The Holy Bible, containing the Old and New Testaments, with the Apocryphal books,

CAP. IX.

[verse 1] The whiche goende awei, Judit wente in to hir oratorie, and, clothende hir with an heire, putte askes [asshen A. asken H.] vp on hir hed; and, throwende hirself doun to the Lord, [verse 2] criede to the Lord, seiende, Lord God of my fader Symeon, that ȝeue to hym a swerd in to defending of alienes, that weren defouleris in ther defouling, and nakeden the hipe of the maiden in to [verse 3] confusioun; and thou ȝeue the wymmen of hem in to prei, the doȝtris of hem in to caitifte, and al the prei in to deui|sioun to thi seruauns, that looueden thi looue; help, I beseche, Lord, to me widewe. [verse 4] Thou forsothe didist rathere thingis, and thoo after thoo thou thoȝtist, and this deede is, that thi self woldist. [verse 5] Alle forsothe thi weies ben maad redi, and thi domes in thi prouidence thou hast put. [verse 6] Beholde the tentis of Assiries now, as thanne the tentis of Egipcienus thou vouchedest saf to beholde, whan af|ter thi seruauns thei runnen armed, trost|ende in ther foure horsid cartis, and in ther horsing, and in the multitude of fiȝteres. [verse 7] But thou beheelde vp on the

tentis of hem, and dercnesses ouertra|uaileden [verse 8] hem; the se heeld the feet of hem, and watris couereden hem. [verse 9] So, Lord, and these be maad, that trosten in ther multitude; and in ther charis, and in wepnys, and in ther arewis, and in [verse 10] speris glorien; and thei knowen not, for thou thi self art oure God, that to-tredest batailis fro the bigynnyng, and Lord name is to thee. [verse 11] Rere vp thin arm as fro the begynnyng, and hurtle the vertue of hem in thi vertue; falle the vertue of hem in thi wrathe, that behoten them|self to defoule thin holi thingus, and to polluten the tabernacle of thi name, and to throwe doun with swerd the horne of thin auter. [verse 12] Do, Lord, that the pride of hem be cut awei with ther owne swerd; [verse 13] be he taken with the grane of his eȝen in me; and thou shalt smyten hym of the lippis of my charite. [verse 14] Ȝif to me in wil stedefastnesse, that I dispise hym and his vertue, and I turne hym vp so doun. [verse 15] Forsothe he shal be the memorial of thi name, whan the hondis of a wom|man han throwen hym doun. [verse 16] Forsothe, Lord, not in multitude is thi vertue, ne in strengthys of hors thi wil; ne proude men pleseden to thee fro the begynnyng, but of meke men and of buxum euer|mor to thee pleside the preȝeere. [verse 17] God of heuenes, makere of watris, and Lord of eche creature, here me wrecche preȝ|ende and of thi merci principali takende trost. [verse 18] Haue mynde, Lord, of thi testa|ment, and ȝif woord in my mouth, and strengthe the counseil in myn herte, that thin hous in thin [Om. AH.] halewinge abijde stille; [verse 19] and alle Jentilis knowen, for thou art God, and ther is noon other biside thee.