mansion [stay] that they made was by the river of Tigris, and Tobias
went out for to wash his feet, and there came a great fish for to devour
him, whom Tobias fearing cried out with a great voice: Lord, he cometh
on me, and the angel said to him: Take him by the fin and draw him to
thee. And so he did and drew him out of the water to the dry land. Then
said the angel to him: Open the fish and take to thee the heart, the
gall, and the milt, and keep them by thee; they be profitable and
necessary for medicines. And when he had done so he roasted of the fish,
and took it with them for to eat by the way, and the remnant they
salted, that it might suffice them till they came into the city of
Rages. Then Tobias demanded of the angel and said: I pray thee, Azarias,
brother, to tell me whereto these be good that thou hast bidden me keep.
And the angel answered and said: If thou take a little of his heart and
put it on the coals, the smoke and fume thereof driveth away all manner
kind of devils, be it from man or from woman, in such wise that he shall
no more come to them. And Tobias said: Where wilt thou that we shall
abide? And he answered and said: Hereby is a man named Raguel, a man
nigh to thy kindred and tribe, and he hath a daughter named Sara, he
hath neither son ne daughter more than her. Thou shalt owe all his
substance, for thee behoveth to take her to thy wife. Then Toby answered
and said: I have heard say that she hath been given to seven men, and
they be dead, and I have heard that a devil slayeth them. I dread
therefore that it might hap so to me, and I that am an only son to my
father and mother, I should depose their old age with heaviness and
sorrow to hell. Then Raphael the angel said to him: Hear me, and I shall
show thee wherewith thou mayst prevail against that devil; these that
took their wedlock in such wise that they exclude God from them and
their mind, the devil hath power upon them. Thou therefore when thou
shalt take a wife, and enterest into her cubicle, be thou continent by
the space of three days from her, and thou shalt do nothing but be in
prayers with her: and that same night put the heart of the fish on the
fire, and that shall put away the devil, and after the third night thou
shalt take the virgin with dread of God, that thou mayst follow the
blessing of Abraham in his seed. Then they went and entered into
Raguel's house, and Raguel received them joyously, and Raguel, beholding
well Tobias, said to Anna his wife: How like is this young man unto my
cousin! And when he had so said he asked them: Whence be ye, young men
my brethren? And they said: Of the tribe of Nephthalim, of the captivity
of Nineveh. Raguel said to them: Know ye Tobit my brother? Which said:
We know him well. When Raguel had spoken much good of him, the angel
said to Raguel: Tobit of whom thou demandest is father of this young
man. And then went Raguel, and with weeping eyes kissed him, and weeping
upon his neck said: The blessing of God be to thee, my son, for thou art
son of a blessed and good man. And Anna his wife and Sara his daughter
wept also.
And after they had spoken, Raguel commanded to slay a wether, and make
ready a feast. When he then should bid them sit down to dinner, Tobias
said: I shall not eat here this day ne drink but if thou first grant to
me my petition, and promise to me to give me Sara thy daughter. Which
when Raguel heard he was astonied and abashed, knowing what had fallen
to seven men that tofore had wedded her, and dreaded lest it might
happen to this young man in likewise. And when he held his peace and
would give him none answer the angel said to him: Be not afeard to give
thy daughter to this man dreading God, for to him thy daughter is
ordained to be his wife, therefore none other may have her. Then said
Raguel: I doubt not God hath admitted my prayers and tears in his sight,
and I believe that therefore he hath made you to come to me that these
may be joined in one kindred after the law of Moses, and now have no
doubt but I shall give her to thee. And he taking the right hand of his
daughter delivered it to Tobias saying: God of Abraham, God of Isaac,
and God of Jacob be with you, and he conjoin you together and fulfil his
blessing in you. And took a charter and wrote the conscription of the
wedlock. And after this they ate, blessing our Lord God. Raguel called
to him Anna his wife and bade her to make ready another cubicle. And she
brought Sara her daughter therein, and she wept, to whom her mother
said: Be thou strong of heart, my daughter, our Lord of heaven give to
thee joy for the heaviness that thou hast suffered. After they had
supped, they led the young man to her. Tobias remembered the words of
the angel, and took out of his bag part of the heart of the fish, and
laid it on burning coals. Then Raphael the angel took the devil and
bound him in the upperest desert of Egypt. Then Tobias exhorted the
virgin and said to her: Arise, Sara, and let us pray to God this day,
and to-morrow, and after to-morrow, for these three nights we be joined
to God. And after the third night we shall be in our wedlock. We be
soothly the children of saints, and we may not so join together as
people do that know not God. Then they both arising prayed together
instantly that health might be given to them. Tobias said: Lord God of
our fathers, heaven and earth, sea, wells, and floods, and all creatures
that be in them, bless thee. Thou madest Adam of the slime of the earth,
and gavest to him for an help Eve, and now, Lord, thou knowest that I
take my sister to wife, only for the love of posterity, in which thy
name be blessed world without end. Then said Sara: Have mercy on us,
Lord, have mercy, and let us wax old both together in health. And after
this the cocks began to crow, at which time Raguel commanded his
servants to come to him, and they together went for to make and delve a
sepulchre. He said: Lest haply it happen to him as it hath happed to
the seven men that wedded her. When they had made ready the foss and
pit, Raguel returned to his wife and said to her: Send one of thy
handmaidens, and let her see if he be dead, that he may be buried ere it
be light day. And she sent forth one of her servants, which entered into
the cubicle and found them both safe and whole, and sleeping together,
and she returned and brought good tidings. And Raguel and Anna blessed
our Lord God and said: We bless thee, Lord God of Israel, that it hath
not happed to us as we supposed; thou hast done to us thy mercy, and
thou hast excluded from us our enemy pursuing us, thou hast done mercy
on two only children. Make them, Lord, to bless thee to full, and to
offer to thee sacrifice of praising and of their health, that the
university of peoples may know that thou art God only in the universal
earth.
Anon then Raguel commanded his servants to fill again the pit that they
had made ere it waxed light, and bade his wife to ordain a feast, and
make all ready that were necessary to meat. He did do slay two fat kine
and four wethers, and to ordain meat for all his neighbors and friends,
and Raguel desired and adjured Tobias that he should abide with him two
weeks. Of all that ever Raguel had in possession of goods he gave half
part to Tobias, and made to him a writing that the other half part he
should have after the death of him and his wife. Then Tobias called the
angel to him, which he trowed had been a man, and said to him: Azarias,
brother, I pray thee to take heed to my words; if I make myself servant
to thee I shall not be worthy to satisfy thy providence. Nevertheless I
pray thee to take to thee the beasts and servants and go to Gabael in
Rages the city of Medes, and render to him his obligation, and receive
of them the money and pray him to come to my wedding. Thou knowest
thyself that my father numbereth the days of my being out, and if I
tarry more his soul shall be heavy, and certainly thou seest how Raguel
hath adjured me, whose desire I may not despise. Then Raphael, taking
four of the servants of Raguel and two camels, went to Rages the city of
Medes, and there finding Gabael, gave to him his obligation and received
all the money, and told to him of Tobias, son of Tobit, all that was
done, and made him come with him to the wedding. When then he entered
the house of Raguel, he found Tobias sitting at meat, and came to him
and kissed him, and Gabael wept and blessed God saying: God of Israel
bless thee, for thou art son of the best man and just, dreading God and
doing alms, and the blessing be said upon thy wife and your parents, and
that you may see the sons of your sons unto the third and fourth
generation, and your seed be blessed of the God of Israel, which
reigneth in secula seculorum [forever]. And when all had said Amen, they
went to the feast. And with the dread of God they exercised the feast of
their weddings. Whiles that Tobias tarried because of his marriage, his
father Tobit began to be heavy saying: Trowest thou wherefore my son
tarrieth and why he is holden there? Trowest thou that Gabael be dead,
and no man is there that shall give him his money?
He began to be sorry and heavy greatly, both he and Anna his wife with
him, and began both to weep because at the day set he came not home. His
mother therefore wept with unmeasurable tears, and said: Alas, my son,
wherefore sent we thee to go this pilgrimage? The light of our eyes, the
staff of our age, the solace of our life, the hope of our posterity, all
these only having in thee, we ought not to have let thee go from us. To
whom Tobit said: Be still and trouble thee not, our son is safe enough,
the man is true and faithful enough with whom we sent him. She might in
no wise be comforted, but every day she went and looked and espied the
way that he should come if she might see him come from far. Then Raguel
said to Tobias his son-in-law: Abide here with me, and I shall send
messengers of thy health and welfare to Tobit thy father. To whom Tobias
said: I know well that my father and my mother accompt the days, and the
spirit is in great pain within them. Raguel prayed him with many words,
but Tobias would in no wise grant him. Then he delivered to him Sara his
daughter, and half part of all his substance in servants, men and women,
in beasts, camels, in kine and much money. And safe and joyful he let
him depart from him, saying: The angel of God that is holy be in your
journey, and bring you home whole and sound, and that ye may find all
things well and rightful about your father and mother, and that mine
eyes may see your sons ere I die. And the father and mother taking
their daughter kissed her and let her depart, warning her to worship her
husband's father and mother, love her husband, to rule well the meiny
[retinue], to govern the house and to keep herself irreprehensible, that
is to say, without reproof.
When they thus returned and departed, they came to Charram, which is the
half way to Nineveh, the thirteenth day. Then said the angel to Tobias:
Tobias, brother, thou knowest how thou hast left thy father, if it
please thee we will go tofore and let thy family come softly after, with
thy wife and with thy beasts. This pleased well to Tobias; and then said
Raphael to Tobias: Take with thee of the gall of the fish, it shall be
necessary. Tobias took of the gall and went forth tofore. Anna his
mother sat every day by the way in the top of the hill, from whence she
might see him come from far, and whilst she sat there and looked after
his coming, she saw afar and knew her son coming, and running home she
told to her husband saying: Lo! thy son cometh. Raphael then said to
young Tobias: Anon as thou enterest in to the house adore thy Lord God,
and giving to him thankings, go to thy father and kiss him. And anon
then anoint his eyes with the gall of the fish that thou bearest with
thee, thou shalt well know that his eyes shall be opened, and thy father
shall see the light of heaven and shall joy in thy sight. Then ran the
dog that followed him and had been with him in the way, and came home as
a messenger, fawning and making joy with his tail. And the blind father
arose and began offending his feet to run to meet his son, giving to him
his hand, and so taking, kissed him with his wife, and began to weep for
joy. When then they had worshipped God and thanked him, they sat down
together. Then Tobias taking the gall of the fish anointed his father's
eyes, and abode as it had been half an hour, and the slime of his eyes
began to fall away like as it had been the white of an egg, which Tobias
took and drew from his father's eyes, and anon he received sight. And
they glorified God, that is to wit he and his wife and all they that
knew him.
Then said Tobit the father: I bless thee, Lord God of Israel, for thou
hast chastised me, and thou hast saved me, and, lo! I see Tobias my son.
After these seven days Sara the wife of his son came and entered in with
all the family, and the beasts whole and sound, camels and much money of
his wife's, and also the money that he had received of Gabael. And he
told to his father and mother all the benefits of God that was done to
him by the man that led him. Then came Achiacharus and Nasbas, cousins
of Tobias, joying and thanking God of all the goods that God had showed
to him. And seven days they ate together making feast, and were glad
with great joy. Then old Tobit call his son Tobias to him, and said:
What may we give to this holy man that cometh with thee? Then Tobias
answering said to his father: Father, what meed may we give to him, or
what may be worthy to him for his benefits? He led me out and hath
brought me whole again, he received the money of Gabael; he did me have
my wife and he put away the devil from her; he hath made joy to my
parents, and saved myself from devouring of the fish, and hath made thee
see the light of heaven, and by him we be replenished with all goods;
what may we then worthily give to him? Wherefore I pray thee, father,
that thou pray him if he vouchsafe to take the half of all that I have.
Then the father and the son calling him took him apart and began to pray
him that he would vouchsafe to take half the part of all the goods that
they had brought. Then said he to them privily: Bless ye God of heaven
and before all living people knowledge ye him, for he hath done to you
his mercy. Forsooth to hide the sacrament of the king it is good, but
for to show the works of God and to knowledge them it is worshipful.
Oration and prayer is good, with fasting and alms, and more than to set
up treasures of gold. For alms delivereth from death, and it is she that
purgeth sins and maketh a man to find everlasting life. Who that do sin
and wickedness they be enemies of his soul. I show to you therefore the
truth and I shall not hide from you the secret word. When thou prayedst
with tears and didst bury the dead men and leftest thy dinner and
hiddest dead men by the day in thine house, and in the night thou
buriedst them, I offered thy prayer unto God. And forasmuch as thou wert
accepted tofore God, it was necessary, thou being tempted, that he
should prove thee. And now hath our Lord sent me for to cure thee, and
Sara the wife of thy son I have delivered from the devil. I am soothly
Raphael the angel, one of the seven which stand tofore our Lord God.
When they heard this they were troubled, and trembling fell down on
their faces upon the ground. The angel said to them: Peace be to you,
dread you not. Forsooth I was with you by the will of God, him alway
bless ye and sing ye to him, I was seen of you to eat and drink, but I
use meat and drink invisible, which of men may not be seen. It is now
therefore time that I return to him which sent me. Ye alway bless God
and tell ye all his marvels. And when he had said this he was taken away
from the sight of them, and after that they might no more see him. Then
they fell down flat on their faces by the space of three hours and
blessed God, and arising up they told all the marvels of him.
Then the older Tobit opening his mouth blessed our Lord and said: Great
art thou, Lord, evermore, and thy reign is in to all worlds, for thou
scourgest and savest, thou leadest to hell and bringest again, and there
is none that may flee thy hand. Knowledge and confess you to the Lord,
ye children of Israel, and in the sight of Gentiles praise ye him.
Therefore he hath disperpled [scattered] you among Gentiles that know
him not, that ye tell his marvels, and make them to be known. For there
is none other God Almighty but he; he hath chastised us for our
wickedness and he shall save us for his mercy. Take heed and see
therefore what he hath done to us, and with fear and dread, knowledge ye
to him, and exalt him king of all worlds in your works. I soothly in the
land of my captivity shall knowledge to him, for he hath showed his
majesty into the sinful people. Confess ye therefore sinners, and do ye
justice tofore our Lord by believing that he shall do to you his mercy,
aye soothly, and my soul shall be glad in him. All ye chosen of God,
bless ye him and make ye days of gladness and knowledge ye to him.
Jerusalem city of God, our Lord hath chastised thee in the works of his
hands, confess thou to our Lord in his good things and bless thou the
God of worlds that he may re-edify in thee his tabernacle, and that he
may call again to thee all prisoners and them that be in captivity and
that thou joy in omnia secula seculorum. Thou shalt shine with a bright
light, and all the ends of the earth shall worship thee. Nations shall
come to thee from far, and bringing gifts shall worship in thee our
Lord, and shall have thy land into sanctification. They shall call in
thee a great name, they shall be cursed that shall despise thee, and
they all shall be condemned that blaspheme thee. Blessed be they that
edify thee, thou shalt be joyful in thy sons, for all shall be blessed,
and shall be gathered together unto our Lord. Blessed be they that love
thee and that joy upon thy peace. My soul, bless thou our Lord, for he
hath delivered Jerusalem his city. I shall be blessed if there be left
of my seed for to see the clearness of Jerusalem. The gates of Jerusalem
shall be edified of sapphire and emerald, and all the circuit of his
walls of precious stone; all the streets thereof shall be paved with
white stone and clean; and Alleluia shall be sung by the ways thereof.
Blessed be the Lord that hath exalted it that it may be his kingdom in
secula seculorum, Amen. And thus Tobit finished these words. And Tobit
lived after he had received his sight forty-two years, and saw the sons
of his nephews, that is, the sons of the sons of his son young Tobias.
And when he had lived one hundred and two years he died, and was
honorably buried in the city of Nineveh.
He was fifty-six years old when he lost his sight, and when he was sixty
years old he received his sight again. The residue of his life was in
joy, and with good profit of the dread of God he departed in peace. In
the hour of his death he called to him Tobias his son, and seven of his
young sons, his nephews, and said to them: The destruction of Nineveh is
nigh, the word of God shall not pass, and our brethren that be
disperpled [scattered] from the land of Israel shall return thither
again. All the land thereof shall be fulfilled with desert, and the
house that is burnt therein shall be re-edified, and thither shall
return all people dreading God. And Gentiles shall leave their idols and
shall come in Jerusalem and shall dwell, therein, and all the kings of
the earth shall joy in her, worshipping the king of Israel. Hear ye
therefore, my sons, me your father, serve ye God in truth and seek ye
that ye do that may be pleasing to him, and command ye to your sons that
they do righteousness and alms, that they may remember God and bless him
in all time in truth and in all their virtue. Now therefore, my sons,
hear me and dwell ye no longer here, but whensoever your mother shall
die, bury her by me and from then forthon dress ye your steps that ye
go hence, I see well that wickedness shall make an end of it. It was so
then after the death of his mother, Tobias went from Nineveh with his
wife and his sons, and the sons of his sons, and returned unto his
wife's father and mother, whom they found in good health and good age,
and took the cure and charge of them, and were with them unto their
death, and closed their eyes. And Tobias received all the heritage of
the house of Raguel and saw the sons of his sons unto the fifth
generation. And when he had complished ninety-nine years he died in the
dread of God, and with joy they buried him. All his cognation [kindred]
and all his generation [offspring] abode in good life and in holy
conversation, and in such wise as they were acceptable as well to God as
to men, and to all dwelling on the earth.
HERE BEGINNETH THE STORY OF JUDITH
_Which is read the last Sunday of October_
Arpaxhad, king of the Medes, subdued into his empire many peoples and
edified a mighty city, which he named Ecbatane, and made it with stones
squared, and polished them. The walls thereof were of height seventy
cubits, and of breadth thirty cubits, and the towers thereof were an
hundred cubits high. And he glorified himself as he that was mighty in
puissance and in the glory of his host and of his chariots.
Nebuchadnezzar then in the twelfth year of his reign, which was king of
the Assyrians, and reigned in the city of Nineveh, fought against
Arphaxad and took him in the field, whereof Nebuchadnezzar was exalted
and enhanced himself, and sent unto all regions about and unto Jerusalem
till the Mounts of Ethiopia, for to obey and hold of him. Which all
gainsaid him with one will, and without worship sent home his messengers
void, and set nought by him. Then Nebuchadnezzar, having them at great
indignation, swore by his reign and by his throne that he would avenge
him on them all, and thereupon called all his dukes, princes, and men of
war, and held a counsel in which was decreed that he should subdue all
the world unto his empire. And thereupon he ordained Holofernes prince
of his knighthood, and bade him go forth, and in especial against them
that had despised his empire; and bade him spare no realm ne town but
subdue all to him. Then Holofernes assembled dukes and masters of the
strength of Nebuchadnezzar, and numbered one hundred and twenty thousand
footmen, and horsemen shooters twelve thousand. And tofore them he
commanded to go a multitude of innumerable camels laden with such things
as were needful to the host, as victual, gold and silver, much that was
taken out of the treasury of the kings. And so went to many realms which
he subdued; and occupied a great part of the orient till he came
approaching the land of Israel. And when the children of Israel heard
thereof they dreaded sore lest he should come among them into Jerusalem
and destroy the temple, for Nebuchadnezzar had commanded that he should
extinct all the gods of the earth, and that no god should be named ne
worshipped but he himself, of all the nations that Holofernes should
subdue.