Judith; the Peculiar case of Canada; Sprinkling of Saints; et Encore Villette

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:06

I know there's the sound of traffic, but can you hear the Swifts? They go quiet as soon as I start recording. Come on, Swifts. I've just walked past the abbey and they Oh they've been making such an amazing noise. I can see them, they're I mean there are not hundreds, but you know, probably fifty sipping about. And they've gone completely quiet. The sky's blue. It's half past eight. And the all the mellow honey coloured stones of Hamhill. The stone is looking so beautiful in the set set sun. It's not set yet. Um and I wanted to let you hear the sound of the swifts. And they've gone quiet. Such a shame. Oh, they're just whizzing about. There's like loads of bats above me.

SPEAKER_01 1:18

I think if I ignore them, they'll start making their noise again. It's a very distinctive noise, isn't it? It's a that kind of wee wee noise. There they go. It's because they think I'm not listening anymore. And a very, very good evening to you. I hope you're well. And what are you up to? And what are you thinking? How are you feeling? Are you happy? Are you what are you reading at the moment? What music are you enjoying? And are you reading enough? Are you managing to read a chapter of whatever book you're reading before you go to bed at night? Are you listening to music or are you just whizzing through different things like work and family and finding you're not you don't have enough time for yourself? Are you enjoying Villette? Are you finding it strange? It's a strange book, isn't it? It takes you into a different realm. It takes you into the classrooms and the building, and there's not much else going on. It it it's strange that it's so captivating and mesmerising. I find it I find it really an extraordinary book. Her confidence to write such a book when there's not a sort of plot that gathers one along. And um and and also it's not even clear who we like within it. I mean, do we like Ginevre? You know, we like very much, don't we, of course, the doctor and his mother. I mean his mother, I just want her as my next door neighbour. Speaking of which, I'm so worried the wind is because I haven't got the microphone on and I hope the wind's not spoiling it. I'll stop, that's probably a good idea. I'm near to home, but I'm just gonna stop. I've got to know a neighbour I hadn't spoke spoken to before, and she's her her husband died a couple of years ago, and she's a lovely little white-haired, really bustly little person, and she's a couple of houses down. You'd have thought I would know her, but she obviously has kept herself to herself a little bit. But I was chatting to her today, and we've agreed to go to Yoga tomorrow evening, so I love the idea that I've I've made a a friend in one of our neighbours. It's not always easy to make friends with people who live nearer near near to you. In Britain, people do like to keep to themselves. And yeah, the tradition of everybody knowing each other is something that I don't think exists anymore. Everyone likes their privacy, don't they? Right, I'm gonna get home and I'm gonna whiz the dog out. So I'm now on a walk high up above Sherborne and Scout is watching rabbits as I talk, and I'm talking loudly so that the rabbits have plenty of warning. She's not caught anything yet, thank goodness. Oh, and I've just come past some hollyhocks. Hello hollyhocks. These are dark red in the middle. Let me go up to them. Dark red in the middle, and pink on the pink petals, and and of course, you always know what stage hollyhocks are at because you can see the buds and yet to come out, and then those that have budded, you you see the remains, and it's a bit like fox gloves, really. Really pretty, lovely. They're very old-fashioned looking flowers, I think, don't you? I like the name as well, Hollyhock. What a great name. And the sky has the sort of clouds that are in horizontal strips, pink strips, above Somerset beyond. So I'm looking northwest, and there used to just be a forest in this whole area called Selwood. Selwood forest, and there's still a place called Pencilwood. And I was telling one of my son's friends, uh, he's got two friends that are my favourite, and they I think they know who they are, and they're they're both absolutely adorable, and one of them in particular is very bright and very interested in life around him. So I was probably boring him about pencil words and pen meaning head, as in so many places in Ireland and Wales that have got pen at the beginning, meaning head or home or half or family. Uh skull! There's a road, it's frustrating because there's so much around here that's free for them to run around on, but then there is a road, so I've got to keep an eye. I mean, I think she would just run straight across the road, so and most of the time she stays close to doggo, so it's it's fine, but she she's just started to get confidence to wander off on her own. And it's been a period of time, and I've not heard much from you as my listener, so do do stay close. I love to hear from what's going on. I've had a few nice messages, so that's great. But it's always nice to hear more. And I'm looking at a very old farmstead, and I know it's old because I know that it was in the it was recorded in the doomsday book that there was a settlement there, and it's always had a it's always been slightly separate from Sherbourne, and there are a couple of wild ponies there, and that they're on the other side of the road from where I'm at. I'm now gonna sit down and I've actually brought Villette with me, and I know that we've got so much we haven't done saints for an awful long time. I'm sorry, Michelle, you're missing the saints, but I know you read them anyway. And I've also decided I want to get a new Saint book. I've been unhappy with that one for a while. So I will order a one that I that that feels better, and I'm looking out and there's a slight nip in the wind. I think it's about to get much hotter here, and I'm very happy because husband's going to be around for a few days, and so it just apart from obviously seeing him, it's lovely just to have a bit of a hand with with all the other things going on. Plus, the children really need him around and he goes away so much. So, what do you think? Do you think I should give Villette a go? And would you rather me use the microphone or do you like hearing the ambient sounds? I'm not really sure what to do for the best. Let me get it out, and I'm not sure it's going to be possible to read a whole chapter, but let me start it at least. And I was thinking it's as well that maybe on Friday, because my husband's got the day off, and I've got daughter around and son, so maybe we could do a really old-fashioned picnic because we've got one of those lovely old-fashioned picnic wicker baskets with all the stuff inside, all the lovely silver cuttery, proper glasses, napkins, and so on. So maybe we should do a picnic somewhere in a kind of very old-fashioned English way. What do you think? Maybe down by the sea, or we could just go and find a river somewhere. So that's what we might do on Friday. Um, probably foolishly, I've I regularly do this. I've saved as wallpaper a picture of my mother, and I can I can see her sh so I'm looking at it while I talk to you, and she's smiling, half smiling at at me, and wearing a pink uh hospital gown, and she's got a little blazer on around her in a very kind of typically smart way. Her hands up, and I know her hands so well, her fingers and little pink glasses on, and I just wish she was still around and life's been good, but it it's Yeah. Well, you'll know, won't you? You'll know how it feels if you've lost someone.

SPEAKER_00 9:56

It's it's so difficult to keep reminding yourself that they're not around. I have been a lot better at coping for a long time now, and I guess that's just because I'm in a different stage of grief. When I think about her, it does feel just as raw, but I now very rarely have the the the kind of hysterical crying that or uncontrollable crying. Um so I think at a deep level I now have accepted it. So what that's what one year and four months. It's a long time. And the dogs are now in front of me, one black one, one white one. And let's get Villette out and proceed with the story because I do think we've got a little bit of delicious momentum now.

SPEAKER_01 10:57

Okay, so I've decided to put the microphone on. I think that's the best decision. And let me now read to you the start anyway, we see how we get on of Villette by Charlotte Bronte, chapter thirty Monsieur Pool Yet the reader is advised not to be in any hurry with his kindly conclusions, or to suppose with an over hasty charity that from that day Monsieur Poul became a changed character, easy to live with and no longer apt to flash danger and discomfort around him. No, he was naturally a little man of unreasonable moods. When overwrought, which he often was, he became acutely irritable, and besides his veins were dark with a livid belladonna tic tincture, the essence of jealousy. I do not mean merely the tender jealousy of the heart, but that sterner, narrower sentiment whose seat is in the head. I used to think as I sat looking at Monsieur Poul while he was knitting his brow or protruding his lip over some exercise of mine, which had not as many faults as he wished, for he liked me to commit faults and not of blunders was sweet to him as a cluster of nuts. That he had points of resemblance to Napoleon Bonaparte. I think so still. In a shameless disregard of magnan magnanimity he resembled the great emperor. Monsieur Poul would have quarrelled with twenty learned women, would have unblushingly carried on a system of petty bickering and recrimination with a whole capital of coteries, never troubling himself about loss or dig or lack of dignity, sorry, keep stuttering. He would have exiled fifty Madame de Stales if they had annoyed, offended, outrivalled or opposed him. I well remember a hot episode of his with a certain Madame Panache, a lady temporarily employed by Madame Beck to give lessons in history. She was clever, that is, she knew a good deal, and besides thoroughly possessed the art of making the most of what she knew. Of words and confidence she held unlimited command. Her personal appearance was far from destitute of advantages. I believe many people would have pronounced her a fine woman, and yet there were points in her robust and ample attractions, as well as in her bustling and demonstrative presence, which it appeared the nice and capricious taste of Monsieur Poul could not away with. The sound of her voice echoing through the car would put him into a strange taking, her long, free stress step almost a stride. So change of page. Hello, Lolly, are you okay, darling? Oh my name's not Lolly, remember it's Doggo, she just says and wagged her tail. Would often make him snatch up his papers and decamp on the instant. With malicious intent he bethought himself one day to intrude on her class. As quick as lightning he gathered her method of instruction. It differed from a pet plan of his own. With little ceremony and less courtesy, he pointed out what he termed her errors. Whether he expected submission and attention, I know not, he met an acrid opposition, accompanied by a round reprimand for his certainly unjustifiable interference. Instead of withdrawing with dignity, as he might still have done, he threw down the gauntlet of defiance. Madame Panache, bellycase as a penthesilia, picked it up in a minute. She snapped her fingers in the intermedler's face. She rushed rushed upon him with a storm of words. Monsieur Emmanuel was eloquent, but Madame Panache was voluble. A system of fierce antagonism ensued. Instead of laughing in his sleeve at his fair foe, with all her sore amour pauper and loud self assertion, Monsieur Paul detested her with intense seriousness. The page is fli flickering in the wind. He honoured her with his earnest fury. Keep still page. He pursued her vindictively and implacably, refusing to rest peaceably in his bed, to derive due benefit from his meals, or even serenely to relish his cigar, till she was fairly rooted out of the establishment. The professor conquered, but I cannot say that the laurels of this victory shadowed gracefully his temples. Once I ventured to hint as much, to my great surprise he allowed that I might be right, but averred that when brought into contact with either men or women of the coarse, self-complacent quality, whereof passions and unspeakable and active aversion impelled him to a war of extermination. I'm just going to interrupt there by saying that one of the things I've thought before, and I do it to watch my own behaviour, is if you can't put up i if you imagine your own self and coming into contact with your own self and then you em and then you honestly and you do it honestly, and then you think to yourself, actually you wouldn't be able to stand it, you wouldn't be able to stand coping with your own self, then it's a good it's it's a good indication that your own behaviour isn't okay. It's a good indication that actually you're probably a little too arrogant or not polite enough, not kind enough. So as I say, I've used it myself as a guard to watch when I'm not friendly enough or not cheerful enough. I think come on, what you know, watch how you are with people and always stay warm. Anyway, three months afterwards hearing that his vanquished foe had met with r reverses and was likely to be really distressed for want of employment, he forgot his hatred, and alike active in good and evil, he moved heaven and earth till he found her a place. Upon her coming to make up former differences and to thank him for his recent kindness, the old voice, a little loud, the old manner, a little forward, so acted upon him that in ten minutes he started up and bowed her, or rather himself out of the room in a transport of nervous irritation. To pursue a somewhat audacious parallel, in a love of power, in an eager grasp after supremacy, Monsieur Emmanuel was like Bonaparte. He was a man not always to be submitted to. Sometimes it was needful to resist, it was right to stand still, to look up into his eyes and to tell him that his requirements went beyond reason, that his absolutism verged on tyranny. The dawnings, the first developments of peculiar talent appearing within his range and under his rule, curiously excited, even disturbed him. He watched it struggle into life with a scowl. He held back his hand, perhaps said Come on if you have the strength, but would not aid the birth. When the pang and peril of the first conflict were over and the breath of life was drawn, when he saw the lungs expand and contract, when he felt the heart beat and discovered life in the eye, he did not yet offer to foster. Prove yourself true, ere I tress cherish you was his ordinance, and how difficult he made that proof, what thorns and briars, what flints he strewed in the path of feet not inured to rough travel. He watched tearlessly ordeals that he extracted should be passed through fearlessly. He followed footprints that, as they approached the borne, were sometimes marked in blood, followed them grimly, holding the austerious police watch over the pain pressed pilgrim, and when at last he allowed a rest before slumber might close the eyelids, he opened those same lids wide with pitiless finger and thumb and gazed deep through the pupil and the eyewits, into the brain, into the heart, to search if vanity or pride or falsehood in any of its subtlest forms was discoverable in the furthest recess of existence. I think maybe Thomas Moore or Thomas Abecket m was similar to him as a character. I know it's a mad thing to say because we don't know what they were like really, and obviously he's just a fictional character. Not that I can think that, I can never think that when I'm reading a book. When I read a book they're real to me. I don't know how you feel about it. But that that kind of making judgments about people and looking deeply into other people's souls. And do you remember Elizabeth I so famously said that it's not for her to look into the windows of of other people's souls or men's souls. It was her way of well, it was such a great, great attitude towards the whole problem she had with dealing with religious division in the country. If at last he let the neophyte sleep, it was but a moment. He woke him suddenly up to apply new tests, he sent him on irksome errands when he was staggering with weariness. He tried the temper, the sense and the health, and it was only when every severest test had been applied and endured, when the most corrosive aquifortis had been used and failed to tarnish the ore that he admitted it genuine and, still in clouded silence, stamped it with his deep brand of approval. I speak not ignorant of these evils, till the voice Date at which the last chapter closes, Monsieur Poul had not been my professor, he had not given me lessons, but about that time, accidentally hearing me one day acknowledge an ignorance of some branch of education, I think it was arithmetic, which would have disgraced a charity schoolboy, as he very truly remarked, he took me in hand, examined me first, found me, I need not say, abundantly deficient, gave me some books, and appointed me some tasks, and we'll leave it there halfway through this chapter, and I'll take the dogs home and make myself a pot of tea and see what my children are up to. Goodbye for now. So the principal Roman Catholic feast day today is the feast of the visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and was established by Pope Urban VI in thirteen eighty nine in order to bring the great schism to an end through the intercession of Mary. It originated in Byzantium when on the second of July the Gospel of Mary's visit to Elizabeth was read on the feast of the deposition in the basilica of the holy garment of the Theodokos. The Franciscans adopted this Marian feast day in twelve sixty three, calling it the Visitation of Mary. After the liturgical reform of the Second Vatican Council, the date for the feast was fixed on the thirty first of the thirty first of May. Travelling in haste, actually let's just read the quote from the Bible instead. Mary set out and travelled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the infant leapt in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. Luke one thirty nine forty two. And I've brought up a couple of others let's see if I can get the information. Okay, so another one is for today is Saint or Saint Ber Bernardino Rialino, and he was born into a noble family of Capri, Italy in fifteen thirty. After receiving a thorough and devout Christian education at the hands of his mother, he and I've lost my place, he went on to study medicine at the University of Boulogne, but after three years he switched to not Boulogne, Bologna, but he switched to law and received his doctorate in fifteen sixty three. Word of his learning, dedication and legal brilliance spread rapidly, and in fifteen fifty four he was summoned to Naples to assume the position of auditor and lieutenant general. Shortly afterwards this young man came to the realization that he had a religious vocation, and aided by our lady's appearance to him, joined the Society of Jesus and was ordained in fifteen sixty seven. For three years he laboured unstintingly at Naples, devoting himself wholeheartedly to the service of the poor and the youth, and then he was sent to Lecce, we might be Lecce, where he remained for the last forty two years of his life. He won widespread recognition as a result of his ceaseless apostolic labours. He was a model, confessor, a powerful preacher, a diligent teacher of faith to the young, and a dedicated shepherd of souls, as well as rector of the Jesuit College in Lecce and superior of the community there. Let's perhaps just do one more 'cause there's a whole list here. What about one that we've perhaps not heard before? What about St Lidanus? All right. He was a Benedictine abbot credited with draining the Pontine marshes in Italy and for founding Cese Abbey in the Papal States, and he died in Monte Cassino and is patron of Cesi. I've had a long day today. The family have all been about, and the sun has been shining, and I'm sitting in bed now at quarter to ten. I've got puppy under my bed, and I watched a film when I was ironing this afternoon about the the fertilization, if you well the planting, the settlement, that's probably a better word, of Jutland, and it was really fascinating. And if you don't know anything about the settlement of Jutland, then then sort of Google the film. I can't remember what it was called, but it's probably just called Jutland or something. And it was really interesting and about how they they grew potatoes there, because potatoes could grow anywhere pretty much. Now we're going to read a few passages more from the book about politics in the time of the early reign of Queen Victoria, so the the the latter part of the first third of the eighteen hundreds. Chartism may said to have sprung definitively into existence in consequence of the formal declarations of the leaders of the Liberal Party in Parliament that they did not intend to push reform any farther. At the opening of the first parliament of Queen Victoria's reign the question was brought to a test. A radical member of the House of Commons moved as an amendment to the address, a resolution declaring in favour of the ballot and of shorter duration of parliaments. Only twenty members voted for it, and Lord John Russell declared that to push reform any farther than that would be a breach of faith towards those who had helped to carry it. A great many outside Parliament, not unnaturally, regarded the refusal to go any further as a breach of faith towards them on the part of the liberal leaders. It reminds me of when Queen Elizabeth came in and Puritans thinking that she didn't go far enough in getting rid of the of Catholicism. It's always it's always the people who are most closely aligned to your views that you feel most enity towards I i or not you, but you know in the history of in the history of history. A conference was held almost immediately between a few of the liberal members of Parliament who professed radical opinions and some of the leaders of the working men. At this conference to the programme, or what was afterwards known as the Charter, it was a charter was agreed upon and drawn up. The name of Charter was given by Mr O'Connell. Quietly studied now the People's Charter does not seem a very formidable document. Its points, as they were called, were six. Manhood suffrage came first. The second was annual parliaments. Vote by ballot was third, abolition of the property qualification, then and for many years after required for the election of a member to parliament, was the fourth, the payment of members was the fifth, and the division of the country into equal electoral districts the sixth of the famous points. Three of the points, half, that is to say, of the whole number, have already been made part of our constitutional system. Remember this was written in the late nineteenth century. The existing franchise may be virtually regarded as manhood suffrage. We have for years been voting by means of a written paper dropped into a ballot box. The property qualification for members of parliament could hardly be said to have been abolished. Such a word seems far too grand and dignified to describe the fate that befell it. We should rather say that it was extinguished by its own absurdity and viciousness. The proposal to divide the country into equal electoral districts is one which can hardly yet be regarded as coming to any test, but it is almost certain that sooner or later some alteration of our present system in that direction will be adopted, as it was, of course. Of the two other points of the charter, the payment of members may be regarded as a decidedly objectionable. That's interesting, because even now it's considered one of the things that have that, although necessary to most people, has also had downsides to it, and that for yearly parliaments as embodying a proposition which would make public life an almost insufferable nuisance to those actively concerned in it. The Chartists might be roughly divided into three classes the political chartists, the social chartists, and the chartists of vague discontent who joined the movement because they were this is great, who joined the movement because they were wretched and felt angry. And that third section you get with any movement, don't you? You could almost say with every single movement in the history of mankind, you get a part of the movement there because they're quote wretched and feel angry. The first were the regular political agitators who who wanted a wider popular representation. The second were chiefly led to the movement by their hatred of the bread tax. These two classes were perfectly clear as to what they wanted. Some of their demands were just and reasonable, none of them were without the sphere of rational and peaceful controversy. The disciples of mere discontent naturally swerved alternately to the side of those leaders or sections who talked the loudest and fiercest against the lawmakers and constitutional authorities. I mean do you remember when we read Barnaby Raj and the Rioters and the Gordon Riots? I mean that's a classic example. Chartism soon split itself into two general divisions, the moral force and the physical force. A whole literature of Chartist newspapers sprang up to advocate the cause. The Northern Star was the most popular and influential of them, but every great town had its Chartist press. Meetings were held at which sometimes the most violent language was employed. It began to be the practice to hold torchlight meetings at night, and many went armed to these, and open clamour was made by the wilder of the Chartists for an appeal to arms. A formidable riot took place in Birmingham, where the authorities endeavoured to put down a Chartist meeting. I mean it just rings true with all with so many movements, doesn't it? You know, suffragettes is another example. And the trouble is as soon as any movement has violent fringes, which all popular movements seem to do, then it puts off the rational, normal people. The government began to prosecute some of the orators and leaders of the charter movement, and some of these were convicted, imprisoned, and treated with great severity. I'm then going to go straight I'm going to miss a paragraph and move on to something that I think more be of more interest. The first foreign disturbance to the quiet and good promise of a new reign came from Canada. The condition of Canada was very peculiar. By an act called the Constitution of 1791, Canada was divided into two provinces, the upper and the lower. Each province had a separate system of government consisting of a governor, an executive council appointed by the crown, and supposed in some ways to represent the privy council of this country, a legislative legislative council, the members of which were appointed by the crown for life, and a representative assembly, the members of which were elected for four years. At the same time the clergy reserves were established by Parliament. One seventh of the wastelands of the colony were set aside for the maintenance of the Protestant clergy, a fruitful source of disturbance and ill feeling. Lower or eastern Canada was inhabited for the most part by men of French descent who still kept up in the midst of an active and moving civilization most of the principles and usages which belonged to medieval France. That's interesting. Lower Canada I didn't know that actually, that's interesting. I wonder what the consequences are to this day. Lower Canada would have dozed away its sleepy picturesqueness, held fast to its ancient ways, and allowed a bustling, giddy world all alive with commerce and ambition, and desire for novelty and the terribly disturbing thing which unresting people call progress to rush on its wild path unheeded, but in the large towns there were active traders from England and other countries who were by no means content to put up with the old world ways and to let the magnificent resources of the place run to waste. Upper Canada, on the other hand, was all new as to its population and was full of the modern desire for commercial activity. Upper Canada was peopled almost exclusively by inhabitants from Great Britain. Let's just do one more two more paragraphs. It is easy to see on the very face of things some of the difficulties which must arise in the development of such a system. The French of Lower Canada would regard with almost morbid jealousy any legislation which appeared likely to interfere with their ancient ways and to give any advantage or favour to the populations of British descent. The latter would see injustice or feebleness in every measure which did not assist them in developing their more energetic ideas. It was in Lower Canada that the greatest difficulties arose. A constant antagonism grew up between the majority of the representative assembly who were elected by the population of the Prov province. At last the Representative Assembly refused to vote any further supplies or to carry on any further business. They formulated their grievances against the home government. Their complaints were of arbitrary conduct on the part of the governors, intolerable composition of the legislative council, which they insisted ought to be elective, illegal approbation appropriation of the public money, and violent prorogation of the provincial parliament. And the next bit starts with the following sentence One of the leading men in the movement was Mr Louis Joseph Papineau Papinau Papineau. Interesting, huh? And we finish this perhaps rather odd, but I mean aren't they all odd episode with a translation of an Anglo Saxon poem or piece of writing called The Judith and it's from my book that I'm allowed to read from by Cook and Tinker. Great names, don't you think? They really go together. And unless you didn't know, a tinker was someone who was a s a travelling salesperson or fixer or they were people who would knock from house to house and have small things to sell or could make small fit or could fix small problems in your house. But and there were lanes that were called tinker lanes, sort of back lanes that were used, and often they were travellers or people seen as outside of normal normal employment and so the word tinker has a has a connotation of being a bit naughty and cheeky, but but not bad. I mean you know, all almost like fairies have a reputation. You know, the whole sort of Peter Pan thing of not not bad but not good somewhere in between. Judith The Judith, whose author is unknown, has been conjecturally assigned to two different dates, approximately the years eight five six and nine one five. For the respective arguments see Cook's edition and Foster's Judith studies in metre, language and style. Authorities agree that it was Keen Wolfian peculiarities, sorry it has keen Wolfian peculiarities, and therefore was probably written by some admirer of that poet, and that it was certainly composed before nine hundred thirty seven, since it is it is imitated in the Battle of Brunember, which bears that date. Its source is found in various passages of the apocryphal book of Judith, and the art and vigour of the poem are equally remarkable, though apparently only a fragment, one scarcely misses the part which is lost. According to Sweet, it combines the highest dramatic and constructive power with the utmost brilliance of language and metre The Feast She doubted not the glorious maker's gifts in this wide earth from the great Lord to find ready protection when she needed most grace from the highest judge, that he whose power is over all beginnings, with his peace would strengthen her against the highest terror. Therefore the heavenly father, bright of mood, gave her her wish because she ever had firm faith in the almighty. Then heard I Holophernes bade prepare wine quickly, with all wonders gloriously prepare a feast to which the chief of men bade all his foremost thanes, and with great haste shield warriors obeyed, came journeying to the rich lord, the leader of the people. That was the fourth day after Judith, shrewd of thought, with elfin beauty, sought him first. Then to the feast they went to sit in pride at the wine drinking, all his warriors bold in their war shirts, comrades in his woe. There were deep bowls oft to the benches borne, cups and full jugs to those who sat in a hall, the famed shield warriors shared the feast, death doomed, though that chief dread lord of Earls knew not, then Holy Furnace, the gold friend of man, joyed in the pouring out, laughed, talked aloud, roared and uproared, that men from far might hear how the stern minded stormed and yelled in mirth, much bidding the bench sitters bear their part well in the feasting. So the wicked one through the day, drenched his followers with wine, the haughty gift lord, till they lay in swoon, his nobles o'er all drenched as they were stuck to death, and every good poured out of them. So bade the Lord of men serve those in hall, till the dark night drew near the sons of men, then bade the malice blind to fetch with speed the blessed maid ring wreathed to his bed rest. The attendants quickly did as bade their lord, head of mailed warriors in a twinkling, went to the guest chamber, where they Judith found, prudent in soul, and then shield warriors began to lead the pious, the bright maid to the tent, the high one, where within at night the chief at all times rested, holy furnace grateful to God the Saviour, there was hung all golden a fair fly net round the bed of the folk leader, the That the baleful one, the chief of warriors, might look through on each child of the brave who came therein, and none might look on him of mankind, save what one of his own ill famed warriors, whom the proud one bade to draw near, gone in for secret counsel. Then they brought quickly to his place of rest the woman wise of wit, went rugged men to make known to their lord that there was brought the holy woman to his bower tent. Then what then was the famed one blithe of mood, the chief of cities thought the bright maid to defile with filth and stain, but that the glorious judge would not allow, who kept the flock of fame. The Lord, who guides the good, stayed him in that. Then went the devilish one, with crowd of men, Baleford, baleful to see his bed, where he should lose his prosperous life at once within a night. There had he to await his end, on earth a bitter one, such as he in old time wrought for himself, while he, bold chief of men Twelt on this earth under the roof of clouds, so drunken then with wine, the king fell down in the midst of his bed, that council he knew none within the chamber of his thought. Out from within marched with all haste the warriors steeped in wine, who led the faithless, hated chief to bed for the last time. The Saviour's handmaid then gloried, intently mindful, how she might take from the hateful one most easily his life before the drunkard woke to shame. Then she of braided locks, the maker's maid, took a sharp sword, hard from the grinding, drew it with strong palm from the sheath, and then by name began to name heaven's warden, Saviour of all who dwell on earth, and spake these words God, first creator, spirit of comfort, son of the almighty, glorious Trinity, I will pray for thy mercy upon me who need it. Strongly is my heart now stirred, distressed the mind sorely disturbed with care. Give to me, Lord of heaven, victory and true belief, that with this sword I may hew at this giver of death. Grant me success, strong Lord of men, never had I more need of thy compassion, now, O mighty Lord, bright minded giver of renown, avenge what stirs my mood to anger, mine to hate. He then, the highest judge, encouraged her at once with strength, so doth he to each one of those here dwelling, who seek him for help with reason and with true belief. His mood then became unoppressed, and renovate with holy hope, she took the heathen then fast by his hair, and drew him with her hands shamefully towards her, and laid with skill the hateful man, where she most easily might have the wicked one within her power. She, braided locked, then struck the scather foe, with glittering sword him in whose thought was hate, that she cart cut half his neck through, and he lay in swoon, drunk with a death wound, but not yet was dead, his soul all fled, the woman then, famous for strength, with vigour struck again the heathen dog, so that his head went forth upon the floor. Then the foul carcass lay empty behind, while the soul went elsewhere under the abyss, and there it was condemned, tied down to torment ever after, wound about with serpents, fixed to punishment, chained in hell's burning after it went hence, nor must he hope at all in darkness whelmed that he can come thence from the serpent's hall, but there shall dwell ever and evermore, forth without end in the dark cavern home, deprived for ever of the joys of life. Great glory Judith then had gained in strife as God the Lord of Heaven granted her who gave her victory, the clear witted maid, then quickly brought the leader's bleeding head into the bag that her attendant made, a pale faced woman, trained to noble ways, had carried thither with the food of both, and Judith, thoughtful minded, gave it then so gory to her maid, to carry home. Then both the women went directly thence, bold in their strength, exulting in success, out from that host, till they might clearly see the glittering walls of fair Bethulia, and we'll leave it there and I'm going to finish it in the next episode. Thank you so much for joining me. I really feel honored to have your company, and I wish you a very peaceful Thursday night. Good night.