Chapter II: Part 2

[Sidenote: * This lawe and soch like to exequute/ were kinges and rulars ordeyned of God wherfore they ought not to suffre the popes Caimes thus to shede bloud theirs not shed ageyne/ nether yet to sett vpp their abhominable s[~e]tuaryes & necke verses cleane agenste the ordinaunce of god/ but vnto their danacyon]

* For verely the bloude of yow wherein youre lyves are wyll I requyre: Eu[~e] of the hande of all beastes wyll I requyre it/ And of the hande of man and of the hand off euery mannes brother/ wyll I requyre the lyfe of man: so y^t he which shedeth mannes bloude/ shall haue hys bloud shed by man agayne: for God made man after his awne lyckness. See that ye encrease/ and waxe/ and be occupyde vppon the erth/ & multiplye therein.

Farthermore God spake vnto Noe & to hys sonnes wyth hym saynge: see/ I make my bod wyth you and youre seed after you/ and wyth all lyvynge thinge that is wyth you: both foule and catell/ and all maner beste of the erth that is wyth yow/ of all that commeth out of the arke/ what soeuer beste of the erth it be.

I make my bonde wyth yow/ that hence forth all flesh shall not be destroyed wyth y^e waters of any floud/ ad y^t hence forth there shall not be a floud to destroy the erth.

And God sayd. This is the token of my bode which I make betwene me and yow/ ad betwene all lyvynge thyng that is with yow for ever: I wyll sette my bowe in the cloudes/ and it shall be a sygne of the appoyntment made betwene me and the erth: So that when I bryng in cloudes vpo y^e erth/ the bowe shall appere in y^e cloudes. And than wyll I thynke vppon my testament which I haue made betwene me and yow/ and all that lyveth what soeuer flesh it be. So that henceforth there shall be no more waters to make a floud to destroy all flesh.

The bowe shalbe in the cloudes/ and I wyll loke vpon it/ to remembre the euerlastynge testament betwene God and all the lyveth vppon the erth/ what soeuer flesh it be. And God sayd vnto Noe: This is the sygne of the testament which I have made betwene me and all flesh y^t is on the erth.

The sonnes of Noe that came out of the arke were: Sem/ Ham and Iapheth. And Ham he is the father of Canaa. These are the .iij. sonnes of Noe/ and of these was all the world overspred.

And Noe beynge an husbad man/ went furth and planted a vyneyarde and drancke of the wyne and was droncke/ and laye vncouered in the myddest of his t[~e]t. And Ham the father of Canaan sawe his fathers prevytees/ & tolde his ij. brethren that were wythout. And Sem and Iapheth toke a mantell and put it on both there shulders ad went backward/ ad covered there fathers secrets/ but there faces were backward So that they sawe not there fathers nakydnes. As soone as Noe was awaked fro his wyne and wyst what his yongest sonne had done vnto hym/ he sayd: cursed be Canaan/ ad a seruante of all seruantes be he to his brethren. And he sayd: Blessed be the LORde God of S[~e]/ and Canaan be his seruante. God increase Iapheth that he may dwelle in the tentes of Sem. And Canaan be their seruante.

And Noe lyved after the floude .iij. hundred and .l. yere: So that all the dayes of Noe were ix. hundred and .l. yere/ ad than he dyed.

The .x. Chapter.

These are the generations of the sonnes of Noe: of Sem/ Ham and Iapheth/ which begat them children after the floude.

The sonnes of Iapheth were: Gomyr/ Magog/ Madai/ Iauan/ Tuball/ Mesech and Thyras. And the sonnes of Gomyr were: Ascenas Riphat and Togarma. And the sonnes of Iauan were: Elisa/ Tharsis/ Cithim and Dodanim. Of these came the Iles of the gentylls in there contres/ every man in his speach/ kynred and nation.

The sonnes of Ham were: Chus Misraim Phut and Canaan. The sonnes of Chus: were Seba/ Heuila/ Sabta/ Rayma and Sabtema. And the sonnes of Rayma were: Sheba/ & Dedan. Chus also begot Nemrod/ which bega to be myghtye in the erth. He was a myghtie hunter in the syghte of the LORde: Where of came the proverbe: he is as Nemrod that myghtie hunter in the syghte of the LORde. And the begynnynge of hys kyngdome was Babell/ Erech/ Achad and Chalne in the lande of Synear: Out of that lande came Assur and buylded Ninyue/ and the cyte rehoboth/ and Calah And Ressen betwene Ninyue ad Chalah. That is a grete cyte. And Mizraim begat ludim/ Enamim/ Leabim/ Naphtuhim/ Pathrusim & Casluhim: from whence came the Philystyns/ and the Capthiherynes.

Canaan also begat zidon his eldest sonne & Heth/ Iebusi/ Emori/ Girgosi/ Hiui/ Arki/ Sini/ Aruadi/ Zemari and hamati. And afterward sprange the kynreds of the Canaanytes And the costes of the Canaanytes were fro Sydon tyll thou come to Gerara & to Asa/ & tyll thou come to Sodoma/ Gomorra/ Adama Zeboim: ev[~e] vnto Lasa. These were the chyldre of Ham in there kynreddes/ tonges/ landes and nations.

And Sem the father of all y^e childr[~e] of Eber and the eldest brother of Iapheth/ begat children also. And his sonnes were: Elam Assur/ Arphachsad/ Lud ad Aram. And y^e childree of Aram were: Vz/ Hul/ Gether & Mas And Arphachsad begat Sala/ and Sala begat Eber. And Eber begat .ij. sonnes. The name of the one was Peleg/ for in his tyme the erth was devyded. And the name of his brother was Iaketan:

Iaketan begat Almodad/ Saleph/ Hyzarmoueth/ Iarah/ Hadoram/ Vsal/ Dikela/ Obal/ Abimael/ Seba/ Ophir/ Heuila & Iobab. All these are the sonnes of Iaketan. And the dwellynge of them was from Mesa vntill thou come vnto Sephara a mountayne of the easte lande. These are the sonnes o Sem in their kynreddes/ languages/ contrees and nations. These are the kynreddes of the sonnes of Noe/ in their generations and nations. And of these came the people that were in the world after the floude.

¶ The .xi. chapter.

And all the world was of one tonge and one language. And as they came from the east/ they founde a playne in the lande of Synear/ and there they dwelled. And they sayd one to a nother: come on/ let us make brycke ad burne it wyth fyre. So brycke was there stone and slyme was there morter And they sayd: Come on/ let vs buylde vs a cyte and a toure/ that the toppe may reach vnto heauen. And let vs make us a name/ for perauenture we shall be scatered abrode over all the erth.

And the LORde came downe to see the cyte and the toure which the childern of Ada had buylded. And the LORde sayd: See/ the people is one and haue one tonge amonge them all. And thys haue they begon to do/ and wyll not leaue of from all that they haue purposed to do. Come on/ let vs descende and myngell theire tonge even there/ that one vnderstonde not what a nother sayeth. Thus y^e LORde skatered them from thence vppon all the erth. And they left of to buylde the cyte. Wherfore the name of it is called Babell/ because that the LORDE there confounded the tonge of all the world. And because that the LORde from thence/ skatered them abrode vppon all the erth.

These are the generations of Sem: S[~e] was an hundred yere olde and begat Arephachsad ij. yere after the floude. And S[~e] lyved after he had begot Arphachsad .v. hundred yere an begat sonnes and doughters.

And Arphacsad lyued .xxxv. yere and begat Sala/ and lyved after he had begot Sala iiij. h[~u]dred yere & .iij & begat sonnes and doughters. And Sala was .xxx. yere old and begat Eber/ ad lyued after he had begot Eber .iiij. h[~u]dred and thre yere/ ad begat sonnes and doughters

When Eber was .xxxiiij. yere olde/ he begat Peleg/ and lyued after he had begot Peleg/ foure hundred and .xxx. yere/ and begat sonnes and doughters.

And Peleg when he was .xxx. yere olde begat Regu/ and lyued after he had begot Regu .ij. hundred and .ix. yere/ and begat sonnes and doughters.

And Regu when he had lyued .xxxij. yere begat Serug/ and lyued after he had begot Serug .ij. hundred and .vij. yere/ and begat sonnes and doughters.

And when Serug was .xxx. yere olde/ he begat Nahor/ and lyued after he had begot Nahor .ij. hundred yere/ and begat sonnes & doughters.

And Nahor when he was .xxix. yere olde/ begat Terah/ and lyved after he had begot Terah/ an hundred and .xix. yere/ and begat sonnes and doughters.

And when Terah was .lxx. yere olde/ he begat Abram/ Nahor and Haran.

And these are the generations of Terah. Terah begat Abram/ Nahor and Haran. And Haran begat Lot. And Haran dyed before Terah his father in the londe where he was borne/ at Vr in Chaldea. And Abram and Nahor toke them wyves. Abras wyfe was called Sarai. And Nahors wyfe Mylca the doughter of Haran which was father of Milca ad of Iisca. But Sarai was baren and had no childe.

Than toke Terah Abram his sonne and Lot his sonne Harans sonne/ & Sarai his doughter in lawe his sone Abrams wyfe. And they went wyth hym from Vr in Chaldea/ to go in to the lade of Chanaan. And they came to Haran and dwelled there. And when Terah was ij. hundred yere old and .v. he dyed in Haran.

¶ The .xij. Chapter.

Then the LORde sayd vnto Abra Gett the out of thy contre and from thy kynred/ and out of thy fathers house/ into a londe which I wyll shewe the. And I wyll make of the a myghtie people/ and wyll blesse the/ and make thy name grete/ that thou mayst be a blessinge. And I wyll blesse th[~e] that blesse the/ ad curse th[~e] that curse the. And in the shall be blessed all the generations of the erth.

And Abram w[~e]t as the LORde badd hym/ and Lot went wyth hym. Abram was .lxxv. yere olde/ when he went out of Haran. And Abram toke Sarai his wyfe ad Lot his brothers sonne/ wyth all their goodes which they had goten and soulles which they had begoten in Haran. And they departed to goo in to the lade of Chanaan. And when they were come in to the lande of Chanaan/ Abram went furth in to the lade tyll he came vnto a place called Sychem/ and vnto the oke of More. And the Canaanytes dwelled then in the lande.

Then the LORde apeared vnto Abram ad sayd: vnto thy seed wyll I geue thys lade. And he buylded an aultere there vnto the LORDE which apeared to hym. Then departed he thence vnto a mountayne that lyeth on the east syde of BETHEL and pytched his tente: BETHEL beynge on the west syde/ and Ay on the east: And he buylded there an aulter vnto the LORde/ and called on the name of y^e LORde. And than Abram departed and toke his iourney southwarde

After thys there came a derth in the lande. And Abram went doune in to Egipte to soiourne there/ for the derth was sore in the lande. And when he was come nye for to entre in to Egipte/ he sayd vnto Sarai his wife. Beholde/ I knowe that thou art a fayre woman to loke apo. It wyll come to passe therfore wh[~e] the Egiptians see the/ that they wyll say: she is his wyfe. And so shall they sley me and save the. Saye I praye the therfore that thou art my sister/ that I maye fare the better by reason of the and that my soule may lyue for thy sake.

As soone as he came in to Egipte/ the Egiptias sawe the woman that she was very fayre. And Pharaos lordes sawe hir also/ and praysed hir vnto Pharao: So that she was taken in to Pharaos house/ which entreated Abram well for hir sake/ so that he had shepe/ oxsen ad he asses/ men seruantes/ mayde seruates/ she asses and camels.

But God plaged Pharao/ and his house wyth grete plages/ because of Sarai Abrams wyfe. Then Pharao called Abram and sayd: why hast thou thus dealt with me? Wherfore toldest thou me not that she was thy wyfe? Why saydest thou that she was thy sister/ and causedest me to take hyr to my wyfe? But now loo/ there is the wife/ take hir ad be walkynge. Pharao also gaue a charge vnto his men over Abram/ to leade hym out/ wyth his wyfe and all that he had.

¶ The .xiij. Chapter.

Than Abram departed out of Egipte/ both he and his wyfe and all that he had/ and Lot wyth hym vnto the south. Abram was very rych in catell/ syluer & gold. And he went on his iourney fro the south even vnto BETHEL/ ad vnto the place where his tente was at the fyrst tyme betwene BETHEL and Ay/ and vnto the place of the aulter which he made before. And there called Abram vpon the name of the LORde.

Lot also which went wyth hym had shepe/ catell and tentes: so that the londe was not abill to receaue/ them that they myght dwell to gether/ for the substance of their riches was so greate/ that they coude not dwell to gether And there fell a stryfe betwene the herdmen of Abrams catell/ and the herdmen of Lots catell. Moreouer the Cananytes and the Pherysites dwelled at that tyme in the lande.

Than sayd Abram vnto Lot: let there be no stryfe I praye the betwene the and me and betwene my herdmen and thyne/ for we be brethren. Ys not all the hole lande before the? Departe I praye the fro me. Yf thou wylt take the lefte hande/ I wyll take the right: Or yf thou take the right hande I wyll take the left. And Lot lyft vp hys eyes and beheld all the contre aboute Iordane/ which was a plenteous contre of water every where/ before the LORde destroyed Sodoma and Gomorra. Even as the garden of the LORde/ & as the lande of Egipte tyll thou come to Zoar.

Than Lot chose all the costes of Iordane ad toke hys iourney from the east. And so departed the one brother from the other. Abram dwelled in the lande of Canaan. And lot in the cytes of the playne/ & tented tyll he came to Sodome. But the men of sodome were wyked and synned exceadyngly agenst the LORde.

And the LORde sayed vnto Abram/ after that Lot was departed from hym: lyfte vp thyne eyes & loke from y^e place where thou art/ northward/ southward/ eastward and westward/ for all the lande which thou seiste wyll I gyue vnto the & to thy seed forever. And I wyll make thy seed/ as the dust of the erth: so that yf a ma can nombre the dust of the erth/ than shall thy seed also be nombred. Aryse and walke aboute in the lande/ in the length of it ad in the bredth for I wyll geue it vnto the.

Than Abra toke downe hys tente/ & went and dwelled in the okegrove of Mamre which is in Ebron and buylded there an altar to the LORde.

The .xiiij. Chapter.

And it chaunsed within a while/ that Amraphel kynge of Synear/ Arioch kynge of Ellasar/ Kedorlaomer kynge of Elam and Thydeall kynge of the nations: made warre wyth Bera kynge of Sodoh and with Birsa kynge of Gomorra. And wythe Sineab kynge of Adama/ & with Semeaber kynge of Zeboim/ and wyth the kynge of Bela Which Bela is called Zoar. All these came together vnto the vale of siddim which is now the salt see Twelve yere were they subiecte to kinge kedorlaomer/ and in the .xiij. yere rebelled.

Therfore in the .xiiij. yere came kedorlaomer and the kynges that were wyth hym/ and smote the Raphayms in Astarath Karnaim/ and the Susims in Ham/ ad the Emyms in Sabe Kariathaim/ and the Horyms in their awne mounte Seir vnto the playne of Pharan/ which bordreth vpon the wyldernesse. And then turned they and came to the well of iugmente which is Cades/ and smote all the contre of the Amalechites/ and also the amorytes that dwell in Hazezon Thamar.

Than went out the kynge of Sodome/ and the kynge of Gomorra/ and the kinge of Adama and the kynge of Zeboijm/ and the kynge of Bela now called Zoar. And sette their men in aray to fyghte wyth them in the vale of siddim/ that is to say/ wyth kedorlaomer the kynge of Elam and with Thydeall kynge of the Nations/ and wyth Amraphel kynge of Synear. And with Arioch kynge of Ellasar: foure kynges agenste v. And that vale of siddim was full of slyme pyttes.

And the kynges of Sodome and Gomorra fled/ and fell there. And the resydue fled to the mountaynes. And they toke all the goodes of Sodome and Gomorra and all their vitalles/ ad went their waye. And they toke Lot also Abrams brothers sonne and his good (for he dwelled at Sodome) and departed:

Than came one that had escaped/ and tolde Abram the hebrue which dwelled in the okegrove of Mamre the Amoryte brother of Eschol and Aner: which were confederate wyth Abram. When Abram herde that his brother was taken/ he harnessed his seruantes borne in his owne house .iij. hundred & .xviij. ad folowed tyll they came at Dan. And sette hymselfe ad his seruantes in aray/ & fell vpon them by nyght/ & smote them/ & chased them awaye vnto Hoba: which lyeth on the lefte hande of Damascos/ and broughte agayne all the goodes/ & also his brother Lot/ ad his goodes/ the wem[~e] also and the people.

And as he retourned agayne from the slaughter of kedorlaomer and of the kynges that were with hym/ than came the kynge of Sodome agaynst hym vnto the vale of Saue which now is called kynges dale.

Than Melchisedech kinge of Salem brought forth breed and wyne. And he beynge the prest of the most hyghest God/ blessed hym saynge. Blessed be Abram vnto the most hyghest God/ possessor of heaven and erth. And blessed be God the most hyghest/ which hath delyvered thyne enimies in to thy handes. And Abra gaue hym tythes of all.

Than sayd the kynge of Sodome vnto Abram: gyue me the soulles/ and take the goodes to thy selfe. And Abram answered the kynge of Sodome: I lyfte vpp my hande vnto the LORde God most hygh possessor of heaven ad erth/ that I will not take of all y^t is thyne/ so moch as a thred or a shoulachet/ lest thou shuldest saye I haue made Abra ryche. Saue only that which the yonge men haue eaten ad the partes of the men which went wyth me. Aner/ Escholl & Mamre. Let them take their partes.

xv. Chapter.

After these deades/ y^e worde of God came vnto Abram in a vision saynge feare not Abram/ I am thy shilde/ and thy rewarde shalbe exceadynge greate. And Abram answered: LORde Iehouah what wilt thou geue me: I goo childlesse/ and the cater of myne housse/ this Eleasar of Damasco hath a sonne. And Abram sayd: se/ to me hast thou geven no seed: lo/ a lad borne in my housse shal be myne heyre.

And beholde/ the worde of the LORde spake vnto Abram sayenge: He shall not be thyne heyre/ but one that shall come out of thyne awne bodye shalbe thyne heyre. And he brought him out at the doores ad sayde. Loke vpp vnto heaven and tell the starres/ yf thou be able to nobre them. And sayde vnto him Even so shall thy seed be.

And Abram beleved the LORde/ and it was counted to him for rightwesnes. And he sayde vnto hym: I am the LORde that brought the out of Vr in Chaldea to geue this lande to possesse it.

And he sayde: LORde God/ whereby shall I knowe that I shall possesse it? And he sayde vnto him: take an heyfer of .iij. yere olde/ and a she gotte of thre yeres olde/ and a thre yere olde ram/ a turtill doue and a yonge pigeon. And he toke all these and devyded them in the myddes/ and layde euery pece/ one over agenst a nother. But the foules devyded he not. And the byrdes fell on the carcases/ but Abra droue th[~e] awaye. And when the sonne was doune/ there fell a slomber apon Abram. And loo/ feare and greate darknesse came apon hym.

And he sayde vnto Abram: knowe this of a suertie/ that thi seed shalbe a straunger in a lande that perteyneth not vnto th[~e]. And they shall make bondmen of them and entreate them evell iiij. hundred yeares. But the nation whom they shall serue/ wyll I iudge. And after warde shall they come out wyth greate substace. Neuerthelesse thou shalt goo vnto thi fathers in peace/ ad shalt be buried when thou art of a good age: ad in the fourth generation they shall come hyther agayne/ for the wekednesse of the Amorites ys not yet full.

When the sonne was doune and it was waxed darcke: beholde/ there was a smokynge furnisse and a fyre brand that went betwene the sayde peces.

And that same daye the LORde made a covenaunte with Abram saynge: vnto thy seed wyll I geue thys londe/ fro the ryver of Egypte/ even vnto the greate ryver euphrates: the kenytes/ the kenizites/ the Cadmonites/ the Hethites/ the Pherezites/ the Raphaims/ the Amorytes/ the Canaanites/ the Gergesites and the Iebusites.

The .xvi. Chapter.

Sarai Abrams wyfe bare him no childerne. But she had an hand mayde an Egiptian/ whose name was Hagar. Wherfore she sayde vnto Abram. Beholde the LORde hath closed me/ that I can not bere. I praye the goo in vnto my mayde/ peradu[~e]ture I shall be multiplyed by meanes of her And Abram herde the voyce of Sarai. Than Sarai Abrams wife toke Hagar hyr mayde the Egitian (after Abram had dwelled .x. yere in the lande of Canaan) and gaue her to hyr husbonde Abram/ to be his wyfe.

And he wente in vnto Hagar/ & she conceaved. And when she sawe that she had conceyved hyr mastresse was despised in hyr syghte. Than sayd Sarai vnto Abram: Thou dost me vnrighte/ for I haue geuen my mayde into thy bosome: & now because she seyth that she hath coceaved/ I am despysed in hyr syghte: the LORde iudge betwene the and me. Than sayde Abra to Sarai: beholde/ thy mayde is in thy hande/ do with hyr as it pleaseth the.

And because Sarai fared foule with her/ she fled from her. And the angell of the LORde founde her besyde a fountayne of water in the wyldernes: euen by a well in the way to Sur. And he sayde: Hagar Sarais mayde/ whence comest thou and whether wylt thou goo? And she answered: I flee from my mastresse Sarai. And the angell of the LORde sayde vnto her: returne to thy mastresse agayne/ & submytte thy selfe vnder her handes.

And the angell of y^e LORde sayde vnto her: I will so encrease thy seed/ that it shall not be numbred for multitude. And the LORdes angell sayd further vnto her: se/ thou art wyth childe and shalt bere a sonne/ and shalt call his name Ismael: because the LORDE hath herde thy tribulation. He will be a wylde man/ and his hande will be agenst every man/ & euery mans hande agenst him. And yet shall he dwell faste by all his brothren.

And she called the name of the LORde that spake vnto her: thou art the God that lokest on me/ for she sayde: I haue of a suertie sene here the backe parties of him that seith me. Wherfore she called the well/ the well of the lyuynge that seith me which well is betwene Cades & Bared.

And Hagar bare Abram a sonne/ and Abram called his sons name which Hagar bare Ismaell. And Abram was .lxxxvi. yere olde/ when Hagar bare him Ismael.

¶ The .xvij. Chapter.

When Abram was nynetye yere olde & ix. the LORde apeared to hym sayenge: I am the almyghtie God: walke before me ad be vncorrupte. And I wyll make my bonde betwene the and me/ and wyll multiplye the excedyngly. And Abra fell on his face. And God talked moreover with hym saynge: I am/ beholde my testam[~e]t is with the/ that thou shalt be a father of many natios. Therfore/ shalt thou no more be called Abram/ but thy name shalbe Abraham: for a father of many nations haue I made the/ and I will multiplye the excedyngly/ and wyll make nations of the: yes and kynges shall sprynge out of the.

Moreover I will make my bonde betwene me and the/ and thy seed after the/ in their tymes to be an everlastynge testament/ So that I wyll be God vnto the and to thy seed after the. And I will geue vnto the ad to thy seed after the/ the lande where in thou arte a straunger: Euen all the lande of Canaan/ for an everlastynge possession/ and wil be their God.

And God sayde vnto Abraha: Se thou kepe my testamente/ both thou & thy seed after the in their tymes: This is my testamente which ye shall kepe betwene me and you and thy seed after the/ that ye circ[~u]cyse all youre men childern Ye shall circumcyse the foreskynne of youre flesh/ ad it shal be a token of the bond betwixte me and you. And euery manchilde when it is viij. dayes olde/ shal be circ[~u]cysed amonge you in youre generations/ and all seruauntes also borne at home or boughte with money though they be straungers and not of thy seed. The seruaunte borne in thy housse/ ad he also that is bought with money/ must needes be circumcysed/ that my testament may be in youre flesh/ for an everlastynge bonde. Yf there be any vncircuncysed manchilde/ that hath not the forskynne of his flesh cutt of/ his soule shall perish from his people: because he hath brok[~e] my testam[~e]t

And God sayde vnto Abraham. Sarai thy wyfe shall nomore be called Sarai: but Sara shall hir name be. For I will blesse her & geue the a sonne of her and will blesse her: so that people/ ye and kynges of people shall springe of her. And Abraham fell vpon his face ad laughte/ and sayd in his harte: shall a childe be borne vnto hym that is an hundred yere olde/ ad shall Sara that is nynetie yere olde/ bere? And Abraha sayde vnto God. O that Ismaell myghte lyve in thy syghte.

Th[~e] sayde God: na/ Sara thy wife shall bere the a sonne/ ad thou shalt call his name Isaac. And I will make my bonde with him/ that it shall be an everlastynge bonde vnto his seed after him. And as concernynge Ismaell also/ I haue herde thy request: loo/ I will blesse him and encrease him/ and multiplye him excedyngly. Twelve prynces shall he begete/ and I will make a great nation of him. But my bonde will I make with Isaac/ which Sara shall bere vnto the: even this tyme twelue moneth.

And God left of talkynge with him/ and departed vp from Abraham. And Abraham toke Ismaell his sonne & all the servauntes borne in his housse and all that was bought with money as many as were menchildren amonge the m[~e] of Abrahas housse/ and circumcysed the foreskynne of their flesh/ even the selfe same daye/ as God had sayde vnto him. Abraham was nynetie yere olde and .ix. when he cutt of the foreskynne of his flesh. And Ismaell his sonne was .xiij. yere olde/ when the foreskynne of hys flesh was circumcysed. The selfe same daye was Abraha circ[~u]cised & Ismael his sonne. And all the men in his housse/ whether they were borne in his housse or bought wyth money (though they were straungers) were circumcysed with him.

¶ The .xviij. Chapter.

And the LORde apeared vnto him in the okegrove of Mamre as he sat in his tent dore in the heate of the daye. And he lyfte vp his eyes and looked: ad lo/ thre men stode not farr from hym. And wh[~e] he sawe them/ he ran agenst them from the tent dore/ and fell to the grounde and sayde: LORde yf I haue founde fauoure in thy syght/ goo not by thi seruaunte. Let a litle water be fett/ & wash youre fete/ and rest youre selves vnder the tree: And I will fett a morsell of breed/ to comforte youre hartes wythall. And tha goo youre wayes/ for even therfore ar ye come to youre servaunte. And they answered: Do even so as thou hast sayde.

And Abraha went a pace in to his tent vnto Sara ad sayde: make redy attonce thre peckes of fyne meale/ kneade it and make cakes. And Abraham ran vnto his beastes and fett a calfe that was tendre and good/ and gaue it vnto a yonge man which made it redy attonce. And he toke butter & mylcke and the calfe which he had prepared/ and sett it before them/ and stode hymselfe by them vnder the tree: and they ate.

And they sayde vnto him: Where is Sara thy wife? And he sayde: in the tent. And he sayde: I will come agayne vnto the as soone as the frute can lyue. And loo: Sara thy wife shall haue a sonne. That herde Sara/ out of the tent doore which was behind his backe. Abraham and Sara were both olde and well stryken in age/ and it ceased to be with Sara after the maner as it is wyth wyves. And Sara laughed in hir selfe saynge: Now I am waxed olde/ shall I geue my selfe to lust/ and my lorde olde also?

Than sayd the LORde vnto Abraha: wherfore doth Sara laughe saynge: shal I of a suertie bere a childe/ now when I am olde? is the thinge to harde for the LORde to do? In the tyme appoynted will I returne vnto the/ as soone as the frute can haue lyfe/ And Sara shall haue a sonne. Than Sara denyed it saynge: I laughed not/ for she was afrayde. But he sayde: yes thou laughtest.

Than the men stode vp from thence and loked towarde Sodome. And Abraham went with them to brynge them on the waye. And the LORde sayde: Can I hyde from Abraham that thinge which I am aboute to do/ seynge that Abraham shalt be a great ad a myghtie people/ and all the nations of the erth shalbe blessed in him? For I knowe him that he will commaunde his childern and his housholde after him/ y^t they kepe the waye of the LORde/ to do after righte and conscyence/ that the LORde may brynge vppon Abraham that he hath promysed him.

And the LORde sayde: The crie of Sodome and Gomorra is great/ and there synne is excedynge grevous. I will go downe and see whether they haue done all to gedder acordynge to that crye which is come vnto me or not/ that I may knowe. And the m[~e] departed th[~e]ce and went to Sodomeward. But Abraham stode yet before y^e LORde/ & drewe nere & sayde

Wylt thou destroy the rightwes with the wyked? Yf there be .l. rightwes within the cyte/ wilt thou destroy it and not spare the place for the sake of .l. rightwes that are therin? That be farre from the/ that thou shuldest be after thys maner/ to sley the rightwes with the weked/ ad that the rightwes shulde be as the weked: that be farre from the. Shulde not the iudge of all y^e worlde do acordynge to righte? And the LORde sayde: Yf I fynde in Sodome .l. rightwes within the cyte/ I will spare all the place for their sakes.

And Abraham answered and sayde: beholde I haue taken vppon me to speake vnto y^e LORde/ ad yet am but dust ad asshes. What though there lacke .v. of .l. rightwes/ wylt thou destroy all the cyte for lacke of .v? And he sayde: Yf I fynde there .xl. and .v. I will not destroy them.

And he spake vnto him yet agayne and sayde: what yf there be xl. fo[~u]de there: And he sayde: I wyll not do it for forties sake. And he sayde: O let not my LORde be angrye/ that I speake. What yf there be fo[~u]de .xxx. there? And he sayde: I will not do it/ yf I finde .xxx. there. And he sayde: Oh/ se/ I haue begonne to speake vnto my LORde/ what yf there be .xx. founde there? And he sayde: I will not distroy th[~e] for tw[~e]ties sake. And he sayde: O let not my LORde be angrye/ that I speake yet/ but eu[~e] once more only. What yf ten be founde there? And he sayde: I will not destroy th[~e] for .x. sake.

And the LORde w[~e]t his waye as soone as he had lefte comenynge with Abraha. And Abraham returned vnto his place

¶ The .xix. Chapter.

And there came .ij. angells to Sodome at euen. And Lot satt at the gate of the cyte. And Lot sawe th[~e]/ and rose vp agaynst them/ and he bowed hym selfe to the grounde with his face. And he sayde: Se lordes/ turne in I praye you in to youre servauntes house and tary all nyghte & wash youre fete/ & ryse vp early and go on youre wayes. And they sayde: nay/ but we will byde in the streates all nyghte. And he copelled them excedyngly. And they turned in vnto hym and entred in to his house/ and he made them a feaste and dyd bake swete cakes/ and they ate.

But before they went to rest/ the men of the cyte of Sodome compassed the house rownde aboute both olde and yonge/ all the people from all quarters. And they called vnto Lot and sayde vnto him: where are the men which came in to thy house to nyghte? brynge th[~e] out vnto vs that we may do oure lust with them.

And Lot went out at doores vnto them and shote the dore after him and sayde: nay for goddes sake brethren/ do no so wekedly. Beholde I haue two doughters which haue knowne no man/ th[~e] will I brynge out vnto you: do with them as it semeth you good: Only vnto these men do nothynge/ for therfore came they vnder the shadowe of my rofe. And they sayde: come hither. And they sayde: camest thou not in to sogeorne/ and wilt thou be now a iudge? we will suerly deale worse with the than with them

And as they preased sore vppon Lot and beganne to breake vp the doore/ the men put forth their handes and pulled Lot in to the house to them and shott to the doore. And the men that were at the doore of the house/ they smote with blyndnesse both small and greate: so that they coude not fynde the doore.

And the men sayde moreover vnto Lot: Yf thou have yet here any sonne in lawe or sonnes or doughters or what so euer thou hast in the cyte/ brynge it out of this place: for we must destroy this place/ because the crye of th[~e] is great before the LORde. Wherfore he hath sent vs to destroy it.

And Lot went out and spake vnto his sonnes in lawe which shulde haue maried his doughters/ and sayde: stonde vpp and get yow out of this place/ for the LORde will destroy the cite. But he semed as though he had mocked/ vnto his sonnes in law.

And as the mornynge arose the angells caused Lot to spede him saynge. Stonde vp/ take thy wyfe and thy two doughters and that that is at hande/ lest thou perish in the synne of the cyte. And as he prolonged the tyme/ the men caught both him/ his wife ad his two doughters by the handes/ because the LORde was mercyfull vnto him/ ad they brought him forth and sette him without the cyte.

When they had brought them out/ they sayde: Saue thy lyfe and loke not behynde the nether tary thou in any place of the contre/ but saue thy selfe in the mountayne/ lest thou perisshe. Than sayde Lot vnto them: Oh nay my lorde: beholde/ in as moch as thy servaunte hath fownde grace in thy syghte/ now make thi mercy great which thou shewest vnto me in savinge my lyfe. For I can not saue my selfe in the mountayns/ lest some misfortune fall vpon me and I dye. Beholde/ here is a cyte by/ to flee vnto/ and it is a lytle one: let me saue my selfe therein: is it not a litle one/ that my soule may lyue?

And he sayde to him: se I haue receaved thy request as concernynge this thynge/ that I will nott overthrowe this cytie for the which thou hast spoken. Haste the/ ad saue thy selfe there/ for I can do nothynge tyll thou be come in thyder. And therfore the name of the cyte is called Zoar. And the sone was vppon the erth when Lot was entred into Zoar.

Than the LORde rayned vpon Sodome and Gomorra/ brymstone and fyre from the LORde out of heaven/ and overthrewe those cyteis and all the region/ and all that dwelled in the cytes/ and that that grewe vpon the erth. And lots wyfe loked behynde her/ ad was turned in to a pillare of salte.

Abraham rose vp early and got him to the place where he stode before the LORde/ and loked toward Sodome and Gomorra and toward all the londe of that contre. And as he loked: beholde/ the smoke of the contre arose as it had bene the smoke of a fornace. But yet wh[~e] God destroyed the cities of y^e regio/ he thought a pon Abraha: and sent Lot out from the dager of the overthrowenge/ when he overthrewe the cyties where Lot dwelled.

And Lot departed out of Zoar and dwelled in the mountayns ad his .ij. doughters with him for he feared to tary in Zoar: he dweld therfore in a caue/ both he and his .ij. doughters also.

Than sayde the elder vnto the yonger oure father is olde/ and there are no moo men in the erth to come in vnto vs after the maner of all the world. Come therfore/ let vs geue oure father wyne to dryncke/ and let vs lye with him that we may saue seed of oure father. And they gaue their father wyne to drynke that same nyghte. And the elder doughter went and laye with her father. And he perceaued it not/ nether when she laye doune/ nether when she rose vp.

And on the morewe the elder sayde vnto the yonger: beholde/ yesternyghte laye I with my father. Let us geue hym wyne to drinke this nyghte also/ and goo thou and lye with him/ and let us saue seed of oure father. And they gaue their father wyne to drincke that nyghte also. And the yonger arose and laye with him. And he perceaved it not: nether when she laye downe/ nether when she rose vp.

Thus were both the doughters of lot with childe by their father And the elder bare a sone and called hym Moab/ which is the father of the Moabytes vnto this daye. And the yonger bare a sonne and called hym Ben Ammi/ which is the father of the childern of Ammon vnto this daye.

The .xx. Chapter.

And Abraham departed thence towarde the southcontre and dwelled betwene Cades and Sur ad sogeorned in Gerar. And Abraham sayde of Sara his wyfe/ that she was his sister. Than Abimelech kynge of Gerar sent and fett Sara awaye.

And God came to Abimelech by nyghte in a dreame and sayde to him: Se/ thou art but a deed man for the womas sake which thou hast taken awaye/ for she is a mans wyfe. But Abimelech had not yet come nye her/ and therfore sayde: lorde wilt thou sley rightewes people? sayde not he vnto me/ that she was hys sister? yee and sayde not she herself that he was hir brother? wyth a pure herte and innocent handes haue I done this.

And God sayde vnto him in a dreame. I wot it well that thou dydest it in the purenesse of thi herte. And therfore I kepte y^e that thou shuldest not synne agenst me/ nether suffred I the to come nygh her. Now therfore delyuer the ma his wyfe ageyne/ for he is a prophete. And let him praye for the that thou mayst lyue. But and yf thou delyuer her not agayne/ be sure that thou shalt dye the deth/ with all that thou hast.

Than Abimelech rose vp be tymes in the mornynge and called all his servauntes/ and tolde all these thinges in their eares/ and the men were sore a frayde. And Abimelech called Abraham and sayde vnto him: What hast thou done vnto vs/ & what haue I offended the/ that thou shuldest brynge on me and on my kyngdome so greate a synne? thou hast done dedes vnto me that ought not to be done. And Abimelech sayde morouer vnto Abraham: What sawest thou that moved the to do this thinge?

And Abraham Answered. I thought that peradv[~e]ture the feare of God was not in this place/ and that they shulde sley me for my wyfes sake: yet in very dede she is my sister/ the doughter of my father/ but not of my mother: and became my wyfe. And after God caused me to wandre out of my fathers house/ I sayde vnto her: This kyndnesse shalt thou shewe vnto me in all places where we come/ that thou saye of me/ how that I am thy brother.

Than toke Abimelech shepe and oxen/ menservauntes and wemenseruauntes and gaue them vnto Abraham/ and delyvered him Sara his wyfe agayne. And Abimelech sayde: beholde the lande lyeth be fore the/ dwell where it pleaseth y^e best. And vnto Sara he sayde: Se I haue geuen thy brother a thousande peeces of syluer/ beholde he shall be a couerynge to thyne eyes vnto all that ar with the and vnto all men and an excuse.

And so Abraham prayde vnto God/ and God healed Abimeleh and his wyfe and hys maydens/ so that they bare. For the LORde had closed to/ all the matryces of the house of Abimelech/ because of Sara Abrahams wyfe.

The .xxj. Chapter

The lorde visyted Sara as he had sayde and dyd vnto her acordynge as he had spoken. And Sara was with childe and bare Abraha a sonne in his olde age euen the same season which the LORde had appoynted. And Abraham called his sonnes name that was borne vnto him which Sara bare him Isaac: & Abra circ[~u]cysed Isaac his sone wh[~e] he was .viij. dayes olde/ as God commaunded him And Abraha was an hundred yere olde/ when his sonne Isaac was borne vnto him.

And Sara sayde: God hath made me a laughinge stocke: for all y^t heare/ will laugh at me She sayde also: who wolde haue sayde vnto Abraham/ that Sara shulde haue geuen childern sucke/ or y^t I shulde haue borne him a sonne in his olde age: The childe grewe and was wened/ and Abraham made a great feast/ the same daye that Isaac was wened.

Sara sawe the sonne of Hagar the Egiptian which she had borne vnto Abraham/ a mockynge. Then she sayde vnto Abraham: put awaye this bondemayde and hyr sonne: for the sonne of this bondwoman shall not be heyre with my sonne Isaac: But the wordes semed verey greavous in Abrahams syghte/ because of his sonne. Than the LORde sayde vnto Abraham: let it not be greavous vnto the/ because of the ladd and of thy bondmayde: But in all that Sara hath saide vnto the/ heare hir voyce/ for in Isaac shall thy seed be called. Moreouer of the sonne of the Bondwoman will I make a nation/ because he is thy seed.

And Abraham rose vp early in the mornyng and toke brede and a bottell with water/ and gaue it vnto Hagar/ puttynge it on hir shulders wyth the lad also/ and sent her awaye. And she departed and wadred vpp and doune in the wyldernes of Berseba. When the water was spent that was in the botell/ she cast the lad vnder a bush and went & sate her out of syghte a great waye/ as it were a bowshote off: For she sayde: I will not se the lad dye. And she satt doune out of syghte/ and lyfte vp hyr voyce and wepte.

And God herde the voyce of the childe. And the angell of God called Hagar out of heaven and sayde vnto her: What ayleth the Hagar? Feare not/ for God hath herde the voyce of the childe where he lyeth. Aryse and lyfte vp the lad/ and take hym in thy hande/ for I will make off him a greate people. And God opened hir eyes and she sawe a well of water. And she went and fylled the bottell with water/ and gaue the boye drynke. And God was wyth the lad/ and he grewe and dweld in the wildernesse/ and became an archer. And he dweld in the wyldernesse of Pharan. And hys mother gott him a wyfe out of the land of Egypte.

And it chaunced the same season/ that Abimelech and Phicoll his chefe captayne spake vnto Abraham saynge: God is wyth the in all that thou doist. Now therfore swere vnto me even here by God/ that thou wylt not hurt me nor my childern/ nor my childerns childern. But that thou shalt deale with me and the contre where thou art a straunger/ acordynge vnto the kyndnesse that I haue shewed the. Then sayde Abraham: I wyll swere.

And Abraham rebuked Abimelech for a well of water/ which Abimelech servauntes had taken awaye. And Abimelech answered I wyst not who dyd it: Also thou toldest me not/ nether herde I of it/ but this daye.

And Abraham toke shepe and oxen and gaue them vnto Abimelech. And they made both of them a bonde together. And Abraham sett vij. lambes by them selues. And Abimelech sayde vnto Abraham: what meane these .vij. lambes which thou hast sett by them selues. And he answered: vij. lambes shalt thou take of my hande/ that it maye be a wytnesse vnto me/ that I haue dygged this well: Wherfore the place is called Berseba/ because they sware both of them. Thus made they a bonde to gether at Berseba.

Than Abimelech and Phicoll his chefe captayne rose vp and turned agayne vnto the lande of the Philistines. And Abraham planted a wodd in Berseba/ and called there/ on the name of the LORde the everlastynge God: and dwelt in the Phelistin lade a longe season

¶ The .xxij. Chapter.

After these dedes/ God dyd proue Abraham & sayde vnto him: Abraham. And he answered: here am I. And he sayde: take thy only sonne Isaac whome thou louest/ & get the vnto the lande of Moria/ and sacrifyce him there for a sacrifyce vpon one of the mountayns which I will shewe the Than Abraham rose vp early in the mornynge and sadled his asse/ and toke two of his meyny wyth him/ and Isaac his sonne: ad clove wod for the sacrifyce/ and rose vp and gott him to the place which God had appoynted him.

The thirde daye Abraham lyfte vp his eyes and sawe the place a farr of/ and sayde vnto his yong men: byde here with the asse. I and the lad will goo yonder and worshippe and come agayne vnto you. And Abraham toke the wodd of the sacrifyce and layde it vpon Isaac his sonne/ and toke fyre in his hande and a knyfe. And they went both of them together.

Than spake Isaac vnto Abraham his father & sayde: My father? And he answered here am I my sonne. And he sayde: Se here is fyre and wodd/ but where is the shepe for sacrifyce? And Abraham sayde: my sonne/ God wyll prouyde him a shepe for sacrifyce. So went they both together.

And when they came vnto the place which God shewed him/ Abraha made an aulter there and dressed the wodd/ ad bownde Isaac his sonne and layde him on the aulter/ aboue apon the wodd. And Abraham stretched forth his hande/ and toke the knyfe to haue kylled his sonne.

Than the angell of the LORde called vnto him from heauen saynge: Abraham/ Abraham. And he answered: here am I. And he sayde: laye not thy handes apon the childe nether do any thinge at all vnto him/ for now I knowe that thou fearest God/ in y^t thou hast not kepte thine only sonne fro me. And Abraham lyfted vp his eyes and loked aboute: and beholde/ there was a ram caught by the hornes in a thykette. And he went and toke the ram and offred him vp for a sacrifyce in the steade of his sonne And Abraham called the name of the place/ the LORde will see: wherfore it is a com[~e] saynge this daye: in the mounte will the LORde be sene.

And the Angell of the LORde cryed vnto Abraham from heaven the seconde tyme saynge: by my selfe haue I sworne (sayth the LORde) because thou hast done this thinge and hast not spared thy only sonne/ that I will blesse the and multiplye thy seed as the starres of heaven and as the sonde vpo the seesyde. And thy seed shall possesse the gates of hys enymies. And in thy seed shall all the nations of the erth be blessed/ because thou hast obeyed my voyce

So turned Abraham agayne vnto his yonge men/ and they rose vp and w[~e]t to gether to Berseba. And Abraham dwelt at Berseba

And it cha[~u]sed after these th[~i]ges/ that one tolde Abraham saynge: Beholde/ Milcha she hath also borne childern vnto thy brother Nachor: Hus his eldest sonne and Bus his brother/ and Kemuell the father of the Sirians/ and Cesed/ and Haso/ and Pildas/ and Iedlaph/ and Bethuel. And Bethuel begat Rebecca. These .viij. dyd Milcha bere to Nachor Abrahams brother. And his concubyne called Rheuma she bare also Tebah/ Gaham/ Thahas and Maacha.

¶The .xxiij. Chapter.

Sara was an hundred and .xxvij. yere olde (for so longe lyued she) and than dyed in a heade cyte called Hebron in the londe of Canaan. Than Abraham came to morne Sara and to wepe for her. And Abraham stode vp from the coorse and talked with the sonnes of heth saynge: I am a straunger ad a foryner amonge yow/ geue me a possession to bury in with you/ that I may bury my dead oute of my sighte.

And the children of heth answered Abraham saynge vnto him: heare vs lorde/ thou art a prynce of God amonge vs. In the chefest of oure sepulchres bury thy dead: None of vs shall forbydd y^e his sepulcre/ y^t thou shuldest not bury thy deade therein. Abraha stode vp & bowed h[~i] selfe before y^e people of y^e lade y^e childr[~e] of heth.

And he comoned with them saynge: Yf it be youre myndes y^t I shall bury my deade oute of my sighte/ heare me ad speke for me to Ephron the sonne of Zoar: and let him geue me the dubill caue which he hath in the end of his felde/ for as moch money as it is worth/ let him geue it me in the presence of you/ for a possession to bury in. For Hephron dwelled amoge y^e childern of heth.

Than Ephron the Hethite answered Abraham in the audy[~e]ce of the childern of Heth and of all that went in at the gates of his cyte/ saynge: Not so/ my lorde/ but heare me: The felde geue I the/ and the caue that therein is/ geue I the also/ And even in the presence of the sonnes of my people geve I it the to bury thy deede in. Than Abraham bowed himselfe before the people of the lade and spake vnto Ephro in the audyence of the people of the contre saynge: I praye the heare me/ I will geue sylver for the felde/ take it of me/ ad so will I bury my deed there.