tenth from Noah in the generation of Shem. Japhet had seven sons and Ham
four sons. Out of the generation of Ham Nimrod came, which was a wicked
man and cursed in his works, and began to make the tower of Babel which
was great and high. And at the making of this tower, God changed the
languages, in such wise that no man understood other. For tofore the
building of that tower was but one manner speech in all the world, and
there were made seventy-two speeches. The tower was great, it was ten
miles about and five thousand and eighty-four steps of height. This
Nimrod was the first man that found mawmetry and idolatry, which endured
long and yet doth. Then I turn again to Terah which had three sons,
which was Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Of Nahor came Us, Bus, and Batuel. Of
Us came Job, of Bus came Balaam, and of Batuel Rebekah and Laban. Of
Haran came Lot and two daughters, Melcha and Sara.

Now I shall speak of Abram of whom our blessed lady came. He wedded
Sara, daughter of his brother Haran. Abram was ever faithful and true,
he was sixty-five years old when his father died, for whom he mourned
till our Lord comforted him, which said to Abram: Abram, make thee ready
and go out of thy land and kindred, and also from the house of thy
father, and come into the land that I shall show to thee. I shall make
thee grow into much people; I shall bless thee and magnify thy name, and
thou shalt be blessed, and I shall bless them that bless thee, and curse
them that curse thee, and in thee shall be blessed all the kindreds of
the earth.

Abram was seventy years old when he departed from the land of Haran, and
he took with him Sara his wife, and Lot the son of his brother, and
their meiny [company], and his cattle and his substance, and came into
the land of Canaan, and came into the vale of Sichem, in which were ill
people which were the people of Canaan. And our Lord said to Abram: I