Affirming that which Iacob sayd
to bee all for the best.

24

They bee vnfaynde to vs, sayd he,
and dwell within the Land,
And do applye their busines
with labor of their hand.

25

And in the Land is roume ynough
for them here to remayne:
Wee wyl their Daughters take to wyfe
and geeue them oures agayne.

26

Herein they onely wil consent
vnto vs, for to dwell
And bee as people one with vs
if you shall thinke it well.

27

That is if all the children borne
which Males appeare to bee
May circumcised bee like them,
then wee and they agree.

28

For shall not all their substaunce great
and Cattel that they haue
Be ours if we gree thereunto?
what can wee further craue?
For they wyl styl dwel here with vs,
tyl they possesse their graue.

29

Unto this tale that Hamor told
and Sichem eke his Sonne,
Did al that went out of the Gate
agree, it should be done.

30

The Men children were circumcisde
according as was sayd,

Not one that passed through the Gates,
the same thing that denayd.

31

It hapt the thyrd Day after this
when they were full of payne,
By reason of the foreskynne cut
which did great griefe constrayne

32

Two of the Sonnes of Iacob came,
the City gate wythin
Which Symeon and Leui hight
that Dinas brethren bin.

33

And wyth theyr Swordes bothe naked drawne
throughout the City went,
And slewe the Malekind eu'ry one
as they before so ment.

34

They Hamor slewe, and Sichem too,
with th' Edge of sword that day,
From Sichems house they Dina tooke,
And so they went their waye.

35

And then the rest of Iacobs Sonnes,
comminge vppon the deede,
The Citty spoyl'de, because they had
defil'de theyr Fathers Seede:

36

And tooke their Sheepe, and Oxen fat,
their Asses as they goe:
What else within the Citty was,
and in the Fielde also,

37

Theyr goods, their Children, & their Wiues,
they Captiue tooke away,
And hauoke made of all that was
within the house that Day:

38

But Iacob sayd to Simeon,
and Leui, Brother his:
You haue this Day sore troubled mee,
and greatly done amys:

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39

You haue also made mee to stinke
before them of the Lande,
The Cananites, and Pheresites
when they this vnderstand:

40

I beinge Fewe, in number Small,
not able to resiste,
They shal together ioyne themselues
and slay me as they list.

41

So shal I be and al my house
destroyd for euermore
Should hee (sayde they) wyth sister deale,
as wyth a common Whore?