wheat as much as they might receive, and the money of the wheat put it
into every man's sack, and take my cup of silver, and the money of the
youngest, and put that in his sack. And all this was done. And on the
morn betimes they were suffered to depart with their asses. And when
they were gone out of the town and a little on their way, then Joseph
said to his steward: Make thee ready and ride after, and say to them:
Why have ye done evil for good? The cup that my lord is accustomed to
drink in, ye have stolen, ye might not do a worse thing. He did as
Joseph had commanded and overtook them, and said to them all by order
like as he had charge, which answered: Why saith your lord so, and doth
to us his servants such letting? The money that we found in our sacks we
brought again to thee from the land of Canaan, and how may it follow
that we should steal any gold or silver from the house of thy lord?
Look! at whom it be found of us all thy servants, let him die. Which
said to them: Be it after your sentence, at whom that it ever be found
he shall be my servant and the others shall go free and be not guilty.
Then he hied and set down all their sacks, beginning at the oldest unto
the youngest, and at last found the cup in the mouth of the sack of
Benjamin. Then they all for sorrow cut and rent their clothes, and laded
their asses again, and returned all into the town again. Then Judah
entered first with his brethren unto Joseph and all they together fell
down platte to the ground. To whom Joseph said: Why have ye done thus?
Know not ye that there is no man like to me in the science of knowledge?
To whom Judah answered: What shall we answer to thee, my lord; or what
shall we speak or rightfully desire? God hath found and remembered the
iniquity of us thy servants, for we be all thy servants, yea, we and he
at whom the cup was found. Joseph answered: God forbid that I should so
do, whosoever stole the cup shall be my servant, and go ye your way, for
ye shall be free and go to your father. Then Judah approached near him
and spake with a hardy cheer to him and said: I beseech thee my lord to