fathers, which was in the multitude of many gods, they honored
one, God of heaven, which commanded them to go thence that they should
dwell in Canaan. Then after was there much hunger, that they descended
into Egypt, and there abode four hundred years, and multiplied that
they might not be numbered. When the king of Egypt grieved them in his
buildings, bearing clay tiles, and subdued them, they cried to their
Lord, and he smote the land of Egypt with divers plagues. When they of
Egypt had cast them out from them, the plagues ceased from them and then
they would have taken them again and would have called them to their
service, and they fleeing, their God opened the sea to them that they
went through dry-foot, in which the innumerable host of the Egyptians
pursuing them were drowned, that there was not one of them saved for to
tell to them that came after them. They passed thus the Red Sea, and he
fed them with manna forty years, and made bitter waters sweet, and gave
them water out of a stone. And wheresoever this people entered without
bow or arrow, shield or sword, their God fought for them, and there is
no man may prevail against this people but when they departed from the
culture and honor of their God. And as oft as they have departed from
their God and worshipped other strange gods, so oft have they been
overcome with their enemies. And when they repent and come to the
knowledge of their sin, and cry their God mercy, they be restored again,
and their God giveth to them virtue to resist their enemies. They have
overthrown Cananeum the king, Jebusee, Pheresee, Eneum, Etheum and
Amoreum, and all the mighty men in Esebon, and have taken their lands
and cities and possess them, and shall, as long as they please their
God. Their God hateth wickedness, for tofore this time when they went
from the laws that their God gave to them, he suffered them to be taken
of many nations into captivity, and were disperpled. And now late they
be come again and possess Jerusalem wherein is sancta sanctorum, and be
come over these mountains whereas some of them dwell. Now therefore, my
lord, see and search if there be any wickedness of them in the sight of
their God, and then let us go to them, for their God shall give them
into thy hands and they shall be subdued under the yoke of thy power.

And when Achior had said thus, all the great men about Holofernes were
angry and had thought for to have slain him, saying each to other: Who
is th