And whan she had left of cri&ebar;g vnto the Lorde, she, rose from the place, where she had lyen flat before the Lord, and called her mayde, wente doune into her house, layed the heerry cloth fr&obar; her, put of the garmentes of hir widowhod, washed her body, anoynted hir selfe wyth precyous thynges of swete sauoure broyded ∧ plated her head, set an hooue vp&obar; hir head, ∧ put on

suche apparell as belongeth vnto gladnesse, slippers vpon hir fete, armelettes, spanges, earynges, fynger rynges, and decte her selfe with all hir best aray.

The Lorde gaue her also a specyall beutye and fayrnesse (for all this deckynge of hir self was not done for anye volupteousnesse and pleasure of the flesh, but of a righte dyscrecion and vertue, therefore dyd the Lorde increase hir bewty) so that she was exceadinge amyable and welfauoured in all mennes eyes. She gaue hir mayde also a bottell of wyne, a pot wyth oile, pottage cake bread ∧ chese, and wente hir way.

B   Nowe whan she came to the porte of the citie, she founde Osias and the elders of the citie, waittynge ther. Which whan they saw her, they were a stonnyed, ∧ marueled greatly at her bewty, neuerthelesse they asked no question at her, but let her go, sayenge: The God of oure fathers geue the his grace, and with his power perfourme all the deuyce of thy hert: that Ierusalem maye reioyce ouer the, and that thy name maye be in the nombre of the holy ∧ rightous. And al they that were ther, sayd with one voyce: so be it, so be it. Iudith made hir prayer vnto the Lord, and went out at the porte, she ∧ hir mayde.

And as she was going downe the mountaine, it happened that aboute the springe of the daye, the spies of the Assirians met with her, and toke her sayenge: whence commest thou? Or whyther goest thou? She answered: I am a doughter of the Hebrues, and am fled from them, for I know, that they shal be geu&ebar; vnto you to be spoyled: because they thoughte scorne to yelde th&ebar; selues vnto you that they myght fynde mercy in your syght Therefore haue I deuysed by my selfe after this maner: I wyll go before the prynce Holofernes, and tell hym all their secretes, and wyll shew him, how he maye come by them, and wynne them, so that not one man of hys hoost shall perish.

C   And whan these men had hearde hir wordes, ∧ consydered hir fayre face, they were astonyed (for they wondred at hir excellente bewtye, and sayd vnto her: Thou hast saued thy life by finding out this deuice, that thou woldest come downe to our lord: and be thou sure that whan thou c&obar;mest vnto him, he shal intreate the well, and thou shalt please hym at the hert. So they broughte her into Holofernes pauylion, and tolde him of her. Now when she came in before him, immediatly he was ouercome and taken wyth hir bewtye. Then sayd his seruauntes: who woulde despysethe people of the Iewes, that haue so fayre wemen? Shulde we not by reas&obar; fight agaynste them for these? So when Iudith sawe Holofernes syttinge in a canapye, that was wrought of purple, sylke, golde, Smaragde and precious stones, she loked fast vpon him, and fell downe vpon the earth, And Holofernes seruauntes toke her vp agayne, at their lordes commaundement.

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