t
I may perform this that I have thought to do. And when she had thus
said, she went to the pillar that was at his bed's head, and took his
sword and loosed it, and when she had drawn it out, she took his hair in
her hand and said: Confirm me God of Israel in this hour, and smote
twice in the neck and cut off his head, and left the body lie still, and
took the head and wrapped it in the canape and delivered it to her maid,
and bade her to put it in her scrip, and they two went out after their
usage to pray. And they passed the tents, and going about the valley
came to the gate of the city, and Judith said to the keepers of the
walls: Open the gates, for God is with us that hath done great virtue in
Israel. And anon when they heard her call, they called the priests of
the city, and they came running for they had supposed no more to have
seen her, and lighting lights all went about her.

She then entered in and stood up in a high place and commanded silence,
and said: Praise ye the Lord God that forsaketh not men hoping in him;
and in me his handwoman, hath fulfilled his mercy that he promised to
the house of Israel, and hath slain in my hand the enemy of his people
this night. And then she brought forth the head of Holofernes and showed
it to them, saying: Lo! here the head of Holofernes, prince of the
chivalry of Assyrians, and lo! the canape of him in which he lay in his
drunkenhood, where our Lord hath smitten him by the hand of a woman.
Forsooth God liveth, for his angel kept me hence going, there abiding,
and from thence hither returning, and the Lord hath not suffered me, his
handwoman, to be defouled, but without pollution of sin hath called me
again to you joying in his victory, in my escaping and in your
deliverance. Knowledge ye him all for good, for his mercy is
everlasting, world without end. And all they, honoring our Lord, said to
her: The Lord bless thee in his virtue, for by thee he hath brought our
enemies to naught. Then Ozias, the prince of the people, said to her:
Blessed be thou of the high God before all women upon earth, and blessed
be the Lord that made heaven and earth, that hath addressed thee in the
wounds of the head of the prince of our enemies. After this Judith bade
that the head should be hanged up on the walls, and at the sun rising
every man in his arms issue out upon your enemies, and when their spies
shall see you, they shall run into the tent of their prince, to raise
him and to make