Joseph Makes Himself Known to His Brethren

And brogte hem bi-for ioſep

2328

Wid reweli lote, and ſorwe, and wep.
ðo quat ioſep, "ne wiſte ge nogt
and brought before Joseph,

ðat ic am o wol witter ðogt?
Mai nogt longe me ben for-holen

2332

Quat-ſo-euere on londe wurð ſtolen."
who reproaches them for their crime.

"Louerd!" quad Iudas, "do wið me
Quat-ſo ði wille on werlde be,
Wið-ðan-ðat ðu friðe beniamin;

2336

ic ledde [him] ut on trewthe min,
ðat he ſulde ef cumen a-gen
to hiſe fader, and wið him ben."
Judah tells Joseph of his promise to his father.

ðo cam ioſep ſwilc rewðe up-on,

2340

he dede halle ut ðe toðere gon,
And ſpac un-eðes, ſo e gret,
ðat alle hiſe wlite wurð tereſ wet.
Joseph commands all, except his brethren, to leave him, and makes himself known to them.

"Ic am ioſep, dredeð gu nogt,

2344

for gure helðe or hider brogt;
Two ger ben nu ðat derke iſ cumen,
Get ſulen .v. fulle ben numen,
ðat men ne ſulen ſowen ne ſheren,

2348

So ſal drugte ðe feldes deren.
[Fol. 46.]

Rapeð gu to min fader a-gen,
And ſeið him quilke min bliſſes ben,
And doð him to me cumen hider,
Tells them to hasten to his father,

2352

And ge and gure orf al to-gider;
Of lewſe god in lond gerſen
ſulen ge ſundri riche ben."
Euerilc he kiſte, on ilc he gret,

2356

Ilc here was of iſ teres wet.
and return with their cattle to Egypt.

Sone it was king pharaon kid
Hu ðis newe tiding wurð bi-tid;
And he was bliðe, in herte fagen,

2360

ðat Ioſep wulde him ðider dragen,
for luue of Ioſep migte he timen.
Soon did Pharaoh learn the new tidings.

He bad cartes and waines nimen,
He bad them take carts and

eft?

derðe?