Judith — The Coverdale Bible (1535)

Judith tells how the widow Judith delivered her city from the Assyrian general Holofernes. In Coverdale’s Bible of 1535 it stands in the Apocrypha, which Coverdale gathered into a section of their own under the heading “The boke of Iudith”. Coverdale’s summary of the chapters stands before the text; the 1535 Bible has no verse numbers, so the text keeps its own paragraphs, in 16 chapters, with the marginal notes and references printed after each chapter.

What this boke conteyneth.

• 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 & tyrānye.
• Chap. III. Dyuerse kynges and prynces yelde themselues 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 strōge, 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 takē ▪ and delyuered vnto the people of the Iewes: vnto whom he telleth all the matter, which moueth 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 amēdemēt & 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 deliueraūce of hir people.
• Chap. X. Iudith decketh herself of the best fashiō, taketh hir maydē with her, & goeth forth by night in to Holofernes tent.
• Chap. XI. Iudith telleth Holofernes the cause of hir cōmynge, 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 strēgth, smyteth of the heade of drōken 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 cōmeth in to the nombre of the people of God.
• Chap. XV. Holofernes hoost are out of their wyttes after his death, the Israelites folowe vpō thē, the other cities of Israel helpe them, they wynne greate spoyles, & cōmēde Iudith.
• Chap. XVI. Iudith syngeth prayse vnto the LORDE. The people come together vnto Ierusalē to geue thankes and prayse vnto the LORDE How Iudith made hir ende.

Chapter 1

[A] ARphaxat the kynge of the Medes subdued many people vnto his dominion, & buylded a noble strōge cite, which he called Egbathanis. The walles of it made he of fre stone, foure squared, seuētie 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 yᵉ twolft yeare of his raigne it happened, that Nabuchodonosor yᵉ kynge of the Assirians (which raigned in the greate cite of Niniue) fought agaynst Arphaxat, and ouercame hī in yᵉ greate felde called Ragau, besyde Euphrates and Tigris and Iadason in the felde of Erioth the kinge of the Elikes.

[B] Then was the kyngdome of Nabuchodonosor exalted,⁽¹⁾ 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 Eszdrelō, 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 these dyd Nabuchodonosor the kynge of yᵉ Assirians sende messaungers. But they all wᵗ one consent wolde not agree vnto him, and sent the messaungers agayne emptie, and put thē awaye without honoure. Then Nabuchodonosor the kynge toke indignaciō at all those londes, and sware by his trone & by his kyngdome, that he wolde be auenged of all these countrees.

Notes to Chapter 1

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. Mac. 1. a

Chapter 2

[A] IN the xiij. yeare of kynge Nabuchodonosor, vpon the xxij. daye of yᵉ first moneth, it was deuysed in the courte of Nabuchodonosor yᵉ kynge of the Assiriās, that he wolde defende himself. So he called vnto him all yᵉ 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.⁽¹⁾ Thou shalt spare no realme, all stronge cities shalt thou brynge in subieccion vnto me.

Then Holofernes called together all the [B] 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 twētye 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 yᵗ 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.

And whan he was gone past the borders [C] 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 strōge holde. As for yᵉ welthy cite of Melothus, he brake it downe, & spoyled all the childrē of Tharsis and the Ismaelites, which laye towarde the wyldernes and vpon the south syde of yᵉ 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 in to 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 yᵉ earth

Notes to Chapter 2

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 3

[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 horsemē & 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 mere for yᵉ warre, to helpe him. There came soch a feare also vpon those countrees, that the in dwellers of all the cities, the prynces and rulers & the people together,⁽¹⁾ wēte 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 yᵉ 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 Idumeans in the lōde 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.

Notes to Chapter 3

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. 5. a

Chapter 4

[A] WHan the children of Israel yᵗ 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 roūde 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 yᵉ prest wrote vnto all thē that dwelt towarde Eszdrelon (which lyeth ouer agaynst yᵉ 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, & yᵗ they shulde holde diligent watch, where eny strate waye was betwixte yᵉ moūtaynes. And the children of Israel dyd, as [B] Eliachim the prest of the LORDE had commaunded them. And all the people,⁽¹⁾ 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, yᵗ their cities shulde not be layed waist, & yᵗ their Sanctuary shulde not be vnhalowed, and so they to be a shame and rebuke vnto the Heithen.

Then Eliachim the hye prest of the LORDE [C] wente rounde aboute all Israel, and spake vnto them, sayenge: Be ye sure, yᵗ the LORDE wil heare youre peticions, yf ye cōtynue stedfast in fastinges and prayers in yᵉ sight of the LORDE. Remembre Moses the seruaunte of the LORDE, ⁽²⁾ which ouerthrew yᵉ 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 yᵉ LORDE, beynge arayed in hayrie clothes, and had aszshes vpon their heades. And they all besought God from their whole hert, yᵗ he wolde vyset his people of Israel.

Notes to Chapter 4

⁽¹⁾ Eccli. 35.

⁽²⁾ Exo. 17.

Chapter 5

ANd worde came to Holofernes the [A] prynce of the warres of the Assyriās, yᵗ the childrē 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, yᵗ kepeth in the moūtaynes? 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 (more then all those that dwell in the east) and come not forth to mete vs,⁽¹⁾ yᵗ they might receaue vs with peace?

⁽²⁾Then 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] This people is of the generacion of the Caldees,⁽³⁾ they dwelt first in Mesopotamia, for they wolde not folowe yᵉ goddes of their fathers that were in the londe of the Caldees, & so forsoke they the customes of their forefathers (which had many goddes) and worshipped one God, that made heauē and earth: which also commaunded them that they shulde go from thence, and dwell at Haran.⁽⁴⁾ Now whan there came a derth in to yᵉ whole londe, they wente downe to Egipte, & there they dwelt foure hundreth yeares, in yᵉ which they multiplied so greatly, that their hoost might not be nombred. And whan the kynge of Egipte oppressed them,⁽⁵⁾ and subdued thē 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] Now whan the kynge of Egipte let thē go their waye,⁽⁶⁾ & the plage ceassed, & then folowed after thē, to take thē, & to brynge thē agayne in to his seruyce, whyle they were flyenge awaye, the God of heauē opened yᵉ see, so yᵗ 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 whā an innumerable people of the Egipcians folowed vpon them, they were so ouerwhelmed with the waters, that there remayned not one, to tell thē 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 mā had neuer rested.⁽⁷⁾ There were yᵉ bytter waters made swete for thē, that they might drynke, & xl. yeares had they meate from heauē. Where so euer they wente (without bowe & arowe, without bukler or swerde) their God fought for thē, & caused thē to haue the victory. Yee no man was able to hurte this people, excepte it were so, yᵗ they departed vnfaithfully from yᵉ worshippinge of the LORDE their God.⁽⁸⁾ But 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 & strēgth to withstōde their enemies.

Morouer they slew the kynge of the Cananites, Iebusites, Pherezites, Ethites, Eu⟨illegible⟩tes [E] & Amorites, & all yᵉ mightie in Hesebon,⁽⁹⁾ & toke their lōdes & cities in possession: and so longe as they synned not in yᵉ sight of their God, it wēte well with them, for their God hateth vnrighteousnesse. For in tymes past whan they wente out of yᵉ waye,⁽¹⁰⁾ which God had geuen them, yᵗ they shulde walke in it, they were destroyed in dyuerse battayles of many nacions, & many of them were caried awaye presoners into a straūge coūtre. But now lately they haue turned thēselues agayne vnto the LORDE their God,⁽¹¹⁾ & are come together agayne out of the countrees where they were scatred abrode: and thus haue they cōquered these mountaynes & dwell therin: & as for Ierusalem where their Sanctuary is, they haue it againe in possession.

And therfore my lorde, make diligēt inquisicion,[F] 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 in to thy handes, & subdue them vnto yᵗ power. But yf this people haue not displeased their God, we shal not be able to withstande them,⁽¹²⁾ for their God shal defende thē, & so shall we be a shame to all yᵉ 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, yᵗ yᵉ childrē of Israel are able to withstōde Nabuchodonosor the kynge & his hoost? where as they are an vnwapened people, without strēgth or vnderstōdinge of yᵉ fettes of warre? That Achior therfore maye knowe, yᵗ he hath disceaued vs, we wil go vp in to yᵉ moūtaynes: & whan the mightie men of thē are taken, he also shalbe stickte with the swerde, yᵗ all people maye knowe, that Nabuchodonosor is the God of the earth, and that there is none other without him.

Notes to Chapter 5

⁽¹⁾ Iudit. ⟨illegible⟩. b

⁽²⁾ Iudit. 11. b

⁽³⁾ Gen. 11. d

⁽⁴⁾ Gen. 41. g ⟨illegible⟩nd 46. a Exodi 1. a ⟨illegible⟩nd 12. f Galat. 3. c

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩xodi 1. b ⟨illegible⟩nd 5. b

⁽⁶⁾ ⟨illegible⟩xo. 12. c ⟨illegible⟩nd 14. b

⁽⁷⁾ ⟨illegible⟩xo. 15. d ⟨illegible⟩xo. 1⟨illegible⟩. f ⟨illegible⟩eut. 8. a

⁽⁸⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽¹⁰⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽¹¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽¹²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 6

SO whan they had left of speakinge,[A] Holofernes toke sore indignacion, & sayde vnto Achior. For so moch as thou hast prophecied vnto vs, sayenge:⁽¹⁾ 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,⁽²⁾ thou also shalt perish with them thorow the swerde of the Assirians, & all Israel shal be destroyed with the, & thē shalt thou fele, that Nabuchodonosor is the LORDE of the whole earth. Thē shal the swerde of my knyghthode go thorow yᵉ sydes, & thou shalt fall downe stickte amonge the wounded of Israel, & shalt not come to thy self agayne, but be vtterly destroyed with thē. 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 [B] perfourmed? But that thou mayest knowe, that thou shalt fele these thinges with thē, 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 cōmaunded 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 seruaūtes toke him, & wēte 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.

Notwithstōdinge the children of Israel wente downe frō 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 Assiriās 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 thē all, he tolde them,⁽³⁾ 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, & cōmaunded him for the same cause to be delyuered vnto yᵉ Israelites: that whan he ouer came the childrē of Israel he might commaunde Achior also to be put to death with dyuerse tormentes, because he sayde:⁽⁴⁾ the God of heauen is their defender.

And whā 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, & cōsidre how it standeth with thy sayntes, & make it to be knowne, yᵗ thou forsakest not those, which holde them fast by the, & how yᵗ thou bringest thē lowe, yᵗ presume of thē selues, & make their boast in their owne strength. So whan the wepinge and [D] prayer of the people (which they had made the whole daye longe) was ended, they cōforted Achior, sayēge: the God of oure fathers, whose power & strength thou hast praysed, shall so rewarde the, yᵗ thou shalt rather se their destruccion. Whan yᵉ LORDE oʳ God then shall geue his seruauntes this liberte, God be with the also amonge vs: so yᵗ yf it please yᵗ, 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 refreszshed 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 be sought the God of Israel for helpe.

Notes to Chapter 6

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. 5. b

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. 5. f

Chapter 7

THe next daye Holofernes commaunded [A] his hoost, to go vp agaynst Bethulia.⁽¹⁾ There were an C. & xx. thousande fightinge men on fote, & two & twentie thousande horsmē, besyde the preparynge of them yᵗ were wonne, & came to them on euery syde out of the countrees & cities which he had takē. 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 yᵗ lyeth towarde Eszdrelon.

Now whan the childrē of Israel sawe so [B] greate a multitude of the Assirians, they fell downe flat vpon yᵉ grounde, strowed aszshes vpon their heades, & prayed wᵗ one acorde, yᵗ the God of Israel wolde shew his mercy vpon his people. And so they toke their weapens, & sat betwixte the mountaynes in yᵉ 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 cōmaunded 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.

Then wente the Ammonites & the Moabites vnto Holofernes, and sayde: The children [C] 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 yᵉ strykynge of eny battayll, sett mē to kepe the welles, that they drawe no water out of them: so shalt thou destroye thē 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 wōne, for so moch as it lieth in the moūtaynes. These wordes pleased Holofernes well and all his men of warre, and he set an hundreth men at euery well rounde aboute.⁽²⁾

[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 yᵉ 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:⁽³⁾ 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. Therfore gather now together all the people that be in the cite, that we maye all yelde oure selues wyllingly vnto yᵉ people of Holofernes: for better it is yᵗ 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, yᵗ ye geue vp the cite now in to yᵉ 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 spokē 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: we haue synned with oure fathers, we haue done amysse,⁽⁴⁾ we haue dealt wickedly. Thou yᵗ 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:⁽⁵⁾ 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:⁽⁶⁾ 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.

Notes to Chapter 7

⁽¹⁾ Iudit. 2. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ Iudit. 16. a

⁽³⁾ Exo. 17. a

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩sal. 105. a

⁽⁵⁾ Psal▪ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁶⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 8

ANd it happened whan these wordes [A] 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, yᵉ sonne of Iammor, the sonne of Iedeon, the sonne of Raphoim, the sonne of Achitob, the sonne of Melchia, the sonne of Euam, yᵉ sonne of Nathania, the sonne of Salathiel, yᵉ sonne of Symeon, the sonne of Ruben. And hir huszbande was called Manasses, which dyed in the dayes of the barlye haruest. For whyle he was byndinge yᵉ 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. Now was [B] 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 maydēs. 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.

Whā this Iudith herde, how Osias had promised the people,⁽¹⁾ that after the fyffte daye he wolde geue vp yᵉ 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, yᵗ 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 yᵉ 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.⁽²⁾ For God threateneth not as a mā, 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:⁽³⁾ 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 cōforte let vs tary with mekenesse. He shall requyre and make inquisicion for oure bloude, from the vexacions of oure enemies:⁽⁴⁾ he shal brynge downe all the Heithen, that ryse vp agaynst vs, and put them to dishonoure, euē the LORDE oure God.

[D] Therfore deare brethren, seinge ye are the honorable and elders in the people of God, vnto whom all yᵉ people haue respecte, and vpon whom the life of the people stondeth, lift vp their hertes with youre exortacion, yᵗ they maye call to remembraunce, how oure fathers also in tymes past were tempted,⁽⁵⁾ yᵗ they might be proued, yf they worshipped their God a right. They ought to remēbre, how oure father Abraham beinge tempted,⁽⁶⁾ and tryed thorow many tribulacions, was founde a louer and frende of God. So was Isaac,⁽⁷⁾ so was Iacob, so was Moses, and all they that pleased God, beinge tryed thorow many troubles, were foūde stedfast in faith. Agayne, they that receaued not their tentacions with the feare of God, but put thē selues forth with vnpaciency and murmurynge agaynst God,⁽⁸⁾ 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 & myszdedes: Beleuynge also, that this correccion commeth vnto vs (as to the seruauntes of God) for amendment,⁽⁹⁾ and not for oure destruccion.

Then sayde Osias & the elders vnto Iudith:[E] All that thou speakest, is true, and no mā can reproue yᵉ wordes. Praie thou for vs now therfore vnto God, for thou art an holy womā, and fearest God. And Iudith sayde vnto them: Seynge ye knowe,⁽¹⁰⁾ 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.

Thus haue I deuysed:⁽¹¹⁾ Ye shal stōde this night before the porte, and I wyll go forth with Abra my maydē: Praye ye therfore vnto God, that he wyl graciously remēbre 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 Iopen 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.

Notes to Chapter 8

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ a ⟨illegible⟩ 32. f

⁽⁶⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 17. a ⟨illegible⟩ 1⟨illegible⟩. a

⁽⁷⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 28. b ⟨illegible⟩ b ⟨illegible⟩ ⟨illegible⟩2. a

⁽⁸⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 11. a ⟨illegible⟩ a ⟨illegible⟩ 1⟨illegible⟩. a

⁽⁹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩om. 5. d

⁽¹⁰⁾ 1. cor. 14. d 1. Ioh. 4. a 1. Tess. 5. c

⁽¹¹⁾ Iudit. 10. b

Chapter 9

NOw whā they were gone their way,[A] Iudith wente in to hir oratory, put on an hayrie smock, strowed aszhes vpon hir heade, fell downe before the LORDE, and cryed vnto him, sayenge: O LORDE God of my father Symeon,⁽¹⁾ which gauest him a swerde for a defence agaynst the enemies, that vsed violence and wilfulnes, and that rauyshed yᵉ 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 yᵉ. 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, like as it was thy pleasure somtyme to loke vpon the hoost of the Egipcians, whan they beynge weapened,⁽²⁾ 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 in to the depe, the waters ouerwhelmed them.

Euē so LORDE let it go with these, that [B] trust in yᵉ power and multitude of their men of warre,⁽³⁾ 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 yᵉ begynnynge, and in thy power brynge their power to naught, cause their might to fall in thy wrath. They make their boast, yᵗ they wyl vnhalowe and defyle thy Sanctuary, and to waist the tabernacle of yᵉ name, and to cast downe the horne of thine aulter with their swerde. Brynge to passe (O LORDE) yᵗ 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 yᵗ 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] This shal brynge thy name an euerlastinge remēbraunce,⁽⁴⁾ yf the hande of a woman ouerthrowe him. For thy power (O LORDE) stondeth not in yᵉ power of men, nether hast thou eny pleasure in the strēgth 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. Remembre thy couenaunt O LORDE, ⁽⁵⁾ 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 vnderstōde, that thou art God, and that there is none other but thou.

Notes to Chapter 9

⁽¹⁾ Gen. 34. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ Exo. 14. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁾ Psal. 45. b

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩udic. 4. d and 5. d ⟨illegible⟩. Par. 14. c 16. b. 20. a ⟨illegible⟩udic. 7. a Psal. 146. b

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ccli. 36. a

Chapter 10

[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 yᵉ hayrie cloth from her,⁽¹⁾ put of the garmentes of hir wyddowhode, waszshed 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 yᵗ 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.

Now whan she came to the porte of the [B] 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 yᵉ 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 yᵗ were there, sayde wᵗ one voyce: so be it, so be it. Iudith made hir prayer vnto yᵉ LORDE, & wente out at yᵉ porte, she & hir mayde.

And as she was goinge downe the mountayne, it happened that aboute the sprynge of the daye, the spyes of yᵉ Assirians met wᵗ her, and toke her, sayenge: whence commest thou? Or whither goest thou? She answered: I am a daughter of yᵉ Hebrues, and am fled from them, for I knowe, that they shalbe geuē vnto you to be spoyled: because they thought scorne to yelde thē 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.

And whan these men had herde hir wordes,[C] & considered hir fayre face, they were astonnyed (for they wondred at hir excellent bewtye) & sayde vnto her: Thou hast saued yᵉ life by fyndinge out this deuyce, yᵗ thou woldest come downe to oʳ lorde: & be thou sure, that whā thou cōmest vnto him, he shal intreate the well, & thou shalt please him at yᵉ 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 yᵉ people of yᵉ Iewes, yᵗ haue so fayre wemē? Shulde we not by reason fight against thē for these? So whā Iudith sawe Holofernes syttinge in a canapye, yᵗ was wrought of purple, sylke, golde, Smaragde and precious stones, she loked fast vpō him, & fell downe vpō the earth. And Holofernes seruaūtes toke hir vp agayne, at their lordes commmaundement.

Notes to Chapter 10

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩udit. 16. b

Chapter 11

[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 thē. But tell me now, what is the cause yᵗ thou art departed from them, and wherfore art thou come vnto vs?

And Iudith sayde vnto him: Syr, vnder stonde the wordes of thy handmayden: for yf thou wilt do after yᵉ wordes of thy hādmayden, 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 yᵉ felde. For all people speake of thy prudēt actiuyte, and it hath euer bene reported, how thou onely art good and mightie in all his kyngdome, and thy discrecion is commēded in all londes.

[B] The thinge is manifest also, that Achior spake,⁽¹⁾ and it is wel knowne, what thou commaūdedst 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 forbyddē thē to touch) for corne, wyne and oyle. Seinge now that they do these thinges, it is a playne case, yᵗ [C] they must nedes be destroyed. Which whan I thy handmayden perceaued, I fled from them, and the LORDE hath sent me vnto yᵉ, 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 thē their synne: then shal I come and shew the, & brynge the thorow the myddest of Ierusalem, so that thou shalt haue all yᵉ 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.

These wordes pleased Holofernes and all [D] 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 into oure handes. And for so moch as yᵉ 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.

Notes to Chapter 11

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. 5▪ a

Chapter 12

THen commaunded he her to go in,[A] where his treasure laye, and charged that she shulde haue hyr dwellynge there, and appoynted, what shulde be geuen her frō his table. Iudith answered him, and sayde:⁽¹⁾ 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.

So his seruauntes brought her in to the [B] 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 commaunded 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 wēte forth in to the valley of Bethulia, and wasszhed 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.

Vpon yᵉ fourth daye it happened, yᵗ Holofernes [C] made a costly supper vnto his seruaūtes, and sayde vnto Vagao his chamberlayne: Go yⁱ 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.

Notes to Chapter 12

⁽¹⁾ Gen. 34. f

Chapter 13

[A] NOw whan it was late in the night, his seruauntes made haist, euery mā to his lodginge. And Vagao shutt the chamber dores, and wente his waye, for they were all ouerladen with wyne.⁽¹⁾ 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 stōde 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 a farre of vnto yᵉ 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 euaerichone: but she wente vp into an hye place, and caused sylence to be proclamed.

Whan euery man now helde his tonge,[C] 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 hāde 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 Assiriās, 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: & yᵗ with greate victory, so that I am escaped, and ye delyuered. O geue thankes vnto him euerychone,⁽²⁾ for he is gracious, and his mercy endureth for euer.

So they praysed the LORDE alltogether,[D] and gaue thākes 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 yᵉ 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 yᵉ 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 mē, which shal all waye remembre yᵉ 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 oʳ LORDE. And all the people sayde: Amē, Amen.

[E] Achior also was called, & he came. Then sayde Iudith vnto him: The God of Israel vnto whō thou gauest wytnes, that he wolde be auenged of his enemies, euen he hath this night thorow my hande smyttē of the head of all the vnfaithfull. And that thou mayest se that it so is, beholde, this is yᵉ heade of Holofernes, which in his presumptuous pryde despysed the God of the people of Israel, and threatened yᵉ with destruccion, sayenge: whan the people of Israel is takē, I shall cause the also to be stickte with the swerde.⁽³⁾ Whan Achior sawe Holofernes heade▪ he fell downe vpon his face to the grounde for very anguish & feare, so yᵗ he swowned with all. But after that he was come agayne to himself, he fell downe before her & praysed her, sayēge: 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.

[woodcut]

Notes to Chapter 13

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ccli. 31. c

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ ▪ 16. a

Chapter 14

[A] IVdith saide vnto all the people: Brethren heare me, Styck vp this heade vpon oure walles, and whan the Sonne aryseth, take euery man his weapen, and fall out violently: not as though ye wolde go besyde them, but to renne vpon them with violence. Whan the spyes in the tētes se this, they shall of necessite be cōpelled to fle bacwarde, and to rayse vp their captayne to the battayll. So whā their captaynes come in to Holofernes pauylion, and fynde the deed body wrapped in the bloude, fearfulnes shall fall vpon them: and whan ye perceaue that they fle, folowe them without all care, for God shal delyuer them vnto you to be destroyed.

Then Achior seynge the power of God which he had shewed vnto the people of Israel, fell of from his Heithenish beleue, and put his trust in God, and let him self be circumcided: and so was he nombred amonge the people of Israel, he and all his posterite vnto this daye.

Now as soone as it was daye, they stickte [B] vp Holofernes heade vpon the walles, and euery man toke his weapen, and so they wente out with an horrible crye. Whan the spyes sawe that, they ranne vnto Holofernes tent. And they that were within the tēt, came before his chamber, and made a greate russzhinge to wake him vp, because they thought with the noyse to haue raised him. For there durst not one of the Assirians knocke, go in, ner to open.

But whan the captaynes and prynces and all the chefe in the kynge of the Assirians hoost came together, they saide vnto the chamberlaynes: Go youre waye in, and wake him vp, for the myse are crepte out of their holes, and darre prouoke vs vnto battayll.⁽¹⁾

Then wente Vagao in to his chamber,[C] stode before the bed, and clapped with his handes, for he thought he had bene slepynge with Iudith.

But whā he had herkened perfectly with his eares, and coude perceaue no sterynge, he wente nyer to the bed, and lift it vp, and then sawe he the deed body of Holofernes lyenge there without a heade, weltred in his bloude vpon the earth. Then cried he with loude voyce, and with wepynge rent his clothes, and wente in to Iudiths tent, and founde her not: And so he leapte out vnto the people, and sayde: one womā of yᵉ Iewes, hath brought all Nabuchodonosors people to shame. For lo, Holofernes lyeth vpō the grounde, and hath no heade.

Whan the chefe of the assirians hoost herde that, they rente their clothes, and there fell an intollerable feare and tremblinge vpō them, so yᵗ theyr myndes were sore afrayed. And there was an exceadynge greate crye in the whole hoost.

Notes to Chapter 14

⁽¹⁾ 1. Re. 14. ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 15

NOw whan all the hoost herde that [A] Holofernes was headed, their mynde and councell fell from them: and soch a feare came vpon them, that they vndertoke to defende themselues by flyenge awaye: one spake not to another, but hanged downe their heades, left all behynde them, and made haist to escape from the Hebrues: for they herde, that they were haistinge to come after with their weapens, and so they fled by the wayes of the feldes, and thorow all the fote pathes of the dales.

And whan yᵉ children of Israel sawe that they fled, they folowed vpon them, and wente downe with trōpettes, blowinge and makynge a greate crie after thē. As for the Assirians, they had no ordre, and kepte not thē selues together, but fled their waye. Neuerthelesse the children of Israel fell vpon them with one company and ordre, and discomfited as many as they might gett. And Osias sent messaungers vnto all the cities and coūtrees of Israel.

[B] So all the regions and euery cite sent out their best men after them in harnesse, & smote them with the swerde, tyll they came to yᵉ vttemost parte of their borders. And the other that were in Bethulia came into the tētes of the Assirians, and toke all that they which were fled, had left behynde them, and so they founde greate good. And they that came agayne to Bethulia from the battayll, toke with them soch thinges as had bene theirs: there was no nōbre of the catell, and of all costly Iewels, so that from the lowest vnto the hyest, they were all made riche of the spoyles of them. And Ioachim the Hye prest at Ierusalē, came to Bethulia with all the elders, that they might se Iudith.

[C] Now whan she came out vnto them, they beganne all to prayse her with one voyce, sayenge: thou worshipe of the cite of Ierusalem, thou ioye of Israel, thou honoʳ of oure people, thou hast done manly, and thy hert is comforted, because thou hast loued clenlynes and chastyte, & hast knowne no man but thine owne huszbande: therfore hath the hāde of the LORDE comforted the, and blessed shalt thou be for euer. And all people sayde: so be it, so be it.

In thirtie dayes coude the people of Israel scarse gather vp the spoyles of the Assirians. But all that belonged vnto Holofernes, and had bene his specially, (whether it were of golde, of syluer, precious stones, clothinge and all ornamentes) they gaue it vnto Iudith. And all the people reioysed, both wemen, maydens, and yonge people, with pipes and harpes.

Chapter 16

THen sange Iudith this songe vnto [A] the LORDE: Begynne vnto the LORDE vpon the tabrettes, singe vnto the LORDE vpon the cymbals. O synge vnto him a new songe of thankesgeuynge, be ioyfull and call vpon his name.⁽¹⁾ It is the LORDE that destroyeth warres, euen the LORDE is his name. Which hath pitched his tentes in the myddest of his people, that he might delyuer vs from the hande of all oure enemies. Assur came out of the mountaynes in the multitude of his strength. His people stopped the water brokes,⁽²⁾ and their horses couered the valleys. He purposed to haue brēt vp my londe, and to slaye my yonge men with the swerde.

He wolde haue caryed awaye my children [B] and virgins in to captiuyte, but the allmightie LORDE hurte him, and delyuered him in to the handes of a woman, which brought him to confucion. For their mightie was not destroyed of the yonge men. It was not the sonnes of Titan that slew him, nether haue the greate giauntes sett them selues agaynst him: but Iudith the daughter of Merari wᵗ hir fayre bewtye hath discomfited him, and brought him to naught.⁽³⁾ For she layed awaie hir widdowes garment, and put on the appared of gladnesse in the reioysinge of the children of Israel. She anoynted hir face, and bounde vp hir hayre in an hooue, to begyle him. Hir slippers rauyshed his eyes, hir bewtye captyuated his mynde,⁽⁴⁾ with the swerde smote she of his neck. The Persians were astonnyed at hir sted fastnesse, and the Medes at hir boldnes. Then howled the armyes of yᵉ Assirians, whan my symple appeared, drye of thyrst. The sonnes of the daughters haue [C] pearsed them thorow, and slayne them as fugityue childrē: they peryshed in the battayll, for the very feare of the LORDE my God. Let vs synge a songe of thākesgeuynge vnto the LORDE, a new songe of prayse wyl we synge vnto oure God. LORDE, LORDE, thou art a greate God, mightie in power, whom no man maye ouercome. All thy creatures shulde serue the, for thou spakest but the worde,⁽⁵⁾ & they were made: thou sente thy sprete, & they were created, and no man maye withstonde thy voyce. The mountaynes shal moue from the foundacions with the waters, the stony rockes shal melt before the like waxe. But they that feare the, shal be greate with yᵉ in all thinges. Wo vnto the people that ryse vp against my generacion, for the allmightie LORDE wyll auenge him self of them, & in the daye of iudgmēt wyl he vyset them. For he shall geue fyre & wormes in to their flesh, that they maye burne and fele it for euermore.

[D] After this it happened, that after the victory all the people came to Ierusalem, to geue prayse and thankes vnto the LORDE. And whā they were purified, they offred all their brent sacrifices and their promysed offerynges. And Iudith offred all Holofernes weapens, and all the Iewels, that yᵉ people had geuē her,⁽⁶⁾ and the canapy that she toke from his bed, and hanged them vp vnto the LORDE. The people was ioyfull, as the vse is: & this ioye by reason of the victory, with Iudith, endured thre monethes.

So after these dayes euery man wente home agayne, and Iudith was in greate reputacion at Bethulia, and right honorably taken in all the londe of Israel. Vnto hir vertue also was chastite ioyned, so yᵗ after hir huszbonde Manasses dyed, she neuer knew man all the dayes of hir life. Vpon the hye solempne dayes she wente out with greate worshipe. She dwelt in hir huszbandes house an hundreth and fyue yeare, & left hir hond⟨illegible⟩ mayden fre, and dyed, and was buried besyde hir huszbande in Bethulia. And all the people mourned for her seuen dayes.⁽⁷⁾ So longe as she lyued, there was none that troubled Israel, and many yeares also after hir death.

The daye wherin this victory was gotten, was solemply holden, and rekened of the Iewes in the nombre of the holy dayes, and is yet greatly holden of the Iewes euer sence, vnto this daye.

Notes to Chapter 16

⁽¹⁾ Psal. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁶⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. b ⟨illegible⟩. 13 b

⁽⁷⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

The ende of the boke of Iudith.

Colophon

This page is an archival transcription of the printed text, not a Good Works Translation. Source: Biblia the Byble, that is, the holy Scrypture of the Olde and New Testament, faithfully translated in to Englyshe (M.D.XXXV; STC 2063.3), translated by Myles Coverdale, the copy in Cambridge University Library, keyed and encoded by the Text Creation Partnership (EEBO-TCP Phase I, text A10349, 2005) and released under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 public-domain dedication.

5 places illegible in the Cambridge copy were filled from Samuel Bagster’s 1838 page-for-page reprint of the edition (archive.org, holyscriptures00cove), only where the reprint’s reading is certain; each fill is listed on this room’s Supplied Readings page; 67 places are still marked ⟨illegible⟩ (2 in the text, 65 in the marginal notes).

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