The thre bokes of cronicles, whyche Iohn Carion (a man syngularly well sene in the mathematycall sciences) gathered wyth great diligence of the beste authours that haue written in Hebrue, Greke or Latine Whervnto is added an appendix, conteynyng all such notable thynges as be mentyoned in cronicles to haue chaunced in sundry partes of the worlde from the yeare of Christ. 1532. to thys present yeare of. 1550. Gathered by Iohn Funcke of Nurenborough. Whyche was neuer afore prynted in Englysh. Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum.

Of the kynges of Syria.

SEleucus was a prince borne in Mace∣donie,* 1.1 on whose thingh appeared a natu¦rall token, in maner of an anker, the which had also all his posterity. He toke the citye Babylon by stronge hande. Afterwarde* 1.2 were Antigonus and Demetrius hys sonnes kyn∣ges of Asia, ouercome of him. Antigonus was pear¦sed through: Demetrius dyed in preson. After this* 1.3 discomfyted Seleuchs Lysimachus. But in the seuenth moneth after thys victory, was Seleucus slayne by Ptolome Ceraunus brother to Ptolo∣meus Philadelphus. These are dredefull exam∣ples* 1.4 of the settynge vp and fall of so great kynges, which worthely oughte to styrre vs to feare God, lest we thynke to do great thynges by mans coun∣sell and oure wysedome.* 1.5

Antiochus Soter the sonne of Seleucus, raig∣ned in Syria after the death of his father.

Antiochus Theos his sonne, had fyrst to wife La∣odice, wherof he had two sonnes, Seleucus, Calli∣nicus, & Antiochus, which was surnamed Hierax.

Ptolomeus Philadelphus gaue to the same Bere∣nice his doughter afterward to wyfe. But whan Antiochus was deade, Laodice constrayned Se∣leucus her sonne to take the kyngedome, and to take his stepmother Berenice. Seleucus folowed his mothers counsell, besieged hys stepmother, & finally brought her to yelde willyngly wyth great promises. But kepynge no promyse, he caused that the quene was put to death very cruelly. For Da∣niel had prophesyed openlye, that the quene of E∣gypt should suffre such a thynge, and that the kyng of Egypt should reuenge the same. For whan thys cruel dede was done, Ptolemeus Euergetes bro∣ther* 1.6 to Berenice went into Syria, droue Seleu∣cus out of the kyngdome, and takynge in many cy∣tyes, returned into Egypte. Afterward whan Se¦leucus had recouered some harte, he woulde reco∣uer the kyngdome agayne, and requyred ayde of hys brother Antiochus Hierax: he was very yong, and trusted by this occasyon to optayne the whole kyngdome. For whan peace was made betwene Ptolomeus & Seleucus, Hierax inuaded his bro∣ther Seleucus kyngdome, to the which thynge he vsed the ayde of straunge souldyours. For the Ga∣lathians,* 1.7 which Brennus brought out of Germany into Grece, went farther into Asia, beynge hyred wyth those kynges wages, which had diuerse war¦res agaynst eche other. These Galathians had thā geuen them those landes in Asia, that they dwel∣led in. Of whom they be called Galathians, vnto whom S. Paule the apostle preached the Gospell. Nether is it anye doubte but that they were Ger∣manes.

For the Grekes dyd calle wyth one worde the Germanes and Gallies Celte, & by chaungyng of the worde, was the name Galate set for Celte. Finally ouercame Antiochus his brother Seleu∣cus with the ayd of the Galathians, but Antiochus was lykewyse vanquyshed of the kyng of Asia, le∣syng a great deale of the kyngdome of Syria: than was he constrayned to flye to king Ptolomeus E∣uergetes: & whan he was so receaued of hym, that he should go no wher, he wold haue fled, but whan thys counsell was perceaued, he was put to death. This ende finally gat Antiochus Hierax. Aboute* 1.8 y^• tyme nearehand fell Seleucus his brother from a horsse, & dyed. This miserable fortune & end had these two bretheren, which had done many wicked* 1.9 dedes. Antiochus the great inuaded the kynge of Egypt Ptolome Philopater wyth warre, but he was dryuen back. Afterwarde whan Philopater was deade, he returned into Egypt with an army: but the Romanes had taken the child Ptolomeus Epiphanes into their wardshyp, to whom he was* 1.10 committed as a warde. This was an occasion of a great warre, which was betwene the Romanes & Antiochus. Hanniball toke part with Antiochus, which was captaine in this warre a certayn space, and many more contries of Grece dyd stycke to An¦tiochus. But beynge weakened by reason of some mishappe, he was dryuen to demaunde conditions* 1.11 of peace. Than left the Romanes hym only y^• parte of the royalme, whiche lieth beyond the hyll Tau∣rus: besyde this was he constrayned to sende his sonne Antiochus Epiphanes to Rome in hostage.

But at the last whan Antiochus spoyled the ryche* 1.12 temple of Belus in Siria, he was oppressed of the communalty inhabityng there, whych slew hym & hys company euery one. This was the ende of An¦tiochus the great. Hierusalem had metely good* 1.13 rest sence the tyme of Alexander, vntyll Antiochus the great. But whan the warre betwen these two kynges was raysed, by reason the Iewes laye be∣twene them both, they were a lytle oppressed & ve∣xed of both parties. And though Ierusalem dyd hetherto stycke more to Egypte, yet was it nether subiecte to Syria nor Egypte. Howbeit Ptolome∣us* 1.14 Epiphanes sent a capitayne, one Scopa against Antiochus, which toke in certayne townes of Sy∣ria, and part of Iewry. Howbeit whan Antiochus had vanquished the same by y^e Iordane, he went far¦ther tyll he came at Ierusalē. Than did the Iewes kneling, yelded thēselues frely to him, makyng also a commune league betwene them and the kyng: & for thys cause dyd the kyng Antiochus suffer them to lyue in peace, & asysted them in repayryng y^e citye Ierusalem. And of this wyse, though they semed to be in daunger in the tyme of this warre, by rea∣son of the neighburhead▪ yet lyued they quietly vn¦der this Antiochus. Antiochus the great left af∣ter* 1.15 him thre sonnes, Seleucus surnamed Philopa¦tor, Antiochus Epiphanes, & Demetrius. After y^e fathers death raygned Seleucus a few yeres, the other two brethren were kept in hostage at Rome. Whan Antiochus Epiphanes knew of his fathers death, he ••led priuely frō Rome, & as he was come againe into Syria, he was made king. For Seleu∣cus

was vnmete to rule, nether liued he long after his fathers death. This Antiochus Epiphanes* 1.16 truely was a man of much subtelty & hardinesse, & had well learned by the example of the Romanes, to apply himselse to the tyme and maners of euery man. For he could easely forbeare and suffre euery man that he was with: he was a wyse man wyth y^e wyse▪ & agaynwyth vnbrydeled youth, he folowed such exercise, as he knew them to delyte in. He pro∣cured the fauour of the comon people with familia∣ritye & beneuolence: and whan he made any costly banket, he caused great summes of mony to be cast among y^e people. For his vnbrydeled maners was he called Epimanes for Epiphanes. For Epimanes signifieth madde, but Epiphanes signifieth noble.

His raigne began the hundreth & seuen and thyr¦tyeth yeare after Alexanders death. And whan he possessed now hys kingdomes that came to hym by heretage, he went into Egypte. For about y^e tyme dyed Ptolomeus Epiphanes, the same had to wyfe Cleopatra the syster of Antiochus Epiphanes, the which vnder that pretence began to vsurpe y^e king¦dome of Egipt, as if he were tutor of the yong king called Ptolomeus Philometor. Nether shewed he* 1.17 himself otherwyse, but with all gentlenesse & bene∣uolence toward his cosin, & willed that Memphis & other great cities shuld yeld them to the kyng, y^• vnder suche a pretense he mighte by lytle and lytle draw to him the whole realme. Whan he had now finished all thinges, he left the kingdome, and went to Ierusalem, & that at the request of I••••o••, which coueted the dignitye of the hygh presthode by the meane of Antiochus.

For so stode the case thāwith the Iewes, that they myghte optayne the hyghe priesthode by decepte, by conspiracion offoren kynges, oppressinge & slay∣enge in the meane season those, that were the true successors. For which cause was this people greue∣ously* 1.18 punished agayne of God. This was the fyrst yourney of Antiochus to Ierusalem, in the whiche he ordeined a hygh priest, and spoyled the temple▪ & slew many. This happened the syxte yeare of An∣tiochus, the which was the hundreth and thre and fortyeth yeare after Alexanders death.

Two yeare after, which was the hundreth and fyue and fortieth yeare after the death of Alexan∣der,* 1.19 made Antiochus ready hys seconde yourney into Egypt. For the cities had yelded themselues agayne to the yonge kynge, the which also had sou∣ght for ayde of the Romanes. Nowe whan Antio∣chus* 1.20 inuaded Egypte, the Romanes sente an am∣bassador Popilius, which shuld shew Antiochus in the name of the Romanes, to auoyde out of the co∣astes of Egypte, nether to warre vpon the yonge kynge Philometor. For the Romanes were myn∣ded to retayne him in the kyngdome wyth theyr ayde. Wherevpon answered Antiochus, he would deuise wyth him selfe, what he would do. But Po∣pilius* 1.21 wold graunt hym no space to deuise, but ma¦kyng a rynge wyth hys speare aboute Antiochus, commaunded hym to saye strayght waye, before he went out of the cyrcle, whether he wold auoyd out of Egipt, or no. Antiochus being abashed with this seuerite & constance of Popilius (for he knew & was afeared of the Romane power,) he promised frelye to go out of Egipt▪

Wherfore he was constrayned to leaue Egypt the second tyme with great shame. But inflamed with* 1.22 ••re for the impacience of the grefe, he went agayne to Ierusalem: and this was hys seconde yourney to Ierusalem: for he was there twise, and than vsed ••e his tyranny much more cruelly, than before. For he commaunded the Iewes to worshyp the Idols of the Heythen, he commaunded to burn the bokes of the Bible, and left a great deale of noughtypack∣es to possesse the citye Ierusalem, in steade of a gar∣nyson: the which tormented then very cruelly that wolde not fall from theyr fayth, and to thys thinge dyd they assist them, that were deceuered from the Iewysh religion. The temple also was turned to a prophane vse, fore an image was sett therein of the Gentils superstition. But what nedeth many wordes? They busyed to roote out the worde of God, and the whole lawe, and in steade thereof to bringe in the maners of the Gentyls, Nether dyd Antiochus vse that counsel rashly, but with a great wytt & policye. For he perceaued that the Iewes wythstode the Heythen kynges, because of theyr religion, and therfore wolde he auoyde the diuersi∣tye of religion. Of thys wyse do mens thoughtes* 1.23 dalye in matters concernyng God, and wyll set vp religion after theyr wyll & iudgement. Moreouer vnder y^e example and figure of thys Antiochus, doth Daniel also describe Antichriste, & that such a kyngdom shuld be, where in Christen men shuld be put to distresse, and Gods word shuld be quenched: and lykewyse shuld be set vp a religion for a shewe, which might be contrary to gods word, by y^• which

may be had an occasyon, to optayne power & great ryches. Euen as it is euident that Mahomet hath* 1.24 set vp a false religion, and vnder pretence thereof, haue ordeyned a newe kyngdome. And this religi∣on semeth to be folysh religion, for it doeth greatly flatter mens reason. For passing ouer nearehande all the hygher sentences and articles of the fayeth, it hath kept onely that doctryne, whyche teacheth morall vertues. Wonder it is verely howe muche that same doth flatter mans reason, wherefore also it doth vse to crepe more easely into mens mindes, than the doctryne of fayth.

As for the tyranny of Antiochus, thereof is writ¦ten in the bokes of the Machabees: & Danyel wyt∣nesseth that the people of the Iewes had deserued thys punyshment because of theyr synnes. And all∣thoughe God dyd punyshe hys people, yet for all that he dyd not destroye them vtterly.

For God raysed Iudas Machabeus, whych gathe¦ryng* 1.25 a small army, inuaded Antiochus captaynes: and by Gods assistaunce, ouerthrowynge the ene∣myes, he recouered the temple the thyrd yeare, af∣ter that Antiochus had sett an Idoll therein.

Daniel hath comprehended all this tyme of the Iewysh affliccion, in two thousande and thre hun∣dreth dayes, whych make syxe yeares and syxe mo¦nethes, and some dayes ouerplus. For the persecu∣tion lasted from the thyrde yeare of Antiochus, vn∣tyll the eyght yere & some monethes. Daniel dyd vse thys diuision of the tyme also, that the Idoll should stande in the temple a thousande, two hun∣dreth and nynety dayes, whyche make thre yeare, and syxe monethes.

And y^• temple was recouered an hundreth & eyght and forty yeares after Alexanders death. Thys was the thre hundreth and eight and fortieth yere after that the Iewes were delyuered oute of the Babylonicall bondage, and the hundreth and two and fyftyeth yeare before Christes byrth.

But Antiochus deserued wyth hys vngodli∣nesse* 1.26 and blasphemy agaynst God, not only the vt∣ter extinguishment of hys kynred, but also the o∣uerthrowynge of the whole kyngdome of Syria. For after Antiochus death, there was euer warre betwene one or other, and after manye tymes for the succession in the kyngdome. That it maye be playnely sene by thys example, ho we begynneth matters to sprynge, for the whyche kyngdomes be ouerthrowen: as we se nowe a dayes to befall in Hungary.

Antiochus Epiphanes dyed in that yourney, whyche made readye agayne to come agaynst the Iewes, to reuenge the dammage done. After hys death, hys brother Demetrius fled from Rome, & toke in the kingdome, kylling the yong Antiochus,* 1.27 surnamed Eupator, sonne to Antiochus Epipha∣nes. Alexander the capitayne raysyng a sediti∣on agaynst Demetrius slewe hym. Demetri∣us* 1.28 left two sonnes after him, Demetrius and An∣tiochus Sedetes. Of this Demetrius verely was Alexander slayne lykewyse. Afterward was a sedi¦tion raysed by one Tryphon agaynst Demetrius, the whych droue him out of the kyngdome: but De¦metrius came agayne into the kyngdome, and dyed stryken thorough wyth a sworde.

Antiochus Sedetes was slayne of the Parthes.

As for this Demetrius had a sonne Antiochus Gryphus. Antiochus Sedetes left after him a sonne Antiochus Cyzicenus. These stroue for the kyngdome of Syria, and were both slayne. After∣ward dyd their children warre one agaynst the o∣ther for y^• kindome wyth no lesse stryfe, than their elders: and had at the last so febled eche other, that Syria was constrayned to yeld it selfe to foren kin¦ges. For it ioyned it selfe to Tigranes kyng of Ar∣menia. And of this wyse is the kyngdome of Syria transferred from Seleucus posterity, to foren prin¦ces. But finally whan Tigranes was slayne by* 1.29 Pompeius, Syria was broughte vnder the Ro∣mane power. Hetherto is ynough spoken of the kyngdome of Syria.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Seleucus.
• * 1.2

  Antigonus Demetrius
• * 1.3

  Of whom Seleucus was slayne.
• * 1.4

  An example of the fea••e of God.
• * 1.5

  Antiochus Soter. Antiochus Theos. Selencus Callinicus Antiochus Hierax.
• * 1.6

  Ptolomeus Euergetes.
• * 1.7

  The Gala∣thians were brought by Brennus •••••• of Ger∣many into Grece.
• * 1.8

  Notable ex∣amples of vengeaunce.
• * 1.9

  Antiochus magnus. Ptolomeus Philopater.
• * 1.10

  The occasiō of the warre of Antio∣chus wyth y^• Romanes. Hannibal.
• * 1.11

  Antiochus Epiphanes is sent to Ro•••• for a pledge.
• * 1.12

  The temple of Belus in Syria.
• * 1.13

  The start of Ierusalē vn∣der Antio∣chus.
• * 1.14

  Scopa a cap¦taine of Pto¦lomeus Epi¦phanes.
• * 1.15

  Seleucus Philopator.
• * 1.16

  Antiochus Epiphanes, called Epi∣manes.
• * 1.17

  Ptolomeus Philometor.
• * 1.18

  The your∣ney of Antio¦chus to Ieru¦salem▪
• * 1.19

  The seconde yourney of Antiochus into Egypte.
• * 1.20

  Popilius an Ambassa∣dour of Ro∣me sent to Antiochus.
• * 1.21

  An example of Romane seueryte.
• * 1.22

  The second yourney of Antiochus to Ierusalem The tyranny of Antio∣chus against them of Ieru¦salem. The bible is brent.
• * 1.23

  An example of mans wys¦dome in thinges con∣cerning God Antiochus fygureth An¦tichriste.
• * 1.24

  Why Maho¦metes religi∣on is accep∣table.
• * 1.25

  Iudas Ma∣chabeus 〈…〉〈…〉.
• * 1.26

  The punish∣ment of An∣tiochus for his vngodli∣nesse.
• * 1.27

  Antiochus Eupator.
• * 1.28

  Demetrius, Antiochus Sedetes.
• * 1.29

  Tigranes is slayne by Pompepus.