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

The Trespas of Er, and eke of Onan,
the vengaunce of God that came thereuppon.
Iudah wyth Thamar, dyd lye agaynst ryght,
Thamar reprou'de hym in euery Mans sight.

1

And at that time went: Iudah downe
which Iacobs fourth Sonne was:
Leauing his Brethren him behinde,
and so it came to passe

2

He turned into one Hirah
that was a Dullamyte,
Where Shuahs Daughter he espyde
who was a Cananite.

3

The which hee tooke vnto his wyfe,
no tyme did hee defer,
Shee did conceiue and bare a Soune,
and he did name him Er.

4

In tyme againe conceyued shee
and so a Sonne forth brought
And she did Onan call that Childe,
which shee so dearely bought.

5

And yet agayne conceiued Shee,
and bare another Sonne,
Whom shee did Shelah call by name,
in Chezib, this was donne.

6

Then Iudah Thamar tooke for wyfe
to Er his first borne sonne,
Whom God did sley for wickednesse
that this same Er had donne.

7

Sayd Iudah to his second Sonne
that Onan was to name,
Goe thou in to thy brothers wife,
and marry thou the same:

8

That thou maist stirre and Scede vp rayse
to brother thyne that's gone.
But Onan thought wythin hymselfe
by her for to rayse none

9

And therefore when to her he wente
he did not that he ought:
But let it fal vpon the ground
and so it came to nought.

10

Which thinge so sore displeased God
as made his anger grow,
And as his brother he had slaine
he killed him also

11

Then Iudah vnto Thamar said,
remaine a Widowe still
At home within thy fathers house
til God hath wrought his wil

12

And tyl that Shelah my yonge sonne
a man growne able be.
Lest Death do hym preuent also
as brethren his, you see.
So Thamar to her Fathers house
went home and lyued free.
In tract of tyme the Daughter of
this Suah, Iudas wife

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By course of yeres fell very sicke
and did depart this Lyfe,

14

And when that Iudahs mournyng time
was past and ouerrunne
He went vnto his sheepe shearers,
to see what should be donne.

15

And tooke with him Hirah his frend
that of Odollan was,
And as they went to Timnah ward
it so became to passe,

16

That one to Thamar went, and saide,
thy Father now in Law
Goes vp to sheere his flockes of sheepe,
what I haue said, I sawe.

17

Then Thamar put those garmentes of
shee wonted was to weare:
Which was such Weede as Widowes vse
vppon them for to beare,

18

And with a vayle her selfe bewrept
of none for to be knowne,
Because shee sawe how Iudahs Sonne,
yonge Shelah now was growne,

19

And was not giuen as promisse was
her Husband for to be,
Shee satte her downe where two Pathes were,
that Iudah might her see:

20

And as he passed on the way,
he Thamar did espye:
Supposing her a common Fylth
as by the way doth lye:
Shee had her face so couered
he could her not descry.

21

And Iudah turned to the way
Whereas she was, and sayd,

I pray the, let me lye wyth thee,
thy payne shalbe well payd.

22

What wylt thou giue me then, said shee,
If I to thee agree?
I wil a Kid send of the Goates,
and gyue the same to thee.

23

If thou wilt leaue with mee a Pledge
til thou the same do send,
I will accomplish thy request,
and show my self thy Frend.

24

What is the Pledge I shall the giue?
let me that vnderstand:
Thy Sygnet and thy Cloake, sayd she,
and Staffe that's in thy Hand.

25

And so he gaue it her to Pledge
and shee therewyth content,
Wyth her he lay, she then conceiu'de:
so home wyth Child shee went,

26

And did put on her Widowes Weede
her Uayle aside she layd,
And after this did Iudah send
a Kid as he had sayd.

27

And Hirah was the messenger,
his Neighbour and his frend,
And bad hee should the Pledge bringe backe
that Shee by him woulde send.

28

But when hee came, hee found her not,
the Woman shee was gone.
Hee asked of the People by,
(Sayd they) wee heard of none.

29

Where is the Whore that sate (sayd hee)
here by the hye way side?
We saw no Whore sitte here, (sayd they)
so backe agayne he hyde.

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30

And vnto Iudah came and sayd
I can not find her out,
The Men of that place also saide,
no Whore was there about.

31

Said Iudah then, let her it take
lest shame to vs redownde:
Behold by the I sent this Kid,
and thou hast not her found.

32

When as three Monthes were gone and past,
one vnto Iudah said,
Behold, thy Daughter Thamar now
a Whorish part hath plaid.

33

And wyth the same conceiued is
and great wyth Child is she
Shee shalbe brent, said Iudah then
do bring her forth to me.

34

And after when they brought her forth,
shee vnto Iudah sent
(That was her Father by the law,
who sayd she should be brent)

35

Sayd she, the man to whom these thynges
do apertaine by right,
By him am I conceyu'd with Child,
by powre of natures might.

36

And said also, I pray thee looke,
whose these three thinges should be,
The Seale, the Cloake and eke the Staffe
that here thou seest with mee.

37

Then Iudah knew the Tokens well,
and sayd before them al,
Shee is far righteous more then I,
the deede it selfe proue shal.

38

For shee thys thynge hath donne (sayd he)
because Shelah my Sonne,

I did not geue to be her fere,
as I ought to haue done.
And so he neuer knew her more
his dayes vnder the Sunne,

39

And when the tyme of Byrth was come
she should deliu'red be:
Beholde, there was within her Wombe
two Twinnes did disagree:

40

For in her Trauell one of them
did first his hand put out:
The Midwyfe then a redde Threed toke,
and bound it round about.

41

Saying, this is the first come forth:
but when the Childe pluckt backe
His hand agayne into the wombe:
his Brother was not slacke,

42

But pressed forth and first was borne
whereat the Mydwyfe sayd,
What Seperation hast thou made?
and she thereat dismayd

43

Sayd, how hast thou broken the Breache
vpon thee in such wise?
And so he Pharez called was
as best them did deuise

44

And after came his Brother forth
the Threede about his hand
Of colour Red, and he was namde
Zarah to vnderstand.