Judith 14

¹ And sche yede out in nyytis in to the valei of Bethulia, and waischide hir silf in the welle of watir. ² And as sche stiede, sche preiede the Lord God of Israel, that he wolde dresse hir weie to the delyueraunce of his puple. ³ And sche entride, and dwellide clene in the tabernacle, til that sche took hir mete in the euentid. ⁴ And it was doon in the fourthe dai, Holofernes made a soper to hise seruauntis, and he seide to Vagao, the chaumburleyn, Go thou, and councele that Ebrew womman, that sche consente wilfuli to dwelle with me. ⁵ For it is foul anentis Assiriens, if a womman scorne a man, in doynge that sche passe with out part fro hym. 6 Thanne Vagao entride to Judith, and seide, A good damesele be not aschamed to entre to my lord, that sche be onourid bifor his face, and that sche eete with hym, and drynke wiyn with gladnesse. 7 To whom Judith answeryde, Who am Y, that Y ayenseie my lord? 8 Y schal do al thing, that schal be good and best bifor hise iyen. Sotheli what euer thing plesith hym, this schal be best to me in alle the daies of my lijf. 9 And sche roos, and ournede hir silf with hir clothis, and entride, and stood bifor his face. ¹⁰ Forsothe the herte of Holofernes was stirid; for he was brennynge in the coueitise of hir. ¹¹ And Holofernes seide to hir, Drynke thou now, and take mete in gladnesse; for thou hast founde grace bifor me. ¹² And Judith seide, Lord, Y schal drynke, for my soule is magnyfied to dai bifor alle the daies of my lijf. ¹³ And sche took, and eet, and drank bifor hym tho thingis, whiche hir handmayde hadde maad redi to hir. ¹⁴ And Holofernes was maad glad `to hir, and he drank ful myche wiyn, hou myche he hadde neuere drank in o dai in his lijf. ¹⁶ Forsothe as euentid was maad, hise seruauntis hastiden to her ynnes; and Vagao closid togidere the doris of the closet, and yede forth. ¹⁷ For alle men weren maad feynt of wiyn; ¹⁸ and Judith aloone was in the closet. ¹⁹ Certis Holofernes lai in the bed, aslepid with ful myche drunkenesse.