1   It is do forsothe, whan thei hadden cesid to speken, Olofernes, endeyned hugeli, 2   seide to Achior, For thou hast profecied to vs, seiende, that the folc of Irael was defendid of ther God, that I shewe to thee, that ther is no god but Nabugodonosor; 3   whan wee han smyte them alle as o man, thanne and thiself with hem with the swerd of Assiries shalt dien, and al Irael with thee shal dispershen in perdicioun; 4   and thou shalt preue, for Nabugodonosor be lord of al erthe; and thanne the swerd of my kny&yogh;thod shal passe thur&yogh; thi sidis, and stikid thou shalt fallen among the woundid men of Irael, and thou shalt no mor take breth, to the time that thou be put out of the

lond with hem. 5   But forsothe if thi profecie soth thou weene, falle not doun thi chere; and the palenesse that withholdeth thi face, go awei fro thee, if these my woordis thou weenest not to moun be fulfild. 6   Forsothe that thou knowe, for togidere with them that thou shalt knowe bi experiense, lo! fro this hour thou shalt be felashipid to the puple of hem, and whan wrthi peynes of my swerd thei han taken, thiself shalt vnderlin to lic veniaunce. 7   Thanne Olofernes comaundide to his seruauns, that thei shulden taken Achior, and leden hym in to Betulie, and taken hym in the hond of the sonus of Irael. 8   And the seruauns of Olofernes, takende hym, wenten bi the wilde feldis, but whan thei hadden ne&yogh;hed to the mounteynes, wenten out a&yogh;en hem slingeres. 9   Thei forsothe, turnende aside fro the side of the hil, bounden Achior to a tree hondus and feet, and so bounden of cordis thei laften hym, and ben turned a&yogh;een to ther lord. 10   But the sonus of Irael, comende doun fro Betulie, camen to hym, whom loosende thei ladden to Betulie, and in to the myddel of the puple hym settende askeden hym, what of thingus it were, that hym bounde the Assiries hadden laft. 11   In thoo da&yogh;es weren there princis, Osias, the sone of Myca, of the linage of Symeon, and Carmy, the whiche and Gothonyel. 12   And so in the myddel of the elders, and in the si&yogh;te of alle men, Achior seide alle thingus, that he askid of Olofernes hadde spoken, and what maner the puple of Olofernes wolde for this woord slen hym, 13   and what maner he Olofernes wroth comaundede hym to be take to the men of Irael for

this cause, that whil he shulde ouercome the sonus of Irael, thanne and that Achior he comaunde with dyuers tormentus to dien, for that that he hadde seid, God of heuene is the defendere of hem. 14   And whan alle thingus Achior hadde expounded, al the puple fel in to the face, honourende the Lord; and with comun lamenting and weping alle of o wil ther pre&yogh;eeris to the Lord helden out, 15   seiende, Lord God of heuene and of erthe, see the pride of hem, and beholde to oure meknesse, and to the face of thi halewis tac heede, and shew&yogh; for thou forsakist not that befor alle thingus taken trost of thee, and principally takende trost of hemself, and of ther vertue gloriende thou meekist. 16   And so the weping endid, and bi al the dai the orisoun of the puple fulfild, 17   thei coumforteden Achior, seiende, God of oure fadris, whos vertue thou hast prechid, he &yogh;eldere to thee this recompensacioun shal &yogh;iue, that thou rathere see the deth of hem. 18   Whan forsothe the Lord oure God shal &yogh;iue this fredam to his seruauns, be and the Lord with thee in the myddel of vs, that as it shal plese to thee, so with alle thine thou dwelle. 19   Thanne Osias, the counseil endid, toc hym in to his hous, and made a gret soper. 20   And, alle the prestus clepid togidere, the fasting fulfild, thei eeten. 21   After forsothe, al the puple clepid togidere, thur&yogh; out al the ny&yogh;t withinne the chirche thei pre&yogh;eden, askende helpe of the God of Irael.

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