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.

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