Chap. I. Of the noble cite Egbathanis. Of Nabuchodonosor the kynge of the Assirians, of his victory and power.

Chap. II. The vnsaciable desyre that Nabuchodonosor had to raigne: of his hoost & tyr&abar;nye.

Chap. III. Dyuerse kynges and prynces yelde them selues for feare The tyranny of Holofernes and pryde of the kynge.

Chap. IIII. The Iewes are afrayed and carefull for Ierusalem and the temple, make their londe str&obar;ge, prepare them selues to the battayll, call vpon God, and Eliachim the prest comforteth them.

Chap. V. Holofernes taketh indignacion at the children of Israel, because they go aboute to defende them selues. Achior beareth wytnesse to the trueth.

Chap. VI. Achior for tellynge the trueth is tak&ebar;, and delyuered vnto the people of the Iewes: vnto whom he telleth all the matter, which moneth the people to crye vpon God.

Chap. VII. Holofernes layeth sege to Bethulia. The children of Israel crye vpon God Holofernes taketh the water from them, so that they in the cite haue greate thyrst, and are vnpacient. Osias comforteth them, and appoynteth fyue dayes to the grace of God.

Chap. VIII. Iudith reproueth the elders that sett a tyme to the mercy of God: she exorteth the people to am&ebar;dem&ebar;t & to praier, rehearseth the benefites of God, and telleth them hir deuyce.

Chap. IX Iudith goeth in to hir oratory, and prayeth feruently vnto God, for the deliuera&ubar;ce of hir people.

Chap. X. Iudith decketh herself of the best fashi&obar;, taketh hir mayd&ebar; with her, & goeth forth by night in to Holofernes tent.

Chap. XI. Iudith telleth Holofernes the cause of hir c&obar;mynge, which pleaseth him well.

Chap. XII. Holofernes commaundeth to intreate hir well, and geueth hir liberty to go in and out to hir prayer, maketh a greate supper, byddeth hir to it, and is dronken.

Chap. XIII. Iudith seketh oportunite, prayeth vnto God for str&ebar;gth, smyteth of the heade of dr&obar;ken Holofernes, and bryngeth it in to the cite, where the people reioyse and prayse God.

Chap. XIIII. Holofernes heade is stickte vp vpon the walles, the children of Israel fall vpon their enemies, which take their flight. Achior c&obar;meth in to the nombre of the people of God.

Chap. XV. Holofernes hoost are out of their wyttes after his death, the Israelites folowe vp&obar; th&ebar;, the other cities of Israel helpe them, they wynne greate spoyles, & c&obar;m&ebar;de Iudith.

Chap. XVI. Iudith syngeth prayse vnto the LORDE. The people come together vnto Ierusal&ebar; to geue thankes and prayse vnto the LORDE How Iudith made hir ende. The first Chapter.

A   Arphaxat the kynge of the Medes subdued many people vnto his dominion, ∧ buylded a noble str&obar;ge cite, which he called Egbathanis. The walles of it made he of fre stone, foure squared, seu&ebar;tie cubites hye, and thirtie cubites brode. He made towres therevpon of an hundreth cubites hye. But vpon the foure corners euery syde was twentie fote brode. He made the portes in the heith, like as the towres. This kynge trusted in his mightie hoost, ∧ in his glorious charettes.

So in þe; twolft yeare of his raigne it happened, that Nabuchodonosor þe; kynge of the Assirians (which raigned in the greate cite of Niniue) fought agaynst Arphaxat, and ouercame h&ibar; in þe; greate felde called Ragau, besyde Euphrates and Tigris and Iadason in the felde of Erioth the kinge of the Elikes.

B    ^noteThen was the kyngdome of Nabuchodonosor exalted, and his hert was lift vp: and he sent vnto all them that dwelt in Celicia, in Damascus, in Libanus, and vnto the Heithen that dwelt in Carmel and Cedar, and to soch as dwelt in Galile in the greate felde of E&esset;drel&obar;, to all them that were in Samaria, and beyonde the water of Iordane vnto Ierusalem and the whole londe of Iesse vnto the mountaynes of Ethiopia. Vnto all the se dyd Nabuchodonosor the kynge of þe; Assirians sende messaungers. But they all &wt; one consent wolde not agree vnto him, and sent the messaungers agayne emptie, and put th&ebar; awaye without honoure. Then Nabuchodonosor the kynge toke indignaci&obar; at all those londes, and sware by his trone ∧ by his kyngdome, that he wolde be auenged of all these countrees. The II. Chapter.

A   In the xiij. yeare of kynge Nabuchodonosor, vpon the xxij. daye of þe; first moneth, it was deuysed in the courte of Nabuchodonosor þe; kynge of the Assiri&abar;s, that he wolde defende himself. So he called vnto him all þe; elders, all his captaynes and men of warre, and shewed them his secrete councell, and tolde them, that his purpose was, to brynge the whole earth vnder his domynion. Now whan they were all content with this sayenge, Nabuchodonosor the kinge called Holofernes the chefe captayne of his warres and saide vnto him: Go thy waye forth agaynst all the kyngdomes of the west and specially agaynst those that haue despysed my commaundement. ^noteThou shalt spare no realme, all stronge cities shalt thou brynge in subieccion vnto me.

B   Then Holofernes called together all the captaynes ∧ rulers of all the power in Assiria, and mustred the soudyers vnto the hoost (like as the kynge commaunded him) namely, an hundreth and tw&ebar;tye thousande fightinge men vpon fote, and twolue thousande archers vpon horsebacke. All his ordinaunce sent he before with an innumerable multitude of camels, so that the hoost was well prouyded for with oxen, and small catell, and þt; without nombre. He caused corne to be prepared out of all Syria for his hoost. Moch golde and syluer also toke he out of the kynges house. So he toke his iourney, he and all his hoost, with charettes, horsmen, and archers: of whom there were so many, that they couered the grounde of the lande, like the greshoppers.

C   And whan he was gone past the borders of the Assirians, he came towarde the greate mountaynes of Ange, which lye vpon the left syde of Celicia: and so he wente vp in to all their castels, and wanne euery str&obar;ge holde. As for þe; welthy cite of Melothus, he brake it downe, ∧ spoyled all the childr&ebar; of Tharsis and the Ismaelites, which laye towarde the wyldernes and vpon the south syde of þe; londe of Chelon. He wente ouer Euphrates also, and came in to Mesopotamia, and brake downe all the hye cities that were there, from the broke of Mambre tyll a man come to the see: and he toke the borders in from Celicia vnto the coastes of Iaphet towarde the south. He caried awaye all the Madianites, and spoyled all their goodes: ∧ who so euer withstode him, he slew them with the swerde After this he wente downe into the felde of Damascus in the tyme of haruest, and brent vp all the corne and all the trees, and caused the vynes to be cutt downe. And the feare of him fell vpon all them that dwelt in þe; earth The III. Chapter.

A   So the kynges ∧ prynces of all cities ∧ londes sent their Embassitours: namely, they of Syria and Mesopotamia, Syria Sobal ∧ Lybia ∧ Celicia, which came to Holofernes, ∧ sayde: Let thy wrath ceasse towarde vs: It is better for vs to serue the greate kynge Nabuchodonosor with oure lyues, and to be subiecte vnto the, then that we shulde dye and be slayne, and receaue greater hurte. All oure cities and possessions, all mountaynes and hilles, all feldes, greate and small catell, shepe, goates, horses, and camels, all oure goodes and housholdes, be in thy power, vnder thy subieccion be it alltogether. We oure selues also and oure children wylbe thyne owne, come vnto vs a peceable lorde, and vse oure seruyce at thy pleasure.

B   Then came Holofernes downe from the mountaynes with horsem&ebar; ∧ greate power, and conquered all stronge fensed cities, and all that dwelt in the londe. And out of all cities he toke stronge men, ∧ soch as were mete for þe; warre, to helpe him. There came soch a feare also vpon those countrees, that the indwellers of all the cities, the prynces and rulers ∧ the people together, ^note w&ebar;te forth to mete him as he came, ∧ receaued him honorably with garlandes ∧ torches, with daunses, tabrettes and pipes.

C   Neuertheles though they dyd this, yet might they not swage his rigorous stomak: but he destroyed their cities, ∧ hewed downe their woddes. For Nabuchodonosor the kynge had commaunded him, that he shulde rote out all the goddes of the londe: to þe; intent that he onely might be called and taken for God, of the nacions which Holofernes with his power brought vnder him. So wente he thorow Syria Sobal, and thorow all Appamia, and all Mesopotamia, came to the Ioumeans in the l&obar;de of Gabaa and Septopoli, and toke their cities, and remayned there thirtie dayes, wherin he caused all the whole multitude of his hoost to be gathered together. The IIII. Chapter.

A   Whan the children of Israel þt; dwelt in Iewry herde this, they were sore afrayed of him. There came soch tremblinge also and feare vpon them, that they sorowed he shulde do vnto the cite of Ierusalem and the temple of the LORDE, as he had done to other cities ∧ their temples. So they sent in to all Samaria ro&ubar;de aboute vnto Iericho, toke in and occupied all the toppes of the mountaynes, made fast the townes with walles, and prepared corne for them agaynst the battayll.

Eliachim also þe; prest wrote vnto all th&ebar; that dwelt towarde E&esset;drelon (which lyeth ouer agaynst þe; greate felde by Dotha Im) ∧ vnto all those by whom men might haue passage vnto them, that they shulde take in the wayes of the mountaynes, wherby there might be eny waye and passage to Ierusalem, ∧ þt; they shulde holde diligent watch, where eny strate waye was betwixte þe; mo&ubar;taynes. B   And the children of Israel dyd, as Eliachim the prest of the LORDE had commaunded them. ^noteAnd all the people, cried earnestly, and humbled their soules with fastinges and prayers, they and their wyues. The prestes put on hayrie clothes, and layed the yonge babes before the temple of the LORDE, and couered the aulter of the LORDE with an hayrie clothe. And with one acorde cried they vnto the LORDE God of Israel, that their children shulde not be geuen in to a pray, and their wyues in to a spoyle, þt; their cities shulde not be layed waist, ∧ þt; their Sanctuary shulde not be vnhalowed, and so they to be a shame and rebuke vnto the Heithen.

C   Then Eliachim the hye prest of the LORDE wente rounde aboute all Israel, and spake vnto them, sayenge: Be ye sure, þt; the LORDE wil heare youre peticions, yf ye c&obar;tynue stedfast in fastinges and prayers in þe; sight of the LORDE. Remembre Moses the seruaunte of the LORDE, ^note which ouerthrew þe; Amalechites (that trusted in their might ∧ power, in their hoost, in their shildes, in their charettes ∧ horsmen) not with weapens, but with holy prayers. Euen so shal all the enemies of Israel be, yf ye contynue in this worke, that ye haue begonne. So vpon this exortacion they contynued in prayer before the LORDE: In so moch that they which offred brent sacrifices vnto the LORDE, offred the offringes vnto þe; LORDE, beynge arayed in hayrie clothes, and had a&esset;shes vpon their heades. And they all besought God from their whole hert, þt; he wolde vyset his people of Israel. The V. Chapter.

A   And worde came to Holofernes the prynce of the warres of the Assyri&abar;s, þt; the childr&ebar; of Israel prepared them selues to make resistaunce, ∧ how they had stopped the wayes betwixte the mountaynes. Then was he exceadinge wroth, ∧ called all the prynces of Moab, ∧ the captaines of Ammon, ∧ sayde vnto them: Tell me, what

people is this, þt; kepeth in the mo&ubar;taynes? Or what maner of cities are they? What is their power? Or what maner of hoost haue they? Who is their captayne? And why do they despyse vs ^note (more then all those that dwell in the east) and come not forth to mete vs, þt; they might receaue vs with peace?

^noteThen Achior the captayne of all the Ammonites answered, and sayde: Syr, yf it please the to heare me, I wil tell the trueth before the concernynge this people that dwell in the mountaynes, and there shal no lye go out of my mouth.

B    ^noteThis people is of the generacion of the Caldees, they dwelt first in Mesopotamia, for they wolde not folowe þe; goddes of their fathers that were in the londe of the Caldees, ∧ so forsoke they the customes of their fore fathers (which had many goddes) and worshipped one God, that made heau&ebar; and earth: which also commaunded them that they shulde go from thence, and dwell at Haran. ^noteNow whan there came a derth in to þe; whole londe, they wente downe to Egipte, ∧ there they dwelt foure hundreth yeares, in þe; which they multiplied so greatly, that their hoost might not be nombred. ^noteAnd whan the kynge of Egipte oppressed them, and subdued th&ebar; in buyldinge of his cities with makynge of claye ∧ brick, they cried vnto God their LORDE, which punyshed the whole londe of Egipte with dyuerse plages.

C    ^noteNow whan the kynge of Egipte let th&ebar; go their waye, ∧ the plage ceassed, ∧ then folowed after th&ebar;, to take th&ebar;, ∧ to brynge th&ebar; agayne in to his seruyce, whyle they were flyenge awaye, the God of heau&ebar; opened þe; see, so þt; the waters stode fast vpon both the sydes as a wall, ∧ these wente thorow the botome of the see drye shod, In the which place wh&abar; an innumerable people of the Egipcians folowed vpon them, they were so ouerwhelmed with the waters, that there remayned not one, to tell th&ebar; that came after, how it happened.

D   So whan this people was passed thorow the reed see, they came in to the wildernes of the mount Synai, where neuer man might dwell afore, ∧ where the sonne of m&abar; had neuer rested. ^noteThere were þe; bytter waters made swete for th&ebar;, that they might drynke, ∧ xl. yeares had they meate from heau&ebar;. Where so euer they wente (without bowe ∧ arowe, without bukler or swerde) their God fought for th&ebar;, ∧ caused th&ebar; to haue the victory. Yee no man was able to hurte this people, excepte it were so, þt; they departed vnfaithfully from þe; worshippinge of the LORDE their God. ^noteBut as oft as they worshipped eny other besyde their God, he gaue them ouer to be spoyled, to be slayne, ∧ to be put to confucion. Neuertheles as oft as they were sory for departynge from the worshipe of their God, the same God of heauen gaue them power ∧ str&ebar;gth to withst&obar;de their enemies.

E    ^noteMorouer they slew the kynge of the Cananites, Iebusites, Pherezites, Ethites, Euites ∧ Amorites, ∧ all þe; mightie in Hesebon, ∧ toke their l&obar;des ∧ cities in possession: and so longe as they synned not in þe; sight of their God, it w&ebar;te well with them, for their God hateth vnrighteousnesse. For in tymes past whan they wente out of þe; waye, ^note which God had geuen them, þt; they shulde walke in it, they were destroyed in dyuerse battayles of many nacions, ∧ many of them were caried awaye presoners into a stra&ubar;ge co&ubar;tre. But now lately they haue turned th&ebar; selues agayne vnto the LORDE their God, ^note ∧ are come together agayne out of the countrees where they were scatred abrode: and thus haue they c&obar;quered these mountaynes ∧ dwell therin: ∧ as for Ierusalem where their Sanctuary is, they haue it againe in possession.

F   And therfore my lorde, make dilig&ebar;t inquisicion, yf this people haue done wickednesse in the sight of their God, then let vs go vp agaynst them, for doutles their God shal delyuer them into thy handes, ∧ subdue them vnto þi; power. But yf this people haue not displeased their God, we shal not be able to withstande them, ^note for their God shal defende th&ebar;, ∧ so shall we be a shame to all þe; worlde.

Now whan Achior had spoken out these wordes, all the prynces of Holofernes were wroth, ∧ thought to slaye him, ∧ sayde one to another: what is he this, which darre saie, þt; þe; childr&ebar; of Israel are able to withst&obar;de Nabuchodonosor the kynge ∧ his hoost? where as they are an vnwapened people, without str&ebar;gth or vnderst&obar;dinge of þe; fettes of warre? That Achior therfore maye knowe, þt; he hath disceaued vs, we wil go vp in to þe; mo&ubar;taynes: ∧ whan the mightie men of th&ebar; are taken, he also shalbe stickte with the swerde, þt; all people maye knowe, that Nabuchodonosor is the God of the earth, and that there is none other without him. The VI. Chapter.

A   So whan they had left of speakinge, Holofernes toke sore indignacion, ∧ sayde vnto Achior. For so moch as thou hast prophecied vnto vs, sayenge: ^note that the people of Israel shalbe defended of their

God, I will shew the, that there is no God but Nabuchodonosor. Yee whan we slaye them all as one man, ^note thou also shalt perish with them thorow the swerde of the Assirians, ∧ all Israel shal be destroyed with the, ∧ th&ebar; shalt thou fele, that Nabuchodonosor is the LORDE of the whole earth. Th&ebar; shal the swerde of my knyghthode go thorow þi; sydes, ∧ thou shalt fall downe stickte amonge the wounded of Israel, ∧ shalt not come to thy self agayne, but be vtterly destroyed with th&ebar;. But yf thou thynkest thy prophecy to be true, why dost thou then chaunge thy coloure? why art thou afrayed? Thynkest thou that my wordes are not able to be perfourmed? B   But that thou mayest knowe, that thou shalt fele these thinges with th&ebar;, beholde, from this houre forth wyll I sende the vnto yonder people, that whan the punyshment of my swerde (which they haue worthely deserued) falleth vpon them, thou mayest be punyshed with them.

So Holofernes c&obar;maunded his seruauntes to take Achior, ∧ to cary him vnto Bethulia, and to delyuer him in to the handes of the children of Israel. Then Holofernes serua&ubar;tes toke him, ∧ w&ebar;te thorow the playne felde. But whan they drew nye vnto the mountaynes, the slynge casters came out agaynst them: Neuertheles they gat them awaye by the syde of the mountayne, ∧ bounde Achior hand ∧ fote to a tre, ∧ so left him bounde with wythies, ∧ turned agayne vnto their lorde.

Notwithst&obar;dinge the children of Israel wente downe fr&obar; Bethulia, came vnto him, lowsed him, brought him to Bethulia, set him in the myddest of the people, and axed him what the matter was, that the Assiri&abar;s had left him bounde.

C   Osias the sonne of Micha of the trybe of Symeon, ∧ Charmim (which is also called Gothoniel) were the pryncipall rulers at the same tyme. Now whan Achior stode in the myddest of the Senatours, ∧ before th&ebar; all, he tolde them, ^note what answere he gaue Holofernes, to the thinge that he axed him, and how Holofernes people wolde haue slayne him for so sayenge, ∧ how Holofernes himself was wroth, ∧ c&obar;maunded him for the same cause to be delyuered vnto þe; Israelites: that whan he ouercame the childr&ebar; of Israel he might commaunde Achior also to be put to death with dyuerse tormentes, because he sayde: ^note the God of heauen is their defender.

And wh&abar; Achior had playnely tolde out all these thinges, all the people fell downe vpon their faces, praysinge the LORDE, and poured out their prayers together vnto the LORDE, with a generall complaynte ∧ wepynge, ∧ sayde: O LORDE God of heauen ∧ earth, beholde their pryde, ∧ loke vpon oure lowlynes, ∧ c&obar;sidre how it standeth with thy sayntes, ∧ make it to be knowne, þt; thou forsakest not those, which holde them fast by the, ∧ how þt; thou bringest th&ebar; lowe, þt; presume of th&ebar; selues, ∧ make their boast in their owne strength. D   So whan the wepinge and prayer of the people (which they had made the whole daye longe) was ended, they c&obar;forted Achior, say&ebar;ge: the God of oure fathers, whose power ∧ strength thou hast praysed, shall so rewarde the, þt; thou shalt rather se their destruccion. Whan þe; LORDE o&highr; God then shall geue his seruauntes this liberte, God be with the also amonge vs: so þt; yf it please þe;, thou &wt; thyne mayest dwell &wt; vs.

Now whan Osias had ended the councell, he toke him in to his house, and made a greate supper, called all the elders to it, ∧ so they refre&esset;shed them selues after the fastinge. And afterwarde was all the people called together, which made their prayers all the night longe in the congregacion, and besought the God of Israel for helpe. The VII. Chapter.

A   The next daye Holofernes commaunded his hoost, to go vp agaynst Bethulia. ^noteThere were an C. ∧ xx. thousande fightinge men on fote, ∧ two ∧ twentie thousande horsm&ebar;, besyde the preparynge of them þt; were wonne, ∧ came to them on euery syde out of the countrees ∧ cities which he had tak&ebar;. All these prepared them selues vnto the battayll agaynst the Israelites, and came on by the hyll syde, vnto the topp that loketh ouer agaynst Dothaim, from the place which is called Belma, vnto Chelmon þt; lyeth towarde E&esset;drelon.

B   Now whan the childr&ebar; of Israel sawe so greate a multitude of the Assirians, they fell downe flat vpon þe; grounde, strowed a&esset;shes vpon their heades, ∧ prayed &wt; one acorde, þt; the God of Israel wolde shew his mercy vpon his people. And so they toke their weapens, ∧ sat betwixte the mountaynes in þe; narow place, ∧ kepte the waye daye ∧ night. But whyle Holofernes was goinge aboute, he founde the water springe, which from the south syde was conueyed in to the cite by a condyte: this c&obar;maunded he to be directe another waye, ∧ to cut their condite in sunder. There were welles also not farre from the walles, which they vsed secretly, more for

pleasure then for necessite.

C   Then wente the Ammonites ∧ the Moabites vnto Holofernes, and sayde: The children of Israel trust nether in speare ner arowe, but haue taken in, and kepe the mountaynes and hilles. That thou mayest ouercome them therfore without þe; strykynge of eny battayll, sett m&ebar; to kepe the welles, that they drawe no water out of them: so shalt thou destroye th&ebar; without swerde, or at the least they shall be so feble, that they must be fayne to geue ouer the cite, which they thinke not able to be w&obar;ne, for so moch as it lieth in the mo&ubar;taynes. These wordes pleased Holofernes well and all his men of warre, ^note and he set an hundreth men at euery well rounde aboute.

D   And whan this watch had endured twentye dayes, the Cisternes and all that had water, fayled them that dwelt in the cite of Bethulia, so that in þe; whole cite they had not drynke ynough for one daye, for the people had water geuen them daylie in a measure. Then came the men and women, yonge personnes and children all vnto Osias, and sayde all with one voyce: God be iudge betwixte vs and the, for thou hast dealt euell with vs: thou woldest not speake peaceably with the kynge of the Assirians, therfore hath God solde vs in their handes, and there is no man to helpe vs, where as we are brought downe before their eyes in thirst and greate destruccion. ^noteTherfore gather now together all the people that be in the cite, that we maye all yelde oure selues wyllingly vnto þe; people of Holofernes: for better it is þt; we be captyue and prayse the LORDE with oure lyues, then to be slayne and perishe, and to be laughed to scorne ∧ shamed of euery man whan we se oure wyues and children dye before oure eyes. We take heauen ∧ earth this daye to recorde, and the God of oure fathers (which punysheth vs acordinge to the deseruynge of oure synnes) and geue you warnynge, þt; ye geue vp the cite now in to þe; power of Holofernes hoost, that oure ende maye be shorte with the swerde, which els shal endure longe for wante of water and for thirst.

E   Whan they had spok&ebar; out these wordes, there was a greate wepynge and howlynge in the whole congregacion, and that of euery man, and they cryed an whole houre longe vnto God with one voice, sayenge: ^note we haue synned with oure fathers, we haue done amysse, we haue dealt wickedly. Thou þt; art gracious, haue mercy vpon vs, punysh oure vnrighteousnes with thine owne scourge, and geue not those ouer that knowlege the, vnto a people which knoweth the not, lest they saye amonge the Heithen: ^note where is their God?

And whan they were so weery with this crienge and wepynge, that they helde their tunges, Osias stode vp with watrye eyes, and sayde: ^note O take good hertes vnto you (deare brethren) and be of good cheare, and let vs wayte yet these fyue dayes for mercy of the LORDE: peraduenture he shal cut awaye his indignacion, and geue glory vnto his name. But yf he helpe vs not whan these fyue dayes are past, we shall do as ye haue sayde. The VIII. Chapter.

A   And it happened whan these wordes came to the eares of Iudith a wyddow, which was the daughter of Merari, the sonne of Idox, the sonne of Ioseph, the sonne of Osias, the sonne of Elai, þe; sonne of Iammor, the sonne of Iedeon, the sonne of Raphoim, the sonne of Achitob, the sonne of Melchia, the sonne of Euam, þe; sonne of Nathania, the sonne of Salathiel, þe; sonne of Symeon, the sonne of Ruben. And hir hu&esset;bande was called Manasses, which dyed in the dayes of the barlye haruest. For whyle he was byndinge þe; sheeues together in the felde, the heate came vpon his heade, and he dyed at Bethulia his cite, and there was he buried beside his fathers. B   Now was Iudith his desolate wyddow thre yeares ∧ six monethes. And in the hyer partes of hir house she made hirself a preuy chambre, where she dwelt, beynge closed in with hir mayd&ebar;s. She ware a smock of hayre, and fasted all the dayes of hir life, excepte the Sabbathes, and new moones ∧ the solempne dayes that the people of Israel kepte. She was a very fayre and beutyfull personne. Hyr husbande also had left her greate riches, a plenteous housholde, greate vnmoueable possessions and many catell. This Iudith was a woman of a very good reporte with euery one, for she feared the LORDE greatly, and there was no body that speake an euell worde of her.

Wh&abar; this Iudith herde, how Osias had promised the people, ^note that after the fyffte daye he wolde geue vp þe; cite vnto the Assirians, she sent for the elders Chambri and Charmin: and whan they came to her, she sayde: what thinge is this, wherin Osias hath consented, þt; yf God helpe not within fyue dayes, he wil geue ouer the cite to the Assirians? What are ye, that ye tempte the

LORDE? This deuyce optayneth no mercy of God, but prouoketh him vnto wrath and displeasure. Wyl ye set the mercy of þe; LORDE a tyme, ∧ appoynte him a daye after youre wyll?

C   Neuertheles for so moch as the LORDE is pacient, let vs rather amende oure selues, pouringe out teares, and besekynge him of grace. ^noteFor God threateneth not as a m&abar;, nether wyll he be prouoked vnto wrath as the children of men. And therfore let vs hertely fall downe before him, and serue him with a meke sprete, and with wepynge eyes saye vnto the LORDE, that he deale with vs acordinge to his owne wyll and mercy: that like as oure hert is now vexed, ∧ brought lowe thorow the pryde of them, it maye so be comforted thorow his grace: in so moch as we folowe not the synnes of oure fathers, which forsoke their God, ∧ worshipped other goddes: ^note for the which synne they perished with the swerde, were spoyled ∧ brought to shame of all their enemies. As for vs, we knowe none other God but onely him, for whose c&obar;forte let vs tary with mekenesse. ^noteHe shall requyre and make inquisicion for oure bloude, from the vexacions of oure enemies: he shal brynge downe all the Heithen, that ryse vp agaynst vs, and put them to dishonoure, eu&ebar; the LORDE oure God.

D   Therfore deare brethren, seinge ye are the honorable and elders in the people of God, vnto whom all þe; people haue respecte, and vpon whom the life of the people stondeth, lift vp their hertes with youre exortacion, ^note þt; they maye call to remembraunce, how oure fathers also in tymes past were tempted, þt; they might be proued, yf they worshipped their God a right. They ought to rem&ebar;bre, ^note how oure father Abraham beinge tempted, and tryed thorow many tribulacions, was founde a louer and frende of God. ^noteSo was Isaac, so was Iacob, so was Moses, and all they that pleased God, beinge tryed thorow many troubles, were fo&ubar;de stedfast in faith. Agayne, they that receaued not their tentacions with the feare of God, ^note but put th&ebar; selues forth with vnpaciency and murmurynge agaynst God, perished of the destroyer, and were slayne of serpentes. And therfore shulde not we vndertake to be auenged, for the thinge that is done vnto vs: but to considre, that all these punyshmentes are farre lesse then oure synnes ∧ my&esset;dedes: Beleuynge also, ^note that this correccion commeth vnto vs (as to the seruauntes of God) for amendment, and not for oure destruccion.

E   Then sayde Osias ∧ the elders vnto Iudith: All that thou speakest, is true, and no m&abar; can reproue þi; wordes. Praie thou for vs now therfore vnto God, for thou art an holy wom&abar;, and fearest God. And Iudith sayde vnto them: ^note Seynge ye knowe, that my wordes are of God, then proue my councell and deuice, yf it be of God: and beseke God, that he wyll brynge my councell to a good ende.

^noteThus haue I deuysed: Ye shal st&obar;de this night before the porte, and I wyll go forth with Abra my mayd&ebar;: Praye ye therfore vnto God, that he wyl graciously rem&ebar;bre his people of Israel within fyue daies, as ye haue sayde. As for the thinge that I go in hande withall, axe ye no questions of it, tyll I open it vnto you myself: do ye nothinge els, but praye vnto the LORDE youre God for me. Then Osias the prynce of the people of Iuda sayde vnto her: Go thy waye in peace, the LORDE be with the, that we maye be auenged of oure enemies, And so they wente from her agayne. The IX. Chapter.

A   Now wh&abar; they were gone their way, Iudith wente in to hir oratory, put on an hayrie smock, strowed a&esset;hes vpon hir heade, fell downe before the LORDE, and cryed vnto him, sayenge: O LORDE God of my father Symeon, ^note which gauest him a swerde for a defence agaynst the enemies, that vsed violence and wilfulnes, and that rauyshed þe; vyrgin and put her to dishonesty. Thou that gauest their wiues in to a praye, and their daughters in to captiuyte, and all their praye for a spoyle vnto thy seruauntes, which bare a zele vnto the, helpe me wyddow, O LORDE my God, I beseke þe;. For thou hast done all thinges from the begynnynge, and loke what thou hast taken in hande and deuysed, it came euer to passe. For all thy wayes are prepared, ∧ thy iudgmentes are done in thy euerlastinge fore knowlege. O loke now vpon the armyes of the Assirians, ^note like as it was thy pleasure somtyme to loke vpon the hoost of the Egipcians, whan they beynge weapened, persecuted thy seruauntes, ∧ put their trust in their charettes, horsmen, and in the multitude of their men of warre. But thou lokedest vpon their hoost, castinge a thick darcknes before them: and whan they came into the depe, the waters ouerwhelmed them.

B   Eu&ebar; so LORDE let it go with these, that trust in þe; power and multitude of their men

of warre, ^note in their charettes, arowes ∧ speares, and knowe not, that thou onely art oure God, which destroyest warres from the begynnynge, and that thou art the LORDE. O lift vp thine arme now like as euer from þe; begynnynge, and in thy power brynge their power to naught, cause their might to fall in thy wrath. They make their boast, þt; they wyl vnhalowe and defyle thy Sanctuary, and to waist the tabernacle of þi; name, and to cast downe the horne of thine aulter with their swerde. Brynge to passe (O LORDE) þt; the pryde of the enemye maye be cut downe with his owne swerde: that he maie be taken with the snare of his eyes in me, and þt; thou mayest smyte him with the lippes of my loue. O geue me a stedfast mynde, that I maye despyse him and his strength, and that I maye destroye him.

C    ^noteThis shal brynge thy name an euerlastinge rem&ebar;braunce, yf the hande of a woman ouerthrowe him. ^noteFor thy power (O LORDE) stondeth not in þe; power of men, nether hast thou eny pleasure in the str&ebar;gth of horses. There was neuer proude personne that pleased the, but in the prayer of the humble and meke hath thy pleasure bene euermore.

O thou God of the heauens, thou maker of the waters, and LORDE of all creatures, heare me poore woman, callynge vpon the, and puttynge my trust in thy mercy. ^noteRemembre thy couenaunt O LORDE, and mynister wordes in my mouth, ∧ stablysh this deuyce in my hert, that thy house maye contynue still in holynes, and that all the Heithen maye knowe and vnderst&obar;de, that thou art God, and that there is none other but thou. The X. Chapter.

A   And whan she had left of cryenge vnto the LORDE, she rose vp from the place, where she had lyen flat before the LORDE, and called hir mayde, wente downe in to hir house, layed þe; hayrie cloth from her, ^note put of the garmentes of hir wyddowhode, wa&esset;shed hir body, anoynted hir self with precious thinges of swete sauoure, broyded and plated hir hayre, sett an hooue vpon hir heade, and put on soch apparell as belongeth vnto gladnesse, slippers vpon hir fete, armelettes, spanges, earynges, fynger rynges, and deckte herself with all hir best araye.

The LORDE gaue her also a speciall beutye and fayrnesse (for all this deckinge of hir self was not done for eny volupteousnesse and pleasure of the flesh, but of a right discrecion and vertue, therfore dyd the LORDE increase hir bewtye) so þt; she was exceadinge amyable and welfauoured in all mens eyes. She gaue hir mayde also a bottell of wyne, a pot with oyle, pottage, cakes, bred ∧ chese, and wente hir waye.

B   Now whan she came to the porte of the cite, she founde Osias and the elders of the cite waitinge there. Which whan they sawe her, they were astonnyed, ∧ marueled greatly at her bewty, neuertheles they axed no question at her, but let her go, sayenge: The God of oure fathers geue þe; his grace, and with his power perfourme all the deuyce of thy hert: that Ierusalem maye reioyse ouer the, and that thy name maye be in the nombre of the holy ∧ righteous. And all they þt; were there, sayde &wt; one voyce: so be it, so be it. Iudith made hir prayer vnto þe; LORDE, ∧ wente out at þe; porte, she ∧ hir mayde.

And as she was goinge downe the mountayne, it happened that aboute the sprynge of the daye, the spyes of þe; Assirians met &wt; her, and toke her, sayenge: whence commest thou? Or whither goest thou? She answered: I am a daughter of þe; Hebrues, and am fled from them, for I knowe, that they shalbe geu&ebar; vnto you to be spoyled: because they thought scorne to yelde th&ebar; selues vnto you, that they might fynde mercy in youre sight. Therfore haue I deuysed by my self after this maner: I wyll go before the prynce Holofernes, and tell him all their secretes, and wyll shew him, how he maye come by them, and wynne them, so that not one man of his hoost shall perish.

C   And whan these men had herde hir wordes, ∧ considered hir fayre face, they were astonnyed (for they wondred at hir excellent bewtye) ∧ sayde vnto her: Thou hast saued þi; life by fyndinge out this deuyce, þt; thou woldest come downe to o&highr; lorde: ∧ be thou sure, that wh&abar; thou c&obar;mest vnto him, he shal intreate the well, ∧ thou shalt please him at þe; hert. So they brought her in to Holofernes pauylion, and tolde him of her. Now whan she came in before him, immediatly he was ouercome ∧ taken with hir bewtye. Then saide his seruauntes: who wolde despyse þe; people of þe; Iewes, þt; haue so fayre wem&ebar;? Shulde we not by reason fight against th&ebar; for these? So wh&abar; Iudith sawe Holofernes syttinge in a canapye, þt; was wrought of purple, sylke, golde, Smaragde and precious stones, she loked fast vp&obar; him, ∧ fell downe vp&obar; the earth. And Holofernes serua&ubar;tes toke hir vp

agayne, at their lordes commmaundement. The XI. Chapter.

A   Then sayde Holofernes vnto her: Be of good chere, and feare not in thine hert, for I neuer hurte man, that wolde serue Nabuchodonosor the kynge. As for thy people, yf they had not despysed me, I shulde not haue lift vp a speare agaynst th&ebar;. But tell me now, what is the cause þt; thou art departed from them, and wherfore art thou come vnto vs?

And Iudith sayde vnto him: Syr, vnderstonde the wordes of thy handmayden: for yf thou wilt do after þe; wordes of thy h&abar;dmayden, the LORDE shall brynge thy matter to a prosperous effecte. As truly as Nabuchodonosor a lorde of the londe lyueth, ∧ as truly as his power lyueth, which is in the to the punyshment of all men that go wronge, all men shall not onely be subdued vnto him thorow the, but all the beestes also of þe; felde. For all people speake of thy prud&ebar;t actiuyte, and it hath euer bene reported, how thou onely art good and mightie in all his kyngdome, and thy discrecion is comm&ebar;ded in all londes.

B    ^noteThe thinge is manifest also, that Achior spake, and it is wel knowne, what thou comma&ubar;dedst to do vnto him. For this is plaine and of a suretye, that oure God is so wroth with vs (by the reason of oure synnes) that he hath shewed by his prophetes vnto the people, how that for their synnes he wyl delyuer them ouer vnto the enemie. And for so moch as the children of Israel knowe that they haue so displeased their God, they are sore afrayed of the. They suffre greate honger also, ∧ for wante of water, they are deed now in a maner. Morouer, they are appoynted to slaye all their catell, that they maye drynke the bloude of them: and are purposed to spende all the holy ornamentes of their God (which he hath forbydd&ebar; th&ebar; to touch) for corne, wyne and oyle. Seinge now that they do these thinges, it is a playne case, þt; they must nedes be destroyed. C   Which whan I thy handmayden perceaued, I fled from them, and the LORDE hath sent me vnto þe;, to shew the these thinges. For I thy handmayden worshipe God euen here now besyde the, and thy honde mayden shal go forth, and I wil make my praier vnto God, and he shal tell me, whan he wyl rewarde th&ebar; their synne: then shal I come and shew the, ∧ brynge the thorow the myddest of Ierusalem, so that thou shalt haue all þe; people of Israel, as the shepe without a shepherde: there shal not so moch as one dogg barck agaynst the, for these thinges are shewed me by the prouydence of God: and for so moch as God is displeased with them, he hath sent me to tell the the same.

D   These wordes pleased Holofernes and all his seruauntes, which marueled at the wysdome of her, and sayde one to another: there is not soch a woman vpon earth, in bewtye and discrecion of wordes. And Holofernes sayde vnto her: God hath done well, that he hath sent the hither before thy people, that thou mayest geue them in to oure handes. And for so moch as þi; promyse is good, yf thy God perfourme it vnto me, he shall be my God also, and thou shalt be excellent and greate in the courte of Nabuchodonosor, and thy name shalbe spoken of in all the londe. The XII. Chapter.

A   Then commaunded he her to go in, where his treasure laye, and charged that she shulde haue hyr dwellynge there, and appoynted, what shulde be geuen her fr&obar; his table. Iudith answered him, and sayde: ^note As for the meate that thou hast commaunded to geue me, I maye not eate of it as now (lest I displease my God) but wyl eate of soch as I haue brought with me. Then sayde Holofernes vnto her: Yf these thinges that thou hast brought with the fayle, what shal we do vnto the? And Iudith sayde: As truly as thou lyuest my lorde, thy hande mayden shall not spende all this, tyll God haue brought to passe in my hande, the thinges that I haue deuysed.

B   So his seruauntes brought her in to the tent, where as he had appointed. And as she was goinge in, she desyred that she might haue leue to go forth by night ∧ before daye, to hir prayer and to make intercession vnto the LORDE. Then commauuded Holofernes his chamberlaynes, that she shulde go out and in at hir pleasure, to praye vnto hir God those thre dayes.

And so in the night season she w&ebar;te forth in to the valley of Bethulia, and was&esset;hed hirself in the wellwater. Then wente she vp, and besought the LORDE God of Israel that he wolde prospere hir waye, for the delyueraunce of his people. And so she wente in, and remayned cleane in hir tent, till she toke hir meate in the euenynge.

C   Vpon þe; fourth daye it happened, þt; Holofernes made a costly supper vnto his serua&ubar;tes, and sayde vnto Vagao his chamberlayne:

Go þi; waye, and councell this Hebruesse, that she maye be wyllynge to consent to kepe company with me. For it were a shame vnto all the Assirians, that a woman shulde so laugh a man to scorne, that she were come from him vnmedled withall.

Then wente Vagao vnto Iudith, and sayde: Let not the good daughter be afrayed, to come in to my lorde, that she maye be honoured before him, that she maye eate and drynke wyne, and be mery with him. Vnto whom Iudith answered: Who am I, that I shulde saye my lorde naye? what so euer is good before his eyes, I shal do it: and loke what is his pleasure, that shal I thinke well done, as longe as I lyue.

D   So she stode vp, and deckte hirself with hir apparell, and wente in, and stode before him. And Holofernes hert was whole moued, so that he brent in desyre towarde her. And Holofernes sayde vnto her: drynke now and sytt downe, and be mery, for thou hast founde fauoure before me. Then sayde Iudith: Syr, I wil drynke, for my mynde is meryer to daye, then euer it was in all my life. And she toke and ate and dranke before him, the thinges that hir mayden had prepared for her. And Holofernes was mery &wt; her, and dranke more wyne, then euer he dyd afore in his life. The XIII. Chapter.

A   Now whan it was late in the night, his seruauntes made haist, euery m&abar; to his lodginge. And Vagao shutt the chamber dores, and wente his waye, ^note for they were all ouerladen with wyne. So was Iudith alone in the chamber. As for Holofernes, he laye vpon the bed all droncken, and of very dronkennes fell a slepe.

Then commaunded Iudith hir mayden, to st&obar;de without before the dore, and to wayte. And Iudith stode before the bed, makynge hir prayer with teares, and moued hir lippes secretly, and sayde. Strength me O LORDE God of Israel, and haue respecte vnto the workes of my handes in this houre, that thou mayest set vp thy cite of Ierusalem, like as thou hast promysed: O graunte that by the I maye perfourme the thinge, which I haue deuysed thorow the beleue that I haue in the.

B   And whan she had spoken this, she wente to the bedsteade, and lowsed the swerde that hanged vpon it, and drew it out. Then toke she holde of the hairie lockes of his heade, and sayde: Strength me o LORDE God in this houre, and with that, she gaue him two strokes vpon the neck, and smote of his heade. Then toke she the canapy awaye, and rolled the deed body asyde. Immediatly she gat her forth, and delyuered the head of Holofernes vnto hir mayden, and bad hir put it in hir walett.

And so these two wente forth together after their custome, as though they wolde praye, and so passed by the hoost, and came thorow the valley vnto the porte of the cite. And Iudith cried afarre of vnto þe; watch men vpon the walles: Open the gates (sayde she) for God is with vs, which hath shewed his power in Israel. And whan they herde hir voyce, they called the elders of the cite together. And they came all to mete her, litle ∧ greate, yonge ∧ olde, for they thought not that she shulde haue come so soone. So they lighted candels, and gathered aboute hir euerichone: but she wente vp in to an hye place, and caused sylence to be proclamed.

C   Whan eueryman now helde his tonge, Iudith sayde: O prayse the LORDE oure God, for he hath not despysed, ner forsaken them, that put their trust in him: and in me his honde mayden he hath perfourmed his mercy, which he promysed vnto the house of Israel: yee in my h&abar;de this same night hath he slayne the enemy of his people.

And with that she toke forth the heade of Holofernes out of the walett, and shewed it them, sayenge: Beholde the heade of Holofernes the captayne of the Assiri&abar;s, and this is the canapy, wherin he laye in his dronkennes: where the LORDE oure God hath slayne him by the hande of a woman.

But as truly as the LORDE lyueth, his angell hath kepte me, goinge thither, remayninge there, and commynge hither agayne from thence. And the LORDE hath not suffred me his handmayden to be defyled, but without eny fylthynes of synne hath he brought me agayne vnto you: ∧ þt; with greate victory, so that I am escaped, and ye delyuered. O geue thankes vnto him euerychone, ^note for he is gracious, and his mercy endureth for euer.

D   So they praysed the LORDE alltogether, and gaue th&abar;kes vnto him. And to her they sayde: The LORDE hath blessed the in his power, for thorow the he hath brought oure enemies to naught.
And Ozias þe; chefe ruler of the people of Israel, sayde vnto her: Blessed art thou of the LORDE the hye God, aboue all wemen vpon earth.

Blessed be the LORDE the maker of heauen and earth, which hath gyded þe; a right to wounde and to smyte of the heade of the captayne of oure enemies. For this daye he hath made thy name so honorable, that thy prayse shall neuer come out of the mouth of m&ebar;, which shal all waye remembre þe; power of the LORDE: seinge thou hast not spared thine owne self, but put the in ieoperdy, consideringe the anguysh and trouble of thy people, and so hast helped their fall before God o&highr; LORDE. And all the people sayde: Am&ebar;, Amen.

E   Achior also was called, ∧ he came. Then sayde Iudith vnto him: The God of Israel vnto wh&obar; thou gauest wytnes, that he wolde be auenged of his enemies, euen he hath this night thorow my hande smytt&ebar; of the head of all the vnfaithfull. And that thou mayest se that it so is, beholde, this is þe; heade of Holofernes, which in his presumptuous pryde despysed the God of the people of Israel, and threatened þe; with destruccion, sayenge: ^note whan the people of Israel is tak&ebar;, I shall cause the also to be stickte with the swerde. Whan Achior sawe Holofernes heade, he fell downe vpon his face to the grounde for very anguish ∧ feare, so þt; he swowned withall. But after that he was come agayne to himself, he fell downe before her ∧ praysed her, say&ebar;ge: Blessed art thou of thy God in all the tabernacles of Iacob: for all the people that heare of thy name, shall prayse the God of Israel because of the.