The Holy Bible, containing the Old and New Testaments, with the Apocryphal books,

CAP. IX.

[verse 1] In the same tyme Antiok turnede aȝen vnonestli fro Perses. [verse 2] For he hadde entrid into that citee, that is seid Persibolis [Persibolis, that is, the cheef citee of Persis. Lire here. ACEKPUY.] , and he temptide for to robbe the temple, and oppresse the citee; but for multitude ran togidere to armeris, thei weren turned in to fliȝt; and so it bifelle, that Antiok after fliȝt viliche turnede aȝen. [verse 3] And whanne he cam aboute Ebathana, he knew what thingis weren don aȝens Nycanor and Ty|mothe. [verse 4] Forsothe he was enhaunsid in wraththe, and demede that he myȝte turne in to Jewis the wrong of hem, that had|den dryuun hym. And therfor he bad the chare for [Om. N.] to be led in haste, doynge iour|ney with out ceessyng; for whi heuenli doom constreynede [drof EPRY. droof, either constreynede FGHIKMNQSUXe.] hym, for that he spak so proudli, that he schal come to Jerusa|lem, and to make it a gaderyng of sepulcre of Jewis. [verse 5] But the Lord God of Israel, that biholdith alle thingis, smoot hym with a wounde incurable and inuisible; for as he endide this same word, an hard sorewe of entrails took hym, and bittere turmentis of inward thingis. [verse 6] And sotheli iustli ynowȝ, for he that hadde turmentid the entrails of othere men, with many and newe turmentis, thouȝ he in no maner ceesside of his malice. [verse 7] Forsothe ouer this he was fillid [fulfillid Re.] with pride, and brethide fier in soule aȝens Jewis, and [and Jewis N.] comaund|ynge [comaundide GIMR.] the nede for to be hastid, it bifelle, that he goynge in fersnesse fallide [fel F.] doun of the chare, and that the membris weren trauelid with the greuouse hurtlyng to|gidere of bodi. [verse 8] And he that semyde to hym silf for to comaunde also to wawis of the see, and ouer mannus maner was fillid with pride, and for to weie in balaunce the hiȝthis of hillis, was [was thanne Re sec. m.] maad low to erthe, and was borun in a beere [bere, either hors litere FGHIMNQSUXe.] , and wit|nesside in him silf the opyn vertu of God; [verse 9] so that wormes buyliden out of the bodi

of the vnpitouse man, and the quyke fleischis of hym fletiden out in sorewis. Also with the sauour `of hym [Om. C.] , and stynk|ynge, [verse 10] the [his I.] oost `of hym [Om. ceteri.] was greuyd; and no man myȝte bere hym, for vnsuffryng of stynk, that a litil bifore demyde hym for to touche the sterris of heuene. [verse 11] Therfor herbi he was led doun fro greuouse pride, and bigan for to come to knowyng of hym silf, and was warned bi Goddis veniaunce, for bi alle momentis his sorewis token encreessis. [verse 12] And whanne he myȝte not thanne suffre his stynk, thus he seide, It is iust for to be suget to God, and that a deedli man feele not euene thingis to God. [verse 13] Forsothe the cursid man preiede the Lord of these thingis, of whom he schulde `not gete [gete EFGHKMN pr. m. PQ pr. m. SUX pr. m. gete no N sec. m. Q sec. m.] merci. [verse 14] And now he desirith to ȝelde fre the citee, to which he cam hastynge, for to drawe [lede EHPRYe.] doun it to erthe, and for to make a sepulcre of thingis borun togidere. [verse 15] And now he bihetith to make the Jewis euene to men of Athenys, whiche Jewis he seide that he schulde not haue worthi, ȝhe, of sepulture [sepulcre I.] , but to bitake to foulis and wielde beestis, for to be `to-drawun [drawun EINPRY.] , [verse 16] and for [Om. Re.] to distrie with litle children; also to ourne [onoure EPY.] with beste ȝiftis the hooli tem|ple, which he robbide bifore, and to mul|tiplie hooli vessels, and to ȝyuynge [ȝyue R. ȝeuen e.] of his rentis costis perteynynge to sacrifices; [verse 17] ouer these thingis and that he schal be maad a Jewe, and to walke bi ech place of the lond, and to preche `the power of God [Goddis power N.] . [verse 18] But, for sorewis ceesiden not, the iust doom of God hadde aboue come on hym, he dis|peride, and wroot to Jewis, bi maner of bisechyng, `a pistle [an epistle EPY.] , conteynynge thes thingis. [verse 19] To the beste citeseyns, Jewis, moost heelthe, and welfare, and [Om. R.] to be riche, `ether in prosperite [or in prosperite EP. Om. R.] , the kyng and prince Antiok. [verse 20] If ȝe faren wel, and ȝoure sones, and alle thingis ben to ȝou of sen|tence [that is, bifalle at ȝoure wille. Lire here. U.] , we don moost thankyngis. [verse 21] And

Y am ordeyned in sikenesse, and sotheli Y am myndeful benygneli of ȝou, and Y turnede aȝen fro places of Persis, and am cauȝt with greuouse infirmyte, and Y ledde nedeful for to haue cure for comyn profit; [verse 22] and Y dispeire not of my silf, but Y haue myche hope to ascape sikenesse [infirmyte, either siknesse FGHIMNQSUXe. infirmite R.] . [verse 23] For Y biholde that also my fadir, in what tymes he ledde oost in hiȝere places, schewide, who after hym schulde resseyue prinshod; [verse 24] if that ony contrarie thing bifelle, or hard thing were teld, these that weren in cun|treis, schulden wite to whom the summe, `ether charge [or charge EPY. Om. R.] , of thingis was left, and schulden not be troblid. [verse 25] To these thingis Y bihelde of next, that alle the [Om. ceteri.] myȝti men and neiȝboris aspien tymes, and abiden comynge, and Y haue ordeyned my sone Antiok kyng, whom Y, rennynge aȝen ofte in to hiȝe [hiȝe A.] rewmes, comendide to many of ȝou, and Y wroot to hym what thingis ben suget. [verse 26] Therfor [And therfor Re.] Y preie ȝou, and axe, that ȝe ben myndeful of benefices opynli and priueli, and that ech of ȝou kepe feith to me, and to my sone. [verse 27] For Y triste, that he schal do myldely, and manli [manli, or [ether plures] curteisli EFGHIMNPQSUXYe.] , and sue my purpos, and be treta|ble [comyn R. comyn, or [ether plures] tretable E et ceteri.] to ȝou. [verse 28] Therfor the manquellere and blasfemere was smytun worst, and as he hadde tretid othere, he diede [dide A.] in pilgrim|age in mounteyns, in wretchidful [wreccheful R.] deth. [verse 29] Forsothe Filip, his euene soukere, trans|latide, `ether bar ouer [or bar ouer EPY. Om. R.] , the bodi; which dredde the sone of Antiok, and wente to Tolome Filomethore, in to Egipt.