him and kissed him after that ledde him to his pauilion and set hym vpon his seate◠of honour Kinge Iudas also after he returned from the campe made vnto Nicanor a greate feaste callyng him and his noble men with him into Hierusalem where they eate and dranke at the kinges table Kynge Iudas was yet vnmaried wherfore Nicanor moued him to take a wife that hee might haue issue and not lose his succession whose counsaile Iudas alowed This done the lewde pickethanke Alkimus declared to kynge Demetrius the league that Nicanor hadde made wyth king Iudas Whereat Demetrius being wrothe writ vnto Nicanor that he had intelligence of his traiterous practises Nicanor was in Hierusalem when this letter was deliuered him When Iudas hearde of the contentes of the letter he fled out of Hierusalem into Samaria where he sounded a trumpet gathered Israel together Nicanor vpō these letters entred into the house of the lord to seeke Iudas but he founde him not Then he examined the Priestes who sware they knewe not where he was become After he had now sought him in euerye corner throughout Hierusalem and could not finde him in a fume he sware he woulde beate downe the temple And gathering together ai his hoste he made spede againste Iudas When he hearde of Nicanors cōming he issued out of Samaria to mete him and after they hadde stroke the battail Iudas slewe of the Grekes to the number of .xviii. thousande horsemen toke Nicanor aliue and was minded to kyll him But Nicanor besought him of pardon alledgynge that the kinge knewe well inough that he beganne not this battaile with his good will but lest he shoulde traunsgresse the commaundement of the king his maister Wherefore saieth he I humblye beseche your maiestie not to kill mee and I sweare vnto you that I wyll neuer beare armour againste you nor anoye you in any wise Vpon this the kynge made a league with hym and dimissed him So he returned to the king his master with shame inough After this Demetrius dyed and Lisia his sonne raigned in his stede Yet the wicked men ceased not but moued againe Kinge Lisia to make a voyage in his owne Persone with a puissant armye againste Iudas but hauinge the ouerthrowe of kynge Iudas he fled vnto Asdotum till he had repaired againe his armye strongelye Then came he the seconde time vppon Iudas in whiche conflicte the Israelites were put to flight King Iudas notwithstandinge fled nother one waye nor other but called to his men exhorted them to returne and sticke by him yet they would not obeye him So he abid alone with his drawen sworde in hys hand vnto whom none of his enemies durst approche nie but with charettes and horsemen they enuironned hym and archers shot at him woūding him sore till he fell downe deade vppon the ground and they that were about him were taken alyue The tyme that he raigned ouer Israel was .vi. yere Manie of the Grekes captains were slaine also in that battaile and the king him selfe so wounded that he was faine to get him into his countreye to be cured of his woundes After he hadde recouered his health he returned again came to Hierusalem and to all the cities of Israell wyth the power of the Grekes wherwith he so afflicted them at that tyme for the space of foure monethes after the death of Iudas that the like tribulation was neuer sene in Israell In the meane season the Israelites resorted to Ionathas the sonne of Mattathias and made him king in Iudas stede and were sworne vnto hym This Ionathas foughte diuers greate battails against the Grekes hauynge the aide of one Sauinus of the kinred of kyng Alexander the first who had made a league with Ionathas toke his part againste Grecia wasted and spoyled it sore till at length the king of the Grecians slewe Ionathas by a traine His raigne ouer Israel dured .vi. yere Then was Schimeon his brother king in his stede Against him Antiochus the secōd kinge of the Grecians came to warre But Schimeon met him and laied first an ambushe to entrapte the Grekes then ordered his battayles in araye against Antiochus After that he wyth his whole hoste made a face fayninge as though they fledde and retired tyll thei perceiued Antiochus who pursued them to be within their daunger then the ambushe brake foorthe vppon the Grekes made a very great slaughter After this Schimeon returned to Ierusalē with great ioye Then sent Ptolome king of Egipt an imbassage to Scimeō king of Israel offering him his daughter in mariage To his request when king Schimeon had cōsented Ptolome came to Ierusalē where was made a great feast they were alied together Whereupō Antiochus king of the Greciās writ to Ptolome king of Egipt priuily to murder Schimeō king of Israel Whō Ptolomee durst not but obey for at that time the king of Egipt was in subiection to the Grekes Therefore when Schimeon came into Egipt to se his father in lawe Ptolomee he was receiued with greate feastinge but in the same he had poyson geuen him that he died thereof Besides this also his sonne which came with him Ptolome cast in prisō These things iustly chaūced vnto Schimeon for that he hadde traunsgressed the worde of the Lorde that forbade all aliance with the Gentiles The time that he raigned ouer Israel was .xviii. yeres Then Iohn his sonne raigned in his steede who was called Hircanus in the Greke tongue The same Ptolomee king of Egipt inuaded Israel with al the power that he coulde make But Iohn the sonne of Schimeon mette him and the Lorde ouerthrewe Ptolomee wyth his whole hoste that they were slaine of the Israelites and pursued to the citye Dagon about the whiche the Israelites made trenches and beseged it Nowe within the towne thei had the mother of kyng Hircanus whom Ptolomee caused to be sette vppon the Walles and to bee scourged with whippes in the sight of her sonne When Hircanus sawe the great affliction of his mother he wold haue raised his siege and departed frō Ptolomee But his mother called vnto him and said My deare sonne Iohn regarde not my tribulation for all chasteninges come from GOD. Procede manfully with thy siege againste thys citye for it is in great distresse and reuenge me thy father and brother murdered by Ptolomee The king folowed her aduise manfully raysed a mount from the which he battered the walles with engynes of yron like charrettes till it began to shake Wherfore many of the souldiours of the towne fledde and their companies began to scatter Ptolomee seinge this commaunded to afflict hys mother yet more and to encrease her scourgynges vntill the entrails of Hircanus was moued that he could abide no lenger to see his mother so cruelly handled but left the siege let Ptolomee escape who neuerthelesse killed his mother and fled into Egipt In the fourth yeare of kinge Hircanus raigne Pius king Grece came and besieged
euer geue them any answere But when thei perceiued the kinge to be incensed against them and by that meanes the matter mighte redounde to their owne harme after consultation had they went to the king of Grece whose name was Demetrius shewed him what Hircanus and Alexander his soÌ„ne had done vnto the Phariseis and all the Israelites that bare them good will and folowed their traditions and how thei also hated Alexander for the mischiefe that hee hathe wrought them So that if any manne would come and reueng the malice of Alexander they would be ready to aide him Demetrius folowed their aduise and assembling together all his people to the number of .xl. thousand horsemeÌ„ and fotemen without number He toke his iourney and encamped against Sichem Then kinge Alexander waged .vi. thousand horsemen to aid him But the king of the Grecians writ priuilye to the auncientes of the Sectaries that they shold not aide Alexander To the mercinary souldiours also that Alexander had hired he sent rewardes golde and siluer that they returned home to their couÌ„trey aided not Alexander Wherupon he was not able to withstande Demetrius Therfore hearing that Demetrius was remoued froÌ„ Sichem toward IerusaleÌ„ entending to take him in the citie he fled by nighte with a fewe of his men to the mountains and lurked there When the menne of Israel that were in Iudea heard the king was fled out of Hierusalem and that the citye was in hasarde to come into the haÌ„des of the Grecians they gathered them selues together stode for their liues as thoughe all had bene one man to the number of .x. thousand and set vpoÌ„ Demetrius Campe killed all his beste men of warre and spoyled his whole host that he fled from them returned home into his couÌ„trey with shame dishonour This done the king toke hart vnto him returned to his kingdom but the Pharises fled to Betshemes streÌ„gthning theÌ„ selues against the king Who hauing intelligeÌ„ce therof gathered an army went against theÌ„ wan the city and toke viii.c of the chiefest Pharisies bound theÌ„ in chains brought them to IerusaleÌ„ Then baÌ„queted he al his seruants vpon the roufe of his palaice in a very hie place where the chiefe learned men eat dranke vntil he and thei were dronke And in his merye mode he commaunded those viii.c Pharisies prisoners to be brought forth to be haÌ„ged euery man of theÌ„ vppon gallowes before him at which sight he dronke laughed hartely After this he fel sick the xxiiii yere of his raigne of a greuous disease a quartan ague that held him thre yere yet for all this he shronke not nor letted to go to the war to encounter fight with his enemies what nation so euer they were of round about him as though he had ben a hole man In the xxvii yere of his raign which was the third of his sicknes he made an expeditioÌ„ into the land of Moab against a certain city called Ragaba to get it bi force At which time he was very sicke and weake wherfore his wife Alexandra the Quene wente with him fearinge least he shuld die by the waye And as be encamped him self against the city and vrged it sore with assaultes his sicknesse increased vpon him more and more Wherfore his wife perceiuinge that he was like to die wept bitterly before him said To whoÌ„ shal I be so bold as to shew my face wheÌ„ thou art once dead seing thou haste wroughte such mischief vpon the pharisies whoÌ„ all the lande fauoureth and foloweth their traditions obeiyng their institucions If they shal be disposed to wreke them selues vppon me and thy yonge children they shal haue aid of all that dwel in the laÌ„d The king answered Wepe not nor shew any reseÌ„blance of peÌ„sifnes I wil tel the what thou shalt do if thou wilt folow my counsell thou shalt prosper and raigne thou and thy children as thou woldest desire Be it that I die there is no man in the world nede know therof Tel thou euery maÌ„ therfore that aske for me that I am sick wil not that ani maÌ„ shal come at me In the meane while anointe season me with balmes fight with a courage against this city til thou win it then return to Ierusalem with ioy and beware thou put on no mourninge apparail nor weepe but bringe me into Ierusalem and laye me vpon a bedde like a sicke man and after call together the chiefe of the Phariseis bryng them where I am and speake vnto them gentilly in this sort Alexander hath bene euer your enemy I knowe it very wel wherefore take him if ye list and cast him into the fire or to the dogges or bury him it shal be at your choise I knowe wel they are pitifull men and so ful of merci that they wil bury me honorably and shall apointe some one of my sonnes whoÌ„ they like best to be king The Quene did therfore as she was instructed of the king Whan she had won Ragaba she ioyfully returned to Ierusalem after that gathered together the elders of the Pharisies and spake to them as the king had aduised her The Pharisies hearing the king was deade and that his bodye was in their handes to do withal what they liste they answered the Quene God forbid we shoulde do this vnto our Lorde the annointed of God He was the king and hie prieste what though he were a sinner yet his deathe shal be an expiation for him of al his iniquities Therfore we wil bewaile him and mourne for him yea we wil cary his coffen our selues vpon our neckes and burye him as it becommeth a kinges magnificence and so they did The time that he reigned was .xxvii. yeares After him reigned his wife Alexandra in his stede for the Pharisies after they had finished the .vii. daies of the mourning they comitted the kingdoÌ„ vnto her She had .ii. sons by the king the elder was called Hircanus the other Aristobulus Hircanus was a iust man righteous but Aristobulus was the warrioure man of prowes besides that of a familier louing countenance He fauored also the learned men folowed their instruction But Hircanus his elder brother loued the Pharisies On a time therfore when the Quene sate in the throne of her kingdom she called the auncients of the Pharisies before her honoured them commaunded to release set at liberty al such Pharisies as the king her husband her father in lawe had cast in prison and taking the pharisies by the handes she commaunded all Israel to obey their ordinaunces TheÌ„ made Hircanus her sonne hie prieste and Aristobulus lieueteuaunte of the warres She sent also to al the landes that her husbande and father in lawe had subdued and demaunded the nâ—ble mennes sonnes for pledges which she kept in IerusaleÌ„ So the lord gaue vnto the Quene quietnesse froÌ„ al that were vnder her subiection She gaue also the Pharisies
authority ouer the learned sort puttinge them into their handes to ordre at their pleasure Wherupon straight way they founde one Dogrus a greate man amongst the learned sort whom they stewe much people besides of the auncients of that sect so that the Sectaries were in great distresse Thei gathered them selues together therfore and came to Aristobulus the lieutenaunt of the warres and with him they came to the Quene saiyng vnto her Thou knowest the enmitie that is betwene vs and the Pharisies which hate thy busband and father in lawe yea and thy children also We were his men of warre that went with him in all his affaires and ayded him now thou hast geuen vs into their handes to bee murdered and banished out of the Lande What will Hartam kinge of Arabia dooe when he heareth this that we shall forsake thee He wâ—â— come and reuenge him of all the battaile that thy husband fought agaynst him Yea the Pharisies will take his parte and deliuer thee and thy children into his handes that there shall not be left vnto Hircanus the kynge and his sonne Alexander thy husbande anye name or remnant at all The Quene gaue them no word to answer wherat Aristobulus was angrye and letted not to vtter it to his mothers face but she would not heare him Wherefore Aristobulus counseled the Sectaries to go their waies and depart oute of Ierusalem to chuse them cities in the laÌ„d of Iuda where they mighte dwel with their honor not to suffre them selues to be slain vnder the Pharisies hands Wherfore departing from Ierusalem they dwelte in the cities of Iuda Not longe after this it fortuned the Quene fel sore sicke that she was like to die Wherof when Aristobulus heard he feared least the Pharisies wold make his brother Hircanus kinge and at length apprehende him wherefore he fled away by night to the cities of the Saducies to be their heade and make war vpon his brother if he would presume to reigne He came therefore to the Prince of the Saducies called Galustius who was a good man of war And after he had gathered a stronge armye of the Saducies his mother the Quene sent vnto him that he shoulde returne vnto her which he wolde not do but rather went to war vppon the nacions that dwelt about him where he wan .xx. cities and gate him great renowne therby Now as the Quene his mother waxed sicker and sicker the chiefe Pharisies came vnto her with her sonne Hircanus weping before her and saiyng how they were afraid of her sonne Aristobulus who if he should come into Ierusalem take it he would deliuer them vp into the handes of the Saducies Vnto whome she answered I am as you see at the point of death not able to talke much with you there is here in my house great treasure that my husbande and my fathered gathered and their pareÌ„ts kings of the posterity of Chasmonani take that vnto you and make my soÌ„ne Hircanus king ouer you If Aristobulus wil perturbe him and make warre againste him ye may wage menne of war therwith and succour him as you thinke good And euen with this she fainted and died and was buried amongst her people after she had reigned .ix. yeare ouer Israel The Pharisies therfore and priestes with all the inhabitantes of Ierusalem made Hircanus her sonne king in her stede Aristobulus hearinge tidinges of these thinges assembled his army and came toward Ierusalem to fight against his brother But Hircanus met him and encountred with him nye vnto Iordane Iericho The Saducies of Aristobulus hoste were good men of warre and to strong for the Pharises Wherfore Hircanus the Pharisies had the ouerthrow at Aristobulus and the Saduces handes who with this victorye proceded forth to Ierusalem besieged it brought it to great distres Wherfore the priestes and the aunciente of the people consulted together came forth to Aristobulus fel prostrate vpon th earth afore him and besought him that he wold not scatter abrode the inheritaunce of the Lorde He condiscended vnto their desires vpon these conditions that he should enter into Ierusalem with them and be kinge and his brother Hircanus shoulde be the hie priest Wherunto they agreed Then as Aristobulus entred into IerusaleÌ„ his brother came out of the sanctuary to mete him and with embrasings he kissed him So Aristobulus was king Hircanus executed the office of the hie priest The Lord also gaue Israell rest and peace for a while But afterward the Lord sente an euil spirite amongst them which was the cause of translating the kingdoÌ„ from the stock of Chasmonani and of the destructioÌ„ of his posteritye For the sonne of Hircanus the great and the sonne of Alexander his sonne in that they shed so much innocent blud drue Israel froÌ„ thobedience of the Prophets vnto the lies trifles of the Saduces For thus it chauÌ„ced The Saduces bet into Aristobulus heade that as long as his brother Hircanus liued he nor his kingdome could neuer be stablished Wherupon Aristobulus deuised how to make awai Hircanus Which thing a certain maÌ„ called Antipater was aware of a maÌ„ of most power in al Israel therto also a wise expert learned man in all wisdome both in the lawes in the knowledge of the Greke iust of his word prudent if ani strauÌ„ge or new matters chauÌ„ced His ofspringe was not out of the children of Israell but of those Romaines which chauÌ„ced to be vainquished became subiect vnder the dominion of the Israelits being but strauÌ„gers of no noble house in Israel Phaselus He had iiii soÌ„nes Ioseph his eldest the nexte Pasilus the third Herode the .iiii. Pheroras These had also a sister called Salumith Antipater fauoured Hircanus so intirely for his iustice vprightnes sake that he opened vnto him him his brother Aristobulus the Saducies intent geuing him counsel to flee to Hartam king of Arabia but Antipater him self went before to breake the matter to HartaÌ„ of whose comminge Hartam was very glad Then Antipater declared to him how Hircanus kinge of Hierusalem was in minde to flee vnto him because of Aristobulus his brother If thou wilt helpe him saith he and let him haue speedy aide thou shalte easilye set Aristobulus besides the kingdome for all Israel is inclined to Hircanus and fauoure not Aristobulus Hartam answered I am afraied of the Iewes and their wilines Alexander his father put mee thrise to the foile in battail by his subtiltie and toke my dominioÌ„s from me TheÌ„ Antipater sware vnto him He shal be saith he thy true trustye frend to do what soeuer thy hart desiereth Thus HartaÌ„ was perswaded they made a league together Then Antipater returnyng to Hierusalem caused Hircanus to flee in the night and they both went together to the king of Arabia who muche reioyced at Hircanus commynge and receiued him honourably When they came together to entreat of the league Hartam
do it for thy sake So the messenger brought the aunswer secretly vnto Herode wherupon he sent streight to the place in whiche he vnderstode Maloces men to lurke waiting for Hircanus and caused to apprehende them aliue Herode coÌ„maunded to cal together the elders before whome he willed also Hircanus to be brought and of him the king demaunded Tell me if thou writtest any letters to Maloc king of Arabia he aunswered I wrote none TheÌ„ was Restius the messenger brought in as his accuser and the meÌ„ of war also of Arabia that were apprehended which declared the hole matter before the couÌ„sel so that Hircanus was quite dasshed Then the king coÌ„maunded him to bee put to death and so was the kingdome establisshed vnto Herode The tyme that Hircanus reigned was fourty yeares and sixe monethes After the death of his mother he reigned thre yeares and Aristobulus his brother remoued hym makynge hym priest Agayne thre yeares after he returned to his kingdome and raigned fourty yeares Then Antigonus sonne of Aristobulus deposed hym cuttynge of his eare banishing him out of the holy citie So after when Herode his seruaunte came to the kingedome Herodes ingratitude he returned to Ierusalem and Herode shed his bloud without cause Yet he notwithstaÌ„dyng had deliuered Herode froÌ„ the hands of the elders who would haue put him to death for the death of Hizkias From that time Hircanus wrought none euil in the sight of the Lorde nor offended him in any great matter saue onely in this that he bare to much with Herod in sheadyng the innocent bloud wherfore his owne life wente for the other Therfore happy is he that neuer forget teth any part of his dutye Marimi the daughter of Alexander the Sonne of Aristobulus the wyfe of Herode had a brother whose name was Aristobulus hym Herode woulde in no wise promote to the hye priesthode because he feared the children of Chasmonany althoughe his wyfe sued harde and laye sore vppon him for the same matter But the kyng made hye priest one that was nothing of the kinred of Chasmonany whose name was Haniel Notwithstandynge when he had once made awaye Hircanus his wiues progenitour father of Alexandra his mother in lawe then he deposed Haniel the hie priest and promoted his wiues brother Aristobulus to the dignitie although he were but a child yet he was wise and of good vnderstandyng and beautifull withall so that in al Israell was not a goodlier nor hansomer yong man theÌ„ he was And this Haniel was the first that euer was deposed froÌ„ that office of the hie priesthode by any king of Israel afore Herode who did this to quiet his wyfe and to fulfil his mother in lawes minde NotwithstaÌ„ding this Alexandra his wyfes mother was not coÌ„tent nor satisfied for the death of her father was suche a griefe but alwaies spake snappishly to the kynge that he sent her to warde Then she writ to Cleopatra Quene of Egypt wyfe vnto Marcus Antonius a noble manne of Rome declaryng vnto her all the mischiefe that Herode had dooen to the posteritie of Chalmonani and desiring her of aide To whom Cleopatra made this answer If thou caÌ„st finde the meanes to come to me secretly thou shalt perceiue what I will dooe for thee WheÌ„ Alexandra had red the letter she sent to Aristobulus her sonne the hie priest shewing him that she wold flee to the sea Iapho and from thence wold take shipping into Egipt perswading him also to flee with her We wil saith she make two great coffers one for my self the other for thee we wil with rewardes procure our seruauntes to cary vs oute priuily wherby we may flee to saue our liues This their deuise was perceiued of one of Herodes seruauÌ„tes who forthwith made the king priuie vnto it The king coÌ„maunded his seruaunt that bewraied them that when they did coÌ„uey the coffers they shoulde bring them to him whiche the seruauntes did So when the coffers were broughte to the kinges presence he caused them to bee opened and tooke out Alexandra her sonne Aristobulus to whom the kynge spake sharpely and rebuked them sore But Alexandra aunswered him again as short in somuch that the king moued with anger flang away from her into his chamber saiyng It is better to sit in a corner of the house then with a brawling skolding womaÌ„ in an open place The king dissembled the matter shewed no great displeasure A yeare after as Aristobulê° the hie priest apparailed in his ponticall vestures stode in the the teÌ„ple nie vnto the alter to offer sacrifices the Israelites beheld his beautie his wisdome behauiour in the ministery wherat euery maÌ„ reioysed praising God that had not taken al away but left one to reuenge that iniuries done to the house of Chasmonani The kyng hearyng this was sore afrayed and not a litle displeased thinking to him selfe the Israelites woulde restore the kyngdome of their fathers vnto hym He perceiued euery maÌ„s hart to be inclined towards him Wherfore he deliberated a while in the feaste of the tabernacles he weÌ„t to Iericho withal his seruaÌ„ts wheras he made a great feast to al his nobles and seruaunts placing them euery man after his degree before him Aristobulus the hie priest he set vpoÌ„ his righthand And as they eate dronke made mery the kinges seruants were disposed to go and swim in Iordane To these the king had geuen secret coÌ„maundemente that they shoulde desire Aristobulus to go and bathe with them in Iordane and then to drown him So when they were goinge they came to Aristobulus desired him to go bathe with them which he would not vnlesse the kinge gaue him leaue wherfore he asked the king leaue but he denied him at the first yet at length the yong man intreated him so instaÌ„tly that the king bad him do what he would He wente therfore with the other yong menne to swim The king toke his horsse straitwaye and returned to Iericho withall his traine leauinge the yonge men behinde which continued swimming till Sunne setting and as it began to be darke they drowned the prieste Aristobulus emongst them Wherof when tidinges came to the kinge and it was knowen that he was deade the people wept and made great lameÌ„tacion considering his vertue nobility and beauty euery man was ful of sorow that he should haue so short a life and they bewailed so much that it was harde a far of But Marimi chiefly and Alexandra the yonge mannes mother could in no wise be comforted Yea the kinge also wept and made great moane for it repented him that he had done so wicked an acte Yet all the people knewe well inough that the thinge was procured by the king In so much that Alexandra his mother in law letted not to tell it him to his face that he was the murtherer of her husband and her father now last of al of her sonne to whoÌ„ the king
more glad and al his people The same also commaunded he to be done in all the prouinces of his kingdom sending his letters by his poastes to the noble men captaines presideÌ„tes of the prouinces that they shuld obserue the dai after the same maner euery yeare The people also that were flitted into their enemies couÌ„tries their head rulers captains came out of eueri couÌ„tri far ners to see the house and the kinge for they could neuer beleue it til they had seene it and when they had seene it it excâ—aded farre that they hadde hearde of it These thinges done the kinges two Sonnes Alexander and Aristobulus whiche he had by Marimi came home from Rome to Ierusalem in a greate heate and fury with a stronge company yea their hartes were verye hautye also for Alexander the elder had maried the kinge of Capadocies doughter and Aristobulus the doughter of Salumith the king his fathers sister These comminge to Ierusalem wente not to the court to do their duety to the kinge their father neither wold se him wherby the king gathered they went about some mischief against him Moreouer all his men gaue him warning to take hede of them and to kepe his power or gard about him He had had a wife of base stocke out of the country before he came to the kingdome by whome he had a soÌ„ne named Antipater And wheÌ„ he had put Marimi his beloued wife to death he called home his wife which he had disdained before to his courte Wherfore now seinge the two sonnes of Marimi hated himhe appointed Antipater his soÌ„ne to be his heir apparaÌ„t and to raise his estimacion gaue him al his treasure made him Lord and ruler of all that he had affirminge that he shuld reign after him This Antipater had a subtile witte and a crafty for he said dailye to his father If it like your maiesty wherto should you geue me al these thinges when as these two lions shal be euer in my top and ready to destroy me By such surmised meanes he raised discord and hatred betwene them and their father Albeit the kinge was lothe to hurt his two sonnes Not long after he toke his iourney to Rome to Octauian his soÌ„ne Alexander waited vpoÌ„ him hoping the Octauian wold be a meanes for him to turn his fathers hatred froÌ„ him put al malice oute of his minde When the king was come thither Octauian reioysed much of his coÌ„uring saying I haue thought loÌ„g to se thee To whom hast thou left the land of Iuda Herode answered for the obedience that I owe vnto my Lorde the Emperour I am come to declare him my chaunces with this my sonne his seruaunte So he tolde him the whole matter from the beginning to the end Then Octauian Augustus blamed the yonge manne because he hated his father The yong man answered Howe can I otherwise do How can I forget the mooste chaste wombe that bare me whiche was of the holye stocke If I forget my mother that was slaine giltlesse and withoute crime then let me forget my righthand These and suche like spake the yonge manne not withoute teares in the presence of Octauian so that his bowels was muche moued and the noble menne also that were aboute Octauian coulde not abstaine from wepinge but lamented greatlye Octauian firste reproued Herode for his greate transgression and crueltie then labored to pacify the yoÌ„g manne wyth comfortable woordes and biddinge him honoure his father submit him selfe vnto him When he had done as he was willed for he wold not striue against the Emperoures coÌ„maundement Octauian toke the yong man by the hande and put it into Herodes bosome Then his father kissed him and embrased him so that they wepte eche of them After that they toke their leaue and departed from Octauian who comforted them and gaue them a gifte committinge it into Herodes hands Herode yet perceiued that the hatred of the children of Marimi woulde not be apeased Whereupon when he came home to Ierusalem he called together al thelders of Israell said vnto theÌ„ I had determined once to place one of my soÌ„nes captain ouer the people of the Lord but I might not do it without the consent of Octauian Augustus Now therfore I haue appointed my .iii. soÌ„nes haue deuided my kingdoÌ„ equally emongst them Helpe ye theÌ„ against their enenmies but in no wise shal ye help one of theÌ„ against another And if ye perceiue any breach of trendship betwene them do that lieth in you to take it awaye Whereunto he made them sweare presentlye in Ierusalem and the bonde made eche man departed home to his house But for all this the hatred betwene Antipater and his two brethren was nothinge diminished for he feared them because they were of the house of Chasmonani and alied with kinges of greate power he suborned therfore false accusers to say vnto the king that the yong men soÌ„nes of Marimi were determined to destroy him Likewise he set variance betwene Salumith and theÌ„ for she was in greater estimacion then he in so muche that the kinge did nothinge withoute her counsell The same wroughte he also betwene Pheroras the kinges brother and them But to Salumith he saied doest thou not consider how the sonnes of Marimi knowe that their mother was put to death by thy counsel Therfore if they maye bringe to passe to make the king away they wil hew thee to peces But when the yong men herd of this they came before the king sware thei neuer entended to hurt their father and with weping they perswaded the king that he beleued them and they gote his fauour again Wherat Antipater was not a litle displeased wherfore he hired fals witnesses to say they saw Alexander the kinges sonne vppon a certaine night with his sword drawn before the kinges palaice mindinge to murther Antipater He suborned also certaine of the kinges seruauntes to witnesse againste Alexander that he should geue them great rewardes to allure them to his pleasure and to abuse them in filthy buggery which they refused More ouer that he desired them to poison the king which they wold not also agre to do Wherupon the kinge was sore displeased towarde him commaundinge not only him but al that toke his parte or defended his integritye to be apprehended and put in prison that execution mighte be done vppon them Then Alexander writ vnto Archelaus his father in lawe desiring him to come to HierusaleÌ„ to his father Herode This Archelaus was a very wyse man and a notable counseler When he was come to Hierusalem Herode was very glad of his comming and demaunded what matters brought hym thether at that present He aunswered I haue hearde that Alexander thy sonne and my sonne in lawe hath attempted to rebel against thee it is not possible but my doughter his wife shoulde be accessarye of this thinge and yet she hathe not shewed it vnto the wherfore I vtterly detest
thyther we shal be satisfied with beholding one another Go ye therefore my dear sonnes and prepare vs a place O that I might goo before you the lorde knoweth I would doo it gladly But ye my sonnes maruell neuer at thys that is chaunced vnto vs for it is no new thing suche lyke hath happened before this in the time of the Chasmonanites when as Antiochus bi his wickednes put to death the seuen brethern yong men in the sight of theyr mother whiche was a righteous and a godly woman who chaunced to find this mercy at the lordes handes that she might kisse her sonnes and embrase them as they also kist one an other before they died Al thei wer put to death by the crueltye of the vncircumcised king of the Macedonians yet obteined they that which is denied at this daye to vs the are put to death by Schimeon who hathe the name of an Israelite who beareth also the couenaunte of oure father Abraham in his flesh And would God it mighte fortune vs to liue in their inne or place of reast whiche al be it it wil not be graunted yet we shal be their neighboures seinge that we also die for the law of the lord Therfore be of good comfort my soÌ„nes and lament not for my sake for I iudg this my miserie easier and not so great as the calaâ—itie of Zidkiahu whose sonnes were firste killed then his eyes put out by the king of Chalâ—ea and he liued manâ— yeres after we are so much the more happier in my minde because we shal dye together Then said Amittai to Schimeons seruaunte whiche should kill him Make spede I pray thee and kil me first before my children die then after kill them also that we maye die together for so it is more expedient for vs then to se the temple of the lord tourned into a butcherye or slaughter-house to slea men in After cryed he vnto God saiyng I beseche thee O Lord God most high whiche dwellest in the hyest iudge this Schimeon accordynge to his works reward him according to his deseruings For thou art the god almighty dreadful let not this thief die therfore amongst the people of thy pasture but that his death maye be seuered froÌ„ the death of other men let him dye a horrible and a sodayne death that he haue no time to confesse his sinneâ— and to returne him selfe to thee that thou maiest receiue him for thou art wontâ— to receiue theim whiche turne to thee by repentaunce for he is not worthy of repentaunce which hath spoyled wasted many goodly thinges in thy teÌ„ple besides that hath murdered most holye men in the same To thintent therfore that thy iudgementes may be declared in him I beseche thee make him to be taken of his enmies together with his wife children and family al that euer loue him Nether geue vnto his soul any part with the people of god nor let his porcion be with the iust men in thy sanctuary for he is vnworthy of theÌ„ bicause he hath not only sinned him self but hath caused Israel to sinne Wherfore let his iudgmeÌ„t sentence go forth froÌ„ thy sight that he may se his wife children his hole house led into captiuity boÌ„dage before his face Afterward let him die a straunge death such as neuer maÌ„ herd of let him be kild of must cruel men which wheÌ„ thei haue smiteÌ„ him may after quarter him also whiles he is yet aliue and that he may see his go into bondage Let him also be a curse before al that shall see him More ouer let him perceiue that my wordes and desteny is better then his when as I go vnto thee in that great light which he shal be depriued of After these wordes Amittai said to the seruaunt who was appointed to kill him I beseche thee let me finde so much fauour atthy handes that when thou hast slain my Sonnes thou wouldest kill me with the same sworde while it is yet wet with the bloud of my sonnes that our bloud may be mingled and this maye be a recreation to my soule Kil me also in the sighte of the Romaines that they maye auenge me and my sonnes vpon this most cruell Schimeon they shal be witnesses againste him that I was not their frende But would God my matters were all in that state as they were before for then should they perceiue me to be an ennemye of Schimeons and a frend of theirs â–ª Woulde God I had withstanded Schimeon at the first so earnestly as I made warre vpoÌ„ the Romaines that I might haue auoided his cruelty from the people of God when he had said al these things he prayed before god almighty saying O God which dwellest in the highest thou only art most mighty and fearful open now the eyes of thy iudgements consider and iudge betwixt me and seditious Schimeon whose malice is be comen vnmeasurable vpon the people of God that he whiche sheadeth the bloude of them that feare thee in the midst of the temple may be rebuked of thee with thy rebukinges according to his workes make spedy vengaunce prolonge not and that for the deathes sake of thy saintes for thy iudgemeÌ„tes are the iudgementes of truthe Then Schimeon gaue commaundemente to four cut throtes of his that thre of theÌ„ should kil Amittais thre sonnes before their fathers face the fourth shoulde kil Amittai him self and so the blud of the sonnes was mixte with the blud of their father Afterwarde Schimeons seruaunte tooke the bodye of Amittai and layde it vppon the bodyes of hys sonnes as his desire was then tumbled them ouer the walles After that commaunded Schimeon that Chananehu the hie priest shuld be put to death whose bodye was caste vnto the bodies of Amittai and his sonnes Aristius also the scribe one of the noble men of Ierusalem was killed at the same time and ten mo iust men of his kinred and house because they murned for the deathe of Aristius It fortuned while Schimeon was a killing of those ten certaine substantial rich men passed by and were wonderfullye amased when they sawe the thynge sayinge one to an other Howe longe wyll God suffer the malice of Schimeon and wyll not searche oute the bloude of iuste menne nor reuenge them Certain seditious persons hearinge this tolde it vnto Schimeon who commaunded them to be apprehended and murthered the same daye After this there passed by a leuen of the noble men of Ierusalem whiche seinge two and fortye innocentes to be put to deathe by Schimeon they lift vp their eyes to the heauens and said O Lord god of Israel how longe wilt thou hold thy hande and kepe in thine anger againste these transgressoures of thy wil whiche whan Schimeon heard of he commaunded them to be apprehended and killed them with his owne handes Eleasar the sonne of Anani the prieste seinge the malice wickednes of Schimeon to be great that he made away the iust and godly
staffe passed I this Iordane Hys necessaries tooke wyth him for his iourney was praier wherwith he made al his wars That was it for the whyche God assisted him when he went away to Laban and when he returned from him when also he was deliuered out of the hands of hys brother Esau that sought to kyll hym Moreouer by the way as he returned when he wrasteled with a certaine man and ouercame him Oh lorde who is able to number the mercies of the Lord the maruails which he wrought wyth our fathers of worthye memorie Abraham Isaac and Iacob What should I speake of Moyses our shepeherd the man of god that feared the cruelty of Pharao vntil he writ in the law that he had called the name of his son Eliasar for he said the god of his father helped him deliuered him out of the handes of Pharao And when he came before Pharao to deliuer Israell oute of hys handes and to leade thē out of Egypt what thing els ouercame he the tyrāt withal thē with praier Did he not ouerthrow the prid of Pharao his charmers only with the rod of the Lord which he had with him Wherwith also he smote Aegipt with ten plages deuided the sea into twelue pathes And at the red sea Moyses resisted not Pharao and hys hostes wyth force of armes but with prayer wherfore Pharao all his ware drouned in the botom of the sea But Moyses sang a song of prayse vnto oure God whyle the souldiers of the Aegiptians perished that came agaynste Moyses and the people of Israell with weapons horses chariotes notwithstāding by the meanes of Moyses prayer they wer ouerwhelmed al in the sea so that not one of thē escaped Who is ignorant of this that prayer is of more force then all instrumentes of war that it spedeth and hasteneth the help of the Lorde and his sauing health Do you not know whā Iosua the minister of Moyses passed ouer Iordan that he was a warlyke man and had with him very manye moste valeant souldiers Neuertheles he destroyed not the seuen walles of Iericho by force of war but all onlye with prayer and with the showtes noyse of the preestes of the Lorde our forfathers Knowe ye not howe that prayer auayled Gedeon when as he with 300. men vanquished the hole hoste of Median Amalek the people of the east if prayer had not helped him I praye you what had 300. men ben able to do against so great a multitude Mark ye fond people what chaūsed in the arke of the couenant of the Lorde that the Philistins toke away Our fathers truly were not able to recouer it by theyr swordes force of armes But with the prayer that the iust men of that adge made the ark was brought agayn vnto his place Cōsider the times of Hezekia king of Iuda when as Sennacherib king of Assur came vp blaspheming rayling vpō the sanctuary of the Lord God of hostes vttering the pryd malice of his hart by what meanes was he ouerthrone did our fathers ouercome him by force of armes Nay without doubte but with prayer supplication For Hezekia the king went put on apparail mete for prayer in sted of a shild he toke sack cloth for a helmet he cast dust vpō his heed in steed of arrowes a sword he set hand vpon prayer and supplieatiō And the prayer the Hezekia made mounted vp so far as no arrow had bene euer able to flee so that hys one petition and prayer ouerthrou 185. thousand most valeāt men of the hoste of Sennacherib Forthermore the king of Iuda king of Israell king of Edom ioyning their powers together inuaded the Moabites in a wildernes an vnoccupied barē dry lād they wer in great peril for thyrst what profited thē their artillery furniture of war Did there not issue out for thē at the instant praier of Eliseus a prophet mā of God plēty of waters in the desert a broke in the wildernes Came it not to passe also by the praier of the same Eliseus that a wonderful hurlybucly a rūbling ratling of chariots of war of horses was hard in the camps of the Sirianes besedging the citie of Samaria with the which noyse the Sirianes being a ferd fled noman pursuing nor folowing thē ye know also the by the prayer of the forsayd prophet the famin and lack of victuales that was in the toune of Samaria was turned into great abundaūce and plenty in so much that thirty Ephas or mesures of fine meale were sold for one piece of siluer Do you not see most folish men how our forfathers had the victory euer by prayer But let vs come to the beginning agayn and speak of Moyses what tyme as he held vp his handes toward heauen had not Israell the vpper hand of the Amalekites by his prayer Iosua also by hys prayer stayed the sunne and mone in the sight of the people of Israell the sunne stode stil in Gibeon the moone in the valey of Ailon that the euening was chaūged into monday and so Israel vanquished their enemies Sampson also that moste valeant gyant vntill such time as he had sinned did not God euermore heare his praier euer he gat the victory therby After he had once sinned he decayed as any other meane person Lykewyse also kynge Saule al the while he walked perfectly and purely his prayer encreased hys valeantnes and strenght but after he had once sinned God left hym gaue him ouer Dauid also king of Israel of famous memory from the time of his youth till his laste end his valiantnes neuer fayled him and why bycause he alwayes was helped bi his praier neither wolde he euer fight agaynst hys coūtry men and natiue people whan as Saule persecuted him Wherefore he preuayled agaynst his enemies and bycause he absteyned to lay his hādes vpon hys brethern therfore afterward all nations feared him Dyd not Assa king of Iuda accompanied with a smal numbre of men make an expedition againste the Aethiopianes and praing to the Lorde God sayd on this wyse VVe in dede knovve not vvhat to do but oure eyes are bente vpon thee c. Which prayer the almighty dyd hear and the victory followed so that Assa slew in the campes of the Aethiopians tenne hundreth thousand men Deboras a prophetyse by her prayer brought to pas great health in Israel What shal I tel of diuers other iuste godly wemen which by theyr prayers obteined many thīgs Tel me ye mad mē know ye not what Amaziahu king of Iuda did He hauing warres wyth the Edomites vāquished them and led them prysoners with their wyues and children idoles also to Ierusalē then fell to worshipping of the same idoles that he had taken from the Edomites saing vnto thē you ar they which haue saued me by the reason Iworship you therfore haue I ouercomed the Edomits
the greke tong Ptolomee reioysing much in their wisdome honored them with princely apparell and great rewards brought thē also home again mery and glad Moreouer he sendeth by them oblations to our God At that time there were many contented to folow the lawes of the Grecians but these seuentye refused Not longe after captaine Seleucus Ptolomies cōpanion in office died in whose stede Antiochus raigned in Macedonia This Antiochus makyng warre vpon Ptolomee bereft him of all his dominions and slewe him After that he subdued all the lande of Israel then vnder the regiment of Ptolomee and waxed verye proude He hated Israel also because they loued Ptolomee and ayded him in the warres againste him This is that Antiochus that builded a great citye vppon the sea coaste and called it Antiochia wherein he made a golden ydole commaundyng that the children of Israel should be brought vnto it and worship it But some of them chose rather to suffer deathe for the religion of their god although some other fel from the synagoge their mother church Before this he toke away also their Sabboth their new mone and leage of circumcision forbiddyng that in any wise they should obserue these commaundementes in anye place throughout his whole dominiōs For the which he put many of the Israelits to death oppressed thē more then did euer anie of their enmies or aduersaries The second mā in honor next him self in Ierusalē was one Polipus he erected an ymage in the tēple cōmaundyng the people of Israell to worship it and who so euer was disobedient to be slaine Therfore he put to death Hanna and her seuen children as it is mencioned in other places When Antiochus perceiued this it increased his hatred towarde Israel in so muche that he did his endeuour that none of them should scape or be left aliue except such as would worship the image Then fledde manie of the Israelites to the mounte Mediit and to Iericho because of the lawe of Polipus and Antiochus his lorde hauinge to their gouernour the hie priest Mattathias sonne of Iohan Hasmonany otherwise called Chasmonany The priest enioyned them to faste and punishe thē selues before the lorde with wepinge sackeclothe and asshes and after this he saith vnto them If ye wil ieoparde your liues for the holy Lorde why die we like women Let vs go and fight with Polipus and if we die wee shal die with honour peraduenture the holie and blessed God wil helpe vs and will not roote out the remnaunt of Isracll To this counsell euerie man assented and made a couenant with hym vpon this thing Polipus hearing this gathered his force together and made toward them to destroye them what Israelite so euer he found in his waie he slewe him Mattathias the priest and all the remnant of Israel vnderstāding that Polipus came againste them they went vp vpon the mount Mediit wyth their wiues and children Then hee put him selfe and his sōnes in armour He had fiue sonnes Iudas the eldest the next Iehonathan the thirde Iochanan the fourth Schimeon and the fifte Eleasar All these wer valiant and good men of warre When Polipus came to them he vsed crafte with Mattathias saiynge vnto him Thou arte one of the chiefe men in Israell and a man of honour estimation Come doune therfore and all that be with thee worship the ymage and striue not againste the kinge that ye mai liue and not be destroied Thou shalt be their prince also if thou wilt be conformable But the priest in no wise woulde bee seduced by him but rather cursed and reuiled him Mattathias had an aulter at the fote of the hill whereupon when he had offered Sacrifice to the most blessed God there came one of the wicked Israelites oute of Polipus campe and killed vpon it a swine This villaine was yong and lustye but the prtest was olde yet when he saw what this lewde felow had done criyng vnto his god to help him strenthen him he chalenged a combate betwene him self the felow Which thinge being liked both of the felowe and of Polipus with his whole Armye Mattathias came downe wyth his drawen sworde in his hande and the felow stode against him readye to receiue him But the prieste russhed vpō him by the assistence of his god ouercame him cut of his head and cast his carcas vpon the aulter wherat Polipus and his whole host were much astonied beholdyng one another The prieste stode still by the aulter criynge whiche of you wil come to me man for man Thē Polipus picked out a strong champion the best in all his armye and brought him out of the arayes of hys hoste to teache him his lesson howe he should behaue him selfe with the priest The prieste therfore drewe toward the Campe with hys naked sworde in hys hand as though he came to ioyne with their Champion but afterwardes leauynge him he turned his sworde vpon Polipus stroke of his heade and fledde to the hill Then blowing their hornes and makynge a shoute together they russhed doun vpō the Grecians campe But when the Grecians saw that their graunde captaine was slaine they fled Chasmonany and his sonnes with all Israell folowed the chase ouerthrewe thē and made a great slaughter This done Mattathias the priest went to Ierusalem purified the tēple restored the worshippyng of god commaunded al that were born during the time of Polipus to be circumcised for bi the means of his inhibition they were vncircūcised Thus being established he sate vpō the throne of the kingdome and droue the Grekes out of the lande of Israell His kingdome endured one yere whiche was the .cc. xii yere frō the building of the seconde house After this he fell sicke and like to die charged his sonnes to kepe the obseruations of the Lorde and to walke in his waies Also to play the men againste the Grecians for the religion of the Lord. Then brought he forth Iudas a tall man and a hardy and placynge him in the sanctuarie toke a horne of oyle and poured it vppon his head wherat all the Israelites clapped their handes and gaue a great shoute saiynge God saue the kinge God saue the kinge Sone after Iudas gathered an armie of Israel and made an expedicion against the rēnant of the Grekes that were left in the holdes of Israell and whatsoeuer he toke in hande God gaue it good successe Notwithstanding Antiochus sent against him a puissant army vnder the leadyng of one captain Pelonius against whom Iudas so warred that the Grecians went to wrack for he espied his tyme when they were destitute of victuals and spedely set vpon them beat thē doune handsmoth approched to captain Pelonius slew the valiauntest about him yea him also When Antiochus heard of this he was in a great rage wherefore he chose out a most valiaunt captaine called Lisias and sent him against Hierusalem with a thousande horsemen and fotemenne without number Iudas hauing
vnto you ye shall with all spede aide him No man shal be excused all that can beare weapon shall go with him to Ierusalem to vanquish Antigonus the kings aduersary Who so refuseth to go with him it shal be leful for the warriours â—o slea him forthwith I Marcus Antonius haue sworne by my sword that I will not alter this that I haue saide When the captaines of Siria had red this thei resorted wholly to Herode so that his host was woÌ„derfully encreased Antigonus hearing of this sent one Pompeius lieuetenant of his warres againste theÌ„ who fought a sore battaile with them that muche people were slaine on bothe sides Ioseph kinge Herodes brother was slaine in that battaile Notwithstandinge at lengthe Antigonus hoste wente to the worsse and had the ouerthrow So Herode Caâ—â—ius proceded to Ierusalem and besieged it the third yere after Herod was made king of Israel And wheÌ„ they had battred downe a peece of the wal Cassius with the Romains entred the towne and made a greate slaughter in IerusaleÌ„ They entred also into the Sanctuary and attempted to enter into the Sanctum sanctorum but Herod and his men lept betwene it and theÌ„ and stode with their drawn swordes in the temple dore that they shoulde not Herod was also displeased with Casius for his crueltye and saide If ye wil destroy all the inhabitantes of the citye vpon whom shal I reign in this kingdome that Augustus hathe geuen me Wherfore streight way Cassius caused proclamation to be made throughe all his hoste that no man vppon paine of death shuld kil one Israelite moe This done Herode apprehended Antigonus and deliuered him bound to Cassius He rewarded also Cassius souldiours both with gold and siluer TheÌ„ Cassius offred a present vnto the Lord a crowne of Golde for he was soore afrayed of gods displeasure bicause he had fought against the holye citye That done he toke his iorney returned into Egipt and Antigonus as prisoner with him Thither sent Herode vnto him a royal reward to make away Antigonus to murder him fearinge least he shoulde make clayme vnto the Kingedome againe Wherunto Cassius consented slew Antigonus Thus was the kyngdome surely established to Herode TheÌ„ made he warres vpon all the nacions that were about him constrainyng theÌ„ to become tributaries bi which means he grew to such power as neuer any of his predecessours were to be compared vnto him After al this Pagurus king of Persia released out of prison Hircanus son of Alexander promoted him to be head of al the Israelites that were fled or flitted into the land of Sennaar into the dominion of the Persians he became their king This Hircanus had a ferueÌ„t desire to see the holy citie the house of the saÌ„ctuary Also how Herode whoÌ„ he toke for his sonne his kingdome did Herode hearynge the Hircanus who had bene prisoner at Babilon was now set at liberty in great honour he was afraied of him mistrusting lest the Israelits would restore vnto theÌ„ selues the kingdome of their fathers Wherefore he cast in his mind how to do him mischiefe He theÌ„ writeth his letters vnto Pagurus the coÌ„tents wherof were such Thou shalt vnderstand the Hircanus is he that brought me vp vsed me euer as his son Now therfore sence I came to be king of IerusaleÌ„ I haue called to my remeÌ„brance the goodnes that he hath done to me wherfore my desire is to rewarde him accordyng to his benefites Therfore I require thee to send him to me otherwise assure thi self of wars betwene thee the Israelits with their coÌ„federats Pagurus hauing red this letter seÌ„t for Hircanus asked him if he wold go to Herod notwithstaÌ„ding Herods threats he ceased not to geue to Hircanê° al good couÌ„sel he could aduising him to take heede of Herode because he is saith he a bloude sheader a breaker of his league And he hath called thee for no loue he beareth thee but because he feareth thee As longe as thou liuest shal he neuer slepe sound slepe lest the kingdome shold be deuoluted vnto the. It is better therefore for thee to tarye here in some honour thoughe it be not of suche aucthoritie then to go thither to dye with great dispite and end thine olde age with a bloudy death Furdermore thou shalt knowe such is the disposition of mannes heart If there be two men the one in honour the other in contempt after time shall come that the dispised shal be had in honoure and the honoured to be neglected neuer will he that is now honoured and before was in contempt be content to see him that was before honoured nor speake frendelye to him For he wyll thinke Hitherto according his accustomed maner he hathe dispised me how much more wheÌ„ his dominioÌ„ is taken froÌ„ him his seruaunt raigneth in his roume Moreouer Herode knoweth right well that mens heartes are inclined to him that is the true kinge And it might so be if thou were mete for the priesthode that he woulde promote thee vnto it and be gouernoure of the kingdome him selfe But seinge thou arte dismembred hast one of thy eares cut of and thereby arte vnmete for the Priesthodeâ— thou shalt remaine in Hierusalem depriued both of kingdome and priesthode which is vncomely for thee Such counsaile gaue Pagurus kyng of the Persians vnto Hircanus yea and all the Iewes that were in BabiloÌ„ besought hym that he wold not go vnto Herode Notwithstanding he would not be perswaded and why For it was the Lordes wyll and hys dede that the iniury done vnto the Sages whom his father and graundfather slew and the iniury committed to Hony auriga myght returne vpon his head and be reuenged so that no remnant of the house of Chasmonany no name no residue no kinsman or posteritie shoulde be left aliue Hircanus therfore toke his â—ourney toward Hierusalem and Herode came forthe to mete him embrased him kissed him after brought him into his house and feasted him dayly called him his father before all men albeit in his hearte he conspired to murther him And that knewe Alexandra his doughter and mother in lawe to Herode who opened it vnto Hircanus but he wold not credite her at the first til on a time he perceiued the matter cleare to be so theÌ„ deuised he how to flee to Maloc kynge of Arabia He sent therfore a messenger to Maloc to send him hors and a charet to flee withall but the messenger dealt vnfaithfully lewdly with him for he broughte Hircanus letters priuely vnto Herode who rewarded hym well for his laboure and bad him goe to Maloc and to let hym knowe what aunswere Maloc gaue The messenger vpon this went and deliuered the letters to Maloc who fulfilled Hircanus request sent him horses and a charet writing in this sorte I haue sent the horses horsemen come therfore vnto me and whatsoeuer thy hart desireth I wil
people and offered him selfe to die for his people that the plage mighte cease from Israell Where is kinge Saule and his sonne Iehonathan that fought for the people of God and died in the fielde Coule not Saule haue saued his life and his Sonnes bothe if he hadde bene so disposed But hee when he sawe Israell haue the ouerthrowe in the battaile hadde no desire to liue anye lenger but chose rather deathe then life and woulde not be seperated from his brethren nother in life nor death as wel hee as Ionathan his Sonne those dearlye beloued and moste amiable menne as the scripture termeth theim Why doest thou not remember our deare Prince the righteousnes of Dauid the anointed of the Lorde who seinge a moste greuous pestilence to rage vppon the people of Israel saied Let thy hande O Lorde I beseche thee be tourned vpon mee and my fathers house For I am hee that haue sinned I haue transgressed as for these thy sheepe what haue they done What haue they offended Where is the holye Lawe smothered and stifled in thy hearte Arte not thou an annoynted Prieste that haste declared and taughte vs the holye Lawe wherby we might learne how to loue our Lord God withal our hart with al our soul and withall oure strength If it be so that the seruice of God consisteth not in this that we should loue whome he loueth and die for his couâ—uaunt and saÌ„ctuary together with his seruaunts that be slain for the vnity of the name of the Lord Wherin staÌ„deth it then Hast not thou oft times taught and proued vnto vs howe that euerye man that dieth in warres for the lord his sanctuary his people and his law he is to be counted in the Lordes lot made worthye to goe vnto the greate light and shal not see euerlasting darknesse Arte not thou that Ioseph the priest that hast cried so ofteÌ„ in battail I am Ioseph the prieste consecrated to battaile that haue vowed my life for the people of the Lord his sanctuarye and his lande But nowe when thou baste yealded thy selfe vnto them and they order the dispitfullye what wilte thou say vnto them or what amendes canst thou haue at their handes I put the case they cast in thy teeth say thy wordes be but lies How shalt thou auoid that reproche Arte not thou he that saidst men shoulde fighte for the people of God vntil they die in the conflicte and in so doinge their deathe shoulde be a raunsome for their sinnes and that they were sure to go to that great light that is the light of life Which if it be true according as thou hast said whye then wilt thou shun deash and not folowe thy people that are gone before thee to that same lighte Euer hitherto thou hast had the vpper hand wher so euer thou camste in so muche that they that hearde of thee trembled for feare and nowe wilte thou yelde thy life into captiuity to the Romaines as a vile slaue Shall not this thy dishonoure redound also vnto the people of God Thou that arte a prince a kinge and priest wilt thou be bound in cheines Euerye man shall saye this is he that hathe geuen his souldioures and the reaste of his people to die but hath â—â—ued him selfe and his owne life So when they hadde made an ende of talke eche manne drew out his sword and came vnto him in the middest of the Caue sainge Hearest thou thou Iosephe oure Prince if thou wilte be ruled by vs firste we shall slea thee as a Lorde and a greate Prince and thou shalte chuse what deathe thou wilt die on that thou maiest die honourablye But if thou refuse to dye honestlye assure thy selfe of this that we will euerye manne set vpon thee and slea thee Ioseph aunswered In deede I knowe my Brethren that your woordes are iuste and true For who is so madde to desire to liue in this hurlye burlye and woulde GOD that hee woulde call my Soule vnto him and receyue it vnto hym also For I am not ignoraunt that it were more expediente for mee to die then to liue for the great troubles that haue passed through my braynes But hee knoweth the secretes of mannes hearte and he it is that geueth life vnto menne It is God that closeth soules within the bodies and letteth theim oute againe bicause he is the liuinge GOD in whose handes remaine the Soules and Spirites of all liuinge creatures He hath left with vs a Spirite of life and closed it vp within oure bodies What is hee then that will open that that he hath shut How shall we loose that that he woulde haue bounde and knitte fast within vs Dooe ye not al knowe that the life is a thinge that he hath left with vs to kepe and that wee are his seruauntes If then we cast awaye life before that GOD take it shall he not worthelye bee displeased with vs and make that we shall not find life in the place of the liuing with Abraham our father of famous memorye and wyth other iuste and godlye menne our forefathers Dooe you not knowe that they wente not vnto God before they were called and when they were called they came and soo dealt GOD with all holye and Godly men To Moyses our master of worthie memorye the electe of GOD ye knowe that the Lorde God of Israell said get the vp vppon this mountaine Abarim and so he did But he woulde not haue done it of him selfe had not God called him Wherby ye may see it is not lawful for a maÌ„ to surrendre his life vnto God excepte he require it againe Take example I praye you of Iob. What time he curst the daye that he was borne in mighte not he ether haue hanged him self or haue run vppon a knife or at the least haue folowed his wifes counsel to cursse God and die Not withstanding he abode paciently in most extreme paine waitinge til God demaunded again his life and then restored it vnto his Lord god and would not restore it vndemaunded but taried till hys appoynted ende came King Dauid also of famous memory saide Leade thou my life oute of his pinfolde and prison For he knew that the life was inclosed in the bodye and that none mighte let it forth but God I wot wel that death is a greate commodity so be that the soule may return in his due time vnto God that gaue it vs. I knowe also that he that dieth in the warres of the lord he shal come to the greate lighte But I knowe not what can appease gods wrath toward the soul of that man that killeth him self maketh hast to restore his soul before his time and withoute the Lordes calling Wherfore my frendes brethren I would ye shoulde knowe it I am no more cowarde then you and I do not disagree with you because I am of a fainte heart for feare of these presente calamities but that I know I shoulde commit a
loe they haue sinned against their owne soules dying withoute discipline and all good order If thou wilt say how shal we do for oure othe that we haue sworne Doste thou not knowe that He that breaketh a vvicked othe do the nothing vvickedly him selfe For a man is not constreined to performe an othe vnto God but to the kepinge of his lawes and bereupon it is that Dauid saithe I haue svvorne and vvil perfourme For neither vow nor othe that is made against the commaundementes of God can be ratified before God And that more is before the we sware oure fathers sware firste a great while ago at the mounte of Sinai that they and their children woulde keepe the lawe of the Lorde Moyses also made a couenaunte with them vpoÌ„ the same and not only with theÌ„ that then were there but also with vs. Howe then dare we be so bolde to swcare to breake the law of our God and become maÌ„quellers seing it is one of the .x. commaundements expressely Thou shalt not kil Wherfore my brother thou shalt vnderstande that we nede not be sollititous nor careful for the oth that we haue made but rather to breake it for God wil neuer be displeased with vs for that for I beinge afraide of these wicked persones that lie nowe he are deade did inuente this subtil meanes and way to swear that I mighte saue my life Thou therfore my brother if thou wilte be ruled by mine aduise thou shalt saue thy life mine and I wil caste no lottes nor performe the othe that we made VVhiche is not good in the lavve if thou wilte not I wil withstande thee and fighte with thee to kill thee and skape my selfe And with this Ioseph lepte backe and drue oute his sworde standinge ouer againste him to see what his felowe woulde answer His companion hearinge this sturred neither hande nor foote againste him but saide Loe I am contente do what thou thinckest good because thou arte a manne of God And blessed be the Lorde God of Israel that bathe not withdrawne his mercye from me but made me to be in thy lotte whereby my soule is saued from goinge to helt thy lotte is a iuste lotte For the Lorde vvil not leaue the scourge of sinners vppon the lotte of the iuste Muche elsse besides this spake Iosephes companion vnto him for he was sore afraide of him leaste he shoulde haue killed him if they hadde entermedled together for Ioseph was the better man of his hands and therfore Ioseph chose him into his lot that he might be able to make his party good with him In this pointe Ioseph played the wyse mannes parte for he escaped by this meanes both from the handes of those wicked foles and also from his felow THerfore Ioseph called out of the caue to captain Nicanor and said to him in this wise Wilte thou promise mee that neither thou nor anye of thy men that be here with thee or in the Romains campe shal kyll vs before thou hast brought vs vnto Vaspasian and lâ—t hym dooe wyth vs as he thynketh good Nicanor aunswered So and so deale God with mee if I fulfyl not thy request if so be it thou wilt come forthe vnto mee together with the men that thou hast with thee Ioseph aunswered I will come forth vnto thee and so manye moe of vs as be aliue for so is it come to passe that some of vs be deade here in the caue wherefore howe can they come forthe Then said Nicanor neuer thincke frend Ioseph that I am come to deceiue thee come foorthe and trust in thy Lord God for thou neadest not to feare Ioseph said sweare vnto me this by the god of Israel although he be vnknowne vnto thee Nikanoâ— answered I sweare vnto the by that God that made the world by his wisdom that thou nedest not to fear me but boldly maist come forthe vnto me So Nikanor made a couenaunte with Ioseph and his felow coâ—firming and ratifying it in writing after the manner of the Romaines and reatched it into the caue vpon a speare holding the pointe of the speare in his owne hand Ioseph toke the writinge red it and beleued Nicanor theÌ„ came he forth to Nicanor and his felowe with him When Nicanor sitting vpon his seate of estate that was made him there in the wooâ—e nie vnto the caue sawe Ioseph come towardes him he rise vp embrasing him kissed him set him on his righthand and wept with him aboundauntly he honoured his felowe also plaringe him betwene Pohrinus and Gallicanus whom he had at that present with him Then Nicanor asked hym for the reste of the men that were wyth him willynge that they shoulde come forth and he would honour them also and dooe them no harme Ioseph declared the whole matter vnto hym what was become of theim Nicanor hearing of the pertinacious stubburnnesse of the Iewes heartes their wiâ—ked intentes was wonderfully moued So then he rose and went from thence with Ioseph and his companion vnto Vaspasian When the Romaine army sawe Ioseph they were greatly astonied and gaue a mightye shoute Some reioysed that Ioseph was takeÌ„ saiyng This is good lucke that our eyes shall see oure longe expected desire Other lamented and let teeres fal from their eyes wyth pensiue heartes saiynge Is not this that worthye manne who made all the Romayne hoste to quake for feare and whose Fame and renowne was knowen throughout all landes Howe is it come to passe that so mighty a man is taken in his owne countrey amongst his owne people If this chaunceth vnto suche a manne to be taken in his owne Lande in the middest of his family and frends How shal we escape in a straunge land Certaine euil disposed persons of the Romain souldiers went to Vaspasian and said Sir you shal do well to coÌ„maund this man to be slaine without mercye that hath ben the distruction of so many of the people of the Romains This is the self same that shot the arow and stroke you in the leg put him to death and then shal you be sure he shal neuer moue warre more against you If you do not ye shal see him one daye againe rayse an armye against vs and distroy vs. But Iosephe founde frendshippe at Titus Vaspasians sonnes handes whiche came of the LORDE Therfore when hee hearde those wycked mens wordes that desiered Vaspasian to put Ioseph to death he laught them to skorne and taunted theim saiynge Will you tell my father what he hath to dooe Will you geue him so wicked counsell to flea that man that yeldeth him self to vs vpoÌ„ the trust of our leaâ—e band of frendship which you now go about to breake and frustrate Did not captaine Nicanor in my fathers name Caesars with al the Romaines make a couenant with him Take hede what you saie Is it not treason that you go about to breake the Cesarical fidelitie Moreouer who can tel whether it may so happen that
of Iuda hadde conquered them and caused them to be circumcised bindynge suche of theim as were the best warriours amongest theim to stande in armes and kepe watche warde vpon the walles of Hierusalem day night the rest of theÌ„ to pai tribute to the Iewes Vpon a certaine night came .xxii. thousande of these Edomites all good men of warre againste Hierusalem When Anani the hie Prieste and the People that were wyth him hearde the noyse of the Edumites armie he went vpon the wais and demaunded of theÌ„ what thei were from whence they come and whither they woulde They aunswered Wee are Edomites and came out of Edomea to visite the Lord God and his teÌ„ple to see in what case his people staÌ„deth for this we come according to our accustomed maner as euer here tofore Anani aunswered You are disseÌ„blers not as your wordes do show neither come ye to seke God his sanctuarie nor yet to aide his people but rather to the succours of Iehochanan graunde captaine of thieues Were it not better for you to assist the sanctuarie of God then these sinfull sedicious persons that couet nothing els then to laye waste the house of God and to distroy his people They in the most holye citie of God do shede the bloude of iuste Godlye and innocent men thorow whose wickednesse the Romayns haue the vpper hande vppon vs because wee haue Ciuil warres at home wyth the Sedicious and externall wyth the Romaynes Yea the wickednesse of the sedicious is growen so farre that the moste parte of vs hadde rather be slaine of the Romaynes then of oure brethren the Iewes If so be it ye be come to ayde them ye shal vnderstande that ye offende our LORD God greuouslye to healpe synners and murtherers that treade the People of GOD vnder their fete like as menne treade Grapes in a wyne presse and make the temple of the Lorde a dwellynge place of maÌ„quellers and wicked persons Ye saye ye come to seeke the Lord how is it theÌ„ that ye are thus in armes after the manner of Warre Ye shall vnderstande wee shutte not the Gates of the Towne because of you least you shuld come in after your accustomed manner but because of your Armoure and Weapons that you haue wyth you whiche are instrumentes of destruction a verye vnmete fashion to come and visite the Lorde wyth Ye shoulde rather haue come wyth offeringes sacrifices confession and praise Notwithstandynge if ye wyll enter into the towne for deuotion sake ye are welcome but ye must laye awaye youre Weapons and so enter in peaceablye The Edomites aunswered Wee maruayle not a little at thee whiche arte the hie Prieste our Lorde and mediatoure and at the rest of the priestes of the Lorde wyth the Elders and Iudges of the people that be presente wyth thee and your woordes seeme straunge in our eares For wee vnderstande you take vs for your ennemies and thereupon you stoppe vs of our entraunce into the citye to visite the Lorde God after oure accustomed manner In that wee be armed as ye obiecte vnto vs do ye not knowe that Vaspasian draweth nye to come to thys holy Citye This we hearinge of was the cause that wee tooke our Weapons with vs to come to aid you and kepe the town as we haue bene wonte these manye yeares But howe shoulde ye gather this that wee come to succoure the wycked and sedicious that bee wyth you when as from the firste daye that euer wee and oure fathers were circumcised wee neuer swarued from the Lawe and commaundementes of the Lorde Tell vs if there bee anye commaundement in the Lawe that biddeth a manne to strenthen and mayntayne the power of the wicked to the whyche wee are bounde to hearken and to ayde these God forbidde wee shoulde dooe this for wee all bothe that be here and the other Edomites also bee seruauntes of the Lord and his people to mayntaine and defende the lawe the people and the house of the Lorde Whiles they were thus talkyng together there rose vp a greate cloude and lightenynges were sene wyth fire darckenesse with mightye thunder claps and showers of hail that all that saw it were wonderfully afraied Wherfore the people fled wholy left the walles forts bi Anani of God al good men of warre besides innumerable other that they killed of the common people In the morninge they laid handes on the rich men drue them before iudges and the ixx elders which otherwise be called Sanhedrine whoÌ„ they called together there wicked Iehochanan the Galilean spake vnto theÌ„ in this wise Whi condemn ye not these rich cobbes that haue made a coÌ„spiracy with the Romains determine to betray this holy city into their hands namely one Sechariahu a iust maÌ„ perfit godly and vertuous one that feared the lord oued both god maÌ„ but for his richesse onlye whiche were verye great this Iehochanan captain of the sedicious appreheÌ„ded him willing thelders to condemn him to death for that he had ioyned with their ennemies as he said to betray the city to theÌ„ The priests elders and iudges hearing his wordes perceiuing that both he and the rest of his bloudi haÌ„d desired nothing els then to make this man awaye although they knew him to be moste innocent they wept sighed greatly Iehochanan seing them wepe for Sechariahu and that they would not condemn him respecting his iustice integritie What saith he do ye begin to mourne before there be anye corse presente I would I should neuer come wher God hathe to do but if ye order vs thus in your iudgementes ye shal be the firste that we wil lay hold of and we wil sit in iudgement our selues to discern the matters of the people of god according as we thincke good Then layinge apart al shame with an obstinat minde the wicked sorte hoysed vp Sechariahu caried him oute of the place of iudgement and broughte him vp to the top of a verye hie toure at the Easte ende of the towne from whence they thruste him downe headelonge and he died there at the walles side in the vale of Iehoschaphat The priestes therefore were sore afraide of their own partes and the iudges also with the elders because of wicked Iehochanan and the reaste of the seditious For Iehochanan had geuen them warning and saied except ye geue senteÌ„ce vpon euerye man that we shal bringe vnto you according to oure mindes be ye assured ye shal al of you go the same waye that Sechariahu is gone before you After that they apprehended a iust man and a rich that was beloued of al the towne whose name was Gorinion surnamed valeanut and he was a valeant man in deâ—e moste experte in the warres therto wise and witty and a man of a pure and perfite life One that was euer the formâ—st in battaile When so euer they had any conflict against the gentils that besieged Ierusalem and this was his accustomed