A compendious and most marueilous history of the latter tymes of the Iewes commune weale beginnynge where the Bible or Scriptures leaue, and continuing to the vtter subuersion and laste destruction of that countrey and people: written in Hebrew by Ioseph Ben Gorion, a noble man of the same countrey, who sawe the most thinges him selfe, and was auctour and doer of a great part of the same. Translated into Englishe by Peter Morvvyng of Magdalen Colledge in Oxford.

THen sent Vaspasian certaine noble men in embassage vnto Ioseph, to debate the matter with hym in this wyse. Vaspasian generall of the Ro∣maine armie, desyreth to know what it should auaile the to be thus pend vp within a walled toun: he willes the ra∣ther to come forth to entreate of peace with him, & enter in a league together, for it shalbe for thy auaile to serue Cae∣sar, emperour of the Romaines y^e thou maiest liue and not be destroied nor yet any of the people with the. Then Io∣seph sent embassadours againe to Vas∣pasian, demaunding treuce for a fewe daies, that he might cōmen of the mat∣ter with the people and let them vnder¦stande his wordes: peraduenture (saith he:) they wilbe perswaded to make peace with thee, and then wyll we en∣ter in league with the Romaine em∣pire. So Vaspasian ceassed from figh∣ting

againste Ioseph, permittinge him space to deliberate of the thinge. Vp∣on that Ioseph sente Embassadoures to all the people at Ierusalem, to the priestes, chiefe men, rulers and to the reaste of the people, lettinge them to witte this. Ye shall vnderstande bre∣thren and frendes, that Vaspasian ge∣nerall of the Romaines sente his Em∣bassadoures vnto me, inquiring what it shuld auaile vs to be so stiffe against them▪ and not rather to com forth and to entreate of peace and to ioyne in league together, that we maye serue the Emperour of the Romaines, so to saue our liues and not to be destroyed. And I pray you why wil ye lose your liues, your wiues, your sōnes & dough∣ters? why wil ye all fal together vpon the sword, that bothe they, that shalbe left aliue among you, shalbe led captiue oute of your countrye to a people that ye neuer knewe, whose language ye vnderstande not: and your countrye to be made desolate, your sanctuarye laide waste, y^t there shal not be so much

as one man to enter into it. Neuer suf∣fre this, you that be wise men, but ra∣ther receiue my counsell, & come hither to vs, that we may deliberat together, what conditiōs of peace we shal make, for the sauegard of your liues, rather then to be destroyed and that ye maye vse the cōmodities of your country, be at reaste and peace therin. For life and quietnes is to be preferred before death and banishmente. The inhabitantes therefore of Ierusalem, bothe priestes, chief men, rulers, and all the noble mē of Iudea with the reaste of the people sente vnto Ioseph, sayinge. Take hede to thy self, that thou neuer consent vn∣to this, to receiue conditions of peace with them: but be stronge and bolde to fighte vntill suche time as thou shalt consume them, or till thou and all the people die in battaile, and so shalt thou fighte the fightes of the Lorde for his people and his sanctuarye, with the cities of oure God: In the meane sea∣son, be as be maye, so thy power be not with them.

When Ioseph hearde the determina∣tion of the people of Hierusalem, howe all sortes with one consent willed by the embassadours the continuaunce of the warres, he was wonderful wroth, and in a great fury he issued out with all his people, and set them in aray a∣gainste Vaspasian and the Romaine hoste, in whiche conflicte were stayne very many of the Iewes. And from y^e day forward Vaspasian began earnest∣ly and fearcely to warre vpon the Ie∣wes. He departed from thence to the citie Gerarta, a great citie in the higher Galile: beseged it and wan it, raced it & flewe all the people, man woman and childe: oxen, shepe, camelles and asses, leauing nothing alyue. And then he saide: nowe begin I to be reuenged for the Romains, which y^e Iewes murthe∣red in the lād of Iuda. Frō thēce he de∣parted, & brought his armie to Iorpata, where Ioseph remained. The first day that he entamped aboute Iorpata, he gaue his souldiours meate and drynke plenty, and made them good chere, thē

furnished euerye man with weapons. So on the next morrow early, the Ro∣maine army gaue a great shoute and beset the city round aboute on euerye side. In this businesse Ioseph stoode vpon a certaine towre, from whence he behelde the huge campe of the Ro∣maines, wherefore he sounded forthe a Trumpet, gaue a signe to battaile, issued oute with the hole power of the Iewes that he had with him, and sette vpon the Romaines campe at the fote of the hil, continuinge the fighte from morning vntil night. And when it be∣gan to be darke, they ceassed fighting and departed the one sort frō the other, the Iewes into the towne, the Ro∣maines to their tentes. In this battail were very manye slaine on bothe par∣ties, aswel Iewes as Romaines. The Romaines aduauncinge them selues, proudly and stoutly said, we wil quick∣ly vanqueshe this little nation, as we haue subdued all other nations that we haue conquered, that they shall a∣noy vs no more: and afterwardes we

shalbe at reaste. The Iewes also on thother side encouraged them selues a∣gainst the Romaines, sayinge: At this time we will all die together for the zeale of the sanctuary of our God, and neuer suffer these vncleane persones to pollute it: and when we haue once de∣stroied them, we shalbe quiet. So what for the pride of the Romaines of thone side and the stubbornnes of the Ie wes on thother, much people was slaine in that fight, for it cōtinued til the seconde third and fourth day. In this while all the Iewes that dwelt aboute Iorpata, fled to Vaspasians campe and ioyned them selues to the Romaines to aide them. And euer as Ioseph skirmished with Vaspasian without the city, Vas∣pasian sente a power to assaulte the citye. So Ioseph and his men foughte with Vaspasian without the towne, & the Iewes that were within the town defended the walles against the routes of the Romaines, that was a smal host made oute of the maine armye. But the Iewes that weee lefte within the

towne, began to deminishe euery day, vntil very fewe were lefte. The hardi∣est also of Iosephes souldiours and the worthiest yong men that fought with out were all slaine, a very few except, with whome Ioseph fled and escaped into the towne, shuttinge the gates af∣ter him. But as Vaspasian with all his armye besieged Iorpata a longe while, he espied at lengthe a conduite with∣oute that ranne into the citye, whereof the citezens dronke, because the water thereof was good and swete, he deri∣ued the waters thereof besides the towne, that it could no more come in∣to the citye, whereby the inhabitantes of the city were destitute of beuerage, hauinge nothinge lefte them but wel waters. Ioseph therefore perceiuinge y^t the conduit water wherof they were alwaies accustomed to drinke, was ta∣ken away, conceiued with him selfe. Now wil the Romaines bragge and boast against vs, & thinke to take vs at their pleasure, whiles we haue no water but shalbe cōstreined to die for thirst.

He toke therfore garmentes, and dip∣ped them in the wel waters that were in the towne & hanged them here and there ouer the walles, to declare vnto the Romains that they had water plē∣ty in the towne, leaste they should con∣ceiue anye hope of swift winninge the towne, thinking they had no waters. Then commaunded Vaspasian a moūt to be raised ••ie to the towne side, to plant an iron Ram vpon, to batter the walles with, and beate them downe. The maner of the makinge of an iron Ram, is thus. Firste they take a great long thicke beame, vpon the fore part wherof they put a great strong heade, made like vnto a Rams heade, wish hornes al of principall streng iron, the weight therof is as much as halfe the beame, and couereth the beame also to the middes. Then fasten they into the groūd ouer against the place that they entend to batter, two greate trees like mastes of shipps, betwene which, they hāg the beme y^t is called the ram with very strong ropes made of hempe, the

best that may be gottē, and fron wyre twisted together. At the hynder part of this beame from the wall warde, are ringes of iron surely fastened, with ropes made of hempe and wire tied to them: that whē the assaulters wil bat∣ter the walles, they pushe forwarde the beame as though it were a speare, and fasten his strong hornes amongest the stones. Thē hang they weightes at the ringes in the hinder parte, and muche people a far of take holde of the ropes that come through the ringes behinde, and hale that hinder part of the beame vpon the ground: and by suche meanes they shake the wall that they made it to quake again. Thus in many places they wrest and wrenche out the stones of the building, so that afterwards the wal falles downe. There be also other maner of engins, as an iron ram vpon foure wheles bounde with iron, and fastened with iron nailes. To this they make foure feete as hath a Ramme, or moe as the bignesse of the beames requireth. The biggeste for the moste

parte is of .xxx. cubites longe, and the least of ten. And loke how many ••eete the Ramme hath, so mani wheles hath it also. For euery where hath his foote by him, and when they will batter a wall, certaine men appointed therunto draw it first a good way of, thē a great multitude of men take hold of the hin∣derpart therof, by foure porters or lea∣uers of wodde that are put therin, and with all their sway shoue forward the Ramme to strike the wal that they wil batter. The head of this yron Ramme that goeth vpon wheles hath no horns but is blunt, made of the strōgest kinde of yron, wyth a wonderful thicke neck. They haue also vpon hoth sides of the engyne, a Pentase of wodde for the sauegarde of them that shoue forth the Ramme behynde from the arrowes or stones of them that are vpon the wals.

The Rammes that Titus vsed at Ierusalem, for the mooste parte, ran all vppon wheeles. Of the other forte, he had only two, as we shall declare in

his place. The beame of this Ramme that we euen nowe described, was as as thick as .x. men could fadō: y^e length thereof, was fifrye cubites. It was al∣so holow within and filled with Ore hides, folded and sowed together. The woode serued for none other purpose, then that the fashion of the Leithar mighte be sette vpon the ground. The hinder parte of the beame was coue∣red ouer with iron plates. The leather was put within that the beame should not breake with the poise of y^e weights that were hanged by the ringes be∣hinde, when as menne appointed for the purpose, haled at the ropes to draw backe the beame.

The woode therefore that wente aboute the leather serued to keepe the leather in facion. In that they couered it with iron plate, y^t they did least they that kept the wals should set it on fire. The bornes that were vpon the heade of the Ram, were as manye as they

listed, but neuer fewer then ten, & then the beame was .xx. cubites longe: nor also moe then. l. and then the beame was a hundred cubites in lengthe. Betwixt euery horne was the space of a cubite, and euery horne was as thick as a man could fadom, the length was one cubite and a halfe at the least. The wodden walle or pentase was as long as the leather that was put within the beame, and it was set on bothe the sydes towarde the hinder parts of the beame, to defende the men that labou∣red to batter the walles, lest thei shold be hurte with arrowes or dartes. The Ramme that Vaspasian vsed at Iorpa∣ta which he besieged, and me in it, was made in this forte. The length there∣of was .l. cubites, it had .xxv. hornes in the heade, whiche was as thicke as ten men: euerye horne also was as thicke as one man, and betwixt euerye horne the space of one cubite. The weight that was hanged on the hinder parts was a thousād & fiue hundred talents, euery talent is about a hundred Troy

weight. The men that laboured in the erecting of this engine, were .xv. hun∣dred. To remo••e it from one place to another, or from one Cit••e to another, were appointed an hundred and fiftie yoke of oxen, or els. 300. couple of bor∣ses and mules. Whē as thei should as∣sault any fortes or cities that stode vpō hilles, then must thei deuide it in parts and bringe it vp to the siege by piece-meele, and there set it together againe. Now when the Romains had battred the walles of Iorpata, and Ioseph per∣ceiued the wall to shake: he toke great•• sackes, filled them full of Chaffe, and hanged them downe by the Walles, that the hornes of the Ramme coulde not come nie the stones of the wall, but light vpon the sacks, which by the rea∣sō of their softnes of the chasse, damned the stroke y^t the wal was lesse hurt. For such is y^e nature of soft things, to geu•• back to y^e hard, & to weakē their force. But Vaspasian seinge the subtiltie of Ioseph: vsed also policie for policie, for he sent into the towne secretely Iewes

spies, which when the batteries should he, might cut asunder the coardes that the sackes were tied to, and with them slipt downe the walles, where the Ro∣mains were ready to receiue them that they did not hurt them in the fall, and immediatly they stroke the wall with the ramme. There was at that present in the citie a certaine valeant man na∣med Eleasar of the house of Anani the hie prieste that then dwelt at Hierusa∣lem. This Eleasar perceiuyng the Ro∣mains to go about to batter downe the walles as ••hey did before, plucked out of the wall a mightye stone, so that hee made a great hole or gappe, wherat he ••idde downe the wall, and light stride∣linge vppon the engine, made fast an fron cheine to the hornes thereof, and gate vp againe quickelye and nimlye from the beame into the towne wyth the cheyne in his hande, for the walle was not verye hye aboue his heade as he stode vpon the Ramme. Then other tall fellowes tooke holde vppon the cheyne, and fastened it to Pillers and

Walles in the Towne, that the Ro∣maynes myghte rather hee constray∣ned to breake their Ramme then take it awaye from thence. The Prieste Eleasar yet once agayne boldlye wente downe and sate vppon the beame, slue fiftie menne that laboured aboute the Ramme; and the rest he put to flighte: then returned into the Towne, beinge drawen vp againe from the beame by theim that were wythin the Towne, greatlye reioy••ynge in his manhode. After that went he vp vpō a hie tower from whence he tūbled downe with a mighty force a great stone and a harde vppon the heade of the Ramme, brake it that bothe a great parte of the heade and the bornes fell vpon the grounde. For the yron that it was couered with all was olde and rustye, so that it was muche wasted and eaten therwyth, the ropes also were olde. After that Eleasar went downe agayne, toke parte of the bead that was broken, and hurled it in∣to the toune, the Romains that remai∣••ed, either he flue or put to flyght.

The archers shotte at him, & wounded him with fiue arrows, wherfore by the helpe of his felowes vpon the walles, he climed vp, otherwise he had not ben able for the griefe of his wounds. The people then gaue a shout for ioye of the dictory of the worthi priest Eleasar that had slaine the Romaines, and broken their Ramme wherein they put their confidence, & brought part of it into the toune, & fastned it with an iron cheine y^t the Romains could not pull it backe a∣gain to them, nor haue thuse of it after warde. Wherfore diuers of the vali∣antest citizens of Iorpata armed them selfes y^e day, being stirred with y^e great courage that they had sene in Eleasar, and went down, hewed the beame in∣to pieces, brought the poyses with the ringes and two mastes with them in∣to the towne: and the same daye died Eleasar with great renowne, as one y^t had sought for the sanctuary of the lord and for his people and countrye of Is∣rael, like a faithful seruant and souldi∣er of the Lorde: whome all the people

mourned for, buriyng him in y^e town, and honoring him for his deathe, wor∣thinesse, and faithfulnesse, appointinge him a worthy memory also for that he had waged battail with the ennemies of the Lorde. The yonge menne of the Iewes seing this, and specially two of them, the one called Nitra, thother Po∣lipus, men of wisdome and vnderstan∣ding, & therwith expert in the warres being moued with zeale for the god of Israel: opened the gates & issued out a∣gainst the Romaines, skirmished with them & slue mani of thē. But at length thei were slain them selues in the skir mishe for the sanctuarie of their God, for Israell, and their countrey. When Ioseph saw the wars to encrease more and more, he issued oute, and made a great slaughter in the Romains tents, burnt the mounte & engines of warre that the Romaines had left, by which meanes the warres wared yet hoater and hoater, in so muche that Iosephus repulsed the Romaines: for when they saw the Iewes so desperatelys geue

their liues for their God and land, they woulde not abide their force. When Vaspasian sawe his menne shrinke he stode vp then, and put them in hearte, exhorting them with faire wordes, and promises, aswell golde and siluer, as meate and drinke, wherewith the Ro∣maines allured, foughte with Iosephe that day vnto the Sunne setting, and as the battaile waxed hote, the Iewes woūded Vaspasian with an arrowe in his right legge, which fore dismaies y^e Romaines, when they saw the bloude run down his legge: and that day was a fore fighte betwene the Iewes and the Romaines. Titus seinge his father wounded, fore abashed ranne to him to helpe him, to whome his father saide, how it is my sonne that thou art thus astonied, take harte to thee, and with a courage reuenge thy father of these Iewes that haue now the better hand of vs. So they fought both Titus and Vaspasian withal their hole host y^e day a very sore fight, and many were slain of both partes yea very few were lefte

on Iosephes part, with whō he returnd into the towne, The nexte day the R••∣maines raised a newe mounte in stede of that that Ioseph had brent, and plā∣ted an other iron Ram therupon be∣twene two postes accordingly, for Vas∣pasian had brought .iiii. of this sortwith him frō Rome, but other battering pe∣ces vpō wheles had he with him thir∣ti, what more, what lesse, y^e bigger sort were of .xxx. cubites longe, the leaste ten. He broughte also ten engines to hur••e greate and weighty stenes with al, which he placed ab••ute the walles. The Romaines therefore renued the warres & assaults against the town as thei were wōt afore. But y^e town was now desolate and naked of the stoutest warlike men, for they were al slain in the fightes. Albeit Ioseph remained & a fewe with him, who went euery one & the women also to defend the wals, for there was almost no men lefte, fyt for the warre. Then the Romaines flonge with thengines stones into the towne on euery side, from the mount &

munition. It chaunced that a greate stone hit a woman with childe wyth such a violence, that it passed through her body, and caried the childe with it for the space of halfe a mile. They cast vp and raised yet other munites also, from whence they slinged stones, and another like chaūce happened. A stone came and hit one of Iosephes men of warre, a valeant man, in suche a sort, that it deuided his head from his body, and made it flie a large mile of.