appeare how our nation reward entertaine such men as are vertuous and to the intent that the honour we impart vnto him may prouoke others to be the better affected towards vs. It is likewise decreed that amongst all the Athenians there be certaine Embassadours chosen who shall beare this Decree vnto him and exhort him to doe whatsoeuer is profitable for our common good seeing himselfe so much honoured by vs. Let this suffice to expresse the honors bestowed on Hircanus by the people of Rome and the Citizens of Athens After that Caesar had giuen order for the affaires of Syria he returned backe by sea And as soone as Antipater had brought Caesar out of Syria he returned into Iudaea and sodainly builded vp the walles which were before time defaced by Pompey and in riding circuit about the countrey he pacified the troubles not onely by menaces but by counsailes also which he gaue euery one to liue in peace certifying them that if they submitted themselues to Hircanus their prince they should liue happily and enioy their possessions without any trouble and that if they hoped to aduance themselues by any new commotion supposing by that meanes to profit themselues some way they should feele that in steed of a gouernor they had a master and in steed of a king they should find Hircanus a tyrant and in steed of the Romans and Caesar to be their gouernors they should feele and find them to be their most hatefull enemies for that they would not suffer that any thing should be altered that they had established By these and such like admonitions he kept and continued all the countrey in peace CHAP. XVII Antipater committeth the gouernment of Galilee to his sonne Herode and that of Ierusalem to Phasaelus his other sonne and how Sextus Caesar aduanceth Herode to great honors and dignities ANtipater perceiuing that Hircanus was slow and idle he declared and appointed Phasaelus his eldest sonne gouernour ouer Ierusalem and the countrey thereabout As for Herode who was verie young for he was not at that time aboue fifteene yeeres olde he committed Galilee vnto his charge who although he were young in yeeres yet did not his tender age any waies preiudice him because he was of a noble spirit and found out this sodaine occasion to expresse that vertue that was in him For hauing apprehended Exechias who was the prince of those theeues who ranged ouer all Syria a long time with a great troupe of outlawes he put him to death with diuers of his complices Which act of his got him no little estimation and credit among the Syrians for by that meanes he rid their countrey of all those robbers according as they desired He was therefore praised thorow the villages and Cities for this act as he that had giuen them peace and assured possession of their estates For this cause he was made knowne to Sextus Caesar who was vncle to Caesar the great Furthermore his brother Ph◅saelus was incited to follow his noble actions and inforced himselfe to obtaine no lesse reputation then he had for which cause he stroue to get the good will of the common people in Ierusalem gouerned the citie with such discretion that he acted all things to each mans content and abused not his power to any priuat mans iniurie which was the cause that Antipater was honoured by the whole nation with no lesse respect then if he had been their only Lord and soueraigne Yet did not this eminencie of estate so farre distract him that he forgot the loue and duetie he ought to Hircanus as in such like occasions it oftentimes falleth out notwithstanding diuers of the greatest amongst the Iewes seeing Antipater and his sonnes so highly aduanced both by the publike fauour of the whole nation as also by the reuenues that they drew both out of Iewry as also by the emploiment of Hircanus money were grieuously incensed against them For Antipater had made friendship with the Emperours of Rome and hauing perswaded Hircanus to send them money he had appropriated the same vnto himselfe sending it not in Hircanus name but in his owne which though Hircanus knew yet was he not mooued therewith but rather well contented But that which most of all terrified the princes of the Iewes was to behold the violent and audacious nature of Herode who gouerned after a royall and tyrannical manner For this cause they addressed themselues to Hircanus and accused Antipater openly How long said they will you dissemble and winke at those things that are daily practized see you not that Antipater and his sons possesse in effect the royall power and authoritie of the kingdome and that you haue onely the name Assure your selfe that you are not out of danger in contemning thus both your selfe and your kingdome For Antipater and his sonnes are not now your substitutes neither intend they your profit or your countries good whatsoeuer your opinion is of them but they openly are known for lords and Commanders For Herode Antipaters son hath already put Ezechias and his complices to death and thereby transgressed our lawes which forbid to take away any mans life how wicked soeuer he be except he be first of all condemned to death by the councell and notwithstanding this he hath been so bold as to doe iustice without your authoritie When Hircanus heard this he grew wroth for their mothers whom Herode had slain had incensed him by their continuall exclamations in the temple exhorting the king and people to call Herode to account before the councell of that which he had done So that Hircanus mooued by these womē called Herode to answere vnto those accusations which were obiected against him Who made his appearance forewarned by his father not to present himselfe after the maner of a priuate person but wel attended and accompanied to withstand all inconuenients After therefore he had taken order for the affaires in Galilee according as he thought meet in his owne discretion and that he himselfe was sufficiently accompanied to make his voiage with such a guard as neither might terrifie Hircanus with number nor leaue himselfe vnsecured in danger he resorted to Ierusalem Furthermore Sextus Caesar gouernour of Syria wrote vnto Hircanus to absolue him adding threats to his perswasions if so be he should performe the contrarie which gaue Hircanus occasion to deliuer Herode in despite of the councell and their intent the rather also for that he loued him as intirely as his sonne When as therefore Herode presented himselfe before the councell with his retinue all of them were astonished and none of those that accused him in his absence durst open their mouthes to speake one word but all of them kept silence not knowing what to doe Now whilest they stood vpon these tearmes a certaine man called Sameas who was of vpright conuersation and for this cause was not distracted with feare arose and spake to this effect Dread
affectionate friend for such as enterprise any wicked action do often and subtilly dissemble and make shew of honestie to the end to expell out of the innocents mind all iealousie or euill suspition where singling him from his other company and making a shew to informe him of certaine secrets and hauing drawne him into a by-way besides the wall accompanied only with his brother Abisai he drew his rapier and thrust it into his short ribbes Of which wound Abner died surprised by the treason of Ioab who pretended and coloured that act of his with the reuenge and death of his brother Azael whom Abner had slaine vpon the chase in the first warre at Hebron but in truth it was but the suspition of his greatnesse and honour fearing least he should be depriued and Abner inseated by obtaining the next degree of honour vnto Dauid Hereby may a man conceiue how many and how mightie things men attempt and hazard for their auarice and ambition sake and to the end they may not be inferiour vnto any others in those matters For when as they desire to attaine riches and honours they atchieue it by ten thousand mischiefes and at such time as they feare to be dispossest they striue to continue their estates by meanes more pernicious because they thinke it to be the lesse sinne and that the calamitie is lesse actiue rather not to haue obtained to any greatnesse and power then after the possession thereof to fall into disgrace Thence it commeth that all of them intend and practise many hazards and difficult encountries thorow the feare they haue to lose their degree But it sufficeth to haue briefly touched this point Dauid hauing notice of the murther of Abner conceiued a great griefe in his heart and called all his assistants to witnesse lifting vp his hands vnto God and protesting that he was no partaker of the murther and that Abner had beene slaine without his commandement or will He likewise vttered most grieuous curses against the murtherer his house and accomplices by which he wished them to be subiect to the fatal penalty of murther for he greatly suspected least he should be held in suspition to be a party in that which had hapned vnto Abner contrarie to his faith oth and promise which he had past vnto him Moreouer he commanded that all the people should weep and lament for him and that the funerals of his bodie should be honored according to the accustomed fashion in renting of garments and putting on sackcloth and that the same should be done the coffin being carried before which both he and the chiefest gouernours of the Israelites followed beating on their breasts and shedding teares and testifying the loue which they bare vnto him during his life and their displeasure to see him dead who had bin murthered contrary to their wil and intention He was entombed in Hebron with great magnificence and Epitaphs composed in his praise by Dauid himselfe who setting himselfe on the tombe first of all lamented and gaue others cause of lamentation And so much was hee confused at the death of this Abner that he swore to forbeare all kind of meat vntill the sunne-set notwithstanding all the instances of his friends who vrged him to take refection which act of his purchased him much good will and loue amongst the people For they that loued Abner were verie glad to be witnesses of that honour which he did him in his death and that faith which he maintained in honouring him euerie way according to the custome as if he had been his kinsman or friend and not embasing him with a vilde and contemptible tombe as if he had beene his enemie And in generall all of them were so glad of the curtesie sweetnesse and royall nature of king Dauid that they esteemed in the like case that he would haue the like estimate of them as they saw him haue of deceased Abner And by this means Dauid happely maintained his credit and increased the peoples good opinion of him escaping thereby the suspition and conceit that he might in some sort haue bin accessarie to his death He protested also vnto the people that he conceiued no small griefe at the losse of so good a man declaring thereby that it was no small staine vnto the state of the Hebrewes to be depriued of him who had the meanes to maintaine their peace by his good aduise and to ratifie the same by his executions and warlike valour But God said he who hath care of all things shall not suffer him to die vnreuenged And he it is that shall beare me witnesse that it lieth not in my power to punish Ioab and Abisai who haue greater credit in the armie then my selfe yet shall they not escape Gods iustice for this fault Thus ended the life of Abner CHAP. II. Isboseth is slaine thorow the treason of his friends and followers the whole kingdome descendeth to Dauid WHen Isboseth Sauls sonne had notice of Abners death he was sore displeased not onely for that he perceiuing himselfe to be depriued of his neere kinsman but also of so great a personage as had setled the crowne on his head Neither did he himselfe long time remaine aliue after him but by the sonnes of Ieremon Banaoth and Thannus he was traiterously done to death These two being Beniamites and of the chiefest nobilitie amongst them made their reckoning that they would make away Isboseth and thereby obtaine great recompence at Dauids hands supposing that such an act of theirs would get them the chiefest place and dignitie in the army or some other credit For which cause finding Isboseth alone in his house about mid-day laide on his bed and asleepe and vnassisted by any of his guard and perciuing likewise that the porter was fast who thorow his trauaile and other businesse by reason of the extreme heate was laid downe to rest they entred into his lodging whereas Isboseth was a sleepe and slew him and hauing cut off his head they trauelled all the night and day long as if they fled from those whom they had offended and sought their rescues from them who would succour and assure them from perill and when they came to Hebron they presented Dauid with Isboseths head offering themselues as his most dutifull liegemen to doe him seruice who had deliuered him of an enemy and made away an aduersarie against his royaltie But Dauid allowed not their act in such sort as they hoped but spake thus vnto them O cursed men said he on whom I intend presently to execute iustice haue you not heard how I punished him that murthered Saul and brought his royall crowne vnto me Yea although he slew him vpon his owne instant request and to the intent the enemy should not surprise him aliue Were you of that opinion that I was changed and that I am not the same that I was but that I take delight to be partakers with you in your mischiefes
thereof that the worthy nature of this king might be known vnto all men and how beloued he was of God and how surpassing in all kindes of vertue When Hiram king of Tyre vnderstood that Salomon succeeded his father in the kingdome he was glad thereof for he was Dauids friend for which cause he sent messengers vnto him to salute him and to congratulate with him of that good which had hapned vnto him by whom Salomon returned an answere in these tearmes Salomon to Hiram the king Know thou that my father hauing a wil to build a temple vnto God hath been withdrawen from the performance thereof by the continuall warres and troubles he hath had for he neuer tooke rest before he either had defeated his enemies or made thē tributaries vnto him For mine own part I thanke God for the peace which I possesse and for that by the means therof I haue opportunity according to mine own desire to build a temple vnto God for he it is that foretold my father that this house should be builded during my raign For which cause I pray you send some one of your skilfullest men with my seruants to the wood Libanus to hew downe trees in that place for the Sidonians are more skilfull in hewing and preparing timber then our people are and I will pay the cleauers of wood according to your direction When Hiram had read this letter he was very glad to p◅e the contents of the same and wrote backe againe vnto him to this effect The king Hiram vnto king Salomon Thou hast cause to thanke God in that he hath deliuered thy fathers kingdome into thy hands to thee I say who art a man wise and full of vertue For which cause since no newes can come vnto me more gratious nor office of loue more esteemed then this I will accomplish all that thou requestest for after I haue caused a great quantitie of Cedar and Cyprus wood to be cut downe I will send it thee by sea by my seruants whom I will commaund and furnish with conuenient vessels of burthen to the end they may deliuer the same in what place of thy kingdome it shall best please thee that afterwards thy subiects may transport them to Ierusalem You shall prouide to furnish vs with corne whereof we stand in need because we inhabit an Island The copies are yet at this day kept not onely by those of that nation but also by the Tyrians so that if any man desire exactly to know that they be let him search the publique records of the Tyrians and he shall finde in them matters accordant to that we haue said All which I say to that end that the readers might be assured that I outstrip not the truth in any sort and that I insert not in this historie matters that are meerly apparant deceitful and only fashioned for delight neither feare I that any man shall examine my writings neither desire I likewise that euery man giue credit at the first sight to the same or that I be held blamelesse in suffering my selfe any waies to vary or vnproperly dilate ought in this historie but contrariwise if I cannot approoue the truth by demonstration and sufficient testimonies I desire not to be allowed As soone as Salomon had receiued these letters from the King of the Tyrians he praised his facilitie and beneuolence and presently sent him that which he demanded euerie yeare therefore he sent him two thousand Cores of wheat and the like number of Ba ds of oyle this Bad containeth seuentie and two sextaries He gaue him also the like measure of wine From that time forward the friendship betwixt Hiram and Salomon increased more and more so that both of them protested that it should continue for euer The king imposed on his people the tribute of thirtie thousand workemen whom he gaue in charge to trauell continually and distributed them verie discreetly Hee ordained that ten thousand of them should cut wood in Libanus for the space of one moneth and that then they should rest two moneths returning euery man vnto his owne dwelling place vntill such time as the twentie thousand had in their turne accomplished the taske in the time that was prefixed vnto them and then the first 10000. renewed their work followed the same in the fourth month Ador◅ was constituted superintendēt ouer this tribute Besides these there were 70000. men appointed to cary stones wood who were the inhabitants of that countrey which Dauid had left There were foure score thousand hewers of stone ouer whichwere 3200. commissaries these had the king commaunded to cut the greatest stones to make the foundations of the temple which after they had hewed and prepared in the mountaine he commaunded should be drawne and brought into the Citie and not onely commaunded he his countrimen to performe this but those workemen also that were sent him by Hiram Salomon began this building in the fourth yeare of his raigne in the second month which the Macedons call Artemisium and the Hebrewes Iar fiue hundreth nintie and two yeares after the departure of the Israelites out of Aegypt one thousand and twentie yeares since the arriuall of Abraham in Mesopotamia one thousand foure hundreth and fortie yeares after the Deluge And since Adam the first man vntill Salomon who builded the Temple all the yeares that are passed haue beene three thousand one hundreth and two But the beginning of the building of the Temple hapned in the eleuenth yeare of the raigne of Hiram who gouerned in Tyre and since the first time that Tyre began to be inhabited vntil the said building of the temple there passed two hundreth and fortie yeares The king therefore laid the foundations of the Temple and made a most deepe trench and fortified it with most strong stones which might be able to resist al the iniuries of time These stones were so closely ioined the one vnto the other that for the strength of the foundations they might serue to make the base and ground both to fortifie the worke as also to sustaine that which should be builded thereupon either for embellishment or waight of the charge neither could the foundations be of lesse strength and hugenes which were to sustaine a sumptuous pile of that height greatnes magnificence and ornament The walles were made of white stone and continued of the same matter euen vntill the roofe The height of the Temple was sixtie cubits and the length as much and the bredth twentie Ouer that was another edifice hauing the like dimensions so that the whole height of the Temple was sixescore cubits and the entry therof was to the East-ward The porch that gaue entry thereinto had twentie cubits in length which was the bredth of the Temple and in bredth ten cubits and the height thereof was of sixescore cubits About the Temple were builded thirtie celles which inuironed the circuit of the same on
shall do well to disanull them by reason of the vertue of the Iewes and the forwardnes they haue protested in performance of our seruice After Caius Caesars death the Consuls Marcus Antonius and Publius Dolobella assembled the Senate and hauing brought in Hircanus Embassadours they declared their requests and contracted amitie with them the Senate likewise ordained that each thing should be granted them that they required And Dolobella hauing receiued Hircanus letters sent them thorowout all Asia and to Ephesus which is the Metropolitane citie of Asia in these termes The generall Dolobella to the Princes Senate and people of Ephesus Health Alexander the sonne of Theodore Embassadour to Hircanus the high priest and prince of the Iewes hath giuen vs to vnderstand that his subiects cannot go on warfare because it is not lawful for them to beare armes nor to trauell on the Sabboth day as also for that they may not seeke for their victuals and other necessaries on that day according to the custome of their countrey for this cause I grant them exemption from the warre in like manner as my predecessors haue done permitting them to vse the ceremonies and rites of their country assembling themselues to make their oblations and sacrifices as their lawes and customes require in contributing to the offering of the sacrifices in the temple And my will is that you write to this effect to euery citie of the prouince See heere how Dolobella honoured Hircanus at such time as he sent his Embassadours vnto him Lucius Lentulus Consul pronounceth that the Iewes that are citizens of Rome and that obserue and offer the sacrifices of the Iewes in Ephesus before the tribunall be exempt from warfare by reason of their religion Giuen the ninteenth of October There are besides these many other Edicts and ordinances made to the like effect by the same generals and by the Romane Senate in fauour of Hircanus and our nation and some other cities In like sort there were diuers decrees and writs sent vnto the gouernours and rulers of the prouinces touching our priuiledges all which may be easily beleeued by those that shall read our Historie with no preiudicate opinion if they consider those that we haue heere inserted For we haue shewed most expresse and liuely testimonies of the friendship that we haue had with the Romanes and such as at this day are affixed to pillers and engrauen in tables of brasse in the Capitol and that hereafter shall remaine affixed for euer For which cause I haue thought it to be a friuolous and vnnecessarie matter to insert all in this place and I thinke that there is not any man of so sinister iudgement that will not beleeue how much we haue been esteemed by the Romans as they haue giuen testimonies by diuers decrees published in our behalfe neither may any man suppose that we lie considering the truth of that which we publish Thus haue we sufficiently declared the amitie and association that in times past we haue had with the Romans About this time it came to passe that the estate of Syria was sore troubled vpon the occasion that ensueth Caecilius Bassus one of Pompeies partakers laid an ambush for Sextus Caesar and slew him and seazing vpon his army vsurped the gouernment wherby there arose great warre nigh Apamea For Caesars captaines marched out against Caecilius with great force both of foote and horsemen to whom Antipater sent his sonnes with a power to second them in remembrance of the benefits he had receiued at Caesars hands supposing it to be an act of iustice that the murtherer should be punished for his so hainous offence Now whereas this war continued a long time Marcus came and succeeded Sextus Meane while Caesar was slaine by Cassius and Brutus in the midst of the Senate after he had commanded three yeeres and six moneths as it is expressed in an other place CHAP. XVIII Cassius afflicteth the Iewes and exacteth about eight hundreth talents at their hands AFter Caesars death the brand of ciuill war began to flame and the greatest men of Rome trauailed the one this way the other that way to gather men of warre But Cassius came into Syria with an intent to take the army that was neere to Apamea and hauing leuied the siege he drew both Bassus and Marcus to be of his faction and trauailing from Citie to Citie he gathered a number of souldiers and much furniture and imposed huge tributes but especially he afflicted Iewry and exacted of that countrey more then seuen hundreth talents of siluer Antipater seeing the state in so great feare and trouble committed the exaction of the two parts of this money to his sonnes the other he commanded to be assigned to Malichus who was his enemy and the other part vnto an other Herode first of all gathered that which was commanded him in the countrey of Galilee and for this cause was greatly beloued by Cassius for he being prudent and discreet thought it no small policie at that time to win the Romans good will by other mens expence Vnder the other gouernours the Cities were set to sale togither with their inhabitants and amongst them these foure were the chiefest namely Gophna Emaus Lydda and Thamna for Cassius sold the people thereof to them that would giue most Furthermore Cassius was so much transported with Choler that he had slaine Malichus so much was he moued against him if Hircanus had not restrained his furie by sending him one hundreth talents of his owne money by Antipater But as soone as Cassius was departed out of the countrey of Iudaea he practised Antipaters death supposing that his cutting off would assure Hircanus state the more strongly But Antipater was not ignorant of this his resolution for hauing an inckling thereof he got himselfe on the other side of Iordan and assembled an army of souldiers both Iewes and Arabians Hereupon Malichus who was a politike and subtill fellow denied stoutly that he had intended any treason purging himselfe with an oath before Antipater and his children that he had neuer any such intent especially for that he saw that Phasaelus hâ—…ld Ierusalem and Herode had an army at commaund And in the end perceiuing the difficultie wherein he was he reconciled himselfe to Antipater and they agreed at that time that Marcus gouerned Syria who perceiuing that Malichus began to raise troubles in Iewry resorted thither and theâ—… wanted little but that hee had slaine him had not Antipater by earnest request obtained his life CHAP. XIX Malichus poysoneth Antipater BVt imprudent Antipater saued Malichus to his owne mischiefe For when Cassius and Marcus had assembled their army they committed all the charge into Herodes hands and made him gouernour of Coelesyria and deliuered him great forces both of foot and horse and ships by sea They promised him likewise the kingdome of Iudaea after they had finished the war that was at that time betwixt them
estate vnto him giuing him secret instructions to kil Mariamme if so be that Anthony should happen to doe him any mischiefe For he loued her so extremely by reason of her beautie that he supposed himselfe iniured if after his decease she should be beloued by any other and he openly declared that all that miserie which befell him proceeded from Anthonies passion and intire affection and admiration of her beauty whereof he had before time heard some report As soone therefore as he had in this sort disposed his affaires notwithstanding he had little hope of good hap yet repaired he to Anthony But Ioseph gouerning that kingdome that was committed to his hands conuersed diuers times vpon this occasion with Mariamme and communicated oftentimes with her not onely for publique profit sake but also to doe her that honour which so great a princesse deserued At such time therefore as he secretly deuised with her as touching the friendship and ardent affection which Herode bare vnto heâ—… his speeches were iested at after the manner of Ladies but especially flouted at by Alexandra For which cause Ioseph being ouer-forward to expresse the kings good will towards her proceeded so farre that he discouered the commandement that was giuen him thereby to make manifest that it was not possible for Herode to liue without her and that if any inconuenient should happen vnto him he would not in death also be disioined from her This discourse of Iosephs was not interpreted by the Ladies as a demonstration of his good will but rather as a manifestation of Herodes malignitie who dying desired also that they should perish and interpreted that which he had spoken as the testimonie of his tyrannous and malicious hart At that time there was a rumour spread in the Citie of Ierusalem by Herodes maligners that Anthony had in such sort tormented him that he was dead Whereupon all those of the kings house were troubled and in especiall the Ladies so that Alexandra incited Ioseph to forsake the pallace and take the Ladies and to retire himselfe vnder the ensignes of the Roman legion who at that time were about the citie for the security of the kingdome vnder the conduct of the Tribune Iulius to the end first of all that if any trouble should happen in the kings house they might be by this meanes in safetie hauing the Romans to friend and afterwards for that they hoped that if Anthony should see Mariamme she might obtaine all things at his hands whatsoeuer she desired assuring him that he would restore the kingdome vnto her and depriue her of nothing that concerned or was answerable to her royall estate But whilest they were distracted with these deliberations there came letters from Herode contrarie to some few mens report and all mens expectation For as soone as he came vnto Anthony he compassed his fauour by his many presents which he had brought with him to that intent from Ierusalem and sodainly debating the matter with him he appeased him in such sort as he was no more displeased against him and from that time forward Cleopatras speeches were but coldly conceited of in regard of his so ample satisfaction For Anthony said that there was no reason that a king should be answerable for that which he had done in his kingdome for that in so doing he should no more be king but that when the honour is once giuen him he hath the authoritie likewise left him to vse his regall power Vrging further that it concerned Cleopatra likewise her selfe not to search too curiously into the affaires and gouernment of kingdomes Herode certified all this by his letters and signified further what other honours he had receiued at Anthonies hands in assemblies and feasts to which he inuited him alwaies notwithstanding that Cleopatra seemed to be displeased therewith detracting him and being desirous to get the kingdome of Iewry into her hands stroue by all meanes possible to put him to death but that he had found Anthony alwaies an vpright man and feared not henceforward that any euill should be fall him and returning presently vpon this he brought with him a more ample testimonie of Anthonies most assured affection both in respect of his owne kingdome as of his particular affaires And as touching Cleopatra she pretended not to seeke any further then that which she had because that Anthony had giuen her Coelesyria in steed of that which she had demaunded for bearing thence forwarde to mention Iewry any more because Anthony wholy reiected those suites After these letters came vnto their hands the trouble and disturbance wherein they were and their desire to retire vnto the Romans as if Herode had been dead was wholy extinguished Yet was not this their resolution hidden from the king but that Herode after he had brought Anthony on his way who at that time set forward in his warres against the Parthians he returned into Iewry Vpon his arriuall his sister Salome and his mother certified him exactly of Alexandras intent and the determination of her friends Salome likewise spake against Ioseph her husband and slandered him obiecting against him that he had had Mariammes company Al which she spake thorow the malice she had long time conceiued against him for that in a certaine debate Mariamme had in her rage despitefully hit them in the teeth with their obscure birth Herode who was alwaies inflamed with the earnest affection which he bare vnto his wife Mariamme was sodainly troubled hereat and although iealousie pressed him forward yet loue restrained him and kept him from doing any thing rashly thorow passion or affection for which cause he called Mariamme aside and demanded of her in secret what familiar companie she had kept with Ioseph She by solemne othes and by all possible allegations in her owne defence appeased the king by little and little and pacified his choler For in such sort was he transported with the loue that he bare vnto his wife that hee beleeued she had sufficiently purged her selfe of those slanders that had been inforced against her yeelding her most hartie thankes for her honest affection towards him and declaring vnto her openly the great esteeme and loue that he bare vnto her Finally as it often falleth out amongst louers they fell to teares and embraced each other with great affection and for that she gaue him no credit he indeuoured the more to draw her to beliefe Whereupon Mariamme said vnto him It is not the act of a louer to haue giuen commandement that if any thing should befal thee otherwaies then well with Anthony I should presently be done to death with thee notwithstanding I haue no waies offended thee No sooner were these words out of her mouth but the king entred into a strange passion and giuing ouer his embraces he cried out with a loud voice and tore his haire saying that he had a most euident proofe that Ioseph had committed adultery with her
him to disobey him therein and whilest he was in danger of death for this his delay the sodaine and successefull death of Caius warranted him from the same Yea so farre stretched his vnbridled fury that hauing a daughter newly borne he caused her to be caried into the Capitol and laid at the feete of the Image of Iupiter saying that that child was common betwixt him and Iupiter leauing the iudgement to all men which of the two parents were the greatest And notwithstanding all these his misdemeanours yet did men tolerate him He gaue liberty to slaues also to accuse their masters of whatsoeuer crimes they would which was so much the more hateful because all things were done by Caesars authoritie to his good liking so that Pollux who was Claudius bondman durst accuse him and Caius the Emperour was contented among the Iudges to heare his vncle brought in question for his life hoping although it fell out otherwise to picke out an occasion to put him to death For hauing filled all the countries of his Empire with false accusations and all sorts of mischiefes and giuing slaues a prerogatiue aboue their masters their Lords deuised many conspiracies against him some for spight and with an intent to reuenge them of those iniuries they had receiued other some pretending by his death to preuent those inconueniences that threatned them In a vvord his death concerned the securitie of the lawes and the safetie of all men and had he not beene speedily cut off on t nation almost had beene vtterly exterminated For which cause I thought good to make an exact and ample declaration of euerie occurrent namely for that the knowledge there of maketh very much towards the manifestation of Gods power and will which bring consolation vnto those who are in aduersitie and keepe them within the bounds of modestie who suppose that their prosperitie should continue alwaies firme and that although they neglect vertue thinke that no euill may befall them Three plots of conspiracie were intended against him and purposed to his vtter mine each of which was attempted by men of great reckoning For Aemilius Regulus who was borne in Corduba in Spaine was fully resolued to kil him himselfe or to make him away by the meanes of his confederates Chaereas Cassius colonel ouer a thousand men was the chieftain of an other band and Annius Minucianus was in no lesse readines to doe his vttermost herein The cause that moued thē to accord thus altogither in hatred against Caius was that in resp◅ct of Regulus he was by nature a detester of all iniquitie for he was a man endowed with great magnanimitie and beautified with a liberall spirit so as he dissembled not any of his counsails but communicated them with many who either were his friends or valiant men fit for execution And as touching Minucianus he was induced to seeke his reuenge thorow the desire he had to doe iustice on him in Lepidus behalfe who had beene one of his especial friends one of the rarest men that were euer found among the Roman citizens whom Caius had put to death thorow the feare he had conceiued of him knowing well that all they against whom Caius was incensed could not escape with lesser indignitie then losse of life As for the third man Chaereas he could not endure the shame reproch of cowardise that Caius had obiected against him but feared besides that his friendship inward familiarity with Caius would draw him into manifest dangers for which cause his owne securitie and honours sake he thought good to make him away Generally all of them were resolued to ridde the world of Caius bring an end to his pride and tyrannical power for their hope was that their attempt should haue good successe which if it happily fel out their coūtrey and cōmonweale should reape the fruits therof for whose securitie safetie it became them to hazard thēselues though it were with the losse of their heads But aboue all the rest Chaereas was egged on with a desire he had to grow famous and thorow the facilitie conuenient means he had to finish the same because his colonels roome gaue him most secure accesse vnto him About that time the Circensian games were solemnized which is a kind of pastime which the Romanes very willingly behold and to this intent they resort to the place of these exercises and the common people is wont to demaund somewhat at their Emperours hands which they desire to obtaine and they after they haue examined their requestes doe neuer refuse them Now they required with instant and importunate supplications that Caius would discharge them of their taxations and moderate the excessiue tributes which they paied but he would giue no eare vnto them and caused those to be apprehended who called vpon the matter most earnestly sending of his guard some of them one way some of them another to put them to the sword After he had giuen this commaundement and they who receiued the charge had fully executed it there were a great number of men slaine The people seeing this ceased to exclaime any more setting light by their goods and seeing before their eies that their refusall would be the cause of their deaths These considerations incited Chaereas the more to execute his enterprise to the end he might finish his furious and lawlesse life whose pleasure was all mens iniury preiudice And very oftentimes was he determined to set vpon him whilest he banqueted yet deferred he to do the same not for that he failed or fainted in his resolution but because he expected some fit oportunitie to hit him home and speede him to the death He liued captaine of Caius guard a long time yet tooke hee small pleasure in conuersing with him But after that Caius had appointed him to gather in his tributes and that money which was confiscate he seemed to haue lesse occasion then before for at that time he had doubled their paiments in the execution whereof he followed his owne nature rather then Caesars commaund and spared those of whom he ought to haue compassion for their pouertie sake Caius was sore displeased herewith and obiected it against him that the cause why he delayed the bringing in of his money was his cowardise and negligence And amongst other outrages that he offered him as oft as he gaue him the watchword as he vsually went to setch it once a day vpon his watch day he gaue him the names of women and other that were full of ignominie notwithstanding that he himselfe was not exempt from note of no lesse daintines For in certaine ceremonies which he himselfe had established he attired himselfe like a woman and was disguised with certaine vailes whereby he might the better counterfait that sexe and yet notwithstanding durst he obiect this dishonour to Chaereas As oftentimes as Chaereas receiued the watchword so often times grew he in choler which
Iudaea But it so came to passe that the power and expectation which all men had of Herod was the cause of Antipater his fathers death For Malichus being hereby put in feare hired one of the kings officers for a certaine sum of money to poison Antipater by which means he died being thus vniustly rewarded for his good will toward wretched Malichus He was a worthy man and fit to gouerne who had recouered the kingdome being lost for Hyrcanus Malichus who perceiued that the people were incēsed against him because they suspected that he had poisoned Antipater pacified and moderated their displeasure by denying the fact yet to the intent he might be stronger he gathered about him a guard of armed men for he thought that Herod would not let the matter slip so but that he would presently come with an army to reuenge his fathers death But by the counsell of his brother Phasaelus who sent him word that he should not openly be reuenged vpon Malichus least a sedition might arise amongst the people he patiently permitted it so to be and suffered Malichus to purge himselfe and permitted him to be freed from suspition and celebrated a most solemne funerall for his father which done he went vnto Samaria and appeased the sedition wherewithall the Citie was disquieted After this he returned to Ierusalem intending in that place to celebrate the festiuitie sending certaine of his armed men before him and appointing the rest to accompanie him But Malichus who feared this approch of his had sollicited Hyrcanus to giue order that no strangers should intermingle themselues among the people who were at that time purified But Herod contemning both him that commanded and his commission entred the Citie by night whereupon Malichus once more came vnto him and wept for Antipater Herod although he could verie hardly bridle his displeasure yet dissembled he the same and sent letters vnto Cassius wherein he complained of his fathers death the memorie of whose hate being refreshed by this offence he writ againe vnto Herod willing him to reuenge his fathers death which that he might the better effect he secretly commanded the captaines of his regiment that they should assist Herode Now for that after the surprisall of Laodicea all the best of the Citie came to Herod bringing gifts and crownes he appointed this for a fit time of his intended reuenge Now Malichus suspecting that Herod would worke reuenge at Tyre purposed secretly to get away his sonne who was there a pledge and he himselfe purposed to flie into Iudaea But despaire of his owne safetie vrged him to greater matters for he hoped to incite the Iewes to take armes against the Romans for that Cassius was now busie in the wars against Antonius so that he thought he might easily depose Hyrcanus and so make himselfe king But he was preuented by the destinies for Herode suspecting his purpose inuited him and Hyrcanus to supper at which time he made a shew as though he had sent one of his seruants to cause a banquet to be prepared but indeed he sent him to the captaines to foretell them that they mightlie in waite for Malichus who remembring what charge Cassius gaue them came foorth of the Citie vnto the shore next adioyning vnto the towne all armed with swords where compassing Malichus round about they killed him with many wounds Hyrcanus hereat astonished fell in a swoun being scarcely come to himselfe he demaunded who killed Malichus One of the captaines answered that Cassius gaue that commandement whereupon he answered truly Cassius hath preserued me and my countrey in killing him who was a traitor to vs both but whether herein he spake as he thought or that for feare he approued the fact it is vncertaine And thus was Herod reuenged vpon Malichus CHAP. X. How Herod was accused and reuenged AFter Cassius was departed from Syria there arose another sedition amongst them in Ierusalem for Felix came with an armie against Phasaelus thinking so to be reuenged vpon Herod for killing Malichus It chanced that Herod at that time was at Damascus with Fabius a Romane Captaine who comming to assist Phasaelus by the way fell sick so that he could not succour him but it so fel out that Phasaelus without any helpe did of himselfe ouercome Felix and therewithall reproued Hircanus as vngratefull who had both fauoured Felix and suffered Malichus his brother to take and keepe his castles for alreadie had he seazed many of them and especially one of greatest strength called Massada yet all these did not protect him from the violence of Herod who was no sooner recouered of his sicknesse but presently tooke all the rest Massada and at Hircanus humble suit permitted him to depart from thence He also chased Marion the tyrant of the Tyrians out of Galilee who occupied three castles in that country as for all the Tyrians that he tooke he spared their liues sent some away with rewards whereby he got the good will of the citie and the hatred of the Tyrant This Marion was made Tyrant of Tyria by Cassius who through the means of such like instruments had gotten into his hand all Syria Marion for the hatred he bare to Herod tooke with him Antigonus Aristobulus his son by Fabius his means whom Antigonus had gained vnto himselfe for money he also got Ptolomaeus to assist him in this expedition Now Ptolomaeus who was father in law to Antigonus furnished him with al necessaries Herod likewise preparing himselfe against them gaue thē battel in the entrance into Iudaea got the victory hauing put Antigonus to flight he returned into Ierusalē where he was honoured by all men for his desert in that victory so that euen they that before despised him by reason of his affinity newly contracted with Hyrcanus sought his friendship and familiarity This Herod long before this time had a wife which was a noble woman of that countrey named Doris had by her a son named Antipater but he thē maried Mariamme Alexanders daughter who was Aristobulus his son Hyrcanus his neece by reason whereof he came to be familiar with the king But when Cassius was slaine neere vnto Philippi Caesar departed into Italy Antonius into Asia at which time the chiefe of the Iewes came accused Phasaelus and Herod alledging that they by force got vnto themselues the rule disposition of the country and left Hyrcanus only the bare name of a king But Herod being thē present so woon wrought himselfe into Antonius fauour by a great sum of mony that he permitted not his enemies to speak one word more who thereupon returned home Afterward a hundreth men of the most honorable amongst the Iewes repaired to Daphne neere Antiochia vnto Antonius now doting on the loue of Cleopatra who being chosen from amongst the rest because of their eloquence nobility of birth propounded an accusation against the two brethren
souldiers in warlike order did follow their Captaines and leaders and 500. seruants and libertines carried perfumes And thus the corps was carried the space of two hundreth furlongs into the Castle named Herodion where as himselfe had appointed it was interred And this was the end of king Herode THE SECOND BOOKE OF THE WARRES OF THE IEWES WRITTEN BY FLAVIVS IOSEPHVS The Contents of the Chapters of the 2. booke 1 Of Herods successour Archelaus how he entred into the Temple and the mutinie that arose for the reuenge of those that were executed for taking away the golden Eagle 2 Of the fight and massacre in Ierusalem betweene the Iewes and Sabinians 3 Of Varus his deeds concerning the Iewes that were crucified 4 How the Iewes had an Ethnarcha constituted ouer them 5 Of the false supposed Alexander and how he was taken 6 Of the death of Archelaus 7 Of Simon the Galilean and the three sects of the Iewes 8 Of Pilates gouernment 9 Of the pride of Caius and of Petronius the President 10 Of the raigne of Claudius the Emperour and the raigne and death of Agrippa 11 Of diuers tumults in Iudaea and Samaria 12 Of the tamults in Iudaea vnder Foelix 13 Of Albiuns and Florus Presidents of Iudaea 14 Of Florus crueltie towards the Iewes of Caesarea and Ierusalem 15 Of another opperession of those of Ierusalem through Florus his meanes 16 Of Politianus the Tribune and Agrippa his oration to the Iewes wherein he exhorted them to obey the Romans 17 Of the beginning of the rebellion of the Iewes against the Romans 18 Of the murther of Ananias the high Priest Manahemus and the Roman souldiers 19 Of a great slaughter of the Iewes in Caesarea and throughout all Syria 20 Of another grieuous slaughter of the Iewes 21 Of the massacre of the Iewes at Alexandria 22 Of the massacre of the Iewes by Cestius 23 Of the battell of Cestius against Ierusalem 24 Of the besieging of Ierusalem by Cestius and the massacre there 25 Of the crueltie of them of Damascus towards the Iewes and of Iosephus his practises in Gablee 26 Of Iosephus his dangers and euasion and the malice of Iohn Giscaleus 27 How Iosephus recouered Tiberias and Sephoris 28 How the citizens of Ierusalem prepared themselues to warre and of Simon Gioras tyrannie CHAP. I. Of Herods successour Archelaus and how he entred into the Temple and the mutinie that arose for the reuenge of those that were executed for taking downe the golden Eagle ARchelaus being appointed successor in the kingdom of Herod late dead necessitie constrained him to go to Rome which iourney gaue occasion of new broyles For after that for seuen dayes space hee had celebrated his fathers funerals and largely feasted the people for this is a custome amongst the Iewes which bringeth manie of them to pouertie yet he that doth not so is reputed impious he went vnto the Temple attired in a white garment where he was with great ioy receiued of the people and he himselfe sitting in a tribunall seat a throne of gold did verie curteously admit the people to his presence and thanked them for their diligent care vsed in his fathers funerals and for that they exhibited honour vnto him as though he were alreadie king Yet he said that he would not take vpon him the authoritie nor name of a king till such time as his succession was approued by Caesar who by his fathers testament was Lord and maister of all and for that cause he withstood the souldiers at Iericho when they would haue crowned him But he promised that if he were confirmed king by those who were in authoritie he would largely recompence both the souldiers and the people for their good will and that he fully purposed to be better vnto them then his father was The multitude hereat greatly reioyced and made present triall of his mind and purpose for some cried out requesting that the tribute might be no more exacted Others desired that the yearly paiments might cease Others requested to giue all prisoners libertie Archelaus in fauour of the people graunted all their requests then offering sacrifices he banquetted with his friends when sodainly after the noone time of the day a great multitude desirous of alteration the common lamentation for the kings death being ceased began a priuate mourning bewailing their mischance whom Herod had put to death for pulling down the golden Eagle from off the porch of the Temple This sorrow was not secret but the whole citie did resound with laments for them that were thought to haue lost their liues for the temple and their countrie lawes They also cried that reuenge was to be taken vpon them whom Herod for that fact rewarded with money And that first of all he who by Herod was constituted high Priest was to bee reiected and another more holy and deuout to be put in his place Archelaus although he was hereby moued to reuenge yet because he was presently to take such a iourny abstained frō it fearing least that if he brought the multitude into hatred of him they might hinder him Wherfore he sought rather by admonishing them then by force to reclaime those that were seditious and sent the Gouernour of the souldiers to request them to bee pacified But the authours of that sedition so soone as he came to the temple before he spake one word threw stones at him and in like manner they vsed others sent after him to appease them for Archelaus dispatched many messengers vnto thē whom they spitefully intreated making a shew that if they had beene more in number they would not haue beene appeased Therefore when the feast of vnleauened bread drew nigh which the Iewes call Easter wherein an infinite number of sacrifices were appointed an innumerable multitude of people came out of all villages thereabout for deuotion sake to that solemnitie and they who so lamented the death of the Sophisters remained in the Temple seeking by all meanes to nourish their sedition Which Archelaus fearing sent a band of souldiers and a Tribune with them to take the chiefe of the seditious before such time as they had drawne vnto them the multitude of the people against whom the whole number being stirred vp slewe a great many of them with stones and the Tribune himselfe being sore hurt had much ado to escape And when they had so done they presently went and offered sacrifice as though that no hurt had beene done But Archelaus perswaded himselfe that the multitude would not be appeased without slaughter wherefore he sent vnto them the whole armie the footmen into the citie and the horsmen into the field who inuading the seditious people as they were sacrificing slew of them almost three thousand and scattered the residue into the mountaines neere adioyning There were also criers who followed Archelaus and proclaimed by vertue of his commaund that euerie one should depart home to his house so euerie one
touching Euphrates and Tygris they flow into the redde sea Euphrates is called Phora that is to say dispersion or flower Tygris is called Diglat which signifieth streight and swift Gehon runneth by the countrey of Aegypt and signifieth as much as comming from the East the Greekes call it Nilus Now God commanded Adam and his wife to eate of the fruites of all other plantes and that they should abstaine from that of science telling them that at what time soeuer they should taste of the same they should die the death Whereas then at that time all liuing creatures were at accord one with another the Serpent conuersing with Adam and his wife was inflamed with enuie for that he sawe they should be happy if they continued in the obseruation of Gods commandements and that contrariwise they should cast themselues headlong into ruine and destruction if they should disobey the same He therefore maliciously perswaded the woman to taste the fruit of the tree of intelligence giuing her to vnderstand that the knowledge of good and euill was in the same and that as soone as they had tasted thereof they should lead a life no lesse happy then Gods and by this meanes he caused the woman to fall which tooke no regard of the ordinance of God For hauing her selfe tasted of this fruit and finding it pleasant and delicious in taste she perswaded her husband also to taste the same at which time they vnderstood that they were naked and sought meanes to couer themselues for this fruit had in it selfe the vertue to giue vnderstanding and to quicken the thought Then couered they themselues with fig leaues which they put before their priuities esteeming themselues more happy then they were before in that they had found out that which they wanted But when as God came into the garden Adam who before times was accustomed familiarly to talke with him finding himselfe guiltie of sinne hid himselfe from his presence but God wondring hereat asked him for what cause he fled and shunned him at that time whereas before time he had taken pleasure to talke familiarly with him Adam knowing that he had transgressed the ordinances and commandements of God answered him not a word but God spake vnto him after this manner I had prouided for you the meanes whereby you might haue led your life without sufferance of any euill or sense of any miserie so that all whatsoeuer was requisite for necessitie or pleasure might happen of it selfe vnto you by my onely prouidence without any trauell or care on your parts which if you had well vsed age had not so soone ouertaken you but that you might haue liued many yeares but thou hast scorned this mine ordinance and broken my commandement For in that thou art silent at this time it proceedeth not of vertue but of euill of which thou findest thy selfe culpable wherefore both old age shall quicklier come vpon thee and the daies of thy life shall be shortened Adam excused his sinne and required at Gods hands that he would not be incensed against him laying the fault of that which had happened on his wife alleadging that he had offended by reason he was suborned by her and the woman accused the Serpent But at that time God punished him because he had suffered himselfe to be ouercome by the counsaile of a woman that the earth thence forward neuer more of her owne accord should bring foorth fruit but that when they had trauailed and almost deuoured themselues in labour it should sometimes giue them foode and at other times refuse to sustaine them And as touching Eue he chastised her with child-bearing and throwes in trauell for that being her selfe deceiued by the Serpent she had drawne her husband by the same meanes into extreame miserie He tooke also from the Serpent his voice and was displeased against him * by reason of the malice he had conceiued against Adam and he put venome on his tongue declaring him an enemie both to man and woman whom he commanded to bruise the head of the Serpent as well for that the euill which chanced vnto men consisted in the head as also â—…at being assaulted in that part he is most easily done to death Moreouer hauing depriued him of his feete he condemned him to slide and traile himselfe along the earth And after that God had ordained them to suffer those punishments he translated Adam and Eue out of the garden into another place CHAP. III. Of the Posteritie of Adam and of the ten ages euen vnto the Deluge BVt Adam and Eue had two male children the first whereof was called Cain which signifieth acquisition and the second was called Abel which is as much to say as mourning they had also daughters These brothers addicted themselues each one of them to their particular exercises Abel the younger honoured iustice and supposing that God was present in all his actions he alwaies and wholy fixed his thoughts on vertue and his exercise was keeping of sheepe But Cain being the wickedest man amongst men and addicted to vnsatiable desire of profit was he that first found out the vse of the Plough and who killed his brother for the cause which ensueth Hauing concluded among themselues to sacrifice vnto God Cain offered the fruites of his labour and planting Abell presented milke and the firstlings of his folde which sacrifice of his was more acceptable to God in that it rather consisted of things produced of themselues by the order of nature then that which a couetous man had forcibly in a manner extorted from nature Hereupon Cain being wroth because his brother Abell was more honoured by God then himselfe slewe his brother and hauing hidden his bodie out of sight he thought that such a murther should be concealed But God knowing well this fact appeared to Cain and questioned with him as concerning his brother what might become of him for that many daies since he had not seene him when as heretofore he had alwaies seene him conuersant before him Cain being troubled and ignorant what aunswere he should make vnto God said first that he wondered what was the cause his brother was so long time absent and finally aggreeued in that God continued the quest and did more exactly seeke after him he said he was â—…ot his brothers keeper or bound to take care of his affaires Then God reproued and conuicted Cain of murthering his brother and spake vnto him after this manner saying that he wondered he should denie the knowledge of his brothers death whereas he himselfe had slaine him notwithstanding he acquited him of the punishment deserued for this murther by reason that Cain had done sacrifice and made request vnto God that it might please him to remit somewhat of the seueritie of his iustice against him yet did God curse him and threaten to punish his successors to the seuenth generation Then did he driue him his wife out of
obedient to his omnipotent will and for that cause that honor and thanksgiuing should wholy be ascribed to him For which causes and counsailes of his seeing the Chaldeans and Mesapotamians began to mutiny against him he thought it expedient to forsake that countrey and following the will and fauour of God he went and dwelt at Chanaan where beâ—…ng seated he builded an aultar and sacrificed vnto God Berosus amongst other things maketh mention of our father Abraham although he nameth him not when he speaketh after this manner After the Deluge and during the tenth generation there dwelt among the Chaldeans a most iust excellent and vpright man and exercised in the knowledge of the celestiall bodies But Hecataeus made more then a mention of him for he hath left a volume which he hath written of him And as touching Nicholaus Damascenus heare what he saith of him in the fourth booke of his Histories Abraham raigned in Damasco where he was a stranger whether he arriued with his army from a countrey scituate aboue Babylon called Chaldaea who a little while after departing out of that region went and dwelt with his people in a countrey at that time called Chanaan and at this day Iudea and his posteritie multiplied therein In an other treatise I will recite that which is reported of him The name of Abraham euen at this day is honourable in the countrey of Damasco aâ—…d there is a village to be seene which beareth his name and is called Abrahams house CHAP. IX Abraham oppressed by famine departeth into Egypt where staying a while at last he returned backe againe AFter this when famine had inuaded the land of Chanaan Abraham had intelligence that the Egyptians abounded in all plentie and decreed with himselfe to retire himselfe towards them as well to conferre with their priest and discourse with them of diuine things and their knowledge as touching God as also to follow them if they were more grounded in vnderstanding or reconcile them if his iudgement were more assured then theirs he led with him his wife Sara and vnderstanding that the Egyptians were much addicted vnto women to the end the King should not put him to death of purpose that he might enioy his wife Sara who was very beautiful he deuised this excuse to say that she was his sister charging her that if the matter came in question she should not faile but confirme the like But no sooner came he into Aegypt but the like fortune encountred tâ—…m as Abraham had before time suspected for the beawtie of his wife was sodainly published in euery place For which cause Pharao the King of that Nation desirous to see that with his eies 〈◊〉 which he had heard with his eares he sought for sent and lusted after her but God withstood this his vnbridled lust by afflicting the Kings subiects with a plague and his affaires by sedition Whereupon taking counsell of the Priests what remedie might be vsed and meanes might be sought to appease the diuine maiesty they answered him that this was the cause of their afflictions for that he thought to haue done violence to the straungers wife whereat being much affrighted the King first questioneth with the woman what she was and who her companion should be and at last resolued of the trueth he satisfied Abraham saving he supposed her to be his sister not his wife and that his purpose was not to offer iniury but seeke alliance so giuing him a great summe of money hegaue him leaue to conferre with the most excellentest learnedest Priests among the Egyptians Whence it came to passe that he grew into great estimation in regard of his vertues for whereas that Nation was deuided into different sects and opinions thorow mutuall contempt diuision were incensed the one against the other he declared that their opinions different and confuted by themselues in respect of religion were most vaine and deuoide of all trueth For these his disputations he was held in great regard amongst them and esteemed for a man most wise and a personage most exccellent not onely in well conceiuing but also in expressing and perswading that which he vndertooke to teach to these most gratiously imparted he the science of Arithmetike and the obseruation of the celestiall bodies For before that Abraham came into Aegypt the Aegyptians vvere altogether ignorant of those sciences but he transported them from Chaldaea into Aegypt and from thence are they deriued to the Greekes As soone as he returned into Chanaan he deuided the countrey with Lot and for that there grew a contention betwixt their shepheards as touching the bounding of those pastures where they fed their cattel he gaue Lot the choise and election of the countrey vvhich best pleased him reâ—…aining vnto himselfe that which was left Thus pitching his tents neere the mountain in a Citie called Hebron which is by seuen yeares more auncient then Tanis in Aegypt he dwelled there But Lot chose the plaine neere to the floud of Iordane not farre from Sodome vvhich in those daies vvas a goodlie Citie but at this present by the diuine iustice and vvrath of God is vtterly defaced so that no memorie remayneth thereof The causes of which iudgemenâ—… shall bee expressed hereafter CHAP. X. The ouerthrow of the Sodomites by the Syrians AT that time when the Assyrians were Lords ouer all Asia the estate of Sodome flourished in all affluence increased in great riches and mulâ—…itude of gallant youthes and the countrey was gouerned by fiue Kings these were Ballas Bareas Senabarus Symoborus and Balin each one particularly seased of his prouince and kingdome Against these the Assyrians incamped themselues and hauing deuided their armie into foure parts vnder the conduct of foure gouernours they waged battell with them in which the Assyrians attayning the day they imposed a tribute on the Kings of Sodome who after they had for twelue yeares space performed their duety and paid their tribute in the thirteenth yeare reuolted from them Whereby it came to passe that the Assyrians leuied a new armie against them vnder the conduct and commaund of Marphad Arioch Chodollogomor Thargal who sacked all Syria and extinguished the posteritie of the Giants And drawing neere to Sodome they encamped neere to the bituminous pits for at that time there were pits in that place but as soone as Sodome was destroyed there arose a lake in that place which by reason of the bituminous matter that flowed in the same was called Asphalâ—…ites that is to say bituminous of this lake hereafter we wil speake somewhat But the Sodomites encountering with the Assyrians there was a dangerous skirmish fought wherein many perished on both sides and the most were eyther staine or taken amongst whom was Lot led away captiue who came thither to assist the Sodomites CHAP. XI Abraham pursueth the Assyrians and returneth victorious ABraham hearing of these things and moued both
These fifteene being added to the foresaid fiftie foure make vp the number abouenamed together with Iacob But Ioseph vnderstanding that his father was at hand for Iuda posted before to giue him notice thereof he went out to meete him and incountered him neere to a towne called Heros who was seased with such extreame and vnexpected ioy that he had almost expired but Ioseph recōforced him being himself almost endangered thorow extreame ioy yet not in such extasie extremitie as his father afterwards desiring him to march softly onward he taking with him his fiue brethren hasted vnto the King signifying vnto him that his father with all his family were arriued Who no sooner vnderstood therof but that he ioifully asked Ioseph in what studies he tooke delight who answered him that his exercise was keeping of cattell and that he had no other trade And this answere made he to the intent they might not be deuided one from another but that liuing altogether they might take care of their father another reason was least emulation should happen betwixt them and the Aegyptians if so be they should be conuersant in the same studies for it was not lawfull for that nation to exercise the shepheards trade Now when Iacob was brought into the Kings presence and after he had done him reuerence and praied God for the prosperity both of him and his Realme Pharao asked him how long he had liued and when he vnderstood that he was a hundred and thirtie yeares old he admired at the age of the man and after he had certified him that his ancestors had liued farre longer time he commaunded him and his sonnes to dwel in Heliopolis where also the kings shepheards had their pastures But the famine increased in Egypt and the euill augmented more and more by reason that Nilus did not ouerflow the earth neither extended his armes ouer the same on the other side God ra◅ned not vpon the earth moreouer in that the euill was vnsuspected it was more grieuous especially to the communaltie who had laid vp nothing neither did Ioseph giue them come without readie money which when they began to want they exchaunged their cattell and slaues for come but they that had lands sold a certaine portion thereof vnto the king for their prouision And when as by this meanes al these possessions ca◅e into the kings hands they went to inhabite the one heere the other there to the end that the King might be more assured of the possession of their land the sacrificers only were excepted to whom the lands which they had remained intire Finally this necessitie reduced both the bod◅ minds of the wholenation into seruitude after such a maner that they esteemed no labour or meanes vnseemely that might serue them towards the maintenance of their sustenance But when the famine ceased the earth watered by the ouerflow of the floud began to regather her former fertility Ioseph visiting euery citie of the kingdom and assembling the multitude in euery one of them restored them the profits of th◅se lands which they had sold vnto the king exhorted thē to manure the same in no worse maner thē they would do their owne commaunding them to pay the fift part vnto the King which was due vnto him by his prerogatiue kingly right Who reioycing at this vnexpected restitution earnestly intended and prosecuted their tillage and by this meanes not onely Iosephs authoritie but also the p◅oples hearts were not a little tied vnto the King and the inheritance of the fift part of the pro◅s remained with the Kings that succeeded and all their posteri◅e But Iacob after he had liued seuentene yeares in Aegypt ended his life betwixt the hands of his sonnes hauing first besought God to giue them prosperitie and aboundance and prophecied that euery one of their posteritie should attaine to the possession of a part of the land of Chanaan all which not long after came to passe Besides praising his sonne Ioseph for that forgetting the iniuries done vnto him he had bestowed diuers bene◅s on his brethren yea and such as well beseemed his benefactors he commaunded his sonnes that they should admit Ioseph sons Ephraim and Manasses into their number at such time as they should deuide the land of Chanaan as hereafter it shall be declared Last of all he praied them to burie him in Hebron And he died at such time as he had liued one hundreth and fiftie yeares wa◅ing three being second to none of his auncestors in pietie and obtained the reward which he ought iustly to possesse in that he was a man adorned with so many vertues But Ioseph by the Kings permission went and transported his fathers bodie into Hebron and there buried it very magnificently But his brothers fearing to returne with him and refusing to follow him in that they suspected their father being dead that he would be reuenged on them in that they had not any friend left aliue vnder whose fauour they might hope for pardon he commanded them that laying their suspitions aside they should suspect no euill and hauing brought them backe againe with him he gaue them great possessions neither did he euer intermit to entertaine them with botherly kindnes But he likewise died when he had liued one hundreth and ten yeares a man endowed with admirable vertue and prudent in all affaires and moderate in his gouernment by which meanes it came to passe that neither his fortaine birth neither his calamities whereof we haue spoken did any waies hinder him but ◅hat he was exalted and continued in high dignitie The rest of his brothers also hauing spent their liues in happines died in Aegypt whose bodies their sonnes and nephewes transported and buried in Hebron but Iosephs bones were afterwards translated by the Hebrewes into Chanaan at such time as they departed out of Egypt into Chanaan for hereunto had he bound them by oath But in that I am to declare this and other actions of this Nation I will first of all shew the cause why they departed out of Egypt CHAP. V. Of the affliction which the Hebrewes endured in Egypt for the space of foure hundreth yeares THe Aegyptians are a Nation addicted vnto delicacy and impatient of labour subiect onely to their pleasures and affecting gaine whence it came to passe that bearing hatred toward the Hebrewes and enuying their happines they were very euilly disposed towards them For seeing the race of the Israelites flourish and to abound in riches which they got by their labour and industrie they conceiued an opinion that their aduancement and increase would be the ouerthrow and decrease of the Aegyptians so that at length they forgot the benefits which Ioseph had done vnto them and after the royaltie was transported into an other family they committed diuers outrages against the Israelites and complotted against them in what manner they might more grieuously afflict
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
their ancestors and for their owne abilities farre greater then theirs with these also stood Aaron and Chore and all of them offered with their censors before the Tabernacle with perfumes such as they brought with them when sodainly so great a fire shone as neither the like was euer kindled by mans hand nor vsually breaketh from the bowels of the burning earth neyther was euer quickned in the woods split and borne downe in the sommer time by a southerne brize but such a one as seemed to be kindled in heauen most brightsome and flaming by force and power whereof those two hundreth and fiftie together with Chore were so consumed that there scarce appeared any reliques of their carcasses Only Aaron remained vntouched to the end it might appeare that this fire came from heauen These things thus brought to passe Moses intending to leaue a perpetual memory to posteritie of that punishment to the end they should not be ignorant thereof commaunded Eleazar the sonne of Aaron to consecrate their censors affixed to the brasen Altar that by reason of this monument all men might be terrified who thinke that the diuine power can be circumuented by humane policy CHAP. IIII. What things happened in 38. yeares space to the Hebrewes in the desart AFter that by so euident an argument it appeared very sufficiently that Aaron neither by sinister insinuations neither by the fauour of his brother but onely by Gods election had obtained the Priesthood he euer afterwards held it without any contradiction yet for all this the sedition was not sufficiently ceased but that it brake out with a more vrgent furie then at first for it tooke his originall from such causes that it might easily appeare that it would be of long continuance For whereas this perswasion had once taken roote in the hearts of men that nothing is brought to passe without Gods wil they imagined that God wrought these things in fauor of Moses to him therfore imputed they all these things as if God had not punished those men thorow the hate he bare against their sinnes but onely on Moses solicitation and they were sore aggrieued that Moses hauing giuen this mayme vnto the people by the losse of so many noble men that onely perished thorow the zeale they bare to Gods seruice not onely had done them open wrong but that which was more had assured the Priesthood to his brother after such a manner that thereafter no man durst oppose himselfe to purchase the same seeing how vnfortunately those others were ouerthrowne by a violent death Moreouer the kinsmen of those that were slaine solicited and stirred the people praying them to restraine the pride and ouergreat power of Moses in that it lay in their power easily to perform the same But Moses perceiuing that the people was incensed and fearing least once more they should bethinke them on some innouation whereby some great misfortune might succeed he assembled them together and gaue audience to their accusations without replying any waies for feare he might the more incense them hee onely commaunded the heads of the tribes that each of them should bring a rod wherein the name of each tribe should be written promising that the Priesthood should remaine with them in whose rod God should shew any signe Which iudgement of his being allowed by all men both they and Aaron brought theirs with their inscriptions and Aaron had written in his the tribe of Leui. These Moses tooke from them and laid them in Gods Tabernacle the next day he brought them forth euery one of them which were easily knowne to be those which the Princes brought the rest of the people had marked and they saw that al theirs remained in the same forme which the day before they retained when Moses tooke them but out of Aarons rod there grew branches and buds and that which is more to be wondred at it bare ripe Almonds which in a rod of that kind of wood was admirable and miraculous The people amated at the noueltie of this spectacle dismissing their hatreds wherewith they both prosecuted Moses and Aaron became wholy amased and drawne into admiration of Gods iudgement and forbare any more to repugne against God or to oppose themselues against Aarons Priesthood And thus three times confirmed by the approbation of God by all mens consent he became hie Priest and the people of the Hebrewes turmoyled with long seditions at last by this meanes grew setled in peace and quietnes But after that Moses had made the tribe of Leui which was dedicate to Gods seruice free and exempt from warfare for feare least being occupied in prouiding themselues necessaries for their maintenance they should grow negligent in executing their duties in sacrifice he ordained that after the land of Chanaan was conquered by their forces and Gods fauour that of the Cities they should conquer they should distribute fortie eight of the best fairest on the Leuites certain lands abutting on their Cities to the quantity and space of two thousand cubits Moreouer he commaunded that the tenths of all the yearly fruit that was gathered by the whole people should be giuen and bestowed on the Leuites and Priests and euer after this tribe had their solemne reuenues Now must I declare what things are proper to the Priests Of the fortie eight Cities which were granted to the Leuites he commaunded them to grant thirteene to the Priests and that of those tenthes which they receiued of the people they should pay vnto them a tenth share Besides he gaue charge that the people should offer vp vnto God all the first fruits of whatsoeuer the earth yeelded them and that the first borne of foure footed beasts dedicated for sacrifice if it were a male should be deliuered to the Priests to sacrifice to the end they might be nourished with all their family in the sacred Citie of Ierusalem and that they which are not fit to be sacrificed to God should be eaten by them according to the vse and custome of the countrey the owners paying in lieu of a firstling a sicle and a halfe and for the first borne of a man fiue sicles He allotted them likewise the first fruits of sheep-shearing and ordered that the bakers should offer them some cakes But they that consecrate themselues by vow and are called Nazarites nourishing their haire and tasting no wine when as they consecrate their haire were bound to offer it vnto the Priests They likewise who call themselues Corban which is called the gift of God if they desire to be dismissed from that ministerie whereunto by voluntarie vow they bound themselues must pay money to the Priests for a woman thirtie sicles for a man fiftie and that those that had not so much money should be left to the discretion of the Priests And if any man should kill for his priuate feast any beast and not for Gods seruice yet that he ought to offer
laid seuen Bulles and seuen Rams All which being readily executed by the King he offered a burnt sacrifice to the end hee might presage and foreprophecie the victorie which done he spake after this maner Happie are you on whom God bestoweth so large a blessing and abundance of riches and vouchsafeth you his prouidence for your perpetuall guide and assistance Because there is not any sort of men before whom in innocencie of maners and study of honestie and vertue you are not to be preferred your successours also shall haue a more famous posteritie because amongst men God onely fauoureth you and taketh care that no nation vnder the Sunne shall either exceede or equall you in happinesse You shal likewise possesse that land whereto he hath sent you and your posteritie shall be perpetuall Lords thereof and the glorie of your name shall fulfill both the whole earth and sea and so shall your nation bee multiplied that there shall be no nation of the world that snall not bee intermixed with your bloud and line Blessed are you most worthy armie and deseruing great admiration hauing your increase thus multiplied by the meanes of one parent For the land of Canaan at this present shall entertaine you but in little number but know that hereafter the whole world is destinated for your habitation so that both in the Islands and in the continent you shall liue in so great number that you shall equall the starres of the firmament And whereas you are like to growe so innumerable yet notwithstanding he shall not suffer you to want the vtmost of plentie and abundance neither in warre shall he cease to animate and leade you against your enemies Let your enemies resolue to take armes and to assault you yet shall there no one returne from them to beare message of the victorie or to bring glad tidings to their wiues and children This prudence and prowesie is giuen you by Gods prouidence who onely can and may abase the power of greatnesse and repaire the weakenesse of obscuritie Thus spake the Wisard in his propheticall spirit being transported beyond himselfe and rauished with a supernaturall furie But Balac was sore incensed against him exclaiming that he had not kept couenant although by great rewards he had been by his Confederate drawne thither to curse them vrging it against him that in steed of execrations against them he had published their pietie and praises To whom the Prophet made this answer Thinkest thou said he that it lyeth in our power as often as destinies are to be discouered to speak or conceale what we list at such time as God speaketh in our mouthes No he himselfe vttereth those words which him listeth and publisheth those oracles by vs which neither we know nor euer thought vpon Verily I sufficiētly remember whereunto I was perswaded by the sollicitation of the Madianites for that cause came I hither to execute that which they extorted from my hands but God is more powerfull then my will who contrary to the will of God and for the particular fauour of men had purposed to speake otherwise but as soone as he entreth into our hearts there remayneth no more of our selues in our selues Truly I had determined in my self to speak nothing in their praises neither was it in my mind to reckon vp what God had decreed to bestow vpon that nation but the fauourable power which befriendeth them studieth nothing more then the felicitie glory of that nation hath in his prescience put these words into my mouth now therfore since it is my desire to gratifie both thee the Madianites whose prayers I ought not but admit go to let vs erect new Altars prepare fresh sacrifice and make trial if perhaps God wil be moued to grant me licence to curse these kind of men Hereunto Balac gaue his consent yet did not God ratifie those his imprecations made against the Israelites notwithstanding he had sacrificed twice so that falling on his face he declared the occurrences of their kingdomes and commonweales of most esteeme of which some one were not as yet built and such things likewise as should thereafter happen to those men both by land and sea euen to our daies out of all which things accomplished according to his predictions we may gather most assuredly that which of his prophecie is to be fulfilled will surely take effect Balac being sore displeased because the Israelites could not be cursed sent Balaam backe againe without honor who returning homewards at such time as he came vnto Euphrates called Balac and the Princes of the Madianites spake thus vnto them Balac and you Princes of Madian it behooueth me to gratifie you although it be against the will of God for which cause giue eare vnto me All the sorts of death that may be to the vttermost cannot extinguish the race of the Hebrewes neyther by warre or pestilence or famine or any other chance may they be ruinated for God hath care to preserue that nation from all euill so that no slaughter can fall vpon them whereby the whole multitude shall be extinguished yet in the meane while some things may not be auoyded whereby afflicted for a time they may presently flourish more then they did before being by such a chasticement reduced to better health For which cause if you seeke to obtaine some short victorie ouer them by this my counsell you shall bring your wishes to effect Send me the fairest of your daughters as trimly decked and beautified as is possible who by their beautie may conquer and by their loue allure their hearts let these wander about their campe and offer themselues to entertaine a familiar embrace if by the young men they shall be solicited thereunto and as soone as they shall espie them to be surprised with desire let them sodainly breake from them and when as they shall be required by them to stay let them not yeeld except they will be perswaded to forsake their countrey lawes and the seruice of God from whom they receiued them and honour the gods of the Madianites and Moabites For by this meanes shal they incense Gods wrath against themselues Which when he had certified and admonished them of he departed Now whē the Madianites according as they were counselled sent out their daughters the younger sort of the Hebrewes were intangled with the beautie of the damsels and growing in talke with them they prayed them that they would not enuie them the opportunity to reape the pleasure and enioyment of their beautie neyther that they would disdaine their intercourse they willingly both admit the words and the embraces of the young men and hauing well hette them with dalliance they addressed themselues to leaue them in the heat of their desires Whereupon they discomforted at the womens departure did instantly intreat them that they should not in that sort forsake them but that in hope of future
fraudulent then a woman for she it is that hath reported my words vnto you Notwithstanding all this he deliuered that which he had promised them out of that bootie which he had taken from certaine Ascalonites whom he encountred vpon the way From that time forward he forsooke this marriage and the woman the more to despite him married one of his friends who had in his behalfe first sollicited the marriage Sampson being the more incensed by this iniurie resolued to reuenge himselfe both on her and the whole nation For which cause in the sommer season when the corne was readie to be reapt he tooke three hundreth foxes to whose tailes he fastned flaming torches and droue them into the Philistines fields of corne consuming by this meanes all their haruest hope The Philistines vnderstanding that Sampson had done this and conceiuing the reason that induced him to execute this action sent their garrison of Thamna and burnt this woman aliue with all her kinred as the authors of that losse that had hapned vnto them After that Sampson had slaine diuers Philistines in the countrey he went and dwelt at Etam which is a strong rocke in the tribe of Iuda For which cause the Philistines assailed that tribe who certified them that there was no reason why they should suffer for those offences which were committed by Sampson and that in especiall because they paied them tribute The Philistines replied that except they would not be maintainers of this act of iniustice they should deliuer Sampson vnto them They therefore desirous that the Philistines should haue no cause of quarrell against them came vnto the rocke to the number of three thousand men or thereabouts and blamed Sampson for those actions which he dared to commit against the Philistines a people that might endomage all the nation of the Hebrewes alleadging further that they came to the end to take surprise and deliuer him into the Philistines hands praying him to submit himselfe voluntarily to that their resolution Sampson made them sweare that they would doe him no further iniurie but deliuer him only vnto their enemies and that done he descended from the rocke surrendring himselfe to the hands of those of Iuda who bound him with two cables and led him away to deliuer him to the Philistines Now being arriued in a certaine place which before that time had no name and at this present is called the Maxilla that is to say a Iawe by reason of the valour which Sampson shewed in that place and approching neere the Philistines campe shouting and reioycing in their presence by reason that they had faithfully executed that which they willed them Sampson brake his bonds and catching vp the iawe of an Asse which he found at his feet and marching foorth against the Philistines he slew and beat downe to the number almost of two thousand of them putting all the rest to flight and confusion Sampson becomming more elate after this execution then he ought to haue been and confessing not that it was done by the assistance of God but attributing the same to his owne vertue gloried that with the iawe of an Asse he had partly slaine and partly constrained the enemies both to feare and flie But being seased with an exceeding thirst he reknowledged and confessed that mans force is of no force and protested that all ought to be ascribed to God whom he besought that he would not be displeased with that which he had spoken but that it might be remitted and himselfe deliuered from the present danger Whereupon God heard his praiers and caused a pleasant and aboundant fountaine to issue and spring from the foote of a rocke for which cause Sampson called the place Maxilla or Iaw which name continueth euen vnto this day After this battaile Sampson set light by the Philistines and went to Gaza where he soiourned in an Inne The gouernours of the Citie vnderstanding of his arriuall set men to keepe the gates to the end he might not depart without their knowledge But Sampson being no waies ignorant of that which they intended against him arose about midnight and caried away the gates with the hinges and lockes and all the furniture of the same and laying them on his shoulders caried and cast them on the mountaine Hebron Not long after that he transgressed the ordinance of his fathers and corrupted his domesticall manner of liuing conforming himselfe to the fashions of the Gentiles which was the source and ofspring of all his ruine For he was surprised and entangled with the loue of one that was called Dalila which was a common strumpet amongst the Philistines To her resorted the gouernours of the Philistines and by promises wrought so much with her that they wrought her to worke out of him wherein his force consisted what the cause was that he might not be apprehended by his enemies She conuersing with him in drinking and keeping him company tolde him that she maruailed at his actions and by subtill insinuations practised to vnderstand the manner and cause that made him so excellent in vertue But Sampson that as yet was subtill staied and well gouerned in counter check of her craft answered her that if he were tied with seuen vine branches that were yoong and pliant he should become the most feeblest amongst men Whereupon for that time she contented her selfe and hauing giuen notice thereof to the gouernours of the Philistines she had in her house certaine men of warre then when he was drunke and a sleepe she bound him as strongly fast as might be possible and sodainly waking him told him that certaine souldiers were at hand to assaile him but Sampson brake his bonds of the vine branches and addressed himselfe to repulse the assaults of those that lay in waight to offend him The woman frustrate of that hope which she expected not longtime after that getting a fit oportunitie in that Sampson conuersed continually began grieuously to complaine against him for that distrusting her loue and constancie he had concealed that from her which she most of all desired to know as if she had been insufficient to conceale that which might any waies concerne the fortune and safetie of her beloued But he deceiued her the second time and said vnto her that if he were tied with seuen cordes he should lose his force Which when she had done and found a contrarie issue to her expectation the third time Sampson told her that if she plighted his haire with a fillet he should be weakened and hauing experimented that also she found that it was false Finally for that a great misfortune attended vpon him she besought him so much that at last he condescended to gratifie her and spake vnto her after this manner God hath care ouer me and I am by his especiall prouidence bred and brought vp for this cause I nourish this haire for that God hath commanded me not to cut the same because my
three sonnes Ionathan Iosuah and Melchi and two daughters Merob and Michal The generall of his army was Abner the sonne of his vnckle called Ner for Ner and Cis Sauls father were brothers and sonnes of Abiel He was verie rich both in horse and chariots and against whatsoeuer enemy he marched forth he alwaies returned with victorie so that he reduced the affaires of the Hebrewes to a happy estate and so much increased their power that they weare feared by all those nations that neighboured vpon them But the chiefest of the youth that either preuailed in strength or exceeded in beauty he chose to be of his guarde CHAP. VIII Sauls victorie against the Amalechites BVt Samuel comming vnto Saul told him that he was sent vnto him by God to admonish him how he had chosen him aboue the rest and preferred him to the kingdome for that cause that it behooued him to be obedient vnto him in all things because he ruled the people but God both kings kingdomes and all things Thus therefore said hee doth God command thee Since the Amalechites offered many iniuries vnto the Hebrewes in the desert whilest in their departure out of Aegypt they trauelled into that region which they now inhabite it behooueth thee to punish them by a most iust warre and hauing ouercome them that thou vtterly extinguish their memorie without regard of either sex or yeares and this reuenge shalt thou execute vpon them in repaiment of those iniuries they in times past offered to our forefathers Neither shalt thou spare either beast or horse or flocke to apply them to thy profit or particular vse but thou shalt consecrate all vnto God and according as Moses commanded it deface the name of the Amalechites from of the earth All these things did Saul promise to performe and supposing obedience consisted in this not onely in the acting but also the speedie execution of that which was enioyned him he presently assembled all his forces togither and mustring his souldiers at Galgal he found about fortie thousand besides the tribe of Iuda which of it selfe affoorded and allowed thirty thousand chosen men with these did Saul enter the countrey of the Amalechites and layd diuers ambushes neere vnto a riuer not onely to afflict them with open and hostile warre but also to enclose and surprise them at vnwares and kill them amidst their hie waies He charged them therefore and put them to flight and discomfited their whole army pursuing them that fled Which execution of his hauing that answerable successe according as God had promised him before he marched onwards and besieged the Cities of the Amalechites and ouercame some of them by batterie some by mines and countermures raised on the outside other some by famine and thirst and diuers other waies And in those Cities which he ouercame he neither spared women nor children neither supposing their murther to be cruell neither inhumane first for that he executed it vpon his enemie next for that he did nothing but according to Gods commandement towards whom his disobedience might redound to his vtter ouerthrow He tooke Agag prisoner also who was the king of the Amalechites whose beautie and personage seemed vnto him so well proportioned and perfect that he wondred thereat and thought him worthy to be kept aliue and that not by Gods commandement but ouercome by his owne affection vsurping vpon an vngranted priuiledge of mercie to his owne preiudice For God so hated the Amalechites that he spared not their infants who ought in naturall compassion to haue beene more pitied then the rest But Saul kept aliue the king of his enemies and the author of all the Hebrewes euils setting more by his beauty then Gods commandement This sinne of his the people presently imitated for they spared both horse and other kind of cattell and made pray of them notwithstanding that God had charged them to reserue nothing They caried away with them all other moueables and riches and only consumed those things which were of smalest valew by fire This victorie had Saul ouer those people that dwell betwixt Pelusium which is a Citie on the borders of Aegypt vnto the red sea But he medled not with the Sichemites which inhabite in the midst of the Madianites whom before the battell he had commaunded to retire themselues least they should partake the calamities of the Amalechites for in that they were allied vnto them by reason of Raguel Moses father in lawe the Hebrewes had cause to procure their safetie Saul hauing obtained this victorie reioycing at his good successe returned to his owne home as full of content as if he had pretermitted nothing of that which God had commanded him by the Prophet Samuel before his warre with the Amalechites but as if he had precisely obserued all that which was enioyned him But God was sore displeased both for that the king of the Amalechites was preserued and for that the people had made pray of their cattell for both these actions of theirs were expressely against Gods permission For it was not to be tolerated no not in a mortall king that they should neglect and contemne his lawes and decrees by whose onely meanes they were furthered and fauoured in their victorie For which cause God told the Prophet Samuel that he repented him in that he had chosen Saul for their king considering that he infringed his commandements and gouerned himselfe according to his owne appetites When Samuel heard these words he was sore troubled and besought God all the night long that he would appease his wrath and displeasure conceiued against Saul but notwithstanding al the importunities and praiers which the Prophet made for him God would in no sort be reconciled because it was inconuenient that the sinnes which were committed by Saul should be remitted by Samuels submission and intercession For sinne neuer more augmenteth and increaseth then when such as are offenced are too remisse in their punishments for whilest they would be reputed both for good and mercifull they themselues both vnwares and vnwitting become the authors of sinne When as therefore God had denied the Prophet his request and it manifestly appeared that no praiers or supplication might appease him as soone as it was day Samuel repaired to Saul who at that time remained in Galgal Now as soone as the king apperceiued him he ranne vnto him and embraced him saying I giue God thankes for the victorie and all those things which hee commanded me I haue performed But Samuel replied and said How commeth it then to passe that I heare this bleating of sheepe and bellowing of beasts thorow the army Saul answered that the people had reserued that cattell for sacrifice and that besides them all the nation of the Amalechites was exterminated according as God had commanded and that there was not any one remaining but that he onelie had reserued the king whom he would cause
God at such time as he slew the Philistine Dauid hauing gotten it fled out of the countrey of the Hebrewes and went vnto Geth a countrey of the Philistines wherein Achis was king There being knowne by the kings seruants hee was discouered and noted to be that Dauid that had slaine many thousand Philistines Dauid fearing to be put to death by him and suspecting least he should fall into the same daunger which hee had escaped by flying from Saul counterfeited himselfe to be foolish and mad so that the some frothed and issued out of his mouth and counterfeited in all things so cunningly that he made the king of Geth beleeue most stedfastly that he was besotted and frenzie in his sicknesse For which cause the king was wroth with his seruants in that they had brought him a madman and commanded them with all expedition that might be to driue him out of his countrey Hauing in this sort escaped out of the countrey of the Geths he transported himselfe into the tribe of Iuda and being in the caue of Adullam he sent vnto his brothers to let them vnderstand that he was there who came vnto him with all their linage and diuers others that either were in need or stood in feare of Saul resorted vnto him saying that they were ready to performe whatsoeuer he should command them all which amounted to the number of foure hundreth or thereabouts Dauid therfore being thus assured by reason of the succours and forces that come vnto him dislodged from thence went to the king of the Moabites beseeching him that he would bee pleased to entertaine his father and mother in that countrey vntill such time as he vnderstood what should be the issue or end of his affaires The king vouchsafed him this fauour and did them great honour all the time they were in his countrey And as touching Dauid he hauing receiued instructions by the commandement of the Prophet to abandon the desart to soiourne in the tribe of Iuda he obeyed him so that comming to Saron he made his aboade in that place But when Saul had vnderstood that Dauid had beene seene with a number of men he fell into an extraordinarie feare and trouble of minde for knowing both the vnderstanding and courage of the man he thought inwardly with himselfe that he would attempt no action that was not great and such a one as might not onely endanger his kingdome or at leastwise breed him much difficultie labor For which cause assembling his friends and captaines and those of his tribe in Gaba where he kept his royall court there sitting in a place called Aror where all his honourable and ciuill magistrates with the rest of his captaines and souldiers enuironed him round about hee spake vnto them after this manner Beloued friends I know that you can beare witnesse of my bountie and how I haue aduanced some of you to honours signiories and possessions and haue preferred you to the chiefest dignities and prerogatiues amongst the people Now would I know of you whether you hope or expect from the sonne of Iesse greater bountie and larger benefits then I haue bestowed vpon you I know that all of you are confederated with him and that my sonne Ionathan likewise is of the same faction and hath perswaded you to follow and fauour him For I am not ignorant both of the othes and couenants that are past twixt him and Dauid and am well assured that he is both a counseller and assister vnto him in whatsoeuer he vndertaketh against me yet are none of you touched with these cares but intending your owne quiet you expect the euent of these matters When the king had spoken thus there were none of the assistants that replied onely Doeg the Syrian master of the kings mulets arose and said That he had seene Dauid in the Citie of Nob who resorted to the high Priest Achimelech to aske counsel of him as touching his assaires that there he had receiued those things that were needfull to furnish him in his voyage and Goliahs sword likewise and how he was safely conducted towards the place whither he pretended to go Hereupon Saul sent for the high Priest and all his kinred and spake thus vnto him What wrong or displeasure haue I done thee that thou hast entertained the sonne of Iesse and hast deliuered him victuals and armes to him I say that seeketh but the meanes to possesse himselfe of my kingdome What answere hast thou made him as touching those demaunds he presented thee in regard of his future fortunes for thou hast not been ignorant that he fled from me and what hatred he beareth against both me my family The high priest denied none of these things but freely confessed that he had deliuered him such things as were reported but not with an intent to gratifie Dauid but the king for I entertained him said he not as thine enemy but as thy faithfull minister and tribune nay which is more as thy sonne in law and such a one as was tied vnto thee by neere alliance For who would haue thought that he who was intitled to so much honour by thee should be thine enemie nay rather who would not esteeme him for thy sauourite and neerest friend And where as he asked counsell of me as touching Gods will this is not the first time I haue answered him but oft many other times haue I aduised him And where as he said that he was sent by thee about some hastie and secret businesse should I haue refused him those supplies which he required at my hands I might haue bin iudged rather to haue done iniurie to thy maiestie then to him For which cause thou art not to suspect or thinke euil of me or if thou hast receiued any aduertisement that Dauid at this time intendeth some trouble innouation against thee oughtst thou to thinke that by reason of the curtesie I haue shewed him that I either fauor him or maintain him against thee for what I bestowed I imployed as on thy friend thy sonne in law and thy tribune and whatsoeuer curtesie he receiued from me it was done vnto thee Notwithstanding all these iust allegations yet could Saul be no waies induced to beleeue them but contrariwise his vehement feare made him suspect the true iustifications of Achimelech so that he commanded certaine armed men that were about him that they should put both him and all his family to the sword But when they held it no lesse then sacriledge to violate by violent death such as were men consecrated vnto God Saul commanded Doeg the Syrian to perpetrate the slaughter who ioyning to himselfe certaine other sacrilegious and impious men he murthered Achimelech and all his race who were in number three hundreth thirtie and fiue men He further sent to Nob the citie of the Priests and put all of them vnto the sword neither sparing woman nor childe nor hauing respect vnto any
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
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
betrothed her after he had rauished her from Dauid she bare fiue sonnes of whom we wil speake in their place The king perceiuing how by Gods assistance his affaires prospered daily more more thought that it should be a hainous offēce in him if he should dwel in houses made of Cedar high and well builded and neglecting the Arke suffer it to remaine vnder a pauilion for which cause he conceiued a desire to build a Temple vnto God according as Moses had foretold and to this intent consulted he with the Prophet Nathan who willed him to performe all that which he was minded to accomplish assuring him that God would be each way assistant vnto him for which cause he was verie heartily affected towards the building of the Temple But the same night God appeared vnto Nathan commaunding him to certifie Dauid that he accepted his will and that his affection was agreeable vnto him considering in especiall that no one before him had a thought to performe the like yet notwithstanding although his deliberation were such he permitted him not to finish the same by reason he had followed many warres and had embrewed his hands in the bloud of many of his enemies But after his decease which shall happen after he hath liued a long and prosperous life his sonne called Salomon to whom he shall leaue the kingdome after his death shall cause a Temple to be built vnto him promising him to assist and fauour the said Salomon euen as the father doth his sonne and that he would continue the royaltie in his heires and their successors And that if they shall happen to offend him he will onely punish them with sicknes and sterilitie Dauid vnderstanding these words which were deliuered him by the Prophet was verie ioyfull by reason that the royaltie was firmely assured to his heires and for that his house should be famous and renowmed and presenting himselfe before the Arke he prostrated himselfe and adored and gaue God thanks for all the benefits he had bestowed on him for that from a poore and humble shepheard he had raised him to so great a height of maiestie and glory and for that he had promised to haue care of his posteritie as erst he had had of the Hebrewes and their libertie This said after he had sung hymnes vnto God he departed CHAP. V. Dauid ouercomming the neighbouring nations imposeth tributes on them NOt long time after this Dauid thought it requisite to make warre vpon the Philistines partly to the intent he might auoid the suspition of sloth and idlenes and partly that hauing according as God had foretold discomfited his enemies he might leaue a peaceable kingdome to his posteritie after him He therefore assembled his army anew commanding thē to be in a readines to march forward to the warre whenas therefore he supposed that the armie was addressed he departed out of Ierusalem and made a road vpon the Philistines whom he ouercame in battell and tooke a great part of the countrey from them by meanes whereof he enlarged the frontires of the Hebrewes and translated the warre and led forth his forces against the Moabites whose army being deuided into two parts was by him defeated and ouerthrown and the rest were taken prisoners and tributes were imposed on them which they were bound to satisfie euery yeare Afterwards he led out his host against Adarezer sonne of Ara king of Sophona and waging battell with him neere vnto the riuer of Euphrates he slew about twentie thousand of his footmen and some fiue thousand of his horse he tooke also almost a thousand of his chariots the greater part whereof was wholy consumed and one hundreth of them onely reserued to his owne vse CHAP. VI. They of Damasco are ouercome by Dauid ADad king of Damasco and of Syria vnderstanding that Dauid had made warre on Adarezer who was both his friend and confederate issued forth with great forces to bee assistant vnto him and to deliuer him from his enemies according as he expected But entring field and waging battell with Dauid neere vnto the riuer of Euphrates he was ouercome and lost a great number of his souldiers for in that battell there were staine on his side by the Hebrew enemy to the number of twenty thousand and the rest fled Of this king Nicholas the Historiographer maketh mention in the fourth book of his histories in these words Sithence and long time after a certaine man of that countrey called Adad gouerned in Damasco and ouer the rest of Syria except Phoenicia who making warre against Dauid king of Iudaea and hauing oftentimes fought with him in his last encountrie wherein he was ouercome neere vnto the floud Euphrates he shewed himselfe more resolute then all other kings in force and valour Moreouer he speaketh of his heires how after his death they succeeded him both in royaltie and name the one after the other and saith thus He being deceased his sonnes raigned for ten generations after him each of them receiuing from their father the same name and the same kingdome after the manner of the Ptolomies of Aegypt The third of these being more mightie then the rest and desirous to reuenge himselfe in warre of these iniuries which were offered vnto his grandfather led foorth his army against the Iewes and destroyed the countrey called at this day Samatia Wherein he varied not any waies from the truth for he of whom he speaketh is that Adad that made warre in Samatia during the raigne of Achab king of Israell of whom we will speake hereafter in his place But when Dauid had led forth his campe against Damasco and against the rest of the countrey of Syria he reduced them all vnder his obeisance placing garrisons amidst their countrey and imposing tribute vpon them which they should pay vnto him He dedicated also to God in the Citie of Ierusalem the golden quiuers and armors which Adads guard were wont to weare which afterward Syssa king of Aegypt tooke at such time as he warred against Roboam his Nephew and carried away great riches out of the temple of Ierusalem as it shall be declared hereafter when as we shall come to intreat of that matter This king of the Hebrewes being inspired by God who made him prosperous in all his wars encamped before the goodliest Cities Adarezer had that is to say Betthea and Machon which he besieged tooke and spoyled where there was found great store of gold and siluer and of brasse which was of more estimation then gold whereof Salomon made that great vessell called the Sea and other faire lauers at such time as he adorned and furnished the temple of God When the king of Amath vnderstood of all that which had hapned to Adarezer and how his power and forces were destroied he grew affraid of his owne estate and resolued with himselfe to make a league confederacie with Dauid before he might come out against him
time that he tooke Adad prisoner and deliuered him to that present CHAP. X. Achab fighteth against the Syrians and is ouer come and slaine in the battell HEreupon Achab called for the Prophets who were in number foure hundreth and commaunded them to enquire of God whether he would giue him the victory in that battell which he enterprised against Adad or no and whether he should recouer the Citie which he intended to besiege Who answered and counselled him to hazard the battell in that he should haue the vpper hand ouer the Syrian and should take him prisoner as he had done before time Iosaphat vnderstanding by their words that they were false Prophets asked Achab if he had not any other Prophet of God who might more exactly certifie him of that which might succeed Achab answered that he had one as yet remaining but that he hated him because he prophecied nought else but mishap and misery vnto him and had foretold him that if he should fight against the Syrian he should be ouercome and slaine and for that cause he held him at that time in prison signifying vnto him that his name was Micheas the sonne of Imlah Iosaphat required that he might be brought into his presence which was accordingly performed by one of his Eunuches who by the way certified Micheas that all the other Prophets had prophecied to the king victory But Micheas told him that it was not lawful for him to lye against God but that it concerned him to speake that which God should informe him of concerning the king As soone as he came before Achab and was adiured to speake the truth he said that God had shewed him the Israelites put to flight and dispersed by the Syrians that pursued them no otherwise then sheepe without their shepheard All which signifieth no lesse said hee but that the rest of the people returning home in safetie Achab onely should be slaine in the battell When Micheas had spoken after this manner Achab turning himselfe towards Iosaphat said vnto him I told you before this how this fellow was affected towards me But Micheas constantly auowed that he prophecied nothing but that which God had commāded him to speake assuring Achab that he was sollicited by the false Prophets vnto war vnder hope of victory wheras he should assuredly perish in the battel These words of his made Achab much discomforted But Sedechias one of the false Prophets stepped forth and exhorted him to set light by Micheas words the rather for that he spake vntruely And in confirmation of this his allegation he alleaged Elias who was a farre more skilfull Prophet in foretelling things to come then Micheas was yet that the same Elias had foretold that the dogs should licke Achabs bloud in the Citie of Iezrael in the field of Naboth because Naboth had beene stoned to death by the instance of Achab. Whereby it appeared manifestly that since he contradicted a Prophet so excellent as he was he lyed in saying that the king should die within three daies Moreouer said hee it shall appeare whether he be truly sent from God or no if as soon as he shal receiue a buffet from me he cause my hand to wither according as Iadon made Ieroboams hand shrinke at such time as he thought to apprehend him For I thinke said he O king that thou art assuredly informed hereof which said he strooke him and for that no inconuenient fell vpon him by reason of that his audacious attempt Achab assured himselfe and recouered his courage forwardly set forth against the Assyrian army For as it is to be supposed the will of God was of such power that it caused the false Prophets to triumph ouer the true which was the cause that the false prophets were trusted more then the true to the intent that Gods preordained will might be fulfilled But Sedechias made him yron hornes and said vnto Acha◅ that God by them signified vnto him that he should ruinate all Syria But Micheas prophecied to the contrarie that within verie few daies Sedechias should walke from cane to caue to hide himselfe and auoid the punishment of his falshood Achab displeased hereat commanded that he should be led thence and kept prisoner with Achmon the gouernour of the Citie yeelding him no other allowance but bread and water for his sustenance Thus marched these two kings with their armies against Ramath which is in Galaad which when the king of Syria vnderstood he drewe his army into the field came out to meet with them and incamped neere vnto Ramath Now was it concluded betwixt these two confederate kings that Achab should enter the battel in a priuate habit and Iosaphat should be inuested with the royall ornaments and supply Achabs person in the battell to the intent that Micheas prediction might be made frustrate But notwithstanding this popular disguise Gods iustice preuented him for Adad king of Syria commaunded his army that they should put no one of the enemy to the sword but only the king of Israel As soone as the charge was giuen the Syrians perceiuing Iosaphat in the front of the army and coniecturing that it was Achab they made head altogither against him and hauing inuironed and pressed him very neerely they perceiued that it was not he for which cause they retired backe againe But although they had fought from the morning vntill the euening and had the vpper hand yet flew they no man because they sought after no other but Achab to put him to the sword whom notwithstanding they could by no meanes meet withall At length one of Adads seruants called Aman shot at randon amongst the enemies and by fortune hurt Achab in the brest and shot him thorow the lungs This hurt of his concealed he from his souldiers for feare least they should be discomforted For which cause he commanded his coachman to driue his chariot out of the battell for that he felt himselfe grieuously and mortally wounded and although he were terribly pained yet sate he in his chariot vntill sunne set at which time his heart failed him and he gaue vp the ghoast When night came the Syrian army withdrew themselues into their campe and receiuing tidings by an Herault that Achab was dead euerie one retired home vnto his house but Achabs body was conueied to Samaria interred in that place As for his chariot it was washed in the fountaine of Iezrael because it had been bebloudied by reason of the kings hurt whereby the truth of Elias prediction was ratified and confirmed for the dogs lickt his bloud from that time forward the common women continually washed themselues in that fountaine He died also in Ramath according as Micheas had foreprophecied Whereas therefore all things befortuned Achab according as two prophets had foretold him it appeareth that we ought to honour and magnifie the maiestie of God in all places and to reuerence his prophecies deliuered by them and
the rather for that he excelled them in all things and had such parts in him as might draw them to emulate him Whereas therefore Ioseph was desirous to know which of his children had the ripest iudgement and vnderstanding he sent them one after another to those masters who were most renowmed for science in that time but all of them returned backe vnto him rude and illettered by reason they were negligent and idle Whereupon he sent Hircanus the youngest of them after all the rest into a desart place distant from the high way some seuen daies iourney and gaue him with him three hundreth couple of oxen to sow the ground in that barren place hiding from him before his departure the yokes that should couple them together When as therefore he came vnto the place and perceiued that the yokes were missing he asked aduise of some of the husbandmen who counsailed him to send some one backe vnto his father to fetch the couples But he supposing that he ought not to lose so much time as would be spent in sending backe a messenger deuised a cunning expedient stratageme more then might be expected from one of his yeares For he caused ten couple of oxen to be slaine and distributed the flesh amongst his workemen and made them cut the skins and fashion couples thereof and hauing yoked his oxen he caused the land to be manured according to his fathers direction and afterwards returned home vnto him Who loued him the more intirely by reason of his wisedom and the subtiltie of his vnderstanding praising besides that his resolution and execution esteeming him the more for that he was his only true sonne to the general discontent of the rest Whenas therefore newes was brought vnto Ioseph that about that time king Ptolomey was blessed with a young sonne and how all the chiefest Lords of Syria and the countries vnder his obeisance repaired to Alexandria in great pompe to celebrate the birth day of the kings sonne he being of himselfe vnable by reason of his age to repaire thither he sounded his children whether any one of them would go and visit the king Whenas therefore the elder sons had excused themselues and made refusall to vndertake the iourney pretending that they were of insufficient ability to performe the message and all of them gaue counsaile that their brother Hircanus might be sent Ioseph tooke great pleasure thereat and calling for Hircanus asked him if he would goe to king Ptolomey who promised to vndertake the iourney and told his father that he needed no great summe of money to performe the voyage because in the way he would trauell frugally and content himselfe for the whole expence with ten thousand drachmes Ioseph was verie glad to heare of his sons prudence and after Hircanus had kept silence for a while he counsailed his father that he should not present the King with any thing out of Iudaea but that he should write vnto his factor in Alexandria commaunding him to deliuer such summes of money as he thought conuenient to buy that which he found to be most magnificent of best esteeme in that Citie Ioseph imagining with himselfe that perhaps he would onely employ some tenne talents in presents and allowing his sonnes counsaile wrote vnto his factor Arion who had the vse of almost three thousand talents of his in Alexandria For gathering vp his money in Syria he was wont to send it thither and as oft as the prefixed time came wherein the kings tributes were to be paid he commaunded Arion to defray the same Hauing therefore letters of credence vnto him he iourneyed towards Alexandria Wherupon his brethren wrote presently vnto all the kings friends that by some meanes they would make him away As soone as he was arriued in Alexandria and had deliuered his fathers letters to Arion Arion asked him how many talents he would haue hoping that he would craue but ten or some little ouerplus but when Hircanus had told him that he had need of a thousand he waxed wroth and reproued him for his prodigalitie telling him how his father had gathered his goods with much trauaile and thriftie sparing and refusing his demaunds he praied him to imitate his fathers example who had begot him and in a word he told him that he would deliuer him no more then ten talents and that for no other vse then to buy giftes to present the king withall Whereupon Hircanus waxing angry caused Arion to be kept in prison All which his wife certified to Cleopatra praying her that she would moderate the young man for Arion was in great estimation with the Queene who for this cause acquainted the king with the matter Wherupon Ptolomey sent for Hircanus and said vnto him that he marueiled that being sent vnto him from his father he had not as yet visited him and besides that he had committed his fathers agent to prison he therefore commanded him to yeeld him a reason thereof Whereunto he answered that there was a law among the Iewes that no man should taste of the sacrifices that had not first of all visited the temple and sacrificed vnto God and that in that respect he had not hitherto visited his maiesty because he expected certaine presents to present his highnesse with from his father who was his bounden seruant Furthermore he alleadged that he had punished his fathers seruant because he had disobeyed his commandement which he ought not to doe whether his master were either noble or ignoble and if said he we chastise not such men as they haue deserued expect O King that you also shall be neglected by your subiects When Ptolomey heard these words he began to smile and wondered at the magnanimitie of the yoong man Arion perceiuing that the king held himselfe satisfied and that he was like to haue no assistance at his hands deliuered Hircanus the thousand talents and by this meanes was he set at libertie Some three daies after Hircanus came and saluted both the king and Queene who entertained him graciously and feasted him kindly for the affection sake which they bare vnto his father He priuily inquiring among the merchants bought one hundreth yoong laddes well lettered and in the flower of their age paying a talent for euery one and the like number of virgins for so many talents Being therefore inuited to a banquet by the king with all the Princes and other Lords he was placed beneath them all because that by reason of his yoong yeeres they that assigned the places according to euery mans dignitie made small accompt of him Now when as all the guests after they had eaten their meats laid all their bones before Hircanus so that the table was loaden round about him a certaine pleasant fellow of the Kings called Triphon whose merrie conceits and iests the king very willingly listned vnto during the time he was at meat being sollicited by those that were at the table came vnto the king and said
friends Moreouer in way of present I send you a purple robe and a crowne of gold exhorting you that since you are thus honoured by vs you will in like sort yeeld vs an answerable respect and friendshio Ionathan hauing receiued this letter inuested himselfe in the habite of the high Priest and the day of the feast of the Tabernacles which was the fourth yeere after the death of his brother Iudas For during al that time there had not been any high priest He assembled also a great number of souldiers and caused a great quantitie of armors and weapons to be forged When Demetrius heard these newes he was much troubled and accused himselfe of sloth and too much negligence in looking to his affaires for that he had not preuented Alexander in the courteous entertainment of Ionathan but had suffered him to take the benefit of this occasion He sent letters likewise to Ionathan and the people containing that which followeth King Demetrius to Ionathan and to all the nation of the Iewes Health Since you haue obserued the friendship that you beare vnto vs and haue not entangled your selues with our enemies notwithstanding their diuers sollicitations we praise your fidelity and pray you to perseuere in the same estate assuring you that you shall receiue the like fauours from vs in all integritie For I will forgiue you the greater part of the tributes and taxes that you haue vsually paid either to the kings my predecessors or to me and from this time forward I acquite you from those tributes you are to pay hereafter And moreouer I release you of the price of salt and of the gold which you were woont to giue vnto vs for our crowne We likewise acquite you of the thirds of the fruit of your lands and the halfe of the fruit of your trees which heretofore you haue been accustomed to pay me to keepe and hold them peaceably from this time forward I acquite you also at this present for euer of all that which the inhabitants of Iudaea and the three prouinces annexed therunto Samaria Galilee and Peraea are bound to pay me willing and commanding that the Citie of Ierusalem be held sacred and to haue the right of the freedome exempt from all tributes and tenths both in it selfe also all the countrey belonging thereunto And I commit the fortresse in the same to the hands of Ionathan the high Priest permitting him to plant such a garrison therein as in his opinion shall be held both honest and lawfull and such as will faithfully maintaine it to his vse I will also that all the Iewes who are imprisoned in my countrey be set at libertie Moreouer it is my pleasure that no horses of the Iewes be taken vp to runne post for vs. I grant also on the Sabboths and other festiuall daies yea three daies also before euery one of those feasts libertie and freedome be vsed And my will is that the Iewes who inhabit within my dominions be likewise freed of all molestations The like priuiledge grant I them that will beare armes with me to the number of thirty thousand who in what place soeuer they shall be shall haue no worser entertainment then mine owne army and part of them will I place in my garrisons the rest shall be of my guard and I will make them captaines in my court and will permit them to liue according to the ordinances of their countrey which they shall obserue and I wil also that the three gouernments annexed to Iudaea be made subiect vnto the same lawes My pleasure is in like manner that the high Priest shall take order that no Iew adore in any other temple then in Ierusalem and of mine owne charge I giue euery yeere a hundreth and fiftie thousand sicles of siluer to be emploied in making sacrifices and that which shall be ouer and aboue those sacrifices my pleasure is that it shall be yours Moreouer I acquite the Priests and ministers of the tēple of the ten thousand drachmes of siluer which the kings leuied on the temple because they appertaine vnto the Priests who serue in the temple as I haue been rightly enformed I grant also to all those who shall repaire vnto the temple of Ierusalem for refuge and within the precincts thereof whether it be for money due vnto the king or for any other cause that they be acquit thereof and receiue not any domage in their goods I permit also that the temple be repaired and builded at my charge My will is also that the walles of the Citie be reedefied and that certaine towers be builded about the same at my costs Furthermore if there be any places fit to build fortresses and strong holes in through all the countrey of Iudaea and to place garrisons in them my will is that all this be done and fortified at the charges leuied out of mine owne coffers These are the promises and offers that Demetrius made vnto the Iewes But king Alexander hauing gathered great forces as wel of strange hired soldiers as of those who in Syria had reuolted from Demetrius led foorth his whole army against the enemy and after the ensignes were displaied and the onset giuen the left wing of Demetrius compelled Alexanders souldiers that fought against it to flie and his men pursuing them hard at heeles spoiled their campe But the right wing in which the king himselfe was being forced to retire was discomfited and as for the rest they betooke them all to flight but Demetrius fighting valiantly slew some of his enemies and in pursuing other some who could not endure his fierce assault was in the end by setting spurres to his horse mainly carried into a deepe and muddy bogge whereinto by misaduenture his horse fell and being vnable to get out he was slaine in that place For being discouered by his enemies they turned backe vpon him and hauing inclosed him they altogither shot their arrowes against him who being on foote and fighting valiantly was at length slaine after he had receiued diuers wounds and was no more able to sustaine himselfe Thus died Demetrius who departed this life the eleuenth yeere of his raigne as we haue discoursed in an other place CHAP. VI. Onias winneth the fauour of Ptolomey Philometor and obtaineth leaue of him to build a temple in Aegypt which was called the temple of Onias BVt Onias the sonne of the high priest called also Onias who flying out of his countrey liued in Alexandria with Ptolomey Philometor as we haue heretofore declared seeing all Iudaea destroied by the Macedonians and their kings and intending in his heart to purchase an immortall memorie he determined to beseech the king Ptolomey and the queene Cleopatra by letters that it might be lawfull for him to build a temple in Aegypt resembling in all points that which was at Ierusalem and that he might haue liberty to plant Leuites and Priests in the same of his owne kinred And hereunto was
would not procure their safetie otherwise then by her consent would rather suffer a voluntary death neere vnto her royal pallace if they might not be spared For that it would be a shame both for themselues and for the Queene if by her toleration those who had been her deceased husbands friends should be thus vexed by them which were his aduersaries That Aretas king of Arabia and other princes would be glad of this newes to heare that she should estrange those persons farre from her whose names haue been dreadfull euen amongst those neighbouring kings who haue but heard the same And if she had resolued to make more account of the Pharisee fauour then of their seruice they besought her that she would at leastwise distribute them in seuerall Castles for that rather then any mishap should pursue their soueraigne Alexanders house they were content to lead their liues in that contemptible and abiect condition Whilest thus they spake and exclaimed on the soule of Alexander praying him to haue compassion as well of those that were already dead as of those who were in danger of their liues the teares ranne from the eies of all the assistants and Aristobulus aboue the rest was hartily discontent and expressed the same by expostulating the cause with his mother But they themselues were the cause of their owne calamitie because that against all right and reason they had permitted a headstrong and ambitious woman to raigne ouer them as if the king had no heires reserued to succeed him in the kingdome The Queene vncertaine how to determine the matter at that instant committed the charge of all her Castles vnto their hands reseruing onely Hircania Alexandrion and Machaeron wherein the princes moueables and wealth was kept Not long after she sent her sonne Aristobulus with a strong army commanding him to draw his forces toward Damasco against Ptolomey called Mennaeus who was an ill neighbour vnto that Citie but he returned thence without atchieuing any memorable action About the same time newes was brought that Tigranes king of Armenia inuaded Syria with fiue hundreth thousand men of warre intending shortly to set vpon Iewry This rumour affrighted the Queene and all the communaltie and not without cause Whereupon she sent Embassadors with many princely presents vnto Tigranes who besieged the Citie of Ptolemais For Queene Selena otherwaies called Cleopatra raigned in Syria and perswaded the Syrians to deny Tigranes passage But Alexandras Embassadours met with the king of Armenia and besought him to conceiue a good opinion of their Queene and of all the whole nation of the Iewes who receiued them willingly praising them for that they had sought him out so farre to doe him honour and put them in good hope After the taking in of Ptolemais it was told Tigranes that Lucullus pursued Mithridates who was not as yet apprehended for that he was fled into Iberia which was the cause that Lucullus had entred Armenia and forraged the same Tigranes hearing this newes returned backe into his countrey After this Queene Alexandra fell sicke of a dangerous and noysome disease whereby Aristobulus tooke occasion to entermeddle with the affaires of estate Walking therefore abroad one night attended by a trusty seruant he repaired vnto those Castles which were committed to the custodie of his fathers friends for of long time he had misliked his mothers gouernment and now was the more affraid that if she should happen to die all her posteritie should be made subiect to the power of the Pharisees For he well perceiued how vnapt his elder brother was to gouerne the kingdome vnto whom notwithstanding the succession appertained onely his wife whom accompanied with his children he had left with Alexandra had an inckling of this his intent He therefore went first of all to Agaba where Galestes one of the chiefest potentates commaunded who entertained him with great ioy The next day the Queene hearing that Aristobulus was departed from court yet little suspected she at the first that he was retired to worke some alteration in the state But when as messengers came flocking one after another and told her that after the first Castle the second and after the second all the rest had consequently been surprised by Aristobulus at that time both the queene and the whole nation were dismaied fearing least he should presently vsurpe the soueraigntie but aboue all they feared least he should reuenge himselfe on those who had outraged his familiars and it was thought meet that both his wife and children should be committed to the Castle that adioyned the temple But from all parts round about resorted there souldiers to Aristobulus so that he was attended like a king for in the space of some fifteene daies he tooke twenty and two forts whither he made his retreats and assembled an army of souldiers and leuied them amongst the lords that inhabite Libanus and Trachonitis For the multitude hath alwaies resort to the stronger side supposing that if they submit thereunto willingly and maintaine and roiallize the same that they shall draw some profit thereby as being those that were the occasion of the confirmation of his monarchy Hereupon the auncient Iewes and Hircanus repaired vnto the Queene humbly intreating her to take some mature counsaile and good aduice touching the present affaires because that Aristobulus her son was already well nigh lord of the whole countrey since he had so many forts vnder his commaund Furthermore that it was inconuenient and vndecent for them to consult without her expresse order notwithstanding she were grieuously sicke but that the impendent danger extorted the same The Queene willed them to doe that which they thought should be most profitable for the common weale telling them that they had many meanes for that their nation was mighty great and strong and had great store both of money and riches in the common treasurie certifying them that because she knew that she had not long to liue she had no more reason to take care of those affaires Anon after she had spoken thus she died after she had raigned nine yeeres and liued in all seuentie and three yeeres This woman was adorned with greater excellency then could be expected from one of hir sexe and expressed both in her actions and ordinances how fit she was to gouerne a kingdome and how oftentimes men thorow imprudence ouershoote themselues in affaires of estate For making more account of the present then future occurrences and neglecting all other things in respect of those which are requisite in a moderated gouernment she neuer vpon any instigation whatsoeuer peruerted iustice notwithstanding her family fell into such inconueniences that the same soueraignty which she had obtained by diuers daungers and trauels was not long after that ruinated and lost for her scarce effeminate desires For she gaue care vnto those who were ill affected towards her posterity and left the kingdome destitute of such as were fit to gouerne so
was vpon the point of execution surprised her at such time as she thought to flye and yet notwithstanding he pardoned her that fault in that he durst not decree any punishmēt against hir though he could haue found in his heart to haue vsed seueritie for that Cleopatra vvould not haue contained her selfe had she but had such an occasiō offered her to expresse her hatred against Herod For which cause vnder the colour of a high and magnanimous spirit he made shewe to pardon her of his meere clemencie yet inwardly resolued hee to make young Aristobulus away yet not rashly and vpon the instant least the act should growe apparant and palpable Now the feast of Tabernacles was at hand which was one of those that was ceremoniously and solemnly celebrated among vs for which cause he concealed his intents during the festiuall daies intending both in himselfe and in the presence and companie of the people to follow all kinde of pleasure and delight yet did his enny incite him to hasten the execution of his will Aristobulus was at that time some seuenteene yeere olde who at such time as he approched the altar to offer sacrifices according to the lawe apparelled in the high priests ornaments to performe the ceremonies he who for amiable countenance and goodly stature surpassed the young and tendernesse of his yeeres expressing in his countenance the dignitie and nobilitie of his race drew the eies and good affection of all the people vnto him so that they openly called to remembrance the noble actions of Aristobulus his grandfather All the people therfore being surmounted by those their affections and at that present time being all of them troubled with the ioy they conceiued they brake out by little and little into happy acclamations mixed with wishes and praiers so that the good will the people bare to Aristobulus discouered it selfe openly and they manifestly although too hastily in such a kingdome declared what euils they generally endured For all which causes Herode concluded to execute that which he had heretofore complotted and conceited against Aristobulus As soone therefore as the feast was ouerpassed he soiourned in Iericho where Alexandra entertained him In that place he vsed Aristobulus with all kindnesse to the end to draw him into some place where he feared nothing playing also with him and counterfaiting to sport after the fashion of the young men to gratifie him Now for that the place where they disported themselues was by nature too hoat they quickly wearied left their sport and went out togither to take the fresh aire and recouering a pleasant shade vnder certaine arbors and neere certaine fishpooles which were largely spread round about they beheld certain of their seruants and friends that swomme therein with whom not long after Aristobulus began to swim being perswaded thereunto by Herode Whereupon Herodes confederates who were deputed to execute the murther laid hands of him and thrust him vnder the water pretending to duck him in sport and neuer gaue him ouer vntill such time as they had stifled him in the water This hapned about the euening and after this manner died Aristobulus after he had liued in all for the space of eighteene yeeres and administred the priesthood one whole yeere and after this Ananel presently recouered his former dignitie Now when this accident was reported to the women all of them were sodainly deuoured in teares and transported with strange lamentations which they spent ouer the dead body All the Citie also was marueilously amated neither was there any priuate family that thought not it selfe touched by this inconuenient but imagined the losse in particular to concerne himselfe and no other But aboue all when Alexandra had notice of this wicked deede she was more passionate and perplexed then any other being so much the more discomforted for that she knew how all things had hapned But the feare of a farre greater mischiefe constrained her to represse her passion in such sort that diuers times she was ready to bereaue her of her owne life and dispatch her selfe out of miserie with her owne hands But she contained her selfe to the end that suruiuing and liuing after her sonne who was so traiterously and fraudulently slaine and prolonging her owne life without giuing any suspition or shadow that she supposed her sonne to be thus cursedly murthered she might with more opportunitie expect the occasion to reuenge her selfe For which cause she dissembled all things gouerned her griefe and made shew that she knew nothing of that which was either intended or had hapned As for Herode he laboured by all means to perswade the strangers that this death had befallen Aristobulus without his knowledge and did not onely prepare that which was requisite for the funerall but vext himselfe likewise made shew of a man truely deuoured in his sorrow and it may be that in remembrance of Aristobulus beauty and flourishing young yeeres he was truely touched with compassion notwithstanding that he imagined that this death of his should be a means of his intire securitie demeasning himselfe in all things very circumspectly with intent to purge himselfe of that crime But especially he shewed his great magnificence in the interring of his body both in the furnishing and preparation of the herse as in the perfumes and other things thereunto belonging in such sort as the griefe which the Ladies had conceiued was pacified after this manner of consolation CHAP. IIII. Cleopatra thirsting after the kingdomes of Arabia and Iewry laboureth to beg a part of them at Anthonies hands BVt none of all these things could either mooue or mollifie Alexandra but that daily more and more she increased her sorrow and in the heart of her teares kindled her wrath and heate with a desire of reuenge She therefore certified Cleopatra by her priuate letters of Herodes treasons and her sonnes most miserable and vntimely death Cleopatra long before that time desirous to assist her and hauing compassion of her miserie vndertooke the matter and ceased not to incite Anthony to reuenge Aristobulus death telling him that it was an vnpardonable errour that Herode being created king in such a state whereunto he had no right should be suffered to practise such conspiracies against the true and lawfull kings Anthony perswaded by these her words as soone as he came vnto Laodicea sent for Herode to the end that making his appearance he might answere that which might be obiected against him as touching Aristobulus death for he disliked the act notvvithstanding that Herode himselfe had attempted it But although Herode vvas affraid of this accusation and did not a little suspect Cleopatraes displeasure for that she ceased not continually to prouoke Anthony against him yet obeyed he this commandement and transported himselfe thither the rather for that he durst not otherwise do notwithstanding he left his vncle Ioseph behind him committing the gouernment both of the kingdome his priuate
before the people and the people throwing any thing that came to their hands at them they slew them euery one And Alexander and Aristobulus were caried vnto Sebaste there by their fathers command were strangled and their bodies buried by night in the castle Alexandrium where their grandfather by the mothers side and many of their progenitors lay buried But perhaps some will nothing maruaile that a hatred so long a breeding should in the end so preuaile that it ouercame naturall affection But one may iustly doubt whether the fault were in the yong men who exasperated by a hard father so long time fell into such hatred of him or whether it is to be imputed vnto his vnkindnes immoderate desire of honour rule who could not abide any to be his equal but rather chusing to do all at his owne pleasure Or rather vnto fortune whose power the wisest liuing is not able to resist Wherefore I am perswaded that fortune hath predestinated all humane actions so that they must haue a necessary euent And this ineuitable force we cal fate or fatal destinie for that there is nothing which it effecteth not But it sufficeth briefly to haue touched this high matter which is of it selfe very difficult which attributeth some thing vnto our actions and examineth the causes of the varietie of our actions which speculation is alreadie comprised in the two volumes of our law Furthermore as touching the yong mens fault we may accuse their youthly arrogancy the free kingly pride which was in them who did giue too great eare vnto their fathers accusers for that they were vniust serchers into his life actions and that they maliciously suspected him could not rule their tongues but hereby gaue double occasion vnto their aduersaries and matter vnto those tale bearers that sought to get the kings fauor But their fathers shamefull fault cānot be excused who suffered himselfe so to be ouerruled with passion that he put thē to death that were begotten of his own body without any proof or argumēt of the crimes laid vnto their charge yea two yong men of excellent feature of body not only beloued of their owne nation but also of strangers not slouthfull in hunting cōmendable in military affaires eloquent in ciuil discourses For in all these things they were excellent especially Alexander the eldest of them It had bin enough for him suppose he had condemned them either to haue kept thē in perpetual prison or to haue banished them into some far country seeing that he was assured of the Roman power vnder whose protectiō he neither needed to haue feared inuasion nor secret treason against him For so soone to put them to death only to satisfie his owne furious will what other thing doth it betoken but only an impious liberty casting off all fatherly humanity kindnes especially seeing that he was aged whose yeeres could neither plead ignorance not that he was deceiued For neither was he the more excused by the delay he vsed nay it had beene a lesse offence if amazed with some sudden newes he had beene incited vnto so hainous an offence but after so long delay deliberation at last to effect such a matter betokeneth a bloudie mind obdurate in wickednes as he well shewed himselfe afterward to haue not sparing the rest whō before time he held most deere who although they were lesse to be pitied in that they iustly suffered yet was it an argument of his like cruelty in that he abstained not from their deaths also but we will speake hereof hereafter THE XVII BOOKE OF THE ANTIQVITIES OF THE IEWES WRITTEN BY FLAVIVS IOSEPHVS The Contents of the Chapters of the 17. booke 1 Of Antipaters malice who was Herodes sonne 2 Of Zamaris the Babylonian Iew. 3 Of Antipaters treacherous practises against Herode his father 4 How Herode sent Antipater vnto Caesar. 5 Of Pheroras death 6 How Pheroras wife was accused for intending to poyson the king and how Herode knew Antipaters practises against him 7 How Antipater was condemned to die and imprisoned 8 Of Herodes sicknesse and the sedition amongst the Iewes 9 Of Antipaters death 10 Of Herodes death his testament and funerall 11 How the people began a sedition against Archelaus 12 Of the sedition of the Iewes against Sabinus and how Varus punished the authors thereof 13 How Caesar ratified Herodes testament 14 Of the false Alexander 15 How Archelaus being againe accused was banished vnto Vienna CHAP. I. Of Antipaters malice who was Herodes sonne AFTER that Antipater had made away his brothers thorow the extreme impietie and vnbridled furie wherewith Herode their father was incensed and whetted against them yet incontinently obtained he not that which vndoubtedly he hoped for For being deliuered and discharged of that feare he conceiued least his brethren should be partakers with him in the kingdome he found it a difficult and dangerous matter for himselfe to finde the meanes how he might obtaine the kingdome so strange and hainous a hatred had all the nation conceiued against him On the other side in shewing himselfe proud and loftie he more and more whetted and encreased that hatred which the souldiers had fore conceiued against him in whom notwithstanding the securitie of the kingdome consisted if it should fortune so to fall out that the people should attempt any alteration All which mischiefes were begotten by his owne sinnes and the vnnaturall murther of his brothers Naithelesse he gouerned the kingdome with his father liuing in no lesse authoritie then himselfe Herode also reposed more confidence in him euen in those things for which he was worthie to lose his head For the king conceiued that in confirmation of his good affection towards him Antipater had accused his brethren as vnder resolution to continue his father in securitie and not for any hatred he bore as well vnto them as to his father though indeed he hated them for his fathers sake being transported with furie But all these were but as it were many subtill stratagemes to insinuate himselfe into Herodes counsailes and sauours and these did he craftily make vse of to cut off the occasion least any should preuent or accuse him of that which he pretended to doe and that Herode might be depriued of all meanes and manner of reliefe if so be Antipater should bend his forces against him For the treason he complotted against his brothers proceeded from the hatred he bare vnto his father but at that time was he the more egged on to prosecute his intended purposes without any delay or procrastination For if Herode should happen to die it was a matter most assured that the kingdome should be his and should his life conti◅ any longer time and the practise Antipater went about should be discouered seeing himselfe inuironed with these dangers he should be inforced to make his father his enemy For which cause he vsed verie
himselfe and his followers yet being ouercome with brotherly affection he easily pardoned his brother ascribing his error to the violence of his vnbridled passion But whereas daily more and more he was tired with exclamations and greater reproofes at length he admonished his brother of the matter chiding him for that which was past and willing him to amend the error hereafter by sending home the woman vnto her kinred Yet did this admonition of his take no effect with him for that the woman perceiuing that the rumour that was raised among the people was for her sake and being affraid least for her loue sake Anilaeus should incurre some danger she poisoned Asinaeus to the end that her loue being in authoritie she might more freely practise her impietie Now when Anilaeus had gotten the gouernment into his owne hands he drew out his forces against certaine villages belonging to Mithridates one of the chiefest among the Parthians and Artabanus sonne in lawe which villages hee spoyled and carried away moueables men sheepe and other riches When Mithridates who at that time was resident in those quarters vnderstood of the spoile of his villages he was sore displeased and the rather for that without any occasion or proffer of iniurie Anilaeus had assailed him in contempt of his estate who was a chiefe peere of the countrey for which cause he incontinently assembled the greatest power of horse and footmen he could gather to set vpon Anilaeus and his associates Leading his forces therefore against one of his villages he kept himselfe in couert to the end he might fight the next day which was the Sabboth day on which the Iewes attempt not any thing Whereof when Anilaeus was aduertised by a certaine Syrian who dwelt in an other village who had exactly tolde him all Mithridates intent and the place where he intended to banquet with his souldiers after he had made his souldiers take their refection he departed by night to the end he might charge the Parthians before they might be aduertised of his comming He therefore rushed in vpon them about the fourth watch of the night and slew those whom he found a sleepe and the rest being astonished hereat were forced to saue themselues by flight he also tooke Mithridates prisoner and caused him to be carried away naked on an Asse which is one of the greatest disgraces which the Parthians imagine may be offered them Hauing after this disgracefull manner carried him into a foâ—…est some of his familiars perswaded him to kill him but Anilaeus tolde them incontinently that they ought to deale with him farre otherwise for that it behooued them not to kill a man who was one of the chiefest among the nobilitie of the Parthians and one vvho vvas most honoured in regard of that affinity and alliance he had with the king that although all that which heretofore had beene offered to Mithridates were insupportable yet if they should be the meanes of the safegard of his life hee would remitte the iniuries and remunerate them for their mercie in sauing his life whereas if they should deale seuerely with him the king would seeke his reuenge and make a horrible slaughter of all those Iewes that inhabited Babylon whom they ought to haue compassion of both for that they are of their bloud as for that if any mischiefe should be fal them they knew not whither to retire themselues whereas they might be assisted with the flower and picked number of the men of their nation Hauing thus discoursed and debated the matter in the eares of his souldiers his opinion was approoued and they were perswaded and so Mithridates was sent backe againe But no sooner returned he home vnto his house but that his wife hit him in the teeth that he liued but by the mercie of his enemies notwithstanding he were the kings sonne in lawe that he had made no reckoning to punish those who had so much iniured him that he likewise contented himselfe to haue his life saued after he had been prisoner to the Iewes For which cause said she recouer thou thy former vertue and honor which thou hast heretofore lost or I sweare by the Gods of the king my father that the bond of marriage which is betwixt thee and me shal be dissolued Mithridates vnable to endure these vsuall reproches and on the other side apprehending his wiues hautie coarage from whom he feared to be separated he assembled the greatest power of men of warre that he could possible notwithstanding it were against his will and led them foorth supposing himselfe to be vnworthy of life if he who was by nation a Parthian should be cowardly put to y e worst by the Iews When Anilaeus vnderstood that Mithridates came forth against him with a great force he thought that it would redound greatly to his indignitie if he should lie lurking amidst his matshes hoping that he should haue no worse fortime against his enemies then he had at the first and building much vpon his souldiers vvho vvere euer wont to get the vvper hand in their encountries he likewise drew forth his army to them also certaine other adioyned themselues who sought noughtels but pillage and hoped that vvith their onely presence they might dismay their enemy But after they had marched about ninetie stades and passed thorow a countrey that vvas scant of vvater and vvere about the heate of the midday trauailed vvith thirst Mithridates army came in sight and charged them euen at that time vvhen they fainted for vvant of drinke and thorow the extremitie of heate so as they could scarcely vveild their vveapons At that time Anilaeus souldiers encountring vvith Mithridates fresh men vvere shamefully put to flight vvhereby it came to passe that a great number of them vvere murthered and many thousand men put to the sword But Anilaeus himselfe and all those of his companie retired themselues in great haste into a forrest leauing Mithridates Lord and Maister of the field vvhereof he vvas verie ioyfull Notwithstanding this desaster an infinite number of lawlesse men resorted to Anilaeus vvho set little by their lines prouided there might no limit be proposed to their vnbridled licentiousnes so that he gathered a greater number of men then those vvhom he had lost yet vvere they faâ—…e different in valour from the former for they vvere men vvholy ignorant of vvarlike discipline notwithstanding he being accompanied vvith these men vvent and set vpon câ—…rtaine burroughs of the Babylonians vvhich vvere vvholy destroyed by his rapine and violence For vvhich cause the Babylonians and his other enemies sent vnto Nearda to the sewes that were there requiring that Anilaeus might be deliuered into their hands vvhereunto condiscending not for although they had a wil to perform their request yet it lay not in their power to deliuer him they required that they might liue in peace And to intreat of the conditions of peace the Babylonians sent certaine men to
should assault and set vpon him They therefore thought it good that the opportunitie to set forward this businesse should be the time in which the games of the pallace were celebrated which were solemnized in honour of Caesar who first of all disanulled the peoples authoritie and appropriated it to himselfe This solemnitie is celebrated in a tent before the pallace where the noble Citizens with their wiues and children remained to behold the sport and Caesar himselfe likewise At that time concluded they that it would be an easie matter for them when as so many thousands of people should be shut vp in so narrow a place so that he who would steppe formost to giue the stroke might verie easily be succoured for that hee could haue no force in armes although his guard should haue the courage and desire to defend him Chaereas resolued vpon this and it was concluded that the first day of those sports that were next at hand the deed should be done but their aduenture was greater then their conclusion For the delay was such as the third day was almost past hardly could they be drawn to attempt the matter on the third day At which time Chaereas assembled all the confederates told them that the opportunitie of time that ouerslipt them accused and reproched them of slacknesse in that execution which had been so vertuously resolued amongst them and that it was to be feared least if any thing should be discouered the whole matter should waxe frustrate by which meanes Caius might grow more cruell then he was before See we not said he that by howe much libertie we take from our selues by so much we augment Caius tyrannie wheras we ought first of all to obtaine securitie for our selues and afterwards purchase perpetual felicitie to others the greatest glorie whereof shall redound vnto our selues Now they hauing nothing to reply against so honourable a resolution and yet notwithstanding no waies enforcing themselues towards the action but remaining altogither dismaied without one word speaking Chaereas spake thus Most noble and generous Gentlemen what is the cause that we linger and delay in this sort see you not that this day is the last day of the games and that Caius is readie to depart to sea For he hath determined to saile into Alexandria and to see Aegypt verely it will be a small honour for vs if we suffer him to escape our hands to the end that both by land and sea he may triumph ouer the Romans vaine boast and negligence How can we chuse but condemne ourselues iustly and challenge nothing but dishonour if some Aegyptian supposing that men of free condition could not any longer endure his insolence should put the matter in execution For mine owne part I vvill dreame no longer vpon your consultations but this verie day vvill I hazard my selfe and betide me vvhat can I will sustaine all fortunes vvith pleasure and courage For I am a man of that mind that no danger can be so great or grieuous to daunt me then that Caius should be slaine during my life time and I should be depriued of so deserued an honour which so vvorthy an attempt may chalenge This said he departed with an intent to attempt and end the matter and encouraged the rest to do the like so that all of them vvere desirous to set hand to the enterprise vvithout any further delay The custome vvas that the captaines of the guard entred the pallace with their swords by their sides and in such equipage they asked the Emperour the watchword At that time it fortuned that it vvas Chaereas turne to fet the vvord when as a great number of people flocked to the pallace to take vp their places to behold the games vvith great prease and noyce wherein Caius vvas greatly delighted for there was no distinction of place eyther for Senators or Knights but each one sate togither confusedly men and vvomen slaues and freemen Caius arriuing there first had offered sacrifice in honour of Caesar Augustus in dignifying vvhom likewise those sports vvere solemnised It came to passe that vvhilst those beasts vvere embowelled that vvere appointed for sacrifice Asprenas gowne vvho at that time was a Senator was besprinkled vvith bloud wherat Caius began to laugh yet notwithstanding this vvas a presage for Asprenas For he was slaine that verie day that Caius was It is reported that Caius at that time contrary to his own nature behaued himselfe most affably towards al men so that all the assistants were astonished to behold the courtesie that he vsed After the sacrifice was done he sate him downe to behold the pastimes and had about him the most noble of his friends familiars Now was there euery yeere a Theater builded according to this forme and fashion that ensueth It had two gates the one towards the open yard the other opening vpon the porch by which the actors had their egresse and regresse without disturbance of those who sate to behold the pastime There was within the same a certaine seueral roome separated from the rest where the plaiers musitions kept When the people were seated and Chaereas with the captaines were neere about Caesar who sate on the right side of the Theater Batibius one of the Senators a man very expert in feats of armes asked Cluuitus priuily in his eare who sate by him had in like sort beene Consul whether he had heard any news who answering him that he had heard nothing on this day said Batibius shal the tragedy be plaid of a tyrāts death Cluuitus made him this reply in Homers words Whist least some Greeke should listen to our talke Now whilest some one darted certaine apples and rare and precious birds at the people Caius tooke great pleasure to behold how they stroue one with another round about him buffeting one another to see who should get the same but at that present there chanced two presages for the sport that was represented was of a Iudge who was apprehended crucified and in the daunce they represented Cynera who was slaine with Mirrha hir daughter and there was a great quantity of bloud gathered to counterfait both the murther of the Iudge that was crucified as also of Cynera It is affirmed likewise that the day was the very same whereon Philip the sonne of Amyntas king of Macedon had beene slaine by Pausanias one of his familiars at such time as he entred a Theater Whilest Caius was incertaine with himselfe whether he should remaine vntil the sports were finished for that it was the last day of them or rather should resort to the bath and after he had taken his refection returne backe againe thither as he had done before time Minucianus sitting next vnto him fearing least the occasion should be ouerslipt arose for that he had seene Chaereas depart out of doores with an intent to go and incourage him But Caius catcht him by the gowne saying whither go
Herode to this effect Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus Father of the people signifieth this that followeth Vnderstanding that the Iewes inhabitants in Alexandria and for this cause called Alexandrines haue at all times enioyed the selfesame priuiledges of the Citie which the ancient and first Alexandrines haue had Which fauors they haue obtained by the largesse of those princes that were our predecessors as it hath been plainly made knowne vnto vs as well by letters which haue been written vnto vs as by confirmed decrees and that since Alexandria hath beene annexed to our Empire by Caesar Augustus their priuiledges haue continued in force during the seuerall successions of many of our gouernours which rights of theirs haue neuer been called in question no not in that time when Aquila was gouernour in Alexandria Since in like sort Caesar Augustus hath not letted them but when the chiefetaine of their nation was dead they might establish other substitutes and gouernours in his place willing that all of them should yeeld him obedience in obseruation of their lawes and customâ—…s without constraint or impulsion to doe any thing contrarie to their religion yet notwithstanding the Alexandrines haue mutined against the Iewes being in the Citie of Alexandria in the time of the Emperour Caius by reason of the folly and frenzie of Caius who disgraced and oppressed the nation of the Iewes because they would not violate their religion nor acknowledge the said Caius for a god Our wil and pleasure is that no one of the priuiledges of the nation of the Iewes be abolished by reason of Caius frenzie but my minde is to maintaine those which heretofore haue beene giuen them to the ende they may continue and liue according to their auncient lawes and customes Commanding you and euerie one of you verie carefully to prouide that after the publication of this our ordinance they be in no sort troubled This was the tenor of that ordinance which was made in fauour of the Iewes in Alexandria But that which was generally made in fauour of those who were dispersed thorow the whole world was to this effect Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus High priest Father of the people elected Consul the second time signifieth that which ensueth Our we beloued friends the kings Agrippa and Herode haue required vs that we will permit all those Iewes that liue vnder the Roman Empire to vse the same lawes and priuiledges which they haue vsed heretofore as we haue granted to the Iewes that dwell in Alexandria Which suite of theirs we haue willingly granted not onely in fauour of those that require the same but also for that I thinke them worthy such a grace for whom I haue been intreated in regard of the fidelity and friendship they haue alwaies expressed towards the Romans My pleasure therfore is that no Citie either Grecian or otherwise shall deny any priuiledge from whence they shall be excluded for that since the Emperour Augustus time they haue neuer been exempted from them It standeth with reason therefore that henceforth the Iewes who liue vnder our Empire of what place soeuer they bee may obserue their auncient customes without any contradiction Giuing them to vnderstand that hereafter they vse our clemencie so much the more moderately without neglecting the religion of other nations in retaining their own And our wil is that this present ordinance be published by the Magistrates of Cities Colonies and countries of Italy and be sent vnto kings and forraine princes by fit embassadours within thirtie daies at the least to the end that they should be in such sort set vp that they may be seene and read by all those that passe by CHAP. V. Agrippas returne into Iudaea BY these edicts of Claudius Caesar which he sent both to Alexandria and other parts of the world it plainly appeareth how well affected he was towards the nation of the Iewes And presently after this after he had dignified Agrippa with all kinds of honour he sent him backe into his kingdome to gouerne the same commanding all his presidents and lieutenants in his prouinces thorow which he was to passe to giue him a friendly and honourable conuoy But he hauing wisely and happily dispatched his affaires returned in all haste As soone as he came to Ierusalem he offered his sacrifices of thanksgiuing which he had vowed without omitting any thing that was commanded by the law He caused also diuers Nazarites to be pould and offered in gift that chaine of gold that Caius had giuen him which was of the same weight the yron chaine was of wherewith his royall hands were manacled in memorie of the aduersitie he had past and the testimonie of the exchange thereof into better fortune commaunding that it should be hanged vp in the temple and ouer the chamber of the treasurie to testifie vnto those that should behold the same that the highest estates are subiect to alterations and that God can raise men againe from obscuritie to happy fortune For this chaine that hanged in the temple being consecrated to God manifestly expressed vnto all men that king Agrippa was vpon a verie small occasion despoiled of his former dignitie and made prisoner and then a little while after that he being deliuered from his bonds was raised and exalted to a famous kingdome To signifie thereby that humane affaires are of that nature that that which is the greatest may be easily ouerthrowne and that which is declining may recouer againe his auncient honour and dignitie When as therfore Agrippa had duely and deuoutly acknowledged Gods mercies he deposed the hie priest Theophilus the son of Ananus and bestowed that honour on Simon surnamed Canthara the son of Boëthus This Simon had two brothers Boëthus was their father whose daughter had bin married to king Herod as heretofore it hath bin spoken Simon held the priesthood with his brethren and his father in such sort as before time the three sons of Simon hie priest son of Onias had done during the Empire of the Macedonians as we haue declared in our former bookes After the king had giuen order for the priesthood he thought good to recompence the good affection that they of Ierusalem had borne vnto him for which cause he acquited them of those tributes that euerie family paied knowing well that it became him to shew kindnesse vnto them who had been faithfull and wel affected towards him He created Silas who had been his companion in many dangers generall of all his army Not long after certaine young men that were Dorites vnder the colour of constancie in case of religion who also had daily expressed in their actions an vnbridled rashnesse brought the image of Caesar into the temple of the Iewes and erected it in that place which insolence of theirs highly offended Agrippa who construed it as an act that tended to the abolition of the religion of their countrey for which cause with all expedition he
repaired to Petronius who was gouernor of Syria and complained against these Dorites who was no lesse displeased with the action then he himselfe For he supposed that such breach of religion was the meanes to further impietie and for that cause he wrote to those which had attempted this innouation somewhat sharply to this effect following CHAP. VI. Petronius letter written to the Dorites in the behalfe of the Iewes PVblius Petronius lieutenant to Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus to the Magistrates of the countrey of Doria health Whereas Caesar hath published an edict by which he permitteth the Iewes to liue according to their lawes and customes some one amongst you haue been so presumptuous to contradict the same in effect although in words you protest that you obey him and doe all that which you can to hinder the Iewes from enioying their Synagogue in so much as in the same you haue planted Caesars image not onely therby opposing your selues against the Iewes but also against the Emperour himselfe whose image might haue been better placed in his owne temple then in a forraine temple and you haue placed it in their Synagogue whereas by right euerie one ought to be maister of his place according to Caesars iudgement For it should be verie ridiculous in me to alleadge mine owne iudgement after that of Caesars who hath granted the Iewes the liberty to liue according to their lawes and customes and hath commanded that they should conuerse in equall freedome among the Greekes For these causes I commaund you that they who haue been so bold as to contemne Augustus decree against whom their owne magistrates haue beene displeased excusing themselues that this accident hapned not by their motion but by the furie of the common people be brought before me by the captaine Proculus Vitellius to yeeld a reason of that which they haue done exhorting the magistrates that if they will not be accounted parties in this contempt they labour to discouer those that are guiltie vnto Proculus and giue order that no sedition or violence be offered thereupon Which notwithstanding it seemeth that they affect although we and the most honoured king Agrippa whom I take for my good and special friend labour nothing more then that the nation of the Iewes should not assemble and take armes vnder colour of their defence And to the end that whatsoeuer Augustus hath ordained as touching this matter may be the better knowne vnto all men I haue annexed his edict which he published in Alexandria and although they are sufficiently knowne vnto all men yet hath the most honoured king Agrippa read them vnto me at such time as I sate in my tribunal seat concluding according to right that the Iewes ought not to be excluded nor hindred from enioying those benefits which are granted vnto them by Caesar I therefore charge all men that hence forward they take heed least they seeke any occasion of mutinie or sedition and that euerie one liue according to his religion See here how Petronius proceeded in this matter both to amend that which was past as also to preuent that which was to come that none should be so bold to attempt the like After this Agrippa tooke the priesthood from Simon Canthara and gaue it againe to Ionathan the sonne of Anani whom he esteemed to be more worthy then the other But Ionathan declared that he was not desirous of this dignitie for in effect he refused it saying O King I most willingly acknowledge the honour which it pleaseth you to bestow vpon me and know well that it is a dignitie which of your owne freewill you bestow vpon me notwithstanding that God iudgeth me vnworthy It sufficeth me that I haue once been inuested with the sacred habite for at that time I wore it with more holinesse then I can now receiue it at this present yet notwithstanding if it please you to know one that is more worthy of this honour then my selfe I wil informe you of one My liege I haue a brother who towards God and you is pure and innocent whom I dare recommend vnto you for a most fit man for that dignitie The king tooke great pleasure in these his words and leauing Ionathan he bestowed the priesthood on Matthias his brother according as Ionathan had aduised him and not long after this Marsus succeeded in Petronius roome and tooke vpon him the gouernment of Syria CHAP. VII Agrippas acts vntill the time of his death SIlas was made generall ouer the kings army and for that he had alwaies beene faithfull vnto him and had neuer forsaken him in any daunger that was offered without partaking the vtmost extremitie but had alwaies aduentured on the greatest perils in respect of his intire and constant resolution he made his account that being so firme a friend to the king he should also be partaker and companion with him in the honour For which cause in all things whatsoeuer he submitted not himselfe to the king but chalenged to himselfe a liberty to speake what him listed For this cause he grew hatefull in the kings sight for that in particular he boasted of himselfe beyond measure and oftentimes refreshed the memory of those aduersities the king had past the rather to expresse how affectionate he had been toward him and his continuall talke was nothing else but of those trauailes he had endured Now for that he obserued no measure in this his discourse the king tooke it as an iniury intended to his honour was offended with the vnbridled licence of the mans prattle For nothing soundeth more harsh in a mans eare then the memorie of his forepassed miserie and it is but the fault of a foole to rip vp the courtesies he hath emploied on another man Finally Silas grieuously prouoked the kings displeasure against himself that rather subscribing to his wrath then his wit he not only dispossessed Silas of his generals roome but also sent him bound into his countrey in that place to be held prisoner This notwithstanding time asswaged his displeasure the king drawing himselfe into better consideration and remembring himselfe how many trauels Silas had endured in his behalfe he reuoked the sentence that he had pronounced At such time therfore as he was ready to celebrate the festiual day of his birth and al his subiects were addressed to take their pleasure he speedily sent for Silas to the end he might be partaker thereof and banquet with them But Silas who was of a free nature supposing that he had iust cause to be displeased concealed it not from those who were sent vnto him but spake vnto them after this manner To what honour doth the king inuite me at this present to the intent incontinently to depriue me thereof for he hath not onely depriued me of those honours which he bestowed vpon me in acknowledgement of the good affection I haue alwaies shewed vnto him but he hath altogither spoyled me and
for that he feared least if the matter should be publikely knowne he should suffer some punishment as being the onely author and instructer of the king in vndecent matters that otherwise he might serue God although he were not circumcised since he had resolued to liue according to the institutions and lawes of the Iewes and that God would pardon him for in this true religion consisteth more then in the circumcision of the body though hee were not actually circumcised since the necessitie and feare of his subiects ouerruled him By which words the king for that time was won to affect the same no further But some little whiles after for he was not wholy altered in that affection which he had another Iew called Eleazar comming from Galilee and accounted a man of great experience in the doctrine of our religion perswaded him to be circumcised For comming one day vnto him to salute him he found him reading of the bookes of Moses and said vnto him O King contrarie to your knowledge you offend the law and God likewise for it sufficeth you not that you vnderstand the same but the chiefest matter you are tied vnto is to doe that which the law commaundeth how long therefore vvill you remaine vncircumcised And if as yet you haue not perused the law as touching this point read it now to the intent you may know what impietie it is to omit it After the King had heard this he would no longer deferre his circumcision for which cause withdrawing himselfe into another chamber he called a surgeon vnto him vvho acted that which he required and afterwards calling his mother and master Ananias vnto him he certified them vvhat had past vvherupon they grew straungely amased fearing least the king should grow in daunger of the losse of his kingdome if this action of his should come to light for that his subiects would not endure that such a man that followed a contrarie religion should be their king they feared also least they themselues should be in daunger for as much as the cause of all this matter would be imputed to them But God by his prouidence preuented least any of those things vvich they feared should come to effect for he deliuered Izates himselfe and his children likewise out of many daungers yeelding them his assistance in their doubtful desperate estates declaring in effect that those that onely put their trust in him and depend vpon his proiudence are neuer depriued of the fruit of their pietie But of these things vvill vve speake hereafter When Helena the kings mother perceiued that the estate of the kingdome vvas in peace and that by all mens opinion both homebred and straungers her sonne vvas reputed happie by the good vvill of God she vvas seazed vvith a desire to go and visit the citie of Ierusalem and adore God in that temple vvhich was so much renowmed thorow the vvhole vvorld offer sacrifice of thanksgiuing therin for vvhich cause she besought her son that he vvould suffer her to performe her vowes who willingly cōdescended to her desire and furnished her royally vvith althings that were necessary for such a voiage giuing her a great masse of mony with her and bringing her onward on her way many daies iourney so that at length she arriued in Ierusalē to the great aduantage of the inhabitāts of that citie For at that time the citie was oppressed with a gricuous famine so as many died for want of food for which cause Queene Helena sent her seruants some into Alexandria to buy a great quantitie of come the rest into Cypris to buy dried figs who returned with all expeditiō they might wherupon Helena distributed the victuals among the poore leauing a singular memory of her beneficence among the whole nation Her sonne Izates also vnderstanding of this famine sent a great summe of money to the gouernour of Ierusalem But hereafter will I declare what other benefits the king and Queene haue bestowed vpon our nation Now Artabanus king of Parthia perceiuing that the princes of his kingdome had conspired against him resolued with himselfe to go vnto Izates for the securitie of his life and person hoping by his meanes if it were possible to recouer his kingdome He therfore retired thither and brought with him about one thousand men of his kinsfolke and houshold seruants And by the way he met with Izates whom he knew verie well by his royall traine notwithstanding he were vnknowne vnto him by countenance Drawing therfore neere vnto him he first of all humbled himselfe on his knees according to the custome of the countrey and afterwards spake vnto him after this manner Dread king forsake me not who am thy seruant neither reiect thou my praiers For being deiected by the meanes of my misfortunes and of a king become a priuate man I haue neede of thy succour Consider therefore the inconstancie of fortune and thinke with thy selfe that by prouiding for me thou shalt prouide for thy selfe For if thou makest no reckoning of the wrong that is done vnto me diuers men will grow audacious to enterprise vpon other kings These words pronounced he with weeping teares and with lookes lowly fixed vpon the ground When Izates had heard Artabanus name and saw his humble and submissiue estate he leapt incontinently from his horse and said vnto him King be of good courage and let not thy present and perplexed condition dismay thee as if thy misfortunes were irrecouerable For this sorrow of thine shall sodainly bee changed and thou shalt finde a better friend and allie then thou hopedst for at this time For either will I repossesse thee of thy kingdome of Parthia or I will lose mine owne gouernment This said he caused Artabanus to get vp on horsebacke and walked by him on foote yeelding him this honour as to a greater king then himselfe Which when Artabanus sawe he was discontented and sware by his fortune and honour to come that he would set foote on ground if he would not get vp on horsebacke and ride before him wherunto he obeied and mounting vpon his horse againe he conducted him to his pallace yeelding him all the honour that was possible both in his sittings and banquets as in his assemblies not respecting his present estate or condition but his former dignitie considering with himselfe that such casuall misfortunes and changes are incident to all men Furthermore he wrote vnto the Parthians perswading them to receiue their king Artabanus assuring them on his faith and oath that he would obtaine a free pardon for all that which was past and to that intent he offered himselfe to be an arbitrator betweene them The Parthians gaue him this answere that they would not refuse to entertaine him but that they could not for that one who was called Cinnamus was aduanced in his place and dignitie and that they feared least a sedition should happen amongst them Cinnamus who was a noble and
were taken by him To the performance whereof Ananias perswaded Albinus by manifest reason and by obtaining his demaund encreased and begat a number of miseries For the theeues vsed all the wilie meanes they could deuise in apprehending some one of Ananias house and when they had taken any one of them aliue they would not deliuer him except before they might haue one of their owne deliuered So that increasing both in courage and number they waxed more more insolent to afflict the countrey At the same time king Agrippa enlarged the citie of Caesarea surnamed Philippi and in honour of Nero called it Neronias He builded also to his great charge a Theater in fauour of the Berytians wherein euerie yeere he spent diuers thousands of siluer in sports He distributed oyle and corne to euery one of the people and garnished all the citie with most anticke and goodly counterfaited portraitures vpon the porches Briefely he welny transported into the citie all the ornamnts of the rest of his kingdom for which cause his subiects began to hate him seeing he depriued thē of their rare ornaments to adorn one strange citie Iesus the sonne of Gamaliel succeeded in the priesthood which the king had giuen him and taken away from Iesus the sonne of Damneus who resigned him his place against his will Whereupon there arose a discord betweene them For hauing assembled their resolutest followers they grew from bitter words to fatall blowes and stones But amongst all the rest Ananias was the richest in wealth and by his bountie reconciled the more vnto him Costobarus also and Saul gathered each of them a band of rascall and desperate men These two were of the bloud royall and by reason of their affinitie and alliance with Agrippa they were well beloued ◅or which cause they were outragious and violent in spoiling and rauishing the fortunes of the weaker sort From this time forward the estate of our Citie grewe desperate encrcasing daily more and more in wickednesse When Albinas vnderstood that Gessius Florus came to succeed him desirous that they of Ierusalem should acknowledge some good turne at his hands he called before him all those prisoners that were notoriously guiltie of murther and caused them to be executed As for those that were imprisoned vpon any small or sleight cause vpon paiment of their fines he deliuered them and in so doing the prison was cleansed of malefactors and from that time the countrey remained full of theeues and Robbers The Leuites who were ordained to sing the hymnes vnto God sollicited the king to assemble the councell and thereby to permi◅ them to weare the linnen Robe which the priests were accustomed to vse telling him that such an ordinance would dignifie his estate verie much in that he would be alwaies famous in memory of this new establishment This suit of theirs was easily respected and admitted For the king after he had consulted with those who were his assistants suffered the Leuites that sung the hymnes to lay aside their ordinarie Robe and to apparrell themselues in linnen as best liked them He permitted also that another part of the Leuites who intended the seruice of the temple should learne to sing the hymnes and psalmes according ◅s they had required All which he did contrarie to the ordinances of the countrey which being broken there was nought else to be expected but punishment At that time was the building of the temple finished And the people perceiuing that more then eighteene thousand workmen should be idle and depriued of wages whereupon they were accustomed to liue in trauailing in the building of the temple on the other side being Ioath to reserue their money thorow the feare they had of the Romanes to prouide that these workmen in the intertainment of whom they resolued to employ their treasure for if any one of them trauailed but one howre in the day he was sodainly paide his wages they requested the king that it might please him to repaire the Easterne gate on the outward part of the temple scituate in a descent the wals whereof were in height foure hundreth cubits made of square stones of white marble from the top to the bottome and euery stone twentie foot long and six foot thicke This worke was first builded by king Salomon who was the first that builded our temple But the king to whom Claudius Caesar had giuen the commission of building the temple thinking with himselfe that it was verie easie to breake it downe but very hard to build it vp and that to reedifie the porch it would cost much time and expence he denied their request permitting them neuerthelesse to paue their citie with broad stone Hee tooke the priesthoode from Iesus the sonne of Gamaliel and gaue it to Matthias the sonne of Theophilus In whose time the warre betwixt the Romanes and Iewes grew to the first head But I thinke it not amisse but verie answerable to the course of this present historie to speake of the priests and to shew how they had their beginning and to whom this honour may be lawfully communicated and how many they were in number vntill the end of the warre The first of them was Aaron Moses brother after whose death his children succeeded him and from that time forward the honour hath continued with their successors For it is a law obserued by our auncestors that no man shall be admitted to the priesthood except he be of Aarons posteritie for albeit he were a king if so be that he were of an other line it was impossible for him to obtaine the priesthood All the priests after Aaron who as we haue said was the first vntill Phanasus whom the seditious created priest in the time of the warre haue been in number 83. whereof 13 haue executed the office from the time that Moses erected Gods tabernacle in the desart vntil such time as arriuing in Iudaea king Salomon builded a temple to God For in the beginning the hie priesthood continued with the possessors for terme of life but afterwards although the priests were yet aliue yet were there other successors planted in their roomes These thirteene were of Aarons posteritie and obtained this degree in succession the one after the other Their first gouernment was Aristocratia which is the gouernment of the nobilitie afterwards a monarchy and finally a royall gouernment The number of yeers wherein these thirteene flourished were sixe hundreth and twelue yeeres from the day that our fathers departed out of Aegypt vnder the conduct of Moses vntill the edification of the temple that was builded in Ierusalem by king Salomon After these thirteene high priests there were eighteene others who after Salomons time succeeded one after another vntill the time that Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon hauing encamped before the Citie tooke the same and burned the temple and transported our nation into Babylon and led away the high priest Iosedech prisoner The time of the priesthood
many good things and eternall blisse The king hereat greatly moued with anger ouercame his disease and vvent forth and made a speech to the people vvherein he inueighed against them as Church-robbers and that vnder pretence and colour of their country lawes and religion they attempted great matters and adiudged them as impious people worthie of death The people fearing that he would torture many to learne who fauoure that act requested him that first the authors of that crime then those that were found guilty therein should receiue punishment that he would remit the offence to all the people besides The king with much ado entreated caused the yong men that let themselues down in cords and the Sophisters to be burned the rest which were taken in that act to be beheaded After this the kings sicknesse spred ouer his whole bodie and he vvas afflicted with most grieuous paine for he had a vehement ague and an itch ouer all his whole bodie which was intolerable and a daily colicke and his feete were swollen as though he had the dropsie his belly was swollen and priuie members putrified so that vvormes bred in the putrified places He was also short winded and he vvas grieuously tormented with difficultie of breath and a conuulsion of the whole body so that some said that this was a punishment laid vpon him for the death of the two Sophisters Herod notwithstanding he was afflicted with so many grieuous sicknesses yet was he desirous to liue and sought remedie whereby he hoped for health At last he passed ouer Iordan where he vsed the vvarme vvaters of Calliroe which runne into the lake of Asphaltites and are so sweet that men vse to drinke of them There the Physitions caused his bodie to be bathed in hot oyle and it was therewith so dissolued that his sight failed and he was as though he were dead whereaâ—… those that were about him being troubled with their cries caused him to looke vp now despairing of life he willed fiftie Drachmes to be distributed vnto euery souldier and great summes of money to the captains and his friends As he returned when he came to Iericho he was in verie great likelihood to die of melancholie and there he deuised a wicked fact for he caused the chiefe men of euerie towne and village in all Iudaea to be assembled together and then he shut them vp in a place called the Hippodrome and calling vnto him Salome his sister and Alexas her husband I know quoth he that the Iewes will make feasts for ioy of my death yet if you will do my command I shall be mourned for and I shal haue a princely funeral Therefore so soone as I haue giuen vp the ghost cause souldiours to compasse these men whom I haue here in hold and kill them all for so all Iudaea and euerie houshold thereof shall against their will bewaile my death As thus he commanded this to be done the Legates came which he had sent to Rome bringing him letters wherein was shewed how Acmes Iulia her maid was by Caesars command put to death and Antipater condemned to die yet Caesar writ that if his father had rather banish him he would condiscend thereunto also Herod with this newes was something refleshed yet presently with paine he was ouercome for he both was troubled with a vehement cough and almost pined with fasting to that he thought to hasten his owne death and taking no apple in his hand he called for a knife for hee was accustomed to cut the meat which he did eare and then looking about him least any standing by might hinder him he lifted vp his arme to strike himselfe But Achiabus his cousin raâ—… hastily vnto him and stayed his hand and presently there was made great lamentation throughout the kings pallace as though the king had beene dead Antipater hauing speedy newes hereof was glad and tooke courage and promised the keepers a peece of money to let him go But the chiefest of them did not only denie to do it but also went presently to the king and told him all what Antipater requested Herod hearing this lifted vp his voice with more strength then was meete for a sicke man and commaunded his guard to go and kill Antipater and burie him in the Castle called Hyrcanium And then againe he altered his testament and writ Archelaus his eldest sonne who was brother to Antipas for king and appointed Antipas for Tetrarch Fiue dayes after the death of his sonne Antipater Herod died â—…hauing reigned thirtie and foure yeares after he slew Antigonus and thirtie seuen yeares after that the Romans had declared him king And in all other things he was as fortunate as any man for he being but a priuate person got the crowne and kept it and left it vnto his posteritie but in his houshold affaires hee was most infortunate Salome before it was knowne that the king was dead went forth with her husband and released all those that were in hold whom the king commanded to be slaine saying that the kings mind was now altered and therefore he gaue them all licence to depart and after their departure the kings death was made known to the souldiers who together with the other multitude were assembled in the Amphitheater at Iericho Where Ptolemaeus keeper of the kings seale made a speech vnto them and began to say that Herod was now happie and comforted the multitude and so he read vnto them a letter which the king left wherein he earnestly requested the souldiers to fauour and loue his successour After the Epistle read he recited the kings testament wherein Philip was appointed heire of Trachon the places therunto adioyning Antipas designed Tetrarch and Archelaus king Him also he commanded to beare his ring vnto Caesar and withall notice and intelligence of the estate of the kingdome whereof he had beene gouernor fast sealed in writing for he appointed Caesar to be ouerseer of all his ordinances vnto whose pleasure he left the performance of his testament This was no sooner reade but presently the skies were filled with the voyces and cries of the people who did congratulate Archelaus and the souldiers and the people came in companies vnto him promising their fauor and furtherance and desired God alwayes to assist him This done euerie one was busied about the kings funerals where Archelaus spared no cost but buried the King with all royall pompe possible The Beere wheron he was carried was adorned with gold and precious stones vpon it lay a bed wrought with purple whereupon was laid the dead corps of the King couered also with purple with a crowne on his head and a diademe of pure gold and a scepter in his right hand About the Beere were his sonnes and kinsfolke and the guard bands of Thracians Germans and Gauls all went before in order as though they had gone to warres The rest of the
patterne of vertue and iustice to all the rest giuing all those that willingly followed him most assured saferie vsing in all accidents most straunge works And for this cause he rightly deemed God to be his captaine counceller and first examining himselfe and finding that all the lawes he had set down were agreeable to the wil pleasure of God the chiefest care he now had was how to perswade his people the same which he himselfe now knew for they who direct their liues according to the will of God auoid all sinne as our lawmaker did being neither Magician nor deceiuer as his enemies iniuriously report but such a one as the Greeks do boast Minos and others after him to haue beene for some of them affirmed their lawes to be made by Iupiter others by Apollo and Delphos Oracle either so beleeuing themselues or else thinking that the people would be easily so perswaded Now who of all the lawmakers made the best lawes who did most rightly thinke of God he that compareth all their lawes together may easily know for now occasion is offered to speake of them there are therefore an infinite companie of nations and lawes amongst men and some nations are ruled by Monarches othersome by the common consent of the people But our lawmaker doing neither of these did as one should say therein declare his common wealth to be diuine chiefely assigning all power and principalitie ouer vs to God causing all men to fixe their minds and cogitations on him as the onely giuer and author of all goodnesse giuing them to vnderstand that whatso euer in their necessitie they entreate him for hee heareth their praiers and vnderstandeth what euerie man doth in priuate yea his verie cogitations and that hee is one vnbegotten and in all times immutable and eternall differing in a most excellent shape from all mortall creatures and this we knowe but wee are altogether ignoraunt what God is as touching his substance and essence And thus the wisest Greeks that euer were iudged of God who how learned they were he giuing the ground of all their knowledge I now omit to rehearse that these things afore rehearsed are best and most agreeable to the nature and magnificence of God many do witnesse as Pythagoras Anaxagoras and Plato and after them the Soicks and almost all other Philosophers haue so thought of the diuine nature But they deliuering this their Philosophie in short speech durst not publish the truth of their doctrine among the people alreadie seazed vpon by superstitious opinions But our lawmakers works and words so agreed that he satisfied at large al his people and they that euer were to be borne of them and their successors inspiring as it were a certaine constancie into them to perseuer in the same stil referring the cause of his lawes to their profit and commoditie For he did not affirme the worship of God onely to be part of vertue but he assigned other parts thereof to wit fortitude iustice and mutuall concord of all his citizens For all our actions speeches and what else soeuer are all referred to diuine pietie Which he left not touched without any more discourse of it For these two are the methods of all discipline and moralitie whereof one frameth and directeth the speech the other the manners and actions which being so other lawmakers were indeed wise in aduice and counsaile and yet they made choice of one of these methods left the other For the Lacedemoniās were instructed in manners and not in words as also they of Creete were but the Athenians and almost all the Greeks were directed and trained vp by lawes in euerie thing they were to doe yet neuer could they put their written lawes in practise but our lawmaker verie industriously did conioyne both these togither for he neither omitted the training them vp in manners and good exercises neither did he surcease to leaue them written lawes And first of al making his entrance from the verie meats and prescribing to euerie one a conuenient diet he left no man libertie amongst vs to direct himselfe in the lest matter concerning his meat but he by lawes defined both from what meats we were to abstaine and what to eate and what ought to be our ordinarie diet as also when we ought to labour and when to cease from worke so that we as it were vnder the gouernment of a father or master might neither sinne willingly nor for ignorance for he did not appoint punishment for them that were ignorant of it but by law enacted a most necessarie and milde chasticement for the voluntarie offendors and for this cause he did not onely will that we should once or twise or often heare the lawes but that once euerie weeke we al omitting other buisines should come to heare the lawes and so learne them perfectly which things all other lawmakers as it is well knowne omitted All with lawdable customes all other lawmakers haue neglected and the most part of most men are so farre from liuing according to their owne lawes that they are altogether ignorant of them and hauing offended their lawes through ignorance they then learne by other mens meanes that they haue more breach of their lawes yea the chiefest and most emminent men amongst them doe professe herein that they are ignorant causing those that are learned and skilfull in their lawes to sit as it were in commission with them to direct them Whereas euerie one of our nation being demaunded of our lawes can answere as readily as he can tell his owne name for euerie one of vs learning them as it were so soone as wee come to the vse of reason vvee haue them as it were written and printed in our mindes and by this meanes both wee offend more seldome and when we offend wee are sure to be punished And this especially is that which hath caused such an vnitie and concord amongst vs. For to worship one God all after the same manner and nothing to differ in manner and conuersation one from another is the onely way to establish amitie and concord in a commonwealth For onely amongst vs no man shal heare any different speeches and opinions concerning God which thing amongst all nations else is most frequent and ordinarie for amongst them not onely euerie one of the cōmon people doth speake his pleasure in this point but diuers Philosophers also presume to do it some of them with their blasphemous speeches altogither destroying the nature of God and others with the like impudencie denying him to haue any care of men neither is here any difference amongst vs of affaires appertaining to mans life but al men with vs follow one cōmon expresse labour and we all ioyntly affirme the sonne of God and that he hath care of humane affaires and all our actions and exercises yea any one may learne of our women and children that all things whatsoeuer are to be reduced
he sawe it turned into a bloodie colour Amased at these accidents he was commaunded to be of good courage and assured that he should haue great assistance Moreouer that he should vse these signes before all men to the end said God that all may beleeue that being sent by me thou dost all this according to my commaundements Furthermore I enioyne thee that without any further delay thou haste thee into Egypt and that thou â—…ell day and night without leesing time without delaying any more to succour the poore Hebrewes grieuously afflicted in Egypt Moses hauing no cause to distrust that which God had promised him and being confirmed by these things whereof he was both an eye witnesse and auditor he required God that if there were any occasion to expresse the like power in Egypt he would vouchsafe to further the effect beseeching him further that he would not conceale his name from him to whom he had participated the hearing of his voice and the sight of his presence that it might please him therefore to declare vnto him his name to the end that when he should offer sacrifice vnto him he might call vpon the same God declared vnto him his name which before time had beene concealed amongst men and of which also it is not lawfull for me to speake Moses wrought these signes not only at that time but also when or wheresoeuer he thought it requisite by all which he gaue further credit to the fire which had appeared vnto him and assured himselfe that God would be his fauourable defender that he would deliuer his brethren and intangle and enwrap the Egyptians in great calamities And after that he had vnderstood that Pharao King of Egypt was dead during whose life he fled from thence he requested Raguel that he would giue him leaue to depart into Egypt for the profit of those of his nation and taking with him Sephora who was Raguel daughter and his maried wife and Gerson and Eleazar his children which he had by her he departed to go into Egypt Now this name of Gerson in the Hebrew tongue signifieth Forraine and Eleazar signifieth fauoured by God in memory that Moses had escaped from amongst the Egyptians by the assistance of the God of his fathers And as he approched neere the mountaines Aaron his brother by the commaundement of God came forth to meete him to whom he declared all that which had happened vnto him in the mountaine and that which God had giuen him in charge And as they passed onward of their way the men of greatest estimation amongst the Hebrewes hauing intelligence of his comming came out to meete him to whom Moses presented the abouenamed tokens by reason that he could not perswade them by words and they being astonished at that which they had seene him doe beyond their expectation waxed confident and conceiued a good hope of all things seeing that God had a care of their safetie When he perceiued that the Hebrewes were readie to obey him and that they protested to follow him in al that which he should command them through the earnest desire they had to be at liberty he presented himselfe before the king who had newly vndertaken the gouernment and shewed him the great benefits he had done vnto the Egyptians at such time as they were despised by the Ethiopians who had spoyled all their countrey and how he had spared no trauell but sustained all the charge of the warre as if it had beene waged for his owne proper nation On the other side he opened vnto him the daungers which he had iniustly suffered for his recompence he afterwards discoursed vnto him that which had befallen him neere vnto the fountaine of Sinai and the talke which God had in that place with him and the signes in particular which had been shewed vnto him in confirmation of those things whereunto he was enioyned exhorting the King not to mistrust or impeach the ordinance of God The King hearing this began to mocke him but Moses made him see in effect the signes which were shewed vnto him neere to the mountaine of Sinai But the King waxed wroth and grieuously reuiled him accusing him for that in times past he fled away for feare to be slaine in Egypt and at this present returned thither vnder a subtill pretext cloaking his craft with magike and inchantment the more to afright him And at the same instant he called into his presence the priests of Egypt to let them see those signes and to make it manifest that the Egyptians were exercised in those sciences and that he onely was not master in those things the which he boasted to performe by Gods power but that they were but deceits shadowes of meruailes to deceiue the multitude whereupon the priests cast downe their rods and they became serpents Moses being nothing moued herewith said O King I despise not the wisedome of the Egyptians but I protest that that which I haue done doth so farre surpasse all their magike and art as there is difference betweene diuine and humane things I will therefore shew you that that which I do is not by enchantment nor vnder colour of apparent veritie but by the prouidence and power of God This said he cast his rod vpon the ground commaunding it to change it selfe into a serpent whereunto it obeyed and wandering here and there it deuoured all the rods of the Egyptians which seemed to be serpents vntill they were all of them consumed and that done Moses tooke his staffe into his hand againe and it reassumed his pristine forme But the King being neuer the more astonished but the rather incensed at that which was done said that this wisedome and subtilty of Moses should profit him nothing which he vsed in disgrace of the Egyptians He commaunded therefore the ouerseer of the workes who had the gouernment ouer the Hebrewes that he should remit nothing of their labour but that he should oppresse them with more tedious and grieuous taskes then they were wont to be put vnto whereupon where he was wont to allowe them straw to make their tile with he forbare after that time to giue them that allowance and taxing them in the day time to follow their worke he appointed them by night to find and bring in their straw doubling thereby the waight of their former labour Notwithstanding all this Moses would neither desist from his purpose in regard of the kings threatning nor the continuall cry of his countrimen neither was in any sort appauled thereat but with a confident and vnappauled mind in regard of both he wholy intended this to restore his countrimen to their desired libertie Hee therefore once againe accosted the King perswading him to dismisse the Hebrewes to the end they might repaire vnto the mountaine Sinai and sacrifice vnto God in that place for no lesse saith hee hath he commaunded neither can any resist his will For which cause he aduised
the King to endeuour himselfe least he should seeme to contemne his fauours to grant the people free passage for feare least if he should secretly forbid them the same he might accuse and condemne himselfe to suffer that which they in reason ought to endure who resist the wil and works of God for to those that stirre vp the wrath of God against themselues al kind of mishaps do flock and flow on euery side The earth befriendeth them not neyther smileth the ◅yre vpon them their children are not begotten according to nature but all things oppose themselues as enemies and contraries against them Moreouer he added that the Aegyptians should feele the plague after that the people of the Hebrewes should in despight of their resistance depart out of their countrey but in that the King despised these words of Moses and would not be conuerted most grieuous plagues fell vpon the land of Aegypt The which I will particularly set downe by reason that at that time the Aegyptians suffered those things which neuer before that time happened to any other people and for that cause likewise that I may testifie and declare that Moses hath not falsified or erred in any thing that he hath done and besides for that it is expedient for men to learne do those things which are agreeable to gods wil for feare least he being prouoked and incensed against them should punish them for their vniustice For first of all by the commaundement of God the riuers ouerflowed with bloud neyther was it possible for them to drinke notwithstanding they had no other fountaines of water neither was the water only coloured like bloud but when as likewise any one dranke therof it ingendred procured in him diuers dolors and grieuous gripings Such was the water to the Aegyptians but to the Hebrewes it seemed good and sweet in taste without any waies chaunging the nature thereof Hereupon the King not knowing what to doe and seeing this straunge accident and being afraid by reason of the Aegyptians permitted the Hebrewes to depart but no sooner was this plague ceased but he presently chaunged his mind and would not permit them liberty to depart for which cause God seeing his ingratitude and that he would not be warned notwithstanding he had deliuered him from the former calamitie he inflicted an other plague vpon the Aegyptians He therefore sent an infinite number of frogs vpon them that couered and infected the whole countrey and the riuers were so packed and stored with them in such manner that they that drewe water to drinke found it altogether infected with the putrefaction of them dying rotting in the waters so that the whole countrey was full of filthie mud by reason of the frogs that defaced died on the same They corrupted also their meats mingling themselues in their houses amidst their meat and drink creeping amidst their chambers from whence an odious stench exhaled by reason of the multitude of frogs that lay dead Now when the Aegyptians saw themselues so sore pressed with these euils the King commanded Moses that he should take the Hebrewes that he should depart and as soone as he had spoken this the multitude of frogs vanished and appeared no more neither on the earth nor in the water but that they retained their accustomed nature No sooner was the earth deliuered frō this curse but Pharao forgot the cause therof retained the Hebrewes anew as if he had a desire to experimēt the maner of diuers miseries he denied thē that issue which before time he had granted thē rather inforced therunto by his feare then forward good liking For this cause God once againe rewarded his fraud by sending him another plague for a multitude of lice swarmed from the bodies of the Aegyptians whence the wretched men perished wretchedly neither could they exterminate that race eyther by bathings or inunctions The king troubled with this calamity fearing the ruine of his people and bethinking him of the shamefull end therof he was constrained to remit the better part of his malignitie For as touching the Hebrewes he permitted them to depart but after the plague was appeased he required at their hands that they would leaue their wiues and children behind them for pledges till their returne and by this meanes he prouoked Gods wrath more heauily against him in that he supposed to delude his prouidence as if it had not beene God who in the Hebrewes behalfe had punished them but Moses that had plagued the Aegyptians For God filled their countrey with many and diuers sorts of beasts the like whereof before that time had not beene seene in that countrey which killed them vp so that the earth became desolate and vnmanured and if any one amongst them escaped from death they were afterwards destroyed by sicknes But notwithstanding all these the King still continuing obstinate in his wickednes and disobedient vnto God permitting onely that the women and men should depart that their children should be left behind them but God desisted not to punish his wickednes by diuers and most grieuous plagues farre more tedious then the former yea such as were dispersed ouer all the people For their bodies were grieuously tormented with vlcers and corrupted inwardly and after this sort the greater part of the Egyptians perished but whenas the King was neither moderated nor mollified by this plague God rained downe haile vpon them which neuer before that time was engendred in the ayre of Aegypt further so great or rather greater then that which falleth to the Northward neere to the Pole Attique in the midst of the spring and spoyled all their fruite After which an armie of grashoppers deuoured all those buds and fruits which were vnoffenced by the hayle so that all the hope which the Egyptians had of their haruest or fruite was vtterly ouerthrowne These aforesaid afflictions had beene sufficient to perswade a man of the meanest vvit except he had beene a reprobate to grow wise and make vse of that which was most profitable for him But Pharao knowing the causes of the same enforced himselfe to resist God not onely thorow imprudence but for malice so that voluntarily he betraied his commonweale He therefore commaunded Moses that he should lead away the Hebrewes with their wiues but that they should leaue their substance behind them for a pray in that they complained that after all these calamities they had nothing left them To whom Moses aunswered that he demaunded an vnlawfull matter by reason that they were to offer sacrifice vnto God of their pray or bootie Now whilest the time was spent in these consultations darknes altogether deuoyd of light ouerspred the land of Aegypt where through they died miserably in closing their eyes by reason of the thickenesse thereof so that they were afraid least the fogge should choake them which being dispersed after three daies and so many nights