Ierusalem with a great power and strength whom Hircanus was not able to mete encouÌ„ter within the field suffered him selfe to be closed vp in the Citye The Kinge of the Grecians therfore raysed great Towers against the citye aparte from the wall digged a trench cast vp a mount TheÌ„ planted their engins named Rams against the gates so that the citie was hard besieged for they beat downâ—one of the turrets the stode vpon the wall wherat all Israel was afraied agreed togither to issue out skirmishe with theÌ„ whatsoeuer should come theron life or death Which although Hircanus liked not yet thei so did and slewe many of their enemies put theim also to flighte that thei were coÌ„strayned to encampe them selues furder of from Ierusalem Then the Israelites came to the towers that the Grekes had builded and raced theÌ„ to the grounde Thus they issued oute daiely skirmishynge with Pius vntill the feast of the tabernacles Then sent kyng Hircanus to Pius desierynge him that he would graunt them truice and let them be in peace while the feast lasted His request Pius graunted sent a fatte Oxe to be offered to the God of Israel coueryng his hornes with beaten golde and dressynge hym with fillets of Cristall other precious stones Clad him also in a garment of purple and diuers other precious clothes He sent moreouer plate bothe of siluer and golde full of diuers kinde of spices all to be offered vnto the Lorde When king Hircanus sawe this he went out vnto Pius and after he had made peace with him he made him and his chiefe men of warre a great feast and offred him a present of .ccc. pounde weight of golde After that he went to war with Pius in his armye to aide him againste the king of Persia that rebelled against him But sone after he was come with in the laÌ„d of Persia that time of Pentecost was at hande Wherfore kyng Hircanus and the hoste of Israel retourned but Pius and his armye of the Grecians proceaded Whom the king of the Persians met in the fielde slewe Pius hym selfe and vainquished the residue that almost none remained Whereof when tidynges came to Hircanus he was verye glad and returned to Hierusalem with peace and ioye After this Hircanus made manye great battails with the nacions aboute him and had euer the victorye He also came to the mount of Gorizim where he wanne a forte of the Sectaries and Samaritans raced downe the temple that the Sectaries hadde there as their house of Sanctuarye whiche they builded by the licence of Alexander the first king of the Grekes He that builded it was Manasse the priest brother to Schimeon the iust But Hircanus the hye priest pulled it downe .cc. yere after it was builded From thence he went to the citye of Samaria and besieged it This was the mother citye of the Samaritans and Sectaries which was brought to suche distresse by the long siege of Hircanus that they within were faine to eate the carcases of dogges The feast of Propiciation then beinge at hande Hircanus made spede to Ierusalem to execute his office in that feaste for he was the hye priest appointing for generalles of his army Aristobulus his eldest sonne and his second son Antigonus In the mean season they within the towne writ to the kinge of Grece to come to succoure theÌ„ which he did with a great power But these .ii. yong men the kings sons went to meete them with the strength of the Israelites and gaue them the ouerthrow killing them vp almost euery one to the noÌ„ber of .xxi. M. fightyng meÌ„ the rest fled That done the yong men returned to the siege of Samaria King Hircanus their father had tidings of the coÌ„ming of the Grecians against his sons so that he perceiued they shoulde haue the GreciaÌ„s of th one side of them the Samaritans Sectaries of thother But he knew nothing what was hapned for that victory chauÌ„ced the .ix. day of Tisre Septembre His hart therfore was careful for his sons for Israel Notwithstanding he proceded in his office according as the feast required So as he entred into the house of SanctuÌ„ sactoruÌ„ or the most holiest to offer inceÌ„ce to cal for mercy for his childreÌ„ for the army he heard a voice speaking vnto him Neuer trouble thy minde with thy childreÌ„ with the host of Israel for yesterday the lord of his mercy heard theÌ„ according to the greatnes of his goodnes for thi fathers sakes Let thy heart therfore be right thy haÌ„d pure So the king going out of the saÌ„ctuary declared if to the people WherupoÌ„ the next day they seÌ„t post to Samaria had word again that this was true Wherfore king Hircanus was manified greatly of all Israel for thei knewe that the blessed Lord accepted his doings inspiryng him with the holy gost and increasyng his kingdome priesthode After this he tooke his iourney to Samaria besieged it a whole yere and at length wan it slewe all also that bare life within it He raced the walles the palaice and burnt vp the citye He had warres also with the Romains and the Arabians and God prospered all that euer he toke in hande So shortly after God gaue him rest and quietnes from all that dwelt about him and from all his enemies so that Israel rested boldlye in peace tranquilitie al his time On a tyme the kinge made a feaste to all the sages of Israel that they might make good cheare with hym And being merily disposed he said I am your scholar and what so euer I do that do I bi your aucthoritie Wherfore I pray you if you see any faulte in me or if I do not as it becometh me tell me of it that I maye reforme mine euill waye Then euery man greatly extolled and commended hym saiynge Who is like vnto thee our Lorde kyng so worthye of the kingdome and priesthode so notable in good workes whose woorkes be done for the God of heauen which hast also done so much good to Israel The king was very well pleased with their aunswere and reioysed greatlye Yet was there one amongest them an vndiscrete manne called Eleaser who spake vnaduisedlye to the king And it please your maiestie it were sufficient for you to haue the crown of the kingdome ye might leaue of the crowne of â—he priesthode to the sede of Aaron forasmuch as your mother was captiue in the mount Modiit Incontinente the king was moued and soore displeased against the Sages whiche certaine of his seruauntes that hated the Sages and smelled somewhat of sectes perceiuyng one of them inâ—ourmed the king that what so euer that vndiscrete person had spoken it was not without the aduise of the Sages Whereupon the king demaunded of the Sages What law shal that man haue that in the dispiâ—e of the kinge speaketh thinges in his reproche They made answere he is worthy to be whipt Then
wee make amendes for this synne Who shall pray and make intercession for vs And wyth this Ioseph burste oute on weepynge abundauntlye but they laught him to scorne THen Ioseph helde vp his handes to heauen saiynge Thou Lorde almightye art our father thou hast shapened vs and by thy great mercye taken vs out of cley thou art he that leadest vs in thy faieth and the multitude of thy mercies and benignitie towards vs hath not ceassed And although our sinnes haue seperated vs from thee yet neuerthelesse we are thy handy worke euery one of vs and of longe haue ben called thy people Thou art Lorde ouer all creatures soules Thou doest what thou wilt and no man dare saye to thee whye doest thou so Thou arte our father we are cley thou hast geuen vs our shape and fashion Therefore if it please thee to take oure Soules take them by the handes of thine aungels that wee commit none euyll againste theim And if these my fellowes that be presente with mee wyll not bee partakers of my Prayer beholde my life alone for the whiche I beseche thy benigne Clemency if it please thee to take it for thou gauest it mee therefore dooe wyth it whatsoeuer shal seeme good vnto thee it is in thy handes thou lendst it mee and hast preserued it wythin me I will not distroye it my selfe or let it out of prison before thou aske for it For thou knowest that As man can not liue vvithout iudgemeÌ„t so likevvise the same can not die vvithout iudgement Vnto thee therefore do I lifte vp myne eyes thou that dwellest in Heauen to deale mercifullye wyth thy seruauntes and with mee to tourne our heartes that wee consente not vnto thys to murther our selues If thou knowe anye amongst them that entende so wycked an Acte I beseche thee O Lorde my GOD let me finde fauoure in thyne eyes geue them an hearte to heare holesome counsel that I may deliuer my self and mine owne life which I commend into thy bandes that thou wouldest receiue it vnto thee for in thy hand is the life of euerye liuinge creature Thus whan Ioseph had finished his praier he turned him vnto his felowes and saluted theÌ„ Then said they canst thou therfore encline oure mindes because thou hast praâ—ed vnto God for thy selfe for vs did not we tel the erewhile like as we tel the now the we are determined to die by one means or other wher fore say thy minde tel vs what kinde of death thou wilt ende thy life for we haue euer knowen the a iust man and a worthy prince therfore art thou worthy to die first Ioseph perceiuinge that his felowes were vtterlye determined to die and woulde geue no eare to his perswasions for he coulde by no reasons drawe them to his opinion he wente subtilty to worke with them sayinge Seinge it will be none otherwise brethren I wil shewe you my deâ—ise Ye are determined to die ye saye and that vppon your owne sworâ—es therefore there is no better waye then to do it by lot in this wise Let vs caste lottes amongste oure selues that we maye be ioyned together by couples then will we caste lottes whiche couple shall die firste after they two shall cast lottes betwene theÌ„ which shal kil hys fellowe he that remaineth shall chuse him one of the seconde couple to kil him Likewise the seconde couple shal caste lottes betwene them selues who shal die firste and he that is lefte shal chuse him one of the thirde couple whome he hathe a fansy to be killed of â–ª Then they shal trye by lot who shal die firste who beinge slaine the other maye chuse him selfe one of the four the couple to kil him and so on til al be slaine that we see not the captiuitie of oure people The laste couple that shal remaine shal do thus runne one vppon the others sworde or elsse set them caste lottes betwixte theim selues and vpon whome it falleth let him die firste But for asmuche as we are fortye and one so that we can not be iustlye ioyned in couples let vs cast lottes firste of all and see whiche of vs shal firste be slaine and when he is once oute of the waye then lette vs deuide the couples He that is to be staine firste lette him chuse oute one of the firste couple to be slain of and when he is deade the firste couple shall caste lottes and do as I haue deuised Then euery man likt his deuise which was gods doing who hard Iosephes prayer and saide all with one mouth we wil do as thou hast deuised and to the it perteineth to deuide the men and to caste the lottes Ioseph answered but let vs sweare by the name of the lord that this deuise shal stand be ratified and perfourmed Wherunto they accorded and sware all by the name of the Lorde that they woulde haue that deuise to be ratified kepte which Ioseph had inuented of casting of lottes Then Ioseph began to make lottes who should be thod man and it light vpon Iehoiada a prieste sonne of Eliakim a Galilean which was a valeant man and chiefest in euery counsell next to Ioseph and the principall perswader of this wicked fact to kill them selues After that did he craftely deuide them into couples so that the lot of his owne couple came forth last of al who loked to be saued and trusted in God beâ—eninge that he woulde deliuer him from this abhominable dede Then Iehoida chose him one of the first couple who slue him That done the first couple cast lottes betwene them so th one killed his felowe and chose him one of the second couple to kil him TheÌ„ they of the second couple caste lots betwene them selues in the presence of Ioseph and th one killed theother then he that remained chose him one of the thy de couple to flea him And in this manner did they til there were al slaine none lefte aliue but Ioseph and his felowe who said vnto Ioseph go to let vs cast lottes that we may go to our brethren Ioseph answered him we wil do so if thou be so disposed but first heare me I praye the speake a fewe thinges in thine eares Tel me haue not these sinners rebelled against god in thus murthering of them selues so shamefully nether could I by ani meanes diswade them nor haâ—e them from this opinioÌ„ Wherfore shuld we two sinne against God so greuously against our own soules if the lot should so fal that I shuid kil thee I shuld be counted a maÌ„sâ—ear that worthily it may so chauÌ„ce that I shal escape after thee and saue my life But if the lot shoulde so fal that thou shouldest flea me thou shouldest be taken also for a murtherer and perauenture thou shuldest not escape after me and althoughe thou thinkest yes Notwithstanding we lose our hope in god for that we sinne againste oure owne soules For all these men that thou seest heare dead
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
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
To whome wheÌ„ a prophet of the Lord came asked him why sekest thou and seruest the Goddes of that people that were not able to deliuer theÌ„ out of thy hand By by he taunted the prophet agayne sainge who made the of the kinges counsel wherfore after that he was no moar repreheÌ„ded of the prophet for the lord had determined to distroy him as it is writen in the bokes of the chronicles of the kinges of Iuda Ther fore he was taken prisoner afterward like a fore when as he fought agaynst Ioas king of Israel in Bethschemesch so was he compared to a lowe vyle thorn or shrub And Ioas vnto the noble hye ceder tree Yea all the euilles that euer happened vnto vs in any age it came of our selues for our lord God is ryghteous in all his workes that euer he wrought vpon vs. Oure enemis did vs neuer so much harm as we did to our selues to our owne liues Ye wote the geÌ„tiles toke our precious vessels of our saÌ„ctuary away to babel brought vs theÌ„ agayn vndefiled but we polluted defiled them our selues the teÌ„ple also with innoceÌ„t blud which we shed abundantly within it adding sinnes to sinnes euer mo mo breking the lawe with our euil actes For who brought the Romains first against the city of IerusaleÌ„ but Hircanus Aristobulê° for they being at dissentioÌ„ betwixt theÌ„ selues one hating the other called the to mains against this city who brought Antoni Sosius princes of the Romains agaynst Ierusalem but Herod beyng at variance for the kingdom with the house of Chasmonanites who also called Nero Caesar to reygn ouer vs dyd you it not your selues Nowe therfore why rebel ye against the empyre dominion of the Romaines If you will saye bycause the Romayn presideÌ„t Edomaeus ordered you to bad had it not ben mete rather to complain of him to the Emperour then to rebel agaynste the Romaynes and to make warre against them But you wyll say we rebelled agaynst Nero Caesar because he did vs to muche wronge Wherefore then rebell ye now against Vaspasian Caesar a moste merciful man and one which neuer hurt you Or why make ye not peace with his son to be vnder him accordinge as other nationes be that ye might lyue and not peryshe Haue ye not a sufficient profe of hys clemencie and mercifulnes when as he hath cause to be cruel vpon no man so much as vpon me whiche drew out my sword agaynst the Romaines and killed many of them notwithstanding neyther he nor the reste of the Romains haue done me any harme Yea rather they haue bestowed many benefites vpon me and although I was in their handes yet they haue saued my lyfe Yea I coÌ„fesse that before they had me prisoner I wolde gladly many times haue fled to theÌ„ but I could neuer do it for I was euer aferd of my wicked coÌ„paions least they shulde haue killed me so my death had bene to no purpose But now I prayse the lorde God without ceassing bycause that for his vnmeasurable mercies sake he wold not suffer me to be entaÌ„gled in the same mischieues the you be in Nether wold I wish to be a coÌ„panion of such loste vnthriftes castawayes as you be which haue shed the bloud of innoceÌ„tes in the teÌ„ple of the lord In deed if I had bene with you I shuld haue ben voyd of al hope as ye be seinge ye spare not your owne liues your owne coÌ„tumacie stubbernes is made a snare for you See I pray you with how great mischiefes you are laden First the lord is not emongst you insomuch the through the warres whiche you haue made emoÌ„gst your selues almost the waters of Schiloach ar dried vp which her tofore wheÌ„ the nations made war against you flowed in great abuÌ„dance ran ouer the bankes on both sydes But you are oâ—erth wart rebelles that haue euer prouoked the lord God vnto wrath you haue made slaughteres one vpoÌ„ an other in the midest of the teÌ„ple of the lord how can then the glory of the lord dwel emongst you Knowe ye not bycause of Korach his coÌ„gregatioÌ„ the lord sayd vnto Moyses to his people Separate your selues froÌ„ emoÌ„g this coÌ„gregatioÌ„ and I shal coÌ„sume theÌ„ in a tvvinkling of an eye But you are far worse then they for without all remors or pitie â—e pull doun the teÌ„ple of the lord with our own haÌ„des you your selues set fyre on the sanctuary which most noble kinges most holy prophets builded besyds al this ye nether spare your sonnes nor doughters And although I be in the Romains caÌ„p yet I am not absent froÌ„ you for my moste dearly beloued wife is with you the wife of my youth whoÌ„ I can not set lightly by at this present although I neuer had childreÌ„ by her but rather loue her moste entierly bycause she came of a most honest godly house My dear father mother ar also with you very aged persones for my father is at this day a hundreth three yeres olde my mother four score and fyue but the yeres of my life ar very few euil ful of tribulacion sorowe about threscore seuen nether haue I lyued yet so long that according to nature I shuld desire to dye Now therfor if so be it you trust not me but suppose I haue proposed these thinges to you deceytfully and that ther is no trust of Titus coueuant and bonde or that his league shuld be to your hinderaÌ„ce and discoÌ„moditie go to if it come so to pas it shal be leeful for you to kil my father mother my wife yea I swere vnto you by the lorde our God that I shall deliuer my lyfe also into your handes that you may do with me what ye list and by that meanes shall the bloud of my parentes my wyues myne be in pledge Therfore let the auncieÌ„t of the city come forth I wil make a league betwixt them and our lord Titus And doubt ye not but as hytherto the lorde God wold you shuld be afflicted punished by the gouernement of the Romaynes so hereafter he shall benefyt you therby and doo you good if so be it you wil once acknowledg and coÌ„fesse that al dominion is chaunged and altered at his coÌ„mandement that God humbleth whome he lyste and agayn whom he list he setteth aloft But persuade your selues of this that as longe as ye refuse to be subiect vnto the Romaines so long ye styre agaynste your selues Godes wrath and hye displeasure and besydes that differ the lengar and prolong your redemption and deliuerance not only to your selues but also to your posteritye Nowe therfore my brethern I thought it my parte to declare al these thinges vnto you and it is in your power to chuse whyther ye lyste for who so will let him geue eare vnto me and who not let him absteyn from my
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
that intent to draw you from your lawe or to banish you out of your lande or els to destroye it and your Cities but this is the cause of my commynge hither to effer you peace and to make a league with you that you shoulde take vppon you our yoke and be our subiectes as ye were â—â—ore Where did you euer heare of a people in al the worlde that hath shewed them selues so mercifull gentle both towardes other towards you as we haue done Hanniball the captain of the Garthaginianâ— after he had wasted our couÌ„trey at loÌ„gth was taken by vs was he not had in greate honor reputatioÌ„ of vs with such humanity haÌ„dled the we made him king of his people And so delt we with Antiochê° the MacedoniaÌ„ other kings the we toke prisoners â–ª Ye â–ª brag the ye kepe the watch of â—our god Why theÌ„ folow ye not the exaÌ„ple of Iechaniah your kinge who to saue the teÌ„ple of your god froÌ„ destructioÌ„ left your people also shold be led away into bondage or be destroyed with the sworde yelded him selfe and his house into the hands of the king of the Chaldeis Why spare you not your owne liues your citie and sanctuary Nowe therefore hearken vnto me â–ª and I wil make a leage with you before the God of this house who shal be a witnes betwixt me and you by whom I sweare that I will neuer breake this league neither do you anye harme nor spoyle your goodes nor leade you away captiue nor yet set any ruler ouer you but a Iewe of your owne nacion euen Ioseph the priest whiche is with me shall be your prince if you think it good and all the faithfull menne also whiche are with me shall returne to you home againe ye shal inhabite your own land ye shal haue the vse of the fruites therof with peace and quietnesse without any corruption or alteration of the seruice of your God Wherfore credite 〈◊〉 â—o make a leage wyth you and that yâ— may trust me the better ye shall haue pledges Iosephe a noble man of your countrey and other princes and noble men of the Romaynes Come forthe therefore and intreate a peace with vs bowe your shoulders and humble your neckes to serue vs like as all other nacions do as you haue done your selfes in the time of Nero Caesar the ye may liue not be distroied keping your religion safe sound Ioseph the priest hearing the wordes of Titus his clemency in that he was minded to spare the Iewes burste out aloude and wept in the presence of the capitaynes of the sedicious verye bitterlye but they nothinge regarded it Iosephe therfore seinge that Titus coulde do nothinge wyth the sedicious said vnto their princes I maruaile nothing thoughe this citie tende to desolation destruction for I know the ende of it is at hande But this is it that I maruaile moste that ye haue redde the boke of Daniel and vnderstaÌ„d it not which is now fulfilled in al thinges and yet neuer a one of you dothe marke it The continual sacrifice is already ceased a good while agoe the annoynted Prieste is cut awaye and put downe These things although thei be most manifest yet your herts caÌ„ not be leue theÌ„ And mani other words spake Ioseph full of admonition consolatioÌ„ but the Iewes refused to heare him WheÌ„ as he had made an end therfore and the Sedicious hadde so hardened their neckes Titus turned him and departed out of Hierusalem saiynge Let vs get vs hence least their synnes destroye vs. Wherefore he pitched hys tentes without the Citye in the same place where he encamped at the firste For he was afrayed both for him selfe and his armie lest they shoulde be circuÌ„uented and closed in and slaine cruellye in so great a Citye as that was Certaine of the priestes at that tyme of the nobles of the towne with other Godlie men did wisely se to theÌ„ selues â–ª came forth to Titus submittyng theÌ„ selues to his mercye were receiued of him peceably wyth great honor WhoÌ„ Titus coÌ„maunded to be coÌ„ducted into the land of Goschen where in tymes past the Israelites dwelt in the daies of Iacob their father Ioseph Lord of Egypte Thither sent he them gaue it theÌ„ in possession to theim and to their heires for euer commaundynge a companye of the Chaldeis to safe conducte theim til they came to the lande of Goschen Titus directed hys Letters also to the Romayne Presidente whyche was set ouer Egypt to take pitie of the Iewes that he hadde placed in the Lande of Goschen to sustayn and succour them and to see that no Romaine or other shoulde do them harme or anoye them by anye meanes Manye other also of the Iewes coueted to go forthe of Hiâ—rusalem but they were letted of the Sedicious that they coulde not dooe as they intended And who can tell whether they were intangled wyth their owne synnes and destenyed to destruction wyth theyr Sediciousse brethren when as their handes also were polluted wyth the crueltye and iniquitye of the Sedicious Wherfore the Sedicious closed vp all the waies about the temple that none of the Iewes which were in Hierusalem might get out to Titus When Titus knew that many of the Iewes wer desierous to flee vnto him and coulde not because of the sedicious he wente agayne to the place where heâ— was afore and Iosephe with him Whom when the people sawe to be there with Titus they fel a wepynge and said vnto him We acknowledge our synnes and the traunsgression of our fathers wee haue all swarued out of the waye against the lord our God for we know the mercye and gentlenes of Titus the sonne of Caesar and that he taketh pity vpon vs but what can we do when it is not in our power to flee vnto hym bicause of the cruelty of the sedicious The sedicious hearing theim talkyng with Ioseph in presence of Titus that they spake reuerently of him honored hys father callyng him Lorde they ranne vpon them with their drawen swordes to kill them Then cried they vnto Titus deare Lorde and maister rescue vs. The Romayns therfore made spede to deliuer theÌ„ out of the haÌ„des of the sedicious So risse there a fray in the midst of the temple betwene the Romayns and the Iewes The Romains fled into the place called Sanctum sanctorum which was the holiest of all and the Iewes folowed after and slewe theim euen there Titus standinge without cryed vnto Iehochanan and saide vnto hym Hearest thou thou Ichochanan is not thy wickednes yet great inough Wilt thou neuer make an ende of thy mischiefe Where is the honoure of thy God Is it not written in the lawe of your God of the Sanctum sanctorum that no straunger ought to come at it but onelye the hye prieste and that but once a yeare because it is the holiest of al And now how darest thou be so