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

Iacob before the King is come,
and Pharao doth him giue
Leaue for to dwel in Goshen Land,
all Dayes that hee shall lyue.
And Iacob maketh Ioseph sweare,
with hand vnder his Thye,
VVhen hee is dead, to burye him,
where as his Fathers lye.

1

Then Ioseph came, and Pharao tolde,
my Father now from far
And Brethren myne, their shepe haue brought
and now in Goshen are

2

And to the{ntent} the king might see,
what kynde of Men they were,
Ioseph presented to the King
Fyue of his Brethren there.

3

Then Pharao did demaund of them,
What is your trade? (sayd hee)
Thy Seruauntes, Shepeheardes are, sayd they,
as Fathers our haue bee.
And for to soiourne in the Lande
is cause we come to thee.

4

For Seruauntes thyne, no pasture haue
to keepe our Sheepe withall,

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So sore the Famyn in the Land
of Canaan is fall.

5

And therefore now wee humbly pray,
thou suffer vs to Dwell,
In Goshen Land where by thy Leaue,
wee hope for to Liue well.

6

Then Pharo vnto Ioseph said.
I vnderstand and see,
Thy Father and thy Brethren are,
come hither vnto thee.

7

Behold the Land of Egipt lyes
all ope before thy Face
And in the best part of the same,
do thou therein them place.

8

In Goshen Land let them remaine,
and Soiourne there and Dwell:
And if amonge thy Brethren be,
in prowesse that excel:

9

Let them be Rulers likewise made,
ouer my Flockes of Sheepe,
And other Cattel that is myne,
in safety them to keepe.

10

Then Ioseph vnto Pharo broughte
olde Iacob Father his,
And Iacob there saluted him,
and did him also Blisse.

11

What be the Number of thy Yeares?
sayd Pharo to hym then,
Sayth hee, my tyme of Pilgrimage
is sixe Skore Yeres and Ten.

12

Few be the Dayes that I haue liu'de.
and also very bad:
And I haue not those yeres attaind,
that my Forefathers had.

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13

And Iacob then did Pharo blesse
and did depart him fro,
And Ioseph with his Father went,
and left the king also.

14

His Father and his Brethren all,
hee placed out of hand,
And gaue them Ground for to possesse,
in best parte of the Land.

15

Euen in the Land of Rameses,
as earst the King did say,
Of Goshen which a Cittie was,
where Pharoes Treasure laye.

16

And Ioseph did prouision make
of Bread wherewith to feede
His Father, and his Houshold all,
his Brethren and their Seede.
And as young Children, were they fed,
Such was the tyme of neede.

17

For in the Land was want of Bread,
the Dearth exceeding sore,
In Egipt, and in Canan Land,
was neuer lyke before.

18

So that by reason of the Dearth
these Countries famisht were,
And Ioseph gathered all the Coyne
and Monie that was there

19

For to bee found, for Corne and Grayne,
the which of him they bought,
And layd it safe in Pharoes house,
as faythful Seruauntes ought.

20

So that when Money fayled them,
that Corne they might not buye,
Th' Egiptians all to Ioseph came,
and on him did they crye:

21

And sayd, our Money all is spent,
geeue vs therfore some Bread,

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For why should we before thy Face
with Famishment be deade?

22

Sayd Ioseph then, your Cattell bringe,
if Money yours be gonne,
And I will geue you Bread to eate,
ynough for eu'ry one:

23

So they their Cattle brought to him
Horses, and Flockes of Sheepe,
Their Asses al, and Heardes of Beastes
they wonted were to keepe:

24

And for the same hee gaue them Bread,
so mutch as might suffise
For one whole Yeare, and then agayne
they came, and sayd thus wise,

25

Wee wil not now bide from my Lord,
sithe that our Coyne is gonne,
And that my Lord our Cattle hath,
and Heards of Beastes ech one:

26

There nothinge is amonge vs left,
in sight for to bee found:
Except it please my Lord to haue
our Bodies, and our Grownd.

27

Why shall wee perishe in thy Sight,
both wee, and eke our Lande?
By reason that the Ground is free
from Labour of the Hande?

28

Buy vs, and eke our Land also,
and giue vs Bread therefore:
So will we binde our selues, and Lande
to Pharo euermore.

29

And therefore giue vs Seede to sowe,
that we may liue: not dye:
And that the Land for want of Tilth,
should not in wast thus lye.

30

So Ioseph now bought all the Land
of Egipt for the Kinge:

124

And euery Man his Ground had sould,
and euery other thinge.
Because the Force of Famins powre
them greeuously did wrynge.

31

And hee the People did remoue,
abrode from Place to Place,
Unto the Citties such as were,
and so in tyme and space

32

They were remou'de from side to side,
or to the Borders end
Of Egipt Land, thus Ioseph did
abrode the People send.

33

But yet the Land the Preestes possest:
theyrs, Ioseph did not buy:
For they vppon King Pharoes charge
continually did lye.

34

And had theyr ordinary foode,
such as the King them gaue,
Wherby theyr Land they kept vnsold,
and to themselues did saue,

35

Than Ioseph to the People sayd,
beholde you see this Day,
I for the King you and your Land,
haue bought, you not denaye,

36

Loe, heere is Seede for you to sow,
goe Eare and Till the Ground,
And of Encrease of Grayne and Corne,
that thereon shalbe found,

37

You shall the Fift part giue therof,
to Pharow for his share,
The rest is youres for Seede to Sowe,
and for your better fare.

38

Yow may the same at will conuert,
to vse for Foode or Meate,
For you and for your Housholds al,
and Children for to eate.

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39

Sayd they, thou hast our Liues preseru'd,
let vs sutch Grace yet find,
As wee may Pharoes Seruauntes bee,
to do what shalb' assignd.

40

Then Ioseph made it for a Lawe
remayninge to this Day:
That they the fifte parte of encrease,
should vnto Pharo pay.

41

And Israell in Egipt dwelt,
as you tofore herd tell:
And in the Countrey of Goshen
did Multiply right well.

42

For they therein Possessions had,
and Grew exceedingly,
And Iacob there liu'de Seuentene Yeres,
and then dyd after dye.

43

An hundreth, Forty and Seuen Yeares,
did Iacob liue in al:
And so when as the time drew neere,
that he from Lyfe must fall:

44

He called Ioseph vnto him,
and sayd as doth appeare:
Thy Hand now put vnder my Thyghe,
and truly to me sweare.

45

If I haue Grace found in thy sight,
Deale truly now with mee,
In Egipt do not Burye mee,
but where my Fathers bee.

46

When I shall sleepe wyth Fathers myne,
lette me not heere be staid,
But carry me and burye me,
where Fathers myne are layd:
I wil (sayd Ioseph) do in al,
as thou to me hast sayde,

47

Sayd Israel, then Sweare to me:
and Ioseph so did Sweare,

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Towards his Beddes head Iacob then,
both blest and prays'd God there.