The most sacred Bible, whiche is the Holy Scripture conteyning the Old and New Testament / translated into English, and newly recognised with great diligence after most faythful exemplars, by Rychard Taverner.

¶ Iudith decketh her self to go to Holofernes. The blessynge that the Elders gaue Iudith. Holofer∣nes is in loue with Iudith.

CAPI. X.

ANd when she had left of cryinge vnto [ A] the Lorde, she rose vp from the place, where she had lyen flat before y^e Lord and called her mayde, went downe in to her house, layde the heerry cloth from her,* 1.1 put of the garmentes of her widdowhode, wasshed her body, anointed her self w^t precious thīges of swete sauour, broyded & platted her heer, set an hooue vpon her heabe, and put on such apparel as belongeth vnto gladnes, slippers vpon her fete, armelettes, spanges, earynges fynger rynges, and deckt her self with al her best araye.

The Lorde gaue her also a specyall beau∣tye and fayrenesse (for all this deckynge of her selfe was not done for any voluptuous∣nesse, and pleasure of the flesh, but of a right discreacion & vertue. therfore dyd the Lorde increase her beauty) so that she was exceding amiable and wel fauoured in al mens eyes.

She gaue her mayde also a bottel of wine

a pot with oyle, potage, cake bred and chese, and went her waye.

[ B] Nowe when she came to the porte of the cytye, she founde Osias and the eldees of the tytie waytyng there. Which when they sawe her, they were astonyed, and merueled great∣ly at her bewty, neuerthelesse they asked no questyon at her, but let her go, sayinge: The God of oure fathers gyue the his grace, and with his power perfourme all the deuyce of thy herte: that Ierusalem maye reioce ouer the, and that thy name maye be in the nom∣bre of the holye and ryghtous. And all they that were there, sayd with one voyce: so be it, so be it. Iudith made her prayer vnto the Lorde, and went out at the porte, she and her mayde.

And as she was goinge downe the moun∣tayne, it happened that about the sprynge of the daye, the spyes of the Assirians met with her, and toke her, sayenge: whence commest thou? Or whither goest thou? She answered: I am a doughter of the Hebrues, and am fled from them, for I knowe, that they shall be gyuen vnto you to be spoyled: bycause they thought scorne to yelde thē selues vnto you, that they myght fynde mercy in youre syght. Therfore haue I deuysed by my selfe after this maner: I wyll go before the prynce Ho∣lofernes, and tell hym all theyr secretes, and wyll shew him, how he maye come by them, and wynne them, so that not one man of his host shall perysh.

And when these men had herde her wor∣des, [ C] and consydred her fayre face, they were astonnyed (for they wondred at her exellent bewtye) and sayd vnto her: Thou hast saued thy lyfe by fyndynge oute this deuyce, that thou woldest come downe to our Lorde: and be thou sure, that when thou commest vnto hym, he shall intreate the well, & thou shalte please him at the hert. So they brought her in to Holofernes pauylion, and tolde him of her. Now when she came in before hym, im∣medyatlye he was ouercome and taken with her bewtye. Then sayd his seruauntes: who wolde despyse the people of the Iewes, that haue so fayre women? Should we not by rea¦son fyght agaynst them for these? So when Iudith saw Holofernes syttyng in a canapy, that was wrought of purple, sylke, gold, sma¦ragde and precyous stones, she loked fast vpō hym. and fell downe vpon the earthe. And Holofernes seruauntes toke her vp agayne, at theyr Lordes commaundement.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Iudi .xvi