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 Ioseph helde vp his handes to heauen, saiynge: Thou Lorde al∣mightye art our father, thou hast sha∣pened vs, and by thy great mercye ta∣ken vs out of cley: thou art he that lea∣dest vs in thy faieth, and the multitude of thy mercies and benignitie towards vs hath not ceassed. And although our sinnes haue seperated vs from thee, yet neuerthelesse we are thy handy worke euery one of vs, and of longe haue ben called thy people. Thou art Lorde o∣uer all creatures & soules. Thou doest what thou wilt, and no man dare saye to thee whye doest thou so. Thou arte our father, we are cley, thou hast geuen vs our shape and fashion. Therefore if it please thee to take oure Soules, take them by the handes of thine aun∣gels, that wee commit none euyll a∣gainste theim. And if these my fel∣lowes that be presente with mee wyll not bee partakers of my Prayer: be∣holde my life alone, for the whiche I beseche thy benigne Clemency, if it please thee to take it, for thou gauest it

mee, therefore dooe wyth it whatso∣euer shal seeme good vnto thee, it is in thy handes, thou lendst it mee, and hast preserued it wythin me. I will not di∣stroye it my selfe, or let it out of prison before thou aske for it. For thou know∣est that As man can not liue vvithout iudgemēt: so likevvise the same can not die vvithout iudgement. Vnto thee therefore do I lifte vp myne eyes, thou that dwellest in Heauen, to deale mer∣cifullye wyth thy seruauntes and with mee, to tourne our heartes that wee consente not vnto thys, to murther our selues. If thou knowe anye amongst them, that entende so wycked an Acte, I beseche thee, O Lorde my GOD, let me finde fauoure in thyne eyes, geue them an hearte to heare holesome counsel, that I may deliuer my self and mine owne life, which I commend in∣to thy bandes, that thou wouldest re∣ceiue it vnto thee, for in thy hand is the life of euerye liuinge creature. Thus whan Ioseph had finished his praier, he turned him vnto his felowes and

saluted thē. Then said they, canst thou therfore encline oure mindes, because thou hast pra••ed vnto God for thy selfe & for vs? did not we tel y^e erewhile, like as we tel the now, y^e we are determi∣ned to die by one means or other, wher fore say thy minde, & tel vs what kinde of death thou wilt ende thy life, for we haue euer knowen the a iust man and a worthy prince, therfore art thou wor∣thy to die first. Ioseph perceiuinge that his felowes were vtterlye determined to die, and woulde geue no eare to his perswasions, for he coulde by no rea∣sons drawe them to his opinion, he wente subtilty to worke with them, sayinge: Seinge it will be none other∣wise brethren, I wil shewe you my de∣••ise. Ye are determined to die, ye saye, and that vppon your owne swor••es, therefore there is no better waye then to do it by lot, in this wise. Let vs caste lottes amongste oure selues, that we maye be ioyned together by couples: then will we caste lottes, whiche cou∣ple shall die firste: after they two shall

cast lottes betwene thē which shal kil hys fellowe: he that remaineth shall chuse him one of the seconde couple to kil him. Likewise the seconde couple shal caste lottes betwene them selues, who shal die firste, and he that is lefte, shal chuse him one of the thirde cou∣ple, whome he hathe a fansy to be kil∣led of▪ Then they shal trye by lot who shal die firste, who beinge slaine, the other maye chuse him selfe one of the four the couple to kil him, and so on, til al be slaine, that we see not the capti∣uitie of oure people. The laste couple that shal remaine, shal do thus, runne one vppon the others sworde, or elsse set them caste lottes betwixte theim selues, and vpon whome it falleth, let him die firste. But for asmuche as we are fortye and one, so that we can not be iustlye ioyned in couples: let vs cast lottes firste of all, and see whiche of vs shal firste be slaine, and when he is once oute of the waye, then lette vs deuide the couples. He that is to

be staine firste, lette him chuse oute one of the firste couple to be slain of, and when he is deade, the firste couple shall caste lottes, and do as I haue de∣uised. Then euery man likt his deuise (which was gods doing, who hard Io∣sephes prayer) and saide all with one mouth, we wil do as thou hast deuised and to the it perteineth to deuide the men and to caste the lottes. Ioseph an∣swered: but let vs sweare by the name of the lord, that this deuise shal stand, be ratified and perfourmed. Wherun∣to they accorded, and sware all by the name of the Lorde, that they woulde haue that deuise to be ratified & kepte, which Ioseph had inuented of casting of lottes. Then Ioseph began to make lottes, who should be thod man: and it light vpon Iehoiada a prieste, sonne of Eliakim a Galilean, which was a vale∣ant man, and chiefest in euery counsell next to Ioseph, and the principall per∣swader of this wicked fact to kill them selues. After that did he craftely deuide them into couples, so that the lot of his

owne couple came forth last of al, who loked to be saued and trusted in God, be••eninge that he woulde deliuer him from this abhominable dede. Then Ie∣hoida chose him one of the first couple, who slue him. That done, the first cou∣ple cast lottes betwene them, so thone killed his felowe, and chose him one of the second couple to kil him. Thē they of the second couple caste lots betwene them selues in the presence of Ioseph, and thone killed theother, then he that remained, chose him one of the thy: de couple to flea him. And in this manner did they, til there were al slaine & none lefte aliue, but Ioseph and his felowe: who said vnto Ioseph, go to, let vs cast lottes that we may go to our brethren. Ioseph answered him, we wil do so, if thou be so disposed: but first heare me, I praye the, speake a fewe thinges in thine eares, Tel me, haue not these sin∣ners rebelled against god, in thus mur¦thering of them selues so shamefully, nether could I by ani meanes diswade them, nor ha••e them from this opiniō.

Wherfore shuld we two sinne against God so greuously, & against our own soules, if the lot should so fal y^t I shuid kil thee. I shuld be counted a mās••ear & that worthily: & it may so chaūce that I shal escape after thee and saue my life. But if the lot shoulde so fal that thou shouldest flea me, thou shouldest be ta∣ken also for a murtherer, and perauen∣ture thou shuldest not escape after me, and althoughe thou thinkest yes. Not∣withstanding we lose our hope in god, for that we sinne againste oure owne soules. For all these men that thou se∣est heare dead, loe, they haue sinned a∣gainst their owne soules, dying with∣oute discipline and all good order. If thou wilt say, how shal we do for oure othe that we haue sworne. Doste thou not knowe, that. He that breaketh a vvicked othe, do the nothing vvickedly him selfe. For a man is not constrei∣ned to performe an othe vnto God, but to the kepinge of his lawes, and bere∣upon it is that Dauid saithe. (I haue svvorne and vvil perfourme. For nei∣ther

vow nor othe, that is made against the commaundementes of God, can be ratified before God. And that more is, before y^e we sware, oure fathers sware firste, a great while ago at the mounte of Sinai, that they and their children woulde keepe the lawe of the Lorde. Moyses also made a couenaunte with them vpō the same, and not only with thē that then were there, but also with vs. Howe then dare we be so bolde to swcare, to breake the law of our God, and become māquellers, seing it is one of the .x. commaundements expressely. Thou shalt not kil. Wherfore, my bro∣ther, thou shalt vnderstande that we nede not be sollititous nor careful for the oth that we haue made, but rather to breake it, for God wil neuer be dis∣pleased with vs for that, for I beinge afraide of these wicked persones, that lie nowe he are deade, did inuente this subtil meanes, and way to swear that I mighte saue my life. Thou therfore, my brother, if thou wilte be ruled by mine aduise, thou shalt saue thy life &

mine, and I wil caste no lottes, nor performe the othe that we made. VVhiche is not good in the lavve: if thou wilte not. I wil withstande thee, and fighte with thee, to kill thee and skape my selfe. And with this Ioseph lepte backe and drue oute his sworde, standinge ouer againste him, to see what his felowe woulde answer. His companion hearinge this, sturred nei∣ther hande nor foote againste him, but saide: Loe, I am contente, do what thou thinckest good, because thou arte a manne of God. And blessed be the Lorde God of Israel, that bathe not withdrawne his mercye from me, but made me to be in thy lotte, whereby my soule is saued from goinge to helt thy lotte is a iuste lotte For the Lorde vvil not leaue the scourge of sinners, vppon the lotte of the iuste. Muche elsse besides this, spake Iosephes com∣panion vnto him, for he was sore a∣fraide of him, leaste he shoulde haue killed him if they hadde entermedled

together, for Ioseph was the better man of his hands, and therfore Ioseph chose him into his lot, that he might be able to make his party good with him. In this pointe Ioseph played the wyse mannes parte, for he escaped by this meanes both from the handes of those wicked foles: and also from his felow.