¶ The counsell of Iudith. Achior beyng an hea∣then man, turneth to God. The Assyrians are a∣frayed of the Iewes.
CAPI. XIIII.
IVdith sayd vnto al the people: Brethren [ A] hear me. Stick vp this heed vpon our wal¦les, and when the sunne ariseth, take euery man his weapon, and fal out violently: not as though ye wold go beside them, but to ren vpon them with violence. When the spies in the tentes se this, they shall of necessitie be cō¦pelled to fle backward, and to raise vp their capiteyn to the batayle. So when their capi∣taynes come in to Holofernes pauylion, and fynde the deed bodye wrapped in the bloude, fearfulnes shal fall vpon them, and when ye perceyue that they fle, folowe them without all care, for God shal deliuer them vnto you to be destroyed.
Then Achior seinge the power of God, whiche he had shewed vnto the people of Is∣rael, fell of from his Heathenish bylefe, and put his trust in God, and let him selfe be cir∣cumcised: and so was he nombred among ye people of Israel, he and all his posteritie vn∣to this daye.
Now as soone as it was daye, they stickte [ B] vp Holofernes heed vpon the walles, and e∣uery man toke his weapon, and so they went oute with an horrible crye. When the spyes sawe that, they ranne vnto Holofernes tent. And they that were within the tente, came before his chambre, and made a greate rus∣shing to wake him vp, bicause they thoughte with the noyse to haue raysed hym. For there durst not one of the Assirians knocke, go in, or open.
But when the Capytaynes and Prynces and all the chyefe in the kynge of the Assy∣rians hoste came togyther, they sayde vnto the chamberlaynes: Goo your waye in, and wake hym vp, for the myce are crepte out of theyr holes, and dare prouoke vs vnto bat∣tayle.
Then wente Vagao in to his chamber, [ C] stode before the bedde, and clapped with his handes, for he thought he had ben slepyng wt Iudith.
But when he had harkened perfectly with his eares and coulde perceyue no stering, he went nere to the bed, and lyft it vp, and then sawe he the deed bodye of Holofernes lyeng there without a heed, weltred in his bloude, vpon the earthe. Then cryed he with loude voyce, and with wepynge rente his clothes, and went in to Iudiths tent, and founde her not: And so he lepte out vnto the people and sayd one woman of the Iewes hath brought all Nabuchodonosors people to shame. For lo, Holofernes lieth vpon the ground, & hath no heed.
When the chief of the Assirians hoste herd that, they rent their clothes, and there fel an intollerable feare and tremblyng vpon thē, so that theyr myndes were sore afrayd. And there was an exceding great crye in the hole hoste.