spies, and that we were twelve sons gotten of one father, one is dead
and the youngest is with our father in the land of Canaan. Which then
said to us: Now shall I prove whether ye be peaceable or no. Ye shall
leave here one brother with me, and lead home that is necessary for you,
and go your way and see that ye bring with you your youngest brother
that I may know that ye be none espies and that ye may receive this
brother that I hold in prison, and then forthon what that ye will buy ye
shall have license. And this said, each of them poured out the wheat,
and every man found his money bounden in the mouth of every sack. Then
said Jacob their father: Ye have made me without children. Joseph is
gone and lost, Simeon is bounden in prison, and Benjamin ye will take
away from me, on me come all these evils. To Reuben answered: Slay my
two sons if I bring him not again to thee; deliver him to me in my hand,
and I shall restore him again to thee. The father said: My son shall not
go with you, his brother is dead and he is left now alone, if any
adversity should hap to him in the way that ye go into, ye shall lead my
old hairs with sorrow to hell.

In the meanwhile famine and hunger oppressed all the land greatly. And
when the corn that they brought from Egypt was consumed, Jacob said to
his sons: Return ye into Egypt and buy for us some meat, that we may
live. Judah answered: That man said to us, under swearing of great
oaths, that: Ye shall not see my face ne come into my presence, but if
ye bring your youngest brother with you. Therefore if thou wilt send him
with us, we shall go together and shall buy for us that shall be
necessary, and if thou wilt not we shall not go. The man said as we oft
have said to thee, that if we bring him not we shall not see his visage.
Israel said to them: This have ye done into my misery, that ye told to
him that ye had another brother. And they answered: The man demanded of
us by order our progeny, if our father lived, if we had any brother. And