Polychronicon Ranulphi Higden maonachi Cestrensis; together with the English translations of John Trevisa and of an unknown writer of the fifteenth century.

Capitulum tricesimum sextum. Petrus, capitulo 213^o.

DEMETRIUS Sother, son of Seleucus, gone from the cite of Rome, occupiede cites of the coste of þe see, and began to reigne in Asia and Siria xij. yere. This Demetrius wente to the cite of Rome in his childehode to accuse Anthiocus Epiphanes, his uncle, whiche expulsede hym from his realme. Wherefore the childe herenge of the dethe of his uncle re|turnede to that cuntre, where the noble men of the cuntre

receyvede hym, in so moche that the peple of Siria did sle Lisias, and Anthiocus iunior, willenge to reigne. Alchinius the preste accusede Iudas Machabeus in mony thynges afore Demetrius, whiche sende with Bachides to destroy the Iewery, profite but litelle, for the resistence of Iudas, and returnede to the kynge. Nichanor directe from the kynge to ȝiffe batelle to Iudas Machabeus was sleyne, whos hedde and honde thei hongede ageyne Ierusalem, in that he spake so prowdely ageyne the Iewes, and was receyvede in to the frendeschippe [folio 179] off the Romanes, and the forme of the luffe and convention made was wryten in tables of brasse. Iudas Machabeus was sleyne of Bachides and of Alchinius, and Ionathas, broþer to Iudas, was gouernour amonge the Iewes xix. yere. Alchinius destroyenge the howse of God, was smyten with the palsy and diede; Bachides returnede to the kynge; and so the Iewes hade reste ij. yere. Alexander, the son of Anthiochus Epiphanes, occupiede Tholomaida other Achon; whiche con|federenge

to hym Ionathas did sle Demetrius, and reignede in Siria and Asia ix. yere; whiche mariede the doȝhter of Ptho|lomeus, Cleopatra by name. Petrus, 219^o. Ionathas accusede to Demetrius that he expugned the towre of Syon, sende ȝiftes to Demetrius, and obteynede grace, in so moche þat he re|ceyvede a renewede principate. This Demetrius assurede that the cuntrees were quiete and obediente to hym, lefte the multitude of the peple, takenge to hym but a poore hoste. The peple hauenge indignacion, Ionathas sende iij. m^l men to

the kynge, that correcte the peple soore. At the last Triphon, oone of the frendes of kynge Alexander, wente to Araby, and brouȝht with hym a infante, the son of kynge Alexander, and crownede hym kynge; whiche ȝafe batelle to Demetrius, and hade the victory of hym. This Anthiocus made a promyse of luffe with Ionathas, sendenge to hym precious ȝiftes, and made Symon, his broþer, gouernoure of his hoste. Ionathas renewede frendeschippe after that with the Romanes and Spartanes. Eutropius, libro quarto. The thridde batelle [The thrydde batelle Punicalle began.] Punicalle began. Men of Cartago, lenynge theire armoure to oþer peple were soory, makenge to theyme armoure of golde and of siluyr, chosenge to theire governoures ij. Asdrubales, whom Scipio, the yonger son of the doȝhter of grete Scipio, ouercome in a soore batelle, and toke the cite of Cartago, and destroyede hit, whom he brente continually by xvj. daies, in [folio 180a] so moche þat the stones were brente in to powdre; and so the [The de|struction of Cartago.] cite of Cartago was destroyede abowte the vij.^c. yere from the

makenge of hit. ℞. Whiche thynge is trewe if the compu|tacion be taken from the daies of Dauid, as þe maister of the storyes rehersethe: see moore of this mater libro primo, capitulo de Affrica. Then þe wife of Asdrubal kynge brente her selfe with her ij. sonnes in the cite of Cartago, like as Dido did, the firste lady of þat cite. Augustinus, libro primo, capitulo 29. The thridde batelle Punicalle finischede, Marcus Cato cownsailede that cite to be destroyede utterly; Scipio seide nay, seyenge that the cite destroyede utterly mony inconuenientes; and so þer did; for grete treasones, destruccion of citesynnes, robbenge and prescriptiones folowede, in so moche þat the Romanes, levenge the honeste consuetude of theire maneres,

semede more cruelle to theire awne citesynnes þen to þeire enmyes.