Part 8

Ioseph was brought vnto Egipte/ ad Putiphar a lorde of Pharaos: ad his chefe marshall an Egiptian/ bought him of y^e Ismaelites which brought h[~i] thither And the LORde was with Ioseph/ and he was a luckie felowe and continued in the house of his master the Egiptian. And his master sawe that the LORde was with him and that the LORde made all that he dyd prosper in his hande: Wherfore he founde grace in his masters syghte/ and serued him. And his master made him ruelar of his house/ and put all that he had in his hande. And as soone as he had made him ruelar ouer his house ad ouer all that he had/ the LORde blessed this Egiptians house for Iosephs sake/ and the blessynge of the LORde was vpon all that he had: both in the house and also in the feldes. And therfore he left all that he had in Iosephs hande/ and loked vpon nothinge that was with him/ saue only on the bread which he ate. And Ioseph was a goodly persone & a well favored

And it fortuned after this/ that his masters wife cast hir eyes vpon Ioseph and sayde come lye with me. But he denyed and sayde to her: Beholde/ my master woteth not what he hath in the house with me/ but hath commytted all that he hath to my hande He him selfe is not greatter in the house than I/ ad hath kepte noth[~i]ge fro me/ but only the because thou art his wife. How than can I do this great wykydnes/ for to synne agaynst God? And after this maner spake she to Ioseph daye by daye: but he harkened not vnto her/ to slepe nere her or to be in her company.

And it fortuned aboute the same season/ that Ioseph entred in to the house/ to do his busynes: and there was none of the houshold by/ in the house. And she caught him by the garment saynge: come slepe with me. And he left his garment in hir hande ad fled and gott him out When she sawe that he had left his garm[~e]t in hir hande/ and was fled out/ she called vnto the men of the house/ and tolde them saynge: Se/ he hath brought in an Hebrewe vnto vs to do vs shame. for he came in to me/ for to haue slept wyth me. But I cried with a lowde voyce. And when he harde/ that I lyfte vp my voyce and cryed/ he left his garment with me and fled awaye and got him out.

And she layed vp his garment by her/ vntill hir lorde came home. And she told him acordynge to these wordes saynge. This Hebrues servaunte which thou hast brought vnto vs came in to me to do me shame. But as soone as I lyft vp my voyce and cryed/ he left his garment with me and fled out. When his master herde the woordes of his wyfe which she tolde him saynge: after this maner dyd thy servaunte to me/ he waxed wrooth.

And he toke Ioseph and put him in pryson: euen in the place where the kynges prisoners laye bounde. And there contynued he in preson. But the LORde was with Ioseph ad shewed him mercie/ and gott him fauoure in the syghte of the keper of y^e preson which commytted to Iosephs hade all the presoners that were in the preson housse. And what soeuer was done there/ y^t dyd he. And the keper of the preso loked vnto nothinge that was vnder his hande/ because the LORde was with him/ & because that whatsoeuer he dyd/ the LORde made it come luckely to passe.

The xl. Capter.

And it chaunced after this/ that the chefe butlar of the kynge of Egipte and his chefe baker had offended there lorde the kynge of Egypte. And Pharao was angrie with them and put th[~e] in warde in his chefe marshals house: euen in y^e preson where Ioseph was bownd. And the chefe marshall gaue Ioseph a charge with them/ & he serued them. And they contynued a season in warde.

And they dreamed ether of them in one nyghte: both the butlar and the baker of the kynge of Egipte which were bownde in the preson house/ ether of them his dreame/ and eche manes dreame of a sondrie interpretation When Ioseph came in vnto them in the mornynge/ and loked apon them: beholde/ they were sadd. And he asked them saynge/ wherfore loke ye so sadly to daye? They answered him/ we haue dreamed a dreame/ and haue no man to declare it. And Ioseph sayde vnto th[~e]. Interpretynge belongeth to God but tel me yet.

And the chefe butlar tolde his dreame to Ioseph and sayde vnto him. In my dreame me thought there stode a vyne before me/ and in the vyne were .iij. braunches/ and it was as though it budded/ & her blossos shottforth: & y^e grapes thereof waxed rype. And I had Pharaos cuppe in my hande/ and toke of the grapes and wronge them in to Pharaos cuppe/ & delyvered Pharaos cuppe in to his hande.

And Ioseph sayde vnto him/ this is the interpretation of it. The .iij. braunches ar thre dayes: for within thre dayes shall Pharao lyft vp thine heade/ and restore the vnto thyne office agayne/ and thou shalt delyuer Pharaos cuppe in to his hade/ after the old maner/ even as thou dydest when thou wast his butlar. But thinke on me with the/ when thou art in good ease/ and shewe mercie vnto me. And make mencion of me to Pharao/ and helpe to brynge me out of this house: for I was stollen out of the lande of the Hebrues/ & here also haue I done noth[~i]ge at all wherfore they shulde haue put me in to this dongeon.

When the chefe baker sawe that he had well interpretate it/ he sayde vnto Ioseph/ me thought also in my dreame/ y^t I had .iij. wyker baskettes on my heade: And in y^e vppermost basket/ of all maner bakemeates for Pharao. And the byrdes ate them out of the basket apon my heade

Ioseph answered and sayde: this is the interpretation therof. The .iij. baskettes are .iij. dayes/ for this daye .iij. dayes shall Pharao take thy heade from the/ and shall hange the on a tree/ and the byrdes shall eate thy flesh from of the.

And it came to passe the thyrde daye which was Pharaos byrth daye/ that he made a feast vnto all his servauntes. And he lyfted vpp the head of the chefe buttelar and of the chefe baker amonge his servauntes. And restored the chefe buttelar vnto his buttelarshipe agayne/ and he reched the cuppe in to Pharaos hande/ ad hanged the chefe baker: eu[~e] as Ioseph had interpretated vnto th[~e]. Notwithstonding the chefe buttelar remembred not Ioseph/ but forgat hym.

The .xli. Capter

And it fortuned at .ij. yeres end/ that Pharao dreamed/ and thought that he stode by a ryuers syde/ and that there came out of the ryver .vij. goodly kyne and fatt fleshed/ and fedd in a medowe. And him though that .vij. other kyne came vp after them out of the ryver evelfauored and leane fleshed and stode by the other vpon the brynke of the ryuer. And the evill favored and lenefleshed kyne ate vp the .vij. welfauoured and fatt kyne: and he awoke their with.

And he slepte agayne and dreamed the second tyme/ that .vij. eares of corne grewe apon one stalke rancke and goodly. And that .vij. thynne eares blasted with the wynde/ spronge vp after them: and that the .vij. thynne eares deuowrerd the .vij. rancke and full eares. And than Pharao awaked: and se/ here is his dreame. When the mornynge came/ his sprete was troubled And he sent and called for all the soythsayers of Egypte and all the wyse men there of/ and told them his dreame: but there was none of them that coude interpretate it vnto Pharao.

Than spake the chefe buttelar vnto Pharao saynge. I do remembre my fawte this daye. Pharao was angrie with his servauntes/ and put in warde in the chefe marshals house both me and the chefe baker. And we dreamed both of vs in one nyght and ech mannes dreame of a sondrye interpretation.

And there was with vs a yonge man/ an Hebrue borne/ servaunte vnto the chefe marshall. And we told him/ and he declared oure dreames to vs acordynge to ether of oure dreames. And as he declared them vnto vs/ euen so it came to passe. I was restored to myne office agayne/ and he was hanged.

Than Pharao sent and called Ioseph. And they made him haste out of preson. And he shaued him self and chaunged his rayment/ & went in to Pharao. And Pharao sayde vnto Ioseph: I haue dreamed a dreame and no man ca interpretate it/ but I haue herde saye of the y^t as soone as thou hearest a dreame/ thou dost interpretate it. And Ioseph answered Pharao saynge: God shall geue Pharao an answere of peace without me.

Pharao sayde vnto Ioseph: in my dreame me thought I stode by a ryvers syde/ and there came out of the ryver vij fatt fleshed ad well fauored kyne/ and fedd in the medowe. And then .vij. other kyne came vp after them/ poore and very euell fauored ad leane fleshed: so that I neuer sawe their lyke in all the lande of Egipte in euell fauordnesse. And the .vij. leane and euell fauored kyne ate vpp the first .vij. fatt kyne And when they had eaten them vp/ a man cowde not perceaue that they had eat[~e] them: for they were still as evyll fauored as they were at the begynnynge. And I awoke.

And I sawe agayne in my dreame .vij. eares sprynge out of one stalk full and good/ and .vij. other eares wytherd/ thinne and blasted with wynde/ sprynge vp after them. And the thynne eares deuowred the .vij. good eares. And I haue tolde it vnto the sothsayers/ but no man can tell me what it meaneth.

Then Ioseph sayde vnto Pharao: both Pharaos dreames are one. And god doth shewe Pharao what he is aboute to do. The vij. good kyne are .vij yeres: & the .vij. good eares are .vij. yere also/ and is but one dreame. Lykewyse/ the .vij. thynne and euell fauored kyne that came out after them/ are .vij. yeares: and the .vij. emptie and blasted eares shalbe vij. yeares of hunger. This is that which I sayde vnto Pharao/ that God doth shewe Pharao what he is aboute to doo.

Beholde there shall come .vij. yere of great plenteousnes through out all the lande of Egypte. And there shall aryse after them vij. yeres of hunger. So that all the plenteousnes shalbe forgeten in the lande of Egipte. And the hunger shall consume the lande: so that the plenteousnes shall not be once agene in the land by reason of that hunger that shall come after/ for it shalbe exceading great And as concernynge that the dreame was dubled vnto Pharao the second tyme/ it betokeneth that the thynge is certanly prepared of God/ ad that God will shortly brynge it to passe.

Now therfore let Pharao provyde for a man of vnderstondynge and wysdome/ and sett him over the lande of Egipte. And let Pharao make officers ouer the lande/ and take vp the fyfte parte of the land of Egipte in the vij. plenteous yeres and let them gather all the foode of these good yeres that come/ ad lay vp corne vnder the power of Pharo: that there may be foode in the cities/ and there let them kepte it: that there may be foode in stoore in the lande/ agaynst the .vij. yeres of hunger which shall come in the lande of Egipte/ and that the lande perishe not thorow hunger.

And the saynge pleased Pharao ad all his seruauntes. Than sayde Pharao vnto his seruavauntes: where shall we fynde soch a ma as this is/ that hath the sprete of God in him? wherfore Pharao sayde vnto Ioseph: for as moch as God hath shewed the all this/ there is no man of vnderstondyng nor of wysdome lyke vnto the Thou therfore shalt be ouer my house/ and acordinge to thy worde shall all my people obey: only in the kynges seate will I be aboue the. And he sayde vnto Ioseph: beholde/ I haue sett the ouer all the lande of Egipte. And he toke off his rynge from his fyngre/ and put it vpon Iosephs fingre/ and arayed him in raym[~e]t of bisse/ and put a golden cheyne aboute his necke and set him vpon the best charett that he had saue one. And they cryed before him Abrech/ ad that Pharao had made him ruelar ouer all the lande of Egipte.

And Pharao sayde vnto Ioseph: I am Pharao/ without thi will/ shall no man lifte vp ether his hande or fote in all the lande of Egipte. And he called Iosephs name Zaphnath Paenea. And he gaue him to wyfe Asnath the doughter of Potiphara preast of On. Than went Ioseph abrode in the lade of Egipte. And he was .xxx. yere olde wh[~e] he stode before Pharao kynge of Egipte. And than Ioseph departed from Pharao/ and went thorow out all the lande of Egipte.

And in the .vij. pl[~e]teous yeres they made sheves and gathered vp all the fode of the .vij. plenteous yeres which were in the lande of Egipte and put it in to the cities. And he put the food of the feldes that grewe rounde aboute euery cyte: euen in the same. And Ioseph layde vp corne in stoore/ lyke vnto the sande of the see in multitude out of mesure/ vntyll he left nombrynge: For it was with out nombre.

And vnto Ioseph were borne .ij. sonnes before the yeres of hunger came/ which Asnath the doughter of Potiphara preast of On/ bare vnto him. And he called the name of the first sonne Manasse/ for God (sayde he) hath made me forgett all my laboure & all my fathers husholde. The seconde called he Ephraim/ for God (sayde he) hath caused me to growe in the lande of my trouble.

And when the .vij. yeres of plenteousnes that was in the lande of Egypte were ended/ than came the .vij. yeres of derth/ acordynge as Ioseph had sayde. And the derth was in all landes: but in the lade of Egipte was there yet foode. When now all the lande of Egipte began to hunger/ than cried the people to Pharao for bread. And Pharao sayde vnto all Egipte: goo vnto Ioseph/ and what he sayth to you that doo And when the derth was thorow out all the lande/ Ioseph opened all that was in the cities and solde vnto the Egiptias And hunger waxed sore in the land of Egipte. And all countrees came to Egipte to Ioseph for to bye corne: because that the hunger was so sore in all landes.

¶ The .xlij. Chapter.

When Iacob sawe that there was corne to be solde in Egipte/ he sayde vnto his sones: why are ye negligent? beholde/ I haue hearde that there is corne to be solde in Egipte. Gete you thither and bye vs corne fro th[~e]ce/ that we maye lyue and not dye. So went Iosephs ten brethern doune to bye corne in Egipte/ for Ben Iamin Iosephs brother wold not Iacob sende with his other brethren: for he sayde: some mysfortune myght happen him

And the sonnes of Israell came to bye corne amonge other that came/ for there was derth also in the lande of Canaan. And Ioseph was gouerner in the londe/ and solde corne to all the people of the londe. And his brethren came/ and fell flatt on the grounde before him. When Ioseph sawe his brethern/ he knewe them: But made straunge vnto them/ and spake rughly vnto them saynge: Whence come ye? and they sayde: out of the lande of Canaan/ to bye vitayle. Ioseph knewe his brethern/ but they knewe not him.

And Ioseph remembred his dreames which he dreamed of them/ and sayde vnto them: ye are spies/ and to se where the lande is weake is youre comynge. And they sayde vnto him: nay my lorde: but to bye vitayle thy seruauntes are come. We are all one mans sonnes/ and meane truely/ and thy seruauntes are no spies. And he sayde vnto them: nay verely/ but euen to se where the land is weake is youre comynge. And they sayde: we thi seruauntes are .xij. brethern/ the sonnes of one man in the lande of Canaan. The yongest is yet with oure father/ and one no man woteth where he is.

Ioseph sayde vnto them/ that is it that I sayde vnto you/ that ye are surelye spies. Here by ye shall be proued. For by the lyfe of Pharao/ ye shall not goo hence/ vntyll youre yongest brother be come hither. Sende therfore one off you and lett him fett youre brother/ and ye shalbe in preason in the meane season. And thereby shall youre wordes be proued/ whether there be any trueth in you: or els by the lyfe of Pharao/ ye are but spies. And he put them in warde thre dayes.

And Ioseph sayde vnto th[~e] the thyrd daye: This doo and lyue/ for I feare Gode Yf ye meane no hurte/ let one of youre brethern be bounde in the preason/ and goo ye and brynge the necessarie foode vnto youre housholdes/ and brynge youre yongest brother vnto me: that youre wordes maye be beleved/ ad that ye dye not And they did so.

Than they sayde one to a nother: we haue verely synned agaynst oure brother/ in that we sawe the anguysh of his soull when he besought us/ & wold not heare him: therfore is this troubyll come apon us. Ruben answered th[~e] saynge: sayde I not vnto you that ye shulde not synne agaynst the lad? but ye wolde not heare And now verely see/ his bloude is requyred.

They were not aware that Ioseph vnderstode them/ for he spake vnto them by an interpreter. And he turned from them and wepte/ and than turned to them agayne ad comened with them/ and toke out Simeon from amonge th[~e] and bownde him before their eyes/ ad commaunded to fyll their sackes wyth corne/ and to put euery mans money in his sacke/ and to geue them vitayle to spende by the waye. And so it was done to them.

And they laded their asses with the corne and departed thence. And as one of them opened his sacke/ for to geue his asse prauender in the Inne/ he spied his money in his sacks mouth And he sayde vnto his brethren: my money is restored me agayne/ & is eu[~e] in my sackes mouth Than their hartes fayled them/ and were astoynyed and sayde one to a nother: how cometh it that God dealeth thus with us?

And they came vnto Iacob their father vnto the lande of Canaan/ and tolde him all that had happened them saynge. The lorde of the lade spake rughly to us/ and toke us for spyes to serche the countre. And we sayde vnto him: we meane truely and are no spies. We be .xij. brethren sones of oure father/ one is awaye/ and the yongest is now with oure father in the lande of Canaan.

And the lorde of the countre sayde vnto us: hereby shall I knowe yf ye meane truely: leaue one of youre brethern here with me/ and take foode necessary for youre housholdes and get you awaye/ and brynge youre yongest brother vnto me And thereby shall I knowe that ye are no spyes/ but meane truely: So will I delyuer you youre brother agayne/ and ye shall occupie in the lande.

And as they emptied their sackes/ beholde: euerymans bundell of money was in his sacke And when both they and their father sawe the bundells of money/ they were afrayde.

And Iacob their father sayde vnto them: Me haue ye robbed of my childern: Ioseph is away/ and Simeon is awaye/ and ye will take Ben Iamin awaye. All these thinges fall vpon me. Ruben answered his father saynge: Slee my two sonnes/ yf I bringe him not to the agayne. Delyuer him therfore to my honde/ and I will brynge him to the agayne: And he sayde: my sonne shall not go downe with you. For his brother is dead/ and he is left alone Moreouer some mysfortune myght happen vpon him by the waye which ye goo. And so shuld ye brynge my gray head with sorowe vnto the graue.

¶ The .xliij. Chapter.

And the derth waxed sore in the lande. And when they had eate vp that corne which they brought out of the lande of Egipte/ their father sayde vnto them: goo agayne and by vs a litle food. Than sayde Iuda vnto him: the man dyd testifie vnto vs saynge: loke that ye see not my face excepte youre brother be with you. Therfore yf thou wilt sende oure brother with vs/ we wyll goo and bye the food. But yf thou wylt not sende him/ we wyll not goo: for the man sayde vnto vs: loke that ye see not my face/ excepte youre brother be with you.

And Israell sayde: wherfore delt ye so cruelly with me/ as to tell the man that ye had yet another brother? And they sayde: The man asked vs of oure kynred saynge: is youre father yet alyue? haue ye not another brother? And we tolde him acordynge to these wordes. How cowd we knowe that he wolde byd vs brynge oure brother downe with vs? Than sayde Iuda vnto Israell his father: Send the lad with me/ and we wyll ryse and goo/ that we maye lyue and not dye: both we/ thou and also oure childern. I wilbe suertie for him/ and of my handes requyre him. Yf I brynge him not to the and sett him before thine eyes/ than let me bere the blame for euer. For except we had made this tari[~e]g: by this we had bene there twyse and come agayne.

Than their father Israel sayde vnto th[~e]: Yf it must nedes be so now: than do thus/ take of the best frutes of the lande in youre vesselles/ and brynge the man a present/ a curtesie bawlme/ and a curtesie of hony/ spyces and myrre/ dates and almondes. And take as moch money more with you. And the money that was brought agayne in youre sackes/ take it agayne with you in youre handes/ peraduenture it was some ouersyghte.

Take also youre brother with you/ and aryse and goo agayne to the man. And God almightie geue you mercie in the sighte of the man and send you youre other brother and also B[~e] Iamin/ and I wilbe as a ma robbed of his childern.

Thus toke they the present and twise so moch more money with them/ and Ben Iamim. And rose vp/ went downe to Egipte/ and presented them selfe to Ioseph. When Ioseph sawe Ben Iamin with them/ he sayde to the ruelar of his house: brynge these men home/ and sley and make redie: for they shall dyne with me at none. And the man dyd as Ioseph bad/ and brought them in to Iosephs house.

When they were brought to Iosephs house/ they were afrayde ad sayde: be cause of the money y^t came in oure sackes mouthes at the first tyme/ are we brought/ to pyke a quarell with vs & to laye some thinge to oure charge: to brynge us in bondage and oure asses also. Therfore came they to the man that was the ruelar ouer Iosephs house/ and comened with him at the doore and sayde:

Sir/ we came hither at the first tyme to bye foode/ and as we came to an Inne and opened oure sackes: beholde/ euery mannes money was in his sacke with full weghte: But we haue broght it agene with us/ & other mony haue we brought also in oure handes/ to bye foode/ but we can not tell who put oure money in oure sackes.

And he sayde: be of good chere/ feare not: Youre God and the God of youre fathers hath put you that treasure in youre sackes/ for I had youre money. And he brought Simeon out to them ad led th[~e] in to Iosephs house/ and gaue th[~e] water to washe their fete/ and gaue their asses prauender: And they made redie their present agaynst Ioseph came at none/ for they herde saye that they shulde dyne there.

When Ioseph came home/ they brought the present in to the house to him/ which they had in their handes/ ad fell flat on the grounde befor him. And he welcomed th[~e] curteously sainge: is youre father that old man which ye tolde me of/ in good health? and is he yet alyue? they answered: thy servaunte oure father is in good health/ ad is yet alyue. And they bowed them selues and fell to the grounde.

And he lyfte vp his eyes & behelde his brother Ben Iamin his mothers sonne/ & sayde: is this youre yongest brother of whome ye sayde vnto me? And sayde: God be mercyfull vnto y^e my sonne. And Ioseph made hast (for his hert dyd melt apon his brother) and soughte for to wepe/ & entred in to his chambre/ for to wepe there. And he wasshed his face and came out & refrayned himselfe/ & had sett bread on the table

And they prepared for him by himselfe/ and for them by them selues/ and for the Egiptians which ate with him by them selues/ because the Egyptians may not eate bread with the Hebrues/ for that is an abhomynacyon vnto the Egiptians. And they satt before him: the eldest acordynge vnto his age/ and the yongest acordyng vnto his youth. And the men marveled amonge them selves. And they broughte rewardes vnto them from before him: but Ben Iamins parte was fyue tymes so moch as any of theirs. And they ate and they dronke/ and were dronke wyth him.

The .xliiij. Chapter.

And he commaunded the rueler of his house saynge: fyll the mens sackes with food/ as moch as they can carie/ and put euery mans money in his bagge mouth/ and put my syluer cuppe in the sackes mouth of the yongest and his corne money also. And he dyd as Ioseph had sayde. And in y^e mornynge as soone as it was lighte/ the m[~e] were let goo with their asses.

And when they were out of the cytie and not yet ferre awaye/ Ioseph sayde vnto the ruelar of his house: vp and folowe after the men and ouertake them/ and saye vnto them: wherfore haue ye rewarded euell for good? is that not the cuppe of which my lorde drynketh/ ad doth he not prophesie therin? ye haue euell done that ye haue done.