The most sacred Bible, whiche is the Holy Scripture conteyning the Old and New Testament / translated into English, and newly recognised with great diligence after most faythful exemplars, by Rychard Taverner.

THE II. BOOKE OF THE MACHABEES. (Book 2 Maccabees)

¶ An Epistle of the Iewes that dwelt at Ierusalē sent vnto them which dwelt at Egypt, wherin they exhorte them to gyue thankes for the deathe of An∣tiochus: Of the fyre that was hyd in the pyt. The prayer of Nehemias.

CAPI. I.

[ A] THe brethren of the Iewes which be at Ie∣rusalem, & in the lād of Iurye, wish vnto those brethrē of the Iewes y^t are thorow out Egipt: good fortune helth and peaxe.

God y^e Lord be gra∣cious vnto you, & thynke vpon his couenaūt y^t he made w^t Abrahā, Isaac & Iacob his faith¦ful seruantes, and gyue you al such an herte, that ye may loue & serue him: yea & performe his wil with an hole hert & a willing minde: He open your hertes in his law, and in his cō¦maundementes, sende you peax: heare youre prayers, be at one with you, & neuer forsake you ī time of trouble. This is here our pray∣er for you.

What time as Demetrius raigned in the Clxix. yere, we Iewes wrote vnto you in the trouble and violēce y^t came vnto vs. In those yeres after that Iason departed oute of the holy lande and kyngdome, they brent vp the portes, & shed innocent bloude. Then made we oure prayer vnto the Lorde, and were herd: we offred and lighted the candels, set∣tyng forth cakes and breed, and now com ye vnto the feast of tabernacles in the moneth Casleu.

In the .Clxxxviij. yere the people that was [ B] at Ierusalem and in Iurye, the counsell and Iudas him selfe, sent this holsome salutaciō vnto Aristobolus kynge Ptolomys master, which came of the generacion of the annoin¦ted preestes, and to the Iewes that were in Egypte: In so moche as God hathe delyue∣red vs frome greate peryls, we thanke hym highly, in that we resisted so myghty a king. And why? he brought men out of Persis by heapes to fyght agaynst vs and the holy cy∣tye. For as he was in Persis (namely the ca∣pitayne with the great hoste) he perysshed in the temple of Naneas, being disceyued tho∣row the deuice of Naneas prestes. For as he was purposed to haue dwelte, there Antio∣chus and his frēdes came thyther to receyue moche moneye for a dowrye. So when Na∣neas preestes hadde layde forthe the money, he entred with a small companye in to the compasse of the temple, and so they shut the temple.

Now whē Antiochus entred by opening y^e [ C] preuy en••r••unce of the temple, the prestes sto¦ned the capit••••n to deth, hewed thē in peces that were with him, smote of theyr heedes, and threwe them out in all thynges, God be praysed, which hath deliuered the wicked in to our handes.

Where as we now are purposed to kepe y^e purificacion of the tēple vpon the .xxv. daye of the moneth Casleu, we thought necessarye to certify you therof, y^t ye also might kepe the tabernacles feast day, and the day of the fire which was giuen vs when Nehemiah offred after y^t he had set vp the temple and the aul∣ter. For what tyme as our fathers were led away vnto Pesis, y^e prestes which thē sought the honour of God, toke the fyre pryuely frō the aulter, & hyd it in a valey, where as was a depe drye pyt, and therin they kepte it, by∣cause the place was vnknowen to euery mā. Now after many yeres whē it pleased God that Nehemiah sholde be sent from the kyng of Persia, he sente the chylders chyldren of those prestes (which had hyd the fyre) to seke it. And as they tolde vs they founde no fyre,* 1.1 but thycke water. Then commaunded he [ D] them to drawe it vp, and to brynge it hym, & the offerynges with all. Nowe when the sa∣crifices were layde on and ordred, the preest Nehemiah commaunded to sprynckle them and the wod with the water. Whē this was done, and y^e tyme come that the sunne shone whiche afore was hyd in the cloude: there was a great fyre kyndled. In so moche that euery man merueyled. Nowe all the preestes prayed whyle the sacrifyce was a makynge. Ionathas prayed fyrste, and the other gaue answere.

And Nehemias prayer was after this ma∣ner: O Lorde God, maker of all thinges, y^e fearful and strong, thou ryghtous and mer∣cyfull, thou that art only a gracious kynge, onely lyberal, onely iust, almighty and euer∣lastyng, thou that deliuerest Israel from all trouble, thou that hast chosē the fathers and halowed them: receyuyng the offerynge for the hole people of Israel, preserue thyne own porciō, and halow it. Gather those togither that are scatred abrode from vs: deliuer thē that are vnder the Heathens bondage, loke vpon them which are despised and abhorred that the Heathen may know and se, how that thou art our God: Punish shē that oppresse,* 1.2 and proudlye put vs to dishonoure. Set thy people agayne in thy holy place, like as Mo∣ses hath spoken.

And the prestes song Psalmes of thankes∣gyuynge, [ E] so longe as the sacrifice endured.

Now when the sacrifice was brent, Nehe∣miah cōmaunded the great stones to be sprin¦kled with the residue of the water. Whiche whē it was done, there was kyndled a flame of them also: but it was consumed thorowe the lyghte that shyned frome the aulter. So when this mater was knowen, it was tolde the kynge of Persia, that in the place where the preestes which were led awaye, had hyd fyre, there appered water in stede of fire, and t••••t Nehemias & his company had purified the sacrifices withall. Then the kyng con∣syderyng

and ponderynge the mater dily∣gently, made him a temple to proue the thing y^t was done. And when he found it so in dede, he gaue the prestes many gyftes, and dyuers rewardes, yea he toke thē with his own hand and gaue them. And Nehemias called y^e same place Nephthar, which is as moch is say, as a clensyng: but many men cal it Nephi.

¶ Howe Ieremye hyd the tabernacle, the Arcke, and the aultar in the hyll. Of the fyue bokes of Ia∣son conteyned in one.

CAPI. II.

[ A] IT is found also in the writinges of Iere¦my the peophet,* 1.3 that he commaunded thē which were caryed away to take fyre, as it is sayd afore.* 1.4 He commaunded them also, that they sholde not forget the law and com¦maundementes of the Lorde, and that they shold not erre in their myndes,* 1.5 when they se ymages of syluer and golde with their orna¦mentes. These and suche other thynges com¦maunded he them, and exhorted them, y^t they shold not let the law of God go out of theyr hertes.

It is wrytten also, how the prophet (at the commaundement of God) charged them to take the tabernacle and the arke with them: and he went forth vnto y^e mountayne, where Moses clymed vp, and sawe the heritage of God.* 1.6 And when Ieremy came there, he foūde an open caue, wherin he layd the tabernacle, the arke, and the aulter of incense, & so stop∣ped the hole. There came certayne men to∣gyther also folowynge hym, to marcke the place, but they coulde not fynde it. Whiche [ B] when Ieremye perceyued, he reproued them sayinge: As for that place it shall be vnkno∣wen, vntyl the time that God gather his peo¦ple togyther agayne, and receyue them vnto mercy.* 1.7 Then shal God shew them these thin¦ges, and the maiestie of the Lord shal appere and the cloud also, lyke as it was shewed vn¦to Moses, and lyke as when Salomon desy∣red that the place might be sanctified, and it was shewed hym.

For he being a wyse man, handled honou∣rably and wysely offryng vnto God in y^e ha¦lowing of the temple when it was finisshed. And like as whē Moses prayed vnto y^e Lord the fyre came downe from heuen and consu∣med the burnt offring: Euen so prayed Sa∣lomon also, and the fyre came downe frome heuen,* 1.8 and consumed the burntofferyng. And Moses said: bicause the synoffring was not eaten, therfore it is consumed. In like maner Salomon kept the dedicacion, or halowing, eyght dayes.

[ C] In the annotacions and writinges of φ Ie∣remye were these thynges put also:* 1.9 & how he made a lybrary, and how he gathered out of all countreys the bokes of the prophetes, of Dauid, the epistles of the kinges, & of the pre¦sentes, Euen so Iudas also, loke what he ler¦ned by experience of war, & suche thinges as hath hapened vnto vs, he gathered thē al to∣gyther, and so we haue thē by vs. Yf ye now desyre to haue the same, sende some bodye to fetche them vnto you. Where as ye then are about to celebrate the purificacion, we haue written vnto you. Therfore ye shal do well yf ye kepe the same dayes. We hope also that the God (which deliuered his people, & gaue them al the heritage,* 1.10 kyngdome preesthode & Sanctuary that he promised thē in the law) shal shortly haue mercy vpō vs, & gather vs togither frō vnder the heuen in to his holye place: for he hath saued vs frō great perils, and hath clensed the place.

As cōcernyng Iudas Machabeus and his brethren, the purificacion of the great tēple, [ D] the dedicaciō of the aulter: yea & of the war∣res y^t concerne noble Antiochus and Eupa∣tor his son,* 1.11 of the shyninges that came down from heuen vpon those, which manfully de∣fended the Iewes. For though they were but few, yet defended they the hole land, droue a¦way the enemies hoste, recouered agayne the temple y^t was spoken of thorow oute all the worlde, deliuered the city, doing their best y^t the law of the Lorde which was put downe might w^t all tranquillitie be restored agayne vnto the Lorde that was so mercyfull vnto them. As touchyng Iason also of Cyren, we haue vndertaken compendiously to bryng in to one boke, the thinges that were comprehē¦ded of him in fyue. For we considerynge the multitude of the bokes, & how hard it sholde be for them that wolde medle with stories & actes (and that bicause of so dyuers maters) haue vndertaken so to cōprehend the stories that such as are disposed to rede, might haue pleasure and pastyme therin: and that they which are diligēt in such thinges, might the better thynke vpon them: yea & that who so euer rede them, might haue profit therby.

Neuertheles, we our selues y^t haue medled [ E] with this matter for the shortenynge of it, haue taken no small labour, but great dyly∣gence, watchinges & trauayle. Lyke as they that make a feast wolde fayne do other men pleasure: Euen so we also, for many mens sakes, are very well content to take the la∣bour, where as we may shortly comprehend the thynges that other men haue truly wri∣ten.

For he that buyldeth an house anew, must prouyde for many thynges to the hole buyl∣ding: but he y^t paynteth it afterward, seketh but only what is comly, mete, and cōuenient to garnysh it withall. Euen so do we also in lyke maner, And why? He that begynneth to wryte a story for the fyrst, must with his vn¦derstandynge gather the mater togyther, set his wordes in ordre, and diligently seke out of euery parte: But he that afterwarde wil shorten it, vseth fewe wordes, and toucheth not the mater at the largest. Let this be suffi¦cient for a prologe, nowe wyll we begyn to shew the mater: for it is but a folysh thynge to make a long prologe, and to be shorte in y^e storye it selfe.

¶ Of the honour done vnto the temple by the kyn∣ges of the Gentyles. Symon vttereth what tresure is in the temple. Heliodorus is sent to take them a∣way. He is strycken of God, and healed at the pray∣er of Onias.

CAPI. III.

[ A] WHat tyme as the holy city was inhabi∣ted in al peax and welth, and when the lawes were yet verye well kepte. (For so was it ordeyned by Onias the hye prest, & other godly men that were enemies to wyc∣kednesse.* 1.12) It came therto that euen the kyn∣ges and prynces theym selues dyd the place great worshyp, and garnisshed the temple w^t great gyftes: In so moche y^t Seleucus kyng of Asia,* 1.13 of his own rentes bare all the costes belongynge to the seruyce of the offerynges. Then Symon of the trybe of BenIamin, a ruler of the temple, laboured to worke some myschiefe in the citye: but the hye preest re∣systed hym.

* 1.14Neuerthelesse whē he might not ouercome Onias, he gat him to Appolonius the son of Thersa (which then was chiefe lorde in Ce∣losyria and Phenices) and told him that the treasury in Ierusalem was ful of innumera¦ble money, & how that the commons goodes, which belōged not vnto the offrynges, were excedynge great also: yea, and how it were possible that all these myght come vnder the kynges power.

Now when Appolonius hadde shewed the [ B] kyng of the money, as it was tolde him: the king called for Heliodorus his steward, and sent hym with a commaundement, to brynge hym the same money. Immediatly Heliodo∣rus toke his iourney, but vnder a colour, as though he wolde goo thorow Celosyria and Phenices to visyt the cityes, but his purpose was to fullfyl the kynges pleasure. So whē he came to Ierusalem, and was louyngly re∣ceyued of the hye prest in to the city, he tolde what was determyned concerninge the mo∣ney, and shewed the cause of his commynge: he asked also if it were so in dede. Then the hye preest tolde hym that there was such mo¦ney layd vp for the vpholdyng of wydowes and fatherlesse chyldren, and how that a cer¦tayne of it belōged vnto Hyrcanus Tobias a noble man: and that of al the money (whi∣che that wycked Symon hadde bewrayed) there were foure hundred talentes of siluer, and two hundred of golde: yea, and that it were vnpossible for those mens meaninge to be disceyued, that had layde vp their money in the place and temple, which is had in wor¦shyp thorowe the hole worlde, for the mayn∣tenaunce and honoure of the same. Wher∣vnto Heliodorus answered, that y^e king had commaunded him in any wyse to bryng hym the money.

[ C] So at the daye appoynted, Heliodorus en∣tred in to the tēple to order this mater. But there was no small fear thorowout the hole city. The preestes fel downe before the aul∣ter in their vestimentes, and called vnto he∣uen vpon hym, whiche had made a lawe con∣cernyng stuffe gyuen to kepe,* 1.15 that they shold be safely preserued for suche as commyt thē vnto kepynge. Then who so had loked the hye prest in the face, it wold haue greued his herte: For his countenaunce and the chaun∣gynge of his coloure, declared the inwarde sorow of his mynde. The man was al in he∣uynesse, and his body in feare: wherby they that loked vpon him, might perceyue y^e grefe of his herte. The other people also came out of their houses by heapes vnto the common prayer, bycause the place was lyke to come in to confusion. The women came togyther thorow the stretes with heery clothes about their brestes.

The virgyns also that were kepte in, ran [ D] to Onias, some to the walles, other some loked oute of the wyndowes: yea, they all helde vp their handes towarde heuen, and prayed. A myserable thynge was it to loke vpon the common people, and the hye preest beinge in suche trouble. But they besoughte almyghty God, that the goodes which were commytted vnto them, myghte be kepte hole for those that had delyuered them vnto their kepynge. Neuerthelesse the thynge that Heli∣odorus was determined to do, that perfour∣med he in the same place, he hym selfe perso∣nally beinge aboute the treasurye with his men of warre. But the spirite of almightye God shewed hym self openly, so that al they whiche presumed to obeye Heliodorus, fell thorow the power of God in to a great fear¦fulnesse and drede. For there appeared vnto them an horse,* 1.16 with a terrible man syttynge vpon him, dect in goodly aray, and the horse smote at Heliodorus with his fore fete. Now he that sate vpon the horse hadde harnesse of golde vpon hym.

Moreouer there appered two fayre & beau¦tyful yong men in goodly aray, which stode by him, scourged hym of bothe the sydes, and gaue hym many stripes w^tout ceasing. With that fel Heliodorus sodeynly vnto y^e groūd. So they toke him vp, being compassed about with great darknes, and bare him out vpō a beare.* 1.17 Thus he y^t came with so many rūners and men of warre in to the sayde treasurye [ E] was borne out, where as no man myght help hym: and so the power of God was many∣fest and knowen. He laye styll domme also by the power of God, destitute of all hope & lyfe. And they praysed the Lorde that he had shewed his power vpon his place and temple whiche a lytle afore was full of feare & trou¦ble: and that thorowe the reuelacion of the almyghty Lord, it was fylled with ioy and gladnesse.

Thē certeyn of Heliodorus frēdes prayed Onias, that in all haste he wolde call vpon God, to graunt hym his lyfe, which was gy∣uynge vp the ghost. So the hye preest consi∣dered the mater, and lest the kyng sholde su∣specte that the Iewes had doone Heliodorus some euyll, he offred an healtheofferynge for hym. Now when the hye preest had obteyned his peticion, the same yonge men in the same

clothinge appeared and stode besyde Helio∣dorus, saying: Thanke Onias the hie prest, [ F] for,* 1.18 for his sake hath the Lorde graunted the thy life: therfore seing that God hath scour¦ged the, giue him prayse and thankes, & shew euery man his myght and power. And when they had spoken these wordes, they appeared no more.

So Heliodorus offered vnto God, made great vowes vnto him which had graunted him his lyfe, thanked Onias, toke his host, & went agayne to the kynge. Then testified he vnto euery man of the great workes of God that he had sene with his eyes. And when the kyng asked Heliodorus who were mete to be sent yet ones agayne to Ierusalem, he said: yf thou hast any enemy or aduersarye vnto thy realme, send him thither, and thou shalt haue him punisshed, yf he escape with his lyfe: for in that place, no doubt, there is a special po∣wer and working of God. For he y^t dwelleth in heuen, visiteth and defēdeth that place: & al that come to do it harme, he punissheth and and plageth thē. This is now the mater con¦cernyng Heliodorus, and the kepynge of the treasury at Ierusalem.

¶ Symon reporteth euyll of Onias. Iason desy∣ryng the offyce of the hye prest, corrupteth the kyng with rewardes. The wycked intent of Iason.

CAPI. IIII.

[ A] THis Symon now, of whom we spake a¦fore,* 1.19 being a bewrayer of the money, & of his owne naturall countrey, repor∣ted the worst of Onias, as though he had mo¦ued Heliodorus vnto this, and as thoughe he had ben a brynger vp of euyl. Thus was he not ashamed to cal him an enemy of y^e realme that was so faythful an ouerseer and defen∣der of the citye and of his people: yea, and so feruent in the lawe of God. But when the malice of Symon increased so far, that tho∣row his frēdes there were certeyn māslaugh¦ters commyted: Onias consydered the pe∣ril y^t might come thorow this strife, and how that Appolonius (namely the chiefe lorde in Celociria and Phenices) was al set vpon ty∣ranny, & Simons malice encreased the same: He gat him to the kyng, not as an accuser of the citezins, but as one that by him self intē∣ded the commō welth of the hole multitude. For he saw it was not possible to liue ī peax, neither Simon to leaue of frō his folishnesse except the kinge did loke therto. But after y^e [ B] deth of Seleucus, when Antiochus (which is called the noble) toke the kyngdome: Iason y^e brother of Onias laboured to be hye prest: For he came vnto the kynge, and promysed hym thre hundred and .lx. talentes of syluer, and of the other rentes .lxxx. talentes. Besi∣des this, he promysed hym yet an .C. and .l .if he myght haue the scole of the chyldren, and that he myght call them of Ierusalem Antio¦chians. Which when the kyng had graunted and he had gotten the superioritie, he began imediatly to draw his kinsmē to the custom of the Heathen, put downe the thynges that the Iewes had set vp of loue, by Iohn the fa∣ther of Eupolemius, which was sent embas¦sadour vnto Rome, for to make the bonde of frēdshyp & loue. He put downe al the Iewes and Lybertyes of the Iewes, and set vp the wycked statutes. He durste make a fygh∣tyng scole vnder the castel, & set fayre yong men to learne the maners of hoores and bro¦delles.

This was now the begynnyng of the Hea¦thenish [ C] and straunge conuersacion, brought in thorow the vngracious and vnherd wyc∣kednes of Iason, which shold not be called a preest but an vngodly person. In so moche y^t the preestes were nowe no more occupied a∣boute the seruice of y^e aulter, but despised the temple, regarded not the offringes: yea gaue their diligence to lerne to fighte, to wrastle to leape, to daunce, and to put at the stone: not settyng by the honour of the fathers, but liked the glory of the Grekes best of all: for the which they stroue perlously, & were gre∣dy to folow their statut{is}: yea their lust was in all thinges to be lyke them, whiche afore were their enemis and destroyers. How he it to do wickedly against the law of God, shal not escape vnpunisshed: but of this we shal speke hereafter.

What tyme as the Olympiades sportes were played at Tyrus (the king him self be∣ing [ D] present) this vngracious Iason sent wic¦ked men, bearynge from them of Ierusalem, which now were called Antiochians, thre .C drachmes of syluer for an offring to Hercu∣les. These had they that caryed them desired vnder suche a facion, as though they shoulde not haue be offred, but bestowed to other v∣ses. Neuerthelesse he that sent them, sent thē to the intent that they sholde be offred vnto Hercules. But bicause of those that were pre¦sente, they were gyuen as to the makynge of shyppes. And Appolonius the son of Nesteus was sent in to Egypte, bycause of the noble men of kynge Ptolomy Philometor. Nowe when Antiochus perceyued that he was put out from medlynge in the realme, he soughte his own profyt, departed from thence, came to Ioppa, and then to Ierusalem: where he was honourably receyued of Iason, and the city, and was brought in with torche light & with great prayse, and so he turned his hoste vnto Phenices.

After thre yere Iason sent Menelaus, the [ E] foresaid Simōs brother,* 1.20 to beare the money vnto the kyng, and to brynge hym aunswere of other necessarye maters. But he (when he was praysed of the kyng for magnifying of his power) tourned the preesthode vnto hym selfe, laying vp thre hundred talentes of syl∣uer for Iason. So when he had gotten com∣maundementes frō the king, he came hauyng nothing that becommeth a prest, but bearing the stomacke of a cruel tyraunt, & the wrath of a wylde brute beest. Then Iason, whiche had disceyued his owne brother, seinge that he hym selfe was begyled also, was fayne to flee in to the lande of the Ammonites, and

Menelaus gat the dominion. But as for the money that he had promised vnto the kyng, he dyd nothing therin, when Sostratus y^e ru¦ler of the castell required it of him. For So∣stratus was the man that gathered the custo¦mes: wherfore they were both called before the king: Thus was Menelaus put oute of the presthod, & Lysimachus his brother cam in his stede. Sostratus also was made lorde of the Cyprians.

[ F] It happened in the meane season, that the Tharsians and Mallocians made insurre∣ction, bycause they were gyuen for a present vnto kynge Antiochus concubyne. Then came the kynge in all the haste to styll them agayne, and to pacifye the mater, leauynge Andronic{us} ther to be his deputie as one mete therfore. Now Menelaus supposing that he had gotten a ryghte conuenient tyme, stole certayne vesselles of golde oute of the tem∣ple, and gaue them to Andronicus for a pre∣sent: and some he sold at Tyrus, and in the cities therby.

Which when Onias knewe of a surety, he reproued hym, but he kepte him in a Sanctu∣ary beside Daphnis that lyeth by Antioche. Wherfore Menelaus gat hym to Androni∣cus, and prayed him y^t he wolde slee Onias. So when he came to Onias, he counseyled him craftely to come out of the Sanctuary, gyuyng him his hande with an othe (how be it he suspecte hym) and then he slewe Onias, without any regarde of rightousnesse.* 1.21 For the whiche cause not onely the Iewes, but o∣ther nacions also toke indignaciō, and were displeased for the vnryghtous deathe of so godly a man.

[ G] And when the kyng was come again from Cilicia, the Iewes and certein of the Grekes went vnto him, complayning for the vnrigh¦tous deth of Onias. Yea Antiochus him self was sory in his mynde for Onias, so that it pitied him, and he wept, remembring his so∣brenesse & manerly behauiour. Wherfore he was so kyndled in his mynde, that he cōmaū¦ded Andronicus to be stripped out of his pur clothyng, and so to be led thorow out all the city: yea and the vngracious man to be slain in the same place where he cōmitted his wic∣kednesse vpō Onias. Thus the Lorde rewar¦ded him his punishment, as he had deserued. Now when Lysimachus had done many wic¦ked dedes in the temple, thorow the counsell of Menelaus, and the voyce came abrode: the multitude gathered thē togither agaynst Lysimachus, for he hadde caried oute nowe moche golde.

So when the people arose and were full of displeasure, Lysimachus armed thre .M .vnthriftes to defend hym, a certeyn tyraunt beinge their capitayne, whiche was growen both in age and wodnesse. But when the peo¦ple vnderstode the purpose of Lysimachus, some gat stones, some good strong clubbes, & some caste asshes vpon Lysimachus. Thus there were many of the woūded, some being slayne, and al the other chased away. But as for the wycked church robber him self, they kylled hym besyde the treasury. Of these ma¦ters [ H] therfore there was kept a court against Menelaus. Now when the kyng came to Ti¦rus, they made a complaint vnto him of Me¦nelaus concernyage this busynesse, and the em••assadours were there. But Menelaus went & promised Ptolomy to giue him moch money, yf he wold perswade y^e king. So Pto¦lomy wēt to the king in to a court (where as he was set to coole hym) & brought him oute of that mynde. In so moche that he dischar∣ged Menelaus frō the accusacions, that not with standyng was cause of al mischif: and those pore men, which if they had told theyr cause: yea before the Scithians they sholde haue ben iudged innocent, them he condem∣ned to deth.

Thus were they sone punisshed, which fo∣lowed vpō the mater for the city, for the peo¦ple, and for the holy vessell. Wherfore they of Tyrus toke indignacion, and buryed thē honourably. And so thorow the couetousnes of them y^t were in power, Menelaus remay∣ned styll in auctoritie, increasyng in malyce to the hurt of the citezyns.

¶ Of the sygnes and tokens sene in Ierusalem Of the ende and offence of Iason. The pursute of An∣tiochus agaynst the Iewes. The spoylynge of the temple.

CAPI. V.

AT the same time Antiochus made him [ A] redye to goo agayne in to Egypte. Then were there sene at Ierusalem forty dayes long, horsemen runnyng to and fro in the ayre, which had rayment of golde and speres. There were sene also hole hostes of men, weaponed, and horses runnynge in an order, how they came togyther, how they held forth theyr shyldes, how they harnessed men drewe out their swerdes and shot theyr dartes.

The shine of the goldē wepons was sene, and of al maner of armure. Wherfore euery man prayed that those tokens myght tourne to good. Now when there was gone forth a false rumour, as though Antiochus had ben deed: Iason toke a .M. men, and came so∣denly vpon the city. The citezins ran vnto the walles, at the last was the citye taken, & Menelaus fled in to the castel.

As for Iason he spared not his owne cite∣zyns [ C] in the slaughter, neither consydered he what great euyll it were to destroye the pro¦speritie of his own kynsmen, but did as one that had gotten the victory of his enemies, and not of his frendes. For all this gate he not the superioritie, but at the laste receyued confusion for his malyce,* 1.22 and fled agayne lyke a vacabounde, in to the land of the Am∣monites.

Finally, for a reward of their wickednesse he was accused before Aretha the kynge of y^e Arabians: In so moche that he was fayne to fle from citye to citye, beynge despysed of

euery man as a forsaker of the lawes, and an abomynable persone. And at the last (as an o∣pen enemye of his owne naturall coūtrie and of the citezyns) he was dryuen in to Egypt.

Thus he that afore put many out of theyr owne natyue land, perisshed from home him self. He went to Lacedemon, thynkyng there to haue gotten succoure by reason of kynred. And he that afore had casten manye one oute vnburied, was throwen out him self, no man mournynge for hym, ne puttynge hym in his graue: so that he neither enioyed the burial of a straūger, neither was he partaker of his fa∣thers sepulcre.

[ C] Now when this was done, the kynge sus∣pect that the Iewes wolde haue fallen from hym: wherfore he came in a great dyspleasure out of Egypt, and toke the cytie by violence. He commaunded his men of warre also, that they shoulde kyl & not spare, but slaye downe such as withstode them, or clymed vp vpō the houses.

Thus was there a great slaughter of yong men, olde men, women, children and virgyns. In thre dayes were there slayne .lxxx.M. for∣tye thousand put in preson, and no lesse solde. Yet was he not content with this, but durst go in to the moost holy tēple (Menelaus that traytour to the lawes and to his owne natu∣rall countrey, beynge his gyde) and with his wycked handes toke the vessell, which other kynges and cyties had gyuen thyther for the garnyshyng and honoure of the place: them toke he in his handes vnworthely, and defy∣led them.

[ D] So mad was Antiochus, that he considered not, howe that God was a lytell wroth for the synnes of them that dwelt in the citie, for the which, such confusiō came vpō that place. And why? yf it had not happened thē to haue bene lapped in many synnes (this Antiochus as soone as he had come) had sodeynlye bene punysshed, and shot oute for his prsumption, lyke as Helyodorus was,* 1.23 whom Seleucus the kynge sent to robbe the treasury. Neuer∣thelesse,* 1.24 God hath not chosen the people for the places sake, but the place for the peoples sake: and therfore is the place become parta∣ker of the peoples trouble, but afterwarde shall it enioye the wealth of them. And lyke as it is now forsaken in the wrath of almigh∣tye God, so when the greate God is recon∣cyled, it shall be set vp in hyghe worshyp a∣gayne.

So when Antiochus had taken a .M. and [ E] viii. C. talentes out of the temple, he gat him to Antioche in all the haste, thynkynge in his pryde, that he myght make mē sayle vpon the drye land, and to go vpon the see, such an hye mynde had he. He left deputyes there to vexe the people: At Ierusalē left he Philip a Phry∣gian, in maners more cruel then him self that set him there: At Garysim he left Andronicus and Menelaus, which were more greuous to the cytezyns thē other. Now as he was thus set in malyce agaynst y^e Iewes▪ he sent Appo∣lonis an hated prynce, with .xxii. M .cōmaun∣dynge him to slaye al those that were of per∣fect age, and to sel the women, maidens, and chyldren. When he came now to Ierusalem, he fayned peax, and kepte hym styl vntyl the Sabboth daye. And then he cōmaunded his men to take them to their weapons (for the Iewes kepte holy daye) and so he slewe all them that were gone forth to the open play, runnynge here and there thorowe the cytye with his men weaponed, and murthered a great nombre. But Iudas Machabeus whi∣che was the tenth, fled into the wyldernesse, led his lyfe there with his companye among the wylde beastes and vpon the mountaynes dwelling there, and eatynge grasse, leest they shold be partakers of the fylthynes.

¶ The Iewes are compelled to leaue the lawe of God. The temple is defyled. The readers are mo∣nysshed that they shall not abhorre the aduersytye wherwith the Lorde afflicteth them. The greuous payne of Eleazarus.

CAPI. VI.

NOt longe after this, sente the kynge a [ A] messenger of Antioche, for to compel y^e Iewes to alter the ordynaunces of the fathers and the lawe of God, to defyle the temple that was at Ierusalem, and to call it the temple of Iupiter Olimpius: and that they shulde be in Gazarim, as those whiche dwell at the place of Iupyter the herberous. This wycked sedicion of the vngodlye was heuy vpon all the people: for the temple was full of voluptuousnes, bibbynge and boul∣lyng of the heathen, of rybaudes and harlots togyther. The women wente in to the holye place, and bare in that was not laufull. The alter also was ful of vnlauful thinges whi∣che the lawe forbyddeth to laye vpon it. The Sabbothes were not kept, the other solēne feastes of the land were not regarded. To be playne, there durste no man be acknowen y^t he was a Iewe. In the daye of the kynges byrth they were compelled perforce to offre: & when the feaste of Bachus was kept, they were constrayned to were garlandes of yuye and so to go about for the honoure of Ba∣chus.

Moreouer thorow y^e councel of Ptolomy, [ B] there went out a cōmaundement in y^e next cy¦tyes of y^e heathen y^t they shuld intreat y^e Ie∣wes in lyke maner: namely to cōpel them for to do sacryfyce after y^e lawes of y^e Gentiles & who so wold not, to put thē to deth. A pite∣ous thīg was it to se. There were .ij. womē ac¦cused to haue circūciced their sonnes, whome when they had led round about the city (the babes hāging at their brestes) they cast them down hedlynges ouer the walles. Some y^t were crept in to the denn{is} & had kept the Sab¦both, were accused vnto Philip, & brēt in the fyre: because y^t for the feare of God they kept the cōmaundemēt so styfly & wold not defend thē selues. Now I besech al those which rede this boke y^t they refuse it not for these falles of aduersyty: & iudge y^e thinges (y^t are happe∣ned) for no destruction, but for a chastenynge

of our people. And why? Whē God suffreth not sinners long to folow their owne minde, [ C] but shortly punyssheth them, it is a token of his greate louynge kyndnesse.* 1.25 For this grace haue we of God more then other people, that he suffereth not vs longe to synne vnpunisshed lyke other nacyons, that when the daye of iudgement commeth, he maye punysshe them in the fulnesse of theyr synnes. If we syn, he correcteth vs, but he neuer withdraweth his mercy frō vs: and though he punysshe with aduersytie, yet doth he neuer forsake his peo∣ple. But let this that we haue spoken nowe with few wordes, be for a warnynge and ex∣hortacion of the Heathē.* 1.26 Now wyl we come to the declarynge of the matter. Eleazar one of the princypall Scrybes, an aged man and of a welfauoured coūtenaunce, was cōstray∣ned to gape w^t open mouth, and to eate swy∣nes flesh.* 1.27 But he desyryng rather to dye glo∣riouslye then to lyue with shame, offred hym selfe wyllynglye to the martyrdome. Nowe when he sawe that he must nedes go to it, he toke it pacyently: for he was at a poynt with him selfe, that he wold consent to no vnlaw∣full thing for any pleasure of lyfe. They that [ D] stode by being moued with pytie (but not a∣ryght) for the olde frendship of the man, toke him asyde priuely, and prayed him y^t he wolde let such flesh be brought him as were lawful to eate, and then to make a countenaunce as though he had eaten of the flesh of the sacri∣fyce lyke as the kynge commaunded, for so he might be deliuered from death: and so for the olde frendshyp of the man, they shewed hym this kyndnesse. But he beganne to consydre his discrete and honorable age, his noble and worshypfull stocke, and howe that from his youth vp he had bene of an honest and good conuersacyon: yea and how constantly he had kept the ordynaunces and lawes cōmaunded by God, wherfore he gaue thē this answere, and sayde:* 1.28 Yet had I rather fyrst be layed in my graue. For it becōmeth not myne age (said he) in any wyse to dissemble, wherby manye yonge persons myghte thynke, that Eleazar being .lxxxx. yere olde, were gone to a straūge lyfe: and so thorow myne ypocrisy (for a lytle tyme of a transitory lyfe) they myght be dis∣ceyued: by this meanes also shoulde I defyle myne age, and make it abhomynable. For though I were now delyuered from the tor∣mentes of men, yet shoulde I not escape the [ E] hand of almighty God, neither aliue ne deed. Wherfore I wyll dye manfully, and do as it becommeth myne age: Wherby I maye per∣aduenture leaue an example of stedfastnesse for suche as be yong, yf I with a redy mynde and manfullye dye an honest deathe, for the most worthy and holy lawes.

When he had sayd these wordes, immedi∣atlye he was drawen to the tormente. Nowe they that led him and were mylde a litle afore began to take displeasure because of the wor∣des that he sayd: for they thought he had spo∣ken them of an hye mynde. But whē he was in his martyrdom, he mourned & sayd: Thou O Lorde, whiche hast the holye knowledge, knowest openly: that where as I myghte be delyuered from death, I suffre these sore paynes of my body: but in my mynde I am well content to suffre them, because I feare the. Thus this man dyed, leuynge the memo¦ryall of his death for an example not onelye vnto yong men, but vnto all the people, to be stedfast and manly.

¶ The punyshment of the .vii. brethren & of theyr mother.

CAPI. VII.

IT happened also that there were seuen bre¦thren [ A] (with their mother) taken & cōpelled by the kynge agaynst the law to eate swy∣nes flesshe:* 1.29 namely with scourges & lethren whyppes. And one of them which was the chiefe, sayde: What sekest thou, and what crequyrest thou of vs? As for vs, we are ready rather to suffre death, then to offende the lawes of God & the fathers. Then was the kynge angry, and bad heate cauldrons & brasen pottes. Whiche whēn they were made hote, immedyatly he commaunded the tong of hym that spake fyrste to be cut out, to pull the skyn ouer his heade to pare of the edges of his hādes and sete: yea & that in the sight of his mother and the other of his brethren. Now when he was cleane marred, he coman̄¦ded a fyre to be made, & so (whyle there was any breath in hym) to be fryed in the cauldrō In the which when he had bene longe pay∣ned, the other brethren with theyr mother ex¦horted hym to dye manfullye, sayinge: The Lorde God shall regarde the truth,* 1.30 and com¦forte vs, lyke as Moses testyfyeth and decla¦reth in his songe, sayinge: and he wyll haue compassion on his seruauntes. [ B]

So when the fyrste was deed after this maner, they brought the seconde to haue him in derision, pulled the skynne with the heer ouer his heed, and asked hym, yf he wold eat swynes flesh, or he were payned in the other membres also thorow out his bodye. But he answered boldly, and sayde: I wyll not do it. And so was he tormented lyke as the fyrst & when he was euen at the gyuynge vp the ghost he sayde: Thou moost vngracyous per¦son puttest vs now to death, but the kyng of the worlde shall rayse vs vp (which dye for his lawes) in the resurrection of euerlastynge lyfe.

After hym, was the thyrde had in derysy∣on: and when he was requyred, he put oute his tonge, and that ryghte soone, holdynge forth his handes manfullye, and spake with a stedfast fayth: These haue I of heuen, but now for the lawe of God I despyse theym, for my trust is, that I shall receyue theym of him again. In so moch y^t the king & they whi∣che were w^t him, marueled at y^e yōg mās bold¦nes, that he nothyng regarded the paynes. [ C]

Now when he was deed also, they vexed the fourth with tormētes in lyke maner. So when he was nowe at his death, he sayd:* 1.31 It is better that we beynge put to death of mē haue our hope and trust in God, for he shall

rayse vs vp agayne. As for y^t, thou shalt haue no resurrection to lyfe.

And when they had spoken to the fyfth, they tormented him. Then loked he vnto the kyng, and sayd: thou hast power among men, for thou arte a mortall man also thy selfe, to do what thou wilt, but thynk not, that God hath forsakē our generacyon. Abyde the, tary styll a whyle, and thou shalt se the great po∣wer of God, how he wyll punish the and thy sede. After him they brought the syxth, which beyng at the poynt of death, sayd: Be not dis¦ceyued (O kynge) for this we suffre for oure owne sakes, bycause we haue offended oure God, and therfore meruelous thinges are she¦wed vpon vs. But thynke not thou, whiche takest in hande to stryue agaynst God, that [ D] thou shalt escape vnpunysshed.

This exellent mother (worthye to be well reported of, and had in remembraunce) sawe her seuen sonnes dye in one daye, and suffred it pacyently, bycause of the hope that she had in God: yea she exhorted euery one of them in especyal, and that boldly and stedfastly with parfyte wysdome, wakynge vp her wyuysshe thought with a manlye stomacke, and sayde vnto them: I can not tell how ye came in my wōbe, for I neither gaue you breth ne soule, no nor lyfe. It is not I that ioyned the mem∣bres of your bodyes togyther, but the maker of the worlde, whiche fashyoned the byrth of man, and began all thynges. Euen he also of his owne mercy shall gyue you breth and lyfe agayne, lyke as ye nowe regarde not youre owne selues for his sake.

Now thought Antiochus that she had de∣spysed him, therfore he let her go with her re∣proues, and began to exhorte the yongest son (which yet was left) not only with wordes, but swore vnto hym with an oothe, that he should make hym a ryche and welthtye man yf he wolde forsake the lawes of his fathers: yea and that he shold gyue hym: what soeuer were necessary for him. But when the yonge [ E] man wold not be moued for al these thinges, he called his mother, and coūseled her to saue her sonnes lyfe. And whē he had exhorted her with many wordes, she promised him that she sholde speake vnto her son. So she turned her vnto him, laughing the cruel tiraūt to scorne: and spake w^t a bolde voyce: O my sonne, haue pytie vpon me that bare the .ix. monethes in my wombe, that gaue the sucke, norisshed the and brought the vp vnto this age.

I beseche the (my sonne) loke vpon heauen and earth and all that is therin, and cōsydre, that God made them and mans generacyon of nought: so shalt thou not feare this hang∣man, but suffre death stedfastlye, lyke as thy brethrē haue done: that I maye receyue the a∣gayn in the same mercy with thy brethren.

Whyle she was yet speaking these wordes the yong mā sayd: Whom loke ye for? Wher¦fore do ye tary? I wyll not obeye the kynges cōmaundement, but the law that God gaue vs by Moses.* 1.32 As for the that ymagynest [ F] all myschefe agaynst the Iewes, thou shalte not escape the hande of God, for we suffre these thynges, because of our synnes.

And though God be angry with vs a ly∣tle whyle (for our chastenynge and reforma∣cyon) yet shall he be at one agayne with his seruauntes. But thou. O shameful and most abhomynable person. Pryde not thy selfe thorow vayne hope, in beynge so malycyous vpon the seruauntes of God: for thou hast not yet escaped the iudgemente of the God whiche is almyghtye and seeth all thynges. My brethren that haue suffred a lytle payne are now vnder the couenaunt of euerlasting lyfe: but thorowe the iudgemente of God, thou shalte be punysshed ryghtouslye for thy pryde.

As for me, lyke as my brethren haue done, I offre my soule and my body for the lawes of our fathers, callynge vpon God, that he wyll soone be mercyfull vnto our people yea and with payne and punysshment to make the graunt, that he only is God.* 1.33 In me now and in my brethren the wrath of almyghtye God is at an ende, whiche ryghtouslye is fal¦len vpon all our people.

Then the kynge beynge kyndled in angre was more cruel vpon hym then vpon all the other, and toke indignacion, that he was so lyghtly regarded. So this yonge man dyed vndefiled, and put his trust styl in the Lorde. Laste of al after the sonnes, was the mother put to death also. Let this now be ynough spoken cōcernyng the offrynges, and extreme cruelnes.

¶ Iudas gathereth togyther his host. Nycanor is sente agaynste Iudas. Iudas exhorteth his souldy¦ers to constauntnes. Nicanor is ouercome. The Ie¦wes gyue thankes after they haue put their enne∣myes to flyght, deuydinge the spoyles vnto the fa∣therles and vnto the wydowes. Nicanor tlyeth vn¦to Antiochus.

CAPI. VIII.

THen Iudas Machabeus and they that [ A] were w^t him, went pryuelye in to the townes called their kynsfolkes and frē¦des togyther, toke vnto them al such as con¦tynued yet in the fayth and law of y^e Iewes & brought forth .vi. thousande men.

So they called vpon the Lorde, that he wolde haue an eye vnto his people: whiche was troden downe of euery man: to be gra¦cyous vnto the temple, that was defyled of the vngodlye to haue compassyon vpon the destruction of the cytye whiche was shortlye lyke to be layde waste: to heare the voyce of the bloude that cryed vnto hym: to remem∣bre the moste vnryghtous deathes of yonge innocent chyldrē the blasphemyes also done vnto his name, and to punysh them.

Nowe when Machabeus hadde gathered this multytude togyther,* 1.34 he was to myghty for the heathen, for the wrath of the Lorde was turned into mercye, he fell vpon y^e tow∣nes and cityes at vnwares, brente them toke the mooste commodious places, and slewe many of the ennemyes. But specyally he made such chases by nyght in so moche that

his manlinesse was spoken of euery where.

So when Philip saw that the man increa∣sed [ B] by lytell and lytell, and that the matter prospered with hym for the moost parte: he wrote vnto Ptolomy (which was a captayne in Celosyria and Phenices) to helpe hym in the kynges busynesse. Then sent he Nicanor Patrocly (a specyall frende of his) in all the haste, and gaue him the common sorte of the Heathen no lesse then .xx.M. harnessed men, to rote out the hole generacyō of the Iewes, hauyng to helpe him one Gorgias a man of warre, whiche in matters concernynge bat∣tayles had greate experience. Nycanor or∣deyned also the trybute (which the Romay∣nes shuld haue had) to be gyuen vnto y^e kyng, out of the captiuytie of the Iewes, namely, ij.M. talētes. And immediatly he sent to the cyties of the see coost, requyryng them for to bye Iewes to be theyr saruauntes and bonde men, promysyng to sell them .ixxxx. for one ta∣lente, but he consydered not the wrath of al∣myghtye God, that was come vpon him.

When Iudas knew of this, he tolde the [ C] Iewes that were with him of Nicanors cō∣myng. Nowe were there some of them feare∣full, not trustynge vnto the ryghtousnesse of God and fled theyr waye.

But the other that remayned, came togy∣ther and besought the Lord, to delyuer them from that wycked Nicanor, which had solde them or euer he come nye them: and thought he wolde not do it for theyr sakes, yet for the couenaunt that he made with theyr fathers, and bycause they called vpon his holye and gloryous name. And so Machabeus called his men togyther, namely aboute syxe thou∣sande, exhorting them not to agree vnto their enemyes, neither to be afrayed for the mul∣titude of their aduersaryes comming agaynst them vnryghtouslye:* 1.35 but to fyghte manlye, consyderynge the reprofe that they had done vnto the holy place without cause, how they had despysed and oppressed the cytie, yea and destroyed the lawes of the fathers. For they sayde he, trust in theyr weapons and bolde∣nesse, but oure confydence is in the almygh∣tye Lorde, which in the twynklyng of an eye maye bothe destroye them that come agaynst vs,* 1.36 and al the world.

He exhorted them also to call to remem∣braunce, the helpe that God shewed vnto theyr fathers: as when there perished an hun∣dreth [ D] foure score and fyue thousande of Sen∣nacheribs people:* 1.37 And of y^e batayle that they had in Babylō agaynst the Galacyans: how that al the Macedonyans that came to helpe them, stode in feare: and how they beyng but only syxe .M. flewe an hundreth and twenty thousand, thorow the helpe that was gyuen them from heauen, wherby they also had re∣ceyued many benefytes.

Thorow these wordes, the men toke good hertes vnto them, ready to dye for the lawe and the countrey. So he set vpon euery com∣pany a capitayne, one of his owne brethren: Symon, Ioseph and Ionathas: gyuyng eche fyftene hūdreth men. He caused Esdras also to reade the holy boke vnto them, & to gyue them a token of the helpe of God.

Then he hym self being captayne in y^e fore front of the battayle, buckled with Nicanor.* 1.38 And God was their helpe, in so moche that they slew aboue .ix.M. men, & compelled the more part of Nicanors host to flee, they were [ E] so wounded and feble. Thus they toke the money from those that came to bye theym. & folowed vpon them on euery syde. But whē the tyme came vpon them they returned, for it was the Sabboth, and therfore they folo∣wed nomore vpon them. So they toke their weapons and spoyles and kept the Sabboth gyuynge thankes vnto the Lorde which had delyuered them that daye, and shewed them his mercye.* 1.39 After the Sabboth they destrybu¦ted the spoyles to the sycke, to the fatherlesse and to wydowes, and the resydue had they thē selues with theirs. When this was done and they al had made a general prayer: they besought the mercyfull Lorde to be at one with his seruauntes.

Of those also that were with Timotheus and Bachides, which tought agaynste them they slew .xx.M. wanne hygh and strong hol¦des, and deuyded moo spoyles:* 1.40 euer gyuyng an equal porcyon vnto y^e sycke, to y^e fatherles to wydowes and to aged persons. And whē [ F] they had dylygently gathered their weapōs togyther, they layde them all in conueniente places & the remnaunt of y^e spoyles brought they to Ierusalem. They flewe Phylarches that wicked personne, which was with Ty∣motheus, and had vexed many Iewes. And when they helde the thankesgeuynge at Ie∣rusalem for the victory, they brent those that had set fyre on y^e portes of y^e temple: namely Calisthenes, whiche was fled in to an house and so they gat a worthye rewarde for their wyckednes. As for that mooste vngracyous Nicanor,* 1.41 whiche had broughte a thousande marchauntes, to by the Iewes, he was tho∣rowe the helpe of the Lorde brought downe euen of them whom he regarded not: in so moche that he put of his gloryous rayment fled by see and came alone to Antioch, with greate shame and dyshonoure, which he gat thorow the destruction of his hoost. Thus he that promysed the Romaynes to pay them their trybute, when he toke Ierusalem: be∣gan now to say playnely, that God was the defender of the Iewes, and therfore not po∣syble to wounde them because they folowed the lawes whiche God had made.

¶ Antiochus wyllyng to spoyle Persepolis is dry∣uen to flyght. As he persecuteth the Iewes, he is stryken of the Lorde. The fayned repentaunce of Antiochus. He dyeth.

CAPI. IX.

AT the same tyme came Antiochus a∣gayne [ A] with dyshonour out of Persis.* 1.42 For when he came to Persepolis, and vndertoke to rob the temple & to subdue the

cytye, the people ran togyther and defended them selues, in so moch that he and his were fayne to fle with shame. And so after y^e flyght, it happened, that Antiochus came agayne w^t dyshonour. But whē he came to Egbathana, he gat knowlege what was happened vnto Nycanor and Tymotheus. Nowe as he was auauncyng him self in his wrath, he thought he was hable to auenge the iniury that was done to them vpon the Iewes: and therfore commaunded to make ready his charret, ha∣styng on his iourney withoute ceasynge, the iudgement of God prouokynge hym, by cause he had spoken so proudly, that he wold come to Ierusalem, and make it a graue of the Ie∣wes. But y^e Lorde God of Israel, that seith al thynges,* 1.43 smote him w^t an inuysyble plage, which no man coulde heale.

For as soone as he had spoken these wor∣des, there came vpon hym an horryble payne of his bowels, & a sore grefe of the tharmes. And that was but ryght: for he had martyred other mens bowels with dyuers and straūge tormentes,* 1.44 howe be it, he wolde in no wyse cease from his malyce. Yea he was yet the prouder and more malicyous agaynst the Ie∣wes: But whyle he was commaundynge to make haste in the matter, it happened that he fell downe vyolentlye frome the charret, so that it broosed his body, and dyd him great payne.

And so he that thought he myght com∣maunde the floudes of the see (so proude was he beyonde the condicyon of man) and to wey the hyghe mountaynes in a payre of scales, was now brought downe to the ground, and caryed vpon an horslytter, knowledgynge the manyfest power of God vpon hym: so that the wycked body of his was full of wormes, which in his payne fell quyck out of his flesh: In so moche that his hoost was greued with the smell and stynke of hym. Thus he that a lytle afore thoughte he myght reache to the startes of heauen, hym myght no man nowe abyde ne beare, for the vehemence of styncke.

Therfore he beynge brought frō his great [ C] pryde, began for to come to the knowledge of hym self: for the punyshment of God warned hym, and his payne increased euer more and more. And when he him self myght not abyde his owne stynke, he sayd these wordes: It is reason to be obedyent vnto God, and that a man desyre not to be lyke vnto hym. This wycked person prayed also vnto the Lorde, of whome he shoulde haue obtayned no mercy. And as for the cytie that he came vnto so ha∣stely, to brynge it downe to the grounde, and to make it a graue for deed men: now he desi∣reth to delyuer it free.

And as touchyng the Iewes whom he had iudged not worthye to be buryed, but wolde haue caste theym oute to be deuoured of the foules and wild beastes, saying: that he wold haue destroyed bothe olde and yonge: Now he promyseth, to make them lyke the cytezins of Athens. And where as he had spoyled the holy temple afore, nowe he maketh promyse to garnysh it with greate gyftes, to increase the holy ornamentes, and of his owne ren∣tes to beare the costes, and charges belon∣gyng to the offrynges: yea and that he wold also become a Iewe hym selfe, to go thorow euery place of the worlde and to preach the power of God. [ D]

But when his paynes wolde not ceasse, (for the ryghtous iudgement of God was come vpon hym) out of a verye despayre he wrote vnto the Iewes a letre of intercession conteynynge these wordes: The kynge and prynce Antiochus wyssheth vnto y^e verteous cytesyns of the Iewes, moche health & good prosperytye.

If ye and youre chyldren fare well, and yf all thinges go after your mynde: we giue greate thankes. In my sickenesse also do I re¦membre you louyngly: for as I came oute of Persia, and was taken with sore dysease: I thought it necessary to care for the comen wealth. Neither dispayre I in my selfe, but haue a good hope to escape this syckenes.

But consyderynge that my father led an [ E] hooste somtyme in the hygher places, and she¦wed who shulde raygne after hym, that (yf there happened any cōtrouersy, or any hard thynge were declared) they in the lād myght knowe theyr chiefe lorde, that there shuld be no insurrection: Agayne, when I pondre by my self, how that all the myghtye men and neyghboures rounde about, are laying wait and loke but for oportunytye to do harme: I haue ordeyned that my sonne Antiochus shal raygne after me whom I oft cōmended to many of you, when I was in the hygher kyngdomes, and haue wrytten vnto hym as it foloweth herafter. Therfore I praye you and requyre you, to remembre the benefites that I haue done vnto you generally and in especyall. For I hope that he shal be of sobre and louynge behauyour, and if he folow my deuyce, he shall be indyfferent vnto you.

Thus that murtherer and blasphemer of God was sore smytten:* 1.45 and like as he had intreated other men, so he dyed a myserable death in a straunge countrey vpon a moun∣tayne. And his bodye dyd Phylyp (that went with hym) carye awaye: which fearinge the sonne of Antiochus, wente in to Egypte to Ptolomy Philometor.

¶ Iudas Machabeus taketh the cyty and the tem¦ple. He begynneth to shewe the actes of Eupator. The Iewes fyght agaynste the Idumeans, Ty∣motheus inuadeth Iewrye, with whome Iudas ioyneth battayle fyue men appeare in the ayre to the helpe of the Iewes. Tymothy is slayne.

CAPI. X.

MAchabeus now and his company (tho∣rowe the helpe of the Lorde) wan the [ A] temple and the cytye agayne,* 1.46 destroy∣ed the aulters and chapelles that the Hea∣then hadde buylded thorowe the stret••s: clē∣sed the temple,* 1.47 made an other aulter of bryck stone & after .ij. yeres they offered sacryfyces,

set forth the incense, the lyghtes and shewe∣bred. When that was done, they fell downe flat vpō the grounde, and besought the Lord that they might come nomore in to such trou¦ble: but yf they synned any more agaynst hym, he hym selfe to chasten them with mercy, and not to come in the handes of those aleauntes and blasphemous men.

Now vpon the same daye that the straun∣gers polluted the tēple, it happened that on the verye same daye it was clensed agayne: namely, the two and twenty day of the mo∣neth called Casleu. They kepte ryght dayes in gladnesse,* 1.48 lyke as in the feast of the taber∣nacles: [ B] remembrynge that not longe afore, they helde the feaste of the tabernacles vpon the mountaynes and in dennes lyke beastes. And to the same token they bare grene bo∣wes, braunches and palmes before hym that had gyuen them good fortune to clense his place. They agreed also togyther, and made a statute, that euery yere those dayes shoulde be solemnly kepte of all the people of the Ie∣wes.

How Antiochus then (that was called the noble) dyed, it is suffycietly tolde. Now wyll we speake of Nicanor the son of that wicked Antiochus, how it happened with hym: and so with fewe wordes to comprehende the ad∣uersytie that chaunsed in the warres. When he had taken in the kyngdome, he made one Lysias (which had bene capitayne of the host in Phenices and Siria) ruler ouer the mat∣ters of y^e realme. For Ptolomy that was cal∣led Macron, being a ruler for the Iewes, and specyally, to syt in iudgement for such wrong as was done vnto them, vndertoke to deale peaceably with them. For the which cause he was accused of the frendes before Eupator: and when he was suspecte to be a traytour (because he had lefte Cypres, that Philome∣tor [ C] had commytted vnto hym: and bycause he departed frome noble Antiochus, that he was come vnto (he poysoned hym selfe, and dyed.

Nowe when Gorgias was gouernoure of the same places, he toke straungers and vnder toke ofte tymes to warre with the Iewes. Moreouer the Idumeans that helde y^e strong holdes,* 1.49 receyued those that were dryuē from Ierusalem, and toke in hande to warre also. But they that were with Machabeus, be∣sought and prayed vnto the Lorde, that he wolde be theyr helper: and so they fell in to y^e stronge holde of the Idumeans, and wanne many places by strengthe: Suche as came a∣gaynst them they slew, and kylled no lesse (of all togyther) then twenty thousande. Neuer∣thelesse some, no lesse then nyne thousande, were fled in to two stronge towers, hauynge all maner of ordynaunce to withstande them.

[ D] Then Machabeus leauynge Symon, Io∣sephus, Zachaus and those that were with them (which were very many) wēt to besiege them, and to fyght where nede was. Nowe they that were with Symon beyng led with couetousnesse, were intreated for money, tho∣row certayne of these that lay in the towres: toke .lxx. M. Drachmas, and let some of thē escape. But when it was tolde Machabeus what had happened, he called the captaynes of the people togyther accusynge those per∣sonnes,* 1.50 that they had solde the brethren for money, and let their enemyes go. So he slew those traytoures, and immedyatlye wente in hād with the .ij. towers. And when they had ordred them selues manly with theyr wea∣pons & handes, they slewe in the two castels mo then twenty. M.

Now Tymotheus whom the Iewes had ouercome afore,* 1.51 gathered a multytude of straunge people, broughte an hooste also of horsemen of the Asians, to wynne Iewry by strength. But when he drewe nyghe, Macha¦beus & they that were with hym fel to theyr [ E] prayer, sprynckled asshes vpon their heades,* 1.52 beinge gyrded with heery cloth aboute theyr loynes, fel downe before the aulter and be∣sought the Lorde that he wolde be mercifull to them, but an enemye vnto theyr enemyes, and to take parte agaynste theyr aduersaryes accordynge as it is promysed in the lawe. So after the prayer they went on further from y^e cytye: and when they came nye the enemyes they prepared them selues agaynst them.

And bytymes in the mornyng at y^e breake of the day, both the hostes buckled togyther.* 1.53 The one parte hadde the Lorde for theyr refuge which is y^e gyuer of prosperyty strēgth and vyctory. The other had a manly stomack which is a captayne of war.

The battayle now beynge greate there ap¦peared vnto the ennemyes frome heauen .v.* 1.54 men vpon horsbackes wyth brydels of golde ledynge the Iewes, & two of them hauynge Machabeus betwyxte them that kepte him safe on euery syde with theyr weapons but shot dartes and lyghtenynges vpon the ene∣myes: where thorow they were confounded with blyndnes and so sore afrayed, that they fell downe. There were slayne of fotemen twenty thousand and fyue hundreth, and .vi. hundreth horsmen. As for Tymotheus hym [ F] selfe, he fled vnto Gazar a very stronge holde wherin Cereas was captayne. But Macha∣beus and his company layd siege to it chear∣fully .iiij. dayes.

Now they that were within trustynge to the strength of the place, cursed and banned excedyngly, and made greate crakynge with wycked wordes. Neuertheles vpon the fifth day in the mornyng .xx. yong men of Macha∣beus company being set on fyre in theyr myn¦des because of the blasphemy: came māfully vnto the wall, & with bolde stomackes they and their companyons clymed vp vpon the towres, vndertakynge to set fyre vpon the portes & to burne those blasphemous persons quick. Two dayes were they destroying y^e ca¦stell whiche when they founde Timotheus* 1.55 (that was crepte in to a corner) they kylled him, & slewe Cereas his brother in lyke ma∣ner with Appollophanes. When this was done they songe Psalmes, with prayses and thanckesgyuynges vnto the Lorde / whiche had done so greate thynges for Israel, and gyuen

them the victorye.

¶ Lisias goeth about to ouercom the Iewes. Suc∣cour is sent from heauen vnto the Iewes. The let∣ter of Lisias to the Iewes. The letter of kyng An∣tiochus vnto Lisias. A letter of the some vnto the Iewes. A letter of the Romaynes to the Iewes

CAPI. XI.

[ A] NOt long after this Lysias the kynges stewarde and a kynsman of his, which had the gouernaūce of his maters, toke sore displeasure, for the thinges that had hap¦pened: & when he had gathered .lxxx. M men of fote with all the hoste of the horsemen, he came agaynst the Iewes thynking to wynne the city to make it an habitacion for the Hea¦then,* 1.56 and the temple wolde he haue to he an house of lucre, lyke as the other goddes hou∣ses of the Heathen are, and to sell the prestes offyce euery yere: Not consyderynge the po∣wer of God, but was wylde in his mynde, trustynge in the multitude of footemen,* 1.57 in thousandes of horsemē, and in his four score Elephantes.

[ B] So he came in to Iury and then to Bethsu¦ra (a castel of defence lying in a narow place fyue furlonges from Ierusalem) and wan it. Nowe when Machabeus and his companye knew y^t the stronge holdes were taken,* 1.58 they fell to their prayers with wepyng and tea∣res before the Lorde, and al y^e people in lyke maner besought him, & he wolde send a good aungell to deliuer Israell. Machabeus hym selfe was the fyrst that made him redy to the batell, exhortinge the other that were with hym, to ieoparde them selues, & to helpe their brethren. And whē they were goyng forth of Ierusalem togither with a redy and willing mynd,* 1.59 there appered before them vpon hors∣backe a man in whyte clothynge,* 1.60 with har∣nesse of golde, shakyng his spere. Then they praysed the Lorde all to gyther, whiche had shewed them mercye, and were comforted in theyr myndes, in so moche that they were re∣dy, not only to fyght with men, but with the most cruel beastes: yea, and to run thorowe walles of yron.

[ C] Thus they went on willyngly hauyng an helper from heuen, and the Lorde mercyfull vnto them. They fel mightily vpon their en¦nemies like lyons, brought down .xi.M. fote¦men, sixtene .C. horsemen put all the other to flight, many of them being wounded, & some gat awaye naked. Yea Lysias him selfe was fayne to fle shamefully, and so to escape. Ne¦uerthelesse the man was not without vnder∣standing, but considered by him self that his power was minisshed,* 1.61 and pondred how the Iewes, being defended by the help of almigh¦ty God were not hable to be ouercom: wher¦fore he sent them worde, and promysed that he wolde consent to all thynges which were reasonable, and to make the kyng their frēd. to the whiche prayer of Lysias, Machabeus agreed, sekynge in all thynges the common welth: and what so euer Machabeus wrote vnto Lysias concerning the Iewes, the king graunted it. For there were letters wrytten vnto the Iewes frome Lysias conteynynge these wordes.

Lysias sendeth gretynge to the people of the Iewes. Ihon and Absalon whiche were [ D] sent from you, delyuered me wrytinges, and requyred me to fulfyl the thynges, concer∣nynge theyr errande. Therfore loke what myght be graunted, I certyfyed the kynge therof: and what so euer was conuenyent: I agreed therto: If ye now wyl be faythful in the matters, I shall endeuer my selfe hereaf∣ter also to do you good. As concernynge o∣ther thynges by euery artycle therof: I haue commytted them to your messengers, and to those whom I sent vnto you, to comen with you of the same, fare ye well: In the hundred and .xlviii. yere, the .xxiiii. daye of the mo∣neth Dioscorinthius.

Nowe the kynges letter conteyned these wordes: Kynge Antiochus sendeth gretynge vnto his brother Lisias. For so moch as our father is nowe deed, oure wyll is, that they whiche are in our realme, lyue without any insurrection, and euery man to be dyligente in his owne matters. We vnderstande also, that the Iewes wolde not consent to our fa∣ther, for to be brought vnto the custome of y^e Gentyles, but styfly to kepe theyr owne sta∣tutes: for the which cause they requyre of vs also, to let them remayne still by their owne lawes.

Wherfore our mynde is, that this people shalbe in rest: we haue concluded and deter∣mined [ E] also, to restore them theyr temple a∣gayne: that they maye lyue accordyng to the vse and custome of theyr fore fathers: Thou shalt do vs a pleasure therfore, yf thou sende vnto them and agree with them: that when they are certified of our mynde, they may be of good chere, and loke to their own welth.

And this was the lettre that y^e kyng wrote vnto the Iewes: Kynge Antiochus sendeth gretyng vnto the counsell and the other peo∣ple of the Iewes. If ye fare wel, we haue our desyre: as for vs, we are in good health: Me∣nelaus came and told vs, how that your de∣syre was to come downe to youre people, which are with vs.

Wherfore those that wyll come, we gyue them free lybertie, vnto the thyrtye daye of [ F] the moneth of Apryll, that they maye vse the meates of the Iewes and theyr owne la∣wes, lyke as afore: and none of them by any maner of wayes to haue harme, for thynges done in ignoraunce. Menelaus whome we haue sent vnto you, shall commen with you at large, fare ye well. In the hundred fortye and eyght yere, the fyftene daye of the mo∣neth of Apryll.

The Romaynes also sēt a lettre, contey∣nyng these wordes: Quintus Menius & Ti¦tus Manilius embassadours of y^e Romayns, send gretyng vnto the people of the Iewes••. Loke what Lisias y^e kynges kynsman hathe

graunted you, we graunt you the same also. But as concernyng the thinges which he re∣ferred vnto the king, send hyther some with spede: & pondre the mater diligently among your selues, that we may cast y^e best to youre profyte, for we must depart now vnto Anti∣oche, and therfore wryte shortly agayme, y^t we maye knowe your mynde: Farewell. In the hundred .xlviii. yere, the fyftene daye of the moneth of Apryl.

¶ Tymotheus troubleth the Iewes. The wycked dede of the Ieppytes agaynst the Iewes. Iudas is auenged of them. He letteth fyre on the yate of Iā∣nia. The pursute of the Iewes agaynst Tymothy. Tymothye is taken and let go vnhurt. Iudas pur∣sueth Gorgias. Iudas offryng sacrifyce for the deed sheweth the hope of the resurrection.

CAPI. XII.

WHen these couenauntes were made, Ly¦sias went vnto the king, and the Iewes [ A] tylled theyr grounde. But Timotheus Appolonius the sonne of Gemei, Ierome and Demophon the proude, Nicanor the capitein of Cypers, and they that laye in those places wold not let thē lyue in rest & peax. They of Ioppa also did euē such a shamful dede: they prayed the Iewes that dwelt amonges them to go with their wiues and childrē in to the shyppes which they had prepared, and did w^t them, as though they had ought them no euil wyll. For so moche then as there was goone forth a generall proclamacion thorowe the city bycause of peax, they consented therto, & suspect nothynge: but when they were gone forth in to the depe, they drowned no lesse thē two .C. of them.

When Iudas knew of this cruelty shewed vnto his people, he cōmaunded those y^t were with him to make them redy, exhortyng thē to call vpon God the rightous iudge: went forthe againste those murtherers of his bre∣thrē, set tyre in the hauē by night, brent vp y^e [ B] shyppes, and those that escaped from y^e fyre, he slew w^t the swerde. And when he had done this, he departed as though he wold come a∣gayne, and rote out all them of Ioppa. But when he had goten worde that the Iamnites were minded to do in lyke maner vnto y^e Ie∣wes which dwelt among them, he came vpō the Iamnites by night, & set fyre in the hauen with the shyppes, so that the light of the fyre was sene at Ierusalem vpon a two .C. and xl. furlonges.

Now when they were gone frō thence .ix. furlonges in their iourney towarde Timo∣theus fyue .M. men of fote, and fiue .C. hors∣men of the Arabians fought w^t him. So whē the battayle was ernest, and prospered with Iudas thorow the helpe of God: the residue of the Arabians being ouercome, besoughte Iudas to be at one with them, and promysed to gyue hym certeyn pastures, and to do him good in other thynges. Iudas thinkyng that they sholde in dede be profitable concerning many thynges, promysed them pear: wher∣vpon they shoke handes, and so they depar∣ted to their tentes. Iudas went also vnto a ci¦tye, which was very fast kepte with bridges fensed round about with walles and dyuers kyndes of people dwellynge therin, called Caspin.

They that were within, put such trust in [ C] the strength of the walles, and in their store of vitayles, that they were the slacker ī their doinges, cursing and reuilyng Iudas w^t blas¦phemies, and speking such wordes as it becō¦meth not. But Machabeus calling vpon the great prince of the worlde (which withoute any batelrammes or ordinaunce of war,* 1.62 did cast downe the walles of Iericho in the time of Iosue) fel manfully vpon the walles, toke the city, and (thorow the helpe of the Lorde) made an exceding gret slaughter: in so moch that a lake of two furlonges brode, whiche laye therby, semed to flowe with the bloude of the slayne.

Then departed they from thence .vii. C. & fifty furlonges, and came to Taraca vnto y^e Iewes that are called Tubianei. But as for Timotheus, they coulde not get him there: for (not one matter dispatched) he was de{per}∣ted from thence, and had lefte certayne men in a very strong hold. But Dositheus & So∣sipater, which were capiteyns with Macha¦beus, slew those that Timotheus had lefte in the house of defence, euen .x. M. mē. And Ma¦chabeus prepared him with the sixe .M. men that were about him, set them in ordre by cō∣panyes, and went forthe agaynst Timothe∣us, which had with hym an hundred and .xx. M. men of fote, two thousande and fyue .C. horsemen.

Whē Timotheus had knowlege of Iudas [ D] commyng, he sent the women, chyldren & the other baggage vnto a castell called Carniō. (For it could not be won, and was harde to come vnto, the wayes of y^e same places were so narow) and when Iudas companye came first in sight, the enemies were smittē w^t fear thorow the presence of God, whiche seeth al thynges: In so moche that they fleinge one here, an other ther,* 1.63 were rather discomfeted of their own people, and wounded with the strokes of their owne swerdes. Iudas also was very ernest in folowing vpon them, pu∣nysshyng those vngodly, and slewe .xxx.M. men of them. Timotheus also him selfe fell in to the hādes of Dositheus and Sosipater whom he besought with many praiers, to let hym go with his lyfe: bycause he had manye of the Iewes fathers and brethren in pryson which, yf they put hym to deth, might ••e dis∣appoynted. So when he had promised fayth fully to deliuer them agayne according to y^e condicion made, they let him go w^tout harme for the helth of the brethrē. And when Iudas had slayne .xxv. thousande, he went frō Car¦nion.

Now after y^t he had chased away & slayne his ennemyes, he remoued the hoste towarde [ E] Ephron a stronge city, wherin dwelt manye dyuers people of the Heathen, and the strong

yong men kepte the walles, defendyng them mightily. In this city was moch ordinaunce and prouision of dartes. But when Iudas & his company had called vpō almighty God, which with his power breaketh the strength of the ennemyes, they wan the city and slewe xxv.M. of them y^t were within. From thence went they to the city of the Scithiās, which lieth sixe hundred furlonges from Ierusalē. But when the Iewes which were in the city testifyed, that the cityzyns dealte louynglye with them: yea and intreated thē kyndly in the tyme of their aduersitie, Iudas & his com¦pany gaue them thankes, desyrynge them to be frendly styl vnto them: and so they came to Ierusalem the hye feest of the wekes being at hande. And after the feast they went forth agaynst Gorgias the gouernour of Idumea, with thre thousand men of fote, and four .C horsemen. Whiche when they met togyther, it chaunsed a fewe of the Iewes to be slayne. [ F] And Dositheus one of y^e Bachenors, a migh¦tye horseman toke holde of Gorgias, & wold haue taken hym quycke. But an horseman of Thracia fell vpon hym, & smote of his arme so y^e Gorgias escaped and fled in to Moresa. When they now that were of Gorgias syde, had foughten longe and were werye, Iudas called vpon the Lorde that he wold be their helper, and capitayne of the felde: and with that he began with a manly voice to take vp a songe of prayse, and a crye: In so moche that he made the ennemyes afraide, and Gor¦gias men of warre toke theyr flyght. So Iu∣das gathered his hoste, and came in to the ci∣ty of Odolla. And whē the seuenth day came vpon them, they clensed them selues (as the custome was) and kepte the Sabboth in the same place. And vpon the daye folowynge Iudas and his company came to take vp the bodyes of them that were slayne, and to bu∣rye them in the fathers graues. Nowe vnder the cootes of certayne Iewes whiche were slayne they founde iewels that they had ta∣ken out of the temple & frome the Idolles of the Iamniters, whiche thynge is forbydden the Iewes by the lawe. Then euery man saw that this was the cause wherfore they were slayne.

And so euerye man gaue thankes vnto the Lorde for his ryghtous iudgement, whiche had opened the thynge that was hyd. They fell downe also vnto theyr prayers, and be∣sought God, that the faute which was made myght be put out of remembraunce. Besides that, Iudas exhorted the people earnestly to kepe them selues frō suche syn: for so moche as they saw before their eyes, that these men were slayne for the same offence. So he ga∣thered of euery one a certen,* 1.64 in so moch that he broughte togyther two .M. drachmas of siluer, which he sent vnto Ierusalem, y^t there might a sacrifice be offered for the mysdede. In the which place he dyd wel and right, for he had some consideracion and pondryng of the lyfe that is after this time. For yf he had not thought that they which were slayne did yet lyue, it had ben superfluous and vayne, to make any vow or sacrifyce for them that were deed. But for so moche as he saw that they whiche dye in the fauoure and bylefe of God, are in good reste and ioye, he thought it to be good and honourable for a reconcylynge, to do the same for those whi∣che were slayne, that the offence myghte be forgyuen.

¶ The commynge of Eu••ator in to Iewrye. The death of Menelaus. Machabeus goyng to tyght a∣gaynst Eupator, moueth his souldiars vnto prayer. He kylleth .xxiiii. thousande men in the tentes of An∣tiochus. Rhodocus the betrayer of the Iewes is ta∣ken. Antiochus retayneth frēdship with y^e Iewes.

CAPI. XIII.

IN the .Cxlix. yere gat Iudas knowlege, [ A] that Antiochus Eupator was commyng with a great power in to Iury,* 1.65 and Ly∣sias the steward & ruler of his matters with hym, hauynge an hundred and ten thousande men of fote, fyue thousande horsemen .xxij. Elephauntes, and thre hundred charettes.* 1.66 Menelaus also ioyned hym selfe with them, (but with great disceyte) and spake fayre to the kynge, not for anye good of the countrey but bycause he thoughte to haue bene made some greate man of auctoritie. But the king of kynges moued Antiochus mynde agaynst this vngodlye person, and Lysias infour∣med the kynge, that this Menelaus was the cause of all myschyefe: so that the kyng commaunded to take hym, and (as the maner of them is) to put hym vnto deth in the same place.* 1.67

There was also in the same place a towre of fyftye cubytes hyghe, heaped with asshes: but aboue it was so made, that men myghte loke downe on euerye syde. Where in to the kynge commaunded that shamefull persone to be cast among the asshes, as one that was cause of all vngracyousnesse. And reason it [ B] was that the vnthryfte shoulde dye suche a death, and not to be buryed:* 1.68 for he had done moch myschief vnto y^e aulter of God (whose fyre and asshes were holye) therfore was it right, that he him self also shold he destroied with asshes.

But the kyng was wod in his minde, and came to shewe him self more cruell vnto the Iewes then his father was: which when Iu¦das perceyued, he commaunded the people to cal vpon the Lord night & day, that he wold now helpe them also, lyke as he had done al∣waye: For they were afrayd to be put from their law, from their naturall countrey, and from the holye temple: and not to suffre the peeople (which a lytle whyle afore began to rcouer) to be subdued agayn of the blasphe∣mous nacions.

So when they had done this togither, & be sought the Lord for mercy w^t wepynge and [ C] fasting thre dayes long, flat vpon y^e ground: Iudas exhorted them to make theym selues

redy. But he and the elders togither deuised to go forth first with their people, afore the kyng brought his host in to Iurye, and afore he besieged the city, and so to commit the ma¦ter vnto God.

Wherfore he ascribed y^e power of al thin∣ges vnto God the maker of the world, exhor¦tyng his people to fyght manfully (yea euen vnto deth) for the lawes, the temple, the city, their owne natyue countrey, and to defende the citezins, and set his hoste before Modin. He gaue them also y^t were with him a tokē of the victory of God,* 1.69 chosing out the mālyest yong men, went by nyght in to the kinges pa¦uilion, slew of the host .xiiii.M. men, and the greatest elephantes, with those that sat vpō [ D] them.

Thus when they hadde broughte a greate feare and rumour amonge the tentes of their enemyes, and all thynges went prosperous∣lye with them, they departed in the breake of the daye,* 1.70 God beyng theyr helper and de∣fender. Now when the kynge perceyued the manlynesse of the Iewes, he wente aboute to take the stronge places by crafte, and re∣moued his host vnto Bethsura, whiche was a well kepte house of defence of the Iewes: but they were chased awaye, hurte and dis∣comfeted.

And Iudas sente vnto them that were in it, suche thynges as were necessarye. In the Iewes hoste also there was one Rhodocus, which tolde the enemyes their secretes: but they sought him out, and when they had got∣ten him, they put hym in pryson. After this did the kyng commē with them that were in Bethsura, toke truce with them, departed, & stroke a battayle with Iudas, whiche ouer∣came hym.

[ E] But when he vnderstode, that Phillip (whome he hadde lefte to be ouerseer of his busynesses at Antioche) began to rebell a∣gaynst him, he was astonyed in his minde, so that he yelded him self to the Iewes, & made them an oth to do what so euer was thought ryght.

Now when he was reconciled with them, he offred, made moch of the tēple, gaue great giftes vnto it, enbraced Machabeus making him capiteyn & gouernour from Ptolomais vnto the Gerrenes.

Neuerthelesse, when he came to Ptolo∣mays, the people of the citye were not con∣tent with that bonde of frendshyp: for they were afrayde that he wolde breke the coue∣naunt. Then wente Lysias vp in to the seat and enfourmed the people, shewed them the cause why, and pacifyed theym. So he came agayne to Antioche. This is nowe the mat∣ter concernynge the kynges iourneye, and his returne.

¶ By the mocyon of the Lorde, Demetrius sendeth Nicanor to kyl the Iewes. Nicanor maketh a com∣pact with the Iewes, which he yet breaketh thorow y^e mocyon of the kyng. Nicanor commaūdeth Razia to be taken. The boldnesse of Razia.

CAPI. XIIII.

AFter thre yeres was Iudas informed how that Demetrius the sonne of Se¦leucus [ A] was come vp with a great po∣wer and shyppes, thorow the hauen of Tri∣polis, to take certāyne commodyous places and countreys, agaynste Antiochus and his capytayne Lysias. Nowe Alcimus (whiche had ben hye preest, and wilfully defyled him selfe in the tyme of the myxtynge) seyng that by no meanes he coulde be helped, nor haue any more intraūce to the aulter: he came to kynge Demetrius in the hundred and one & fyftye yere, presentyng vnto hym a crowne of golde, a palme and an olyue tree: which, as men thought, belonged to the temple, and that daye he helde his tonge. But when he had gotten oportunitie for his madnesse, De¦metrius called hym to counsell, and asked hym what thynges or counselles the Iewes leaned vnto? He aunswered: the Iewes that be called Assidei, whose capitayne is Iudas Machabeus, maynteyne warres, make insur¦rections, and wyll not lette the realme be in peax.

For I, beynge depryued of my fathers ho∣nour [ B] (I meane the hye preesthode) am come hyther, partly bycause I was faythfull vnto the kynge, and partly bycause I soughte the profyte of the cytezyns. And why? all oure people thorowe the wyckednesse of them are not a lytle troubled. Wherfore I beseche the O kynge consydre all these thynges dlligent lye, and then make some prouysyon for the lande and the people, accordynge to the kyndnesse that thou haste offred vnto them. For as longe as Iudas hathe the vpper∣hande, it is not possyble that men can lyue in peax.

When he had spoken these wordes, other frendes also hauynge euyll wyll at Iudas, sette the kynge Demetryus on fyre agaynste him. Whiche immediatly sent Nicanor (ru∣ler of the elephauntes) a capitayne, in to Iu∣rye: commaundynge him to take Iudas him selfe alyue, but to slee theym that were with hym, and to make Alcimus hye preeste of the temple.

Then the Heathen which fled oute of Iu∣rye frome Iudas, came to Nicynor by floc∣kes, [ C] thynkynge the harme and decaye of the Iewes to be their welfare. Now whē the Ie∣wes herde of Nicanors commynge, and the gathering togither of the Heathē,* 1.71 they sprin¦kled them selues with earthe, and besought him whiche made them his people, and euer defended his owne porcion with euident to∣kens that he wolde preserue theym styll. So at the commaundement of the capiteyn, they remoued from thence, and came to a towne called Dedassan. And Simon Iudas brother fell in hande with Nicanor, but thorow the sodayne commynge of the ennemyes, he was afrayde.

Neuerthelesse Nicanor hearynge the man∣lynesse of them that were with Iudas, and y^t bolde stomackes that they had to fyghte for

theyr naturall countrey, durst not proue the matter with bloudsheddynge. Wherfore he sent Possidonius, Theodocius and Mathias before, to gyue and take peace. So when they had taken longe aduysement therevpon, and the capitayne shewed it vnto the multitude: they were agreed in one mynde to haue peax. And they appoynted a daye to syt vpon these matters quyetly among them selues, the sto∣les also were brought and set forthe. Neuer∣thelesse Iudas commaunded certayne men of armes to wayte in conuenyente places, leest there shoulde sodeynly aryse any euyl thorow the enemyes. And so they cōmoned reasona∣bly togyther..

[ D] Nicanor, whyle he abode at Ierusalem, ordred hym selfe not vnreasonnbly, but sent away y^e people that were gathered togyther. He loued Iudas euer with his herte, and fa∣uoured him. He praied him also to take a wife and to brynge forth chyldren. So he maryed, lyued in rest, and they led a cōmen lyfe. But Alcimus perceyuynge the loue that was be∣twyxte them, and how they were agreed to∣gyther, came to Demetrius, and colde hym that Nicanor had taken straunge matters in hande, and ordeyned Iudas (an enemye of the realme) to be the kynges successour. Thē the kynge was sore displeased, and thorowe the wycked occusacyons which Alcimus made of Nicanor, he was so prouoked, that he wrote vnto Nicanor, saying: that he was very angry for the frendship and agreemēt, which he had made with Machabeus. Neuerthelesse he cōmaunded him in al the haste, that he sholde take Machabeus prisoner, and sende hym to Antioche.

Which letters when Nicanor had sene, he [ E] was at his wyttes ende, and sore greued that he shold breake the thynges wherin they had agreed: specyalye, sayinge Machabeus was the man that neuer dyd him harme. But by∣cause he myght not withstande the kynge, he sought oportunitie to fulfyl his commaūde∣ment. Notwithstandynge when Machabeus saw that Nicanor began to be churlysh vnto hym, and that he intreated him more rughly then he was wonte, he perceyued that suche vnkyndnesse came not of good, and therfore he gathered a few of his men, and withdrew him self frō Nicanor. Which when he knewe that Machabeus had manfullye preuented him, he came in to the greate and moost holy temple: and commaunded the prestes (whiche were doyng theyr vsuall offrynges) to deliuer him the man. And when they sware that they coulde not tell where the man was whome he sought, he stretched out his hāde, and made an othe, sayng: If ye wyll not delyuer me Iu∣das captyue,* 1.72 I shall remoue this temple of God in to y^e playne feld, I shal breakedowne the aultare, and consecrate this temple vnto Bachus. After these wordes he departed.

Then the prestes lyfte vp theyr hands to∣warde [ F] heauen, and besought hym that was euer y^e defender of their people, sainge: Thou O Lorde of all, which hast nede of no thyng, woldest that y^e temple of thy habytacō sholde be amonges vs.* 1.73 Therfore now O most holy Lorde, kepe this house euer vndefyled whi∣lately was clensed. Nowe was there accused vnto Nicanor, one Rasis an Alderman of Ie∣rusalem, a louer of the hole cytye,* 1.74 and a man of good reporte: whiche for the kynde hert that he bare vnto the people, was called a father of the Iewes. This man oft tymes when the Iewes were mynded to kepe them selues vndefyled, defended & delyuered them beynge content stedfastly to spende his body and his lyfe for his people.

So Nicanor wyllynge to declare the hate [ G] that he bare to the Iewes sent fyue hūdreth men to take hym: for he thought, yf he gat hym, he shulde brynge the Iewes in great de¦caye. Now when the people began to russhe in at his house, to breake the dores, and to set fyre on it: he beynge nowe taken wold haue defended hym self with his swerde: chosing rather to dye manfully, then to yeld hym self to those wycked doers: & because of his noble stock, he had rather haue ben put to extreme crueltye. Notwithstandynge what tyme as he myssed of his stroke for haste, & the multy∣tude fel in vyolētly betwyxte y^e dores: he ran boldly to the wall, & cast hym self down man¦fully amonge the heape of thē, whiche gaue soone place to his fal, so that he fel vpon his bely. Neuertheles whyle ther was yet breth within him, he was kyndled in his mynde / and whyle his bloude gusshed out excedyng∣lye) for he was very sore wounded (he ranne thorow the myddest of the people, and gat him vp to the toppe of a rocke. So when his bloude was nowe gone he toke out his owne bowels with both his handes & threw them vpō the people callyng vpon the Lorde of lyfe and spyryte, to rewarde him this a∣gayne and so he dyed.

¶ Nicanor goeth aboute to come vpon Iudas on the Saboth daye. The blasphemye of Nicanor. Machabeus expoundynge vnto the Iewes the vy∣sion, boldeneth their hertes. The praier of Macha¦beus. After the hoost of Nicanor is ones ouercome. Machabeus commaundeth his heade and his han¦des to be cut of, & his tonge to be gyuen vnto fow∣les.

CAPI. XV.

NOwe when Nycanor knewe that Iu∣das was in the countrye of Samaria, [ A] he thought with al his power to stryke a felde with hym vpon a Sabboth day.* 1.75 Ne∣uerthelesse the Iewes that were compelled to goo with hym, sayde: O doo not so cruellye and vnkyndelye, but halowe the Sabboth daye, and worshyppe hym that se¦eth all thynges. For all this,* 1.76 yet sayde the vngracyous, personne: Is there a myghtye one in heuen, that cōmaunded the Sabboth daye to be kepte. And when they sayde: yea, the lyuynge God, the myghtye Lorde in hea¦uen commaunded the seuenth daye to be kept. He sayde:* 1.77 And I am myghty vpon erth to cōmaunde them for to arme them selues

and to perfourme the kynges busynesse. Not∣witstandyng he myght not haue his purpose.

[ B] Nicanor had deuysed with greate pryde to ouercome Iudas, and to brynge awaye the vyctory. But Machabeus had euer a fast con∣fidence and a parfecte hope in God that he wold helpe him, and exhorted his people, not to be afrayed at the cōmyng of the Heathen: but alwaye to remembre the helpe that had bene shewed vnto them from heauen, yea & to be sure now also, y^t almyghtye God wold gyue them the vyctorye. He spake vnto them out of the lawe and prophetes, putting them in remembraunce of the battayles, that they had strycken afore, and made them to be of a good corage.

So when theyr hertes were plucte vp, he shewed them also the deceytfulnesse of the Heathen, and how they wolde kept no coue∣naunt nor othe. Thus he weaponed thē not with the armoure of shylde & speare, but with holsome wordes and exhortaciōs. He shewed them a dreame also,* 1.78 wherthorowe he made them all glad, whiche was this: he thought that he sawe Onias (which had ben hye prest a vertuous and louynge man, sad and of ho∣nest conuersacyon, well spoken, and one that had bene exercised in godlynesse from a childe) holdyng vp his handes towarde heauen, and praying for his helpe. After this there appea∣red vnto him an other man, which was aged, honorable and gloryous. And Onias sayde: [ C] This is a louer of the brethrē, and of the peo∣ple of Israell. This is he that prayeth moche for the people, and for all the holy cytie: Ie∣remy the prophete of God. He thought also y^t Ieremye helde out his ryght hande, and gaue him (namely vnto Iudas) a swerde of golde, sayinge: Take this holy swerde, a gyfte from God, wherwith thou shalt smyte downe the enemyes of the people of Israel.

And so they were well comforted thorowe the wordes of Iudas, and toke corage vnto them, so that the yong men were determined in theyr myndes to fight, and byde sly fly at it: In so moch that in the thynges whiche they toke in hande, their boldnesse shewed y^e same, bycause the holy cytie and the temple were in peryll: for the which they toke more care thē for theyr wyues, children, brethren, and kyns∣folkes. Agayne, they that were in the cytie, were moost carefull for those which were to fight. Now whē they were al in a hope y^t the iudgement of the matter was at hande, and the enemyes drew nye, the hoost beynge set in a raye, the Elephauntes and horsemen euery one stādyng in his place: Machabeus cōsyde∣red the commynge of the multytude, the or∣dynaunce of dyuerse weapōs, the cruelnesses [ D] of the bestes, and held vp his handes toward heauen callynge vpon the Lorde that doth wonder whiche gyueth not the vyctorye after the multytude of weapons and power of the hoost (but to them that please hym) ac¦cordynge to his owne wyll.* 1.79 Therfore in his prayer he sayde these wordes.

O Lorde,* 1.80 thou that dyddest sende thyne Angel in the tyme of Ezechiah kynge of Iu∣da, and the hoost of Senacherib slewest an C.lxxxv.M. sende nowe also thy good angel before vs, O Lorde of heuens, in the fearful¦nes and drede of thy myghty arme, that they whiche come agaynst thy holy people to blas¦pheme them may be afrayde. And so he made an ende of his wordes. Then Nicanor & they that were with hym, drew nye w^t shawmes and songes: but Iudas & his company with prayer and callynge vpon God. With theyr hādes they smote, but with theyr hertes they praied vnto the Lord & slew no lesse thē .xxxv.M. men: For thorow the presēt help of God they were gloryouslye comforted.

Now when they left of, and were turning agayne with ioye, they vnderstode that Nica¦nor hym selfe was slayne with the other.

Then they gaue a greate shoute and a cry praysynge the almyghty Lord with a lowde voyce.* 1.81 And Iudas (which was euer ready to spende his body and lyfe for his cytezyns) cō¦maunded to smyte of Nicanors heade, with his arme and hande, & to be brought to Ie∣rusalē. When he came there, he called al the people, & the prestes at the aulter with those that were in the castel, and shewed them Ni∣canors heed, & his wycked hād, which he had presumptuouslye holden vp agaynst the tem∣ple of God. He caused the tonge also of that vngodly Nicanor to be cut in lytle peces, & to be cast to the foules, & the cruel mans hande to be hanged vp before the temple.

So euery man gaue thankes vnto y^e Lord saying: blessed be he, that hath kept his place vndefyled. And Nicanors heade, he hanged vpon the hyghe castell for a playne token of the help of God. And so they agreed togither to kepe that daye holy, namely the .xiii. daye of the moneth Adar, whiche in the Siri∣ans language is called the next daye before Mardocheus day, thus was Nicanor slaine, and from that tyme forth y^t Iewes had the citye in possessiō. And here I wyl now make an ende.

THE ENDE OF THE SECONDE BOKE OF THE MACHABEES

Notes

• * 1.1

  Leui .vi. a x. a .xvi. ••
• * 1.2

  Deuter. 〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.3

  〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.4

  〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.5

  〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.6

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••ii. a
• * 1.7

  〈…〉〈…〉 b
• * 1.8

  〈…〉〈…〉. a
• * 1.9

  〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.10

  Deute .xxx. a
• * 1.11

  i. Macha .vi.
• * 1.12

  ii. Mac .i .c
• * 1.13

  ii. Math .iiii. a
• * 1.14

  ii. Mach .iii. b
• * 1.15

  Exo .xxii. ••
• * 1.16

  ii. Mach 〈…〉〈…〉 and .xi. b
• * 1.17

  ii. Mach .v••
• * 1.18

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••ii .c
• * 1.19

  〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.20

  ii. Mac .iiii. d
• * 1.21

  Onias is slayne.
• * 1.22

  ii. Mach .iiii ••
• * 1.23

  〈…〉〈…〉. d
• * 1.24

  ☞
• * 1.25

  Prouerb .iii. b
• * 1.26

  Eleazer.
• * 1.27

  Leuiti .xl. a
• * 1.28

  i. Tessa .v .c
• * 1.29

  Gen xi. a Leuit .xi. a
• * 1.30

  Deut .xxxii. ••
• * 1.31

  Iohn .v. ••
• * 1.32

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 ii. a
• * 1.33

  ii. Macha .ii. e
• * 1.34

  i. Macha .ii. ••
• * 1.35

  Deute .xx. a ii. Para .xx .c
• * 1.36

  Ierem .xvii. b Psalm .xx. b
• * 1.37

  iiii. Reg .xix. g Esay xxxvii. f i. Mach .vii .c
• * 1.38

  i. Mac .iiii. ••
• * 1.39

  Nume .xxi .i. Re .xxx. e Deute .xx. b
• * 1.40

  Nume xxxi. d Deut .xx. b i. Regū .xxx. ••
• * 1.41

  Nicanor ••••••¦eth.
• * 1.42

  i. Mat .vi
• * 1.43

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 b
• * 1.44

  〈◊〉〈◊〉
• * 1.45

  Daniel .viii. ••
• * 1.46

  i. Mach .iiii. e
• * 1.47

  Exo .xx. d
• * 1.48

  i. Mach .iiii. f
• * 1.49

  i. Macha .v. a
• * 1.50

  Seueritis of Iudas.
• * 1.51

  i. Mach .v. d ii. Mach .v•••• .c
• * 1.52

  ii. Mach .xi. b
• * 1.53

  Ierem .xvii. ••
• * 1.54

  iiii. Reg .vi. •• i. Mach .iii. d and .xi. b
• * 1.55

  Timotheus is slayne.
• * 1.56

  〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.57

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 .vi. b
• * 1.58

  〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.59

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 d
• * 1.60

  ☞
• * 1.61

  Timotheus is slayne.
• * 1.62

  Iosue .vi. ••
• * 1.63

  Iudith. •• i. Reg 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ii. Par••▪ ••
• * 1.64

  ☞
• * 1.65

  i. Mach .vi. d
• * 1.66

  ii. Mach .iiii. d
• * 1.67

  Menelaus is put to death.
• * 1.68

  i. Macha .x. ••
• * 1.69

  i. Mach .vi. f
• * 1.70

  ii. Mat .xi. a
• * 1.71

  ii. Math••. 〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.72

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 vii .c
• * 1.73

  i. Macha .iiii. •• ii. Macha .x. a
• * 1.74

  Rasis.
• * 1.75

  i. Mach .vii. d
• * 1.76

  iii. Regū .xx. ••
• * 1.77

  Exo .xx.d
• * 1.78

  Iudas dreame.
• * 1.79

  ii. Para .xlii••▪ Iudicū .v••••
• * 1.80

  iiii. Reg .xix. Esay .xxxvii▪ i. Mach .vii •• ii. Mac .viii. ••
• * 1.81

  Nicanor is slayne.