The IX. Chapter.
AT the same tyme came Antiochus a∣gayne [ A] with dishonoure out of Persis.* 1.1 For when he came to Persepolis, and vndertoke to robbe the temple and to subdue the cite, the people ranne together and de∣fended them selues, in so moch yt he and his were fayne to fle with shame. And so after that flight, it happened, that Antiochus ca¦me agayne with dishonoure. But when he came to Egbathana, he gat knowlege what was happened vnto Nicanor & Timotheus. Now as he was auauncinge himself in his wrath, he thought he was able to avenge the iniury that was done to them, vpon the Iewes: and therfore commaunded to ma∣ke ready his charet, haistinge on his iourney without ceassinge: the iudgmēt of God pro¦uokynge him, because he had spokē so proud¦ly, that he wolde come to Ierusalem, and ma¦ke it a graue of the Iewes. But the LORDE God of Israel, that seith all thinges,* 1.2 smote him with an invisible plage, which no man coude heale.
For as soone as he had spoken these wor∣des, [ B] there came vpon him an horrible payne of his bowels, & a sore grefe of the tharmes. And yt was but right: for he had martired other mens bowels with dyuerse and straū∣ge tormentes, how be it he wolde in no wyse ceasse from his malice. Yee he was yet the prouder, and more malicious agaynst the Iewes: But whyle he was commaundinge to make haist in the matter, it happened yt he fell downe violently from the charet, so yt it brussed his body, & dyd him greate payne.
And so he that thought he might com∣maunde ye floudes of the see (so proude was he beyonde the condiciō of man) and to weye the hye mountaynes in a payre of scoales, was now brought downe to the grounde, & caried vpon an horszlytter, knowlegynge ye