such willingness there was Till close approaches for we both it saw Made them Transgressors of the sacred Law Then from a corner of the garden whence We closely standing saw this foul offence Both of us made to the adultrous pair And came upon them e're they were aware To apprehend him but the sturdy knave Got from our feeble hands and did us leave And in swift hast out from the Garden flew As whom the guilt of conscience did pursue And she though much intreated ne'rtheless Will by no means the Criminals name confess These things are true which we here testify Now brethren judge if she ought not to dye The Assembly were in much consternation to hear this sever accusation against a woman who was renowned for Chastity but having the testimony of two grave Elders and Judges of the people to justify the truth thereof they could do no other but condemn her to death for this notorious crime Susanna having no defence for her innocence on earth appeals to heaven for her justification and cried out with a loud voice in the midst of the people O everlasting God who knowest the secrets of all hearts and from whom nothing is concealed or hidden for thou seest all things before they are acted I appeal to thy just judgment against these perjured and unjust Elders Thou-knowest O Lord that what they have witnessed against me is utterly false and behold I must dye for what I am not in the least guilty of thou knowest that it is all forgery and malice against me and that it is a conspiracy of these wicked Villains against my life in that which I am absolutely ignotant of Vindicate my innocence O God of truth and bring shame and confusion upon these false accusers O everlasting Lord to whom alone The thoughts of all men are entirely known O great Jehovah whos 's all seeing eye Runs through the circle of Eternity Thou know stand thou alone the wrong I bear From those who have polluted Moses Chair Have Law perverted and have witness given Against their conscience my poor life and heaven Gainst me that now must innocent dye and shame To after ages my disgrace proclaim It pleased divine providence to hearken to her request and therefore as she was leading to execution with a train of doleful mourners following her the Lord stirred up the H. Spirit of a young youth whose name was Daniel who cryed out with a loud voice I am clear from the bloud of this woman The whole multitude were much surprized to hear such words uttered by a young man and turning toward him asked what was his meaning Upon which Daniel standing up in the midst of them with an undaunted courage proceeded thus Are you such fools ye sons of Israel that without thorough examination and proof of the truth ye have condemned a daughter of Israel Return back into the seat of judgment and take more strict knowledge of this cause for though you have rashly sentenced this fair Innocent to death yet I am very certain that upon a more severe scrutiny into the matter you will find she as altogether faultless and that these old perjured wretches have born false witness against her Are ye such fools indeed In weighty things to make such careles speed Nay when a life 's concern'd For shame my friends See what dishonour all rash acts attends It makes us odious in the sight of those Who neither God nor yet true judgment knows When ere the truth 's discover'd or the cause You are so quick to execute the Laws And upon Israels daughter sentence give Who has done nothing but she still may live Return ye then unto the Judgment Seat Examine well for sure the impostures great And witnesses more false than Hell have stood To imbrue their hands in this Chast Ladies bloud Whereupon all the people being astonisht at the becoming confidence of Daniel whom they judged to be a Prophet inspiried from above turned back again in hast and the Judges commanded him to come and sit down among them saying Declare to us the truth of this affair since God hath bestowed the honour upon thee to be an Elder if not in years yet in wisdom and understanding Daniel then ordered that the two Elders should be put asunder and then he would examine them apart which being done he called one and said unto him O thou wicked wretch who art even grown old in malice and iniquity now is the time that the villanys which thou hast formerly committed are come to light and thy own conscience accuses thee that thou hast pronounced false Judgment and hast wilfully condemned the innocent and let the guilty go free though the Lord God hath said The innocent and righteous thou shalt not slay And now pray under what tree was it that thou pretendest thou sawest this chast Lady commit adultery Who answered Under a Mastick tree Then said Daniel Very well thou hast now wickedly lied and thereby forfeited thy head to Divine Justice and even now the Angel of God hath received commission to cut thee in two The first being set aside he commanded the other to be brought to whom he fiercely said O thou seed of Cham and not of Judah beauty hath deceived thee and lust hath perverted thy heart thus have you often done to other daughters of Israel who for fear of your power and malicious vengeance have complied and been polluted by you but the virtuous Susanna would not be frightned into wickedness and therefore you contrived her destruction Under what tree I beseech you did you see the young man defile her who answered Under an Holm tree Well said Daniel thou also hast lied against thy own life and the Angel of God waiteth with his sword to cut thee asunder and destroy thee Then pious Daniel to him mildly said Even now thou hast thy cursed life betrayd Gods holy Angel has commission ta'n Forthwith to cut thy wretched life in twain And with a sword attends this very hour Feirce vengeance on thy sinful head to pour At this strange discovery the whole Assembly were amazed and cryed out aloud glorifying and praising the name of that God who saves and delivers those that put their trust in him and finding these two base Elders thus notoriously convicted of perjury out of their own mouths they seized upon them and according to the Law of Moses executed the same sentence upon them which they maliciously and wickedly designed against this chast Lady putting them to death in the sight of the whole multitude who adored the divine Justice in their deserved punishment which had that day so eminently appeared in saving innocent bloud and punishing the guilty by the unexpected prudence of young Daniel who from that day was in much esteem and reputation among all the people And Chelcias and his wife gave abundant praises to Heaven for vindicating their daughters honour Joachim her husband and all her Friends joining with them in
Baruc whose name signifies Lightning of the Tribe of Napthali to be their Chief to him therefore Deborah sends a message That he should instantly raise ten thousand choice men and lead them against their Enemies affirming that they were sufficient with the assistance of Heaven to conquer that mighty Host But Baruc denying to undertake the War except she would join with him and accompany him in the War Deborah being somewhat moved Wilt thou said she surrender up the Dignity that God hath given thee to a Woman well I will not refuse to go with thee but remember that this expedition will not be for thine honour since the Lord will sell Sisera into the hand of a Woman Whereupon having levyed ten thousand Soldiers they pitched their Tents near the Mountain Itabar of which Sisara having notice proceeded presently by the Kings command to fall upon them and incamped near them Baruc and the Israelites being terrified with the multitude of their Enemies were incouraged by Deborah who commanded them that very day to give Battel assuring them that God would assist and certainly deliver their Adversaries into their hands Whereupon they charged the Canaanites with much valour who were in a short time wholly discomfited and all their Host fell with the edge of the Sword Sisera alighted from his Chariot and fled away afoot Josephus relates that in the beginning of the fight there suddenly fell a storm of rain mixed with hail which the wind drove against the faces of the Canaanites and took away their sight whereby those that fought with Darts and Slings were made unserviceable and the Targetiers had their hands so benummed with cold that they could scarce weild their Swords but the Tempest being on the back of the Israelites was so far from disturbing them that believing it a manifest token of the immediate favour and assistance of Heaven they were thereby incouraged to assault their enemies with the greater vigor and breaking through the front of their Battel they made a very great slaughter of them so that a vast number fell by the Sword and the rest were over-run by their own Chariots and Horsemen Sisera flying with all speed after he saw his Army turn their backs arrived at the Tent of a woman of Cenetis called Jael the wife of Heber and earnestly besought her to conceal him which she seemed very willing to do and covered him with a Mantle who being very dry desired a Cup of water when she presented him with a dish of milk And then covering him again he intreated her That if any came to inquire she should deny she had seen him and then fell asleep whilst he lay buried in slumbers by reason of his extream toyl and weariness Jael took a nail and with a hammer struck it through his temples and fastned it to the ground whereby he instantly gave up the Ghost soon after Barue with his Souldiers coming thither she brought them in and shewed what she had done and thus a woman according to the prediction of the worthy Prophetess Deborah was the Author of this glorious Victory The Army being likewise managed by the conduct of Deborah a woman the Israelites thereby subduing their inveterate Foes the Canaanites And Baruc leading his Army to Hazor slew Jabin their King who came out against them levelling the City to the ground and thereby freed the Land from bondage which had rest forty years after this notable success And that they might not seem ingrateful to the Lord for so great a deliverance Deborah and Baruc composed the following Song of praise and thanksgiving which they sung in the hearing of all the people Deborah lived in the year from the creation 2641. and before the Nativity of our Saviour 1350. Judges 5. YOur Great Preserver celebrate He who reveng'd our wrongs of late When you his Sons in Israels aid Of life so brave a tender made You Princes with attention hear And you who awful Scepters bear While I in sacred numbers sing The praise of our Eternal King. When he through Seir his Army led In Edoms Fields his Ensigns spread Earth shook the Heavens in drops descend And Clouds in tears their substance spend Before his face the Mountains melt Old Sinai unknown servor felt When Israel Shamgars Rule obey'd And Jael that Virago swaid She bold of Heart He great in War Yet to the fearful Traveller All ways were then unsafe who crept Through woods or past when others slept The land uncultivated lay When I arose I Deborah A mother to my Countrey grew At once their Foes and Fears subdue When to themselves new Gods they chose Then were their Walls besieg'd by Foes Did one of forty thousand wear A Coat of Steele or shook a Spear You who with such alacrity Led to the Battail O how I Affect your valour with me raise Your voices sing Jehovahs praise Sing you who on white Asses ride And justice equally devide You who those ways so fear'd of late Where now no thieves assassinate You lately from your Fountains barr'd Where you their clattering quivers heard There with united joy record The Righteous Judgments of the Lord You who your Cities repossess Who reap in peace his praise profess Arise O Deborah arise In heavenly Hymns express thy Joys Arise O Baruc Thou the Fame And Off-spring of Alcinoam Of Israel the renowned head Captivity now Captive lead Nor shall the noble memory Of our strong aids in silence dye The quiver bearing Ephraimite Marcht from his Mountain to the fight Those who on Amalek confine The small remains of Benjamine From Machir Princes not a few Wise Zebulun with Letters drew The valiant chiefs of Issachar With Deborah hasted to this war Who down into the valley tread The way which noble Baruc led But Reuben from the rest disjoin'd By Hills and Flouds was so in mind Did'st thou these glorious wars refuse To hear the bleating of thy Ewes O Great in Council Oh how wise That couldst both Faith and Fame despise Gilead of thundring drums afraid Or slothful beyond Jordan staid Dan his swift failing ships affects And publick liberty neglects While Ashur on his clifts resides And fortifies against the Tydes But Zebulun and Napâ—hali Who never would from danger fly Were ready for the publick good On Tabors top to shed their bloud Then Kings Kings of the Cananites To Tanach Plains addrest their fights Where swift Megiddo's waters ran Yet neither spoil nor Trophy wan The Heav'ns ' gainst Sisera fought the Stars Mov'd in their Courses to those wars By Ancient Kishon swept from thence Whose Torrent falling clouds incense Thou O my joyful Soul at length Hast trod to dirt their mighty strength Their wounded Horse with flying hast Fall headlong and their Riders cast Thus spake an Angel cursed be Thou Meroz all who dwell in thee That basely wouldst no aid afford In that great battel to the Lord. O Jael Hebers wife thou best Of women be thou ever blest Blest above all
Let all that dwell In Tents thy Act O Jael tell She brought him milk above his wish And butter in a princely dish A hammer and a nail she took And into Sisera's Temples strook He fell fell down unto the floor Lay where he fell bath'd in his gore Lay groveling on his feet and there His wretched Soul sigh'd into air His mother at her window staid And looking out from thence she said Why are his Chariot whee it so slow And don 't my Son in Triumph show When her wise Ladies standing by Yea she her self made this reply Have not their Swords yet won the day Have they not shar'd the wealthy prey Now every Souldier for his pains A Hebrew Dame or Virgin gains While Sisera choosing lays aside Rich Robes in various colours dy'd Rich Robes with curious needles wrought On either side from Phrygia brought The thread spun from the Silk-worms womb Such as a Conqueror become Great God! so perish all thy Foes Love such as love thee On let those Shine like the Sun when he displays I' th Orient his increasing Rays The History of the Valiant Judith WHen Holofernes by the proud command Of Nebuchadnezzar was sent the Land Of Israel to invade and overthrow Their Towns and Cities so to bring them low The Hearts of all were fill'd with fear and dread How such great force should be encountered Then Valiant Judith for her Countries sake Deliverance for them does undertake Couragiously the General she slays And Israels dying hopes doth thereby raise Who do their flying foes fiercely pursue And unto Judith render praises due THough the History of Judith is placed among the Apocryphal writings and not allowed to be canonical Scripture as not being delivered by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit yet it is thought by the learned that the matter thereof is true and the worthy and reverend Arch-bishop Usher in his Scripture Chronology sets it down as a matter very certain and that it happened in the year from the Creation 3348. in the raign of Manasseh King of Israel and before the birth of our Saviour about 652. Having premised this to incourage the reading the life of this famous Heroine not as a fiction or Romance but a story full of veracity I proceed Nothing feminine must be expected in this woman all her actions were manly and full of generosity and what was wanting in her Sex was fully recompenced in her Virtue and Valour her hand was triumphant in destroying above an hundred thousand men by cutting off only one head but her eye did much more than her hand that first conquered Holofernes and with a little ray of its flames burnt up a whole Army It was in the raign of Nebuchadnezzar King of Assyria that this female worthy lived who being elevated by the many victories and successes he had obtained his ambition sweld him so much that he resolved to afflict the whole earth and to destroy all the Gods of the Lands and oblige all Nations to worship him and that all Tongues and people should adore him only as God to prosecute this impious design he commanded Holofernes his Chief Captain to muster an Army of an hundred and twenty thousand foot and twelve thousand Horse with this mighty force this renowned General ruined all before him that made resistance and received those to mercy who desired peace and submitted to those idolatrous terms he required of them the motions of this dreadful host brought terror to the stoutest hearts and confusion to the weak and cowardly before it marches Noises Affrights and Threats after it Weepings Ruins and Desolations The report of this overflowing deluge of men came to the poor Israelites at Jerusalem which raised Sighs and Groans in the most obdurate Souls who being sensible of this furious tempest approaching their courage was dismaid their hands hang down and their tongues were silent having no other defence but their tears which they poured out abundantly in prospect of the Funerals of their Native Countrey At this time Manasseh was king of Jerusalem who not foreseeing any possibility of stoping this violent torrent or preventing the impending misery of his kingdom abandoned himself to sorrow and desperation but Joachim the High Priest who likewise executed the Office of a General used all possible means to revive the drooping Spirits of this disconsolate people he sends Messengers to all the Cities to furnish what men and provisions they were able to stop if possible the course of this barbarous enemy and to endeavour to take possession of the streights and narrow passages of the Mountains where a few might do great execution and thereby prevent their descent into the Plains where the multitude of their Forces would soon incompass and swallow all that opposed them He then commands publick supplications to be made to the Almighty and covers the Altar-of the Lord with Sackcloath and the Priests with Haircloth who with tears and fastings even the little children too prostrated themselves on the earth to implore the mercy of Heaven toward them but knowing that prayers without endeavours would be fruitless he visits all the Cities in person comforting the afflicted strengthning the weak and enlivening the dull thereby giving life and vigor to all the members of the body politick Holofernes having advice that the Jews made preparations to oppose him by force was filled with rage and disdain and called the Princes of Ammon Moab and the Governors of the Sea-coasts to him of whom he demanded what people they were who inhabited canaan what strength they had and who was their King that they presum'd to withstand them and would not come and submit themselves as the other Nations had done To whom Achor Prince of Ammon thus replyed If my Lord will not be angry I will give him a full Account of those people which dwell near the Hill Countreys without diminishing or concealing any thing of the truth Be it known to my Lord that they are originally descended from the Caldeans but separated themselves from them by reason of their Religion refusing to worship the Gods of their Fathers and adoring only one God the Maker of Heaven and Earth and departed into Mesopotamia where they continued many years but were at length commanded by their God to depart from thence and go into the Land of Canaan where they dwelt and multiplyed exceedingly increasing in Gold Silver Cattle and all the blessings of this life After this a terrible Famine happening in their Countrey they went down into Egypt to get food where they were kept alive and grew to a very great number insomuch that they began to be a terror to the Egyptians and that King endeavoured by all means to diminish them imposing cruel bondage upon them in making bricks thereby to bring them low upon which they cried to the Lord their God who revenged their wrongs by horrible plagues upon the Egyptians so that they were forced to let them go whithersoever they pleased
I left that abominable City and am come as a Messenger from Heaven to give you this advice and to perform such an act that all the earth shall be astonished therewith for thy Servant is religious and worshippeth the God of Heaven every day and night and I will pray unto him to discover his will to me and to shew me when they have committed these sins against him that so I may inform you of the utmost time which is determined for this miserable Town and then you may march even to the very gates of Jerusalem and settle your Throne there since the people will deliver themselves up to you as sheep without a shepherd and a dog shall not open his mouth against you it being very reasonable that men and beasts should submit themselves to such a formidable power as is conducted by the hand of the most High and by the direction of his providence Holofernes who was before taken by the eyes was now charmed by the ears with the pleasantness of her discourse and admired her above all women in the world both for her beauty and wisdom promising that her God should be his God and that he will advance her to great dignities in the house of Nebuchadnezzar and make her renowned through all the earth And at the same time brings her into the Chambers of his Treasure and Magnificence and ordered her provisions both of meat and wine dayly from his own Table which she excused since her Law did not permit her to eat of any other Viands but her own which she had provided and brought along with her But what says Holofernes if your own store should be spent how shall we supply you Judith replies That she did not doubt but to accomplish the business she came about before that time After this she was conducted into a stately Tent where she reposed till midnight and toward the morning watch she sent to Holofernes that he would please to permit her to go out before day to address her prayers to God which he readily granted commanding his Guards to let her pass freely She went therefore in the silence of the night into the valley of Bethulia where she washed her self in a Fountain of water and then prayed earnestly to God that he would prosper her design for freeing her Countrey and again raise up their drooping spirits Having continued in the Camp three days watching an opportunity to execute her intended project behold a fit season was presented by Holofernes himself who would needs make a sumptuous banquet for his servants and familiars only to which he resolved to invite Judith as the chief Guest hoping that when she was merry he might obtain his desire of her since the Assyrians account it a great dishonour to a man to court a woman and not enjoy her And therefore he ordered one of his Eunuchs to wait upon her and impart his Masters pleasure to her and how far she was in his favour since he desired that very day to have her company at the magnificent Feast he had prepared which was the greatest honour she could ever receive and therefore ought to make no scruple of obeying but to be pleasant and free with him who had laid so great an obligation upon her Judith soon understood what his discourse tended to and readily answered That she was wholly disposed to perform his Lords commands and would have no other will but his And instantly adorns her self in the best manner to wound his heart with her graces and charms and passing into his Pavilion seats her self nigh unto him where she eats what she had provided and tells him she will now drink chearfully since she had cause to count this the most happy day of her whole life When Holofernes saw her so near him and alone his heart was wholly ravished with her beauty he thought himself the most fortunate man upon earth His passion did not permit him to speak much he was so extreamly moved He contented himself only with inviting her to be merry and drank large draughts to make himself so And Judith expressing her great content to see him in so good an humour he to please her as he thought drank so much more than ordinary that he was even dead with drunkenness and the fumes of the strong wine The Eunuch having the word to do his Office dismisses all the servants and Attendants and shuts the door upon his Master and Judith Holofernes lay sleeping upon his bed full of wine but Judith was never more wakeful she contemplates the gallant General lying in his drunken sleep and earnestly called upon God to prosper her bold undertaking for the exaltation of Israel and going to the pillars of the bed she takes down thence the sword of Holofernes and undauntedly drawing it she takes hold of the hair of his head and saying Strengthen my arm O Lord God of Israel this day she smote him twice upon the neck with all her force and with the last blow struck off his head throwing his body on the ground then pulling down the Canopy from the Pillars and giving it her Maid with the head she put it into her bag among the meat and both of them pass through the Army without being questioned the Officers having order to let them go as usually to prayers Having passed the Camp they went up the Mourtain of Bethulia and arriving at the City gates before morning she cryed to the Centinel afar off to open the gates with all speed since God had done worders for Israel and had appeared in a strange manner for their deliverance from their enemies The people hearing her voice soon let her in and ran to give notice to Ozias and the Rulers all the inhabitants both great and small coming together to hear what tidings she had brought whom they looked upon as a lost woman and like one come from the other world and having made a great fire to give light to the Assembly they stood round about her who spake thus in the midst of them with a loud voice Praise God praise ye the Lord I say who never forsakes his own but hath by me this day accomplished his promise to his chosen people and hath by me and by my hands slain the common enemy of our Nation this very night She then drew out of the bag the horrible head of Holofernes all pale and bloudy which she shewed to them all adding Behold the head of the Capt. Gen. of the Armies of Assur and then spreading abroad his Pavilion Behold said she the Canopy wherein he reposed himself in his drunkenness and where the Lord smote him by the hand of a woman It is the living God alone that hath preserved me from all danger in this most perillous attempt and though my countenance hath been his ruin yet I take that God whose Angel hath been my guard to witness he hath not offered me the least shame nor reproach To God be all the glory
whose mercy and goodness endures forever The people were even transported with joy at this unexpected deliverance and seeing the dismal head only by torch-light were almost perswaded it was but a dream But that the multitude which saw the same thing confirmed them their eyes were not deluded They therefore shouted with praises to the God of Heaven the only worker of Miracles and then turning to Judith they gave her a thousand thanks and blessings for being the instrument of so marvellous a salvation that day Then Ozias the Prince of the people of Israel in Bethulia spake thus to her Blessed be you O Daughter and most excellent above all the women in the Earth and praised be the great Creator of Heaven and Earth who hath assisted your Victorious arm for the destruction of the principal of our Enemies whereby you have rendred your name immortal to all ages to come and shall be had in admiration by all that have any sense of the wonderful works of God while the world endures since none can forget how little you valued your own life and honour so that you might thereby free your Nation from the inevitable ruin which seemed to hang over their heads After this Achior was called to whom shewing the head of Holofernes and assuring him that what he had affirmed of the might power of the God of Israel was now fully verified since he that had vowed their total desolation was now no more and their great Commander Holofernes was himself without a head Achior was even astonisht at her words and action and with the surprize fell down into a swound but at length recovering he threw himself at her feet with so much reverence as was near to adoration and by her means was more confirmed in the true Religion and he with all the people shouted and gave glory to God with a loud voice Judith to perfect her Conquest advised the people to place the head upon one of the highest Towers of the City and in the morning to make a salley out upon the Assyrians who at the alarum would presently run to the Tent of Holofernes to awake him and finding what had happened would be extreamly amazed and sell their lives at a cheap rate and might be pursued and utterly destroyed out of all their Coasts with very little damage to themselves This was put in execution and the Captains instantly repaired to the Generals Tent to receive orders desiring Bagoas the Eunuch to wake their Lord since the Israelitish slaves had presumed to make a sally upon them tho to their own destruction The Eunuch after long tarrying at last ventred in and coming near the bed and hearing no body stir he at length opened the curtains thinking he had still slept with Judith but instead thereof found the dead body cast on the floor and his head taken from him At this fight he cryed out aloud and became so furious that he rent his cloths and went in a rage to Judiths apartment threatning her with a thousand deaths but missing her there he sent out many frightful Schreeches among the People and declared aloud That the Slaves had dealt treacherously with them and that one Hebrew woman had brought shame and confusion upon the House of Nebuchadnezzar who had slain Holofernes and left his carcase without a head All ran to behold this dismal Spectacle and the whole camp was filled with horror astonishment and despair Tears and howling had taken possession of the whole Army when at the same time the head of Holofernes appeared upon one of the Towers of Bethulia which so astonished the Assyrians that they fled and scattered themselves round about the City every one seeking safety in running away and none durst trust another The Israelites pursued with all manner of briskness and vigor making a great noise that their number might appear considerable though there needed no great force to vanquish run-a-ways All the neighbouring Cities came in to take part of the spoil and to pillage their routed enemies whom they cut off with a most dreadful slaughter and the booty in the Camp was so prodigious that the people were thirty days in dividing it The rich moveables of Gold Silver Pearls and Jewels found in Holofernes Tent were all presented to Judith with the praises and acclamations of the multitude who unanimously applauded her as the glory of Jerusalem the joy of Israel the honour of her people the gallant woman the chast and valiant Princess by whose hand God had done great things in delivering his people and whose fame should live to eternal Ages The women of Israel likewise assembled themselves to meet and bless her dancing before her with branches of Olive in their hands whereof they composed a Garland which they put upon her head and then Judith leading the dance before them proceeded toward her own house all the men of Israel following in their armour with garlands on their heads and songs in their mouths Judith likewith made the following song of Praise and Thanksgiving which all the people sang after her SIng to the Lord my God sing praise A new Psalm to him sing Exalt his glorious name always He is our God and King. The Armies he to pieces breaks Of those that are his Foes He me delivered from their hands Who did me round inclose Assur with thousands from the North Came Israel to assail And by his multitudes did not doubt Against them to prevail He boasted he our Towns would burn And our young men destroy Women and Virgins ravish and Our Infants make a prey But they have disappointed been By the Almighty Lord. A womans hand did them withstand They fled with one accord Their Great Commander did not fall By any Giants power 'T was Judiths beauty him inthrall'd And brought his fatal hour For her oppressed people she Her mourning laid aside And to surprize his amorous eyes Her Person beautified Her Charms over his Soul prevail'd And ravished his sight He 's made a Prisoner to her face She is his Hearts delight The Sword quite through his neck did pass And parted it asunder The Persians at her boldness quake The Medes thereat did wonder Th' Afflicted then did shout for joy Thy weak Ones cry'd aloud The Foes astonisht were ' cause God Had overthrown the proud The Young men have them pierced through And wounded them in Fight The Fugitives fiercely they pursue And slay their men of Might I unto God new Songs will sing O Lord thou art most Glorious In power thou art Wonderful Invincible Victorious Let all the Creatures worship thee At whose word made were they At thy voice they created were None thee can disobey The Fountains shall be mov'd at thee The Rocks shall melted be Yet merciful thou art to those That serve and worship thee All Sacrifice and Offerings Unto thee are but small But those that fear the Lord their God To Honour he will call Wo to the Nations that advance Themselves
I might not enter the bed of a Pagan the first night of my Nuptials but that I may imbrace a Christian for my Husband and Soveraign than which nothing can be more desirable to your most obedient Wife The King a little surprized told her It was not yet time to think of that matter though he would take the first opportunity to consider seriously of it and act accordingly his thoughts being now too much imploy'd in admiring her perfections to think of any thing else but however she need not scruple in the mean time to converse with a Pagan Husband since her own Law taught her That the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the believing wife Clotilda somewhat doubted whether she should imbrace his company till he had fulfill'd his promise but fearing to exasperate and make him quite reject Christianity she resolved to render him all marriage duties and endeavour to gain him by her prayers and good example The King observing her discreet carriage was very much pleased and respected her the more who finding she had an absolute Empire over his heart used her power with all kind of sweetness and complasance exercising her devotions with the greatest sincerity and constancy so that her Apartment seemed rather like an Oratory or Chappel than a place dedicated to vanity or pleasure which the King having very often observed it bred in him a very great inclination and reverence to her Religion and caused him more highly to honour her Person But upon occasion he would be objecting to her some difficulties that appeared in the Christian Religion as beleiving the Trinity and the Doctrine of a Crucified Jesus The threats of Judgment and promises of mercy in another life And therefore he thought it better to continue in his own Religion wherein he was educated and did not doubt but God would have mercy upon him since he practised to the best of his knowledg To this Clotilda answered That he ought not to be deterred by such seeming difficulties fince God who created the Soul of man hath made it capable of beleiving things above the reach of human reason and whose small understanding must submit to the Divine Wisdom and his finite knowledge must not think to equal that which is infinite since God alone is the immense Fountain of Goodness Wisdom and Knowledg That if his Majesty should promise a Servant what to his reason might seem impossible and incredible yet he is bound to beleive it without any reply as depending upon the Kings infallible word now if one smful mortal man doth thus exact faith of another why should you doubt says she what the Soveraign Lord of Heaven and Earth has declared to be true Why should we not believe there are three Persons and one only God fince we dayly find our memory understainding and will make but one Soul Why should we scorn to adore a Crucified Man since nothing can more confirm our believe than that Consideration For if our blessed Saviour had come to subdue the World by Legions of Horses Armies as your Majesty conquers Kingdoms it would not have appeared so great a wonder but when only by sufferings and the cross he hath brought the greatest part of the World yea many Crowned heads under the Dominion of his Laws and Precepts this makes it appear that all is done only by the Almighty power of God since so little of man is seen in it I would therefore humbly beseech your Majesty no longer to defer your Baptism that you may be one of the most glorious Kings on earth that France ever enjoyed and happy in Heaven to all Eternity Clovis replyed that her persuasions and arguments were unanswerable and that his soul was convinced of the truth of what she had affirmed but Policy and Religion being different things he ought maturely to confider whether forsaking the Gods of his own Countrey who were worshipped by such a multitude of his Subjects might not occasion some rebellion or disturbance among his people in defence of their Old Religion Clotilda who found this one of the main obstacles of his Conversion briskly answered That his Nobility and People were already sufficiently convinc't of the falsity of their Idolatrous superstition and wanted nothing but his example and incouragement to declare their belief of the truth of the Christian Faith but that if it were otherwise yet he ought to encounter all difficulties and venture all dangers for the salvation of his Soul. These earnest sollicitations of the Queen being often renewed the King at length began seriously to consider the reasonableness of them and soon after Clotilda being delivered of a Son he permitted him to receive Christian Baptism but the Child dying soon after he told her Shewas too vehement in her Religion and that he feared the health of the Child was impaired by its being so soon Baptized The Queen answered that life and death were in the hands of God and this Infant was not so much to be lamented having now changed this vain life into that of Angels and that God if he pleased could yet bless their Royal Bed with a numerous issue and she was sure Baptism was no prejudice to him since it was an Ordinance and Appointment of Heaven and therefore being delivered of a second Son she conferred Baptism upon it as well as on the former which likewise dying soon after Clovis was more offended than before saying He believed that that water was fatal to Children and she should take care never to move him for the like liberty again Clotilda with a resolved mind alledged that if God should have made her barren he ought to have been contented and adore the divine providence and not to reflect upon the Baptism of Christians but upon her sins as the cause of the loss of her Children The King was fully pacified with this prudent return and at length became resolved to profevs Christianity which was hastened upon this occasion The Swevi a People of Germany passing the Rhine under the command of several Princes with design to root out the Gauls or French and ruin their new erected Monarchy Clovis with the assistance of some of his neighbours resolved to oppose their numerous Forces and a great Battel was fought near Collen where the King commanding in chief he was suddenly surrounded by his Enemies and in great danger of his life and though he performed the duty both of a great Captain and a valiant Souldier yet terror had so seized his flying Army that his affairs were in a very desperate posture when by the perfuasion of one of his chief Favourites he made a solemn Vow to God That if he returned victorious he would perform his promise made to the Queen and be Baptized a Christian and then calling aloud upon the God whom Clotilda worshipped for assistance and deliverance his Forces rallied and his Foes seemed to decline whom he so vigorously prosecuted that the Fields were all covered with dead bodies
Father was so far prevaild on by these discourses that he sent an Executioner to his Son in prison with this Message That a Sword or a Crown were now presented to his choice that if he would renounce his Religion he should be received into favour and enjoy the Scepter after him But if not he should be instantly beheaded in that place Ermangild told him That he would rather dye by a thousands torments than forsake the true faith which he had imbraced and added I thank thee O Almighty God that as thou hast given me a mortal perishing uncertain life from my Father so by his means I shall now receive a glorious and happy life to all Eternity And then kneeling down and praying earnestly for his Father Step-mother and all his enemies and persecutors he cheerfully stretcht out his neck to the Executioner pronouncing the name of his dear Andegona to the last moment and at one blow had his head severed from his body The sad tydings of this lamentable accident arrived to Andegona who had made her escape into Africa where she likewise received the last Letter from her husband out of Prison Her attendants at the news began to make doleful Lamentations as if themselves had been condemned to dye But Andegora kissing the Letter of her dear Lord and then reading it cryed out Ah noble and faithful Soul thou hast acted as a good man ought to do thou hast fought the good fight of Faith and hast now attained the Crown of glory and I desire nothing but to imitate thy constancy Weep not then my Servants for me since it is this day I am a Queen indeed and esteem my self the most happy Princess on earth who have a husband a Martyr in Heaven And then taking her little Son Ermangild almost tired with hard Travel she said Go sweet babe partake of the blessings of your dear Father God hath bestowed great favours in you to be banished already for your Religion go then little Innocent and rejoice with others before the Altar of the Lamb your Mother will not stay long behind you The Child dyed soon after and the magnanimous Andegona having long combated with these Armies of afflictions at length resigned up her Soul with these words O my God the father and son are at rest there now remains nothing but to take the mother I have ended all my hopes in this World why stayest thou O my blessed Saviour to receive my Soul which is now upon my lips Her prayer was heard for a few days after wasted with love travel and desires she died an exemplary death and found a Tomb in Africa FINIS There are Newly Published one and Twenty other very useful pleasant and necessary Books all sold by Nath. Crouch at the Bell in the Poultrey near Cheapside I. A View of the English Acquisitions in Guinea and the East-Indies With an Account of the Religion Government Wars strange Customs Beasts Serpents Monsters and other Observables in those Countreys And among others the Life and Death of Mahomet the Grand Impostor with the Principal Doctrines of the Turkish Religion as they are display'd in the Alcoran Two Letters one written by the Great Mogol and the other by the King of Sumatra in the East-Indies to our King James the First of an unusual and extravagant stile The cruel Executions in those Parts With the manner of the Womens burning themselves with their dead husbands Together with a Description of the Isle of St. Helena And the Bay of Souldania where the English usually refresh in their Voyages to the Indies Intermixt with pleasant Relations and Enlivened with Picture Price one Shilling II. THE English Empire in America or a Prospect of his Majesties Dominions in the West-Indies namely New-found-land New-England New-York New-Jersey Pensylvania Mary-land Virginia Carolina Bermuda's Barbuda Anguilla Montserrat Dominica St. Vincent Antego Mevis or Nevis St. Christophers Barbadoes and Jamaica With an Account of their Discovery Scituation and Product The Religion and Manners of the Indians and other excellencies of these Countreys To which is prefixed a Relation of the first Discovery of this New-World and of the Remarkable Voyages and Adventures of Sebastian Cabot Sir Martin Frobisher Captain Davies Captain Weymouth Captain Hall Captain Hudson Sir Thomas Cavendish the Earl of Cumberland Sir Walter Rawleigh and other English Worthies to divers places therein Illustrated with Maps and Pictures of the strange Fruits Birds Beasts Fishes Insects Serpents and Monsters found in these Parts of the World. Pr. 1. s. III. THE Second Edition of Englands Monarchs very much enlarged Or A Compendious Relation of the most Remarkable Transactions and Observable Passages Ecclesiastical Civil and Military which have happened during the Reigns of the Kings and Queens of England from the Invasion of the Romans under Julius Caesar to this present Adorned with Poems and the Pictures of every Monarch from King William the Conqueror to our most gracious Soveraign King James the Second with his present Majesties Life Heroick Actions late Gracious Declaration and other Occurrences to this time The names of his now Majesties most Honourable Privy Council The Great Officers of the Crown A List of the Dukes Marquesses Earls Viscounts Bishops Barons and Deans The Knights of the most Noble Order of the Garter at Windsor and the Principal Officers Civil and Military in England The number of the Lords and Commons who have Votes in both Houses of Parliament and many other very useful particulars Price One Shilling IV. 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The History of Ireland from the Conquest thereof unto King Henry the Second to this time With a Relation of the Miraculous Persons and Places in that Countrey A full Account of St. Patrick's Purgatory and divers other memorable Matters Intermix with Variety of Excellent Speeches Strange Accidents Prodigious Appearances and other very considerable things both pleasant and profitable With a List of the Nobility and Great Officers of State in both Kingdoms Illustrated with near Thirty Pictures of several Kings and other extraordinary Observables Price 1 Shilling V. DElights for the Ingenious In above Fifty Select and choice Emblems Divine and Moral Ancient and Modern Curiously Ingraven upon Copper Plates with Fifty delightful Poems and Lots for the more Lively Illustration of each Emblem Whereby Instruction and Good Counsel may be promoted and furthered by an honest and pleasant Recreation To which is prefixed An