floods of the seas persecuted them that persecuted thee Hath not the earth swallowed up them that despised thee and the winds scattered them a sunder that made insurrections against thee hath not thunder from heaven destroyed thine enemies and stars fought against thy foes What means this therefore and how cometh it to pass that thou hidest thy face from us to whom hast thou delivered the sheep of thy pasture Look upon us our God and behold thy people and inheritance that thou broughtest out of Egypt with a mighty power and a strong hand with wonders and signs leading them untill this day in thy faith take pitty upon them in thy mercy and extend not thy wrath against thy servants Where art thou Moses the son of Amram stand up and see thy people and flock of sheep which thou feedest all thy life with thy wisdom see how Wolves and Lions tear them see how the Israelites are become foes to their own lives and souls yea wasters and destroyers are sprung up of their own selves Behold the people of GOD for whose sake thou lifted'st up thy staff over the sea wherewith thou struckest and dividest it that it was made dry ground so the Israelites passed through and escaped their enemies Remember thy prayer when as in time of famine and lack of food thou obtaindft for them meat from heaven and at the same time when they were weary of their lives for thirst thou broughtest water out of the most hard rock Come forth Aaron most holy Priest of God that didst put thy self between the living and the dead to turn away the plague from Israel and staydest the destroyer that he should not come â—…igh the living Arise out of thy grave thou Phineas that moved with such fervency didst revenge the glory and majesty of the Lord God of Israel come and run through the Seditious in thy fury which murther the people of God and his Priests Awake thou Ioshua that didst throw down the walls of Jericho with the sound and shout of thy Trumpets that the holy Priests held in their hands Come now and see thy people that thou madest to inherit many Nations and to conquer most puissant Kings how they kill one another how they further and help forward the Idolater to rule and have the Dominion of the holy Land that thou gavest thy people Israel to inherit Why sleepest thou King David Awake and come with the sound of thy Psaltery and Harp sing to thy holy Psalms too Ask account of thy sweet words that are ceased from the mouthes of this people and out of all mens mouthes because of the maliciousness thereof See how their Princes be transformed into enemies and destroyers and do as thou diddest good King David that didst give thine own life for theirs saying Let thy hand O Lord be turned against me and against the house of my father and do not fall upon thy people to destroy them Where art thou Elizeus Come and see what thou canst do if thou canst rescue the remnant of Israel and find them any gap to escape at Didst not thou by thy prayer bring the power of the Syrians to a Town of defence and prevailedst against them without dint of sword or battel and broughtest them down smiting them with blindness that they turned their enmity towards Israel into love Indeed thou wast heâ—…that vanquishedst the Syrians by thy prayer that they fled for fear of the same Now therefore ye heard-men of Israel assemble together and listen with 〈◊〉 and hear my words that I will speak in your ears this day Tell me What is become of your prayers that ye have made for the people of Israel to defed and turn away from them a I wrath indignation tribulation fury and inmissions of evill spirits How is it that now ye see not the Sanctuary turned into a vile sink of blood for the dead bodies of Priests lye in midst of it The holy City Jerusalem is become a strange City as though the name of the Lord had never been in it and the Sanctuary of the Lord is in that case at this present as though the Godhead had never dwelt therein for the Temple is turned into a den of theeves a lodging of Seditious persons a tabernacle of cruel murtherers And who so flieth thither for refuge there they be slain as the Seditious have murthered in the midst thereof Anani the high Priest and Joshua a Priest also that were Princes and chief Priests the most reverend amongst the people of God whom ere this Kings and Nations had sued to and desired their favour but never cast their slain bodies in the midst of the Temple The Nobility also of Jerusalem the Elders of Juda the Sages of Israel whose friendship Kings and Nations have sought after and desired to make peace with they lye now slain here and there in the midst of Jerusalem are meat for the fouls of the ayre and beasts of the field to dogs and ravens because there is no man to bury them These died not for their offences but because they found fault with the Israelites when they sinned How are they slain in thee O Jerusalem thou holy City renowned throughout the whole earth all just men all holy men whom the Seditious have overcome those helhounds and blood-suckers that have brought all these evils upon thee how are the Priests of the Lord and his Prophets slain amongst those holy men For before the holy Temple was the Prophet Sechariahu that just and holy man butchered and murthered yea without all buriall neither was his blood covered with earth but yet still wandreth about and cryeth in thee The blood of Anani also and Joshua the chief Priests was yet never covered which were both slain in thy Temple as men be wont to kill theeves yea the blood of the godly young men and valiant that would have revenged them was shed also by the Seditious like floods of water How are the hearts of the people turned so aukwardly that they will bear no admonition of just men but are like unto blockish Images that neither see nor hear nor yet understand any thing All beasts be they never so brutish all plants and things that grow upon the earth withstand them that invade them to do them injury and endeavour to avoid the force of their enemy but thy children that thou keepest within thee are changed into enemies and one brother murthereth â—…nother with the sword Where is now thy valiantness thou that never wouldst bow to bear the yoak of the Gentiles upon thy shoulders but hast cast away the bondage of the Egyptians Philistines Aramites Assyrians Chaldees Persians and Medes Where is the strength that God gave to the Chasmonanites that with a very small company defended thee and prevailed against the great and puissant Army of the Greeks destroyed the stout souldiers of Babylon vanquished the mighty Army of the Persians slue Kamitiatus and Antiochus and pursued their Armies making great
which shall be to your commodity Then the people gave ear unto Joseph who spake unto them in this wise AN Oration of Josephus to the Citizens of Jerusalem YOu should ere this good people of Jerusalem have fought so earnestly whiles your Cities were yet standing and your Land replenished with people ere ever this mischief had lighted upon you Now that with murthers and slaughters amongst your selves having destroyed one another and polluted the Temple of the Sanctuary with the blood of the murthered and not spared your own lives you are become few in number a small sort of you left What hope have you to prevail Again you have provoked a valiant Nation which is ruler over all people and hath subdued all other Lands which also hath those Nations in subjection under him which sometimes reigned over you besides this you wage battell with the Romans without all discretion and wisdom without any remorse of this famous City without any regard of the Sanctuary of the Lord without any compassion of your own lives Neither yet do ye forsake your purpose for I perceive you continue in this self-will to withstand the Romans still which is nothing else than to spread abroad this calamity further both on the people of God and on his holy Temple Albeit I am not afraid only for this holy Temple and most renowned City lest it should be razed and destroyed but for the Sacrifices and burnt offerings lest they should cease as the daily sacrifice is ceased And why because we have sinned against our Lord God Wherefore is his shaddow departed from us Because that in this same Temple we have kept wars making it an habitation for the wicked a tabernacle of seditious persons yea even the Ministers and Holy men of God have ye murthered and within the walls of the Temple have ye shed innocent blood without measure See now dear brethren and mark what Ordnance what Engins what Instruments of destruction are prepared to beat down the Temple the fire is already kindled to set a fire the Sanctuary and loe even your very enemies are so pitifull of your Temple that they would not have it defaced But you dear brethren and friends why are ye led with no remorse of your selves that your enemies may once remove from you these Engins of war What have you now left to trust unto when as two of your walls are already battered down and one only remaineth You will say peradventure we put not our trust in our walls but in our God Are ye not aware that your God hath long agone given you over and hath turned him to your enemies because they have with greater honour and reverence worshiped his name than we which rebelliously are fallen away from him Wherefore God assisteth not us but our enemies insomuch that except it be in such countries whereas either for extream cold of the one side or exceeding heat on the other no man is able to abide all Lands all Nations are under their Dominion Tell me I pray you what hope have you seeing God hath made them a terrour unto all Nations upon the earth who serveth them Why will not you obey them that you may live and not perish Do ye not consider it is come to their turn to rule over all that God hath committed Dominion unto them and ayded them with his assistance Remember you not how God in times past aided the Egyptians insomuch that they obtained the dominion over all the whole world but afterward departed from them and assisted you to get the Soveraignty over other Nations After that forsook you again and gave the Empire to the Chaldeans Assyrians and Persians which reigned far and wide over many countries Now also hath he given them over and helpeth the Romans these many years so that they bear rule over all If you will object and say To what intent should God give the dominion unto the Romans or other Nations over the world and over his inheritance and people also which is an holy people a peculiar and special Nation of all the earth Should ye not be ashamed to say this With what discretion can you wonder at this knowing that all mankind one or other are the handy-work of God who exalteth whom he list and whom he listeth he thrusteth down Ye say Ye be the children of God and his proper possession and ye aspire to the Soveraignty therefore it cannot be that God should determine any thing upon you by chance fortune or sudden anger and displeasure I grant But wot ye what The shadow or protection of the Lord hath forsaken you becausâ—… of your sins and transgressions against the Teâ—…ple and his holy ministers How can you stay upon his help when as he hath withdrawn his loving countenance from you and your sins have made a divorce between you and him O my dear children and brethren let never this imagination enter into your hearts for it shall nothing avail you Why will you my dear brethren and friends make war upon the Romans when as they are Lords over Nations and pierced the streets of India and all the Isles of the Sea even to the great Ocean-Sea and from thence to all the parts of the East whose dominion extendeth to the extream parts of the earth Yea even to Britain which is environed on every side with seas whose people are huge like Giants of a big stature and of mighty courage most expert archers and valiant souldiers in battel To whom when the Captain of the Romans came they gave him the repulse and would not be subdued but when the Princes of the Romans came they brought them into subjection and seâ—…itude under the Romans But you say my brethren and friends you will rather all dye than serve the Prince of the Gentiles and that death is better for you than life to be driven to see with your eyes the calamities of the sanctuary of the people of God Search the Histories and Chronicles from the time of your Ancestours When was there any time wherein you were free from the yoak of the Gentiles Do you not know that Jacob our father of worthy memory who was alwaies with God took his journey into Egypt to be a stranger in a strange land amongst a proud kind of people left he his children houshold and cattell should perish with hunger There he had with him his twelve sons which he had begotten and dwelt there also with his small family for fear of the grievous famine that was at that time Remember you not when that Judas with his brethren went down into Egypt how Joseph was moved as a stranger to pick a quarrel against his brethren to bring them into bondage bearing yet in his mind what injury they had done unto him Wherefore some of them he cast in prison and hanged them at his pleasure with crafty accusations especially Judas who was the chief amongst them of whom all the Jews took their name who if
Levi. The fruits of this Land were these in special Balm Hony Spices Myrrhe Nuts Almonds nor is their Wheat to be forgotten nor their Oyl with which they traded in the market of Tyrus besides the forenamed commodities Ezech. 27.17 That it did excel in Palm-trees Strabo tels us and the Roman coyns which in their reverse represent a woman sitting in the gesture of a mourner under a Palm-tree signifying Judaea captivated But the Almighty as he drove out and destroyed the Nations which dwelt in this land before so did he afterwards his own people because of the greatness of their sins so that the Land as he tels us by his Prophet spued them out and turned part of this countrey whereabout Sodom and Gomorrah stood into slime pits or the dead or salt sea when as before it was for pleasantness like to the garden of God even so did God deal with his own unthankfull and rebellious people first he carried the ten Tribes into bondage by Salmanazer who at this day are not to be found the other two Tribes were carried away into Babylon where they indured 70. years Captivity and last of all for rejecting and crucifying his own son the Lord of glory they have been destroyed driven out of their own Country and continue as vagabonds thorow the whole world And the fruitfulness of this goodly Country doth scarce appear at this day according to that of the Psalmist Psal. 07.33 34. He turneth rivers into a wilderness and the water-springs into dry ground a fruitfull land into barrenness for the wickedness of them that dwell therein No man hath observed the great increase of their seed which Isaac fonnd who sowed in that Land and reapt a hundred fold at this day the balm which Justin the Historian writes of brought in their treasure was a plant not as some have thought proper or common to Arabia but as Pliny notes peculiar to the Lanâ—… of Judaea or Syria as others call it and of that high price that it was valued at an equall rate and somtimes double to silver is now no where to be found Nevertheless lest men should think in their foolish imaginations that this Land had never been such as it is by the Word of God himself commended to be in some places there are certain marks and signs of the ancient fertility thereof for in a certain Plain divers miles long and broad there is found such fruitfull pastures that in so hot a Country the grasâ—… is seen to grow in some places as high as a mans middle in other places as high as to the brest But though the Lord for a time hath cut off this his people and turned their fruitfull Land into barrenness yet he hath abundantly shewed as in his word that the fulness of the Gentiles being come in God will have mercy upon and take into his favour this his Ancient people re-establish them in their own Land in security and without all doubt restore the Land to its former fruitfulness All which let us humbly pray to God the Father that for his infinite mercies in Jesus Christ he will speedily accomplish and turn the wilderness into a standing water and dry ground into water-springs Amen The first Book of the WARRES OF THE JEWES The Proeme IN the great Volum of Josephus there were Historicall Narrations made of things â—…s they had reference in chief to the Romans and other Nations This lesser Piece or Epitome rather declares matters as they relate principally to the Jews themselves and the State of their Common-wealth from the Macchabees unto their final subversion and ruine of the second House therefore according unto those things that we have found in the Book of Joseph the Priest son of Gorion and in other books written according to most certain truth we will draw forth and rehearse some things for the comfort that may thence arise especially seeing all the Prophets have bent and directed their Prophesies and predictions to this point that the Kingdom of the house of David should be restored and and flourish in time to come Therefore if there had been any Kings of the house of David during the time of the second Temple then should we have been in suspence yea even now already our hope had been dasht But there was no Kingdom of the house of David in that Age save only a certain Dominion that Zerrubbabel and Nehemiah had Yea rather the Kingdom remaine at that time in the House of the Machabees and in such that were toward Them and their Servants But now to the purpose CHAP. I. VVHen Alexander the first King of the Greeks had established his Kingdom he died being yet but a young man and his Kingdom was divided among four of his Captains as it is written Whiles He is yet alive His Kingdom shall be broken and delivered into four coasts of the Heavens Dan. 8. He left behind him a son of tender years called Archelaus whose Tutor or Governour perceiving him to be toward gave him impoysoned drink and made him away These Captains made war one upon another of whom one that was named Ptolomy procured Mâ—…ses Law to be Translated into Greek to the intent he might find some occasion to pick a quarrell against Israel For by their Law he sought means to withdraw them from their Religion accordâ—…ng to Psal. 129. Many a time have they affâ—…cted me from my youth up may Israel now say There were Seventy ancient men that Translated the Law whom Pâ—…olomy the King separateâ—… one from another putting every man a part in a house by himself But they all agreed in one sence albeit they changed 13. places which was not done without miracle that they all agreed together in the meaning and writing as though one alone had writ it These 13 places be these First God created in the beginning Here no word or thing is put before Name of God and also for that in the Greek Tongue the thing that doth is put before and that that is made is placed after least this word Berâ—…shith should be taken for a â—…reator and Eâ—…him for a creature The second I will make man according to the image and likeness Gen. 1. I for we that it should not be thought as though he were one that consulted with other therein The third And God finished the sixth day and rested the seventh Gen. 2. 〈◊〉 for seventh least it should seem as though He had made any thing in the seventh day and in it ended his working The fourth Go to I will go down and â—…here will confound their Laâ—…guage Gen. 2. I for we least by speaking in the pâ—…all number He should have been thought to be 〈◊〉 The fifth And Sarah laughed speaking to them that stood by her Gen. 18. With them that stood by her for to her self because Ptolomy the King should not mock them and say Who shewed you what she said to her self The sixth Because in their fury they killed an Oxe
Priest Mâ—…reover Titus was minded to have put Rabby Gamaliel father of Râ—…hbag to death but Rabby Jochâ—… son of 〈◊〉 made suice for him and obtained pardon for his life This Râ—…bby Jochanan was he that came forth of Jerusalem in the beginning when Vâ—…spasian father of Titus came first against Jerusalem whom Vespasian honoured greatly insomuch that when he returned to Rome he commended this Râ—…bby Jochanan to his son Titus commanding him to honour him for he perceived he was a wise man Titus râ—…igned two years after he had taken Jerusalem anâ—… died He was a very eloquent 〈◊〉 expert in the Laâ—…ne and Greek Tongue and writ divers Works in both Tongues He loved most intirely justice and equity for he wasted the City of Jerusalem against his will and being compelled thereunto â—…ea all the mischief that came upon it hapned through the malice and naugâ—…ness of the Seditious as we have touched before THE Ten Captivities OF THE JEWES THe Israelites were Ten times led into Captivity Four times by the hands of Sanherib and Four times by Nabuchadnezzar Once by Vespasian and Once by superstitious Adrian First invaded them Sanherib and transporthe Rubenites the Gadites and the half tribe of Manosseh He took away also the golden Calf which Jeroboam the son of Nebat had made He led them into Helah Habor to the River of Gozan and to the â—…ities of the Medes This Captivity was in the time of Pekah the son of Remaliah The second Captivity Hosea the son of Ela remained and slue Pekah the son of Remalâ—…h After he became the servant and subject of Sanherib seven years Then came Sanherib the second time and carried away the tribes of Asar Isachar Zebulon and Nephtali of whom he let go free only one of every eight He took away also another â—…alf that was in Bethel After the death of Ahaz raigned Zedekia his son in his stead four years The fourth year of whose raign Sanherib came and intrenched about Samarâ—…a besieging it three years and at length took it in the sixt year of the raign of Hizkiahu So led he away the Israelites that were in Samaria the tribe of Ephraim and Mannasse This is the third Captivity When Nebuchadnezzar had raigned eight years he made wars against Jerusalem bringing with him the Chutean Hereticks out of Babylon Ethiopia Hemates Avim and Sepharvavim and as he warred upon Judea he took in that Country a hundred and fifty Cities in the which there were two tribes Juda and Simeon whom he took with him and caused them forthwith to be led into Halah and Habar untill the King of the Ethiopians rebelled against him whose kingdom was on the hinder parts of Egypt Then taking Juda and Simeon with him he made war with the King of Ethiopia So the holy and blessed God placed them in the dark mountains Here was four Captivities whereby ten tribes went into exile by Sanherib There remained yet of Juda one hundred and ten thousand and of Benjamin one hundred and thirty thousand in the City of Jerusalem over whom raigned Hizkiahu Moreover Sanherib came out of Ethiopia against Jerusalem again leading with him one hundred and ten thousand but the holy Lord overthrew him there as it is written And the Angel of the Lord issuing forth smote in the house of Asar 175 thousand men His people therefore was slain and no man left but Sanherib and his two sons and Nebuchadnezzar and Nebuzaraden this slaughter was in the fourteenth year of Hizkâ—… From which overthrow untill the time that Nebuchadnezzar invaded the Jews in the raign of Jehojakim were a hundred and seven years The fourth year of Jehojakim came Nebuchadnezzar the first time and carried away three thousand and twenty and three of the tribes of Juda and Benjamin and of other tribes seven thousand all the able men and all their power binding them with chains This is the fift captivity Seven years after this Captivity came Nebuchadnezzar another time unto Dophna a City of Antioch from whence he led four thousand and six hundred of the tribe of Juda and of Benjamin fifty thousand of the other tribes seven thousand This transmigration made he in Babylon which is the sixt Captivity Furthermore betwixt the sixt bondage and the seventh were nine years of the raign of Zidkiahu When Nebuchadnezzar had raigned nineteen years he came the third time unto Jerusalem and overcoming Zidkiahu he burnt the Temple and took away the Pillars the brazen Sea and the furnitures that Solomon made and all the vessels of the house of the Lord and the â—…reasures of the house of the King which was in Jerusalem all the vessels he sent to Babylon He slew also of the Israelites nine hundred and one thousand besides them that were slain to revenge the blood of Zacharias The Levites stood singing a song whiles â—…laughter was made of them but they were not able to finish it before the enemies entred the Temple and found them standing in their place with harps in their hands Therefore he carried away in this Captivity the Levites which were of the seed of Moses six hundred thousand whom when the Gentiles had brought unto the Rivers of Babylon they demanded of the Jews Sing us a song of Sion And by and by they gnawed off the tops of their fingers with their teeth saying How shall we sing the song of the Lord in a strange Land And the blessed Lord seeing that they would not sing a song he enlarged them and placed them on the further side of Sambatia Moreover he translated and carried away eight hundred and thirty two thousand which were all of the tribe of Juda and Benjamin whereof he left in Jerusalem six thousand setting over them for their Ruler Gedalia the son of Ahikam who was slain after by Ishmael the son of Natania whereupon the Isrâ—…elites being afraid fled from their Country into Egypt This is the seventh transmigration and 〈◊〉 The 27. year of the raign of Nebuchadnezzar he â—…ook Egypt and Tyre drowned the Jews that were therein and the Nations which descended of Amon and Moab and of the Land bordering upon Israel and led Jeremy and Baruch with them into Egypt This is the eighth Captivity Then the Israelites that remained alive in Egypt departed unto Alexandria and remained in it untill they grew and increased unto many thousands and who so saw not their glory saw no glory in his time For there was in it the Sanctuary the Altar the offerings incenses the ordinance of bread of faces the houses of studies and schools without number men of great substance riches and power But wicked Troganus made war upon them and slew very many of them After came Alexander against them who slew also many of them These are the eight Captivities or bondages which befell in the first House and time of the first Temple After the desolation of the first House seventy years Cyrus the son of Esther sent unto Nehemiah Zerubbabel
Adrian the Emperour re-buâ—…lt the City of Jerusalem changing the situation somewhat â—…westward and the name thereof to Aeliâ—… To despight the Christians he built a Temple over our Saviours grave with the Images of Jupiter and Venus another at Bethlehem to Adonis her Minion Anâ—… to enrage the Jews did engrave Swine over the Gates of the City Who storming at the proâ—…ation of their Land brake â—…o open Rebellion but were subdued by Julius Severus the Emperour's Lievtenant an experienced Captain and many thousands slain with Bencochab their counterfeit Messias for so he termed himself that is the son of a Star usurping that Prophesie Out of Jacob shall a Star arise thougâ—… he proved but a fading Comet whose Blazing portended the ruine of that Nation The Captives by order from Adrian were transported into Spain the Country laid waste which parted with her people and fruitfulnesse both together Indeed Pilgrimes to this day here and there light on parcells of rich ground in Palestine which God may seem to have left that men may taste the former sweetnesse of the Land before it was soured for the peoples sins and that they may guesse the goodness of the cloth by the â—…inenesse of the shreds But it is barren for the generality The streams of Milk and Honey wherewith once it flowed are now drained dry and the whole face of the Land looketh sad not so much for want of dressing as because God hath frowned on it Yet great was the over-sight of Adrian thus totally to unpeople a Province and to bequeâ—…th it to Foxes and Leopards Though his memory was excellent yet here he forgot the old 〈◊〉 â—…le who to prevent desolations where they â—…ooted out the Natives planted iâ—… Colonies of their own people And surely the Country recovered not a competency of Inhabitants for some hundred years aâ—…ter For though many Pilgrims came thither in after-ages yet they came rather to visiâ—… than to dwell And such as remained there moâ—… embracing single liveâ—… were no breeders for posterity If any say that Adrian did wilfully neglect this Land and prostitute it to ruine for the rebellion of the people yet all account it small policy in him in punishing the Jews to hurt his own Empire and by his vastation to leave fair and clear footing for forrein enemies to fasten on this Country and from thence to invade the neighbouring Dominions as after the Persians and Saracens easily over ran and dispeopled Palestine And no wonder if a thick Medow were quickly mown But to return to the Jews Such stragglers of them not considerable in number asescaped this banishment into Spain for few hands reap so clean as to leave no gleanings were forbidden to enter into Jerusalem or so much as to behold it from any rise or advantage of ground Yet they obtained of the after-Emperours once a year namely on the tenth of August whereon their City was taken to go in and bewail the destruction of their Temple and people bargaining with the Souldiers who waited on them to give so much for so long abiding there and if they exceeded the time they conditioned for they must stretch their purses to a higher rate So what St. Hierom noteth they who bought Christs blood were then glad to buy their own tears Thus the main Body of the Jews was brought into Spain and yet they stretched their out-limbs into every Country So that it was as hard to find a populous City without a common sink as without a company of Jews They grew fat on the barest pasture by Usury and Brokage though often squeezed by those Christians amongst whom they lived counting them Dogs and therefore easily finding a stick to beat them And alwaies in any tumâ—…lt when any fence of order was broken the Jews â—…ay next harmes as at the 〈◊〉 of Richard the first when the Eâ—… â—…de great Feasts but the pillaged Jews paid the shot At last for their many villanies as falâ—…fying of â—…oin poisoning of Springs crucifying of Christian children they were slain in some places and finally banished out of others Out of England Anno 1291. by Edward the First France 1307. by Philip the Fair Spain 1492. by Ferdinand Portugal 1497. by Emmanuel But had these two later Kings banished all Jewish blood out of their Countries they must have emptied the veins of their best Subjects as descendedâ—… from them Still they are found in great numbers in Turky chiefly in Salomiâ—…i where they enjoy the freest slavery and they who in our Saviours time so scorned Publicans are now most employed in that offiâ—… to be the Turks Toll-gatherers Likewise iâ—… the Popish parts of Germany in Polaâ—…d 〈◊〉 Pantheon of all Religions and Amsterdan may be forfeited to the King of Spain wheâ—… she cannot shew a pattern of this as of all other Sects Lastly they are thick in the Popeâ—… Dominions where they are kept as a â—…estimony of the truth of the Scriptures and foyl to Christianity but chiefly in pretence to convert them But his Holinesse's converting faculty worketh the strongest at the greatest distance For the Indians he turneth to his Religion and these Jews he converteth to his Profit Some are of opinion of the general Calling of the Jews And no doubt those that dissent from them in their judgements concur in their wishes and desires Yet are there three grand hinderances of their Conversion First the offence taken and given by the Papists amongst whom they live by their worshipping of Images the Jews being zelots of the second Commandment Secondly because on their conversion they must renounce all their goods as ill gotten and they will scarce enter in at the door of our Church when first they are to climbe over so high a threshold Lastly they are debarred from the use of the new Testament the means of their salvation And thus we leave them in a state most pitiful and little pitied To give you then a right Character in brief They are a people that know how to comply with the times and the condition which they live in especially if their profit be concerned in it reviled like dogs and used like slaves yet never shew so much as an angry countenance A Nation which will thrive wheresoever they come yet most by Usury and Brokage not lending any thing but on pawns and those once forfeited never more redeemable The best of both Sexes are said to have an unsavorâ—… ranknesse not incident if not caused by 〈◊〉 â—…o other people from whom they are as different in their habit as in their Religion And â—…s or that they retain still Circumcision as the badg â—…gnisance of their Nation but mâ—…ngled with many Ceremonies not prescribed by the Law nor observed by the Antients placing a void chair for the Prophet Elias whom they believe to be present though unseen at the Solemnity And upon this they are so besotted that they conceive the Female Sex uncapable of eternal life because not capable of Circumcision And
Titus Vespatianus Emperour of Rome Conquerour of Ierusalem Surnamed the delight of mankind w.s. sc. THE WONDERFUL AND MOST Deplorable HISTORY OF THE LATTER TIMES OF THE JEWS With the Destruction of the City of Jerusalem Which History begins where the Holy Scriptures do end By JOSEPHVS BEN GORION Whereunto is added a Brief of the ten Captivities with the Pourtrait of the Roman Rams and Engines of Battery c. As also of Jerusalem with the fearful and presaging Apparitions that were seen in the air before her Ruines Moreover there is a Parallel of the late Times and Crimes in London with those in Jerusalem London Printed for John Sims at the Sign of the Kings Head at Sweethings Alley end in Cornhil next the Royal Exchange 1671. To the Honorable Sir JOHN ROBINSON Knight and Baronet Lievtenant of the TOWER and Alderman of the CITY of LONDON Honorable Sir THIS rare and remarkable Piece of History as it was Dedicated before to the City of London in generall because of the quality of the Subject Treating of the ruine of one of the most famous Cities upon Earth So upon this Review and new Edition I take the boldness of Dedicating it to You alone who are one of the Eminent Members and Ornament thereof as also being Governor of that Place wherein lies her chiefest security It was formerly Dedicated to this City in the highest brunt of the late civill Confusions And the Noble Author of the following Epistle thought it very seasonable to do so out of an express design to awaken and warn Her of her desperate condition at that Time And it produced so happy effects that it made such impressions upon the spirits of many of the best Citizens that they began to recollect themselves and see their Error The said Author representing unto them that the same Crimes and Crying sins which raigned in Jerusalem before her last and utter destruction were very rife then in London which were the spirit of Sedition instable and stubborn Rebellious hearts their murmurings at Government and an itch after Innovations As also the defiling of their Temple the Irreverence and comtempt of the Priests the violation of the Tombs of the dead with other acts of Prophaness and Sacriledge But principally the Crucifying of the Lord of Life The City of London was guilty at that time of all these ugly and enormous Crimes and may be said to be lead all along by a true Jewish spirit And concerning the last viz. the Crucifixion of our Saviour though no Comparison may be made without a high prophaness yet the manner of murthering CHARLES the first may be humbly said to bear a kind of analogy and resemblance with it Nay the Jews whereof there are swarms now in this City will not stick to say that it was a Murther beyond theirs for what they did they did it out of blindness and ignorance for they neither knew nor acknowledged Him to be King of the Jew But the English did accuse and arraign they did condemn and murther King CHARLES by the name of their own King the King of England God Almighty avert those further judgments which hang over us as prayeth Honorable Sir Your most humble servant and Fellow-Citizen J. S. TO Englands Imperial Chamber THE Renowned City of LONDON To the Right Honorable the Lord Mayor the Right worshipfull the Sheriffs Mr. Recorder with the Court of Aldermen and Common Councel c. AS among men so there is a resemblance and a kind of affinity among Cities which are the Mansions of men and a reverence due to some more then to others Carthagena in Spain doth acknowledge old Carthage in Africk to be her Mother Leyden in Holland doth glory that she is allyed to Lions in France both of them bearing the name of Lugdunum Saragosa in Aragon confesseth her self daughter to Syracusa in Sicily and London by some Antiquaries is called Troynovant as having been first founded by the Trojans But of all the Cities upon the earthly Globe Jerusalem deserves most reverence in regard our Salvation was wrought and consummated in Her In regard that grand Prepitiatory Sacrifice for humâ—…ne souls was offered in her Therefore under favour I held it not improper to Dedicat the History of this once so famous Metropolis to the flourishing City of London In the holy Bible the most authentick Patent of saving Faith there is a Text which reflected upon the â—…ncient Nation of the Jews and aymed only at their Câ—…ntry viz. In Jury God is known c. Psal. 76. He was known indeed in that Land by the multitude of his Mercies but afterwards by the severity oâ—… his Judgments That race of people partly because they were not co-labourers at the building of that Mount of humane pride the Tower of Babel were for many ages the objects of his favour till they made themselves afterwards the subjects of his fury And as the Philosopher tels us Corrupâ—…o optimi est pessima or as we find that the sweetest wines become the tartest vineger so those heavenly indulgences turn'd to heavy indignations those silver showers of extraordinary benedictions became black stoâ—…ms of vengeance It is the method of divine Justice to correct first wâ—…th rods then with scourges and if that will not do with â—…corpions The Jews felt all the three degrees and never was any people upon earth made greater examples of wrath thâ—… his own chosen Inheritance a peculiar people that migâ—… have â—…m'd the right hand of primogeniture among the reâ—… of mankind Now whosoâ—…ver desires to make reserches into the grounds of these sad dysasters will find it was their sediâ—…ious proud spirits their instable and stubborn rebellious hearts which did them more mischief then the Roman Râ—… or any other destructive Engines the defiling â—…f their Temple the violation of the Tombs of the dead with other acts of profaneness and sacriledg but principally the rejecting and crucifying of the Lord of life For never any thing did thrive with them afterwards insomuch that if there were no other motive for the Jews convâ—…sion the length of these beavy judgments under which they groan to this day were â—…nough to do it And t is observed the length of these judgments doth often puzzle their intellectuals and put them at a stend Fâ—…r some of their Rabbies will stare and shrink-in their shoulders at it and sometimes break out into a kind of confession that their judgments could not last so long but for crucifying one that was more then a man Besides the punctuall accomplishment of our Saviours predictions were sufficient to convâ—…nce any rationall creature For not long after their Land became a stage of blood and all kind of barbarisms Their so renowned City their Temple and Sanctum Sanctorum so fam'd all the earth over was made level to the ground And observable it is that these judgments fell upon their Temple at the highest time of holiness at their Passover or Jubilee so that one might
was this their exterminaâ—… for their Religion but for their notorious Criâ—…es as 〈◊〉 of wels â—…ounterfeiting of coins falsâ—…fying of 〈◊〉 and crucifying Christian children with other villanies This hapned in the year 1291. And sixteen years after France followed our example It was near upon 200. years after that Ferdinand dis-terred them out of Spain and five years after him Emanuel of Portugal did the like But the Countries whence they were last expeld was Naples and Sicily Anno 1539. In other parts of Christendom they reside yet in great numbers as in Germaâ—…y high and low Bohemia Lituania Poland and Russia In Italy also they are found but in no country which is subject to the King of Spain They live at Rom every quietly under the Pope's nose and St. Mark makes no scruple to entertain them at Venice In sundry places of the Ottoman Empire they are found very numerous so that it is thought Constantinople and Thessalonica only have near upon 20. thousand of them Asia is full of them as Aleppo Tripoli Damascus Rhodes and indeed all places of commerce and traffick There are numbers of them found also in Persia Arabia and about Cranganor in India And to come to Africk they have their Synagogues and Lumbards in Alexandria the Grand Cairo as also in Fesse in Tremisen and divers places in the Kingdom of Morocco There are about one hundred families yet left in Jerusalem But that place where they are most unmingled is Tiberias which the Turk gave to Mendez the Jew for some signal services Thither they oftentimes bring or send the bones of their dead friends who have left large Legacies to be interred from other places Besides those various visible judgments which have fallen upon the Nation of the Jews as the utter subversion of their Temple and City with the slaughter of above eleven hundred thousand souls during Titus siege Besides the degeneration of their Country of that Land which flowed with milk and honey into such a barren condition Besides their stragling confused course of life with the generall contempt and despicableness they fell into Besides the abjection 〈◊〉 their spirits and giddiness of their brains I say besides all these changes upon their minds it seems there is a kind of curse also fallen upon their bodies witness those uncouth looks and odd cast of eye whereby they are distinguished from other people As likewise that rankish kind of sent no better indeed then a stinck which is observed to be inherent and inseparable from most of them above all other Nations And I wish that England may not be troubled with that sent again The occasion of these sad calamities which fell down in such catarracts upon the Jews the discerning Reader shall discover in this ensuing story therefore very worthy of his perusal in regard they may serve for cautions to all people not to provoke the High Majesty of Heaven by such kind of sedition and profaneness they may serve as so many buoys to preserve them from sinking into such gulfs of miseries For if the naturall branches were not spared how can the wild olive think to escape the fire of his displeasure So with my hearty prayers to Heaven for the prosperity and welfare of this glorious City and that she may take fair warning by these Judgments I rest Your Humble and ready Servant JAMES HOWEL From the Prison of the Fleet 5. Feb. 1650. A BRIEF DESCRIPTION of ASIA AND The Holy Land ASia is twofold the Greater and the Less the Less is a part of the Greater and is at this day called Anatolia in respect of the Eastern situation thereof from Byzantium the Greater is now one of the four parts of the Earth by reason of the accession of America unto the former three before a third part and by the account of some according as Varro tels us one of the two parts of the same For whereas they of late accounted Europe Asia and Africa until America or the New world was found out others made Africâ—… a part of Europe so the parts of the earth were Europe one and Asia the other and no more By neither of these two accounts doth Asia get or lose any thing from the vulgar division only when the division is made into two parts Europe is a gainer Those which write of the name and etymology of Asia derive the word from Asia a woman daughter to Oceanus and Thetis wife to Iapetus mother to Prometheus This Genealogy if it be taken according to the letter there is no reason to suspect it fabulous why any man of understanding should doubt it and yet if the meaning of the fable be searched into it seems to carry in it this appearance of truth That Asia was named so from Oceanus the sea and Thetis the water or wife of the sea that in this part only of the world which before the deluge was peepled came the flood and destroyed mankind by water the reason of the etymology lying hid in the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which 〈◊〉 moisture The bounds of this part of the eartâ—… are the Aegean sea the Propont is and Black sea Paluâ—… Mâ—…eotis Tanais Duina which separate it from Europeâ—… but it is parted from Africk by the Red sea and Isthmusâ—… of Egypt In the first ages of the world this part of theâ—… earth was more renowned then Europe or any part thereof The affairs of Europe were very mean or at least in great obscurity before Xerxes expedition agaiâ—…st Greece which was after the Baby lonian Captivity of the Jews But in Asia was the wonderfull work of our Creation and of all other creatures wroughtâ—… in thiâ—… part our Saviour wrought our Redempâ—…on aâ—… shewed his miracles here was the glorious and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Chaldoeans signified by the Image Head in Daniel and that Monarchy of by the arms and brâ—…t of silver the Macâ—…donian kingdom of brasâ—… was 〈◊〉 in the Greater Asia is â—…uated the land of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so from Canaan the son of Ham the son dwelt there alâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that peopled part of it buâ—… it was 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of Promise because God promâ—…sed thaâ—…land uâ—… 〈◊〉 posterity and the Holy Land as the country in 〈◊〉 the holy people dwelt which had the 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 and Priesthood This 〈◊〉 lies in 32. 〈◊〉 northward from 〈◊〉 equinoctâ—… it is nâ—… 〈◊〉 2â—… miles long nor doth the breadâ—… excâ—…d 50 accouâ—… 〈◊〉 paces to a mile A coâ—…ry so fruiâ—…full that the â—…pture from the mouth of God â—…lls us that it was a Land which flowed with milk and â—…ney and thaâ—…â—…his was the glory of all Lands Before the children of Israel drove out the inhabitants it was governed by 30. Kings and afterward it was divided into 2. Kingdoms in the daies of Rehoboam the son of Solomon David numbering the people of the Land found the account to be thirteen â—…undred thousand men of war excluding the Benjamites the tribe of
them under tribute and so returned with honor to Jerusalem When he had after this well bethought him of his doings it repented him of his evil waies wherefore he altered his mind and began to make much of the Sages submitting him to their ordinance and esteemed their traditions There was at that time a kind of Sect that were called Pharisees of whom such as had escaped the King sent to call them home again and when they came into his presence he spake unto them words of comfort saying My brethren ye shall understand that the thing which is once done must needs be tearmed as it is and cannot be revoked And truth it is you cannot excuse the reproach that ye did me nor I cannot call again the blood that I have shed Notwithstanding I confess my fault unto you and have changed my indignation to love praying you to put out of your heart all rancor and malice lay away all your mourning and sorrowfulness of your minds rejoycing in your reconciliation and atonement with me and be of good cheer But they made him answer we will not lay away our hatred and enmity for thou speakest but deceitfully and we speak that is truth Furthermore thou hast killed our chief men and Elders neither hast thou only done us this injury but as Hircanus thy father began this mischief so thou hast holden on and continued it Wherefore this hatred between thee and us hath taken some root neither can we leave our lamentation till thou dye and God take vengeance on thee for our sakes Then shall we rejoyce when we see vengeance So they departed from his presence neither did the King give them any answer at all But when they saw the King to be incensed against them and by that means the matter might redound to their own harm after consultation had they went to the King of Greece whose name was Demetrius shewed him what Hircanus and Alexander his son had don to the Pharisees and all the Israelites that bare them good will and followed their traditions and how they also hated Alexander for the mischief that he had wrought them so that if any man will come and revenge the malice of Alexander they would be ready to aid him Demetrius followed their advice and assembling together all his people to the number of 400000. horsemen and footmen without number he took his journey and encamped against Sichem The King Alexander raised six thousand horsemen to aid him But the King of the Grecians writ privily to the Antients of the Sectaries that they should not aid Alexander to the souldiers also that Alexander had hired he sent rewards gold and silver that they returned home to their country and aided not Alexander whereupon he was not able to withstand Demetrius Therefore hearing that Demetrius was removed from Sichem toward Jerusalem intending to take him in the City he fled by night with a few of his men to the mountains and lurked there When the men of Israel that were in Judea heard that the King was fled out of Jerusalem and that the City was in fear to come into the hands of the Grecians they gathered themselves together and stood for their lives as though all had been one man to the number of ten thousand and sâ—… upon Demetrius Camp killed all his best men of war and spoiled all his Host that he fled from them and came home into his Country with great dishonor This done the King took heart to him and returned to his Kingdom but the Pharisees fled to Bethshemes fortifying themselves against the King who having intelligence thereof gathered aâ—… Army and went against them won the City and took 800 of the chiefest Pharisees bound them in chains and brought them to Jerusalem Then banqueted he all his servants upon the roof of his Pallace in a high place where his learned Peers did eat and drink till they were drunk And in his merry mood he commanded those eight hundred Pharisees prisoners to be fetcht forth and to be hanged every man of them upon gallowses before him at which sight he drunk and laughed heartily After this he fell sick in the four and twentieth year of his Reign of a grievous disease a Quartain Ague that held him three years and for all this he shrunk not nor letted to go to the war to encounter and fight with his enemies what nation soever they were round about him as though he had been a whole man In the 27. year of his Reign which was the third of his sickness he made an expedition into the Land of Moab against a certain City called Rabaga to get it by force At which time he was very sick and weak wherefore his wife Alexandra the Queen went with him fearing least he should dye by the way And as he encamped himself â—…gainst the City and urged it sore with assaults his fickness increased upon him more and more Wherefore his wife perceiving that he was like to dye wept bitterly for him and said to whom shall I be so bold as to shew my face when thou art once dead seeing thou hast wrought such mischief against the Pharisees whom all the Land favoureth and following their traditions obey their instructions if they shall be disposed to revenge themselves upon me and thy young children they shall have aid of all that dwell in the Land The King answered Weep not nor shew any resemblance of pensiveness I will tell thee what thou shalt do and if thou wilt follow my counsell thou shalt prosper and Raign thou and thy children as thou wouldest desire put case I dye there is no man in the world need know thereof tell thou every man therefore that ask for me that I am sick and will not that any man shall come at me In the mean while anoint and season me with balms fight with courage against this City till thou win it and then return to Jerusalem with joy and beware thou put on no mourning apparrell nor weep but bring me unto Jerusalem and lay me on a bed like a sick man and after call together the chief of the Pharisees bring them where I am and speak unto them gently in this sort Alexander hath been ever your enemy I know it very well wherefore take him if ye list and cast him into the fire or to the dogs or bury him it shall be at your choise I know well they are pitifâ—…ll men and so full of mercy that they will bury me honorably and appoint some one of my sons whom they like best to be King The Queen did therefore as she was instructed of the King And when she had won Rabaga she joyfully returned to Jerusalem after that gathered together the elders of the Pharisees and spake to them as the King had advised her The Pharisees hearing that the King was dead and that his body was in their hands to do withall what they list they answered the Queen God forbid we should do
Rome Pagurus therefore having made Antigonus King of Jerusalem returned home into Persia carrying Hircanus as prisoner with him But Augustus appointed Herod to be King over all Iuda giving to him a very strong Army of the Romans to obtain it withal In the way thither Herod met with Alexandra Hircanus daughter and Marimi her daughter that she had by Alexander son of Aristobulus and brought them again into the Land of Israel where he took Marimi to wife and solemnized the Marriage with her in the Mount of Galilee for there the chief of all Israel dwelt with whom he took peace Marcus Antonius companion in Office with Octavian Augustus about that time made a voyage through all the West Countries to subdue them to the Romans together with Egypt Damasco and Syria Him Herod accompanied to the flood of Eupbrates and helped him not a little For the Arabians lay in wait for him in the way and intercepted all that would aid Marcus Antonius Herod met with them and vanquished them Wherefore Antonius was very glad of Herods valiantness and brought him again to Israel together with Cassius his Captain and Lieutenant of the wars having also his Letters to all the Captains of Syria this tenor Ye shall understand that our lord and Master Octavian Augustus King of Kings hath appointed Herod the son of Antipater to be King of all the Land of Juda. Therefore as soon as these Letters come unto you ye shall with speed aid him No man shall be excused all that can bear Arms shall go with him to Jerusalem to vanguish Antigonus the Kings adversary whoso refuseth to go with him it shall be 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to slay him forthwith I Maâ—…cus 〈◊〉 have sworn by my sword I will not When the Captains of 〈◊〉 â—…ad râ—…d 〈◊〉 they râ—…orted wholly to Herâ—…d so that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was wonderfully increased sent one Pompeius 〈◊〉 of his â—…ars against them who fought a sore 〈◊〉 with them that much people were slain on 〈◊〉 sides 〈◊〉 King 〈◊〉 brother was slain in thaâ—… 〈◊〉 Noâ—…withstanding at the length Antigonus Host went to the worâ—…t and had the overthrow Sâ—… 〈◊〉 and Cassius proceeded to Jerusalem and beseged iâ—… 〈◊〉 third year after Herod was made king of Israel And when they had battered down a piece of the walâ—… Cassius with the Romans entred into the Town and made a great slaughter in Jerusalem They entred also into the Sanctuaâ—…y and attempted to enteâ—… into the Sanctâ—…m Sâ—…nctorum but Herod and his men lept between it and them and stood with their drawn swords in the Temple door to withstand their enterprises Herod was also dâ—…spleased with Cassius for his 〈◊〉 and said If ye will destroy all the inhabitants of the City upon whom shall I reign in the kingdom that Augutus bath given me Wherefore straâ—…ght-waâ—… Cassius caused proclamation to be made through all his Host that no man upon pain of death should kill on Israelite more This done Herod apprehended Antigonus and delivered him bouâ—…d to Cassius He rewarded also Cassius Souldiers both with Gold and Silver Then Cassius offered a Present unto the Lord a Crown of Gold for he was sore afraid of Gods displeasure because he had fought against the holy City That done he took his journey and returned into Egâ—…pt and Antigonus as prisoner with him Thither sent Herod unto him a royal reward to make away Antigonus and to murder him fearing least he should make claim unto the Kingdom again Whereunto Cassius consented and slew Antigonus CHAP. III. THus was the kingdom surely established to Herod Then made he wars upon all the Nations that were about him constraining them to become tributaries by which means he grew to such power as never any of his Predecessours were to be compared unto him After all this Pagurus king of Persia released out of prison Hircanus son of Alexander and promoted him to be head of all the Israelites that were fled into the Land of Sennaar and into the Dominion of the Persians and he became their King This Hircanus had a fervent desire to see the holy City and the house of the Sanctuary also how Herod whom he took for his son and his kingdom did Herod hearing that Hircanus who had been prisoner at Babylon was now set at liberty and in great honour he was afraid of him mistrusting least the Israelites would restore unto themselves the kingdom of their Fathers wherefore he cast in his mind how to do him a mischief He then writ this letter unto Pagurus the contents whereof were such Thou shalt understand that Hircanus is he that brought me up and used me even as his Son Now therefore since I came to be King in Jerusalem I have called to my remembrance the goodnesse that he hath done to me wherefore my desire is to reward him according to his benefits therefore I require thee to send him to me otherwise assure thy self of wars between thee and the Israelites with their confederates Pagurus having read this letter sent to Hircanus giving him to understand that if he would go to Herod he might but notwithstanding Herods threats he ceased not to give to Hircanus all good counsel he could advising him to take heed of Herod because he is saith he a blood-shedder and a breaker of his League And he hath called thee for no love he beareth thee but because he feareth thee As long as thou livest shall he never sleep soundly lest the kingdom should be devolved unto thee It is better for thee to remain here in some honour though it be not of such estate than to go thither to die with greatdispight and end thy old age with a bloody death Furthermore thou shalt know such is the disposition of mens hearts If there be two men the one in honour the other in contempt after time shall come that the despised shall be had in honour and the honoured be neglected never will he that is now honoured and before was in contempt be content to see him that was before honoured nor speak friendly to him For he will think hi herto according to his accustomed manner he hath despised me how much more when his Dominion is taken from him and his servants reign in his room Moreover Herod knoweth right well that meâ—…s hearts are inclined to him that is the true King And it might be so if thou werâ—… meet for the Priesthood that he would promote thee unto it and be Governour of the kingdom himself But seeing thou art dismembred having one of thy eares cut off and thereby art unmeet for the Priesthood thou shalt remain in Jerusalem deprived both of kingdom and Priesthood which is uncomely for thee Such counsel gave Pagurus King of the Persians unto Hircanus yea and all the Jews that were in Babylon besought him that he would not go unto Herod Notwithstanding he would not be perswaded and why For it was the Lords will and his deed that the injury done
Cities that stood on hills then they did divide it in parts and bring it up to the siege by piece-meal and there it was set together again Now when the Romans had battered the walls of Jorpata and Joseph perceived them to shake he took great sacks filled them full of chaff and hanged them down by the walls that the horns of the Ram could not come nigh the stones of the wall but light upon the sacks which by reason of the softnesse of the chaff hindred and brake the stroke that the walls were lesse hurt For the nature of soft things is to give back to the hard and to weaken their force But Vespasian seeing the subtilty of Joseph used also policy for policy for he sent into the Town secretly Jews spies which when the batteries should be might cut asunder the cords that the sacks were tyed to and with them slip down the walls where the Romans were ready to receive them that they should not hurt them in the fall and immediately they struck the wall with the Ram. There was at that present in the City a certain valiant man named Eleazer of the house of Anani the high Priest that then dwelt at Jerusalem This Eleazer perceiving the Romans to go about to batter down the wall as they did before plucked out of the wall a mighty stone so that he made a great hole or gap whereat he slid down the wall and stradling did light on the Engine made fast an iron chain to the horns thereof and got again up nimbly and quickly from the beam into the Town with the chain in his hand for the wall was not very high above his head as he stood upon the Ram then the other tall fellows took hold upon the chain fastened it to the pillars and walls in the Town that the Romans might rather be constrained to break their Ram than take it away from thence The Priest Eleazer yet once again boldly went down and sat upon the beam slew fifty men that laboured about the Ram and the rest he put to flight then returned into the Town being drawn up again from the beam to them that were within the Town greatly rejoycing in his manhood After that he went up upon a high Tower from whence he tumbled down with a mighty force a great stone and a hard on the head of the Ram and brake it that both a great part of the head and the hornes fell on the ground For the iron that it was covered withal was old and rusty so that it was much wasted and eaten therewith the ropes were also old After that Eleazar went down again took part of the head that was broken and hurled it into the Town the Romans that remained either he slew or put to flight The Archers shot at him and wounded him with five Arrows wherefore by the help of his fellows upon the wals he climbed up otherwise he had not been able for the grief of his wouuds The people then gave a shout for joy of the victory of the worthy Priest Eleazar that had slain the Romans and broke their Ram wherein they put their confidence and brought part of it into the Town and fastened it with an iron chain that the Romans could not pull it back again to them nor have the use of it afterward wherefore divers of the best Cities of Jorpata armed themselves that day being stir'd with the great courage that they had seen in Eleazar and went down hewed the beam to pieces brought the poyses with the Rings and two masts with them into the town and the same day died Eleazar with great renown as one that had fought for the Sanctuary of the Lord and for his people and Country of Israel like a faithful servant and souldier of the Lord whom all the people mourned for burying him in the Town honouring him for his death worthiness and faithfulnesse appointing him a worthy memory also for that he had waged battel with the enemies of the Lord. The young men of the Jews seeing this and especially two of them the one called Nitra the other Polipas men of great wisdom and understanding and therewith expert in the Wars being moved with zeal of the God of Israel opened the gates and issued against the Romans skirmished with them and slew many of them But at length they were slain themselves in the skirmish for the Sanctuary of their God for Israel their country When Joseph saw the Wars to encrease more and more he issued out and made a great slaughter in the Roman tents burnt the mount and Engines of War that the Romans had left by which means the Wars waxed yet hotter insomuch that Joseph repulsed the Romans For when they saw the Jews so desperately give their lives for their God and Land they would not abide their force Vespasian seeing his men shrink he stood up and encouraged them exhorting them with fair words and promises as well Gold and Silver as meat and drink wherewith the Romans allured fought with Joseph that day unto the Sun-setting and as the battel waxed hot the Jews wounded Vespasian with an arrow in his right leg which sore dismayed the Romans when they saw the blood run down his leg and that day was a sore fight betwen the Jews and the Romans Titus seeing his father wounded being sore abashed ran to him to help him to whom his father said How is it my son that thou art thus astonied Take heart to thee and with a courage revenge thy father of these Jews that have now the better hand of us So both Titus and Vespasian with all their whole host fought that day a sore fight and many were slain on both parts yea very few were left on Josephs part with whom he returned into the Town The next day the Romans raised a new mount instead of that which Joseph burned and planted another iron-Ram thereupon between two posts accordingly for Vespasian had brought four of this sort with him from Rome but other battering pieces upon wheels had he with him thirty what more what lesse the bigger sort were 30. cubits long the lesser ten He brought also ten Engines to hurle great stones withal which he had placed about the walls The Romans therefore renewed the assaults against the Town as they were wont before But the Town was now desolate and naked of the stoutest warlike men for they were all slain in the fights Albeit Joseph remained and a few with him who went every one and the women also to defend the walls for there was almost no men left fit for the War Then the Romans flung with the Engines that stood on the mount stones into the Town on every side It chanced that a great stone hit a woman with child with such violence that it passed through her body and carried the child with it by the space of half a mile They cast up and raised yet other Mounts also from whence they flung
Titus led into Jury Shortly after Vespasian gathered souldiers and repairing his Army joyned with Agrippa's company and returning to Seleucia wan it and slew every man leaving none alive and afterward going again to the Cities of Galilee took them serving them in like sort After that he came to the City called Nascela which was a walled Town and of all the Towns of defence throughout all Galilee none left but it This he besieged because thither resorted many cut-throats and wicked persons without the fear of God such as were robbers and rovers of the Land of Judea Amongst whom was a certain man named Jehochanan learned wise and prudent especially to do mischief a witty Counsellour and of such eloquence that he could perswade cunningly and disswade men from that they had purposed Besides this he was a murtherer ready to shed blood and to do any mischief a great robber and one that ever gaped for other mens goods by which means he was become very rich wherefore there resorted unto him all vain persons man-slayers rebells and ruffians like himself giving them large rewards that they might be of his fraternity his brethren and adherents and he to be their head Titus was sent to this City by his Father to offer them conditions of peace whither when he was come he sent his Embaâ—…adours to the Citizens to treate of peace with them whereunto the Citizens accorded were ready to enâ—…er into league with Titus When as this wicked Jehochanan perceived that the ancient men of the Town and the heads would accepâ—… of peace he commanded his companions to guard the wals to hinder them from speaking with the Romans saying that they themselves would return them an Answer So therefore seditious Jehochanan made answer to the Embassadors of Titus saying To morrow have we a solemn feast to the Lord God tell thy master Titus therefore that he grant us truce for 2 dais and the third day we wil give him answer wherwith Titus was content and deferred the assault for two dayes These things were done on Whit-sun-even which was called the Feast of weeks and harvest The night afore the third day appointed was come Jehochanan and his complices gat out of the Town and fled toward Jerusalem ere Titus knew thereof On the morrow he sent his Embassadors to demand their answer what they would do They answered we desire to enter into a league with you for we are yours and submit our selves to your pleasure upon the condition that none of the Romans hurt us either in our bodies or goods Titus upon this made peace with them confirming it by Writing sealed for the better assurance thereof So they opened the gates and Titus came into the Town with his whole Army and the Jews received him with great joy honouring him very much Then Titus enquired for Jehochanan and his confederates The Citizens declared unto him how he fled by night with all his unto Jerusalem Titus hearing that sent after to pursue him yet they found him not he had made such speed Notwithstanding many of the people that went out of the Town with him that they might escape the danger both men women and children old and impotent persons they overtook slew them every one and returned with a great spoil After this Titus won all the Cities in Galilee and set Rulers in them Then Vespasian dislodged from hence and came to the Mount Tabor which hath snow on it continually the height thereof is thirty furlongs and upon the top is a plain twenty three furlongs long Thither sent Vespasian one of his Captains called Palgorus which took the Mountain and the Town that stood thereon But here I will leave off the History of the other battels that were fought in other places in the Land of Israel and Galilee and speak no more of them in this Book for they be almost innumerable and we have made mention of them in the History of the Romans THE SECOND BOOK Containing The History of the siege of Jerusalem NOw will we describe the Batells of Jerusalem and how the City was besieged by the Romans wherein we will declare all things truly as our manner is and faithfully according to the verity of that that was done It came to passe therefore as Jehochanan the Galilean was fled to Jerusalem he found there men meet for his purpose injurious persons wicked men murderers deceivers blood-shedders an infinite number For out of all Countries within the Land of Judea there repaired thither all men of War to defend the Sanctuary of our God and Anani the high Priest received all that came These seeing Jehochanan anâ—… his valiantnesse revolted from Anani the high Priest and clave to him consulting with him concerning all their affairs So he conspired with these cut-throats to lay hands upon the riâ—… men of the City and to spoil them of their goods and this was their manner When they espyed any notable rich man of the City they would after this sort quarrel with him Art not thou he that hast sent letters to the Romans and to Vespasian to betray the City unto them Thus would they examine him before the people and when he would answer God forbid I shoulâ—… do so then would they bring in godless persons limbs of tâ—…e devil of their own company to bear false witness against him that he might be condemned to death by the law for a rebell Thus dealt they with Antipas and Lohia both Noble men and of the chief of the City and their goods with all their jewels the seditious seized for themselves They pick'd quarrels also with the â—…igh 〈◊〉 thrust them from their chairs that they could not execute their service Moreover they cast lots who should have the Priests office and who should be no Priest For they held the Priesthood and service of God for toyes gaudes and trifles So the lot fell upon one that was called Pani the son of Peniel a carterly husbandman ignorant of what belonged to the Priests office so that he was utterly unworthy of the Priesthood so light a matter made they of the Priesthood The good and the godly men of Jerusalem seeing the power of these ruffians and wicked persons bear such swinge they stuck together and determined to withstand them by force The people therefore earnestly moved with anâ—…ger set upon them and encouutred with them in such sort that the fight was great on both sides in the Streets in the Market-place in the Temple and in the entrance of the Temple till all the City was filled full of dead bodies and slain men For there was not so much as one street but there was some skirmishes in it The people at length got the upper-hand of the ruffians for they were eagerly set earnestly bent against them The seditious therefore seeing themselves not able to make their party good with the people fled every man into the Temple of the Lord shut it after them and there remained But
he had been so disposed had been able to lay Joseph at his foot a thousand times not knowing him to be Joseph Wherefore when he was so roughly and so sharply taunted of him he might have killed him in his rage for he was a very Bold man and a hardy and of a very Noble courage who surely would not have counted it nothing to have slain the Egyptian and many more of them Notwithstanding he did not so but contrary submitting himself under the yoak of Joseph called him his Lord and good Master and supposing him to be some Egyptian he humbled himself before him to obtain his petition and to get Corn least his father his brethren and their family should die for hunger What should I say of Joseph so beautifull so wise and witty a man Was not he fain to serve in Pharaohs house wherein although his wisdom was well known insomuch that Pharaoh set more by him than by all the Noble men that were then alive He was also called Lord great Master and Pharaohs Father Nevertheless he humbly besought Pharaoh that he might sustain his Father and Brethren with bread knowing at that time the dominion belonged unto Pharaoh and his people being given them of God And although Joseph had list to return into the Land of Canaan with all his fathers whole houshold without Pharaohs leave no man could have letted him to do it for he bare the greatest rule at that time in Egypt yet he did not so Benjamin also was likened to a ravening wolfe for his fierceness when he was fetched again by force of Josephs steward faining a lye upon him how chanced he did not kill him Or else when he alone pursued Benjamin and his other brethren could not he if he had list have slain the man and buried him so that the matter should never have come to light Notwithstanding they did nothing so nor so but Judas wisely weighing the exaltations and directions the promotions and disgraces with the common courses of the world returned again with his brethren into the City went to Joseph and besought him untill his bowels were moved to pity and he was known of his brethren All these things doth the most holy law of the Lord rehearse unto us and putteth us in mind of for this intent that we may learn to bear for necessities sake the yoak of him that hath the preheminence and rule for his time Neither let any judge or think that Joseph offended God in that he submitted himself under the yoak of Pharaoh for it is no shame for a wise man to crouch unto him whose help he standeth in need of whatsoever it be much more if he be a King or a Lord know ye not that our fathers were in bondage to King Pharaoh in Egypt But after the Lord remembred the covenant that he made with our fathers and had determined to lead them out of Egypt he sent Moses our master of famous memory his Angel his chosen who knew the Loâ—…d to be with him whereby he was able to destroy whosoever did rise against him Nevertheless when he came to Pharaohs presence who then bare rule in Egypt he shewed not himselfe in armes but rather with thunder and hail that Pharaoh might well perceive and know God was the Lord. But at what time as Pharaoh oppressed the Israelites too sore our master Moses by Gods help brought them out of Egypt with a strong hand and stretched forth arm against the Egyptians whom he punished with continuall plagues by that means delivering the Israelites out of the hands of their Lords and Masters and bringing them to the mount of God made them heirs full of all goodness that is to say of the most holy law of God And after Joshua had subdued the holy land to the Israelites and that they inhabited it there chanced unto our fathers times of adversities as is mentioned in the books of the Prophets so that they were constrained to serve the King of Ashur a long season and the Kings of Persia To the Chaldees also were we in bondage although not very grievous but tolerable Moreover with other Kings of the Gentiles we had wars and sometimes we were put to foils sometimes we had the upper-hand Now therefore my brethren tell me What shame were it to you if ye were subject unto the Romans Or what are you to be compared to other Nations that be under their Dominion Do you not see that the Romans reign over your enemies and bear rule over them that sometimes were your Masters and hate us Were it not reason that you should love them which have brought down your enemies and revenged you of them Which notwithstanding you have nothing at all done but rather have hated them as men void of all perceivance without weighing and considering that since the time you were under them ye have alwayes lived in much peace And I my self when I withstood the Romans in Galilee knew very well that I should be overcome at length but I could do nothing because of the seditious persons that were with me which would in no wise follow my counsel Yea it stood me in hand to have a care of mine own person that I were not killed of them after I had once counselled and moved them to give up the Town Wherefore seeing the matter stood so and God knew my heart I thought best to fight against the Romans as I mighâ—… and when occasion served to escape to the Romans to take it Further when I was in the Cave with my forty companions I had been lost and perished had not God given me counsel making me a way to escape and save my life For they had almost slain me because I gave them counsel to yield themselves to the Romans and obey them For I saw this was the time of the Romans to bear rule and that God had appointed them to be Lords over all Nations For this is his manner like as above he hath made some to be rulers over othersome even so beneath also he hath set Rulers over the Kings of the Earth Who can controll him that is stronger then he The Romans at this present have the Dominion over all Lands and People over the Egyptians Assyrians Persians and Chaldees to every one of these you have been in bondage and over other Nations also which nevertheless do till their ground sowe mowe plant and gather in their fruits and who hath the profit of these goods and labour but the Romans who whiles the other toyl and travel do live in peace and rest themselves Wherefore mark this also my brethren the Kings of Macedonia once had the rule of the whole World specially in the time of Alexander of Macedonia but at this day their Empire is taken from them and they are become subjects to the Romans They when the Romans first set upon them were very haughty and stubborn determining to resist the Romans notwithstanding they were overcome of the
therefore and distress increased so long that the people had devoured all that ever crept on the earth from the mouse to the spider from the newt to the weesell whereby a most grievous pestilence followed that innumerable of the people of the Land died and there was no man to bury them When they chanced to find any dead horse or other beast in the Town a man should see many Israelites strive and fight for it in all points like to famished Ravens lighting upon a dead carcass so that in such contentions very many were slain Therefore when divers men with their wives and children gat out of the City to gather hearbs to eat and chanced among the Romans the Romans laid hold of the little children and killed them saying We will dispatch these left when they grow once to mans state they make war upon us as their fathers do at this day So many as came out of the gates of the City now and then the Romans killed and hanged them upon gallowses over against the gates of Jerusalem to the number of five hundred After the same manner Schimeon Jehochanan and Eleazar dealt with those Romans whom they could by any train catch and hanged them up upon the walls Whosoever also they could perceive would flee unto the Romans they hanged them likewise over the walls to the number of 500. But Titus gave commandment to all his souldiers that no man upon pain of death should kill any of them that fled out of Jerusalem For he took pity of the Israelites and ceased not to speak friendly and lovingly to the Jerosolemites so that he went yet once again to the walls and spake unto the Jews in this sort Hear I beseech you the counsel of Joseph and come unto me that you may live and not perish utterly Spare your people why will you oppress them vexed with hunger thirst pestilence and besieging But the Seditious hearing Titus speak were wonderfully incensed and intended to add mischief upon mischief handling yet more cruelly the people of God Moreover they railed at Titus â—…o provoke him to anger that he might leave off speaking to the people which had now almost lost their obedience and fear of the Seditious Wherefore the Seditious spake unto the Romans It is better for us to dye with hunger and to be killed in this affliction so to come to the bliss and light we hope for than to â—…ive and see the most holy Temple of God defiled and destroyed When Titus saw this he commanded an iron-Ram to be set to the wall to batter it that he might deliver those poor wretches out of Schimeon Eleazar and Jehochanans hands who held them in as Captives At the same time as they erected that Engine to the wall it hapned there was in the Camp a certain young man whose name was Memaganin son of Antiochus of Macedonia one of the Kings of the Grecians who came at Vespasians commandment to aid Titus The same young man was very swift a good runner and a hardy souldier but he lacked discretion He came to Titus and said I cannot but marvel at thy souldiers that vanquish all Nations and dare not set upon the Jews to kill them Titus hearing the young King say so smiled and said How chances it that being of this judgment thou armest not thy self and makest thee ready to do like as thou sayest Why drawest thou not out thy sword to declare thy manhood upon them Wherefore the young King incouraged himself and called together all his Macedonian souldiers then approached to the Jews and began to skirmish with them shooting with their bows and arrows apace But at length the Jews handled them so that not one of the Macedonians escaped save only the young King which by his good foot-manship and swift running gat away and returned to Titus This Memaganin was of the kindred of Alexander the great King of Macedonia which had the Dominion of the whole world and whom all Nations and people stood in awe of Josephus the Priest demanded of him whose son he was He answered I came of the seed of Alexander I am the tenth from him Joseph said It may well be as thou hast said that thou art of the succession of Alexander for the valiantness of thy heart that thou hast shewed declareth no less Howbeit thou shalt understand that the Romans have done wisely to abstain from the assault at this time because they knew they should have to do with a most valiant Nation which thou having so well tried mayest report and testify when thou art asked the question After this Titus divided his whole Army and layed them privily in ambushes round about the walls He prepared moreover Rams of Iron to batter the walls Of these four one he planted upon the side of the place called Antochia the Engine was thirty cubites long The same night Captain Jehochanan with his company issued forth and undermined the ground under the wheels of the wagons that bare the Rams putting pitched boards oyled and done over with brimstone in the trenches under the wheels and under the boards they spread leather which likewise was smeared and done over with pitch oyl and brimstone Then they set fire upon the boards which burnt till they came to the feet of the Rams and they being set on fire and burnt the Engins fell upon the Watch that was appointed to keep it being asleep and killed them Whereat the Romans were much dismayed and said It is not possible we should assault this City hereafter for they have burnt all our Engins of war wherewith we have subdued all other Kingdoms so that now of fifty iron Rams which we brought with us we have but six left and the Seditious Jews have burnt three of them what shall we now do How shall we batter the walls hereafter The Jews upon the walls hearing their words flouted them and laught them to scorn Wherefore Titus incensed with anger commanded the other three Rams to be addressed in the place of those which were burnt In the mean season while the Romans were at work four young men moved with great zeal whose names were first Thopatius Galileus then Magarus Chebronita the third Jorminus Schomronita the fourth Arius Jerosolymita These all armed issued out of the Camp of the Romans that then stood about their three Engins and iron Rams devising how to batter the walls of the City of whom some these young men killed the other fled Then two of them stood at defence to keep off all them that approached nigh the Engins whilethe other two Jerusolymitanus and Schomronita daubed the timber with a certain matter which they had prepared to make it take fire and straightway set fire upon them so that suddenly the Rams were on a light fire Then they all four joyning together withstood the Romans that they should not come at the Engins to quench the fire Shortly the Rams fell down and the Romans stood aloof hurling
stones and shooting thick at them for they were afraid to come nigh them because of their great fierceness although they were three thousand men that kept the Rams Yet these four set nothing by them nor yet never went off the ground till the Rams were clean burnt up shot the Romans never so thick at them Titus hearing the valiantness of these young men and the harms they had done unto the Romans made speed with his whole Hoste to save the Rams from the fire and to apprehend those young men Then forthwith issued out Schimeon Jehochanan and Eleazar Captains of the Seditious with their souldiers sounding their Trumpets and made the Romans retire that they could not come nigh the fire and so rescued the four young men from the Romans that had environed them round about In that skirmish were killed ten thousand and five hundred men Then gathered together all the whole Army of the Romans to assault the Jews at once approaching hard to the walls of Jerusalem where they cryed unto the Jews saying What are you Oxen or Goats that you fight on this fashion upon the Walls Will you be taken in the midst of the City like as Oxen and Goats are taken in their folds If ye be men come forth and let us try our manhood here in this Plain But you by stealth and at unawares set upon them that keep our Engins snatching them up like as it were wolves should snatch sheep then run away into the Town as the wolves run into the Wood If there be any manhood in you behold we are ready here come forth to us so many for so many and then we shall see what end will come thereof When the Captains of the Seditious heard that they spake unto the warriours that were in Jerusalem Which of you will go out with us to these dogs to shew our force and stomachs for the Sanctuary and City of the Lord Then five hundred tall fellows of their own accord issued out upon the Romans suddenly and slue eight thousand men and compelled the rest to retreat from the walls The Romans then felt what valiantness the Jews had for the Romans were in number fourty thousand fighting men and the Jews were only five hundred whereof not one of them was killed in that skirmish The Romans a far off shot at the Jews and hurled stones to whom the Jews said Come hither to us are you not they that called us forth and provoked us to come to you why come ye not now nearer you go about to drive us away with arrows and stones What do you think us to be dogs and that we are afraid of your stones Are we not men yea we are your Masters and betters for you râ—…n away from us as servants flee from their Masters when they follow them to beat them Titus seeing his army to be part of them fled and part to be slain he cried to his people saying Is it not a shame for you ye Romans and a wonderfull great dishonor to flee from the Jews so hunger beaten famished almost dead for thirst and besieged Alas how shall ye put away this your rebuke and ignominy When as all Nations which heretofore ye have most valiantly subdued shall hear that ye flee from these dead Jews whose whole Land we hâ—…ve in possession so that they have nothing left but this only Town which we have all battered that they have but one only wall to defend themselves Besides this they are very few we are innumerable they have no Nation to aid them we have help of all Lands Why then do ye flee from their sight like as small impotent birds flee from the Eagle What though the Jews vow and hazard themselves desperately for their Temple and Land why do you not the same also in these wars to get you a renown of valiantness But the Jews prevailed that day and had the upper hand wherefore they returned into the Town with great glory having put the Romans to so great a foil Titus commanded his to address and prepare the other two Rams that were left to batter the walls of Jerusalem withall Wherefore the Roman Carpenters cast a trench to prepare and set up the Rams in such places as Titus had assigned them The Jews were aware of it well enough but winked at that matter as yet untill they had planted the master beams between the standing posts So when the work was finished even to the hanging up of the Engins betwixt the standing posts â—…o shake the wall withall the Romans being secure and void of care nothing mistrusting that the Jews would stir because they had been quiet a few nights and never issued forth of the City Upon a certain night a pretty while before day the three principall Captains of the Seditious came and cast their heads together to devise what they should do Eleazar gave this counsell and said You two the last time issued out and burnt three Rams and got you renown and I kept the gates the while now keep ye the gates and I will issue out with my men against the Romans to get me a name also The other answered Go then on Gods name unto them the Lord God of the Sanctuary which is in Jerusalem shall be present with thee but beware thou be not slain and in any wise thou be not taken alive to whom he answered The Lord God shall keep me for upon the trust of the righteousness of my father Ananias the high Priest and his sincere service unto God I will set upon them Eleazar therefore chose 100. valiant souldiers and with them he issued out of the Town before day The same night the Romans had made fires about their Engines where they watched because of the cold The Artificers and souldiers that kept the watch and ward about the Romans were in number a hundred and fifty The day was the 27. of the month of September which was the ninth month that Titus had besieged Jerusalem Eleazar and his company thus being issued out came and found some of the Romans snorting about the fires other watching in their wards and killed them all that not one remained Then some of Eleazars Company set fire upon the Rams burnt the standing posts ropes chains and other instruments of war the Artificers that were there they apprehended alive and burnt them so that no man escaped When it was day Titus observed the smoak of the fire mounting up very foul and stinking of the wood and men together he drew towards the place therefore with his Host to see what the matter was Eleazar in the mean season and his company took as they might get every man a piece of the Engins out of the fire or some of their heads that they had killed and returned with great joy flouting the Romans and laughing them to scorn by the way till they came to the gates of Jerusalem where they were received of Schimeon and Jehochanan with great honour Soon
And the only cause why we make War upon you is your stubborn stiffe-neckednesse that you will not submit your selves to us whom God hath given the Dominion unto whose will ye labour in vain to disappoint Either therefore if ye will fight no more humble your selves under our subjection that ye may save your lives or else if ye be determined still desperately to fight with us then get you forth from hence and let us go into the fields there to set our battels in aray Why wil you defile your Sanctuarie and hinder the worshipping of your God Much more besides this spake Titus partly blaming their stubbornnesse in that they had defiled their Temple and yet ceased not to pollute it more and more partly with fair words and gentleness exhorting them to yeild admonishing them not to resist so mighty an Army when as they could not do it without danger of utter destruction These and many other things Joseph expressed in Hebrew to the people as Titus willed him but the Jews answered never a word for Jehochanan had given charge that no man should speak Then Captain Jehochanan answered Titus himself saying We can offer no kind of sacrifice more acceptable to God than to devote hazard and abandon our own bodies and blood for his Names sake Wherefore we will die free-men in this our Town and will never come in bondage to serve you Titus made him answer by Joseph saying This your City I grant is a holy City and your Temple is most holy which no man doth deny but ye have grievously sinned in that ye have polluted the Temple of the Lord your God by shedding in it innocent blood of Saints and the Priests of God with other most godly and holy men By what reason can ye then say that ye shall be accepted for sacrifices and offerings before God yea rather God abhorreth and detesteth you utterly when as he requireth in his sacrifices that they should have no default nor spot but ye are all bespotted so that no sound place is left in you For tell me I pray you if there be any more abominable spot in man than sin when he transgresseth the Law of God as ye have done Neither is there any wisdom or intelligence in you For wise men would wisely bear with the calamities of times and know the courses of things How then are ye so foolish to say that ye are an acceptable and well pleasing sacrifice to God when as ye resist the will of God so proudly But thou Jehochanan and the rest of the Seditious Captains that are with thee Tell me Art thou not a mortal man subject unto the griefs and vexations of this life and worms meat as we be Should he not displease thee that should take away and violate a Table or such like thing prepared to the honour of thee and wouldst thou take it in good part and hold him excused that should so do unto thee Why then hast thou taken away the sacrifices of thy God out of his Temple and hast stuffed it with innumerable dead bodies Who can see or hear this and abstain from weeping when he shall know so many Israelites to have suffered death by thee and Schimeon and Eleazar thy fellows Neither canst thou yet apply thy mind to cease and leave off thy malice and yet neverthelesse perswadest thy self that God is with thee and that thou with thy fellows art an acceptable and well-pleasing sacrifice unto God nothing perceiving that your sins separate you and keep you asunder more strongly than any brasen wall It is true I confesse that it becometh every valiant man to stand stoutly in the defence of his people City and Country For it is better to die valiantly than to come into the subjection of his enemy that goeth about to pluck him from his Religion and drive him out of his Country But I came not hither for that intent to draw you from your Religion nor to banish you out of your Land or else to destroy it and your Cities but this is the cause of my coming hither to offer you peace and to make a League with you that ye should take upon you our yoke and be our subjects as ye were before Where did you ever hear of a people in all the World that hath shewed themselves so merciful and gentle both towards other and towards you as we have done Hannibal the Captain of the Carthaginians after he had wasted our Country and at length was taken by us Was he not had in great honour and reputation of us and with such civility handled that we made him King of his people And so dealt we with Antiocbus the Macedonian and other Kings that we took prisoners Ye brag that ye keep the Vigils and Feasts of your God Why then follow ye not the example of Jechoniah your King who to save the Temple of your God from destruction and lest your people also should be led away into bondage or be destroyed with the sword yielded himself and his house into the hands of the King of the Chaldeos Why spare you not your own lives your City and Sanctuary Now therefore hearken unto me and I will make a League with you before the God of this House who shall be a witnesse betwixt me and you by whom I swear that I will never break this League neither do you any harm nor spoil your goods nor lead you away captive nor yet constitute any Ruler over you but a Jew of your own Nation even Joseph the Priest which is with me shall be your Prince if you think it good and all the faithful men also which are with me shall return home again ye shall inhabite your own Land ye shall have the use of the fruits thereof with peace and quietnesse without any corruption or alteration of the service of your God wherefore credit me and make a League with me And that you may trust me the better ye shall have pledges Joseph a Noble-man of your own Country and other Princes and Noblemen of the Romans Come forth therefore and treat a peace with us bow your shoulders and humble your necks to serve us like as all other Nations do and as you have done your selves in the time of Nero Caesar that ye may live and not be destroyed keeping your Religion safe and sincere Joseph the Priest hearing the words of Titus and his clemency in that he was minded to spare the Jews burst out aloud and wept in the presence of the Captains and of the Seditious very bitterly but they nothing regarded it Joseph therefore seeing that Titus could do nothing with the Seditious said unto their Princes I marvel nothing that this City tends to desolation and destruction for I know the end of it is at hand But this is it that I marvel most that ye have read in the Book of Daniel and understand it not which is now fulfilled in all points and yet never a one of
you doth mark it The continual sacrifice is already ceased a good while ago the annointed Priest is cut away and put down These things though they be most manifest yet your hearts cannot believe them And many other words spake Joseph full of admonition and consolation but the Jews refused to hear him When he had made an end therefore and the Seditious had so hardened their necks Titus turned him and departed out of Jerusalem saying Let us go hence lest their sins destroy us Wherefore he pitched his Tents without the City in the same place where he encamped at first For he was afraid both for himself and his Army lest they should be circumvented and closed in and slain cruelly in so great City as that was Certain of the Priests of that time and of the Nobles of the Town with other godly men did wisely provide for themselves and came forth to Titus submitting themselves to his mercy and were received of him peaceably with great honour whom Titus commanded to be conducted into the land of Goshen where in times past the Israelites dwelt in the dayes of Jacob their Father and Joseph Lord of Egypt Thither sent he them and gave it them in possession to them and to their heirs for ever after commanding a company of the Chaldees safely to conduct them till they came to the land of Goshen Titus directed his letter also to the Roman President which was set over Egypt to take pity of the Jews that he had placed in the land of Goshen to sustain and succour them and to see that no Roman nor other should do them harm or annoy them by any manner of means Many other also of the Jews coveted to go forth of Jerusalem but they were disappointed by the Seditious that they could not do as they intended And who can tell whether they were entangled with their own sins and destined to destruction with their seditious brethren when as their hands also were polluted with the cruelty and iniquity of the Seditious Wherefore the Seditious closed up all the walls about the Temple that none of the Jews which were in Jerusalem might get out to Titus When Titus knew that many of the Jews were desirous to flee unto him and could not because of the Seditious he went again to the place where he was before Joseph with him Whom when the people saw to be there with Titus they fell a weeping and said unto him We acknowledge our sins and the transgression of our fathers we have swerved out of the way against the Lord our God for we see now the mercy and gentlenesse of Titus the son of Caesar and that he taketh pity upon us but what can we do when it is not in our power to flee unto him because of the cruelty of the Seditious The Seâ—…itious hearing them talking with Joseph in the presence of Titus and that they spake reverenâ—…ly of him and honoured his father calling him Lord they ran upon them with their drawn swords to kill them Then crâ—…ed they unto Titus Dear Lord and Master rescue us The Romans therefore made speed to deliver them out of the hands of the Seâ—…itious So rose there a fray in the midst of the Temple between the Romans and the Jews The Romans fled into the place called Sanctum Sanctorum which was the holiest of all and the Jews followed after and slew them even there Titus standing without cryed unto Jehochanan and said unto him Hearest thou Jehochanan Iâ—… not thy 〈◊〉 yet great enough Wilt thâ—…u never make an end of mischief Where is the honour of thy God Is it not written in the Law of thy God of the Sanctum Sanctorum that no Stranger ought to come at it but only the high Priest and that but once a year because it is the holiest of all And now how darest thou be sâ—… bold to kill those that are escaped unto it And how dare you â—…ed the blood of the uncircumcised therein whom ye abhor and yet mix their blood with yours The Lord your GOD is my witnessâ—… that I would not have this House destroyed but your own wicked works and your own hands do pull it dâ—…wn And would God you would receive your peace which if it were once done we would honour this House of the Sanctuarie and Temple of the Lord yea we would depart away from you But your hearts are hardned like Iron and your necks and foreheads are become obstinate as Brasse to your own undoing For ye shall carrie your own sins and die in the Land of the Romans I and my fathers house are innocent and guiltlesse of your death as the Lord and his Temple in whose presence we stand shall bear us witnesse this day But when he saw that none of the Seditious gave any regard to his words he chose out of the Romans thirty thousand valiant fighting men and gave them commandment to take and occupy the entry of the Temple which is a holy Court and determined to go with them himself but his Nobles would not suffer him but willed him to remain upon a high place where he might behold his souldiers fight and when they see thee afar off their hearts shall be comforted and they shall fight according as thou wilt wish them but come not at the entry of the Temple thy self lest thou be destroyed amongst other Titus followed the counsel of his Captains and went not out at that time with his men to the battel He made chief Captains of that host of thirty thousand one Karilus and Rostius two great Commanders who had order to set upon the Jews that night when they should be asleep with wearinesse The Romans therefore doing after his commandment set upon the Jews but the Jews having intelligence of the matter kept diligent watch and withstood the Romans all the night But the Romans were not hasty to fight in the dark fearing lest it might turn to their own harm As soon therefore as it was day the Jews divided themselves and bestowed their Companies at the gates of the entrance and fought like men Karilus and Rostius beset the Temple round about that not one of the Jews might escape out and so the battel encreased between them for the space of seven dayes sometimes the Romans getting the upper hand of the Jews driving them within the entrance sometime the Jews encouraging themselves made the Romans retire and pursued them to the walls of the Antochia in this manner fought they these seven dayes Afterward the Romans turned back from the Jews and would not fight hand to hand with them any more Then Titus commanded the walls of the Antochia to be pulled down further that there might be place for all his host to enter The famine in the mean season grew more grievous so that no food was left For the Jews began now to issue out and steal Horses Asses and other beasts whatsoever they could catch even out of the Romans