Benjamin and the Silver Cup

1And he commaunded the rueler of his house saynge: fyll the mens sackes with food as moch as they can carie 2and put euery mans money in his bagge mouth and put my syluer cuppe in the sackes mouth of the yongest and his corne money also. And he dyd as Ioseph had sayde. 3And in ye mornynge as soone as it was lighte the me were let goo with their asses. 4And when they were out of the cytie and not yet ferre awaye Ioseph sayde vnto the ruelar of his house: vp and folowe after the men and ouertake them and saye vnto them: wherefore haue ye rewarded euell for good? 5is that not the cuppe of which my lorde drynketh ad doth he not prophesie therin? ye haue euell done that ye haue done.

6And he ouertoke them and sayde the same wordes vnto them. 7And they answered him: wherfore sayth my lorde soch wordes? God forbydd that thy servauntes shulde doo so. 8Beholde the money which we founde in oure sackes mouthes we brought agayne vnto the out of the lande of Canaa: how then shulde we steale out of my lordes house ether syluer or golde? 9with whosoeuer of thy seruauntes it be founde let him dye and let vs also be my lordes bondmen. 10And he sayde: Now therfore acordynge vnto youre woordes he with whom it is found shalbe my seruaunte: but ye shalbe harmelesse. 11And attonce euery man toke downe his sacke to the grounde ad every man opened his sacke. 12And he serched and began at the eldest and left at the yongest. And the cuppe was founde in Ben Iamins sacke. 13Then they rent their clothes and laded euery man his asse and went agayne vnto the cytie.

14And Iuda and his brethre came to Iosephs house for he was yet there ad they fell before him on the grounde. 15And Ioseph sayde vnto the: what dede is this which ye haue done? wist ye not that soch a man as I can prophesie?. 16Then sayde Iuda: what shall we saye vnto my lorde what shall we speake or what excuse can we make? God hath founde out ye wekednesse of thy seruauntes. Beholde both we and he with whom the cuppe is founde are thy seruauntes. 17And he answered: God forbyd ye I shulde do so the man with whom the cuppe is founde he shalbe my seruaunte: but goo ye in peace vn to youre father.

Judah Pleads for Benjamin

18Then Iuda went vnto him and sayde: oh my lorde let thy servaunte speake a worde in my lordes audyence and be not wrooth with thi servaunte: for thou art euen as Pharao. 19My lorde axed his seruaunte sainge: haue ye a father or a brother? 20And we answered my lord we haue a father that is old and a yonge lad which he begat in his age: ad the brother of the sayde lad is dead and he is all that is left of that mother. And his father loueth him. 21Then sayde my lorde vnto his seruauntes brynge him vnto me that I maye sett myne eyes apon him. 22And we answered my lorde that the lad coude not goo from his father for if he shulde leaue his father he were but a deed man. 23Than saydest thou vnto thy servauntes: excepte youre yongest brother come with you loke that ye se my face no moare. 24And when we came vnto thy servaunt oure father we shewed him what my lorde had sayde. 25And when oure father sayde vnto vs goo agayne and bye vs a litle fode: 26we sayd yt we coude not goo. Neverthelesse if oure youngeste brother go with vs then will we goo for we maye not see the mannes face excepte oure yongest brother be with vs. 27Then sayde thy servaunt oure father vnto vs. Ye knowe that my wyfe bare me .ij. sonnes. 28And the one went out from me and it is sayde of a suertie that he is torne in peaces of wyld beastes and I sawe him not sence. 29Yf ye shall take this also awaye fro me and some mysfortune happen apon him then shall ye brynge my gray heed with sorow vnto the grave. 30Now therfore whe I come to thy servaunt my father yf the lad be not with me: seinge that his lyfe hageth by the laddes lyfe 31then as soone as he seeth that the lad is not come he will dye. So shall we thy servautes brynge the gray hedde of thy servaunt oure father with sorow vnto the grave. 32For I thy servaunt became suertie for the lad vnto my father and sayde: yf I bringe him not vnto the agayne. I will bere the blame all my life loge. 33Now therfore let me thy servaunt byde here for ye lad and be my lordes bondman: and let the lad goo home with his brethern. 34For how can I goo vnto my father and the lad not wyth me: lest I shulde see the wretchednes that shall come on my father.