CAP. IX.

[verse 1] In the same tyme Antiochus turnyde aȝein vnonestly fro Perse. [verse 2] Sothely he hadde entrid in to that citee, that is said Persibolis, and he temptide for to robbe the templis, and oppresse the citee; bot, the multitude rennynge togidre to armers, he is turned in to fliȝt; and so it bifelle, that Antiochus after the*. [Om. H.] fliȝt loodly turnyde aȝein. [verse 3] And whan he came aboute Ebathana, he knewe what thingus ben*. [weren H.] don aȝeinus Nychanore and Tymothe. [verse 4] Forsothe he wroth demede in wrath, hym for to mow turne in to Jewis the wronge of hem, that dryuen him. And therefore he*. [Om. G pr. m.] bad*. [had AGH.] the chaar for to be led, with out ceesyng doynge iourney; heuenly dom dryuynge*. [constreynynge G sec. m. H.], for that he spac so proudly, hym to cummyng to Jerusa|lem, and to makynge it `the gadrynge*. [to gidre H.] of sepulcre*. [the sepulcre G sec. m. a sepulcre H.] of Jewis. [verse 5] Bot the Lord God of Yrael, that byholdith alle thingus, smote hym with a wound incurable and inuisible; forsothe as he eendid this same word, an hard sorewe of entraylis toke hym, and bittir tourmentis of ynward thingis. [verse 6] And sothely iustly ynowȝ, for|sothe he that hadde tourmentid the en|trailis of other men, with many and newe tourmentis, thouȝ he in no manere ceesside of his malice. [verse 7] Forsothe ouer this he ful|fillid with pride, brethinge*. [brennynge GH.] fijr in ynwitt in to Jewis, and he*. [Om. AGH.] comaundynge the neede*. [nedy H.] for to be haastid, it byfelle, hym goynge in fersnesse for to falle of the chaar, and the membris for to be tra|ueilid with the greuous hurtlyng to gidre of body. [verse 8] And he that was seen to hym seelf for to comaunde also to the*. [Om. AGH.] wawis of the see, ouer mans maner fulfillid with pride, and for to weye in balauncis*. [balaunce AGH.] the heiȝtis of hillis, nowe meekid to erthe, was born in a beere, witnessynge in hym [verse 9] self the opyn vertu of God; so that Page  875 wormes buyliden out of the body of the vnpyteuous man, and the quyck fleshis of hym with sorewis fleetiden out. Also with sauour of hym, and stynkyng, the [verse 10] oost was greeued; and he that a*. [Om. H.] lytil byfore demyde hym to*. [for to H.] touche the ster|ris*. [sterre H.] of heuen, no man miȝte beere hym, for vnsuffryng of stynke. [verse 11] Therfore here of he ledde doun of greuouse pride, bygan for to cum to knowynge of hym self, warnyd by Goddis plage, or vengeaunce, by alle momentis his sorewis takynge encresis. [verse 12] And whan he miȝte not nowe suffre his stynke, thus he saith, It is iust for to be suget to God, and a deadly*. [deedli creature G sec. m. H.] not for to feele euen thingus to God. [verse 13] For|sothe the cursid man preyede the Lord these thingis, of whom he was not to getynge mercy. [verse 14] And the citee, to whom he hastynge came, for to leede it doun to erthe, and for to make a sepulcre of thingus born togidre, nowe he desijreth for to ȝeelde free. [verse 15] And the Jewis, whom he said hym self to hauynge nether so|thely worthi of sepulture, bot to betake|inge to foulis and wijld beestis, for to be to-drawen, and to distruyng with litil children, now he bihetith to makyng euen to Atynyens, or men of Atenys; [verse 16] also to ournynge with best ȝiftis the holy temple, whom*. [whiche H.] he robbide bifore, and to multipliynge holy vessels, and to ȝeeuynge of his rentis costis*. [Om. G pr. m.] perteyn|ynge [verse 17] to sacrifices; ouer these thingis and hym to beynge a Jewe, and to walk|yng by eche place of the lond, and to prechynge the power of God. [verse 18] Bot so|rewis not ceesynge, forsothe the iust dome of God had aboue come in to hym, he dispeyrynge wrote to Jewis, in to maner of biseechynge, epistlis*. [a pistle G sec. m. H.], conteyn|ynge these thingis. [verse 19] To the best citeseyns, Jewis, most helthe, and wele for to fare, and to be ryche, or in prosperite, the Page  876 kyng and prince Antiochus. [verse 20] Ȝif ȝe faren wele, and ȝoure sonys, of sentence alle thingus ben to ȝou, we don most thank|yngus. [verse 21] And Y in sekenesse ordeyned, sothely myndeful of ȝou benygnly, turn|ynge aȝein fro places of Persis, and cauȝte with greuouse enfirmytee, led needful for [verse 22] to haue cure for comyn profit; not dis|peirynge my self, bot hauynge myche hope of scapyng the*. [Om. H.] enfirmyte*. [infirmytee, or sikenesse H.]. [verse 23] For|sothe Y*. [Om. H.] biholdynge that and my fadir, in what tymes he ledde oost in heeȝer placis, shewide, who*. [whom K.] after hym shulde [verse 24] resceyue princehod; that ȝif eny con|trarie thing bifelle, or hard thing were told, theese that weren in cuntrees, wit|ynge to whom the summe, or charge, of alle thingus was left, shulden not be tru|blid. [verse 25] To these thingus Y biholdynge of next, alle miȝty men and neiȝboris aspy|inge tymes, and abijdynge cummynge, haue ordeyned my sone Antiochus kyng, whom Y, rennynge aȝein oft in to heeȝer rewmys, commendide, or toke in*. [Om. G pr. m.]to keepyng, to many of ȝou, and Y wrote to hym what thingus ben suget. [verse 26] And so Y preye ȝou, and axe, myndeful of benefices openly for to vse and priuyli, that eche of ȝou kepe feith to me, and to my sone. [verse 27] Forsothe Y trist, hym to do*. [doynge H.] myldly, and manly, or curteysly, and suynge my purpose for to be comoun to ȝou. [verse 28] Ther|fore the man queller and blasfeme smyten warst, and as he had tretide other, in pil|grimage in mounteyns, in wretchidful deth is sett fro lijf. [verse 29] Forsothe Philip, his euen souker, transferride the body; whiche, dreedynge the sone of Antiochus, wente to Tholome Philometore, in to Egypt.