welcōe here would God it might you please Longtime with vs to dwell in rest and case For if your faith and trouth concurrant be to this your talke which greatly pleaseth me I will from this time forth with you accord to serue your onely Hebrewes God Lord And will my seruice whole to you enrowle Not of my Scepter onely but my soule I will your name and honour ay defend From Hebrew bounds vnto the world his end This sayd with silence as the moone arose The widow her withdrew and forth she goes Vnto a valley close on euerie part where as she washt her corse clenst her harte And with her weeping eyes the place beraid And to the God of Izak thus she praide O Lord withdraw not now thy helping hand from those that at thy mercie onely stand O Lord defend them that desires to spend their goods and blood thy cause for to defend O Lord grant that the cryes of Children may with plaints of oldmen weeping night and day And virgins voyces sad in shroude of shame And laudes of Leuits sounding forth thy fame Mount to thy throne and with dissundring breake thy heauie sleepe VVherefore doest thou awreake thy self on Hermon with thy burning blast or why doest thou on carefull Carmell cast Thy dreadfull darts forgetting all this space these Giants that thy Scepter would displace Ah wretch what say I lord apardon me thy burning zeale and none hypocrisie that frets my heauie hart at euerie howre Compels my toung this language out to powre O thou the euerliuing God and Guide of all our race I know thou wilt prouide For our reliefe against this furious boste And iustly kill the Captaine of this hoste I know that thou wilt help my onely hand to be the wrak of all this heathen band FINIS THE SOMMARIE OF THE V. BOOK ¶ Holophernes being surprised with the sweete language and excellent beutie of the chaste Iudith becommeth altogether negligent of his charge gouernement Wherein is represented the vnhabilitie of the reprobate who can not withstand such temptations as the lord sendeth vpon them But as they become slaues to their owne affections so by the same they are enforced to fall into perdition In place of some faithfull seruant to warne him of his vyces Holophernes conferreth with Bagos an Eunuch who feedeth him in his humour and bringeth Iudith to his Tent. And here the Poet reprooues all flatterers bawdes with the vyces of all Courts in Generall Iudith seing her chastitie in perill and the time vnmeete to execute her enterprise Subtily drawes the Tyrant to talke of other affaires He thinking to insinuate himself the more into her fauour taketh pleasure to crack of his conquests and of his speciall worthinesse discoursing so long till suppertyme aproached and she auoided the inconuenience And here is to be noted that whilest the tyrants boste of their cruellie against the Church God prouideth for his owne and preserueth them for that worke that he hath ordeined by them to be done THE FIFTH BOOKE OF IVDITH IN stead of mary-in bone and blood in vaines Great Holopherne doth feed his cruell paines He bootlesse flees and feeles but he ne knowes the quenched fire that of his ashes growes For so the charming Image of this Dame the onely mark wherat his soule did ame Tran sported him in passions of dispare that of his mightie camp he quits the care And goes no more his matters to dispatch Nor vewes his corpsgard nor relieues his watch Nor counsell calls nor sent to spye the coste Nor vewes the quarters of his spacious hoste But as the sheep that haue no hirde nor guide But wandring strayes along the riuers side Throu burbling brookes or throu the forests grene Throw medows closures or throu shadows shene Right so the Heathen hoste without all bridle Runns insolent to vicious actions ydle where none obeyes ech one commanding speaks Eche one at pleasure from his bāner breaks What do you Hebrews now within your wall Now time to fight or neuer time at all To pay these Pagans whose confused corse Combats against themselfs with deadly forse Nay stay a while of such a great victorie Your onely God will haue the onely glorie Before this tyrant was with loue yblent To winne the towne he plyde his whole entent But now both night day his mynd doth frame to conquer this most chast vnconquest Dame So lust him led th' vndaunted Theban knight with weightie mace had neuer him affright But now a womans looke his hart enfeares And in his brest the curelesse wound he beares Ambition erst so had him ouercumme that made him dayly ryse by sound of drumme Now Cupid him awaks with whote allarmes That his witholds to do the Hebrewes harmes Before he rulde aboue both prince and king now can he not himself in order bring Alas quod he what life is this I haue Becomming captiue to my captiue slaue Complaint vnhappie chance what life is this I say My vertue gone my forces falls away Nay sure no life it is more paine I feele The Ixion torne vpon th' Eternall wheele Pronit there My life is like the theefes that stoale the fire On whose mor tall hart doth alwayes tire A rauenous fowle that gnaues him to the bone Reuiuing still bound to the Scythian stone what serues it me t' haue won wher I haue haūted what serues my victor arme for to haue daunted The people situate tweene Hydaspe large And port wher Cydnus doth in sea discharge Since I am vanquisht by the feeble sight Of captiue Iudith what auaills my might My targe of steele my Burguinet of Brasse My guard of warriours stout where so I passe Since her sweete eye hath sent the pointed dart Throgh men weapōs pearcing throu my hart Whatserues my coursers who with swiftnes light Exceeds the swallow swiftest bird of flight since I on him cannot auoide one ynch the care that night and day my hart doth pinch Then chāge ô Hebrews chāge your tears in song And triumphe ore-my hoste and army strong I am no more that Duke whose name allone hath made great wariours quake both lim bone But I am he whose hart was sometime braue Now lesse then nought the slaue but of a slaue I come not here your Izak to annoy with fire and sword your houses to distroy But to require your Iudith her to render More milde to me What is my wit so slender berapt with loue haue I not here my ioye that onely may relieue me from annoye yet neuerthelesse I clieue the aire in vaine with plaints and makes myne eyes but fountaines twaine I wretch am like the wretched man indeed Tantalus the more he hath the greater is his need Although he deeply plonge in water cleare To quenche his thrist yet is he not the neare for so do I respect the heavnly grace that largely is bestowde vpon hir face that with mine eyes I dare not
th' Almightie God Commanded him the same for to retaine which to the former shape returnde againe Thus siling humain sight it chaunged forme One while a Rod one while a creeping worme Then armed with this staffe the lord him sent The proude Idolatrous princes to torment He in the name of God full oft did pray the King to let the Hebrews go their way Vnto the desert where he did deuise To offer God a pleasant sacrifise But Pharo closde his eare against the Lorde And to his holie word would not accorde Then God th' Eternall wrought by Moyses hand to approue his worde great wonders in that land Exod. 4 For he not onely Riuers turnd to bloode Exod. 7. But also all th heads of Nilus floode which wattreth wealthie Egypt with his sources was turnd to blood amid their siluer courses So that the king him selfe his life to feede was faine to vse such water for his neede This Moyses made the froggs in millions creep Exod. 8 From floods and ponds scrall froÌ„ ditches deep who cled all Misraim with their filthie frie Euen on the king an all his familie To young and old of either Sexe that while Exod. 9. He sent a plague of scalding botches vile So that the Memphits layd on beds to rest with vncouth venim dayly were opprest to Medciners the medcine vailed not So sore the poisond plague did vndercot He also smote the forrests herbs and gras The flocks of sheepe and euerie beast that was throw poison of th' infected ground so fell The Morrain made them all to dye or swell So that the shepherd by the riuer side His flock hath rather dead then sicke espide He earthly dust to lothly lice did change And dimd the Ayre with such a cloud so straunge Of flyes grashoppers hornets clegs clocks That day and night throw houses flew in flocks Exod. 10. that with incisions sharpe did sheare the skinnes of Aegipt Panims throw their proudest ynnes And when the heavne most quiet seemd fair th' Eternall sent a tempest through the air at this Hebrews prayer such a reare Of thunder fell that brought them all in feare Here lay a Bull that woodran while he brast There lay the Keeper brunt with thunder blast And now the forrest high that hid the air with many a spreeding arme is spoild and bair So that the sap that grafters keeps with paine which should restore the stock and leafe again Is loste alas in lesse then half a daye the husbands hoped fiuite gone to decaye VVhat more th' Eternall darkned so the skye For three dayes space none could another spye that cloude so thick the Memphis rebels fand that they might firmly feele it with their hand If seemd that Phoebus left his ancient round And dwelt three dayes with men of vnderground And as the snne at one selfe time is felt with heate to harden clay and wax doth melt so Amrams sacred sonne in these proiects made one selfe cause haue two contrarie effects For Izak humbly knew their Lord deuine But Pharo more and more did still repine Like to the corpslet colde the more t' is bet with hammers hard more hardnes it doth get Yet when his sonne was slaine by th' Angels haÌ„d Exod. 1â— Amongst the eldest heires of Aegipt land He was afraide and let them go that night Heyrs where pleased them to serue their God of might VVho sent a cloude before them all the day By night a Piller of fire to guide their way But sodainly this tyrant did gainstand His former graunt and armd all Aegipt land VVith hote pursute against all lacobs hoste that were encamped on the Red-sea coste Such noyse was neuer since the foraigne tide Brak throw Gibraltar when it did deuide the Calp from Abill or when Sicill strand Deuorsed was from her italia land As was in these two campes that one with boste that other with their waillings filde the coste It seemd the sounds of furious horse and men With hornes pypes to heavne resounded then O Iugler said the Iewes what hatefull strife Exod. 14. They â—â—â—mure Hath moued thee to change our happie life What are we fishes for to swimme the seas Or are we foules to fly where as we pleas Beyond the Sea or ouer hills to soare VVas there not graues for vs on Gossen shoare But in this desart heare to dye or haue the bloodred Occean Sea to be our graue Then Moyses with his quickned rod that tide He smote the sea which fearefull did deuide Discouering land that sunne had neuer seene And staid the sea as there two walles had beeues which made a passage dry of ample space For all to passe who were of I saks race But contrarie the Red-sea did deuower The barbrous tyrant with his mightie power who proudly durst himself to that present which opened but to saue the innocent O happie race since god doth arme for thee Both fire and aire the winds the clouds and see which all vnto thy paye haue whole enclinde Let not coÌ„suming time we are out of minde So rare a grace but let thine elders shewe this to their noble seed that shall ense we And let their sonnes vnto their sonnes recorde Throw all the world rhese wonders of the lorde God with Coelestiall breade in time of neede His loued Iacob fourtie yeare did feede Exod. 16 And gaue them water from the solide stone which of it selfe had neuer moisture none Their caps their cotes shoes that they did weas God kept all fresh and newe full fourtie year And larder least their soules for want of food should faint faile he of his mercies good Exod. 20. Gaue them his law pronounced by his voyce His sprite to theirs in him for to reioyce So teaching them and vs in precepts ten Our ductie first to god and next to men To th' end that man to man should truely stand And ioy ne with God and neuer break that band This mightie Prophet dead Duke Iosua than Iosua Their Captaine stout this Palmy prouince wan Throw might of God he Scepters did subdewe Of thirtie tyran kings whome all he slew At his commandment like the thunder sound The Rampers stroug fell fearefully to ground Before the Tortuse or the horned Ramme Had bet or mined from their wall a dramme For euen of hornes full hoarse their fimple blast An engine was their towres adoune to cast He prayd the heavne for to prolong the daye And made the horses of the sunne to staye To th'eÌ„d the night should not with cloud be eled To saue the faithles that before him fled Now when this Panim scourge with age at last Had left this life and vnto heauen past Then Izak had of Rulers sundrie men whose golrious acts deserues eternall pen. who knowes not Samgar Barac and Othoniell Indger The valiant Delbor Ahud and good Samuell What land O Sampson rings not thy renowne who sole vnarmed bet an
pursewe wins the victorie from the victors newe So doubtfull was the fight none could define Saue God to whome the victrie would encline till Izrell was on all sides ouercled with clouds of shot then to their towne they fled As doth the Pilgrim passing through the plaine who is beset with tempest haile or raine who leaues his way and seekes himself to hide within some caue or hollow mountaine side The Panims them pursued without all pittie and Peslmell entred almost in the Cittie At open gate Then rose the crye vnsweete Offearefull folke who fled in euerie streete And rent their haire their affrighted face as Panims els had wonne that holy place How flee you cowards now leaues your Port the Captaine sayes haue ye another fort Thinke ye to finde for saftie of your crowne In this Bethulia another Bethull towne Alas if ye make no defence at all while time this tyrant is without your wall How dare you him resist when he hath wunne this forte of yours from which ye feebly runne The cōmōs with this chek broght to their powers where Cambris Sir Carmis like two towers Stoode at th assaulted gate did withstand the Heathen host with ech of them in hand An yron mace in stead of launces long brazen bucklers beating back the throng Their habergions like stiddies stithe they baire with helmets high pennons pight in aire Of equall age they were equall length Of equall courage of equall strength Like Poplers twaine that recheth vp their tops holds their heads so high that none thē crops But on the Riuers side do sweetely sway Like germaine brether hailsing oft a day The Heathen seing thus the Iewes descend with edge of sword their Citie to defend They left th assault and thence retyring went as they commanded were vnto their tent But when I thinke how xxx dayes that towne tormented was with mischiefe vp and downe Toosad a song I cannot heare inuent So great a sadnesse right to represent My hand for horrour shakes now nomore Can lead my sacred pen as erst before For now mine eyes that watred are with teares Declares my matter all of mischief beares Oh Sprite from whence all sprit life doth cōme thou losde the toung of Zacharie that was dōme and sent thy Heralds through the world to preach thy name And in a hundreth toungs to teach Guide thou my pen courage to mnelend that to thy honour I this worke may end Although that Izak sawe on euerie hand A world of folke against his towne to stand yet tracting time he thought hee would prouide no lesse to keepe then coole th' Assiegers pride But when they fand the conduits cut and rent By which there water to their towne was sent Their courage bolde all their craks alas As lickour faild so did their stoutnesse pas Their Lords preferring death to bondage vile Made them beleeue the thing did them beguile To wit they gaue men hope htat they might keep sufficient watr ' in wels ceasterns deepe Through all the towne the people to relieue That thirst should not the soldiers greatly grieue The maiestrats in deed had great regard To see this water wisely spent and spard that Bottell sweete which serued at the first to keepe the life but not to slocken thirst When wels grew drye the cōmons ran inrage A viue descriptiō of thirst sought out euerie sink their thrist t' asswage And drāk with lōgsom draught the pools in haste to quench their thirst with ilcontented taste which poysond ayre enfect their purest breath whereby the drinker drank his present death O wretched folke who felt so hard a strife Drink or not drink both ways must lose their life For he that drank and he that did refraine Had of their enmies both an equall paine For why the water vile slew them throughout No lesse then did their enmies them about That wretched towne had neuer a strete nor rewe But Parcas their had found some facion newe to murder men or martyr them with feares As movde the most in durate hart to teares If so much water in their braines had beene as might forbeare a drop to wete their eene There plaind the oldman that the soldier strong Had reft his Bottell from his head with wrong But while he spak his hart for thirst did faint And life him left which frustrate his complaint The soldier braue Oh hartbrek for to tell his proper vryne dranke thrist to expell the wofull mother with her spitle fed Her litle childe half dead in cradle bed The Lady with her Lord at point of death Embracing fals yelds their latest breath ' For cruell thirst came out of Cyren land ' Where she was fostred on that burning sand ' with hote intracted toung soncken eene ' with stomack worne wrinkled visage keene ' with light meigre corse and pailed vaines ' in stead of blood that brimstone hot retaines ' Her poysond mouth blew throw that holy town ' such hellish ayre that stifled vp down The Arters of the Iewes in such a way That noght was seene but burials night daye So that the heavne to see their dollours deepe Could scarsly keep his course but preasd to weep And would haue ioind his teares to their cōplaint if God of hosts had made them no restraint Yea I my self must weepe who cannot speake the woes that makes my heauie hart to breake And so will silent rest not reherse But conterfait the painter in my verse who thought his coulours paile could not declare the speciall woe king Agamemnon bare * Looke the table when sacrificed was his onely race with bend of black he bound the fathers face Now while the people were in this estate with their princes wrangling in debate They thus besought the lord for to decide betweene their simplesse their princes pride The lord be iudge of that which ye haue wrought what your wicked counsells hath vs brought If you had offred peace to this great Lord At first we might haue wonne him to accord Then happie happie dayes we might haue seene not so many souldiers murdred beene Alas what hope haue we within this holde Our enmies are more meeke a thousand folde Then are our owne they haps would vs preserue our wilfull owne pretends to see vs sterue Our children do our childrens weale denay headlong hastes vnto their owne decay VVe know ô Lord the breaking of thy lawe hath caused thee this sword on vs to draw iustly thou thine yrefull bow doest bend on our vnloyall heads the shot to send But thou who doth not long retaine thine yre Against thine owne thy mercie we require Change thou the purpose of our foolish guides of these Heathen armed at our sides Or els let vs vpon their weapons fall of their hands to be distroyed all Or we this drougth deadly venim haue with
his trembling ioints so long till he with anger discontent cuts me them all and off his clothes he rent And naked went to bed Then as ye see the bloodie bowman stand behind a tree who warely watches for the wandring deare to euerie part where he doth thinke to heare Some trembling bush some beast or Lezard smal that mocion maks so turneth he withall His face and hand to shoot but all in vaine for to relieue his long aspecting paine Euen so this foolish tyrant when he hard some rat or mouse then thought he to himward His Mistris came and when he hard no more yet thought she came whome most he did adore VVhile vp he lifts his head while lets it fall while lookes about while counts the paces all that she should passe to come vnto his bed Thus turning oft as ardent lust him led he thoght his bed was sown with pricking thorne◠but now the drink that he had drōk beforne Brewd in his braine and from his minde it tooke the sweete remembrance of her louing looke So fell on sleepe and then to him appears Ten thousand flames ten thousand dinns he hears and dreames of Deuils and Daemons dark dim Medusas Minotaurs and Gorgons grim This while the hart of Iudith gan to beat Incessantly beset with battell great Onewhile her feare refeld her first entent onewhile her action Iust her courage lent Then sayd she Iudith now is tyme go to it And saue thy people Nay I will not do it I will I will not Go feare not againe wilt thou the sacred gestning then prophaine Not it prophane but holyer it shall stand when holy folke are helped by my hand But shamefull liues the traitour euermore No traitour she who doth her towne restore But murdrers all are of the heavne forsaken All murder-is not for murder alwayes taken Alas are they not murdrers sleys their Prince This tyrant is no prince of my prouince But what if God will haue vs vnder his-awe Hee s not of God that fights against his lawe For then should Ahud Iahell and Iehewe Be homicids because thy tyrants slewe But what they were commanded of the lord to such an act my hart should soone accord Alas my hart is weak for such a deed th' are strong ynough whom God doth strength at need But when t' is dune who shall my warrant be God brought me here God will deliuer me VVhat if the Lord leaue thee in Heathen hands were this Duke dead I feare no death nor bands but what if they polute thee like a slaue my body with my hart they shall not haue Thus she resolued in her mind at last Her hands and eyes vnto the heavne she cast And with an humble voyce to God she prayde O gratious God that alwayes art the ayde to thy beloued Izak I thee pray to strength my hand euen my right hād this day that I may make this bloodie tyrant dye that to discepter thee would skale the skye But since thy goodnesse hath preserued me brought my bote so neare the shoare to be Graunt that some sleepie drink I may prouide To dull this tyrants hart and daunt his pride to th end that I may free thy congregation Vnto thy honour and our consolation This prayer done she looked round about And hard this dronken prince in sleeping rout then stept she to his sword that by him stood whichoft had bathd the world with humain blood But as she preast this tyrant for to quell Feare reft the sword from her down she fell and lost at once the strength of hart and corse O God quoth she now by thy mightie forse Restore my strength This said with pale annoy she rudly rose and stroke this sleeping Roy so fell that from his shoulders flew his powle and from his body fled his Ethnique sowle hye way to hell His bulk all blood bestaind Lay still his head in Iudiths hand remaind The which her mayd put vp into a sack thus throw the camp they close away do pack Empecht of none For those that had her seene Suposde she went as she had wonted bene the nights before vnto the valley wheare they thought she went to serue Diana cleare Whē Iudith chast came near the Hebrew wall Let in quoth she for our great god of all hath broke this night the whole Assyrian powre and raisd the horne of Izak at this howre Then men amazde of her vnhoped state About her ran assembling at the gate where holy Iudith on a hill was mounted And all her chaunce frō point to point recounted And there discovring drew out of the sack The bloody head of thenmie of Izak The Citezins that saw how she did stand with th'ead of Assurs head in her right hand they praised God who by her hand had slaine punished that traitour inhumaine ' But most of all Duke Ammon did admyre ' the work of God Then he t' escape the yre ' of Iacobs God who aydes the weakest part ' he shortly Circuncisde his flesh and hart ' O God that rightly by foresight deuine ' repels the purpose of all mens engine ' who for to lead th'elect to destnyed health ' Euē whē it seemes them fardest frō their wealth ' of ill thou drawes the good and some in ill ' thou letst them runne thy Iustice to fulfill ' O lord the vile desire of blood and sak ' made Holopherne to warre vpon Izak ' But where that he would Izaks blood haue shed ' he lost his owne for Izak on his bed ' Thus thy good grace hath made his vaine inuenciō 'to take effect contrarie his intencion ' So Paull became a Saint who was a Pherisee ' and of a tyrant teacher of thy veritee ' So was the theef that hong with our Messias ' for all his sinne preserued with Elias ' his vitious corps could haue no life here downe ' his soule by grace yet got a heavnly crowne ' Change thē ô God the harts of christiā princes ' who sheds the faithfuls blood in their prouinces ' Let thou that sword that thou giues thē to guide ' vpon thy enmies onely be applyde ' Vpon those tyrants whose vnrighteous horne ' deteins the land where thy dear son was borne ' not on the backs of those who with humilitie ' Adores the Triple one great God in vnitie Then at commandement of this widow chaste A soldier tooke the tyrants head in haste And for to giue the Hebrews hart withall He fixed it vpon the foremost wall There fathers came and sonns wiues mayds who erst had lost amongst the Heathen blayds There sonnes their parents maks louers deare with heauie harts furious raging cheare They pilde paird his beard of paled hew Spit in his space out his toung they drew which vsde to speak of God great blasphemies And with their fingers poched out his eyes The rife remembrance of so late an ill Made vulgar folke such vengeance to fulfill This while
languishing to send vs to the graue My brethen deare the ruler then gan say our whole desire hath beene both night day Not for to see the seede of Abrham loste for which we striue against this furious hoste VVhat haue ye paine so likewise paine haue we For in one bote we both imbarked be Vpon one tide one tempest doeth vs tosse Your common ill it is our common losse Th Assyrian plague shall not vs Hebrews grieue when pleaseth God our mischiefe to relieue which he will doe if ye can be content not with grudge his clemencie preuent Then striue not you against that puissant king who creat all and gouerns euerie thing For confort of his church children deare succours them though time do long appeare Sometime an Archer leaues his bow vnbent hong vpon an naile to that intent It may the stronger be to bend againe And shoot the shot with greater might maine Right so th' eternall doth witholde his ill A longer time perchaunce for that he will More egerly reuenge him of their crime who do abuse his long forbearing time When men applauds to sinne they count it light And but a matter small in sinners sight But in the end the weight doth so encrease that Iustice leaues the sinner no release Like th' Vserer who lends vpon the skore maks the reckles debters debt the more What if the thundring Lord his iustice stay And for such sinne do not this tyrant slay The waters of the ground and in the aere Are in the hand of God then who is there that dare sediciously his yoke refuse Although he haue not water now to vse No no though heavne do seeme serene cleare On euerie part wete doth not appeare He may with moisture mildly wete the land As fell when Saull the Scepter had in hand Sam 1.12 For all the starres that do the heavne fulfill Are all but executors of his will All this could not the peoples thrist asswage But thus with murmurs they their Lords outrage what shall we dye ô sacred soldiers bolde for pleasure of our lords these traytours olde what shall we dye on credit for to please These wyzard fooles who winks at our vnease who with our blood would win thē selfs renown So louable as neuer shall go downe Nay nay let vs cut off this seruile chaine to free our selfs let vs in hands retaine the ruling of this towne the forte and all Least we into these deadly dangers fall Then like a wise Phisitian who persaues His patient that in feruent feuer raues Yet hights him more then Art can well performe So Prince Osias in this rurall storme He promist to the people their intent If God within fiue dayes no succour sent Then Izak left their sorrowes all and some present wo and feare of chaunce to come for that if they through this gat not their will At least they would auoyd the greatest ill But Iudtih thē whose eyes like fountains two were neuer dry which witnest well her wo Right sad in sound th' Almightie she besought And on the sacred scriptures fed her thought Her prayers much auailde to raise her spreete Aboue the skye so the scriptures sweete A holy garden was where she might finde the medcyne meete for her molested minde Then Iudith reading there as was her grace She not by hazard hapned on that place Iudicium 3. where the lamehanded Ahud for disdaine to see the Iewes the Heathen yock sustaine Smote Eglon with a dagger to the heft And from his flanke the blood and life bereft The more she red the more she wonder had of Ahuds act and hote desire her lad t ensue his vertue yet her feeble kinde Empeached oft the purpose of her minde Proposing oft the horrour of the deed The feare of death the danger to succeede with haszard of her name and more then that Though she likewise the peoples freedome gat yet for a man this act more seemly weare than for a wife to handle sword or speare VVhile Iudith thus with Iudith did debate a puft of wind blew downe that leafe by fate Discovring vp the storie of Iacll how she droue a naile into Sisaras brow And slew that Pagan sleeping on her bed VVho from the Hebrewes furious hoste was fled In teaching vs albeit a tyrant flee yet can he not auoyde the lords decree This last example now such courage lent to feeble Iudith that she now was bent with wreakful blade to sley to deuorse the Heathen soule from such a sinfull corse But while she did her carefull minde imploy to find some meanes to murder this Vizroy She hard report that made her hart to swoune Of the determination of the toune Then all the present periols to preuent Vnto the rulers of the towne she went Reprouing then with words of bitter sweete what do ye meane O princes indiscreete Will ye the helping hand of God restraine And captiue it within your councels vaine VVill ye include him vnder course of tymes who made days yeares all seasons their prymes Do not abuse your selfs his power profound Is not to mens Imaginations bound God may all that he wills his will is iust God wils all good to them that in him trust Now fathers that which doth my hope reuiue Is onely this there is no wight on liue within this towne that hath contracted hands to serue dūme gods like folke of forraine lands All sinnes are sinne but sure this sinne exceeds our former faults by which our blind misdeeds offends the heavne by which the lord of might Is frauded of his honours due right In wresting of the titles of his name To stocks and stones and mettels men do frame Since Izak then from such a fault is free Let vs to gods protection cast our ee Consider that all Iuda rests in feare Aspecting onely our proceedings heare Consider that all Iacob in this tresse will follow either-our force or feeblenesse Consider that this house and alter stands next vnder God vpholden with your hands Thinke that of Izrell whole ye keepe the kaye which if ye quite giue this tyrant waye VVho more then death hates all of Izaks kinne we shall the name of kinbetrayers winne Then sayd the Captaine I cannot denye that we offended haue the Lord most hye Vnwise are we our promises are vaine But what we may not call our word againe But if thou feele thy hart so sore opprest that moueth thee to teares for our vnrest Alas weep night day and neuer tyre So that thy weepings may appease the yre Of that hie Iudge who heares in euerie parte the perfit prayer of the humble harte I will quoth she and if god giue me grace Repell the siege of this afflicted place By famous stroke But stay me in no wise But byde the ende of my bold enterprise And let me goe when night his mantle spreeds to th'enmies Camp quod he if thou wilt