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

Ioseph his Brethren doth accuse,
and doth his Dreames them tell.
His Brethren hate hym to the Death,
and him away do sell.
His father wayleth sore his lacke,
and thinkes that he is kild,
But he for twenty syluer pence
was sold in open field.

And Iacob dwelled in the Land
wherein his Father was
A Forreiner in Canaan:
and so it came to passe

2

When Ioseph was seuentene yeares old,
he kept his Fathers Sheepe,
And wyth his Brethren oftentyme
did Neate, and Cattell keepe.

3

And thus the Lad with Bilhas Sonnes
And Zilphas Sonnes also
That Brethren were by Fathers Wiues,
(which Handmaydes were you know)

4

I say this Ioseph, was wyth them,
and they him hated mutch:
In all Thynges that he said or did,
agaynst him did they grutch.

5

And spake him euill, and he the same
vnto his Father tolde,
But Israell lou'd Ioseph more,
(because when he was Olde,

6

He hym begat) then all the rest
Of Children that he had,

And did a partye Coate him make:
of Coolours Lyght and Sad.

7

And when his Brethren did perceyue
theyr Fathers Loue was more
Bent towardes him: then vnto them
such Malyce was in store.
They could not speake to him in peace,
it greeued them so sore

8

And when yonge Ioseph Dreamd a Dream
he had delight to tell
The same vnto his Brethren all
thinking to please them wel.
But they in hatred grewe the more,
theyr mischief was so fell.

9

Sayd hee, good Brethren lend your Eare,
I pray you vnto me,
And heare this Dreame which I haue Dreamde,
lette so your pleasure be.

10

Behold, me thought we were in Fielde,
bynding our sheaues together:
Such tyme as men to Haruest goe
in season fayre of Wether.

11

And Lo, my Sheafe arose vpright,
and stoode vpon the Grounde,
Your Sheaues obeisaunce made to mine,
in compasse standinge Rounde.

12

Shalt thou then bee our Kynge (sayd they?)
or Subiectes thine vs make?
And thus they hated him the more,
for Dreames, and Woordes hee spake,

13

And yet hee dream'd another dreame,
as oft hee did before:
And then vnto his Brethren sayd,
I haue dream'd one Dreame more,

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14

Mee thought I sawe the Sunne, the Moone,
and Starres eleuen that be
In lowlye sort and humble wise
obeysaunce make to me.

15

And he this Dreame his father told,
his brethren beynge by,
His father then rebuked hym,
and sayd vnto him: why?

16

What is this Dream which thou hast dream'd
shall I then liue to see,
That I, thy Mother, and my sonnes,
shal fal on ground to thee?

17

Hys brethren stil did hate him sore,
and were to hym vnkynd,
But yet his father noted wel
this saying in his mind,

18

His brethren then to Sichem went,
to kepe theyr fathers sheepe,
Said Israel Ioseph vnto,
do not thy brethren keepe

19

My sheepe in Sichem, and my store?
I wil the send also:
Who aunswered, Lo, here am I:
his Father said, then goe.

20

And see whether al thinges be well
wyth Brethren thyne or no:
And whether that the sheepe be wel,
come backe again and show.

21

And so be sent him from the Uale
of Hebron where he was,
And he to Sichem went the way:
but so befel the case:

22

A certaine man by chaunce him found:
for Ioseph went astraye,

And wandred vp and downe the fieldes
and myssed on the way,

23

And then the man thus asked him,
what sekest thou this Day?
I seeke my Brethren, tel me where
they sheepe do keepe I pray,

24

They are departed hence (saide he)
for thus I heard them say:
Let vs now vnto Dothan goe,
and none of them sayd nay.

25

Thus Ioseph then them after went,
and them in Dothan found:
And when they him beheld farre of
they stampt theyr feete on ground.

26

And councelled among themselues
agaynst yonge Ioseph so,
That they would rid hym of his life
and kil hym ere they goe.

27

For one vnto another sayd,
this Dreamer comes at last:
Let vs bereue him of his Life,
and in some Pitte him cast.

28

And we will say, a wycked Beast
made him a pray to be,
Then of his dreames what wil become
the sequel we shal see.

29

When Ruben heard what Brethren ment,
he Ioseph did conuey,
Out from theyr hands, hys Lyfe to saue
and thus to them did say.

30

Good Brethren, let vs not him kill
ne let vs shede his bloud,
But cast hym in the pit that's here
if you shal thinke so good.

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31

But lay no hand on him sayd he,
whereby to do him payne,
All this he sayd, Ioseph to ridde
to father backe agayne.

32

And so it hapt when Ioseph came
his Brethren them amonge,
They stript from him his partie Coate
and then with thrust and throng

33

They cast him in an emptie Pit
wherein no water was:
And then they sate them downe to eate
their Bread vpon the Grasse.

34

And as they lifted vp their eyes,
they did behold and see,
Of Ismaelites from Gilead
that came, a Companie:

35

With Camels great that loaden were,
with Balme, with Myrre, and Spyce:
Which going were to Egipt downe,
the same to shew for price.

36

And Iudah to his Brethren sayd,
what shall it doe vs good
Our Brother Ioseph for to kyll
and secret keepe his blood?

37

Let vs go sell him to these men
that downe to Egipt go,
And let vs lay no handes on him,
hee is our Flesh, you know:
At Iudahs wordes they were contēt
and all agreed did so.

38

And as the Merchauntes passed by,
they out from Pyt him drew,
And sold him to those Ismaelites
whom they before nere knew.

39

For twentie siluer pieces fine
young Ioseph haue they bought,
And downe to Egipt haue those men
this Ioseph safely brought.

40

But when that Ruben came agayne,
and look't into the Pytte
And found not Ioseph there he left,
hee rent his clothes at it.

41

And went agayne his Brethren to,
with heauy cheere, and sad.
Saying, Ahlas, where shal I go,
for yonder's not the Lad.

42

And they consuited with themselues
to sley and kyl a Goate,
And in the bloud thereof did dyppe
their brother Iosephes coate,

43

And sent the same with bloud embrewd
their Father for to showe,
And sayd, behold, this haue we found,
is this thy Sonnes or no?

44

The Coate he knew, and cryde, Ahlas,
with teares on face besprent,
A wicked Beaste hath kild my Sonne,
and him in pieces rent.

45

Then Iacob rent and toare his clothes,
and Sackcloth did put on,
And gyrded it about his loynes,
thinking his Sonne vpon.

46

Thus Iacob sorowed for his Sonne
a season very long,
His Sonnes and Daughters dyd vp ryse
to comfort him among.

47

But he no comfort wold receaue,
but sayd: into the Graue

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Will I goe downe vnto my Sonne,
and there my Mourninge haue,
There could no counsell him perswade
his Cheekes from Teares to saue.

48

In Egipt now was Ioseph soulde
to Potiphar by Name:
A Lord of Pharaos House was hee,
and Stewarde of the same.