tofore in Egypt. And when he was dead and all his brethren and kindred,
the children of Israel grew and multiplied greatly, and filled the
earth. Then was there a new king upon Egypt which knew nothing of
Joseph, and said to his people: Lo! and see the people of Israel is
great, and stronger than we be, come and let us wisely oppress them,
lest they multiply and give us battle and fight with us and drive us out
of our land. Then he ordained provosts and masters over them to set them
awork and put them to affliction of burdens. They builded to Pharaoh two
towns, Pithom and Raamses. How much more they oppressed them, so much
the more they increased and multiplied. The Egyptians hated the children
of Israel and put them to affliction, scorning and having envy at them,
and oppressed bitterly their life with hard work and sore labors of
tile and clay, and grieved all them in such works. Then Pharaoh
commanded to his people saying: Whatsomever is born of males cast ye
into the river, and what of women keep ye them and let ye them live.

After this was a man of the house of Levi went out and took a wife of
his kindred, which conceived and brought forth a son, and he saw him
elegant and fair, and hid him three months, and when he might no longer
hide him, took a little crib of rushes and wickers and pitched it with
glue and pitch, and put therein the child, and set it on the river, and
let it drive down in the stream, and the sister of the child standing
afar, considering what should fall thereof. And it happed that same
time, the daughter of king Pharaoh descended down to the river for to
wash her in the water, and her maidens went by the brink, which then,
when she saw the little crib or fiscelle she sent one of her maidens to
fetch and take it up, which so fetched and brought to her, and she saw
therein lying a fair child; and she having pity on it said: This is one
of the children of the Hebrews. To whom anon spake the sister of the
child: Wilt thou, said she, that I go and call thee a woman of the