go forth that she may be wife unto the son of thy
lord, as our Lord hath said. Which words when Abraham's servant had
heard, he fell down to the ground and thanked our Lord, and anon took
forth silver vessels and of gold and good clothes and gave them to
Rebekah for a gift. And to her brethren and mother he gave also gifts,
and anon they made a feast, and ate and were joyful together. On the
morn betimes, the servant of Abraham arose, and desired to depart and
take Rebekah with him and go to his lord. Then the mother and her
brethren said: Let the maid abide with us but only ten days, and then
take her and go thy way. I pray you, said he, retain ne let [hinder] me
not, our Lord hath addressed my way and achieved my errand, wherefore
let me go to my lord. And they said: We shall call the maid and know her
will; and when she was demanded if she would go with that man, she said:
Yea, I shall go with him. Then they let her go, and her nurse with her,
and so she departed, and they said to her: Thou art our sister, we pray
God that thou mayst increase into a thousand thousand, and that thy seed
may possess the gates of their enemies. Then Rebekah and her maidens
ascended upon the camels, and followed the servant of Abraham which
hastily returned unto his lord.

That same time, when they were come, Isaac walked by the way without
forth and looked up and saw the camels coming from far. Rebekah espied
him and demanded of the servant who that he was that came in the field
against them. He answered and said: That is my lord Isaac, and anon she
took her pall or mantle and covered her. The servant anon told unto his
lord Isaac all that he had done; which received her and led her into the
tabernacle of Sarah his mother and wedded her, and took her in to his
wife, and so much loved her, that the love attempered the sorrow that he
had for his mother. Abraham after this wedded another wife, by whom he
had divers children. Abraham gave to Isaac all his possessions, and to
his other children he gave movable goods, and departed the sons of his
concubines from his son Isaac whilst he yet lived. And all the days of
the life of Abraham were one hundred and seventy-five years, and then
died in good mind and age, and Isaac and Ishmael buried him by his wife
Sarah in a double spelunke [cave].

HERE BEGINNETH THE LIFE OF ISAAC

WITH THE HISTORY OF ESAU AND OF JACOB

_Which is read in the Church the Second Sunday in Lent_

Isaac was