nd meeked, serve we to him, and
say we weeping to God, that after his will he show to us his mercy, and
as our heart is troubled in the pride of them, so also of our humbleness
and meekness let us be joyful. For we have not followed the sin of our
fathers that forsook their God and worshipped strange gods, wherefore
they were given and be taken into hideous and great vengeance, into
sword, ravin, and into confusion to their enemies; we forsooth know no
other god but him. Abide we meekly the comfort of him, and he shall keep
us from our enemies and he shall make all gentiles that arise against
him, and shall make them without worship the Lord our God. And now ye
brethren, ye that be priests, on whom hangeth the life of the people of
God, pray ye unto Almighty God that he make me steadfast in the purpose
that I have proposed. Ye shall stand at the gate and I shall go out with
my handmaid. And pray ye the Lord that he steadfast make my soul, and do
ye nothing till I come again.

And then Judith went into her oratory, and arrayed her with her precious
clothing and adornments, and took unto her handmaid certain victuals
such as she might lawfully eat, and when she had made her prayers unto
God she departed in her most noble array toward the gate, whereas Ozias
and the priests abode her, and when they saw her they marvelled of her
beauty. Notwithstanding they let her go, saying: God of our fathers give
thee grace and strengthen all the counsel of thine heart with his virtue
and glory to Jerusalem, and be thy name in the number of saints and of
righteous men. And they all that were there said: Amen, and, fiat! fiat!
[let it be done]. Then she praising god passed through the gate, and her
handmaid with her. And when she came down the hill, about the springing
of the day, anon the spies of the Assyrians took her saying: Whence
comest thou, or whither goest thou? The which answered: I am a daughter
of the Hebrews and flee from them, knowing that they shall be taken by
you, and come to Holofernes for to tell him their privities, and I shall
show him by what entry he may win them, in such wise as one man of his
host shall not perish. And the men that heard these words beheld her
visage and wondered of her beauty, saying to her: Thou hast saved thy
life because thou hast founden such counsel, come therefore to our Lord,
for when thou shalt stand in his sight he shall accept thee. And they
led her to the tabernacle of Holofernes. And