Biblia the Byble, that is, the holy Scrypture of the Olde and New Testament, faithfully translated in to Englyshe.

The IX. Chapter.

AT the same tyme came Antiochus a∣gayne [ A] with dishonoure out of Persis. 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 y^t 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, 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 y^t 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 y^t he fell downe violently from the charet, so y^t it brussed his body, & dyd him greate payne.

And so he that thought he might com∣maunde y^e 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 y^e

manyfest power of God vpon him: so that y^t wicked body of his was full of wormes, which in his payne fell quyck out of his flesh: In so moch y^t his hoost was greued with the smell and styncke of him. Thus he that a litle afore thought he might reach to the starres of heauen, him might no man now abyde ner beare, for the vehemence of styncke.

[ C] Therfore he beynge brought from his greate pryde, begāne for to come to y^e know¦lege of him self: for the punyshment of God warned him, & his payne increased euer mo∣re & more. And when he him self might not abyde his owne styncke, he sayde these wor∣des: It is reason to be obedient vnto God, & that a man desyre not to be like vnto him. This wicked personne prayed also vnto the LORDE, of whom he shulde haue optained no mercy. And as for the cite that he came vnto so haistely, to brynge it downe to the grounde, & to make it a graue for deed men: now he desyreth to delyuer it fre. And as tou¦chinge y^e Iewes, whom he had iudged not worthy to be buried, but wolde haue cast thē out for to be deuoured of the foules and wyl¦de beastes, sayenge, that he wolde haue des∣troyed both olde and yonge: Now he promi¦seth, to make thē like y^e citesyns of Athens. And where as he had spoyled the holy tem¦ple afore, now he maketh promyse to gar∣nish it with greate giftes, to increase the ho¦ly ornamētes, and of his owne rentes to bea¦re the costes and charges belonginge to the offerynges: yee and that he wolde also beco∣me a Iewe him self, to go thorow euery pla¦ce of the worlde, and to preach the power of God.

[ D] But when his paynes wolde not ceasse, (for the righteous iudgmet of God was co¦me vpon him) out of a very despayre he wro¦te vnto the Iewes a lettre of intercession, cō¦teyninge these wordes: The kynge and pryn¦ce Antiochus wysheth vnto the vertuous ci¦tesyns of the Iewes, moch health and good prosperite.

Yf ye and youre children fare well, and yf all thinges go after youre mynde: we ge¦ue greate thankes. In my sicknesse also do I remembre you louyngly: for as I came out of Persia, and was taken with sore disea¦se: I thought it necessary to care for the co∣mon wealth. Nether despare I in my self, but haue a good hope to escape this sicknes.

But considerynge that my father led an hoost some tyme in y^e hyer places, & shewed who shulde raigne after him, that (yf there happened eny cōtrouersy, or eny harde thin∣ge were declared,) they in the londe might knowe their chefe lorde, y^t there shulde be no insurreccion: Agayne, when I pondre by my [ E] self, how that all y^e mightie men and negh∣bours rounde aboute, are layēge waite, and loke but for oportunyte to do harme: I haue ordened that my sonne Antiochus shall raig¦ne after me, whom I oft commended to ma∣ny of you, when I was in the hyer kyngdo∣mes, and haue wrytten vnto him as it fo∣loweth herafter. Therfore I praye you and requyre you, to remembre the benefites that I haue done vnto you generally and in espe¦ciall. For I hope that he shall be of sober & louynge behauoure, and yf he folowe my de¦uyce, he shal be indifferent vnto you.

Thus that murthurer and blasphemer of God was sore smyttē: and like as he had in∣treated other men, so he dyed a myserable death in a straunge countre vpon a moun∣tayne. And his body dyd Philippe (that wē¦te with him) cary awaye: which fearynge the sonne of Antiochus, wente in to Egipte to Ptolomy Philometor.

Notes

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