A Hyve Fvll of Hunnye Contayning the Firste Booke of Moses, called Genesis. Tvrned into English Meetre, by VViliam Hunnis |
[Cap. 44.]
A Hyve Fvll of Hunnye | ||
113
[Cap. 44.]
The Contents of the XLIIII. Chap.
Ioseph accuseth Beniaminof Theft, whereat they mourne:
And Iudah is a Pledge become
for Beniamins retourne.
1
And afterwarde commaunded heeand sayd his Steward to,
Go fyll theyr Sackes with Corne and graine
as I appoint you, doe.
2
And put both Corne and Foode therein,asmuch as they can beare,
And in the mouth of ech mans Sacke,
close vp their Monie there.
3
But in the Sacke of Beniamin,that youngest is of all,
My Cuppe, I meane my Siluer Cuppe,
there put the same thou shal.
4
His Corne, and Coyne, he hyther brought,likewise the same put in,
And so the Steward did in all,
as hee commaunded him.
5
And in the morning when the Sunnebegan abroade to show,
The men were sent away from thēce,
and Asses theirs also.
6
And when they were the Cittie out,and not farre gone away,
His Steward then commaunded hee
to folow them, and saye:
[113]
7
Wherfore haue you rewarded illfor good that's done to you?
And for great Curtesye receiu'de
to shew your selues vntrue?
8
Is not the Cuppe wherein my Lorddoth drinke and Prophecie,
Conueighde away by one of you?
you haue done naughtelye.
9
And so the Steward passed foorthand when hee them oretooke,
He spake those Wordes as Ioseph had,
whereat for feare they shooke.
10
And sayd, Ah las, why doth my Lorddeclare such wordes as these?
God it forbyd wee should ought doe
that might thy Lord displease.
11
Behold the Money which we foundwithin our Sackes to bee,
We brought agayne from Canaan,
and gaue it vnto thee.
12
How then should wee from thy Lordes house,steale Syluer, Plate, or Gold:
With whom so euer it is found,
let him bee had in Hold.
13
And let him dye, and wee alsowill further promise make,
Bondmen to bee vnto my Lord
for his offences sake.
14
Now then sayd he, it shall so beeas you haue sayd to mee:
Hee vpon whom the thinge is found,
shall now my Seruaunt be.
15
And you be blamelesse of the Cryme,and Innocentes abyde,
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and it, did open wyde.
16
And at the Eldest they beganto make this Search: and so
From one to one, in their degree,
did search their Sackes a rowe.
17
And at young Beniamin they left,within whose Sacke they had
The siluer Cup, that missing was,
which made them all so sad.
18
That they their Clothes be rent and tareand euerye one tooke payne,
To Lade his Asse, and to the towne
returned backe agayne.
19
So Iudah and his Brethren cameto Ioseph, whom they found
At home in house, where they him left,
and fell vpon the Ground.
20
What Act is this sayd (Ioseph then),that you haue done to mee?
Do you not know such one as I
can truly Prophecie?
21
Said Iudah then, what shal wee sayvnto my Lord as now?
What shall wee speake? to cleare our selues
Ahlas, wee know not how.
22
The wickednesse of seruauntes thynethe Lord hath now made plaine,
And wee thy Bondmen are become,
foreuer to remayne.
Both wee, & he, with whom the Cuppe
was found vnto our payne.
23
Not so (sayd Ioseph) God forbydyou should such dealing see,
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Shall Seruaunt bee with mee
And you haue leaue in peace to goe,
vnto your Father free.
24
Then Iudah drew more neere to him,and sayd, O Lorde I pray,
Geeue leaue that I in my Lordes Eares,
a Worde or two might saye.
25
And let not Lord, thy wrath be mooudeagainst mee for the same:
For thou art euen as Pharao is,
in Dignitie and Name.
26
My Lord a question did demaundof vs thy Seruauntes here,
Haue you a father, yea or no,
or els a Brother deare?
27
We haue a Father that is Old,vnto my Lord, sayd wee:
And a young Lad which hee begat,
the youngest Sonne is hee.
28
In his old Age hee him begat,when hoarye was his head,
His Father loues him passing well:
his Brother now is dead.
29
And he alone of Mother hisis left with him to bee,
Then thou vnto thy Seruaunts said:
do bring him vnto mee.
30
That I may also set mine Eye,vpon this Lad to see,
And then againe vnto my Lorde
in this wise aunswerd wee.
31
The Childe, Ahlas, cannot depart,his louinge father fro:
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would Dye with Griefe and woe.
32
Thou saydst agayne: except you bryngeyour Yonger Brother downe,
I charge you see my face no more,
in Country, Field, or Towne.
33
So to our Father when we came,that nowe thy Seruaunt is,
And shew'd him what my Lorde had sayde,
would not agree to this.
34
At last our Father sayd to vs,goe downe againe you shall,
And buy for vs a little Foode,
that we may liue withal.
35
We answered, we cannot goe,vnlesse you graunt this thing,
Our yonger Brother be with vs,
before my Lord to bryng.
36
For we may not the man behold,except our Brother goe.
Our Father sayde: Rahell, my Wife,
bare me two Sonnes, you know
37
And one of them went out from me:and I for troth did say,
My Sonne in peeces smal is torne,
as hee went by the way,
And I did neuer see him since,
the tyme he went astraye.
38
Now if you take this Sonne from me,and Death lykewise him haue:
Then shal you bringe my hoary head
with sorrow to the Graue.
39
Now therefore when I shall come tomy Father and thy Thrall,
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amonge his Children all:
40
Seinge his life dependes vpponthe Life of this younge Lad,
When hee shall see the Child not come,
will pensiue bee, and Sad.
41
And dye hee will for Sorrowe sure,so shall thy Seruauntes bringe
Our Fathers Head vnto the Graue:
ah las wee wayle the thinge.
42
Doubtlesse, thy Seruaunt Pledge becamevnto my Father deare:
And sayd, if that I bringe him not,
the blame then will I beare.
43
Therefore I pray, let mee abide,a Seruaunt thine to bee:
And let the Child with Brethren goe,
our Father for to see:
44
For how can I goe vp with them,my Father to beeholde,
If that the Childe be not with mee?
vnlesse that see I woulde,
The Sorrowes great, on Father mine.
ah las that happen shoulde.
[Cap. 44.]
A Hyve Fvll of Hunnye | ||