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

To Egipte Iosephs Brethren come,
some Vytayle for to buye,
And Ioseph knowes them very well,
and doth his Brethren trye.
And Simeon in Hold is put
in Pryson of the king,
Tyl they vnto their Father goe,
young Beniamin to bring:
His Father's loath to let him goe,

106

because hee lou'de him best:
But at the last contented is
and grauntes to their request.

1

And Iacob saw that there was Corne
in Egipt to bee had:
Sayd to his Sonnes, why gape ye one
an other on, so sad?
In Egipt there is Corne I heare,
therfore let vs be glad.

2

Now get you downe and thyther goe,
some Corne from thence to buye,
That wee therewith may feede and lyue,
and not through Hunger die.

3

So went the Sonnes of Iacob downe,
which Tenne in number were,
And Brethren all by fathers syde
to Ioseph that was there.

4

But Beniamin who Brother was,
to Ioseph in whole Bloud,
Their father would not let him goe,
but kept him backe for good:

5

Least some Misfortune might him hap,
(as hee of Ioseph thought)
And so the Tenne, to Egipt went
and Corne for Many, sought.

6

And thus among the preasse they past,
with Monie in their hand,
For yet the Dearth was very great,
throughout all Canaan Land.

7

Now Ioseph beeing Gouernour
deliu'red with his hande
The Corne, and sold to all that came,
inhabiting the Land.

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8

Among the which, his Brethren came
and fell before his face
Downe flat vpon the Ground they lay,
and him besought of Grace.

9

When Ioseph had his Brethren spyde,
he knew them wel ynough,
And made him selfe al straunge to them,
and spake in woordes ful rough:

10

From whence come you? they aunswered
from Land of Canaan:
To buye some vytayle for our Coyne
in humblest wyse we can.
And al this whyle they knew him not
from any other man.

11

Now, Ioseph to remembraunce cald,
the Dreame he dreamde of them,
Which hee them told ere he was sold,
vnto the Marchaunt men.

12

And sayd, you are but Spies I know,
which hither make Resort,
To see where as the Land is weake
the same for to report.

13

Not so my Lord, wee come, sayd they,
some Uittal for to buye,
We meane but troth and are no Spies,
as deede it selfe shall trye:
And are the Sonnes of one man all:
this Troth is, and no lye.

14

Sayd hee, I know you are but Spies
what ere you beare in hand,
And hyther are you come to see
the weakenesse of the Land.

15

Sayd they, thy Seruauntes Brethren be
twelue, gotten by one man.

107

And he our Father doth remayne
in Land of Canaan.

16

Our yongest Brother Beniamin,
wyth him doth byde this Day,
And Ioseph that our brother was
is dead out of the way.

17

Sayd Ioseph then to them againe,
this makes me doubt you more,
To be but Spies vppon the Land,
as I haue sayd before.

18

And hereby shal I proue you true
or false in that you say,
Now here I swere by Pharos lyfe
you shall not goe away:

19

Except your youngest Brother come
whom Beniamin you call,
Therefore send one who may him fetch
and come hymself wythal:

20

And you in pryson shalbe kept
to proue this truth or lies,
Elles by the Lyfe of Pharao King,
I take you al as Spies.

21

And so he put them all in Ward,
wherein three Dayes they lay,
Then Ioseph came to them agayne
and on this wise did saye.

22

This do and Liue, for I feare God,
and will not ly to you,
If you be Men that of your wordes,
wil Iust be found and true.

23

Let one of you in pryson House
be bound for all the rest:
The other Nyne shall victuall haue,
to carry of the best.

[107]

24

Least Famine fall your Houses in:
but bringe you vnto mee
Your younger Brother: that your wordes
may true appeare to bee,
And that you dye not through the same:
and so they did agree:

25

One Brother to another sayd,
our Sinne was very great,
That wee gainst Brother Ioseph did,
when hee did vs intreat.

26

Yea, in the Anguishe of his Soule
hee gently vs besought,
And wee would not regard his Wordes,
but set the same at nought.
And therefore are these troubles great.
vppon vs iustly brought.

27

Sayd Ruben then, did I not say,
and warninge geue of this,
Wee should not sinne against the Child
least thinges should hap amisse?
You would not heare, and now behold,
his Bloud required is.

28

They thought that Ioseph had not knowne,
or vnderstood their Tongue,
For that by an Interpreter,
hee spake to them amonge.

29

When Ioseph heard what moane they made
hee turn'd aside, and wept.
And by and by with them did talke,
and still his Count'naunce kept:

30

And Simeon hee tooke from them,
and bound him for the rest:
And so before his Brethrens Eyes
was made a Prison Ghest.

108

31

Then Ioseph did commaund to fill
their Sackes with Corne good store.
And that their Money should bee tyed
within their Sackes before.

32

Also he willed they should haue
some Uyctaile for to spende.
As Homeward they should passe the way,
vnto their Iourneys ende.

33

And thus did hee: and they it toke,
with show of thankful hart,
Theyr Asses did they Lade with Corne,
and did from thence depart.

34

And in their Trauell as they went,
an Inne they came vnto,
Where one of them went to his Sacke,
the same for to vndoe:

35

To giue his Asse some Prouender,
and when hee it vnbound,
Behold, within the Mouth therof,
his Money all he found.

36

And he vnto his Brethren sayd,
I haue vndone my sacke,
And loe, my Money is therein,
to me restored backe.

37

Theyr hartes began to faint with feare,
and were astonied sore,
And one of them to other sayd,
alas, alas, wherfore
Hath God our God thus delt wyth vs,
to make our sorrowes more?

38

At length theyr Father Iacobs House,
by Trauell great they wan,
Who did Expect theyr cōming longe,
in Land of Canaan.

[108]

39

To whome they told eche thing that hapt,
and sayd vnto him thus:
The Lord himselfe that's of the Land,
did roughly speake to vs.

40

Who sayd we came as Spyalls there
his Country to betray,
We are no Spyes but truly meane,
did we to him then say.

41

And are in nomber Brethren twelue
the Children of one man,
One is away: the yongest is,
at home in Canaan.

42

The Lord agayne then sayd to vs,
hereby I shall wel knowe,
Whether you meane as you haue sayd,
or Spyalls be or no.

43

You shall leaue one of you behynd,
for to abyde with me,
The rest shall take of foode enough,
for Housholds yours that bee.

44

And if you brynge the Yongest Sonne,
that Brother is to you,
I shall then thinke you meane but well
and all your sayinges true.

45

And so wil I deliuer you,
your Brother backe agayne,
And you shal occupy the Land,
wherein you do remayne.

46

And as they emptied al theyr Sackes,
theyr Father beyng by,
Ech one of them his Money found,
wythin his sacke to lye.

47

The sight whereof made Children all,
and Father theirs afraid.

109

That in so much the Aged man,
vnto his Children sayd,

48

You haue me robd of Children twayne:
for Ioseph he is gone,
And Simeon the Lord doth know,
what hym is falne vpon.

39

If Beniamin you take away,
the youngest of you all,
I doe foresee the sorowes great,
against mee that shall fall.

50

Then Ruben to his Father sayd,
I haue two Sonnes you see,
Slay them, if that I bring not backe,
this Beniamin to thee.

51

Deliuer him into my hand,
the charge of him to take:
And if I bring him not agayne,
my twayne kyll for his sake.

52

Sayd Iacob then, my Sonne shall not
that way with you downe goe:
His Brother Ioseph's dead, and hee
is left alone, you know.

53

If some misfortune should him hap,
the waye you would him haue:
My hoarye hayres you shal then bring
with sorow to my Graue.