CAP. XVI.
[verse 1] For Saray, the wijf of Abram, had not geet to hym fre children; but hauynge an hand mayden Egipcian, Agar bi name, [verse 2] seyde to hir howsbond, Loo! the Lord hath closid me, that Y may not bere; go into myn hand maydyn, if perauenture at the leste [laste D.] of hir I take children. And [verse 3] whanne he assentide to hir preiyng, he toke Agar the Egipcian, hir hand mayden, aftir ten ȝeer that thei bigunnen to dwelle in the londe of Chanaan, and she ȝaue hir a wijf to hir husbond. [verse 4] The which ȝede into hir; and she seynge hir silf that she had conseyued, dispiside hir ladi. [verse 5] And Saray seide to Abram, Vneuenli thow dost aȝens me; I haue ȝyuun myn hand mayden into thi bosum, the which seynge that she hath conseyued, hath me to despit; the Lord deme bitwix me and thee. [verse 6] To whom answerynge Abram, Lo! he seith, thin hand maydyn is in thin hond; vse hir as it is leueful. Thanne Saray ouertraueilynge hir, she ȝede into flyȝt. [verse 7] And whanne the aungel of the Lord hadde foundun hir biside the welle of water in wildirnes, the which is in the [verse 8] weye of Sur in desert, he seide to hir, Agar, the hand mayden of Saray, whens comyst thow, and whithir gost thow? [verse 9] The which answeride, Fro the face of Saray my ladi I flee. And the aungel of the Lord seide to hir, Turne aȝen to thi ladi, and be meke vndir the hondis of hir. [verse 10] And eft, Multipliynge, he seith, I shal multiplie thi seed, and it shal not be nowmbrid for the multitude. [verse 11] And her|afterward [ther afterward BDEFH.] , Loo! he seith, thow hast con|seyued, and thow shalt bere a sone, and thow shalt cleep the name of hym Ys|mael,
