A   And when she had left of crieng vnto the Lorde, she rose vp from the place, where she had lyen flat before the Lorde, ∧ called her mayden, w&ebar;t downe into her house, layed the hearrye cloth from her, put of the garmentes of hir wyddowhode, wasshed her body, anointed hyr selfe with precyous thinges, of swere sauoure, broyded and platted her hearre, sett an hooue vpon hir heade, and put on soche apparell as belongeth vnto gladnesse, slyppers vpon hir fete, armellettes, sp&abar;ges, earynges, fynger rynges, &abar;d decked her selfe with all hir best araye.

The Lorde gaue her also a specyall bewtye &abar;d fayrnesse (for all this deckyng of hyr selfe was not done for eny voluptuousnesse and pleasure of the flesh, but of a ryght dyscrecyon and vertue, therfore dyd the Lorde increase hir bewtye) so that she was exceadyng amyable and welfauoured in all m&ebar;s eyes. She gaue hyr mayde also a botell of wyne, a pot with oyle, pottage, cake bred ∧ chese, and wente hir waye.

B   Now whan she came to the porte of the cytie, she fo&ubar;de Osias and the elders of the cytie wayt&ibar;g there. Which wh&abar; they sawe her, they were ast&obar;nyed, ∧ marueled greatly at her bewtye, Neuerthelesse, they asked no questi&obar; at her, but let her go, saying: The God of oure fathers geue the his grace, and with his power perfourme all the deuyce of thy herte: that Ierusal&ebar; maye reioyce ouer the, and that thy name maye be in the nombre of the holy and ryghteous. And all they that were there, sayde with one voyce: so be it, so be it. Iudith made hir prayer vnto the Lorde, and wente oute at the porte, she and hir mayde.

And as she was goyng downe the mountayne, it happened that aboute the sprynge of the daye, the spyes of the Assirians met with her, and toke her, saying: whence commest thou? Or whither goest thou? She answered: I am a daughter of the Hebrues, &abar;d am fled fr&obar; thez, for I knowe, þt; they shalbe geuen vnto you to be spoyled: because they thought scorne to yelde th&ebar; selues vnto you that they myght fynde mercy &ibar; youre sight Therfore, haue I deuysed by my selfe after this maner: I wyll go before, the prince Holofernes, and tell hym all the secretes, and wyll shew him, how he maye come by them and wynne them, so that not one m&abar; of hys hoost shall perysh.

C   And whan these m&ebar; had hearde hir wordes, and consydered hir fayre face they were astonnyed (for they wondred at hir excell&ebar;t bewty) ∧ sayd vnto her: thou hast saued thy lyfe by fynding out this deuyce, þt; thou woldest come downe to oure lorde: and be thou sure, that whan thou commest vnto hym, he shall intreate the well, and thou shall please hym at the herte. So they brought her into Holofernes pauylion, and tolde him of her. Now when she came in before hym, immedyatly he was ouercome &abar;d taken with hir bewty. Th&ebar; sayd his serua&ubar;tes: who wolde despise þe; people of the Iewes, that haue so fayre wem&ebar;? Shuld we not by reas&obar; fyght aga&ibar;st th&ebar; for these? So when Iudith sawe Holofernes syttynge in a canapy, that was wrought of purple, sylke, gold, Smaragde and precyous stones, she loked fast vpon h&ibar;, ∧ fell downe vpon þe; earth. And Holofernes seruauntes toke her vp agayne, at their lordes commaundement.

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