(Quan god haueð it ſo bi-ſen,
Alſe he ſendet, alſ it ſal ben.) 1412
With gold and
silver and raiment
Eliezer
made the maiden
proud.
Wið gold, and ſilu_er_, and wið ſrud,
ðiſ ſonde made ðe mayden prud;
Gifts also he gave
to the brother
and mother.
ðe broðer and de[161] moder oc
Riche gifteſ eliezer ðe[162] toc. 1416
Sone o-morwen he gan hi_m_ garen,
No longer than
one night would
he delay his errand.
And crauede hiſ erdene, and wolde ho_m_ faren,
for ſcrið, ne mede, ne wold he ðor
Ou_er_ on nigt drechen nu_n_mor; 1420
And ðo gan ðat moder and laban
Rebekah's consent
was first
asked and obtained.
Rebecca freinen ðor for-ðan,
And ghe it grantede mildelike,
And he hire bi-tagten bliðelike. 1424
For this reason
men ask the woman's
will before
she is given in
marriage.
Siðen men hauen holden ſkil,
firſt to freinen ðe wi_m_maneſ wil,
Or or men hire to lou_er_d giue,
for wedding or for morgen-giwe. 1428
Eliezer takes his
departure, wishing
all a good
day.
Eliezer iſ went hiſ wei
And haueð hem boden godun dai.
Or he wel homward cumen was,
Yſaac waſ cume to geraſis, 1432
[Fol. 28b.]
Isaac mourned
for the death of
his mother.
And wunede ðor in ðogt and care,
for moderes dead and ſondes fare.
In a weie an time he cam,
And to a welle, ſigande, he nam, 1436
ðohgteful he waſ on felde gon;
Eliezer him cam a-gon,
Eliezer brought
him a wife by
whom he was
comforted.
Eððede hiſ ſorge, brogt him a wif
Of faiger waspene,[163] of clene lif. 1440
He fagnede hire wið milde mod,
Here ſameni[n]g was clene and god;
Isaac loved Rebekah
well, and
she never contradicted
him.
He luuede hire on-like and wel,
And ſge ne bi-ſpac him neu_er_e a del. 1444
[161] _read_ ðe
[162] _read_ ðo?
[163] An error for wasteme.