ðog had he ðo wif(.) and bi-foren
Childre of him bi-geten and of hire boren,
Oc after ðis it ſo bi-cam,
2008
Ioseph iſ dowter to wiue nam. | [Fol. 39b.] |
Putifar luuede ioſeph wel,
bi-tagte him hiſ huſ euerilc del,
And he wurðede riche man an heg, | Potiphar loved Joseph well. |
2012
vnder ioſeph hiſ welðe ðeg.
Hiſ wif wurð wilde, and nam in ðogt | His wealth prospered under Joseph’s care. |
vn-rigt-wiſ luue, and ſwanc for nogt,
One and ſtille ðogt hire gamen
2016
wið ioſeph ſpeken and plaigen ſamen; | His wife sought to lead Joseph astray. |
Ghe bed him gold, and agte, and fe,
To maken him riche man and fre,
wið-ðhan ðat he wið here wile;
2020
Oc him mislikede ðat ghe wile;
for ſcrið, ne ðret, ne mai ghe bi-geten
for to don him chaſthed for-geten; | For gold nor for wealth of any kind would he “forget his chastity.” |
Often ghe ðrette, often ghe ſcroð,
2024
Oc al it was him o-like loð.
An time he was at hire tgeld,
ðo ghe him his mentel for-held; | Neither threats nor intreaties prevailed. |
for he wið hire ne wulde ſpeken,
2028
Ghe ðhenkeð on him for to ben wreken;
Sone ghe mai hire louerd ſen,
Ghe god him bitterlike a-gen, | Wherefore she sought to be revenged upon Joseph. |
And ſeið ioſeph hire wulde don,
2032
ðat ghe ne migte him bringen on;
“ðiſ mentel ic wið-held for-ði,
To tawnen [ðe] ðe ſoðe her-bi.”
ðe wite iſ hiſe(.) ðe right iſ hire,
2036
God al-migtin ðe ſoðe ſhire. | [Fol. 40.]
She accused him falsely to Potiphar, |
Pvtifar trewið hiſe wiwes tale,
And haued dempt ioſep to bale;
He bad [him] ben ſperd faſt dun, | who, believing his wife’s tale, |
2040
And holden harde in priſun. | threw Joseph into prison. |
MS. loruerd.
? haueð.