Content

CAP 12
1 Thanne Holofernes comaundide hir to entre, where his tresouris weren kept, and he comaundide hir to dwelle there; and he ordeynede, what schulde be youun to hir of his feeste.
2 To whom Judith answeride, and seide, Now Y may not ete of these thingis, which thou comaundidist to be youun to me, lest offence come on me; but Y schal ete of these thingis, whiche Y brouyte with me.
3 To whom Holofernes seide, If these thingis failen, whiche thou brouytist with thee, what schulen we do to thee?
4 And Judith seide, Lord, thi soule lyueth, for thin handmaide schal not spende alle these thingis, til God schal do in myn hondis these thingis which Y thouyte. And hise seruauntis ledden hir in to the tabernacle, whidur he hadde comaundid.
5 And sche axide, the while sche entride, that fredom schulde be youun to hir to go out to preier, in the nyyt, and bifor the liyt, and to biseche the Lord.
6 And he comaundide to his chaumberleyns, that, as it pleside hir, sche schulde go out, and entre, for to preie hir God bi thre daies.
7 And sche yede out in nyytis in to the valei of Bethulia, and waischide hir silf in the welle of watir.
8 And as sche stiede, sche preiede the Lord God of Israel, that he wolde dresse hir weie to the delyueraunce of his puple.
9 And sche entride, and dwellide clene in the tabernacle, til that sche took hir mete in the euentid.
10 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.
11 For it is foul anentis Assiriens, if a womman scorne a man, in doynge that sche passe `with out part fro hym.
12 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.
13 To whom Judith answeryde, Who am Y, that Y ayenseie my lord?
14 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.
15 And sche roos, and ournede hir silf with hir clothis, and entride, and stood bifor `his face.
16 Forsothe the herte of Holofernes was stirid; for he was brennynge in the coueitise of hir.
17 And Holofernes seide to hir, Drynke thou now, and take mete in gladnesse; for thou hast founde grace bifor me.
18 And Judith seide, Lord, Y schal drynke, for my soule is magnyfied to dai bifor alle the daies of my lijf.
19 And sche took, and eet, and drank bifor hym tho thingis, whiche hir handmayde hadde maad redi to hir.
20 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.