Hate hem on ros, i_n_ herte numen; 1936
Swilc nið & hate roſ hem on,
and took counsel
to slay him.
He redden alle him for to ſlon.
"Nai," q_u_ad ruben, "ſlo we hi_m_ nogt,
Reuben advised
them to throw
Joseph into an
old and deep pit.
Oðer ſinne may ben wrogt, 1940
Q_u_at-ſo him drempte ðor q_u_iles he ſlep,
In ðiſ ðiſterneſſe,[199] old and dep,
Get wurðe[200] worpen naked and cold,
Q_u_at-ſo hiſ dremeſ owen a-wold." 1944
ðiſ dede waſ don wid[201] herte ſor,
Reuben left his
brethren to seek
better pasture for
his cattle.
Ne wulde ruben nogt drechen ðor;
He gede and ſogte an oðer ſtede,
Hiſ erue i_n_ bettre lewſe he dede; 1948
Judah gave them
bad advice,
Vdas dor[202] q_u_iles gaf hem red,
ðat was fulfilt of derne ſped;
fro galaad men wið chafare
Sag he ðor kumen wid ſpices ware; 1952
[Fol. 38b.]
To-warde egipte he gunne ten.
Iudas tagte hu it ſulde ben,
and Joseph was
sold for thirty
pieces of silver.
Ioseph ſolde ðe breðere ten,
for .xxx. plates to ðe chapmen; 1956
Get waſt bettre he ðuſ waſ ſold,
dan[203] he ðor ſtorue i_n_ here wold.
Reuben came
thither again and
found Joseph
gone.
Ðan r_u_ben cam ðider a-gen,
to ðat ciſt_er_neſſe[204] he ran to ſen; 1960
He miſſed Ioseph and ðhogte ſwem,
Great was his
outcry, which
did not cease
until he was
assured that
Joseph lived.
wende him ſlagen, ſet up an rem;
Nile he blinnen, ſwilc ſorwe he cliued,
Til him he ſweren ðat he liued. 1964
ðo nomen he ðe childes ſrud,
ðe iacob hadde mad im[205] i_n_ prud;
Joseph's coat was
dipt in kid's
blood,
In kides blod he wenten it,
ðo waſ ðor-on an rewli lit. 1968
Sondere men he it leiden on,
[199] cisterneſſe?
[200] _he_ is inserted in the later hand.
[201] wið?
[202] ðor?
[203] ðan?
[204] MS. cift_er_neſſe.
[205] madim in MS.