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.

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