demaunded restitution of such cities as Hircanus father had taken frō him to whom Hircanus consented in all thinges Wherfore Hartam raysed all the people of Arabia and led theim to Hierusalem to warre vppon it To Hircanus also came all the men of Iuda saue onely they that dwelt at Hierusalem So betwixt them they beset the citie rounde aboute It fortuned that in the solemnitie of the Passeouer they coulde not haue their seruice of the solemnitie in the holy place bicause of the warres Wherupon a certain iust and perfect man of the towne called Hony auriga Onias brake out priuely into the camp of Hircanus and Antipater his counseler besought thē with much prayer teares that they would graunt a truce vnto Ierusalē while the feast of swete breade lasted that they might execute the seruice of Solemnitie in the holye place To whom Hircanus saide Thou art a iust manne and often when thou hast prayed the Lord hath heard thee pray now therfore vnto thy lord God to deliuer Aristobulus into our hands and that Israel may haue rest Hony auriga answered Am I a God or able to remoue battailes that be stirred vp for manye mennes iniquities Thus when he semed to bee vnwillynge to to pray Hircanus men compelled him drawinge their swordes and saiynge If thou wilt not praye thou shalte dye for it Therefore as he sawe his life in ieopardye he cryed vnto the Lorde O Lorde euerlastyng which haste chosen thy people Israell oute of all people hast set thy name in this house maye it please thy maiestie to plant amonge the children of Israel frendshippe and brotherhode take away from amonge them this hatred which is risen of nothing let not th one of these factions preuail against thother seing thei al be thy seruantes and children of thy couenaunt When the seruantes of Hircanus heard him saie so they ranne vpon him with their swords and killed him But God deferd not his vengeance for he strake the host aswel of the Arabiās as of Hircanus wyth a greuous pestilence At the same time came frō Rome a famous captain called Pompeius Pōpeius to warre against the coūtry of Armenia This Pompeius sent one of his chiefe men to Damasco of whom as Aristobulus thus besieged had heard that an armye of the Romaines was come into Damasco he sent him a presente of .iiii. C. pound weight of golde desiring him to remoue the armye of the Arabians frō him and raise the siege In those daies all the worlde obeyed the Romaines That captain therfore writ vnto Hartam king of Arabia in this wise Depart from Ierusalem if not thou shalt vnderstande thou haste broken thy league with the Senate of Rome and the hole armye of the Romaines shall shortly inuade thy land Hartam vppon the sight of this letter raised his siege and departed frō Hierusalem Hircanus also and Antipater departed with shame and reproche Aristobulus vpon that gathered a power and pursued after them gaue the Arabians Israelites that toke Hircanus part a greate ouerthrowe and after returned to Ierusalem with ioy Shortly after Pompeius came to Damasco him Aristobulus presēted with a vine of gold merueylous artificially wrought The rotes of the vine leues clusters grapes that were vpon it wer pure gold the weight therof was .v. C pound Pompeius was very glad therof sent it to Rome to the Cōsul And the hole benche of the Senate whiche was of the nōber of .iii. C .xx. senators wondered at the cunning wit of him that made it and with great ioy they bare it into the temple of their gods placing it in the presēce of the great Idol Iupiter so called after the name of the planet Iupiter Pompeins writ his letters to Aristobulus with great thākes cōmendaciō for the same assuring him how both he the hole Senate fauored him that he shuld haue a frēd of him to speke in his cause as lōg as he liued Hircanus hearing of this was cleane dashed in dispair But Antipater cōforted him saying let not the frēdship that is betwixt Pōpeius thi brother dismay thee I wil go to him make him thy frēd Vpō that he wēt to Pompeius perswaded his minde to hate Aristobulus to fauor Hircanus informinge him thus If thou saith he defēd Hircanus al Israel wil be cōtent to be vnder thy protection for they loue him euery mā But if thou defēd Aristobulus the people wil not obei the for thei hate him Pompeius charged him that no man should be made priuy of their cōmunication For I saith he wil sende for Aristobulus to come vnto me to Damasco and then wil I cause to lay handes of him and deliuer him bound to his brother restoring the kingdō to him Aristobulus vppon the sighte of Pompeius letters resorted vnto him Hircanus also came from the rocke of the wildernesse And as they appeared together before Pompeius Antipater desired him that he woulde do iustice betwixte Hircanus the king and Aristobulus hys brother that rebelled againste him and toke hys kingedom from him without cause Whose saiynges a thousād of the elders of Israel stode vp witnessed to be true Aristobulus made answer I neuer stroue with him for the kingdom vntill such time as I saw al these that made Hircanus king to run in great obloquy to susteine muche reproche because he was so feble a person and of no great wit nor forced much of the kingdome yea til al nations that wer about him whose dominions our progenitors cōquered began nowe to dispise him to passe little for offending him to denye him tribute for his simplicitye mopishnesse with lacke of courage Whē Aristrobulus had said there stode vp a great multitude of goodlye and beautiful yong men apparailed in cloth of Hiacinth and purple with mighti tergettes vpon the same and other ornamentes of gold christall and precious stones affirming with one accord that Aristrobulus saide the truthe namelye that Hircanus forced not of the kingedome At whom Pompeius merueiled saying Happy is this people hauinge so many hansome menne true in their wordes and wise Happy also wer the Senate of Rome if they could bringe to passe that this great nation mighte be vnder their gouernance So he toke his iourney to Ierusalem with Hircanus and Aristobulus But after Aristobulus perceiued the Pompeius stode not to the promise he made him at the beginning for the vine he set light by him and fled from him to Alexandria in Egipt whether Pompeius folowed with his host and beseged Alexādria From thence Aristobulus fled againe to Ierusalem and Pompeius pursued him also thither writing to Aristobulus a letter of truce pardon So Aristobulus came forth to him Pōpeius did him at that time no harme but demaunded to be geuen vnto him all the vessels of the house of the Lord which Aristobulus refusing to do but Pōpeius in a rage caused to lay him faste in
knowledge therof cōmaunded a fast through out all Israel for three daies after toke muster of all his armie and made ouer them captains of thousands hundreds fifties and tennes These saide to their souldiours VVho so euer is aferde c. Wherupon many of the people returned home yet there remayned .vii. M. and fiue hundred of suche courage all that one would not haue runne awaye from an hundreth Lisias deuided his hoste into three partes committing thē vnto three capitaines Nicanor Bagris and Ptolomee But after the Israelites had once geuen a great shoute the lord beat downe the Grekes so that the Israelites destroyed nine thousand horsmen of them spoyled the whole host and they that remayned alyue tooke them selues to flight The next daye Kynge Iudas kepte his Sabboth together wyth all Israell in the campe for the battayle was vppon the sixte daye The morowe after the Israelites returned to the spoyle of those that were kylled and after to pursue other that were not able to resist but they founde none for they were fled into Astaroth Karnaiim Durynge the tyme of this warres Antiochus inuaded the land of Persia for they hadde moued warre agaynste hym and done hym iniurye Wherfore he fought against them but hauynge the ouerthrowe at their handes he retourned to Antiochia wyth great shame where also he founde hys armyes wyth an other dishonoure and foyle Wherewyth he was in suche a rage that he gathered together all the valiauntest and beste Warriours in al Grecia yea all that were able to beare weapon swearinge he woulde bringe with him suche an armye that all the grounde about Hierusalem should not suffice theim to stande vppon that hee woulde haue wyth him euen for hys sotemen onelye And so he set forwarde his horsemen with horses and wagons laden with all maner of furnitures for the warres as Bowes shieldes Targets swordes and speares brestplates and mourens besides a huge noumber of Elephantes and suche that a dosen valiant men might fight vpon one Elephant the Elephants being to them as a Fortresse But kinge Iudas toke heart to him put his truste in his God and ioyned battaile with him At length when he with the power of Israel approched to the Elephants they slew theim downe right so that the Elephantes roared the Horses and all the beastes that caried the baggage and furnitures were verie soore afrayed Kinge Antiochus also beinge mounted vppon his mare and not able to sit her in her flight was throwen downe His seruauntes therfore findyng him toke him vp and bare him a while vpō their shoulders and being a corpulent and a grose man they were not able to carye him further but cast him downe in the waie The Lorde had plaged him also and his whole hoste before with a drye scabbe or rottē mattier and with other most horrible diseases which as he saw he confessed it to be the hande of God Wherfore he made a vowe that if he escaped be woulde circumcise him selfe with all his souldiours and would conuert them to the worshippynge of the God of Israel but God heard him not He fledde therfore a fote as well as he might and died bi the way through his greuous and soore diseases and Opiter his sonne raigned in his stede Kynge Iudas with all Israell retourned wyth great ioye to the house of the Lord offered sacrifices and as they had layed wodde vpon the alter and the sacrifice vpon that they called vnto the Lorde louingly to accept their sacrifice and in the meane space fire came forthe of the aulter by the owne accorde consumed the sacrifice and the wodde the lyke neuer chaunced vnto them to this day This miracle was wrought the .xxv. daie of the moneth Elul August The Kynge made an expedicion also into Arabia to warre vpon the people thereof made of them a great slaughter brought thē into subiection and made theim tributaries In his returne he set vppon a great citie of the Grekes wanne it and raced it After that he made a roade into Grece ten dayes iourney where as came against him with a huge armye the chiefe man in king Opiters realme next his persone but Iudas discomfited him and all his people From thence he went to the citye Sipolis that was vnder the Romains where as came foorthe to meete hym Godolias with a royal present informing him that they had euer borne the Israelits good will were their neighbours shewed them pleasures The Kinge examined the matter and founde their wordes true so receiuinge their presentes departed thence After this Gorgorius a captain of the Romaines moued warre wyth Iudas but Iudas stroke a battaile wyth him and destroied his whole armye so that none escaped Opiter sonne of Antiochus hearinge what Actes Iudas did in all countreys rounde aboute he mustred all his people leuied a puissante armie wherwith he came and besieged Bethar Then cried Iudas and all Israel vnto their God with fastynge and sacrifices The night after Iudas deuided his men into certaine bandes cōmaundynge theim to geue the Grecians a Camisado and to enter their Campe whiles it was darke whiche they did and slewe verie manie of the best of the Grecians about a foure thousand preparinge neuerthelesse for the fielde againste the morowe where as also the Israelites did beat downe many of the Greekes In that battaile was slaine Eleasar sonne of Mattathias the kinges brother For when he espied one wyth a golden sworde vpon an Elephant he thought him to be kinge Opiter who had .xx. Elephants in his armie Therfore he toke hart to him and beat doun the souldiours of the Grekes on bothe sides him were they neuer so stronge till he came to that Elephant And because the Elephant was so hye that he coulde not reache them that sate vpon him he shoued his sworde into the bealy of the beast to ouerthrowe the king wherat the Elephant shronke together and fel vpon Eleasar that he died there For whose sake al Israel mourned and made great lamentation But Opiter hearinge this straite waye made suite to king Iudas for peace and a league to be made betwene them whiche after Iudas had consented vnto he returned home into Grece againe and by the way fell into the hands of his enemies that slewe him After him succeded Demetrius his enemie who was the cause of his death Ther were at the time certain euil disposed persōs of the Iewes the serued the king of the Grecians in his warres namelye one Alkimus who went to the king of the Grekes at that tyme liynge at Antiochia and stirred him to moue warre vpon Israell and king Iudas Whereupon Demetrius sent against him a capitaine called Nicanor with a stronge armye He nowe comminge to Hierusalem let Iudas vnderstande that he bare him good will and was desierous to make peace and enter into a league with him Therefore as Iudas came forth accompanied with his brethren the sonnes of Chasmonanye Nicanor met him in the waie imbrased
wery of their liues for feare of them Wherefore the king of Siria sent vnto Herode ruler of Galily desiring him to kil that Hizkias his complices Wherupon Herode prepared him selfe and wente to meete with Hizkias as he returned from the spoil of Siria came vpoÌ„ him at vnwares and slue him and his menne Whereof when the kinge of Siria was certified he sent a noble reward vnto Herode of siluer gold and precious stones bi whiche and by like meanes he became very famous The noble men of Iuda made their complainte vnto Hircanus vpon Antipater and his soÌ„nes for their sore oppressing of the lande of Iuda desiring that Herode might be called froÌ„ Galily to appere in iudgment and answer with other for the killing of Hezkias The king therfore sente for him he vpon that came to Ierusalem appered before the iudges princely apparelled with a gilt sword gird aboute him whose pride an aunciente man called Samai blamed and repreheÌ„ded also his stoute hearte but he woulde not geue eare vnto him nor yet regarde the iudges When Hircanus perceiued that the iudges had almoste determined to geue iudgement agaynste the younge man to make him away he toke pitie vpon him said We wil not geue senteÌ„ce to day to morow is a new day and by that meanes deliuered him out of their hands Herode knew not afore that it was a matter of life and death That night therfore he fled to the king of Siria declaring all what had happened vnto him The kinge of Siria let him haue a strong army came with him him self purposing to besiege Ierusalem But his father Antipater and his elder brother Phaselus came forthe vnto him and rebuked him saiyng Is this the rewarde that thou rendrest to kinge Hircanus that toke pitie vppon thee and woulde not haue thy bloude shedde Therefore they willed him to depart from Ierusalem vnto whom he condiscended after he had once let the inhabitauntes of Hierusalem knowe what he could do and had shewed theÌ„ his power Iulius Emperour of Rome aboute that time as he was worshippinge in the house of his GOD was murdered by the conspyracye of certaine of theim whiche hadde serued Pompeius that was slaine as is afore mencioned The name of one of them that killed him was Cassius of the couÌ„trey of Macedonia who fledde thither beinge afraied to tarie at Rome This Cassius had great dominions in Macedonia Antipater also of whom we spake was a greate scourge to the noble men of Iuda and a great deale forer man then was Hircanus him self Yea Hircanus could do nothinge in comparison of him for he had no rule him selfe but Antipater and his sons bare all the swaye throughoute the whole realme Moreouer Antipater was in great estimation amongest all the Kinges of that time And for asmuch as he so sore oppressed the Iewes thei therfore hated him and conspired to kil hym There was a man in great aucthoritie about Aâ—rcanus by whose meanes thei wrought this matter He corrupted the kinges Butler with rewardes to put poyson in Antipaters cuppe which as he had dronke he died These things his sonnes Phaselus and Herode dissimuled and winked at as though they knew nothing Notwithstandinge they priuely writ vnto Cassius that raigned in Macedonia certifiynge him of this deede Sone after came Cassius to Tyrus from whence he sente messengers to Hircanus to come vnto him who came with hym Malchias Phaseus and Herode Cassius entertainynge them all in his lodgynge willed his men that whatsoeuer Herode had them thei should do it Herode willed them to kill Malchias they slew him therfore sittyng hard by Hircanus side Hircanus demauÌ„ded of the soÌ„nes of Antipater the cause hereof who answered Is it not manifest that Kynge Cassius seruauntes slew him and wee knowe not whye Therfore Hircauus stode in feare of Phaselus and Herode being certain that this was their dede Wherfore he saide vnto theim This Malchias was worthy of such a death for he was a crafty man and an vserer These thinges done Octauian Augustus brothers sonne vnto Iulius that was murdered came vnto Rome and the people of Rome made hym their Emperoure He had a felowe in office named Marcus Antonius his Vncle. Octauianus therefore seinge to the gouernement at Rome sent Marcus Antonius to warre vppon Cassius and to reuenge Iulius death Vnto him Hircanus sent a presente a crowne of golde in whiche were set sundrye precious stones praiyng him to strengthen his Kingedome in his handes and to be a means of a league to be made betwen Octauian Augustus king of kings and him as there was betwene him and Iulius which Antonius graunted Pacorus About that time Antigonus fonne of Aristobulus writ to Pagurus kyng of the Persians to aide him against Hircanus to remoue him and to restore the kingdome to him self and he agreed to geue him for his trauail fiue hundreth pouÌ„d weight of gold and a hundreth Israelitish virgins So Pagurus gathered an host against Israel and Antigonus departed oute of Ierusalem with muche people of Israel that toke his part and foyned them selues to Pagurus These came to Ierusalem besieged it fought many skirmishes gaue many greate assaultes vnto it til at lenght they vndermined the city Then toke they Hircanus and slue Phaselus And to the intent Hircanus shuld be cleane remoued from the priesthod Antigonus that had depriued him now of his kingdom cut of besides that one of his eares But Herode escaped fled to August emperour of Rome Pagurê° therfore hauing made Antigonus king of Ierusalem returned home into Persia cariynge Hircanus as prisoner with him But Augustus appointed Herod to be king ouer al Iuda geuing to him a very strong army of the Romaines to obtein it withall In the way thither Herode met with Alexandra Hircanus doughter and Marimi her doughter thou she had by Alexander soÌ„ne of Aristobulus and brought theÌ„ again into the land of Israel where he tooke Marimi to wife and was maried with her in the mount of Galile For ther the chiefe of al Israel dwelte with whome he toke peace Marcus Antonius companion in office vnto Octauian Augustus aboute that time made a voyage through all the East countries to subdue them vnto the Romaines together with Egipt Damasco and Siria Him Herode accompanied to the flud of Euphrates and helped him not a litle For the Arabians lay in wait for him in the way and slue all that would aide Marcus Antonius But Herode mette with them and slue them Wherefore Antonius was verye gladde of Herodes valiauntnesse and brought him again into Israell together with Cassius his captain and lieuetenant of his warres hauinge also his letters to all the captaines of Siria after this tenure Ye shall vnderstand that our Lord and maister Octauian Augustus kinge of kings hath appointed Herode the soÌ„ne of Antipater to be kinge of all the land of Iuda Therefore assone as these letters shall come
been for the wickednes that her doughter had coÌ„mitted thinking suerly to please the king by that meanes and to bleare his eies if peraduenture he might suffer her to liue til she might haue oportunitie to poison him Marimi thus going to execution helde her peace and looked nether to the right hand nor to the left nor yet feared death any thing knowing that she was innoceÌ„t in dede and thought and therfore God would reÌ„der her a good rewarde in the world to come Wherfore she bared her necke without feare and thei cut of her head sheding the innocent bloud But God made no delay in punishing the same for there fell a sore plague and pestileÌ„ce in the house of Herode so that his chief seruauntes his noble women and concubines died sore therof Yea throughout all Iudea reigned the pestilence vehemently whiche affliction all Israell knew well ynough chaunced vnto theÌ„ for the bloude of Marimi They cried therefore vnto the lorde saiyng Wilt thou forthe offence of one man deale so cruelly with the hole congregacion The lorde toke pitie therfore vpâ—â— the lande and withore we the plague from the people The king repeÌ„ted him also that he had shed bloud without cause and loue so grew in his harte that he was sicke and at deathes dore Then Alexandra Marimies mother soughte meanes how to poyson hym Whiche being vttered vnto the kynge he commaunded to apprehende her and to kil her In this maner dealt Herode with all the posteritie of the Machabees leauing none aliue that were called by the name He put to death also Ioseph the busband of Salumith The king hadde two sonnes Alexander and Aristobulus by Marimi his wyfe They were both at Rome when their mother suffered for their father the king had sent them thither to learne the Romain toÌ„gue When thei heard tidinges of their mothers death they wepte and mourned for her hating their father for his rcueltie Sone after the king their father recouered of his sickenes was established in his kingdome builded stronge cities and rose to great prosperitie In the. â—iii yeare of his reigne there fell a great dearth in the lande wherfore the kinge tooke out of his treasure muche gold and siluer and precious stoones wherwith he sent into Egipt and procured plentie of corne and refresâ—hyng with bread all that lackt and was in distres of huÌ„ger yea he spared not his owne propre goodes And not onely to the Israelites shewed he this liberality but also to all that came vnto him out of other straunge nations hearing of his renoume Moreouer in all his warres he had good fortune Besides thys he thought it good to renew the house of the sanctuary wherupon he deliberated with the Israelites to haue their aduise for the building of it after the same quantitie and measure that Salolomon king of Israel builded it For the Iewes returning from captiuite in the time of Coresch Cirus began to build it after the measure the Coresch prescribed theÌ„ not as it was afore The people of Israel hearing that the king was purposed to pul down the teÌ„ple to the grouÌ„d and buylde it a freshe they made hym none aunswere fearing left whan he had pulled it downe he would not bee so hasty to builde it vp againe But the the king perceauing what they feared in their mindes saide he woulde not flack the matter nor reste till he hade brought it to passe He said moreouer that he would take out of his treasure plentie of gold and syluer and geue it to grauing also precious stones stones of Thasies marble To the carpenters also and masons he would deliuer timber stones gold siluer brasse iron to make all thinges necessary to the woorke Wherefore if he pulled downe the house he was able to builde it streight waies again So he pulled downe the house and repaired it again and finished it in length a hundred cubites in bredth lykewise a hundreth cubites and in height a hundreth cubites all of white marble so that the whole height of the stone work was in all a hundreth and .xx. cubites For the foundacion was .xx. cubites within the grounde and a hundreth aboue The breadth of euery stone was .xii. cubites and the thicknes thereof .viii. cubites euery stone was of like bignesse The gates of the house he couered with fine gold and precious stoones finely sette therin the thresholdes were of siluer the tops also He made also a vine of gold a marueilous cunning pece of worcke the armes therof or bigger braunches were glittering gold the lesser braunches slips or latest shutes of gold sumwhat red al aboue was yelow gold wherupon hong clusters of cristal The vine was so great that it weied a thousaÌ„d pound weight of pure gold In all the world was not the like to be seen He made also a porche before the porche ii walles of siluer marueilous cuÌ„ningly wrought Behind the house toward the west he made a court of .c. l. cubites loÌ„g and a. C. in bredth whiche was paued with pure marble Toward the south north the length of the court was also Cl. cubites a. C. in breadth He erected in it also C. l. pillers of white marble in foure orders The length of one order was fortye cubites and euerye piller was .xl. cubites hie and three cubites thicke The pillers were all of like measure as the court of the north side and of the South was also of like measure with al the pilloures thereof Toward the east the court conteined D. ccxx cubites euen to the broke Cedron No man euer se the like building in all the world In the extreme partes of the courts he made also walkes and and galeries of such height that they the walked therin might easily se the waters running in the broke Cedron by the space of a cubit Betwene the porch and the house also as though it were a vaile or perticion the king made a wal of siluer of halfe a handful thicke In the which was a dore of beaten golde and vpon the gate a sword of golde of xii pound weight There were certain poses grauen in the sworde as this VVhat straunger so euer approcheth nie her let him die for it So the things that Herode made in the temple were wonderful nether was there euer hard of in all the worlde any king that was able to make suche a building When the worke was finished the king sente to Sarons his pastures for his Cattell from whence were broughte him thre hundreth yonge Bullâ—ckes and verye many shepe accordinge to his Princelye estate So then they dedicated and and halowed the house with great â—oy and gladnesse There was one certain day in the yeare when as the kinge was euer accustomed to make a greate feast to all his court to al his nobles sages in Israel Against that self same daye the kinge was mineded to finishe his workes whiche made bothe him
her as one that hath conspired against thee Yet neuertheles I know wel that for the loue thou bearest vnto me thou wouldest spare her for this cause am I come vnto thee that wheÌ„ thou hast put thy sonne to death I also may slea my doughter For it is better that we should make them away then they vs. Herode hearing this was veri glad and gaue credit to his frendship WheÌ„ Archelaus perceiued that Herode had a good opinion of him he altred his communication sayinge to the kinge Firste let vs diligentlye examine and wel try the cause forasmuche as there are manye false witnesses and lyinge persons in the worlde let vs not shed innocent bloud vpon an vncertaintye For Archelaus knew that Herode had geuen to light credite howe he was ready to heare an euil tale which was the cause of all the mischiefe that befell to the people of his house Well Herode thoughte his counsel good One of them that accused the kinges children was Pheroras the kinges brother and to say the truthe he was the chiefe of all Herode loued Archelaus the kinge of Cappadocia as him self whithe Archelaus perceiuinge tourned his talke to rebuke the kinge sayinge Thou arte nowe waxen olde and wel striken in yeares thou suffrest these backebiters to rule thee who stirre thee to worcke all these mischiefes in thy house Yea Pheroras thy brother hathe falslye prouoked thee agaynste thy sonnes When Pheroras heard these wordes he was sore afraide for in dede he had seduced the king Therfore came Pheroras to Archelaus and besought him to saue his life Archelaus aunswered him if thou wilt obtaine pardon for thy wyckednes come and fall before his feete and coÌ„fesse that thou hast spoken falsly against his sonnes then wil I promise thee that he shal be merciful vnto thee and to his sonnes Pheroras did so confessed that he had falsly accused the kinges sonnes Then Archelaus besought the king for pardon and he graunted it After that he intreated him that the yong men might be dismissed and deliuered out of pryson whiche the kynge commaunded to be dooen The yonge men therfore came to the kinges presence and fell downe before his feete the king was louing vnto them embrased them and kist them He made great ioy also that Archelaus came in so good an houre vnto him to whome he gaue for a gift .vii. huÌ„dreth poundes weight of gold many precious stones and concubines and dimisâ—ed him But Antipater againe suborned false accusers and write counterfaite letters in the name of the kinges sonnes to one of the captaines declaringe howe they would conspire and kil the kinge and by suche meanes he encreased the enemities betwene them and their father diuers waies that the king commaunded them to be put in prison and most strong irons to be laid vpon them Besides this Antipater had surprised and won the hartes of the kinges chief rulers and seruantes that they suborned his barber to beare false witnesse againste Alexander howe that he hired him to kil the king at such time as he should shaue his beard WhaÌ„ the king heard his barbar speake he was wonderfullye troubled in his minde in so much that he said I am wearye of my life to heare these pickthanckes that open mine eares and fil my head with tales I can do no waye better then to geue charge that who soeuer bringes me ani such tales hereafter of any bodi he shall suffer death for it Wherfore he commaunded the barber to be slain his two sonnes to be brought forthe and hanged vpon gallowes sheading their innocent bloude Then reioysed Antipater supposing him selfe to be as sure of the kingdome as though he had it in his handes When as he was not aware that although he vvere neuer so hie aloft yet vvas there one aboue higher then he vvho considered his doinges Alexander had two sonnes Thigarum and Aristobulus And Aristobulus had thre sonnes Tigraues Herode Agrippa Alexander Whan the kyng returned to Hierusalem for he was in Samaria by the lake syde whan his sonnes were put to execution he commauÌ„ded that his nephewes shoulde be brought to the courte and taking pitie of them embrased and kissed them weping very sore both he and all his seruauntes For it greatly repented him of the heinous dedes that he had done But whaÌ„ the tyme of the mourning was past he caused to call all the chief of Israell together and said vnto them I am now growen in age and waxen grey headed certaine how shortely I shall die I se here before me these litle fatherles children whiche I neuer can beholde without great anguishe of my minde For when I loke vpon them I call to my remembrance what great domage I haue done vnto their fathers in my rage and headlong furiousnes Nowe therfore I woulde commit them to the fuicion and custody of some man that might be a patron as father vnto theÌ„ to succour them continually to his power All the people aunswered that he had wel spoken He spake therfore vnto his brother Pheroras Thou shalt be their patrone and defendour and shalt geue thy doughter to Thigarus Alexanders sonne He commaunded also his sonne Antipater to geue his doughter to Herode the sonne of Aristobulus And the mariages were made in the kynges presence When Antipater marked the loue that the kynge bare toward his nephewes he begaÌ„ to be in great care for Thegarus Alexanders sonne had a graundfather by the mother side a kinge of greate power namely Archelaus king of Cappadocia He falles down therfore at the kinges feete to dissolue and breake the frendship that he bare towards his nephewes and to leaue speaking in their cause as he had done but he preuailed nothing Therfore he left his father and wente to Pheroras the kinges brother made a confederacie with him Then desired him to frustrate the bond that was betwene him selfe and Herode and also betwene him and Thigarus the sonne of Alexander that was hanged So Pheroras came to the kinge tourned his minde and dissolued the mariages This done Pheroras and Antipater that sate vpon the kinges throne were become great frendes banketting one the other day and night and deuisinge their matters When this came to the kinges eare he was sore afraid of their traines and commauÌ„ded that his brother Pheroras should neuer more come in his sighte Antipater his sonne was sent to Octauian Augustus to establishe the kingdome vnto him and to enter in league with him For Herode was so olde that he could not go Antipater iourneying towards Rome passed through Egipte desirous to see it before the death of his vncle Pheroras And as he trauailed by the hie waies of Egipte there came a certaine marchaunte hauinge a Vyall in his hande close couered which cried saying who wil bie a thing at a great price before he see it or know what it is Antipater meruailed at his words and asked him what was
in his Vyal But the seller tolde him not what it was before he hadde bought it and paide deare for it Then whispered he in his eare tellinge him that it was a strong poison that would kil one out of hand This Vyal Antipater sente to Pheroras to be kepte vntill he retourned from Rome In the meane season Pheroras died and his wife hidde the Vyall After when Antipater came home againe from Rome Pheroras wife and he fel at variance insomuche that she obiected vnto him that he was the cause that Pheroras was banished the kinges presence the sorow wherof was his death On the other side Antipater went aboute to accuse her sowinge discorde betwene her and the king to stirre him against her He suborned also a certain Ennuch or gelded parson to go vnto the king and informe him howe that at what time as he tooke displeasure with Pheroras his brother and banished him his presence Pheroras procured a strong poisō and gaue it to his wife commaunding her to destroy the king therewith The king hearinge this was wrothe with the Ennuche and saide I searched for that venom longe a go when it was noysed that my housholde seruauntes would geue it me to drinke but I could not finde the thinge to be true Yea I haue bene to rashe in such matters for I put my wife Marimi to deaths without a cause and Alexandra my mother in law with my two children When Antipater heard that the king credited not the Ennuche he made sute to the king to send him to Octauian the secōd time for he was a fearde for the Viall that was in Pheroras wifes house He had writen also with his hande howe that he sent it intending therewith to poison the kinges sonnes children But he that prepareth a pit for another oft times falleth into it him self So desiring the kinge to sende him he let him go After this the kinge commaunded to make searche if the Ennuches woordes were true or no he sente firste for all Pheroras housholde seruauntes examined theim whether euer they coulde perceiue that Pheroras was in minde to hurte him They all sware no. Then the king cōmaunded to scourge them verye fore but they confessed nothynge althoughe some dyed vnder their handes in the examination Some he ordered with diuers kinde of torments of some he caused to pluck oute all their teethe And as he hade scourge a certaine woman seruaunt which hadde bene verye trusty to Pheroras at length when she could no lēger stand for strokes she cried out and said The holy blessed God reuēg vs of Rostios the kings wife Antipaters mother Dosis Antipaters mother which is cause of this The kinge hearyng these wordes bad let her alone she will disclose all Then spake shee Antipater made feasts euerie foote for thy Brother Pheroras and him selfe and as thei eate and dranke they deuised how to poyson thee specially when as Antipater was going to Octauian For thei said Except we destroy him he wil destroy vs as he hath done al the children of his house Moreouer he loueth the children of his sonnes that were put to deathe whiche grow apace and it is possible he maye chaunge his minde and make one of them kinge Antipater also said to thy brother The king makes as though he were much my frende but I trust him not He gaue me saith he a. C. pounde weight of golde but all that satifieth not me When the kinge heard this he told how he had geuen Antipater this gold secretely The woman said moreouer There is yet a Vyal of strōg poison in Pheroras house that thy sonne sent out of Egipte Streightwaye the king sent to Pheroras wife that she shoulde bringe him the Vyall of poison her own self When she espied the kings Ennuches come to fetche her whether she woulde or no she gate her vp to the top of the house and cast her self downe headlonge to kil her selfe because she would not see the kinge nor abide his tormentes But she died not therof whereuppon the kynges messengers brought her in a horse litter and set her afore the king Then she confessed vnto him how Antipater his sonne had cōspired with Pheroras to kil him with a strong poyson that he had bought in Egipte and sente to Pheroras when he want to Octauian And how that Pheroras being at the point of death repēted him therof charging that we shuld neuer geue that venome to Antipater but poure it out vpon the ground that the king mighte not be poisoned therewith and I did as he bad me cast it out al saue a litle that I kepte in the glase botome for I euer feared that whiche is now come to passe Then at the kinges commaundement the Vyall was broughte forthe before him and there was a litle of the venome left wherefore they gaue better creadite to her wordes so that the king was contente with her and bad his Phisitions heale her and she recouered This done the king write to Antipater to come home with spede because I am old saithe he weake vncertain how shortly I shal dye The kinge had yet also two other sonnes at Rome Archelaus Polimus So whē Antipater writ to answer his fathers letters he signified vnto him that his .ii. sōnes had diffamed the king and slaundred him vnto Octauian But the king answered him come and brynge them with thee I wil order them as thou thinkest good Notwithstandinge Antipater dalied delaied for the space of .vii. monethes to se if he might learn somwhat of his fathers doings but he could heare nothing The messengers that his father had sent lay vpon him euery day drged him to make spede Therfore at the .vii. monethes ende he toke his iourney towardes Iudea and came to Cesarea There hearde he that his father had taken displeasure with his mother and banished her the court◠but he coulde not learne what shoulde be the cause therfore he was strokē in such feare that he woulde haue gone backe again and left his iourney But they that waited vpon him beinge desirous to go home to their houses family crafted with him and perswaded him that if he shuld now return backe out of his waye he shoulde iustifye his enmies saiyngs to be true But if thou come once to thy fathers presence saye they who loueth the so intirelye thou shalt preuaile againste thy foes and get the vpper hande of them that trouble thee So he folowed their counsell and came to Ierusalem Whē he entred into the city no mā came forth to meete him nor once to bid him welcome home For al the people hated him for his lies slaūders peruers wicked coūsel but chiefly for fear of the king Yet went he forward to the court although with a fearful heart When he came to the kinges presence he fell downe and did his dutye but the Kinge turned away his face and could not abide to loke vpon him He went home
therfore to his house with a heuy hart hanging downe his head and hidynge his face There his mother toâ—de hym how their counsaile concerning the viall of poyson was bewraied and howe the king was wonderfully incensed towardes him that encreased yet his fear more and more The next daie by the kings coÌ„mauÌ„dement he was broughtâ— forth before al the chief of Israell asseÌ„bled together the king sate to iudge Antipaters cause There rehearsed the king vnto theÌ„ his sons lewdnes lies how he had seduced him stirred him to kil his children that wer of the king bloude farre better and more vertuous then he in so much that with a loude voice the king burst out and bewailed his wife Marimi whoÌ„ he put to death without a cause and his two Sonnes that they that were far of might heare him Then Antipater lift vp his head and began to speake craftely and subtilly First he forgote not to geue gentle words to pacifie his fathers wrath but that he coulde not do After he fel to intreatie in such sort that all the nobles were moued to pity and bewailed his euill Fortune not without teares saue only Niraleus the kings serretary who loued the kinges children that were put to death He rebuked them al that were sory for the calamity of Antipater crying with al his might wher are ye Alexander Aristobulus that were slaine giltlesse Lift vp your heads behold this bloudy wicked man fal into the pit which he him self made see how how his foote is catched in the net that he laid his selfe for other Marke ye not how your maker reuengeth your death and requireth yourbloude at his hande in the time of his destruction For the wicked man is spared vntil the time of his death So the king him selfe verye much infensed sent to fetch a condemned person oute of prisone who beinge brought before them and tasting a litle of the poison in the Vial fel down starke deade forthwith Then the kinge commaunded Antipater to be caried to prison to be laied in the strongest irons The .xl. yeare of his reign which was the .lxx. yere of his age kinge Herode fel sicke no remedy no phisicke could be found to helpe him Nether his seruauÌ„tes nor phisiciaÌ„s could procure him any rest so greuously came his disease vpoÌ„ him with lacke of breth through the anguish of the manifold euils that had happened vnto him by his owne folke Wheâ—upon he cried out saiyng Woe may he beâ— that hathe none left to succede him in his kyngdome nor none to go before his Coffin and mourne for him at his death Then called he to his remembraunce his wyfe Marimi and his two sonnes rehearsynge them by name howlyng and wepyng styll continually Vpon a certaine daye when his sicknes came sore vpon him he called to his seruauntes to fetche him some pleasaunt apple to see if he myght comforte his hearte and when they had brought it he axed for a knife to cut it one was brought hym Then he gathered his strength vnto him and rered hym selfe vp vpon his left arme and perceyuyng his lyfe to bee full of sorowe and lamentacion he tooke the knyfe with his right hande and fetched his way to thrust it into his bely But his seruauntes stept to him and caught his arme holdyng his handes and woulde not suffer hym to dooe it Then wepte he sore and all his seruauntes that the voyce was heard out of the courte and shortly all the cytie was in a sturre sayinge the kynge is dead the kynge is dead Antipater being in the prison heard the noyse and asked what busines is this they aunswered hym the kynge is dead Then was he glad and reioyced wonderfullye saiyng vnto the Iayloâ—â—â—â— Strike of mine irons and let me dute that I may go the palaice and Iwyll remember thee with a good turne â–ª The keper answered I feare least the kinge be yet altue I will go therfore know the truthe and come againe by and by Antipater saw he coulde not get loose wept for anger at the keper So the keper came to the court which as it was tolde to the king he commaunded him to be brought to his presence Then the kinge asked him What did Antipater I pray thee when he heard this mourning and that I was dead The keper answered He was verie glad thereof and when I woulde not smite of his irons and let him out he wept for anger The king crted out vnto his lords See howe he hateth me beinge yet in prison if he were here he would dooe what he could to kill me He would not doe as my seruauntes did make haste to wrest the knife out of my hande As true as God liueth he shal neuer haue that he gapeth for So the king commaunded he shoulde bee put to death And there was neuer a maÌ„ that wold intreatâ— for him or desier the kinge to the contrary but euery man was glad of his destruction The king commauÌ„ded the kepar to bring him forth to the market place whiche dooen his head was smiten of and so he lepte besides his purpose The kinge commaunded moreouer his body to be taken and caried to the citie of Ankalia there to be buried and not in the citie That done HircaniuÌ„ and the people returned from the buriall the king sent to call al the nobles of Israell together and enforsinge his strength he sat vp in his bedde and coÌ„maunded to call his sonne Archelaus vpon whome he layde his handes and made him kinge ouer Israell Then showted euery maÌ„ God saue the king god saue the king The king liued .v. dais after the execution of Antipater then fainted died The time that he reigned ouer Israel was fourty yeres He was a worthy warriour a wise a prudent man a goodly man of persone hauing God on his syde He loued euer the sages Hillell and Samai with their companies He enriched the seconde house more then all other kinges and was more liberall then all the kynges that were before him His giftes and rewardes were ryche for he counted gold and syluer as chaffe stones He kepte Israel in quiet and peace from al their enemies He buylded also a more royal temple then did kyng Salemon But he made the yoke of tribute and exaction in Israell heuier and gaue open eare to euill tonges He was a cruell bloudshedder of poore and innocente persones He willed before his death that they should bury hym in the citie Erodion twoo daies iourney and a halfe from Hierusalem So they put him in a coffin couered with gold sette here there with precious stones The bed vnder him was wrought with gold ful of precious stones Likewise vpoÌ„ his head was a cloth of reines powdred with precious stones vpon that a royall crowne made fast to the left syde of the coffin vpoÌ„ the right side was the regall scepter Vpon the beare was also a clothe
the people that warded that wal wer sain to get them selfes within the sauegarde of the seconde wall â–ª Then Titus commaunded his souldiers to race to the ground that wal that he had pearsed and to carye awaye the stones thereof that they shoulde be no let nor hinderaunce to his men This was the mooste substanciall and strongest wal of al thicker then bothe thother and was builded by Herode The Romaines labouring earnestly in the defacing of the vtter wal were slaine in great noumber by the Iewes from the middle wall before they coulde finishe their purpose The chiefe of the Iewes perceiuing that Titus had not only taken but also quite pulled down the vtter wal howe there was now but two walles left about the towne it went to their hartes and made them loke aboute them therefore began the seditious now earnestlye to thinke of vnity and concord amongst theÌ„ selues so then they deuided the town amoÌ„gst them into three wardes Iehochanan was appointed vnto that warde that is on the Northe parte of the temple beside the Antochia That parte of the town that was toward the tombe of Iochanan the highe prieste was attributed to Schimeon To Eleasar was committed the keepinge of the wall These exhortinge one an other to playe the menne did valeantlye resiste the Romaines so that the conflictes then began to be sore and hard The Romaines for their renown and fame laide on loade and the Iewes againe stucke stiflye to the defence seinge their ende at hande if they were slacke Titus nowe and then exhorted his Souldioures to playe the menne promysinge them that woulde valeauntlye geue the onsette vppon the Iewes aboundaunce of golde siluer and muche honoure withall Then stepte forthe one of his souldiours named Longinus and put hym selfe amongste the routes of the Iewes that were issued out of the toune where he slew a couple of the chiefe of them and streyght recouered hym selfe agayne wythin the araye of the Romaynes But the Iewes shrinkt not frome the Romaynes for they were in a feruent rage and a wonderfull disdayne and to further theyr courage Schimeon came vnto hys men and cryed vpon them wyth a loude voyce saynge For the reuerence of God frendes flye not thys daye who soeuer dothe â–ª flye let hym be sure he shall dye for it and hys house destroyed Titus also admonyshed hys to kepe theyr araye and not to geue back to Schimeon Then wente he hym selfe to that parâ—e of the toune where Iehochanans warde was there he caused an Iron Ram to be planted and bente agaynst the wall for there was a large playne There was at that tyme in Ierusalem one called Kantor who gat to hym a company of the sedicious and shote frome the walles into the Romaynes armye where he slewe very manye compellynge the reste to retyre he wyth nyne other tale felowes whereof he was the Decurian defended one part of the toune Nowe as the Romaynes bended the Ramme to batter the wall Kantor cryed vnto Titus I beseche thee my Lorde Titus be mercyfull of thys moste famous Citie that is almoste bete doune all redye do not deface it vtterly but take pitye of the sanctuary that is in it and destroye not the habitacion of the Lorde God Titus at hys requeste commaunded hys men to staye and to leaue of batterynge the wall then sayed he to Kantor Come forthe hyther to me and thou shalte saue thy lyfe I wyll pardon thee thou shalte not be destroyed Kantor answered I wyl see if I canne perswade these my felowes to come wyth me But he dyd it vppon coloure for none other cause then craftily to tryfle out time to make Titus to leaue of the assaulte for a while So he spake vnto his fellowes that knewe his minde that the Romaines mighte heare Let vs go downe and flye to the Romaine armye Then they drewe oute theyr swordes and made as thoughe they woulde kill him strikinge vppon his harnes and he fel down to the ground in the sighte of the Romaines whiche were ignoraunâ—e of his disceite Then one of the Romaines let flie an arrow that wounded Kantor vppon the face and glauncinge from him slewe an other that stode by him Then Kantor cried oute What do ye will ye shoote at vs that desire to be at peace with you whiche ye graunted your selues and nowe will breake your promisse that ye made vnto vs Is this the rewarde my Lorde Titus that thou rendrest me for goinge aboute to flye vnto thee that thy souldiours shal shoote at me hearinge me to require condicions of peace Nowe therefore my Lorde pleaseth it thee to sends hither some man of honoure to whome I maye come downe and receiue assuraunce of thy promisse and come to thee afterwardes to be as one of thine owne menne Titus thinckinge he mente good faithe spake vnto Ioseph willinge him to goe and make peace with the Iewe in his name then to bringe him vnto him that he might finde sauegarde of his life from the common destruction Iosephe answered Whye wilt thou sende me what haue I offended thee haue I not euer done the true and faithfull seruice Therefore if thou beare me any good will or fauoure sende me not vnto him whome I canne not truâ—â—e for Iosephe mystrusted some subteltye knowinge Kantor afore So Titus sente â—ne captaine Iiarus who sayde vnto Kantor come downe and let vs go together to Cesars sonne Kantor desired him to holde abroade his cloke lappe that he mighte hurle hym downe his monye that he had there least the Iewes perceiuing it woulde take it from him and then he woulde come downe And as Iiarus helde vp his lappe to receyue the money that Kantor spake of Kantor wyth all his myght caste downe a greate Stone whiche Iiarus espiynge lepte asyde and auoyded but it lyghte vppon one of hys fellowes and slewe hym Titus was wonderfull wrothe at thys and foorthwyth planted yet an other yron Ramme agaynste the Walle and at lengthe layed it flatte vpon the grouÌ„d Then commaunded Titus to make fires aboute the Walle whereas the Iewes shoulde escape by Kantor seing that woulde haue fled and as he made haste to scape the fires the weight of bys armour bare hym downe into the fire and there hee dyed more desierous of death then lyfe Then entered the Romaynes within the seconde Walle agaynste whome the Sedicious issued and foughte wyth suche vehemente force that they preuayled agaynste theyr ennemyes slewe manye of the Romaynes and forced the reste to retyre vnto the firste Walle that they hadde beaten downe afore In thys skyrmyshe Titus him selfe tooke a bowe and shotte at the Iewes in suche wyse that no one of hys arrowes were spente in vaine but that it did some anoyaunce vnto the Iewes yet for all that the Iewes gaue theim the repulse from the Towne and the Romaynes were not able to make their partye good wyth theim Wythin foure dayes after came vnto Titus a newe supplye of Souldiours oute of