JOSEPH IS CAST INTO PRISON.

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[[209]] 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[[210]] 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.

[209]

MS. loruerd.

[210]

? haueð.