ich they
slew, and sent it to their father saying: See whether this be the coat
of thy son or not, this we have found. Which anon as the father saw it
said: This is my son's coat, an evil wild beast hath devoured him, some
beast hath eaten him; and rent his clothes and did on him a sackcloth,
bewailing and sorrowing his son a long time. All his sons gathered them,
together for to comfort their father and assuage his sorrow, but he
would take no comfort, but said: I shall descend to my son into hell for
to bewail him there. And thus, he abiding in sorrow, the Midianites
carried Joseph into Egypt, and sold him to Potiphar, eunuch of Pharaoh,
master of his knights.

Thus was Joseph led into Egypt, and Potiphar, prince of the host of
Pharaoh, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of Ishmaelites. Our Lord
God was always with Joseph, and he was wise, ready, and prosperous in
all manner of things. He dwelled in his lord's house and pleased so well
his lord, that he stood in his grace that he made him upperest and above
all other, and betook him the rule and governance of all his house,
which well and wisely governed the household and all that he had charge
of. Our Lord blessed the house of Egypt for Joseph's sake, and
multiplied as well in beasts as in fields all his substance. Joseph was
fair of visage and well favored.

After many days the lady, his master's wife, beheld and cast her eyes on
Joseph, and tempted him to sin. He refused that, and would not attend ne
listen to her words, ne would not consent to so sinful a work, and said
to her: Lo! hath not my lord delivered to me all that he hath in his
house? and he knoweth not what he hath, and there is nothing therein but
that it is in my power and at my commandment except thee, which art his
wife. How may I do this evil and sin to my lord? Such manner, or
semblable words, he said daily to her, and the woman was the more
desirous and grievous to the young man, and he always forsook and
refused the sin. And when the lady saw that she was refused, she cried
and called the men of the house and accused Joseph falsely. When the
lord heard this, anon he gave faith and believed his wife, and being
sore wroth, set Joseph in prison where the prisoners of the king were
kept and he was there fast set in. Our Lord God was with Joseph, and had
mercy on him, and made him in the favor and grace of the chief keeper of
the prison, in so much that he delivered to Joseph the keeping of all
t