Then passed the seven years of plenty and fertility that were in Egypt, and the seven years of scarcity and hunger began to come, which Joseph had spoken of tofore, and hunger began to wax and grow in the universal world; also in all the land of Egypt was hunger and scarcity.  And when the people hungered they cried to Pharaoh asking meat, to whom he answered:  Go ye to Joseph, and whatsoever he saith to you do ye.  Daily grew and increased the hunger in all the land.  Then Joseph opened the barns and garners, and sold corn to the Egyptians, for the hunger oppressed them sore.  All provinces came into Egypt for to buy meat to them, and to eschew the hunger.

Jacob, father unto Joseph, heard tell that corn and victuals were sold in Egypt, and said to his sons:  Why be ye negligent?  I have heard say that corn is sold in Egypt; go ye thither and buy for us that is necessary and behoveful, that we may live, and consume not for need.  Then the ten brethren of Joseph descended into Egypt for to buy wheat, and Benjamin was left at home with the father, because whatsoever happed to the brethren in their journey.  Then they entered into the land of Egypt with others for to buy corn.  There was great famine in the land of Canaan, and Joseph was prince in the land of Egypt, also by his commandment wheat was sold unto the people.  Then when his brethren were come and had adored and worshipped him, he anon knew them, and spake to them, as to strangers, hard words, demanding them saying:  Whence be ye?  Which answered:  Of the land of Canaan, and come hither to buy that is necessary for us.  And though he knew his brethren, yet was he unknown of them.  He remembered the dreams that he sometime had seen, and told them and said:  Ye be spies and be come hither for to espy the weakest places of this land, which said to him:  It is not so, my lord, but we thy servants be come for to buy victuals.  We be all sons to one man, we come peaceably, ne we thy servants think ne imagine none evil.  To whom he answered:  It is all otherwise, ye be come for to espy and consider the secretest places of this realm.  Then they said:  We are twelve brethren, thy servants, sons of one man in the land of Canaan, the youngest is at home with our father, and that other is dead.  That is, said he, that I said; ye be spies.  Now I have of you the experience.  I swear to you by the health of Pharaoh ye shall not depart till that your youngest brother come.  Send ye one of you for him to bring him hither.  Ye shall abide in fetters in prison till the truth be proved whether the things that ye have said be true or false, else, by the health of Pharaoh, ye be spies.  And delivered them to be kept three days.  The third day they were brought out of prison, to whom he said:  I dread God, if ye be peaceable as ye say, do as ye have said, and ye shall live.  Let one brother be bounden in prison, and go ye your way, and lead home the wheat that ye have bought into your houses, and bring to me with you your youngest brother, that