Jacob Covenants for Rachel

Rachel was bliðe and forð ghe nam,
And kiddit to hire fader laban.

Laban fagnede him in frendes wune,

1656

feren ſwunken yſaaces ſunen.
Iacob tolde him for quat he ſwanc
So fer, and laban herte ranc;
He cuðe him ðer-of wel gret ðhanc,
Laban welcomes his nephew and brings him to his house.

1660

And dede him eten and to him dranc,
And ſeide to him, "bi min blod,
ðin come iſ me leflike and good."
He entertains him well.

Laban bi-tagte him, ſiðen to ſen,

1664

Hiſ hirdeneſſe ðat it wel ben.
Jacob abode with Laban for one month,

And quanne a moneð was ouer-meten,
"Iacob," wað he, "quat wiltu bi-geten?
after which time Laban said to him,

Quat-ſo [ðu] wilt for hire crauen,

1668

Aſke it wið ſkil and ðu ſalt hauen."
[Fol. 33.]
"Tell me what shall thy wages be."

Quat iacob, "ic ſal, for rachel,
Seruen ðe ſeuene winter wel."
Luue wel michil it agte a wold,

1672

Swilc ſeruiſe and ſo longe told.
Jacob covenanted for Rachel.

forð geden ſeuene ger bi tale,
And laban made him hiſ bridale;
Seven years passed away and Laban made a feast.

Iacob wurð drunken, and euen cam,

1676

Laban bi nigt tog him liam;
And a maiden waſ hire bi-tagt,
Zelfa bi name, ðat ilke nagt.
Iacob gan hire under-fon,
When even came Jacob was deceived with Leah.

1680

O morgen ðugte it him miſ-don.
Quat laban, "long wune iſ her driuen,
firmeſt on elde, firſt ben giuen:
And loð me waſ ſenden rachel

1684

So fer, for ic luuede her wel;
Laban says that it was not the custom to marry the younger before the first-born.

Oc ſerf me ſeuene oðer ger,
If ðu ſalt rachel ſeruen her;
Jacob agrees to serve other seven years for Rachel.

At bottom of Fol. 32b is the catchword—"quat ſo ðu wilt."