1   Bvt after that she was returned to her mother in law, she heard of her: My daughter, I wil seeke thee rest, and wil prouide that it may be wel with thee.

2   This Booz, to whose maides thou art ioyned in the field, is our nigh kinsman, and this night he wynoweth the barne floore of the barley.

3   Wash therfore and annoynte thy self, and put on thy better garmentes, and goe downe into the barne floore, let no man see thee, til he shal haue ended eating & drinking.

4   And when he shal goe to sleepe, marke the place wherein he sleepeth: and thou shalt come, and discouer the mantel wherwith he is couered toward his feete, and shal cast thy

Booz. self downe and lie there: ^note and he wil tel thee what thou must doe.

5   Who answered: Whatsoeuer thou shalt command, that wil I doe.

6   And she went downe into the barne floore, and did al the thinges which her mother in law had commanded her.

7   And when Booz had eaten, & drunken, and was made pleasant, and was gone to sleepe by the heape of sheaues, she came closely, and discouering the mantel, at his feete, layd her self downe.

8   And behold, when it was now midnight the man was afrayd, and trubled: and he saw a woman lying at his feete,

9   and said to her: Who art thou? And she answered: I am Ruth thy handmaide: spred thy mantel vpon thy seruant, because thou art nigh of kinne.

10   And he said: Blessed art thou of our Lord my daughter, and the former mercie thou hast passed with the later: because thou hast ^note not folowed yong men either poore or rich.

11   Feare not therfore, but whatsoeuer thou shalt say to me, I wil doe to thee. For al the people that dwelleth within the gates of my citie, knowe, that thou art a woman of vertue.

12   Neither doe I denie my self nigh of kinne, but there is an other neerer then I.

13   Rest this night: and when morning is come, if he wil retayne thee by the right of nigh of kindred, the thing is wel done, but if he wil not, I wil take thee without al doubt, our Lord liueth, sleepe vntil morning.

14   She slept therfore at his feete til the night was gone. Therfore she arose before men could know one an other, and Booz said: Beware lest any man know that thou camest hither.

15   And agayne, Spred, quoth he, thy mantel, wherwith thou art couered, and hold it with both handes. Who spredding and holding it, he measured six measures of barley, and put it vpon her. Who carying it entred into the citie,

16   and came to her mother in law. Who said to her: What hast thou done daughter? And she told her al thinges, that the man had done to her.

17   And she said: Behold six measures of barley hath he geuen me, and he said: I wil not haue thee returne emptie to thy mother in law.

18   And Noemi said: Expect daughter til we see what end the thing wil haue. For the man wil not cease vntil he haue accomplished that which he hath spoken.

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