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
from the siege as we haue declared in an other place And againe a long time after this Herod also opened an other Cabinet from whence he tooke out a great summe And as touching the tombes of Princes no man defaced them because they were most magnificently builded for feare least they should be esteemed destroyers of monuments But for the present it sufficeth that I haue certified thus much THE EIGHTH BOOKE OF THE ANTIQVITIES OF THE IEWES WRITTEN BY FLAVIVS IOSEPHVS The Contents of the Chapters of the 8. booke 1 How Salomon obtaining the kingdome expelled his enemies 2 Of the riches prudence and wisedome of Salomon and how first of all he builded the Temple in Ierusalem 3 How Salomon being dead the people reuolted from Roboam his sonne and made Hieroboam king of the ten tribes 4 How Susac king of the Aegyptians sacking Ierusalem caried away the riches of that Citie into Aegypt 5 The warre of Hieroboam against Abiam Roboams sonne and the slaughter of his armie and how Basanes the rooter out of Hieroboams posteritie occupied the kingdome 6 The irruption of the Aethipians into the land of the Hebrewes vnder Asa and the ouerthrow of their armie 7 Basans stocke being wholy rooted out amongst the Israelites Zamri ruled in Israel with his sonne Achab. 8 Adad king of Damasco and Syria encamping and fighting two seuerall times against Achab is ouerthrowne 9 Of Iosaphat king of Ierusalem 10 Achab being prouoked to warre by the Sryans is ouercome and slaine in the battell CHAP. I. How Salomon obtaining the kingdome expulsed his enemies WE haue declared in the former Booke what Dauid was how great his vertue hath beene what profits and benefits those of his nation receiued by him what warres and battels he worthily exployted and how happily at last through extremitie of age he departed out of this life But after that Salomon his sonne being at that time verie young had obtained the kingdome and was placed in his fathers throne according as Dauid had determined and the diuine power had decreed the whole people according to the common course in the election of newe Princes with happie acclamations wished him perpetuall felicitie in all his affaires and after his well gouerned estate and royaltie long many prosperous yeares But Adonias who during his fathers life time thought to possesse and seaze himselfe of the royall estate came vnto the kings mother and with all humilitie reuerence saluted her To whom Bethsabe said that if there were anything wherin she might sted him he should manifest it vnto her and that she would grant it him willingly Whereupon he began to say that it was a thing verie well knowen that the kingdome appertained vnto him both in regard of his age as also in respect of the fauour and good liking of the people but since that it had beene transferred vnto Salomon hir sonne by the will of God he was content therewith and would be his seruant being verie glad of the fortunate successe of his affaires He therefore besought her that she would solicite Salomon in his behalfe and perswade him to giue him Abisace to wife who had slept with Dauid for that he had not had any carnall company with her by reason of his age and that as yet she was fully possessed of her virginitie Bethsabe promised him to further his suit to the vtmost of hir power and willingly to employ her selfe toward the accomplishing of the marriage both for that the king was willing to gratifie her in whatsoeuer she should desire as also for that she would instantly intreat him so that he departed from her with assured hope of good successe in respect of his marriage Hereupon presently did Bethsabe addresse her selfe to the king intending to certifie him both what Adonias had requested and what she had granted When tidings came to Salomon that his mother came to visit him he went out to meete her and embraced her afterwards conducting her into the place where the royall treasure was he sate him downe and commaunded his seruants to place a seat on his right hand for his mother who setled by him spake vnto him after this manner My sonne vouchsafe me one fauour that I shall request at thy hands and send me not hence discontended and confused thorow thy refusall Salomon answered her that she should commaund him by reason that dutie tied him to the satisfaction and fauour of his mothers suites reprouing her for that insinuation she had vsed by reason that thereby she euidently expressed that she was not thorowly assured to obtaine her demaund but that she feared the refusall and repulse in the same she therefore required him to giue the Damsell Abisace for wife to Adonias his brother The King displeased at this her suit dismissed his mother alledging that Adonias hammered hie thoughts in his head that he wōdred that in requiring Abisace to wife he had not requested Salomō likewise to giue him place in the kingdome for Adonias was elder than he and had more mightie friends then he had namely the generall Ioab and the high Priest Abiathar For which cause he incontinently sent Banaia captaine of his guard to kill Adonias his brother Then calling vnto him the high Priest Abiathar The paines said he that thou hast endured by accompanying my father Dauid and attending and bearing the Arke with him make thee escape from death yet notwithstanding for that thou hast beene an assistant to Adonias and followed his faction I condemne thee to depart from my presence charging thee not to see my face any more but to retire thy selfe to thine owne house and there to liue in thy countrey vntill thou hast ended thy daies for hauing in this sort neglected me it is not conuenient that thou shouldest be in honour with me For this cause was the house of Ithamar depriued of the priestly dignitie according as God had foreprophecied to Eli one of the auncestors of Abiathar and translated to the race of Phinees and established in Sadoc Those of the race of Phinees who led a priuate life all that time that the Priesthood remained in the familie of Ithamar wherof Eli was the first were these Boccias the sonne of Ioseph Ioatham the sonne of Boccias Maraeoth the sonne of Ioatham Aropha the sonne of Maraeoth Achitob the sonne of Aropha Sadoc the sonne Achitob who was the first high Priest vnder king Dauid Ioab hauing tidings of the death of Adonias was seazed with sodaine and extreme feare for he loued him more than king Salomon and by reason of that friendship which he bare vnto him he iustly and vpon good grounds apprehended his owne danger and in this respect he fled vnto the altar hoping in that place to be secured in regard of that reuerēce which the king bare vnto God But when Ioabs resolution was made knowne vnto the king he sent Banaia vnto him with commission to bring him from the
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 Barbariās 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 Macedō 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 cōmunicate 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 encoūter 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
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
most odoriferous drugge the halfe of the said waight and he caused all these to be beaten and infused in a Hin of oyle of oliue others write palme this Hin is one of our measures contayning two Choas of Athens all which he mixed boyled together according to the art of perfumers and he made thereof a most odoriferous oyntment which he tooke and annoynted the priest withall and all that which belonged to the Tabernacle to the intent to purifie them offering many and sundrie sorts of beasts of great price to sacrifice within the Temple vpon the Altar of gold whereof I forbeare to speake any further for feare I should grow offensiue and tedious to the readers Twice a day before the sunne rise and sunne set they were to burne incense and purifie the oyle and refresh the lampes whereof three ought to burne euerie day vpon the sacred Candlesticke in honour of God and the rest were lighted in the euening Amongst them that wrought and finished these things Beseleel and Eliab were the most excellent and expertest workemen for whatsoeuer had been enterprised by others they in their art polished and perfected and they of themselues found many new things of their owne inuention yet was Beseleel iudged the most excellent of them two All the time employed in this worke was seuen months and at that time was the yeare accomplished which began at their departure out of Egypt In the beginning of the second yeare in the month which the Macedonians call Xanthicus and the Hebrewes Nisan vpon the new moone they dedicated the Tabernacle with all things belonging thereunto according as I haue made mention And God presently testified that both their gifts were gratious in his eyes and the Hebrewes labors fruitfull and pleasant in his sight testifying his presence in that Temple after this manner Whereas the heauen was otherwaies cleere and faire ouer the Tabernacle only there was a cloud not wholy thicke like a winter storme nor obscure and yet not so thin as a man could see thorow the same from whence there descended a dewe that gaue testimonie of Gods presence vnto them that had will and beliefe Moses honoured the workemasters that made the worke with such rewards as appertained vnto them by desart and sacrificed according as God had commanded him in the doore or porch of the Tabernacle a Bull a Ramme and a Kid for their sinnes but with what ceremonie these things are done I will declare when I intreat of sacrifices as also what offerings are to be burned by fire and according to the law are allowed to be fed vpon and with the blood of the slaughtred beasts he besprinkled the vestment of Aaron and purified both him and his children with fountaine water and the pretious oyntâ—… 〈◊〉 to the end they might be sanctified to God And for seuen daies space he consecrated both themselues and their vestments and the Tabernacle with those things which appertained thereunto with that oyle whereof I haue before time foretold you with the bloud of Buls and Rammes slaine euery other day after their kind But on the eight day he proclaimed a holy day and festiuall to all the people and decreed that euery one of them should particularly sacrifice according to his abilitie and they with emulation striuing to exceed one another obeyed him and offered vp their sacrifices according as it was commaunded them Whilest thus the sacrifices were vpon the Altar sodainly there issued a fire from them which kindled of it selfe the flame whereof resembled the light or brightnes of lightning and consumed all that which vvas vpon the Altar At that time there happened an inconuenient to Aaron which although it somewhat moued and amated his fatherly patience yet digested he it with a constant and generous mind for he was a man of much constancie and such a one as knew that nothing could befal him without the prescience and prouidence of God For of those foure sons which I told you that he had the two elder brethren Nadab and Abihu bringing sacrifices vnto the Altar not such as were appointed by Moses but of that sort they were accustomed to offer before times were burned by the violent flame that issued from the Altar seasing both their breasts and faces in such a sort as by no meanes possible that might be extinguished so that at length they died Moses commaunded both their father and brothers to take their bodies and carry them out of the host and burie them sumptuously all the people wept and were amased verie much at this their death so straunge and vnsuspected But Moses ordained that neither the father nor his sonnes should lament but that they should rather make estimate of Gods honour then of their owne misfortune for Aaron was alreadie inuested in the sacred robe But as touching Moses he refused all honours which were offered him by the people neither applied he himselfe vnto any other thing but to the seruice of God neyther did hee ascend any more vp to the mountaine of Sinai but entred into the Tabernacle to take counsaile at Gods hands in those things whereof he had neede to be informed He demeaned himselfe like a priuate man not onely in his apparrell but in all other things and liued verie popularly perseuering in that familiar and ciuill course of life and challenging no priuiledge aboue anie man but onely in those things which pertayned to the administration of the common weale Besides these he reduced vnder writing both the lawes and ordinances as touching Policie in due performance whereof if they should liue they should bee both agreeable to God and liue without cause of controuersie the one against the other And all this established he following those directions which God had instructed him in But now will I returne and bend my stile to discourse vpon that which I haue omitted in the ornament of the high priest for this apparrell of theirs leaueth not any occasion to false prophets to execute their wicked impostures and if there be any such as dare intermeddle with that which appertaineth to Gods maiestie this habite maketh them know that it is in Gods power to be present with the sacrificers at such time as it pleaseth him and to be absent when him listeth which God would haue made knowne not onely to the Hebrewes but to all those straungers who by any occurrence might be eye witnesses of the same For of those stones which the high Priest bare or his shoulders which were Sardonixs whose nature is so notorious to all men that it were vnnecessarie to reueale it the one shined at such times as there was any offering that other which was fastened on his right shoulder shined verie cleerely at such time as God was present at the sacrifice and cast his raies a farre off that it might be perceiued by those that beheld the same both contrarie to his nature and custome which truly
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 solēnity of the Passeouer during those seuen daies it is vnlawfull to eate any le◅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
vse of his mother for that it is a thing most abominable and likewise prohibiteth him to keepe vnlawful companie with his fathers wife his Ant and his sister or his sonnes wife and detesteth it as a most hainous and hideous offence It prohibiteth also the vse of a woman when she hath her monthly sicknesse the vse of beasts also especially the male by reason that such affections are abominable and against the transgressours of these lawes he established most strict and mortall punishments Hee willed also that the Priests should be twise more chast then the rest for he not onely forbad them that which he prohibited others but moreouer he enioyned them not to marie those that had bin abādoned or slaues or prisoners or victualers and tauerners forsaken by their husbands for any occasion whatsoeuer And as touching the high Priest he permitted him not to match with the widowe of him that was dead although it were made lawfull for the other Priests and granted him only libertie to take a virgin to his wife and to keepe her The said high Priest is also forbidden to approch a dead man although the other Priests are not scantled of that libertie to approch their brothers fathers and mothers and children deceased Willing that they should be simple in all kind of simplicitie He likewise ordained that the Priest which should not be sound in bodie should be maintained by the other Priests but in the meane time that he should not approch the Altar neither enter into the Temple willing that not onely they should be neat in that which concerned the diuine seruice but also that they should studie and indeuour to be the like in all the actions of their life to the end that no man might reproue them For which cause they that beare the habit of the Priests are vnreproueable and in all things pure and sober being forbidden to drinke wine as long as they ware the priestly vesture They were willed also to offer vp entire sacrifices and no wayes maimed These statutes did Moses decree and make during his life time And afterwards he deuised others also at such time as he remained in the desart which both the people might practise in that place and then also when they had possessed the land of Canaan He gaue rest vnto the earth the seuenth yeare so that it was neither tilled nor planted in like manner as he had commaunded them to rest from their labours on the seuenth day of the weeke and hee ordained that the fruits which the earth of it selfe brought forth should be common to all those that would make vse thereof as well to those of the countrey as strangers without any forbidding or reseruation He likewise decreed that his should be done after the seuenth week of yeers which containeth the space of fiftie yeares which the Hebrewes call Iubile in which the debtors are acquited by their creditors and the bond-men made free who being of the people and for that they had forfeited against some one law had beene punished being handled after the maner ofslaues and not put to death and to those who from the beginning had beene possessours of lands they were restored vnto thē in this maner following The Iubile being at hand which word signifieth libertie both he that sold and he that bought the land meete together and cast vp the account of the profits and expences that haue beene reaped bestowed on the land and if it be found that the profits do amount he that sold the land repossesseth it but if the charges exceed the value of the profits he restoreth the surplusage to the buier that is due vnto him and retaineth the land to him selfe And if the profits and expences are answerable the one vnto the other the restitution is made to him that had the auncient inheritance He ratified likewise the same law in houses that were bought in Villages or Cities For if he that sold counted down the money he had receiued before the yeare were finished he compelled the purchaser to restore him his house and if he stayed till the yeare were fully finished the possession and free purchase remained vnto him that bought it Moses receiued this disposition of his lawes from God at such time as his flocks fed at the foot of the mountaine of Sinai and he gaue them in writing to the Hebrewes CHAP. XI The lawes and customes of warre AFter that these lawes had beene after this manner digested Moses addressed himselfe to the affaires and lawes of warre for thinking him of those battels which should follow He therefore commaunded the gouernours of the tribes the tribe of Leui onely excepted to take a precise view and musters of those men that were capable and able to beare armes for the Leuites were sacred and exempt from those functions and the search being made there were found sixe hundreth and three thousand sixe hundreth and fiftie fighting men betwixt the yeares of twentie and fiftie But in stead of Leui he chose Manasses the sonne of Ioseph and Ephraim for his father Ioseph for so much had Iacob intreated at Iosephs hands that he would giue him his sonnes that he might adopt them as it hath beene aforetime declared When they pitched the Tabernacle it was planted in the midst of the campe guarded and defenced with the tribes which were incamped three by three on euery side There were certaine waies or paths likewise laid out betweene them and a market place was quarteraed out and shops for all sorts of merchandise disposed by order and workemen and artizans of all occupations trauailing in their shops so that to looke vpon it it resembled a Citie that marched and encamped The Priests first were planted next vnto the Tabernacle and after them followed all the communitie of the Leuites for there was a viewe also made of them accounting all the males exceeding the age of thirtie daies and they were counted to be twentie and three thousand eight hundreth and eightie And when it chanced that a cloud descended vpon the Tabernacle then rested they as if God thought good to rest in that place and if it departed from the same then remoued they likewise He inuented also a certaine kind of Cornet made of siluer and framed after this manner In length it was almost a cubit and it was like the narrow whistle of a Fife but a little more thicker yet naithelesse it was wide inough for the space of the mouth to the end to receiue the breath and the end thereof was made like a little Bell in forme of a Trumpet They call it in the Hebrew tongue Asosra There were two of them whereof the one of them serued to assemble and call the people to publike assemblies and the other to conuocate the gouernours when they were to consult vpon affaires of estate and if both of them were sounded then all of them in generall gathered together When
to any god Let no man weare a garment wouen of linnen and woollen for it belongeth onely to the Priests Euerie seuenth yeare when the people shall be assembled together in the sacred Citie to sacrifice vpon the feast of Tabernacles at such time as the feast approcheth the high Priest from a high pulpit from whence he may be heard by the whole multitude shall read the law vnto all of them so that neither women nor children shall be exempted from the hearing of the same no not the verie slaues and bondmen For it is requisite that they retaine the perpetuall memory thereof alwaies imprinted in their minds for so shall they sinne the lesse in that they vnderstand what is decreed in the law The lawes likewise shall be of more force in the consciences of those that shall offend whilest they infixe in the minds of those that heare them their doctrines intermingled with menaces so that the wil to performe the law shal neuer be inwardly extinguished besides that the remembrance wil liue in thē how many plagues they incur by contempt therof Let children in especiall learne the lawes then which discipline there is not any more honest neither more conducible vnto felicitie Twice in the day in the morning in the euening about bed time let God be honoured for his benefit of our deliuerance out of Egypt For it is a thing in ◅ture reasonable to giue thanks vnto God as well in acknowledgement of the goods which we haue before time receiued as in expectation of his future mercies The chiefe of these also are to be written ouer our doores and worne on our armes and those things which declare his power and beneficence are to be borne about written on the head and armes that euerie way Gods bountie may be seene towards his people In euerie Citie or township let there be seuen gouernours such as are approued in vertue and famous for their iustice let each one of these magistrats haue two ministers of the tribe of Leui. Let those that are appointed Iudges in the Cities be held in high reputation so that in their presence no man presume either to vrge contumelies or iniurious speeches for so shall it come to passe that men accustomed to doe reuerence shall also exercise themselues in pietie and grow so much the farther from contempt of God and his power Whatsoeuer seemeth good to the Iudges to decree let that be held inuiolable except it be apparant that they be corrupted with money or that they may be manifestly conuicted of a wrongfull iudgement They ought likewise to iudge without respect of lucre or dignitie and preferre iustice before all other things for this iniurie sorteth out to Gods contumelie as if it were to be supposed that he is to be suspected to be weaker then they for whose sake they wrest the law contrarie to equitie for Gods power is iustice he therefore that giueth iudgement in fauour and partialitie of great men he maketh them greater then God himselfe And if the Iudges cannot determine of the matter in question as it oftentimes falleth out let them referre the cause to the sacred Citie and then shall the high Priest and the Prophet with the assistance of the Senate determine that which shall be conuenient The testimonie of one witnesse shall not be receiued but of three or at leastwise of two whose testimonie shall be made good by the examination of their behauiour and life As for women it is not lawfull for them to beare any witnesse by reason of the leuitie and temeritie of that sexe Neither is it lawfull for a man seruant to bring in testimonie by reason of his degenerate and ignoble mind for it is to be suspected that either for lucre sake or for feare he will depose an vntrue testimonie And if any false witnesse shall fortune to be beleeued and he afterwards be conuicted of periurie let him be subiect to that penaltie which he should haue endured that should haue beene cast by his false accusation If manslaughter be committed in any place and the offender may not be found out neither there appeare any likelihood that the man is slaine of malice let there be a diligent and carefull inquisition made with rewards prefixed to the discouerer but if no probabilities or coniectures may be gathered then let the magistrates of the next Cities that adioyne the place where the slaughter is committed and the ancients of the same assemble together and measure from the place where the dead bodie lieth and let the township that is found to be neerest and the inhabitants thereof buy a Heifer which they shall bring into a place vnlaboured and vnplanted where they shall after they haue cut the nerues of the necke kill it and the Priests the Leuites and ancients of the Citie shall wash their hands in the bloud then shall they lift vp their hands ouer the head of the said Heifer and crie out with a loud voice that they haue their hands cleane frō that homicide the which they haue not done neither were they present at such time as it was perpetrated and they shall call vpon the mercie of God beseeching him not to permit that any such grieuous accident euer fall out in their countrey The gouernment of the Peeres is the best kind of regiment of all other sorts of gouernment take you therefore heed that you desire no other forme of pollicy but retaine and continue the same hauing no other superiours but the lawes and managing your affaires by your selues For it sufficeth you that God is your Prince Yet notwithstanding if you shall grow in desire to haue a King see that you elect one of your owne nation that he in all things be studious to procure iustice and all other vertues perswading himselfe that God and the lawes are most vpright Let him not vndertake any thing without the aduice of the high Priest and the counsell of the elders Let him not haue diuers wiues neyther let him hunt after huge treasures nor multitudes of horse for feare least possessing them he become so insolent as that he raise his power and will aboue the lawes and if you see him affectioned vnto these things beware least he grow more puissant then is expedient for you It is not lawfull for any man to remoue the land markes neither of his owne land or any other mans whatsoeuer for by this meanes is the peace conserued Let each one therefore forbeare to remooue them because they are as the voyce of God assured for euer For warres and soldiers are raised thereby when such as would augment their inheritance striue alwaies to enlarge the bounds of their dominion And they that are so hardie to remooue the same are not farre from contempt of the lawes He that shall plant a peece of ground and the trees begin to fructifie before the fourth yeare the first fruits
reason of the despaire they conceiued of their future successe For being alreadie perswaded that they were masters of the field and that their armie should be alwaies warranted and safe at such time as they should fight according as before times God had promised them they saw contrarie to their opinion that their aduersaries had taken heart insomuch as clothing themselues in sackcloth vpon their raiments they spent all the day in teares lamentations without tasting any meate so grieuously were they afflicted with the inconuenient that had hapned But Iosuah perceiuing the army discomfited after this manner and conceiuing some sinister hope of their estates boldly addressed himselfe vnto God saying We haue not beene induced by our owne temerity to attempt the conquest of this land by force but we haue beene hereunto incouraged by thy seruant Moses to whom thou hast promised by diuers signes that thou wouldest giue vs this country to inhabite in that our army should haue alwaies the vpper hand in battell and of these thy promises we haue often times experimented the euent But now beyond all expectation hauing receiued an ouerthrow and lost some of our soldiers being terrified by this accident and suspitious of thy promises to Moses we both abstaine from warre and after so many enterprises and entrances of warre we cannot hope of any fortunate or succesful proceedings Be thou therefore assistant vnto vs O Lord for it lieth in thy power by thy mercy relieue our present sorrow with a largesse of victory take from vs the thought of despaire wherein we are too farre plunged Iosuah lying prostrate on his face made this praier vnto God who presently answered him that he should arise commāding him to purge the army of that pollution that had hapned therein and of a theft committed by one of the multitude who was so hardie as to violate and conceale those things which were ◅onsecrated vnto him assuring him that that cause was the meanes of the present calamitie but that as soone as he had searched out and punished the sacriledge the Israelites should become fortunate and obtaine the victory This Oracle Iosuah declared vnto the people and calling for the high Priest and the Magistrates he cast lots vpon the tribes and when as the lot had fallen on the tribe of Iuda it was againe cast by kinreds and when againe the sacriledge was found to be committed in Zacharias kinred they examined the same once more man by man and found out Achar who hauing no meanes to denie the same and being discouered by God himselfe confessed the fact and brought forth those things which he had concealed Whereupon being presently put to death he was by night buried after an ignominious manner according as he deserued it But Iosuah hauing purified the people led them forth against Ainan and laying an Ambuscado by night time aboue the Citie early in the morning he drew the enemie out to fight who boldly broke forth being incouraged by their former victorie but Iosuah making a shew of retreat drew them farther off from their Citie forming in them an imaginarie hope that the Israelites fled and that they should gaine a second victorie ouer them But when Iosuah sodainly made a stand and freshly charged them and gaue a signall vnto those that lay in ambush they were incontinently addressed and incouraged to fight and with all expedition entred the gates of the Citie on the walles whereof there stood diuers of the inhabitants being eye witnesses as they thought of their atchieued victorie In this manner was the Citie taken and all they that were therein were slaine and Iosuah on the other side inforced those in such manner with whom he maintained skirmish that they turned their backs and fled towards the Citie as if it had beene in the same estate as they left it but when they perceiued that it was surprised and saw both it their wiues and children consumed with fire they scattered themselues about the fields not being able to rallie themselues by reason of their disturbance and disorder After this ouerthrow of the Ainites there were a great number of women children and bondslaues taken captiue and store of all sorts of moueables The Hebrewes also became Lords of much cattell and gathered a great quantitie of siluer for the countrey was rich All which Iosuah vpon his returue to Galgal distributed amongst the soldiers But the Gabeonites who dwelt not farre off from Ierusalem vnderstanding what had hapned to them of Hiericho and seeing the estate of the Ainites and fearing least the like misfortune might fall vpon them thought it not good to offer treaties of peace to Iosuah supposing they should find no tolerable conditions at his hands because they knew that he warred vnder that resolution vtterly to roote out and extinguish the nation of the Canaanites from off the earth They therefore made a league with the Cepherites and Cathierimites their neighbours telling them that they should not escape the daunger if so be it so fell out that the Gabeonites were first taken by the Israelites but that if they were vnited together they might both resist the greatnesse and auoid the dangers of them Which counsell of theirs being accepted they sent Embassadours vnto Iosuah such men as they thought to be both most capable and wisest amongst them in the affaires of common-weale to the intent to entreate a peace betwixt them and the Israelites who knowing that it would be verie dangerous for them if they should say that they were Canaanites that on the contrarie side they should auoid the danger if they protested that they had no communitie or alliance with them but that they dwelled far off from them told Iosuah that being incited by his fame they had vndertaken a long iourney the truth whereof he might coniecture by their habits for vpon their setting forth their garments were new and now by their long iourney quite worne for they had purposely put vpon them old raiment to the end it might be sutable to their subtill insinuation Standing vp therefore in the middest of the multitude attired after this maner they told them that they were sent by the Gabeonites and the neighbouring Cities thereabouts farre disioyned from that countrey to articulate and ratifie a peace betweene them according as they haue bin accustomed to proceed in their accords For knowing well that the countrey of Canaan was giuen vnto them by the grace and gratuitie of God to the end they should be maste◅ and possessours thereof they were much reioyced thereat and required them to be receiued as their confederates By these words and tokens of their garments and intimation of their long iourney they perswaded the Hebrewes to intreate an accord and amitie with them And the high Priest Eleazar with the councell of the Elders sware vnto them that they should be reputed for friends and allies and that no vniust action
should be enterprised against them the people likewise approued their oathes But Iosuah encamping with his Armie vpon their confines and vnderstanding that the Gabeonites dwelt not far off from Ierusalem and that they likewise were of the race of the Canaanites he sent for the principall and princes amongst them and complained and vp braided them of their deceit whereunto they answered that they had no other means to procure their safetie and securitie and for that cause and their necessitie sake that they had sought their refuge thereby Whereupon he called vnto him Eleazar the high Priest and the councell of the Elders who told him that he might not infringe the oath which they had made vnto them but that he might depute them to serue the publique ministeries Whereupon they were adiudged to attend on these seruices and by this meanes deliuered they themselues from their imminent perill But for that the king of Ierusalem was sore incensed against the Gabeonites for that they had reuolted and submitted to Iesus he assembled together the Kings of his neighbour nations to make warre against them The Gabeonites perceiuing the danger they were in and how the enemie was prepared to assault them and how to that intent they had pitched their tents neere vnto a certaine fountaine not farre off from the Citie they required Iesus to assist and defend them For their affaires were in that estate that they expected death from the hands of their friends contrariwise hoped for helpe to be warranted by those Hebrewes with whō they had contracted amitie notwithstāding that they arriued in that countrie to destroy the whole nation of the Cananites Iosuah therefore hastning onward with his whole armie to giue them assistance and marching both day and night early in the morning charged the enemie at such time as he entended his assault and hauing put them to flight he pursued them by a steepy tract which place is called Bethora where hee knew that God had fought for him as it appeared manifestly by the thunder lightening and haile that fell at that time far bigger then was accustomed The day likewise the like whereof was neuer heard of before was lengthened least by the speedy approch of the night the enemie should escape from the victor whereupon it came to passe that Iesus tooke all those fiue Kings in a certaine caue neere Makkedah where they were hidden and condemned them all to the death And that the day at that time increased aboue common custome it is extant registred in the sacred volumes which are reserued in the Temple When after this manner the Kings that inuaded the Gabeonites were slaine and conquered Iesus led his Armie into the mountaines of Canaan where hauing made a great slaughter of men and taken a rich bootie he brought backe his armie into Galgal Now when the renowne of the Hebrewes valiant acts and the admirable number of those that were slaughtered were bruited and scattered farre and neere amongst the neighbour nations they were surprised with a sodaine feare so that the Kings of the Chanaanites that bordered vpon Libanus and they also of the plaine of Cha◅an ioyned themselues confederates with the Palestines and all of them were incensed against them and incamped neere vnto Berotha a Citie of the higher Galilee not farre from Cedesa which is also scituate in the land of Chanaan The whole armie of them consisted of three hundreth thousand footmen ten thousand horsemen and twenty thousand chariots This great multitude of the enemie astonished Iosuah and the Israelites and by reason of the assured feare wherewith they were seased they conceiued but little hope of obtaining the vpper hand but God reproched him and vp braided him of that his timiditie and for that they suspected themselues to be scarcely secured vnder his protection he promised them likewise that he would ouercome their enemies and make their horses vnprofitable and would consume their chariots by fire Iosuah therefore was emboldened by these promises from God and marched out against his enemies whom he surprised on the fift day The incounter was strong the slaughter so great that they who should but heare the same would scarcely beleeue it many also were slaine in the pursuite so that a few onely excepted the whole armie was put to the sword The Kings also were all of them slaine and of their men there remained not any one aliue Iosuah also commaunded that their horses should be slaine and hee burned their chariots securely marched thorow the whole countrey so that no man durst sallie out or make head against him He besieged likewise their strong places and killed all those whom he might apprehend Now when the fift yeare was fully finished and not any one of the Chanaanites were left al◅e except such as were fled into their Cities and forts of defences Iosuah once more retired his campe toward the mountaines and placed the sacred Tabernacle in the Citie of Siloe which seemed to be a verie conuenient place by reason of the beautie of the same where the arke might remaine til such time as their affaires of estate permitted them to build a Temple From thence he departed with all the people to repaire vnto Sichem and there builded he an Altar in that place according as before time Moses had commaunded and enioyned and hauing deuided his army he planted the halfe of them on the mountaine of Garizim and the other halfe on the mountain of Gebal on which also there is an Altar with the Leuites and the Priests and after they had sacrificed and done their execrations and ingrauen them on the Altars they returned into Siloe Now insomuch as Iosuah was wel strooken in yeares and verie well perceiued that the cities of the Chanaanits were hardly to be assaulted both in respect of the places wherin they were scituate as also for the munitions wherwith besides other aduantages of nature their walles were strengthned and fortified for the Chanaanites hauing intelligence of the departure of the Israelites out of Egypt and how they hastned thitherward to the intent vtterly to extinguish and ouerthrow that nation spent all that time in defencing and fortifying their Cities he assembled all the people in Siloe where when with mutuall and frequent concourse they were assembled he declared vnto them the happy successe which till that time had befallen them and the braue executions worthy in their euents to challenge God for their author furthermore the excellency of the ordinances vnder which they liued alledging that the thirty one kings which had beene so hardy as to encounter them hand to hand had by them beene ouercome that all the army that had vndertaken to ouerthrow them in battell was wholy discomfited so that there remained not any memory of them But for that certaine of the Cities were taken and the rest better defenced for this cause more obstinate had need of a longer
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
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 commāded 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 thē 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 suspitiō 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
two last which were named by vs were the sonnes of concubines But Thamar was Absalons sister by the same father and mother CHAP. IIII. Dauid assayled by the Palestines obtaineth a famous victorie against them neere vnto Ierusalem NOw when the Palestines knew that the Hebrewes had created Dauid king they led forth their army against him towards Ierusalem where encamping themselues in the valley of the Giants which is a place not farre off from the Citie they in that place expected the encountrey But the king of the Hebrewes who was wont to do nothing inconsiderately without Gods aduise commanded the high priest to prophecie and foretell what successe and euent the warre should haue who after he had informed him that God smileth on fauoureth their attempts he presently drew out his armie against the enemie and striking the battell he sodainly assailed the enemies on their backes and partly slew them and partly put them to flight But let no man suspect that the army of the Palestines was either small in number or weake in courage which at that time assailed the Hebrewes in that he coniectureth in his mind that they were easily ouercome without either attempting or performing any noble or memorable action For he is to know that all Syria Phenicia and all other warlike nations beyond them bare armes with them and were confederates in this warre which was the onely cause that notwithstanding they were so many times ouercome and had lost diuers thousands of men that they desisted not to assaile the Hebrewes with more great force and that which is more hauing beene defeated in the battels before recited yet forbare they not to assaile Dauid a new with thrice as much power as before or to incampe in the same place For which cause Dauid tooke counsell of God once more what the issue of this battell should be and the high Priest told him that he should encampe in the forrest called Teares because it was not farre off from the enemies campe and that he should not depart from thence neither attempt them in battell before the trees did shake without any agitation or breath of wind Whereupon as soone as the trees shooke and the time which God had appointed was come without any delay he issued out to enioy a prepared and manifest victorie For the squadrons of the enemie were disarrayed and incontinently betooke them to flight and were swiftly followed and slaughtered vntill the Citie of Gerar which is a frontire towne of their countrey and their campe was thorowly ransacked wherein there were found great riches and amongst all other things their Gods were beaten to peeces The battell being brought to this end it seemed good vnto Dauid by the counsaile of the Elders and Coronels ouer thousands that all the flower of their youth should be assembled from all the parts of the countrey euery one according to his tribe Secondly that the Priests and Leuites should repaire to Cariathiarim and bring from thence the Arke of God and conueie it to Ierusalem to the end that when it should be there the seruice of God might thereafter be celebrated in that place other sacrifices and honours agreeable to the diuine maiesty might be performed And had the same beene done during the life of Saul no inconuenient had fallen vpon them When as al the people were assembled according as it was decreed by him the king came forth to transferre the Arke which the Priests carying out of Aminadabs house they laid it vpon a new waine which togither with oxen their brothers and children drewe The king marched formost and after him all the people praising God a◅d tuning all sorts of melodie then vsuall in that countrey with diuersitie of sounds of instruments of Dances and Shalmes Trumpets and Clarions and in this manner conducted he the Arke into Ierusalem But when they were come to the threshing floore of Chidō which is a certain place so called Oza died thorow the wrath of God for the oxen stumbling that drewe the chariot and the Arke somwhat shaken he stretched out his hand with intent to sustaine the same and because he was no Priest God stroke him till he died The king and the people were sore aggrieued at the death of Oza and the place where he died is called to this day Ozas Striking Dauid fearing least if he should retire the Arke with him into the Citie the like happe should attend him that had befallen Oza who was in that sort done to death for that he had onely thus stretched out his hand he placed it not with him in his owne house within the Citie but commaunded that it should be left in the possession of one called Obed by descent a Leuite and in behauiour a man good and vertuous where it remained for three months space during which time his house was blessed with al worldly goods and goodnes The king being ascertained what aduantages had befallen Obed who of a poore and needie man was sodainly become verie rich so that all men had their eies fixed on him they that heard speake of his house enuied him he assured himselfe that no inconuenient would befall him for which cause he retired the Arke into his own house which was caried by the Priests and seuen quires of singing men disposed by the king went before the same The king himselfe likewise touched and plaied vpon the Harpe so that Michol Dauids wife and Sauls daughter seeing him entertaining himselfe after that manner mocked at him The Arke then being thus caried was placed in a Tabernacle orected and dressed by Dauid who offered most magnificent sacrifices of all sorts and forgot not the sacrifices for prosperities he feasted all the people likewise both men women and children distributing vnto euery one a cake a morsell of rosted meat a cake fried in the pan and a portion of the sacrifice and after he had thus feasted the people he dismissed them and retreated himselfe into his owne house But Michol his wife and daughter to king Saul drawing neere vnto him vpon his returne besought God for him that it might please him in all other things she might expresse vnto her husband all that which became her intire and vnequald loue towards him but in this she blamed him because that being so great and mightie a king as he was he had dishonoured himselfe in dauncing despoiling himselfe and discouering partly that which became him not doing all this in companie of his seruants and handmaids To whom Dauid answered that he was not ashamed in performing a thing so acceptable vnto God as that was who had honoured him more then her father placed him aboue all others assuring her that he would play dance oftentimes after that sort without care whether his demeanor pleased either her or her chambermaids This Michol of whom we intreat had no children by Dauid but being maried againe to another to whom her father had
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
I haue found it registred in writing King Ieroboam hauing passed all his life time in prosperitie and raigned for the space of fortie yeeres departed this life and was entombed in Samaria and Zacharie his sonne succeeded him in his kingdome At the same time Ozias the sonne of Amasias raigned in Ierusalem ouer the two tribes after that Ieroboam had already raigned foureteene yeeres his mother was called Achia and was of the Citie of Ierusalem He was a man of a good nature and such a one as loued iustice of noble courage and very laborious in prouiding for all occurrences he made warre against the Philistines and after he had ouercome them in battell he tooke Ita and Amnia two of their strong forts and raced them This exploit done he set vpon the Arabians that neighboured vpon Aegypt and after that hauing built a Citie vpon the red sea he planted a garrison therein He afterwards discomfited the Ammonites constraining them to pay him tribute and subdued all as farre as the marshes of Aegypt After that he began to prouide for the Citie of Ierusalem for he built it a new and repaired the walles thereof that had been beaten downe or decaied either by continuance of time or by the negligence of those kings who were his predecessors hee repaired those also which the King of Israel had beaten downe at such time as hauing taken Amasias prisoner he rode in triumph into the Citie Besides this he erected a number of towers each of them one hundreth and fiftie cubits hie These inclosed he with walles to set garrisons therein and in diuers barren places he caused diuers fountaine-heads to be made for he had an infinite multitude of beasts of carriage and other cattell in that the countrey was fit for pasture He tooke pleasure also in tillage for which cause he was often busied about his land in trimming sowing and planting the same He had about him a chosen army to the number of three hundreth and seuenty thousand fighting men whose generals conductors and captaines were valiant and inuincible men and were in number two thousand He taught his souldiers to march in a square battell in manner of the Macedonian Phalanx arming each of them with swords targets and corselets of brasse with arrowes and darts He made also great preparation of diuers engins to batter Cities and to shoote stones and darts besides diuers hookes and other such like instruments But whilest he was intent on these studies and preparations he grew insolent and proud and being puffed vp with mortall arrogance he contemned the immortall force which endureth for euer which is pietie towards God and the obseruation of his commandements For which cause he was ouerthrowne by his prosperitie and fell into his fathers sinnes thorow the happinesse and greatnesse of his estate wherein he could not moderately containe himselfe So that vpon a certaine solemne feast day wherein all the people were assembled togither he attired himselfe in the hie priests vestments and entred into the temple to offer sacrifice vnto God vpon the golden altar which notwithstanding the hie Priest Azarias accompanied with fourescore Priests inhibited him the same telling him that it was not lawfull for him to sacrifice in that it was onely allowed in those that were of the posteritie of the hic Priest Aaron Whilest after this manner Azarias expostulated with him commanding him to go out of the temple and not to contradict the ordinances of God the king waxed wrath and threatned to take his life from him except he kept himselfe quiet Whereupon there fell a great trembling and earthquake and the temple cleft in twaine and a great light of the funne entred thereinto and reflected on the kings face in such manner that all his body was instantly couered with a leprosie and before the Citie in a place called Eroge the halfe of a mountaine that stood to the Eastward brake and fell and rowled and remoued for the space of foure stadia towards the orientall mountaine where it rested so that the publique waies were shut vp and choaked and the kings gardens of pleasure were wholy ruinated and disfigured When the Priests beheld the kings face couered with a leprosie they told him what inconuenient had hapned vnto him and enioined him to depart out of the towne according to the custome of men that were polluted Wherupon he wholy confused at so grieuous an accident and hauing no more audacitie to speake obeied the commaundement that was giuen him enduring a pitifull and lamentable punishment for being elate and proud more then became humanitie and for that he committed such impietie against God He therefore remained without the Citie for a certaine time and led a priuate life and his son Iotham succeeded him in the kingdome Finally he died thorow griefe and discontent after he had accomplished threescore and eight yeares whereof he raigned fiftie two and was onely buried in his garden Zachary Ieroboams sonne hauing raigned sixe moneths ouer the Israelites was slaine by treason complotted against him by a familiar friend of his called Sellum the sonne of Iabes who possessing the kingdome after him enioyed not the same aboue thirtie daies For the generall Manahem being at that time in the Citie of Tharsa and vnderstanding of that which had hapned to Zachary departed thence with all his force and came to Samaria and in a battell which hee fought he slue Sellum And afterwards obtaining the crowne he went from thence towards the Citie of Tapsa the inhabitants whereof locked and barred their gates against him and would not receiue him in reuenge whereof he spoiled all the countrey round about and tooke the Citie by force being highly incensed against the Tapsians for their insolence he put thē all to the sword not sparing their little children which was an incredible barbarous cruelty in him Manahem raigned in this manner for the space of ten yeares continuing a most cruell and vnbridled tyranny ouer the people Afterwards being assailed by Phul king of the Syrians he went not out against him neither practised to resist him but procured his peace for the summe of a thousand talents of siluer which in way of composition he paid vnto him The people furnished Manahem with this summe in way of contribution paying fiftie drachmes a peece Anon after he died and was buried in Samaria leauing behind him a sonne to succeede him in the kingdome whose name was Phaceias who imitating his fathers crueltie possessed the soueraigntie but two yeares for he was slaine at a feast in the middest of his friends by a treason practised against him by Phaceias the son of Romelias who enioyed the kingdome for the space of twentie yeares addicting himselfe to all impietie and wickednes But Teglaphalassar king of Assyria led forth his army against the Israelites and spoiled all the countrey of Galaad and that beyond Iordan and Galilee Cydida and
and the sonnes of Asaph arose and with trumpets praised God according as Dauid first of all had set downe the manner of his seruice The priests and Leuites with the elders of the tribes calling vnto their minds how great and precious the first temple was and beholding that which was builded vpon the present farre inferiour to the precedent perceiuing how much the ancient wealth dignitie of the temple was abased they were confosed thereat and being vnable to ouercome their passion they burst out into lamentations and teares But the people were contented with that which they beheld and without any estimate or mention of the former temple they tormented not themselues in comparing the one with the other neither thought they vpon the difference and bignesse betwixt the present and that which stood in times past yet notwithstanding the elders lamented and the priestes complained that the new erected temple was farre lesse then the former yet the noise of the trumpets drowned their laments and the ioyfull applauses of the people their mournings The Samaritanes hearing the noise of the trumpets ranne out to know the cause thereof in that they were lewdly affected towards the tribes of Iuda Beniamin vnderstanding that the Iewes which were returned from Babylon had reedified the temple they addressed themselues to Zorobabel and Iesus and to the chiefe gouernours of the families requiring them that it might be lawfull for them to repaire the temple with them and to haue part in the building thereof For said they we honour God no lesse then you we pray vnto him and adore him we conforme our selues to your customes euer since the time that Salmanazar King of Assyria remoued vs out of Chuthea and Media hither To these demaunds of theirs Zorobabel and Iesus the high priest and the gouernours of the tribes answered that it was impossible for them to admit their assistance in the building of the temple for that they had receiued their first commandement from Cyrus to performe the same and afterwards from Darius notwithstanding they gaue them licence to adore therein offering them that the temple should be common to both if they pleased yea and accessible to all other nations that would repaire thither to adore God The Chutheans for so were the Samaritanes called hearing this answere were sore offended and perswaded the other nations of Syria to requite their princes who continued their authoritie since the time of Cyrus and afterwards ruled in Cambyses time to hinder the building of the temple and to delay the Iewes who were so intent and busie in their worke Whereupon Sisin gouernour in Syria and Phaenicia and Sarabazan accompanied with others came vnto Ierusalem and demannded of the chieftaines of the Iewes by whose permission they builded the temple which rather seemed to be a fort then a temple and for what cause they fortified their Citie with gates and so strong walles Zorohabel and Iesus the high Priest answered that they were the seruants of the liuing God and that their temple had beene built by one of their kings who was opulent and surpassed all other in vertue that after it had continued long time in venerable estimation by reason their fathers had committed impietie against God Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon and Chaldaea hauing taken the Citie by force destroyed the same and after he had spoyled the citie he burned it and transported the people captiue into Babylon But after that Cyrus king of Persia had obtained the kingdome of Babylon he commanded by his expresse letters sealed with his royall seale that they should reedifie the temple and ordained that all that which Nabuchodonosor carried from thence as well gifts as vessels should be deliuered to Zorobabel and the treasurer Mithridates to be conuaied to Ierusalem and be placed againe in the temple as soone as it should be builded And he commanded also that it should be presently reedified willing Abassar to repaire to Ierusalem and giue order for all that which was requisite who resorting thither as soone as he had receiued Cyrus letters did speedily lay the foundations anew From that time forward vntill this present it hath been continued but the subtiltie and malignitie of their enemy had wrought so much that as yet it remained imperfect If therefore it please you and you thinke it good signifie that you heare by your letters to Darius to the end that examining the registers of the kings he may find that we are not faultie in any thing of that which we haue said When Zorobabel and Iesus had answered to this effect Sisin and they that accompanied him thought not good to hinder the building vntill such time as they had certified Darius hereof for which cause they wrote vnto him presently Hereupon the Iewes were much discomforted and troubled fearing least the king should change his minde in respect of the building of Ierusalem and the temple But two Prophets Aggeus and Zacharie who were amongst them began to perswade them willing them to feare no desaster from the Persians because God had assured them for which cause the people gaue credit to the Prophets and diligently intended their building and intermitted no one day When the Samaritanes had in this sort written to Darius and accused the Iewes vnto him for fortifying their Citie and reedifying their temple and how it seemed to be rather a fort then some sacred place and had further alleadged that it would be no profit vnto him and moreouer had produced Cambyses letters by which they were forbidden to build the temple he vnderstood that the reestablishment of Ierusalem stood not with the securitie of his state But when he had read Sisins letters and his associates he commanded that the Panchartes and Chronicles of the kings should be searched how the matter hath past and there was found in Ecbatane a Citie of the Medes in a tower a certaine booke in which these things were written The first yeere of the raigne of Cyrus commandement was giuen to build the temple of Ierusalem and the altar therein It was likewise decreed that the height of the temple should be sixtie cubits and the breadth as many three stories of hewed stone and one storie of the wood of that countrey and it was ordained that the expence of that building should be deducted out of the kings reuenewes Moreouer he commanded that restitution should be made vnto the inhabitants of Ierusalem of those vessels that were taken away by Nabuchodonosor and carried away to Babylon And the commission to effect all these things was giuen to Abassar gouernour of Syria and Phoenicia and his companions to the end that they might depart from these places and the Iewes might bee permitted to build therein Furthermore he ordained that the charge of this pile and building should be gathered out of the tributes of his countries and that they should furnish the Iewes with bulles weathers lambes goates flower oyle
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 thē 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
the solemnizing of this marriage Alexander by letters inuited the high Priest Ionathan commanding him to repaire vnto him to Prolemais Where after he was arriued and had both presented his seruice with other magnificent presents to both the kings he was highly honoured by both insomuch as Alexander constrained him to put off his ordinarie garments and to put on a purple to be and after that to sit vpon a royall throne commanding his captaines to march before him thorow the Citie and to commaund by publike edict that no man should dare to speake any thing against him neither offer him any cause of discontent in what sort soeuer All which the captaines performed so that they who purposely and maliciously repaired thither to accuse him seeing the honour that was done vnto him by this publication fled away hastily for feare least some mishap should befal the. This king Alexander loued Ionathan so intirely that he affoorded him the chiefest place amongst the number of his deerest friends CHAP. VIII Demetrius the sonne of Demetrius ouer commeth Alexander obtaineth the kingdome and contracteth friendship with Ionathan IN the hundreth sixtie and fifth yeere of the raigne of the Greekes Demetrius the sonne of Demetrius accompanied with diuers hired soldiers whom Lasthenes Candiot furnished him with departed out of Candia and came into Cilicia Which newes as soone as Alexander heard he was grieuously vexed troubled for which cause he instantly posted from Phaenicia to Antioch with intent to assure the affaires of his kingdome in that place before the arriual of Demetrius He left behind him for his gouernor in Coelesyria Apollonius Dauus who comming vnto Iamnia with a great army sent a messenger vnto the high Priest IonathaÌ„ signifying vnto him that it was not conuenient that he onely should liue in assurance at his owne ease and in authoritie without submitting himselfe vnto a King and that it was a great indignitie for him in all mens eies for that he had not inforced himselfe to stoupe vnder the obedience of a King For which cause said he deceiue not thy selfe neither hope thou by skulking in the mountaines or depending on thy forces to continue thy greatnes but if thou trustest to thy power come down into the field encounter with me my army in the plaine to the end that the issue of the victory may shew which of vs is most valiant Be not thou so ignorant that the noblest of euerie Citie beare armes vnder one who haue alwaies ouercome thy predecessors For which cause I challenge thee to meet me in that place where we may vse our swords and no stones and where the vanquished shall haue no aduantage by his flight Ionathan whetted by this bitter message chose out ten thousand of his best soldiers and departed from Ierusalem accompanied with his brother Simon and came vnto Ioppe and encamped without the Citie because the Citizens had shut the gates against him for they had a garrison planted in that place by Apollonius But as soone as he addressed himselfe to batter the Citie the inhabitants were afraid for feare least he should surprise the same by force and for that cause they opened him the gates Apollonius vnderstanding that Ioppe was taken by Ionathan he tooke three thousand horsemen and eight thousand footmen with him and came into Azot whence he departed leading out his army with a sober march foot by foot arriuing at Ioppe he retired back to draw Ionathan into the field assuring himselfe vpon his horsemen and grounding his hope of victorie vpon them But Ionathan issuing out boldly pursued Apollonius as farre as Azot who finding himselfe in the champion field tumed backe vpon him and charged him Ionathan was in no sort abashed to see the thousand horsmen that Apollonius had laid in ambush neere vnto a certaine streame to the end they might charge the Iewes behind but disposed his army in such sort that his soldiers on euery side turned their faces vpon the enemy commaunding his mento defend themselues on both sides fighting with those that assailed them eyther in the vantgard or the rereward This battell continued vntill euening and Ionathan had giuen his brother Simon a part of his forces charging him to set vpon the enemies battell as for himselfe he drew himselfe and his soldiers into a forme of a battalion resembling a Tortuse to the end that being couered with their bucklers ioyned the oâ—…e with the other they might beare off the horsmens arrowes to which all of them shewed themselues obedient The enemies horsemen shooting all their arrowes against them did them no harme for they pierced not as farre as the flesh but lighting vpon the bucklers enclosed and fastned the one within the other they were easily beaten backe borne off and fell downe being shot all in vaine But when as the enemies were wearied with shooting from betimes in the morning vntill euening and that Simon perceiued they could charge no further he set vpon them with his soldiers so couragiously that he put them all to flight The horsmen of Apollonius perceiuing that the footemen were disarâ—…aid grew heartles likewise and wearied also for that they had fought vntill the euening and hauing lost the hope that they had in the footmen they took their flight in great disorder and confusion so that they brake their rankes of themselues and were scattered thorow all the plaine Ionathan also pursued them as farre as Azot and taking the Citie by assault he slue diuers of them constraining the rest that were in despaire to flie into the temple of Dagon which is in Azot and taking the Citie by assault he burned it with the villages round about and spared not the temple of Dagon but burned it and al 〈◊〉 that were therein The number as well of those that were slaine in the battell as of those that were consumed by fire in the temple was eight thousand men Hauing therefore in this sort discomfited this army he departed from Azot and marched towards Ascalon and as he was encamped without the Citie the Ascalonites came out vnto him and both presented and honoured him He willingly entertaining their good affection departed from thence and iournied towards Ierusalem charged with great spoiles which after his victory against his enemy he droue before him after he had spoiled the countrey As soone as Alexander heard that Apollonius the generall of his army was discomfited and forced to flie he made a shew that he was glad thereof pretending that it was against his will that Ionathan had beene molested by warre who was both his friend and ally Whereupon be sent an Embassadour vnto him to signifie vnto him how much he reioyced at his victory offering him presents and honours with a chaine of gold such as the kings were accustomed to giue to those of their kinred he likewise gaue him Accaron and the countrey thereunto belonging to him and his heires for euer
his elder brother Hircanus to whom by right of inheritance it appertained He likewise accosted and sounded Hircanus ordinarily with these words telling him that he liued in danger of his life and would doubtlesse be ouertaken except he sought his owne securitie and fled his imminent perill alleadging that Aristobulus friends would neuer cease to consult how they might shorten his life to the end that he might liue in more securitie To these instigations of his Hircanus gaue small credit for that of his own nature he was curteous and could not easily be induced or seduced by detractions but this negligence and carelesnesse in him was the cause that he was accounted a silly and abiect man On the contrarie side Aristobulus was of a different and more heroick nature being more actuie in performance and carefull in preuention Now although Antipater saw that Hircanus made small accountof his instigations yet ceased he not daily to inuent and propose new surmises and accusations vrging Aristobulus hatred and practise to mu◅her him and so much preuailed he by his importunity that at last he perswaded him to flie to Aretas king of Arabia promising him that in so doing he would giue him both aide and assistance Hircanus hauing debated vpon these conclusions at last thought good to flie to Aretas for that he knew that Arabia confined vpon Iewry Whereupon he first of all sent Antipater to Aretas to take assurance of him that he should not betray him into his enemies hands if so be he should submit himselfe vnto him and require his assistance When as therfore Antipater had receiued this assurance from the king he returned to Ierusalem vnto Hircanus and not long after that tooke him away with him and departed the Citie by night and afterwards with great iourneies arriued at Petra where Aretas kept his royall court And for that he was inwardly familiar with the king he besought him to reestablish him in the kingdome of Iewry and wrought so much by his importunitie and the presents which he gaue him that he perswaded Aretas to attempt the matter Whereupon Hircanus promised that if hee confirmed him againe in his royall dignitie he would vpon the recouerie of his realme restore vnto him those twelue Cities which his father Alexander had taken from the Arabians the names whereof are these that follow Medaba Nabello Liuias Tharabasa Agalla Athona Zoara Orona Marissa Rydda Lusa Oryba CHAP. III. Aristobulus being vanquished is pursued as farre as Ierusalem ARetas induced by these promises was content to send foorth an army against Aristobulus and himselfe in person conducted onward in that expedition fiftie thousand men both on foote and horse and had the vpper hand of his enemy in such sort as diuers after the attainment of this victorie of their owne accord submitted themselues to Hircanus and Aristobulus perceiuing himselfe to be destitute of all his friends and followers fled vnto Ierusalem After him the king of Arabia led his army with all expedition and besieged him in the temple In this siege the common people assisted Hircanus neither were there any but the priests only that stuck to Aristobulus side Wherupō Aretas marshalled the forces he had and busily set the army both of Iewes and Arabians about the siege Whilest these things were vnder these termes the feast of vnleauened bread which we call the passeouer was at hand and the princes of the Iewes forsaking their countrey were fled into Aegypt About that time a certaine man called Onias such a one who for his vertue was beloued of God and in times past had by his deuout praiers and supplications in a time of drought obtained raine from God hid himselfe perceiuing that this sedition would be of some continuance This man therefore being surprised and brought into the campe of the Iewes they required him that as by his praiers he had obtained water so at that time likewise he would by his imprecations incense God against Aristobulus and his complices But whereas he contradicted and excused himselfe he was at last constrained by the people to performe their request so that standing vp in the midst of them he spake after this manner O God King of the whole world since they who are at this present here with me are thy people and those that are besieged are thy priests I humbly beseech thee that when they shall require thee to be incensed against their brethren thou wilt not heare them and when as likewise they shall prouoke thee against the other thou wilt not respect them Hereupon a certaine sort of reprobate souldiers amongst the Iewes hearing these words of his stoned him to death but God incontinently punished this crueltie in them and the murther of Onias so cursedly perpetrated was reuenged by this meanes which ensueth At such time as Aristobulus and the priests were besieged the feast of Easter or the passeouer fell out during which time it was an vsual custome amongst the Iewes to honour God with many sacrifices Now for that they who were with Aristobulus had not any beasts to offer vp in sacrifice they required the other Iews which were without that they might haue some deliuered vnto them for their mony Wherunto it was answered that if they would giue one thousand drachmes for euery head they should haue some deliuered vnto them To this demaund of theirs Aristobulus and the priests that were with him willingly condescended and let downe the prefixed price and deliuered the same from the wall but the others after they had receiued the money deliuered them not those beasts which they required them to sell them for sacrifice but so farre were they giuen ouer to impietie that they falsified their oathes not onely towards men but defrauded God also in denying that which they had promised toward the furnishing of the sacrifice For which cause the priests being defrauded in this manner contrarie to the oath and protestations of their aduersaries besought God to shew vengeance on their countrimen that had committed this hainous and periutious impietie neither did God defer their punishment any long time but incontinently after he sent a great and violent winde that spoiled all the fruits of the countrey so that a measure of wheate was sold for eleuen drachmes CHAP. IIII. Hircanus and Aristobulus send Embassadours to Scaurus to couenant their peace with him MEane while Pompey sent Scaurus into Syria himselfe being in person detained in Armenia in pursuit of the warre betwixt him and Tigranes Now when as Scaurus came vnto Damasco he found that Metellus and Lollius had newly taken the Citie for which cause he marched onward towards Iewry Where being arriued certaine Embassadors came vnto him in the behalfe of Aristobulus and others also in the name of Hircanus requiring alliance and confederacie in the behalfe of them both and offering in eithers respect a tribute of foure hundreth talents But Scaurus preferred Aristobulus promises both for that he
Caesar hauing ouercome Cassius neere vnto the Citie of Philippi Caesar went from thence into France and Antonius into Asia And being in Bithynia Embassadours resorted vnto him from all parts Thither also repaired certaine principall men among the Iewes to accuse Phasaelus and Herode saying that Hircanus had onely the name but he the authoritie of the kingdome But Antonius greatly honored Herode who came vnto him to answere those accusations that they had imposed on him for which cause they that were his opposites could obtaine no audience for Herode had bought that priuiledge from them with his money As soone as Antonius was arriued in Ephesus Hircanus the high priest and all our nation presently sent an Embassadour vnto him with a crowne of gold requiring him that hee would write vnto the prouinces that the Iewes whom Cassius had taken prisoners contrarie to the lawe of armes might be set at libertie and that their countrey which was taken from them in Cassius time might be restored Antonius supposing that the demaunds which the Iewes had proposed were reasonable wrote backe presently to the high priest Hircanus and the Iewes and sent an edict also to the Tyrians to this effect Marcus Antonius Emperour to Hircanus high Priest and Prince of the Iewes Health If you are well all goeth well I and mine army are in perfect estate Lysimachus the sonne of Pausanias and Ioseph the sonne of Mennaeus and Alexander the sonne of Theodore your Embassadors came vnto me to Ephesus and haue renued the same Embassade which they heretofore brought to Rome and at this present likewise they haue duely and faithfully acquited themselues of the Embassade which they present in the behalfe of you and your nation by giuing vs to vnderstand what affection you beare towards vs so that I esteeme you for our friend sith I am giuen to vnderstand how friendly you haue behaued your selfe towards vs both in words and deeds since we haue had any knowledge of your good and honest conuersation and pietie For at such time as our aduersaries and enemies of the Romane nation spoiled all the countrey of Asia and without regard of their othes spared neither cities nor temples we haue opposed our selues against them not onely for our priuate respect but in the quarrell of the commonweale to the intent to punish the authours of such offences committed agaiust men and of such impieties perpetrated against God for which wee suppose that the sunne hath in a manner obscured himselfe by beholding with vnwilling eies what an hainous offence was committed against Caesar. But wee haue gotten the vpper hand of their impious enterprises which are fallen vpon Macedonia as on the country and ayre from whence proceed such detestable and vngracious desseignes and wee haue likewise cut off the course of their desperate resolution which made them encounter vs neere to Philippi a citie of Macedonia where we seazed their places fortified by nature and enclosed with mountaines as if it were with wals as far as the sea in such manner as the passage was barred vp as it were with a gate had not the gods giuen vs way by resisting their vniust exploits and furthering ours Brutus likewise compelled to fly to Philippi where being inclosed by vs he suffered the like ruine with his consort Cassius and since they haue been punished as they deserued me seemeth that we are seazed of peace and that Asia hath had repose from warre and all the bodie thereof is relieued from a grieuous maladie by the meanes of our victory For which cause remembring vs of you and your nation to the end to increase your good fortunes we will bethinke vs of that which shall be commodious for you and we haue alreadie sent letters from citie to citie to the intent that if any one among you eyther captiue or free man haue beene sold to the vtmost by Caius Cassius or any of that army they may be set at liberty And our will is that you make vse of the bountie which we bestow vpon you both in our selfe as in Dolabellas right forbidding the Tyrians to molest you and commaunding them to restore all that which they haue taken from the Iewes in goods or possessions As for the crowne which you sent me I accept the same Marcus Antonius Emperour to the gouernours Senate and people of Tyre Health I haue been informed in Ephesus by Hircanus embassadours who is high priest and prince of the Iewes that you haue seazed their countrey and spoyled the same at such time as our aduersaries held that prouince But in as much as we haue vndertaken the warre for the Empire and that in defence of right pietie we haue punished these in gratefull disloyall and perfidious persons our will is that you suffer our allies to liue in peace and as touching that which you haue obtained by our aduersaries our pleasure is that you restore the same to those that are dispossessed For no one of them hath obtained either prouince or army by the consent of the Senate but haue rauished them by force and afterwards bestowed them on those who haue beene ministers of their impieties and iniustice But since they haue beene punished according to their deserts we require that our allies may enioy their owne without any impeachment and if you hold any places at this present which belong to Hircanus prince of the Iewes that were seazed since the time that Caius Cassius by vniust warre inuaded our prouinces restore them vnto him without offer of any violence to hinder him from the possession of his owne And if you haue or pretend to haue any right in them at such time as I shall repaire to those places it shall be lawfull for you to debate your right and wee will so iudge as that our allies shall receiue no wrong Marcus Antonius Emperour to the gouernours Senate and people of Tyre Health I haue sent you my edict which my pleasure is that you carefully looke vnto and that you register it amongst your publike records in Romane and Greeke letters and set it vp in writing in an open place to the end that it may be red by all men Marcus Antonius Emperour and Triumuir in the presence of the Tyrians assembled for their publike affaires hath declared that Caius Cassius during the troubles by the assistance of his soldiers hath rauished another mans prouince and hath in like sort spoiled our allies and hath ransackt the nation of the Iewes who are friends to the people of Rome and for that by our valour we haue repressed his insolence by our edicts and iudgements we will correct his offences to the end that all things may be restored to our allies and that all whatsoeuer hath beene sold appertained to the Iews whether they be prisoners or possessions be restored to their masters to the end that each man may be at liberty as he was before and that each mans possessiō may be
nation of the Iewes were ready to innouate and rebell and continued their good affection toward Antigonus in regard of the hatred they conceiued against Herod he concluded with himselfe to take his head from him at Antioch For the Iewes could scarcely containe themselues Strabo of Cappadocia testifieth no lesse in these words Anthony hauing brought Antigonus the Iew to Antioch caused his head to be cut off and was the first among the Romans that hath caused a king to be beheaded in this manner supposing that the Iewes might neuer otherwaies be induced to change their opinions and receiue Herodeâ—… yet this opinion of his was not answerable to equitie For notwithstanding whatsoeuer impulsion he might deuise yet could they not be induced to call him king in so high estimate and account held they their former king But Anthony supposed that that infamie would obscure his renown and lessen the generall hate that they bare to Herode See here what Strabo writeth As soone as the high priest Hircanus who was prisoner among the Parthians heard that Herode had taken possession of the kingdome he returned backe vnto him being deliuered after this manner following Barzapharnes and Pacorus princes of the Parthians had taken Hircanus who was first high priest and afterwards king and with him Phasaelus Herodes brother and led them away prisoners with them into their own countrey Phasaelus not able to endure the dishonour of imprisonment and preferring an honorable death before a reprochful and ignominious life murthered himselfe as I haue heretofore declared CHAP. II. How Hircanus dismissed by the Parthians returned vnto Herode PHraates king of Parthia vnderstanding how nobly Hircanus was descended who was brought prisoner vnto him entertained him gratiously and for this cause drew him out of prison permitting him to conuerse in Babylon in which place there were a great number of Iewes who honoured Hircanus verie much and no lesse then their high priest and king The like also did all they of that nation inhabiting as farre as Euphrates which did not a little content Hircanus But after that he was aduertised that Herode was possessed of the kingdome he transferred his hopes another waie being of his owne nature tenderly affected toward his friends expecting that one day Herode would requite him for that he had deliuered him from death whereunto he was condemned and in danger likewise of the penalty and punishment He began therefore to consult with the Iewes as touching his iourney who in way of duetie and loue came to visit him and who besought him and importuned him to abide with them offering him all seruice and honour assuring him that he should in no lesse manner be respected among them then their high priest and king yea in farre higher regard then he might any waies be in his owne countrey by reason of the maime he had in his bodie thorow Antigonus tyranny alleadging that kings doe not ordinarily call to their remembrance those pleasures that they haue receiued in their infant fortunes because that with their estates they change both their manners and inclinations But notwithstanding all these or such like allegations yet could not Hircanus be withdrawne from the desire he had to repaire homeward Herode also wrote vnto him that he should require Phraates and the Iewes that inhabited his kingdome in no sort to enuie his felicitie in that he should partake with him both in dignitie and royaltie alleadging that the time was now come wherein he might acknowledge the benefits he had receiued by being heretofore nourished and preserued by him With these letters he sent Samaralla likewise on an embassage to Phraates furnished with great rich presents endeuouring by that meanes to winne him that he in no sort should hinder his gratulation and good intent towards one that had so highly deserued at his hands yet were not his protestations answerable to his pretence For insomuch as he gouerned not with that vprightnes which became a iust king he feared least some alteration might befall him according to his demerites for which cause he sought to get Hircanus vnder his power or at leastwise to dispatch him out of his life which he afterwards performed When as therefore Herode had perswaded the Parthian to dismisse Hircanus and the Iewes to furnish him with money sufficient to beare his expence in his iourney he receiued him with all honour In common assemblies he gaue him alwaies the highest place and in the time of festiuals he made him alwaies sit downe before him and the more closely to deceiue him he called him brother endeuouring himselfe by all means wholy to extinguish in him all colour and cause of suspicion of treacherie neitherintermitted he any other stratagems whereby in his opinion he might any waies further or promote his cause and yet by these meanes occasioned he no small sedition in his owne familie For carefully prouiding least any one among the nobilitie should be established high Priest he sent to Babylon for a certaine man of bace condition called Ananel and gaue him the Priesthood For which cause Alexandra grew sodainly displeased not being able to endure that outrage This woman was Hircanus daughter and Alexanders wife who was king Aristobulus sonne who had two children by her husband the one wondrous beautifull who also was called Aristobulus the other was Mariamme who was likewise faire and maried to Herode She was sore moued and highly displeased to see her sonne so much indignified for that during his life another was called to the honour of high Priesthood for which cause she wrote vnto Cleopatra by the meanes of a certaine Musition beseeching her to beg the high Priesthood at Antonius hands for hir sonne But for that Antonius made little reckoning of those suites a certaine friend of his called Gellius who was come into Iury about certain of his affaires and who had seene Aristobulus fell in loue with him by reason of his beautie and being abashed likewise at his great and goodly stature and allured by Mariammes admirable beautie he openly protested that he accounted Alexandra a happie mother in her children and deuising to this effect with her he perswaded her to send the pictures of her two children to Antonius for that if hee should but behold them he would refuse him in nothing wherein he should request his friendship Alexandra perswaded by these words sent their pictures vnto Antonius Gellius also made the matter more wonderfull telling him that the children seemed rather to be engendred of no mortall straine but by some diuine power labouring as much as in him lay that Antonius might be allured to affection them Who supposing it to be a matter ill be seeming him to send for Mariamme who was married to Herode and desirous likewise to auoid Clopatras suspicions wrote vnto Herode that vnder some honest pretext he should send Alexandras sonne vnto him with this addition if it might
things wasted by diuers calamities that a man could conceiue no hope of remedie Besides this the people grew in hatred of their king for that it is their custome ordinarily to accuse their gouernours as if they were the authors of all their euils Yet did the king bethinke himselfe how he might remedy these inconueniences but hardly could he find the means for that their neighbours had no meanes to sell them victuals because they were no lesse afflicted then themselues and although he might haue recouered some little meanes for a great summe of money yet wanted he it also to defray the charges notwithstanding in that he knew that it behooued him to imploy his vttermost indeuours in yeelding a generall remedie to such and so violent an oppression he molted downe all those moueables he had either of gold or siluer within his pallace and spared nothing either for the matter the excellencie or the fashion no not so much as the vessels wherein he was ordinarily serued This money sent he into Aegypt where at that time vnder Caesar Petronius held the gouernment This man being Herodes friend in that he desired the safetie of his subiects at such time as diuers of them retired themselues vnto him by reason of that their necessitie he permitted them to buy vp corne and assisted them in all things both in their bargaines and in their cariages so that the greater or the whole summe of their succours was attributed to him But after their returne Herode wrought so much that the care that was taken by him did not onely change the affections of those which before time were his enemies but beside all this he purchased great praise and commendation for his liberalitie and singular prouidence For first of all he distributed a certaine quantitie of corne to all those who were not able of themselues to supply their owne wants vsing herein both great care and diligence After this for that there were a great number of such who in regard of their age or some other infirmitie were vnable to prepare their victuals he tooke order for their reliefe and appointed them certaine bakers who should furnish them with bread both sufficient and meet for their sustenance He gaue order also that they should not passe the winter disfurnished of cloathing but prouided for such as were naked sufficient raiment cōsidering that the sheep were partly dead partly deuoured that there was no wool to let men awork or other stuffe to make garments of Now after he had furnished his subiects with these things he thought good also to shew kindnes to the neighbouring cities and stored the Syrians with seed corne to sow their lands which yeelded him no little profit for the earth incontinently gaue him a large and plentifull tribute for that she had receiued so that all of them had aboundance of victuals and as soone as the haruest was readie he sent fiftie thousand men into that countrey which hee had releeued and by this meanes hee with all diligence restored his afflicted kingdome and comforted his neighbours who were oppressed with the like calamitie For there was not any man in necessitie that according to his qualitie was not assisted and succoured The villages likewise and the cities and those of the common sort who entertained great households and were in want hauing their recourse vnto him receiued that which they had need of so that to reckon vp all the come which he gaue vnto those who were not his subiects it appeareth that he imploied ten thousand Cores of wheat now the Core containeth ten Athenian bushels and within the compasse of his Realme he imploied eightie thousand which care of his and discreetly imploied fauour wrought so much in the hearts of the Iewes and was so highly renowmed amongst other nations that the ancient hatred which they had conceiued against him for that he had altered certaine customes of their kingdome was wholy forgotten and he was supposed by them to haue made a sufficient recompence by the diligence he had shewed in assisting them in their necessities and no lesse either grace or glory obtained he among strangers so that by these miseries the kings honour was not a little magnified and whatsoeuer damage he receiued at home so much honour and reputation atchieued he abroad For whereas in straungers necessities he had shewed himselfe so full of magnanimity each man did not respect what he had beene before but such as they had lately found him to be About the same time also he sent Caesar certaine supplies namely fiue hundreth chosen men of his guard whom Elius Gallus led into the warres in Arabia and had often vse of them in his most daungerous attempts When as therefore his kingdome was restored to his former felicitie he builded a royall pallace in the higher part of the citie furnished with many large buildings and decked with gold and marble seats so as they might receiue a great number of men he named also each roome of the house according to their seuerall names and called one the lodging of Caesar and another of Agrippa After this being entangled with loue he maried a wife least he should be distracted by vaine desires and the cause of this his new mariage was this There was among those that dwelt in Ierusalem a certaine citizen called Simon the sonne of Boethas the Alexandrine who was a Priest one of the chiefest in nobility among thē this man had a daughter the fairest and comeliest creature of that age whose beautie renowmed by the common voice it came to passe that with her fame Herod at one time entertained a good affection towards her and afterwards obtaining the sight of her he grew in loue with her yet would not vse his authority least he should seeme to behaue himselfe tyrannically but chose rather to accept her for his bethrothed wife Whereas therefore Simon seemed vnworthy his affinitie and yet too worthy to be blasted by contempt he made election of a conuenient meanes to obtaine the fulnes of his desire which was to raise both Simon and his to higher dignities For which cause he presently deposed the high Priest Iesus the sonne of Phabetes and established Simon in his place and that done he contracted affinitie with him After the mariage was consummate he builded a new castle in that place wherein he had ouercome the Iewes vpon the time and incontinently after the ouerthrow of Antigonus and when he had taken vpon him the gouernment This place is distant from Ierusalem some sixtie furlongs or stades strong by nature and fit for defence and good fortification For neere vnto the same there is a certaine steepe hill made by art after the manner of a round dugge enuironed with round towers with a steepie ascent of two hundreth steps cut out of hewed stone Within the same there are diuers pallaces builded with great and sumptuous workmanship made both for defence
obtaine immortall praise for the present and a memorable and eternall glorie in time to come neither that they should protract the execution therof for feare of danger since death was a thing that might not be auoided so that since by the generall course of nature they must needly die it should become them brauely to forsake their liues with praise and honour in embracing vertue For to die in the execution of some noble exploit which cannot be atchieued without hazard or danger their children should be richly rewarded with the fruits thereof their other parents that should ou◅liue them of what sex soeuer should reape the fruits of that glorie which was honourably atchieued by them In these or such like words encouraged they the young men About that time there was a rumour spred that the king was dead which gaue verie great furtherance to the doctors resolution For at high noone they went vp into the temple they pulled and hewed downe the Aegle with their axes in the sight and assembly of a great number of people that were in the temple Now when the tidings hereof came vnto the eares of the kings captaine he fearing least some further and more fatall tumult might be raised drew out a strong companie of souldiers with him to repulse those that were assembled to hew downe the Aegle and charging the rude disarmed multitude who were gathered togither he easily flew and dispersed the most as for those 40. young men that valiantly addressed thēselues to resist he apprehended them and with them the authors of this sedition Iudas Matthias who thought scorne to submit thēselues and led them to the king who demanding of them how they durst deface the sacred image they answered that long before that time they had resolued it and that now according as they had resolued they had like valiant men performed the same For we said they maintaine the honour of God and the doctrine of our lawe whereof we are disciples neither ought you to admire that with contempt of your ordinances we haue preferred the lawes of our forefathers which Moses hath left vs in writing according as he was suggested and taught them by God neither doe we refuse any death or punishment which thou shalt inflict vpon vs being assured in our consciences that we suffer not for our impietie but pietie sake Thus spake they all of them continuing the like constant boldnesse in their answeres as they had shewed in their actions being also ready constantly to endure any punishment for that which they had attēpted Hereupon the king commanded them to be bound and sent them to Iericho then calling before him those principall Iewes who had the gouernment vnder him being brought into their assembly vpon his pallat by reason of his weaknesse he recited vnto them the numberlesse trauels he had endured for their sakes in like manner how vpon his great charges he had repaired and reedified the temple whereas the Asmoneans for the space of 125. yeeres wherein they raigned could not performe such a building in the honour of God Moreouer he signified vnto them how he had adorned the same with precious gifts for which he hoped that after his death his memorie and glorie should suruiue After this he expostulated with them for what cause they abstained not from offering him that outrage during his life time And why at noon daies and in the sight of all the people they had laid hands on those presents which he had dedicated vnto God and had taken those things away violently which though in words they appertained to him yet in effect if the act were well examined they had taken from God The gouernors suspecting his crueltie and fearing least his vnbridled passion should vrge him further by which meanes they might be assured of some seuere punishment answered him that those things were not done by their consents and that in their opinion the iniurie ought not to be let slip without punishment At that time Herod shewed himselfe more fauourable towards the rest but he caused Matthias to be depriued of the priesthood as one in part who had been the cause of that which had hapned and in his place substituted Iozar one of his wiues brethren During the priesthood of this Matthias it hapned also that an other high priest was elected that verie day wherein the Iewes did vsually celebrate their fast For Matthias the night before the day of the fast seemed in his dream to haue had the company of his wife and whereas for this cause he was vnfit to offer the deuine sacrifice he had Ioseph the sonne of Ellemus appointed him to be his assister and substitute by reason of his alliance Herode therefore deposed Matthias and as touching the other Matthias who had mooued this trouble both he and his companions were by his commandement consumed with fire This verie night the moone was ecclipsed Herods sicknesse grew more vehement For God punished those sins which he had committed For he was inflamed with a lent or slow fire which to the outward sense seemed not so vehement but Inwardly searched and afflicted all his entrails he had also a rauenous and an vnnaturall appetite to his meat which might no waies be satisfied Besides that he had an vlcer in his bowels with a strange and furious colicke His feet were swolne with moist and shining f◅egme and his stomacke was no lesse affected also His members rotted were full of crawling wormes with a filthie and no lesse troublesome Priapisme accompanied with an intollerable stench besides all this he had a strong con◅ulsion of his nerues and shortnesse of breath For which cause it was a generall opinion amongst holy men and such as had the knowledge of prophecie that the king was thus punished for his infinite impieties and sinnes committed against the maiestie of God And although he was tormented with an vnsupportable sicknes yet had he hope to escape and for that cause he sent for phisitions from all places and refused none of those remedies which they thought behoouefull for him He therefore past ouer Iordan and went into the hot bathes of Calliroes the waters whereof are potable besides other vertues they haue against all other kind of sicknes this water dischargeth it selfe into the lake called Asphaltite Being there it was thought good by his phisitions that he should refresh himselfe in those waters There being set by them into a bathing tub be filled with oyle he waxed so sicke that they held him for dead Whereupon all his household seruants wept and grieuously lamented and all his familiar friends crying out and bewailing him with their great noise caused him to come to himselfe and seeing himselfe wholy out of hope to escape he gaue order that there should a distribution be made to euery soldier the summe of fiftie drachmes and he offered great presents to their captaines his friends Afterwards
her husband how Anubis would banquet and lie with her Whereunto he consented knowing how great his wiues chastitie was She therefore repaired to the temple and after she had supt and the time was come wherein she was vsually accustomed to lay her downe to rest and the gates were lockt vp by the priests that were therein and the lights likewise were taken away Mundus who was hidden within failed not to accost her who thinking that it was the God Anubis satisfied his desires all the night long and in the morning betimes before the priests who were priuie to this trecherie were stirring he retired himselfe Paulina also early in the morning repaired to her husband and certified him how Anubis had appeared vnto her and boasting her selfe among her familiars what conference he had vsed with her But some of them beleeued her not in regard of the manner of their entertainment the rest were altogither amazed supposing those things to be no waies incredible at such time as they bethought themselues of the Ladies chastitie Some three daies after this act was committed Mundus meeting with Paulina said vnto her You haue saued me two hundreth thousand drachmes wherewith you might haue augmented your treasure and this notwithstanding you haue not failed to satisfie my request neither am I grieued that you haue contemned me vnder the name of Mundus since that vndertaking Anubis name I haue accomplished my desire and this said he departed But she presently amated with the mans audacious impudence tore her garments and hauing told her husband of all this subtill circumâ—…ention she requested earnestly his assistance and that he would not forsake her in the prosecution of her reuenge who presently certified the Emperour of each particular thereof Now when Tiberius had diligently vnderstood how all things had happened by the inquisition and examination of the Priests he condemned them and Ida who had been the inuentor and complottor of this treason against Paulina to be hanged he pulled downe the temple also and cast Anubis statue into Tyber and banished Mundus supposing that he ought not to be more grieuously punished considering that the fault which was committed by him proceeded from extreme loue Behold here the insolence committed in the temple of Isis by the priest that appertained to that temple Now intend I to declare that which hapned to the Iewes that were at that time in Rome according as heretofore I both purposed and promised CHAP. V. Of that which befell the Iewes that were at Rome in Pilates time THere was a certaine Iewe that hauing been accused for the breach of the lawes of his countrey and fearing to be punished for the same fled from thence being without respect a man of a most mischieuous behauiour He dwelling at that time in Rome professed himselfe to be an expounder of Moses lawe and drawing vnto him three other no lesse reprobates then himselfe he followed his ordinarie profession Fuluia a Ladie of much honour became their scholer and had embraced the religion of the Iewes whom they had perswaded to send certaine purple and gold to the temple of Ierusalem which after they had receiued at her hands they conuerted it to their owne vse as before that time they had determined to doe Tiberius who was informed hereof by Saturnine his familiar friend and Fuluias husband who had discouered the same vnto him commaunded all Iewes whatsoeuer to depart out of Rome Of these the Consuls chose out and enrowled to the number of foure thousand men whom they sent into Sardinia and punished diuers of them that refused to beare arms for feare they should transgresse the ordinances of their countrey So that by reason of the loose behauiour of foure wicked persons all those of our nation were driuen out of the Citie of Rome Neither was the nation of the Samaritanes exempt from this trouble for a certaine subtill companion who sought by all the meanes hee might to encroch vpon the peoples fauour perswaded them to withdraw themselues with him to the mount Garizim which they supposed to be the holiest amongst all their mountaines in which place he auowed that he would shew them the sacred Vessels buried in a certaine place where Moses had laid them and at that time they being gathered togither in armes by his perswasion incamped themselaes in a burrough called Tirathaba where they entertained those that repaired thither to adioyne themselues with them to the end they might ascend the mountaine with the greater companie But Pilate preuented them and got vp before them with his horsemen and footmen who charging those that were assembled in the burrough put them to flight and slaying some and putting the rest to flight led away a great number of them prisoners with him Pilate executed the chiefest ringleaders amongst them and those also of greatest force among the fugitiues The tumult of these Iewes being published abroad and their misfortune made knowne the Senate of Samaria addressed themselues to Vitellius who had bin Consul and who at that time gouerned Syria before whom they accused Pilate for the murther of those whom he had slaine saying that they assembled not in Tirathaba to rebell against the Romans but to warrantize themselues against Pilates tyrannie Whereupon Vitellius sent Marcellus his friend to take charge of Iudaea commaunding Pilate to returne to Rome and to satisfie the Emperor in those things whereof the people had accused him Hereupon Pilate after he had soiourned ten yeeres in Iewrie repaired to Rome hauing no meanes to contradict that commandement that Vitellius had giuen him But before he arriued there Tiberius was departed and dead CHAP. VI. Vitellius commeth to Ierusalem AS soone as Vitellius came into Iudaea he went vp to Ierusalem and celebrated there the feast of the passeouer and after he had been magnificently entertained in that place he forgaue the Citizens the tribute of all those fruits which were solde He deliuered them also the ornaments of the high priests with all the rest of the priestly furniture within the temple committing the charge thereof vnto the priests according as in times past they had the same But at that time they were laid vp in the castle of Antonia for this cause which followeth Hircanus the high priest the first of that name for diuers haue been so called hauing builded a tower neere vnto the temple did for the most part make his residence therein and there kept his vestments that were committed to his charge the rather for that he onely had the authority to put them on and returne them into their place at such time as hee came downe into the Citie and put vpon him his accustomed rayment His sonne and his sonnes sonnes entertayned the same custome till such time as Herode being exalted to the kingdome and seeing this tower to be strongly scited builded the same most magnificently and called it Antonia in honour of Antony who was his great friend
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 ◅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 Ierusalē 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
an office of kindnes from a friend For by giuing we bewray our well wishing and by receiuing we proportion and continue frendship vpon this ground I praie you build the good entertainment of my present and nourish this good custome in me which was vsuall both amongst Grecians and Latins I meane my translation which if it please you I haue my wish As for my maligners I expect no worse from them then Iason the Thassalian who being assailed and wounded by an enemie who had an intent to kill him had an impostumation opened that saued his life their stabbe and stroke of disgrace shall cure and heale the hidden and neglected infirmities of my minde and notwithstanding I shall both Genio ingenio liue to loue you and lament their want of char◅ie Thus heartelie commending me I hastilie take my leaue being tied prentize of late to other mens importunities Your louing Friend Tho. Lodge THE FIRST OF THOSE SEVEN BOOKES WHICH WERE WRITTEN BY FLAVIVS IOSEPHVS THE SONNE OF MATTHIAS AS TOVCHING THE WARRE AND DESTRVCTION OF THE IEWES THE PRAEFACE In which the Author taxeth diuers Historiographers of vntruth and declareth his intent and specifieth the principall points of this Historie FOr as much as the warre which was enterprised betwixt the Iewes and Romans hath amongst all other beene the greatest that either hath beene attempted in our age or heard of in any other either between citie or citie or nation against nation there haue beene some who rather building their discourse on the vaine and improbable report of others then their owne iudgements haue according to the manner of orators made a historie of their hearsay and haue filled their discourses not only with vanitie but also with cōtradiction Others there were who for that they were eie witnesses or actors of the same haue according to their own fancies preferred many lies either to flatter the Romanes or exercise their hatred against the Iewes forging somewhiles accusations otherwhiles breaking out into praises without any obseruation of historicall veri◅e For this cause I Ioseph the sonne of Matthias by birth an Hebrew and a citizen and priest of Ierusalem who in the beginning of these wars bare armes against the Romanes and afterwards being therunto forced by necessitie was present at all those things which were attempted and prosecuted in those warres haue thought good to discourse in the Greeke tongue in fauour of all those who acknowledge the soueraigntie of the Romane Empire all that which heretofore in my owne language I haue imparted to those Barbarians that inhabit the East For at such time as I haue alreadie spoken as these most bitter and busie warres tooke their beginning the Romans were at ciuill warres among themselues and as touching the Iewes who were in yeeres valiant and in wits turbulent they being both strong in power and rich in money did so insolently abuse the time that being animated by the greatnes of those seditions and troubles haue somewhiles swamme in hope sometimes sweltered in feare of possessing or losing certaine soueraignties in the East For the Iewes hope was that all those of their nation euen they who inhabited the parts beyond Euphrates would haue both followed them in their rebellion and seconded their follies with their forces Moreouer at that time the Frenchmen who bordered vpon the Romans suffered them not to liue in peace and the Germanes also began to take armes Finally after the death of Nero seditions raigned euery where so that by reason of the oportunitie of these times many men went about to make themselues kings and the souldiers whetted on with the couetous desire of gaine desired nothing more then trouble and alteration For which cause I thinke it a matter both worthy reproofe and ill beseeming my reputation if in so waightie affaires I should suffer the truth to be smothered in incertainties and should permit the Parthians Babylonians and the furthest distant Arabians and those of our nation inhabiting beyond Euphrates togither with the Adiabenites to obtain the true knowledge of those euents by mine industrie whilest the Grecians diuers of those who haue not born armes with the Romans being distracted with factions deceiued by adulation should be ignorant hereof Yet some of these there be who notwithstanding their false informations stick not to write histories not only void of all truth but also no waies answerable to their subiect which they vndertake For whilest they labour to dignifie and extoll the Romans they altogither suppresse the fame and fortunes of the Iewes yet cannot I coniecture by what meanes they maie be held great who triumph in the conquest of men so obscure and abiect Nay whilest they thus extol the Romans valour in conquering the Iewes they nothing at all respect the continuance of the wars nor the multitude of the Roman souldiers nor the honour of their captaines whose titles are much embased if they hauing laboured so much to conquer Ierusalem should haue any thing derogated from the honour and prosperitie of their attempts For mine owne part I am not resolued to contradict those who shall enhance the glorie and noble actions of the Romans neiher to extol and dignifie the deserts of mine owne nation but my resolution is in all truth and sinceritie to set downe each occurrent without respect or partialitie towards either part In performance whereof I will fashion my discourse according to the matter I entreat of and as my griefe and sorrow shall inuite me to lament the miseries of my countrey For the ciuill dissension that dismembred the same was the cause that brought it to confusion and those tyrants that raigned amongst vs were such who forcibly drew the Romans with sword and sire to seeke the desolation of our holy temple The truth whereof Titus Caesar himselfe can iustifie who destroied the same and who during all those warres still pitied the people for that they as he well perceiued were kept in awe by ◅he seditious And who oftentimes of his owne accord deferred the surprisall of the Citie purposely protracting the siege to the intent that in the meane time the authors of the sedition and bloudie wars might haue leasure to repent and submit themselues Now if any man thinke that I write this as one that exclaimeth against the tyrants and their the eueries or that in bewailing the miseries of my lost countrey I accuse their villanies and thereby transgresse the limits of a historie let it be imputed to my griefe and so pardoned For amongst all the Cities that were euer gouerned by the Romans our Citie onely attained to the top of felicitie which now alas is brought into extreame miserie captiuitie and desolation Nay if all the misfortunes calamities which the world from the beginning hath seene be compared with the infelicitie and fall of the Iewes they are slight and of no moment And to increase our sorrow no forrainers but our owne familiar friends and
ruler he died leauing his eldest sonne who was called Iudas to succeed him in the gouernment Who fearing least Antiochus would stil continue warres against him gathered togither an armie of his countrimen and was the first amongst the Iewes that made a league with the Romans and droue backe Antiochus Epiphanes at such time as he enforced himselfe once more to inuade the borders of Iudaea repulsing him with a great ouerthrow And whereas the remembrance of this victorie was yet fresh in mens minds and memory he assaulted the garrison of the citie For as yet they were not destroyed in which conflict he forced them to forsake the highest part thereof which is called holy and to betake themselues into the lower part and hauing obtained the temple he made euery place cleane and compassed it with a wall and made new vessels for the seruice of the temple and planted them therein because those that had beene before time consecrated there were prophaned Hee builded likewise an other Altar and began to renue the accustomed sacrifice and obserue the rites of religion Scarcely was the citie brought to the former estate but Antiochus died who left a sonne and heire behind him who was not onely inheritor of his kingdome but also of his hatred against the Iewes who hauing gathered togither fiftie thousand footmen and almost fiue thousand horsemen and fourescore Elephants entred by the mountaines of Iudaea and tooke a towne named Bethsara neere which Iudas met him in a place called Bethzacharie where the passage was something streight and before the armies ioyned battell Eleazar Iudas brother seeing one Elephant higher then the rest bearing a great tower on his backe and adorned with golden furniture thinking Antiochus had beene there ranne from his company and breaking the rankes of the enemies came vnto the Elephant but he could not reach him whom he deemed to be the king he was so highly mounted for which cause wounding the Elephant in the belly the Elephant fell vpon him and pressed him to death which act of his had no other successe but this that by attempting so great a matter he gaue manifest testimonie that he preferred his renowne before his life Now he that gouerned the Elephant was but a priuate person and although by happe Antiochus had beene there Eleazar had atchieued nothing else in this his valiant attempt but yet he aduentured his life vnder hope to performe some valiant exploit And this act of his was a presage vnto his brother of the euent of the whole warre that ensued For the Iewes fought stoutly and a long time but yet Antiochus armie being both more in number and more prosperous obtained the vicâ—…rie so Iudas therefore after the losse of many of his companie fled vnto the Gophonites with those of his side who escaped And Antiochus went to Ierusalem from whence after some stay he departed for want of necessaries leauing a sufficient garrison as for the rest of his armie he led them for the winter time into Syria Yet notwithstanding the kings departure Iudas rested not but encouraged by many of his nation who daily came vnto him and gathering also togither those who escaped out of the former battell at a village named Adaâ—…a he fought with Antiochus captaines where after much and many approbations of his valour in assaulting and slaughtering a great number of his enemies he himselfe at length was slaine and within a few daies after his brother Iohâ—… also was slaine and betrayed by their trecheries who fauoured Antiochus CHAP. II. Of the succession of Princes from Ionathas vntill Aristobulus AFter him succeeded his brother Ionathas who carefully studied for the peace and securitie of his people and fortified himselfe by the friendship of the Romans and was reconciled to Antiochus his sonne yet did none of all these things profit him or acquit him from danger For the tyrant Tryphon who was tutour to Antiochus laying wait for him and seeking to spoile him of his friends took Ionathas at such time as he came with a small company to Antiochus who was at Ptolemais and binding him lead an army against Iudaea from whence being repulsed by Simon Ionathas brother and ouercome by him in displeasure and reuenge thereof he slue Ionathas But Simon valiantly bestirring himselfe in the gouernment and guide of the affaires of the common-wealth tooke Zara Ioppe and Iamnia which were bordering townes and ouercomming the garrison at Accaron he destroyed the citie and assisted Antiochus against Tryphon who besieged Dora before that expedition which he made against the Medes Yet would not the greedie mind of the king be satisfied notwithstanding that Simon had thus faithfully serued and assisted him in the death of Tryphon but that within short time after he sent vnto Cendebeus who was the generall of the army commaunding him to sacke and spoile Iudaea and to take Simon and make him a slaue But Simon though aged in yeeres fought both youthfully and valiantly and sent his sonnes with the most resolute men he had before against Antiochus and himselfe with the residue of his army assaulted another quarter of their enemies campe and hauing laid many ambushes euen in the mountaines he in euery place was victorious and after this his most famous victorie he was proclaimed high priest and deliuered the Iewes from the gouernment of the Macedonians vnder which they had beene 270. yeeres Finally by the trecherie of Ptolemaeus his son in law he was murthered at a banquet who imprisoning his wife and two sonnes sent certaine men to kill the third sonne whose name was Iohn otherwise called Hircanus But the yong man vnderstanding the successe of his fathers voiage hasted vnto the citie accompanied with a great multitude for he greatly hoped that the people would remember his fathers prowes especially because Ptolemaeus iniquitie was hated of all men Ptolemaeus also hasted to enter the citie at another gate but he was speedily repulsed by the people who had alreadie receiued Hircanus For which cause he presently retired himselfe into a Castle named Dagon scituate beyond Iericho After that Hircanus had obtained the office of the high Priest which was left him by his father and had offered sacrifices vnto God he led forth his forces with all speed against Ptolemaeus hoping to helpe and deliuer his mother and brethren that were detained prisoners with him and assaulting the Castle notwithstanding that in all other things he had the better hand yet was he ouercome by iust griefe and compassion For at such time and so often as Ptolemaeus perceiued himselfe to be in daunger he brought Hircanus mother and brethren vpon the walles and beat them where he might behold them in their torments threatning to cast them downe from the wal except Hircanus would presently depart For which cause Hircanus was more moued with compassion and feare then with anger wrath But his mother being no waies dismaid with stripes which she indured
compassion towards his father promised to disclose all the matter vnto the king so that he would pardon his father who being released of his torments presently declared how his father through Alexanders means and procurement was purposed to haue killed him Manie that were present thought this was a deuise of the young man to free his father from torments and yet others were perswaded that it was true Vpon this Herod made a speech vnto the people wherein he inueighed against the Gouernours of his armie and Tiro and made the people arme themselues and kill both them and the Barber with staues and stones Now he sent his sonnes vnto Sebaste which was not farre from Caesarea and there he caused them to be strangled and hauing quickely dispatched the matter he caused them to bee brought into the Castle Alexandrium there to be buried with their mothers vncle And this was the end of Alexander and Aristobulus CHAP. XVIII Of Antipaters conspiracie against Herod his father BVt Antipater now hoping without all controuersie to succeed in the kingdome was generally hated of the whole nation for it was openly knowne that he by false caluâ—…niations had caused his brethrens deaths And on the other side he stood in no little feare of his brothers children whom he perceiued now to begin to grow to yeares for Alexander had by Glaphyra two sonnes Tigranes and Alexander and Aristobulus had by Berenice daughter to Salome fiue children to wit three sonnes Herod Agrippa and Aristobulus and two daughters Herodias and Mariamme Herod after hee had put Alexander to death sent away Glaphyra with her dowrie into Cappadocia married Berenice Aristobulus his wife vnto Antipaters vncle For Antipater deuised this match to become friends with Salome whom he before time hated and enuied He also by his great gifts sought to get Pheroras fauour and the friendship of such as were friends vnto Caesar sending to that end great summes of money to Rome He gaue Saturninus and all the rest great riches in Syria But the more he gaue the more he was hated of all men for euery one iudged that he did not consume such wealth for that he was liberall but that he lauished it out for feare so that he got not the loue of them vpon whom he bestowed it and they to whom he gaue nothing were so much the more his enemies Yet he became euerie day more bountifull seeing against his expectation Herode made much of their children whose parents he had slaine intending to shew how much hee repented their deaths by the pitie and compassion he tooke vpon their children For assembling together his friends he caused the children to be placed by him and the teares standing in his eyes he sayd Hard cruell and sinister fortune tooke away from me the fathers of these children but I pitie to see them orphans and naturall affection commendeth them vnto me Wherefore I will endeuour that seeing I haue beene an infortunate father I may be a wiser and happier grandfather and leaue them who are most deare vnto me to raigne after me Wherefore brother Pheroras I betroth thy daughter vnto Alexanders eldest sonne that for that cause thou maist be carefull to prouide for him and assist him and vnto thy sonne Antipater I assure the daughter of Aristobulus that so thou maist be a father to her who wants a father and my son Herod whose mothers vncle was high Priest shall marrie with her sister And this is my will and pleasure touching this matter and let no man who loueth me seeke to alter this And I beseech Almightie God for the good of my countrie and of these my Nephewes to prosper these mariages and to looke vpon these children with a more fauourable eye then he did their fathers Hauing thus spoken he wept and ioyned the childrens hands and curteously saluting euerie one he dismissed the Councell Vpon this Antipater was amazed and all the Orphans well perceiued how sorrowfull hee was For now he thought himselfe dishonoured by his father and that his good fortune was endangered seeing that Alexanders sonne was like to haue both Archelaus and Pheroras the Tetrarch to assist him Moreouer he considered how he was hated and how the people did compassionate the children for that they were fatherlesse and affected them remembring their fathers who were dead were terrified at his wickednes Wherfore he attempted all means possible to breake off the marriages yet he feared to insinuate anie thing to his father cunningly who was now verie seuere and warie and mistrustfull And therefore went openly vnto him to make his humble suit request him that he would not leaue him without honour nor depriue him of that dignitie which before time he had iudged him worthy of giuing him onely the bare title of a king and leauing the substance of the kingdome in other mens powers For it would be impossible for him to obtaine the kingdome if Alexanders sonne beside Archelaus his fauor were by marriage made sonne in law vnto Pheroras Wherefore he earnestly besought him that seeing he had a great manie daughters to change the marriages for the king had nine wiues and by seuen of them hee had children Antipater by Doris Herod by Mariamme daughter of the high Priest and Antipas and Archelaus by Malthace the Samaritane and his daughter Olympias whom his brother Ioseph married and by Cleopatra of Ierusalem Herod and Philip and by Pallas Phasaelus he had two other daughters also Roxane and Salome one of them by Phaedra and the other by Elpis Hee had likewise two wiues by whom he had no issue his cousin and his neece and beside these he had two daughters by Mariamme sisters to Aristobulus and Alexander Wherefore Antipater seeing his father had such choise of daughters he requested the mariages to be altered The king well perceiuing his mind and purpose towards the Orphans was verie angrie and calling to remembrance the misfortune of his sonnes whom he had put to death he greatly feared least Antipater by some false accusations should ouerthrow them and so with sharpe words did driue him off for that time yet afterward he so flattered Herod that he got the mariages to be altered And first of all he ioyned Aristobulus daughter with Antipater himselfe and his sonne to Pheroras daughter Here one may see what Antipater could do by flattering speeches for Salome in the like matter could not speed although that she was his sister and procured many times Iulia Caesars wife to speake for her that shee might marie with Syllaeus the Arabian yet was not she permitted so to do But Herode sware that he would account her as an vtter enemie except she would desist from that purpose and afterward against her will he maried her vnto one Alexas a friend of his and one of her daughters to Alexanders sonne and the other to Antipaters vncle As for Mariammes daughters one of them was maried to Antipater his
any of theâ—…e wilfully leade themselues into open captiuitie What letteth you euerie man with his owne hands to butcher his wife and children and from consuming this goodly Countrie with fire for so you shall gaine this not to abide the shame of a conquest It is good O friends it is good whilest yet the ship is in the Hauen to foresee and prouide for future tempests and not then begin to feare when you are amidst the waues and surges of the sea They who fall into a miserie not foreseene are worthie to receiue compassion but they that runne into wilfull calamitie deserue no pitie but reproch Vnlesse perhaps yee thinke that the Romans will fight with you as you will condition and that if they ouercome you they will not vse you hardly nor fire and destroy this sacred Citie and all the whole nation as they haue done others If yee be ouercome who so escapeth vnkilled can haue no place of refuge for all nations either are alreadie subiect vnto the Romans or feare that they shall bee shortly So that not onely you shall be in danger but also all Cities wherin any Iewes remaine For there is no nation nor people in the whole world amongst whom some of your Countrie are not who all shall be most cruelly put to death if you rebell and for the wicked counsell of a few men all Cities shall flow with bloud of the Iewes and no man shall bee punished for killing Iewes because of your offence And if the Romans doe not execute all this outrage after your rebellion then thinke how impious a thing it is to rebell against so mild gouernours Take compassion if not of your children and wiues yet at the least of this Citie which is the mother Citie of all your nation Spare these holy wals and sacred Temple and keepe vnto your selues the law and sacred things of the Temple assure your selues that if the Romans againe ouercome you they will not spare these things seeing you were no more gratefull vnto them for preseruing them before I protest before God your holy Temple and all the Angels of heauen and our whole Countrie that I haue kept backe no counsell which I thinke profitable for you Now if you consider of those things which are profitable for you yee shall liue with me in peace but if you follow your priuate affections I will not be partaker of the miseries and daungers you thrust your selues into When hee had thus spoken he wept his sister Berenice standing by him and by his teares mitigated a great part of their furie Then they cried that they ment not to beare armes against the Romans and Caesar but against Florus for the iniurie he had done them To this Agrippa answered but your deedes shew that you fight against the Romans for you haue not paied your tribute to Caesar and you haue burned the porches belonging vnto Antonia now if you would hide your rebellion repaire with speed the porches and pay your tribute for this fort belongeth not to Florus nor the money Herewith the people were content and ascending into the temple with Agrippa and Berenice they began to reedifie the porches and the nobilitie and captaines gathered the tribute in euerie village and quickly brought fortie talents for so much money was behinde And thus Agrippa appeased the beginning of these warres After this he began to perswade the people to obey Florus till such time as an other were sent to supply his place Herewith the multitude was so mooued that they contumeliously reuiled the king and threw stones at him and droâ—…e him out of the Citie The king seeing that their sedition would not be quieted complaining of the iniurie done vnto him sent the nobilitie and all the potentates to Florus who was at Caesarea that he might choose whom he would amongst them to gather the tribute through the whole countrey And so he departed into his owne kingdome CHAP. XVII Of the rebellion of the Iewes begun against the Romans AT this time some of the chiefest rebels assembled to gither sodainly assaulted a Castle called Massada which at vnawares they tooke and killed all the Romans and in their places put a guard of their owne companie In the temple also Eleazar sonne of the high priest Ananias a bolde and desperate young man captaine of the souldiers perswaded them who offered sacrifices not to offer any but those that were giuen by the Iewes And this was the ground and cause of the warres that ensued For they reiected Caesars sacrifices that were woont to be offered for the good of the Romans And although the high priests and people of account requested them not to omit that custome of sacrificing for their kings and gouernours yet they refused so to doe trusting greatly to their faction all the strength of the Citie that desired alteration were of their mindes and especially Eleazar who at that time was Generall as is before said Wherefore all the potentates hâ—…gh priests and chiefest of the Pharisees assembled themselues and perceiuing into how great danger those rebels daily brought the Citie they determined to make triall of the courage of the seditious people wherefore they assembled them togither before the brazen gate which was in the inner part of the temple towards the East And first of all they greatly complained of their rash and vnaduised rebellion and that they sought to stirre vp so great warres against their countrey inueighing against the cause that mooued them thereto as being without reason telling them that their auncestors for the most part adorned the temple with the gifts of Gentiles neuer refusing the offerings of strangers and not only not to haue refused their offerings for that were an impious fact but also placed in the temple the gifts that they sent which were yet to be seen And that now only to prouoke the Romans to warre and denounce it against them they began to alter religion and beside other dangers also to make the Citie seeme guiltie of impietie as though it were such a one wherein none might offer sacrifice but Iewes nor any but they might adore God If we should make such a law against any priuate person he had iust cause to accuse vs of inhumanitie But now the Romans were despised and Caesar himselfe accounted prophane and it was to be feared that if the Iewes disdained to accept of Caesars offerings Caesar would hinder them from offering any And that the citie of Ierusalem would presently be accounted as an enemy to the empire vnlesse they presently accepted Caesars sacrifice and before such time as they heard these newes against whom this outrage was attempted And hauing thus spoken they brought foorth the most learned amongst the priests to recount from time to time how their ancestors had alwaies accepted of the sacrifices of strangers But none of the rebels gaue eare to any thing that was said and the Leuites came not to serue
warre against the Romans in a safer place then that from whence they fled was for none but vnaduised and rash headed men would fight for such a citie as Giscala and other places that were not able to resist seeing that it behooued them all to reserue their vigour and strength to defend the Metropolitane citie They also signified vnto them how Giscala was taken by the Romans and that they departed in good sort away though some reported that they fled The people of Ierusalem hearing what these men reported and how many were captiues vnto the Romans they fell into a great feare as though that which they told did portend their ruine But Iohn nothing ashamed in that he had so shamefully forsaken them of Giscala who fled with him went first to one and then to another enciting them all to warre vnder a vaine hope alleaging the weakenes of the Romans and extolling their own puissance deceiuing the simple people perswading them that though the Romans sought to reuenge yet could they neuer enter the wals of Ierusalem who had so much adoe and endured such afflictiō in entering the little burges and villages of Galilee against whose wals they had broken all their engines These words of his encited many young men to sedition but all the wiser sort foresaw what was like to ensue and euen now mourned their lost citie And in this case were they of Ierusalem yet before this sedition in the citie the countrey people began to be at discord amongst thēselues For Titus departed from Giscala vnto Caesarea Vespasian went from Caesarea to Iamnia Azotus and took them both leauing there garrisons he returned to Caesarea bringing with him a huge companie of them who had yeelded vnto him All cities were at ciuill wars amongst themselues so that when the Romans did not war vpon thē one part of the Iewes in euerie citie fought against the other there was a great dissension between those that desired peace the seditious people and at first this discord began only in priuate houses but in the end euerie one ioyning with them that were of their mind they now beganne in companies to rebel openly Thus euerie place was troubled with ciuill discord and euery where rash young men who desired wars preuailed against wise and graue olde men who foreseeing the calamitie like to ensue desired peace At first the inhabitants one by one robbed and spoiled what they could but at last in whole troups they ioined togither robbed openly and wasted all the countrey about and they in their robberies shewed such crueltie that the harme and iniurie they did vnto their owne countreymen was altogither equal to the miseries which befel them by the means of the Romans they who by these miscreants were spoiled wished rather to haue fallen into the Romans hands But they who kept the citie either because they were loath to wearie themselues or else for that they hated the citizens or people did nothing or very little succour thē that fel into theeues hands At last the theeues assembled themselues togither from all places and ioyning companies they brake into Ierusalem This citie had no gouernour and according to the custome of that countrey receiued all that came thither that were their countreymen and so much more willingly at that time because they that thought that they came thither came of good will to helpe them which onely was afterward the cause that the citie was destroyed setting aside the ciuil dissension For a great multitude of people vnapt for fight being there cōsumed the victuals that would haue sufficed for the fighting men beside the wars they brought also vpon it famine ciuil dissensiō Then other theeues came out of the fields thereabout ioyning themselues with those that were within the citie omitted no kind of villanie for not content to rob and spoile they also attempted to commit murders not onely priuily or in the night vpon meane men but euen on the day time they publikely set vpon the chiefest of the nobilitie For first of al they tooke Antipasse who was borne of the bloud royall a man so eminent amongst them that the publike treasure was committed vnto his charge and custodie and put him in prison and after him they tooke Sopha a worthie man and sonne to Raguel and Laeuia both of them of the kings houshold and after them all that seemed to beare any sway or were in authoritie amongst the people Great feare fell vpon the Inhabitants and euerie one prouided to saue himselfe as though the Citie were euen now surprised by the enemies But these people were not content thus to haue imprisoned those potentates neither did they thinke it safetie for themselues any longer to detaine such men aliue for many came dayly vnto them to visit them and vnto their houses who were able to reuenge their iniuries and moreouer they feared that the people would make a head against them being moued with their iniquitie Wherefore they determined to kill them and to effect their purpose they sent one Iohn a cruel murderer who was the sonne of Dorcas he accompanied with ten more all hauing swords went vnto the prison and slew as many as they found there To excuse this cruell fact of theirs they alleaged this to wit that all they who were slaine in prison had conference with the Romans concerning the betraying of the Citie into their hands and that for this cause they had slaine them being traytors to their Countrie they also boasted that this fact of theirs had preserued the Citie and that therefore they had well deserued of it The people was brought vnto such slauerie and terror that the chusing of the high Priest was in their hands to elect whom they pleased so much was their insolence increased Thus they not respecting the families out of which it was onely lawfull to chuse the high Priest they now elected straungers and base persons to that sacred dignitie and such as would be partakers of their villanies and impieties for they who not deseruing it attained to such dignitie were as it were obliged vnto their will in all things by whom they were so exaited They also deuised many lies to make those that were in authoritie one at variance with another thereby as it were to hold them occupied who were able to refist their enterprises til that being now satisfied with the bloud of the Citizens they began to commit impietie against God himselfe and with prophane and vnpure feete to enter into the sanctuarie Then the people was incited against them by Ananus his meanes who was one of the priests and the most auncient and wisest of them all who perhaps had laued the Citie had he escaped the hands of these miscreants But they vsed the Temple as a Castle and defence of themselues against the people and made the Sanctuarie a place for them to exercise tyrannie in
according as the beams of the sunne do sundry waies fall vpon it And in many places it casteth vp pieces of black bitumen in greatnesse and shape like a bull without a head and these floate aboue the water They that get their liuing vpon this water finding this bitumen that is thus gathered togither drawe it to their boates and it is so tough and clammy that hauing filled their boates herewith it is not easie for them to get them away but their boate is as it were fastned so it hangeth vpon the rest of that masse of bituminous matter till it be separated from it by the tearmes or vrine of a woman This bituminous matter is good for to close the rifts of shippes and also to cure many diseases This lake is fiue hundreth and eightie furlongs long being extended vnto Zoar which is in Arabia and it is a hundreth and fiftie furlongs broade Neere vnto this lake is the land of Sodome and Gomorrah sometime both fertile and rich now all burnt being as it is reported for the impietie of the inhabitants consumed with lightning and thunder To be short one may here behold as it were the signe and reliques of that fire that by Gods appointment destroied the place for one may yet see as it were the fashion and tokens of fiue cities and trees fruits springing vp in the ashes which fruit to the eye seemeth like vnto other fruits but if you handle them they fall into ashes and smoake And so the report of the land of Sodome is knowen to be true to them that behold it CHAP. VI. How Gerasa was destroyed of Neroes death and of Galba and Otho VEspasian desirous to be besiege Ierusalem on euerie side builded castles at Iericho and Adida and left there both the souldiers that came to assist him and also Romans with them And he sent L. Annius to Gerasa giuing him many footmen and part of his horsemen who at the first assault tooke the Citie and slew a thousand young men who thought to haue fled and lead whole families captiue giuing the souldiers the spoile of their goods and so firing their houses hee went to other places adioyning They who were able fled and the weaker sort who could not flie were slaine and whatsoeuer came in their way they consumed it with fire Thus all places both mountaines and plaines being wasted and oppressed with warres the inhabitants liuing at Ierusalem had not whither to goe when they desired to flie from the Zealous by whom they were kept in And they who were against the Romans were kept in themselues the Citie being on euerie side enclosed and compassed with the armie After that Vespasian was returned vnto Caesarea and with all his armie purposing to go to Ierusalem newes was brought him that Nero was slaine hauing raigned thirteene yeeres and eight daies Touching whom I will not recount how he did dishonour the Empire committing the whole sway of all the commonwealth vnto two most wicked men to wit Nymphidius and Tigillinus and of least worth amongst all the Libertines and how hee being taken by the trecherie of these two men was forsaken of all his Senators and so fled onely with foure trustie Libertines into the suburbes and there killed himselfe and how that long time after they that deposed him were punished for that offence and how the warres ended in Gallia and that Galba being created Emperour returned to Rome out of Spayne and how hee was accused by the souldiers and by them killed in the market place as one of base condition and how Otho vvas declared Emperour and led his souldiers against Vitellius his armie also Vitellius his broiles and his fight before the Capitoll and how Antonius Primus and Mutianus slewe Vitellius and so appeased the Germane troupes and ciuill warres Of all these I haue refused to speake because I hope that both the Greekes and Romanes haue written these things at large yet I haue briefelye recapitulated all to continue my Historie After Vespasian heard these newes of Nero he deferred the siege of Ierusalem expecting who should be created Emperour after him And vvhen he was certified that Galba raigned hee determined to doe nothing but lie quiet till such time as hee also should write vnto him his mind whether he would haue him proceede in those warres against the Iewes And hee sent vnto him his sonne Titus both to salute him and also to know his pleasure concerning the Iewes Likewise King Agrippa went with Titus for the same cause vnto Galba But as they were passing by Achaia with long shippes in winter time as the custome is newes was brought that Galba was slaine hauing raigned seuen moneths and seuen daies After whom succeeded Otho who gouerned the Empire three moneths Agrippa not terrified with this alteration still kept on his iourney to Rome But Titus as God would haue it returned from Achaia vnto Syria and so to Caesarea vnto his father They both were as it were in suspence what would ensue and who should be Emperour the Empire being so full of troubles and so they neglected the warres against the Iewes fearing their owne countrey and therefore thinking it an vnfit time to assault straungers CHAP. VII Of Simon of Gerasa author of i new conspiracie FOr all this the war at Ierusalem was increased For there was one Simon the sonne of Giora borne in Gerasa young in yeeres and inferiour to Iohn who now alreadie had gotten the dominion ouer the citie yet was he in strength and boldnes more excellent then Iohn This Simon being for this cause also dâ—…en out of the countrey of Acrabatena where he was gouernour by the means Ananus the hie priest he came to the theeues that seased vpon Massada This Simon at his first comming was so suspected to the theeues that they onely permitted him and the women that came with him to dwel in the lower part of the castle they them selues kept the higher part yet afterwards his manners and behauiour were such that they put confidence in him for he was their captaine alwaies when they went to spoile and rob any part of the countrie about Massada So he feared not to perswade them to attempt greater matters for being desirous of rule after he heard that Ananus was dead he departed into the high places of the countrie and with the voice of a crier promised and proclaimed that all bondslaues that would follow him should haue their libertie and all other should be richly rewarded and so he gathered togither all the wicked and desperate people in the countrey And hauing now a large armie he robbed and spoiled all the townes and villages there about and his number daily increasing he also now presumed to come into the plaine countries so that now cities stoode in awe of him and many potentates now feared him for his strength and prosperous successe And his armie did not onely
that now they againe became the kings welwillers Supposing also their hatred still continued towards him they rather should haue attempted reuenge by treason against him then towards all their nation wherin they had many deare friends and alliance And although they had purposed to warre against these men yet would they not haue been so impious as to haue rebelled against the gods and to haue violated the lawes wherein they were brought vp We haue therefore cause to thanke Manethon in that he cleareth vs and affirmeth his owne countrimen yea a priest to be authors of this impietie and that by oath bound themselues so to doe But is it not against all reason that neither any of their countrimen nor kinsmen rebelled with them but that the poore distressed people were glad to send to Ierusalem for succour But what societie or friendship had they with the people of Ierusalem of whom they came to demaund help Why they were more their enemies then the rest of their countrimen were all of quite different manners from vs. They of Ierusalem as he saith presently did as they were willed to do in hope that according as they were promised they might subdue Aegypt were they ignorāt of that countrey out of the which they had beene driuen by force had they liued in pouertie or miserie perhaps they might haue beene induced to haue done it but seeing they inhabited a fortunate and rich citie and passed a goodly fertile soile far better then Aegypt what might moue them therto what reason had they at the request of their ancient enemies and they also so diseased as they of Ierusalem could not abide their owne friends amongst them that had the like diseases to thrust them selues into daunger they could nor foreknow the kings intent to flie for as Manethon himselfe saith he met them at Pelusia with three hundreth thousand men And this they that went to warre well knew But what reason had they to coniecture that the kings mind would change and he flie Then he saith the armie of Ierusalem getting the granaries of Aegypt into their hands did much harme and this he vpbraideth them withall as who should say they were not requested to come as enemies or as though these matters be to be cast in souldiers teethes that are straungers and sent for from out of another countrey when as the Aegyptians themselues had before their comming done the like and bound themselues by an oath to performe the same But short time after Amenophis fought with his enemies and got the victorie of them and put them to flight and pursued them vnto the borders of Syria As though that Aegypt were a contrie so easily to be wonne by any man that at any place or part thereof inuadeth it and that the souldiers of Ierusalem hauing now by the lawes of armes possessed that and knowing Amenophis to be yet aliue would not haue fortified that part of the countrey where by he might haue inuaded them hauing all opportunity to doe it or at least they would haue gotten more helpe from one place or another Amenophis as he saith pursued them euen vnto Syria through the sandie and drie places as though it were easie for an armie that had nothing else to doe but to march on forward to passe leasurely thorough them To conclude therefore our nation neither came of the Aegyptians as Manethon confesseth neither was it mingled with the deseased of that countrie for it is probable that many of those sicke people perished in the stone works many in the great fight and battaile and the rest of them in the flight It now remaineth that I refute that which he speaketh of Moses The Aegyptians do all agree that this man was a diuine person and one to be admired but they commit great impietie in labouring to challenge him for their contriman saying that he was a a priest of Heliopolis banished with the rest for leprosie For he is recorded to haue liued fiue hundreth and eighteene yeeres before this time and to haue guided our auncestors out of Aegypt into that countrey wherein we now inhabite and his owne words testifie his bodie to haue beene cleane from that disease of leprosie for he commaundeth all lepers to be expelled out of the townes and villages and to liue a part by themselues also to be clothed in some torne garment that whosoeuer toucheth them or commeth vnder the same roofe with thē is to be accounted an vncleane person And if so be a leper happen to be cured of that disease he appointed certaine purifications clensings and bathes of fortunate waters and all his haire should be shaued off and that then after many and sundrie sacrifices he should be admitted into the holy citie But contrariwise had he bin vrged with that misfortune and calamitie himselfe he would surely haue beene more prouident more mercifull to such as should haue beene afflicted with that disease He did not onely make these seuere lawes against lepers but he also interdicted all that wanted any ioint or parcell of the bodie from being priests or exercising any office at the Altar yea he also appointed that if any priest should haue any of these defects b◅tide him after he was a priest that then he should be be depriued of the dignitie How can it then be probable that to his owne preiudice and discredit he would haue enacted such lawes Also the changing of his name is incredible for he was called as he saith Osarsiph which nothing agreeth with the transmutation of his name but his true name betokeneth that Moses was saued from the water For Moy in the Hebrew tongue signifieth Water But I haue now sufficiently as I thinke declared how Manethon whilst he followed the auncient writers did not much erre but when he fell to olde wiues tales he then either absurdly feined them of his owne head or else for hatred he bare to our nation beleeued them I now thinke it not amisse to examine alittle the words of Chaeremon who professing himselfe to write the Aegyptian historie maketh mention of the sameking Amenophis his sonne Rhamesses as Manethon doth and he reporteth that Isis appeared to Amenophis in his sleepe checking him for that her temple was destroyed and that Phiritiphantes a holy scribe told the king that if he would expell all polluted and vncleane persons our of Aegypt that then he should not be any more terrified with these night visions Moreouer that hereupon he making search for all sicke and diseased persons he banished them out of his land to the number of two hundreth and fiftie thousand and that their captaines were called Moses and Ioseph holy scribes also that theis Aegyptian names were so that Moses was named Tisithes and Ioseph Petesephus and that they came vnto Pelusium where they found three hundreth and fourescore thousand left thereby Amenophis whom he would not permit to come into Aegypt also that they
purposes But Apion thus vrgeth vs if quoth he the Iewes be citizens how hap they worship not the same God nor haue not the same religion that they rest of the Alexandrians haue To whom I thus answere how hapneth that you Aegyptians do so eōtend and warre against one another onely for diuersitie of religion shall we hereupon conclude that you are all Aegyptians or not all men because you worship and with great diligence nourish beasts against nature yet our nation seemeth one and the same If therefore amongst you Aegyptians such difference of opinions be why dost thou so maruell of this that we in a straunge place to wit at Alexandria do constantly perseuer in our first religion But he saith that we are the cause of all sedition which suppose he speake true of the lewes of Alexandria yet are not all Iewes in all places the cause of sedition for we are knowne to be peaceable amongst our selues But indeed as euerie one may perceiue the people like Apion himselfe are authors of sedition in Alexandria For whilest the Greekes and Macedonians held Alexandria they and we liued peaceably to gether and they permitted vsquietly to vse our owne solemnities but when the number of Aegyptians encreased by confusion of time sedition also by their meanes encreased But our nation remained vnpermixted They therefore were authors of those troubles not ha uing the gouernment of the Macedonians nor the wisedome of the Greeks but vsing their Aegyptian manners and renuing their olde hatred against vs. And that wherewith all they hit vs in the teeth befalleth them for most of them not hauing the priuiledges of the citie themselues call vs straungers that haue them For none of the ancient kings bestowed the libertie of the citie vpon the Aegyptians neither haue any of the Emperours of Rome bestowed the priuiledge But Alexander himselfe brought vs into the citie the kings after him encreased more priuiledges and it hath pleased the Roman Emperors to ratifie and confirme them But Apion detracteth vs for not erecting statues to the Emperours as though the Emperours knew not hereof or that they needed Apion to speake for them whereas he should rather admire the Romans magnanimitie and modestie who compell not their subiects to violate their auncient lawes and religion but content themselues with such honours as the giuer may with pietie and equitie giue them For they account not of forced honours which come of compulsion The Greekes and diuers other thinke it not amisse to erect statues for they delight to haue the pictures of their ancestors wiues and children and some of the beloued seruants also what maruaile then if they accord to yeeld the like honour to Princes and Emperours But our sawmaker not as prophecying the Romans power not to be reuerenced but foreseeing that it was neither profitable to God nor man forbad vs make an Image of any liuing creature much more of a not liuing God as we will proue hereafter But he permitted vsto reuerence all good men with any honour else not due to God and all those we giue vnto the Emperours and people of Rome and make our continual sacrifice for them and not onely vpon worke daies do this at the proper cost of all the Iewes but vpon such daies as we offer no other sacrifice no not for our own children we then sacrifice for the Roman Emperour yeelding that honour to the Roman Emperour which we do to none else And let this suffice to answere that which Apion alleageth against the Iewes of Alexandria yet can I not but admire at them who gaue him this occasion namely Possidonius and Apollonius Molon who a ccuse vs for not worshipping the same Gods that others do although they lie all alike slaundering our temple most absurdly and yet for all this they doe not beleeue that they herein commit any impietie whereas it is a most ignominious thing for any free man to lie vpon any occasion much more of a temple famous ouer all the world for sanctitie For Apion affirmeth that the Iewes in that sacred temple placed the head of an Asse and worshipped it most religiously And this quoth he was manifestly knowne at such time as Antiochus Epiphanes spoyled that Temple who found that Asses head being of massie gold and great value To this first slaunder I first answere that were that true which he reporteth yet an Aegyptian ought not to haue spoken against vs for it seeing that an Asse is of no lesse worth then a Goate and other bruite beasts that they honour for gods Was it possible that hee knew not the contrarie of his owne affirmations by our deedes and Scriptures For we vse the same lawes that at the first wee did and remaine in them without change and for all that our Citie as others also haue hath by the variable euent of warre bene vexed and troubled and that Antiochus surnamed the god and Pompey the great and Licinius Crassus and now lastly Titus Caesar haue all vanquished our Temple yet did they neuer find in it any thing as Apion affirmeth but sincere pietie not lawfull for vs to disclose to strangers And as touching Antiochus many writers of good credite report that hee neuer had any iust cause to spoyle our Temple but that he was drawne vnto this fact for want of money Not for that hee was our enemie but for that as from his friends and fellowes hee sought supplie and found nothing in that place that was worthie of derision and thus doe Polybius Megapolitanus Strabo the Cappadocian Nicholas Damascene Timagenes Castor the Chronicler and Apollodorus avow who all doe witnesse that Antiochus wanting money brake the league hee had with the Iewes and robbed and spoyled their Temple being full of gold and siluer Apion ought to haue considered this had he not had an Asses heart and a dogges impudencie which hee and his Countriemen worship for gods As for vs we doe neither honour nor reuerence Asses though the Egyptians doe their Crocodiles and Aspes esteeming them that are bitten by Aspes and deuoured by Crocodiles to be happie and fit for God But we esteeme those to be Asses which all our wisemen doe to wit them who beare burdens imposed vpon them and if comming into a field they fall to eate and doe not that which they ought to doe we vse to beate them with many stripes and force them to till the ground and doe other drudgerie But Apion was either the greatest Asse that euer was in telling alie or else hauing begun to doe it he could not compasse his enterprises in that hee found not any iust cause of detraction against vs. He addeth an other fable of the Greekes detracting vs to the which I will make only this replie that it is more commendable and agreeing to pietie and lesse vncleannesse to passe thorowe the Temple then for priestes to come and feigne impious words and speeches which they not
Citizens exhort the people to reuenge The yeere of the world 4032. after Christs birth 70. The Zelous the most wretched occasiō of these violences Ananus sharpe inuectiue against the Zelous Ananus twitteth the Iews with their feare The crueltie of the theeues The Temple the strongest fortres of the Citie Warres are intended for libertie The comparison of the Romans and Iews and their properties The yeare of the world 4032. after the birth of Christ. 70. An answere to their contrarie opinion who obiect the number and boldnesse of the enemy The Epilogue of Ananus Oration to the people Ananus disposeth his souldiers against the Zelous The fight of the Citizens and Zelous in the temple The yeare of the world 4032 after Christs birth 70. Iohnful of deceit and a betraier of the citizens Iohn sweareth to be faithfull to the people Iohn contrarie to his oath reuealeth their secrets to the Zelous Iohn stirreth vp the Zelous against the Citizens Eleazar one of the Zelous causeth the Idumaeans to besent for The yeare of the world 4032. after Christs birth 70. The Zealous require helpe from the Idumaeans The nature and manners of the Idumaeans Twentie thousand Idumaeās come to Ierusalem Iesus oration and exhortation to the Idumaeans The disproofe of the Zealous fiction who intended the ouerthrow of the citie and obiected the betraying thereof The yeare of the world 403◅ after Christs birth 70. Peace is better then death Iesus exhorteth the Idumaeans that since they are come they should oppose themselues against the Zealous Iesus requireth the Idumaeans to iudge the differents betweene the Zealous and them The end of Iesus oration to the Idumaeans The yeare of the world 4032. aftter Christs Naiuitie 70. Simons answer to Iesus oration The Idumaeans are displeased because the Citie gates were lockt against them The reproches the Idumeans obiect against the high priests and Citizens The Idumaeans pitch their tabernacles neer the wals A huge storme The Zelous consult to breake open the gates to assaile the watch and let in the Idumaeans The yeere of the world 4032. after Christs birth 70. The watchmen are oppressed with sleepe The Idumaeans by the meanes of the Zelous enter by night The Idumaeans ioyne themselues with the Zelous in the Temple The immanitie of the Idumaeans and Zelous against the Citizens of Ierusalem Ananus and Iesus the high Priests executed Ananus death the first cause of the destruction of the Citie The praise of Ananus the hie priest The yeare of the world 4032. after the birth of Christ. 70. The yeare of the world 4032. after Christs birth 70. The crueltie of the Idumaeans the Zelous Twelue thousand of the nobilitie executed Zacharie condemned to death by the Zelous Seuentie iudges absolue and acquite Zacharie Zacharie slaine in the midst of the temple One of the Zelous discouereth their crueltie and barbarous dealing to the Idumaeans The yeare of the world 4032. after Christs Natiuitie 70. The Idumaeans depart out of Ierusalem Gorions death and Niger Peraita Nigers praiers tooke effect as the end testified The souldiers incite Vespasian to resort to Ierusalem The yeere of the world 4032. after Christs birth 70 Vespasian expecteth victory by the ciuill dissension of his enemies Many citizens to flie the Zealous resorted to Vespasian The Zealous tytannize both ouer the liuing and the dead The yeere of th◅ world 4032. after Christs birth 70. Iohns pride and ambition The greater part of the con trarie faction fall from Iohn The tempest of three miseries assailed Ierusalem at once Of those desperate rebels that kept the Castle of Massada Slaughter and desolation thorow Iurie A Similitude The sugitiue◅ beseech Vespasian to assist the Citie and reserue ◅he rest of the people The ye◅re of the world 4032. after Christs birth 70. The Gadarensian◅ entertain Vespasian with ioy and acclamations Placidus con◅ct with the fugitiues Placidus taketh and burneth Bethenabris Placidus victorie ouer the fugitiues The yeare of the world 4032. after the birth of Christ. 70. Placidus maketh vse o◅ his good fortune against the Iewes Troubles in France Vespasian visiteth all Iudaea Vespasian commeth to Iericho The grea◅ field Two lakes Asphaltite and y e Tiberian lake A large fountaine neere Iericho The yeare of the world 4032. after Christs birth 70. A miracle wrought by Helizaeu◅ Fruitfull and pleasant gardens about Iericho The cause why the ground about Iericho is fruitfull The ayre temperate and warme An admirable propertie of the Asphaltite lake The land of Sodom is neer vnto the lake Asphaltite The yeere of the world 4032. after Christs birth 70. Ter◅ul in Apologet cap. 39. L. Annius taketh Gerasa Vespasian hath tidings of Neroes death Galba Otho Vitell◅ Vespasian de◅erreth his siege at Ierusalem Galba is slaine and Otho gouerneth The ye◅re of the ◅ld 4033. after Christs birth 71. Simon of Gerasa resorteth to the theeues Simon assemble◅ all robbers in the mountainous places The fight betweene Simon the Zealous Eleazar Simōs fellow casteth himselfe headlong into the trench and presently dieth Iames of Idumaea the betraier of his countrey The yeare of th◅ world 4033. after Christs birth 71. Simon beyond all expectation entreth Idumaea without bloudshed Hebron an ancient Citie where Abrahams house was A Turpentine tree that hath continued since the creation of the world Simon spoyled all Idumaea The Zelous take Simons wife Simons immanitie cruelty The Zelous ◅nd backe Simons wife Sedition thorow the whole Romane Empi◅e Vespasian onc◅ more inuadet◅ Iudaea The yeare of the world 4033. after Christs birth 71. Capharis submits to Cerealis Cerealis burneth the ancient Citie of Hebron The Zelous fill the whole Citie with iniquitie The way of flight was quite cut off The discord betweene the Zelous and the Idumaeans The fight of the Zealous with the Idumaeans in the Temple Simon entreth the Citie with a great army The yeare of the world 4033. after the birth of Christ. 71. Simon assaulteth the temple wherin the Zelous kept The office of the priests to sig◅e the beginning of the seuenth day by the sound of a ◅umpet Vitellius incampeth his army in Rome Vespasiā knew both how to gouerne and how to obey The captaines consult with the souldiers openly of a change Vespasians shame◅astnesse and modestie The yeare of the world 4033. after Christs birth 71. The causes that mooued the people to elect Vespasian Emperour The souldiers elect Vespasian Emperour The bounds of Aegypt The length and breadth of Aegypt A most high tower in the Island Pharos giuing light to those that faile three hundreth stounds off Tiberius Alexander gouerneth Alexandria Aegypt The yeare of the world 4033. after Christs birth 71. Vespasian by common voice is created Emperour and crowned Vespasian consulteth with his captains about Iosephs liberty Ioseph discharged out of bonds and rewarded Vespasian bethinketh himselfe to returne to Rome Caecinna perswadeth the souldiers to forsake Vitellius and honour Vespasian The yeere of the world 4033.
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 co◅ 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 af◅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 ◅raue pardon but Titus commandeth them to be led to execution The seditious summon Titus to a parly The yeare of the ◅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 li◅e on condition they should lay aside their weapons and submit themselues The souldiers set the citie on fire Caesar cōstant 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 wag◅ 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 frō whence by nomeanes but famine they might be driuen The Romans enter the town and obtaine the victory The houses and ◅ilie of best reckoning are left full of dead bodies The yeere of the world ◅034 af◅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 Chris◅ birth 7◅ Ierusalem being fiue times spoyled was at that time once more sackt The Roma◅ wholy ruinate both the Citie and the temple Titus thanketh his souldier◅ for that they had continued their loue towards him Titus promises recompence to his valiant souldiers The yeare of the world 4034. after Christs birth◅ 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 i◅ taken by the Roman◅ 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 bir◅ 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 triumphāt 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 for◅ners dwelt in ◅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 hūdreth 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
flieth with his wife into Cilicia Epiphanes flieth to Vologesus the king of Parthia Antiochus taken The yeare of the world 4037. after Christs birth 75. Antiochus reconciled to Caesar. The Alans enter Media to spoile the same Armenia wasted The yeare of the world 4038. after Christs birth 76 The time among the Iewes which was most fruitful in all manner of impiety Iohn Giscala The yeere of the world 4038. after Christs birth 76. Simon sonne of Giora The Idumaeans The Zealous The end of the Iewes answerable to their liues Silua the captaine of the Romans besiegeth Massada The scituation of Massada The iourney by the rock called the Snake The top more fruitfull and fatter soile the the plaine Herods pallace The yeere of the world 4038. after Christs birth 76. A â—…ower to the Westside Great store of prouision in the Castle Fruit for a hundreth yeeres kept vncorrupt Herode suspecting a double perill builded this place for a refuge There was but one place about Massada to raise a mount to batter one The Citie battered with a large Ramme and by Siluas appointment Firebrands daâ—…â—…ed against the walâ—… The North wind diuerting the flame turneth it vpon the Romanâ—… The yeare of the world 4038. after Christs birth 76. Eleazars Oration to his companions Eleazar conteâ—… Gods wrâ—…t â—…o bee kâ—…led against tâ—…e people The punish 〈◊〉 â—…ese 〈◊〉 which 〈◊〉 â—…es â—…n 〈◊〉 attempâ—… agâ—…inst the â—…es 〈◊〉 graue 〈◊〉 â—…en lâ—… 〈◊〉 maintained Eleazars Oraâ—…n as touchâ—…g the immor talitie of the soule The yeare of the world 4038. after Christs birth 76. A soule tied in a mortal body The power of the soule Sleepe the argument of the immortalniâ—… of the soule The professors of wisedome among the indians burne themselues An exhortation to contemn death drawne from the time and place Example taken from the Iews that were staine in Caesâ—…a The Calamitie of the Iewes in Scithopoliâ—… The yeare of the world 4038. after Christs birth 76. Eighteen thousand Iews slain in Syria and threescore thousand in Aegypt The calamitie of those Iewes who were taken by the Romans Ierusalem the Metropolitane citie razed froÌ„ the foundations We are borne to die and the most strongest cannot auoid the same Eleazar telleth the Iewes of the Romans tyrannie It is a happines among the Iewes to die free The yeare of the world 4â—…38 after Christs birth 76. The Iewes gathering all their goods togither cast theÌ„ into the fire Ten chosen by lot to kill the rest of the Iewes The Romans expect the fight The Romans admire at the Iewes fortitude and obstinate contempt of death The murtherers authors of new calamitie The Iewes assemble and consult about the murtherers The yeere of the world 4038. after Christs birth 76. Diuers sorts of torments and tortures inflicted on them who reâ—…use Caesars soueraintie Onias by Ptoâ—…es consent buildeth a citie and temple in Egypt Onias temple built in Egypt Lupus shutteth the Iewes out of the temple The yeare of the world 4038. after Christs birth 76 A part of Ionathans companions were taken and slaine the rest kept captiue aliue and brought to Catullus Three thousand Iewes slaine by Catullus Ioseph by Catullus perswasion is accused by Ionathas Ionathas being first beaten is burnt aliue The conclusion of the seuen bookes of the warres of the Iewes The historie of the antiquitie containeth the euents of fiue thousand yeers The causes that moued him to write this book All things among the Greekes are moderne but such things as were done among the Egyp tians Chaldies and Phaenicians are of happie memorie and venerable antiquitie Innumerable corruptions inuaded Greece The Phoenicians and Cadmus the first inuentors of letters Among the Greekes there is not any writing more ancient then Homers poem Thucidides writ a most exact historie of his time The causes of discord among the Iewes Another cause of their discord recorded by the Graecian Historiographers The signe of a true historie A custome which the priests obserued The priests amongst the Iewes are euerie one registred with the name of their fathers and this custome hath continued 2000 yeers Two and twentie bookes of holy writ The Iewes and Greeks are compared together Some others haue written of the wars of the Iewes Ioseph was present in all the wars of the Iewes Ioseph did write the historie of the Iewes wars being at Rome Ioseph sold his bookes to many Some do derogate from Iosephs historie Two things which Ioseph entendeth The Iewes careto bring vp their â—…heildreÌ„ The ancient Iewes had no need to trafficke with the Graecians The Romans were lately knowne to the Greekes Certaine Historiographers report Spaine to be onely one citie Arguments to proue the Iewes of more antiquitie then the Greeks Manethon an Egyptian writer Saltis subdued the Egyptians Kings shepheards Sethosis king of Egypt made his brother Ar mais Gouernour of his Countrie Where upon Egypt tooke his name Manethon sheweth the Iewes comming into Egypt and their departure Salomon built a â—…emple in 〈◊〉 143. yeeres and eight months before the Tyrians builded Carthage The friendship of the Tyrian king and oâ—… king Salomon Problemes of Hiramus and Salomon The testimony of Menander the Ephesian The Genealogie of king Hiramus Carthage built in Affricke by Dido Pigmalions sister Berosus the Historiographer a Chaldean Nabulassarus father to Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon and Chaldea Nabuchodonosor conquered the rebels Nabuchodonosor succeedeth in his fathers kingdome Nabuchodonosor builded a pallace Semiramis did not build Babylon The king of Babylon excelled Hercules in strength and noble valorous deeds The wals of Babylon built of bricke and bytumen Cyrus expelled Nabodâ—…us from Babylon The testimony of the Phoenicians touching the Iewes Antiquitie Nabuchodonozor besieged Tyre The Chaldaeis and Tyrians agree with the Iewes historie Hermippus writings and testimony of Pythagoras Theophrastus Corban the gift of God Herodotus the Halicarnassian touching the Iewes circumcision Chaerilus an ancient Poet his testimonie of the Iewes Asphaltites the lake The testimony of Clearchus disciple of Aristotle touching the Iewes Hecataeus Abderita brought vp with king Alexander A thousand fiue hundreth priests receiue the Iewes tenths The Iewes constancy against Alexander The largnes of Iurie Fiftie stounds are almost sixe Germaine miles The Priests do dwell in the Temple and drink no wine Agatarchides his testimonie of the Iewes The Iewes Sabaoth Why certaine writers omit to speake of the Iewes The last part against certain detractions â—…aunders The cause of malice betweene the Egyptians and Iewes The Egyptians Idolatrie Manethon an Egyption Historiographer Manethons fabulous reports of the Egyptian Lepers Osarsiphus captâ—…ine of Auaâ—…is The warre of the banished against the Aegyptians The Aegyptian king fled into Aethiopia and was by the Aethiopian king courteously entertained Osarsiphus was afterwards called Moses Manethons lies are confuted Manethons words repeated A conâ—…utation of Manethons words alleadged The Epiloge that the Iewet came not of the Egyptians An answere vnto Manethous slanders touching