to a Pomgranate cut in the middest to which there is annexed and groweth a round couer as if turned and framed on purpose hauing those eminent clefts as I said like to the midst of a Pomgranate resembling the pointed and sharp thornes and pricking blades Now it contayneth a certaine fruit vnder the couer and in the whole cup is like to the seed of the herbe Sideritis his flower is not much vnlike that which springeth from the poppey Such was this crowne about the necke and the two Temples for these cups came not neere the front or brow For on the same there was as it were a bend of gold on which the name of God was engrauen Such were the ornaments of the high priest I cannot therfore but greatly wonder at the strange and causelesse malice which other nations haue conceiued against vs as if we were iniurious against the diuine maiestie which they say they so much honour For if a man marke the composition of the Tabernacle and examine the habit of the high priest and consider all the necessaries which we vse in celebrating the diuine seruice they shall find that our lawmaker was a man of a diuine spirit and that we without any desert are iniuried by other nations For if without partialitie a man will duely examine it he shall find that all things haue beene done to represent and figure the world For the Tabernacle is of thirtie cubits diuided into three parts whereof two are left for the sacrificers as a place prophaned and common signifying the land and sea wherein all sorts of creatures are conuersant But the third part is sequestred and reserued for God alone in like sort as the heauen is vnaccessible by men The table on which the twelue loaues were placed signifieth the yeare diuided into twelue moneths The candlestick made of seuentie pieces signifieth the twelue signes thorow which euery one of the seuen planets passe the seuen lampes that were therein represented the seuen planets The vailes made of foure seuerall kinds of stuffes resembled the foure Elements For the linnen seemed to represent the earth from whence it was drawen and deriued The purple resembled the sea because the purple colour is made of the bloud of a shell fish called Murex The Hyacinth signifieth the ayre and as touching the Scarlet it signifieth the fire The tunicle likewise of the high priest demonstrateth the earth for it is made of linnen The Hyacinth sheweth the pole the Pomgranates resembled the lightning as the bels the noyse of the thunder The sircot sheweth that the whole world is compassed of foure Elements resembled in his foure colours to which gold is annexed as I interprete it for that light is annexed to all things Essen also is planted in the middle thereof in such sort as the earth obtaineth the middle place of the world Likewise the girdle wherewith he is girt resembleth the sea which enfoldeth and begirteth all things The two Sardonix stones set as buttons or loops in the high Priests garment signifie the Sunne and Moone the number of the gems are alluded to the number of the moneths or the twelue houses or the equall number of the parts of that circle which the Graecians call the Zodiacke he shall not much erre that followeth eyther the one or the other of these opinions The cap likewise hath an allusion to heauen by reason of his azure or Hyacinthine colour for otherwise the name of God might not be placed therein For it was beautified with a crowne of gold to signifie the light wherein God highly delighteth Let this suffice for the present for that which we shall discourse hereafter will furnish vs with sufficient and ample matter to shew and set out the vertue of our lawmaker CHAP. IX Of Aarons priesthood and the lawes which appertaine to the feastes and sacrifices AFter these things abouesaid were finished and left as yet vnconsecrated God appeared vnto Moses commaunding him to establish Aaron his brother in the priesthood who in respect of his vertue deserued that title of honour aboue all the rest For which cause Moses assembling the congregation discoursed vnto them his vertues and discouered his good affection and reckoned vp vnto them how many daungers he had suffered in their behalfe whereof each of them gaue ample testimonie declaring the forward zeale and loue they alwaies bare vnto him whereupon he spake vnto them after this manner The worke is now brought to such an end as it hath pleased God and hath beene possible for vs and for that you know we are to receiue him into this Tabernacle we ought aboue all things to haue an especiall care in the election of such a one who shall make sacrifice and supplication for vs. Touching my selfe if the matter depended on my priuate choise I should esteeme no man more worthy then my selfe to execute this function both for that naturally men loue themselues and for that I am well assured how many trauels I haue supported for your safetie sake But God himselfe hath iudged Aaron worthy of this honour and hath chosen him for his high priest and sacrificer in that he excelleth all other of vs in equitie and iustice commaunding that he should be inuested with the robe consecrated to God and that he should take charge of the altars and sacrifices He shall make prayers for you vnto God who will heare them willingly by reason that he hath care of your race and will receiue them proceeding from a personage whom he himselfe had elected These words of his were gratefull vnto the people and they all of them approued the election which God had made For Aaron was more capable of that honour then any other both by reason of his race as also in regard of the prophecing spirit and vertue of his brother he had at that time foure sonnes Nadab Abihu Eleasar and Ithamar But whatsoeuer remained of those things which were gathered for the building of the Tabernacle was employed to make vailes to couer the Tabernacle Candlesticke Altar and the other instruments to the end that in their trauaile they should not be soiled eyther by raine or dust And hauing once more assembled the people together he commaunded them to offer euerie one of them halfe a sicle now the sicle is a kind of Hebrew coyne that is as much in value as foure Athenian drammes whereunto they obeyed willingly so that the number of them that offered was sixe times one hundreth thousand fiue hundreth and fiftie and they that brought this money were such as were of a free condition and betwixt the yeares of twentie and fiftie and that which was receiued was imployed in the necessaries of the Temple Then did he purifie the Tabernacle and the priests in manner and forme following He tooke the waight of fiue hundreth sicles of chosen Mirrhe and the like quantitie of Ireos of Cinnamon and of Calamus which is a
he called vnto him one of his officers who certifying him of the truth he arose and washed himselfe and put on a white garment and presented himselfe before the tabernacle of God and commanded his dinner to be made ready Whereat his friends and seruants were verie sore amazed and wondred why he hauing done none of these things during the childes sicknesse should now after his death doe all these things at once they besought him therefore that it might be lawfull for them to demaund the cause of these his proceedings To whom he answered that he would teach and discouer that vnto them of which they were ignorant Vnderstand you not said he that while the childe was aliue and I had hope of his recouerie I omitted no means whereby I might moue God vnto mercie but now after that he is dead it were in vaine for me to spend my selfe with vnnecessarie griefe Which when they heard they praised the wisedome and consideration of the king After this he knew Bethsabe his wife who became with childe and was brought a bed of a sonne who by Nathans direction was called Salomon Meanewhile Ioab pressed the Ammonites with a sore siege and cut off their water and other commodities and things necessarie so that they were welny famished for want of victuall and prouision for they drew their water from a little spring in such sort that they feared least if they should vse it to their owne contentment it would be sodainly dried He therefore wrote vnto the king and certified him of the estate of the Citie and exhorted him to come in person and be present at the surprisall thereof to the intent that the victorie might be famed by his name The king vnderstanding that which Ioab had written allowed of his readines good-will and faith and taking with him all the forces which he had he came to the taking in of Rabatha which being by him forcibly surprised and giuen in pillage vnto his souldiers he retained for himselfe the crowne of the king of the Ammonites waighing a talent of gold in the midst vvherof was enchased a Sardonyx of great valew which Dauid wore vpon his head He found likewise in that citie diuers spoyles of great price but as touching the inhabitants he put them to the sword and did the like in all the Cities of the Ammonites which he tooke by force But after that the king was returned vnto Ierusalem there fell a grieuous accident in his family vpon this occasion He had a daughter at that time which was a virgin faire and beautifull and surpassed all other vvomen in admirable perfections whose name was Thamar borne by the same mother that Absalon was Of her Amnon the eldest sonne of Dauid became enamoured and for that he could not enioy her at his pleasure by reason of her virginitie and the hand that was had of her he grew so melancholy that his body dried vp and his colour changed thorow the verie griefe that consumed him A certaine cousin and friend of his called Ionathan a man of great reach and quick vnderstanding perceiuing this his passion and noting euerie day howe Amnons beauty and strength decaied and wasted he came vnto him and asked him the cause thereof alleadging that that indisposition of his seemed to proceede from some amorous affection Which when Amnon confessed and how he was growne passionate thorow the loue he bare vnto his sister by the fathers side Ionathan suggested him both the meanes and inuention to compasse his desires for he perswaded him to counterfeit himselfe to be sicke and that if his father came to visit him hee should desire him to send his sister to minister vnto him by which meanes he should easily and speedily be deliuered of his sicknesse This counsell of his was plausible in Amnons eares who presently counterfaited sicknesse and laid him downe on his bed according as Ionathan had aduised him and when Dauid was come to visit him he required him to send his sister vnto him which he did She being arriued he praied her with her owne hands that she would temper and frie some fritters for him because they would the more content him if they were of her owne making for which cause she in her brothers presence tempered the flower and made certaine cakes and fried them in the frying pan and presented them vnto him but he tasted them not but commanded all his seruants to retire themselues out of his lodging because he intended to take his rest without noise or trouble As soone as this commaundement of his was performed hee prayed his sister to bring the meate into his most retired and priuie chamber whereunto the damsell condescended whereupon he sodainly surprised her began to perswade her to grant him her company But the virgin exclaiming said vnto him Forbeare my brother forbeare to offer me violence for it is a hainous sinne to perpetrate so foule a fact Giue ouer this thy most hatefull concupiscence which will breed nought els but disgrace and infamy to our whole family or if thou hast not the power to resist the same require me at my fathers hands and extort not mine honour from me by force But hee enraged with loue neglected all these sayings and wholy poisoned with the sting of disordinate passion rauished and violated her notwithstanding all her resist And as soone as he had aslaked his lustfull desire a certaine hatred entred into his heart which extorted from his mouth many iniurious words against Thamar so that he commanded her to arise and depart She answered that this second outrage was more hainous then the former for that hauing violated her he would not suffer her to remaine there vntill night time but thrust her out incontinently by day time and during the light to the end she might meet with such as might testifie her dishonour Notwithstanding all these iust reasons of hers he commanded his seruant to driue her out of the doores She strangely agrieued at the outrage and violence that had been offered her tore her garment which was such as the noble and princely virgins were wont to weare and strewed ashes on her head running thorow the Citie with cries and lamentations wherein she expressed what wrong had beene done vnto her With her thus distracted her brother Absalon met enquiring of her what euill hap had befallen her To whom she reported all the iniurie which her brother Amnon had done her whereupon he exhorted her to pacifie her selfe and to suffer moderately whatsoeuer had befallen her and not to suppose her selfe to be indignified by any act of their brother Whereunto she condescended forbearing her exclaimes and surceasing to publish the iniuries she had receiued in the eares of the people And thus remained she a long time with her brother Absalon in the qualitie of a widow Dauid hauing intelligence of that which had hapned was sore displeased notwithstanding he loued Amnon
the world keepe and solemnize this day for a festiuall and send presents the one vnto the other Mardocheus also wrote vnto the Iewes who liued vnder the Empire of Artaxerxes commanding them to obserue those daies and to solemnize them willing them to charge their successours to doe the like to the ende that this feast might continue for euer and out-liue all obliuion For since on that day they should haue been made away by Aman they should doe well if after they had escaped that danger and taken reuenge on their enemies the very same day they should obserue the same to giue thanks vnto God For this cause the Iewes keepe a solemne feast on these daies and call it Purim as who should say Lottes But Mardocheus was great and mightie with the king administring the kingdome with him he had also a part of the greatnesse of the Queene and for this cause the affaires of the Iewes had better successe then was hoped for See here how matters passed during the raigne of Artaxerxes CHAP. VII Bagoses Generall of Artaxerxes the youngers armie offereth many outrages to the Iewes AFter the death of Eliasib the high Priest Iudas his sonne succeeded in the office And after his death Iohn his sonne obtained the place in whose time Bagoses generall of Artaxerxes army polluted the temple and made the Iewes tributaries so that before they could offer their ordinarie and daily sacrifices they were compelled to pay for euery lambe fiftie drachmes which hapned vpon this occasion Iohn had a brother called Iesus whom Bagoses fauoured and promised to giue him the high priesthood Iesus woon by these perswasions quarrelled with his brother Iohn who was so much prouoked against him that he slew his brother Iesus in his choler It was a thing verie straunge that Iohn being a priest should commit such an impietie against his brother and yet farre more straunge in that so cruell an act and an offence so impious hath neither hapned amongst Greekes nor BarbariaÌs God also left it not vnpunished but for the same sinne the people were reduced vnder captiuitie and the temple was polluted by the Persians When Bagoses had intelligence that Iohn the high Priest among the Iewes had slaine his brother Iesus in the temple he resorted thither in al haste and began to vtter and breake forth into bitter threats against the Iewes Haue you said he beene so bold as to commit murther in your temple And when he thought to haue entred into the same they hindred him Whereupon he replied Am I therefore more polluted then the bodie that leth dead in the temple and hauing spoken thus he entred thereinto and for the space of seuen yeares Bagoses being thus animated against the Iewes punished them for murthering Iesus After that Iohn was deceased Iaddus his sonne was made high Priest who had a brother called Manasses Sanaballath sent by the later King Darius to gouerne Samaria for he also was of the race of the Chutaeans from whom issued the Samaritanes knowing that Ierusalem was a famous Citie and that the Kings thereof wrought much trouble vnto the inhabitants of Assyria and Coelesyria he willingly married his daughter Nicazo to this Manasses with an intent that this marriage should be as a pledge of his good will to all the nation of the Iewes CHAP. VIII What benefits Alexander King of Macedon bestowed vpon the Iewes ABout that time Philip king of MacedoÌ died in the citie of Aegaeas being traiterousle slain by Pausanias the sonne of Cerastes of the race of Orestes and his sonne Alexander succeeded him in the kingdome who passing ouer Hellespont gaue battell vnto the huge army of Darius neere the riuer Granic and there obtained a famous victorie And hereupon he also inuading the countrey of Lydia after he had conquered Ionia and ouerrunne Caria finally set vpon the quarters of Pamphilia as it is declared in an other place But the elders of Ierusalem were sore displeased for that Iaddus brother who was at that time high Priest and had married a forraine woman should be companion and associate with him in the priesthood so as they mutined against him For they supposed that that marriage would be but a means to animate those who had a mind to prophane marriages proue an inducement to other to coÌmunicate in marriage with straungers remembring them that the cause of their euils and first captiuitie was because some of them had fallen and offended by coupling themselues with women of forraine nations They therefore commanded Manasses either to forsake his wife or else neuer more to approch the Altar The high Priest likewise being incensed against his brother as well as the people droue him in like manner from the sacrifice For which cause Manasses addressing himselfe to his father in law Sanaballath told him that although he loued his daughter Nicazo very intirely yet would he notwithstanding condescend for her sake to be depriued of the priesthood which was the greatest dignity that could be among their nation and which had euer continued in his race Whereupon Sanaballath answered and promised him that he would not onely continue him in the priesthood but also would giue him the power and dignitie of the high priesthood and make him gouernour of all places where he commaunded prouided the marriage solemnized betwixt his daughter and him were continued He furthermore assured him that he would build a temple resembling that in Ierusalem vpon the mountaine of Garizim which was the highest among the rest permitting him to do the same with Darius consent Manasses puffed vp by these promises remained with Sanaballath and grew in hope that he should obtain the priesthood by Darius meanes for Sanaballath was verie olde Whereas therefore diuers other both Priests and common people among the Israelites were intangled in such like marriages there arose no small commotion in Ierusalem For all they of this condition retired themselues to Manasses whom Sanaballath furnished with money and lands to till and houses to inhabite in all sorts to fauour the intent of his sonne in law At the same time Darius vnderstanding that Alexander hauing passed the Hellespont had ouercome those gouernours whom he had established neere vnto the floud Granicus and that he passed further spoyling of his countrey he gathered together both his horsemen and footmen resoluing to make head against the Macedonians before they should gaine all Asia he therefore passed Euphrates mount Taurus in Cilicia to encouÌter fight with his enemies in the country Sanaballath ioyful of Darius descent incontinently told Manasses that he would fulfil his promises as soone as Darius should returne from the conquest of his enemies For not onely he but also all the Asians perswaded themselues most assuredly that the Macedonians would not abide the battell against the Persians by reason of their great multitude but it fell out altogether contrarie to their expectation For the
the subiection of Herod who was the very scourge of their familie but rather that he should stand vpon his owne guard and reserue himselfe to his better hoped fortunes She furthermore gaue him counsell to write vnto Malchus who had the gouernment of Arabia requesting him to graunt him both protection and entertainment For that if Herod should chance to be cut off by Caesars displeasure doubtlesse the kingdome would returne vnto him both in regard of his nobility as also of the peoples fauour These perswasions of hers Hircanus at the first repulsed but afterwards being ouercome by the importunitie of the woman who ceased not day and night to sing the same song of future hope and of Herods treasons he gaue certaine letters to a friend of his written to the Arabian wherein he required him to send him certaine horsmen who might conduct him to the Asphaltite lake which lieth distant from the confines of Ierusalem some three hundred furlongs And therefore especially committed hee these letters to Dositheus trust both for that he fauoured Hircanus and his daughter and seemed likely for diuers causes to hate Herod for he was Iosephs kinsman who was slaine by Herod and not long before certaine of his brothers were slaine amongst others at Tire by Anthonies command yet for none of these occasions continued he faithfull to Hircanus For he setting more by the present fauour of the king that then raigned then the rest discouered the letter vnto the king who first of all giuing him thanks required one office of friendship more at his hands which was that folding vp the letter and sealing it he should conueigh and deliuer the same to Malchus and returne his answer for that it merely concerned him if he knew his resolution also Which when Dositheus had diligently perfourmed the Arabian returned this answer that he was readie to entertaine both himselfe and his whole family and all those Iewes likewise which were of his faction promising to send him a band of souldiours who should be able to conduct him safely thither and should be obedient to his command in all things Now as soone as Herod was seazed of these letters he called for Hircanus and demanded of him whether he had any confederacy with Malchus who denied the same But Herod protesting and bringing forth his letter in an open assembly commanded him afterwards to be put to death Thus are these matters registred in Herodes commentaries for by some are they deliuered otherwise namely that he was executed not for this crime which he had committed but for some treasons against the king For they write to this effect that Herod at a certaine banquet dissembling his suspition demaunded of Hircanus whether he had receiued anie letters from Malchus and that he answered that he had receiued letters but such as conteined nothing els but officious salutations Further that another asked him whether he had receiued anie present therewithall and when he had answered that he had receiued nothing but foure coursers for his saddle the king wrested this to a capitall offence of corruption and treason and commanded him presently to be led to death Now that he died guiltlesse they alleage this for a most approued argument namely his gentle disposition who euen in his youthfull yeares neuer gaue signe or appearance of rashnesse or pride or signification of audaciousnesse no not euen then when he had the royall gouernment in his hands but in that freedome of authoritie disposed the most things by Antipaters aduise But at that time he was more then fourscore yeares old and knew that Herods estate was secured and passing Euphrates also and liuing on the other side of the riuer he left such as held him in great honour and returned home into his owne countrie to the end he might liue vnder Herodes gouernment Whereby it is lesse likelie that he would attempt any alteration so farre different from his nature so that all these things seeme to be fained by Herode Thus ended Hircanus his life after his variable and aduerse fortune wherewith during all his life time he was afflicted For at such time as his mother Alexandra liued he was created high priest of the Iewes and obtained that honour for the space of nine yeeres and after his mothers death he had scarcely gouerned the kingdome for the space of three moneths but that he was expulsed by his brother Aristobulus and afterwards restored by Pompeies assistance and receiuing all his former honours he liued in full possession of them for the space of fortie yeeres After this he was once more distated by Antigonus and being maimed in his bodie liued certaine yeeres in captiuitie among the Parthians from whence not long after he returned home and though he had many things promised him by Herode yet after so many alterations of fortune he obtained nothing at his hands and that which amongst all the rest is most of all to be lamented as we haue said he was vniustly put to death an innocent and in his olde age For he was a louer of iustice and an obseruer of perpetuall modestie and gouerned his kingdome for the most part by other mens direction being onely guiltie in himselfe of ignorance and the loue of idlenesse Truly Antipater and Herode by this mans goodnesse obtained their so great riches for which deserts of his against all lawe and right hee was cruelly put to death But Herode after Hircanus death addressed himselfe to performe his iourny towards Caesar and hauing little hope of any good fortune in regard of his friendship with Antonius he grew desperately iealous of Alexandra for feare least she taking oportunitie of the time should incite the people to rebell and fill the kingdome with domesticall sedition for which cause committing the gouernment of the estate to his brother Pheroras he left his mother Cypros his sister and all his kinred in the castle of Masada and commaunded his brother that if any misfortune should befall him he should retaine the kingdome in his owne hands and maintaine it As for his wife Mariamme for that by reason of certaine dislikes betwixt her his mother and sister they might not liue togither he left her with her mother Alexandra in the castle of Alexandrian and committed them to the custodie of his treasurour Ioseph and Sohemus the Iturian and with her the keeping of his castles both which had alwaies beene his faithfull friends and to whom in way of honour he committed the custodie of these princely Ladies But he gaue them also this commandement that if they should be certified that any sinister mishap had befallen him they should presently kill them both and to the vtmost of their power continue the kingdome in his children and his brother Pheroras CHAP. X. How Herode obtained the kingdome of Iudaea at Caesars hands AFter he had in this sort giuen order for all his affairs he withdrew himselfe vnto Rhodes intending
thââ¦se matters Behold here I am vvho notwithstanding a murtherer of my father yet did I neuer suffer any misfortune by sea nor land is not this O father a sufficient argument of my innocencie For I know father that before God and thee I am condemned and being condemned I beseech thee giue not credit to reports extracted by torments let me be bumed inflict all torments vpon me spare not my wicked bodieâ⦠For if I be a murtherer of my father I must not die without torments crying out aloud after this manner and vveeping he moued all that vvere present and Varus also to compassion but Herode onely abstained from teares for his anger gaue attention to the truth And presently Nicholaus at the kings commaundement making a long speech of Antipaters craft and subtiltie tooke away all hope of mercy and began a verie bitter accusation ascribing all mischiefe vvhich had befallen that kingdome vnto him and especially the death of the two brethren who through his calumniations vvere made away affirming also that he vsed trecherous practises against those vvho vvere yet aliue fearing least they should seek to succeed in the kingdome for he vvho had prepared poyson for his father would much lesse spare his brethren And then comming to the proofe of his pretence to poyson his father he declared in order all euidence thereof aggrauating his offence by Pheroras as though Antipater also were the cause why he purposed to murther his brother and how he had corrupted the kings deerest friends and so filled the wholecourt with wickednes And when he had accused him of many other things and brought proofe thereof he ended his speech Then Varus when he had commaunded Antipater to make aunswere vnto those things and that he said nothing more then God is a witnesse of my innocencie he called for the poyson and gaue it to one that was condemned to die who hauing drunke thereof presently died Then Varus talked secretly with Herod and what was done there in that councell he wrote vnto Caesar. Yet notwithstanding when Herod had sent Antipater to prison he sent messengers vnto Caesar to shew him his hard fortune and calamitie After this it was proued that Antipater wrought treason against Salome For one of Antiphilââ¦s seruants came from Rome and brought letters in the name of Acmes who was one of Iulia her maides which she writ vnto the king telling him that she found a letter of Salomes amongst Iulias letters and so for good will she had sent it him ââ¦the letter which she affirmed to be Salomes contained many bitter inuectiues against Herod and many accusations But these letters were written and fained by Antipater who for money had perswaded Acmes so to do as we haue said for the letter which she writ to Antipater euidently shewed it to be so for she wrote as followeth I haue written vnto thy father as you requested me and sent also other letters and I assure my selfe he will not spare his sister if he doe but read the letters and you may do wel seeing I haue performed all your requests that now you would be mindful of your promise This letter against Salome and others being found to be counterfaited the king began to doubt that Alexander was made away by such counterfaited letters and he was verie angry that he had almost put his sister to death through Antipaters deuise Wherefore he no longer delaied to punish him for all yet he was hindred by a great sicknesse from accomplishing his purpose He also sent letters vnto Caesar concerning Acme the maid and Salomes false accusation and changed his testament and blotted out the name of Antipater and in his roome vvrote Antipas leauing out Archelaus and Philippus who were the elder brethren because Antipater had accused them And he bequeathed vnto Caesar a thousand talents beside many other rich gifts and to his wife and children and kinred and libertines about fiue hundreth and gaue euery one a great gift either in ground or money and honoured his sister Salome with most rich gifts And thus he corrected his will CHAP. XXI Of the golden Eagle and of Antipaters and Herodes death HErods disease encreased partly through age and especially for his gââ¦ese and sorrow for he was now three score and ten yeeres olde and his mind was so troubled by the death of his children that though he were in health yet he tooke no pleasure in any thing and his sicknes was so much the more grieuous vnto him because that Antipater was yet aliue for he purposed to put him to death when he was recouered of his sicknes To encrease his calamitie there arose a tumult amongst the people For there were in the citie two sophisters who made a shew as though they were very skilful in their country lawes for that were renowmed all ouer the countrey One of them was named Iudas who was sonne vnto Sepphoraeus the other was called Matthias sonne vnto Margalus These two were followed by a great many yong men so that when they expounded the law they had an assembly like a great armie all young men These two hearing that the King partly by griefe and partly by his disease was verie like to die spake vnto their acquaintance saying that it was now a fit time vvherein God might be reuenged and those things which were made against their countrey lawes taken away for it was a great offence to God to permit the Images or shapes or likenesse of any liuing thing to be in the temple This they said because the king had set a golden Eagle vpon the chiefest porch of the temple which the Sopââ¦sters now willed the yong men to take away saying that it was meritorious although danger might ensue thereon yea euen to die for their countrey lawes For they that died for such a cause should haue their soules immortall and enioy euerlasting blisse and that many vnwise men ignorant of that doctrine so loued their liues that they chose rather to die by sicknesse then to spend their liues in a vertuous quarrell Whilest they said thus there was a rumour spred that the king was now at the last cast whereat the young men being incouraged about noone when many were walking in the temple they let themselues downe from the top of the temple with great ropes and so with hatchets cut downe the Eagle Whereof the captaine of the souldiers being aduertised accompanied with a great many soldiers went speedily to the temple and tooke almost fortie of the young men and caried them to the King Who first of all asked them if they were so bold as to cut down the golden Eagle and they confessed they had done it then he demaunded by vvhose commaundement they answered by the commaundement of their country lawes After this it was asked them why they who were presently to die were so ioyfull they answered for that after death they hoped to enioy
that countrey whereat being affrighted for feare he should be encountred and taken by some sauage beast and that he should perish after that sort God commanded him to suspect no dangerous euent for that cause assuring him that he might safely trauaile thorow all regions without being eyther assaulted or seased by sauage beastes and hauing set his marke vpon him by which he might be knowen he commaunded him to depart the countrey After that Cain accompanied with his wife had trauailed thorow diuers regions he builded Nais it was a place so named and made his aboad therein and in that place had childreâ⦠But he receiued not this chasticement for his better amendment but rather became worse and worse for he abandoned himselfe to all pleasures of the bodie making it his sport to outrage those with whom hee conuersed filling his house with riches gotten by rapine and violence and inciting other men to follow his pleasutes and theftes he became their Lord and master of all mischieuous exercises he ouerthrew that simplicitie which men before that time had vsed in their mutuall societies by the inuentions of measures and waights the ignorance whereof was the cause that the life of man was estranged from deceite but in steede and place of free and auncient courage he introduced fraud and deceit He it was that first bounded the fieldes and builded the first Citie and made a wall and rampire enforcing his followers to dwell therein This Citie was named Enosa by the nââ¦me of Enos his first begotten sonne But Iared was the sonne of Enos of Iared issued Malehel whose sonne was Mathusala who begotte Lamech who had 77. children by his two wiues Sella and Ada amongst whom Iobel the sonne of Ada was the first that made Tents and tooke delight to lead a pastorall liâ⦠contenting himselfe with the same Iubal his brother germaine exercised musicke and inuented the Psalterie and the Harpe And as touching Thobell one of his sonnes by his other wife he surpassed all other his brethren in force and brauely managed the affaires of warre by which waies he got more ample riches and meanes to maintaine his life with more pleasure He it was that first inuented the art of forging and the shop also and was father to a daughter named Naama But Lamech being well exercised in Gods lawe and foreseeing that he should suffer punishment for the fratricide of Cain told it to his wiues So it was that during the life of Adam himselfe the successors of Cain were most wicked teaching imitating one an others wickednes the last of them prouing alwaies the worst so that they were strangely inflamed to follow warre and theft and if perhaps some of them were more remisse then the other in murthers and committing outrages yet notwithstanding were they bould enough to spoyle and possesse the goods and heritage of other men But Adam the first man made of earth for the Historie requireth that I should returne to speake of him after the death of Abel the flight of Cain betooke himselfe to beget children highly affecting succession and posteritie being about the age of two hundreth and thirty yeers besides which after he had liued some seuen hundreth more at last he died amongst whose children which were many he had Seth. And for that it were too long to speake of all of them I will onely touch that which concerneth Seth He being nourished and trained vp by his father to the yeares of discretion studied vertue and left his succession heires and followers of his sanctitie who being all of them well borne remained in the world free from all contention and liued happily so that it neuer happened that any of them in any sort did iniury to any man These inuented the science of the celestiall bodies all that which concerneth the beauty and order of the same And to the end that their inuentions should not be defaced out of the memories of men neither should perish before they were perfectly knowne insomuch as Adam had foretold them of the generall destruction of all things after two sorts the one by the force of fire and the other by the violence and abundance of waters they made two pillers the one of bricke and the other of stone and ingraued in each of them such things as they had inuented to the end that if that of bricke should be abolished by the ouerflowes and rage of waters that other of stone should remaine and expresse vnto men that which was imprinted therein for their instructions That of bricke then was consecrated by them and is in the countrey of Licia euen at this present day CHAP. IIII. The Deluge from which Noe and his family escaped and dwelt in the field of Senaar IN this manner perseuered they during the course of seuen ages honouring one God the Lord of all things hauing alwaies a respect of vertue But afterwards in processe of time they degenerated from the auncient institutions of their forefathers neither obseruing humane lawes neither continuing their accustomed seruice of God and they that before time industriously exercised themselues in vertue afterward with twise as zealous studie followed wickednes and grew at last to that height of impietie that they prouoked Gods heauie displeasure against them For diuers Angels of God accompanying themselues with women ingendred outragious infants and contemners of all good by reason of that trust they had in their forces whose hainous actions were not much vnlike those which the Greekes haue in their fables fained of the Giants But Noah perplexed and extreemely displeased with such their misdemeanors exhorted them to chaunge their thoughts and amend their misdeeds and seeing them mollified by no admonitions but that they were wholly possessed with the pleasure which they tooke in vices he fearing least they should kill him and his family left them to their loosenes and with his wife children and all his family departed into an other countrey Then God delighting in the iustice of the man not onely condemned the men of that age of extreeme malice but also concluded to destroy all whatsoeuer creatures were in the world and to produce an other new race deuoid and repurged from all impietie he abridged also the life of them so that they liued not any more so long time as they were wont but onely attained the terme of sixe score yeares and he couered the land with waters and by this meanes all of them were destroyed Onely Noah escaped by the meanes and way which God had taught him in such manner as followeth He builded an Arke of foure stages in length three hundreth cubites in breadth fiftie and in height thirtie into this he entred with his mother his wife and his children and their wiues purueying himselfe of all things requisite both for their sustenance and vse he closed also therein all sorts of liuing creatures two and two male and female for the conseruation
pleased to accept of his sacrifice and in his mercy vouchsafe that he would hereafter conceiue no more any so hainous hate and displeasure against the earth to the ende that men might by their labours till it and building them Cities might possesse the same in pcace wanting none of those commodââ¦ties which they enioyed before the Deluge but that they might equall their forefathers in olde yeares and length of life Noe hauing in this sort finished his requestes God who loued him for the vprightnes of his heart granted him his request denying himselfe to be the author of their deaths who were drowned but that they themselues by their owne malice had procured those pnuishments due vnto them For had he desired that they should be extinguished he would not haue brought them into the world For better is ââ¦ot to grant life then to destroy those to whom thou hast giuen it But saith God thorow ãâã ââ¦ntempt of my seruice and graces they haue inforced me to humble ââ¦hem vnder the rigorâ⦠vengeance hereafter I will not so exactly pursue and examine their iniquities to the ende to chastice them in my displeasure especially for thy sake And if hereafter at any time I shall send any tempest feare not how huge and hideous soeuer the stormes be for there shall be no more Deluge of water vpon the earth In the meane time I commaund you to keepe your hands innocent from murthers and all manslaughter and to punish those that commit wickednes I leaue the vse of all other liuing creatures to your sustenance or seruice in as much as I haue made you Lord ouer all as well those that breath vpon the face of the earth as those that swimme in the waters and such as inhabite and flye amidst the ayre but you shall not eate any bloud in as much as therein consisteth the soule and life of liuing creatures And I declare vnto you that I will desist to draw the shafts of my displeasure against men And I will giue you the rainebow for a signe for this bowe in their opinion is the bow of God And after that God had pronounced these words and made these promises he departed Noe liued after the Deluge three hundreth and fiftie yeares and hauing spent all this time of his life in happines he died after he had liued in the world nine hundreth and fiââ¦ie yeares Neither is there cause why any man comparing this our present age and the shortnesse of the yeares thereof with the long life of the auncients should thinke that false which I haue said neither followeth it consequently that because our present life extendeth not to such a terme and continuance of yeares that therefore they of the former world attained not the age and long life which we publish of them For they being beloued of God and newly created by him vsing also a kinde of nutriment agreeing with their natures and proper to multiply their years it is no absurd thing to suppose that their yeares were of that continuance Considering that God gaue them long life to the ende they should teach vertue and should conueniently practise those things which they had inuented in Astronomie and by Geometry the demonstrations whereof they neuer had attainde except they had liued at the least sixe hundreth yeares For the great yeare is accomplished by that number of yeares whereof all they beare me witnesse who either Greekes or Barbarians haue written auncient histories For both Manethon who hath written the historie of Aegypt and Berosus who hath registred the acts and affaires of the Chaldeans together with Mochus Hestiaeus Hierome of Aegypt who historified the state of the Phaenicians with others accord with me in that which I haue said Hesiââ¦dus also Hecataeus Hellanicus and Acusilaus Ephorus and Nicolaus doe declare that they of the first world liued one thousand yeares Notwithstanding let euery man iudge of these things as best liketh him CHAP. V. Of the tower of Babylon and the cââ¦unge of tongues NOe had three sonnes Sem Iaphet and Cham borne one hundreth yeares before the Deluge These first descended from the mountaines into the plaines and there made they their habitation which when other men perceiued who for feare of the Deluge had fled the plaines and for that cause were loth to forsake the mountaines they gathered courage and perswaded themselues to doe the like and the plaine where they all dwelt was called Senaar And whereas they were commaunded by God that by reason of the increase and multitude of men they should send certaine distinct Colonies to inhabite diuers countries of the world to the ende that no seditions might grow betwixt the one and the other but contrariwise in labouring and tilling a great quantitie of ground they might gather great store of fruite they were so ignorant that they disobeyed God and falling into great calamities suffered the punishment of their offences For whereas they florished in increase by reason of the great number of their youth God counselled them againe that they should deuide themselues into colonies But they thinking that the goods which they possessed proceeded not from him or his bountie but presuming that their force was the onely cause of their aboundance did not obey him but rather suspected that God sought to betray them to the ende that being thus deuided he might the better subdue them Nemrod incited them in this sort to mocke and contemne God He was the nephew of Cham the sonne of Noe a man valianâ⦠and apt for armes he put them in the head that they should not beleeue that their good hap proceeded from God but that they ought to attribute it to their own vertue which furnished them with so much riches so that in a little space he reduced the estate to a tyrannie supposing by this only meanes that he might make men reuolt against God if he might perswade them to submit theÌselues to his gouernment giuing them to vnderstand that if God should once more send a deluge he would take reuenge on him in mens behalfe and that he would build a tower to whose top the water should not attempt and reuenge the death of his predecessors The common sort was ready to follow these ordinances of Nemrod supposing it to be pusillanimitie in themselues if they should obey God For which cause they began to build the tower with their vttermost industrie neither was there any one idle in all that worke yea so great a number of labourers were there that the worke was raised to a height beyond all expectation The thicknesse thereof was so great that it obscured the height thereof and it was builded of burnt bricke cimented and ioined with a bituminous morter to the ende it should not receiue any cleft in the same But God seeing their madnesse condemned them not to a generall extermination by reason that they had made no profit by their example who perished in the
with the surprisall of his cosen Lot as also with the slaughter of his friends and neighbours presently addressed himselfe with all his followers to giue them succours and such diligence shewed he in pursuite of them that the fift night after he incountred the Assyrians neere to Dan which is one of the sources of Iordaine Where surprising them on the sodaine vnsuspitious and disarmed he killed those that were asleepe without suspition of his comming and they that were not yet asleepe and lay wallowing in their drunkennesse he easily defeated and put to flight pursuing them in such sort that the second day after he droue them all into Soba a Citie of Damasco declaring hereby that victorie consisteth not in the multitude of those that manage their armes but rather in the courage of those that fight and that a few generous hearts are more worth alwaies then a faint-hearted multitude For he had not with him aboue three hundreth and eighteene of his househould seruants and three of his friends to defeat this huge army so that whatsoeuer they were that escaped out of this slaughter by flight returned vnto their houses with ignominy As soone as Abraham had rescewed those prisoners of Sodome which were taken by the Syrians and his nephew Lot he returned into his countrey and met in his way with the King of Sodome in a place called the Kings field where also he was intertained by the King of Solyma called Melchisedech which is as much to say as the iust King for in trueth he was no lesse but was held worthy by reason of his iustice in all mens opinion to sacrifice as the high Priest of Almightie God This Solyma in processe of time was called Ierusalem This Melchisedech did friendly entertaine all the fellowers of Abraham not suffering them to want any thing that was fit for their sustenance but intertaining him also at his owne table he highly praised him and sung due hymnes of praise to the great God for that by his fauour he had vouchsafed to grant him victory Abraham on the other side presented him with the tenths of his spoyles but the King of Sodome remitted all the pray that was taken and onely required to be possessed of those Captiues which were of his countrey which condition he accepted not answering that he would receiue no profit of that pray but that which he must needly haue for the entertainment of his seruants Yet gaue he a portion vnto his friends who had succoured him the first whereof was called Eschol and the two other Ennerus and Mambres For this cause God praised Abraham saying thou shalt not want the reward which is due vnto thee for thy valiant actes To which he replied and what good shall I reape of this recompence if I haue no an heire to possesse it after my decease for as yet he had no issue Then did God promise him a sonne whose posteritie should be so multiplied that they might in number equall the starres of heauen which when he vnderstood he offered sacrifice vnto God following that commaundement which he had receiued he tooke therefore a Heifer of three yeares old a Goat of three yeares and a Ramme of three yeares and a Turtle and a Pigeon all which he deuided in twaine as he was commaunded the birds onely excepted But before the Altar was prepared at such time as the fowles houered about to haue part of the bloud of those beastes which were sacrificed he receiued an Oracle that told him that his progeny should haue euill neighbours in Aegypt for the space of foure hundreth yeares and that after they had suffered an insupportable seruitude they should at last obtaine the victorie ouer their enemies And after that they had by strong hand conquered the Chananites they should be Lords and possessors of their countries and Cities Abraham at that time dwelt neere to the Oake that was called Ogis in the countrey of Chanaan neere to the Citie of Hebron There being much grieued that his wife conceiued not he besought God to giue him an issue male God commaunded him to be of good cheere in all things and that being come from Mesopotamia vpon good occasions he also should haue children At that time Sara by the commaundement of God caused one of her handmaids which was an Aegyptian borne to enter in vnto her husband to the end he might haue issue by her now Agar as soone as she perceiued that she had conceiued began to contemne Sara aspiring to principality and supposing that her issue should succeed in the kingdome For which cause Abraham deliuered her vnto his wife to the ende she should punish her which she perceiuing she decreed to flie in that she was afraid of punishment beseeching God to haue mercy on her and as she trauailed on her way thorow the desart the Angell of God appeared vnto her coÌmanding her that she should returne vnto her master and mistris assuring her that if hereafter she would be more modest she should be better intreated and how at that present she was fallen into those miseries by reason she had proudly and insolently behaued her selfe towards her Mistris Telling her moreouer that if she disobeyed God and wandred any further she should die the death but that if she returned from whence she came she should be the mother of a sonne who should one day be king of that countrey where she then was To this commandement of God Agar submitted her selfe with all obedience and returning backe againe to her master and mistris she obtained pardon at their hands and after a while brought forth Ismael which is as much to say as Heard of God because God had heard the mothers prayers Ismael was borne to Abraham when he was fourescore and six yeares old but in the fourescore and nineteenth yeare of his age God appeared vnto him and tolde him that he should haue a sonne by Sara charging him to call him Isaac giuing him to vnderstand that great nations and kings shoud issue from his loines who by force of armes should conquer all the countrey of Chanaan from Sidon euen vnto Egypt Commanding him that his posteritie should be circumcised in their priuities and that this circumcision should be done the viij day after their birth by reason that he would not that Abrahams posteritie should be intermedled with other nations But hereafter will I declare the cause of our circumcision Abraham also asked counsell of God as touching Ismael whether he should liue or no who tolde him that he should flourish many yeares and that he should become a father of many worthy nations Then gaue Abraham thanks vnto God and presently circumcised himselfe his sonne Ismael with all his family and Ismael at that time was thirteene yeares olde but Abraham about fourescore and nineteene yeares of age CHAP. XII The punishment of Sodom ABout that time the inhabitants of Sodom became immeasurably proud
abide vvith him Whereupon Abimelech imparted vnto him both lands and money and accorded to conuerse vvith him in all uprightnesse and vvithout offer of offence and made a couenant and sware vnto him by a certaine pit vvhich vvas called Bersabe that is to say the pit of swearing or couenant vvhich name that place retaineth vntill this day Not long time after Abraham had a sonne by Sara his vvife according as God had promised him and he called his name Isaac vvhich in the Hebrew tongue signifieth laughter because Sara laughed at such time as God said vnto her she should beare a sonne hauing in her selfe no likelihood of conceiuing by reason she vvas stroken in yeares For at that time she vvas ninetie yeares olde and Abraham one hundreth vvhen the child was borne and incontinently the eight day after vvas he circumcised which custome is yet continued amongst the Iewes who circumcise on the eight day CHAP. XIII Of Ismael Abrahams sonne and of the Arabians his posteritie BVt the Arabians celebrate it in the thirteenth yeare For Ismael the author thereof and Abrahams sonne by his concubine was circumcised in the thirteenth yeare after he was borne Of which Ismael it behooueth we speake more exactly in this place Sara loued Ismael begotten on her seruant Agar from the beginning with no lesse affection then as if he had been her owne sonne for he was brought vp as Abrahams heire But after she had brought foorth Isaac she thought it no more requisite that Ismael should be brought vp with her sonne in that he was the elder and for feare least after his fathers decease he should offer his yonger brother iniurie She incited Abraham therefore to send both him and his mother to some other place but at the first he gaue no eare to Saraes request thinking it to be more then barbarous crueltie to driue away a tender child and his mother destitute of all necessaries At length by the commandement of God he listned to his wiues counsaile and committed the child vnto his mother being of himselfe as yet vnapt to trauel and giuing them a pitcher of water and bread he commanded them to goe ââ¦ither whither their necessitie should driue them And when their victuals failed them and their water was consumed shee laid the childe being faint and weake vnder an Oake and to ââ¦e ende that in her presence hee should not breath his last she went far away from him At that time an Angell of God appeared vnto her shewing her a fountaine hard by that place and charging her to looke to the carefull education of her childe because that by the conseruation of Ismael shee was to exspect great happinesse Vpon these promises she tooke comfort and falling into the companie of sheepheards she by their bountie escaped from miserie Afterwardes when he attained mans estate he married a wife of the nation of the Egyptians from whence his mother had her originall by whom Ismael had twelue sonnes namely Nabaioth Cedarus Abdeel Edumas Massamus Memassus Masmesus Chodamus Themanus Ieturus Naphaesus Calmasus all which inhabite the lands which are betweene Euphrates and the redde sea the name of which countrey is Nabathaea These are they that began and made famous the nation of the Arabians as well in respect of their prowesse as also of the dignitie of Abraham CHAP. XIIII Of Isaac Abrahams legitimate sonne AS touching Isaac Abraham loued him with an intire and fatherly affection as his onely begotten sonne engendred in his age by the bountie of God The childe also addicting himselfe vnto all vertue carefull to honour his father and mother and studious of the seruice of God inuited both his parents the rather to affect and loue him So that Abraham was very desirous to forsake this present life prouided that he might leaue behind him all the goods which he had vnto his sonne which through the mercie of God he happely effected Whereupon vnder triall and conformitie of his faith God appeared vnto him and reckoned vp all the benefits which he had bestowed on him how he had granted him victorie ouer his enemies and how he had establisht and blest him with present felicitie by his faââ¦our for which cause he required him to sacrifice and make an oblation vnto him of his sonne Isaac commanding him that he should conduct him to the mountaine of Morea and there to sacrifice him In doing whereof he should manifest the desire he had to serue him in preferring that which was agreeable to God before the life of his sonne Abraham supposing that it was no waies lawfull to disobey God but that he ought to submit himselfe to his will as to him by whose prouidence all things had their being said nothing to his wife as concerning that which God had commanded him neither how he had determined the death of his sonne Moreouer hee made it knowne to no one of his houshold seruants because as he supposed they might haue hindered him from the seruice of God He therefore tooke his sonne Isaac with two seruants loading an Asse with such thinges as were requisite for sacrifice and trauailed towardes the mountaine his seruantes attending him for two daies space and on the third daie following as soone as he perceiued the mountaine he lefte the rest of those that accompanied him in the plaine and attended onely by his sonne and himselfe he came vp vnto the mountaine vpon which afterwards king Dauid appointed that the Temple should be builded They caried with them also the rest of those things which were requisite for sacrifice saue onely the beast that was to be offered now about this time Isaac was fiue and twentie yeares olde and did himselfe prepare the Altar and inquired of his father what he should offer considering that as yet they had no sheepe for sacrifice Abraham answered him that God would furnish them who was of power sufficient to giue men that in aboundance whereof they had neede and to depriue them of that they had and whereof they held themselues throughly possessed and that it was he would giue them wherewith to sacrifice if it should please him to shew himselfe fauorable and propitious to that sacrifice of his now as soone as the Altar was made readie and the wood prepared and laid vpon the same and all things were in a readines he addressed his speech vnto his sonne and said thus My sonne I haue oftentimes demaunded at Gods hands that he should giue thee life by my infinite intercessions and praiers and euer since thou wert borne into this world I haue intermitted no care and diligence in thine education neither haue I thought that in any thing I might be made more happie then that departing out of this world I might see thee at mans estate and leaue thee the heire and Lord of all my substance but since it hath pleased God that I should be thy father and
the King to endeuour himselfe least he should seeme to contemne his fauours to grant the people free passage for feare least if he should secretly forbid them the same he might accuse and condemne himselfe to suffer that which they in reason ought to endure who resist the wil and works of God for to those that stirre vp the wrath of God against themselues al kind of mishaps do flock and flow on euery side The earth befriendeth them not neyther smileth the ââ¦yre vpon them their children are not begotten according to nature but all things oppose themselues as enemies and contraries against them Moreouer he added that the Aegyptians should feele the plague after that the people of the Hebrewes should in despight of their resistance depart out of their countrey but in that the King despised these words of Moses and would not be conuerted most grieuous plagues fell vpon the land of Aegypt The which I will particularly set downe by reason that at that time the Aegyptians suffered those things which neuer before that time happened to any other people and for that cause likewise that I may testifie and declare that Moses hath not falsified or erred in any thing that he hath done and besides for that it is expedient for men to learne do those things which are agreeable to gods wil for feare least he being prouoked and incensed against them should punish them for their vniustice For first of all by the commaundement of God the riuers ouerflowed with bloud neyther was it possible for them to drinke notwithstanding they had no other fountaines of water neither was the water only coloured like bloud but when as likewise any one dranke therof it ingendred procured in him diuers dolors and grieuous gripings Such was the water to the Aegyptians but to the Hebrewes it seemed good and sweet in taste without any waies chaunging the nature thereof Hereupon the King not knowing what to doe and seeing this straunge accident and being afraid by reason of the Aegyptians permitted the Hebrewes to depart but no sooner was this plague ceased but he presently chaunged his mind and would not permit them liberty to depart for which cause God seeing his ingratitude and that he would not be warned notwithstanding he had deliuered him from the former calamitie he inflicted an other plague vpon the Aegyptians He therefore sent an infinite number of frogs vpon them that couered and infected the whole countrey and the riuers were so packed and stored with them in such manner that they that drewe water to drinke found it altogether infected with the putrefaction of them dying rotting in the waters so that the whole countrey was full of filthie mud by reason of the frogs that defaced died on the same They corrupted also their meats mingling themselues in their houses amidst their meat and drink creeping amidst their chambers from whence an odious stench exhaled by reason of the multitude of frogs that lay dead Now when the Aegyptians saw themselues so sore pressed with these euils the King commanded Moses that he should take the Hebrewes that he should depart and as soone as he had spoken this the multitude of frogs vanished and appeared no more neither on the earth nor in the water but that they retained their accustomed nature No sooner was the earth deliuered froÌ this curse but Pharao forgot the cause therof retained the Hebrewes anew as if he had a desire to experimeÌt the maner of diuers miseries he denied theÌ that issue which before time he had granted theÌ rather inforced therunto by his feare then forward good liking For this cause God once againe rewarded his fraud by sending him another plague for a multitude of lice swarmed from the bodies of the Aegyptians whence the wretched men perished wretchedly neither could they exterminate that race eyther by bathings or inunctions The king troubled with this calamity fearing the ruine of his people and bethinking him of the shamefull end therof he was constrained to remit the better part of his malignitie For as touching the Hebrewes he permitted them to depart but after the plague was appeased he required at their hands that they would leaue their wiues and children behind them for pledges till their returne and by this meanes he prouoked Gods wrath more heauily against him in that he supposed to delude his prouidence as if it had not beene God who in the Hebrewes behalfe had punished them but Moses that had plagued the Aegyptians For God filled their countrey with many and diuers sorts of beasts the like whereof before that time had not beene seene in that countrey which killed them vp so that the earth became desolate and vnmanured and if any one amongst them escaped from death they were afterwards destroyed by sicknes But notwithstanding all these the King still continuing obstinate in his wickednes and disobedient vnto God permitting onely that the women and men should depart that their children should be left behind them but God desisted not to punish his wickednes by diuers and most grieuous plagues farre more tedious then the former yea such as were dispersed ouer all the people For their bodies were grieuously tormented with vlcers and corrupted inwardly and after this sort the greater part of the Egyptians perished but whenas the King was neither moderated nor mollified by this plague God rained downe haile vpon them which neuer before that time was engendred in the ayre of Aegypt further so great or rather greater then that which falleth to the Northward neere to the Pole Attique in the midst of the spring and spoyled all their fruite After which an armie of grashoppers deuoured all those buds and fruits which were vnoffenced by the hayle so that all the hope which the Egyptians had of their haruest or fruite was vtterly ouerthrowne These aforesaid afflictions had beene sufficient to perswade a man of the meanest vvit except he had beene a reprobate to grow wise and make vse of that which was most profitable for him But Pharao knowing the causes of the same enforced himselfe to resist God not onely thorow imprudence but for malice so that voluntarily he betraied his commonweale He therefore commaunded Moses that he should lead away the Hebrewes with their wiues but that they should leaue their substance behind them for a pray in that they complained that after all these calamities they had nothing left them To whom Moses aunswered that he demaunded an vnlawfull matter by reason that they were to offer sacrifice vnto God of their pray or bootie Now whilest the time was spent in these consultations darknes altogether deuoyd of light ouerspred the land of Aegypt where through they died miserably in closing their eyes by reason of the thickenesse thereof so that they were afraid least the fogge should choake them which being dispersed after three daies and so many nights
set vpon the Altar to be sanctified They that sacrifice likewise doe bring oyle the halfe part of a Hin for a Bull for a Ramme the third of the same measure and for a Lambe the fourth part this Hin is an Hebrew measure which contayneth two Attique Choas they brought also the like measure of wine as of oyle and poured out the wine neere to the Altar And if any without sacrificing offer vp fine flower he putteth the first fruits vpon the Altar that is to say one handfull and the rest is taken by the priests for their maintenance eyther fried for they are kneaded in oyle or with loaues made thereof but whatsoeuer the priest offereth all that must be burned The law likewise forbiddeth to offer any beast whatsoeuer that day that it is borne or to kill it with his damme or in any other sort before it hath fed twelue daies There are also other sacrifices made for deliuerance from sicknes or for other causes in which sacrifices they employ wine or licour with that which is offered of which licours it is not lawfull to reserue any thing against the next morrow when the priests haue taken that portion which belongeth to them and sufficeth them The law commandeth that on the common purse there be euery day killed a Lambe of a yeare old the one in the morning the other at the shutting vp of the euening and on the seuenth day which is called the Sabaoth that two should be offered in that manner as hath beene declared And on the new moone besides their daily offerings they sacrifice two Oxen seuen yearling Lambes and a Wether and a Kid for the abolition of those sinnes which are committed thorow forgetfulnes On the seuenth moneth which the Macedonians call Hiperberete besides the aboue-named they sacrifice a Bull one Mutton seuen Lambes and a Kid for sinnes The tenth day of the same month according to the Moone they fast till the euening and on the same day they sacrifice a Bull two Muttons seuen Lambes and a Goat for a sinne offering besides which they bring two Kids one of which is sent aliue out of the limits of the campe into the desart on whom all the euill may fall if so be any be threatned to the people the other is borne without the campe into a cleane place where it is burned with the skin being not any waies purged with this they burne a Bull which is not allowed out of the common charge but by the proper costs of the priest This Bull being opened and slain the bloud therof with that of the goat being caried into the Tabernacle he besprinkleth the couer thereof with his finger seuen times the pauement as many times and the Tabernacle and the Altar of gold and al the rest about the great Altar which is abroad in the court Besides that they set on the Altar the raynes and the fat with the lobe of the liuer and the priest offereth vnto God a Mutton for a burnt offering The fifteenth day of the said month at such time as it draweth towards winter he commaunded them to plant Tabernacles euerie one in his family against the instant cold weather which the increasing yeer was wont to bring that when they should enioy their countrey and should enter that Citie which they should hold for their Metropolitane by reason of the Temple which should be there builded they might celebrate a feast during eight daies space in offering burnt offerings and sacrifices vnto God and that in witnesse of their thanksgiuing they should beare in their hands a braunch of Mirtle and of Willow tied together with woole and a bough of Palme likewise to which a Peach was fastned and that the first day they should sacrifice thirteene Oxen and fourteene Lambs and two Sheepe with a Goat for a sinne offering Those daies that insued they sacrificed likewise a like number of Lambes and Wethers with a Kid and in rebating day by day the number of Oxen they come backe to the seuenth The eight day they cease from worke on this day as we haue said they sacrifice a Calfe a Ram and seuen Lambs and a Kid for a sinne offering and it is the custome of the Hebrewes to performe these sacrifices at such time as they pitch their Tabernacles In the month Xantique which we call Nisan which is the first month of the yeare the fourteenth day after the new Moone the Sunne being in Aries for at that time were we deliuered out of Aegypt he ordained that euerie yeare we should do sacrifice vvhich we cal the Passeouer which as I said was celebrated the same time that we departed out of Aegypt This solemnitie of Easter we celebrate by companies without reseruing any thing of that vvhich is offered till the next day The fifteenth day the feast of vnleuened bread followeth the soleÌnity of the Passeouer during those seuen daies it is vnlawfull to eate any leââ¦ened bread and euerie day are slaine two Buls one Ram and seuen Lambes vvhich are all consumed vvith fire to vvhich there is added a Kid for a sinne offering for a seuerall daies banquet to feast the priests vvith The second day of this feast of vnleuened bread vvhich is the sixteenth of the month they begin to enioy the fruits that are mowed and before that time vntouched and for that it is verie conuenient that God should be honoured vvith the first fruites thereof from whom they receiue such aboundance they offer the first fruits of Barley after this manner After they haue dried a handfull of the eares they beat or thresh it and clense the Barley from the chaffe and offer an Assar of the same vpon the Altar vnto God and after they haue cast a handful of the same on the Altar they leaue the rest for the priestes vse and from that time forward it is lawfull for them to reape as wel in publike as in particular With these first fruits they sacrifice vnto God a Lambe for a burnt offering Seuen weekes after the feast of the Passeouer that is fortie nine dayes on the fiftieth which the Hebrewes by reason of the number call Asartha they offer vnto God a leauened bread made of wheate flower of the quantitie of two Assars and sacrifice two Lambes which are onely offered vp to God and afterwards are prepared for the Priests dinner and it is not lawfull for them to reserue any thing thereof vntill the next day But the burnt offerings are of three Calfes two Wethers and fourteen Lambs besides two Kids for a sin offering There is not any feast wherein they offer not a burnt offering and desist not from all manuel labor but in euerie one of the same there is ordained a certaine sort of sacrifice which they ought to do and it is presently ordered that they rest from their labours and after sacrifice fal to banquet On the common charge they offered vnleauened
your possessions by our helpe as we by Gods fauour and your assistance haue attained to this our present felicite Neither hau you aduentured without some reward of your trauels for in this your warfare you are inriched and shal beare away with you a great pray both of gold and siluer and besides all these our beneuolence and loue tied ynto you with all alacritie and readines when soeuer you shall haue cause to vse vs. For you haue neither forgot nor set light by Moses commaund before he departed out of this life and haue spared no indeuour whereby you might allie and tie our affections to you we therefore dismisse you to your owne possessions in complete fulnes of your delight praying you to remember your selues onely of these things that you will suppose that no terme can terminate our kinred Neither by reason of the entercourse of the riuer Iordan betwixt you and vs suppose you vs to be any others then Hebrewes For all of vs both those that dwell on this side and on the other side of Iordan are the posteritie of Abraham and one and the same God hath brought to light both yours and our progenitors whose lawes and religion instituted by Moses are diligently to be obserued for by this meanes he will become our helper and fauourer as on the contrarie side if we shall degenerate from his statutes he will be an enemie against vs. After he had spoken vnto them after this manner he embraced in particular all those that were in dignitie and in generall the whole people This done he stayed in that place but the rest of the whole people conueyed them onward with teares and they departed the one from the other with great griefe and remorse But after that the tribe of Ruben and of Gad and the rest of the Manassites had passed ouer Iordan they builded an Altar vpon the banke of the riuer that might serue for a memoriall to posteritie and a token for the present of the coniunction which they had with those that dwelt on the other side of Iordan But when the tidings hereof came vnto their eares that dwelt on the further side of the riuer and that they knew that they had builded an Altar but notwithstanding were ignorant of the respect and cause they had in building it they supposed that seeking to innouate their religion they would introduce the seruice of forraine and false gods and being rashly stirred vp with this suspition of the violation of their religion they put themselues in armes with this resolution to reuenge themselues of those who had builded that Altar and to take punishment of them for that they had forsaken the lawes and ordinances of their forefathers For they supposed that they were not so farre to respect their parentage or dignitie who were accused as to forget the will of God and that seruice which was agreeable in his sight for which cause being in this manner incensed they prepared themselues to the expedition But Iosuah and the high Priest Eleazar with the rest of the Elders restrained them counselling them first of all to sound their deliberation and afterward if it should be apparant vnto them that they did it vnder a sinister intent at that time they might lawfully inuade them by the sword Hereupon they sent Phinees the sonne of Eleazar and ten other of the most noblest amongst the Hebrewes as Embassadours vnto them to know what the intent and reason was why they had builded that Altar on the banke of Iordan Now when these Embassadours had past the floud and were come amongst them they summoned an assembly and Phinees standing vp in the midst of them spake after this manner You haue committed so hainous an offence saith he as there is no question either to reproue or punish the same hence forward in words yet notwithstanding we haue not vpon the instant taken armes neither assaulted you in battell or had reference or regard to the hainousnesse of your crime to the intent to punish you but we haue bin sent vnto you as Embassadours in considera tion of our alliance for that as we suppose you may be drawen by good perswasions to the acknowledgement and detestation of your misdeeds to the end that when we are informed of the cause that hath induced you to erect this Altar it might not be thought that we haue headlong thrust our selues into armes against you if vnder an holy affection you haue builded the same and if it appeareth otherwise that the offence is iustly imputed and grounded against you we may take reuenge of the same according as reason requireth For scarcely could we beleeue that you who are inwardly grounded in the knowledge of God and who are hearers of those lawes which he himselfe hath giuen you should since your departure from vs and vpon your arriuall in your owne patrimonie which you haue obtained by lot by the meanes of his grace and peaceably enioy by the power of his prouidence should forget him so soone as to forsake the Tabernacle Arke and Altar which we haue by hereditarie right receiued from our progenitours and introduce strange gods to the intent to be partakers of the impieties of the Chanaanites But if you repent your misdeedes and plunge your selues no further in so great madnesse but reclaime your thoughts and reuerence your domesticall and ancient lawes the pardon is graunted you but if you obstinately persist in your wickednes we will refuse no trauell for the maintenance of our lawes but passing the riuer in defence both of them or to speake more fitly of our God and accounting you no lesse hatefull and impious then Chanaanites we will vtterly roote out and race both their memorie and your posteritie together For do not suppose this that because you haue past the riuer you are exempt from Gods power because in what place soeuer you be you are numbred amongst them that appertaine vnto him and it is impossible for you to auoid either his power or his vengeance And if you thinke that the place is an impediment and let vnto you from following the better course it were better for you to make a new diuision of lands and leaue this region to be conuerted into pastures It behooueth you therefore to grow better aduised and that changing your purpose you desist from innouation Whereunto we exhort you by that loue which you beare to your children and wines and beseech you by the respect you hold of that which is most deare vnto you that you enforce vs not to wage warre against you who are wholy vnwilling to listen to your iniuries Resolue yourselues therefore in this present matter assuring your selues that therein consisteth the issue whether you had rather perpetually enioy your peace and affections by our perswasion or expose both you and yours to the perill of a bloudy warre After that Phinees had finished this his oration they that were the Peeres and principals
three yeares space liued hidden amongst the mountaines flying the power of Abimelech Neither did there many daies ouerpasse but that the Sichemites being moued with compassion and iust reuenge in respect of the murther which was committed vpon the sonnes of Gedeon banished Abimelech out of their Citie and the whole tribe Whereupon he resolued to do some mischief to both the Citie and Citizens and for that their vintage was at hand they durst not gather the fruit fearing least they should receiue some iniury at the hands of Abimelech By good hap about that time a certaine Prince called Gaal retired thither with a troupe of soldiours and his kinred him did the Sichemites beseech that he would grant them a conuoy whilest they had gathered in their haruest which request of theirs being accepted by Gaal they issued out with their forces being seconded by him and his and securely brought in their fruits and feasting one with another in companies they were so bold as to scoffe at Abimelech and the chiefest of his followers and the chiefest of those straungers among them that came into the city to their assistance surprised by Ambuscado diuers of Abimelechs people slew them But Zebel one of the Sichemites and Abimeleches host signified vnto him by a messenger how Gaal incited the people against him inuiting him to lie in wait for him neere about the Citie promising him that he would bring Gaal thither to the end that he might easily reuenge him of that iniurie which his enemie had offered him Which done he promised to worke so wisely that he would reconcile him to the peoples fauour againe and whenas Abimelech had chosen a place fit to lie in ambush and Gaal with Zebel too carelesly liued and walked in the suburbes at length he sodainly espying certaine armed men cried out to Zebel that he had discouered the enemie whereunto Zebel replied that they were the shadowes of rocks but Gaal drawing more neere vnto them and perceiuing apparantly who they were answered Zebel that they were no shadowes but ambushes of men Whereunto Zebel replied dost not thou obiect cowardise to Abimelech why therefore shewest thou not thy great valour in fighting with him Gaal confusedly amazed assailed the soldiours of Abimelech in which conflict certaine of his followers were slaine and he himselfe fled into the Citie giuing example vnto the rest to follow him Hereupon Zebel laboured that Gaal might be expulsed out of the Citie accusing him of his cowardly encountry with the soldiers of Abimelech Now when as the same Abimelech had afterwards gotten certaine intelligence that the Sichemites would issue anew to gather to their vintage he laid an ambush neere vnto the Citie And no sooner were they issued but that the third part of his troopes surprised and seazed the gates to cut them off from their returne that thought to reenter the rest ranne after those that were scattered here and there so that there was a great slaughter on euerie side and the Citie was ruinated euen vnto the verie foundations for they could not withstand the siege and they sowed salt vpon the ruines thereof Thus perished all they that were in the Citie of Sichem But they that escaped thorow the conntrey and had auoided the daunger assembled and fortified themselues vpon a strong rocke and there incamped and began to defence the same But as soone as Abimelech had notice of their intention he hasted thither with his forces and inuironed the place with fagots of dry wood carying them thither in his owne person and encouraging thereby those of his armie to doe the like so that the rocke was incontinently compassed with wood Whereunto he set fire round about and in an instant it flamed and burned vehemently so as none of them were saued but all of them perished with their wiues and children to the number of fifteene hundred men besides many other of the weaker sort This calamitie hapned to the Sichemites in so grieuous a measure that there is not any griefe sufficient to deplore it were it not that that so horrible misfortune fel vpon them by reason of their ingratitude they had shewed to so vpright a iudge and so gratious a benefactor Abimelech alaid the courage of the Israelites by this encounter and conquest of the Sichemites and gaue sufficient testimonie that he aspired more higher and that he would neuer terminate his violence vntill he had vtterly extinguished them He therefore led forth his army against the Tebeans and their Citie which he tookè but in that towne there was a great tower whither all the people had retired themselues and whilest he prepared himselfe to besiege the same and approched likewise neere vnto the gates a certaine woman cast a peece of a milstone at him and hit him on the head which was the cause that Abimelech called at that time for his squier commaunding him to dispatch him to the intent it might not be reported that he died by the hands of a woman His squier did according as he had commaunded him and reuenged on Abimelech by putting him to death the crueltie he had committed against his brethren and the tyranny executed vpon the Sichemites on whom all these misfortunes fell according as Iothan had foretold them As soone as Abimelech was slaine all the armie was dispersed and euery one returned vnto his dwelling place and Iair the Galeadite of the tribe of Manasses tooke vpon him the gouernment Amongst other conditions of this man these were of the greatest note that he was rich and had thirtie worthie sonnes all expert vpon horse backe and exercised the magistracie in the countrey of Galaad he after he had gouerned the people for the space of twentie yeares died when he was very old and was honourably intombed in Chamon a citie of Galaad From this time forward the pollicie and estate of the Hebrewes grew more and more disordered and the lawes began to be neglected Whence it came to passe that the Ammonites and Philistines setting light by them destroyed all their countrey with a great army during which time they occupied all the land on this side Iordan and so much were they heartned as that they pressed further and possessed the better part on the other side of the riuer and conquered the same Wherupon the Hebrewes being brought to more moderation by these their aduersities had their recourse vnto God by praiers and sacrifices requiring him that it might please him to moderate his wrath and that hauing regard and respect of their supplication he would be pleased to stay his heauie hand ouer them This submission of theirs preuailed with God who inclined himselfe to assist them Whilest therefore the Ammonites led their armie into Galaad they of the countrey arose to meete and fight with them being disfurnished of a gouernour to conduct them Now there was a certaine man called Ieptha of great estimation as well for the
fraudulent then a woman for she it is that hath reported my words vnto you Notwithstanding all this he deliuered that which he had promised them out of that bootie which he had taken from certaine Ascalonites whom he encountred vpon the way From that time forward he forsooke this marriage and the woman the more to despite him married one of his friends who had in his behalfe first sollicited the marriage Sampson being the more incensed by this iniurie resolued to reuenge himselfe both on her and the whole nation For which cause in the sommer season when the corne was readie to be reapt he tooke three hundreth foxes to whose tailes he fastned flaming torches and droue them into the Philistines fields of corne consuming by this meanes all their haruest hope The Philistines vnderstanding that Sampson had done this and conceiuing the reason that induced him to execute this action sent their garrison of Thamna and burnt this woman aliue with all her kinred as the authors of that losse that had hapned vnto them After that Sampson had slaine diuers Philistines in the countrey he went and dwelt at Etam which is a strong rocke in the tribe of Iuda For which cause the Philistines assailed that tribe who certified them that there was no reason why they should suffer for those offences which were committed by Sampson and that in especiall because they paied them tribute The Philistines replied that except they would not be maintainers of this act of iniustice they should deliuer Sampson vnto them They therefore desirous that the Philistines should haue no cause of quarrell against them came vnto the rocke to the number of three thousand men or thereabouts and blamed Sampson for those actions which he dared to commit against the Philistines a people that might endomage all the nation of the Hebrewes alleadging further that they came to the end to take surprise and deliuer him into the Philistines hands praying him to submit himselfe voluntarily to that their resolution Sampson made them sweare that they would doe him no further iniurie but deliuer him only vnto their enemies and that done he descended from the rocke surrendring himselfe to the hands of those of Iuda who bound him with two cables and led him away to deliuer him to the Philistines Now being arriued in a certaine place which before that time had no name and at this present is called the Maxilla that is to say a Iawe by reason of the valour which Sampson shewed in that place and approching neere the Philistines campe shouting and reioycing in their presence by reason that they had faithfully executed that which they willed them Sampson brake his bonds and catching vp the iawe of an Asse which he found at his feet and marching foorth against the Philistines he slew and beat downe to the number almost of two thousand of them putting all the rest to flight and confusion Sampson becomming more elate after this execution then he ought to haue been and confessing not that it was done by the assistance of God but attributing the same to his owne vertue gloried that with the iawe of an Asse he had partly slaine and partly constrained the enemies both to feare and flie But being seased with an exceeding thirst he reknowledged and confessed that mans force is of no force and protested that all ought to be ascribed to God whom he besought that he would not be displeased with that which he had spoken but that it might be remitted and himselfe deliuered from the present danger Whereupon God heard his praiers and caused a pleasant and aboundant fountaine to issue and spring from the foote of a rocke for which cause Sampson called the place Maxilla or Iaw which name continueth euen vnto this day After this battaile Sampson set light by the Philistines and went to Gaza where he soiourned in an Inne The gouernours of the Citie vnderstanding of his arriuall set men to keepe the gates to the end he might not depart without their knowledge But Sampson being no waies ignorant of that which they intended against him arose about midnight and caried away the gates with the hinges and lockes and all the furniture of the same and laying them on his shoulders caried and cast them on the mountaine Hebron Not long after that he transgressed the ordinance of his fathers and corrupted his domesticall manner of liuing conforming himselfe to the fashions of the Gentiles which was the source and ofspring of all his ruine For he was surprised and entangled with the loue of one that was called Dalila which was a common strumpet amongst the Philistines To her resorted the gouernours of the Philistines and by promises wrought so much with her that they wrought her to worke out of him wherein his force consisted what the cause was that he might not be apprehended by his enemies She conuersing with him in drinking and keeping him company tolde him that she maruailed at his actions and by subtill insinuations practised to vnderstand the manner and cause that made him so excellent in vertue But Sampson that as yet was subtill staied and well gouerned in counter check of her craft answered her that if he were tied with seuen vine branches that were yoong and pliant he should become the most feeblest amongst men Whereupon for that time she contented her selfe and hauing giuen notice thereof to the gouernours of the Philistines she had in her house certaine men of warre then when he was drunke and a sleepe she bound him as strongly fast as might be possible and sodainly waking him told him that certaine souldiers were at hand to assaile him but Sampson brake his bonds of the vine branches and addressed himselfe to repulse the assaults of those that lay in waight to offend him The woman frustrate of that hope which she expected not longtime after that getting a fit oportunitie in that Sampson conuersed continually began grieuously to complaine against him for that distrusting her loue and constancie he had concealed that from her which she most of all desired to know as if she had been insufficient to conceale that which might any waies concerne the fortune and safetie of her beloued But he deceiued her the second time and said vnto her that if he were tied with seuen cordes he should lose his force Which when she had done and found a contrarie issue to her expectation the third time Sampson told her that if she plighted his haire with a fillet he should be weakened and hauing experimented that also she found that it was false Finally for that a great misfortune attended vpon him she besought him so much that at last he condescended to gratifie her and spake vnto her after this manner God hath care ouer me and I am by his especiall prouidence bred and brought vp for this cause I nourish this haire for that God hath commanded me not to cut the same because my
force shal endure and augment as long as these lockes shall endure and grow Which when she vnderstood she shaued off his haire and betraied him to his enemies whose forces at that time he was too feeble to resist who plucked out his eies and led him away bound But in space of time his haire grew againe and at such time as the Philistines celebrated a publike feast wherein the princes and peeres banquetted and entertained one another in one place which was a house the couer whereof was sustained with two pillars Sampson was sent for and brought to the feast to the end they might mocke at him in the midst of their feasts and drunkennesse But he taking it more grieuously then all other the euils which he indured that he might not reuenge himselfe on those that thus iniuriously did iniure him he wrought so much with the boy that led him that he approched and tooke hold of the foresaid pillars telling him that he had great need to repose himselfe considering the trauaile that he had sustained As soone as therfore he got hold on them he shooke them in such a sort as they were ouerturned the house fell vpon those that were therein who died to the number of three thousand men with these also died Sampson who finished his daies in this sort after he had commanded ouer Israell for the space of twenty yeares He was a man of great vertue force and magnanimitie and especially in that which concerneth his end he meriteth to be admired at because that euen vnto his latter houre he was animated against the Philistines And whereas he was allured and besotted by a woman it ought to be attributed to humane nature which is so weake that it cannot resist sinne otherwise in all other things we ought to yeeld testimony of his vertue His kinsfolke tooke his body and buried it in Sarasa his countrey by his parents CHAP. XI How the sonnes of Eli the high Priest were slaine in battell by the Palestines AFter the decease of Sampson Eli the high Priest tooke vpon him the gouernment ouer the Israelites During his time there was a great famine and Elimelech vnable to endure the miserie thereof came from Bethleem a Citie of the tribe of Iuda to inhabite in the countrey of Moab bringing with him Naomi his wife and Chelion and Maalon his sons whom he had by her Now when as his affaires had fallen out with as fortunate successe as might be desired he married his sonnes to certaine daughters of the Moabites Chelion vnto Orpha and Maalon to Ruth Some ten yeares after Elimelech and his sonnes died the one after the other By which mishappe Naomi being cast into great sorrowe and destitute of their companie whose deare familiaritie she had preferred before the loue of her countrey changing her resolution according to those occurrences that had happened her she determined to returne vnto her friends by reason she had receiued intelligence that her countrey at that time was in good estate But her daughter in lawes could no waies endure to be separated from her and will shee nill shee they would needs accompany her but she wishing them a more happy marriage then that which they enioyed with her sonnes and in all other things prosperitie and protesting vnto them that there was no abilitie in her to doe them good she besought them that they would stay in that place and not desiring to follow their wretched mother in law in an vncertaine euent to lose the certaine pleasure and peaceable fruition of their countrey These her perswasions tooke effect with Orpha but Ruth resolued in no sort to forsake her attended on her mother in law as an assured and future companion of whatsoeuer fortune should fal vpon her Now when as both of them were arriued in Bethleem Boos Abimelechs kinsman entertained them in his house and whereas the Citizens called her by the name of Naamis she said vnto them that it was more seemely for them to call her Mara for Naomi in the Hebrew toong signifieth good hap and Mara is as much to say as bitternesse Whereas then it was haruest time Ruth by the permission of her mother went out into the fields to glean and gather corne for her sustenance and it fortuned that she met by good hap in the fields with Boos who came thither likewise not long after who beholding her enquired and questioned with the chiefe reaper as touching the woman Now had he a little before that time vnderstood by her her whole estate which hee declared vnto his master who gaue her thankes for the good affection which she bare vnto her mother in law and of the care she had of her deceased sonne whom Ruth had married wishing her in effect all good fortune and not suffering her to gleane he permitted her to reape and to gather all that which she might commanding his master-reaper that he should no waies let her from taking whatsoeuer she pleased giuing order likewise that when the reapers should take their refection they should giue her both meate and drinke Now when as Ruth had receiued graine at their hands she reserued it for her mother in lawe and came home at night and brought her the sheaues In like manner Naomi had reserued a portion of certaine victuals for her which in way of honour her neighbours had sent her Vpon her returne Ruth reported vnto her all those words that Boos had said vnto her and Naomi gaue her to vnderstand that Boos was of her kin that it might be that he was moued by deuotion towards God to haue care of her Some other daies after Ruth issued againe with Boos handmaides to gather her gleanings And certaine daies after and about that time that they threshed barley Boos came and slept on the floore which when Naomi vnderstood she bethought her selfe of some subtill practise whereby shee might make Ruth lie with him presuming that it would be a verie good fortune for the yoong woman if they might grow in acquaintance togither for which cause she sent her to sleepe at his feeto Ruth that made it a conscience to contradict hir mother in lawe in whatsoeuer she commaunded her repaired thither and vpon her first arriuall Boos perceiued nothing because he was fast asleepe but when he awaked about midnight and felt that there was some body that lay fast by him he demaunded what she was whereupon she told him her name requesting him as her master that he would permit her to repose in that place for that time But early in the morning before the seruants began to fall to their worke he commanded her to arise and to take as much barley with her as she could beare to the end she might returne vnto her mother in lawe before that any man might perceiue that she had slept in that place because it is wisedome to auoide slaunder especially at such time when there is
three sonnes Ionathan Iosuah and Melchi and two daughters Merob and Michal The generall of his army was Abner the sonne of his vnckle called Ner for Ner and Cis Sauls father were brothers and sonnes of Abiel He was verie rich both in horse and chariots and against whatsoeuer enemy he marched forth he alwaies returned with victorie so that he reduced the affaires of the Hebrewes to a happy estate and so much increased their power that they weare feared by all those nations that neighboured vpon them But the chiefest of the youth that either preuailed in strength or exceeded in beauty he chose to be of his guarde CHAP. VIII Sauls victorie against the Amalechites BVt Samuel comming vnto Saul told him that he was sent vnto him by God to admonish him how he had chosen him aboue the rest and preferred him to the kingdome for that cause that it behooued him to be obedient vnto him in all things because he ruled the people but God both kings kingdomes and all things Thus therefore said hee doth God command thee Since the Amalechites offered many iniuries vnto the Hebrewes in the desert whilest in their departure out of Aegypt they trauelled into that region which they now inhabite it behooueth thee to punish them by a most iust warre and hauing ouercome them that thou vtterly extinguish their memorie without regard of either sex or yeares and this reuenge shalt thou execute vpon them in repaiment of those iniuries they in times past offered to our forefathers Neither shalt thou spare either beast or horse or flocke to apply them to thy profit or particular vse but thou shalt consecrate all vnto God and according as Moses commanded it deface the name of the Amalechites from of the earth All these things did Saul promise to performe and supposing obedience consisted in this not onely in the acting but also the speedie execution of that which was enioyned him he presently assembled all his forces togither and mustring his souldiers at Galgal he found about fortie thousand besides the tribe of Iuda which of it selfe affoorded and allowed thirty thousand chosen men with these did Saul enter the countrey of the Amalechites and layd diuers ambushes neere vnto a riuer not onely to afflict them with open and hostile warre but also to enclose and surprise them at vnwares and kill them amidst their hie waies He charged them therefore and put them to flight and discomfited their whole army pursuing them that fled Which execution of his hauing that answerable successe according as God had promised him before he marched onwards and besieged the Cities of the Amalechites and ouercame some of them by batterie some by mines and countermures raised on the outside other some by famine and thirst and diuers other waies And in those Cities which he ouercame he neither spared women nor children neither supposing their murther to be cruell neither inhumane first for that he executed it vpon his enemie next for that he did nothing but according to Gods commandement towards whom his disobedience might redound to his vtter ouerthrow He tooke Agag prisoner also who was the king of the Amalechites whose beautie and personage seemed vnto him so well proportioned and perfect that he wondred thereat and thought him worthy to be kept aliue and that not by Gods commandement but ouercome by his owne affection vsurping vpon an vngranted priuiledge of mercie to his owne preiudice For God so hated the Amalechites that he spared not their infants who ought in naturall compassion to haue beene more pitied then the rest But Saul kept aliue the king of his enemies and the author of all the Hebrewes euils setting more by his beauty then Gods commandement This sinne of his the people presently imitated for they spared both horse and other kind of cattell and made pray of them notwithstanding that God had charged them to reserue nothing They caried away with them all other moueables and riches and only consumed those things which were of smalest valew by fire This victorie had Saul ouer those people that dwell betwixt Pelusium which is a Citie on the borders of Aegypt vnto the red sea But he medled not with the Sichemites which inhabite in the midst of the Madianites whom before the battell he had commaunded to retire themselues least they should partake the calamities of the Amalechites for in that they were allied vnto them by reason of Raguel Moses father in lawe the Hebrewes had cause to procure their safetie Saul hauing obtained this victorie reioycing at his good successe returned to his owne home as full of content as if he had pretermitted nothing of that which God had commanded him by the Prophet Samuel before his warre with the Amalechites but as if he had precisely obserued all that which was enioyned him But God was sore displeased both for that the king of the Amalechites was preserued and for that the people had made pray of their cattell for both these actions of theirs were expressely against Gods permission For it was not to be tolerated no not in a mortall king that they should neglect and contemne his lawes and decrees by whose onely meanes they were furthered and fauoured in their victorie For which cause God told the Prophet Samuel that he repented him in that he had chosen Saul for their king considering that he infringed his commandements and gouerned himselfe according to his owne appetites When Samuel heard these words he was sore troubled and besought God all the night long that he would appease his wrath and displeasure conceiued against Saul but notwithstanding al the importunities and praiers which the Prophet made for him God would in no sort be reconciled because it was inconuenient that the sinnes which were committed by Saul should be remitted by Samuels submission and intercession For sinne neuer more augmenteth and increaseth then when such as are offenced are too remisse in their punishments for whilest they would be reputed both for good and mercifull they themselues both vnwares and vnwitting become the authors of sinne When as therefore God had denied the Prophet his request and it manifestly appeared that no praiers or supplication might appease him as soone as it was day Samuel repaired to Saul who at that time remained in Galgal Now as soone as the king apperceiued him he ranne vnto him and embraced him saying I giue God thankes for the victorie and all those things which hee commanded me I haue performed But Samuel replied and said How commeth it then to passe that I heare this bleating of sheepe and bellowing of beasts thorow the army Saul answered that the people had reserued that cattell for sacrifice and that besides them all the nation of the Amalechites was exterminated according as God had commanded and that there was not any one remaining but that he onelie had reserued the king whom he would cause
to be presented before him to the end they might consult togither what should be done with him Hereunto the Prophet answered That God tooke no pleasure in sacrifices but such as were good and iust and such said he are they that are according to his will and commandement since no action may be reputed good but in respect of the reference it hath to Gods will for God refuseth not him that sacrificeth not but him that disobeyeth him For he willingly accepteth not those sacrifices that are offered vnto him by those that submit not themselues vnto him and offer not vnto him the true and onely offering yea though they present diuers and many great sacrifices and bring him sundrie Iewels of gold and siluer but reiecteth such things and respecteth them not as pledges of pietie but testimonies of wickednesse But he taketh pleasure in those onely that obserue that which he hath pronounced and commanded making choise rather to die then any waies to infringe the same not seeking that sacrifices should be offered vnto him but if they be offered although of small and no valew yet are they more acceptable vnto him in pouertie and obedience then all those which the richest hand or strongest fortune can affoord him any waies Know thou therefore said he that thou hast incurd Gods displeasure in that thou hast contemned and neglected his commandements for how canst thou thinke that he will regard thy sacrifices with a gracious eie which hee himselfe hath adiudged to vtter perdition and ruine except thou thinke that to offer such thinges vnto God be in effect no lesse then to seeke out death Be assured therefore of the losse both of thy kingdome and power which hath in such sort transported thee that thou hast contemned God who bestowed the same vpon thee But Saul confessed that he had sinned and done amisse in that hee had not obeyed the words of the Prophet yet alleadged he that he was compelled to doe the same in that he durst not restraine the souldier who was whet and kindled vpon the pray but said he be fauourable and mercifull vnto me for her after I will take heede least I fall into the like sinne and he besought him that he would stay with him so long whilest he might offer a peace offering in his behalfe But he that foresaw and knew that God would be mooued by no sacrifice began to depart CHAP. IX Samuel proclaimed Dauid King BVt Saul willing to retaine Samuel tooke hold of his garment and for that the Prophet hastily withdrew himselfe he tore away a part thereof by reason that Samuel violently withdrew himselfe from him To whom the Prophet sayd that in like sort his kingdome should be rent from him and that another who was more honest and vpright should take possession therof for God continued in his determination intended against him because that to change varie opinion is humane passion and not diuine puissance Saul answered that he had grieuously sinned but that it was impossible for him to recal that which was done he notwithstanding besought him that in the presence of the people he would as yet doe him honor at such time as he should walke with him cast himself before the presence of God which Samuel condescended vnto and went with him to adore God After this Agag the king of the Amalechites was brought before Samuel who heard him lament and complaine that death was verie bitter and tedious to whom he answered in this manner following As thou hast caused diuers mothers amongst the Hebrews to weepe and lament the losse of their children so shalt thou cause thy mothers sorrow and torment for thy death which said he presently commanded that he should be put to death in Galgal as for himselfe he returned backe againe to the city of Ramath But the king perceiuing in himself into how many mischiefs he had fallen by his offences committed against God departed to his chiefe city called Gaba which name signifieth a hillock and from that day forwards he neuermore came into the prophet Samuels presence who was hartily sory for his fall But God commanded him to giue ouer his care that taking with him the sacred oile he should repaire to the city of Bethleem to Iesse the son of Obed and that there he should annoint one of his sons for king according as he had coÌmanded him when as the Prophet said that he was afraid lest Saul getting notice therof should either by treason or opeÌ force seeke to slay him being incouraged assured in his attempt he came to the forenamed town In that place was he saluted with great concourse of people each of theÌ inquired of him to what intent he repaired thither who answered them that he came to offer sacrifice vnto God Now when the oblations were performed he inuited Iesse and his sonnes to banquet with him and beholding the eldest of them to be faire and well proportioned he coniectured by his stature and seemelines that it should be he that was to be elected king but in this matter he attained not the scope of Gods prouidence For demanding whether he should annoint that young man whom in admiration he thought so worthie of the kingdome it was answered him that men saw not in such manner as God doth For thou said he beholding the beautie of the young man supposest him worthie of the kingdome but I prise not royaltie and gouernment of estate by the beauties of the bodie but by the vertues of the soule and him require I that is perfectly furnished herewith and hath his mind beautified with pietie iustice obedience and fortitude Vpon these words Samuel commaunded Iesse to bring all his other sonnes into his presence who presented him with fiue others the eldest of which was called Eliab the second Aminadab the third Sala the fourth Nathaneel the fift Rael and the sixt Asam. Now when the Prophet beheld these likewise no lesse beautifull men then was the eldest he asked of God which of them he should choose for king he answered him that he should choose neither of them for which cause he enquired of Iesse whether he had any other sons besides them who told him that he had one which was called Dauid who had the care and custodie of his flockes Him did the Prophet sodainly commaund him to send for alledging that it was impossible for them to sit downe to the banquet except he were present Now when Dauid was arriued according as his father had commanded him Samuel seeing him faire in colour quicke in eye and otherwaies answerable to his naturall ornaments This is he said he in priuate to himself who is accepted and elected by God to be our king This said he sat downe at the table and made the young man sit aboue him and both Iesse his father and his other brethren Afterwards taking the cruet of oyle in the presence of the
and to the intent he might the better be beleeued he caused him to walke forth with him into the cleare and open ayre and there sware vnto him that he would not pretermit any thing that might tend to the conseruation of Dauid For said he that God that filleth and moderateth all things in this wide spred Vniuers and who before I speake knoweth my mind he I say shall beare witnesse of that accord which shall be ratified betweene thee and me that I will not cease to sound my father till such ââ¦ime as I know and haue conceiued his intention and that I haue entred into his secrets to know what sicknes his soule is seazed with and that when as I shall apprehend the same I will not conceale it from thee but giue thee notice thereof be it that he be appeased or displeased against thee The same God knoweth how incessantly I beseech him to be assistant vnto thee as also he is at this present and that he abandon thee neuer but make thee Lord ouer thine enemies yea though it were my father or my selfe Onely remember me in this point that after my death if I chance to die before thee thou take care of my children and be as fauourable towards them as I am affected to theeward at this present After he had sworne this oth he dismissed Dauid willing him to conceale himselfe in a certaine place of the plaine where he ordinarily exercised himselfe For that as soone as he vnderstood his fathers mind he would returne thither with his Page and if saith he hauing shot three shafts at the marke I shall commaund my Page to gather them and bring them backe againe to me for that they are right before him know thou that thou art to expect no euill from my father but if thou hearest me speake to the contrarie thinke thou that my father is incensed and misaffected towards thee yet howsoeuer it happen I will doe my best that nothing shall befall thee otherwaies then we expect and wish Be thou therefore mindfull of these things at such time as thou shalt obtaine thy happie daies and be thou fauourable vnto my children Dauid being confirmed by Ionathans promises retired himselfe to the appointed place The next day after which was the solemnitie of the new moone after the king was purified according to the custome he sate downe to take his repast Now when his sonne Ionathan was set on his right side and Abner the General of his Armie on the left Saul perceiued Dauids place was void and spake not a word supposing that hee was absent from that companie by reason he was not purified since he had the companie of his wife but seeing the second day of the new Moone that he was absent likewise he asked his sonne Ionathan why Iesses sonne both the day before and at that instant was not present at that fast who answered him that he was gone into his countrie prosecuting the storie according as it had beene concluded betweene them alleaging that his Tribe celebrated a feast and that he had permitted him to assist the same Further said he he inuited me to the banquet and if it stand with your pleasure I will assist the feast for you know how intirely I loue the man At this time knew Ionathan the displeasure his father had conceiued against Dauid and perceiued most apparantly how hainously he was affected for Saul could not conceale his choler but began to raile vpon his sonne calling him rebell and his enemie and companion and confederate with Dauid telling him that he shewed reuerence neither to him nor to his mother since he was so minded and that he would not beleeue but that as long as Dauid liued their royall estate should be alwayes in continual disturbance He commanded him therefore to bring him before him to the end that he might do iustice vpon him Ionathan replied What euill hath Dauid committed for which he should be punished Hereupon Saul not onely expressed his choler in words and disgraces but taking hold of a iauelin he assaulted him and would haue slaine him but he missed his purpose by reason he was retained by his friends At that time did Ionathan clearely discouer the hatred that Saul bare towards Dauid and how instantly furiously he sought his ruine since welny for Dauids sake he had slaine his owne eldest sonne Then did Ionathan withdraw himselfe from the banquet seeing with how little profit he had pleaded and so much was he grieued that he ceased not to weepe and the rather since welny his father had vnkindly slaine him And seeing that Dauid was adiudged to die he passed all the night long without sleepe and about the day spring he departed out of the Citie to the appointed field making a shew that he walked out to take his exercise but indeed it was to discouer vnto his friend the intent which his father had according as it was couenanted betweene them After that Ionathan had done that which he had promised sending backe his Page into the citie he came vnto Dauid both to see and speak with him in priuate who as soone as he perceiued him cast himselfe prostrate at Ionathans feet calling him the conseruer and maintainer of his life But Ionathan lifted him vp from the earth so that both of them embracing one another and intermixing their mutuall kisses for a long time lamented their yeares with warme teares and their vnfortunate friendshippe with bitter sighes they bewailed likewise their future separation no lesse grieuous vnto them then death it selfe Finally scarcely giuing any truce to their aboundant teares and exhorting one another to haue in perpetuall remembrance their plighted faiths and promises they departed the one from the other Dauid flying from the king and the war which he made against him retired himselfe to the city of Nob to Achimelech the priest who seeing Dauid come alone vnto him without either friend or seruant was amased and desired to know the cause why he thus wandred without any attendance Dauid told him that the king had sent him about some secret execution which might not be communicated vnto him although he were desirous to know it and as touching my seruants said he I haue commanded them to attend me in this place He further required him that he would giue him such things as were necessarie for his voyage that he had to make wherin he might performe the part of a friend in succouring him at such time as he had neede of him Which when he had condescended vnto he requested him to giue him some armes either sword or iauelin now in this place was there present one of Sauls seruants that was called Doeg a Syrian by nation and the pastor of the kings mulets The Priest answered him that he had no such thing by him except it were Goliahs sword which he himselfe had hanged in the Tabernacle and dedicated vnto
God at such time as he slew the Philistine Dauid hauing gotten it fled out of the countrey of the Hebrewes and went vnto Geth a countrey of the Philistines wherein Achis was king There being knowne by the kings seruants hee was discouered and noted to be that Dauid that had slaine many thousand Philistines Dauid fearing to be put to death by him and suspecting least he should fall into the same daunger which hee had escaped by flying from Saul counterfeited himselfe to be foolish and mad so that the some frothed and issued out of his mouth and counterfeited in all things so cunningly that he made the king of Geth beleeue most stedfastly that he was besotted and frenzie in his sicknesse For which cause the king was wroth with his seruants in that they had brought him a madman and commanded them with all expedition that might be to driue him out of his countrey Hauing in this sort escaped out of the countrey of the Geths he transported himselfe into the tribe of Iuda and being in the caue of Adullam he sent vnto his brothers to let them vnderstand that he was there who came vnto him with all their linage and diuers others that either were in need or stood in feare of Saul resorted vnto him saying that they were ready to performe whatsoeuer he should command them all which amounted to the number of foure hundreth or thereabouts Dauid therfore being thus assured by reason of the succours and forces that come vnto him dislodged from thence went to the king of the Moabites beseeching him that he would bee pleased to entertaine his father and mother in that countrey vntill such time as he vnderstood what should be the issue or end of his affaires The king vouchsafed him this fauour and did them great honour all the time they were in his countrey And as touching Dauid he hauing receiued instructions by the commandement of the Prophet to abandon the desart to soiourne in the tribe of Iuda he obeyed him so that comming to Saron he made his aboade in that place But when Saul had vnderstood that Dauid had beene seene with a number of men he fell into an extraordinarie feare and trouble of minde for knowing both the vnderstanding and courage of the man he thought inwardly with himselfe that he would attempt no action that was not great and such a one as might not onely endanger his kingdome or at leastwise breed him much difficultie labor For which cause assembling his friends and captaines and those of his tribe in Gaba where he kept his royall court there sitting in a place called Aror where all his honourable and ciuill magistrates with the rest of his captaines and souldiers enuironed him round about hee spake vnto them after this manner Beloued friends I know that you can beare witnesse of my bountie and how I haue aduanced some of you to honours signiories and possessions and haue preferred you to the chiefest dignities and prerogatiues amongst the people Now would I know of you whether you hope or expect from the sonne of Iesse greater bountie and larger benefits then I haue bestowed vpon you I know that all of you are confederated with him and that my sonne Ionathan likewise is of the same faction and hath perswaded you to follow and fauour him For I am not ignorant both of the othes and couenants that are past twixt him and Dauid and am well assured that he is both a counseller and assister vnto him in whatsoeuer he vndertaketh against me yet are none of you touched with these cares but intending your owne quiet you expect the euent of these matters When the king had spoken thus there were none of the assistants that replied onely Doeg the Syrian master of the kings mulets arose and said That he had seene Dauid in the Citie of Nob who resorted to the high Priest Achimelech to aske counsel of him as touching his assaires that there he had receiued those things that were needfull to furnish him in his voyage and Goliahs sword likewise and how he was safely conducted towards the place whither he pretended to go Hereupon Saul sent for the high Priest and all his kinred and spake thus vnto him What wrong or displeasure haue I done thee that thou hast entertained the sonne of Iesse and hast deliuered him victuals and armes to him I say that seeketh but the meanes to possesse himselfe of my kingdome What answere hast thou made him as touching those demaunds he presented thee in regard of his future fortunes for thou hast not been ignorant that he fled from me and what hatred he beareth against both me my family The high priest denied none of these things but freely confessed that he had deliuered him such things as were reported but not with an intent to gratifie Dauid but the king for I entertained him said he not as thine enemy but as thy faithfull minister and tribune nay which is more as thy sonne in law and such a one as was tied vnto thee by neere alliance For who would haue thought that he who was intitled to so much honour by thee should be thine enemie nay rather who would not esteeme him for thy sauourite and neerest friend And where as he asked counsell of me as touching Gods will this is not the first time I haue answered him but oft many other times haue I aduised him And where as he said that he was sent by thee about some hastie and secret businesse should I haue refused him those supplies which he required at my hands I might haue bin iudged rather to haue done iniurie to thy maiestie then to him For which cause thou art not to suspect or thinke euil of me or if thou hast receiued any aduertisement that Dauid at this time intendeth some trouble innouation against thee oughtst thou to thinke that by reason of the curtesie I haue shewed him that I either fauor him or maintain him against thee for what I bestowed I imployed as on thy friend thy sonne in law and thy tribune and whatsoeuer curtesie he receiued from me it was done vnto thee Notwithstanding all these iust allegations yet could Saul be no waies induced to beleeue them but contrariwise his vehement feare made him suspect the true iustifications of Achimelech so that he commanded certaine armed men that were about him that they should put both him and all his family to the sword But when they held it no lesse then sacriledge to violate by violent death such as were men consecrated vnto God Saul commanded Doeg the Syrian to perpetrate the slaughter who ioyning to himselfe certaine other sacrilegious and impious men he murthered Achimelech and all his race who were in number three hundreth thirtie and fiue men He further sent to Nob the citie of the Priests and put all of them vnto the sword neither sparing woman nor childe nor hauing respect vnto any
expressing their affection therein not onely in outward shew but also with their whole power labouring what they might that surprising him they might deliuer him to the kings hands But their iniust desire had as infortunate successe who being to incurre no perill by concealing him from pursuit promised to betray into the kings hands thorow adulation and auarice a man that was both vertuous and wrongfully persecuted to death by his enemies For Dauid being made priuie to their malice and ascertained of the Kings approch leauing those narrow streights wherin they then incamped escaped to a certaine rocke which is situate in the desarts of Simon Neither desisted Saul to pursue him for knowing by the way that he had ouercome the streights he came to the other side of the rock Dauid had surely both bin taken and circumuented had not the king beene reuoked by fearfull tidings which assured him that the Palestines had forcibly entred and spoiled his kingdome For he thought it more conuenient to reuenge himselfe on those his hostile and sworne enemies and to giue succour to his countrey and people being ready to be spoiled and wasted then vnder desire to lay hands on a priuate enemie to betray both his countrie subiects to their swords and thus was Dauid saued beyond all expectation and retired himselfe to the streights of Engaddi But after that Saul had repulsed the Palestines certaine newes was brought him that Dauid dwelt in the streights of Engaddi whereupon presently taking with him three thousand of the choisest men in all his armie heled them speedily to the forenamed place and being not farre from thence he perceiued neere vnto the high way a deepe hollowe large long and open caue whereas Dauid with his foure hundreth men might be hidden and descended himselfe alone into the caue to disburthen the necessities of nature This was presently discouered by one of Dauids followers who told him that God had presented him a fit oportunitie to reuenge him on his enimie and counselled him to cut off Sauls head and discharge himselfe thereby of much trouble and torment who arising and finding him out onely cut off the lap of the vesture wherewith Saul was attired and presently thereupon repented himself saying that it were a wicked deed in him to kil his lord whom God by election had raised to the estate of Maiestie and Empire For said he although he be vniust toward me yet ought I not to be iniurious towards him But when Saul was issued out of the caue Dauid went out after and cried with a loud voice beseeching Saul that he would giue him audience who turning backe vnto him he cast himselfe prostrate before his feete and humbled him on his face according to the custome and spake after this manner How vnworthie is it for thee O King that opening thy eares to scandalous backbiters and giuing trust and credit to vaine loose men thou suspectest thy most tried friends whom thou rather oughtest to iudge by their sincere and vpright actions for words may be either false or true but the mind may be discouered by none more apparant arguments then by mens actions as at this present thou maist iudge whether thou hast rashly beleeued them that make me guiltie before thy Maiestie of that crime that was neuer yet so much as thought vpon and haue so much exasperated thee against me that day and night thou thinkest on nothing more then my destruction Seest thou not now how vaine thy opinion is whereby they perswade thee that I am an enimie of thy house and earnestly desirous of thy death Or with what eies thinkest thou doth God behold thy crueltie who requirest his death who hauing occasion and opportunitie offered him to be reuenged on thee spareth thy life whose life were it in thy hands were assuredly lost for as easily might I haue cut off thy head as this lap of thy garment and therewithall in confirmation of his words he shewed it him yet did I forbeare this iust reuenge yet contrariwise art not thou afraid to exercise thy vniust tyrannies against me But God shall beare witnesse hereof and shall approue which of vs both are of more peaceable behauiours Saul amased to see how straungely his life had beene preserued and rauished to consider the naturall mildnes and moderation in Dauid began to weepe and Dauid wept also but Saul said that he had greater cause to lament then he For said he by thy meanes haue I receiued many benefits and thou at my hands hast been repaid with infinit iniuries This day hast thou testified that thou retainest the ancient iustice of thy progenitors who commaunded that their enemies should be dismissed with life at such time as they were surprised in the desart now am I thorowly perswaded that God hath reserued the kingdome for thee and that the Empire of all the Hebrewes attendeth thee Assure thou me therefore by an oth that thou wilt not exterminate my race neither remember thee of those iniuries I haue done vnto thee but that sparing my posteritie thou warrantise and keepe them vnder thy protection Dauid sware vnto him according as he had required and suffered him to returne into his Realme and both he and his companies retired themselues to the streights of Maspha About the same time died Samuel the Prophet a man who by his merit was in great estimation amongst the Hebrewes the famous testimonie of whose vertue and the peoples obseruation towards him was expressed in this in that they celebrated his funerall and set out his sepulcher with great pompe and when they had performed his rites they buried him in Ramath his countrey and lamented him many daies not after the manner of a common or forraine misery but as if each one of them had in particular a preiudice and losse to lament for For he was a man that was naturally framed to all iustice and goodnes and for these his vertues most acceptable vnto God He gouerned the people after the death of Eli the high Priest first in his owne person for the space of twelue yeares and afterwards during the raigne of Saul eighteene yeares whose death hapned as I said about this time But in those places where Dauid at that time remained there was a certaine Ziphian in a towne called Emma a man verie rich and Lord of much cattell For he had a troupe of three thousand sheepe and a heard of a thousand Goats On these did Dauid commaund his people to commit no waste neither thorow desire nor necessitie nor hope of concealement they should doe him any hurt Charging them moreouer that they should offer no wrong vnto any man because that to violate and take another mans goods was both vnlawfull and wicked and contrarie to Gods commandement Hee instructed them in this sort imagining with himselfe that he should gratifie a good man and such a one as deserued to be in like sort fauoured but
answere his hart more more failed him in that he manifestly perceiued what sinister successe would betide him if God should not assist him in the conflict He therfore commaÌded that they should search him out some Pythonissa or cunning enchantresse who inuocated and raised the spirits of the dead to the end that by her meanes he might know if his warres should haue that successe which he pretended for the diuiners which giue answere by the belly which the Greekes call Engastrimythes declare their aduentures to those that aske them And when as by the report of a certaine familiar friend of his he was aduertised that there was such a one at Endor vnwitting to his whole arme and laying aside his royall habites and attended onely by two whom he esteemed for his most faithfull seruants he repaired to Endor to this woman requiring her to diuine and raise vp the spirit of him whom he should name The woman denied and said that she ought not contradict the kings edict who had driuen out of his realme all such sort of soothsaiers telling him that he did not well that hauing receiued no wrong at her hands he should thus sound her and seeke to bring her in lapse of the kings lawes cause her to be punished But Saul swore vnto her that no man should knowe thereof and that he would not discouer her diuination to others briefely that shee should incurre no daunger thereby After then that by his othes and protestations he had perswaded her that she should haue no cause to feare he commanded her to raise the spirit of Samuel She not knowing what Samuel was called him from hell and he sodainly appeared But when she perceiued that it was an honourable man and of diuine semblance she was sore troubled and being wholy discomforted with this vision she turned and said vnto the king art not thou Saul for Samuel had certified her no lesse Saul confessed that it was he and asked her for what cause she seemed to be so much troubled she answered that she saw a man ascend that resembled God Saul commanded her to declare vnto him his shape habite and age and she gaue him to vnderstand that he was a reuerend olde man attired in the vestment of a high priest By these markes Saul knew that it was Samuel whereupon prostrating himselfe on the earth he adored and saluted him The spirit of Samuel asked him for what cause he had troubled and raised him To whom he complained and lamented that he was inforced thereunto by necessitie for that a grieuous host of his enemies were at hand and that void of counsaile he was forsaken by God hauing from him no prediction either by prophecie or dreame for which cause said he I made my recourse vnto thee who hast alwaies had care both of me and my fortunes But Samuel foreseeing that the kings death was hard at hand answered him that it was in vaine for him to question with him as touching those things that should happen since thou knowest that thou art forsaken by God Know therfore said he that Dauid shall possesse the kingdome and that it is he that shall establish the estate by armes but as concerning thy selfe thou shalt lose both thy kingdome and thy life because thou hast disobeyed God in thy warre against the Amalechites and hast not obserued his commandements according as I foretold thee at such time as I was aliue Know therefore that thy people and host shall be discomfited by the enemy and that both thou and thy sons shall be to morrow slaine in the battell and be with me When Saul vnderstood these things he became speechlesse thorow the sorrow wherewith he was seased and fell downe on the pauement either for that his forces failed him thorow sodaine griefe or for his want of meat because that neither that night nor the day before he had vouchsafed his body any refection or sustenance At length hardly recouering himselfe out of his swoun the woman importuned him to receiue some sustenance beseeching him to doe her that fauour in recompence of her vnexpected diuination which though interdicted she had aduentured to performe for his sake before she were ascertained that it was he that had forbidden them in consideration wherof she prayed him that sitting downe at the table he would refresh himselfe with some sustenance to the end he might be the more able to returne vnto his army And although he resisted and vtterly refused to eat in that he had no appetite and was vtterly desperate yet so effectually importuned she that finally she perswaded him to receiue some little nourishment And whereas shee had but one calfe which she bred vp in her house with some particular care for she was but a poore woman and had no other riches yet spared she not to kill it and dresse the flesh for Saul his seruants Thus refected Saul returned backe againe into his campe The curtesie of this woman deserueth to be praised for although she knew that the king had prohibited her art whereby both she and her family sufficiently maintained themselues and although before that time she had neuer seene Saul yet so it is that without remembring her that it was he by whom her art had bin condemned she entertained him not as a stranger or like the man she had neuer seene before but had compassion of him and comforted him exhorting him to eate although he refused it and presented him willingly and hartily with that little which she had in her pouertie All which she did not vnder hope of recompence or expected preferment knowing well that Saul should shortly lose his life nor according to the ordinarie course of men that naturally honour those that haue bestowed some dignitie vpon them and become seruiceable to those from whom they pretend to draw some profit hereafter She therefore ought to be imitated and in her appeareth an excellent example of bountie approuing that there is nothing more worthie praise then to relieue those that are in necessitie neither any thing more becomming men or whereby we may obtaine Gods fauour and graces better then by it Thus much sufficeth at this present in respect of this woman But now methinketh I shall do vvell if I insert in this place and in these my vvritings another eaxmple both profitable to people and nations and in especiall an incitation to noble men and such as are borne vnto glory to follow vertue vvhich also shall expresse vvhat honour is and exemplifie how a man may eternize his memorie vvhich ought to engender in the hearts of kings of nations and of gouerners of commonweales a singular desire and affection to addict themselues to noble actions and to encourage them to entertaine dangers yea death it selfe and teach them to endure all difficulties vvhatsoeuer for their countries cause To vvhich intent the historie of Saul the king of the Hebrewes yeeldeth me matter
most incident to this purpose For although he knew that vvhich should befall him and that his death vvas at hand according as it had beene foretold him yet resolued he not to auoid the same neither so loued he his life that for the conseruation thereof he vvould deliuer vp his people into the hands of their enimies nor dishonour his royall dignitie but himselfe vvith his children and all his household exposed themselues to daunger thinking it more honourable to die vvith them in fighting for his subiects and farre more expedient that his children should die like valiant men then to leaue them aliue in incertitude of estate whereinto they might fall supposing that hee should haue sufficient successours of his race if he left behind him a perpetuall memorie and praise both of him and his For which cause in my opinion he was both iust strong and prudent and if anie one either is or hath beene like vnto him I suppose that it becommeth all men to giue testimony of such a mans vertue For I thinke that the Historians and ancient Writers haue not worthily entituled them with the stile of valiant men who attaining some worthie actions attempted warre vnder assured hope of victorie and safetie but they only that imitate Saul may deseruedly be called iust praise-worthie couragious hardie and contemners of all dangers For what great thing is there in vndertaking the common hazard of warre and tossing twixt hope and feare to vse fortunes fauour if she fawne vpon vs but contrariwise I count it an assured signe of a valiant man when as without conceit of hope of any goodnes and knowing his death at hand and assured in his conflict is not affraid nor dismaid with such apprehensions but seeketh out with an inuincible courage his most assured hazard This is the praise of our Saul who is an example to all true louers of glory that if they haue regard to leaue an honest memory to their posterity they should vpon the like opportunitie propose the same resolution to themselues but in especiall kings who by reason of the excellencie of their degree ought not onely forbeare to be euill but also striue to be excellently vertuous I could likewise say more of this generous argument of Sauls valour but least I should seeme too affectionate I will returne to our former purpose After that the Philistines were thus encamped according as hath beene afore-spoken and had numbred their forces according to their nations kingdomes and gouernments king Achis issued in the rereward with his particular companie whom Dauid followed accompanied with his sixe hundreth soldiers whom when the chieftaines of the Philistines beheld they asked the king whence those Hebrewes came and what their leaders name was Who answered theÌ that it was Dauid who fled from Saul his master and how he had entertained him being fled from him againe how Dauid in recompence of the good he had receiued at his hand and to reuenge him on Saul was readie to fight for them against him But the chieftaines blamed him because he had chosen an enemie for his associate counselling him to dismisse him for feare least he should secretly performe some straunge stratageme against his confederates because said they he hath a fit opportunitie to reconcile himselfe to his master They therefore willed him to send Dauid backe vvith his sixe hundreth souldiers vnto the place vvhich he had giuen him to inhabite because it was the same Dauid of whom the damsels made songs singing in praise of him that he had slain many thousand Philistines When the king of Geth vnderstood these things he thought their counsell to be laudable for which cause calling Dauid vnto himhe said vnto him I protest vnto thee said he that I beare a most singular affection and good liking towards thee and for that cause I haue called thee out to assist vs in this battel but our captaines allow not of my resolution for which cause retire thy selfe to the place which I haue giuen thee without conceiuing any euil suspitioÌ of me There shalt thou be in garrison to forestal the enemie from foraging our country and in so doing thou shalt partly assist vs in the warre Herupon Dauid departed vnto Siceleg according as the king had commaunded him But during the time that Dauid was in campe and attended on the Philistines warre the Amalechites arose and tooke Siceleg by force and burned the Citie and after they had gathered a great bootie both in that place and in other villages of the Philistines countrey they retired backe againe Now when Dauid arriued at Siceleg and found it wholy ruined and spoiled and seeing likewise that his two wiues and the wiues of his companions were prisoners togither with their children he presently rent his rayment and began to weepe and lament with his companions yea so much was he afflicted that he had scarce any teares left him to bemone himselfe beside this his companions amated with the captiuitie of their wiues and children were readie to stone him to death accusing him that he was the cause of all that which had hapned But when as his griefe was after a manner aslaked and he somwhat returned to himself he lifted vp his heart vnto God and commaunded the high Priest Abiathar to put on the Ephod and aske counsaile of God and that done to declare vnto him whether by his assistance he might ouertake the Amalechites if so be he should pursue them and whether he should recouer his wiues and children that they had led away and reuenge him of his enemies As soone as the high Priest had certified him that he might pursue them he sallied out with sixe hundreth soldiers and pursued the enemie and drawing neere vnto the riuer he found a certaine stragler an Egyptian by nation wholy discomforted and feeble thorow want and famine wherewith he was pressed hauing for three daies space wandred in the desart without any sustenance whom after he had refreshed with meate and drinke and recomforted he asked him to whom he belonged and what he was The Egyptian told him his nation and how he had beene left in that place by his master because that thorow his weaknes it was impossible for him to follow them He consessed likewise that his master was one of the number of those that had burned and sacked not onely other quarters of Iudea but Siceleg also Dauid taking this man for his guide ouertooke them finding some of them lying on the earth others banquetting and following drunkennesse and almost sencelesse by ouerdrinking so recouering both his booty and pillage and sodainly setting vpon them he made a great slaughter For they being naked and suspecting no such inconuenient and wholy addicted to frolicke drinking and feasting were all of them easily defeated diuers likewise amongst them were slaine as they sate at their meat others likewise were slaughtered whilest they carroused the one vnto the other and some
and incensed the one against the other That their brother Azael was in the fault because that although he had exhorted him to cease from running after him yet could he not perswade him and that for the same cause he had both stroken and slaine him Ioab wisely disgesting these his sayings and accepting of them as of holesome and friendly aduertisements and counsailes he commanded the trumpet to sound retreat and surceased to pursue them any more and encamped for that night in the same place during which time Abner trauelled without ceasing and hauing past ouer Iordan returned to his campe to Isboseth Sauls sonne The next day Ioab suruaied the dead and caused them to be buried Those that were found dead on Abners side were about three hundreth and sixtie men and on Dauids side nineteene ouer and besides Azael whose body Ioab and Abisai tooke with them and carried it vnto Bethleem and after they had enterred it in the toomb of their auncestors they repaired to Hebron vnto Dauid From that time forward there arose a ciuill warre amongst the Hebrewes that endured a long time in which Dauids followers had alwaies the vpper hand and neuer aduentured the hazard of the field without returning with some aduentage whereas the sonne of Saul and his partakers had almost euerie day the worse Dauid at that time had sixe sons by so many wiues the eldest of them was called Ammon the sonne of Achimaas the second was Daniel the sonne of Abigal the third was called Absolon the sonne of Machama the daughter of Ptolomey king of Gessur the fourth was Adomas the sonne of his wife called Aggite the fift and the sixt were called Gerthessa and Gala. But after this ciuill warre was begunne and that the kings on both sides had oftentimes encountred and fought togither Abner generall of the armie for king Sauls sonne a prudentman and one that was beloued by the people endeuored all that in him lay that the whole country might be commanded by Isboseth and in effect they all submitted vnto him for a certaine time but when as it afterwards fell out that Abner was charged and accused to haue kept company with Rispa Sauls concubine the daughter of Sibath and that Isboseth likewise had reproued him for the same cause he conceiued a great griefe and despite supposing that he had great iniury done vnto him considering how carefull he had beene and was of the kings estate for which cause he threatned him to establish the kingdome to Dauid and to make him know that it was neither his vertue nor prudence that made him soueraigne ouer the tribes on that side Iordan but that his faith and warlike conduct was the cause thereof For which cause he sent vnto Hebron to Dauid requiring him by an oth to accept of him as his confederate and friend promising him to perswade the people to forsake Sauls sonne and to proclaime him king of the whole region Dauid sware vnto him according as he had required and was verie glad of that embassage that Abner had sent vnto him and the rather for that vnder assured testimonie of their accords he had preserued Michol Dauids wife whom he had purchased with the price of diuers great daungers and with sixe hundreth heads of the Philistines presented to his father Saul to the end he might enioy her which Michol Abner had sent him backe hauing taken her from Phalti who had since that time espoused her whereunto Isboseth also was assistant to whom Dauid had written that it was reason that he should recouer his wife Abner therfore assembled all the elders and gouernours of the people and told them that at such time as heretofore they were readie to forsake Isboseth to submit themselues to Dauid he had disswaded them from that intent but at this present if they had the will hee vvould condescend vnto them because he was assured that God had chosen Dauid by the mouth of Samuel the Prophet to be king ouer all the Hebrewes and had foretold that he should punish the Philistines and should ouercome them and bring them vnder his subiection Which when the elders and gouernours vnderstood and were assured likewise that Abner would subscribe to their resolution as touching the estate they all of them determined to submit themselues to Dauid Abner seeing them thus resolued did afterwards assemble all the tribe of Beniamin out of which the archers of Isboseths guard were chosen and told them the like and perceiuing that they contradicted him no waies but submitted themselues vnto his pleasure he gathered about twentie of his familiar friends and resorted vnto Dauid to receiue in his owne person Dauids oth Both for that each man in his owne affaires reposeth greatest confidence in himselfe as also to giue him intelligence what speech he had held with the elders and the whole tribe Dauid receiued and entertained him very kindly and magnificently and sumptuously feasted him at his table for many daies praying him that he would depart and returne and bring the people with him to the end that in their presence and sight he might deliuer him the gouernment When Dauid had dismissed Abner some little time after his departure Ioab the generall of Dauids armie came to Hebron and knowing that Abner had beene with Dauid and that but some little time before he was departed from him with accords and promises made vnto him that he should be gouernour he feared least that if Dauid should place him in honour and dignitie and should make Abner who was a man otherwaies exercised in affaires and politique to preuent occasions as it were his companion in the kingdome that the said Ioab should be degraded and depriued of his office he tooke vpon him a cursed and froward resolution For first of all he laboured to detract and make him odious in the kings eare counselling him to stand on his guard and not to giue eare vnto Abners promises who vnder colour subtiltie sought to establish the kingdome vnto Sauls sonne alledging that he came vnto him vnder colour and caââ¦tele intending then to leaue him when his hopes were satisfied and affaires disposed But perceiuing that these his subtilties tooke little effect with Dauid and considering with himselfe likewise that he moued him in no sort he attempted a more perilous exploit then the former For resoluing with himselfe to kill Abner he sent out certaine men after him whom he gaue in commission that as soone as they should ouertake him they should vrge their interparlee in the name of Dauid alledging that they had something to communicate with him as touching the estate which he had forgot to certifie him of When Abner had heard the words of these messengers who ouertooke him in a place called Besira some twentie furlongs off of Hebron he strooke out of the way without suspition of his future desaster Ioab going before him embraced him with great loue and like an
betrothed her after he had rauished her from Dauid she bare fiue sonnes of whom we wil speake in their place The king perceiuing how by Gods assistance his affaires prospered daily more more thought that it should be a hainous offeÌce in him if he should dwel in houses made of Cedar high and well builded and neglecting the Arke suffer it to remaine vnder a pauilion for which cause he conceiued a desire to build a Temple vnto God according as Moses had foretold and to this intent consulted he with the Prophet Nathan who willed him to performe all that which he was minded to accomplish assuring him that God would be each way assistant vnto him for which cause he was verie heartily affected towards the building of the Temple But the same night God appeared vnto Nathan commaunding him to certifie Dauid that he accepted his will and that his affection was agreeable vnto him considering in especiall that no one before him had a thought to performe the like yet notwithstanding although his deliberation were such he permitted him not to finish the same by reason he had followed many warres and had embrewed his hands in the bloud of many of his enemies But after his decease which shall happen after he hath liued a long and prosperous life his sonne called Salomon to whom he shall leaue the kingdome after his death shall cause a Temple to be built vnto him promising him to assist and fauour the said Salomon euen as the father doth his sonne and that he would continue the royaltie in his heires and their successors And that if they shall happen to offend him he will onely punish them with sicknes and sterilitie Dauid vnderstanding these words which were deliuered him by the Prophet was verie ioyfull by reason that the royaltie was firmely assured to his heires and for that his house should be famous and renowmed and presenting himselfe before the Arke he prostrated himselfe and adored and gaue God thanks for all the benefits he had bestowed on him for that from a poore and humble shepheard he had raised him to so great a height of maiestie and glory and for that he had promised to haue care of his posteritie as erst he had had of the Hebrewes and their libertie This said after he had sung hymnes vnto God he departed CHAP. V. Dauid ouercomming the neighbouring nations imposeth tributes on them NOt long time after this Dauid thought it requisite to make warre vpon the Philistines partly to the intent he might auoid the suspition of sloth and idlenes and partly that hauing according as God had foretold discomfited his enemies he might leaue a peaceable kingdome to his posteritie after him He therefore assembled his army anew commanding theÌ to be in a readines to march forward to the warre whenas therefore he supposed that the armie was addressed he departed out of Ierusalem and made a road vpon the Philistines whom he ouercame in battell and tooke a great part of the countrey from them by meanes whereof he enlarged the frontires of the Hebrewes and translated the warre and led forth his forces against the Moabites whose army being deuided into two parts was by him defeated and ouerthrown and the rest were taken prisoners and tributes were imposed on them which they were bound to satisfie euery yeare Afterwards he led out his host against Adarezer sonne of Ara king of Sophona and waging battell with him neere vnto the riuer of Euphrates he slew about twentie thousand of his footmen and some fiue thousand of his horse he tooke also almost a thousand of his chariots the greater part whereof was wholy consumed and one hundreth of them onely reserued to his owne vse CHAP. VI. They of Damasco are ouercome by Dauid ADad king of Damasco and of Syria vnderstanding that Dauid had made warre on Adarezer who was both his friend and confederate issued forth with great forces to bee assistant vnto him and to deliuer him from his enemies according as he expected But entring field and waging battell with Dauid neere vnto the riuer of Euphrates he was ouercome and lost a great number of his souldiers for in that battell there were staine on his side by the Hebrew enemy to the number of twenty thousand and the rest fled Of this king Nicholas the Historiographer maketh mention in the fourth book of his histories in these words Sithence and long time after a certaine man of that countrey called Adad gouerned in Damasco and ouer the rest of Syria except Phoenicia who making warre against Dauid king of Iudaea and hauing oftentimes fought with him in his last encountrie wherein he was ouercome neere vnto the floud Euphrates he shewed himselfe more resolute then all other kings in force and valour Moreouer he speaketh of his heires how after his death they succeeded him both in royaltie and name the one after the other and saith thus He being deceased his sonnes raigned for ten generations after him each of them receiuing from their father the same name and the same kingdome after the manner of the Ptolomies of Aegypt The third of these being more mightie then the rest and desirous to reuenge himselfe in warre of these iniuries which were offered vnto his grandfather led foorth his army against the Iewes and destroyed the countrey called at this day Samatia Wherein he varied not any waies from the truth for he of whom he speaketh is that Adad that made warre in Samatia during the raigne of Achab king of Israell of whom we will speake hereafter in his place But when Dauid had led forth his campe against Damasco and against the rest of the countrey of Syria he reduced them all vnder his obeisance placing garrisons amidst their countrey and imposing tribute vpon them which they should pay vnto him He dedicated also to God in the Citie of Ierusalem the golden quiuers and armors which Adads guard were wont to weare which afterward Syssa king of Aegypt tooke at such time as he warred against Roboam his Nephew and carried away great riches out of the temple of Ierusalem as it shall be declared hereafter when as we shall come to intreat of that matter This king of the Hebrewes being inspired by God who made him prosperous in all his wars encamped before the goodliest Cities Adarezer had that is to say Betthea and Machon which he besieged tooke and spoyled where there was found great store of gold and siluer and of brasse which was of more estimation then gold whereof Salomon made that great vessell called the Sea and other faire lauers at such time as he adorned and furnished the temple of God When the king of Amath vnderstood of all that which had hapned to Adarezer and how his power and forces were destroied he grew affraid of his owne estate and resolued with himselfe to make a league confederacie with Dauid before he might come out against him
and to that intent he sent his sonne Adoram vnto him to testifie and expresse what contentment he had receiued for that he had defeated Adarezer his enemy and to contract with him amitie and confederation He seht him presents also namely vessels of antique worke of gold of siluer and of brasse whereupon Dauid made a league with Thani for so was the king of Amath called and receiued the presents that were sent vnto him and afterwards dismissed his sonne with conuenient honor both for the one and the other and consecrated that to God which he had sent him togither with the gold and siluer which he had taken from other cities and nations that were subiect vnto him For God did not only so farre fauour him as to make him victorious and happy in his owne wars but hauing also sent Abisai Ioabs brother the lieutenant of his army against the Idumeans he likewise granted him victorie for Abisai slew in the battell about eighteene thousand of them and filled all Idumaea with garrisons challenging a tribute throughout the countrey by the pole This king loued iustice of his own nature and exercised iudgement according to veritie He had for his lieutenant generall in all his armies Ioab and appointed Iosaphat the son of Achilles chiefe ouer the Registers After Abiathar he established Sadoc of the house of Phinees for high priest who was his friend Sisa was his secretarie Banaia the sonne of Ioiada was captaine ouer his guard and all the elders were ordinarily about him to guard and attend him He remembring himselfe also of the conuentions and oathes that were past twixt him and Ionathan the sonne of Saul and of ãâã ââ¦itie and affection that had been betweene them for besides all other graces which he had he most freshly retained them in memorie from whom in times past he had receiued any friendship He caused a search to be made if any one of the house and family of Ionathan were left-aliue to the intent he might remunerate the friendship which he had receiued at Ionathans hands Where upon a certaine man was brought vnto him who was enfranchised by Saul that might enforme him what one of his race was aliue who asked him if he could name him any of Ionathans sons then liuing whom he might make partaker of those curteous fauors graces which in times past he had receiued by Ionathan Who answered him that he had one sonne remaining whose name was Mephiboseth who was lame of his legs for that at such time as the newes came that both his father and grandfather were slaine in the battell his nurse fearfully snatching vp the child and flying suffered him vnfortunately to fal from her shoulders and so hurt him When as then he was aduertised where and with whom he was brought vp he sent vnto the citie of Labath to Machir with whom Mephiboseth was kept commanded him to be brought vnto him Now when he came to Dauids presence he cast himselfe prostrate on his face to do him reuerence but the king exhorted him to be of good courage and to hope hereafter for better fortune and gaue him his fathers house with all the possessions that were purchased by Saul his grandfather appointing him to sit and feed with him at his owne table yea to eate of his royall prouision not letting one day slip wherein he accompanied him not at meales The yong man did him reuerence humbly thanking him for the gratious words and roiall offers be had made vnto him At that time Dauid called for Siba and certified him how he had giuen Mephiboseth his fathers house and all Sauls purchases commanding him to manure and husband his possessions and to haue care of all things and to returne the reuenew to Ierusalem for that Mephiboseth was euery day to take his refectioÌ at his table charging both him his 15. sons and 20. seruants to doe him seruice After the king had thus disposed of him Siba did him reuerence and after he had protested to performe whatsoeuer he had giuen him in charge he departed and Ionathans sonne remained in Ierusalem where he liued at the kings table and was entertained and tended as carefully as if he had beene his owne sonne he had a sonne also called Micha These were the honors that those children which suruiued after Ionathan and Sauls death receined at Dauids hands About the same time died Naas king of the Ammonites who during his life time was Dauids friend and his sonne succeeded him in his kingdome to whom Dauid sent embassadors to comfort him exhorting him to disgest his fathers death with patience assuring him that he would expresse no lesse loue towards him then he did vnto his father But the gouernours of the Ammonites entertained this embassage verie contumeliously and not according as Dauid had kindly intended it and murmured against their king telling him that they were but spies sent by Dauid to seeke into his forces and discouer the strength of his countrey vnder a pretext of humanitie counselling him to stand vpon his guard and not to giue eare to his protestation least being deceiued he should fall into some remedilesse inconuenient Naas king of the Ammonites supposing that his gouernors spoke nothing but truth outraged the embassadors that were sent vnto him with great iniuries for causing the halfe of their beards to be shauen close by the chin and cutting away the halfe of their vestments he sent them back againe returning their answeres not in words but in deeds Which when Dauid saw he was grieuously displeased and made it knowne that he would not suffer that mockerie and iniurie so easily to be disgested but that he would make warre on the Ammonites and reuenge those indignities that were offered to his embassadors The friends and gouernors of Naas considering how they had violated and broken the peace and how for that occasion they deserued to be punished prepared for the war and sent one thousand talents to Syrus king of Mesopotamia requiring him that he would be their consederate in that warre and receiue their pay they requested the like of Subas these kings had 20000. footmen in camp They hired also with their mony the king of the countrey called Michas and the fourth called Istob which two had with them 12000. thousand souldiers CHAP. VII How Dauid ouercame the Mesopotamians BVt Dauid was no whit amated neither with the confederacie nor force of the Ammonites but trusting in God resolued that the cause of his warre was iust for which cause he continued in reuenge of those outrages which he had receiued by them Hauing therefore mustered vnder Ioab the flower of his whole army he commanded him to depart and make warre vpon them who came and incamped himselfe before their chiefest Citie called Aramath which when the enemies perceiued they issued foorth and arranged themselues in battell not altogether but in two seuerall parts For their confederates and allies were
their messengers to euerie corporation aduertising them how many benefits they had receiued at Dauids hands and how after many and grieuous warres he had brought them to a secure libertie and how iniustly expelling him they had committed the kingdome vnto another For which cause it behooued them that since he was dead whom they had chosen to make their supplication and submission vnto Dauid that dismissing his wrath he would receiue the people into his fauour and according as before time so now also he would vouchsafe them his pardon and protection Of these things sundry intelligences came vnto the kings eares so that by expresse letters he commanded Sadoc and Abiathar the chiefe priests that they should certifie the princes of the tribe of Iuda that it should be a great indignitie for them that other tribes should preferre Dauid to the kingdome before them especially since he was both of their tribe and their kinsman also In like manner he commanded them to speake with Amasa the generall and expostulate with him why hee who was his Nephew by the sisters side did not perswade the army to recommend the kingdome to his hands willing them to assure him that he was not only to hope for pardon for that which had hapned but also for the gouernment of the whole army according as Absalon had granted him Hereupon the high priests not only conferred with the princes aforesaid but also informing Amasa what the king had promised in his behalfe wherby they drew him to their faction And first of all those of his owne tribe reuoked Dauid very instantly into the kingdome the rest of the Israelites by their example and Amasas authoritie did the like also and these embassadors flocked vnto him to receiue him into Ierusalem But wonderfull and praiseworthy was the diligence of the tribe of Iuda who went out as far as the banke of Iordan to meete with him with these came Simei the sonne of Gera with a thousand men which he had brought with him of the tribe of Beniamin Siba likewise Sauls freeman came thither with his fifteene sonnes and twentie seruants who made a bridge ouer Iordan that the king might the more easily passe ouer both himselfe and his armie As soone as he came vnto Iordan he was saluted by the tribe of Iuda and Simei marching onward on the bridge prostrating himselfe at the kings feete asked pardon of his offences and besought him to remit his displeasure and that in recouering his authoritie he would not first of all doe iustice on him but that he should remember this also that he being induced by the repentance of his errour did with the formost march out to meet him vpon his returne Whilest thus he besought and lamented Abisai Ioabs brother spake after this manner Why should he not die that hath thus villanously outraged the King whom God hath established But Dauid turned backe vnto him and said yee sons of Seruia will you neuer cease to hatch new troubles and to adde newe diuisions to your former commotions Know you not that this is the first day of my raigne for which cause I sweare an oth that I will pardon all them that haue committed any impietie against me and that no one man shall depart from me in my disfauour For which cause be of good cheere Simei feare thou not that I wil seeke thy bloud Whereupon he adored the King marched onward before him After this Mephiboseth Sauls nephew came out to meete him cloathed in a desolate sorie rayment hauing his haires hanging down in a neglected and sorrowful manner For since the time that Dauid fled fosooke the citie he had in such sort beene distressed that he neither had trimmed his haire nor changed or cleansed his garment supposing this calamity deposition to touch him as neerly as it did the king and further in that by Siba his steward he had beene vniustly detracted accused to the king After he had prostrated himselfe and adored the king Dauid asked him for what cause he forsooke him in his troubles and offered not himselfe to accompanie him in his flight Who answered that it was the wickednes of Siba who was the cause thereof for he said he being commaunded to prepare my necessaries for that iourney neglected the execution thereof contemning both me and it as if I had beene some abiect slaue Otherwise had I had the vse of my feete and the meanes to haue waited on thee in thy iourney I had neuer endured to haue forsaken thee Neither was he contented my liege to hinder my deuout seruice towards thee but furthermore he hath maliciously incensed your maiestie against me yet know I well that your wisedome will not admit or giue credence to his detractions both for that you are iust as also for that God and truth which you onely aspire to are onely beloued by you For whereas during my grandfathers daies you were alwaies conuersant amongst the most difficult dangers and followed and attempted by him and whereas all our posteritie by that meanes deserued to be vtterly extinguished yet haue you vsed both moderation and meeknes especially in forgetting those indignities at such time as the memorie thereof affoorded you meanes to punish them And notwithstanding all these things you haue entertained me like your friend feasted me at your dailie table and dignified me with no lesse honours then if I had beene one of your neerest and deerest kinsmen When Dauid had heard these things he neither thought good to punish Mephiboseth neither to examine whether Siba had wrongfully accused him but after he had certified him that he had giuen Siba all his goods yet did he pardon him and promise him the restitution of halfe his possessions Whereunto Mephiboseth replied Let Siba saith he possesse the whole it onely sufficeth me that I see your maiestie restored againe into your kingdome After this Dauid inuited Berzillai the Galaadite a vertuous man and of great authoritie and by whose bountie during the time of his warre he was assisted and who had attended him as farre as Iordan to accompanie him vnto Ierusalem promising him to make no lesse account of him then of his father and assuring him liberally to allow him in all things that concerned his honour and age But he being desirous to liue in priuate besought his maiestie to dismisse him from the court because as he said his age was so extreme as it made him vnapt for courtly pleasures considering that he had attained to the age of fourescore yeares alledging that it better became him to thinke of death and the departure out of this world For which cause he besought Dauid to fauour him so much as that he might gouerne himselfe according to his own desire because that by reason of his age he neither knew howe to sauour meate nor drinke besides for that his hearing was lost so that he could not distinguish nor discerne the
a seruile fearefull maner being all his life time enemy to Ieroboam He died after he had liued fiftie seuen yeares wherof he raigned 17. He was a haughtie and vndiscreete man who lost his estate because he would not giue credit to his fathers friends He was buried in Ierusalem in the sepulcher of the kings and his sonne Abias succeeded him in his raigne at such time as Ieroboam had alreadie raigned eighteene yeares ouer the tenne tribes Thus were these things terminated It behooueth now at this present to declare that which Ieroboam did afterwards and how he died He obseruing no meane or end of his impietie imployed himselfe continually in making of Altars and high places and presumed to ordaine common sacrificers But God withheld not long time to heape the punishment of those his impieties on the head of him and of all his posteritie Whereas therefore his sonne Obimes was sicke about that time he commaunded his wife to lay aside her royal garment and to apparrel her selfe like a common woman and afterwards to go to Achias the Prophet assuring her that he was admirable for his knowledge in foretelling things to come and had foretold him that he should be king for which cause he willed her to repaire vnto him after the manner of a straunger and enquire of him if her sonne should escape that sicknes Whereupon she disguised her selfe according as her husband had commaunded her came vnto the Citie of Silo where Achias dwelt as she was vpon entring his house notwithstanding hee had lost his sight thorow age God appeared vnto him and certified him in these two points first that Ieroboams wife came vnto him and next all that he should answere to her demaund At such time therefore as she entred into his house after the guise of a common and straunge woman Achias cried with a loud voice Enter thou wife of Ieroboam wherefore hidest thou thy selfe Thou canst not hide thy selfe from God who hath certified me of thy comming and hath informed me what aunswere I shall giue vnto thee He therefore said vnto her that she should returne vnto her husband and certifie him of Gods answere to this effect Of little and nothing that thou wert I haue made thee great and hauing dismembred the kingdome from Dauids posteritie I haue giuen it vnto thee but thou hast forgotten the same hauing forsaken my seruice hast molten downe new gods whom thou honourest so also will I exterminate thee and abolish all thy posteritie and cast them off for a pray vnto dogs and fowles of the ayre For I wil constitute a king ouer my people that shall leaue no one of Ieroboams race aliue The people also shall haue part of this punishment and shall be depriued of this their fruitfull countrey and be scattered among the regions on the other side of Euphrates because they haue followed the impieties of their king and adoring those gods that were forged by him haue giuen ouer my sacrifice And as concerning thy selfe O woman haste thee and certifie thy husband of these things For thou shalt find thy sonne dead for no sooner shalt thou enter into the Citie but he shall finish his daies He shall be buried with the lamentation of the whole people in generall For he onely was good of all the race of Ieroboam When Achias had finished his prophecie the woman started backe sore troubled and dismaide thorow the daunger of her sonne and went lamenting onward on her way wounded with the future death of him and by reason of her so earnest affection she was afflicted with incredible torments The haste which she vsed was importunate because of her sonne whom she should see dead by so much the sooner she hasted homeward but it behooued her to vse expedition in the behalfe of her husband Whenas therefore she was arriued she found her sonne expiring as the Prophet had foretold her and recited the rest vnto Ieroboam CHAP. V. Ieroboams expedition against the sonne of Roboam the ouerthrow of his armie and how Basanes rooted out the whole posteritie of Ieroboam and made himselfe king BVt Ieroboam was nothing moued herewith but leuied a great armie with an intent to make warre against Abias the sonne of Roboam who had obtained his fathers kingdome ouer the two tribes For he despised him because he was young in yeares This notwithstanding the young king was no whit dismaide although he vnderstood of Ieroboams comming but with greater wisedome then was incident to his yeares and beyond all expectation of his forward aduersarie he leuied an armie of two tribes with which he encountred Ieroboam at the mountaine of Samaria where incamping his host neere vnto him he prouided all things in a readinesse that were requisite for the battell and had with him foure hundreth thousand fighting men but Ieroboam had twise as many Now when the armies were arranged and expected to giue the allarum and charge Abias stood vp in a certaine high place from whence he might be seene and heard making a signe with his hand he required that Ieroboam and the people would first of al heare him peaceably which granted to him each one atteÌding in silence he brake out into these words There is none of you but knoweth that God hath promised the kingdome to Dauid and his posteritie for euer I therefore greatly admire how you haue reuolted from my father to submit your selues to Ieroboam his seruant whom at this present you accompany to warre against those whom God hath ordained to raigne and to take the kingdome from them the greater part whereof Ieroboam vsurpeth iniustly euen at this day and which as I suppose he shall not enioy long time For he shall be punished by God and shall cease to contradict his lawes and to dishonour them as he doth continually in perswading you to do the like You haue receiued no iniurie at my fathers hands but by reason that he was misled by the sinister counsails of certaine wicked persons spake vnto you certain words which in apparance seemed vnfitting in your eares you haue forsaken him in your displeasure but in effect you haue separated your selues from God and his commaundements Truly you should haue pardoned a young man vntrained and vntaught in oratorie not only for the rude words which he vsed but although his youth and ignorance should haue moued him to commit some churlish and indiscreet action or errour yet should you haue endured the same For the fathers demerites ought to serue and satisfie the childrens defects But you haue had no regard of all this neither then nor at this present but leade forth a great army against vs. But whereupon ground you the hope of your victorie Is it on your calues of gold is it on your Altars on the mountaines which are witnesses of your impietie and irreligion Is it your great number that surpasseth ours by farre that maketh
them daily in complotting worser wickednesse For he imitated all their impieties and wickednes but especially the apostasie of Ieroboam for he adored those calues that were erected by him and besides that he added farre worse impieties then the former He tooke to wife Iezabel the daughter of Ithobal King of the Tyrians and Sidonians of whom he learned to adore the gods of her nation for she was a busie and audacious woman and of such immeasurable madnesse that she feare not to build a temple in honour of Bel the god of the Tyrrians and to plant a wood furnished with all kinde of trees and to ordaine priests and false prophets also in honour of that God The king also tooke delight to haue these kindes of men oftentimes about him exceeding all other kings before him in madnes and malice To him came a certaine prophet sent by the Almighty God that was borne in Thesbon in Galaad telling him that he foreprophecied that neither dew nor raine should fal on the earth a long time vntil that himselfe who was prepared to depart froÌ him should appeare again vnto him and binding the same with an oath for the better confirmation thereof he retired himselfe to the Southward where he liued by a certain riuer from whence he fetcht his drinke for his meat was daily brought him by certaine Crowes Now when the riuer thorow want of raine was waxen drie God commanded him to repaire vnto Sareptha a Citie not farre from Sidon and Tyre and scituate in the midst betweene them both where he should finde a widow woman who should furnish him with food As soone therefore as he drew neere vnto the gate he saw a woman that liued by her labour gathering of sticks and God gaue him to vnderstand that it was she who should nourish him Wherupon he came vnto her and saluted her praying her that she would bring him some water to coole his thirst and as she was ready to depart he called her backe againe and willed her to bring him some bread also Whereupon she swore that she had nothing in her house but a handfull of flower and a little oyle and that she was come forth to gather sticks to the end she might bake the same and make bread for her selfe and her sonne and when they had eaten the same they must needly perish thorow famine because they had not any thing more left them Go said the prophet and be of good courage and conceiue better hopes and when thou hast prepared meate for me bring it me for I tell thee that thy pitcher of meale shall neither faile nor thy pot of oyle be emptie vntill that God send raine vpon the earth When the Prophet had spoken thus she approched neere vnto him and performed that which he commanded and shee her selfe had sufficient to feede vpon and shee gaue the rest vnto her son and to the prophet so that they wanted nothing so long as the drougth continued Menander maketh mention of this default of raine in the acts of Ithobal king of the Tyrians speaking after this manner In his time there was a season without raine from the moneth of October vntill October in the next yeare after but vpon his supplication and request there fell great store of thunder He builded the Citie of Botris in Phenicia Auzate in Libya Doubtlesse he expressed herby the drougth that hapned in Achabs time for about that time Ithobale raigned ouer the Tyrians as Menander testifieth in his historie This woman of whom we haue spoken heretofore that nourished the Prophet seeing her sonne fallen sicke lying senseles as if he had beene alreadie dead or yeelding vp of the ghost wept brake out into such passionate laments as were answerable to her desolate estate said that the cause of her misfortune was in that the Prophet was come into her house and had discouered her sinnes and that for the same cause her sonne was dead But he recomforted her and willed her to be of a good courage and commanded her to bring the child vnto him assuring her that he would restore him to life Now when she had brought him he tooke the child and bare him into his lodging where he remained and laid him on his bed cried out vnto god saying that he had but slenderly recompenced her that had receiued and nourished him if so be her sonne should be taken from her hee therefore besought him that he would returne the soule into the bodie restore life vnto the infant Whereupon God hauing compassion on the mother and being willing to gratifie the Prophet and to the intent that no man might suppose that he came vnto her to endomage her he restored the child to life beyond all expectation For which the mother gaue thanks vnto the Prophet saying that by this meanes she was thorowly perswaded that God had spoken vnto him Not long after hee sought out Achab according as God had commaunded him to let him vnderstand that he should haue raine At that time the famine raigned ouer the whole country and there was great want of necessarie victuals so that men did not onely faint for want of bread but the earth also for want of raine could not bring forth that which was requisite for the sustenance of horses and other cattell The king therefore calling Obediah vnto him who was the master of his heards he commaunded him that he should each way seeke out for fountaines and brookes willing him that if he found out any grasse he should mow the same and giue it to his cattell for their sustenance And whereas by his commaund the Prophet Elias was sought in diuers places and could not be found he willed Obediah also to follow him So taking both of them seuerall waies the king followed one and the master of the cattell an other This Obediah was a godly and vertuous man who when the Prophets were put to death hid one hundreth of them in dens and sustained them with bread and water After this man was departed from the king Elias met with him and asked him what he was which when he had certified him he humbled himselfe on his face before him Elias commaunded him to repaire vnto the king and to certifie him that he was hard at hand Obediah asked him wherein he had offended him that he would make him a minister and messenger vnto him who had sought to kill him and had by-laid the countrey to apprehend him For there was not any streight whither he sent not some of his men to find out Elias with charge that if they found him they should put him to death Now it may so be said he that whilest I repaire vnto the king the spirit of God wherewith thou art fulfilled will carry thee away and the king not finding thee here and frustrate of his desire will reuenge himselfe on my head Be thou not therefore so secure by
this cause he was sought for by the kings wife that he might be done to death The voice replied againe and commaunded him to shew himselfe openly assuring him that he should vnderstand that which it behooued him to performe Hereupon as soone as it was day he forsooke the caue he heard an earthquake and saw a light and after all things were appeased the heauenly voice which proceeded he knew not from whence willed him that he should in no waies be discomforted with that which he saw for that no one of his enemies should haue power to hurt him charging him to return vnto his house to the intent to proclaime Iehu the son of Nimsi king of the people and Azael of Damasco king of the Syrians certifying him that in his place Elizeus of the citie of Abela should be prophet and that the wicked people should be destroied the one by Azael the other by Iehu When Elias had heard these things he returned into the countrey of the Hebrewes and met Elizeus the son of Saphat at the cart and with him diuers others driuing before them twelue couple of oxen him did he approch and cast vpon him his garment who instantly began thereupon to prophetize so that forsaking his oxen he followed Elias Yet required he him that before his departure hee might take leaue of his parents which licence when he had obtained he committed them vnto God and followed Elias attending on him during all the terme of his life like his disciple and seruant This issue had the affaires of this so excellent a Prophet But a certaine Citizen called Naboth of the Citie of Azar had a vineyard neere vnto the lands of Achab who required him that he would sell him the same at what price he thought conuenient at his owne election to the intent he might annex the same to his owne lands and make them all but one possession wishing him that if he would not sell it him for siluer to choose in exchange thereof any one field of his that best liked him Naboth answered him that he would not doe it but that he intended to gather the fruit of his owne land himselfe which he had receiued as an inheritance from his father The King no lesse tormented then if he had lost his owne inheritance in that he might not bee master of an other mans patrimony would neither wash nor receiue any sustenance For which cause Iezabel his wife questioned with him as touching the cause of his discontent and how it came to passe that he neither washt dinde nor supt who told her of Naboths rude behauiour and how hauing vsed al iust and reasonable composition vnto him in abasing himselfe more then his royall authoritie permitted he had been outraged by him in that he obtained not the thing which he requested at his hands Hereupon Iezabel willed him to be of good cheer aduising him that dismissing his displeasure he should continue his ordinarie entertainment because she her selfe would take vpon her to reuenge him on Naboth Wherupon she presently sent letters in Achabs name to the gouernours of the countrey whereby she enioyned them to celebrate a fast and to assemble the people charging them that in that place Nabotl should haue a seat prepared for him by reason of his birth nobilitie willing them afterwards that suborning three impudent and false witnesses to depose against him that he had blasphemed against God and the king they should by this meanes and for this occasion cause him to be stoned and put to death by the people All which was performed according as the Queene had written and Naboth conuinced by false witnesse for scandalizing both God and the King was stoned by the people and put to death When Iezabel had tidings hereof she repaired to the kings presence and told him that he should enioy Naboths vineyard and disburse nothing for the same But God displeased with this her wickednesse sent the Prophet Elias purposely to meete with Achab in Naboths ground and to tell him that he iniustly possessed the lawfull inheritance of a legitimate heire whom he had done to death As soone as the King perceiued that he came vnto him supposing it to be vnseemely for a king to be reproued he first of all confessed the fault and offered him to make restitution according to his arbitrement Then did the prophet foretel him that in the same place where Naboths carkasse was consumed by dogs that both his and his Queenes bloud should be shed and that all his race should be destroied for that they durst commit such an impietie and so wickedly slaughter against all law so good and guiltlesse a Citizen At length Achab vpon these words was seazed with displeasure repented for the offence he had committed so that apparelling himselfe in sackcloth and walking barefoote he tasted not any meate but confessed his sinnes vnder hope to appease Gods wrath For which cause God certified him by the Prophet that during his life time the punishment of his race should be deferred because he had repented him of his misdeeds but that the threats and menaces should take effect in his sonnes time all which Elias signified vnto the king CHAP. VIII Adad King of Damasco and Syria fighteth at two seuerall times with Achab and is ouerthrowne by him WHilest Achabs affaires were after this manner disposed the sonne of Adad that raigned ouer the Syrians and those of Damasco assembled the forces of his whole countrey and associated with himselfe two and thirtie other kings with whom he came and made warre against Achab. Who being farre inferiour to him in forces came not out into the open field to bid him battell but closing vp his souldiers in his strongest cities he himselfe retired into Samaria which was begirt with a very strong wall and generally very hard to be surprised For which cause the Syrian taking his army with him resorted to Samaria and incamping before the same intended to scale and batter the Citie But first of all he sent a Herauld to Achab to require him to giue audience to his embassadours which he would send vnto him by whom he should be certified what his resolution was As soone as the King of Israel had granted them free accesse the embassadours came and according to the kings directions required that Achabs goods his children and wife should be at Adads command which if he would confesse and suffer him to seaze so many of them as best liked him he would leuy the siege and batter the Citie no more Achab gaue the embassadours commission to certifie the King of Syria that both himselfe and all whatsoeuer was his was at his commaund Vpon which answere the King sent a second message vnto Achab enioyning him the next day to admit such of his seruants as hee should send vnto him to search his royall pallace and the houses of his friends and kinsmen and take from
time that he tooke Adad prisoner and deliuered him to that present CHAP. X. Achab fighteth against the Syrians and is ouer come and slaine in the battell HEreupon Achab called for the Prophets who were in number foure hundreth and commaunded them to enquire of God whether he would giue him the victory in that battell which he enterprised against Adad or no and whether he should recouer the Citie which he intended to besiege Who answered and counselled him to hazard the battell in that he should haue the vpper hand ouer the Syrian and should take him prisoner as he had done before time Iosaphat vnderstanding by their words that they were false Prophets asked Achab if he had not any other Prophet of God who might more exactly certifie him of that which might succeed Achab answered that he had one as yet remaining but that he hated him because he prophecied nought else but mishap and misery vnto him and had foretold him that if he should fight against the Syrian he should be ouercome and slaine and for that cause he held him at that time in prison signifying vnto him that his name was Micheas the sonne of Imlah Iosaphat required that he might be brought into his presence which was accordingly performed by one of his Eunuches who by the way certified Micheas that all the other Prophets had prophecied to the king victory But Micheas told him that it was not lawful for him to lye against God but that it concerned him to speake that which God should informe him of concerning the king As soone as he came before Achab and was adiured to speake the truth he said that God had shewed him the Israelites put to flight and dispersed by the Syrians that pursued them no otherwise then sheepe without their shepheard All which signifieth no lesse said hee but that the rest of the people returning home in safetie Achab onely should be slaine in the battell When Micheas had spoken after this manner Achab turning himselfe towards Iosaphat said vnto him I told you before this how this fellow was affected towards me But Micheas constantly auowed that he prophecied nothing but that which God had commaÌded him to speake assuring Achab that he was sollicited by the false Prophets vnto war vnder hope of victory wheras he should assuredly perish in the battel These words of his made Achab much discomforted But Sedechias one of the false Prophets stepped forth and exhorted him to set light by Micheas words the rather for that he spake vntruely And in confirmation of this his allegation he alleaged Elias who was a farre more skilfull Prophet in foretelling things to come then Micheas was yet that the same Elias had foretold that the dogs should licke Achabs bloud in the Citie of Iezrael in the field of Naboth because Naboth had beene stoned to death by the instance of Achab. Whereby it appeared manifestly that since he contradicted a Prophet so excellent as he was he lyed in saying that the king should die within three daies Moreouer said hee it shall appeare whether he be truly sent from God or no if as soon as he shal receiue a buffet from me he cause my hand to wither according as Iadon made Ieroboams hand shrinke at such time as he thought to apprehend him For I thinke said he O king that thou art assuredly informed hereof which said he strooke him and for that no inconuenient fell vpon him by reason of that his audacious attempt Achab assured himselfe and recouered his courage forwardly set forth against the Assyrian army For as it is to be supposed the will of God was of such power that it caused the false Prophets to triumph ouer the true which was the cause that the false prophets were trusted more then the true to the intent that Gods preordained will might be fulfilled But Sedechias made him yron hornes and said vnto Achaâ⦠that God by them signified vnto him that he should ruinate all Syria But Micheas prophecied to the contrarie that within verie few daies Sedechias should walke from cane to caue to hide himselfe and auoid the punishment of his falshood Achab displeased hereat commanded that he should be led thence and kept prisoner with Achmon the gouernour of the Citie yeelding him no other allowance but bread and water for his sustenance Thus marched these two kings with their armies against Ramath which is in Galaad which when the king of Syria vnderstood he drewe his army into the field came out to meet with them and incamped neere vnto Ramath Now was it concluded betwixt these two confederate kings that Achab should enter the battel in a priuate habit and Iosaphat should be inuested with the royall ornaments and supply Achabs person in the battell to the intent that Micheas prediction might be made frustrate But notwithstanding this popular disguise Gods iustice preuented him for Adad king of Syria commaunded his army that they should put no one of the enemy to the sword but only the king of Israel As soone as the charge was giuen the Syrians perceiuing Iosaphat in the front of the army and coniecturing that it was Achab they made head altogither against him and hauing inuironed and pressed him very neerely they perceiued that it was not he for which cause they retired backe againe But although they had fought from the morning vntill the euening and had the vpper hand yet flew they no man because they sought after no other but Achab to put him to the sword whom notwithstanding they could by no meanes meet withall At length one of Adads seruants called Aman shot at randon amongst the enemies and by fortune hurt Achab in the brest and shot him thorow the lungs This hurt of his concealed he from his souldiers for feare least they should be discomforted For which cause he commanded his coachman to driue his chariot out of the battell for that he felt himselfe grieuously and mortally wounded and although he were terribly pained yet sate he in his chariot vntill sunne set at which time his heart failed him and he gaue vp the ghoast When night came the Syrian army withdrew themselues into their campe and receiuing tidings by an Herault that Achab was dead euerie one retired home vnto his house but Achabs body was conueied to Samaria interred in that place As for his chariot it was washed in the fountaine of Iezrael because it had been bebloudied by reason of the kings hurt whereby the truth of Elias prediction was ratified and confirmed for the dogs lickt his bloud from that time forward the common women continually washed themselues in that fountaine He died also in Ramath according as Micheas had foreprophecied Whereas therefore all things befortuned Achab according as two prophets had foretold him it appeareth that we ought to honour and magnifie the maiestie of God in all places and to reuerence his prophecies deliuered by them and
them with their trumpets and the Leuites that they should sing hymnes and thankesgiuings vnto God as if said he our countrey were already deliuered from our enemies This aduise of the kings seemed pleasing vnto them all so that they performed whatsoeuer hee counselled them But God sent a great terror and disorder among the Barbarians so that supposing themselues to be enemies the one against the other they slew one an other in such sort that of so great and huge an host there was not one that escaped But Iosaphat looking downe into the valley wherein the enemies had pitcht their tents and seeing it full of dead men reioyced greatly at the vnexpected succours that God had sent him who had giuen them the victorie not by the dint of their owne swords but by his prouidence and power only He therfore permitted his army to make pillage of the enemies campe and to spoile the dead and so great was the multitude of them that were slaine that scarcely they could gather the spoiles of them in three daies space On the fourth day the people assembled togither in a valley and hollow place where they blessed God for the power and succours he had sent them by reason whereof the place was called the valley of Benediction From thence the king led backe his army into Ierusalem and for diuers daies he spent the time in offering sacrifices and making feasts After this discomfiture of his enemies was published abroad in the eares of forraine nations they were all of them affraid supposing that God did manifestly expresse his power and extend his fauour towards him And from that time forwards Iosaphat liued in great glory in iustice and pietie He likewise was a friend to the King of Israel that raigned at that time who was Achabs sonne with whom he aduentured in a voyage by sea intending to traffique with certaine merchants of Tharsis but he had a great losse for his ships were cast away by reason they were ouer-great and for this cause he had neuer more minde to exercise nauigation Hitherto haue we spoken of Iosaphat king of Ierusalem But as touching Ochozias Achabs sonne who raigned ouer Israel and was resident in Samaria he was a wicked man and resembled his father and mother euery way in his impieties and was nothing inferiour to Ieroboam in wickednes who first fell from God and made the Israelites reuolt from him The tenth yeere of his raigne the king of the Moabites rebelled against him and denied to pay him those tributes which he was wont to pay vnto Achab his father But it came to passe that as Ochozias ascended the staires of his pallace he fell downe from the toppe thereof and being sicke of the fall he sent to Accaron vnto the God called the Myiodis or flie to enquire whether he should recouer that sicknesse or no. But the god of the Hebrewes appeared to Elias the Prophet and commanded him to go and meete those messengers that were sent by Ochozias and to aske them if the people of the Israelites had not a god but that their king sent to forraine gods to enquire of his health and to charge them to returne and declare vnto their king that he should not escape that sicknesse Elias did that which God had ordained and the messengers of the king hauing vnderstood that which was declared vnto them returned backe againe with all expedition vnto him Ochozias meruailing much at their sodaine repaire asked them the cause thereof who answered him that a certaine man came vnto them who forbad them to passe any further but to shorten their way to let your maiestie know said they from God that your sicknesse shall wax worse and worse Hereupon the king commanded them to describe what manner of man he was that spake these words vnto them who answered that he was a hairie man girded with a leatherne belt and vnderstanding hereby that it was Elias he sent a captaine with fiftie souldiers vnto him commanding him to bring the Prophet prisoner vnto him This captaine that was sent perceiuing Elias sitting on the top of a mountaine commanded him to come downe and repaire vnto the king who had sent for him which if he performed not presently and willingly he threatned him to make him doe it perforce Elias answered and said vnto him To the end thou maiest know by thine owne experience that I am a true Propht I will pray that fire may fall from heauen and consume both thee and thy souldiers And incontinently after Elias had praied lightning fell downe from heauen and consumed both the captaine and his souldiers When the King had tidings of this losse he was sore displeased and sent another Captaine to Elias with the like number of soldiers as the first had who threatned the Prophet that if he would not willingly come downe he would violently pull him thence but Elias praied that fire might fall from heauen and incontinently both he and his were consumed in like manner as the first When the King had vnderstanding likewise how his second messengers had sped he sent a third vnto him who being a discreet man and courteous in condition arriuing in the place where by chance Elias was he saluted him verie courteously and said vnto him that contrarie to his owne will and to no other purpose but to fulfill the kings pleasure he was come vnto him and that they that were sent with him came not thither voluntarily but by the same commaund He therefore required him to haue compassion both of him and of his soldiers and to vouchsafe to come downe and to come after them vnto the King Elias tooke pleasure in this his discreete and courteous demeanour so as he descended and followed him As soone as he came before the kings presence he prophecied and told him that God said that since he had despised him and so lightly accounted of him as if he had beene no God or else such a one as had no power to foretell him any truth as touching his sicknes but that he had sent to the gods of the Accaronits to demaund of them as touching the successe of his sicknesse Know said he that thou shalt die And not long time after according to the prophecie he died in such manner as Elias had foretold him his brother Ioram succeeded him in the kingdome because he departed without issue This Ioram was a wicked man also and as impious as his father for abandoning the seruice of the true God he adored straunge gods In all things else he was a man of execution In his time Elias was no more seene amongst men and vntill this day no man knoweth what his ende was But he left a disciple behind him called Elizaeus as we haue heretofore declared It is written in holy writ as touching Elias and Enoch who was before the Deluge that they vanished for no man hath knowne of their
driuen telling Ochozias that they were both of theÌ craftily surprised by treason but Iehu flung a dart at him pierced him thorow and cleft his heart For which cause Ioram instantly fell vpon his knees and died Hereupon Iehu commanded Badac who gouerned the third part of his army to cast Iorams body into Naboths field remeÌbring him of the prophecie of Elias foretold by him to Achab who murthered Naboth namely that he and his race should die in that field For sitting behind Achabs chariot he heard these words pronounced by the prophet In effect it so fell out as he had prophecied When Ioram was fallen downe Ochozias was affraid to be slaine for which cause he turned his chariot to take another way hoping that Iehu would not discouer him But he was pursued and ouertaken in a certaine steepy way and was hurt with an arrow whereupon he forsooke his chariot and being mounted vpon a swift horse he posted to Maggedo where after his wounds had been searched and dressed some few daies he deceased and was carried to Ierusalem and buried there after he had raigned one yeere and surpassed his father in wickednesse CHAP. VI. Iehu raigneth ouer Israel and keepeth his court in Samaria and after him his progeny to the fourth generation AT such time as Iehu arriued at Iezrael Iezabel being on the top of a tower in her princely robes cried out O trustie seruant said she that hath slaine his master He looking vpward asked her what she was commanding her to come downe vnto him at length he charged her Eunuches to cast her downe from the toppe of the tower who in her falling bebloudied the walles and no sooner fell she vpon the ground but that her body was trampled vnder the horses feet vntill she died That done Iehu repaired to the pallace with his friends and reposed himselfe therein commanding his seruants that they should burie Iezabel in respect of the royall race from whence she was descended but they to whom the charge of the obsequies were committed found no part of her body but her hands and head for all the rest was deuoured by dogs Iehu certified hereof wondred at the prophecie of Elias who had foretold that Iezabel should die in that sort in Iezrael Now in that Achabs seuentie sonnes were brought vp in Samaria Iehu sent two letters the one vnto the masters of the infants the other to the gouernours of the Citie giuing them to vnderstand that they should choose one of the most vertuous amongst Achabs children to raign as king ouer them because they had a multitude of strong chariots horses armor men strong Cities to the end that in so doing they might take reuenge on those that slew their lorde and master This did he vnder a colour to sound how the Samaritans were affected towards him When the gouernours and tutors had receiued these letters they were affraid and made account that they could preuaile nothing against him who had preuailed alreadie against two mightie kings For which cause they wrote backe vnto him acknowledging him for their soueraigne and offering themselues in all dutie to be vnder his subiection Wherupon Iehu sent back vnto them againe commanding them that to expresse their obedience they should send him the heads of Achabs children deuided from their shoulders Which command of his they failed not to execute but presently packed vp the heads in panniers and sent them vnto him to Iezrael As soon as they were brought thither tydings therof was carried to Iehu as he sate at supper with his friends who commanded that they should be laid in two heapes at the Citie gates on either side thereof Which done he issued out as soone as it was day to see them and beholding them he began to tell those that accompanied him that he had voluntarily armed himselfe against his master and slew him but as touching those whom they saw there he had no waies laid hands on them His onely intent was that all men should know that all that which hapned vnto Achabs race was done by the ordinance of God and that his house was destroied according as Elias had foretold And after he had slaine and dispatched both these and all those that were found to be of Achabs race amongst the Israelites he went vnto Samaria and meeting by the way with Ochozias houshold seruants who was king of Ierusalem he asked them whither they went who answered him that they went to salute Ioram and their king Ochozias for they knew not as yet that they were both of them slaine Hereupon Iehu commanded his seruants to lay hands on them and put them to the sword notwithstanding they were fortie two in number After them he met with a vertuous man called Ionadab who in times past had been his ancient friend who embracing him praised his forwardnesse in that he had performed all things according to the will of God in abolishing Achabs house Iehu caused him to mount vp with him in his chariot and accompany him to Samaria telling him that he should well perceiue that he would spare no one wicked man but would punish all the false Prophets and tellers of lies and abusers of the people who had made them forsake the true seruice of God and adore strange gods because the most laudable and allowed spectacle that might encounter a good mans eie was to see the punishment of the wicked Ionadab perswaded by these words mounted vp into his chariot and went with him to Samaria and after Iehu had sought out Achabs kinred he put them to death and intending that no one of his false prophets and priests should escape his hands he assembled theÌ togither by a subtil policy For gathering the people togither he protested that he would haue twise as many gods as Achab had had willing that all the priests ministers that belonged vnto them should present themselues for that he intended to celebrate rich and magnificent sacrifices to Achabs gods protesting that whatsoeuer Priest should be absent he should lose his head Now this god whom Achab honoured was called Baal Hauing in this sort assigned a day wherin he would offer sacrifice he sent thorow all the countrey of Israel charging all Baals priests to repaire vnto him and commanding that each of them might haue their vestments giuen them As soone as they were apparelled he resorted to his lodging accompanied with his friend Ionadab and commanded that a search should be made amongst them to espie whether any one of contrary quality or condition were medled with theÌ for that he intended that no stranger should be amongst the priests When as therefore he vnderstood that none but the priests were in that assembly euen at such time as they began to offer sacrifice he caused them to bee inclosed by fourescore souldiers whom he esteemed to be most trustie whom he commanded to kil the false prophets and to punish them
and feasted for diuers daies Thus after the death of Athalia the citie was in quiet Ioas was 7. yeers old at such time as he was made king his mother was called Sabia was of the town Bersabe He carefully obserued the lawes and highly affected the seruice of God all his life time and when he grew to mans estate he maried two wiues which the high Priest gaue him by whom he had sonnes and daughters This is all that I haue thought good to declare as concerning Ioas both how he escaped Athalias treasons and obtained the kingdome CHAP. VIII Azael King of Damasco leuieth an army and first of all assaulteth the Israelites and after marcheth forward against Ierusalem BVt Azael king of Syria making warre against the Israelites and against their king Iehu destroyed the countrey on the other side of Iordan and all the easterne tract inhabited by the Rubenites Gadites and Manassites Furthermore he burnt spoyled Galaad and Bathanaea violenting and outraging all those that he met withall For Iehu went not out against him to resist him but being become a contemner of God a despiser of pietie and his lawes he died after he had raigned seuen and twentie yeares ouer the Israelites he was buried in Samaria and left behind him Ioas his sonne to succeed him in the kingdome But Ioas king of Ierusalem conceiued a certaine desire to renewe the Temple for which cause calling vnto him Ioiada the high Priest he commaunded him to send thorow all the countrey the Leuites and Priests and to leuie vpon euery one of their heads halfe a sicle of siluer for the building reparation of the temple which was fallen into decay in Ioram Athalia and her followers times But the high Priest would not obey him herein knowing well that no man would willingly disburse money But in the three and twentith yeare of his raigne the king sent both for Ioiada and the Leuites also and expostulated with them for disobeying his commandement enioyning them from that time forth to prouide for the building of the Temple Wherupon the high Priest vsed present dispatch in leuying the money wherewith the people were highly contented He therefore made a chest of wood closed on euerie side except that on the vpper lid thereof there was a little cranny left open which he placed neere vnto the Altar commaunding that euerie one should offer according to his deuotion and put in his offering thorowâ⦠the cranny into the coffer to be imployed in the repairing of the Temple whereunto all the people shewed themselues affectionate so that they gathered together a great quantitie of gold and siluer with great zeale and when the cofer was filled it was emptied and the account thereof taken and sumde vp by the secretary and high Priest in the kings presence and afterwards all was brought together into one assigned place which order was obserued euery day And when as it was supposed that there was sufficient money gathered the high Priest Ioiada and king Ioas hired masons and carpenters and prepared great beames of excellent timber After that the Temple was repaired they imployed the remainder of gold and siluer which was of no small quantitie to make cuppes pots and vessels and other vtensils and euery day offered they sacrifice of great value vpon the Altar and this custome was continued so long as Ioiada liued But after his decease which hapned in the hundreth and thirtith yeare of his age after he had liued a iust and vpright life and was interred in the sepulcher of Dauid in Ierusalem because he had established the kingdome in Dauids posteritie king Ioas had no more care to serue God and with him the rest of the gouernours of the people were corrupted in contradiction of the lawes and ordinances which they knew were verie conuenient for them For which cause God being prouoked by this change and incensed against the king and the rest sent his Prophets vnto them to protest to expostulate with them for their offences and to withdraw them from their iniquitie But they pursued sinne the more vehemently so that neither the punishments by which they who had offended God before times had beene plagued with all their posterities neither all the aduertisments giuen them by the Prophets could induce them to amend or to forsake those sinnes wherein they were engaged but that which is worst King Ioas stoned Zacharie Ioiadas sonne and put him to death in the Temple forgetting himselfe most vngratefully of the benefits he had receiued by his father And the occasion was for that Zachary hauing receiued a charge from God to prophecy came into the midst of the people and counsailed both them him to follow iustice foretelling them that they should be grieuously punished except they did beleeue This Zachary did at his death call God to witnesse and iudge of those calamities he endured in dying grieuously and violently for the good counsaile which he had giuen them and the benefits which his father had in times past done vnto Ioas. But many daies passed not before the king suffered due punishment for these misdeeds For Azael king of the Syrians inuaded his countrey and after he had first of all ruinated Gitta he marched forward with an intent to besiege him at last in Ierusalem Ioas desperate of all succours emptied all the treasures of God and those of the kings and tooke away the presents that were hung vp in the Temple and sent them to the Syrian redeeming the siege by this meanes least he should be drawen into hazard to lose all The Syrian pacified with such and so great riches and aboundant treasure suffered not his army to passe to Ierusalem After this Ioas was seazed with a greeuous sicknes and to the intent that the death of Zachary the sonne of Ioiada might not escape vnreuenged his friends conspired against him and he died by their hands He was entombed in Ierusalem but not in the sepulcher of his ancestors because he had fallen from God He liued seuen and fortie yeares CHAP. IX Amasias king of Ierusalem made warre against the Idumaeans and Amalechites and obtained the victory AMasias his sonne succeeded him in the kingdome But in the one and twentith yeare of Ioas raigne Ioachas the sonne of Iehu tooke possession of the kingdome of Israel in Samaria and was seazed thereof for the space of seuenteene yeares But he followed not his fathers steps but rather behauing himselfe impiously according as his predecessors in the kingdom contemners of God had done For which cause the king of Syria subdued him and cut off a great part of his dominions and tooke his greatest cities from him and defeated his armies so that at length he had but ten thousand footmen and fiue hundreth horsemen All which hapned to the Israelits according to the prophecy of Elizeus which he foretold vnto Azael at such time as he prophecied
his wofull predictions had weakned the hearts of the people which were otherwaies readie to fight for him and their countrey by reason that he flying vnto the enemie menaced them with the surprisal and vtter ruine of their Citie But the king in regard of the naturall humanitie and iustice that was in him was not any waies whetted in respect of his owne interest yet to the intent he might not seeme to be vtterly opposed to the gouernours by contradicting them he deliuered the Prophet into their hands to deale with him howsoeuer they pleased Who hauing obtained this libertie from the king entred the prison on the sodaine and laying hold on Ieremy they let him downe into a pit full of mud to the intent he might die in that place and be strangled by the ordure in effect he was set therein vp to the necke But one of the kings seruants an Aethiopian by nation certified the king of the Prophets affliction assuring him that his friends and gouernours did not iustly so to thrust and burie the Prophet in the mud and cursedly to conspire against him tyring him with bonds and tortours worse then death For which cause the king hearing this newes was sorie that he had deliuered the Prophet to the gouernours and commaunded the Aethiopian to take thirtie men of his court with him with cords and such other things necessary as might concerne the safetie of the Prophet charging him with all expedition to deliuer him from that captiuitie Hereupon the Aethiopian furnished with men and necessarie meanes drew the Prophet out of the mud and dismissed him without any gard That done the king sent for him in secret demaunding of him if he had any message to deliuer him from God praying him to let him vnderstand what soeuer he knew as touching the successe of the siege The Prophets answere was that although he should tel him yet it would not be beleeued that if he should exhort him he would not giue eare or listen vnto him But said he O king thy friends haue condemned me to death as if I had beene a most wretched malefactor But where are they now at this present that haue deceiued thee and bore thee in hand saying that the Babylonian would not come and besiege thee Now will I take heed how I tell thee the truth for feare least thou condemne me to death Hereupon the king swore vnto him that he should not die neither that he would deliuer him into the hands of the gouernours for which cause Ieremie grounding himselfe vpon the faith which he had plighted vnto him counselled the king to yeeld vp the Citie to the Babylonian because that God had willed him to signifie vnto the king that if he would saue his life and auoid the imminent daunger and saue his Citie from vtter ruine and preserue the temple from burning he should submit or otherwise that none but he should be the cause of all these euils that should happen vnto the Citie and Citizens and of that calamitie that should confound both him and all his familie When the king heard this he told him that he would doe according as he had counselled him and performe whatsoeuer he thought necessarie to be done but that he feared his friends who were alreadie of the Babylonian faction least being accused by them he should be deliuered by their meanes and the kings displeasure vnto death But the prophet encouraged him telling him that his feare was in vaine assuring him that he should suffer no euill if so be he yeelded vp the Citie and that neither his wife nor children nor the sacred temple should either endure desaster death or ouerthrow Vpon these words the king dismissed Ieremy charging him to communicate the counsell that was held betweene them to no one of the Citizens no not to the princes if so be they should light on any inckling of their conference or aske of him whether the king had sent for him aduising him to answere if so be they were inquisitiue that he resorted to the king to request him that he might be no more imprisoned all which the Prophet performed for they instanced him verie much to know for what cause the king had sent for him CHAP. X. Ierusalem is taken and the people carried into Babylon by Nabuchodonosor MEane while the Babylonian continued his violent siege against the Citie of Ierusalem and hauing raised towers vpon certaine bulwarks he droue away by this meanes all those that approched neere vnto the walles he raised also round about the circuit of the Citie diuers platformes that equalled the walles in height Meane while the Citie was as valiantly and couragiously defended by the inhabitants for neither pestilence nor famine plucked down their spirits And although that within the Citie they were tormented with these scourges yet were not their resolutions distracted by the warre neither did the enemies inuentions astonish them nor their engines affright them but that they inuented new countermines so that all the battel betwixt the Babylonians and Iewes seemed to be a trial both of valour art whilest these by the one doe assuredly hope to surprise the Citie and the other thought their safetie consisted herein if they ceased not by new inuentions to frustrate their enemies endeuours And in this estate continued they both for the space of eighteene moneths vntill they were consumed by famine and by the darts that were shot against them by those that shot from the towers At length the Citie was taken by the princes of Babylon in the eleuenth yeare of the raigne of Zedecias the ninth day of the fourth moneth who were put in trust by Nabuchodonosor to performe the siege For touching his owne person he made his aboad in the Citie of Reblata Now if any man be desirous to know the names of them that had commaundement at such time as Ierusalem was surprised these they be Nergelear Aremantus Emegar Nabosar and Echarampsar The Citie being taken about midnight the princes of the enemies armie entered into the temple which when Zedecias vnderstood he tooke his wiues and his children with the princes and his friends and fled thorow a great valley by the desart which when the Babylonians vnderstood by certaine Iewes that were reuolted and had submitted themselues vnto them they arose earely in the morning to pursue them and ouertooke and surpised them neere vnto Iericho Whereupon those princes and friends of Zedecias that had taken their flight with him seeing the enemies neere vnto them forsooke him scattering themselues heere and there concluded each of theÌ to saue himselfe When as therefore the enemies had apprehended him who was attended by a few followers only and accompanied by his children wiues they brought him vnto the kings presence who no sooner beheld him but he called him wicked and perfidious and vpbraided him with breach of his promise and contempt of his maiestie to whom he had
in the fift yeere after the destruction of Ierusalem which was the three and twentith yeere of the raigne of Nabuchodonosor Nabuchodonosor in his owne person led his army into Coelosyria and hauing conquered the same he made warre vpon the Ammonites and Moabites And after he had brought these nations vnder his obeisance he went and sought against the king of Aegypt and ouercame him and after he had slaine their king that gouerned at that time and planted an other in his place he afterwards tooke the Iewes that he found in that countrey and carried them prisoners into Babylon By this means we haue learned that the state of the Hebrewes being brought to this point hath bin translated twise to the other side of Euphrates For the people of the two tribes were captiued by the Assyrians during the raigne of Oseas and consequently that of the two tribes vnder Nabuchodonosor king of the Babylonians and Chaldees vpon the taking in of Ierusalem True it is that Salmanazar after he had displaced the Israelites planted the Chutheans in their place who beforetime inhabited the innermost of the countries of Persia and Media and were called Samaritanes according to the name of the place which they inhabited but the Babylonian hauing led the two tribes prisoners hath not planted any other people in their places For this cause Iudaea Ierusalem and the temple remained desert for the space of seuentie yeeres and all the time that passed betweene the captiuitie of the Israelites vntill the destruction of the two tribes was a hundreth and thirtie yeeres six moneths and ten daies But Nabuchodonosor chose the most noblest yoong men amongst the Iewes and such as were allied to king Sedecias and esteemed likewise for the good disposition and faire proportion of their bodies and faces and committed them to masters to be instructed commaunding that euery one of them should be gelded according as they were accustomed to deale with yoong children of other nations whom he subdued by force He allowed them victuall from his owne table and they were taught and instructed in the disciplines of the countrey and in the Chaldeetoong These were verie apte to learne wisedome and for that cause he commanded that they should be trained vp in the exercise thereof Of these there were foure of Zedechias kindred faire in body and vertuous in nature who were called Daniel Ananias Misael and Azarias whose names the Babylonian changed and willed them to be called by other names distinct and different from their own Daniel was called Balthasar Ananias Sidrach Misael Misach and Azarias Abdenago These did the king esteeme very highly for their excellent nature and for the great affection that they had to attaine vnto learning and wisedome wherein they profited greatly and were for that cause highly reckoned of by him And whereas Daniel and his kinsemen thought good to liue austerely and to abstaine from those meates that came from the kings table and in generall from all things that had life they went vnto Askenas the Eunuch who had the care and charge ouer them beseeching him to conuert those meates to his owne vse which were sent them from the kings table and to allow them herbes and dates and such things as had no life because they intended to hold that course of life and to forsake all other Askenas told them that he was ready to condescend vnto their demaunds but that he feared least being called for by the king they should be found to be leane in body and discoloured in face for without doubt in following that diet they must needly lose their colours and be lesse dispost in comparison of others which might be the cause to bring him into hazard of his head They perceiuing that Askenas intended nought els but his securitie perswaded him to allow them but ten daies of approbation vnder condition that if by that regiment of diet their habitude of body should not be any waies altered they might continue in that fashion of life and diet which they had intended from that day forwards but if they should be found leane and weake and lesse proportionable then they that sed vpon the kings allowance that then they should returne to their accustomed diet Now it so fell out that not onely their bodies were better in growth but they seemed rather better fed and of a taller statute then the rest so that they that liued vpon the kings ordinarie seemed leane and wearish where as Daniel and his companions made shew as if they had beene nourished with dainties and brought vp in aboundance From that time forward Askenas tooke all that which was allowed the foure yoong men from the kings table and boldly kept it to himselfe giuing them in steed thereof the diet that they chose and delighted in They hauing their spirits more pure and subtill to comprehend their masters instructions and their bodies more strong to endure labour for their spirits were not charged with diuersitie of meates nor their bodies effeminated for the same cause attained the more readily to all that doctrine that was taught them by the Hebrewes and Chaldees Daniel especially hauing profited in wisedome studied the interpretation of dreames and God appeared vnto him Two yeeres after the surprisall of Aegypt king Nabuchodonosor dreamed a wonderfull dreame the issue whereof God made him see in a dreame but he forgat the same when he arose out of his bed And for that cause sent he for his Chaldees and diuines telling them that he had dreampt a dreame but that he had forgot the same commanding them to declare vnto him what the dreame was and the signification thereof also Whereunto they answered that it was impossible for men to sound out the secret thereof notwithstanding they promised him that if he would declare his vision vnto them they would cause him to vnderstand the signification thereof Hereupon Nabuchodonosor threatned them with death except they represented his dreame vnto him and they protesting that they could not fulfill his request he commanded them all to be slaine But Daniel hearing how the King had condemned all the sages to death and knowing that both he and his companions had part in that danger addressed himselfe to Ariochus the captaine of the Kings guard requiring him to informe him for what cause the king had adiudged the Chaldees and sages to be put to death And hauing intelligence what had hapned as touching the dream how the king by forgetting the same had charged them to informe him therin how they had answered that it was impossible for them to performe the same and how thereby they had prouoked the king to displeasure he besought Ariochus to go vnto the king and to procure one nights repriue in the behalfe of the Aegyptians and Chaldees in that he hoped during that night time to beseech God and intreat from him both the dreame and the signification thereof Hereupon Ariochus told the king what Daniel had requested
neither touch nor approch Daniel because they had beene fed and gorged before For which cause the king displeased with their iniurious malice commanded a quantitie of flesh to be cast vnto the Lyons and when they were glutted he willed that Daniels enemies should be cast among them to the intent he might know whether the Lyons would touch them or no when they were gorged At which time Darius saw verie manifestly that God had by his power warranted Daniel from death For as soone as the nobles were cast into the den the Lyons spared not one of them but tore them all in pieces as if they had beene hungry and without meate I suppose that these Lyons hauing been a little before glutted with meat did not annoy these men by reason of their famine but I rather iudge that their malignitie did whet on their furie for when as God so pleaseth vnreasonable creatures doe iustice vpon malignant and enuious men Daniels aduersaries being in this sort exterminated and destroied Darius gaue notice hereof to all the subiects of his prouinces praysing that God whom Daniel adored saying that he was the onely true God who had all power he honoured Daniel likewise with especiall regard esteeming him amongst the chiefest of his familiars He therefore being thus famous and admirable because he was beloued by God builded in Ecbatane in the countrey of the Medes a magnificent castle and a meruailous monument that remaineth euen vnto this day which seemeth to those that looke thereon that it is but newly builded and made but that very day which they behold the sarine the beautie thereof seemeth so liuing and perfect as that continuance of time doth in no sort deface it For it fareth with buildings as with men they wax olde and are enfeebled by yeeres and lose their beauty at this day all the kings of Media Persia and Parthia are entombed in this Castle and the charge thereof is committed to a priest who is a Iew and this custome continueth euen vntill this day Neither is that to be buried in silence which is worthy especiall admination in this man For all exceeding felicitie that was incident to a most famous Prophet attended him and during his whole life time he was both most highly honoured by kings and reuerenced by the common sort and after his death his memorie is perdurable For all the bookes which he left in writing are red amongst vs euen at this present and we haue been perswaded by the reading thereof that Daniel had conference with God For he hath not onely prophecied of things to come as other Prophets haue done but also hath determined the time wherein those things should happen And whereas other Prophets were accustomed to foretell aduersities and for that occasion were misliked both by princes and their people Daniel foretold them alwaies good successe so that he hath drawne vnto him the good will of all men by reason of those pleasing predictions that he pronounced and by the issues thereof he hath obtained a testimony of truth and a reputation likewise of diuinity and hath left vs certain writings by which he hath manifestly declared the immutabilitie and exact certaintie of his prophecies It is said that being at Susa the Metropolitane Citie of Persia at such time as he walked abroad attended by his familiars that there fel an earthquake with a great noise so that he was left alone and all his companions fled from him And that thereupon being sore troubled he fell vpon his face and both his hands at which time some one touched him and commaunded him to stand vp and to see that which should happen to his countrimen after diuers ages Being therefore raised vpright there was a great ramme shewed vnto him that had diuers hornes the last whereof was the greatest of all Afterwards he looked towards the west and perceiued a goat carried thorow the ayre that butted at the ramme and hauing encountred him twise had beaten and trampled him vnder his feete Thirdly he saw a goat in whose forehead there grew one great horne onely which being broken foure others broke out in steed thereof bending each of them towards the foure windes of the world He hath written also that from them there shal arise another little one also which as God who presented the vision to him told him being growne to perfection should warre against the whole nation of the Iewes and take the Citie by force and confound the estate of the temple and hinder the sacrifices for one thousand two hundreth ninety and six daies Daniel writeth that he saw these things in the field of Susa and hath declared that God himselfe told him what that vision signified which was that the Ramme signified the kingdomes of the Persians and the Medes His hornes signified the kings that were to raigne in those kingdomes and that the last horne signified the last king who should surpasse all the rest in riches and glorie That the goat signified that there should come a certaine king among the Greekes who should fight at two seuerall times with the Persian and should ouercome him in warre and afterwards possesse the whole gouernment And that by the great horne that grew in the front of the Goat the first King was represented and how that after he was taken away fower other should spring thereout And whereas euerie one of these turned themselues toward the foure corners of the world it was a signe that after the death of the first he should haue foure successors that should depart the kingdome betweene them who neither should be his allies or children yet such notwithstanding as should commaund the world for many yeares That from them there should arise a certaine King that should oppose himselfe against the Hebrewe nation and their lawes and should ouerthrow their pollicy spoyle their temple and be a let that for three yeares space the sacrifices should not be solemnized Now so hath it hapned that our nation hath beene so handled vnder Antiochus the famous as Daniel had foreseene and hath written diuers yeares before all that which should happen At the same time Daniel wrote as touching the Empyre of the Romanes how it should destroy our nation and hath left all these things in writing according as God declared them vnto him so that they who read and consider those things that haue hapned admire Daniel for the honour that God dignified him with and find thereby that Epicures erre who driue all diuine prouidence from humaine life and affirme that God gouerneth not the affaires of the world or that the world is administred by a happie and incorruptible essence which causeth all things to continue in their being but say that the world is mannaged by it selfe by casualtie without any conductor or such a one as hath care thereof For if it were so and that it were destitute of a soueraigne gouernour as we see shippes destitute of their pilots
sacrificed vpon the altar of thy God and to make whatsoeuer vessels of gold or siluer which either thou or thy brethren shall thinke meete Those sacred vessels also which are giuen thee thou shalt dedicate vnto thy God and if there be ought els requisite in this behalfe that according to thy wisedome shalt thou prouide and the charges shalt thou receiue out of my treasurie I haue also commended thee to the treasurers of Syria and Phoenicia and haue written to them that whatsoeuer Esdras the priest and reader of the lawe of God shall require they shall presently deliuer it him And to the end that God may be fauourable to me and my children my will is that a hundreth measures of wheat be giuen vnto God according to the law I commaund you also that are magistrates that you exact nothing neither impose any taxations on the Priests Leuites sacred singing men porters or holy officers But thou Esdras according to the wisedome giuen thee from aboue shalt appoint Iudges who shall in Syria and Phoenicia execute iustice vnto the people according to the science of the law Teach thou likewise freely all such as are ignorant so that whosoeuer violateth either Gods or the kings law he may be fined or els condemned to death as not sinning thorow ignorance but of contumacie Farewell When Esdras had receiued this letter he was wonderfully contented and began to adore God confessing openly that it was he who was the author of that fauour he had receiued at the kings hands for which cause he said that the onely thankesgiuing appertained to him And after he had read this letter vnto the Iewes that were at that time residentin Babylon he kept the originall but sent the copy to all those of his nation being in the countrey of the Medes who vnderstanding of the kings affection towards God and his fauour towards Esdras were very ioyful and diuers amongst them tooke their goods and came vnto Babylon desiring to returne to Ierusalem but all the rest of the Israelites would not abandon or leaue their quiet dwelling there For which cause it came to passe that two tribes were vnder the obedience of the Romans in Asia and Europe but the ten tribes were on the other side of Euphrates euen vntill this day being many infinites of thousands whose number may not be comprehended With Esdras there departed a great number of Priests Leuites porters singing men and seruants of the temple Now after that he had assembled those of the captiuitie that inhabited on this side Euphrates and soiourned there three daies he commanded them to solemnize a fast and to pray vnto God for his preseruation and that no euill might happen vnto him and that neither their enemies nor any other might doe them any violence For Esdras had foretold the king that God would be their protector and that therefore he required no conuoy of horsemen at his hand for his securitie After that they had recommended themselues vnto God they set forward on their way the twelfth day of the first moneth of the seuenth yeere of the raigne of Zerxes and arriued in Ierusalem in the fift moneth of the same yeere Whereupon he incontinently presented vnto the treasurers who were of the race of the Priests the siluer that was consecrated namely six hundreth and fiftie talents and siluer vessell a hundreth talents of vessell of golde twenty talents of brasen vessell more precious then gold waying twelue talents These were the presents of the king and his friends and of the Israelites that dwelt in Babylon When Esdras had deliuered these abouenamed presents vnto the hands of the priests he offered burnt offrings vnto God according to the law namely twelue bulles for the publike conseruation of the people 72. rammes and lambes twelue goates for the expiation of sinne And after them he deliuered the kings letters to his princes and gouernors in Coelosyria and Phoenicia who being constrained to execute that which was enioyned them by the king honoured the nation of the Iewes and supplied them euerie waies in their necessities This counsaile had Esdras himselfe giuen of their departure But in my opinion God hauing regard of his wisedome and integritie did happely aduance his deliberation Not long after this there came certaine men vnto him complaining that some of the people Priests and Leuites had transgressed against the pollicie and broken the lawes of the countrey for that they had espoused certaine strange women and confounded the race of the Priests requiring him that he would haue an inward regard to Gods ordinances for feare least he conceiuing a generall hatred against them all should send them anew some grieuous calamities For which cause Esdras deuoured with sorrowe incontinently rent his clothes and tore his haire and pulled his beard and cast himselfe vpon the ground because the principals amongst the people had part in that offence And for that he feared least if he should commaund them to forsake their wiues and those children they had begotten by them he should not be obeyed he persisted in griefe and lay continually couched vpon the ground Whereupon all those resorted vnto him who were not guiltie and wept and lamented with him for that which had hapned Whereupon Esdras raising himselfe from the earth and lifting vp his hands to heauen said that he was ashamed to looke thereupon because the offences of the people were so hainous who had forgotten the inconuenients that had befallen their forefathers for their impieties beseeching God that he would reserue some remainder and seede of the aduersitie and captiuitie which at that time hapned vnto theÌ that he would once more establish theÌ again in Ierusalem their natiue countrey that he would take compassion of them and grant them pardon for those sins which at that present were coÌmitted by them for which though they deserued death yet hoped they in the mercies of God for their deliuerance Whilest thus both he and those that came vnto him lamented round about him with their wiues and children a certaine man called Achonius one of the principall men of Ierusalem repaired vnto him and said that they had sinned because they had espoused straunge women and perswaded Esdras to adiure them all to banish both them and the children begotten by them wishing that they who obeied not the law might be punished Esdras perswaded by these words made all the Princes of the Priests Leuites and tribes of Israel sweare that they would dismisse their wiues and children according to the counsaile of Achonius And as soone as he had receiued their othes he departed from the temple vnto Iohns house the sonne of Eliasib and there spent he all the day without tasting any meat by reason of the griefe which so inwardly he had conceiued Whenas therefore it was published by edict that all they that were returned from the captiuitie should repaire within two or three daies to Ierusalem vnder the penalty
he commaunded him to honour Nehemias and to furnish him with all things necessarie for that building which he intended As soone as he came to Babylon he tooke diuers of his countrimen with him who willingly followed him went with him vnto Ierusalem in the fiue and twentith yeare of the raigne of Xerxes and after he had presented his letters before God he deliuered them to Sadeas and the other gouernours Afterwards assembling the people in Ierusalem he stood vp in the midst of them and spake vnto the whole congregation to this effect You men of Iury there is none of you but knoweth that God hath our forefathers Abraham Isaac and Iacob in perpetuall memorie and that in regard of their iustice he hath neuer failed to haue care of vs by his mercy likewise I haue receiued the fauour from the king to repaire your wals and finish the rest of the temple I therefore pray you who are assuredly perswaded of the enuie and hatred the neighbouring nations beare vnto you who hearing that we are intent and busie in our building will ouerpresse vs and labour by all meanes possible to hinder vs first to assure your selues in Gods prouidence who will oppose himselfe against the hatred which they beare vs and afterwards to intermit neither day nor night in prosecution of the building but with all care continue the worke in that the oportunitie of the time doth challeng our diligence therein After he had spoken to this effect he gaue order that the gouernours should take the measure of the wall and distribute the taske amongst the people according to the burroughs and townes and according to euerie mans abilitie and after he had promised to imploy both himselfe and all his family therein he dismissed the assembly Hereupon the Iewes incited by his authoritie addressed themselues to the worke which name of Iewes was first imposed both on them and their religion by reason of the tribe of Iuda who first of all came into these places The Ammonites Moabites Samaritanes and all the inhabitants of Coelesyria vnderstanding the walles were raised with such haste and diligence were sore agrieued and resolued with themselues to lie in ambush and to hinder them in their deliberations so that they slew diuers Iewes and sought the meanes likewise to murther Nehemias himselfe and hauing hired certaine strangers with money to commit the fact they layd in waite for him They bred also a feare and trouble amongst them by spreading certaine rumors that diuers nations intended to make war against them by which reports being too much distracted they desisted somewhat in the prosecution of their building Yet none of these things could weaken Nehemias diligence or resolution but that keeping a court of guard round about him he instantly prosecuted his purpose setting light by all occurrents so great was his affection to accomplish his intent And for that cause did he carefully and intentiuely stand vpon his guard not for that he feared death but for that he beleeued that after his departure the Iewes would not finish the building of the walles He commanded afterwards that the workemen in their trauell should haue their furnitures fast by them so that both Masons and labourers carried their swords Moreouer he gaue order that they should haue their targets by them and he placed certaine trumpeters some fiue hundreth foote distant the one from the other charging them that as soone as they discouered the enemy from any part they should incontinently sound the allarum and giue notice vnto the people to arme themselues and prepare for the fight for feare they should be surprised and found naked He himselfe also walked the round about the citie by night time with an indefatigable courage and without either eating or sleeping at his pleasure but onely for necessitie sake and this labour endured he for the space of two yeeres and three moneths For the wall of Ierusalem was builded againe in that time in the eight and twentith yeere of the raigne of Xerxes and in the ninth moneth After the Citie was fortified Nehemias and the people offered sacrifices vnto God and spent eight daies in feasting When the rumor was spred abroad that this building was finished the inhabitants of Syria were sore displeased But Nehemjas perceiuing that the Citie was weakely manned besought the Priests and Leuites to forsake their dwellings without the Citie and to come and dwell within and to that intent he builded them houses vpon his owne charge He ordained likewise that they that intended their husbandry should bring the tenths of their fruits vnto Ierusalem to the intent that the Priests and Leuits by enioying their continnall maintenance might intermit no time in the seruice of God wherein he was willingly obeied By this meanes the Citie of Ierusalem was very well peopled After that Nehemias had honourably executed diuers other worthy actions deseruing praise he died at such time as he was loaden with age He was a man of a good nature iust and highly affectionated towards his countrey he left the Citie of Ierusalem incompassed with a wall for a perpetuall memorie of his loue vnto his countrey All these things hapned during the raigne of Xerxes CHAP. VI. How during the raigne of Artaxerxes the whole nation of the Iewes were in danger to bee extinguished by Amans trecherie AFter the death of Xerxes the kingdome fell to Cyrus his sonne who by the Graecians was called Artaxerxes Vnder his gouernment all the race of the Iewes both men women and children were in danger to be vtterly exterminated the cause whereof I will hereafter declare But first of all it behooueth me to speake somewhat of the king and to declare how it came to passe that he married an Hebrew woman of the bloud royall by whose meanes as it is said our nation was preserued After that Artaxerxes had taken the kingdome vpon him and established gouernours ouer one hundreth and seuen and twentie prouinces from India as farre as Aethiopia in the third yeere of his raigne he entertained and feasted all his friends with great magnificence the nations of Persia likewise with their gouernours according as it became a king so opulent who was prepared for one hundreth and eightie daies to make shew of his wealth and bounty He feasted after this for the space of 7. daies the Embassadors of all nations in his Citie of Susa and the setting foorth of the banquet was such as ensueth He sate in a tent whose pillers were of golde and siluer couered with linnen and scarlet vailes which were of that greatnes that diuers thousands of men might take their refection therin All the acates were serued in in vessels of gold inriched with precious stones very glorious to behold The king likewise commanded his seruants that attended the feast that they should enforce no man to drinke by filling continually according to the manner of the Persians but to permit
to beseech the King that it might be lawfull for him to put Mardocheus to death Now when the officers had brought the king tydings that Aman was before the pallace they were commanded presently to call him in As soone as he came into the kings presence he said vnto him Knowing that thou art my affectionate and onely friend I prithee giue me thy counsaile how I may condignly honour him according to my greatnesse whom I doe most affectionately loue Aman thinking the aduice he should giue should be giuen for himselfe because he supposed that he only was beloued by the king more then all others counsailed him that which in his opinion was the best in this manner For said he if you intend to inuest the man with glorie who as you say is beloued by you cause him to be mounted vpon a braue horse and let him be apparelled in a royall habit and put a chaine of gold about his necke and let some one of thy chiefest friends march before him and proclaime thorow out the Citie that thus is the man honoured whom the king loueth Aman gaue this counsaile in that he hoped that it should be his owne fortune But the king highly contented with this his aduise turning towards him spake thus vnto him Thou hast a horse a garment and a chaine seeke out therefore the Iewe Mardocheus and giue them him and match thou before him making this publike crie For said he thou art mine inward friend and it is verie decent that the execution of that thing be committed to thy trust which thou hast so faithfully counsailed And this commaund I to be done in this sort because Mardocheus hath been the preseruer of my life Aman hearing these words beyond al expectation was confused in his spirit being wholy discomforted knew not which way to turne him he therefore issued out hauing with him the horse the purple habite and the chaine of gold Meeting therefore with Mardocheus before the pallace who was cloathed in sackcloth he enioyned him to lay his mourning habite aside and to cloath himselfe in purple But he who was wholy ignorant of that which had hapned and supposing that he mocked him said O thou wickedest man amongst men doest thou thus mocke at our afflictions Notwithstanding being afterwards informed that the king had bestowed this honour on him for sauing his life and discouering the trecherie of those Eunuches that would haue slaine him he put vpon him the scarlet habite that the king wore ordinarily and put the chaine about his necke and afterwards mounting his horse he went round about the Citie Aman also walking before him and crying that thus should be dealt and done with him whom the king honoured loued and thought worthy of estimation Now after they had circuited the whole Citie Mardocheus gaue his attendance on the king but Aman came not in presence so much was he ashamed at that which had hapned for which cause he repaired home and told his wife and friends with teares of all that which had hapned who told him that it was no waies possible for him to reuenge himselfe as yet on Mardocheus because God was with him Now whilest they were discoursing and debating this matter togither Esthers Eunuches came to hasten Aman to the banquet and Sabuchadas one of the Eunuches seeing the gibbet erected in Amans lodging whereon he intended to execute Mardocheus demanded of one of the seruants wherefore it was raised vp and vnderstanding that it was for the queenes vncle whom Aman would require at the kings hands to the end he might put him to death for that time he held his peace But when the king being seated with Aman at the banquet required the Queene to declare what she would require that he might grant her she began to lament the danger of hir people saying that she with her whole nation were made a pray to the sword and that for that cause she brake out into that discourse For said she I had not troubled your maiestie neither had I been agrieued if you had commanded that all the Iewes should be sold and led away captiues to extreme miserie for that affliction might haue been borne she therefore praied him to redeeme them from those miseries When as therefore the king demaunded who it was that practised that tyrannic she began publikely to accuse Aman saying that he alone was that wretched and enuious man who had complotted their tragedie Hereupon the king was verie sore troubled and rose from the banquet to depart into the garden then began Aman to pray and beseech Esther to forgiue him his offence for that at that present he was in a daÌgerous estate Now whilest he was fallen vpon her bed to beseech her fauour the king entred and grew the more displeased at that he saw and said O thou cursed amongst men darst thou attempt to enforce my wife Aman was wholy confounded with this question so as he had not a word to answere him Hereupon the Eunuch Sabuchadas stepping forth accused him for that he had found him in his lodging erecting a gibbet for Mardocheus assuring the king that one of his houshold seruants had told him it at such time as he was sent to call him to the banquet alleadging moreouer that the gibbet was fiftie cubits hie Which when the king vnderstood he adiudged Aman to no other death but that which he intended against Mardocheus and thereupon presently commanded that he should be hanged vpon the same gibbet vntill he were dead And in this place it behooueth me to admire the maiestie of God in considering what his wisedome and iustice is in that he not onely punished the wickednesse of Aman as he had deserued but also caused him to fall into the same snare which he had prepared for an other man Thus died Aman who had vniustly abused the kings friendshippe as for his goods they were giuen vnto the Queene After this the king called for Mardocheus vnto him for already he had notice that he was his wiues vncle and gaue him the ring which he had giuen vnto Aman the Queene likewise gaue him his goods and required the King to deliuer the nation of the Iewes from that dismay whereinto they were fallen thorow the perill of their liues letting him see those letters which were sent by Aman the Amadathite thorow all his countries assuring him that she could not liue to behold the death of her brethren and the totall ruine of her countrey The king assured her that he had vndertaken nothing that might discomfort her auowing to her that he would not contradict her will wishing her to write her selfe in the kings name all that which she would haue done in the behalfe of the Iewes promising that when she had done the same he would seale it with his owne seale giuing her authoritie to send the same thorow all his realmes to the end that they that read those letters
any man perceiued any thing in that translation which was either extiperant or deficient he should consider thereupon and giue notice thereof to the end it might be corrected dealing herein verie discreetly to the end that that which had once beene adiudged good should continue inuiolable for euer The king therfore was highly contented seeing his indeuours and purpose in that behalfe so happily and profitablie finished but aboue all things he tooke pleasure in reading of the law admiring at the deepe conceit and wisedome of the law-maker and began to question with Demetrius by what meanes it came to passe that neither any Poet nor Historiographer had made mention of that law notwithstanding that in it selfe it was so admirable To whom Demetrius gaue this answere that no man was so hardie to touch that worke by reason that it was diuine and euery way venerable assuring him also that certaine men who had attempted to set their hands thereto had beene punished by God giuing him to vnderstand how Theopouspus intending to reduce certaine contents of that law into his history had beene distraught in mind for more then thirtie daies that hauing some intermission of his fit he appeased God by prayer thereby easily coniecturing what was the cause of his maladie Moreouer he was certified by a vision that appeared vnto him in his sleep that this inconuenient befel him in that he had too curiously serched into sacred and diuine matters and had intended to communicate the same with prophane men from which enterprise since he had desisted he recouered his right wits againe He likewise insinuated further that Theodectes the tragicke Poet intending to make mention in some of his peomes of a certaine historie written in the sacred scriptures was strooken blind and acknowledging the cause hereof to proceed from his audacious presumption he was restored to his sight after he had appeased Gods displeasure When the king had considered on these words according as Demetrius had discoursed them vnto him he prostrated himselfe on the earth and commaunded that the bookes should be carefully kept to the end they might continue in their pure integritie Furthermore he exhorted the translators to repaire oftentimes vnto him from Iudaea assuring them that in so doing the matter would redound both to their honour and profit telling them that for that time he thought good to dismisse them but when they should returne vnto him againe of their owne motion they should obtaine all that which their wisedome deserued or his magnificence might impart vnto theÌ This said he gaue theÌ leaue to depart after he had giuen each of theÌ three seueral sutes of apparrell two talents of gold a cup that was in value worth a talent a certaine bed or curious seat to sit and banquet vpon This gaue he them for themselues But to Eleazar the high Priest he sent by them ten couches whose feete were of siluer and the furniture correspondent and a vessell of thirtie talents Ten purple robes likewise and a magnificent crowne and one hundreth pieces of fine linnen and besides that hee sent in way of present vnto the temple ewers basons and two golden vessels beseeching Eleazar by his letters that if any one of his subiects had a will to come vnto him he would permit him asluring him that he would highly esteeme the conuersation of so learned men and that he had riches which he would imploy with great pleasure in such affaires See heere how Ptolomey Philadelph esteemed and honoured the Iewes CHAP. III. How the Kings of Asia honoured the nation of the Iewes and gaue them liberty and freedome to dwell in those Cities that were builded by them THey receiued honour likewise at the hands of the kings of Asia because they had borne armes vnder them For Seleucus surnamed Nicanor highly respected them permitted them to dwel in those cities which he built in Asia lower Syria yea in Antioch likewise which was the Metropolitane and chiefe Citie Moreouer he ordained that they should be held in as great estimation as either the Macedonians or Greekes that inhabited therein so that euen vnto this day that order is continued as it appeareth by this for that the Iewes refusing to annoint themselues with forraine oyle doe receiue a certaine summe of money from the masters of the exercises in lieu of the oyle Which when the people of Antioch intended to abolish during the present warre Mutianus at that time gouernour of Syria opposed himselfe against them Againe when as Vespasian and his sonne Titus had conquered the world although the Alexandrians and Antiochians required them that the priuiledges that the Iewes enioyed might continue no more yet could they not obtaine the same Whereby the humanity and valour of the Romanes may appeare and in especiall of Vespasian and Titus that notwithstanding they had beene so trauailed by the warres of the Iewes and were so bitterly incensed against them for that they had not by laying downe their armes submitted themselues but had continued warre against them to the vttermost yet depriued they them not of their aforesaid priuiledges but surmounted their displeasure which they had long before conceiued against them and in like sort had not regard to the request of two so puissant cities as Alexandria Antioch were In such sort as they granted nothing in fauor of them neither ordained any thing in disfauour of those whom they had ouercome in warre to the intent to abolish one only iot of those priuiledges which they had in times past but said that they that had resisted them by armes and who had beene ouercome were sufficiently punished for their obstinacy and as touching those that had not committed any offence they saw no reason to depriue theÌ of their rights prerogatiues We know likewise that Marcus Agrippa was of the same opinion as touching the Iewes For whereas the Ionians were seditiously bent against them and besought Agrippa that it might be only lawfull for them to make vse of the priuiledge which Antiochus Seleucus nephew whom the Greeks intituled by the name of God had giuen them requiring that if the Iewes were of their bloud they might be tied to adore the same gods which the Ionians worshipped When as therfore this matter was referred to the determination of the Iudges the Iewes had the day and obtained the liberty to liue according to their owne lawes and customes and he that at this time pleaded their cause was Nicholas Damascene For Agrippa pronounced that it was vnlawfull for them to innouate any waies And if any man desire to haue exact knowledge hereof let him reade the hundreth twenty three and twenty fourth booke of the histories of Nicholas Neither ought this iudgement of Agrippaes to seeme in any sort strange for at that time our nation had not by any wars procured the Romans displeasure But vpon iust occasion may a man admire the magnanimity of Vespasian
These meeting with Ioseph on the way began to mocke at his basenesse and pouertie But when he came to Alexandria and had intelligence that the king was at Memphis he set forward and went out to meet him When as therefore the king accompanied with the queen and Athenion his friend who had discharged the place of Embassadour in Ierusalem came riding onward in his chariot Athenion who had been honourably entertained by Ioseph perceiuing him vpon the way certified the king that it was he of whom he had spoken vpon his returne from Ierusalem protesting on his behalfe that he was both a good and honourable yoong man Whereupon Ptolomey embraced him aboue the rest and made him mount his chariot Where he was no sooner seated but the king began to accuse Onias for that which he had committed But Ioseph said vnto him Pardon him O King and haue respect to his old old yeeres For you know that ordinarily old men yong children haue one and the same vnderstanding but for our selues who are young you shall haue what you please to require without any pretext or cause of discontent Hereupon the king tooke pleasure in the good behauiour and pleasant discourse of the young man and began to loue him the more as if he had receiued a present attestation of his wisedome whereupon he commaunded that he should be lodged in his owne pallace and that daily he should accompany him at his princely table As soone as the king came back to Alexandria the Lords of Syria seeing Ioseph sitting neere vnto the king were sore displeased and the day drawing neere wherein they were to receiue the assurance of their tribute they that were of the greatest reckoning in their countrey farmed the same so that the tributes of Coelesyria Phaenicia Iudaea and Samaria amounted together to eight thousand talents Whereupon Ioseph arising blamed the farmers for that they had plotted amongst themselues to beate downe the price of the tributes promising to giue the double and that he would likewise returne the forfeitures that were leuied vpon the goods of such as offended which were farmed together with the tributes The king gaue eare to this discourse of his with great content and said that he approoued the sale of these tributes vnto Ioseph who in this sort augmented his reuenue When as therefore he was demanded whether he could giue sureties he made him answere with a bold courage O king said he I will giue thee such pledges as are both worthy and honourable and such as you cannot mistrust Whenas therefore the king instanted him to produce them I wâ⦠said he O king present thee for sureties thy selfe the Queene thy wife that one of you may be a suretie for me to the other Ptolomey smiling hereat granted him the farme of the tribute without further suretie This fauour of his displeased those gouernours of the Cities that were come into Aegypt in that they saw themselues contemned and constrained to returne with shame vnto their houses But Ioseph obtained two thousand footmen from the king to the end to enforce the tribute from those Cities who were negligent in their paiments and after he had borrowed fiue hundreth talents of the kings friends in Alexandria hee departed into Syria As soone as he came to Ascalon he demaunded the payment of the tribute at the Citizens hands which they not onely refused to performe but moreouer vpbraided him with iniurious words For which cause laying hold on about some twentie of the principals among them he put them to death and hauing gathered their substances togither he sent the King some thousand talents certifying him of that which he had done Ptolomey admiring at his wisedome and allowing of his execution permitted him to dispose of all things at his pleasure The Syrians vnderstanding hereof were sore abashed and perceiuing that the Acalonites were slaine by Ioseph thorow the seueritie of his iustice and their disobedience they opened him the gates and receiued him willingly and payed him their tributes Wheras also the Scythopolitanes in way of coÌtumacy refused to lay down according to order their accustomed tributes he slue the chiefest amongst them the confiscations of whose goods he sent vnto the king When as therefore he had gathered much siluer and made great gaines of the purchase of the tributes to the intent to establish and make his power of more continuance he liberally employed his gettings considering with himselfe that it was a part of wisedome to keepe and entertaine his good happe by those riches which he himselfe had gotten For he sent many presents both to the King and Queene and bestowed liberall bountie both on their familiars and fauourites and also on all those which had any authoritie credit or fauour in the court to win and bind them vnto him by his beneuolence And in this felicitie of his continued he the terme of twentie two yeares during which time he was the father of seuen children by one wife and of an other called Hircanus whom he begot on the daughter of his brother Solymius whom he married vpon this occasion which ensueth Walking vpon a time in Alexandria in the company of his brother who led with him his daughter alreadie mariageable to the intent to bestow her vpon some Iewe of good qualitie whilest he sate at meat with the king there entred into the banquet a certain faire damsel trained vp in dancing with whom growing enamored he told his brother thereof praying him that since by the lawes of their countrey it was forbidden that a Iew might marry with a stranger that he would hide his fault and be a faithfull assistant vnto him to the end that he might enioy her whom his heart desired His brother promised him to shew his willing forwardnes herein and in the meane time he adorned and decked his owne daughter and brought her by night vnto his bed whereupon he lay with her not knowing who she was by reason he had drunke ouermuch and had her company Which comming to passe diuers times he was as yet farre more burningly inflamed with the loue of this dancer and told his brother that he was in daunger to be enamoured all his life time and that notwithstanding the king would not grant her vnto him His brother told him that he ought not to vexe himselfe promising him that he should assuredly enioie her whom he loued and that already she was his wife opening vnto him how all things had hapned and how he had rather wrong his owne daughter then to suffer his brother to fall into dishonour After that Ioseph had praised the kind natural affection of his brother towards him he tooke his daughter to wife who bare him a sonne called Hircanus as it hath beene said Who being thirteene yeares olde gaue testimonie of that naturall spirit and dexteritie that was in him by reason whereof his brethren conceiued a certaine hatred against him
the rather for that he excelled them in all things and had such parts in him as might draw them to emulate him Whereas therefore Ioseph was desirous to know which of his children had the ripest iudgement and vnderstanding he sent them one after another to those masters who were most renowmed for science in that time but all of them returned backe vnto him rude and illettered by reason they were negligent and idle Whereupon he sent Hircanus the youngest of them after all the rest into a desart place distant from the high way some seuen daies iourney and gaue him with him three hundreth couple of oxen to sow the ground in that barren place hiding from him before his departure the yokes that should couple them together When as therefore he came vnto the place and perceiued that the yokes were missing he asked aduise of some of the husbandmen who counsailed him to send some one backe vnto his father to fetch the couples But he supposing that he ought not to lose so much time as would be spent in sending backe a messenger deuised a cunning expedient stratageme more then might be expected from one of his yeares For he caused ten couple of oxen to be slaine and distributed the flesh amongst his workemen and made them cut the skins and fashion couples thereof and hauing yoked his oxen he caused the land to be manured according to his fathers direction and afterwards returned home vnto him Who loued him the more intirely by reason of his wisedom and the subtiltie of his vnderstanding praising besides that his resolution and execution esteeming him the more for that he was his only true sonne to the general discontent of the rest Whenas therefore newes was brought vnto Ioseph that about that time king Ptolomey was blessed with a young sonne and how all the chiefest Lords of Syria and the countries vnder his obeisance repaired to Alexandria in great pompe to celebrate the birth day of the kings sonne he being of himselfe vnable by reason of his age to repaire thither he sounded his children whether any one of them would go and visit the king Whenas therefore the elder sons had excused themselues and made refusall to vndertake the iourney pretending that they were of insufficient ability to performe the message and all of them gaue counsaile that their brother Hircanus might be sent Ioseph tooke great pleasure thereat and calling for Hircanus asked him if he would goe to king Ptolomey who promised to vndertake the iourney and told his father that he needed no great summe of money to performe the voyage because in the way he would trauell frugally and content himselfe for the whole expence with ten thousand drachmes Ioseph was verie glad to heare of his sons prudence and after Hircanus had kept silence for a while he counsailed his father that he should not present the King with any thing out of Iudaea but that he should write vnto his factor in Alexandria commaunding him to deliuer such summes of money as he thought conuenient to buy that which he found to be most magnificent of best esteeme in that Citie Ioseph imagining with himselfe that perhaps he would onely employ some tenne talents in presents and allowing his sonnes counsaile wrote vnto his factor Arion who had the vse of almost three thousand talents of his in Alexandria For gathering vp his money in Syria he was wont to send it thither and as oft as the prefixed time came wherein the kings tributes were to be paid he commaunded Arion to defray the same Hauing therefore letters of credence vnto him he iourneyed towards Alexandria Wherupon his brethren wrote presently vnto all the kings friends that by some meanes they would make him away As soone as he was arriued in Alexandria and had deliuered his fathers letters to Arion Arion asked him how many talents he would haue hoping that he would craue but ten or some little ouerplus but when Hircanus had told him that he had need of a thousand he waxed wroth and reproued him for his prodigalitie telling him how his father had gathered his goods with much trauaile and thriftie sparing and refusing his demaunds he praied him to imitate his fathers example who had begot him and in a word he told him that he would deliuer him no more then ten talents and that for no other vse then to buy giftes to present the king withall Whereupon Hircanus waxing angry caused Arion to be kept in prison All which his wife certified to Cleopatra praying her that she would moderate the young man for Arion was in great estimation with the Queene who for this cause acquainted the king with the matter Wherupon Ptolomey sent for Hircanus and said vnto him that he marueiled that being sent vnto him from his father he had not as yet visited him and besides that he had committed his fathers agent to prison he therefore commanded him to yeeld him a reason thereof Whereunto he answered that there was a law among the Iewes that no man should taste of the sacrifices that had not first of all visited the temple and sacrificed vnto God and that in that respect he had not hitherto visited his maiesty because he expected certaine presents to present his highnesse with from his father who was his bounden seruant Furthermore he alleadged that he had punished his fathers seruant because he had disobeyed his commandement which he ought not to doe whether his master were either noble or ignoble and if said he we chastise not such men as they haue deserued expect O King that you also shall be neglected by your subiects When Ptolomey heard these words he began to smile and wondered at the magnanimitie of the yoong man Arion perceiuing that the king held himselfe satisfied and that he was like to haue no assistance at his hands deliuered Hircanus the thousand talents and by this meanes was he set at libertie Some three daies after Hircanus came and saluted both the king and Queene who entertained him graciously and feasted him kindly for the affection sake which they bare vnto his father He priuily inquiring among the merchants bought one hundreth yoong laddes well lettered and in the flower of their age paying a talent for euery one and the like number of virgins for so many talents Being therefore inuited to a banquet by the king with all the Princes and other Lords he was placed beneath them all because that by reason of his yoong yeeres they that assigned the places according to euery mans dignitie made small accompt of him Now when as all the guests after they had eaten their meats laid all their bones before Hircanus so that the table was loaden round about him a certaine pleasant fellow of the Kings called Triphon whose merrie conceits and iests the king very willingly listned vnto during the time he was at meat being sollicited by those that were at the table came vnto the king and said
Antiochus grew mighty and strong and feared to be punished by him for his executions done against the Arabians he slew himselfe with his own hands and Antiochus enioied all his goods CHAP. VI. A mutinie of the rich Iewes the one against the other ONias the high Priest being dead about this time Antiochus gaue the priesthood to Iesus his brother For that sonne vnto whom Onias had left the succession was as yet verie yoong of whom we will speake in conuenient time and place This Iesus Onias brother was depriued of the priesthood thorow the kings displeasure conceiued against him who gaue it shortly after to his yonger brother called Onias For Simon had three sonnes who as we haue declared successiuely possessed the priesthood this Iesus caused himselfe to be called Iason as his other brother caused himselfe to be called Menelaus whereas his name was Onias But Iesus who had first of all been established in the place of the high priest arose against Menelaus who was elected in the place after him The people therefore were deuided into factions and Tobias sonnes were on Menelaus side but the greater number of people followed Iason so that Menelaus and the sonnes of Tobias being grieuously vexed by them retired themselues to Antiochus giuing him to vnderstand that it was their intent to forsake the religion and ordinances of their fathers and to follow that of the kings and to liue after the manner of the Greeks exhorting him to giue them licence to erect a place of Exercises in Ierusalem Which when Antiochus had granted them they so demeaned themselues that there appeared no more signe of Circumcision in them so that at such time as they were naked there was no difference betweene them and the Greekes and neglecting all the ordinances and customes of their countrey they conformed themselues to the behauiour and manners of other nations Antiochus hauing all things in his kingdome according to his hearts desire resolued to make warre in Aegypt desiring to be possessed of the same both for that he contemned Ptolomeies sonnes age who were as yet weake as also for that they were not as yet capeable to manage their so mighty estates Arriuing therfore neer to Pelusium with a great power he circumuented by a subtil pollicie the yong Ptolomey Philometor and subdued Aegypt for after he had besieged Memphis and taken the same he came to Alexandria with an intent to besiege the Citie and to lay hold of the king who was therein But he was driuen not onely from Alexandria but also out of all Aegypt by the sommons that was sent him in the name of the Romans who commaunded him to depart and dislodge his army out of that countrey as we haue heretofore declared in an other place Now will I more largely and particularly discourse the actes and gests of this king who ouercame Iudaea and spoiled the temple For hauing onely made a briefe mention of him in my former workes I thinke it necessarie in this place to make a more exact recitall of his Historie CHAP. VII Antiochus leadeth out his army against Ierusalem taketh the Citie and spoileth the Temple AFter that King Antiochus was returned out of Aegypt and for the feare of the Romans had forsaken that countrey he led his army against Ierusalem and encamped before the Citie and surprised it by surrender in that the gates of the Citie were set open vnto him by those of his faction all which hapned in the hundreth fortie and third yeere of the raigne begun by Seleucus Now when he faw himselfe Lord and master of Ierusalem he slew diuers of the contrarie faction and after he had gathered togither many great and rich spoiles he returned backe to Antioch This misfortune hapned some two yeeres after the surprisall of the Citie in the hundreth fortie and fiue yeere of the raigne of that family on the fiue twentith day of that moneth which we call Chasleu and the Macedons Apellaeus the Romans December in the hundreth fiftie three Olympiade at which time he neither spared them who gaue him peaceable entrance and opened him the gates and effected him the means to spoile the inestimable riches of the temple with greater freedome but being no lesse tyrannous to the friend then to the offender he spared neither For hauing seene what quantity of gold was in the temple and how huge a number of presents and precious ornaments were in the same he was so ouercome with couetousnesse that he brake and violated all conuentions and conditions After therefore he had spoiled the temple and carried away the vessels dedicated vnto God the golden candlesticke the golden altar the table of shew bread the censors and pulled downe the curtaines made of fine linnen and scarlet after he had emptied the treasures that were hidden and left nothing behind him of any valew he drowned all the Iewes in grieuous lamentations For he inhibited and forbad them to offer their vsuall and daily sacrifice vnto God according to the prescript order of the law and after he had spoiled the whole Citie he slew a part of the inhabitants and carried away the rest of them into captiuitie with their wiues and children to the number of ten thousand Furthermore he burned the fairest buildings of the Citie and rased the walles and raised a fortresse in the lower Citie For the temple was as it were a high cittadel commaunding the rest For this cause hauing inclosed it ââ¦ith high walles and towers he planted a garrison of Macedonians therein with whom remained the rabble and skumme of the wicked Apostate Iewes who were giuen ouer to all impieties and who also afflicted their fellow Citizens with many and mischieuous iniuries The King also commaunded that an Altar should be erected in the temple on which he caused swine to be slaughtered offering sacrifice contrary to the religion and ordinance of the Iewes He constrained them likewise to forsake their deuotion towards God and to adore those Idols whom he reuerenced for Gods building in euery Citie and Burrough both Temples Altars on which he ordinarily caused swine to be offered He forbadde them likewise to circumcise their children threatning to punish him whosoeuer he were that was found to do the contrary Moreouer he chose certaine ouersecrs that should constraine them to fulfill his commandement so that a great number of Iewes some of their owne accord othersome for feare of the threatned punishment endeuoured themselues to satisfie the kings decree But those men who were of vpright hearts and valiant minds little respected these menaces For hauing more respect to their lawes and customes then to the torments wherewith they were menaced if they performed not the edict they were beaten and exposed to most cruell punishment for many daies amidst the which they yeelded vp the ghost For after they were whipt and maimed in their bodies they were crucified and tortured aliue they strangled the women also
without discouering of his deliberation or enterprise against Philip and to tel them that for these reasons he leuied the siege first for the length thereof next for the strength of the place lastly for want of victuals and for many affaires that required some circumspect and carefull foresight in his kingdome Furthermore for that he thought it most expedient to capitulate with the besieged and contract friendship with all the nation of the Iewes promising and permitting them the exercise of their religion because they onely rebelled for that they were depriued of the same and for that he was assured that hauing the grant thereof they would each of them returne into their owne countries When Lysias had expressed and published these reasons all the army and the captaines approoued the same CHAP. XV. Antiochus giueth ouer his siege from before the Citie and entreth a league and alliance with Iudas WHereupon Antiochus sent a herauld to Iudas and those that were besieged with him promising them peace with permission to liue according to their religion Which conditions they willingly entertained and hauing taken an oath and assurance from the king they surrendred vp the temple Wherupon Antiochus entred the same and seeing it to be a place so well fortified he contrarie to his oath commanded his army to leuell the wall that enuironed the same with the ground which done he returned to Antioch leading away with him the high Priest Onias who was called Menelaus For Lysias had counselled the king to murther Menelaus if he intended that the Iewes should line in peace without any commotion and the rather because it was he onely who was the author of all these euils by reason of the counsaile he had giuen to Antiochus his father to inforce the Iewes to forsake their religion The King for that cause sent Menelaus vnto Beroea a Citie of Syria where he commanded him to be put to death after he had enioyed the high priesthood for the terme of ten yeeres He was a wicked and impious man who for his onely ambitious desire of authoritie had inforced our nation to reuolt from their religion As soone therefore as Menelaus was dead Alcimus was made high priest who was called Iacimus Now when Antiochus found that Philip had already conquered a great part of his countrey he fought with him and taking him prisoner slew him But Onias the sonne of the high priest whom as we haue heretofore declared was left an Orphan in his infancie seeing that the king had slaine his vncle Menelaus and giuen the priesthood to Alcimus who was not of the race of the priests and had transferred this honour into another family at the perswasion of Lysias he fled vnto Ptolomey King of Aegypt where being honourably entertained by the King and his Queene Cleopatra he obtained a place in the Heliopolitane signiorie where he builded a temple like vnto that which was at Ierusalem whereof wee shall hereafter haue more fit opportunitie to speake CHAP. XVI Bacchides generall of Demetrius army commeth to make warre against the Iewes and returneth backe againe vnto the king without performance of any thing AT that time Demetrius Seleucus sonne fled to Rome and tooke possession of Tripolis in Syria and after he had set the diademe vpon his head and had leuied and hired certaine souldiers he inuaded the kingdome where he was receiued to the generall content of all men who submitting themselues vnto him laid hold on the king Antiochus and Lysias and brought them aliue vnto him but he incontinently commanded that they should be put to death after that Antiochus had raigned two yeeres as we haue already declared in an other place To this new elected king diuers Iewes banished for their impietie and with them the high priest Alcimus made their resort who in general accused their nation and as principals Iudas and his brethren obiecting against them that they had slaine his friends and all such as were on his side and that among all those that were in the kingdome and expected his comming some of them were slaine and that the rest being driuen from their natiue countrey were banished into other places requiring him that he would send some one of his friends to take knowledge of the outrages committed by Iudas and his brethren Demetrius was much moued by these reports of theirs and for that cause sent Bacchides who was in times past much esteemed by Antiochus Epiphanes for his valour and to whose gouernment at that time all Mesopotamia was committed To whom he gaue an army ioyning with him the high priest Alcimus with commission to kill Iudas and his confederates Bacchides departing from Antioch with his army came into Iudaea and sent a certaine herauld to Iudas and his brethren to intreat with him vpon certaine articles of peace because his intent was to surprise them by some subtiltie and treacherie But Iudas smelling his drift gaue little trust vnto him for in that he came thither with so great an army he easily coniectured that he intended no peace but to make warre notwithstanding some of the people gaue eare vnto the peaceable proclamation of Bacchides and supposing that there was no sinister intent in Alcimus who was their countriman they submitted themselues vnder his gouernment Hauing therefore receiued an oth from them both that neither they nor any of their followers should any waies be endomaged by them they committed themselues to their protection But Bacchides setting light by his oth slue three score of them and by this breach of his faith towards these he caused others who intended to submit themselues to forsake and fly his gouernment As soone as therefore he had remooued his army from Ierusalem he came vnto the village of Bethzeth and there apprehending many of those which had fled and some others among the people he slue them all commaunding all those that liued in the countrey to obey Alcimus to whom he left in that place for the gard of his person a part of his army and that done he returned vnto Antioch to King Demetrius In the meane while Alcimus intending to assure his estate and gouernment and supposing that it should be so much the better confirmed if so be he could obtaine the good wil of the people he vsed all kind of plausible familiar speech vnto theÌ and deuising with euery man pleasantly graciously he adioyned in short time great forces to those which he had before amongst whom there were many fugitiues and vngodly men by whose helpe and assistance he marched thorow the countrey killing all those whom he found to be of Iudas faction Iudas perceiuing that Alcimus hauing gathered great forces had alreadie slaine diuers of the most vprightest men and such as feared God in all his nation he addressed himselfe also to ouerrunne the countrey and slue as many of Alcimus partakers as he could meet with Who perceiuing in himself that he was
was a man of mightier substance and greater minde and withall more moderate in his demand whereas Hircanus was poore and couetous and notwithstanding he demaunded greater things then his brother did yet was his promise of lesse assurance For it was a harder matter to subdue a Citie that was so defenced and strong then to repulse a troupe of runnagate Nabatheans and they scarcely well animated to prosecute that warre For these causes therefore he receiuing his money leuied the siege commanding Aretas to returne which if he refused he declared him an enemy to Rome This done Scaurus returned to Damasco and Aristobulus led foorth his army against Aretas and Hircanus and fighting with them in a place called Papyron he obtained the victorie and slew about some seuen thousand of his enemies amongst the number of which was Cephalius Antipaters brother CHAP. V. How Aristobulus and Hircanus debate their titles in the presence of Pompey NOt long time after this Pompey came vnto Damasco and as he trauailed thorow Coelesyria diuers Embassadours resorted vnto him from all parts of Syria Aegypt and Iudaea For Aristobulus sent him a present of great valew namely a golden vine of fiue hundreth talents price Hereof Strabo the Cappadocian maketh mention in these words There came an Embassadour out of Aegypt bearing a crowne of foure thousand pieces of gold and an other from Iewry with a vine or garden and the workmanship was called Terpole that is to say recreation And this vine haue we beheld at this day in the Citie of Rome in the temple of Iupiter Capitoline hauing the inscription of Alexander king of the Iewes and it was esteemed and valewed at fiue hundreth talents It is said that Aristobulus prince of the Iewes sent the same Straight after this there came other fresh Embassadors vnto him Antipater from Hircanus and Nicodemus froÌ Aristobulus who accused those that had taken mony namely Gabinius for that he first of all had receiued three hundreth talents beside other presents and secondly Scaurus who had receiued foure hundreth alleadging that by that meanes they had incensed them against him He therefore gaue direction that they should repaire vnto him about the spring each of them to iustifie and maintaine their seuerall rights as for himselfe he drew his forces from their wintring places and marched towards Damasco destroying in his way a certaine fortresse which Antiochus the Cyzicenian had fortified in Apamea He visited also the countrey of Ptolomey Mennaeus who was a peruerse and wicked man and no waies differed from Dionysius Tripolitane who was punished with the losse of his head and was vnited also with him in friendship and affinitie yet acquitted of the death he deserued by the meanes of a thousand talents raunsome which Ptolomey distributed amongst his souldiers for their pay He raced likewise the Castle of Lysias wherein a Iewe called Silas tyrannized and passing by the Cities of Heliopolis and Chalââ¦is and hauing likewise ascended the mountaine which is betweene them he came to Coelesyria and from Pella repaired to Damasco In which place he gaue audience to the Iews and their princes Hircanus and Aristobulus who were at oddes the one against the other as touching their particular interests as all the whole nation against them both alleadging that they would not be gouerned by kings because their custome was to obey Gods Priests whom they honored affirming that these two brethren who were descended of the race of priests sought to draw their nation vnder a different forme of gouernmeÌt to the intent to reduce ââ¦m vnder seruitude Hircanus complained for that being the elder borne he had bin depriued of his inheritance by Aristobulus and had onely but a small portion of the countrey allotted him because Aristobulus had seazed the rest by force He complained likewise of those incursions that both by land and sea Aristobulus followers had endomaged the frontires with For the people had not reuolted if he had not been a violent and turbulent man To this accusation of his a thousand of the principallest of the Iewes drawne on by Antipaters perswasion subscribed who auerred and iustified the same But Aristobulus answered that Hircanus was dispossessed of the kingdome by reason of his incapacitie and naturall defects alleadging for himselfe that the gouernment was enforced on him by a necessitie for feare it should be transported to others in effect he protested that he challenged no other title then that which his father Alexander had had Hee brought in also for his witnesses certaine arrogant young men who were hated for their pompe purple robes their curiositie in painting and curling their haire and bard horse and other braueries which they presented not like men that intended to expect iudgement but as if their pretence had been to make shew of their pompe After that Pompey had heard them he condemned Aristobulus violence but for that time he dismissed them after some fauourable and gracious conference promising them that he would come into their countrie and determine their differents after he had seene the region of the Nabatheans commanding them in the meane while to liue in peace He vsed Aristobulus likewise very kindly fearing least he should incense the people and shut vp his passage which notwithstanding came to passe For Aristobulus came into the Citie of Delion and from thence went into Iudaea without respect of that which Pompey had commaunded him CHAP. VI. Pompey maketh himselfe Lord of the Castles by a warlike stratageme POmpey hearing this was sore displeased therewith and taking with him his army which he had prepared against the Nabatheans with the supplies he had in Damalco and the rest of Syria besides the other Roman companies that he had he marched forth against Aristobulus when as therefore he had left Pella and Scythopolis behind him he came to Core as which is the entrance into Iudaea drawing toward the heart of the countrey There found he a goodly Castle scituate vpon the top of a mountaine called Alexandrion whither Aristobulus was retired For which cause he sent Embassadours to inuite him to come and parlee with him who perswaded by the counsaile of many of his inward friends in no sort to commence warre against the Romanes came downe vnto him and after he had debated his title with his brother as touching the kingdome Pompey permitted him to returne againe into his Castle And this did he two or three times alwaies flattering Pompey thorow the hope he had of the kingdome and making a shew that he would be obedient vnto him in whatsoeuer he would command him Meane while he retired himselfe and fortified the place and made preparation for the warre for feare least Pompey should transferre the kingdome to Hircanus But when as Pompey commaunded him that he should deliuer vp the fortresses that he held and had written with his owne hand to the captaines of the garrisons who otherwise would not
should demaund what he meant he should certifie him that Mariamme hauing prepared a poison for his grace had dealt with him to deliuer it to his maiestie Charging him moreouer that if the king in hearing him speake of this portion should seeme to be mooued therewith that then he should proceede no further in his discourse He therefore being in this manner before hand instructed what he ought to doe at that very instant was sent in to discouer his treacherie vnto the king for which cause with a sober and staied countenance be entred in vnto him being seriously and well prepared to discourse and told him that Mariamme had bribed him to present his Maiestie with an amorous cup of drinke Now when he perceiued that the king was troubled with these words he prosecuted his discourse alleaging that the potion was a certaine medicine which Mariamme had giuen him the vertue whereof he knew not which he had receiued according as he had told him knowing that it concerned both his owne securitie and the kings safetie Herode who before this was highly displeased hearing these words was so much the more incensed for which cause he presently commanded Mariammes most faithfull seruant to be examined by torments as concerning the poison supposing that it was impossible for her to vndertake any thing whatsoeuer without his priuitie He being tired and tormented after this cruell manner confessed nothing of that for which he was tortured but declared vnto the king that the hatred which his wife had conceiued against him proceeded from certaine words that Sohemus had told her Scarcely had he finished these words but that the king cried out with a loud voice saying that Sohemus who before time had beene most faithfull both to him and his kingdome would not haue declared these his priuie commands except there had been some more inward familiaritie and secrecie betwixt him and Mariamme for which cause he presently commanded his ministers to lay hands on Sohemus and to put him to death As for his wife he drew her to her triall and to this effect he assembled his most familiar friends before whom he began to accuse her with great spight and spleene as touching these potions and poisons aforesaid wherin he vsed intemperate and vnseemly speeches and such as for their bitternesse did ill become him in cause of iustice so that in the end the assistants seeing the butte and bent of his desire pronounced sentence of death against her which being past both he and all other the assistants were of this opinion that she should not so speedily be executed but that she should be kept close prisoner in some sure place of the pallace But by Salomes sollicitations Herode was incited to hasten her death for that she alleaged that the king ought to feare least some sedition should be raised amongst the people if he should keepe her aliue in prison And by this meanes Mariamme was led vnto her death Alexandra her mother considering the estate of the time and fearing no lesse mischiefe from Herodes hands then her daughter was assured of she vndecently changed her minde and abiectedly laid aside her former courage and magnanimitie For intending to make it knowne that she was neither partie nor priuie to those crimes wherewith Mariamme was charged she went out to meete her daughter and entertained her iniuriously protesting publikely that she was a wicked woman vngrateful towards her husbaÌd and that she wel deserued the punishment that was adiudged her for that she durst be so bold to attempt so hainous a fact neglecting to requite her husbands intire loue with her vnfained loyaltie Whilest thus dishonestly she counterfaited her displeasure and was readie to pull Mariamme by the haire the assistants according to her desert condemned her generally for her shamefull hypocrisie but she that was led to be punished conuicted her by her mild behauiour For first of all she gaue her no answere neither was any waies altered by her reproches neither would so much as cast her eie vpon her making it appeare that she discreetly concealed and couered her mothers imperfections was agrieued that she had so openly shewed so great indignitie expressing for her owne part a constant behaiour and going to her death without chaunge of colour so that those that beheld her perceiued in her a kind of manifest courage and nobilitie euen in her vtmost extremitie Thus died Mariamme hauing beene a woman that excelled both in continence and courage notwithstanding that she defaulted somewhat in affabilitie and impatience of nature for the rest of her parts she was of an admirable and pleasing beautie and of such a cariage in those companies wherein she was intertained that it was impossible to expresse the same in that she surpassed all those of her time which was the principall cause that she liued not graciously and contentedly with the king For being entertained by him who intirely loued her and from whom she receiued nothing that might discontent her she presumed vpon a great and intemperate libertie in her discourse She disgested also the losse of her friends verie hardly according as in open termes she made it known vnto the king whereby also it came to passe that both Herodes mother and sister and himselfe likewise grew at ods with her and in especiall her husband from whom onely she expected no hard measure After her death the king began more powerfully to be inflamed in his affections who before times as we haue declared was alreadie miserably distracted For neither did he loue after the common manner of maried folke but whereas almost euen vnto madnes he nourished this his desire he could not be induced by the too vnbridled manners of his wife to alay the heat of his affection but that daily more and more by doting on her he increased the same And all that time especially he supposed that God was displeased with him for the death of Mariamme his wife Oftentimes did he inuocate her name and more often vndecently lamented he her And notwithstanding he deuised all kind of delights and sports that might be imagined by preparing banquets and inuiting guests with princely hospitalitie to passe away the time yet all those profited him nothing For which cause he gaue ouer the charge and administration of his kingdome And in such sort was he ouerwhelmed with griefe that oftentimes he commaunded his ministers to call his wife Mariamme as if as yet she had beene aliue Whilest thus he was affected there befell a pestilence within the citie that consumed a great sort of the people and the better part of the nobilitie and each man interpreted that this punishment was inflicted by God vpon men for the vninst death of the Queene Thus the kings discontents being by these meanes increased he at last hid himselfe in a solitarie wildernesse vnder pretext of hunting where afflicting himselfe incessantly at last he fell into a most grieuous sicknes
This disease of his was an inflammation or paine in the necke he seemed also in some sort to raue and waxe mad neither could any remedies relieue him of his agony but when as the sicknes seemed rather to increase all men at last grewe almost desperate of his recouery For which cause his phisition partly in respect of the contumacy of his disease partly because in so great daunger there was not any free election of diet they gaue him leaue to taste whatsoeuer best pleased his appetite committing the vncertaine euent of his health to the hands of fortune Whilest thus he soiourned in Samaria which now is called Sebaste Alexandra inhabiting at that time in Ierusalem hauing notice of this his estate sought to reduce all the strong fortresses that were within the citie vnder her subiection the one of which abutted vpon the temple the other was scituate within the citie for they that are Lords of these keepe all the rest of the nation vnder their awe because that without these neither the vsuall and daily sacrifices may be performed neither may the Iewes liue without such sacrifices and oblations who had rather loose their liues then contemne their religion She therefore laboured those that had the gouernment thereof to surrender them vp to her and Herods children begotten of her daughter Mariamme for feare least he being dead they should be seazed by others and if it should fortune him to recouer his health in the meane while they might be kept and held by no man more securely then such as were his domesticall friends This suite and sollicitation of hers was but coldly conceited of and the captaines who at other times shewed themselues alwaies faithfull at that time were the rather farre more constant in their dutie both for that they hated Alexandra as also for that they thought it a great offence to dispaire of the health of their prince For these were the kings olde friends and one of them was Herodes owne nephew whose name was Achiabus For which cause they sent present messengers vnto him to certifie him of Alexandras intent who hauing heard these newes presently commanded her to be slaine and at length ouercoÌming his sicknes he grew so badly affected both in bodie and mind that hee waxed hatefull vnto all men so that all those who offended him for how little cause soeuer were readily sought for to be punished In this his intemperance he imbrued his hands in the bloud of diuers of his inward friends as Costabarus Lysimachus Antipater surnamed Gadias and Dositheus for this occasion that ensueth Costabarus was an Idumean and one of the greatest account amongst his countrimen who was descended from the Priests of Cozas whom the Idumaeans esteeme for a God Now after that Hircanus had drawen the policy of the Idumaeans to the reformed customes of the Iewes Herode was made king of the Iewes and appointed Costabarus to be gouernour in Idumaea and Gaza giuing him Salome his sister to wife after he had put Ioseph to death to whom she had bin maried before time as we haue heretofore declared Costabarus seeing himselfe in this estate beyond his expectation grew more elate and proud then his good fortune required and in a little time forgot himselfe so farre that he thought himselfe dishonoured if he should performe that which Herod commaunded him and scorned that the Idumaeans should be vnder the Iewes subiection notwithstanding they had receiued their manner of gouernment from them He therefore sent messengers vnto Cleopatra giuing her to vnderstand that Idumaea had alwaies beene vnder her ancestors subiection and for that cause she ought vpon iust cause to demaund and beg that countrie at Antonius hands and that in respect of himselfe he was readie to become her seruant All which he practised not to gratifie Cleopatra in any sort whatsoeuer but to the intent that if Herodes fortunes should be any waies weakned he might more easily by this meanes both inlarge and obtaine the kingdome of Idumaea And with these foolish hopes was he transported in regard of his birth and riches which he had heaped togither by such dishonest meanes as he continually practized as he that intended no small matters But notwithstanding Cleopatras often and earnest petition to obtaine this soueraigntie yet could she not obtaine it at Antonius hands When Herode had notice of these couert and cunning practises he was readie to kill Costabarus But vpon the earnest supplications of his sister and hir mother he dismissed and pardoned him yet held him alwaies in suspition by reason of this his practise Not long after it hapned that Salome fell at debate with Costabarus for which cause she sent a libell of diuorse to her husband notwithstanding it were against the lawes and ordinarie customes of the Iewes For according to our ordinances it is onely lawfull for the husband to do the same and as touching the wife notwithstanding she were separated yet is it not lawfull for her to marrie againe except hir husband first giue her licence But Salome without respect of the lawes of the countrey grounding her selfe too much vpon her owne authoritie forsooke her husband saying that she separated her selfe from her husband by reason of the great friendship which she bare vnto her brother for that she had receiued some notice that Costabarus practised some innouation with Antipater Lysimachus and Dositheus And this accusation of hers confirmed she by Babas children whom he had alreadie kept with him in all securitie for the space of twelue yeeres All which was true and at that time beyond all mens expectation wonderfully troubled Herode as soone as he heard it For as touching Babas sonnes he had heretofore resolued to cut them off for that they had been alwaies badly affected towards him and all his enterprises but all that time he had let them passe because by continuance they were growen out of his remembrance Now the cause of this enmitie and hatred which he bare towards them was gathered from this ground At such time as Antigonus enioyed the soueraignty and Herode besieged the citie of Ierusalem with an army now those incommodities necessities that ordinarily happen vnto those that are besieged were the cause that diuers acknowledged Herode and fixed their hopes vpon him But Babas sonnes being in authoritie and besides that attended by a great number of men perseuered in their faithfull obseruation of Antigonus and blamed Herode continually encouraging the inhabitants to continue the kingdome in those to whom it appertained by discent and they themselues followed that course which in their opinion was most profitably for the commonweale But after that the citie was surprised by Herode and he grew master of the estate Costabarus who was appointed to keepe the citie gates and to lie in wait that none of those who were accused to haue forsaken the kings side should escape knowing that the sonnes of Babas were greatly esteemed
were taken from the Barbarians which king Herode had placed there with all those spoiles which he had taken froÌ the Arabians In a corner on the north side there stood a verie strong and defenced fortresse builded by the Asmonians who were Herods predecessors and had beene both kings and high priests and had imposed a name on that tower which was Baris in which they kept the priestly vesture where with the high priest was wont to be adorned at that time onely when he was to offer sacrifice King Herode kept the same in that place and there remained it after his death vntill the time of Tiberius Caesar vnder whom Vitellius gouernour of Syria came vnto Ierusalem where he was entertained by all the people with as great magnificence as was possible and being desirous to acknowledge the fauours that he had receiued at their hands being requested by them that they might haue the keeping of the high priests ornaments he wrote vnto Tiberius Caesar to grant them that fauour til the death of king Agrippa the Iewes had the same in their possessioÌ But after that Agrippa was dead Cassius Longinus that gouerned Syria Cuspius Fadus lieutenant of Iudaea commaunded the Iewes to return the same into the fortresse Antonia saying that the Romans ought to be Lord therof as they had beene in times past For which cause the Iews sent embassadors vnto Claudius Caesar to request his fauour therin who arriuing at Rome found the young king Agrippa there who besought the Emperour that it might be lawfull for him to haue the keeping of the habit who commaunded Vitellius the gouernour of Syria to deliuer it vnto his hands Before time it was kept vnder the seale of the high priest and the custodie of the tresurers on the eeue of a certaine solemne feast the tresurers went vp to the captain who kept the forttesse for the Romans and after they had opened their seale they tooke the habit and after the feast was past they returned it backe againe vnto the same place and shut it vp vnder the same seale in the presence of the captaine All which we haue thought good to lay open to make the diuersitie knowne that was vsed in that care After that Herode had in this sort builded this strong tower for the securitie and guard of the temple he called it Antonia for the loue of Antonius his friend and one of the chiefest men in Rome In the westeme part of this porch there were foure gates whereof the one opened vpon the kings pallace to which there was a direct way thorow the midst of the valley the two others led vnto the suburbes and the fourth opened vpon the rest of the citie and gaue open passage vnto the same by the meanes of a number of staires by which men might descend to the foot of the valley and from thence there was an ascent by other staires to ascend vpwards For the citie was scituate neere vnto the temple after the manner of a theater and was bended to the southward by a deepe valley As touching the fourth side turned toward the south it had likewise certaine gates in the midst thereof and vpon the same there was a triple gallery verie royall and princely the length whereof extended from the orientall valley as farre as the westerne For it was impossible to extend it any further This worke was one of the most famous peeces that was euer seene vnder the sunne For the depth of the valley was so great that it was impossible for a man to see the bottome if he looked downward from the higher part and notwithstanding on the same he erected this porch of so great a height that but to looke from the toppe thereof and to consider the depth as well of the valley as the height of the porch it would make a man giddie and his eye could not peirce vnto the immesurable bottom of the same It had in length foure rankes of pillars opposed the one right ouer against the other for the fourth pane of the wall was fortified with a wall of hewen stone the thicknesse of the pillars was such that it was as much as three men could fadome holding one an other by the hand and the length was of twentie and seuen foote with a double base at the bottome The whole number of them was one hundreth sixtie and two and they had Chapters engrauen and damaskt with Corinthian worke All this building was so huge that it mooued admiration in those that beheld the same Betwixt these foure rankes there were three porches whereof two were on either side containing in breadth each of them thirtie foote and in length a stade or furlong and more then fiftieÌ foote in height That in the midst was in breadth once and a halfe as much as these two and in height twise as much For it surpassed the rest by farre The floore was made of goodly plankes engrauen with diuers figures and the roofe thereof was farre higher then any of the rest in which certaine huge beames were morteised on which there were certaine pillars builded vnited and annexed so fitly togither that it is a matter incredible to those that haue not seene the same and admirable to him that beholdeth it Such was the fashion of the circuit of the first porch In the midst and not farre off from the other stood the second whereunto there was an ascent made with few steppes It was inclosed with a separation of stone with an inscription forbidding any stranger to enter the same vpon paine of death This inward porch both to the southward and the northward had three gates in ranke equidistant the one from the other and toward the eastward had one great gate by which those men entred who were cleansed with their wiues For beyond that place it was not lawfull for the women to haue accesse But the third inward space was onely accessible by the Priestes In it was the Temple and before the same the altar on which they were woont to offer burnt sacrifices vnto God But Herode durst not enter the interior sanctuarie from whence prophane men were excluded by the lawe but by the mediation of the priests he intended the structure and building of the inward porch and finishing in eight yeeres space the rest of the edifice at length also he finished the Temple it selfe by the indeuours of the same priests within the terme of one yeere and six moneths By which meanes the people were replenished with the fulnesse of ioye and euerie one gaue thankes vnto God for that the whole worke was finished so speedily and wished all happinesse to the king for his cost and diligence in the execution and finishing thereof and they celebrated a great feast in honour of the restauration of the Temple Then did the king offer vp three hundreth oxen vnto God and the rest of them each one according to his abilitie offered
diuers ornaments and iewels to present them with to the valewe of two hundreth talents And it is to be wondred at that so great matters being brought on foote against him seuen moneths at least before his returne into the countrey of Iudaea that no inckling thereof came vnto his eares But the cause partly was the diligent search and watch that was kept vpon the high waies and partly the hatred that all men had conceiued against Antipater For there was not any that would put himselfe in hazard to procure his securitie CHAP. VII Antipater is condemned and cast into prison HErode concealing his displeasure answered Antipater his sonnes letters wherein he gaue him to vnderstand that as soone as he had dispatched his affaires as it behooued him he would returne charging him to hasten homeward for fear least during his absence some vr expected inconuenience might betide him He likewise after a temperate manner complained vnto him of his mother promising notwithstanding to remit the fault vpon his returne and by all meanes he made shew vnto him of much kindnesse fearing least he apprehending any suspition should defer to hasten his returne homeward and lingring too long at Rome should contriue some traiterous stratageme to the preiudice of himselfe and the ouerthrow of his kingdome These letters did Antipater receiue in Cilicia and alreadie had he receiued others at Tarentum by which he vnderstood of Pheroras his vncles death whereat he was sore grieued not for the loue he bare to Pheroras but for that he died before he had murthered his father according as he had promised him As soone as he came to Celenderis a Citie of Cilicia he grewe doubtfull whether he should returne or no and grieuously was he distracted by his mothers disgraces who was banished from the court Sundrie also were the opinions of his friends in this behalfe for some of them counsailed him to stay and expect thââ¦euent of these troubles in some place other some on the other side aduised him to delay no longer his returne into his countrey for that vpon his arriuall he might easily satisfie all those obiections and accusations that were inforced against him because his accusers had nought else to strengthen their cause with but his absence This latter aduise liked him best so that he betooke himselfe to sea and at last arriued in the port of Sebaste so called and builded by Herode to his great charge in honour of Caesar. And now alreadie it manifestly appeared that Antipater was vpon his downfall For no man came out to salute him no man entertained him as they did vpon his departure when as all of them accompanied him with praiers and happy acclamations but contrariwise they boldly and openly spake against him and bitterly cursed him telling him that he was iustly punished for the wickednesse he had committed against his brothers About the same time Quintilius Varus who was sent to succeede Satumine in the gouernment of Syria was at Ierusalem and drew thither at that instant vpon Herodes request to assist him with his counsailes in his present and weightie occasions Now whilest these two sate and consulted togither Antipater came in before any man expected him and in that purple garment and royaltie that he was accustomed to vse entered the pallace The guard of the gates suffered him to enter in but they excluded all those that were with him This first of all affrighted and appauled his spirits in that he already perceiued into what calamities he was fallen and now also when he drew neere his father he thrust him from him accusing him of the murther of his brethren and reproching him with that intent he had to poison him telling him that the next day Varus should both heare and iudge all his misdemeanors He altogither amazed at the greatnesse of that vnexpected mischiefe which he both heard and saw departed presently from them wholy amazed and in the way met with his mother and his wife which was Antigonus daughter who had been king of the Iewes before Herode by whom he was aduertised of all that which had hapned and for that cause more diligently prepared himselfe for his triall The next day Varus and Herode sate in iudgement accompanied by their friends on both sides thither also were cited the kings kinred and his sister Salome and certaine others who could discouer his secret practises some of which had been tortured and namely Antipaters mothers seruants who a little before his arriuall had been apprehended with a letter to this effect That he should take heed that he returned not into the countrey because his father was made priuie to all his practises and that for the present he had no other refuge but onely to Caesar and to take care likewise least he should fall into his fathers hands Hereupon Antipater humbling himselfe on his knees before the king his father besought him not to condemne him before his cause were heard but to suspend his iudgement vntill such time as he had heard his iustifications But Herode after he had commaunded him to withdraw himselfe into the midst of the court and assembly deplored his infelicitie in begetting such children and bewailed his mishap that in his olde age he was reserued for an Antipater After this he reckoned vp the cares he had spent in their education and instiution and how bountifully he had bestowed vpon him as much riches as he required he furthermore alleadged that none of all these fauours could preserue him from falling into lapse of the losse of his life by their policie to the intent that they might iniuriously possesse the kingdome before either the lawe of nature or the will of their father or their owne rights could challenge the same But aboue all the rest he wondered at Antipater with what hope he could possibly be puffed vp to attempt so audacious and wicked an enterprise For by his testament he had made him the heire of his kingdome and in his life time also had made him equall partaker of his dignitie glorie and power that he receiued annually fiftie talents of reuenue and to furnish his voiage for Rome had three hundreth talents giuen him Moreouer he accused him for his slaunderous accusations against his murthered and slaughtered brothers who if they had been wicked why did he imitate them but if they were innocent why without cause produced he his slaunderous accusations against those who were his naturall brethren For in his owne respect he had neuer found any thing against them but by his report neither had he giuen sentence against them but by Antipaters aduice who for the present were absolued by him because he was become the heire of their patricide In vttering these words he began to weepe being vnable to vrge his griefes any further for which cause he besought Nicholas Damascene who was his deere friend conuersed ordinarily with him and was priuie to all that
his letters vnto him as touching Antipater sending certaine appointed messengers who by word of mouth might certifie him of his cursed treasons At the verie same time there was a letter intercepted sent by Antiphilus to Antipater which Antiphilus remained in Aegypt which letter being opened by the king was written to this effect I haue sent you Armes letter hazarding thereby mine owne life for you know that I am in danger of the displeasure of two mightie families if I should be discouered As for your selfe bethinke you well of your affaires in this respect Such were the contents of this letter The king made diligent search for others also but he could finde none for Antiphilus seruant who had brought that which was read denied that he had any other But whilest the king was in this doubt one of his seruants and friends perceiued that the inside of the messengers vnder-coat was newly sowed for he had two garments the one vpon the other and coniecturing that the letters might be hidden in the sould thereof as indeed they were he ripped the same and found them The teÌnour thereof was this Acme to Antipater Health I haue written the letters to your father according as you gaue me instructions and haue counterfaited the copy of my letter as if it had been sent by Salome my mistris I assure my selfe that when he hath read the same he wil punish Salome as one that hath practised treason against him But that letter that was supposed to haue been written by Salome to Acme was of Antipaters inuention and written in Salomes name according to his inuention and in Acmes stile The contents were these Acme to king Herode Health Whereas I haue an especiall care that nothing be concealed from thee that concerneth thy securitie hauing found a letter of Salomes written against thee vnto my Ladie I haue not without danger taken the copy therof and sent it vnto you in which she required that she might haue licence to marrie Syllaeus Teare this copy least thorow the knowledge of the same I grow in danger of my life Now in that which she had written to Antipater she had discouered that she had written these words to Herode according to that commandement he had giuen her as if Salome had conspired to worke some treason against him She sent also the copy of those counterfaite letters in the name of Salome and sent them vnto her mistris to worke treason This Acme was a Iew borne and chambermaid to Iulia Caesars wife and did that which is aboue written for the loue which she bare to Antipater whom he had hired by great summes of money to the end that she should assist him to execute the mischiefe which he practised against his father and against his Aunt Herode made almost desperate by the great mischiefes of Antipater was stirred vp on the sodaine to shorten his daies for that he was the only meanes that stirred vp these great tempests of sedition in his kingdome and who not only practised against his father and his Aunt but against his sister also and had in like sort corrupted Caesars familie Salome also incensed him the more beating her breasts and offering her selfe to all deaths if any such like matter might be duely prooued against her For which cause Herod sent for Antipater commanding him to speake freely all that which he had to say without feare But he hauing not one word to answere for his defence Herode said vnto him Since that on all sides thou art conuicted and surprised in thy wickednesse delay not but discouer those that are of thy confederacie Whereupon he laid all the fault vpon Antiphilus and named none other At that time Herode being wounded by extreme griefe would haue sent Antipater to Rome vnto Caesar that he might receiue his iudgement from him but afterwards he feared least by the interest of his friends he should escape the danger for which cause he kept him bound and fettered in prison as he had done before And in the meane while sent certaine messengers with letters to Caesar to accuse his sonne and to declare wherein Acme had been his confederate producing the copy of the letters These embassadors therefore resorted to Rome instructed in those things they were to answere to those interrogatories that should be offered them and with them he sent his letters CHAP. VIII Herodes sicknesse and the sedition amongst the Iewes MEane while Herode fell sicke and made his will and appointed his youngest sonne to succeede him in the kingdome for that through Antipaters instigations he had conceiued a hatred against Archelaus and Philip. He sent also one thousand talents vnto Caesar and fiue hundreth to his wife and to his children friends and freemen He bestowed also money rents and lands vpon his own children he gaue his sister Salome an ample possession for that she had alwaies perseuered in louing him and had neuer offended him And hauing lost all hope of recouerie for that he was about seuentie yeeres olde he became verie tutchie and froward in whatsoeuer his affaires The cause hereof was that opinion he had conceiued that he waxed contemptible and that the whole nation tooke pleasure in those mishaps which befortuned him which some of those who were fauoured by the people made him the rather beleeue vpon this occasion which ensueth Amongst those that were most learned among the Iewes Iudas the son of Saripheus and Matthias the sonne of Margalothus the most excellent interpreters of the lawes and ordinances of the countrey and for this cause were in greatest estimation among the people by reason that they instructed and trained vp the youth For all those that desired to obtaine vertue spent all their time with them who vnderstanding that the kings sicknesse was dangerous they incensed the younger sort counsailing them to ouerthrow all those workes that the king had caused to be made contrarie to the law and custome of the countrey to the ende that they fighting for pietie might obtaine the reward that attendeth the same For in that the king had enterprised and done many things contrarie to the law diuers vnaccustomed miseries had befallen him and namely that sicknes wherewith he was detained For Herod had done diuers things contrarie to the auncient lawe against which Iudas and Matthias exclaimed openly For he had erected ouer the portall of the great temple an Aegle of gold of great valew Now the law prohibiteth that they who pretend to liue according to the same should not in any sort erect any image nor represent any figures of liuing creatures whatsoeuer For this cause these doctors counsailed them to pull down that Aegle telling that that although the matter seemed to want no peril yet ought they rather to prefer an honest death before a pleasant life if so be it be imploied for the defence of their countrey lawes and religion For in so doing they should
the sonne of Ananus was made high Priest A yeere after this this Eleazar also was deposed and the Priesthood was giuen to Simon the son of Camithus who continuing in this dignitie for a yeeres space no loÌger Ioseph called Caiaphas succeeded after him After Gratus had behaued himself thus he returned to Rome after he had remained in Iudaea for the space of 11. yeers After him came PoÌtius Pilate and succeeded him in the gouernment But Herod the tetrarch being entertained into Tiberius friendship builded a citie in honour of his name and called it Tiberias He planted it in the fruitfullest part of Galilee hard by the lake of Genazereth and neere vnto the naturall bathes in the borough called Emmaus This citie was peopled by straungers who resorted thither from all parts and by diuers of the countries of Galilee some of which were constrained to inhabite the same Some of those likewise who were in authoritie repaired thither and from all countries there flocked many who were not assuredly held for men of free condition all which he infranchised and gaue them great gifts vnder that condition that they should not abandon the citie To some of them he gaue houses alreadie builded to other some lands verie apt to be tilled knowing that the habitation of such a place was contrarie to the lawes and customes of his countrey and the ordinances of the Iewes For that Tiberias was builded in a place full of sepulchers and our law saith he that conuerseth in those places is held vncleaue and defiled for the space of seuen daies At that verie time died Phraates king of Parthia being traiterously slaine by his sonne Phraataces for this cause After that Phraates had gotten many lawfull children he tooke vnto him an Italian woman to his concubine called Thermusa whom with other presents Iulius Caesar had sent vnto him After he had begotten on her his sonne Phraataces he was so much besotted with her beautie that he tooke her to his wife and held her in high estimation She that might perswade him vnto all that whatsoeuer she listed enforced hir selfe to the vttermost to make her sonne king of Parthia and seeing that she might not attaine thereunto except she had first found out the meanes to deliuer hir selfe of Phraates lawfull children she perswaded him to send them hostages to Rome In a word they were presently sent away because Phraates in no sort had the power to contradict Thermusas will and only Phraataces was brought vp in the affaires of estate who thinking the time too tedious and long if he should expect the kingdome whilest his father were dead conspired against him by the instigation and furtherance of his mother with whom as it is thought hee committed incest In effect being equally attainted of these two hainous crimes both for the murther of his father as his incest committed with his mother he was generally hated by his subiects who rebelled against him before such time as he was setled in his kingdom By this meanes was his fortune ouerthrowen and he died The noble men among the Parthians perceiuing that it was impossible for them to maintaine their pollicy without a king and that their king ought lineally to descend of the race of the Arsacians because by custom they might not choose any out of another stock and supposing that their ordinances had too much alreadie beene contradicted and that it would redound to their great dishonour if the kingdome should be continued in the hands of such a man who was descended from an Italian concubine they sent Embassadors to require Herode to come and be their king who otherwise was in hatred with all the people and accused of extreme crueltie In a word he was an vnsociable man and extremely cholericke notwithstanding he were of the bloud of the Arsacides they therefore flocked about him and killed him at a banquet made at a certaine sacrifice for the custome of the Parthians was that euery one bare his weapon or as the common report was that he was slaine at such time as he was a hunting For this cause they sent Embassadors to Rome requiring that one of those that were hostages there might be their king and one Vonones was sent vnto them who was preferred aboue all his brethren For he seemed to be capable of that high degree of honour as to commaund two of the greatest soueraignties that were vnder the sunne the one of his owne nation the other of a forraine dominion But the Barbarians who are by nature mutable and most impatient of indignitie shortly after repented themselues for they disdained to execute the commaund of a slaue for so called they a pledge saying that the Parthians had not a king giuen them by right of warre but that which was the most out rage that might be fall them by iniury offered them in time of peace For which cause they speedily sent for Artabanus king of Media who was of the race of the Arsacides To this request of theirs he willingly condescended and came vnto them with his army And Vonones marched forward to make head against him At the first encountry although the common sort amongst the Parthians fauoured Artabanus yet was he ouercome and fled to the mountaines of Media But not long after hauing assembled a greater army he once more set vpon Vonones and discomfited him at which time Vonones retired himselfe with some horsemen of his into Seleucia But Artabanus hauing made a great slaughter of those that fled and wholy abashed the minds of the Barbarians he retired himselfe to the citie of Ctesiphon with those people that accompanied him and was afterwards made king of Parthia Vonones arriued in Armenia and at the first sought to make himselfe king ouer that nation sending to this effect certaine Embassadours to Rome but Tiberius repulsed his suite in respect of his cowardice but the rather for that Artabanus by an expresse Embassage had threatned him with warre For they of greatest power among the Armenians who are those that dwell aââ¦out the ââ¦loud Niphates maintained Artabanus title and Vonones destitute of all hope to obtaine the kingdome yeelded himselfe to Syllanus who was Gouernor of Syria and in regard that he had bin brought vp at Rome he was kept in Syria and Artabanus gaue Armenia to Orodes one of his sons Antiochus king of the Coââ¦agenes died also at that time and there fell a debate betwixt the commons and the nobilitie so that both parties sent their Embassadours to Rome The nobles required that the forme of their gouernment might be changed into diuers ãâã and the people requested that they might be honoured by a king as they had been accustomed The Senate decreed that ââ¦icus should be sent to settle the affaires in the East fortune ââ¦by presenting him with the occasion of his ruine For at such time as he arriued in the East and orderly disposed all things he
from whence he no sooner returned and performed that for which he went his wife who had some priuie notice of the conuentions which were made betwixt him and Herodias before he suspected that she knew thereof required him to send her to the castle of Macheron which was the frontire towne betwixt Herodes and Aretas countries without certifying him any waies of her intent Herode without suspect easily condiscended vnto her request thinking she was ignorant of his drift but she long before that time had taken order with the gouernour of Macheron which at that time was vnder her fathers gouernment to prepare all things for her iourney where being arriued she speedily posted into Arabia vnder the conuoy of those gouernours who receiued conducted her the one after the other As soone as she arriued in her fathers court she incontinently certified him of Herodes resolution whence arose the beginning of this discord betwixt them As soone as therefore they had both of them assembled their armies vpon the confines of the countrey of Gamalite they fought togither vnder the conduct of the two generals to whom they had committed their armies In this battell Herodes army was wholy discomfited thorow the treason that was complotted against him by certaine banished men of Philips Tetrarchy which were in pay with Herode Tiberius was certified of all this by those letters which Herode had written vnto him and being sore displeased with Aretas for his proud attempt he commaunded Vitellius to make warre against him willing him that if he could take him aliue he should send him bound vnto him but if dead he should send him his head Such was the commission that Tiberius sent to the gouernour of Syria Diuers Iewes wereof the opinion that Herodes army was ouerthrowne by the iust vengeance of God who punished him most iustly because of the execution which he caused to be done on IOHN surnamed BAPTISTE For he had done this man to death who was replenished with all vertue and who exhorted the Iewes to addict themselues thereto and to execute iustice towards men and pietie towards God exhorting thââ¦m to be baptized and telling them that baptisme should at that time be agreeable vnto God if they should renounce not onely their sinnes but if to the puritie of their bodies they should annex the cleannesse of their soules repurified by iustice And whereas it came to passe that diuers flocked and followed him to heare his doctrine Herode feared least his subiects allured by his doctrine and perswasions should be drawne to reuolt For it seemed that they would subscribe in all things to his aduice he therfore thought it better to preuent a mischiefe by putting him to death then to expect some sodaine commotion which he might afterwards repent Vpon this suspition Herode caused him to be bound and sent to the Castle of Macheron whereof we haue spoken heretofore and there was he put to death The Iewes were of opinion that in reuenge of this so grieuous a sinne Herodes army against whom God was displeased had been subiected to their vtter ruine and ouerthrow But Vitellius being addressed to make warre against Aretas gathered togither two legions and all those horse or foote that he could assemble amongst those kings who were the Romans allies and marching towards Petra he staied at Ptolemais because he pretended to passe by Iudaea Which when the principall nobles amongst the Iewes had notice of they went out to meet him beseeching him that he would not passe thorow their country because it was a custome amongst them not to see any images borne such as he had of diuers colours in his army Whereunto he condiscended and hauing changed his purpose he caused his army to march thorow the great plaine as for himselfe he came to Ierusalem accompanied with Herode the Tetrarch and his friends to offer sacrifice vnto God vpon the next festiual day where he was most magnificently receiued by all the people of the Iewes There soiorned he for the space of 3. daies during which time he deposed Ionathan from the high priesthood and inuested Theophilus his brother The fourth day letters came vnto him that aduertized him of Tiberius death for which cause he commaunded the oath of fidelitie should be ministred to the people in the new Emperour Caius behalfe He called his army backe also and sent them to their wintering garrisons because it was not lawfull for him to prosecute the warre by reason the soueraigne estate was fallen vnto Caius It is said that Aretas hearing newes of Vitellius expedition or voiage and after he had taken counsell of the Augurs said that the army should not finde engines to pierce as farre as Petra because the chiefetaines thereof or he that had the commaund of the expedition or he that obaied his ordinance in conducting the same or he against whom the army was conducted should die Vitellius therefore retired himselfe to Antioch A yeere before the death of Tiberius Agrippa Aristobulus sonne came to Rome to intreate with the Emperour about certaine affaires according to the power which he should obtaine at his hands But before I speake any thing hereof I will relate Herodes progenie both for that it is pertinent to this present narration as also that the greatnesse of Gods prouidence may appeare to the ende that a man may know that neither the number of children nor any other humane force whatsoeuer it be can be auaileable without the feare of God considering that within the space of one hundreth or somewhat lesse it so fell out that all Herodes line which was verie populous and fruitfull was extinguished a verie few excepted Whereby we are giuen to vnderstand what the miserie of mankinde is and learne to moderate our owne selues It is also expedient to speake something of Agrippa who amongst all others deserueth admiration in that being a man wholy drowned in obscuritie and base in birth he was exalted to such greatnes as no one of those that knew him would euer haue thought his fortune should haue such successe and mightinesse And although heretofore I haue spoken somewhat of this matter yet is it requisite that I speake something more expressely thereof in this place Herode the great had two daughters borne by Mariamme Hircanus daughter The one of them which was called Salampso who was married by Herode to Phasaelus the sonne of Phasaelus who was Herodes brother The other called Cypros was espoused to Antipater her Cousin who was Salomes sonne who was Herodes sister Phasaelus had fiue children by Salampso Three sonnes Antipater Herode and Alexander and two daughters Alexandra and Cypros whom Agrippa the son of Aristobulus married and Alexandra was married to Timaeus of Cyprus who was a man of great dignitie and with whom she died without issue Cypros had by Agrippa her husband two sonnes and three daughters Bernice Mariamme and Drusilla their two sons were
was increased the more at such time as he deliuered the same to his companions who openly mocked and iested at him For when it was his turne to receiue the word from Caesars mouth he ordinarily fitted him with such a one as might moue laughter which made him the bolder to conspire with his confederates in that he had iust occasion to be displeased amongst these was a Senator and one that had past all honours and offices otherwaies an Epicure and louer of delights Him did Timidius accuse in that he was his enemy that he had vsed certaine iniurious speeches against Caius and for proofe thereof he alleadged Quintilia for his witnesse a woman amongst all stageplaiers deerely beloued by many but in especial by Popedius by reason of her incomparable beautie and for that she refused to beare witnesse in a matter falsely obiected against him whom she intirely loued Timidius required that she might be examined by torture Caius prouoked herewith commaunded Cheraeas with all expedition and diligence to see Quintilia tortured and the rather gaue he Cheraeas these commissions to kill and torment those whom he pleased for that he had conceiued this opinion that he would acquit himselfe with more crueltie to the intent he might exempt himselfe of that reproch of faint-heartednesse which was wrongfully inforced against him Whilest thus Quintilia was led forth to be tortured she trod vpon the foote of one of those who were of the confederacie giuing him to vnderstand that he should be of good courage for that there was no feare that she would bewray any thing in torture but would endure it with great constancie notwithstanding Cheraeas tormented her cruelly which he rather performed by constraint then of his owne free will And seeing he could enforce nothing out of her he brought her backe to Caius in so pitifull an estate that all they that beheld her had compassion of her Caius likewise himselfe was mooued and bethinking him of those paines which she had indured he desisted from the enquest and accusation which was prosecuted against Popedius and Quintilia and gaue her a certaine summe of money to comfort her against the indisposition that might happen by reason of her torments which she had so couragiously enduted This displeased Cheraeas verie much as if he had been the cause of all those euils that had hapned to those two persons hauing been so great that to heale them it behooued Caesar to minister a medicine He consulted therefore with Clement who was captaine of the footmen and Papinius who had the commaund of the guard and spake vnto them to this effect We haue said he O Clement imployed ourselues to the vttermost for the Emperours safetie for by our prouidence and trauell we haue wrought so much that of all those who haue conspired against him some of them haue been slaine the rest in such sort tormented and martyred as Caius himselfe had compassion on them But what reward or honour receiue we for all these seruices Clement hearing these words held his peace giuing manifest testimonie by his lookes and the change of his colour that he was greatly ashamed that he had so long time obeyed the Emperours commandements and whilest he thought with himselfe that it was no pollicie for him to open his mouth against Caius crueltie Cheraeas emboldned himselfe to discouer the calamities and dangers wherein both the Citie and the whole Empire were plunged telling him that the common report was that Caius was the cause of them but said he those that will narrowly examine the truth will iudge that I and Papinius that standeth by me and you Clement more then we haue caused the Romans torment and the worlds miserie for that of our own will we haue been ministers of Caius commaunds and although the means lieth in vs to make an end of those violences that are committed against the Citizens and iniuries to the whole world yet serue we him for his guard and hangmen insteed of men of warre And we beare armes not to maintaine our libertie and the Roman Empire but to preserue him who keepeth their bodies and mindes in seruitude and euerie day are we soiled in their bloud who are slaine and tortured vntill such time as some one serue vs with the like sauce to satisfie Caius crueltie For it is not for the good will he beareth vs that he maketh vse of vs but that which is more we are suspected by him and he will cause vs to be slaine as he hath done others For his displeasure is not limited by iustice but by his will we also shall serue him for a marke to ayme at For which cause it behooueth vs to prouide for the securitie and libertie of all men and especially to warrant our selues against those dangers that threaten vs. Clement declared by apparant signes that he thought well of Cheraeas resolution but he counselled him to make no wordes of it for feare the rumour thereof should be spred among the people and the secret should be discouered before the execution and least that Caius getting an inckling thereof they should all of them be drawne into danger of death and in the meane while it behooued them to hope that some good fortune would fall out to their furtherance and that for himselfe his age had taken from him the necessarie courage that belonged to such enterprises It may be said he that I may furnish you with some aduice more secure then yours is Cheraeas for a more honester then it is who is he that can propose This said Clement returned to his house ruminating with himselfe vpon those words which he had both heard and spoken But Chaereas waxed fearefull and conferred with the Colonell Cornelius Sabinus whom he knew to be a man of reputation a louer of libertie and greatly discontented with the estate about the miseries of the common weale and seeing it was necessarie to attempt that with all expedition which he had intended he thought good to impart the matter to him fearing least Clement should discouer all the conspiracie considering that delay and procrastination would be but an occasion to hinder the action When as therefore he perceiued him to giue willing eare to all that which he intended and that alreadie he was confirmed with no lesse resolution then himselfe was but in that he knew not with whom he might familiarly communicate the same he said nothing whereas otherwaies he was readie not onely to conceale that which he had heard but also declared that which he had in his heart he was so much the more incouraged For which cause without any further delay they went to Minucianus who was conformable vnto them in vertue good affection and great courage and who besides that was suspected by Caius by reason of Lepidus death For Minucianus and Lepidus were verie great friends and had been associates in the same dangers For Caius was feared by all those who had
repaired to Petronius who was gouernor of Syria and complained against these Dorites who was no lesse displeased with the action then he himselfe For he supposed that such breach of religion was the meanes to further impietie and for that cause he wrote to those which had attempted this innouation somewhat sharply to this effect following CHAP. VI. Petronius letter written to the Dorites in the behalfe of the Iewes PVblius Petronius lieutenant to Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus to the Magistrates of the countrey of Doria health Whereas Caesar hath published an edict by which he permitteth the Iewes to liue according to their lawes and customes some one amongst you haue been so presumptuous to contradict the same in effect although in words you protest that you obey him and doe all that which you can to hinder the Iewes from enioying their Synagogue in so much as in the same you haue planted Caesars image not onely therby opposing your selues against the Iewes but also against the Emperour himselfe whose image might haue been better placed in his owne temple then in a forraine temple and you haue placed it in their Synagogue whereas by right euerie one ought to be maister of his place according to Caesars iudgement For it should be verie ridiculous in me to alleadge mine owne iudgement after that of Caesars who hath granted the Iewes the liberty to liue according to their lawes and customes and hath commanded that they should conuerse in equall freedome among the Greekes For these causes I commaund you that they who haue been so bold as to contemne Augustus decree against whom their owne magistrates haue beene displeased excusing themselues that this accident hapned not by their motion but by the furie of the common people be brought before me by the captaine Proculus Vitellius to yeeld a reason of that which they haue done exhorting the magistrates that if they will not be accounted parties in this contempt they labour to discouer those that are guiltie vnto Proculus and giue order that no sedition or violence be offered thereupon Which notwithstanding it seemeth that they affect although we and the most honoured king Agrippa whom I take for my good and special friend labour nothing more then that the nation of the Iewes should not assemble and take armes vnder colour of their defence And to the end that whatsoeuer Augustus hath ordained as touching this matter may be the better knowne vnto all men I haue annexed his edict which he published in Alexandria and although they are sufficiently knowne vnto all men yet hath the most honoured king Agrippa read them vnto me at such time as I sate in my tribunal seat concluding according to right that the Iewes ought not to be excluded nor hindred from enioying those benefits which are granted vnto them by Caesar I therefore charge all men that hence forward they take heed least they seeke any occasion of mutinie or sedition and that euerie one liue according to his religion See here how Petronius proceeded in this matter both to amend that which was past as also to preuent that which was to come that none should be so bold to attempt the like After this Agrippa tooke the priesthood from Simon Canthara and gaue it againe to Ionathan the sonne of Anani whom he esteemed to be more worthy then the other But Ionathan declared that he was not desirous of this dignitie for in effect he refused it saying O King I most willingly acknowledge the honour which it pleaseth you to bestow vpon me and know well that it is a dignitie which of your owne freewill you bestow vpon me notwithstanding that God iudgeth me vnworthy It sufficeth me that I haue once been inuested with the sacred habite for at that time I wore it with more holinesse then I can now receiue it at this present yet notwithstanding if it please you to know one that is more worthy of this honour then my selfe I wil informe you of one My liege I haue a brother who towards God and you is pure and innocent whom I dare recommend vnto you for a most fit man for that dignitie The king tooke great pleasure in these his words and leauing Ionathan he bestowed the priesthood on Matthias his brother according as Ionathan had aduised him and not long after this Marsus succeeded in Petronius roome and tooke vpon him the gouernment of Syria CHAP. VII Agrippas acts vntill the time of his death SIlas was made generall ouer the kings army and for that he had alwaies beene faithfull vnto him and had neuer forsaken him in any daunger that was offered without partaking the vtmost extremitie but had alwaies aduentured on the greatest perils in respect of his intire and constant resolution he made his account that being so firme a friend to the king he should also be partaker and companion with him in the honour For which cause in all things whatsoeuer he submitted not himselfe to the king but chalenged to himselfe a liberty to speake what him listed For this cause he grew hatefull in the kings sight for that in particular he boasted of himselfe beyond measure and oftentimes refreshed the memory of those aduersities the king had past the rather to expresse how affectionate he had been toward him and his continuall talke was nothing else but of those trauailes he had endured Now for that he obserued no measure in this his discourse the king tooke it as an iniury intended to his honour was offended with the vnbridled licence of the mans prattle For nothing soundeth more harsh in a mans eare then the memorie of his forepassed miserie and it is but the fault of a foole to rip vp the courtesies he hath emploied on another man Finally Silas grieuously prouoked the kings displeasure against himself that rather subscribing to his wrath then his wit he not only dispossessed Silas of his generals roome but also sent him bound into his countrey in that place to be held prisoner This notwithstanding time asswaged his displeasure the king drawing himselfe into better consideration and remembring himselfe how many trauels Silas had endured in his behalfe he reuoked the sentence that he had pronounced At such time therfore as he was ready to celebrate the festiual day of his birth and al his subiects were addressed to take their pleasure he speedily sent for Silas to the end he might be partaker thereof and banquet with them But Silas who was of a free nature supposing that he had iust cause to be displeased concealed it not from those who were sent vnto him but spake vnto them after this manner To what honour doth the king inuite me at this present to the intent incontinently to depriue me thereof for he hath not onely depriued me of those honours which he bestowed vpon me in acknowledgement of the good affection I haue alwaies shewed vnto him but he hath altogither spoyled me and
After this they gaue an entrance to those most grieuous mischiefes and calamities that befell the Iewes for they spred the seed of that warre which was awakened vnder Florus gouernment And for that cause after that Vespasian had obtained the victorie as it shall be hereafter declared he caused them to depart out of that prouince and made them seeke their habitation elsewhere THE XX. BOOKE OF THE ANTIQVITIES OF THE IEWES WRITTEN BY FLAVIVS IOSEPHVS The Contents of the Chapters of the 20. booke 1 The dissension betweene the Philadelphians and the Iewes and of the Ephode which was the sacerdotall stole 2 How Helena Queene of Adiabena and her sonnes embraced the religion of the Iewes 3 The Gouernour Tiberius Alexander punisheth the sonnes of Iudas of Galtlee 4 How agreat number of Iewes were slaine about the temple 5 The sedition of the Iewes against the Samaritanes 6 The actions of Foelix president of Iudaea 7 The gouernment of Porcius Festus in Iudaea and of certaine murtherers 8 Albinus gouernment 9 How Florus who succeeded Albinus inforced so many iniuries against the Iewes that they were constrained to fall to armes CHAP. I. The dissension betweene the Philadelphians and the Iewes and of the Ephode which was the sacerdotall stole AFTER King Agrippas decease as we haue heretofore declared in our former booke the Emperour Claudius sent Cassius Longinus to succeede Marsus in the gouernment of Syria whom he displaced of that honor in memorie of Agrippa who during his life time had oftentimes required by his letters that he should not suffer Marsus to gouerne the estate of Syria As soone as Cuspius Fadus came into Iewrie to take charge of that countrey which he was to gouerne vnder Caesar he found the Iewes that dwelt on the other side of Iordan in an vprore who had taken armes against the Philadelphians about the limits of a certaine village called Mia which was stored with valiant men at armes Now had those who inhabite beyond Iordan armed themselues in this manner without the consent of their gouernors had slain a great number of the Philadelphians Which when Fadus vnderstood he was sore displeased for that they had not reserued the cause to his hearing and opened their griefes they had conceiued against the Philadelphians but were so bolde of their owne authoritie and without feare to betake themselues to their weapons Hauing therfore apprehended some three of them who had been principals and authors of the sedition he commaunded them to prison and executed one of them called Annibas and banished the other two whose names were Amaram and Eleazar Anon after this Tholomaeus the Archthiefe was also taken and brought vnto him who commaunded him to be executed in that he had done many robberies in Idumaea and Arabia and by this meanes all the countrey of Iudaea was cleered of all theeues by the care and prouidence of Fadus After this he sent for the high priests and the gouernours of Ierusalem commanding them according to the Emperours direction that they should deliuer vp into the Castle of Antonia the long and sacred robe which the high priest onely was accustomed to weare to the end that it might be at the Romans disposition as in times past it had been This commaund of his they durst not contradict yet notwithstanding they required Fadus and Longinus who at that time was come to Ierusalem with a great power for feare the Iewes by reason of this iniunction should grow to rebellion first that it might be lawfull for them to send their Embassadours vnto Caesar to beseech him that the sacred robe might remaine in their custodie Secondly that it might please them to expect the answere which Caesar would returne vpon this their request Fadus gaue them this answere that he permitted them to send their Embassadours to Rome prouided that before hand they deliuered him their children for hostages Which when they had readily performed the Embassadors were sent away Now when they came to Rome the younger Agrippa who was his sonne that lately died knowing the cause of their comming and being ordinarily accustomed to attend vpon Caesar according as we haue heretofore declared besought Caesar that he would grant the Iewes their request as touching the sacred Robe and that it might please him to signifie no lesse vnto Fadus On this his petition Claudius gaue the Embassadours audience and tolde them that he fauoured their suit willing them to be thankfull to Agrippa vpon whose suit he respected them and allowed of their demaunds and besides this answere he deliuered them a letter to this effect Claudius Caesar Germanicus Conseruer of the people Consul created the fift time Emperour the fourth time Father of the countrey the tenth time to the Magistrates of Ierusalem the Senate people and all the nation of the Iewes Health Being required by our welbeloued Agrippa whom I both haue and at this present doe bring vp with me and whom I know to be most deuout I haue heard your Embassadours who were admitted to my presence by his meanes and haue receiued their thankes for the benefits I haue bestowed on your nation I haue also willingly inclined to that instant and expresse request you haue made vnto me and it is my pleasure the sacred Robe of the high priest and the holy Miter remaine in your custodie in such manner as our most deere and right honoured ftiend Vitellius heretofore ordained To which demaund of yours I vouchsafe my allowance first in regard of mine owne pietie and for that I desire that euerie one should serue God according to his own religion next for that I am resolued that in so doing I shall gratifie king Herod yong Aristobulus whose pietie towards me I am priuie to and whose good affection towards you I can witnesse with whom I haue had diuers occasions of friendship both in regard of their vertue as for the honour that I beare vnto them I haue also written to this effect to Cuspius Fadus mine Agent The names of those who haue receiued my letters are Cornelius the sonne of Ceron Trypon the sonne of Theudion Dorotheus the sonne of Nathanael and Iohn the sonne of Iohn Giuen the eight and twentith of Iune in the yeere wherein Rufus and Pompeius Syluanus were Consuls At that same time Herode who was Agrippas brother that lately deceased to whose hands in times past the gouernment of Chalcis had been committed required the Emperour Claudius to grant him the power ouer the temple and the sacred vestments and necessaries and the authoritie of choosing the high priest All which he obtained and from that time forward vntill the end of the warre of the Iewes this power remained in all his successours According to this authoritie Herode deposed Canthara from the priesthood and gaue the succession thereof to Ioseph the sonne of Canëus CHAP. II. How Helena Queene of Adiabena and her sonnes embraced the religion of the Iewes AT that
being about some hundreth stades off of the citie robbed one Steuen that was Caesars seruant in the high way and tooke from him all that which hee had Which when Cumanus vnderstood he presently sent some of his souldiers to spoyle those villages which were neerest to the place where the fact was committed and to bring the chiefest inhabitants thereof in bonds vnto him In this pillage a certaine souldier found a booke of the law of Moses in one of these villages which hee tooke and brought and before them all ââ¦ore it in peeces with hainous blasphemies and vile speeches against the law and whole nation The Iewes vnderstanding hereof sodainly assembled themselues in great numbers and ran to Caesarea where Cumanus kept for that present requiring him that he would reuenge not their cause but Gods whose law was on that sort dishonoured signifying vnto him that it was impossible for them to liue so long as their law was thus contemned Cumanus fearing least a second mutinie and vpore should be raised among the people by the counsell of his friends cut off the souldiers head who had committed that outrage against the law and by this meanes appeased he the sedition that was ready to take head CHAP. V. The sedition of the Iewes against the Samaritanes THere hapned also an enmitie betwixt the Samaritanes and Iewes vpon this occasion They of Galilee who resorted to the citie of Ierusalem at the times of our solemne feasts were accustomed to passe thorow the countrey of the Samaritanes And at that time it hapned that their way lay thorow a borough called Nais scituate in a great champion field where a quarrell arising betwixt diuers inhabitants of the place and certaine passengers a great number of the Galileans were murthered Which when the magistrates of Galilee vnderstood they resorted to Cumanus requiring him to execute iustice on those that had murthered their countrimen but he being corrupted with money by the Samaritanes made no account of their complaint The Galileans being prouoked by this contempt of his perswaded the common people of the Iewes to betake them to their weapons and maintaine their liberty telling them that seruitude is of itselfe tedious but that when it is accompanied with outrages it is intolerable But their gouernours laboured to pacifie them promising them to deale so effectually with Cumanus that he should take punishment of the murtherers but they gaue them no audience but fell to armes requiring Eleazar the sonne of Dinaeus to be their chieftaine This Eleazar was a theefe who for many yeeres made his abode in the mountaines They therfore spoyled and burnt certaine villages of the Samaritanes After that the report of all that which had passed came to Cumanus eares he tooke a company of the souldiers of Sebaste with foure bands of footmen and armed the Samaritanes likewise to go and make warre against the Iewes whom they tooke and slue many of them and led more of them away prisoners When the chiefest gouernours in Ierusalem saw into what an infinitie of mischiefs they were fallen they cloathed themselues in sackcloth and cast ashes on their heads exhorting those that were mutinous to forethinke themselues of the ruine of their countrey the daunger the temple was in to be burned the seruitude both of themselues their wiues and children to prophane and straunge nations and desired them to chaunge their aduice and to lay aside their weapons and cease to offer violence to the end that they might hereafter liue in quiet and that euery one of them would retire themselues peaceably to his owne habitation By which words in the end they being perswaded returned home and betooke them to their busines The theeues also retired themselues againe into their strong holds and from that time all Iudaea was replenished with thefts The gouernours of Samaria resorted to Numidius Quadratus gouernour of Syria who dwelt at that time in Tyre to accuse the Iewes for that they had fired their villages and spoiled them telling him that their losse did not so much trouble them as for that they saw the Romanes were contemned by the Iewes who notwithstanding ought to appeare before them as their competent Iudges yet naithelesse that they assembled themselues in such sort as if the Romaines were not their superiours For which cause they addressed themselues to him to the end they might haue redresse of those wrongs which they had receiued by them This is that wherewith the Samaritanes charged the Iewes who answered to the contrary alledging that the Samaritanes themselues had beene the authors of that mutiny and vprore and that Cumanus being wholy corrupted by their money had smothered the matter and done no iustice on the murtherers When Quadratus heard this he reserued the iudgement till another time telling them that he would giue sentence in the matter at such time as he came into Iudaea and had examined the truth of both sides so that they returned without doing any thing Anone after Quadratus came into Samaria where he heard that the Samaritanes had beene the authors of the trouble and on the other side knowing that some Iewes likewise intended some insurrection he caused them to be crucified whom Cumanus had left in prison From thence he transported himself to Lydda which is a burrow of no lesse bignesse then a citie in which place he sitting on his tribunall seat heard the Samaritanes the second time and discouered by the report of a certaine Samaritane that one Dortus one of the principallest among the Iewes and foure other his confederates induced the people to rebell against the Romanes These did Quadratus cause to be executed As for Ananias who was the high Priest and the captaine Ananus he sent them bound to Rome to render an account to the Emperour Claudius of that which they had don Moreouer he commaunded the chiefe gouernours both of the Samaritanes and Iewes that they should speedily repaire to Rome whither Cumanus and captain Celer should conduct them to the end they might be iudged by Caesar himselfe vpon the information taken on both sides And fearing least the common people of the Iewes should breake out into some rebellion he repaired to the citie of IerusaleÌ to giue order that the Iewes should attempt to raise no new stirres but when he came thither he found all in peace busied in the celebration of the feast and offering sacrifices to God according to their accustomed ceremonies Being therefore assured that no man would innouate or rebell in that place he left them to their solemnities and repaired to Antioch But the Iewes that were sent to Rome with Cumanus and the principall Samaritanes had a day assigned them by the Emperour to decide the differents that were betweene them Cumanus and the Samaritanes laboured all that they might by the mediation of Caesars friends and freemen to haue the vpper hand of the Iewes and indeed the day had beene theirs if young
and continuance of these eighteene was foure hundreth sixtie six yeeres six moneths and ten daies so long as the Iewes haue had the royall gouernment After the surprisall of Ierusalem by the Babylonians vntill such time as Cyrus king of Persia dismissed the Iewes and gaue them leaue to returne from Babylon into their owne countrey with permission to reedifie their temple there are 70. yeeres and at that time the captiues beeing returned Iesus the sonne of Iosedech tooke vpon him the high priesthood who with those of his posteritie to the number of fifteene haue gouerned in a Democratie or popular estate vntill the time of Antiochus surnamed Eupator for the space of foure hundreth and fourteene yeeres This Antiochus was the first who with his generall Lysia displaced Onias surnamed Menelaus of his priesthood commanding him to be slaine at Beryth and after he had driuen his sonne out of the succession he established Iacim high priest who notwithstanding was of Aarons race but not of his family For this cause Onias the sonne of Onias and nephew to the deceased Onias retired himselfe into Aegypt where growing familiar with Ptolomey Philometor and Cleopatra his wife he perswaded them to build a temple in the confines of Heliopolis not vnlike to that of Ierusalem and to create a high priest in the same of which temple in Aegypt we haue made verie oftentimes mention After that Iacim had held the priesthood for the space of three yeeres he died without successor For the Citie remained seuen yerees without a high priest Againe the Asmoneans recouered the gouernment of their nation and after they had warred against the Macedons they established Ionathan hie priest who exercised the office seuen yeeres but afterwards he was slaine by an ambush and treason conspired against him by Tryphon as we haue declared elsewhere After him Simon his brother vndertooke the priesthood who was not long after slaine treacherously by his sonne in lawe at a banquet After him succeeded his sonne Hyrcanus who enioying this dignitie for the space of thirtie one yeeres died when he was verie olde leauing behinde him Iudas surnamed Aristobulus who dying by sicknesse left his brother Alexander his heire both of the kingdome and high priesthood After that Aristobulus had obtained the royal gouernment he enioyed both dignities one whole yeere For this Iudas surnamed Aristobulus was the first that set the diademe on his head causing himselfe to be called a king The which Alexander did continue for he also ioyned the kingdome with the high priesthood and raigned 27. yeers and feeling himselfe draw neere to his death he left it in Alexandras his wiues hands to dispose of the priesthood as she pleased She therefore bestowed it on Hyrcanus and as touching the kingdome she kept it in her own hands nine yeers afterwards died Her son Hyrcanus was high priest for so long time for after Alexandras death his brother Aristobulus made warre against him and hauing ouercome him he tooke the kingdome from him and not onely seazed the crowne but the priesthood After he had raigned three yeeres and as many moneths Pompey repaired to Ierusalem and tooke it perforce and laying hold of Aristobulus sent him bound vnto Rome with his children After which he restored the priesthood once more to Hyrcanus committing the gouernment of the nation vnto his hands forbidding him in the meane space to weare the diademe Besides the first nine yeeres Hyrcanus gouerned twentie and foure but Barzapharnes and Pacorus princes of the Parthians passed Euphrates and made warre against Hyrcanus and tooke him aliue prisoner and made Antigonus Aristobulus sonne king But after he had gouerned three yeeres and three moneths Sosius and Herode tooke him aliue perforce and Antonius sent him to Antioch where he was put to death After that Herode was created king by the Romans there was neuer any hie priest created of the posterity of the Asmoneans for he gaue the hie priesthood to certaine men of obscure base condition who were of the order of the priests Aristobulus onely excepted This Aristobulus was Hyrcanus nephew who was prisoner among the Parthians and hauing giuen him the priesthood he married himselfe with Mariamme his sister to the intent to continue himselfe in the good liking of the people in remembrance of Hyrcanus but afterwards fearing least all of them should turne to Aristobulus side he caused him to be slaine by finding out a meanes to cause him to be stifled at such time as he bathed himselfe in a fishpond neere to Iericho as we haue declared before this After him he bestowed the priesthood no more on any of the line of the Asmoneans Archelaus his sonne followed his fathers steps in respect of the priesthood and from that time forward the Romans haue enioied the soueraigntie ouer Iewry All they then that haue exercised the priesthood from Herodes time vntill the day that Titus tooke the Citie and the temple haue been in all twentie and eight All the continuance of their gouernment was one hundreth and seuen yeeres Certaine of these gouerned during Herodes life and in the daies of Archelaus his sonne but after these two were dead the gouernment was Aristocraticall or of the nobilitie wherein the priests had the gouernment ouer the whole nation Thus much haue we thought meet to speake at this time as touching the high priests CHAP. IX How Florus Albinus successor offered many iniuries to the Iewes which constrained them to take armes GEssius Florus being sent by Nero to succeed Albinus filled all Iudaea with many mischiefs and miseries He was a Clazomenian borne and was married to a certaine woman called Cleopatra no lesse mischieuous then himselfe who being beloued by Poppea Neros wife obtained this dignitie for him He behaued himselfe so outragiously and violently in all his gouernment that thorow the great iniustice he committed the Iewes praised Albinus as if hee had been their benefactor For he concealed his mischiefe taking care least it should wholy be conceited or discouered but Gessius Florus behaued himselfe in such sort as if he had been sent to make open shew and sale of his villanies publishing his iniustice in the eares of our nation without omitting either rapine or iniustice in execution and inflicting punishment on the innocent For he was pitilesse and couetous and made no difference betwixt noble and ignoble and was not ashamed to be partaker with theeues of whom there were diuers that made it their profession to steale without any feare in that they were assured of their safetie because he was partaker with them And in a word there was no moderation in him in sort as the poore Iewes being vnable to endure the insolent rapines and spoilings of their goods that they receiued by these theeues were constrained to abandon their owne houses and to flie their countrey and remaine in some more commodious place of securitie yea though it were among strangers What neede I
regard of their league of friendship continued with the Romanes and contracted and ratified by Senius Gallus Gouernour of Syria But I deliuered them all of that feare and appeased the common people by permitting them to send at all times when they pleased their hostages to Gessius who lay at Doââ¦a a Citie of Phoenicia I found likewise that the inhabitants of Tiberias were already in armes vpon this occasion following There were in that Citie three different factions the one of the nobilitie whose chiefââ¦aine was Iulius Capella and all those that accompanied him that is to say Herode the sonne of Miarus Herode the sonne of Gamalus and Compsus the sonne of Compsus for Crispus his brother who in times past had been gouernour for Agrippa surnamed the Great was amongst his possessions on the other side of Iordan all these I say gaue counsell at that time to subscribe to the Romans authoritie and to obey their king But Pistus would no waies accord to this aduice in regard of his sonne Iustus for naturally he was vainglorious The second faction was of the common sort who concluded vpon war Iustus Pistus sonne who was the ringleader of the third faction carried himselfe very doubtfully as touching the warre yet notwithstanding he sought and thirsted after innouation hoping that by a change he should encrease his power Presenting himselfe therfore in the midst of the multitude he enforced himselfe to perswade the common sort that their Citie had alwaies belonged to Galilee and that during the daies of Herode the Tetrarch who founded the same it was the chiefest Citie whose pleasure it was that the Citie of Sephoris should yeeld obedience to that of Tiberias Furthermore he auowed that they had not lost that preheminence in the time of king Agrippa the father but had continued the same till Foelix obtained the gouernment of Iudaea But for the present wherein they had been giuen by Nero to the younger Agrippa they had fallen and lost their superioritie For the Citie of Sephoris obtained the soueraigntie of Galilee after that she acknowledged the Roman gouernment who had abolished the table royall and publike registers By these words and others of like nature inforced against king Agrippa he incited the people to rebellion signifying vnto them that the opportunitie inuited them to take armes to the end that being associated with the Galileans they might make themselues Lords for that all of them would willingly ioyne themselues with them thorow the hatred they ââ¦are to the Sephorites on whom they would reuenge themselues with great force because they continued in their allegiance which they promised to the Romans And by these words he woon the peoples hearts vnto him for he was a man that was verie eloquent and by his subtiltie and politike discourse easily ouerthrew all that which his aduersaries produced against him For hee was not ignorant of those sciences that are knowne vnto the Greekes but trusting to his wisedome and good discourse hee began to discouer howe all things had past at that time to the intent that by such colourable insinuations he might smother the truth But in the processe of our discourse we will declare that he was a man of a dissolute life and that by his and his brothers meanes he wanted little of vtterly ouerthrowing his countrey When as therefore this Iustus had perswaded the Citizens of Tiberias to take armes and had constrained diuers men likewise who were of the contrarie opinion to do the like he issued out with them and burned the villages of the Gadarenians and Hippenians that are scituate in the confines of Tiberias and Scythopolis In this estate was Tiberias and as touching Gischala their estate and affaires were brought to this issue Iohn the sonne of Leui seeing some of the Citizens waxen proud by meanes of their reuolt from the Romans laboured to restraine them and required them to continue in their allegiance but notwithstanding all his perswasion and diligence he could not containe them For the nations round about them as the Gadarenians Gabaraganeans and Tyrians assembled a great army and with the same assailed Gischala and tooke it by force and after they had consumed it by fire and vtterly destroied the same they returned euerie one to their dwelling places Iohn being sore displeased with this act armed all those that were with him and set vpon these abouenamed nations and hauing obtained the victorie he reedified Gischala in farre better soâ⦠then it was before inclosing it with a wal to the intent it might be the better fortified against future inuasions But those of Gamala perseuered in their faith towards the Romans for the occasion that ensueth Philip the sonne of Iacim who gouerned vnder king Agrippa escaping beyond all opinion and flying to the royall pallace in Ierusalem at such time as it was besieged fell into another great danger to wit to be slaine by Manahem and those theeues that were with him but certaine Babylonians his kinsmen being at that time in Ierusalem hindered the theeues from executing their purpose at that time When as therefore Philip had soiourned there for the space of foure daies on the fift he fled away disguizing himselfe in a false haire for feare he should be discouered And as soone as he was arriued in one of those villages which was of his owne possession scituate neere vnto the mount Gamala he sent for certaine of his subiects to make their repaire vnto him But God would not permit it but for Philips greater good he crossed the scope of his intent which otherwise had been the ruine of many for being surprised by a sodain feuer he committed certaine letters of his written to Agrippa and Bernice who were yet but young to one of his free-men commanÌding him to deliuer them to Varus who was put in trust by the king and Queene to administer the affaires of their kingdome for that they were gone to Beryth to meete with Gessius As soone therefore as he had receiued Philips letters and vnderstood that he was escapt he tooke it verie hardly for that he thought it would be said that the king and the Queene had no vse of him since Philip was arriued He ââ¦refore brought him that had the carriage of these letters into the peoples presence obiecting against him that he had forged that writing alleadging that he falsely lied in that he reported that Philip was in Ierusalem making warre with the Iewes against the Romans and for that cause he commanded him to be executed Philip being ignorant of the cause why his free-man did not returne sent another with letters to the intent he might discouer what was become of his first messenger and for what cause he staied so long But Varus accusing this second messenger also verie falsely commanded him to be executed as he had done the first For the Syrians that inhabite Caesarea had made him proud insomuch that he aspired
that I was not wholy cleere of that which was obiected against me I besought them to vnderstand to what vse I reserued that pray that was brought vnto my hand after which if they list they might kill me And whilest the multitude commaunded me to speake the armed men returned backe and beholding me rushed in vpon me with an intent to murther me but being restrained by the peoples exclamations they moderated their furie supposing that after my confession of treason and reseruation of the kings money they might haue a better occasion to finish my Tragedy For which cause after silence I began thus Men and brethren said I if in your opinion I deserue death I refuse not to die yet before my death will I certifie you of the whole truth Truly when as I perceiued that this Citie was most commodious and fit to entertaine strangers and that I perceiued that many men forsaking their owne countries were delighted with your conuersations and willing to partake with you in all sorts of fortune I was resolued to build vp your wals with this money for which being thus destinated to doe you good your indignation is prouoked against me Vpon these words the Taricheans and strangers cried out giuing me thankes and willing me to be of a good courage But the Galileans and Tiberians continued in their hatred insomuch as they grew to debate betwixt themselues the one threatning me with punishment the other contrariwise willing me to assure my selfe of securitie But after I had promised the Tiberians that I would reedifie their wals and fortifie other conuenient Cities they giuing credit to my words repaired euerie one of them to their owne houses And I beyond all expectation escaping from so great a perill with certaine of my friends and some twentie souldiers returned to my house But once againe the theeues and authors of sedition fearing least they should be punished for these their offences begirt my lodging with six hundreth armed men intending to consume it with fire Of whose arriuall as soone as I had intelligence imagining with my selfe that it would be much dishonour for me to flie I resolued to vse valour and courage against them for which cause commanding the gates to be shut I required them from the top of the house that they would send in some of them vnto me to receiue that money for which they had been drawn into this mutinie whereby they might haue no further cause to be incensed against me Which done laying hold of one of the most troublesome fellowes that with the rest came in vnto me I caused him to be beaten with many grieuous strokes and his hand to be cut off and hung about his necke and thus handled we thrust him out of doores to returne vnto those who had sent him But they being wondrously affraid herewith and suspecting the like punishment if they should stay there any longer for that they suspected that I had diuers armed souldiers in my house they sodainly all of them fled away and so by this stratageme escaped I the other dangers Yet wanted there not some who incited the people once more against me saying that the kings seruants who were fled vnto me for refuge ought not to liue except they submitted themselues to their lawes and customes from whom they required protection They likewise accused them that they were of the Roman faction and poisoners and presently the people began to mutinie being deceiued by their words who laboured to flatter them Which when I heard of I once more enformed the people that they ought not to persecute those who resorted vnto them for rescous and I iested at their folly who accused them of impoisoning and that the Romans would not vainly nourish so many thousands of souldiers if they pretended to make away their enemies with poison Being by these words somewhat pacified they had scarcely withdrawn themselues awhile but that by certaine outcasts and wicked men they were incited against the nobilitie so that with armed weapons they resorted to the houses of the Taricheans intending to murther them Which when I heard I was sore affraid that if this wickednesse should be committed no man hereafter should dare to trust his life in my hands For which cause being assisted by diuers others I hastily resorted to their lodging and shut vp the gates and cutting a trench betwixt it and the lake I called for a barke and entring into the same with them I crossed ouer into the confines of the Hippenians and furnishing them with money to buy them horses for that they could not transport their owne with them in that flight I dismissed them requiring them to digest their present misfortunes with a constant minde For I my selfe tooke it verie heauily that I was once more inforced to land those men in the enemies countrey who had committed themselues to my trust yet thinking that if it should so fall out that they should fal into the Romans hands they should be safer then if by suffering them to remaine in my countrey I should see them opprest I aduentured them thus Yet were they saued and the king gaue them pardon And this was the end of this tumult But they of Tiberias wrote vnto the king requiring him to send a garrison into their country and promising him to reuolt and follow him Which done as soone as I came vnto them they required me that I would build them those wals which I had promised them for they had alreadie heard that Taricheas was inuironed with wals Whereunto I condescended and gathering stuffe from euerie place I set the workemen to their taske But some three daies after departing from Tiberias towards Taricheas which was thirtie stades distant from thence by chance a troupe of Roman horsemen were discouered not farre from the Citie which made the inhabitants beleeue that they were the kings army Whereupon they presently began to vtter many things in honour of the king and more in my reproch And presently a certaine friend posted vnto me and told me what their minde was and how they intended to reuolt from me Which when I vnderstood I was wondrously troubled For I had sent backe my men of warre from Taricheas to their houses for that the next day was the Sabboth day For I would by no means that the Citizens of Tarichea should be charged or troubled with entertaining souldiers And at all times when I remained in that citie I tooke no care of the guard of mine owne person hauing had often proofe of the loyaltie of the inhabitants towards me Being therefore at that time attended onely with seuen souldiers and a few of my friends I knew not what to do For I thought it not fit to call backe my forces for that the day was welny past and although they should haue beene with me the next morning yet they might not haue taken armes because our lawes forbad the same how
charging them to returne backe and not to depriue them of the good gouernour they had Ionathan and his companions were prouoked with these cries yet durst they not make anie open shew of their displeasure but without returning them any answere they resorted to other Cities where they met with no lesse effectuall exclaimes from the multitude protesting with a loud voice that no man should be able to disswade them from continuing Ioseph in authoritie in their gouernment Whereupon Ionathan with his followers marched forth without any further speech and came to Sephoris the greatest Citie of Galilee But the inhabitants thereof being addicted to the Romans came foorth to them but for my part they neither praised nor blamed me Departing from Sephoris they came to Asochim where the Citizens sung the same song that the Iapheans did Whereupon they being vnable to containe their displeasures commanded their souldiers to beate them with their truncheons who exclaimed against them and claimed me for their gouernour And when they drew neere to Gabara Iohn came out to meete them accompanied with three thousand souldiers and I hauing intelligence by their letters that they were resolued to make warre against me departed from Chabalon accompanied with three thousand souldiers and hauing committed the campe to the charge of my trustiest friend I went to Iotapata because I would be within foure stades of them and sent them this letter If your will be that I must needly come vnto you there are in Galilee two hundreth and foure Cities and burroughs I will meete you in anie one of them which you please except Gabara or Gischala for that the one is the place of Iohns natiuitie and the other is his associates and friends As soone as Ionathan had receiued this answere he replied not any more but sought the means to entrap me Iohn was of the opinion to write vnto all the Cities and burroughs of Galilee supposing that without question there were one or two in them that were mine enimies whom they might incense against me aâ⦠against their common enimie He gaue order also that this his resolution should be sent to Ierusalem to the end that those of the Citie vnderstanding that I was adiudged an enimie by the Galileans might in like sort confirme that their decree by their opinion For he said that by this meanes it would come to passe that the Galileans who were well affected towards me should forsake me for feare they had of them This aduice of Iohns meruailosly pleased them all was presently brought vnto me about the third houre of the night by one ââ¦cchaeus who flying from them came and brought me the newes particularly related to me their intent For which cause perceiuing that the time reqââ¦ed no longeâ⦠delaie and supposing that Iacob was one of my most assured and ââ¦rustiest seruants I commanded him to take two hundreth men with him and to belay the waies betweene Gabara and Galilee and to send me those whom he should surprise that came that waie and especially those that carried letters I sent Ieremy also who was one of my friends to the marches of Galilee with six hundreth men at armes to keepe the passages that waie toward Ierusalem commaunding him to laie hands on all those that carried letters and to commit the men to prison and to send me their pacquets After I had in this sort instructed those whom I sent I vvilled and commanded the Galileans the next daie following to take their armes and to furnish themselues vvith victuals for three dââ¦es and to attend me at the burrough of Gabaââ¦th Those souldââ¦ers that I had I distributed in foure companies and kept those with me in whom I reposed most confidence for the guard of my person and haââ¦ing appointed captaines ouer them and commanded them to be carefull I chaââ¦ged them to suffeââ¦o vnknowne souldier to enter in among them The ââ¦xt day I came to Gabaret the fifth ââ¦ure of the daie vvhere I found all the fieldes about the Citie full of men of vvarre of those of Galilee who resorted thither to assist me according as I had commaunded them Thither also came there a multitude of other men from other burroughs As soone as I came to their presence and was readie to speake vnto them all of them began to crie out callââ¦g me their benefactor and maintainer of their countrey Aftâ⦠I had solemnly giuen them thankes for this fauour they had shewed me I charged them neither to offer war or attempt anie ââ¦olle in the champion countrey but to encampe amidst the fields contenting themselues with that prouision they had brought with them For I tolde them all in generall that I would extingâ⦠those troubles without effusion of bloud It hapned the same day that Ionathans messenger and letters fell into their hands who had the guard of the passages by my appointment and according to my direction the men were kept in securitie as I gaue order and finding the letters that were brought me to be full of nothing but slaunders and lies written by the Embassadours I said not a word to any man but thought it best pollicie to set vpon them But Ionathans souldiers hauing intelligence of my comming retired both themselues and their goods and with them Iohn also into Iesus house which was a great tower nothing different from a cittadell in which they hid a number of men of warre and locked vp all the other gates saue one expecting that I should come that way to salute them In a word they had commanded their souldiers that when I should enter they should suffer no man else to enter with me but exclude all the rest For they made no other account but that by this meanes they might easily lay hold on me But they were deceiued of their hopes for hauing notice before hand of their intents as soone as I came thither entering into a lodging that was right ouer against theirs I fained that I went to take my rest Whereupon Ionathans souldiers supposing that I was asleep and that in troth I was safe they came forth in all haste into the plaine labouring to disswade my souldiers from their loue and alleagiance and detracting my gouernment But all things fell out contrarie to that they thought for as soone as they were discouered the Galileans gaue a great shout testifying the good will they bare vnto me who was their gouernour and they blamed the Embassadours for that without any cause of iniury they were come to disturbe the publike peace willing them to be gone for that they intended to admit no other gouernour When these things were signified vnto me I made no doubt to aduenture my selfe among them for which cause I speedily went out to heare what these Embassadours could alledge against me Vpon my arriuall the whole troupe shouted for ioy and applauded me with a loud voice giuing me thanks for my happie and peaceable gouernment
died in that encountrie yet not I alone protest this but it is extant also in writing in the records of the Emperour Vespasian how the inhabitants of these tenne cities cried out to Vespasian in the citie of Ptolemais requiring that thou mightst be punished as the author of their mischiefes and assuredly thou hadst beene punished by the Emperour had not Agrippa who had receiued commission to execute thee vpon the instant request of his sister Berenice spared thee life and kept thee bound in prison for a long time Furthermore thy politicke behauiours do sufficiently expresse what the rest of thy life hath beene and how thou hast caused thy countrey to rebell against the Romanes whereof I will produce hereafter most euident arguments and for thy cause will I vrge somewhat against those other Tiberians and I will make it plaine to those that shal read these histories that thou hast beene no friend to Rome nor faithfull to thy king And I enforce these my authorities from the greatest cities of Galilee Sephoris and Tiberias in which thou Iustus wert borne For Sephoris scituate in the heart of Galilee hauing round about it a number of villages and being a citie sufficiently able in it selfe to attempt and execute anie noble action at their pleasure yet notwithstanding the citizens thereof resolued to obserue their faith to the Romanes and thrust me out of doores forbidding euery man among them to beare armes for the Iewes And to the end they might be more assured in my behalfe the inhabitants deceiued me in that they intreated me to incompasse their citie with a wall and that done they willingly entertained a garrison which was sent them from Cestius Gallus who was generall of the Romane Legions in Syria in contempt of me although at that time I had a great power and terrified the countrey round abouts But when our great citie of Ierusalem was besieged and that temple which was common to all our nation was in daunger to fall into the enemies hands the Sephorites sent no succours to the end it might not be said that they tooke armes against the Romanes But thy country Iustus being scituate vpon the lake of Genazareth distant from Hippus thirtie stades from Gadara sixtie from Scythopolis sixscore in a countrey obedient to the king hauing not any citie of the Iewes round about it might haue verie easily kept their faith to the Romans if they had listed For both the citie and people were furnished with munition in all aboundance But as thou saist I was the cause at that time And who afterwards For thou knowest that before the siege of IerusaleÌ I was in the Romans hands that Iotapata was taken by force and diuers other castles and that many other Galileans were spent in diuers battels At that time shouldest thou haue deliuered thy self of that feare thou hadst of me laying thine armes aside presenting thy selfe to the king the Romans when thou vndertookest armes not of thine own accord but inforced But the truth is you expected Vespasians comming euen vntil such time as he begirt your citie wals with a siege then laid you your armes aside for feare of danger yea euen theÌ had your citie bin ouerthrown except the king in excuse of your folly had obtained your pardon at Vespasians hands It was not therefore my fault but your offence that behaued your selues like enemies Do you not remember how often times I haue obtained the victorie against you and how few times you could complaine of bloudshed But you falling at dissension one with another haue beene the instruments of your owne ruine not for the loue you bare either to the King or the Romanes but of your owne malice slewe one hundreth eightie and fiue citizens at such time as I was besieged by the Romanes in Iotapata Nay more is not this true that during the siege of Ierusalem whereof I haue made mention there were more then two thousand Tiberians slaine or otherwise taken prisoners But perhaps thou wilt alledge that at that time thou wert no enemie for that thou wert fled to the King but I tell thee that thou fleddest thither for the feare thou hadst of me I am a wicked man as thou saist but what art thou whom King Agrippa vpon many presents deliuered from punishment at such time as thou wert condemned by Vespasian to lose thy head For what cause hauing made thee prisoner twice and hauing so many times past the sentence of banishment against thee hauing once commanded thee to be thine owne murtherer hath he giuen thee life vpon the importunate sollicitation of his sister Bernice And after so many crimes coÌmitted by thee hauing entertained thee for his secretary when he found thy corruption in that office he banished thee from his presence But I will not too exactly touch thee with these matters yet notwithstanding I wonder at thine impudence that hast openly protested that thou hast written more exactly and perfectly of this matter then any man whereas thou art vtterly ignorant of those things that were done in Galilee For at that time wert thou at Berytum with the king and werâ⦠no waies priuie to the siege of Iotapata seeing thou didst not follow vs. Neither couldst thou be able to learne how I behaued my selfe therin for that there was no one left aliue to giue thee certain intelligence Thou wilt perhaps say that thou hast carefully described that which hapned during the siege of Ierusalem And how may this be possible For thou wert neither agent nor looker on in that warre neither hast thou red the commentaries of Vespasian But I coniecture hereby that thou hast not read them at all forasmuch as thou hast written cleane contrary to that which is contained therein And if thou art so confident that thy historie is truer then other mens why didst thou not publish it during Vespasians and Titus liues who were the generals of that warre neither before king Agrippa and those of his rate who were all of them very expert in the Greek tongue For thou hast kept it written by thee aboue twentie yeeres and mightst haue produced witnes of thine exact diligence before them who were priuie to all things But now when they are dead thou thinkest that no man liueth that may reproue thee thou hast vndertaken this boldnes to publish thy work But I haue vsed no such pollicy or feare in my bookes but haue presented them to the Emperours themselues who haue beene eie witnesses and actors thereof For I knew in mine owne soule that I had set downe all things truely Whereupon I obtained my expected approbation Moreouer I communicated the same historie with diuers others whereof some of them were present at the warre as was king Agrippa and some of his kinred And Titus the Emperour himselfe was so desirous that men should search for the truth of that historie out of these bookes that he placed them in a
the Iewes how he came how he fought against me the first time neere to the Citie of Taricheaââ¦how I departed from thence to repaire to Iotapata my taking my deliuerance and all my actions and fortunes during the warres of the Iewes and the siege of the Citie of Ierusalem But now me seemeth that it is necessarie that I describe other things exploited by me during my life time in other places then in the warres of the Iewes After the siege of Iotapata was ended I was prisoner with the Romans and kept verie carefully yet notwithstanding Vespasian did me much honour For by his commandement I married a virgin that was one of those that had been taken captiue in Caesarea But she remained not long time with me for after I was set at libertie and that I followed Vespasian she retired her selfe to Alexandria After which I married another woman in Alexandria from whence I was sent to Titus to the siege of Ierusalem where I was oftentimes in danger of death For the Iewes laboured what they might to take and punish me and the Romans supposing that as many and oftentimes as they were repulsed it was by my treason cried out continually to the Emperour to execute me for a traitor But Titus well experienced in the changes of warre pacified the violence which his souldiers intended against me by his silence And after the Citie of Ierusalem was taken Titus often solicited me to take that which I liked among the ruines of Ierusalem promising to giue it me But I making but small account of any thing after the ruine of my countrey besought him that he would giue me certaine free men and the sacred Bible which I receiued for a great consolation in my miseries All which he gratiously granted me Not long after hauing begd my brother and fiftie other of my friends they were giuen me and I was refused in nothing Entring into the temple by Titus permission I found a great number of prisoners shut vp therein and all those women and children of my friends and familiars whom I knew I deliuered them to the number of one hundreth and ninetie without paying any raunsome and I restââ¦d them to their former free condition Being sent with Cerealis and one thousand horse into the Citie of Thecoa by the Emperour Titus to espie if the place were fit for a campe in returning from thence I saw diuers prisoners who were on the gibbet amongst which were three of my familiars whereat I was grieued in my soule and I came and signified the same vnto Titus with teares who incontinently commaunded thâ⦠they should be taken downe and as carefully drest and cured as might be two of which died notwithstanding the vtmost diligence of the Phisitions and the third suruiued After that Titus had appeased the troubles of Iudaea coniecturing with himselfe that the possessions which I had in Ierusalem would yeeld me but little profit by reason of the Roman garrison that should be placed there he planted me in a possession in a champion countrey and intending to embarke himselfe to depart for Rome he tooke me with him in his owne ship and did me great honour As soone as we came to Rome Vespasian had great care of me for he lodged me in his owne house where he kept before he was Emperour and honoured me with the title of a citizen of Rome and gaue me an annuall pension in money and as long as he liued continued his good affection towards me forgetting no kind of bountie which he might vse towards me Whereupon I was so much enuied that I grew in daunger thereby to lose my life For a certaine Iew called Ionathan hauing stirred vp a sedition in Cyrene gathered about him some two thousand inhabitants of the countrey was the cause of their ouerthrow and as touching himselfe being bound by the gouernour of that countrey and afterwards sent vnto the Emperour he said it was I that had sent him armes and money But Vespasian knew his falshood and condemned him to death and commaunded him to be executed After this mine enemies obiected diuers crimes against me in regard that I was in good reputation but God so wrought that I escaped them all Moreouer I receiued in gift from Vespasian an ample possession in Iudaea and at that verie time I forsooke my wife because her manners pleased me not although she were the mother of my three children of whom two are deceased and the third who was called Hircanus is yet aliue After this I maried a wife that was borne in Candie and was by nation a Iew and by birth noble and one of the greatest reputation amongst the inhabitants endowed with as laudable manners as any other vertuous woman whatsoeuer as her after life most plainly expressed By her I had two sonnes Iustus who was the eldest and Simonides who was also surnamed Agrippa Thus farre as touching my domesticall affaires That bountie which I receiued from the hands of the Caesars hath alwaies continued mine For after Vespasians death Titus who succeeded him in the Empire continued the same fauour which his father had shewed me For although I were oftentimes accused yet were not mine aduersaries beleeued Domitian who succeeded him augmented mine honours For he punished those Iewes that accused me and gaue order that the Eunuch and slaue whom I kept to teach my sonne and by whom I was accused should be punished He granted me extemption also from all the tributes of Iudaea which is one of the most greatest honours that a man may receiue And as touching Domitia the Emperours wife she alwaies continued her good affection towards me Behold heere the short recitall of my whole life whereby let each man coniecture of my manners as him listeth But O thrice excellent Epaphroditus after I haue giuen and offered thee all this ancient history of our nation I will for this present pause in this place THE LAMENTABLE AND TRAGICALL HISTORIE OF THE VVARS AND VTTER RVINE OF THE IEWES Comprised in seuen Bookes by Flauius Iosephus the Sonne of Matthias And newly translated out of the Latin and French into English by Tho. Lodge D. M. P. Printed at London on Bread-street hill at the signe of the Starre 1602. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVL HIS esteemed friend M. Anthony Palmer Esquier SIR my affection that had rather be an actor then an orator doe well then speake well hath pickt you out to be the patron of this tragicall historie of the wars of the Iewes The reasons that draue me herevnto are neither the expectance of worldlie benefits nor the fruitlesse vp-shot of ostentation but your virtue which is not beloued respectiuelie but onely for it selfe hath created this good conceit in me which if you so please your acceptance may continue Now since as the Philosopher supposeth it is an action worthy a good man to do good vnto his friend so is it no lesse commendable to accept
out by flocks of their own accord they offered theÌselues to the Iewes so that in this sort there came ââ¦orth foure thousand ãâã daies the sixt day the whole multitude despairing of their liues came out to fight with whom Herod conflicting slew about seuen thousand Hauing in this sort weakned the Arabians that he had now extinguished all thâ⦠strong men the countreymen admired him and were so much daunted at his puissance that they wished him for their ruler CHAP. XV. How Herode was exalted vnto the kingdome INcontinent after this his prosperous successe there did betide vnto him a sea of cares and griefes in respect of the loue which he bare vnto Antoââ¦s whom Caesar had now lately ouerthrown at the battel which was fought at Actium yet was he more aââ¦aid then hurt by this his suspition for Caesar accounted not Antonius fully conquered so long as Herode and he kept togither For which cause the king timely foreseeing those dangers that might ensue went to Rhodes where at that time Caesar abode in which place in the habit of a priââ¦te man and without a crown but with a kingly courage he presented himselfe before him and with vnfained constancy spake vnto him in such maner as followeth I was O Caesar made king of Iudaea by Antonius his means and I must confesse that I haue beene a king who what in mee lay haue serued his turne and sought his profit yea I must not denie but that had nor the Arabians hindred me I had with all the power I could haue made seconded and assisted Antony against thee yea although personally I could not go yet did I what I could to helpe him and sent him many thousand measures of corne Nay though he had the ouerthrow at Acâ⦠ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã sake him who had deserued wel at my hands although I was not able to assist him with ãâã of armes yet I confirmed him by my coâ⦠the best I could inââ¦cating often times vnto him that there was one onely way to redresse his adueââ¦itie to wit by the death of Clââ¦ra whom if he killed I promised him to assist him with money strong holds and an army yea and with mine owne person against thee but the loue of Cleopatra and God who had already designed the victorie vnto thee stopped his eares For which cause O Caesar I am conquered with Antonius and haue forsaken my crowne and dignitie with his fortunes and am come vnto thee hoping that at thy hands I may obtaine pardon To this Caesar answered Liue in safetie and raigne now with greater securitie then before for thou deseruest to rule others who with such constancie didst defend and maintaine thy friendship At this time endeuour thy selfe to continue faithfull toward them that are more fortunate then Antonius was for for my part I haue conceiued a great hope and expectation of thy valour and prowesse yet did Antonius well in that he rather obeied Cleopatra then thee for by his follies haue we now purchased thy friendship That thou hast begun to doe well it thereby appeareth because Ventidius hath signified vnto me that thou hast sent him succours against his enemies For which cause by this my present decree be thou established in thy kingdome and I will shortly let thee know that I will be beneficiall vnto thee so as thou shalt haue no cause to bewaile the losse of Antonius By this speech he exhorted the king not to misdoubt of his friendship and withall put a crowne vpon his head and made a decree and sealed it testifying how he had remitted all things done by Herod and confirmed him in his kingdome and rehearsed many things therein greatly tending to Herodes praise Herode hauing first pacified Caesar with many gifts requested him to pardon Alexander one of Antonius his friends who earnestly and in humble manner desired the same but Caesar being verie angrie answered that he for whom he entreated had greatly and many times offended and so repeld Herod with this answere Afterward Caesar trauailing into Aegypt through Syria was entertained by Herode with all royall pompe possible and that was the first time that he shewed himselfe to take part with Caesar when neere vnto Ptolemais he tooke a view of the soldiers with Caesar made a banquet for him and all his friends feasted the whole army likewise And inasmuch as they trauailed to PelusiuÌ through drie grounds when they returned againe he prouided water for them and furnished the army with all necessaries so that both Caesar and the souldiers thought the kingdome a small recompence for his deserts For which cause after he came into Aegypt and that Antonius Cleopatra were now dead he did not only increase his honor but also restored vnto him that portion of his countrey which was taken away and giuen to Cleopatra and beside that Gadara and Hippon and Samaria and other cities about the sea coast to wit Gaza and Anthedon and loppe and Stratons tower and moreouer gaue him foure hundreth Galathians which before were Cleopatra her guard and there was nothing that so much mooued Caesars liberalitie as the couragious minde of him vnto whom he was so liberall after the first Actian solemnitie he added vnto Herodes dominion Trachon and Batanaea and Auranitis bordering vpon it For this cause Zenodorus who for mony hired Lysanias his house continually sent theeues out of Trachon to rob the people of Damascus who in humble manner went to Varus who was at that time gouernour of Syria entreating him to informe Caesar of their calamitie Caesar vnderstanding therof writ backe againe commanding him to extinguish all the theeues whereupon Varus with an army went to those places which were most suspected and ridde the countrey of the theeues and tooke the territorie from Zenodorus and Caesar least it should againe be a refuge for theeues to spoile Damascus gaue it to Herode and made him ruler ouer all Syria And ten yeeres after returning to his owne countrey he commanded the gouernours to doe nothing without Herodes counsell and after Zenodorus his death he gaue him all the countrey betweene Trachon and Galilee But that which Herod esteemed aboue all the rest was that Caesar loued him best of al next vnto Agrippa and Agrippa loued him most of all men next vnto Caesar. Thus nowe he touched the verie toppe of felicitie and so encreasing in high minde he employed himselfe chiefly to pietie CHAP. XVI Of the Cities and buildings reedified and built by Herod and of his liberalitie towards strangers and of his felicitie IN the fifteenth yeere of his raigne he repaired the temple and enclosed twise so much ground as was before about the temple with a strong wall whereon he bestowed great costs and charges to beautifie it as the great porches will testifie which he built about the temple and a Castle on the north part thereunto adioyning which he builded euen from the foundation
but after he had made him high Priest in the seuenteenth yeere of his age he presently put him to death after he had so honoured him who when he came to the Altar clothed in sacred attire vpon a festiuall day all the people wept and the same night was he sent to Iericho and drowned in a lake by the Galatheans who had receiued commission to performe the murther These things did Mariamme daily cast in Herodes teeth and vpbraided both his mother and sister with verie sharpe and reprochfull words yet he so loued her that notwithstanding all this he held his peace But the women were set on fire and that they might the rather moue Herode against her they accused her of adulterie and of many other things which bare a shew of truth obiecting against her that she had sent her portraicture into Aegypt vnto Antonius and that through immoderate lust she did what she could to make her selfe knowen vnto him who doted vpon womens loue and was of sufficient power to do what wrong he pleased Hereat Herode was sore moued especially for that he was iealous of her whom he loued bethinking himselfe vpon the crueltie of Cleopatra for vvhose sake king Lysanias and Malichus king of Arabia were put to death and now he measured not the daunger by the losse of his wife but by his owne death which he feared For which cause being drawen by his affaires into the countrey he gaue secret commaundement vnto Ioseph his sister Salomes husband whom he knew to be trustie and one who for affinitie was his well-willer to kill his wife Mariamme if so be Antonius should haue killed him But Ioseph not maliciously but simply to shew her how greatly the king loued her disclosed that secret vnto her and she when Herode was returned and amongst other talke with many oaths sware that he neuer loued woman but her indeed quoth she it may well be knowne how greatly you loue me by the commaundement you gaue to Ioseph whom you charged to kill me Herode hearing this which he thought to be secret was like a mad man and presently perswaded himselfe that Ioseph would neuer haue disclosed that commaundement of his except he had abused her so that hereupon he became furious and leaping out of his bed he walked vp and downe the pallace vvhereupon his sister Salome hauing fit opportunitie confirmed his suspition of Ioseph For which cause Herode growing now raging mad with Iealousie commanded both of them to be killed Which done his wrath was seconded by repentance and after his anger ceased the affection of loue was presently renewed yea so great was the power of his affection that he would not beleeue she was dead but spake vnto her as though she were aliue vntill in processe of time being assertained of her funerall he equalled the affection he bare her during her life by the vehemencie of his passion for her death Mariammes sonnes succeeded their mother in her wrath and recogitating what an impious act it was they accounted their father as a mortall enemie both before and after they went to studie at Rome and especially after they came againe into Iudaea For as they encreased in yeeres so did the violence of their mind encrease And they being now mariageable one of them maried the daughter of their aunt Salome who accused their mother the other maried the daughter of Archelaus king of Cappadocia And now to their hatred was there ioyned a libertie to speake more freely against them and by this occasion of their boldnes many were animated to calumniate them so that some did openly tell the king that both his sonnes sought to worke treason against him and that the one of them prepared an army to helpe the other to reuenge the death of their mother and that the other to wit he that was sonne in law to Archelaus purposed to flie and accuse Herode before Caesar. Herode giuing eare vnto those calumniations sent for Antipater whom he had by Doris to the end he might defend him against his two sons and sought to aduance him aboue them But they thought this alteration intolerable seeing one whose mother was but a priuate woman so preferred and they moued with their owne noblenes of birth could not containe their indignation but vpon euerie occasion shewed themselues offended yet were they euery day lesse accounted of As for Antipater he wrought himselfe into fauour for he knew how to flatter his father and raised many slaunders vpon his two brethren partly inuented by himselfe partly diuulgated by some of his fauorites whom he set a worke about that matter till that at last he put his brethren out of all hope of hauing the kingdome For he was now by the kings Will and Testament declared king so that he was sent as a King vnto Caesar in a kingly habit and pompe only he wore no Crowne and in time he so preuailed that he wrought his mother into Mariammes steed and with flatteries and calumniation so moued the king that he began to deliberate about the putting to death of his sonnes For which cause he conducted his sonne Alexander with him to Rome and accused him before Caesar that he had giuen him poyson But he with much adoe hauing obtained libertie to plead his owne cause and that before an vnskilfull Iudge yet more wise then Herode or Antipater he modestly held his peace in all things that his father had offended in and first of all he purged his brother from daunger of that crime and taking the vvhole matter vpon himself he in verie good sort acquited himselfe therof And afterwards he inueighed against Antipaters subtiltie complained of those iniuries which had been offered him hauing besides the equitie of his cause sufficient eloquence to acquit himselfe for he was a vehement orator and knew wel how to perswade Last of al he obiected that his father hauing a desire to put both him and his brother to death had laid an accusation vpon him where at the whole audience wept and Caesar was so moued that not regarding the accusations that were laid vnto them he presently made Herode and them friends vpon these conditions that they in all things should be obedient vnto their father and that their father should leaue the kingdome to whom he pleased Hereupon Herode returned from Rome and though he seemed to haue forgiuen his sonnes yet laid he not his iealousie and suspition aside For Antipater stil vrged his argument to make Herod hate his other two sonnes though for feare of him that reconciled them he durst not openly shew himselfe an enemie vnto them Afterward Herode sailed by Cilicia and arriued at Elaeusa where Archelaus receiued him verie courteously thanking him for the safetie of his sonne in law and verie ioyfull for that they were made friends for he wrote vnto his friends at Rome with all speede possible that they should be
many good things and eternall blisse The king hereat greatly moued with anger ouercame his disease and vvent forth and made a speech to the people vvherein he inueighed against them as Church-robbers and that vnder pretence and colour of their country lawes and religion they attempted great matters and adiudged them as impious people worthie of death The people fearing that he would torture many to learne who fauoure that act requested him that first the authors of that crime then those that were found guilty therein should receiue punishment that he would remit the offence to all the people besides The king with much ado entreated caused the yong men that let themselues down in cords and the Sophisters to be burned the rest which were taken in that act to be beheaded After this the kings sicknesse spred ouer his whole bodie and he vvas afflicted with most grieuous paine for he had a vehement ague and an itch ouer all his whole bodie which was intolerable and a daily colicke and his feete were swollen as though he had the dropsie his belly was swollen and priuie members putrified so that vvormes bred in the putrified places He was also short winded and he vvas grieuously tormented with difficultie of breath and a conuulsion of the whole body so that some said that this was a punishment laid vpon him for the death of the two Sophisters Herod notwithstanding he was afflicted with so many grieuous sicknesses yet was he desirous to liue and sought remedie whereby he hoped for health At last he passed ouer Iordan where he vsed the vvarme vvaters of Calliroe which runne into the lake of Asphaltites and are so sweet that men vse to drinke of them There the Physitions caused his bodie to be bathed in hot oyle and it was therewith so dissolued that his sight failed and he was as though he were dead whereaâ⦠those that were about him being troubled with their cries caused him to looke vp now despairing of life he willed fiftie Drachmes to be distributed vnto euery souldier and great summes of money to the captains and his friends As he returned when he came to Iericho he was in verie great likelihood to die of melancholie and there he deuised a wicked fact for he caused the chiefe men of euerie towne and village in all Iudaea to be assembled together and then he shut them vp in a place called the Hippodrome and calling vnto him Salome his sister and Alexas her husband I know quoth he that the Iewes will make feasts for ioy of my death yet if you will do my command I shall be mourned for and I shal haue a princely funeral Therefore so soone as I haue giuen vp the ghost cause souldiours to compasse these men whom I haue here in hold and kill them all for so all Iudaea and euerie houshold thereof shall against their will bewaile my death As thus he commanded this to be done the Legates came which he had sent to Rome bringing him letters wherein was shewed how Acmes Iulia her maid was by Caesars command put to death and Antipater condemned to die yet Caesar writ that if his father had rather banish him he would condiscend thereunto also Herod with this newes was something refleshed yet presently with paine he was ouercome for he both was troubled with a vehement cough and almost pined with fasting to that he thought to hasten his owne death and taking no apple in his hand he called for a knife for hee was accustomed to cut the meat which he did eare and then looking about him least any standing by might hinder him he lifted vp his arme to strike himselfe But Achiabus his cousin raâ⦠hastily vnto him and stayed his hand and presently there was made great lamentation throughout the kings pallace as though the king had beene dead Antipater hauing speedy newes hereof was glad and tooke courage and promised the keepers a peece of money to let him go But the chiefest of them did not only denie to do it but also went presently to the king and told him all what Antipater requested Herod hearing this lifted vp his voice with more strength then was meete for a sicke man and commaunded his guard to go and kill Antipater and burie him in the Castle called Hyrcanium And then againe he altered his testament and writ Archelaus his eldest sonne who was brother to Antipas for king and appointed Antipas for Tetrarch Fiue dayes after the death of his sonne Antipater Herod died ââ¦hauing reigned thirtie and foure yeares after he slew Antigonus and thirtie seuen yeares after that the Romans had declared him king And in all other things he was as fortunate as any man for he being but a priuate person got the crowne and kept it and left it vnto his posteritie but in his houshold affaires hee was most infortunate Salome before it was knowne that the king was dead went forth with her husband and released all those that were in hold whom the king commanded to be slaine saying that the kings mind was now altered and therefore he gaue them all licence to depart and after their departure the kings death was made known to the souldiers who together with the other multitude were assembled in the Amphitheater at Iericho Where Ptolemaeus keeper of the kings seale made a speech vnto them and began to say that Herod was now happie and comforted the multitude and so he read vnto them a letter which the king left wherein he earnestly requested the souldiers to fauour and loue his successour After the Epistle read he recited the kings testament wherein Philip was appointed heire of Trachon the places therunto adioyning Antipas designed Tetrarch and Archelaus king Him also he commanded to beare his ring vnto Caesar and withall notice and intelligence of the estate of the kingdome whereof he had beene gouernor fast sealed in writing for he appointed Caesar to be ouerseer of all his ordinances vnto whose pleasure he left the performance of his testament This was no sooner reade but presently the skies were filled with the voyces and cries of the people who did congratulate Archelaus and the souldiers and the people came in companies vnto him promising their fauor and furtherance and desired God alwayes to assist him This done euerie one was busied about the kings funerals where Archelaus spared no cost but buried the King with all royall pompe possible The Beere wheron he was carried was adorned with gold and precious stones vpon it lay a bed wrought with purple whereupon was laid the dead corps of the King couered also with purple with a crowne on his head and a diademe of pure gold and a scepter in his right hand About the Beere were his sonnes and kinsfolke and the guard bands of Thracians Germans and Gauls all went before in order as though they had gone to warres The rest of the
torments which if they continue in wickednes they shall endure This is the Esseans Philosophie touching the immortalitie of the soule wherein they propose an ineuitable allurement to those who haue once tasted of their Philosophie There are also some amongst them who promise to foretell things to come who from their tender age haue studied and followed holy bookes diuers purifications and sayings of the Prophets and their diuination seldome faileth There is another colledge of these Esseans agreeing with the former both in apparrell meat and kind of life and obserue the same lawes and ordinances onely they differ in the opinion of marriage affirming that they who abstaine from mariage do cut off the greatest part of mans life to wit succession of mankind For say they if all men should follow that opinion presently all mankind would perish yet notwithstanding these people are so continent that for three yeeres space they maketrial of the women they are to marry and when they haue proued them fit to beare children then they marrie them None of them must lie with their wiues when they are with child to shew that they do not marry to satisfie lust but for to haue children When their wiues wash themselues they are couered with a garment as the men are and this is the manner and custome of this sect Of the two former sects the Pharisees are said to be most skilfull in interpreting the law and are of opinion that all things are to be attributed to God and Fate and that euerie man may of his owne power doe good or ill yet say they destinie helpeth in euery action ââ¦d that the soules of men are all incorruptible but onely the soules of good men goe into other bodies and the soules of wicked men are sent into euerlasting paine But the Sadduces denie Fate and Destinie and affirme that God is the author of no euil auowing likewise that a man hath free will to doe well or ill and euerie man may chuse whether he will be good or bad and they generally denie both paines and rewards for the soules after this life The Pharisees are sociable and louing one to another but the Sadduces are at discord among themselues liuing like sauage beasts and as vncourteous to their owne sect as to straungers This is all which I haue to speake concerning the Philosophers amongst the Iewes Now I will returne to my purpose CHAP. VIII Of the cities which Philip and Herode builded and of Pilates gouernment ARchelaus his Ethnarchie being now made a prouince the rest of his brethren to wit Philip and Herode who was surnamed Antipas gouerned their Tetrarchies And Salome dying left vnto Iulia by her testament the Toparchie which she ruled as also Iamnia a ground set with palme trees in Phasaelis When Tiberius Caesar after the death of Augustus was made Emperour of Rome after that he had raigned seuen and fiftie yeeres sixe moneths and two daies Herode and Philip remaining in their Tetrarchies Philip builded a citie neere vnto the head of Iordan in the countrey of Paneade and called it Caesarea and another he built in the lower part of Gaulanitis and named it Iulias Herode in Galilee built the Citie called Tiberias and another in Peraea on this side Iordan which also he named Iulias Pilate being sent by Tiberius to be gouernour ouer the Iewes caused in the night time the statua of Caesar to be brought into Ierusalem couered which thing within three daies after caused a great tumult among the Iewes for they who beheld it were astonished and moued as though now the law of their countrey were prophaned for they hold it not lawfull for any picture or Image to be brought into the citie At their lamentation who were in the citie there was gathered togither a great multitude out of the fields adioyning and they went presently to Pilate then at Caesarea beseeching him earnestly that the Images might be taken away out of Ierusalem and that the law of their countrey might remaine inuiolated When Pilate denied their suit they prostrated themselues before his house and there remained lying vpon their faces for fiue daies and nights neuer mouing Afterward Pilate sitting in his tribunall seat was verie carefull to call all the Iewes togither before him as though there he would haue giuen them an answere when vpon the sodain a company of armed souldiers for so it was prouided compassed the Iewes about with a triple ranke the Iewes were here at amazed seeing that which they expected not Then Pilate told them that except they would receiue the Images of Caesar he would kill them all and to that end made a signe vnto the souldiers to draw their swords The Iewes as though they had agreed thereto fell all downe at once and offered their naked neckes to the stroke of the sword crying out that they would rather lose their liues then suffer their religion to be prophaned Then Pilate admiring the constancy of the people in their religion presently commaunded the statuaes to be taken out of the citie of Ierusalem After this he caused another tumult amongst them for they haue a sacred treasure called Corban which Pilate vsed to bring water in vnto the Citie foure hundreth furlongs off for this cause the people murmured so that when Pilate came to Ierusalem they flocked about his tribunall crying and exclaiming Pilate fore seeing that tumult caused souldiers secretly armed to mingle themselues amongst the people in priuate apparrell and commanded them not to vse their swords but to beat those with clubs whom they saw make such clamours And when he had thus plotted the matter sitting in his Tribunall he gaue a signe vnto the souldiers and presently the Iewes were beaten and many of them partly with blowes and partly troden vpon by the multitude died miserably The multitude amazed aâ⦠the calamitie of those that were slaine held their tongues For this cause Agrippa sonne to Herod the Tetrarch whose father Aristobulus Herode the King put to death went to Rome and accused him to Caesar. Tyberius not admitting his accusation he remained still at Rome and sought the fauour of other potentates there and especially he reuerenced Caius the sonne of Germanicus he being yet a priuate person vpon a certaine day being with him at a banquet he stretcht forth his hands openly began to beseech Almightie God that Tyberius Caesar might quickly die that he might see him Lord of all the world Tyberius hauing notice here of by one of his familiar friends caused Agrippa to be imprisoned where he endured a hard and streight imprisonment vntill the death of Tyberius which was six moneths after After he was dead hauing raigned 22. yeares sixe moneths and three dayes Caius Caesar who succeeded him in the Empire freed him from prison and gaue him the Tetrarchie of Philip who was now deceased and the title of a king When Agrippa came into his
rushed out to flie aboue tenne thousand people were prest and troden to death so that this festiuall day was turned into wofull lamentations and mournings in euerie place This calamitie was encreased afterward by a company of theeues for neere Bethoron one Stephanus seruant vnto Caesar caried some household stuff which the theeues tooke from him in the high way But Cumanus sending for those in the villages next adioyning to make inquirie of these theeues commaunded them to be bound and brought vnto him because they had not taken the theeues in one of which villages a certaine souldier finding the booke of the holy scripture cut it in peeces and burnt it Hereupon the Iewes gathered themselues togither from all places as though their religion were now violated and drawen by the force of their superstition as with an engine all of them at one call went to Caesarea to Cumanus there beseeching him that the souldier who had so blasphemed God and their law might not escape vnpunished But Cumanus perceiued the Iewes would not be appeased without some satisfaction wherefore he condemned the souldier to death and sent him to execution before their faces which done they all departed At last there arose a tumult betweene the Galileans and Samaritans for at a village called Geman scituate in the great field of Samaria a certaine Galilean of the number of the Iewes that came to the feast was slaine for which fact many Galileans ranne to fight with the Samaritans and the nobilitie of the countrey went vnto Cumanus requesting him before any more harme were done to go into Galilee and punish the authors of this euill But Cumanus being busied in greater affaires sent them away without granting their request When this murther was knowne in Ierusalem all the multitude left the solemnitie of the day and went into Samaria without any guide refusing to be restrained by the nobilitie Of this their tumult and sedition the sonne of Dinaeus called Eleazar and one Alexander were captaines who with violence entering the borders of the countrey of Acrabatena killed man woman and child sparing no age and burning the townes When Cumanus heard this he tooke a cornet of hoââ¦semen called the Sebastians to come and helpe them that were thus oppressed and so tooke and killed many of them who tooke part with Eleazar Now the nobles of Ierusalem came out to the rest of that multitude which so wasted Samaria clothed in sackcloth ashes vpon their heads beseeching them not so to seeke reuenge vpon the Samaritanes as thereby to moue the Romans to destroy Ierusalem and to be mercifull to their countrey the temple their wiues and children and not at once hazard all and ouerthrow their whole countrie and nation in reuenging the death of one Galilean The Iewes hereby were pacified and departed At the same time many conspired togither to robbe and steale as most commonly people by long peace grow insolent so that they robbed in euery part of the countrie they that were most strong and able offered violence to those that were weaker Then the princes of Samaria went to Tyre beseeching Numidius Quadratus being gouernour of Syria to reuenge them of those that so robbed and spoiled their countrey There was also the nobilitie of the Iewes Ionathas the sonne of Ananus who was high Priest who defended the Iewes against the Samaritanes accusations affirming the Samaritanes to haue beene cause of that tumult in killing the Galilean and after that Cumanus was cause of the rest of their calamities who refused to punish the murtherers Quadratus for that time sent away both parties promising theÌ that when he came into their countries he would diligently enquire of the matter and comming from thence to Caesarea he crucified all those whom Cumanus tooke aliue And departing from thence to Lydda he heard the Samaritans complaints and sent for eighteene men whom he vnderstood for certaine to haue bin in that broile beheaded them sent the two high priests Ionathas and Ananias his son Ananus with some other of the nobilitie of the Iewes to Caesar and also the chiefe of the Samaritans He likewise commanded Cumanus and Celer the tribune to go to Rome and yeelde account vnto Claudius for that which they had done in that countrey This done he went from Lydda to Ierusalem and finding there the multitude celebrating the feast of vnleuened bread without any tumults or disorders he returned to Antiochia Caesar at Rome hearing the allegations of Cumanus and the Samaritanes Agrippa was also there earnestly defending the cause of the Iewes as also Cumanus was assisted by many potentates he pronounced sentence against the Samaritans commanded three of their chiefe nobilitie to be put to death and banished Cumanus and sent Celer the tribune bound vnto Ierusalem that the Iewes might draw him about the citie and then cut off his head This done he sent Felix brother to Pallas to rule Iudaea Samaria and Galilaea And he preferred Agrippa from Chalcis vnto a greater kingdome making him king of that prouince whereof Philip had beene ruler to wit Trachon Batanaea and Gaulanitis adding thereunto Lysanias kingdome the Tetrarchy whereof Varus was gouernour And hauing raigned thirteene yeeres eight moneths and thirtie daies Claudius departed this life leauing Nero to succeed him whom by the perswasions of his wife Agrippina he adopted to the Empire hauing a lawfull begotten sonne of his owne named Britannicus by his former wife Messalina and a daughter called Octauia whom he maried vnto Nero he had also another daughter by Agrippina named Antonia How Nero abused his wealth and felicitie and how he slew his brother mother and his wife and afterward raged against all his kinred and how in a mad vaine he became a player vpon a stage because it requireth a long narration I will speake nothing thereof CHAP. XII Of the tumults in Iudaea vnder Felix WHerefore I will begin to recount what Nero did against the Iewes He made Aristobulus Herodes sonne king of the lesser Armenia and ioyned vnto Agrippas kingdome foure cities and the ground belonging vnto them two of them Abila and Iulias were in the countrey of Peraea the other Tarichaea and Tiberias were in Galilee and he made Felix gouernour ouer the rest of Iudaea This Felix tooke Eleazar captaine of the theeues after he had robbed and spoyled the countrey twentie yeeres and many more with him and sent them bound vnto Caesar and he crucified a great number of them who either were theeues and his confederates or else such as assisted him The countrey was no sooner clensed from these but presently another sort of theeues arose in Ierusalem called Sicarij with short swords who at high noone in the midst of the citie killed many in euery place and especially at the celebrating of holy feasts they mixt themselues with the multitude hauing short swords vnder their coates and therewithall killed those to whom they bare
gathered a great armie and that except he were quickly preuented he would come and vsurpe the dominion ouer that mother citie But the people vnderstanding before of Iohns hatred did not regard it yet diuers rich men and magistrates who enuied Ioseph secretly sent money vnto Iohn to hire souldiers that were straungers that he might warre against Ioseph and determined amongst them to displace him and thinking that their decree was not sufficient to effect it they sent moreouer fiue hundreth and foure thousand armed men and foure of their principall nobilitie amongst them to vvit Ioazar the lawyer and Ananias the Sadducee and Simon and Iudas the sonnes of Ionathas all very eloquent and learned men to withdraw the peoples minds from Ioseph giuing them charge that if he of his owne accord came vnto them that then they should permit him to speake for himselfe but if hee refused so to doe that then they should hold him as an enemie Iosephs friends at Ierusalem gaue him intelligence how that an army came against him but for what cause they knew not for that it was kept secret And hereupon before hee could preuent it foure Cities did reuolt from him to wit Sepphoris Gamala Giscala and Tyberias the which hee soone after easily recouered without any force of armes and hauing taken the foure Captaines and Counsellors of his enemies hee sent them vnto Ierusalem against whome the people being incensed would haue killed them and those that brought them had they not fled betime CHAP. XXVII Tyberias and Sepphoris were recouered by Ioseph NOw Iohn for feare of Ioseph kept himselfe within the wals of Giscala and a few dayes after Tyberias reuolted againe the Inhabitants calling in Agrippa who came not at the day appointed and yet a few Romane souldiers shewing themselues they reuolted from Ioseph Ioseph vnderstanding this at Tarichea hauing sent his souldiers to fetch Corne thought it not good to goe alone against the rebels neither did hee thinke it best to delay the time any longer fearing that whilest hee delayed King Agrippa would come and possesse the towne for the next day because it was the Sabaoth he could doe nothing Wherefore he thought to ouercome the rebels by policie and so he commaunded the gates of Tarichea to bee kept shut that his intent might not be reuealed vnto them of Tiberias Then taking all the boates that were in the lake in number two hundreth and thirtie and in euerie one of them foure saylers he hastily sayled to Tyberias and when he came neere the Citie yet so farre off that the Inhabitants thereof could not easily descrie him hee left all the boates vpon the water emptie and taking onely seuen of his gard with him vnarmed he went neere vnto the Citie that they might see him When the rebels perceiued him and thought that the boates had beene full of armed men they cast downe their weapons and held vp their hands to him beseeching him to spare the Citie Ioseph after many threatnings and bitter speeches first for that hauing vndertaken warres against the Romans they with ciuill warres consumed their owne forces secondly for that they sought his life who had wrought their safetie and that they were not ashamed to shut the gates against him who had builded the Citie wals yet said he if any would come and talke with him and confirme a league of their fidelitie vnto him hee would not refuse them So tenne of the chiefest amongst them came vnto him whome he carried away in a fisher boate farre from the Citie and sent for fiftie senators as though he requested their promise also And deuising new causes he stil vnder pretence of agreement sent first for one and then for another as he thought good till he had loaded all the boates which done he commaunded the boatemen with all speed possible to goe to Tarichea and put them in prison so that he carried away all the councell which were in number sixe hundreth and two thousand people all whome hee brought to Tarichea in boates But they which remained in the Citie cried with one voice that one Clitus was cause of that reuolt and therefore besought Ioseph to punish him for all Ioseph told them that hee would put none of them to death but commanded one of his gard called Leuia to come and cut off Clitus his hands but he fearing to trust himselfe amongst all his enemies refused to doe execution Clitus perceiuing that Ioseph was angrie and readie to come out of his owne boate to doe it himselfe besought him to graunt him one of his hands which Ioseph did vpon condition that hee should cut off the other himselfe So Clitus drawing out his sword with his right hand cut off his left being afraid of Ioseph and after this he returned to Tyberias to bring it againe vnder his subiection and within a few dayes after hee tooke Giscala and Sepphoris which were reuolted hauing giuen the spoyles thereof to his souldiers but yet afterward hee restored all that was taken away vnto the people and so hee did to the Inhabitants of Tyberias and Sepphoris and by this meanes got the good will of them all CHAP. XXVIII How the people of Ierusalem prepared themselues to warre and of the tyrannie of Simon Giora VNtill this time there were broyles in Galilee and now ceasing from ciuill dissension they prepared themselues against the Romans And the potentates of Ierusalem and Ananus the high Priest with all speed renued and repaired the wals and made all sorts of instruments for warre arrowes and other weapons so that all the Citie was busied herein and trayned their men in warlike discipline All places were filled with tumults but the grauer sort were verie pensiue and many as it were foreseeing the calamitie that after ensued burst out into teares they that desired peace receiued no comfort in any thing all things were done at their becke who were cause of all this warre And the estate of the Citie euen then before the Romans came was like a Citie to be destroied Now Ananus omitted that which was necessarie for war and labored to reconcile the seditious faction of them that were called Zelous but how he was ouercome and what his end was wee will declare hereafter Now one Simon the sonne of Giora in the Toparchie of Acrabatena hauing gathered together a multitude of seditious people robbed and spoyled all and not onely brake into rich mens houses but also did beate them grieuously openly exercising his tyrannie But when Ananus and the rest sent an armie against him he fled vnto his fellow theeues of Massada and there he stayed till Ananus and the rest of his enemies were slaine and then hee wasted Idumaea with the rest so that the gouernours of that place were faine to put a garrison in euerie village so great was the number of them that were slaine by these theeues And thus stood the affaires
had alreadie closed tooke strength a while to bewaile the temple which they now opening their eies beheld on fire The countrey beyond Iordan and the mountains about did eccho with their laments and yet the calamitie surpassed that tumult For one would haue iudged the hil whereon the temple was scituate to haue beene burnt vp by the rootes it was so ful of fire Yet the multitude of bloud there shed surpassed the fire Many that were slaine were couered with them that slew them and all the ground was ouerspred with dead bodies so that the souldiers ran vpon the dead bodies to pursue them that fled At last the theeues hauing driuen the Romans without the temple they ran into the citie the rest of the people that were left fled into the outward porch And many of the priests first vsed spits and then their seats made of lead in steed of darts against the Romans at last nothing at all preuailing and the fire falling vpon them they went vnto a wall eight cubits broad and there staied Yet two of the nobles when they might either haue fled vnto the Romans and there haue beene saued or else haue endured like fortune with the rest they notwithstanding cast themselues into the fire and so were burnt with the temple one of them was named Meierus the sonne of Belga the other Ioseph the sonne of Dalaeus The Romans thought it in vaine to spare the buildings about the temple seeing the temple was alreadie consumed and so set fire on them all the porches galleries and gates two onely excepted one on the East side and the other on the South side both which afterward they raced vnto the ground they burnt also certaine chests called Gazophylacia or money boxes wherââ¦in was great store of coine and rich garments and other pretious things and indeed all the Iewes treasure for the richest of the citie had brought all their wealth thither There came into the porch that was left standing many men women children to the number of sixe thousand And before Caesar and the captains did determine any thing what should be done with them the furious soldiers fired the porch wherein they were and so they all perished in the flames saue a fewe that leaping downe to auoid the fire were slaine in the fall so that no one escaped of all that multitude A certaine false prophet was cause of all their deaths who the same day preached in the Citie and commaunded them to go into the temple and behold signes of their deliuerance for many false Prophets were then suborned by the tyrants to perswade them to expect Gods helpe thereby to hinder them from flying vnto the Romans and to cause the souldiers to fight more valiantly to defend their citie Men easily beleeue and are credulous in aduersitie so that if any deceitfull person promise deliuerance out of calamitie hee that suffereth miserie is in full hope thereof CHAP. XII Of the straunge signes and tokens that appeared before the destruction of Ierusalem THese miserable people were thus easily perswaded by impostors who did belie God yet would they not beleeue nor giue any eare or regard vnto certaine tokens signes of the ruine of their citie but as it were blinded neither hauing eies nor soules they counterfaited themselues not to see what God foreshewed them One while there was a comete in forme of a firie sword which for a yeere togither did hang ouer the citie an other time before the first reuolt warre the people being gathered togither to the feast of vnleuened bread which was the eight day of Aprill the ninth houre of the night there was so much light about the altar and temple as though it had beene bright day which remained halfe an hower this the ignorant people interpreted as a good signe but they that were skilfull in holy scripture did presently iudge what would ensue before it came to passe The same festiuitie a cow ledde to be sacrificed at the altar brought forth a lambe in the midst of the temple and the inner gate of the temple on the east side being of massiue brasse which at night time had alwaies at least twentie men to shut it was bound with locks of yron and was barred with barres the ends whereof went into morteis holes in the stones on either side the doore the foresaid stones being on each side one whole stone was seene at the first houre of the night to open of his owne accord which being presently related vnto the Magistrate by the keepers of the temple he himselfe came thither and could scarcely shut it and this also to the ignorant seemed a good signe affirming that God opened vnto them the gate of his blessings But the wiser sort iudged that the defence of the temple would decay of his owne accord and that the opening of the gate foretold that it should be giuen to the enemies affirming one vnto another that this signe signified desolation A little while after the feast daies on the one and twentith day of May there was seene a vision beyond all beleefe and perhaps that which I am to recount might seeme a fable if some were not now aliue that beheld it and that calamitie vvorthie to be so foretold ensued for before the sunne set were seene in the ayre yron chariots all ouer the countrey and an armie in battell aray passing along in the clouds and begitting the citie And vpon the feast day called Penticost at night the priests going into the inner temple to offer their vvonted sacrifice at first they felt the place to moue and tremble afterward they heard a voice vvhich said Let vs depart hence And that vvhich vvas most wonderfull of all one Iesus the son of Ananus a countrey man of the common people foure yeeres before the wars began vvhen the Citie flourished in peace and riches comming to the celebration of the feast to Ierusalem vvhich vve call the feast of Tabernacles sodainly began to crie out thus A voice from the East A voice from the West A voice from the foure vvinds A voice against Ierusalem and the Temple A voice against men and women newly maried A voice against all this people and thus crying night and day he vvent about all the streets of the citie Some of the nobilitie disdaining misfortune tooke him and scourged him with many stripes but he neither secretly speaking for himselfe nor vnto those that did beate him perseuered crying as before The Magistrates then thinking as in deed it was that the man spake this through some diuine motion led him vnto the Generall of the Romans where being beaten till his bones appeared he neuer intreated nor wepts but as well as he could framing a weeping voice hee cried woe woe vnto Ierusalem Albinus being then Iudge asked him what he was or of whence or wherefore he said so but he made him no answere Yet hee ceased not to bewaile
his pouerty requireth her assistance Agrippa dwelleth at Tiberias Herode taunteth Agrippa with his pouerty The yeare of the world 4001. after Christs birth 39. Agrippââ¦ââ¦ieth himselfe to Flaccus Aristobulus draweth Agrippa into Flaccus disfauour Agrippa by Marsias meanâ⦠borroweth mony of Protus Agrippa whilst HereÌnius Capito ãâã money at his hands fââ¦ieth to Alexandria by night Agrippa borroweth money at Alexandria Agrippa arriueth at Puteol is admitted to Caesars presence Agrippa borroweth 300000 siluer drachmes of Antonia Germanicus and Claudius mother Caius commended to Agrippas chargâ⦠Allius Caesars freeman lendeth Agrippa money The yeare of the world 4001. after Christs Natiuitie 39. Hedio Ruffinus cap. 13. Eutychus Agrippas freemaÌ bethââ¦keth him to accuse Agrippa to the Emperour For what cause Tiberius changed not his gouernours Why Caesar would not giue audience to his prisoners Agrippa soliciteth Antonia to bring Eu ââ¦ychus to his answere Antonia verie much honoured by Tiberius Antonia discouereth Seianus conspiracie to Caesar. The yeare of the world 4001. after the Natiuitie of Christ. 39. Agrippa vrgeth Eutychuâ⦠triall and for certaine speeches of his is cast into bonds Thaumastus Caius seruant giueth Agrippa drink whom he promiseth to procure his freedome The yeare of the world 4001. after Christs birth ââ¦9 A certaine Germane foretelleth Agrippa of his happie fortunes to come and the manner of his death Agrippa liued six moneths in prison Tiberius salleth sicke and sendeth for his sonnes Tiberius Gemellus the son of Drusus Caius the gracious Germanicus sonne Tiberius by an Augury vnderderstandeth Caius successe and succession before his death The yeare of the world 4001. after Christs birth 39. Tiberius addicted to the Mathemaââ¦kes He foretelleth Galbas succession in the empire Tibetius recommendeth the Romane empire and Tiberius his grandchild to Caius Caius killeth Tiberius Caius Caligula the foâ⦠Romane emperour Tiberius a tyrant The yeare of the world 4001 after Christs Natiuitie 39. Marsias Agrippas freeman certifieth him of Tiberius death The rumour was spred in Rome that Tiberius was aliue Caius certifyeth the Senate and Piso of Tiberius death and his succession and willeth that Agrippa should be lent to his owne lodging Tiberius funerall Caius createth Agrippa king and giueth him two tetratchies Agrippa departeth into his kingdome The yeare of the world 4002. after Christs naââ¦uitie 40. Hedio Ruffinus cap. 14. Alias cap. 16. Herodias Agrippas fister enuieth hir brothers happines and inciteth her husband to seeke ãâã kingdome The yeare of the world 4002. after the Natââ¦tie of Christs 40. He rode with Herodias repaire to Rome Agrippa sendeth Forunatus with letters and presents after him Baiae are certaine hathes in Campanis not farre from Puteol Herode is accused for fauouring Artabanus the Parthian Herode is perpetually banished and confined in Liââ¦ons in Fraheâ⦠and Agrippa is made Lord of his lands and goods and Herodias despising Caesars bounty accompanieth him in exile Caius at the first gouerned the common-weale verie happily but after wards vsurped diuine honours The yeare of the world 4002. after Christs birth 40. Hedio Ruffinus cap. 15. al. cap. 17. Appion prince of the Alexandrians embassage accuseth the Iewes because they ascribed not diuinitie to Caefar Philo Iudaeus for the Iewes is shut out and can get no audience committeth the cause to God Alias cap. 19. Caesar sendeth Petronius into Syria and coÌmaundeth him in spight of the Iewes to plant his statue in Gods temple The Iewes repaire to Prolemais beseeching him that he would not bring his statues into the holy citie The yeare of the world 4002. after Chriss birth 40. The Iewes meet Petronius at Tiberias Beseeching him not to violate the sacred citie with his images Aristobulus king Agrippas brother and Elcias the high Priest intreat Petronius in the Iewes behalfe Petronius promiseth the Iewes to write vnto Caius in their behalfe and exhorreth them to follow their husbandry The yeare of the world 4002. after Christs Natiuitie 40. After a long continuall draught there fell a sodaine shower Petronius writeth to Caius Agrippa honoureth Caius in Rome and in rewarde thereof Caius willeth him to demand somewhat who desireth nothing else then that Petronius coÌmission to erect the statue should be reuoked The yeare of the world 4002. after Christs birth 40. Caius writeth to Petronius charging him to murther him selfe for neglecting his commaund Petronius receiueth letters of Caius death before those whereby he was commanded to kill himselfe Hedio Ruffinus cap. 16. al. cap. 20. A grieuous commotion among the Iewes in Mesopotamia and Babylon The yeare of the world 4003. after Christs Natiuitie 41. Nearda Nisibis two cities of Babylon Asinaeus and Anilaeus boris in Nearda retire into a certaine place and great companies flocke vnto them Asinaeus and his companions be set by the gouernors and princes of Babylon Asinaeus after he had incouraged his soldi ers putteth his enemies ââ¦o flight The yeare of the world 4003. after Christs birth 41. Asinaeus and Anilaeus are sought vnto by Artabanus for friendship Abdagasiâ⦠would haue slaine Asinaeus but Artabanius will not permit him Artabanus committeth the territories of Babylon to Asinaeus charge and dismisseth him with gifts The yeare of the world 4003. after Christs Natiuitie 41. Anilaeus killeth a noble man of the Parthians and leadeth away his wife Anilaeus being reprooued for his wifes idolatrie killeth one of his friends Anilaeus is accused before his brother Asinaeus but he winketh at his Fault Asinââ¦us poisoned by the Parthian woman Anilaeus draweth his forces into Mithridates countrey and spoileth his villages and taketh him prisoner The yeare of the world 4003. after the Natââ¦tie of Christ. 41. Anilaeus dismisleth Mithridates A great number of dissolute persons flocke ââ¦o Anilaeus with whoÌ he spoyleth certaine boroughs of the Babylonians The Babylonians require Anilaeus that they may punish him they assaile ââ¦ay him The yeare of the world 4003. after Christs birth 41. The Iewes afflicted by the Babylonians repaire to Seleucia Fiftie thousand Iewes slaine in Seleucia The Iewes that were saued repaire to Cââ¦phon The Iewes retire into Neââ¦da Nisibis The yeare of the world 4004. after Christs birth 42. Hedio Ruffinus chap. 1. Caius tyranny towards the Iewes Caius tyranny towards the Senators and Patricians Caius calleth himselfe Iupiters brother Caius spoyled al the temples of Greece Caius commaundeth Memmius Regulus to transferre Iupiter Olympius to Rome Caius compareth himselfe with Iupiter Caius gaue slaues ââ¦ree liberty to accuse their masters counteaÌnced Pollux to accuse his master Claudius Many conspiracies against Caius The yeere of the world 4004. after Christs Natiuitie 42. Three conspiracies against Caius Emilius Regulus Cassius Chaereas Annius Minucianus The Cireensian games Cââ¦ius cââ¦useth diuers to be murthered who request mitigation of their exactioÌs Chaereas for many causes is incited against Caius The yeare of the world 4004. after the Natiuitie of Christ. 42. Popedius is accused of a crime by Timidius vnto Caesar.
there were betweene the first building of the temple vnder king Salomon and the destruction vnder Titus The crie and howling of the murthered Iewes The temple filled with fire and bloud Two noble men cast themselues into the fire The yeare of the world 4034. after Christs birth 72 Sixe thousand in the porch consumed by fire False prophets suborned by the seditious The blindnes of the people The first prodigie A comet like vnto a sword The second prodigie was that a bright light shined about the altar and temple by night The third prodigie was of a coâ⦠y e brought forth a lambe in the midst of the temple The fourth the brasen gate of the temple opened it selfe The fift armed chariots and men seene in the aire The sixt a voice in the inward temple The Seuenth prodigie Iesus a countrey mans crie and death The yeare of the world 4034 afââ¦r Christs birth 72. Iesus for seuen yeeres space fiue months cried about the Citie A stone shot from an engine killeth Iesus The Iewes interpret the signes to their own good liking are their Countries ruine and the cause of their owne calamity Gold was sold for halfe the price The craft of a boy The Priests ââ¦raue pardon but Titus commandeth them to be led to execution The seditious summon Titus to a parly The yeare of the ââ¦ld 4034. after Christs birth 71. Titus Oration to the Iewes by an interpreter The Romans humanitie incited the Iewes against them The yeare of the world 4034. after the birth of Christ. 72. Titus granteth the Iewes liââ¦e on condition they should lay aside their weapons and submit themselues The souldiers set the citie on fire Caesar coÌstant in his resolution The seditious resorting to the kings house take away the treasure The punishment of a Roman souldier taken by the Iewes The Iewes are arrogant in midst of their calamitie The Iewes refuse to submit themselues to the Romans yet are they vnable to wagâ⦠warre with them The yeare of the world 4034. after Christs birth 72. The tyrants vttermost hope was in their vaults Rapine and slaughter in the vaults The Idumaeans consult in their assembly about their submission Fortie thousand of the people saued Iesus a priest the sonne of Thebathus Phineas the treasurer of the temple taken The yeare of the world 4034. after Christs birth 72. Some of the seditious kept in Acra the rest in the vault of the clue The feare and amazement of the seditious The tyrants do inieble themselues and of their owne accords for sake the towers froÌ whence by nomeanes but famine they might be driuen The Romans enter the town and obtaine the victory The houses and ââ¦ilie of best reckoning are left full of dead bodies The yeere of the world ââ¦034 afââ¦er Christs birth 72. These munitions of the citie and defence of the tower which the tyrants abandoned for feare impregnable Fortunes monument The olde and weake Iewes are slaine and the strong and Iustie relerued Titus distributeth the Iewes The number of the captiues and such as died during the siege of the citie The Romans searching the graues and vaults finde much treasure Iohn and Simon apprehended in the vaults The yeere of the world 4034. after Chrisâ⦠birth 7â⦠Ierusalem being fiue times spoyled was at that time once more sackt The Romaâ⦠wholy ruinate both the Citie and the temple Titus thanketh his souldierâ⦠for that they had continued their loue towards him Titus promises recompence to his valiant souldiers The yeare of the world 4034. after Christs birthâ⦠72. Titus larges to his souldiers Titus sacrifice for his victorie The twelfth legion vnder Cestius leading gaue place to the Iewes Vespasians sayling and iournie Shewes at Caesarea Simon getteth downe into the vault and hopeth to escape from thence in saftie Simon iâ⦠taken by the Romanâ⦠Sinne cannot shunne Gods iustice A great multitude of the seditious taken in vaults The yeare of the world 4034. after the birth of Christ. 72. In a shew in Caesarea 2500. Iewes die Titus celebrateth Vespasians birthday The nation of the Iewes intermixed among all the people of the world A number of Iewes in Antioch A Iew called Antiochus is the cause of their mightie miscrie in Antioch Antiochus perfidious to his Citizens Antiochus forbiddeth to sanctifie the seuenth day Another calamitie at Anuoch The yeare of the world 4034. after Christs birth 72. A sort of wicked men by meanes they were indebted burne the market place and the publike records The yeare of the world 4035. after Christs natiuite 73. The Citie of Rome entertaineth Vespasian with all willingnesse and pompe The Romans issue out to meet with Vespasian Vespasian celebrateth gratulatory sacrifice for his safe arriuall The causes of the reuolt of the Germans and French from the Romans The yeare of the world 4035. after Christs birth 73. Ciuilis compelleth the Germans to subiection Domitianus Titus brother The Scithians and Sarmates rebellion against the Romans Titus celebrateth many sumptuous pastimes in all the cities of Syria The floud Sabbaticus Titus comming to Antioch The praiers of the citizens against the Iewes The yeere of the world 4036. after Christs birâ⦠74. Titus lamenteth the losse desolation of Ierusalem The Romans find no small part of the riches of Ierualem Iohn and Simon and seuentie other goodly Iewes are reserued by Titus to be sent into Italy The triumphaÌt attire of Vespasian and Titus Their vowes and dinner before their triumph The magnificence of the triumph The most precious garments The yeare of the world 4036. after Christs birth 74. The building of the Pageants The yeare of the world 4037. after Christs birth 75 A table of gold of the weight of a great talent The last of the spoyles was the law of the Iewes Simon the sonne of Giora is drawne with a halter about his neck through the market place Vespasian buildeth and dedicateth a Temple to peace The yeere of the world 4037. after Christs birth 75. Herode inuironeth Mache rus with a great wall and towers Wonderfull store of arrows and other engines in this tower Rue of admirable greatnes How Baaras is to be gathered Another fashion how to dig the roote Hot bathes The yeare of the world 4037. after the birth of Christ. 75. The Iewes that were forââ¦ners dwelt in ââ¦he lower Citie The conflict of the Iewes with the Romans Eleazar a Iew strong in hand and fierce in bold attempts Eleazar is taken and stripped naked and whipt Eleazars calamitie moueth the Iewes to submit themselues One thousand seuen huÌdreth Iewes slaine by the Romans Iardes a wood inuironed by the Romans The yeare of the world 4037. after Christs birth 75. Three thousand Iewes slaine A tribute imposed by Caesar on all the Iewes Cesennius Petus president of Syria accuseth Antiochus before Caesar. Antiochus is sodainly inuaded by Cesennius Antiochus chuseth rather to depart out of his country with his wife and children then to fight with the Romans Antiochus
incamped apart in the plaine and the Ammonites stood in battell aray neere vnto their Citie gate to make head against the Hebrewes Ioab perceiuing this vsed this stratageme to counteruaile their complot for he chose out the ablest and stoutest of his men to serue vnder him against Syrus and the other kings confederates with him and gaue the rest vnto his brother Abisat commaunding him to oppose himselfe against the Ammonites whilest he charged the rest willing him that if he perceiued that the Syrians were stroââ¦er then he was and did put him to the worst to displace his squadron and to succour him promising to do the like if he perceiued him to be ouerpressed by the Ammonites Whenas therefore he had exhorted his brother to behaue himselfe valiantly and vertuously and to take heed least he should light on some dishonour he sent him before to charge the Ammonites and he on the other side assailed the Syrians who valiantly resisted him for a little space yet notwithstanding Ioab slew many of them and finally constrained them to turne their backs Which when the Ammonites perceiued who were afraid of Abisai and his people they retreated likewise and conforming themselues according to the example of their allies they tooke their flight into the Citie By which meane Ioab hauing obtained the vpper hand ouer his enemies returned in triumph and with victorie vnto the king to Ierusalem Yet were not the Ammonites wholy weakned by this losse for although they had by their lamentable experience a certaine knowledge that the Hebrewes were stronger then themselues yet would they by no meanes listen after peace They therefore sent vnto Chalama king of the Syrians on the other side of Euphrates whose confederacie they attained by bribes and huge sums of money This king had one who was called Sabecus for his lieutenant generall and vnder him fourescore thousand footmen and ten thousand horsemen Dauid vnderstanding that the Ammonites drew to head and intended anew to beare armes against him he surceased to prosecute the war against them by his lieutenants himself in person with al his forces passed ouer the riuer of Iordan and went out against them and at last meeting and fighting with them ouercame them killing welny fortie thousand of their footmen and seuen thousand of their horsemen he hurt Sabecus also Chalamas Lieutenant who likewise died of that wound The issue of this combate being thus the Mesopotamians yeelded themselues vnto Dauid and gaue him many great and magnificent presents He therefore by reason of the winter retired himselfe for that time to Ierusalem but incontinently vpon the spring time he sent out his Lieutenant Ioab once more to make warre vpon the Ammonites who ouerrunning their countrey vtterly spoyled it and shut them vp in Aramath their principal citie which he ouercame entred About this time it so fel out that Dauid notwithstanding he were a iust man one that feared God an exact obseruer of all the lawes and ordinances of his forefathers fell and offended God most greeuously For as he walked on the top of his royall pallace from the time of mid-day vntill the euening for betwixt these times he vsed accustomably to walke he perceiued a woman of incomparable beautie and supassing perfection whose name was Bethsabe who in her house bathed her selfe in a cleere and pleasant fountaine and being deuoured and rauished with her beautie he could not refraine his concupiscence but sending for her tooke the spoile of her beautie and chastitie and by that meanes got her with child Which when she perceiued she sent vnto the king beseeching him to bethinke himselfe of some meanes whereby her shame might be concealed and her life which was in hazard by the law for her adulterie might be preserued Who thereupon sent for Vrias Bethsabes husband and one of Ioabs soldiers who at that time was at the siege of Aramath and questioned with him vpon his arriuall as touching the estate of the siege of the armie who answering him that all things were fallen out according as he could wish Dauid tooke a portion of his owne supper and gaue it him willing him to repaire vnto his owne house and repose him selfe with his wife But Vrias did nothing lesse but slept amongst his fellow soldiers neere vnto the person of the king Which when Dauid vnderstood he asked him wherefore he repaired not to his owne house according to the custome of husbands that had beene long time absent vpon a long voiage and why he entertained not his wife from whom he had beene sequestred so many daies Vrias replied that it became him not either to repose or take pleasure with his wife whilest his companions and generall lay vpon the bare ground in the enemies countrey Which said Dauid commaunded him to soiourne there all the day long to the end that on the next morrow he might send him backe againe to Ioab That night the king inuited him to supper and although he were made drunke thorow the aboundance of wine he receiued which the king had purposely caused to be giuen him yet notwithstanding he slept at the kings gate without any desire to repaire home vnto his wife Herewith the king was much despited so that he wrote vnto Ioab commaunding him to punish Vrias because he had offended him and to the end that this intent of his should not be discouered he suggested him both in the meanes and manner of the prosecution of his death enioyning him to place him in the ranke of greatest danger and in face of the enemie to the intent that in the fight his person might be endaungered abandoned and left alone whilest they that fought next vnto him retired when they sawe him charged Whenas he had thus written and sealed vp the letter with his owne seale he deliuered it to Vrias to beare vnto Ioab who receiuing the same and conceiuing the kings pleasure placed Vrias in that quarter where he knew the enemies would fight most desperately appointing him out certaine of his best soldiers to second him with purpose that he would come and succour them with all his power to the end he might breake thorow the wall and enter the Citie Vrias who was a noble soldier and for his valour had gotten great honour by the king and reputation amongst all those of his tribe and tooke delight to be employed in hazardous attempts and refused no daunger valiantly accepted the execution But Ioab gaue priuate intelligence to those that were ranked next vnto him that when they should see the enemie sally out with greatest fury they should abandon Vrias When as therefore the Hebrewes drew neere vnto the Citie the Ammonites feared least the enemie should speedily scale and enter the Citie on that side where Vrias was ranked for which cause they picked out a squadron of the most resolute men amongst them and setting open their gates sodainly with swift course force
violence they cast themselues vpon their enemies They that were neere Vrias seeing them draw neere retired backe againe according as Ioab had before hand commanded them but Vrias being ashamed to flie or forsake his ranke expected the enemie and valiantly encountring him he slue diuers of them but at last being inclosed and shut in the middest of them he was slaine and with him some other of his companions perished in the conflict This done Ioab sent messengers vnto the king to certifie him that not enduring the delay of the siege and assailing and scaling the walles he was compelled to returne backe into his campe with losse of some men and repulse from the Citie yet had he commaunded the messengers that if they perceiued the King to be displeased with the newes they should gââ¦ue him to vnderstand that Vrias was dead The King hearing this discourse according as Ioabs messengers had deliuered it made a shew to be displeased saying that it was a fault in him that he had so neerely approched the wall alledging that he might haue done farre better to haue taken the towne by mine or engine vrging in way of example the act of Abimelech Gedeons sonne who intending to surprise by force a tower that was within the Citie of Tebez was stroken with a stone which was cast at him by an olde woman whereupon he that was a valiant man for entring an action ouerââ¦ash and dangerous shamefully died In remembrance of whose desaster they ought to haue beene more warie and not to haue approched the wall of the enemie so neerely For it is a verie good point in warre to haue in memorie both fatall and fortunate successes to the end that when a man is in the like daungers he may follow the one and flie the other Whilest thus he rebuked them the messenger certified him of Vrias death which did somewhat appease him So that he commaunded them to tell Ioab that it was but an humane accident and that such was the nature of warre that sometime the one side had the better and sometime the other to conclude that he should prouide for the siege and take care least hereafter they should receiue any further losse counselling him by trenches and engines to ruinate the wall and commaunding that all those that were in the towne should be put to the sword The messenger thus dismissed reported all these things vnto Ioab according to the Kings commaundement But Vrias wife hauing notice of the death of her husband wept and mourned for him diuers daies and when the dule and lamentations were finished and performed to the dead the king espoused her incontinently and she bare him a man child yet God beheld not this mariage with a fauourable eie but was wroth with Dauid and appearing to the Prophet Nathan in a dreame he blamed the king verie sore Now Nathan who was a wise and experienced man knew well that when kings are displeased they suffe themselues rather to be ouercome by passion then by reason for which cause he determined to conceale the menaces and threatnings that God had made for that time and discoursed of other profitable matters with Dauid after this manner requiring the king that it would please him to censure and deliuer his opinion in the same Two men said he dwelt in one and the same Citie the one of them was rich hauing many troupes of great and small cattell the other that was poore had but one only sheep which he nourished with his children sharing him out a part of that whereon he fed and louing her as tenderly as a man would doe his onely daughter It hapned that this rich man had a stranger that repaired to his house for whose entertainment he would not suffer any one of his own beasts to be slaine but sent a violent messenger who tooke away the poore mans sheepe and caused it to be dressed to entertaine his guest This report of Nathans displeased the king very sore in so much as he swore vnto him that he that had beene so bolde to commit such an act was a wicked man and that reason required that he should restore him fourefold and that after he should be put to death Whereunto Nathan replied saying that it was he that deserued this punishment who had giuen sentence against himselfe in that he had presumed to commit so grieuous a sinne Moreouer he certified him of Gods displeasure who notwithstanding he had made him king ouer all the Hebrewes and Lord ouer all the nations round about which were diuers and great and who besides these things had warranted him from the hands of Saul and had giuen him wiues whom he had espoused iustly and lawfully was so despised and dishonoured by him that he had espoused and kept by him an other mans wife and caused her husband to be slaine and betrayed him vnto his enemy For which sinnes of his he pronounced that he should be punished by God and his wiues should be violated by one of his owne sonnes who should likewise lay a snare for him so that he should suffer a manifest plague for the sinne he had committed in secret Moreouer said he the sonne which thou shalt haue by her shall shortly die After the king had receiued this message he was sore troubled and being confused he powred forth tears sighed for sorrowes confessing that he had done wickedly for vndoubtedly before this time he had alwaies feared God and had neuer in his life offended him but in that act with Vrias wife Whereupon after his submission God was appeased and tooke compassion of him promising him to continue both his life and kingdome and that he would be no more displeased with him if so be that he repented him of the sinne he had committed After that Nathan had declared these things vnto Dauid he departed vnto his owne house But God inflicted a grieuous sicknesse on the infant that was borne by Bethsabe for which cause the king was sore agrieued and for seuen daies space would take no refection notwithstanding that he was earnestly instanted thereunto by his houshold seruants He put on likewise a mourning habit and laide himselfe on the ground vpon a sacke beseeching him that it would please him to grant him the childes life towards whose mother he bare so exceeding loue and affection But when the infant was deceased about the seuenth day of his sicknesse his seruants durst not certifie him thereof supposing that if it should come vnto his eare he would the more obstinately abstain from eating the care of his person and should be in danger by reason of his disordinate griefe for his childe to procure and hasten his own death considering he had so vehemently bin afflicted and tormented for his onely sicknesse But the king perceiuing by their lookes that his seruants were troubled and that they concealed some fatall harme and gathering thereby that his sonne was dead
Caius coÌmandeth Quintiliana to be tortured who confesseth nothing Popedius is absolued Cheraeas conferreth with Clement and Papinius The yeare of the world 4004. after Christs birth 42. Cornelius Sabinust Annius Minutianus Chaereas with certaine others intend to kill Caius Calisthus Caius freeman certifieth Claudius that Caius commaunded him to poison him The yeare of the world 4005. after Christs birtâ⦠43. Chaereas expeââ¦h the occasion to assaile Caius The finall conclusion of the confederates as touching Caius death The yeare of the world 4005. after Chrisââ¦s Natiuitie 43. Caius sacrificeth to Augustus Caesar. Asprenas The Theater Batibius Cluuitus The yeare of the world 400â⦠after Christs birth 43. Caius slaine Aquila gaue Caius his deaths wound but Chaereas was the author and chiefe actor of the tragedie The yeare of the ãâã 4005. after Chrââ¦ts Natiââ¦tie 43. Chaereas with his confederates reââ¦reth into Germanicuâ⦠house The Germans Caesars guard Sabinus with his Germaine souldiers seeketh for those that slue Caius Asprenas cut in peeces Norbanus Anteius What sort of people they were that lamented Caius death The yeare of the world 4005. after Christs birth 43. Diuers ââ¦umors of Caesars death The Germain souldiers resort to the Theater Aruntius entreth the Theater and signifieth the Emperours death The Germainâ⦠fury awakned by the death of Caius is pacified The yeare of the world 4005. after Christs Natiuitie 43. Chaereas Minutianus and ClemeÌt consult about Caesars death Arcion a certaine Phisition dismisseth some The Senate people enquire after those that flue Caius Valerius Asiaticus wisheth he had beene the author Hedio Ruffinus cap. 2. The souldiers elect Claudius Emperour The yeare of thâ⦠world 4005. after the Naââ¦tie of Christ. 43. Cnaius Sentiuâ⦠Saturninus declaimeth in the Senate Libertie a prââ¦cious thing Liberty purchased by vertue TyraÌnies breed many mischifes in commonweales Iulius Caesar. The yeare of the world 4005. after Christs birth 43. An exhortation to maintaine liberty Chaereas to be honoured for his noble attempt Chaereas requireth a watchword at the Consuls ââ¦ands Chaereas sendeth Iulius Lupus to kill Caius wife and daughter The yeare of the world 4005. after Christs birth 43. Caesonia accuseth Caius for that he would not giue credit ââ¦o her counsailâ⦠Caius a wicked man Caius giuen ouer to lust Caius builded a hauen Caius an excellent Orator The yeare of the world 4005. after Christs natiuitie 43. Hedio Ruffinus cap. 3. Claudius against his will drawen vnto the Empire The cause that induced the army to make Claudius Emperour The yeare of the world 4005. after the Naââ¦tie of Christ. 4â⦠Claudius caried on mens shoulders into the army Defference betwixt the citizens and Senators The Senate perswade Claudius to resigne the dignitie oââ¦ered him Claudius denieth to giue ouer the dignitie that was offered him Hedio Ruffinus cap. 4. al. 3. The yeere of the world 4005. after Christs birth 43. Claudius confirmed in his resolutions by Agrippa Agrippa telleth the Senat his opinion Agrippa with some other is sent to Claudius Claudius aunswere to the Embassadors The souldiers oaths taken The souldiers require a Monarch at the Senats bands The yeare of the world 4005. after Christs birth 43. Some affect the Empire The souldierâ⦠with displaied ensignââ¦s repaire to Claudius Sabinus rather choseth death then to allow of Claudius Q. Pompeiuâ⦠the Consul with otherâ⦠resort to Claudiuâ⦠Claudius is perswaded bâ⦠Agrippa to vse the senators more mildly Those that murthered Caius are executed The yeââ¦e of the world 4005. after Christs Naââ¦itie 43. Sabinus killeth himselfe Hedio Ruffinus chap. 5. ââ¦l 4. Claudius giueth Agrippa Iudaea Samaria and Lysanias countrey Antiochus king of Comagena Alexander Lysimachus Alabarcha Herode Agrippas brother created king of Chalcis Sedirion in Alexandria betwixt the Greekes and Iewes Claudius edict in fauour of the Iewes in Alexandria Theâ⦠yere of the world 4005. after Christs birth 43. Claudius edict in the behalfe of the Iewes scattered thorow the whole empire Claudius sendeth Agrippa into his kingdome Agrippa hangeth vp his golden chaine ouer the treasury chamber in the temple Simon the son of Boethus placed in Theophilus roome ãâã ââ¦finus cap. 6. Agrippa ââ¦eleaseth the tributes to those of Ierusalem Silas The Doriteâ⦠place Caesars statue in the synagogue of the Iewes and thereby vehemently offend both Agrippa and Petronius The yeare of the world 4005. after Christs natiuitâ⦠43. Alias cap. 5. P. Petronius writeth to the Dorites to send them vnto him who haue broken Caesarâ⦠edict Ionathan the sonne of Ananus is restored to the priesthood refuseth it and praieth that his brother Matthias may minister therin Marsus prefect of Syria The yeare of the world 4005. after Christs birth 43. Hedio Ruffinus cap. 7. Silas by too much reuiuing the kings miseries and misfortunes and ripping vp his owne deserts groweth into y e kings hatred and is sent prisoner into his countrey Agrippa sendeth for Silas out of prison who dissembling not his displeasure is left still in prison Agrippa fortifieth the wals of Ierusalem Claudius commandeth Agrippa to desist from building the wals Agrippa ââ¦ored the ãâã more then Herode The yeare of the world 4005. after Christs Natiuitie 43. Simon the lawyer backbiteth the king who crauing pardon is reconciled vnto him Alias cap. 6. Agrippa honoreth Beryth with good ornaments Hedio Ruffinus chap. 8. Agrippa is displeased with Marsus for sending away the kings Alias cap. 7. Aelioneus the sonne of Cithaeus made high priest Agrippa is salââ¦d in the Theater for a God and spieth the owle which the Germane foretold him of that fiue daies after he should die The yeare of the world 4005. after the Natââ¦itie of Christ 43. The yeare of the world 4009. after Christs birth 47. 1ââ¦00 Myriades amount to 15 tunnes o gold Herode the prince of Chalcis and Chelcias kill Silas Hedio Ruffinus cap. 9. al. cap. 8. Agrippaâ⦠children aliue The Caelerias and SebasteaÌs rââ¦uile Agrippâ⦠being dead Agrippa Agrippas sonne Claudius inteÌdeth to send yong Agrippa into his fathers kingdom but is disswaded sendeth Cuspius Fadus for president into Iudaea those parts The yeââ¦e of the world 4009. after Christs birth 47. The Iewes themselues were the cause of those wars which began vnder Flotus Hedio Ruffinus cap. 1. Casâ⦠Longiâ⦠presect of Syria Fadus punisheth the Iewes for their insurrection against the Philadelphians Theâ⦠yere of the world 4ââ¦09 after Christs birth 47. Annibas executed ãâã and ãâã banished Tholomaeus the arch thiese Fadus requiteth the high priests gaââ¦meÌt should be deliuered into the power of the Romanes and kept in y e ãâã of Aââ¦onia Alias cap. 2. The Iewes deliuer pledges to the intent they might be permitted to send letters to Caesar. Claudius vpon the yonger Agrippââ¦s motââ¦on granteth the Iewes liberty to haue the custodie of the hie priests vestment Aliââ¦s cap. 3. Claudius Epistle to the Iewes Alias cap. 9. Herode prince of Chalcis hath authoritie